Liam Callanan at Boswell Books
April 3
It’s been nearly a decade since Daniel Goldin first hung an “open” sign in the window of Boswell Books. To help celebrate nine years on Downer Avenue, Boswell is inviting author and UW-Milwaukee professor Liam Callanan to read from his new novel, Paris by the Book, a haunting mystery set in the City of Light.
Don Waterski Goes Up Nort’ at Underground Collaborative
April 5-7
Milwaukee-born, Los Angeles-based comedian Jake Kornely is bringing his one-man show about an eccentric woodsman from Wisconsin back to his home state. A changing roster of local comics and improvisers opens for Kornely each evening.
I and You at Next Act Theatre
April 5-29
Next Act closes out its season with an award-winning drama by one of America’s most produced playwrights, Lauren Gunderson. David Cecsarini directs this tightly wound teen coming-of-age story starring Cristina Panfilio and Ibraheem Farmer.
Ron White at the Riverside Theater
April 6
His name is Ron White, but he also answers to “Tater Salad.” A headliner of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, this Texas-born comic performed alongside Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engval and Larry the Cable Guy for years. Now he’s bringing his solo stand-up act to the Riverside stage.
Antarctica, WI at the Marcus Center
April 6-22
Earlier this year, the National Endowment for the Arts awarded First Stage a $10,000 grant to fund the most ambitious play of its 2017-18 season, an original commission written by Australian playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer. The end result is a folkloric story about a young Milwaukeean named Lenny who sees cracks, literal and figurative, running through his fair city like fissures in an iceberg.
Weird Al Yankovic at The Pabst Theater
April 9-10
Not many musicians could turn polka melodies into parody gold (literally; most of his albums are certified gold or platinum). But Weird Al makes it look easy. This month, he’s bringing his Polka Party! back to Milwaukee.
Art in Bloom at the Milwaukee Art Museum
April 12-15
This floral fete takes root at the MAM every April, when art-inspired floral installations sprout up throughout the museum. Visitors can shop for flower-powered accessories at a pop-up market and attend presentations on flowers, food and sustainability.
Brew City Half Marathon, 10k & 5k
April 14
Think you’ve got what it takes to run a half-marathon? Sign up for this annual race and find out. Runners get to claim a special medal – and a brat and a beer (this is Milwaukee, after all) – at the finish line.
Milwaukee Black Restaurant Week
April 17-23
Supporting the local economy is a pleasure when it tastes this good. Participating establishments in this weeklong, citywide event include Irie Zulu, Rise & Grind and Ashley’s Bar-B-Que.
Hand-Built Pottery at Brinn Labs
April 19
Earlier this year, the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum launched Brinn Labs, an off-site makerspace (433 E. Stewart St., in Bay View) with classes and training programs for teens and adults. At this session, you can check out the space and learn how to hand-build a beautiful clay vessel. You can register for the workshop online.
An Evening with David Sedaris at The Riverside Theater
April 20
Prolific essayist, radio personality and New York Times-bestselling author David Sedaris shares some of his most side-splitting stories. A Q&A session and book signing follow the reading.
Gallery Night & Day
April 20-21
FREE
There are dozens of great galleries and museums in Milwaukee. Why not spend your weekend hitting up as many as you can during this citywide art crawl? Bonus points if you visit a place that’s opened within the last year, such as Var Gallery’s new Pierce Street space in Walker’s Point.
A Piece of My Heart at American Legion Post 331
April 20-29
Thousands of American women supported U.S. troops in Vietnam. This Cooperative Performance play, which counts veterans among its crew, sheds light on the true stories of 26 such women.
Anne Morgan’s War: American Women Rebuilding France 1917-1924 in the Golda Meir Library at UW-Milwaukee
April 24
FREE
Through May 18, UWM is hosting an exhibition of historic photographs and film footage documenting the many women who helped rebuild France in the wake of World War I. At this event, the exhibition organizers are presenting the premiere of a film made in conjunction with the exhibition.
Arte Para Todos
April 26-29
Since its founding in 2015, Arte Para Todos – the city’s largest all-local music event – has raised more than $60,000 for Milwaukee Public Schools. And, with a little help from headliners like New Age Narcissism, the festival is on track to raise thousands more again this year.
Franz Ferdinand at The Rave
April 30
It’s been nearly 15 years since Scottish indie band Franz Ferdinand released their eponymous first album, but their newest songs pack as much raw emotive power as their breakout single, “Take Me Out.” They’re bringing some “special guests” with them to energize crowds at The Rave.
