Arts & Entertainment
Skylight Music Theatre Announces Black History Month Events
Soul Review Saturday, Feb. 19 Pay-What-You-Wish Cabaret
Forgotten Voices Free On-Demand During February
In-Person Monday Night Dance Break Classes Feb. 21 & 28
Milwaukee, Wis. (February 4, 2022) — Skylight Music Theatre announced special events taking place in February in celebration of Black History Month. Skylight is Milwaukee’s professional Equity music theatre company. Safety requirements are in effect, including masks while indoors and proof of vaccination or negative Covid test before entering the building.
One-Night-Only “Soul Review” Cabaret
Soul Review, a one-night-only cabaret, will be presented on Saturday, February 19 at 7 p.m. The show stars three of Skylight’s favorite performers, Raven Dockery, Shawn Holmes, and Kevin James Sievert singing with an on-stage band, live in the Studio Theater at the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward.
Soul Review features songs by Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Earth Wind and Fire and Stevie Wonder, among others. The three performers are longtime friends who have often worked together on the Skylight stage.
“In addition to great tunes and witty banter, your soul is guaranteed to be moved,” said Dockery. The trio will be accompanied by a three-piece band of piano, guitar and percussion led by Paul Sucherman.
Soul Review is pay-what-you-can, with a suggested amount of $20. The Skylight Bar & Bistro, located on the second floor of the Broadway Theatre Center, will be open one hour before and one hour after the Soul Review cabaret. Skylight Bar & Bistro is operated by Sabrosa Cafe & Gallery. More information about Skylight Bar & Bistro is here.
“Forgotten Voices” Filmed Presentation Free in February
Skylight Music Theatre will offer free access during the month of February to the virtual production Forgotten Voices – Unearthing the Roots of American Music. In celebration of the contribution of Black artists, Forgotten Voices was directed and written by Sheri Williams Pannell and music directed and curated by Christie Chiles Twillie in honor of Juneteenth in 2021.
“Forgotten Voices came from our passion, knowledge, and desire to correct misinformation, especially when it comes to the African American experience and music,” said Pannell. In a musical and theatrical journey, Forgotten Voices highlights how musical roots encompass harmonies and rhythms of West Africa, which then became Freedom Songs, Spirituals and Blues, on through Ragtime, Dixieland, Country, Swing, BeBop, Jazz, Gospel, Rock n’ Roll and beyond.
Access to Forgotten Voices is free, but donations are encouraged. Visit www.skylightmusictheatre.org/
“Monday Night Dance Break” Classes
Music theatre dance classes celebrating Black History Month will be held on Monday, February 21 and Monday, February 28 at 7 p.m. in the Broadway Theatre Center 4th floor rehearsal studio. The classes will be taught by two local choreographers, Wanyah Frazier and Christopher Gilbert. Monday Night Dance Break classes are one hour 15 minutes and cost $15, payable at the door.
Frazier is a Milwaukee native and founder of Wolf Studios. Outside of leading his successful studio, he is a producer and photographer focusing on increasing opportunities within the Milwaukee area arts community. Gilbert is a professional dancer, choreographer, and motivational speaker, who aims to promote joy and help people celebrate their unique qualities and best selves through dance. To register or for more information contact Amanda Rosmann at AmandaR@skylightmusictheatre.
Soul Review Box Office Information
Soul Review Cabaret
Saturday, February 19, doors open 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7 p.m.
Length: 75 minutes
General admission seating. Studio Theater in the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI. 53202.
Pay-what-you-wish. Suggested ticket price of $20.
Tickets available in advance or prior to showtime at the Broadway Theatre Center Box Office. Call (414) 291-7800, visit 158 N. Broadway, Monday – Saturday, from noon – 6 p.m. or email tickets@skylightmusictheatre.
Safety requirements are in effect, including masks while indoors and proof of vaccination or negative Covid test.
Soul Review Cast Biographies
Raven Dockery was last seen at Skylight Music Theatre in Little Shop of Horrors as Ronette. Other Skylight roles include Ismene in The Gospel at Colonus, Lula Buffington in Violet, Velma in Crowns, Asaka in Once on this Island and Dionne in Hair. Dockery appeared in the KidsWrites: Me, Myself and I tour and Raven and Ryan on Shuffle, a part of the Cabaret Series. She is a teaching and performing artist. Dockery performed with Paramount Theatre, Barn Theatre, First Stage and Milwaukee Rep. She received her Bachelors in Fine Arts from UW-Milwaukee and her Masters in Music from Carthage College. Raven currently teaches at Carthage College and is also a licensed cosmetologist.
Shawn Holmes was last seen at Skylight Music Theatre in The Full Monty. In addition to Skylight, Holmes has performed throughout Wisconsin at Florentine Opera, First Stage, Middleton Players Theatre, Black Arts MKE, and Four Seasons Theatre. Favorite roles include: Coalhouse Walker Jr. from Ragtime (winner of best actor in a musical – Broadway World), Sebastian the Crab in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and Jacob in La Cage aux Folles at Skylight (winner of Best Supporting Actor in a musical – Footlight Awards).
Kevin James Sievert is an actor, singer, choreographer and musician based in Wisconsin. Sievert has been seen previously in Skylight Music Theatre’s productions of Little Shop of Horrors, Hot Mikado, Urinetown, Disney’s Newsies, The Gospel at Colonus and Five Guys Named Moe as Little Moe. Other Milwaukee credits include Carrie: The Musical with Outskirts Theatre and has served as choreographer for Waukesha South’s 2020 production of Pippin.
Parking
Purchase $5 parking vouchers from the Broadway Theatre Center Box office for use in the Historic Third Ward parking garage at 212 N. Milwaukee Street (one block east and one block north). Vouchers are valid between 5 p.m. and 11:59 p.m. for the evening performance. Voucher sales stop 30 minutes before showtime. Meter parking is available on the street (free after 6 p.m. and on Sundays).
Health & Safety Protocols
Skylight Music Theatre has joined other Milwaukee performing arts organizations in requiring proof of vaccination or negative Covid test within 72 hours of performance along with valid photo ID for all audience members ages 12 and up. In addition, Skylight requires audiences to be masked at all times while indoors, regardless of vaccination status. For up-to-date information, please visit www.skylightmusictheatre.org/
About Skylight Music Theatre
Skylight Music Theatre is a proud Cornerstone Member of the United Performing Arts Fund.
Founded in 1959, Skylight is Milwaukee’s professional Equity music theatre company and the largest employer of Wisconsin actors in the state. Skylight produces the full spectrum of music theatre ranging from blockbuster Broadway musicals to reimagined operas, and from exciting world premieres to contemporary off-Broadway hits. Skylight’s mainstage home is the Cabot Theatre in the Broadway Theatre Center, which was built by Skylight in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward in 1992. Skylight Music Theatre marks its 62nd season in 2021-2022.
PRESS ROOM: Celebrate Soulfully Returns to Walt Disney World Resort as it Debuts at Disneyland Resort This February
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. and ANAHEIM, Calif. (Jan. 31, 2022) – Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort invite guests to celebrate soulfully with experiences that honor Black History Month and pay tribute to Black heritage and culture through music, food, art and more. Celebrate Soulfully is back for a second consecutive year, with new and returning offerings at Walt Disney World Resort throughout the year. And for the first time, Celebrate Soulfully is introduced at Disneyland Resort with experiences in February and beyond.
Celebrate Soulfully is one of the ways Disney Parks is reimagining tomorrow.
Music: Live Performances Energize Select Disney Locations with R&B, Gospel and More
Celebrate Soulfully puts the spotlight on Black talent while inviting family and friends to enjoy experiences that feed the soul.
- “Celebrate Gospel” brings together award-winning Gospel Music stars Kierra Sheard on Feb. 19, and then Jonathan McReynolds and Mali Music on Feb. 26, for a powerful event at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, CA. Gospel singers and community choirs are also part of the show on both Saturdays, beginning at 3 p.m. on the Fantasyland Theater stage.
- Throughout February, Downtown Disney District will celebrate with nightly outdoor concerts covering genres such as R&B, reggae, funk and jazz, plus Saturday afternoon Gospel performances. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa offers nightly jazz.
- Live performances of Motown favorites, jazz, R&B and pop hits return to Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort throughout February.
- The Tam Tam Drummers of Harambe will bring rhythms of the Congo to Mombasa Marketplace in Africa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World Resort.
- Also at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, is A Celebration of Festival of the Lion King, a Broadway-style show filled with pageantry puppetry and classic songs from Disney’s The Lion King.
Food: Black Culture Inspires New Culinary Creations
Guests can discover celebratory eats inspired by Black stories and new dishes brought to life by Black chefs at select locations throughout Walt Disney World Resort. And across Walt Disney World Resort, “Cooking with Soul” featured menu items will spotlight soul food dishes and the talented chefs who create them. Highlights of these, plus creole cuisine at Disneyland Resort, include:
- Brunch and happy hour menus at Disney Springs dining destinations at Walt Disney World Resort will include Wine Bar George, House of Blues, City Works Eatery & Pour House, STK and Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’.
- Treats inspired by Disney and Pixar’s “Soul” and Walt Disney Animation Studio’s “The Princess and the Frog” at Amorette’s Patisserie and The Ganachery at Disney Springs.
- Dishes that pay tribute to African recipes and historic Black chefs can be found throughout Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at Walt Disney World.
- Menu items at Refreshment Outpost in EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort, draw inspiration from the flavors of Eastern Africa.
- Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen at Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort celebrates creole cuisine, including the popular NOLA BBQ Shrimp & Grits.
Art: Locations Across Disney Parks Showcase Works by Black Creatives
Guests can be immersed in art and exhibits that celebrate the work of Black artists and visionaries at locations across Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. Here are some examples at Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort and Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort.
- Since its inaugural debut last year, “The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure” exhibit in The American Adventure at EPCOT has showcased the rich and dynamic evolution of jazz. The exhibit has traveled to museums across the country and expanded to include histories from Kansas City and Harlem.
- After being unveiled at Disney Springs last year, murals inspired by Disney and Pixar’s “Soul,” created by emerging Black artists Bee Harris, Bianca Pastel, Arrington Porter and Cory Van Lew, will make their debut at Downtown Disney District.
- In anticipation of “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” series on Disney+, art displays inspired by Penny Proud and her family will appear at both Downtown Disney District and Disney Springs. Plus, guests can learn more about Bruce Smith, the show’s creator and executive producer.
- A live chalk-art installation will come to life each week as chalk muralist Marcella Swett reveals new murals at Downtown Disney District.
- At Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, guests can meet talented African artisans at Mombasa Marketplace and even take some of their unique craftworks home.
As Celebrate Soulfully festivities continue throughout the month of February and beyond, guests can learn more about these experiences on DisneyParks.com/Blog and Disney Parks social channels via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
Visit Disneyworld.com and Disneyland.com for more details. Both theme park tickets and park reservations are required for park entry. Park reservations are limited and subject to availability. Offers and experiences are subject to restrictions, and change or cancellation without notice. Park admission and offerings are not guaranteed.
Titanic One Day Sale Begins Next Monday – Save The Date!
Ja’Siah Young Returns in Starring Role in Netflix Sci-Fi Series ‘Raising Dion’ Season 2 Premiering Tuesday, February 1
Ja’Siah Young Returns in Starring Role in Netflix Sci-Fi Series ‘Raising Dion’ Season 2 Premiering Tuesday, February 1 at 12 a.m. PST
Watch ‘Raising Dion’ Season 2 Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
(Easton, PA) Ja’Siah Young reprises his starring role as Dion Warren, a 10-year-old boy learning how to control his superpowers and defeat monsters. Two years after its 2019 debut, the series based on Dennis Liu’s comic book and the short film returns to Netflix Tuesday, February 1 at 12 a.m. PST.
After the death of her husband Mike (Michael B. Jordan), Dion’s mother Nicole (Alisha Wainwright) struggled to help her son figure out how to use his newfound powers. In Season 2, Dion becomes more adept at utilizing his special talents with the help of his trainer Tevin (Rome Flynn) from the biotechnology firm Biona. Young explains, “Telekinesis, definitely better. There’s wielding energy. Remember the basement scene from Season 1 where I’m trying to hold the fireball and I lose control of it? He’s definitely better at that. His agility is definitely way better. His invisibility, that not so much as everything else. That’s the one thing that he’s still working on.”
Young is excited about the new season and loves playing a kid superhero on television. “I get the chance to inspire young kids to get to know that anything is possible,” he says. “The older you get, you begin to realize that you can’t become a hero or have superpowers, but I get to be that voice. There are other ways you can be a superhero. You can be a superhero of the earth. You could pick up trash and stop littering. Or you could be someone like my dad, he’s a detective. You could be a police officer, a fireman. You could be a doctor.”
About Raising Dion
“Raising Dion” follows the story of Nicole (Alisha Wainwright) and her son Dion (Ja’Siah Young) after Dion starts to manifest several mysterious, superhero-like abilities. Two years after defeating the Crooked Man (Jason Ritter), Season Two follows Dion as he continues honing his powers with the support of his mom and Tevin (Rome Flynn), his Biona trainer who catches Nicole’s eye. After befriending new student Brayden (Griffin Robert Faulkner) – a fellow powered kid – a series of alarming events unfold, and Dion learns that danger is still looming. Navigating twists, turns, and surprise visitors, Dion and Nicole must prevail again — not just to save themselves, but the entire city of Atlanta.
About Ja’Siah Young
A native of Easton, PA, Ja’Siah made his theatrical film debut playing Zoe Kravitz’s son in “Rough Night” also starring Scarlett Johansson. He has also appeared in “Nicole and O.J.” (2019), “Law & Order: SVU” (2019), Nickelodeon’s “Sunny Day” (2018) and many other commercials, print and other work.
Milwaukee’s First Stage and Ko-Thi Dance Company in collaboration present The Dancing Granny
-A fun, interactive First Steps production that kids and adults will enjoy together-
Milwaukee, WI – January 27, 2022 – Next up in First Stage’s 2021/22 season will be THE DANCING GRANNY, a play by Mansa Ra adapted from the children’s book by beloved author/illustrator Ashley Bryan. The production is part of First Stage’s First Steps Series which introduces younger audiences to live theater. Based on an African folktale, the play is a joyful celebration of storytelling, song, movement, community and the beauty of everyday life. First Stage Director of Inclusion and Community Engagement Samantha D. Montgomery will direct this production and Ko-Thi Dance Company Artistic Director DeMar Walker provides choreography, as well as plays the roles of Old Man and Ananse the Spider. The production will also feature live drumming with Kameron “Keon” Sykes. Kids and adults will be dancing in their seats as Ananse, the clever spider of African folklore, tries to trick Granny into dancing away from her garden so he can take her vegetables. But his plan backfires when he is drawn into the dance himself. “Shake it to the East, shake it to the West, shake it to the one that you love best!” Sponsored by PNC. Performance runtime is approximately 45 minutes, with no intermission. Suggested for families with young people ages 3-7+.
THE DANCING GRANNY runs February 12 – March 6, 2022 at Goodman Mainstage Hall at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, located at 325 W. Walnut Street in downtown Milwaukee. Tickets are $15. Tickets are available online at firststage.org or through the First Stage Box Office at (414) 267-2961.
Director Samantha D. Montgomery had this to say about THE DANCING GRANNY: “I am excited about First Stage and Ko-Thi collaborating and working together to share Mansa Ra’s adaptation of Ashley Bryan’s THE DANCING GRANNY with the community. This is a wonderful opportunity for families to share, laugh, strengthen their bond and enjoy one another as they listen to the voice and move to the rhythm of this African folklore.”
Choreographer/Ko-Thi Artistic Director DeMar Walker also commented: “THE DANCING GRANNY will bring together two Milwaukee artistic forces celebrating the amazing cultural legacy of oral tradition and storytelling within the Black theatrical experience. I feel this production runs in tandem with the conceptual works that Ko-Thi Dance Company has performed in recent years for audiences of various ages and backgrounds. We are beyond thrilled to showcase our versatility and virtuosity during this unprecedented time with the incomparable First Stage children’s theater.”
Added First Stage Artistic Director Jeff Frank, “We are honored to work with our friends at Ko-Thi Dance Company to bring to life this adaptation by beloved author/illustrator Ashley Bryan. This show will make you want to get up and move!”
BIOGRAPHIES
Mansa Ra (Playwright) was born Jiréh Breon Holder, in Memphis, Tennessee. He is the only child of a first-generation undergraduate and doctoral degree recipient, single mother and beloved community leader. He made his debut as a playwright with TOO HEAVY FOR YOUR POCKET. The New York Times named him a “Marquee Name, Now in the Making” while New Yorker praised him as “a gifted writer who will be amazing to watch as his work grows.” After the pandemic, he returned to New York City with IN THE SOUTHERN BREEZE (Rattlestick Theater, NYC). The play pulls from the author’s own suicide letter to give encouragement to other queer Black men. TheaterMania named it one of their “6 Favorite Theater Productions of 2021” while The New York Times praised it as “formally ambitious” and a “tender tribute to previous generations of Black Americans.” His precise poetic realism for the stage has also carried into his work in film and television, which includes NBC’s hit drama New Amsterdam. In Spring 2022, the Roundabout Theatre Company will present …WHAT THE END WILL BE, a meditation on generational trauma. It asks a potent question: how can we rebuild our families in the face of tragedy? The production will feature Keith Randolph Smith (JITNEY, Spike Lee’s Malcolm X) and Erik King (Dexter, Oz) as an estranged father and son trying to reconcile in the face of Covid and cancer. Mansa Ra was educated at Central High School, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Emory University and earned an MFA in Playwriting from the Yale School of Drama. Between plays, he teaches at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Mansa Ra lives in West Hollywood with his fiancé and their beautiful dog, Harriet.
Samantha D. Montgomery (Director/Director of Artistic Inclusion and Community Engagement) is a performance artist who is committed to the process of learning. She has worked in both traditional and non-traditional educational settings. Teaching is her passion, connectivity is her goal and working collaboratively in unity to nurture trust, acceptance, inclusion and community is her commitment. She has enjoyed working at First Stage as a Teaching Artist and is grateful for the opportunity to work as the Artistic Inclusion and Community Engagement Director. Samantha is a member of Actors’ Equity Association. She holds a BA from Alverno College in Professional Communication, a MS from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Administrative Leadership and Supervision in Adult Education and a MA from Alverno College in Education.
DeMar Walker (Choreographer, Old Man/Ananse the Spider) is the Artistic Director of Ko-Thi Dance Company. He has performed and choreographed in the following productions: WORDS FROM THE SOLE, THE SWEET GRASS PROJECT, IMANI: A TRIBUTE TO WEST AFRICA, VIBRATIONS: RHYTHMIC MOTION, UJIMA and the recent production of JUBA-LEE which premiered in August 2019, celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary. He is primarily trained in West African and Afro-Caribbean techniques. He has also received training in hip hop/social, jazz, ballet and contemporary dance techniques. From 2014 – 2021, DeMar served as an Associate Lecturer of African Diasporic dance at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee – Peck School of the Arts/Department of Dance. DeMar has performed with Wildspace Dance Company and Fist & Heel Performance Group. He has traveled to the countries of Guinea and Senegal to train, research and perform in international workshops with Youssouf Koumbassa, Patrick Acgony, Alesandra Seutin and Thomas Talawa Presto at Ecole Des Sables. DeMar is also a contributor to the 2020 publication entitled Black in the Middle: An Anthology of the Black Midwest. In Fall 2021, he directed and released his first dance short film The Beckoning which has been screened in multiple local, national and international film festivals. It has received several accolades including the 2021 Mozaik Philanthropy Future Art Award, as well as Best Film and Best Director at the VOICES HEARD segment at the 2021 Milwaukee International Short Film Festival. Currently, DeMar is also a first-year graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in English at Marquette University with a research focus in Black performing arts history within the Midwestern United States.
Jeff Frank (Artistic Director) is recognized as one of the top directors in the field with an expertise in developing new work for the theater for young audience field. He holds a BFA in Theater from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater, and an MFA in Child Drama from the University of Utah. Having served as First Stage’s Education and Academy Director from 1996 – 2003, Jeff remains committed to the power of theater to transform lives and forever thankful to call First Stage home.
ADULT CAST
Marina Murphy (Anika the Granny); DeMar Walker (Old Man/Ananse the Spider); Kameron “Keon” Sykes (Musician/Sun who Drums); Sonya Thompson (Understudy for Marina Murphy); Christopher DeAngelo Gilbert (Understudy for DeMar Walker) and Deonte Ellis (Understudy for Kameron “Keon” Sykes).
YOUNG PERFORMER CASTS
Young Performer roles are double cast. Young Performers in the Whirl Cast include: Kiomara Thompson(Wauwatosa) as Earth and Genevieve Gaertner (River Hills) as Wind.
Young Performers in the Twirl Cast include: Terynn Erby-Walker (Milwaukee) as Earth and Abbie Cashman (Shorewood) as Wind.
The Artistic Staff for THE DANCING GRANNY includes: Samantha D. Montgomery (Director/ Director ofArtistic Inclusion and Community Engagement); DeMar Walker (Choreographer); Sydney Lynne Thomas(Scenic Designer); Sarah Hamilton (Lighting Designer); Sonya Thompson (Costume Designer); Dane Urban, Member of Actors’ Equity Association, (Stage Manager) and Carrie Johns (Assistant Stage Manager).
Tickets are $15 – Tickets may be purchased at firststage.org or by phone (414) 267-2961.
Special events for THE WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM – 1963
Pay What You Choose Performance: Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 2 p.m.
Pay What You Choose tickets are available on a first come, first served basis with a minimum suggested donation of $5 per person. Doors open at 1:00 p.m. on the day of the performance. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early.
ASL Interpreted Performance: Sunday, March 6, 2022 at 2 p.m.
This performance will be sign language interpreted for patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing. Assistive listening devices are also available at the Todd Wehr Theater.
Sensory Friendly Performance: Sunday, February 27, 2022 at 2 p.m.
A Sensory Friendly Performance with accommodations for families with children on the autism spectrum will take place on Sunday, February 27, 2022 at 2 p.m. Sensory accommodations include lower sound, house lights up, a quiet area staffed by an educator experienced with the care of students on the autism spectrum and other developmental differences, and more. Tickets for Sensory Friendly Performances are $10. Order by phone at (414) 267-2961, weekdays 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. to reserve tickets. To learn more visit: firststage.org/plan-
COVID Protocols: First Stage COVID safety protocols and updates can be viewed here: firststage.org/plan-
What: First Stage presents THE DANCING GRANNY
A collaboration with Ko-Thi Dance Company
By Mansa Ra, adapted from the book by Ashley Bryan
Directed by Samantha D. Montgomery
Choreography by DeMar Walker
Sponsored by PNC
Location: The Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, 325 W. Walnut Street, Milwaukee
Dates: February 12, 2021 – March 6, 2022
Description: Kids and adults will be dancing in their seats as Ananse, the clever spider of African folklore, tries to trick Granny into dancing away from her garden so he can take her vegetables. But his plan backfires when he is drawn into the dance himself. “Shake it to the East, shake it to the West, shake it to the one that you love best!” Performance runtime is approximately 45 minutes, with no intermission. Suggested for families with young people ages 3-7+.
Performances:
• Saturday, February 12 at 11:00 a.m. (SOLD OUT) & 2:00 p.m.
• Sunday, February 13 at 11:00 a.m.
• Saturday, February 19 at 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
• Sunday, February 20 at 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. (PAY WHAT YOU CHOOSE PERFORMANCE AT 2:00 P.M.)
• Saturday, February 26 at 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
• Sunday, February 27 at 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. (SENSORY FRIENDLY PERFORMANCE AT 2:00 P.M.)
• Saturday, March 5 at 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m.
• Sunday, March 6 at 11:00 a.m. & 2:00 p.m. (ASL PERFORMANCE AT 2:00 P.M.)
Ticket and information: Tickets are $15. Call (414) 267-2961 or online at: firststage.org
###
About First Stage
First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families. First Stage touches hearts, engages minds and transforms lives by creating extraordinary theater experiences through professional theater productions that inspire, enlighten and entertain. Its Theater Academy, the nation’s largest high-impact theater training program for young people, fosters life skills through stage skills and serves nearly 2,000 students each year. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-integrated education in schools, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education programs promote literacy, character building and experiential learning throughout the curriculum, serving over 20,000 students each year. First Stage was selected to participate in the Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (2012) and was the recipient of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Eureka Award, recognizing creativity and innovation in business, education and the arts for its Next Steps program for students on the autism spectrum (2013, 2015). First Stage is a member of TYA/USA, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, Milwaukee Arts Partners and is a cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF). firststage.org
About Ko-Thi Dance Company
Ko-Thi Dance Company inspires discovery and community celebration through African and Caribbean dance and music. Their mission is to passionately preserve, teach and present these cultures to multiple generations, to celebrate the beauty of traditional African and Caribbean art by translating these diverse cultures for modern audiences; to support teachers and curricula in social studies, geography, math and language, and to help foster greater passion, acceptance, cultural pride and respect.
Founded in 1969, Ko-Thi Dance Company was developed during a time in American history when Black Americans were searching for their roots and connections to the continent of Africa. The arts played a crucial role in this re-connection, recapturing and rediscovering history and culture through dance, song, music, visual arts and theater. Nearly fifty-three years later, KTDC continues the work begun at its inception: to train and develop Wisconsin-based artists in traditional African and Caribbean arts. KTDC inspires artists who are dedicated to African and Caribbean music and dance – artists who are nurtured and enriched by its artistic and educational programming. Learn more at ko-thi.org
Ko-Thi Dance Company gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of CAMPAC, the Milwaukee Arts Board, Forward Community Investments, the Highpoint Fund, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the Wisconsin Arts Board and the National Endowment for the Arts, whose recent support includes an American Rescue Plan grant in the amount of $150,000.
Coming soon to Acacia!
|
|
|
|
Sidney Poitier and me – in Milwaukee and New York
By Richard G. Carter
As a Milwaukee-born Black journalist and devotee of vintage films who has kept the notes of all my significant interviews, my first exposure to Black movie actors was, as a callow youth, 1943’s saucy “Stormy Weather.” It featured wonderful singers and dancers in non-threatening roles. I didn’t see 1939’s “Gone With the Wind” – with Oscar-winning Hattie McDaniel — until one of its re-releases years later.
Thus, among the highlights of my long career, was my welcome discovery of the late, great serious Sidney Poitier – who just passed away at 94. This occurred in his sensitive, yet strong role as a young South African minister in 1952’s “Cry the Beloved Country.” And I remember it like it was only yesterday.
I told Sidney – years ago — I had been even more impressed by his work as an idealistic doctor in 1950’s “No Way Out.” In it, he had to endure vile, anti-Black epithets by sneering, White racist gangster, Richard Widmark, who taunted him and called him “nigger.”
“How did you feel about that?” I asked Sidney, during our up-close-and personal 1963 Milwaukee Star interview, following his appearance at the Strand Theater on W. Wisconsin Ave., at the local premier of his Academy Award-winning role in ”Lillies of the Field.”
“Widmark was a great actor and a really nice guy, and no way was he racist,” he told me. “In fact, Widmark apologized to me, during a break in the shooting. I told him to forget it, we were only acting.” I then said that although I loved his work in “Lilies,” I much preferred him in tougher roles – eliciting a smile.”
As for my mother, Juanita Carter,” I added, “she loved you as Walter Lee Younger and, especially, Claudia McNeil as your mother, in 1961’s “ A Raisin in the Sun.” Mrs. Carter always said she saw some of herself in Claudia, whose work she truly admired.
”Oh, yeah, I can understand that,” Sidney said. “Claudia was remarkable. She epitomized the strong, Black family matriarch, and helped me and the rest of the cast – Ruby Dee, Diana Sands and Lou Gossett – be so much better.”
In 1988 — during our New York Daily News interview in a hotel — I said my fave role for him was in 1965’s taut, Cold War drama, “The Bedford Incident.” In it, he played a noted magazine writer, again co-starring Widmark.
His reply: “Why do you like that so much? Most people who interview me say they prefer “The Defiant Ones.”
“Sure, you were great in that one,” I said, “and so was Tony Curtis. “You got that right,” said Sidney, commenting on the 1958 breakthrough, Black-White buddy movie. “Tony was a very underrated actor.”
“But as a Black journalist who has struggled to make it,” I said, “I think I identified with your journalist role in ‘The Bedford Incident’ and, especially, how you pressed Widmark – the pro-war captain of a nuclear navy vessel. You really took it to him.”
“Thanks, man,” he said. “And by the way, I do remember you from Milwaukee in 1963. I got a long memory.”
Before ending, I mentioned that I’d recently run into his pal and frequent co-star, Harry Belafonte, walking along Madison Ave. ”He looked great, and so do you.”
In concluding, I said: “By the way, I still wonder why, at 28, you played a teenage high-school student in 1955’s ‘Blackboard Jungle.’ “
“So do I,” he laughed.
Rest in peace, Sidney. You were the best.
Milwaukee native Richard G. Carter, is a freelance columnist
World Premiere “Antonio’s Song” debuts at Milwaukee Rep Jan 27 – March 6
- Community Guest Responders and Dialogue Circles following performances on Wednesday and Thursdays. After the performance, a member of the community will give a 5 minute response to themes in the show and Audiences will then be invited to join a dialogue circle in the lobby space facilitated by the Zeidler Group. Guest Responders include Brooks Griffin (corporate social responsibilities coordinator at Milwaukee Bucks), Sheri Williams Pannell (co-founder and Artistic Director of Bronzeville Arts Ensemble, founder of Black Theater Festival and head of Musical Theater at UWM), Brandi Reed (Milwaukee Rep Teaching artist), Patrick Rath (UPAF CEO), Jamie Kellicut (Community Engagement and Indigenous Affairs Director at HIR Wellness Institute) and more.
- Panel Discussions are held after the Sunday Matinee Performances. Topics include toxic masculinity, stigma and abuse on February 20; and generation expectations and family responsibilities on February 27.
N MEMORIAM: EXCLUSIVE — [AUDIO] Bill Cosby’s Tribute to His Friend and Frequent Co-Star, Sidney Poitier
By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire National Correspondent
In an exclusive phone call with the Black Press of America, Bill Cosby said he will miss his long-time friend and co-star.
“He was honored by AFI. And, along with many stars of the stage, screen, politics and higher education who came out to speak, I brought with me the paperback of his autobiography and I said of all groundbreaking movies that Sidney starred in this book is the real story of this man and his journey,” Cosby remarked. “I am honored to have been close enough to him and work and work on serious matters.