Performing Arts Weekly spotlights live artistic events taking place in October, including First Stage’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; Notes from the Field: Community Perspectives at Miller High Life Theatre with actress, playwright and professor Anna Deavere Smith; and a concert in Waukesha by the Wisconsin Philharmonic and guest ensemble, Trio Solisti.
THEATRE:
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
I never missed an airing of the 1968 Albert R. Broccoli-produced film of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which starred Dick Van Dyke and Sally Ann Howes. I just loved the fabulous car, the wonderful songs and the truly fearsome and creepy Child Catcher (fabulously portrayed by Robert Helpmann). It was my early childhood introduction to the feature-length musical, and it remains a personal favorite to this day.
A stage musical adaptation was a long time coming; it wasn’t until 2002 that, with six new songs by the original lyricists and composers, Robert and Richard Sherman, premiered in the West End at the Palladium. It became the longest-running show ever at the celebrated London venue—more than three years.
“Chitty is a celebration of family that will burst to life on our stage with live music, physical humor, amazing dancing and a pinch or two of danger,” says First Stage Artistic Director Jeff Frank. “In addition, innovative puppetry will bring everything from the Zeppelin to Chitty herself to life.” Some 32 young actors—split between two alternating casts—will take part in this First Stage production.
Oct. 6-Nov. 5 at the Todd Wehr Theater of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St. For tickets, call 414-267-2961 or visit firststage.org.
Notes from the Field: Community Perspectives
Actress, playwright and professor Anna Deavere Smith may not have what one terms a household name, but it’s very likely you’ve seen her work somewhere, sometime. You might have caught one of her documentary theater-style plays; perhaps Fires in the Mirror, Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992 or Let Me Down Easy. On the big screen, you would have seen her in Philadelphia (1993), The American President (1995) or Rent (2005). In more recent years, you’d have witnessed her portrayals of Dr. Nancy McNally on TV’s “The West Wing” and as Gloria Akalitus on “Nurse Jackie.”
Currently, however, Smith is giving one-woman stage shows in which she renders characters based upon people she’s met on her travels throughout the U.S. These include people who have survived gun violence, experienced homelessness or encountered racial injustice. Smith brings the lives and experiences of real people she’s met and gotten to know to vivid life for her audiences.
This revelatory and relevant show also contains a panel discussion (moderated by Sheri Williams Pannell of First Stage) which includes notable community leaders from the United Community Center, Zilber Family Foundation, Wisconsin Council on Children and Families and the Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention.
Wednesday, Oct. 11 at Miller High Life Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourne Ave. For tickets, call 262-317-6005 or visit wiphilanthropy.org.
MUSIC:
A Toast to 70 Strong
That’s the title of the Wisconsin Philharmonic’s next concert, the “70” referring to the orchestra’s decades of existence (it was formerly known as the Waukesha Symphony Orchestra). “We are proud to have reached this platinum milestone in our long history of offering Waukesha County the finest in classical and pops programming,” says WP maestro Alexander Platt. In addition to what will surely be a rousing, audience-participation rendering of “Happy Birthday,” the orchestra then settles in for three superb works of German classic-romantic music.
First there’s the sprightly Symphony No. 70 in D Major by Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), with its assertive Vivace con brio and Allegro con brio first and final movements, respectively. Joining the orchestra for Ludwig van Beethoven’s Triple Concerto in C Major, Op. 56 (1804) is Trio Solisti, which was founded in 2001. This ensemble’s members—violinist Maria Bachmann, cellist Alexis Pia Gerlach and pianist Fabio Bidini—perform regularly throughout the U.S. Finally, there’s Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 5 in D Major, Op. 107 (1830), which he composed in observation of the 300th anniversary of Martin Luther’s Augsburg Confession (hence the work’s sobriquet, Reformation).
Tuesday, Oct. 10 at Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, 19805 W. Capitol Drive, Brookfield. For tickets, call 262-547-1858 or visit wisphil.org/event-tickets.
More to Do
Macbeth
Boozy Bard concludes its season of sauced Shakespeare with their signature piece, The Bard’s immortal tragedy of 1606, Macbeth. This is part of their “Shakespeare Raw” performances in which, as they so aptly warn us: “A group of actors arrive the day of the show having read [or perhaps not] the script… Then, they pull a character name from a bucket to learn who they have to play that night.” Oh, and they get increasingly inebriated. Oct. 9-11 at Best Place (Pabst Brewery). Visit facebook.com/boozybard for tickets.
Haydn, Beethoven, Barber
The Fine Arts Quartet, in their 55th and final season making beautiful music together, performs three string quartets in their next concert: Joseph Haydn’s B-Flat Major Quartet was nicknamed “Sunrise” owing to its rising theme over sustained chords that begins the piece. Ludwig van Beethoven’s C# Minor Quartet, Op. 131, was his favorite of the so-called “late quartets” (comp. 1825-’26). Samuel Barber’s B Minor Quartet stems from 1936. Sunday, Oct. 8 at UW-Milwaukee’s Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts—free and open to the public. For more information, visit uwm.edu/arts.
Pepper’s Ghost
It’s fall, and that means Halloween is just around the corner. Just in time comes The Alchemist Theatre’s production of Aaron Kopec’s Pepper’s Ghost, described as “a quirky tale about a group of misfits who ‘fake haunt’ homes as elaborate practical jokes for high-paying customers.” What happens, however, when fake turns into real? Oct. 6-28 at The Alchemist Theatre. For tickets, visit peppersghost.brownpapertickets.com.
Livin’ the Dream
In describing her latest work, Kelly Anderson (of Kelly Anderson Dance Theatre) says: “I believe this piece to be very relevant and necessary. In a time where support for the arts is being heavily challenged, a work like Livin’ the Dream could really open up the hearts and minds of many. It is comedic, personal and, more than anything, relatable.” Oct. 7-8 at Danceworks Studio Theater. For tickets, visit danceworksmke.org.
Curious George and the Golden Meatball
Racine Theatre Guild’s Children’s Theatre presents a very kid-friendly musical play centered on the mischievous monkey, Curious George—the central character in a series of adventure books for children dating back to 1939. Packy, the Racine Children’s Theatre mascot, will be on hand to greet audience members as they arrive and, after each performance, young attendees will have the chance to meet and greet the cast. Oct. 6-8 at Racine Theatre Guild. For tickets, call 262-633-4218 or visit racinetheatre.org for tickets.
