07/31: Live Jazz, Free Day at MAM, and more

Milwaukee Art Museum Windhover Hall. Photos by Timothy Hursley.

Visual Art
Admission is free at the Milwaukee Art Museum on August 2nd as part of their monthly Target First Free Thursdays promotion. The museum will accept donations to aid the victims of the recent Center Street Fire, which severely damaged the studios and galleries of many local artists. The Museum’s feature exhibition is Posters of Paris, along with Tara Donovan’s gorgeous Haze installation. For more information, visit the Milwaukee Art Museum website.

The Mood swing Orchestra will appear as part of the Wednesdays at the Shell series Wednesday, Aug. 1, at 6:30 p.m. The series is held at the Washington Park bandshell, 1859 N. 40th St. The 17-piece Moodswing plays classic big band standards. More at the band’s website.

The Summer Sizzle Jazz Festival will be held in the Third Ward this Saturday August 4. The festival showcases a wide variety of musicians in contemporary jazz on four stages. Saxophonist Steve Cole will headline the festival’s main stage at 9 p.m. The festival is free to the public. The music starts at 11 a.m. For a full schedule and more information, visit the Summer Sizzle website.

Vocalist Steve Lippia will bring his Simply Sinatra show to the Marcus Center’s Peck Pavilion this evening (7:30 p.m.  Tuesday, July 31). Lippia sings the classics of Old Blue Eyes himself, but aims to create something fresh that appeals to fans both old and new. For more information, please visit the Marcus Center’s website.

Comedy

The Milwaukee Comedy Festival opens with a cocktail party at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at Next Act Theatre, 255 S. Water St. Fourteen shows follow, through Aug. 11. TCD’s Christina Wright tells you all about it in a story this week, and organizer Matt Kemple and Patrick Schmitz spoke about the festival on a TCD podcast with Mark Metcalf.

Ongoing

American Players Theater: The Royal Family, through September 29.

Last Chance:

Off the Wall Theatre: The Ritz, through August 5th

Sunset Theater: Sweet Charity, through August 5th