This Week in Milwaukee: February 9-15, 2023

Here are the Milwaukee events we are looking forward to coming up this week.

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Black History Month continues with “Magical Black Tears Experience” at MATC, The African Desperate at the Oriental and Jazz Flux at bar centro. Milwaukee Ballet presents ORIGINALS, Hairspray continues at the Marcus PAC, Lady Cannon unveils a new EP, Keys for a Cause 2, and more—This Week in Milwaukee!

Thursday, Feb. 9

Milwaukee Ballet, “Originals” @ Pabst Theater, 6:30 p.m. (Thursday through Saturday; 12:30 p.m. Sunday)

Nelly Van Bommel’s Gelem, Gelem was inspired by a childhood memory, John Schneider wrote about it. As part of the program “Originals” shepherdexpress.com/culture/dance/milwaukee-ballet-will-present-three-meaningful-originals “I still don’t know for sure what it’s about,” Van Bommel said in the article, “I think it’s a declaration of love for the Roma community, who continue to be discriminated against, and have been discriminated against ever since the world started. It’s an opportunity to show people this beauty and to support people who are very much rejected, especially in Western Europe. And it breaks my heart.”

Three choreographers stage world premieres at Milwaukee’s historic Pabst Theater. Milwaukee Ballet’s Genesis 2022 winner Price Suddarth returns with his second original work for the Company, celebrated choreographer Jennifer Archibald makes her Milwaukee debut and Milwaukee Ballet Resident Choreographer Timothy O’Donnell’s new work explores the iconic sounds of English rock band Radiohead.

The African Desperate @ Oriental Theatre, 7 p.m.

Black History Month continues with The African Desperate. It’s MFA grad Palace Bryant’s final 24 hours in art school, and she is not going to the fucking graduation party! She needs to get back home to Chicago from Upstate New York, but that means surviving a hazy, hilarious, and hallucinatory odyssey, stumbling from academic critiques to backseat hookups.

Friday, Feb. 10

Jamil Shaw–Jazz Flux @ bar centro, 8 p.m.

Jazz Flux is a group comprising some of Milwaukee’s most active performing jazz musicians: Clay Lyons, alto sax; Jamill Shaw, tenor sax; Jon Woods, guitar; Tael Estremera, piano; Ian Howard, bass and Victor Campbell, drums. The love of jazz has brought this group together to create and maintain one of America’s great musical traditions.

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The group derives its unique sound from elements of hip hop, R&B, and pop while incorporating elements of those genres into its performances of traditional jazz.

Saturday Feb. 11

Bazaar @ KindOasis, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Support local artists/makers and snack on homemade cookies as well at the East Side’s bustling CBD shop. Second Saturday of each month.

Lady Cannon w/Beams and Cedarwell @ Cactus Club, 6 p.m.

Here’s an early all-ages show. With a new EP in tow, Lady Cannon heads over to Cactus Club having warmed up last week at Tonic Tavern. They will be sharing the bill with Toronto sextet Beams, keeping jive alive with a psych-folk sound featuring female vocals harmonies, banjo and vibraphone. Sheboygan rock duo Cedarwell rounds out the lineup.

Ana Vidovic in Partnership with The Milwaukee Classical Guitar Society @ Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, 7 p.m.

Ana Vidovic began her international performing career at the age of eleven and has since become one of the most recognizable names in classical guitar. An extraordinary talent with formidable gifts taking her place amongst the elite musicians of the world today she is known for her beautiful tone, precise technique, well-defined phrasing and thoughtful artistry and musicianship.

Keys for a Cause 2: Twila Jean and Friends @ Shank Hall, 8 p.m.

This benefit for the Humane Society features some of the area's busiest and best-known rock keyboardists, Keys for a Cause pays homage to those legends of piano and synth-driven progressive rock. The inaugural event in 2020 focused on Rick Wakeman; this time it's all about Keith Emerson. The late keyboardist came to prominence with The Nice and made his name with supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer. He was the first the first artist to tour with a Moog synthesizer.

Hosted by classically trained Twila Jean, the evening also includes the talents of Carter Hunnicutt (Those Xcleavers, Xposed 4heads), keyboardist Terry Michaels, percussionist Tony Jefferson, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and composer Rob Wessel and Francesca and Tom.

Sam Llanas Band @ Linneman's, 8:30 p.m.

Sam Llanas’ string of solo albums began with 2011’s introspective 4 A.M. His trio of CDS Return of the Goya Part 1; Part 2 and Los Ochos Final were inspired in part by an acoustic guitar that was stolen in 2017.

Sunday, Feb. 12

Hairspray @ Marcus Performing Arts Center, 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Also Thursday through Saturday.

Based on John Waters film set in 1962 Baltimore, Hairspray, returns as Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy. Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Featuring the hit songs “Welcome to the ’60s,” “Good Morning Baltimore” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat.”

Monday, Feb. 13

“Magical Black Tears Experience” @ MATC Downtown, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m., Mondays through Fridays

For the month of February, MATC hosts “Magical Black Tears Experience,” a free, interactive exhibition designed for children to learn how to create a more just society for Black people. The exhibition is based on the children’s picture book Magical Black Tears: A Protest Story by Decoteau J. Irby.

Tuesday, Feb. 14

“Box of Chocolates Flight Night” @ Indeed Brewing Company, 2 p.m.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a lineup of candy-inspired beer. Indeed Brewing’s “Box of Chocolates Flight Night” will feature four candy-inspired beer infusions and the first release of cans of Indeed’s Coconut Macaroon Cream Ale. 

Box of Chocolates Flight Night infusions include Moon Dance Dry Stout infused with maple flavor and cacao nibs, Lemon Wheel Cream Ale with mixed berries and cacao nibs, Cream Ale with coconut flakes and vanilla beans, and Pistachio Cream Ale with almond flavor and cacao nibs. The lineup of candy-inspired beer infusions will be offered as a flight in the taproom on Valentine’s Day and can be packaged to-go into crowlers.

Wednesday, Feb. 15

Cas Holman, “The Power of Play: How We Can Use Imagination and Curiosity to Change the World” @ MIAD, 6 p.m.

Inventor of the Rigamajig casholman.com/design/rigamajig , award-winning toy designer and educator Cas Holman illustrates how play is a fundamental element of creativity. Using her own design work and decades of observing and facilitating play, Holman explains how play inspires unexpected outcomes and allows for new discoveries. Free, registration required: eventbrite.com/e/miad-creativity-series-tickets-511020966467.