The Ballad of Josef K.

Franz Kafka’s most famous book is now a stage play starring puppets, marionettes and a rock/Americana band. The Milwaukee Mask & Puppet Theatre’s latest presentation, The Ballad of Josef K., finds novel ways to suggest the various interpretations of Kafka’s The Trial, using a new script to convey the humor and horror in Kafka’s story without binding themselves to the novel’s structure. There’s very little in the way of dialogue; instead, the play, which debuts tonight and runs through April 13 at the Marcus Center, relies heavily on an original set of songs from the Minneapolis band Thunder in the Valley. Tonight’s performance is at 7:30 p.m.