Illustration: Anna Ward
The Stranger in the Attic is at Off the Wall Theatre (127 E. Wells. St), Oct. 31-Nov. 10, 2019.
This week, the Wisconsin Philharmonic performs spooky music from many genres in perfect harmony with the most haunted time of the year.
Theater
The Stranger in the Attic
True crime writer Brian can’t get over the disappearance of his first wife, which presents quite a problem for his practical, down-to-earth second wife. Enter Kendrick, a mysteriously eccentric young man who tells Brian he is going to commit a murder in Brian’s study. The intended victim is a conservative, highly strung lawyer named Douglas, who not only has a thing for guns, spies and secret codes, but a mousy, emotionally abused wife. Then, there’s the intrepid policeman, who holds some secrets of his own.
“The Stranger in the Attic by John Kaasik is a witty, stylish thriller in the style of the great Alfred Hitchcock films,” says Off the Wall Theatre director Dale Gutzman, “and features a multi-talented cast of theater veterans and exciting newcomers. It presents a new twist every 10 minutes. A murder is promised, but is it a serious threat or just a joke?”
Oct. 31-Nov. 10 at Off the Wall Theatre, 127 E. Wells. St. For tickets, call 262-509-0945 or visit offthewallmke.com.
Mrs. Wrights
The “Mrs. Wrights” we meet during the performance are the mother, third wife, two ex-wives and a lover of the famed Wisconsin architect Frank Lloyd Wright. A presentation of Quasimondo Physical Theatre, this solo dance theater work is performed by its creator, Jenni Reinke, a founding member of the Quasimondo ensemble. She’s based the piece on extensive research. “Growing up in Wisconsin,” she says, “I’d heard much about Frank Lloyd Wright and his buildings, but nothing of the women who influenced his work and were influential in their own right. Out of this void, Mrs. Wrights was born. I use my body to make visible women whose histories have been overshadowed by the tower of male ‘genius.’ I want to upend the construct of ‘the woman behind the man.’”
Mrs. Wrights premiered in 2018 at Wright’s Taliesin in Spring Green, Wis., then toured to high praise across the country from Chicago to Vermont, including performances at Wright’s SC Johnson complex in Racine and the Frederick C. Bogk House in Milwaukee. Now Reinke will give a three-weekend run at the Charles Allis Art Museum (1801 N. Prospect Ave) so hometown audiences can meet the women and learn their place in our history.
Nov. 1-16. For a schedule and tickets, visit quasimondo.org.
Classical Music
“Fantasmagorique”
Halloween has not only inspired many an author and movie director but also many composers—if not directly, then certainly indirectly through all its concomitant spookiness and ponderings of the realm of the fantastic. The Wisconsin Philharmonic has put together a really interesting program of both classical and contemporary music from the orchestral, operatic, musical and film score repertoires with the general ambiance of the most haunted time of the year in common.
Classical works include the symphonic poems L’apprenti sorcier (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice) by Paul Dukas and Le Chasseur maudit (The Accursed Huntsman) by César Franck. There’s also the March from La damnation de Faust (The Damnation of Faust)—a work for solo voices, chorus and orchestra by Hector Berlioz. From opera comes the Ballet Music from Faust by Charles Gounod. Contemporary music is represented by works by Danny Elfman and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
More To Do
Aladdin, Jr.
Young Aladdin is down on his luck until he discovers a magic lamp and the genie in it who has the power to grant three wishes. Wanting to earn the respect of Princess Jasmine, Aladdin embarks on an adventure that will test his will and his moral character. The School for the Arts Junior Musical Session presents Aladdin, Jr., in which students in grades six-10 will bring this classic story to life on the Furlan Mainstage. Nov. 3 and 4 at Sunset Playhouse, 700 Wall St., Elm Grove. For tickets, call 262-782-4430 or visit sunsetplayhouse.com.
“American Portraits”
The Waukesha Choral Union opens its season with this concert, a collaborative effort along with the local choirs of Hamilton High School and the Children’s Choir of Waukesha. The program includes American classics like American Folk Songs by Aaron Copland, songs set to the poems of Robert Frost by Randall Thompson, The City and the Sea by Eric Whitacre, pieces by Z. Randall Stroope and many more. At Oakwood Church, 3041 Oakwood Road, Hartland, on Friday, Nov. 1, 7:30 p.m. For tickets, call 262-238-3454 or visit choralunion.ticketleap.com.
The Handbook
Based on true events surrounding the controversy of former New Orleans Saints cheerleader Bailey Davis’ dismissal, The Handbook is an account of rampant discrimination in the world of professional cheerleading and its effects on the cheerleaders. The play follows members of the fictitious Flames NFL cheerleading team and begins with the controversy of veteran cheerleader Laney’s termination from the team, which is based on Ms. Davis’ account. Throughout the play, Flames cheerleaders face discrimination at every turn: They must adhere to strict rules not imposed on male athletes, they must pass objectifying physical examinations, and they feel left to their own devices to protect themselves from unwanted advances. How do they survive all this? Can they bring about positive change? Exposing ugly truths with lovable, complex characters, The Handbook is a call to action to level the playing field for women in sports and beyond. Nov. 1-9 in the Wartburg Theatre inside the David A. Straz Jr. Center for the Natural and Social Sciences, Carthage College, 2001 Alford Park Drive, Kenosha. For tickets, call 262-551-6661 or visit carthage.edu.
Man of La Mancha
Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ 17th-century masterpiece Don Quixote, Man of La Mancha is one of the most successful musicals in Broadway history. Powerful, brutal, hilarious, and heartbreaking, this musical, with book by Dale Wasserman, lyrics by Joe Darion and music by Mitch Leigh, celebrates the perseverance of a dying old man who refuses to relinquish his ideals or his passion. The celebrated score includes “The Impossible Dream,” “I, Don Quixote,” “Dulcinea,” “I Really Like Him,” “Little Bird” and more. Nov. 1-10 at Memories Ballroom, 1077 Lake Drive, Port Washington. For tickets, call 262-284-6850 or visit memoriesballroom.com.
/ˌmaskəˈrād/
Oh, the masks we wear! Trapped amid the false personas swarming the space, she sees the room for what it truly is: grotesque. The observer becomes the observed as actions and interactions cause the mask of this fantasy world to shift and fall away. In quiet corners and between glances, a glimpse into each individual’s reality is revealed as they break from the façade. Movers of the Gina Laurenzi Dance Project dance this tale to life through the haunting compositions of Allen Russell. Saturday, Nov. 2, at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Danceworks Studio Theatre, 1661 N. Water St. For tickets, call 414-277-8480 x 6
Saturday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, 19805 W. Capitol Drive, Brookfield. For tickets, call 262-547-1858 or visit wisphil.org.
