Singing nuns, pink overload, & lots of love

Theater

Boulevard Theatre opens its late-in-life love story The Last Romance Wednesday, Feb. 20 and continues through March 3. The play is centered around a gentleman named Ralph whose jealous sister thwarts his attempts to court the elegant Carol. Tony Award-winning Joe DiPietro’s comedy is a Milwaukee premiere featuring three talented 60-plus-year-old actors (along with one younger one) and one adorable little dog. The show runs through March 3; tickets are $20-25 and can be purchased online or by calling 414-744-5757.

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre presents Underneath The Lintel on Wednesday, Feb. 20 at 7:30 p.m. The one-man show showcases James Ridge as a librarian who discovers a 113-year overdue travel guide and embarks on a life-altering journey to track down the offender. The show runs until March 17th and tickets are $33.50 online. More information is available by calling the Broadway Theatre Center box office at 414-291-7800.

The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts is jam-packed with new shows opening this week, most of which need little explanation:

Broadway’s touring musical Sister Act is making a stop at Uihlein Hall. The heavenly comedy premieres tonight at 7:30 p.m. and runs through Sunday, Feb. 24. Tickets are $40-105.

D.C.’s National Players arrive in Milwaukee as part of their 64th annual tour, featuring two top-notch classics, each for one night only at the Marcus Center’s Vogel Hall. Thursday’s is George Orwell’s intelligent social commentary Animal Farm, adapted for the stage, while Friday’s is a contemporary take on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, set in the digital age. Both shows are at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $21 for each.

All tickets for Sister Act, Animal Farm, and Romeo & Juliet are available online through Ticketmaster or by calling the Marcus Center box office at 414-273-7206 or 1-888-612-3500.

Children’s theater First Stage presents the long-awaited musical Pinkalicious, based on the book by Elizabeth & Victoria Kann about (you guessed it!) everything pink. It’s a whimsical tale about Pinkalicious Pinkerton’s cupcake-induced condition, aptly named “pinkititis.” The musical is deemed adorable for everyone aged 3 and up, and tickets are $18-25 for all performances at the Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater. The show opens Friday, Feb. 22 and runs through March 24. Tickets are available via Marcus Center’s online ticketing or by calling the box office.

And a quick mea culpa on our part: Last week in MKE This Week, we neglected to add Windfall Theatre’s world premiere of Howard Goldstein’s heart-twisting drama, A Time To Live, which began its run on February 15th. The strikingly human play ties together religion, ethics, and the full gamut of emotions that plague anyone who has ever had a loved one succumb to cancer. The play continues through March 2nd at the Village Church (130 E. Juneau Ave.). Tickets are $20 and are available through Windfall’s website, or reservations can be made by phone at 414-332-3963.

Visual Art

The Milwaukee Art Museum’s long-awaited Color Rush: 75 Years of Color Photography in America exhibition opens Friday, February 22nd and runs through May 19th. The project highlights domestic works from 1907 to 1981, showcasing masterful pieces from fine art to magazine spreads to film clips. Celebrating photography’s well-deserved place in the art world, this exhibition can be appreciated by both general audiences or fine art collectors and is not to be missed. Tickets are free for members and included with general museum admission ($15 for adults, $12 for students, and free for children under 12). For more information contact the visitor services department at 414-224-3200.

Music

The Wisconsin Lutheran College presents another addition to its Frankly Music chamber series on February 25th. Frank Almond and William Wolfram will host a sneak-peek CD Release Party for their new recording A Violin’s Life, based on the history of Frank’s “Lipinski” Stradivarius. Tickets are $10-39 and can be purchased online.

The Pabst Theater will be hosting Japan’s KODO Drummers this Thursday for their One Earth Tour 2013: Legend. The performing arts group’s thunderous living art form transcends language and has provided an uplifting experience for audiences on every continent since 1981. Doors open at 7:00 for this must-see performance and tickets can be purchased online or at the Pabst Box Office: 414-286-3663.

Also at The Pabst this week are the Late Late show’s Craig Ferguson performing standup comedy (Friday) and Nick Offerman (Ron Swanson of Parks & Rec fame) unloading hilarious comedic monologues on Saturday. Tickets are $45 and $29.50 respectively, and can be ordered online or at the box office.

Special Events

The Milwaukee Theatre presents Shen Yun Performing Arts on Tuesday and Wednesday (February 19th & 20th). The extravagant multimedia production celebrates 5,000 years of Chinese civilization with masterful athletic feats, integrated Western and Chinese music, intricate costumes, and traditional folk dances. Tickets are $53-153 and are available online through Ticketmaster. Note: children under 5 will not be admitted.

Ongoing

Alchemist Theatre: The Canonical Five of Jack the Ripper, through Feb. 29

The Quasimondo: Robot Cabaret, through March 2

Carte Blanche: Fawlty Towers, through March 3

Last Chance

Next Act Theatre: The Clockmaker, through Feb. 24

Milwaukee Rep: Clybourne Park, through Feb. 24

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

Milwaukee Rep: Mind Over Milwaukee, through Feb. 24