Abbott Elementary Star Will Headline Cultures & Communities Festival

Janelle James. Image from Milwaukee Film.

Milwaukee Film announced two headliners Monday for its growing Cultures & Communities Festival.

Comedian and actress Janelle James will bring her “Newly Famous” comedy tour to the Pabst Theater on Oct. 8. James plays scene-stealing principal Ava Coleman on the ABC mockumentary sitcom Abbott Elementary.

DJ Spinderella, one-third of the hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa, will play the opening night party, Oct. 5, at The Cooperage. Both events start at 8 p.m.

“This is the fifth Cultures & Communities Festival, and each year we look forward to making it bigger and better. Whenever I tell someone we’re bringing Janelle James or DJ Spinderella to town, their face lights up, making me think we’re on the right track,” said Milwaukee Film chief innovation officer Geraud Blanks, who has seen his role in the organization grow alongside the growth of the organization’s second major festival.

The 2023 festival will run from Oct. 5 to Oct. 12, and again offer a mix of movies, entertainment and education.

“Imagine a multi-cultural festival. The core of it is film, but there are all these other events going on around it,” said Blanks in a 2021 interview. “Health and wellness is going to be at its core, but all sorts of lifestyle interests will be represented.” The cultural festival is a fall bookend to the spring film festival.

Details on a sneaker and streetwear expo and a closing-night concert are still to be announced. The film lineup will be announced in September.

Other DJs performing at the opening night party include Doc B, Homer Blow and Lo Lo. Dameon Ellzey and Element Everest-Blanks will host the party.

Tickets are available immediately for purchase by Milwaukee Film members and on July 11 by the general public.