Ross Zentner
Guards at the Taj
Written by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph and set in 1648, Guards at the Taj centers on two guards at the famous, glorious Taj Mahal—an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna River in Agra, India. The play contains elements of both drama and comedy as both imperial guards, played by Owa’Aìs Azeem as Babur and Yousof Sultani as Hamayun, have their friendship and faith shaken. Milwaukee Repertory Theater associate artistic director Brent Hazelton directs this production, which The Rep describes as a “boldly funny and deeply moving play [that] examines the meaning of true beauty and the cost of transcendence in a world that confuses the value of both.” (John Jahn)
Sept. 26-Nov. 4 at the Stiemke Studio, 108 E. Wells St. For tickets, call 414-224-9490 or visit milwaukeerep.com.
Pippin
“Pippin is a great way to kick off the season because it is about the magic of theatre and the magic we find in ourselves,” says Skylight Music Theatre artistic director Ray Jivoff about his company’s first show of their 2018-’19 season. “I love Pippin because it taps into something haunting, beautiful and unexpected through great music, inventive choreography and the essence of music theatre, which is storytelling,” Jivoff explains. Pippin debuted on Broadway in 1972; its music and lyrics are by Stephen Schwartz and book by Roger O. Hirson and Bob Fosse; the latter also directed its opening run. Pippin makes use of a premise of a mysterious performance troupe to tell the story of the title character, a young prince searching for meaning and significance. (John Jahn)
Sept. 21-Oct. 7 at the Cabot Theatre, 158 N. Broadway. For tickets, call 414-291-7800 or visit skylightmusictheatre.org.
Şahan Arzruni
Though Istanbul, Turkey, native Şahan Arzruni played the “straight man” to famed raconteur Victor Borge for many years, he has also enjoyed a successful career on his own as a concert pianist, recording artist and musicologist. Arzruni has performed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the White House as well as on “The Tonight Show.” His considerable discography includes recordings of Frédéric Chopin and Béla Bartók. For his concert at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center (SMPAC), however, Arzruni will focus on music by his fellow Armenians—composers like Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978), Alan Hovhaness (1911-2000) and Soghomon Soghomonian (a.k.a. Komitas) (1869-1935), among others. (John Jahn)
Saturday, Sept. 29, at the SMPAC, 901 15th Ave., South Milwaukee. For tickets, call 414-766-5049 or visit southmilwaukeepac.org.
Chapatti
“His poetic words were a rollercoaster of laughs and heartbreak,” says Milwaukee Chamber Theatre director Michelle Lopez-Rios of Irish playwright Christian O’Reilly’s play, Chapatti. “His writing is brutally honest and brilliant storytelling [which] focuses on two working-class characters in Dublin; the collision of their worlds changes these very complex people. Chapatti examines what it means to love and be loved,” she continues. “At its very core, it’s about human connection and why we long for companionship. In our world of texting, e-mailing and virtual friends, it’s a beautiful look at loneliness and how people are responsible for each other.” (John Jahn)
Sept. 21-Oct. 14 at the Broadway Theatre Center’s Studio Theatre, 158 N. Broadway. For tickets, call 414-291-7800 or visit milwaukeechambertheatre.com.
MORE TO DO
The Taming of the Shrew
“The battle of the sexes has been redefined in the past few years,” says Off the Wall Theatre director Dale Gutzman. “Women’s equality and women’s rights have become central issues, forcing us to take a new look at some of the traditional ways we have looked at the dynamics between men and women.” Thus, mounting a potent comedy like William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew with its not-so-thinly veiled misogyny, “now presents new and difficult challenges on the stage,” Gutzman asserts. He has reexamined the play with a modern perspective and says the “show will have modern resonance everywhere.” Sept. 26-Oct. 7 at Off the Wall Theatre, 127 E. Wells St. For tickets, call 414-484-8874 or visit zivacat.com/offthewalltheatre.
Dawn Springer and Jon Mueller
Experimental artists Jon Mueller (composer) and Dawn Springer (choreographer) collaborate for an evening of live music and dance. Mueller’s music comes from his 2010 album, The Whole, which, for this event, was reimagined for piano, percussion and voice by Mueller and David Utzinger; these will be the first live performances of new arrangements. Springer’s choreography (set to Mueller’s music) will be danced by Ania Hidalgo, Rachel Malehorn and Janel Meindersee. Saturday, Sept. 22, at 7 and 9 p.m. in Studio 8 at Meltwater Studios, 1911 S. Allis St., Bay View. For tickets, visit thewhole.brownpapertickets.com.
Bach and Vivaldi
Frankly Music opens their 15th season with truly classic chamber pieces; in doing so, they’ve assembled a fine group of instrumentalists, the Frankly Music Chamber Orchestra. Featured soloists will be violinist and FM founder Frank Almond and oboist Katie Young Steele. There are two works by the great German Baroque master Johann Sebastian Bach on the program: his Concerto for Violin in A Minor, BWV 1041 and Concerto for Violin and Oboe in C Minor, BWV 1060. Finally, the musicians will play the lovely, evocative set of violin concertos penned by Antonio Vivaldi and collectively known as The Four Seasons (Le quattro stagioni). Monday, Sept. 24, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 914 E. Knapp St. For tickets, visit franklymusic.org/event/season-opener.
A Night at the Cabaret: Don’t Touch That Dial
Sunset Playhouse presents vocalists SaraLynn Evenson and Adam Estes in an evening of classic TV theme songs. This evening of music and memories will include music from celebrated TV shows from the 1960s to today. Things start off with appetizers from Jack Norman Catering and, if you’re feeling lucky, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets for prizes. A Night at the Cabaret: Don’t Touch That Dial’s two acts are separated by an intermission including desserts, coffee and cash bar. This performance benefits the Elm Grove Women’s Club. Wednesday, Sept. 26, in Sunset Playhouse’s Studio Theatre, 700 Wall St., Elm Grove. For tickets, call 262-782-4430 or visit sunsetplayhouse.com.
