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With a fiddle playing Renaissance woman, bawdy comedian, several interpretive dancers and an indie-pop guitarist, last Friday’s bimonthly performance of MKE Follies was a smorgasbord of local Milwaukee talent. The brainchild of Dance Revolution Milwaukee’s Karen Raymond and Katie Rhyme, their hope is to present a platform for up-and-coming Milwaukee-based performers, giving them a chance to showcase their unique talents and skills. The variety-style show, open to dancers, artists, actors and musicians, shines a light on the largely untapped barrel of talent Cream City has to offer.
The Box MKE, located at 628 N. Broadway, once again served as the night’s venue, its cozy bar-like atmosphere serving perfectly for the little show. The second-floor warehouse space features high ceilings, tall windows and a variety of seating options. Before the performance show-goers hung about the area, staking out their seats, chitchatting with the night’s performers and sipping glasses of wine and beer.
The night began with a four-song set by Milwaukee singer-songwriter Billy Rayson. Rayson both sang and played guitar, accompanied only by a guest drummer. His vocals, strong and gritty, were reminiscent of a 1960s pop crooner. Rayson was followed by UW-Milwaukee grad Sarah Wallisch. Her dance piece, partially inspired by “The Abortion Diaries” podcast, had Wallisch writhing to the sound of a heartbeat, all while contemplating her impeding abortion.
The standout performance of the night was undoubtedly Liisa Church’s bluegrass fiddle tunes. Church’s seven-song medley had her singing and playing synchronically, her voice powerful and operatic. But soon she wove in some cheery dance moves, at one point even punctuating a high note with an equally high kick in the air. Dancer Mauriah Donegan Kraker then presented her beautiful yet head-scratching piece, a modern dance number in which she unraveled and coiled herself around a long roll of white paper. This was followed by comedian Jason Hillman, who gave insightful and at times funny narratives, mostly about his childhood, dating and experiences with substance abuse. The show rounded out with a UW-Milwaukee dance trio, Hannah Drake, Caelan King, and Kelsey Lee, who executed a lighthearted modern dance number.
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Raymond and Rhyme are accepting applications for upcoming MKE Follies performances. For more details, email them at mkefollies@gmail.com.
