Varshavski-Shapiro Duo
A highlight this week, PianoArts’ 20th-anniversary festival (June 14-16) offers intriguing performances of piano works set to choreographed dance.
Theater
I’m a Father Under Construction
The new multi-media performance of I’m a Father Under Construction, directed by Kirk Thomsen, explores a complex issue from the perspective of the LGBTQ community. The unscripted show features live music, dance, theatre and visual art. “Even in their absence, we all feel the impact of our fathers. Sometimes, we have to search outside of our own family to find the mentorship and guidance we need from a father figure. Separation, trauma, the passage into adulthood and especially parenting can make us reflect on the expectations we have of the person we call father,” according to 53212 Presents.
I’m a Father Under Construction will be the first production by 53212 Presents—a new non-profit group with a mission of providing affordable rehearsal space and production support for artists of all disciplines whose home addresses, primarily, conclude with the 53212 zip code. As a life-long denizen thereof, I can personally attest to my zip code’s embrace of Milwaukeeans from all walks of life. (John Jahn)
June 13-29 in the Grapefruit Studio at Company Brewing, 735 E. Center St. For tickets, visit 53212presents.brownpapertickets.com. For more information about 53212 Presents, visit 53212presents.org.
Romeo and Juliet
For the past four summers, Summit Players Theatre has presented beautifully edited, creatively staged, exuberantly acted, accessible, free, family friendly versions of several of William Shakespeare’s greatest comedies on tour through the Wisconsin State Park system. This summer, the company will bring the same approach to one of Shakespeare’s most popular, best-loved tragedies. If the performances of past summers are any indication, the young company and their excellent director, Maureen Kilmurry, will uncover all the humanity and, yes, humor in Romeo and Juliet and heighten it through generous acting, clever role switches and engaging effects and designs.
There’s a first-look pre-tour performance on Friday, June 14, at 7 p.m. on the lawn outside Marquette University’s Helfaer Theater (1304 W. Clybourn St.) The tour includes three additional Milwaukee stops: Friday, June 21, at Havenwoods State Forest; Friday, July 19, at Three Bridges Park; and finally at Havenwoods again on Monday, July 29, all starting at 7 p.m. In all, 18 shows are planned across the state—most including a pre-show children’s acting and Shakespeare workshop starting at 5:30 p.m. For a list of parks and times, visit summitplayerstheatre.com. (John Schneider)
Classical Music
“Virtuosi of Piano and Dance”
PianoArts culminates its 20th-anniversary festival with artistic partners who bring musical versatility and new insights into the performance of classical music gems. Performing symphonic works on piano, as well as piano works with dancers, the Varshavski-Shapiro Duo, Aleksandra Kasman, Christopher Taylor (pianists) and choreographer Timothy O’Donnell will bring new vision to great works by Igor Stravinsky, Frédéric Chopin and Ludwig van Beethoven.
Piano transcriptions of symphonic works are fairly common; having such choreographed for dancers is not, surely making this concert most intriguing. PianoArts’ festival takes place June 14-16, including more than 20 singers, actors, instrumentalists and dancers. Prior to the concerts, celebrated master teachers present workshops and lectures, bringing further insight into the programs. Concerts and lectures (June 14 and 15) take place in the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, 1584 N. Prospect Ave., and on Sunday, June 16, in the Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, 929 N. Water St. For tickets and more information, call 414-273-7206 or visit pianoarts.org. (John Jahn)
Dance
Global Water Dance
Saturday, June 15, at Reservoir Park (810 E. North Ave.), Milwaukee will join 170 sites around the globe to dance for safe water for everyone, everywhere. DanceCircus Dance Company presents the event in partnership with Global Water Dances—an international organization of dance artists formed in England at a 2008 conference on Dance and the Environment. The aim is to inspire international action on water issues “through the universal language of dance.”
Each participating company will present a four-part performance. The first two parts—a ceremonial opening followed by an original dance that focuses on specific local water issues—will be created locally. In this case, DanceCircus founder-choreographer Betty Salamun, her dancers and musicians will present one of this activist company’s signature “Splash Dances.” This 15-minute section starts at 2:45 p.m. Then at 3 p.m. our time, performers globally will execute the same dance to the same accompaniment, uniting communities worldwide through movement and music. As a finale, audiences everywhere will join their local performers in a simple movement sequence that Salamun will teach on-site before the show from 1:30-2:30 p.m. (John Schneider)
More to Do
Karen Beaumont: “Bach and the French”
Karen Beaumont is an active organ recitalist and organ and piano instructor. From November 1988 through April 2011, she provided the organ and choral music at St. James Episcopal Church and holds a degree in music history from UW-Milwaukee. Beaumont has several recordings available for sale (on CD) via eBay and gives free organ recitals throughout Southeastern Wisconsin. Her latest CD, Spanish Music, was recorded at St. Hedwig’s on its 2010 Holtkamp organ. It’s quite a lovely, engaging collection of well-performed original classical Spanish pieces for organ, or transcribed for organ, by Beaumont herself.
Beaumont’s next series of free recitals take place at 2 p.m. on Sundays June 23, July 21 and August 18 at St. Hedwig Three Holy Women Parish, 1702 N. Humboldt Ave. The recitals are titled “Bach and the French,” comprising a program of music of the French classical era, as well as the exquisite Baroque music of Johann Sebastian Bach that was inspired by the French.
