During his brief life, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart changed the very nature of symphonic and chamber music, as well as opera. In the next few weeks, Wisconsin fans will be treated to contrasting sides of the master’s operatic style, as Wisconsin’s premier opera companies mount two of his greatest works.
John McGivern, Adam O’Neil and Alycia Ruge in rehearsal for UW-Whitewater’s production of “Our Town.” -Photo: Emily Webb
Known for his folksy solo shows, many of them about life in Wisconsin, John McGivern is beloved for his ability to make audiences laugh and cry – sometimes simultaneously. A veteran character actor who’s worked in multiple media, McGivern will be seen next in the role of Stage Manager in UW-Whitewater Theatre/Dance Department’s production of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.” The production, which coincides with the classic play’s 75th anniversary, is also part of Southeastern Wisconsin’s fifth Big Read project. Sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest, the Big Read encourages communities to read and discuss great books and writers.
The Miami Gay and Lesbian Film Festival will honor actor-author-director James Franco with an ally award on April 27 at the Olympia Theater in downtown Miami.
The festival runs April 26-May 5.
Prince Poppycock, aka John Quale, made one of the more enduring impressions on audiences and judges when he appeared as a contestant on “America’s Got Talent” in 2010. Attired in elaborate costuming as a baroque dandy – right down to the powdered wig and lacy sleeves – the prince was proclaimed “the male Lady Gaga” by judge Sharon Osbourne.
Kris Andersson as Miss Dixie Longate, one of the world’s foremost Tupperware salespeople. -Photo: Courtesy
Dixie Longate has two credos by which she lives: Never break character and never question the sanctity of re-sealable plastic food containers.
The Milwaukee suburb of Shorewood is known as an exceptionally well-educated and progressive community, and next month Shorewood High School will test the limits of the area’s progressive values when it stages “Spring Awakening.”
HBO Films will first air “Behind the Candelabra,” the cable film feature starring Michael Douglas as Liberace and Matt Damon as Liberace's lover Scott Thorson, on May 26.
HBO is promising a big show – as evidenced in a news release that begins: “Before Elvis, before Elton John, Madonna and Lady Gaga, there was Liberace: virtuoso pianist, outrageous entertainer and flamboyant star of stage and television. A name synonymous with showmanship, extravagance and candelabras, he was a world- renowned performer with a flair that endeared him to his audiences and created a loyal fan base spanning his 40-year career.”
Terry Baxter and Prince Poppycock at the Manor in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., last year. -Photo: Courtesy Terry Baxter
He calls his fans “Poppies” and they come from all over the world to pay homage, ranging in age from 18 to 80. Carrying flash cameras and cell phones, they lovingly record his majesty’s every move, connect with other like-minded minions on Facebook, dish about the latest performance and schedule meet-ups to gush about their prince.
Eva Longoria shows off the three finalists from “Do Me a Flavor.” -Photo: Courtesy Frito-Lay
Growing up in Milwaukee, we evaluated local brands of potato chips for their crispness, saltiness and other intrinsic characteristics. Admittedly, our judgments were guided by personal taste.
Top, taking in the view from the top of the mountain. -Photos: courtesy visitgaypalmsprings.com
With spring so late in arriving this year, winter-weary Wisconsin residents can’t be blamed for dreaming of a warm-weather getaway.
There’s a scene in “42” in which Jackie Robinson, the first black player in Major League Baseball, endures intolerably cruel racial slurs from the Philadelphia Phillies’ manager.
It’s early in the 1947 season. Each time the Brooklyn Dodgers’ first baseman comes up to bat, manager Ben Chapman emerges from the dugout, stands on the field and taunts him with increasingly personal and vitriolic attacks. It’s a visible struggle, but No. 42 maintains his composure before a crowd of thousands.
The ancient Incas relied on its nutritional and restorative powers. The Spanish conquistadors forbade its cultivation by native peoples they sought to enslave. Now the entire world is turning its attention to what may be the original “super food.”
