Play Time: The opening night of the Milwaukee Rep's insightful and poignant The Night Is a Child was also a world premiere attended by the playwright Charles Randolph-Wright and guest directory Timothy Douglas. Both were pleased that the Rep and the hardworking cast did the production proud.
The snazzy, upbeat tempos of famed composer Sergio Mendez and smooth samba moves by actress Lanise Antoine Shelley highlighted the play's Brazilian elements. The tropical beat pounded on after the play with a performance by Cecil Negron and Cache Latin Music Ensemble. Showing off its samba skills and offering lessons was the Rumba Caliente Dance Troupe, including founder Daniel Balderas; Natasha Anderson, who also works at Edgar's Calypso; and native Brazilian Carla Melo, now a Portuguese interpreter.
Among the Rio rockers on the Rep's upper landing were Vivian King, Troy Yancey, Michelle Mason, artist Evelyn Terry, and Cecilia Gilbert and Kim Montgomery, both of whom are soon heading south to shake up the Big Easy and take in the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Also enjoying the apres-party were artist George McCormick, preparing for a May show at Charles Allis; Sandy and Marc McSweeney; Harry Cherkinian and his wife, Anne Siegel; Raejean Kanter; Mario and Kathy Constantini; North Shore Library board member Venora McKinney; and writer Bill Embly, currently working on his Existential Optimism trilogy, and Leslie Fillingham, the Rep's controller, soon heading to Lisbon, Portugal, for a getaway.
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French Martinis: Francophiles gathered at the Alliance Francaise on Capitol Drive to celebrate the opening of the association's new gallery, the Salle d'expositions Itineraries. Featured were the starkly graphic black-and-white photographs of Rodin sculptures in Paris, taken by photographer/rheumatologist Anil Warrier, now living in Milwaukee. Dona Myers from Penthouse on Broadway served a trio of mean, shaken-not-stirred martinis.
Circulating were Richard Stone, Raymond and Paula Loubier and massage therapist Jerome Davre. Stopping in for a break from his Schwartz Bookshop managerial duties was Wil Tietsort, soon moving to Rotterdam, Netherlands, to finish his novel, Mirror Breaker. CPA Branislava Radicevic was on a welcome tax time break, visiting the Alliance with friend Jackie Daehler. Alliance hosts included Executive Director Anne Hérisson-Leplae; marketing coordinator Catherine Jones; musician/teacher Brett Lipshutz; and bookkeeper Stephanie Maréchal, there with husband Max, a native of Martinique, and their youngsters, Lex and Martilia. Founded in 1918, the Alliance is celebrating its 90th anniversary.
Harvest Time: More than 600 eager, hun- gry vegetable lovers poured into the Urban Ecology Center to hear more about CSAs (community supported agriculture), the Slow Food Movement and other foodierelated topics. CSA farmers included Steve and Sandy Sandlin from Afterglow Farm and Pinehold Gardens' Sandra Raduenz and her husband, David Kozlowski. The latter is on the Slow Food Board along with Martha Kipcak of the Kitchen Table Project, Jennifer Casey and Julie Edell-Berlin. Volunteers included Anne Steinberg and self-described “volunteer junkie” Barb Chudnow. Checking over the offerings were Dr. David and Abbie Nash; Bill Solberg, director of community services at Columbia St. Mary's; and Sally Noonan.
Wedded Bliss: Schlitz Audubon teacher Megan O'Grady and Derek Jorgensen, a PI from Armitage Associates, tied the knot at a small family wedding at the home of John and Patricia Dowd. Megan's dad, Pat, escorted the bride, poems were read and champagne toasts offered. Agreen polka-dot cake honored the bride's Irishness. The O'Grady clan also included mom Maureen and brother Daniel, along with Evie Perry.
Johanna Dowd and Derek's parents, Nate Jorgensen and Ingrid Erickson, also enjoyed the joyous occasion. The couple honeymooned in Cancun, Mexico. Happy B-Day: CoPA (Coalition of Photographic Arts) celebrated its third birthday at Hotcakes Gallery with a Pin-Up Show titled “3 Three III.” The back-by-popular-demand party featured more than 60 Milwaukee-area photographers. Since pix were peddled for only $33 each, photo fans jammed into Hotcakes searching for bargains, with the shopping beginning sharply at 7 p.m.
Graeme Reid of the Museum of Wisconsin Art was the first buyer out of the starting gate, selecting works by Sonja Thomsen, Byron Becker and one of the triptych “Wind Rider” photos by Sylke Vonk. Another of the Vonk series was purchased by local Green Building developer Mark Wolbrink. Tom Ford and fiancée Meg Hove bought photos by Betsy Hern, Bill Zuback and Cardi Toellner. One of the CoPA founders, Larry D'Attilio, also added to his collection. Stopping in were Kevin Miyazaki; Scott Davis of Plunkett Raysich Architects; and Eddee Daniel, who has an exhibit at the Milwaukee County Historical Society. Taffnie Bogart, porcelain artist and photographer, and her husband, Bruce Dorow, bought a photo by relative Tara Bogart, a CoPAboard member and the event organizer. Also helping out was CoPA intern Jessica Steeber. This May, she and Cassandra Smith are opening a new gallery in the Fortress Building, to be called The Armory. MIAD's Karin Haas, who will have a show there, dropped by.
If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the April 10 issue of the Shepherd.
