Gabriel Alegria Afro-Peruvian Sextet create a “cross-cultural exchange” between world rhythms and contemporary jazz melodies. Led by Peruvian trumpeter and Associate Director of Jazz Studies at New York University Gabriel Alegria, the group have spent the last decade together performing hundreds of shows and master classes throughout the world and taking in cultural influences to weave into their sound. The group’s expansive musical journeys hypnotize jazz aficionados and casual listeners alike. The New York Times praised Gabriel Alegria Afro-Peruvian Sextet’s capacity to “ the affinities between modern jazz and the Afro-Latin continuum in Peru.” *Registration required.

Join Jewish Museum Milwaukee for an engaging four-part series highlighting and celebrating individuals with local roots making an impact in a diverse range of artistic arenas on a national level. Assistant Professor Helen Lee of the UW-Madison Art Department Glass Lab will present a lecture on the propagation of glass as an artistic medium—the roots of which deeply embedded in Wisconsin and the legacy of Harvey Littleton. Lee will discuss the spread of glass as an area of study at the collegiate level, highlighting key figures in this history and the generations of glass artists that have evolved the material into its contemporary usage in studio practice today. Lee will discuss her own practice, her approach to the material, and her teaching philosophy. Lastly, this lecture will conclude by looking at the future of glass artists with an overview of current work being produced by graduate students at the UW-Madison Glass Lab. Helen Lee is an artist, designer, educator, and glassblower. Her studio practice explores spaces of boundary, transformation, and duality, often at the intersection of language and the body. Lee holds an MFA in Glass from RISD and a BSAD in Architecture from MIT. Lee was the recipient of the inaugural Irwin A. Borowsky Prize in Glass Art in 2013/14.

Black Nativity is a heartwarming and moving gospel song play by Langston Hughes. The power of gospel music, telling the story of this beloved, family friendly classic that began with the first star in Bethlehem almost two thousand years ago. Black Nativity 2016 will link this story of hope to relevant themes occurring throughout our community and the country today. Directed by Bronzeville Arts Ensemble’s Producing Artistic Director, Malkia Stampley. Music direction by Antoine Reynolds, choreography by Marvette Knight. Black Nativity is Co-Produced by Black Arts MKE and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts.

With way too much time on his hands, Jeff, a luckless young Manhattan security guard, is drawn into a local murder investigation. When William, his tightly wound supervisor, is called to bear witness against his troubled brother, and Dawn, a rookie cop, finds she must stand up to her seasoned partner, Jeff finds himself making some quick, irreversible decisions about right and wrong. Confirming him as a comic wizard, playwright Kenneth Lonergan delights with this irrepressible work, which just happens to be a comedy, a romance and a play of ideas all rolled into one.

After 20 years of unwedded bliss, Georges and Albin prepare to meet the straight-laced parents of the fiancée of Georges’ son. It’s a hilarious night of complications, chaos and a tender triumph of love. This comedic and heartfelt Tony Award winner features music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, composer of Broadway hits Hello, Dolly! and Mame. “It’s a family show, a glittering, fast stepping extravaganza.” - New York Daily News on 2010 Broadway Revival Winner of multiple Tony Awards, including Best Musical (1984) and Best Revival of a Musical (2005, 2010) Recommended for ages 12 and up.