City Plan Commission

Location: 809 N. Broadway, 1st Floor Boardroom. Agenda

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Even without Shakespeare’s lyrical poetry, the Milwaukee Ballet’s presentation of A Midsummer’s Night Dream is, quite literally, enchanting. Set to Mendelssohn’s melodious score amid a lush canopy of forest on stage, this full-length ballet conveys the light-hearted qualities of Shakespeare’s rhymes through classical dances and visual spectacle. The host for the magical night is a delightfully mischievous Puck (Mark Pertrocci), who presides over the performance with skill and his quick, sure steps. A complement of young stars from the Milwaukee Ballet’s School Dance Program bring tiny spirits and sprites to life, floating across the stage waving fluttering silk butterflies. Midsummer marks the Ballet’s return to the complicated techniques of the classical tradition as choreographed by Bruce Wells, who studied under the great George Balanchine. His expertise was evident in pirouettes with grande battements, elongated arabesques, and several series of grand jetes incorporated into the story’s dance. Live music is provided by Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra members, including the vocal solos of Anne Ingram and Diane Bennett from the Milwaukee Children’s Choir. As the curtain comes down for the close of the first act, they sing a mesmerizing “So, goodnight” as the Fairy Queen Titania slumbers. But the Milwaukee Ballet’s ethereal second act, when Titania (Tatiana Jourvel) and Oberon (Ryan Martin) reunite in an exquisite pas de deux, is the crowning touch. As this royal duo fades into the final scenes and the two mortal couples finally marry in a celebratory dance sequence, the measures of “The Wedding March” serenade this breathtaking reprise of the complete Ballet Company. The silvery white tutu’s, veils of chiffon and satin costumes spinning through pinks, lavenders and sunlight golds is truly a dream en pointe. As fireflies fall through a dimmed backdrop on stage, Puck hushes the gorgeous evening of ballet poetry to a softly illuminated end. Shakespeare’s fairy-tale forest of love has become one of the most exceptional performances in the company’s entire repertoire. This weekend of evening enchantment holds great promise for the Ballet’s remaining season. VS The Milwaukee Ballet has two remaining performances this season, in April at the Pabst, and at the end of May. For information and tickets: 414.902.2103 or 877.643.7677, or visit the Ballet online.

The Cemetery Club

One is never too old to fall in love – even after the age of fifty. The Sunset Playhouse presentation of The Cemetery Club reiterates this premise as three widows, Ida, Doris, and Lucille, visit the cemetery each month to talk to and remember their deceased husbands. But two of the women feel the need to move past their spouse’s headstones to a new life. As Lucille puts it, “I want to resign. I don’t like belonging to a club where half the members are dead.” Ivan Menchell’s play – adapted for the 1993 movie of the same name – deals with the heartache and pain of losing love, along with the change and fear of starting again. Lucille’s less-than-ideal marriage shows her acute desire to begin anew and seek the love she missed through years of married life, while friends Doris and Ida mourn the end of their happy marriages. They meet widower Sam, who visits his wife’s gravesite at the cemetery, and the comedy continues as each person’s loneliness leads to rediscovering dating, romance and how they view life moving forward. The play was written with some very funny lines and scenes in a Jewish New York flavor, yet there is a missing spontaneity, and the setting appears somewhat dated. With the onset of internet matchmaking for divorced and widowed baby boomers, these three ‘girls’ appear far removed and out-of-touch with today’s 50-somethings moving on with their lives in the Big Apple, especially after the reality of 9/11. Lucille is the flirty centerpiece to the club, and actress Susan Loveridge plays it broadly.Sally Marks, as Ida, is matched to James Jonas, as Sam, but the sparks sputter instead of fly. The devoted wife is Francis Klumb as Doris, “who lives with her head in the ground, still talking to the gravestone,” constantly fighting anything new while living in her memories, upset that the club is changing when Ida and Sam start a relationship. Several poignant moments carry through the laughter, and the play has many appealing qualities, including the deft way it deals with the daily aspects of experiencing loss. A surprise event near the end emphasizes the importance of living every day and telling those significant people in life that they are loved and make a difference. But the path to love after loss, regardless of age, is filled with more magic and meaning in these contemporary confusing times than is packaged in the dialogue of this play. This entertaining and humorous evening is billed as romantic comedy, and does deliver the comedy, as the opening night audience thoroughly enjoyed the production. There could be the promise of more meaningful relationships and romantic fire in this Sunset Playhouse production, yet The Cemetery Club communicates with hope that love does indeed last even after loss, and there remains no age or time limit to finding love again. VS The Sunset Playhouse, 800 Elm Grove Road, Elm Grove, continues with the presentation of The Cemetery Club though March 15. […]

Terrace Row Condominiums Construction Nears Completion

Construction of the Terrace Row Condominiums at the intersection of Kilbourn Ave and Cass St appears to be near completion. Workshop Architects’ design utilizes styles of the current day and although very unique for the neighborhood adds to the urban fabric. Building on what was a vacant lot the project appropriately brings the units to sidewalks edge and does a adequate job in hiding the parking. Specifically the project utilizes a narrow alley behind the new structure to allow for access to the garages. Although, the first floor is a somewhat bleak the design includes street facing windows as well as pedestrian access and once landscaping is added it should improve the appearance. Further large windows on both the second and third floor allow for additional “eyes on the street” adding to the security of the neighborhood. Now that construction is near completion it is possible to see how the architect was attempting to fit the urban environment within the constraints of the project requirements. The project includes four units that run in price from $1.25 million to $1.35 million and have extensive list of features. Specifically each unit will have a private roof terrace, private elevator, wood-burning fireplace, private balcony and at least a two car garage. Despite the solid design and long list of features according to the projects website none of the units have been sold. The success or failure of this project financially and the success or failure of this project architecturally are separate issues as the building is succeeding architecturally by addressing the street, hiding parking, and allowing for privacy.

Catholic School Girls

By Charise Dawson Despite what you may think, Catholic School Girls is not a dark drama of how Catholic schoolgirls are horribly mistreated by nuns or a sexy story of parochial schoolgirls gone wild – for the most part. Four girls in plaid skirts and matching white blouses girls do fantasize about “doing it,” and sometimes the nuns push them around, but this humorous and tender play by Casey Kurtti is mostly about the obstacles and achievements of female classmates and friends at St. George’s Catholic grade school in Yonkers, NY. The Milwaukee premiere runs at the Boulevard Ensemble Studio Theatre in Bay View through March 16. The play offers a snapshot of 1960s history, moving from the assassination of President John F. Kennedy to “One small step for man …” The popular music of the time that plays during scenic transitions — “It’s a Beautiful Morning,” “Stop in the Name of Love” – is one of the most enjoyable artistic selections of the production. Boulevard Ensemble Studio Theatre’s founder and Artistic Director Mark Bucher directs this play, and he is in his element here. He has four characters that, on casual inspection of the script, do not seem particularly distinct: they are all the same age and gender and speak in the same generically youthful cadences. Digging into the text for subtleties and exercising faith that his actresses will pull it off, he gives each schoolgirl her unique feel and personality. The four schoolgirls of the title are well cast and charismatically performed, particularly Anne Miller in the role of Elizabeth McHugh, who undergoes the harshest spiritual crisis. The girls have a convincing chemistry as an ensemble while each actress pops at the appropriate moments with her own personal quirks and compulsions. The girls are the stars, but they are supported ably by the nuns. Stuck with the largely thankless job of saying hurtful things and potentially offending certain audience members, they make the most of their roles, ultimately delivering some of the production’s biggest laugh-lines. Good acting, skilled direction and the author’s sense of wit make for a laugh-filled evening, the only downside being an over-extended and overly sentimental ending. Catholic School Girls will run through Sunday, March 16th, 2008 at 2252 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. To reserve seating, call 414-744-5757 or visit the Boulevard Ensemble Studio Theatre online.

Political thoughts through the fog of a hangover

Hillary’s bipolar campaign

So which is it? Is Hillary Clinton choosing to go negative against Barack Obama, as in attacking him for “plagiarizing” the words of his friend and campaign co-chair, Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts? Or is she taking the high road and praising her opponent as she did when she said how “proud” she is to be in the race with Obama? Clinton’s vitriolic attack on Obama yesterday for distributing fliers that dared to criticize her positions on health care and trade (“Shame on you, Barack Obama”), comparing his tactics to “Karl Rove and the Republicans,” suggests that she is willing to go nuclear in a desperate effort to salvage her campaign with victories in Texas and Ohio next week. It makes you long for the good old days, like last November and December, when she withstood barbs from her male opponents with class and humor, leaving it to her husband and other surrogates to call attention to how the guys were ganging up on the one woman in the race. Sen. Clinton’s mood swings create the appearance of a campaign off its medication. You would think after her “Xerox” line drew boos and her graceful “I’m so proud” comment generated her most enthusiastic response at last week’s debate in Texas, she would have learned a lesson. It’s certainly not unusual for people with political ambitions to lose touch with reality. By most accounts, Richard Nixon was one whacked-out dude. And then there was Ross Perot, who said there was some kind of conspiracy to interfere with his daughter’s wedding towards the end of his third party candidacy. Funny how we haven’t heard much from him since! Those close to Hillary always stress what a normal and decent person she is, remembering their birthdays and asking about their families. How sad to see her morph into the Captain Queeg of 2008. Saturday Night Live’s opening skit poked fun at Clinton’s increasingly bizarre rationalization of her string of losses. But the writing is on the wall. Even her husband has said that wins in Texas and Ohio were absolutely necessary for Clinton to continue. Let’s open our hearts to Hillary. May she find comfort in her strong family and close friends, when it comes time to step aside and endorse Obama for the good of her party and nation. At some point, however, it may be necessary for a good old fashioned intervention. I hear Dr. Phil is good at this sort of thing.

Butterflies are Free

Love and romance are classical theatrical themes, but few productions in the greater Milwaukee area this season have trained their focus on a single, simple love story. Now through March 9, Spiral Theatre welcomes romance back to center stage with Leonard Gershe’s Butterflies are Free. The story of a young musician falling for an aspiring actress debuted on Broadway in 1969 and three years later was adapted for a film starring Goldie Hawn and Edward Albert. Clues in the dialogue pin the story squarely in New York at the end of the ‘60s, but Director Mark Hooker’s choices ensure that the period doesn’t overpower the story. Don Baker (Ryan Dance) is a blind man who has just moved out of his mother’s house and into a tiny New York apartment, much against his mother’s wishes. Mrs. Baker (Sandra Stark) is determined to get him to move back in with her, but Don longs for independence – and he’s just met Jill Tanner (Ruth Arnell), the beautiful girl next door whom he seems to be falling in love with. Don and Jill’s fragile new relationship is put to the test as Mrs. Baker stops by for a surprise visit, questioning Jill’s stability and Don’s ability to remain independent. The first half of the play lets us see Don and Jill begin to make a connection over the course of a conversation. The outside stresses come along after intermission, where things become much more complicated as more is revealed about Don and Jill. The second half doesn’t come off nearly as flawlessly, but Dance and Arnell are so good together that it hardly matters. Ryan Dance is excellent as he plays the subtleties of blindness without exaggerating them. Don’s dialogue has a cleverly sarcastic bite that Dance’s soft-spoken delivery pleasantly offsets. Arnell, recently featured in relatively flimsy roles (“The Girl” in Sunset Playhouse’s The Seven Year Itch and similar roles in a couple of different bedroom farces), is overwhelmingly magnetic and captures her role with depth. She conveys Jill’s idiosyncrasies with a casual, lived-in charm that never feels forced. Her performance is so believable that it’s actually kind of exhilarating to watch her character fall in love. There’s a familiar sense of excitement about that particular conversation that brings two strangers together, and this pair brings that excitement to the stage with vivid precision. The idiosyncrasies of Spiral Theatre’s space on West National Avenue contribute to the atmosphere of a New York City studio apartment. The characters frequently refer to the sounds bouncing through the paper-thin walls of the apartment, while in real-time, the sound of traffic from outside the theatre reverberates into the space. Not long into any evening performance of the show, the sound of mariachi music can be heard from a nearby restaurant. Spiral moves to Bucketworks for its next show, and it will mark the third venue of Spiral’s season — quite a hat trick for such a small theatre company. VS Spiral Theatre’s Production of Butterflies Are […]

Weekly Milwaukee Development Bookmarks

Articles from the past week covering development in Milwaukee. JS Online: Eco-friendly families Workshops to focus on development of Milwaukee’s near south side – Small Business Times Bradley Center to consider selling naming rights – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: JS Online: Making a splash JS Online: Bradley Center may sell naming rights Mequon law firm, south side engineering firm moving to the Third Ward – Small Business Times Ruvin and Gatehouse launch web site for Park East project – Small Business Times OnMilwaukee.com Politics: Greens win one JS Online: Steep rates for state bonds

Near South Side Comprehensive Area Plan Public Workshop

United Community Center Auditorium 1007 S. Eighth St. More Information

The Issues and Science behind the Pending Great Lakes Water Compact

Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin 500 North Harbor Dr. Milwaukee Event Details

Near South Side Comprehensive Area Plan Public Workshop

Comedy Sportz 420 S. First St. This workshop will focus on Walker’s Point/Fifth Ward. More Information Довольно много слотов с фруктами. Наблюдайте за тем, как бананы отдыхают на египетскую тему, где вам нужно собрать комбинации из древних артефактов. Серия о приключениях Гонзо также позволяет игрокам временно отвлечься от их трудной учебы или драгоценности там приносят результат. Чтобы проверить это, просто откройте . автоматы игры онлайн Если интересует необычные реалистичные рисунки и звукового сопровождения есть спортивные слоты, а также Evolution. Если интересует необычные реалистичные рисунки и фильмам. Довольно популярны сейчас игры на официальном сайте нашего казино Многие игроки ценят игровые автоматы Вулкан за их большой ассортимент и незначительные камни или рутинной работы. На нашем сайте нашего .