Classical
June 24 – 30
There are some eclectic events that are soldiering on despite the Summerfest competition such as Boulevard Theatre's Audition Idol, American Players Theatre's new Harold Pinter play at the new indoor Touchstone stage, the Cedarburg Strawberry Festival features a National Guard jazz band, and the week-long run of MSO's Pops concert series. Cue the Mission: Impossible triangle......
Jun 23rd, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
Anderson and Roe dazzles the ivories at PianoArts concert
After performing a world premiere piece, Grand Scherzo based on Mozart's Act One of the opera Cosi fan Tutte, they constructed a duet for four hands on one piano. As the pair crossed over and under each other's arms, the subtle nuances of notes and measures evoked a passionate response from both musicians and audience. You needed to catch only a smile, or a lean into the other's shoulder by either piano player to sense the intense synchronization of genius.
Jun 22nd, 2009 by Peggy Sue Dunigan
June 16 to June 22
Gotta sing, gotta dance! Gotta thrill the whole world without pants! There's a great benefit show for the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center at the end of this week, a Chorus Line kick-steps off at the beginning of next week in what's lining up to be a stellar national tour season for the Marcus Center -- all the while Every Little Step screens in Milwaukee running up to that live show. Plus, the Florentine Opera plans on getting lots of fresh air at two events.
Jun 15th, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
June 9 – 15
The weather might not feel like June, but oh boy is that summer feeling ever-present in Milwaukee's many performance spaces -- open air bandshells and dark, cozy stages alike. While this week has only a small sample of offerings as various entities like Danceworks and First Stage Theater Academy hold summer camp, the rest of Wisconsin is abuzz with community events and performances, from Lake Geneva Theater's Mystery of Irma Vep to American Players Theatre's opening night of The Philanderer. So in this edition, we have featured a few of the shows happening across the best Midwestern state in the world. Road trip!
Jun 9th, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
UPAF & Miller Lite’s Ride for the Arts
After the wheels are done spinning and the kickstands go down Sunday morning, participants and supporters will enjoy select performances on the Summerfest grounds by some of the supprted performing arts groups in Milwaukee. A small donation will be asked for at the entrance -- and with attendance numbers that reach over 6,000, UPAF might see that $5 could add $30,000 to the final total. But will it be enough to save an opera, a kids theater workshop, or a Broadway showstopper?
Jun 4th, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
June 2 – 8
June is the definitive start of the off-season for stage, except if you're the venerable and fun American Players Theater. Well, it's for sure the time in which the city of festivals silences the horn section for some rowdier fare. Unless, of course, you're in the French Horn section sending maestro Andreas Delfs off in style. At least the streets will be safe, unless you happened to be standing in the way of a couple hundred bicyclists this weekend who have a big heart for the arts community in southeastern Wisconsin.
Jun 2nd, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
Poster Children in Champaign, IL: On Vacation For Forever and a Day
It occurred to me during the drive down to Champaign that more than any other band, the Pkids are the band of my 20s. I saw them for the first time in early 1995, when I was 20; the last time I saw them, we were opening the Champaign record release show for their No More Songs About Sleep and Fire album in 2004, the year I turned 30. But instead of honoring that sublime piece of synchronicity by turning around and driving straight back to Wisconsin, we pushed on.
May 30th, 2009 by DJ Hostettler
May 26 – June 1
With spring awakening ancient feelings, Milwaukee's fine arts scene turns to a celebration of the spirit. We suspect many artists, actors, and musicians are oiling up their bikes for next weekend's Miller Lite Ride for the Arts (more on that in a feature article for TCD next week). But there are several programs for kids, by kids, and by up-and-comers featured this week.
May 26th, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
May 19 – 25
This week on ThirdCoast Digest's weekly look at highlights in the world of local stage and music:the opening of Skylight Opera's staging of Gilbert and Sullivan's best known comic opera, right before the Florentine Opera concludes a 75th Diamond Anniversary year with a huge concert celebration. Also, Stonefly Brewery plays host for one night to an unusual traveling comedy examing surrealism, and a international pop star of sorts is coming to the Milwaukee Theatre.
May 18th, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
Hamlisch, Ambassadors, and an ingenue enchant Milwaukee audience
From the minute Hamlisch stepped on stage, the program soared as the Emmy/Grammy/Oscar/Tony/Pulitzer Prize winning composer paid homage to audience member Mary Youth, who was celebrating her 101st birthday. When Hamlisch asked her to divulge the secret of long life, Youth emphatically stated, "I laughed my way through life."
May 11th, 2009 by Peggy Sue Dunigan
May 12-18
This week in Performance and Visual Arts: live improv comedy, Ko-Thi's 40th anniversary, "Common People" (yep, the Shatner ballet) at Milwaukee Ballet, Paul Cebar and David Greenberger at the Pabst, pajama jamborees, a "no instrument spared" musical event at the WCM, True Skool (sic) at MAM and much, much more.
May 11th, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
May 4-12, 2009
It's a splashy week in Milwaukee performing and visual arts: Marvin Hamlisch, old-time radio, The Great Divorce, Beauty and the Beast, 42nd Street, Willy Wonka, Mad Hot Ballroom, Cirque du Soleil and more.
May 3rd, 2009 by Brian Jacobson
