Art Gallery (Non-Museum)
Winner: RedLine Milwaukee 1422 Vel R. Phillips Ave. 414-502-7641 redlinemilwaukee.com
RedLine celebrates its 10th anniversary in July 2019. Sadly, the board of directors recently announced that it has chosen that landmark occasion to close RedLine. The organization has devoted itself to helping Milwaukee artists advance their careers, develop their visions and stay in town. The beautiful exhibition space, resident artist and educational programs, and the community print shop will be missed. The recent show by the great Milwaukee photographer Francis Ford is a perfect example of RedLine’s accomplishments. (John Schneider)
Runners-Up: Frank Juarez Gallery Tory Folliard Gallery Var Gallery & Studios
Art Museum
Winner: Milwaukee Art Museum 700 N. Art Museum Drive mam.org
The soaring spikes of the museum’s Santiago Calatrava addition have become Milwaukee’s architectural symbol but—trophy building or not—it’s also the contents that count. To that end, the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) houses tens of thousands of diverse treasures representing numerous cultures and periods spread across thousands of years of artmaking. MAM is the site of important traveling exhibitions and—yes—the Calatrava is a great place to show out-of-town visitors. (David Luhrssen)
Runners-Up: Grohmann Museum Haggerty Museum of Art Museum of Wisconsin Art
Church Festival
Winner: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church–Greek Fest
Back in the 1960s and ’70s, years before the Summerfest grounds became the site for Polish Fest, Festa Italiana and the rest, the first thought in Milwaukee for ethnic festivals was usually the sprawling church picnic now known as Greek Fest. Back then the mouthwatering chicken and lamb (roasting on spits) and the flaming saganaki were prepared on the grounds of the church’s Frank Lloyd Wright’s circular landmark. In recent years, the big event has moved to State Fair Park (where it’s much easier to find parking). (David Luhrssen)
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Runners-Up: Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church St. Gregory the Great School St. Roman Parish School
Dance Company
Winner: Milwaukee Ballet Company milwaukeeballet.org
Was it last fall’s thrill-a-minute Dracula? Or the brilliant Beauty and the Beast premiere last spring, followed by a truly inspired Swan Lake? Milwaukee Ballet could win a best ballet competition on the world stage. Michael Pink’s family of dancers, designers, musicians and technicians meet the highest standards. Technical mastery is used to address human experience, tell stories that move us and make profound connections through movement and music. Programming choices are compassionate, courageous and wise. (John Schneider)
Runners-Up: Catey Ott Dance Collective Danceworks, Inc. Panadanza
Local Radio Personality
Winner: Dori Zori (88Nine Radio Milwaukee WYMS-FM)
One of the few local DJs to have connections with both left of the dial locations, Dori Zori was at WMSE before moving to WYMS. Her genuine upbeat personality and appreciation for all things Milwaukee make her a natural ambassador for the city and its vibrant music scene. (Blaine Schultz)
Runners-Up: DJ Charlie Jayx (91.7FM, WMSE) Mark Belling (1130AM, WISN) Promise at V100.7
Local TV Personality
Winner: John McGivern (also won Best Stage Actor)
More than 25 years ago, this charismatic, hardworking performance artist returned to his hometown, rented Theatre X’s theater in what would become the Broadway Theatre Center and presented his original one-man comedy about growing up the third of six kids in an Irish Catholic family in Milwaukee. The show was a hit, and McGivern stayed to build a huge audience for his many shows. At times, he seems omnipresent, appearing in every major art center in the region. His valuable PBS series, “Around the Corner,” is now in its sixth season. He is inseparable from his characters and, indeed, they are local folk. (John Schneider)
Runners-Up—TV Personality: Katie Crowther Mark Baden Ted Perry
Milwaukee Author
Winner: John Gurda
John Gurda is a hard man to beat—especially when Milwaukeeans stop to ask themselves about favorite local authors! After all, what other writer has done more to open our city’s unique history to the widest possible audience? His book, The Making of Milwaukee, was transformed into a PBS special airing coast-to-coast and won an Emmy. A new edition just rolled off the presses. His most recent books, Milwaukee: A City Built on Water and Milwaukee: City of Neighborhoods, are lavishly illustrated tours of the city’s waterfronts and neighborhoods. It’s easy to be a gracious loser when Gurda gets the prize. (David Luhrssen)
Runners-Up: Chris Chan David Luhrssen Nick Petrie Tom Mollica
Movie Theater
Winner: The Oriental Theatre 2230 N. Farwell Ave. 414-276-5140
The Oriental has always been a landmark but it’s no longer a Landmark Theater. Last summer, Milwaukee Film took the lease and announced ambitious plans for upgrading the sound system and other improvements while maintaining the theater’s unique Orientalist architecture. Along with the Avalon, the Oriental is one of two 1920s movie palaces still operating in Milwaukee. It has been long been a mainstay for alternatives in moviegoing and the new management is reviving the old tradition of mixing foreign films, indie films and classics. (David Luhrssen)
Runners-Up: Avalon Atmospheric Theater Marcus Majestic Cinema Rosebud Cinema Drafthouse
Museum (Non-Art)
Museum event
Winner: Milwaukee Public Museum 800 W. Wells St. mpm.edu
The Milwaukee Public Museum is contemplating a move from its Downtown site, which has been a mecca for local families and tourists for several generations. The museum has always been an innovator, starting with its many dioramas and the walk-through recreation of the city’s past, the Streets of Old Milwaukee and on through its IMAX theater. Yes, there are dinosaurs, including a mighty T-Rex with a hungry look about it. (David Luhrssen)
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Runners-Up: Betty Brinn Children’s Museum Discovery World North Point Lighthouse
Outdoor Festival
Courtesy of Summerfest
Winner: Summerfest
Summerfest has been scaling up in recent years, trying to go toe-to-toe with the tide of buzzier, more prestigious music festivals that have sprung up over the last decade. As part of that effort, in 2018 the festival offered one of its freshest lineups in years, bringing in first-timers like Janelle Monáe, The Weeknd, Arcade Fire, Lil Uzi Vert and Kesha. Even as the festival has expanded and upgraded, though, it’s kept prices affordable, holding general admission to a reasonable $21, and still offers some form of free admission almost every day. It remains a festival for the masses. (Evan Rytlewski)
Runners-Up: Bastille Days Milwaukee Irish Fest Wisconsin State Fair
Radio Station
Winner: 88Nine Radio Milwaukee WYMS-FM
88Nine’s support of Milwaukee now goes well beyond just airing local music every hour. In 2013, the station built a new studio that doubles as a community space and all-ages venue, and this year, 88Nine threw its support behind Backline, an ambitious new initiative designed to mentor musicians and establish a working music industry in Milwaukee. At every turn, the station has lived up to its mission of giving back to the community. (Evan Rytlewski)
Runners-Up: Milwaukee Public Radio 89.7 WUWM-FM WKLH-FM Milwaukee WMSE 91.7 FM
Stage Actor
Winner: John McGivern (also won Best Local TV Personality, read about John McGivern here) Runners-Up—Stage Actor: James Pickering Norman Moses Robby McGhee
Stage Actress
Winner: Deborah Staples
She’s an impeccable actress devoted to every aspect of the art. Her range is remarkable. She makes all her characters worthy of our interest. Best known for her longtime membership in the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s resident company and now as a valued associate artist, she’s also part of the Next Act Theatre family. She works with many Wisconsin professional companies and others around the country and teaches acting when she can to lucky students at Marquette. (John Schneider)
Runners-Up: Angela Iannone Karen Estrada Kira Renkas
Theater Company
Winner: Milwaukee Repertory Theater 108 E. Wells St. 414-224-9490 milwaukeerep.com
Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s first responsibility is to create excellent theater, and by most standards, it does that. The company also names “inclusion” and “citizenship” among its core values. What’s remarkable is that these ideals are evident in the work. Racial and cultural diversity in casting and directing are largely taken for granted—a rare thing in our nation’s theaters. Citizenship means that the work, both onstage and in related programs, inspires useful thinking on local and national matters to help us make wise and responsible decisions. This season offers fine examples with In the Heights and Junk. (John Schneider)
Runners-Up: Renaissance Theaterworks Skylight Music Theatre Sunset Playhouse Village Playhouse
