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FEBRUARY
CONTINUING:
“Comicality 2020” Hartford Players Through Feb. 8
“Comicality 2020” is a benefit show put on by the Hartford Players for the Schauer Arts Center. It has received two Footlights People’s Choice Awards for Outstanding Special Performance (Non-Professional Production). A musical skit, Narcoleptic Tango, with punch lines that coincide with Tango music’s rhythms, is one example of the show’s cabaret-style comedy. Now in its fifth year, “Comicality” promises new material with plenty of belly laughs that call for tissues to dry your eyes. (Grace Matson)
The Snowy Day and Other Stories by Ezra Jack Keats (Family Friendly) First Stage (First Steps Series) Through Feb. 9
Peter is ready to explore the winter wonderland outside—throwing snowballs, making snow angels, and the crunch, crunch, crunch of the fresh snow. Based on the books by Ezra Jack Keats, the First Steps series is designed for families with young people ages 3-7+. Note: The show features a sensory-friendly performance on Jan. 25 and sign language interpreted performance on Feb. 9. (Harry Cherkinian)
The Legend of Georgia McBride Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Powerhouse) Through Feb. 9 Happy Days Renaissance Theaterworks Through Feb. 16
Samuel Beckett’s existential masterpiece tells the story of Winne, who is buried up to her waist in sand in the first act, proclaiming what a happy day as she repeatedly follows her daily routine, talking endlessly to her husband Willie, partially hidden behind her. In the second act, she is buried up to her neck with sand, unable to complete her compulsive routine but talking endlessly remembering happier days. Marie Koehler directs with Laura Gordon and Todd Denning. (Harry Cherkinian)
A Wrinkle in Time (Family Friendly) First Stage Through Feb. 23 A Small Fire Next Act Theatre Through Feb. 23
Emily, a successful businesswoman, suddenly and inexplicably begins to lose her senses: first smell, then sight, then hearing. A fiercely independent person, she must now rely on her husband, John, whom she has always taken for granted. Encouraged by family and friends to leave her, John must decide if he will be the one to provide Emily the hope she needs to reclaim her life under seemingly impossible circumstances. (Harry Cherkinian)
The Lion King Marcus Center (Broadway Series) Through March 1
This award-winning stage adaptation of the 1994 Disney film tells the story of a young lion prince living in the flourishing African pride lands. Beloved by audiences of all ages, this young “lion king” learns to find courage and assume his birthright as leader of his pride after tragedy strikes. An uplifting story of hope and determination with musical score by Elton John and Tim Rice. Recommended for ages 8 and above. (Harry Cherkinian)
2020 Snowdance Ten Minute Comedy Festival Over Our Head Players Through March 1 Hedwig and the Angry Inch Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Stiemke) Through March 8
The Milwaukee Rep is well-known for their excellent performances, top-notch acting, and wonderful set design, which allows the Rep’s Artistic Director, Mark Clements, to push boundaries and challenge audiences to take a chance and have some fun with Hedwig and the Angry Inch. A rock musical with a genderbending cast is not typical fare for Rep patrons, but this show promises to be spectacular and immersive, even offering ticketed audience seats at small tables on the stage to add to the “dive bar” feel of Hedwig’s story. (Susan Harpt Grimes)
Chasin’ Dem Blues: Untold Story of Paramount Records Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Stackner) Through March 22
OPENING:
Come Back Waukesha Civic Theatre Feb. 6-23 Legally Blonde, The Musical West Performing Arts Center Feb. 7-9
Legally Blonde and WestTAP’s upcoming spring shows Snow White and Steel Magnolias all refer to the color pink in their stories. Thus, the theatre will sell pink clothing at performances on behalf of cancer awareness, says managing artistic director Judy Smith. High school and middle school student productions as well as adult community theatre productions are on tap here each season. The theatre is located at 18695 W Cleveland Ave. in New Berlin. (Grace Matson)
33 Variations Falls Patio Players Feb. 7-14
Moisés Kaufman’s tale deals with a mother coming to terms with her daughter and a composer coming to terms with his genius. And, even though they’re separated by 200 years, these two people share an obsession. Drama, memory and music combine to transport you from present-day New York to 19th-century Austria in this extraordinary American play about passion, parenthood and the moments of beauty that can transform a life. (Harry Cherkinian)
Emilie (Student Production) Carroll University Theatre Feb. 7-15 Cream City Crime Syndicate, Episode #2: Ransom is Relative (World Premiere) Cabaret MKE Feb. 7-22
Ransom Is Relative is the second of three performances in Cabaret Milwaukee’s Cream City Crime Syndicate series, but it isn’t necessary to see the first show. Ransom Is Relative ”takes place in a semi-historical world inspired by the headlines of [local] newspapers during the tenure of Milwaukee’s second socialist mayor, Daniel Hoan, as he was embroiled in a kidnapping scandal.” Cabaret Milwaukee model their shows after old-time radio variety programs, plunging you in the ambiance of the time as you let the radio host, band, period comedy and jingle singers entertain you. (Jean-Gabriel Fernandez)
The Beauty of Psyche (World Premiere) Milwaukee Entertainment Group Feb. 7-22
The Beauty of Psyche is a modern re-imagining of the myth of Cupid’s abduction of Psyche. A cast of four actors will use puppetry, stage illusions and physicality to tell this epic story of a woman who becomes a god. Written and directed by JJ Gatesman, it features original music by Amanda J. Hull and Cole Heinrich. (Harry Cherkinian)
Figaro Windfall Theatre Feb. 7-22 The Diary of Anne Frank Kettle Moraine Players Feb. 7-23
Part coming of age story, part history brought to life, the Diary of Anne Frank tells the tale of a Jewish family hidden away for two years of the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam during World War ll. The bittersweet thoughts, observations, fears, and secrets that Anne faithfully recorded in her diary has been required reading for generations of school kids around the world. This production will make audiences understand the struggles Anne’s family and friends go through, cramped together, with dwindling hope for a positive resolution. (Susan Harpt Grimes)
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Skylight Music Theatre Feb. 7-23 Beyond Therapy Village Playhouse Feb. 7-23
Bruce places a personal ad at the recommendation of his therapist. Prudence answers, as a way of being more assertive per her therapist’s advice. Things don’t go well. Bruce places a different ad. Prudence answers again. Things don’t go much better. Prudence doesn’t know what to do with Bruce’s unconventional ways or his jealous boyfriend. Bruce doesn’t know how to deal with Prudence’s nervous personality. Will this unlikely couple figure it out, or are they really Beyond Therapy? (Harry Cherkinian)
Tater Sutra (the ancient art of surviving love) Cedarburg Cultural Center Feb. 8
“Yao Yao-Family Valentine Event” (Family Friendly) UW-Whitewater Young Auditorium Feb. 13 “My Funny Valentine” Waukesha Civic Theatre (Cabaret Series) Feb. 13 “Backstage Broadway” Sunset Playhouse (SideNotes Cabaret) Feb. 13-16 “An Evening with C.S. Lewis” Marcus Center (Wilson Theatre) Feb. 14-16 The Theory of Relativity (A Musical) (Student Production) Marquette Theatre Feb. 14-23 God’s Trombones Morning Star Productions Feb. 14-23 “15th Annual Valentine’s Weekend Laugh-A-Thon” Wisconsin Center District (Miller High Life Theatre) Feb. 15 The Emperor’s New Clothes (Student Production) Cardinal Stritch Theatre Feb. 15-23 Finding Neverland UW-Whitewater Young Auditorium Feb. 16 “StorySlam: In My Mind” Ex Fabula Feb. 18 Othello Mad Rogues (Gravediggers Performance) Feb. 20-29
Mad Rogues is the sober branch of Bard & Bourbon, which offers polished, well-performed Shakespeare plays with drunk actors. People “come back because of how clear and relatable our shows are,” founder Katie Merriman says. “Our non-drunk shows are a chance to share that same style of storytelling with audience members who may prefer an alcohol-free evening.” In Othello, director Bryant Mason shares that it will be stripped down to its core elements, with “very little in the way of sets, costumes, props, etc.,” to make the play immediate and accessible. (Jean-Gabriel Fernandez)
Fighting for Home (Student Production) Carthage College Theatre Feb. 21-29 The Nerd Sheboygan Theatre Company Feb. 21-29 PAC Theatre Company: “The Carol Burnett Show” Plymouth Arts Center Feb. 21-March 1 A Fox in the Fairway Racine Theatre Guild Feb. 21-March 8
No Wake (World Premiere) Milwaukee Chamber Theatre Feb. 21-March 15
This world premiere by Wisconsin writer Erica Bergman focuses on Peter Michaels, who is on a mission to save the loons of Lake Winnipesaukee, who are dying in record numbers. His summer expectations are thwarted by Sarah, a “townie” teenager hired to clean the house next door. While the two initially grate on each other, they slowly forge a unique intergenerational bond, gradually opening up and encouraging each other to truly acknowledge their loneliness and loss. (Harry Cherkinian)
Gretel! (Family Friendly Musical) First Stage (Foundry Series) Feb. 21-March 22 The Addams Family Musical (Student Production) UW-Whitewater Theatre Feb 25-29 Female Transport (Student Production) UWM Peck School of the Arts Feb. 26-March 1 The Glance Off The Wall Theatre Feb. 26-March 8 Golden Dragon Acrobats Schauer Arts Center Feb. 27 Carrie the Musical Outskirts Theatre Company Feb. 28-March 8
Stephen King’s Carrie is best known for its feature film adaptation, but it is the musical adaptation that Outskirts Theatre picked to add thrills to their season. “Our main goal is to create opportunities for emerging artists, and Carrie was the perfect fit for that,” says artistic director Ryan Albrechtson. “There are great roles for different ages and genders, and it's a show that isn't done very often.” To add a high school vibe to the show, Outskirts will be using a real school auditorium and will include an adult prom and a blood drive. (Jean-Gabriel Fernandez)
Down the Road Two Crows Theatre Company Feb. 27-March 8 Noises Off Sunset Playhouse Feb. 27-March 15 Missoula Children’s Theatre: Pinocchio (Family Friendly) UW-Whitewater Young Auditorium Feb. 29
MARCH
CONTINUING:
The Lion King Marcus Center (Broadway Series) Through March 1 2020 Snowdance Ten Minute Comedy Festival Over Our Head Players Through March 1 PAC Theatre Company: “The Carol Burnett Show” Plymouth Arts Center Through March 1 Female Transport UWM Peck School of the Arts Through March 1 Hedwig and the Angry Inch Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Stiemke) Through March 8 The Glance Off The Wall Theatre Through March 8 Carrie the Musical Outskirts Theatre Company Through March 8 A Fox on the Fairway Racine Theatre Guild Through March 8 Noises Off Sunset Playhouse Through March 15 Chasin’ Dem Blues: Untold Story of Paramount Records Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Stackner) Through March 22 OPENING: “Hal Prince: From Fiddler to Phantom” Sunset Playhouse (Musical Mainstage Series) March 2-3 Eclipsed Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Quadracci Powerhouse) March 3-29 The Trojan Women (Student Production) UWM Peck School of the Arts March 4-8 The Elephant Man Voices Found Repertory March 5-15
This play recounts the tale of John Merrick, a profoundly disfigured Englishman navigating life in 19th-century London. Abandoned by family and rejected by freak-show audiences, he finds a surprising home in London Hospital; there, he is held in high society’s high regard. His cleverness and kindness earn him admiration, but a more comfortable lifestyle becomes constricting as Merrick loses autonomy to medical observation. Based on a true story, this production will pose questions about the kaleidoscopic relationship between appearances, acceptance and freedom. (Anastasia Skliarova)
Legally Blond Germantown Performing Arts Center March 6-8 The Nether The Constructivists March 6-21
Playwright Jennifer Haley blurs reality into a virtual realm known as “The Nether.” This new form of the internet allows anyone to access a vast network of virtual reality realms. Users may log in, choose an identity, and indulge any desire. Detective Morris interrogates members of a realm known as The Hideaway, digging into the emotional consequences of its players. The play is for mature audiences only as it deals with pedophilia, sexual violence, suicide, and other very adult themes. (Harry Cherkinian)
The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors (World Premiere) (Family Friendly) First Stage March 6-April 5 Bobby McFerrin Kohler Foundation (Distinguished Guest Series) March 7 ComedySportz Oconomowoc Arts Center March 7 “The Magic of Isaiah” (Family Friendly) Schauer Arts Center March 8 American Shakespeare Center: The Grapes of Wrath UW-Whitewater Young Auditorium March 11 “StorySlam: Identity” (Noncompetitive) Ex Fabula March 12 Before We Burn Out (World Premiere) Windfall Theatre March 12-21
Milwaukee playwright Deanna Strasse explores tumultuous relationships between lovers, friends and families in the three playlets that comprise this nicely-titled show. “Not every love story ends happily, but that doesn’t mean that they weren’t love stories,” writes Carol Zippel, the show’s director and producer. “It’s about the things we gain when we lose.” Windfall also produced the world premiere of Strasse’s Dancing With Hamlet last spring. Melody Lopac and Donna Daniels are featured performers. (John Schneider)
Crave Theatre Gigante March 12-15
In the late ‘90’s, the young English poet-playwright Sarah Kane wrote a handful of sensational plays about desire, sex, despair and death that remain unique. Crave is perhaps her most eloquent. Four interlinking monologues reverberate and echo off each other until all four voices come together as one. Live jazz by Aaron Gardner, Steve Peplin and Sam Winterheimer will complement performers Jane Kaczmarek, David Flores, Mark Anderson and Isabelle Kralj in the Jan Serr Studio. (John Schneider)
Big Fish Waukesha Civic Theatre March 12-29
Based on the hit book and film, Big Fish follows the stories of Edward Bloom, a father, husband, traveling salesman, and master storyteller. Edward's larger-than-life stories captivate everyone around him... but are they true? His son, Will, is about to find out. Filled with heart, humor, and magic, the show is a wild adventure from beginning to end. (Harry Cherkinian)
Boston Imposters Oconomowoc Arts Center (Comedy Cabaret) March 13-14 15th Shamrocks & Shenanigans Irish Music Show” Plymouth Arts Center March 13-14 The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley Jr. (Family Friendly) Schauer Arts Center March 13-14 Charlotte’s Web (Family Friendly) Racine Children’s Theatre March 13-15
E.B. White’s beloved children’s book translates vividly to this stage adaptation. Its main characters—a pig rescued from slaughter and a motherly spider—portray the power of sensitivity and intelligence. This story is woven with the same resilience, beauty and creativity as a spiderweb, connecting lives that once seemed impossibly different with the magic of friendship. These performances are sure to be accessible for young audiences and will feature introductions from the theatre’s elephant mascot, Packy. (Anastasia Skliarova)
Snow White (Family Friendly) West Performing Arts Center March 13-15 Chapter Two Cream City Theater March 13-22
Playwright Neil Simon tells the story of a man shattered by the death of his wife and how he seeks and earns the happiness of a new life with her successor. He struggles with the contradictory impulses to embrace a new life and remain as the guardian of his old life. The play is somewhat based on Simon’s life after the death of his first wife, Joan. Her successor was the actress Marsha Mason. (Harry Cherkinian)
Deathtrap Memories Dinner Theatre March 13-22
A popular thriller from the late 1970s, Deathtrap is a suspenseful play full of twists and creative, unexpected, story elements. Seeing this classic tale of jealousy and murder at Memories means your ticket for the show includes a buffet style or plated sit-down meal, depending on which afternoon or evening you attend. Friday evening shows feature an all-you-can-eat fish fry buffet. Diners with dietary restrictions should take note to let Memories staff know in advance if you require gluten free, vegetarian, or vegan options. (Susan Harpt Grimes)
An Inspector Calls Acacia Theatre March 13-29
Described as Agatha Christie meets “The Twilight Zone,” J.B. Priestley’s drama holds the same powerful relevance as when it premiered. On the eve of an engagement and potential merger, a wealthy industrial family is visited by an Inspector. A young woman has died, and the inspector’s unsparing and suspenseful interrogation leads him to observe that “We don’t live alone. We are members of one body.” Glenna Gustin directs. (Harry Cherkinian)
ComedySportz Racine Theatre Guild (Comedy Series) March 14 Horizon Family Series: The BFG (Family Friendly) UW-Whitewater Young Auditorium March 15 The Play That Goes Wrong Marcus Center (Broadway Series) March 17-22 “Rhode’s Roadhouse Rowdies” Sunset Playhouse (SideNotes Cabaret) March 19-22 “StorySlam: Maps” (Noncompetitive) Ex Fabula March 20 “The Fabulously Funny Comedy Festival” Wisconsin Center District (Miller High Life Theatre) March 20 Evita Skylight Music Theatre March 20-29
This staged concert version is a special limited run of the seven-time Tony Award-winning megawatt musical. The story follows Eva Duarte and her meteoric rise from impoverished child to wife of Argentine president Juan Perón and, finally, to becoming the most powerful woman in Latin America. With music by Andrew Lloyd Weber, lyrics by Tim Rice based on the original direction of Harold Prince. (Harry Cherkinian)
Preludes All In Productions & Milwaukee Opera Theatre March 20-28
This musical by Dave Malloy, widely known for his Off-Broadway and Broadway hit Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, is a fantasia set in the mind of composer Sergei Rachmaninoff, featuring a combination of works by Rachmaninoff, Malloy and others. It’s a first collaboration between two of Milwaukee’s finest music theater groups, “a meditation on ambition, failure and lilacs,” according to Milwaukee Opera Theatre’s Jill Anna Ponasik. Ruben Piirainen is the music director. (John Schneider)
Antonio’s Song: Dreaming of a Son (World Premiere) Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Stiemke) March 24-April 12 Dr. Faustus Quasimondo Physical Theatre with Alverno College March 26-April 14
Quasimondo adapted Faustus from Christopher Marlowe. “At the heart of it the play is a meditation on faith, reason and mortality,” says Quasimondo’s cofounder Brian Rott. “What role does faith play in our lives? What molds our beliefs, be it in religion, science, institutions or people, and what happens when those beliefs are tested? I think the play speaks to today because politics and popular culture seem set on creating unflinching warriors to follow their cause, leaving no room for understanding between ‘right’ and ‘wrong.’ It's a gorgeous play filled with big philosophical and human questions.” (David Luhrssen)
A Life in the Theatre Third Avenue Playhouse March 26-April 26 Baltimore Waltz (Student Production) Carthage College Theatre March 27-29
Presented as a series of comic vignettes, Baltimore Waltz tells the story of Ann and her brother, Carl, who plan to take one last incredible trip around the world. Ann has contracted “Acquired Toilet Disease” (ATD), so the pair travel from Paris to Germany in search for a miracle cure for Ann’s disease. They meet a number of colorful characters along the way, while aided by the “Third Man” who plays the other roles. (Harry Cherkinian)
Steel Magnolias West Performing Arts Center March 27-29
Playwright Robert Harling wrote Steel Magnolias as a way to deal with the illness and subsequent death of his sister from complications of diabetes. Out of his personal tragedy, a beautiful story of friendship, love and support was created. Few plays feature an all-female cast, but by doing so, Harling created some delightfully challenging and memorable roles for women of all ages. The story follows the highs and lows of these women, and despite poignant moments of sadness, there is plenty of humor too. Performed in the first season of the WestPAC Theater Arts Program, they are bringing it back to local audiences in what is now the 10th season of this great community theater. (Susan Harpt Grimes)
Death of a Salesman Kettle Moraine Players March 27-April 5 Akeelah and the Bee Racine Theatre Guild March 27-April 5
Akeelah lives and breathes words and has a gift for spelling. This passion is overshadowed by the daily realities of her life in a tough Chicago neighborhood. Despite her mother’s objections, she studies and prepares for the National Spelling Bee with a determined spirit. As the underdog, Akeelah’s spunk and tenacity teach us all a little something about triumphing over any obstacle. (Harry Cherkinian)
Outside Mullingar Over Our Head Players March 27-April 11
Playwright John Patrick Shanley—whose works Doubt and Moonstruck earned him a Pulitzer Prize and an Academy Award respectively—won a Tony award for this pastoral love story in 2014. The romance of this play succeeds and proceeds with a believable caution. Set against the landscape of the Irish countryside, the passing years and a family rivalry provide hapless farmers Anthony and Rosemary with the necessary theatrical peaks and valleys to grow into their love. (Anastasia Skliarova)
Actually Renaissance Theaterworks March 27-April 19 Hootenanny: The Musicale (World Premiere) Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Stackner) March 27-May 24
APRIL
CONTINUING:
Death of a Salesman Kettle Moraine Players Through April 5 Akeelah and the Bee Racine Theatre Guild Through April 5 Outside Mullingar Over Our Head Players Through April 11 Antonio’s Song: Dreaming of a Son (World Premiere) Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Stiemke) Through April 12 Dr. Faustus Quasimondo Physical Theatre with Alverno College Through April 14 Actually Renaissance Theaterworks Through April 19 A Life in the Theatre Third Avenue Playhouse Through April 26 Hootenanny: The Musicale (World Premiere) Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Stackner) Through May 24
OPENING:
Cream City Crime Syndicate, Episode #3: Pick Your Poison (World Premiere) Cabaret MKE April TBD Pirates of Pizzazz Waukesha Civic Theatre (ACAP Playmakers) April 2-5 The Aliens Two Crows Theatre Company April 2-12
This new company in downtown Spring Green is another home for many artists working at American Players Theatre and Milwaukee’s professional companies. Two Crows closes its second season in the Slowpoke Lounge and Cabaret with this play by Annie Baker, one of our finest, most subtle contemporary playwrights. Two young slackers from a band called “The Aliens” make themselves tutors to a lonely high school boy on subjects of music, friendship, art, love and death. (John Schneider)
9 Circles Next Act Theatre April 2-26 “Mark Nizer 4D” April 3 (Family Friendly) Schauer Arts Center April 3 Julius Caesar (Student Production) Marquette Theatre April 3-19
Julius Caesar depicts the assassination of the eponymous character to prevent him from becoming a dictator in a climate of political unrest. Keeping William Shakespeare’s language but drawing parallels to U.S. politics, director Maureen Kilmurry chose to keep the student actors in modern clothes, “so the political issues and relevancy can hit home clearly.” Most of the characters, including Brutus and Cassius, are cast as women. “They represent the desire for reform and change from the male-dominated reign of Caesar, cast as a man,” Kilmurry adds. (Jean-Gabriel Fernandez)
Romeo and Juliet (Student Production) UW-Parkside April 3-26 “Murder on the Cedarburg Express with Jack Pachuta” Cedarburg Cultural Center April 4 The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Student Production) UW-Parkside April 4-23
Three actors attempt to perform everything written by William Shakespeare in one evening’s worth of entertainment. In the first act, there are short versions of Romeo and Juliet, Titus Andronicus, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Othello and Antony and Cleopatra. The comedies are discovered to have such similar plot lines that they can be lumped all together in one story treatment. The history plays are covered as if they were a football game. And Hamlet? That’s all of Act Two, and it includes audience participation. You’ve been forewarned. (Harry Cherkinian)
“StorySlam: Faith” Ex Fabula April 9 My Fair Lady Marcus Center (Broadway Series) April 14-19 The Waverly Gallery Boulevard Theatre April 16-May 3 (dates subject to change)
True to its tradition of reading emotionally powerful scripts, Boulevard Theatre will be staging the Wisconsin premiere of Kenneth Lonergan’s The Waverly Gallery. The play explores the impact of aging and dementia on the family unit in a poignant drama that manages to be funny. We follow the decline of Gladys, who owns a small art gallery in Manhattan, N.Y., as she is taken by Alzheimer’s disease. Bereft of décor and stage, Boulevard Theatre’s concert readings still manage to capture the emotional heart of such plays. (Jean-Gabriel Fernandez)
“That Golden Girls Show! A Puppet Parody” Schauer Arts Center April 16 Mutts Gone Nuts in “Canine Cabaret” South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center April 16
Both a comedy show and amazing animal act, this brings together humor and talent in a hilarious way that will keep the audience laughing long after the antics have ended. The traveling show features the comedy duo of Scott and Joan Houghton, plus nine pooches, and it has performed all around the country. Animal welfare advocates will be glad to hear the pups are all rescued shelter dogs who have been trained using only treat-based, positive reinforcement methods. (Susan Harpt Grimes)
“Rep Lab Short Play Festival” Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Stiemke Studio) April 16-20 “Gutzman Goes Gershwin” (World Premiere) Off the Wall Theatre April 16-26
Off the Wall Theatre’s inimitable Dale Gutzman puts a lifetime of experience in theater towards this fully original musical revue about musician brothers George and Ira Gershwin. “In ‘Gutzman Goes Gershwin,’ I contrast the image of his career with what he was feeling privately and how the public persona interacts with the private truth,” Gutzman says. This is another original work by a theater company specializing in eccentric and bold new scripts found nowhere else. (Jean-Gabriel Fernandez)
Reduced Shakespeare Company: The Complete History of Comedy (abridged) UW-Whitewater Young Auditorium April 17 Les Misérables School Edition (Family Friendly) Waukesha Civic Theatre April 17-19 Maria and the Butterflies Carroll University Theatre April 17-26 Blind Dating at Happy Hour Memories Dinner Theatre April 17-26 Godspell West Allis Players April 17-26
Godspell is an Off-Broadway musical retelling the parables of Jesus Christ with songs, dances and humor. West Allis Players often distinguish themselves through the attention given to the set, costumes and choreography to put on a grandiose show. “As one of my favorite musicals, this play lends itself to adaptations, particularly in terms of costuming and set design, to address some prevalent social issues that we face today,” director Erico Ortiz explains. (Jean-Gabriel Fernandez)
A Good Farmer Village Playhouse April 17-May 3 Candide Skylight Music Theatre April 17-May 10 “The Golden Age of Broadway” Racine Theatre Guild (Signature Spotlight Concert Series) April 18 Destiny of Desire Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Powerhouse) April 21-May 17 #3 (hashtag cubed) (World Premiere) (Student Production) UWM Peck School of the Arts April 22-26
#3 (pronounced “Hashtag Cubed”) is a show devised by UW-Milwaukee students to address political and social events that occurred throughout history and are still relevant. It is based on Fuenteovejuna, an early-17th century play by Spanish author Lope de Vega, which “is taught in Theatre History class and has always resonated with the students,” director Ralph Janes says. “Dealing with ideas of honor, class, servitude and the struggle for liberation, the events of the plot center on sexual assault, elitist entitlement and pathological, egocentric chauvinism. What were reported events then would be ‘hashtag’ events today.” (Jean-Gabriel Fernandez)
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Student Production) Cardinal Stritch Theatre April 23-May 3
Underdog Charlie Brown is a beloved character because of Charles Shultz’s classic comic strip and animated holiday specials. But, if you haven’t seen him onstage with Lucy, Linus, Snoopy and all the gang, be sure to catch You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown performed by students at Cardinal Stritch University. Every bit as charming as you’d expect a Charlie Brown musical to be, his particular blend of hopeful despair translates well to song. Each character has a moment to shine, and audiences will leave feeling a little lighter as the infectious tunes will stay with you for days afterwards. (Susan Harpt Grimes)
Cabaret Sunset Playhouse April 23-May 10 Henry IV, Parts One and Two (Staged Reading) Mad Rogues (Shakespearean Histories, Drunk) April 24-25 Bye Bye Birdie Door County Auditorium April 24-26 Kiss Me, Kate (Student Production) Carthage College Theatre April 24-May 2 The Music Man Falls Patio Players April 24-May 3 Alex and the Amazing Lemonade Stand (World Premiere) (Family Friendly) First Stage April 24-May 17
Based on the true story of Alexandra Scott with an adaptation by Wisconsin actor and playwright James DeVita, Alex is a young girl with a serious health problem. However, she is determined to help others by starting a lemonade stand to raise money just for that purpose. Her ideas grow and become a nationwide success. Suggested for families with young people ages 7-14+. (Harry Cherkinian)
Gently Down the Stream Milwaukee Chamber Theatre April 24-May 17 “The Beat Goes On: Rock Classics” Sunset Playhouse (Musical Mainstage Series) April 27-28 Miss Lulu Bett (Student Production) UW-Whitewater Theatre April 28-May 3
The Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Wisconsin’s Zona Gale takes place in a small Badger State town. Miss Lulu Bett is the 34-year-old unmarried sister of Mrs. Ina Deacon. Lulu is a servant in the family home when a visit from Deacon’s impulsive brother, Ninan, brings unexpected romance and a marriage proposal. The two run off to start a new life. However, Ninan’s past is discovered and Lulu returns home, faced with lying or telling the truth of what happened. (Harry Cherkinian)
Bonnie and Clyde (Student Production) UWM Peck School of the Arts April 29-May 3 The Secret Garden (Family Friendly) Milwaukee Youth Theatre (School Shows) April 30-May 1 Silent Sky Waukesha Civic Theatre April 30-May 17
MAY
CONTINUING:
The Secret Garden (Family Friendly) Milwaukee Youth Theatre Through May 1 Kiss Me, Kate (Student Production) Carthage College Theatre Through May 2 Bonnie and Clyde (Student Production) UWM Peck School of the Arts Through May 3 Miss Lulu Bett (Student Production) UW-Whitewater Theatre Through May 3 A Good Farmer Village Playhouse Through May 3 Candide Skylight Music Theatre Through May 10 Cabaret Sunset Playhouse Through May 10 Hootenanny: The Musicale (World Premiere) Milwaukee Repertory Theater (Stackner) Through May 24
OPENING:
Table for Three Milwaukee Entertainment Group May 1-16 The Secret Garden (Family Friendly) Milwaukee Youth Theatre (Public Performance) May 1 (with school shows on April 30 and May 1)
Mary Lennox is a selfish and disagreeable 10-year-old girl whose parents have died during a cholera epidemic in India. Mary is sent to England to live in a dreary mansion with her widower uncle, Archibald. Mary finds she is alone and lost in a grown-up world. She meets her cousin, Colin, a reclusive, sick boy. With the help of the mansion’s servants and their children, everything changes when the secret garden and the magical powers of nature are discovered. (Harry Cherkinian)
The Light in the Piazza Windfall Theatre May 1-16 Embodied Truth: Finding Ways to Move Together Cooperative Performance May 2-9
Daniel Burkholder and Kimani Fowlin became friends and colleagues as undergraduates in the late 1980s. They have since maintained their artistic rapport and become parents—a married white father and a single black mother, respectively. They have conceived this spoken word and dance performance that explores their shared and divergent parenting experiences within the kaleidoscope of race and gender today. There will be opportunities for audiences to interact with the work and its artists outside of the performances. (Anastasia Skliarova)
An American in Paris UW-Whitewater Young Auditorium May 3 Love & Southern Discomfort Black Arts MKE, with Patton Daye Slater Productions May 6-10
A rare event: a tryout of a new musical with hopes for Broadway by Broadway/National Tour veteran performers Monica L. Patton (The Book of Mormon) and Bobby Daye (Aladdin), featuring a local cast and starring Tony Award nominee Felicia P. Fields (The Color Purple). Soulful gospel, sultry R&B and finger-snapping pop help weave a tale of a prodigal daughter’s tumultuous reunion with her past as she concedes to the dying wishes of the family’s matriarch. (John Schneider)
“Miscast” Waukesha Civic Theatre (Cabaret Series) May 7 “Nobody Does it Better: Chick Singers of the ’70s” Sunset Playhouse (SideNotes Cabaret) May 7-10 You Can’t Take It with You First Stage (Young Company) May 8-17 One Slight Hitch Kettle Moraine Players May 8-17 Driving Miss Daisy Memories Dinner Theatre May 8-17 In the Belly of the Beast (World Premiere) Theatre Gigante May 8-17
This co-production at the Kenilworth 508 Theater by Gigante’s Mark Anderson and Isabelle Kralj, with Teatro delle Albe’s Alessandro Renda from Italy, “explores the darkness that has come to define our current times,” says Anderson. “Using different stylistic approaches, the piece alternates between reality and dream, alienation and solidarity, irony and poetry, past and present. A variegated and dynamic humanity—figures of today and shadows from the past—is presented through monologues, dialogues, music, video and movement.” (John Schneider)
Mamma Mia! Racine Theatre Guild May 8-24 Tiny Beautiful Things Third Avenue Playhouse May 14-June 7 “15th Anniversary Variety Show” South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center May 15 Mary Poppins Sheboygan Theatre Company May 15-23
Tough, but fair; diligent, yet delightful; focused and fun-loving. The titular nanny, through all her seeming contradictions, is “practically perfect in every way,” transforming the unruly children’s troubles into a technicolor dance journey through Edwardian London. Armed with sharp wit, grace and compassion, Mary Poppins handily restores a more loving, gentler rhythm to all the characters she meets. This musical’s heartfelt message has endured with audience members of all ages for good reason. (Anastasia Skliarova)
Bug Outskirts Theatre Company May 15-24 The Roommate Over Our Head Players May 15-31 The Taming of the Shrew (Drunk) Mad Rogues (Bard & Bourbon Performance) May 21-30 “StorySlam: Imposter” Ex Fabula May 22
Everyone has a story to share. Most often, stories are shared between friends and family, but at an Ex-Fabula event, people take the stage and tell their story to an audience. In a competitive StorySlam, that audience gets to hear a great story and vote for their favorite. Sometimes, audience members can submit an ultrashort story on the event theme that will be read by an emcee. Performing storytellers must be able to tell a story in the time allowed and in an approved format. The rules keep the event structured enough to allow 7-10 people the opportunity to share their own story. On May 22, attendees will hear tales on the theme “Imposter.” (Susan Harpt Grimes)
Doc Danger and the Danger Squad Milwaukee Opera Theatre May 29-June 7
Doc Danger and the Danger Squad is back, following its 2018 production. Once again, six female heroines unite to stop the evil Professor Z and his just-as-evil sidekicks as the bad guys try to destroy the universe. Written by Milwaukee’s own Jason Powell with music, book and lyrics by Dave Malloy. Jill Anna Ponasik directs. (Harry Cherkinian)
JUNE
CONTINUING:
Doc Danger and the Danger Squad Milwaukee Opera Theatre Through June 7 Tiny Beautiful Things Third Avenue Playhouse Through June 7 OPENING: Barefoot in the Park Sunset Playhouse June 4-21
Paul and Corie Bratter are newlyweds in every sense of the word. He’s a stuffy, ambitious young lawyer, and she’s a romantic, free spirit. After a six-day honeymoon, she’s found the perfect place: a tiny, fifth-floor, walk-up apartment in Greenwich Village. This is the play that launched Neil Simon’s longstanding career and marks its sixth production at Sunset since way back in 1967! (Harry Cherkinian)
The Secret Case of Sherlock Holmes Waukesha Civic Theatre June 4-21 35th Annual Original One-Act Festival Village Playhouse June 5-21 The River Bride American Players Theatre (Touchstone Theatre) June 6-Sept. 13 Rough Crossing American Players Theatre (On The Hill) June 6-Sept. 18 A Prison Made of Light (Reading) Theatre Gigante June 8 Opal’s Million Dollar Duck Memories Dinner Theatre June 9-18 Love Stings (World Premiere) Northern Sky Theater (Peninsula State Park Amphitheater) June 10-Aug. 29
Reconnecting with 50 years of summer theater in Peninsula State Park, Northern Sky will present an expanded season split between the park’s outdoor amphitheater and the company’s new indoor Gould Theatre in Fish Creek, Wis. They’ll start the season outdoors with this premiere musical by the creators of Oklahoma in Wisconsin, a Northern Sky premiere in 2017. Adapted from a P. G. Wodehouse story, it concerns an erstwhile lavish wedding on a 1960’s Door County bee farm. (John Schneider)
“The Start of Something Big: Steve and Eydie Tribute” Sunset Playhouse (SideNotes Cabaret) June 11-14 Belgians in Heaven Northern Sky Theater (Outdoor Theater) June 11-Aug. 27 The Diary of Anne Frank Milwaukee Entertainment Group June 12-27 A Phoenix Too Frequent American Players Theatre (Touchstone Theatre) June 12-Sept. 27 Sense and Sensibility American Players Theatre (On the Hill) June 12-Oct. 2 Winter’s Tale Summit Players June 13-August 23
William Shakespeare performed in the great outdoors is something every theater buff should experience. Why not start with a brand-new production of Winter’s Tale performed, for free, at one of 24 Wisconsin State Parks throughout the summer months? The mission of the Summit Players group is to connect Shakespeare to contemporary audiences, making it fun and accessible for all by performing in the outdoors. They offer workshops before most productions to inspire kids while creating a more meaningful theater experience for adults. Just remember to pack an umbrella, because the show must go on—even if it rains! (Susan Harpt Grimes)
Miss Saigon Marcus Center (Broadway Series) June 16-21 Song of the Inland Seas Northern Sky Theater (Gould Theater) June 16-27 Rounding Third Peninsula Players June 16-July 5
The company’s mission statement begins: “Peninsula Players Theatre is committed to preserving America’s Oldest Professional Resident Summer Theatre in its unique setting on sixteen forested acres along the shores of Green Bay.” This summer’s season opens with Richard Dresser’s comedy about the challenges of fatherhood and baseball. Two little league coaches, one a veteran, the other new to the role, hold opposing views on how to best lead their teams and their sons to success. (John Schneider)
Fishing for the Moon Northern Sky Theater (Outdoor Theater) June 16-Aug. 28 The Merchant of Venice Off the Wall Theatre June 17-28 After Darwin Seat of Our Pants Readers Theatre June 18-27
The American-born, British-based playwright Timberlake Wertenbaker has a distinguished career writing plays for the Royal Court, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and smaller ensemble theaters. She’s known for thought-provoking political theater that often challenges gender roles. In this play within a play, a contemporary woman theater director directs male actors in a historical drama following Charles Darwin as he develops his revolutionary theory of evolution through natural selection. Performances are at 53212 Presents. (John Schneider)
Romeo and Juliet Optimist Theatre June 18-July 5
Free Shakespeare in the Park returns to the Marcus Center’s Peck Pavilion. “In Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare provides the perfect parable about what happens when people who have more in common than not set themselves up as perpetual enemies,” writes dramaturg M.L. Cogar. ”It’s the same deadly alchemy that afflicts us today, arising from a mixture of old, cold grudges, unbending pride, impulsive and reactionary behavior and a complete lack of reflection, listening or forgiveness.” (John Schneider)
Julius Caesar American Players Theatre (On The Hill) June 19-Sept. 25 Dad’s Season Tickets Northern Sky Theater (Gould Theater) June 23-Sept. 5 Driving Miss Daisy Third Avenue Playhouse June 25-July 25
Door County, rich in summer theater, has just one year-round professional theater, and Third Avenue Playhouse in Sturgeon Bay is increasingly a home-away-from-home for Milwaukee artists. C. Michael Wright, retiring from the helm of Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, will direct this much-honored play there as he makes Door County his permanent residence. It tells a gentle and timely story of the need for cross-cultural understanding, as represented by a white Southerner and her African American driver. (John Schneider)
“A.C.T. Summer Showcase” Waukesha Civic Theatre June 27
