#5: Broccoli Theatricals’ Laughter on the 23rd Floor at Theatre Unchained
Why? Because John Baiocchi’s relatively new theater company has a penchant for modern classics—The Fantasticks, Stephen Sondheim. And Neil Simon’s loving comedy tribute to his days as a writer during the Golden Age of Television is a classic a few times over. It’s a delicious look behind the scenes of Your Show of Shows, the landmark television comedy that gave brought Sid Caesar, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Imogene Coca. And its classic Neil Simon, full of larger-than-life characters and rat-a-tat jokes.
#4: Hyperlocal at Core Essence Yoga, 1437 Brady St.
Why? Because Marie Gillespie and Tim Johnson are always moving beyond their home base—the Dance Department at UW-Milwaukee—and creating work in the Milwaukee community. This project is dedicated to creating “active environments for performing artists to research, to experiment, to invent, and to share moving and music.” This installment features some of Milwaukee’s best dancers and musicians, including Mauriah Donegan Kraker, Allen Russell and Joelle Worm. They call this installment, “Tuning.”
#3: Slightly Bigger Women at UWM’s Kenilworth Studio 508
Why? Because Anne Basting doesn’t really believe in good, old-fashioned “playwriting.” Instead, she creates new theater-pieces by engaging with communities and easing a play out of real-world words and experience. Her latest project is inspired by Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, and charts the changes in women’s lives over decades since it was written. To create it, she used workshops and letters written between different generations of 21st-century women.
#2: Present Music’s “Hilarious” at Turner Hall Ballroom
Why? Because contemporary music still has a sense of humor, and this month, PM gets serious about it, staging Richard Ayres’ In the Alps, a “mountain melodrama” (or “animated concert” if you prefer) about a girl who combats her loneliness by singing to goats. Jennifer Goltz Taylor–familiar to PM audiences from its performances of Michael Daugherty’s Labyrinth of Love and Kamran Ince’s Judgment of Midas—will don a couple of braids as the soloist. And Milwaukee Opera Theatre’s Jill Anna Ponasik will provide that special theatrical touch. It’s a little bit Heidi, and a little bit Richard Strauss and Gustav Mahler. And a lot of fun.
#1: Peter and the Starcatcher at the Milwaukee Rep
Why? Because we’re still really not interested in growing up, judging by the popularity of the Peter Pan story gracing our stages. The Milwaukee Ballet created a hit with it. Broadway is currently swooning over Finding Neverland. And a few years ago, New York was nuts for this “prequel” to the Peter Pan legend. Its inventive, low-tech stagecraft (sorry, no flying) is a natural fit for the Milwaukee Rep, and its mostly New York-based cast should handle the fun with the appropriate irreverent glee.
