By Kathy Gaillard
John Ridley IV is best known as an American screenwriter, television director, novelist, and creator of 12 Years A Slave, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. He also calls Milwaukee home, having grown up in Mequon with his parents Dr. John and Terri Ridley.
Locally, Ridley and his sister, Lisa Caesar, are also known as the founders of an innovative, artsy space called Nō Studios. And, while they have the same parents and were raised within the same family, Caesar admits that they couldn’t be more different. Apparently, those differences help create a synergy that works for them with their successful Nō Studios venture.
“John loves the creative space. It’s a space where he has worked in for more than 40 years and he has excelled there. I’m the one that looks at the numbers and the bottom line, so I take care of the financial piece. It’s a functional relationship and works well for us,” said Caesar.
“Nō” is a traditional Japanese performing art combining chant, music, dance, acting, as well as masks and costumes. It’s a fitting name for Nō Studios because that is exactly what happens at the Cream City brick building located at 1037 W. McKinley Ave. It is a creative place that offers co-working spaces, a café, performance stage, production studio, and a host of meeting spaces and opportunities for members and visitors.
“We’re from this area and we wanted to establish something in Milwaukee similar to SoHo house communities (artist hubs) in other metropolitan areas. We wanted a collaboration that would be sustainable and evergreen and John wanted to offer artists the creative space that he wishes he had had access to growing up in Milwaukee. After winning an Oscar in 2014 which elevated him, John and I discussed the best way to capitalize on his notoriety. We used his celebrity as the foundation for this idea and that’s how it started,” said Caesar.
No slouch in her own right, Caesar earned a master’s degree in Business from Harvard University and spent more than 30 years working on Wall Street. She is Chief Operating Officer of Nō Studios and while still based in New York, Caesar travels to Milwaukee every other week.
Ridley and Caesar worked closely with philanthropist Chris Abele, who supported the concept. In 2017, they bought the building that houses Nō Studios. It is a collaborative workspace, hybrid experience platform, and social community for creatives and lovers of art. Memberships help sustain the facility. They range from individual ($25 a month) to organization memberships that cost $2,500 annually. Space rental includes access to the Skyline Lounge that accommodates 150 people standing and 100 seated and includes an outdoor deck. The movie theater seats 47 people. There is also a gallery with a screening room. Member benefits include a key fob to the building, discounted beverages and events, and access to the member directory. Every Friday Nō Studios has live entertainment from mostly local artists. Performers keep 80 percent of the ticket sales, with the rest going to Nō Studios.
Another unique opportunity within Nō Studios is that artists can apply to display their art in high traffic areas of the facility, at no cost. An application is used to vet artists, and artwork is available for sale, with artists keeping the proceeds.
“It’s a win-win. We don’t have to pay a curator to decorate and artists can display and sell their works. It is important to nurture community collaborations; that’s how we win. We must preserve the authentic narrative of people impacted by events so that it remains pure and undisturbed. It’s important to collectively amplify opportunities. I’m a believer in the power of community. We must encourage, empower and support communities. That’s what Nō Studios is about,” said Caesar.
Nō Studios is a vibrant, creative space offering hope and possibilities to our community. It may be a ‘family business,’ but it is also a ‘diamond’ and a community treasure.
For more information, visit https://www.nostudios.com/.
