"Dancemakers"
The Children’s Hour
Written by Lillian Hellman and directed by Dylan Sladky, The Children’s Hour is a dramatic play set in a fictional New England town in the 1930s. Given the political atmosphere of our country today, its plot involving small-minded intolerance and homophobia is surely relevant. The Children’s Hour tells the story of two women unjustly “accused” of being lesbians by one of their students. The fuming community—with only the accusations to go on—swiftly withdraws all its students from the school at which the women teach. Given the ensuing witch hunt and lynch mob atmosphere in the wake of the accusations, the school is forced to close. Meanwhile, the women, themselves, see their lives quickly fall apart as they become pariahs.
After graduating from New York University, Hellman became a play reader in the office of theatrical producer Herman Shumlin. In May 1934, Hellman asked Shumlin to read a draft of a play she had been quietly working on—The Children’s Hour. After he read the first act, Shumlin’s response was, “Swell.” Upon finishing its second act, he remarked, “I hope it keeps up.” When he’d finished reading Hellman’s play, Shumlin said, “I’ll produce it.” (John Jahn)
July 20-29 in Milwaukee Entertainment Group’s Subterranean Theatre at the Brumder Mansion, 3046 W. Wisconsin Ave. For tickets, visit outskirtstheatre.org/tickets.
Peter and the Starcatcher
Peter and the Starcatcher is a play based on the 2004 novel Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson that amounts to a backstory for the time-honored characters of Peter Pan, Mrs. Darling, Tinker Bell and Captain Hook. After a 2009 premiere in California, it moved Off-Broadway two years thereafter and opened on Broadway in 2012. It received nine Tony Award nominations, winning five.
Brimming with pirates, jungle tyrants, mermaids, a nameless orphan and his friends, and the eponymous Starcatcher, this adventure musical takes a fresh look at celebrated fictional characters in a prequel written by Rick Elice and composed by Wayne Barker. This Racine Theatre Guild production will be directed by Kara Ernst-Schalk and features Evan Klinkhamer, Nic Cicerale, Andrew Dorst and many others. (John Jahn)
July 20-29 at Racine Theatre Guild, 2519 Northwestern Ave., Racine. For tickets, call 262-633-4218 or visit racinetheatre.org.
Lost Girl
The Milwaukee Repertory Theater in their production of Kimberly Belflower’s Lost Girl, performed by The Rep’s Professional Training Institute (PTI) ensemble. Lost Girl is a coming-of-age exploration of first love and lasting loss that asks what became of Wendy Darling in the years after she parted company with Peter Pan. The latter, remember, never grows up, but Wendy, a girl lacking Pan’s magic, does. This production will be directed by Wisconsin native Ryan Quinn, who directed the inaugural production of PTI’s So Thrive My Soul last season.
PTI students hail from local high schools. The 2017-2018 ensemble features 16 theatrical arts students from 14 high schools throughout the greater Milwaukee area who have received intensive training for many months from top local theater production staff and actors. These world premiere performances mark the capstone of their studies. (John Jahn)
July 19-22 in the Stiemke Studio, 108 E. Wells St. For tickets, call 414-224-9490 or visit milwaukeerep.com.
MORE TO DO
‘Dancemakers’
Every year, UW-Milwaukee’s Peck School of the Arts brings an eclectic group of nationally and internationally recognized choreographers and dancers to Milwaukee to participate in the school’s MFA Dance program. Each summer thereafter, these students present “Dancemakers,” an event that welcomes the local community into the university’s dance studios to experience first-hand new works performed not only by UWM dance students, but alumni and community dancers as well. July 20 and 21 at Mitchell Hall Studio 254, 3203 N. Downer Ave. For tickets, call 414-229-4308 or visit uwm.edu/arts/event/dancemakers/.
The Trip to Bountiful
The Trip to Bountiful is an affecting drama that tells the story of an elderly woman who longs to escape her dreary and lonely Houston apartment where she resides with an over-protective son and a controlling daughter-in-law. She seeks to return once more to a place that, for her, retains great nostalgic allure—her beloved hometown of Bountiful, Texas. Her escape plan is kept secret from her family members, and she pulls it off quite nicely. However, she, herself, is in for a surprise or two both en route and at her destination. July 19-Aug. 4 the Lapham Peak Unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest, W329 N846 County Highway C, Delafield. For tickets, call 262-337-1560 or visit summerstageofdelafield.org/trip-to-bountiful.
‘All Keyed Up (Again)’
In Tandem Theatre’s “All Keyed Up (Again)” is a piano recital benefit concert for the theater company’s lobby pianists. The Tenth Street Theatre plays host to both professional and emerging musicians who have previously been seen and heard tickling the keys before and after In Tandem Theatre performances throughout the season. Attendees get to hear these musicians take center stage themselves in this fundraiser. Featured pianists include James Russell, Carolyn Wehner, Natan Steigman, Jayme Dawicki and David Bonofiglio. In addition, vocalists Linda Stephens, Andrew Varela and Susan Spencer perform. Sunday, July 22, beginning at 4 p.m. at Tenth Street Theatre, 628 N. 10th St. For tickets, call 414-271-1371 or visit intandemtheatre.org.
