Istanpitta
Skylight Musical Theatre’s production of Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s Hairspray is a timely presentation of a big and bold story of a teenager who fights for everyone’s rights’ and of her own triumphant transformation.
Theater
Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell
Actor and writer Spalding Gray (1941-2004) was best known for his monologues, wherein he told humorous, poignant, personal stories based on his life—mostly while sitting at a table, sipping from a glass of water, talking into a microphone. He described his writing as “poetic journalism,” in that he’d relate what actually happened but toss in a bit of editing or embellishment.
He achieved fame with his monologue Swimming to Cambodia, made into a film by Jonathan Demme in 1987. Other monologues-to-films (or television) include Monster in a Box and Gray’s Anatomy. After a terrible accident, he found he couldn’t perform like he used to, and his resulting depression led to thoughts of suicide, including several attempts. One night, he succeeded. Theatre Gigante’s production of Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell includes, on Friday and Sunday, a post-show talkback about the production, but also about mental health, brain injury and suicide, with local psychologists.
Nov. 15-18 at Kenilworth Five-0-Eight Theatre, 1925 E. Kenilworth Place. For tickets, call 414-961-6119 or visit theatregigante.org.
Hairspray
You can’t stop the beat in Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman’s big, bold and beloved story of a teenager who fights for everyone’s rights, and of her own triumphant transformation. Hairspray the musical is based on John Waters’ 1988 film of the same name. Its songs include 1960s-style dance music and rhythm and blues. In 1962 Baltimore, plump teenager Tracy Turnblad’s dream is to dance on “The Corny Collins Show”—a local TV dance program. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight and meets a colorful group of characters, leading to social change as Tracy campaigns for the show’s integration.
In 2003, Hairspray won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Its Broadway run lasted for 2,642 performances. Hairspray has also had national tours, a West End production and numerous foreign productions and was adapted as a 2007 musical film. The London production was nominated for a record-setting 11 Laurence Olivier Awards (winning four), including Best New Musical. This is a family friendly show, suitable for kids 9-years-old and up.
Nov. 16-Dec. 30 at Skylight Music Theatre’s Cabot Theatre, 158 N. Broadway. For tickets, call 414-291-7800 or visit skylightmusictheatre.org.
Dear World
Boulevard Theatre presents a concert reading of this beloved musical by Jerry Herman (Hello, Dolly!, Mame). This musical adaptation of Jean Giraudoux’s comedy The Madwoman of Chaillot is a tale of three colorful Parisian “madwomen” (the Countess Aurelia and her friends Constance and Gabrielle) who cross paths with an oil conglomerate planning to blow up Paris (because oil has been discovered beneath the city’s streets). Aurelia (known as the “Madwoman of Chaillot”) strives to eliminate the evil corporation and its executives. Will she succeed? Will idealism and love win out over greed and materialism?
Director and actor David Flores will stage this concert reading, and Donna Kummer will serve as music director. Flores and Kummer shared these duties for Boulevard’s acclaimed 2014 staging of Rodgers and Hart’s Pal Joey as well as 2016’s Milwaukee tribute play Where the
Streetcar Bends the Corner, Down by the Zoo!
Nov. 18-26 at Plymouth Church, 2717 E. Hampshire St. For tickets, call 414-744-5757 or visit milwaukeeboulevardtheatre.com.
Music
“Exiled: Music of the Sephardic Jews and the Middle East”
This Early Music Now concert is a musical journey that explores the exile of the Jewish people from Spain and their travels to the Middle East. The program highlights the fusion of Western and Eastern influence in Spain with songs, instrumental works and stories. This music will likely be completely new to those who attend the concert and, given the remoteness of its time and place from our modern world, a very helpful and informative pre-concert lecture (4 p.m.) will take place in St. Paul Episcopal Church’s Great Hall.
Early Music Now brings the Istanpitta ensemble to town for this fascinating concert. Istanpitta consists of Al Cofrin (artistic director, medieval lute, bagpipes and vielle); Camila Parias (vocals, percussion); Niccolo Seligmann (vielle); Rosalind Buda (recorders, bagpipes, percussion); and Kylie Hilali (qanoon, percussion). As you can tell from that list of instruments, you’re in for some exotic sounds! (John Jahn)
Saturday, Nov. 17, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 914 E. Knapp St. For tickets, call 414-225-3113 or visit earlymusicnow.org.
