Tune In: The fun first anniversary celebration of Riverwest Radio at the Polish Falcon Hall included music by Paul Cebar and Mike Fredrickson and delicious potluck, highlighted by a home-baked cake by the organization’s assistant manager and secretary, Caitlin Reading, also a freelance tree doctor. Xav Leplae, the station’s major force and Riverwest Film & Video’s owner, spoke about the station’s hopes and plans. Leplae, with his “My Dinner with Gabe,” is one of the more than 60 on-air personalities. Other producers there were Friar Otto of “Back Porch”; David James of “The Dirty D Show”; DJ Jeff Goldsmith from “Wireless Virus”; Charles Carmickle from “LIFE”; musicologist John Terry, producer of “Say It Loud,” with his girlfriend Melissa Seifert; Elmer Adroit from “Epicurean”; Liza Brooks from “Three Words (Liberté, Egalité and Fraternité)” and “Stone Soup” hosts George Darrow, Ian Powell and Walter Holstad.
Leplae’s mom, Genevieve, sister Anne Hérrison-Leplae, and her daughter, Madeleine, were on hand, as was Rabbi Bradley Van Engel; Joshua Bryan, who made a delicious bean dip; Brooke Maroldi and Greg Ryan, performing in an upcoming Alchemist Theater production; musician Mud River Lee; and Jack “The Cookie Man” Cheeks.
Theatrical Excitement: A standing ovation at the Rep’s A Raisin in the Sun opening indicated the full house’s enthusiastic approval. Spotted at the after-party were the Rep’s artistic leader Mark Clements and the show’s associate producers and funders James and Mary Braza, Judy Hansen and Connie and John Kordsmeier. Also celebrating were actor James T. Alfred; Ko-Thi founder Ferne Caulker; dynamic duo Cecilia Gilbert and Kimberly Montgomery; Ald. Bob Bauman; Everett Marshburn, producer of MPTV’s “Black Nouveau,” and host Joanne Williams; Eve M. Hall, CEO at African American Chamber of Commerce; plus Jill Haas, Milwaukee Public Theatre board member, with pal Annemarie Sawkins; and Grace Fuhr with Ald. Nik Kovac. The cast of Ring of Fire: the Music of Johnny Cash joined the soiree after their show.
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B&D also thoroughly enjoyed In Tandem’s Beast on the Moon with delightful performances by Michael Cotey, Grace DeWolff and Robert Spencer. Peripatetic co-artistic directors Chris and Jane Flieller hosted. Pianist Ryan Cappleman backgrounded in the lobby. Slices of a cake made by Greg’s Soup-er-Desserts and featured in the play were sold at intermission with proceeds going to an Armenian charity. Enjoying the production were Patty Hajinian Strong, of Armenian descent, and her husband of Irish descent, Mark.
Party with Heart: For the 10th year, a group including many Young Professionals of Milwaukee gathered to raise funds for One Heartland and Camp Heartland for children affected with HIV/AIDS. Hosting was Andy Nunemaker, with Greg Babicky, Shary Tran, MOCT owner Nebi Torbica and Randy Hazaert. Wandering the Nunemaker mansion, schmoozing and admiring the ever-expanding art collection were retired attorney Phil Lehner, excited about building a new house; Dante Houston with Lutheran Social Services; Landmarks Gallery art restorer Monica Mull and freelance architect Geoff Grohowski.
Also partying were Nina Sarenac, photographer Sheila Teruty and creative consultant Elle Hornsby; Edith and David Braeger, CEO of Braeger Finance Group; Paul Neumann of PAETEC; Linda Palus of S.C. Johnson; Kathy Oaks and Steve Stahl; and beermeister Mike Brenner. Tending to the thirsty crowd were bartenders Paul Morawski with Amanda De La Paz and Trocadero bartender Nicholas Bertolas.
Sing Out: In conjunction with the Florentine Opera’s presentation of Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring, fans delved deeper into the composer’s history with a viewing of the film The Hidden Heart: A Life of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears, shown at the Florentine Opera Center. Florentine director Bill Florescu urged everyone to see the performance and development director Eric Lind thanked the LGBT community, Carl Bogner and Joe Pabst for his financial support. He also offered kudos to La Camerata, a new audience development group that supports the company. Members of the group—Michael Johnson, Mark Trevor Ranum and Scott Jones—were in the audience, along with bass-baritone Jamie Offenbach, chorus master Scott Stewart, photographer Francis Ford, financial advisor Jon Robinson, Bill Keller, Steven Miller from SJM Designs and Mark Berry.
Great Giving: A total of $2,802,003 was raised during Match Day, with donations to 21 area food and shelter agencies matched by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation (GMF). The receiving organizations were showcased in the US Bank mezzanine including Repairers of the Breach, represented by executive director McCannon Brown and young leadership team members Antowon Soto and Jeremy Ingram, with volunteer PR guru Steve Johnstone. From Sojourner Family Peace Center were executive director Carmen Pitre and development head Natalie Hartman. From the Center for Veterans Issues were program specialist Crystal Brzezinski, Mia Price and ex-Army medic Howard Hinterthuer, aka “Howard Lewis,” guitarist with Embedded Reporter.
On hand from Community Advocates were CEO Joe Volk, joined by board member Bryan House, director of philanthropy Pat Swanson and associate philanthropy director Michelle Schuerman. Hunger Task Force’s Dana Hartenstein and Gary Zajc chatted with Kathleen Christenson, director of Family Promise of Washington County. From Daystar transitional living program were executive director Colleen Carpenter and business manager Joni Sabin. Circulating were Megan Sullivan and Melanie Hochschild of Mueller Communications and Rob Guilbert, GMF’s communications czar.
If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the April 4 issue of the Shepherd.
