South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
Press Release

Bridging the Inter-generational Gap

This residency is designed to engage the different generations for dialogue, storytelling, and movement.

By - Oct 15th, 2014 03:55 pm

(South Milwaukee, WI) – Are kids becoming incapable of face-to-face interaction? Or, are adults just out of touch with how to engage the interest of kids? South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center (SMPAC) is hosting a three-day workshop between a dozen South Milwaukee High School students, a dozen South Milwaukee senior citizens, and seven young adults from ARENA Dances: The Main Street Project. This residency is designed to engage the different generations for dialogue, storytelling, and movement.

Are our community leaders interested in making sure we strengthen our entire community across generations? Absolutely! Among the first day of participants was current South Milwaukee Mayor Erik Brooks and former Mayor Chet Grobschmidt. Mathew Janczewski proclaimed, “In the four years of touring the U.S., we’ve never held a workshop where the mayor and former mayor have participated.” One participant, Brian Morrison, commented, “Conversations in our small groups were inspiring and rich.”

“SMPAC is always looking for opportunities to provide life-long learning opportunities in our community to enrich the lives of others. Being a part of the South Milwaukee School District allows us to blend public education interests with professional performing arts providing unique experiences that people enjoy,” says Executive Director Rachel Sorce.

South Milwaukee PAC Presents

ARENA DANCES: Main Street Project

Saturday, October 18, 7:30 pm

ARENA DANCES: Main Street Projectexplores how current attitudes, relationships and habits have evolved in this technology-heavy world. The work exploits many variations of media through musical compositions that range from techno to folk-inspired songs, which is then paired with the art of dance on stage and the many faces of modern society through a projection onscreen. Main Street Project sheds light upon ideas regarding isolation, community and humanity in today’s contemporary society.

Mathew Janczewski, the genius behind the company, says, “My responsibility as an artist is to ask questions and incite awakening, both in myself and my collaborators, through the making of work, and in my audience, through their experience of performance. I am deeply concerned with making my work relevant to the public that I am addressing.’

Tickets for the Saturday, October 18th performance are $15 to $30, with discounts for seniors and students. Tickets may be purchased online at www.southmilwaukeepac.org, by phone at (414) 766-5049, or in-person at the Box Office at 901 15th Avenue, South Milwaukee, WI 53172. The show will start at 7:30 p.m.

About the SMPAC

The South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center (SMPAC) provides the greater Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin communities with creative, innovative and diverse performing arts. Located on the South Milwaukee 6-12 campus, it serves the students of the city of South Milwaukee and provides professional services for more than 500 shows, performances, rehearsals and other events annually.

Our last season was filled with flamenco dancers, the award-winning improvisation group Baby Wants Candy, the stunning Milwaukee Ballet II, and other fantastic performances. Upcoming 2014-15 artists include Davell Crawford, the Pedrito Martinez Group and Jerome Kitzke.

Student matinees, workshops and talk-backs for all grade levels are provided by some season artists, including Robert Glasper, the Milwaukee Ballet II, Avner Eisenberg and Sybarite5. Other artists and organizations that provide performing arts experiences for students include the Florentine Opera, Danceworks, Still Waters Collective and the Missoula Children’s Theatre.

SMPAC also opens our doors to other presenters for artists such as Lindsey Buckingham, Arlo Guthrie, Jesse Cook, Ruthie Foster, Tommy Emmanuel, John Hiatt, Ian Hunter, Joe Lovano, Cantare Chorale and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. The SMPAC provides a home to the School District of South Milwaukee events and the Grant Park Players, the local community theatre.

South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center is located at 901 15th Avenue in South Milwaukee between College and Rawson Avenues. It is easily accessible from I-94 and 794. Free parking is located in the northwest parking lot. Patrons should enter door #9. For tickets or directions, call 414-766-5049. For more information about the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, visit southmilwaukeepac.org.

Performances are supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

Mentioned in This Press Release

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