The spring holiday season means that the kids are off, the family is in town, and, perhaps, the board games have been dusted off and set up on the old card table. There are still plenty of reasons to get out of the house, though. Many shows that opened in past weeks are still up and running, and there are these new wonders to consider.
#5: Les Miserables at the Marcus Center.
Why? Because you still want to Dream the Dream, 25 year after Trevor Nunn’s game changing musical debuted on the West End. It’s probably taken your local high school by storm, not to mention created a musical sensation on American Idol. If you’re worried about the same old thing, though, this is a new production, with big-musical guro Cameron Mackintosh behind it all the way. It’s said to be inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo himself (poor guy – he started the whole thing and hasn’t seen a dime of royalties).
#4: Two 2 Go at the Boulevard Theater.
Why? Because you might not want your theater to remind you of a Manchester United soccer match, with unruly crowds and hearty cheers. The intimacy of the Boulevard Ensemble Theatre is what you need mate. And Mark Bucher and his band of merry thespians have a season-closing double header that’s sure to please. George Bernard Shaw’s A Village Wooing is full of Shaw’s trademark wit and skepticism – this time aimed at romance. And Thornton Wilder’s Pullman Car Hiawatha is a kind of Our Town set on a railroad.
#3: Prometheus Trio at Wisconsin Conservatory.
Why? Because you can’t go wrong with Ravel, Beethoven, and Schumann. And the extra-curious will be delighted to see a piece by legendary composition teacher Nadia Boulanger on the slate as well. Stefanie Jacob, Scott Tisdel and Timothy Klabunde conclude their 11th season as an ensemble that continues to revisit the classics, and dig deep to find little-known music that is nonetheless a treat for the ears.
#2: The Cremaster Cycle at UW-Milwaukee Union Theatre.
Why? Because seeing Matthew Barney’s weird, wild and wonderful magnum opus in its entirety is the treat of a lifetime. Avoid the art-crit gibberish that tries to “make sense” of it all. Instead, think of it as a phantasmagoria of American (and beyond) icons and myths. After all, it’s five parts (clocking in at around 7 hours) contains the following: Norman Mailer, the Chrysler Building, Harry Houdini, the Goodyear blimp, Masons, the Guggenheim Museum, Gary Gilmore, Ursula Andress, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Curious?
#1 Uprooted Theater’s Jack and Jill at Sunset Playhouse.
Why? Because Uprooted Theater keeps on keeping on as one of the area’s newest theater groups. This staged reading of Jane Martin’s Jack and Jill features Uprooted co-founder Marti Gobel and Andrew Voss (a company member with Youngblood Theatre). And it’s directed by Renaissance Theatreworks ensemble member Susan Fete. A romantic comedy that’s equally charming and clear eyed, it’s a great play for a great company.
