Holiday Arts Guide
53212 Presents
5 Points Art Gallery
Acacia Theatre Company
- Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Dec. 7-15
Jane Austen fans—and anyone who enjoys a charming holiday show—will be delighted to know that there’s a sequel to her classic Pride and Prejudice. Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley finds those Bennet sisters in December 1815, two years after Elizabeth and Jane have married well and found happiness. But then there’s the “Miss Bennet” of the title; bookish, outspoken Mary, who takes care their aging parents. Cue the matchmaking sisters and brothers-in-law, William Darcy and Charles Bingley. And who shows up to celebrate Christmas? But the equally awkward and bookish Lord Arthur DeBurgh. (Harry Cherkinian)
All In Productions
Alverno Art & Cultures Gallery
American Players Theatre (APT)
- Nat Turner in Jerusalem, Oct. 17-Nov. 10 (Hill Theater) The play by award-winning playwright-screenwriter Nathan Alan Davis shines a light on Nat
Turner, an enslaved person who paid with his life by leading an 1831 rebellion in Virginia. Turner claimed to be guided by the Holy Spirit in his march to Jerusalem, a town in Virginia. (David Luhrssen)
Aperi Animam
Arts @ Large
Bach Chamber Choir
Bay View Gallery Night
Bel Canto Chorus
- Voices of Glad Tiding, Dec. 13-15 (Basilica of St. Josaphat)
Bel Canto will perform John Rutter's Gloria, based on a Latin text and drawn from Gregorian chant. Bel Canto encourages the audience “to join in,” as this concert features “several audience sing-a-longs to help you get into the spirit of the season.” (Morton Shalbotnik)
Black Arts MKE
- Black Nativity by Langston Hughes, Dec. 5-8 (Wilson Theatre at Vogel Hall, Marcus Performing Arts Center)
The upcoming production reunites last year’s creative team of Wanyah L. Frazier and Ashley S. Jordan. “We stepped into the shoes of giants,” Frazier says, speaking of such illustrious local predecessors as Dimonte Henning and Malkia Stampley. “A number of hands have touched it, and each year built on the previous year—it’s a Milwaukee legacy show containing lots of perspectives from people who’ve had their hands in the story.” (David Luhrssen)
Black Holocaust Museum
Boerner Botanical Gardens
- Education Center open 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. 7 days a week.
- Botanical Gardens open May 1 – Sept. 10: 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., 7 days a week
Bombshell Theatre Co.
- All That Jingle: A Holiday Review, Nov. 29-Dec. 1 (Sunset Playhouse)
The festive holiday event will feature classic carols and contemporary holiday hits. The two-act concert will showcase the talents of eight outstanding vocalists. Festive cocktails will be served. (Morton Shlabotnik)
Boulevard Theatre
- I Never Sang for My Father, Nov. 25-26, Nov. 29, Dec. 1 (Sugar Maple)
Boulevard’s irrepressible founder Mark Bucher will direct an “elevated reading” of Robert Anderson’s two-act drama. It’s the story of an American family in the ‘60s torn apart by divided loyalties, misplaced prejudices and shattering emotional circumstances. (David Luhrssen)
The Box Theatre Co.
Bronzeville Arts Ensemble
facebook.com/BronzevilleArtsEnsemble
- Black Nativity by Langston Hughes, Dec. 5-8 (Wilson Theatre at Vogel Hall, Marcus Performing Arts Center)
Cabaret Milwaukee
Carroll Players
Carthage College Theatre
carthage.edu/arts/experience-the-arts/theatre-dance-performances/
Catey Ott Dance Collective
- On Display Global/Heidi Latsky Dance, Nov. 9 (Haggerty Museum of Art)
Cedarburg Art Museum
- Atmospheric Wisconsin: Six Impressions, through Nov. 10
- My Friend: Doris White, through Nov. 10
Cedarburg Cultural Center
- A Journey to the Far Side of Imagination: Joan Hollnagel and Simply Doll Face by Karla Byl, through Dec. 1
- The Art of Terry Field, through Dec. 1
Cedarburg Performing Arts Center
- Frankie Moreno with Frankie’s Christmas Party, Dec. 13
Chant Claire Chamber Choir
- St. Sava Christmas Concert, Dec. 7 (St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral)
- Wake Awake, Dec. 14 (Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church)
Charles Allis Art Museum
- Talk Back Chapter Two: Collection Christina A. West and Meg Lionel Murphy, through Feb. 16
Chazen Museum of Art (UW-Madison)
- Nordic Utopia? African Americans in the 20th Century, through Nov. 10
- Petah Coyne: How Much the Heart Can Hold, through Dec. 23
Choral Arts Society of Southeastern Wisconsin
- Lessons and Carols: Good Tidings of Great Joy, Dec. 7 (First Presbyterian Church, Racine)
Civic Music MKE
- Kids Music Fest, Nov. 10 (Milwaukee Youth Arts Center)
Meet area youth music organizations, soak up some knowledge, join in on some fun, and listen to live performances by participating youth music organizations. (Morton Shlabotnik)
The Constructivists
Concord Chamber Orchestra
- No Place Like Home: A Celebration of Winter Music, Dec. 7 (Basilica of St. Josaphat)
Concordia University
- Annual Pops Concert, Nov. 1
- Civic Choral and Handbells Concert, Nov. 9
- Christ the King Celebration Concert, Nov. 17
- Christmas at Concordia, Dec. 6-7
Covered Bridge Art Studio Tour
DanceCircus
Dawn Springer Dance Project
Dead Man's Carnival
Door Shakespeare
Early Music Now
- Anne Azema and Shira Kammen, The Man in the Moon: Songs and Tales of Medieval Albion, Nov. 23 (St. Paul’s Episcopal Church) Rachel Barton Pine with Trio Settecento and Guests: A Baroque Christmas, Dec. 7-8 (St. Paul’s Episcopal Church)
“We are thrilled to once again to present Rachel Barton Pine to our Early Music Now audiences,” says EMN’s artistic director, Chuck Grosz. “Rachel is considered one of America’s greatest violinists, regularly performing throughout the world. Joining Trio Settecento will be Rachel’s daughter Sylvia, a celebrated violinist in her own right.” (David Luhrssen)
Ex Fabula
Since 2009, Ex Fabula has been connecting community through the art of true, personal storytelling. Ex Fabula, which is Latin for “from stories”, presents storytelling workshops, StorySlams and Community Collaborations where people listen to each other, feel heard, and grow in empathy and understanding. (Morton Shlabotnik)
- Story Slam: Missed Connections, Dec. 3 (Next Act Theatre))
Festival City Symphony
First Stage
Florentine Opera
- An Aria Extravaganza, Nov. 14
- Caroling at the Fireplace, Dec. 10
- Carols and Classics, Dec. 12
Forte Theatre Company
Four Seasons Theatre, Madison
- All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, Dec. 5-15
Frankly Music
- Music of Haydn, Prokofiev and Chausson, Nov. 19 (Milwaukee Youth Arts Center)
Fresco Opera Theatre, Madison
Gallery 218
Gallery 2622
Gallery Night and Day
Milwaukee’s original art hop happens quarterly with a focus on galleries in the Third Ward, East Town and Walker’s Point. (Morton Shlabotnik)
Germantown Performing Arts Center
Green Gallery
Greendale Community Theatre
Grohmann Museum
- Gil Reid and Friends: Working on the Railroad, through Dec. 22
“Retired railroad executive Chris Burger and his wife Rita have made annual gifts to the museum of much of Gil’s calendar work for Amtrak, along with other illustration work. Given the Grohmann Museum’s hallmark of displaying the art of industry, and the railroad’s intimate connection to it, we make exhibitions of railroad art a regular feature,” says the Grohmann’s director James Kieselburg. “Southeastern Wisconsin has a considerable rail following among its thousands of railfans, which makes it a natural for us.” (David Luhrssen)
Grove Gallery
Haggerty Museum of Art
- Material Muses: Medieval Devotional Culture and its Afterlives, through Dec. 22
- Affirmation/Transformation: Fandom Created, through Dec. 22
- The Big 4-0: An Exhibition Celebrating the Haggerty Museum of the Arts Forty Years, through Dec. 22
It’s a short walk between centuries at the Haggerty Museum of Art. Religious images and artifacts from medieval Western Europe are the topic of one of its current exhibitions, “Material Muses.” Across the gallery, “Affirmation/Transformation” explores creative acts that can emerge from fandom (The Beatles? Star Trek? Dr. Who?). And there is more on the museum walls, including “The Big 4-0,” a something-for-almost-everyone survey of diverse work from the permanent collection to celebrate the Haggerty’s 40th anniversary. (David Luhrssen)
Harley-Davidson Museum
- Mama Tried: Bringing It Together, through January 2025
- Creating a Legend: Art & Engineering at Harley-Davidson, through spring 2027
Harley-Davidson motorcycles have often featured striking designs in recent decades. This is not a new development. If you imagine that Messrs. Harley and Davidson, tinkering in the tool shed in 1903, were concerned only with making those early bikes run, you’d be wrong. Company cofounder William S. Harley was an artist as well as an engineer. Featured are Harley’s Model 6 Single (1910), Brook Stevens’ FL Hydra Glide (1949) and Willie G. Davidson’s FX Super Glide (1971). (David Luhrssen)
H. F. Johnson Gallery of Art
- Fibrecate, through Nov. 22
- Senior Exhibitions: Visual and Performing Arts Lab, Dec. 6-12
Hyperlocal MKE
Inspiration Studios Art Gallery
- Bull in a China Shop, Nov. 2-10 (Kith & Kin Production)
- Edison’s Last Breath, Nov. 15-24
- Art Sale, November-December
Irish Cultural and Heritage Center
James May Gallery
Jazz Gallery Center for the Arts
- Free Improvisation Sessions, Saturday mornings
- Milwaukee Jazz Institute, Sunday afternoons
- Art on the Edge: Fear and Censorship in an Era of Political Turmoil, through Nov. 23
Jewish Museum Milwaukee
- Against the Grain: The Remarkable Life of Artist Bernard Perlin, through Jan. 26
Bernard Perlin “is not a household name. As an important and yet often overlooked artist of our time, he should be,” says curator Molly Dubin. Perlin executed social realist posters for the federal government during World War II and progressed to magical realism with an ability to “communicate emotion and engender empathy” that “pulls the viewer into the story he’s telling,” Dubin continues. “He had an extraordinary life and career as a gay Jewish artist, from the early years of Fire Island through World War II to New York City society life.” (David Luhrssen)
John Michael Kohler Arts Center
- Milestones in the Making, through January
- Workplace, through Jan. 19
- Mad Dash: 50 Years of Arts/Industry, through Feb. 2
- Clocking In: 2024 Arts/Industry Residents, through March 2
- Willie Kohl: Home Assembly, through April 27
- Lunch Break: Arts/Industry In Between, through May 4
Kim Storage Gallery
- Equus Intersections, The Blue Horses 2019-2024: Maggie Robertson, through Nov. 16
- Mind’s Eye, Nov. 22-Dec. 21
Kith and Kin Theatre Collective
- Bull in a China Shop, Nov. 2-10 (Inspiration Studios)
Kohler Memorial Theater
Ko-Thi Dance Company
Lake Arts Project
Lakefront Festival of Art
Latino Arts, Inc.
- Day of the Dead Ofrendas, Nov.1-15
- Cut and Paste: A Solo Exhibit by Ellia Ana Hill, Dec. 6-Feb. 21
- Soy de Aqui Ahora: I’m From Here Right Now, Dec. 6
Lily Pad Gallery
- Shadow Play: The Art of Michael Patterson, through Dec. 31
“My work has focus on several objectives. Light, reflected light and its color effects, as well as the positive and negative shapes of equal importance, creating the graphic energy of my compositions,” says painter-sculptor Michael Patterson. “This sets the rhythm for a piece and influences where the viewer’s eye travels and at what pace. Finally, the subject of my work most always includes the human figure wherever they may be—city streets, markets, the beach, alone or in groups. People are the most interesting part of creation. (David Luhrssen)
Lutheran A Capella Choir of Milwaukee
- "...and night shall be no more," Dec. 6 (First United Methodist Church)
- "...and night shall be no more," Dec. 8 (Mount Carmel Lutheran Church)
Lynden Sculpture Garden
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
Madison Theatre Guild
Marcus Performing Arts Center
- Eclipse: The Best of Pink Floyd, Nov. 9
- Nova Linea: Contemporary Dance Presents Some Wounds Never Heal, Nov. 15-16
- The Hip-Hop Nutcracker, Nov. 22
- Elf the Musical (Broadway Series), Nov. 26-Dec. 1
- Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical, Nov. 27-Dec. 29
- D-Rock’s Live Taping Special, Nov. 30
- Christmas with Lorie Line, Dec. 1
- The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium, Dec. 7-24 (Milwaukee Ballet)
- Luminaire Christmas, Dec. 12
MARN Art + Culture Hub
Marquette University Theatre
marquette.edu/communication/theatre-arts.php
- Sanctuary City, Nov. 15-24
- Much Ado About Nothing, Nov. 16-23
Master Singers of Milwaukee
- Arise, Shine, Nov. 24 (St. Matthias Catholic Parish)
Material Studios + Gallery
Memories Dinner Theatre
- The Miss Magnolia Senior Citizen Beauty Pageant, Nov. 1-10
- Winter Wonderettes, Dec. 13-22
MIAD Gallery at the Ave
Milwaukee Art Museum
- Farm to Frame, Dec. 6-ongoing
- Currents 39: LaToya M. Hobbs, Carving Out Time, through Jan. 5
- Robert Longo: Acceleration of History, through-Feb. 23
Even in the 20th century, Robert Longo’s artwork—often (but not limited to) large-scale charcoal drawings— was described as “apocalyptic Pop.” He fell under the broad heading of Pop Art, but with an unnerving edge. “Acceleration of History” collects Longo’s work from the past 10 years, including his uneasy reflections on climate change, mass migrations, the disruptions of war and disjunctions of politics. (David Luhrssen)
- Light and Shadow: John Constable’s English Landscape Prints, through March 16
- True Story: Photography, Journalism, and Media, through March 16
- On Site: Derrick Adams Our Time Together, through May 11
Milwaukee Ballet
- The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium, Dec. 7-24
Many cities across the planet enjoy productions of The Nutcracker during the holidays, but only Milwaukee has the joys of The Nutcracker: Drosselmeyer’s Imaginarium. Artistic Director Pink defines Imaginarium as “a place where anyone can imagine anything they wish.” Until now, his reimagined take on the tale that inspired Tchaikovsky’s beloved score was constrained by his predecessor’s designs. This new production—completely redesigned and substantially transformed—is Pink’s Imaginarium come full bloom. (John Schneider)
Milwaukee Chamber Theater
- Clyde’s, Nov. 8-24
In the Tony-nominated comedy by Pulitzer-winner Lynn Nottage, “four formerly incarcerated cooks strive for redemption through their shared quest to create the perfect sandwich—all under the devilish gaze of their hard-driving boss.” Dimonte Henning directs. (Morton Shlabotnik)
Milwaukee Children's Choir
- All Choir Concert featuring Milwaukee Youth Chorale, Lyric Chorale, Preparatory Choir and Introductory Choir, Nov. 4 (St. Sebastian Parish)
Milwaukee Comedy
Milwaukee Festival Brass
Milwaukee Film
Milwaukee Fringe Festival
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design Gallery
- MIAD Pathsetters: An Emeriti Exhibition, through Dec. 7 (Brooks Stevens Gallery)
Milwaukee Irish Arts
Milwaukee Irish Music Sessions
- Paddy's Pub: Nov. 7 and Dec. 8, 7p.m. (First Thursday of the month)
- Draft and Vessel - Tosa: Nov. 6 and Dec. 4, 7 p.m. (First Wednesday of the month)
- Black Husky Brewing: Nov. 13 and Dec. 11, 6:30 p.m. (Second Wednesday of the month)
- Draft and Vessel - Shorewood: Nov. 20 and Dec. 18, 7 p.m.(Third Wednesday of the month)
- House of Guinness - Waukesha: Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
- County Clare: Fridays at 9 p.m.
- O'Brien's Pub: Saturdays at 2 p.m.
Milwaukee Jazz Institute
- MJI Jam Session, Nov. 11 (Jazz Gallery)
- Geof Bradfield Quintet, Nov. 16 (bar centro)
- MJI Jam Session, Dec. 9 (Jazz Gallery)
- MJI Holiday Big Band Concert, Dec. 19 (Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts)
Milwaukee Jazz Orchestra
Milwaukee Makers Market
- Early Bird Holiday, Nov. 17 (Ivy House)
Milwaukee Makers Market champions local artists, creators, designers and crafters to celebrate the city’s small businesses. This one-stop shop experience provides an inclusive environment for local makers to showcase their talent and connect with Milwaukeeans. (Sophia Hamdan)
Milwaukee Opera Theatre
- Alcina, Nov. 12-17 (Dandy, 5020 W. Vliet St.)
There will be a bit of magic in the air this fall when Milwaukee Opera Theatre returns to the stage with Handel’s Alcina. The opera’s setting is an enchanted island where the sorceress Alcina turns the lovers she tires of into objects, plants or animals. “We were looking for a project to do with Early Music Now,” says MOT’s artistic director, Jill Anna Ponasik, referring to the baroque chamber group formed last year by Milwaukee’s longtime early music concert series. (David Luhrssen)
Milwaukee Repertory Theater
- Marie and Rosetta, through Dec. 22 (Stiemke Studio)
While gospel music is at the root of 1950s R&B and influenced Elvis, few gospel singers have been included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Sister Rosetta Tharpe (inducted posthumously in 2018) deserves the honor. Unlike many gospel performers who kept blues and vernacular music at arm’s length, Tharpe embraced the electric guitar and the rhythms pouring from the rural South into Chicago’s South Side. Marie and Rosetta tells the story of Tharpe and her protégé, Marie Knight. They enjoyed a Top-10 R&B hit together in 1948, “Up Above My Head.” (David Luhrssen)
- Lumberjacks in Love, Nov. 8-Jan. 12 (Stackner Cabaret)
- A Christmas Carol, Nov. 28-Dec. 24 (Pabst Theater)
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
- Reinhardt Conducts Beethoven, Nov. 15-16
German conductor Ruth Reinhard enjoys an international reputation for programming work by contemporary Europeans, especially female composers. For her MSO concerts, she sticks with men from German-speaking Europe who composed enduring work from past centuries. Beethoven (Piano Concerto No. 3) needs no introduction. Haydn (Symphony No. 80 in D minor) was a bridge from the earlier 18th century to Mozart. Weber (Overture to Oberon) led the way to 19th century Romanticism. And Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis was a 20th century tribute to Weber. (David Luhrssen)
- Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Nov. 22-24
Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra
- Play Your Part 2024, Nov. 9 (Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts)
MKE Black Theatre Festival
MKE Studio Tour
Museum of Wisconsin Art
- Weaving a Legacy: Ho-Chunk Black Ash Basketry, through Nov. 10
- Mirrors, Not Windows: Photography by Asher Imtiaz, through Nov. 24
Chris T. Cornelius: ukwé·tase (newcomer/stranger), through January The three-dimensional structure blends contemporary and traditional architectural aspects in unique and compelling ways, while exploring themes of familiarity and alienation within the environment it seeks to capture. The work represents humankind’s place in a world to which it is both resident and stranger, creating a sense of wonder and wariness of the world around us, the Milwaukee-born Indigenous artist says. (Michael Muckian)
MOWA | DTN (Saint Kate–The Arts Hotel)
- Triangulator: The Art of Liubov Szwako, through Dec. 2
MOWA on the Lake (St. John's on the Lake)
- Here to Hear: Pieceworks by Rosi Petri, through Dec. 15
Next Act Theatre
- Almost, Maine, Nov. 20-Dec. 15
“With over 5,000 productions to date, Almost, Maine has established itself as a significant work in the American theater,” says Next Act’s artistic director, Cody Estle. “First performed in Milwaukee at the Rep 14 years ago, this unsentimental romantic comedy returns with a fresh professional production. I’m excited to welcome back Karen Estrada to Next Act to direct this piece for the holiday season. Set in a small town in the far north of Maine, come join us for a cozy winter night out—if you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights!” (David Luhrssen)
Nō Studios
North Shore Academy of the Arts
Northern Sky Theater
Oconomowoc Arts Center
Oil a City Gallery
Optimist Theatre
Outskirts Theatre
Over Our Head Players
- Schmeatre Christmas, Dec. 6-7, Dec. 12-14, Dec. 19-21, Dec. 27-28
Overture Center for the Arts, Madison
- Straight No Chaser, Nov. 6
- Barenaked Ladies, Nov. 7
- Murder Girl, Nov. 7-24 (Forward Theater)
- Fialkowska on Fire, Nov. 8
- Ken Lonngquist, Nov. 9
- Nate Jackson, Nov. 10
- Momentum Nov. 15-17 (Madison Symphony Orchestra)
- Beni Deiko, Nov. 18
- Alysha Umphress, Nov. 21
- Lyra Ensemble with Greg Zelek, Nov. 21
- Handel’s Messiah, Nov. 22-23 (Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra)
- Ben Wendel & Taylor Eigsti, Nov. 22
- Yid Vicious, Nov. 23
- & Juliet, Nov. 26-Dec. 1
Peninsula Players
Philomusica Quartet
PianoArts
Portrait Society Gallery
- SEAMS II: Criss Cross, through Nov. 9
The theme of the Portrait Society’s second group fiber show is journeys, travel and border crossing. Among the artists represented in SEAMS II are Heidi Parkes, Rosemary Ollison, Anika Kowalik, Monica Rezman, Liv Aanrud, Lisa Barber, Rosemary Ollison and Ella Clemmons. (Morton Shlabotnik)
Present Music
- Concert for Peace, Nov. 24 (Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist)
“This year we are offering a ‘Concert for Peace,’ with music from various cultures which transcends borders and politics, and focuses instead on our shared humanity,” says Present Music Co-Artistic Director Eric Segnitz. Work by Native American, Ukrainian, Black Gospel, Muslim, Jewish and South Asian composers will be performed. “Music can be a powerful means of healing divides and forging new bonds—we want people to leave this concert feeling hopeful and uplifted,” he adds. (David Luhrssen)
Quasimondo Physical Theatre
Racine Art Museum
- Nicole Acosta: Hoops—Beyond the Aesthetic Lies the Story, through Nov. 23
- Craft in Color, through Jan. 11
- In Between: Contemporary Artists Working in Two and Three Dimensions featuring Dennis Lee Mitchell, through Jan. 25
- Low: Rene Amado, through July 2025
Rene Amado showcases the cars, bicycles, and community of lowrider culture through photography and video. “Low” blends his photography with custom bicycles and other small vehicles from various builders/makers (including himself) and a video in which he expands on the story of lowrider culture through interviews and documentation. (Morton Shlabotnik)
Racine Symphony Orchestra
Racine Theatre Guild
- Little Women, through Nov. 10
- The Best Christmas Pageant Ever: The Musical, Dec. 13-22
Real Tinsel Gallery
- Fluffy, through Dec. 15
Real Tinsel hosts some of the more progressive exhibitions in Milwaukee, unafraid to take chances on emerging artists and curators whose execution does not neatly fit into more visible galleries. The eight artists in the show—Cristina Covucci, Karla Zurita, Chloé Wilcox, Marta Lee, Loretta Violante, Karissa Kendricks, Izzy Casey, and Andrea Emmerich—have each contributed a painting or a sculpture loosely cohered around a domestic animal theme. The resulting exhibition “Fluffy,” curated by Rachel Yanku, explores cuteness aggression, technology, and human-animal relationships. (Annie Raab)
Renaissance Theaterworks
- The Moors, through Nov. 10
The Moors by Jen Silverman tells the story of a young governess, a gothic romance, and an unlikely sisterhood. Dark, funny, and thought-provoking, with Silverman’s clever signature writing, the show has drawn Homeland and Big Little Lies actress Sarah Sokolovic back to Milwaukee to star as Agatha. (Elizabeth Lintonen)
Sacra Nova Chorale
Saint Kate – The Arts Hotel Gallery
Sculpture Milwaukee
Sculpture Milwaukee has been programming the streets of Downtown since 2017, with certain works remaining and becoming permanent fixtures on our urban landscape. This year’s cohort of artists joins works still in place from “Actual Fractals Act I” and a few holdovers from its predecessor, “Nature Doesn’t Know About Us.” Each iteration of the program seeds Downtown streets with unexpected surprises and seems to get more ambitious with each trip around the sun. (Shane McAdams)
Seat of Our Pants Reader Theatre
Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts
- Wisconsin Philharmonic Presents Harmonious Masters, Nov. 7
- Travis Anderson Trio, Nov. 8
- Mummenschanz, Nov. 15
- Anastasia: The Musical, Nov 22-24 (Brookfield Central Theater)
- Caroling at the Fireplace, Dec. 10
- MSO Holiday Concert, Dec. 13
- IMPACT Music Group Tribute to Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles, Dec. 14
- Milwaukee Jazz Institute Big Band Holiday, Dec. 19
- Kathy Mattea: Winter Gathering, Dec. 20
- A Warm and Fuzzy Christmas, Dec. 21
- Ring in the New Year with Jayne Taylor, Dec. 29
South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center
- Sista Strings, Nov. 22
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Wild & Swingin’ Holiday Party, Dec. 18 More so than any other act, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy helped launch the ’90s swing revival with their performance in the 1996 comedy Swingers. The songs they featured in that film, “Go Daddy-O” and “You and Me and the Bottle Makes Three Tonight,” remain their biggest hits, but the band carried on even as the swing revival faded into memory, continuing to perform lively, feel-good shows. (Morton Shlabotnik)
Sunset Playhouse
- Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5, through Nov. 3
- Murder’s in the Heir, Nov. 9-10
- Frozen: Kids, Nov. 16-24
- All That Jingle: A Holiday Revue, Nov. 29-Dec. 1 (Bombshell Theater)
- ‘Twas the Month Before Christmas, Dec. 5-22
- Merry & Bright, Dec. 5-8
- Kenny Loggins & Friends Tribute, Dec. 9-10
- Into the Woods, Jr., Dec. 12-17
Stephen Sondheim’s 1986 musical is a tribute to the Brothers Grimm, weaving several of their fairy tales, including Rapunzel and Cinderella, into the story of a childless baker and his wife who hope to start a family. Into the Woods was turned into a 2014 Disney film and has seldom been absent from stages. The Jr. version is only 50 minutes long with songs transposed into keys suitable for children’s voices. (David Luhrssen)
- Tenor MKE Christmas Spirits Holiday Concert, Dec. 17
Theatre Gigante
Theatrical Tendencies
Third Avenue Playhouse, Sturgeon Bay
Thrasher Opera House, Green Lake
- Chatham Rabbits, Nov. 15
- William Elliott Whitmore, Nov. 16
- The Empty Pockets: Mistletunes, Dec. 5
- Mr. Sun: Duke Ellington’s Nutcracker, Dec. 13
- The Alley Cats, Dec. 14
Tooth-and-Nail Gallery
Tory Folliard Gallery
- Fred Stonehouse, through Nov. 16
The work of Wisconsin painter Fred Stonehouse teems with detail and specificity. Its superficial resolution and directness almost seem to spurn any sort of abstract interpretation. Even the most uninitiated viewer would refrain from referring to any of his cast of tightly rendered objects and characters as “abstract.” Every piece of content is identifiable if not nameable. (Shane McAdams)
UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts
- Upstart: Dance MFA Concert, July 25 (Mitchell Hall)
UWM Theatre/Peck School of the Arts
uwm.edu/arts/events/category/theatre
- Pericles, Nov. 6-10 (Theatre Building, Mainstage Theatre)
A late and likely collaborative Shakespeare play, Pericles was popular in its day but has accrued a large measure of critical commentary over the centuries. The surviving text has been deemed problematic—mangled on its way from the stage to the printer? Regardless of those scholars who don’t hear “the authentic Shakespearean voice” in its first two acts, Pericles concludes in glorious style as dramatic tension rises. (David Luhrssen)
- Gabriel Faure: Choral & Orchestral Works, Nov. 8-9 (Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts)
- Experimental Tuesdays: Ayanna Dozier Short Films, Nov. 12 (UWM Union Cinema)
- Premiers of New Music, Nov. 12 (Music Building, Recital Hall)
- Crossing Over, Nov. 15-Dec. 11 (UWM Union Art Gallery)
- Piano Studio Recital, Nov. 18 (Music Building, Recital Hall)
- Experimental Tuesdays: From the Archives, Nov.19 (UWM Union Cinema)
- Classical Guitar Studio Concert, Nov. 19 (Music Building, Recital Hall)
- New Dancemakers, Nov. 20-23 (Mitchell Hall, Studio 254)
- Art & Technology Night, Nov. 21-23 (Kenilworth Square East Gallery)
- UWM Steel Panthers Steel Band & Community World Music Festival, Nov. 21 (Kenilworth Square East Jan Serr Studio)
- UWM Wind Ensemble, Nov. 22 (Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts)
- Opera Scenes, Nov. 23-24 (Music Building, Recital Hall)
- Quey Percussion Duo, Dec. 2 (Music Building, Recital Hall)
- Experimental Tuesdays: From the Archives, Dec. 3 (UWM Union Art Gallery)
- Musical Theatre Capstone Performances, Dec. 4-8 (Theatre Building Mainstage Theatre)
UWM Union Art Gallery
uwm.edu/studentinvolvement/arts-and-entertainment/union-art-gallery
UW-Whitewater Crossman Gallery
UW-Whitewater Young Auditorium
Var Gallery & Studios
Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum
- We Are Reflections: Celesste Contreras, through Dec. 15
- Winterlude at the Villa, Nov. 10
- Winterlude at the Villa, Dec. 8
Village Playhouse, Wauwatosa
Voices Found
Walker's Point Center for the Arts
Warehouse Art Museum
Waukesha Civic Theatre
- Sixty Minute Shakespeare Macbeth, Nov. 15-24
- Legally Blond: The Musical, Dec. 6-22
- Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra, Dec. 7
- Joel Kopischke’s I Got Yule, Babe, Dec. 11-12
- Golden Girls Holiday Special, Dec 18-19
- Neverly Brothers: A Rock’n’Roll Tribute from Elvis to The Beatles, Dec. 28
West Allis Players
West Performing Arts Center
nbexcellence.org/community/westpac.cfm
- And Then There Were None, Nov. 8-10 (New Berlin West Players)
- Dan Lepien Band, Nov. 15
- Whiskey Belles and Tenors MKE Christmas Show, Dec. 18
Wild Space Dance Company
Windfall Theatre
Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
Wisconsin Craft
Wisconsin Lutheran College - Center for Arts and Performance
Wisconsin Philharmonic
- Harmonious Masters, Nov. 7 (Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts
Woodland Pattern Book Center
- Alternating Currents Live, Nov 17
- Formations Series for Live and Improvised Music, Nov. 21
- Tanner Menard, Dec. 14
- Formations Series for Live and Improvised Music, Dec. 19
Wustum Museum of Fine Arts
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