#5: Art vs. Craft, Milwaukee School of Engineering
Why? Because you don’t have to decide between “artists” and “crafters” at this annual celebration of Do-It-Yourself (just call them “makers”). It’s an Etsy website come to life, with 100 vendors from the Milwaukee area and the Midwest, including playful stuffed creatures by littlebigpants (like this Mad Men-inspired Joan doll), colorful leather work by Miss Alison, and prints by Team Nerd Press. But don’t stop there, you’re bound to make your own discoveries – everything from art to hang over the fireplace and stocking stuffers to fill in under the mantle.
#4: Jingle Bells Batman Smells at First Stage.
Why? Because there’s no better way to see Christmas from a 1st-grader’s perspective than through the eyes of Barbara Park’s legendary children’s book heroine, Junie B. Jones. In Alison Gregory’s adaptation of Park’s story, Junie B. negotiates the perils of kid-level Christmas traditions – the holiday sing-along, gift shopping, and The Horror of picking the wrong name for the Secret Santa gift exchange. Scarier than the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come anyday, if you ask us.
#3: Frankly Music at the Wisconsin Conservatory.
Why? Because there’s always room for Bach. And Frank Almond – always on the lookout for fresh music to bring to his chamber music concert series – offers some Bach that is both familiar and, perhaps, unfamiliar. Dmitri Sitkovetsky’s arrangement of the iconic “Goldberg” variations has been hailed for its lyricism and grace. Here, Almond is joined by violist Kyle Armbrust and cellist Edward Arron to tackle the intricate counterpoint with only three instrumental voices. Pianist Michael Mizrahi will also perform some keyboard Bach, for the purists in the house.
#2: Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra at the Marcus Center.
Why? Because whether you’re a Newtonian, an Einsteinian, or one of those new-fangled astrophysicists who think that the universe is tucked into the back seat of a speeding Buick LeSabre, Gustav Holst’s The Planets always finds ways to delight the ears. Of course, the episodes of this symphonic poem are based more on the mythology behind the solar system names, which will give conductor Lawrence Renes ample opportunity to fire up the MSO into a Mercury full-gallop, or evoke Jupiter’s chilly majesty. The program also features Edward Elgar’s tone-poem tribute to the characters of the composer’s life, the “Enigma” Variations.
#1: Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s Heroes at the Broadway Theatre Center.
Why? Because, in the theater, nothing snaps like a Tom Stoppard tête-à-tête, and there are bound to be plenty of snappy exchanges in his adaptation of Gerald Sibleyras’s Le Vent des Peupliers. Three war veterans molder in a French hospital, dreaming of reliving their fighting days. Sooner than you can say “vive le resistance!” they’re planning a Von Ryan’s Express-style escape from their idyllic surroundings. Three of Milwaukee’s finest play the vets: Daniel Mooney, Robert Spencer and Richard Halverson.
Art vs. Craft image created by The Little Friends of Printmaking.
