It’s a Wrap: Two Milwaukee icons, filmmaker John Ridley and musician/producer Jerry Harrison, were in town to showcase their latest works during the ever-expanding Milwaukee Film Festival. Ridley’s darkly rollicking Jimi: All Is by My Side played to a packed Oriental Theatre, as did Harrison’s paean to the vibrant Memphis music scene with his Take Me to the River.
Harrison’s high-spirited Stop Making Sense, Talking Heads’ innovative concert film, celebrated its 30th anniversary with the audience gleefully singing along and dancing in the aisles, with conga lines snaking throughout the venerable film house.
Spotted in the lobby were a number of Harrison’s Shorewood High School classmates. Among them were Chuck Kahn and his wife, Patty Keating Kahn; Pat Nelson with her husband, Mike Van Alstine, and their delightful grandson, Logan, a budding dancer; and Linda Schmitz Devitt. Later that week, Harrison was sighted at Elsa’s with a mob of musicians, including soul singer William Bell and Frayser Boy, both featured in the film. Milwaukee musicians were blues harpist Jim Liban, drummer Matt Liban, Fred Bliffert, John Sieger, Kurt Koenig and Andrew Koenig, plus Harrison’s wife, Carol.
Another sold-out event was the Milwaukee Show II, sponsored by developer/film buff Barry Mandel. A plethora of local producers, directors and actors made their bows at the cinematic blowout, with many appearing onstage for Q&As with fest director Jonathan Jackson. Among the many diverse productions on the big screen were the delightfully funny cartoon ’Tis the Season by Kirsten Stuck and the poignant Balloons by Sitora Takanaev, helped by “balloon wrangler” Sarah Pearson. Pearson’s boyfriend, Ryan Plato, starred in Jon Phillips’ quirky Geoffrey Broughe Handles Confrontation Poorly.
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Book ’Em: Larry Widen’s book signing at Boswell Book Company for Milwaukee Rock and Roll drew an audience that included his mom and dad, Len and Marlene Widen, plus sister Laurie Glazer and her husband, David; fellow photographers/MATC grads Dennis Felber and Dave Gilo; Art Blair; Marilyn McKnight; and Bonny Randall with Don Sukup. Stopping in were Arne Vedum and Lynn Moritz of St. Moritz Salon. Widen’s pictorial history tracks noted musicians playing city stages over the years.
Pop Art: At the annual ART Pop/AIDS Walk Fundraiser at Taylor’s, more than 150 people squeezed into the popular East Town bar to bid on art by 90 creatives. Hosted by impresario Dan Taylor, the event was organized by the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin (ARCW), represented by VP Dan Mueller, special events associate Kristin Wollenberg and development associates Deb Langkau and Tony Bilot. An Aurora crowd included ARCW board member Jerry Janis with John Heidemann, plus the ever-entertaining Michael Johnston holding court at the bar along with his Aurora coworkers Mary H. Nelson and Debbie Biggins. Nelson’s son, John Erickson, was there with Jenna Youngwood, a UW-Milwaukee art student and first-time donor.
Admiring the selections were Kurt Meinke of the Donna Lexa Community Art Centers, Bob Kretz, Chad Hirsch, Dan Starr, artist Dan Petry and potter Dan Musha. It was fun to run into Romel Redoblado, Michael Jonas and artist Skully Gustafson. Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra violinist Karen Smith donated a piece “won” by B&D. On the sidewalk outside, her husband, Don Haack, created a “Wheel of Life.” Among the winning bidders were Cecilia Gilbert and Kim Montgomery.
Helping Hands: Some 180 guests turned out to support the 30th annual Baskets of Hope auction and dinner at the Eisenhower Center, one of several job agencies for the disabled threatened by a state budget slash. Development Director David Ordan welcomed arrivals, after which the always-entertaining emcee Steve “The Homer” True raised top dollars at the live auction.
One prize was a gourmet in-home dinner catered by volunteers Beth Boemer, Rita Dorsch, Sheila Vollman and Meg Noyes, the latter there with her husband, Hack. Winning the repast were Gerry and Mary Burke, sharing a table with Stefanie Dugan of the Blood Center of Wisconsin, Lindsey Touzios and Froedtert’s Zarine Anklesaria.
Having a Vision: At Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin’s annual Share our Vision luncheon, 500 supporters dined at The Garage in the Harley-Davidson Museum. Honorary co-chairs 88Nine Radio Milwaukee’s Mary Louise Mussoline and her daughters, Madeline and Margaret Cope, spoke eloquently about the importance of the organization.
Board Chair Jill Lundberg and President and CEO and Teri Huyck hosted, with writer/artist/speaker Dasha Kelly wowing the audience with her presentation. Attendees were given her book, Call It Forth: The Dasha Kelly Experience. Among the many sponsors were Chris and Miriam Abele, Marianne Lubar showing the new celebrity T-shirt line, Judith McGregor and Dick Gallun and Nancy Morris.
Sponsors Anne Booth and Sally Merrell organized a table that included pretty-in-pink Christie Mulligan and her sister, Lori Schultz, Sandra Dermond, Lacey Sadoff, Juli Kaufmann and Sam Leichtling, a raffle winner of a Brew City Package that included a Milwaukee Film membership. Among the mob of politicians were Mayor Tom Barrett, state representatives JoCasta Zamarripa and Dan Riemer and Ald. Bob Bauman.
If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the Oct. 30 issue of the Shepherd.
