Weekly Highlights from 3/24-3/30
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8 Bit Warrior, Alchemist Theatre, 3/25-4/11
Journey back to the 80s in this original comedy. Will Davies, a high school student, is striving to become the all-time leading scorer on Donkey Kong, but a new kid in town is looking to prove his gaming prowess. It all comes to a head at the Midwest Vid-Con video game tournament. Bonus: you’ll get to see your favorite classic video games performed live on stage.
Tickets $15. Showtimes 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinees at 3:30 p.m. Visit the Alchemist or call 414-426-4169.
Titanic: The Musical, Pius High School, Pabst Theatre, 3/25-3/27
This musical – a joint collaboration between Pius XI students, parents, alumni and the Milwaukee performing arts community at large – is rarely performed due to the sheer size and scope of the production. Some performers are students; some aren’t.
Tickets $10-$35. Showtime 7 p.m. Visit the Pabst or call 414-290-8151.
Dangerous Folk, Sunset Playhouse, 3/25-4/3
A “mighty wind” of classic folk music memories led by David HB Drake, Julie Thompson and Cap Lee, this music seeks to affirm the positive message that shaped a generation.
Tickets $12. Showtimes vary, so visit Sunset Playhouse or call 262-782-4430 for more information.
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The Music of Thelonious Monk, We Six, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, 3/25
Sometimes referred to as the “High Priest of Bebop,” Thelonious Monk was one of the most influential figures in the history of jazz. Not only a great pianist and leader, Monk was a prolific composer whose compositions (Round Midnight, Straight No Chaser) have become an integral part of the modern jazz canon.
Tickets $20-$22. Showtime 7:30 p.m. Visit the Conservatory or call 414-276-5760.
Judy Lewis in Concert, Sharon Lynn Wilson Center for the Arts, 3/26
Pianist Judy Lewis has achieved international recognition as an interpreter of the jazz songbook, as well as an innovative composer and improviser. Currently based in Israel, Lewis tours throughout Europe and Asia.
Tickets $25. Showtime is 8 p.m. To purchase tickets, click here.
Omnivorous Furniture, Present Music, Turner Hall Ballroom, 3/27
The Present Music Ensemble will perform Mason Bates’ Omnivorous Furniture in an eclectic program of “jacked-up” orchestral music that at times swerves into the realm of electronica, and spans three generations of innovative composers including John Adams, Raymond Scott and Arnold Schoenberg. The concert will also feature cartoons from across the ages and new works of animation and film by UWM animation students and local artists. After the concert will be a party featuring The Shtetlblasters, a Madison-based klezmer electronica funk band.
Tickets $9.99-$29.99. Showtime 7:30 p.m. Visit Present Music or call 414-271-0711.
Music of two American composers comprises Festival City Symphony’s second Symphony Sundays concert. In this concert, FCS will present two of the treasures of American music by Aaron Copland, his Lincoln Portrait, narrating the life of one of our greatest presidents, and his ballet score Appalachian Spring. Samuel Barber’s moving and evocative Adagio for Strings and his Overture to School for Scandal will start the concert.
Showtime 3 p.m. Visit Festival City or call 414-963-9067 for ticket information.
Haydn’s Creation, Waukesha Choral Union, Shattuck Auditorium at Carroll University, 3/28
A 30 year tradition for the Waukesha Choral Union, this free concert commemorates the 200th anniversary of the death of Franz Joseph Haydn. Any singer who wishes to participate is welcome to take part in the week long preparation for this annual choral event.
Showtime 3 p.m. Visit WCU or call 414-297-9310 for ticket information.
The “Lipinski” Stradivarius, Frankly Music, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, 3/29-3/30
Examine the incredible provenance of this famous instrument, starting with its first owner Giuseppe Tartini, connections with monumental composers such as Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn and Johannes Brahms, and finally reaching its current home in the city of Milwaukee.
Tickets $10-$36. Showtime 7 p.m. Visit Frankly Music for more information.
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Pure Dance, Milwaukee Ballet, Marcus Center Uihlein Hall, 3/25-3/28
Using a vivid combination of music and dance, Pure Dance will explore the art of storytelling. Former Company member Petr Zahradnicek and Val Caniparoli will present world-premiere works. The performance is rounded out by Couer de Basque by Jerry Opdenaker, which features nontraditional melodies pulled from Hispanic, Arabic and Gypsy influences.
Showtimes Thursday-Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 1:30 p.m. Visit the Milwaukee Ballet or call 414-643-7677.
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For more arts/culture coverage or events leads, check out the TCD Calendar.