Philomusica Quartet
Theater
Lost in Yonkers
After the death of their mother, Arty and Jay’s father is weighed down by debts. They are left to live with a stern grandmother and a hoodlum uncle so their father can pay back the loan sharks. In their strange new world of Yonkers, N.Y., the young boys learn lessons about love, responsibility and the importance of family that will carry them into adulthood.
Lost in Yonkers is a comedic drama by Neil Simon that won the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for drama, as well as several Drama Desk and Tony awards. Simon adapted it for a feature film release two years after its Broadway showing of some 780 performances. Racine Theatre Guild’s production features Isaiah Dean (Arty), Jared Simonsen (Jay), Emily Mueller (Grandma), Tina Paukstelis (Aunt Bella) and Matt Specht (Uncle Louis).
Sept. 13-29 at Racine Theatre Guild, 2519 Northwestern Ave., Racine. For tickets, call 262-633-4218 or visit racinetheatre.org.
West Side Story
The Milwaukee Repertory Theater presents West Side Story, the iconic American musical from Broadway visionaries Jerome Robbins, Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, in the Quadracci Powerhouse. Nominated for six Tony Awards (including best musical in 1957), this beloved musical adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, though set in the 1950s, remains sadly relevant for its story of forbidden love—forbidden because of racial differences. Today, its story rings true because of so many “forbidden” love stories due to ongoing prejudice and bigotry.
“Now 62-plus years old, West Side Story is a seminal work of American theater,” says director Mark Clements. “So much so that many have some small knowledge of it even if they have never seen it live on stage.” Featuring a soaring score from one of our greatest classical music and musical theater composers, Leonard Bernstein, including beloved songs like “Maria,” “Tonight,” “I Feel Pretty” and “America” and a timeless story of love and loss, West Side Story speaks to modern audiences with a potent voice.
Sept. 17-Oct. 27 in the Quadracci Powerhouse, 108 E. Wells St. For tickets, call 414-224-9490 or visit milwaukeerep.com.
Classical Music
“Memorable Titles”
Recognized for their compelling programing, the versatile Philomusica Quartet is the quartet-in-residence at Wisconsin Lutheran College. True to their name (philo: love of; musica: music), the quartet continues to delight its audiences with jewels of the string quartet repertoire season after season. Violinists Jeanyi Kim and Alexander Mandl, violist Nathan Hackett and cellist Adrien Zitoun formed the Philomusica Quartet in 2008.
“Memorable Titles” is the moniker for the quartet’s first concert of its 2019-’20 season, reflecting the fact that each of the three pieces on the program has a name (not all that common in classical chamber music). These are Amy Beach’s Quartet for Strings In One Movement, Op. 89; Ludwig van Beethoven’s Serioso String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95; and Franz Schubert’s Rosamunde String Quartet No. 13 in A Minor, D. 804. As for what those mysterious-sounding names mean, attend the concert and find out!
Monday, Sept. 16, at 7:30 p.m. at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, 1584 N. Prospect Ave. For tickets, call 414-276-5760 or visit philomusicaquartet.com.
More To Do
Double Cross
In Double Cross, Christian-based Morning Star Productions’ escape-theater experience, the audience gets clues and pieces of a map from historical characters as they travel through war-torn Europe. The mission for groups of 12 audience members at a time is to set free a Jewish youth held captive at a Nazi outpost. Historical characters abound in Double Cross, including Edith Piaf, Josephine Baker and Corrie ten Boom of The Hiding Place story and film. Sept. 14-Oct. 27 at Wooded Hills Church, 777 Highway 164, Colgate, Wis. For tickets and more information, call 414-228-5220 (ext. 119) or visit morningstarproductions.org.
Doubt: A Parable
In this brilliant and powerful drama, Sister Aloysius, a Bronx, N.Y., school principal, takes matters into her own hands when she suspects the young Father Flynn of improper relations with one of the male students. This staged reading (deemed suitable for mature audiences) will be performed in the Marla Eichmann Studio Theater of Sunset Playhouse. Doubt’s cast includes Karen Maio, Robin Christiansen, Brittany Roux and LaKysha Burns. There will be a talk-back after the performance for interested audience members. Sept. 12-15 at Sunset Playhouse, 700 Wall St., Elm Grove. For tickets and more information, call 262-782-4430 or visit sunsetplayhouse.com.
The Little Prince
The Little Prince brings to life the story of an aviator lost in the desert who learns what it is to be tamed. This show deals with the themes of love, loss and friendship. The very kid-friendly play is based on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic book of the same name. That novella was voted the best book of the 20th century in France and has been translated into 300 languages, selling nearly two million copies annually. Indeed, The Little Prince has become one of the best-selling and most translated books ever published. Sept. 12-29 at Waukesha Civic Theatre, 264 W. Main St., Waukesha. For tickets and more information, call 262-547-0708 or visit waukeshacivictheatre.org.
Emily Fons
The Florentine Opera inaugurates its Spotlight Series by featuring Wisconsin vocalist Emily Fons. Equal parts performance and socializing, this series features recitals in different venues throughout the greater Milwaukee area. In each location, the artist selects and performs their personal favorites. Attendees (general admission seating) can linger to mingle with the performer and enjoy a beverage or two. Fons, coming off her performance in the latest hit opera, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, will sing some of her favorite art songs and more, including an electrifying cycle from American composer Jake Heggie. Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in the Jan Serr Studio, 2155 N. Prospect Ave. For tickets and more information, call 1-800-32-OPERA or visit florentineopera.org.
