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| Wild Space Dance Company, “Milwaukee 360.” (photo by Tom Bamberger) |
#5: Upright
Citizens Brigade at the Marcus Center.
Why? Because the
best-known comedy troupe you’ve never heard of is bi-coastal these days, but it
has deep roots in Chicago, the mecca of fast-thinking sketch comedy. Its
guru was the uncle of Chicago improv, Del Close, and its style was
free-wheeling, absurdist and often hilarious. Amy Poehler and friends have been
at it since the early 90s, and they officially found a NYC home in 1999 in an
abandoned strip club. Since then, UCB alumni have gone on to populate almost
every funny show on television. There probably won’t be any marquis names in
the touring company that swings through Milwaukee this weekend, but you never
know.
#4: Milwaukee
Symphony Orchestra at the Marcus Center.
Why? Because this
weekend marks the arrival of Edo de Waart for his third season with the
orchestra, and as always he’s put together a doozey of a program. Milwaukee
will again sample the work of de Waart’s old friend, John Adams, who wrote On the Transmigration of Souls as a
memorial to the victims of the 9/11 attacks. And another of de Waart’s old
friends, Gustav Mahler is represented by the grand and gorgeous Symphony No. 4,
which is certain to fill the Uihlein Hall stage and hall.
#3: Youngblood
Theatre’s [sic] at Bucketworks, 706
S. 5th St.
Why? Because
Melissa James Gibson’s comedy takes its title seriously, sending her three
characters, Babette, Frank and Theo on a linguistic roller coaster where things
that seem poorly spoken are actually right on the money. It’s a dandy choice of
a play for the Youngblood folks, who revel in quirky concepts and dazzling
execution—in other words, the cutting edge of theater in the 21st
Century. Tess Cinpinski and Benjamin James Wilson star.
#2: Skylight
Music Theatre’s Avenue Q at the
Broadway Theatre Center.
Why? Because the
last time we heard from the felted friends on Avenue Q, the little three-foot, Sesame-Street scale puppets were all but swallowed up in the wide-open
spaces of the Marcus Center’s Uihlein Hall. Now, the Skylight brings the story
of Princeton and his post-college adventures in the far reaches of Alphabet
City. Directed by Donna Drake, Broadway A
Chorus Line alumna and Skylight’s go-to director for edgy musicals (Rent). It features local favorites
Tiffany Fox and Alison Mary Forbes. And remember, this is not your Elmo
musical. They might look like Jim Henson creations, but these puppets talk like
Andrew Dice Clay.
#1: Wild
Space Dance Company’s Milwaukee 360
at the Pabst Brewery Parking Structure, 910 W. Juneau Ave.
Why? Because Wild
Space imagineer Deborah Loewen has again found a fresh way to experience
Milwaukee—from nine stories up on Pabst Brewery hill. For the latest Wild Space
site specific work, Loewen explores the architecture of one of Milwaukee’s old
industrial buildings, and takes us up to the roof for a headlight-illuminated
finale that will ease your anxiety about parking structures for some time to
come. Come early for a pre-show talk by Jim Haertel, the de facto resident
historian of the Pabst complex.
