Too much art not to brave the cold

Theater

Edith Piaf, reincarnated at Skylight this weekend

An extended Edith Piaf Onstage comes to Skylight Music Theatre, Leslie Fitzwater recreating the one-woman show she first performed in 1988. The musical revue tells the story of Piaf’s dramatic life, including a tough childhood and a career-threatening murder accusation. Favorite songs include “Hymn to Love,” “Non, je ne regrette rien” and “La Vie en Rose.” The show opens at 7:30 p.m. Fri. Jan. 25 and runs through Feb. 10. See the full list of showtimes and purchase tickets ($27.50 to $67) online, or call (414) 291-7800.

The Alchemist Theatre’s 2013 lineup celebrates The Year of Fear, beginning with Aaron Kopec’s The Canonical Five of Jack the Ripper, a reinvented version of 2008’s Ripper. Between 1888 and 1891, the infamous serial killer supposedly murdered up to eleven women, though only five are accepted as actual victims. Those five stories will be told Thurs. Jan. 24 though Feb. 29, Thursdays Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $17 online and $20 at the door.

To the Promised Land at First Stage

First Stage presents To the Promised Land, the second show in the company’s Wisconsin Cycle, a play development project that celebrates the heritage of Wisconsin. Ruth, a young African-American girl in 1960s Milwaukee, loses her brother during Civil Rights events. She finds strength in the autobiography of Golda Meir – the first female prime minister of Israel who attended the former Fourth St. School. The play opens at 7 p.m. Fri. Jan. 25 and runs through Feb. 10. See the list of showtimes and purchase tickets online ($12 to $32) or call (414) 273-7206.

Writers Reed Martin and Austin Tichenor took over 100 years of Hollywood history and condensed it into an abridged, comedic performance in the manner of “Reduced Shakespeare Comedy.” Soulstice Theatre tackles the goofy show Completely Hollywood (abridged), running Fri. Jan. 25 through Feb. 9. Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Tickets are $18 online or call (414) 481-2800.

Morning Star Productions presents Sleep Walking, a spiritual play about a man (Steve Koehler, late of The Sound of Music) trapped in a coma after a car accident. He travels through his subconscious, uncovering memories that bring him happiness and shame as he searches for redemption. Performances run Fri. Jan. 25 through Feb. 3 at Eastbrook Church. See showtimes and purchase tickets ($10-$16) online, or call (414) 228-5220.

Explore the many representations of Eurydice with Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Carroll University

Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Carroll University have teamed up for The Eurydice Project, spanning three years of collaboration with Carroll students and faculty and Milwaukee-based composers. No Looking Back marks Stage II of the project, spanning 412 years of Eurydice-related repertoire with brand new compositions by Joel Boyd, Nathan Wesselowski and Joanna Kerner. The show is one-night only, 7:30 p.m. Sat. Jan. 26 at Carroll University Humphrey Memorial Chapel.Tickets are $10, $15 or $20 online or call (1-800) 838-3006.

The World’s Stage Theatre Company is in the midst of their McDonagh cycle, bringing three of the Irish playwright’s darkly humorous works to venues around the city. You’ve already missed the premiere of The Lieutenant of Inishmore (although there’s another performance Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. at Tenth Street Theatre), but this weekend rounds out the trilogy with The Pillowman and A Behanding in Spokane. The Pillowman will be performed Jan. 25, 27 and Feb. 2 at the Underground Collaborative in Grand Avenue Mall, and A Behanding in Spokane will be performed Jan. 26, Feb. 1 and 3 at The Milwaukee Fortress. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday shows are at 6 p.m.; tickets are $15 or $12 for students.

Music

Pianist Joseph Kalichstein joins the MSO this weekend

The MSO presents Anton Bruckner’s “Romantic” Symphony, lead by MSO’s music director and conductor Edo de Waart. Considered Bruckner’s first masterpiece, Symphony No. 4 will be presented in addition to Mozart’s Concerto No. 22 featuring renowned pianist Joseph Kalichstein. Concerts are at 11:15 a.m. Fri. Jan. 25 and 8 p.m. Sat. Jan. 26 at Uihlein Hall. Tickets are $22 to $82 online or call (414) 291-7605.

Did you know that quite a few MSO musicians have spin-off performance groups? Bowing Rogue, comprising young MSO violinists Ilana Setapen and Margot Schwartz, will perform tonight (Tues. Jan. 22) at 7:30 p.m. at The Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. The concert will also feature Stefanie Jacob, Dylana Leung, Zhan Shu, Peter Vickery, and Lindsay Erickson.

Milwaukee's I'm Not a Pilot at the Wilson Center

Speaking of MSO spin-offs, Milwaukee-based indie-rock group I’m Not a Pilot, featuring the talents of MSO cellist Peter Thomas, performs this weekend at The Wilson Center. I’m Not a Pilot creates a classically-inspired “guitarless” sound, opting for electric cello and using Mark Glatzel as pianist and vocalist. The concert begins at 8 p.m. Fri. Jan. 25. Tickets are $30 online or call (262) 781-9520.

UWM continues its free local concert series MKE Unplugged with a traditional Gaelic performance from Cúig Guthánna with special guest Nathan Andrew. The concert begins at 8 p.m. Thurs. Jan. 24 in the Helene Zelazo Center.

The Conservatory welcomes the Rubens Quartet, featuring pianist Stefanie Jacob of Prometheus Trio. The concert program includes Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 18, Joey Roukens’ Visions at Sea and César Franck’s Piano Quintet in F minor. Rubens Quartet performs at 7:30 p.m. Fri. Jan. 25. Tickets are $25 online or call (414) 276-5760.

Courtesy Symphony of the Goddesses official site

The Riverside Theater is hosting a “legendary” night of music from the most popular video game series of all time. The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses spans 25 years of Hyrulean music with a four-movement symphony and background visuals. Doors open at 7 p.m.; tickets are $39.50 online or call (414) 286-3663.

EastSide Jazzfest 6 takes places this Friday Jan. 25, featuring Milwaukee-based jazz performers (or those with ties to Milwaukee) and benefiting the Milwaukee Jazz Vision Scholarship Program. This year’s Jazzfest headlines with Bill Carrothers Trio and also features Donna Woodall Group, Eric Schoor Quartet, and the UWM Jazz Combo. The one-day music fest takes place at 6 p.m. at The Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. Ticket are $15, $10 student/senior.

The Pro Arte Quartet, in its 100th year, visits MKE

The Pro Arte Quartet has made a name for itself, acclaimed for a standard classical repertoire and now celebrating its 100 year anniversary. The group will perform at the Wilson Center at 2 p.m. Sun. Jan. 27, with pieces from Schubert, Haydn and Mozart. Tickets are $27 online or call (262) 781-9520.

Festival City Symphony hosts a Roman Holiday Symphony Sunday this weekend at the Pabst, offering a relaxed atmosphere to enjoy the symphony. The program includes Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture, Ottorino Respighi’s Pines of Rome, and Georges Bizet’s Symphony No. 2. The concert is at 3 p.m. Sun. Jan. 27. Tickets are $14, $8 kids/students/seniors online or call (414) 286-3663.

Dance

Cinderella, from the State Ballet Theater of Russia

The Pabst Theater welcomes the State Ballet Theater of Russia as it performs the classic fairytale Cinderella. Please note that Thursday’s performance (Jan. 24) has been cancelled; 7: 30 p.m. Friday Jan. 25 will be the only performance. You may call (414) 286-3205 for information. Tickets are $15 to $55 online or call (414) 286-3663.

UWM’s dance department challenges the biting cold with its Winterdances performances this weekend. Choreographers will explore works like Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s short story A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings and Bela Bartok’s The Miraculous Mandarin. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Thurs. Jan. 24, Fri. Jan. 25 and Sat. Jan. 26. Sunday Jan. 27’s performance is at 2 p.m. Purchase tickets ($5 to $17) online or call (414) 229-4308.

Special Events

The Loyalty Building, site for ART Milwaukee's ART Jamboree this Saturday

ART Milwaukee hosts one of their bi-monthly ART Jamborees this Friday Jan. 25 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., taking place in the beautiful and historic Loyalty Building. The ART Jamboree boasts juried galleries from local artists displayed and coordinated by an artistic curator, live visual art creation, and live performances of dance, film, theater and music. Some performers include: Danceworks, Youngblood Theater Company (performing at the bar, nice), local band Wolfgang Schaefer and New Word Document Artists with a Slam Poetry presentation. Entry is free! Find more info here.

Woodland Pattern Book Center in Riverwest hosts their 19th Annual Poetry Marathon and Benefit Reading this Sat. Jan. 26 from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. Join hundreds of locals as they support the Milwaukee arts community. You’re free to come and go as you please, and you can sign up as a reader to present anything you’d like people to hear. Find more information here, and stop by on Saturday!

Ongoing

Renaissance Theaterworks: Educating Rita, through Feb. 10

Sunset Playhouse: Lumberjacks in Love, through Feb. 17

Milwaukee Rep: How the World Began, through Feb. 24

Milwaukee Rep: Mind Over Milwaukee, through Feb. 24

Last Chance

Carte Blanche Studios: Three Days of Rain, through Jan. 27