Theater and Gallery Night return

Theater

Religion and science clash in "How The World Began" at the Rep.

The Milwaukee Rep opens 2013 with How the World Began, a story about the perma-conflict between religious and scientific explanations for the origin of the universe, told through characters in a small Kansas town. The play opens at 8 p.m. Fri. Jan. 18 and runs through Feb. 24. See showtimes and purchase tickets ($20 to $40) online or call 414-224-9490.

Renaissance Theaterworks presents the comedy Educating Rita, following a witty, intelligent hairdresser (Rita) seeking further education at England’s Open University. She and her cynical tutor Frank form a relationship through the challenges of literature. The play opens at 8 p.m. Sat. Jan. 19 and runs through Feb. 10. See the full schedule and purchase tickets ($39.50) online or call 414-291-7800.

The playful musical, "Lumberjacks in Love," at Sunset Playhouse.

Sunset Playhouse presents Lumberjacks in Love, a lighthearted musical where news of an incoming mail-order bride upends the “no women allowed” Haywire Lumber Camp in northern Wisconsin. The show opens at 7:30 p.m. Fri. Jan. 18 and runs through Feb. 17. Tickets are $25 with value nights ($12.50) Jan. 17 and Feb. 6. See the full schedule and purchase tickets online, or call 262-782-4431.

Carte Blanche Studios presents Richard Greenberg’s Three Days of Rain, a Pulitzer Prize finalist that depicts middle-class American life from the perspective of two intertwined families. The play premieres Fri. Jan. 18 and runs through Jan. 27, with showtimes at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 6 p.m. Sundays, and a pay-what-you-can performance Thurs. Jan. 24. Tickets available at the door.

The World’s Stage Theatre Company opens the first production in a three-play cycle of British/Irish writer Martin McDonagh’s work: The Lieutenant of Inishmore. This dark comedy, about an IRA member who discovers his best friend (a cat) dead, runs twice at the Tenth Street Theatre: Saturday, Jan. 19 and Thursday, Jan. 31; both shows are at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students and $12 for adults, either online or at the door.

Music

Pianist Stephen Beus will join the MSO for Sibelius' Fifth Symphony this weekend.

Tomorrow’s MSO concert, featuring renowned violinist Itzhak Perlman, is sold out. BUT: There’s still room at this weekend’s Rhapsody in Blue concert, featuring Gershwin’s jazzy masterwork alongside Copland’s Lincoln Portrait (narrated by Mayor Tom Barrett), Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony (with pianist Stephen Beus) and the premiere of Jeffrey Mumford’s a dance into reflected daylight. Concerts are at 8 p.m. Fri. Jan. 18 and Sat. Jan. 19. Tickets are $25 to $105 online or call 414-291-7605.

Frankly Music brings the Art of the Cello to the Wisconsin Conservatory, featuring the Vienna Philharmonic’s principal cellist Tamás Varga. Varga will play solo pieces by Ligeti, Ibert and Gál, and will join Frank Almond, violinist and Frankly Music founder, and pianist Stephen Beus on Brahms’ Piano Trio in C. Last chance performance tonight, Tues. Jan. 15. Purchase tickets online or call (414) 940-8770. Read Tom Strini’s preview before you head to the concert.

Concord Chamber Orchestra has been working through their “Raw Materials” series, having already featured Wire and Brass. Next up is a Sampler concert, providing an array of chamber music ensembles. The concert is at 1:30 p.m. Sun. Jan. 20 at Nicolet High School. See the full program and purchase tickets ($18) online or call 414-750-4404.

Visual Art

South Korean artist Sanggon Chung's "Quotation 20070112-0826" no. II (L) and III are part of Inova and MIAD's Makers in Print exhibition.

It’s that time again, Milwaukeeans! Gallery Night and Day will take over the Third Ward and beyond again this weekend, featuring a host of gallery open houses and exhibition openings. Both MIAD and Inova will host Makers in Print: International Exhibition, in conjunction with the upcoming Southern Graphics Council International (SCGI) Conference, Print: MKE (big name, big deal) in March. There’s a huge long list of galleries you can visit, but if you’re asking me to narrow it down (I know you were), here’s what I’m most looking forward to:

Colin Matthes' "Moving On," part of his first solo Milwaukee exhibition since 2008.

I saw this photo of Colin Matthes’ new work to be featured at Sky High Gallery and thought “Yep. Not missing this.” Getting by in the Foreverscape is also his first solo Milwaukee exhibition since 2008.

Tory Folliard Gallery has already opened their COLOR! exhibition, and based on their slideshow of featured artwork, you should probably go to get a big dose of the feel-goods.

From The Available Language, Shane Walsh. Courtesy Portrait Society Gallery website

Milwaukee-based artist Shane Walsh builds models that end up looking like geometric human busts, then does paintings of the sculptures, creating whimsical meta-pieces. The Portrait Society Gallery will dedicate two rooms to his exhibition there: The Available Language.

Film

In the current Golden-Globe/Oscar season, just wanted to remind you that Milwaukee has a couple great locations to see some of the nominated pictures. The Landmark Oriental Theatre and Downer Theatre are beautiful, cozy, old-school locations to snuggle in and get your Lincoln on (or Django Unchained, Zero Dark Thirty, etc.). Visit their site for movies and showtimes.

Special Events

Celebrate Dr. MLK Jr's life this Sunday, with the Marcus Center and Bel Canto.

This month marks what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 84th birthday. The official holiday is Monday, but Milwaukee’s arts community will celebrate twice on Sunday. First, the Marcus Center will host its 29th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration at 1 p.m., featuring student contest winners in art, speech and writing under the theme “Fair Play, Good Will and Justice.” Then, Bel Canto Chorus will host its second annual commemorative concert, intertwining the words of Dr. King with uplifting music. The performance will take place at Holy Redeemer Institutional Church of God in Christ at 5 p.m. Both events are free.

The South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center will host the Second Annual Spoken Word Showcase in conjunction with Still Waters Collective, featuring local high school talent and professional performers B. Yung, Danny Sherard, and Jasmine Mans. The event is part poetry slam, part storytelling series, and begins at 1 p.m. Thurs. Jan. 17. Tickets are $6.

Time again for MAM After Dark, and this one’s salsa-themed. The event runs 5 p.m. to midnight Fri. Jan. 18, with salsa lessons from Milwaukee’s Cultura en Clave Dance Company starting at 7 p.m. and plenty of drinks available throughout.

Ongoing

Milwaukee Rep: Mind Over Milwaukee, through Feb. 24

Tory Folliard Gallery: COLOR!, through Mar. 13

The Milwaukee Public Museum: Real Pirates, through May 27

Last Chance

Frankly Music: The Art of the Cello, last performance tonight! Jan. 15