art and entertainment - january 2010

Complete address of sites is listed with first mention. Area codes of phone numbers are 414 unless shown otherwise. Please confirm events when possible; listings subject to change.

MUSIC

NOTE: At Potawatomi Bingo Casino, no one under 21 is allowed in the theater under any circumstances.

TRINITY • THREE IRISH PUBS LIVE MUSIC, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights; Trinity • Three Irish Pubs, 125 E. Juneau Ave. 1/1 Cerfus, 1/2 Zachary Wade, 1/8 The Dirty Boogie, 1/9 Shag, 1/15 Scott Rockitt Band, 1/16 Boo the Band, 1/22 The Kingfish, 1/23 Marc Ballini, 1/29 The Bystanders, 1/30 Southbound.10 p.m. 278-7033.

COUNTY CLARE LIVE MUSIC, Jan. 7, 14, 21 & 28; County Clare pub/restaurant, 1234 N. Astor St. Barry Dodd performs at 10 p.m. Phone for additional listings. 272-5273.

PLAID TIDINGS, through Jan. 3; Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway. The Plaids return from their untimely death to bring a little harmony to the world, via hits from the ‘50s and ‘60s. Presented by Skylight Opera Theatre. 291-7800.

HOLMES AND WATSON: A MUSICAL MYSTERY, through Jan. 3; Stackner Cabaret, Milwaukee Theater Center, 108 E. Wells St. Sherlock Holmes and his faithful friend find themselves trapped in a locked room. 224-9490.

THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT: A NIGHT WITH COLIN AND PAULA CABOT, through Jan. 10; Broadway Theatre Center. A look back on the history of Skylight Opera Theatre as well as a fresh take on selections from Noel Coward to Stephen Sondheim. 291-7800.

CIRQUE DE LA SYMPHONIE, Jan. 1-3; Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St. Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) symphonic repertoire sets the stage as aerialists fly overhead and acrobatic feats are performed to classical music. 8 p.m. Fri. and Sat., 2:30 p.m. Sun. 291-7605.

DREAMGIRLS, Jan. 5-10; Marcus Center. Rags-to-riches story of a 1960s motown girl group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune.

PEARL BAILEY ... BY REQUEST, Jan. 8-Feb. 28; Stackner Cabaret, Milwaukee Theater Center. A musical tribute to the irrepressible “Ambassador of Love.” Bailey’s infectious sultry tones are underscored by her remarkable wit in an evening of memorable swing, jazz and Broadway show tunes. Presented by Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

TRIBUTE TO THE KING, Jan. 12-15; Potawatomi Bingo Casino, Northern Lights Theater, 1921 W. Canal St. Starring Ryan Pelton. 7:30 p.m. 847-7922, 800-745- 3000.

PHIL VASSAR, Jan. 18-20; Potawatomi Bingo Casino. 8 p.m.

MOSER PLAYS SHOSTAKOVICH, Jan. 15-16; Marcus Center. MSO’s cellist plays the haunting First Cello Concerto. 8 p.m.

BRANDY CARLILE, Jan. 21; Pabst Theater, 144 E. Wells St. 8 p.m. 286-3663.

ANTHONY BOURDAIN, Jan. 22; The Riverside, 116 W. Wisconsin Ave. 8 p.m. 286-3663.

HEATHER MORAN: ROSIE! A TRIBUTE, Jan. 22-23; Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts, 19805 W. Capitol Dr. Musical adventure spanning the 40-year career of the great Girl Singer, Rosemary Clooney. 8 p.m. 262-781-9520.

FLITER PLAYS MOZART, Jan. 29-30; Marcus Center. Ingrid Fliter performs Mozart's enchanted Piano Concerto No. 23. Plus, Wagner's thrilling Prelude to "Die Meistersinger". 8 p.m.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, Jan. 29-Feb. 14. Charming, lighthearted and endlessly enjoyable, this production (presented in English) is a delight for opera newcomers and veterans alike. Presented by Skylight Opera Theatre. 291-7800.

COMEDY

NEW YEARS EVE AND NEW YEARS EVE EVE, Dec. 30-31, The Pabst Theater, 144 E. Wells St.

WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? Jan. 30; The Pabst Theater,
144 E. Wells St. Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood. 2 & 8 p.m. 286-3663.

THEATER

SCROOGE IN ROUGE, through Jan. 3; Tenth Street Theatre, 628 N. Tenth St. Madcap mayhem ensues as three actors attempt to present “A Christmas Carol.” Presented by In Tandem Theatre company. 271-1371.

YANKEE TAVERN, Jan. 5-31; Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, Milwaukee Theater Center, 108 E. Wells St. A graduate student seeks to debunk many of the wilder conspiracy theories surrounding the 9/11 attacks – and then finds himself caught up in one of those very theories in this fascinating and funny new play. 224-9490.

ALMOST MAINE, Jan. 13-Feb. 7; Stiemke Theater, Milwaukee Theater Center. On a cold winter night, the northern lights hover over the remote town of Almost, Maine. All is not quite what it seems as the town’s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in hilariously unexpected and unusual ways.

THE THIEF LORD, Jan. 22-Feb. 14; Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. From the author of Inkheart, comes an amazing tale of adventure and intrigue. Orphans Prosper and Bo flee to Venice, joining a group of children led by the mysterious "Thief Lord." Presented by First Stage Children’s Theater. Most appreciated by adults, teens and young people ages eight and up. 273-7206.

PURGATORIO, Jan. 28-Feb. 21; Off Broadway Theatre, 342 N. Water St. Roles are reversed and the inquisition begins anew. Presented by Next Act Theatre. 278-0765.

DANCE

WISCONSIN WINTER FEIS, Jan. 16; Midwest Airlines Center, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. Irish dancing competition. 908-6001.

ICHC 2010 FEIS, Jan. 17; Midwest Airlines Center. Presented by Irish Cultural and Heritage Center. 908-6001.

EXHIBITS

LES PAUL’S HOUSE OF SOUND, MILWAUKEE MUSCLE, ENERGY & INGENUITY, CITY OF FRESHWATER, continuing; Discovery World, 500 N. Harbor Dr.

ANDY WARHOL: THE LAST DECADE, through Jan. 3; Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Dr. First U.S. museum survey exhibit to explore the work that this seminal American artist produced during the final years of his life. 224-3200.

A GRAND AVENUE CHRISTMAS, through Jan. 10; Pabst Mansion, 2000 W. Wisconsin Ave. Featuring over a dozen of the mansion’s rooms elegantly transformed. Stunning decorations, engaging Milwaukee history, and events and activities for all ages.

A VERY VINTAGE CHRISTMAS, through Jan. 10; Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum, 2220 N. Terrace Ave. 271-3656.

A VERY VINTAGE CHRISTMAS, through Jan. 10; Charles Allis Art Museum, 1801 N. Prospect Ave.

PERSIAN VISIONS: CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY FROM IRAN, through Jan. 17; Haggerty Museum of Art, 530 N. 13th St., Marquette University. Works of photography and video installations by 20 of Iran’s most celebrated photographers. 288-1669.

TINKERTOY: BUILD YOUR IMAGINATION, through Jan. 24; Betty Brinn Children’s Museum, 929 E Wisconsin Ave. Tinkertoy construction (celebrating the toy’s 95th anniversary) and educational activities inspired by GE technologies. 291-0888. See KeyMilwaukee.com cover feature.

DOLLS OF THE WORLD: CUSTOMS, CULTURES AND CELEBRATIONS, through Jan. 30; Waukesha County Museum, 101 W. Main St., Waukesha. Developed with Toy Museum of New York, exhibit features dolls from England, Ireland, Germany, France, Japan, China, India and Africa. 262-521-2859.

CUBAN ARTISTS' BOOKS AND PRINTS: 1985–2008, through Feb. 5; Latino Arts, 1028 S. 9th St. non-traditional books and printed pieces created by 13 acclaimed artists from Cuba in response to living under a repressive government. 384-3100.

FIFTY WORKS FOR FIFTY STATES: THE DOROTHY AND HERBERT VOGEL COLLECTION, through March 25; Milwaukee Art Museum. The Vogels recently worked with the National Gallery of Art to gift 2,500 works, with 50 going to one selected public art institution in each state.

WATERCOLOR WISCONSIN 2009, through April 24; Racine Art Museum’s Charles A. Westum Museum of Fine Arts, 2519 Northwestern Ave., Racine. Features 106 pieces by 87 Wisconsin artists.

UNSEEN ARCHITECTURE, through April 30; Eisner Museum of Advertising, 208 N. Water St. 18 local architectural firms showcase projects that have never been built or seen before. 847-3290.

FOUNDRY WORK: A VIEW OF THE INDUSTRY, Jan. 15-April 5; Grohmann Museum, 100 N. Broadway. Catch a rare glimpse inside some of the world’s largest metal foundries through vivid color photographs by Michael Schultz. Exhibit features 20 large-format color photographs that depict rarely seen industrial settings. 277-7135.

WESTWARD HO – MODEL RAILROAD SHOW, Jan. 16-March 14; Mitchell Park Horticultural Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd. Small and miniature plants create the landscape for g-scale trains. Special exhibits and demonstrations. Train hobbyists on hand to answer questions. 649-9830

DEAD SEA SCROLLS AND THE BIBLE, Jan. 22-June 6; Milwaukee Public Museum. Actual Dead Sea Scrolls, including a gragment of the Unique CopperScroll, exhibited alongside the Jeselsohn Stone, papyri, pages from hand-copied medieval Bibles, and early printed and modern Bibles. Exhibit also includes photos, videos and interactive stations.

STREET SEEN: THE PSYCHOLOGICAL GESTURE IN AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY, 1940–1959, Jan. 30–April 25; In-depth look at six photographers active during the 1940s and 1950s whose work is grounded in a photographic sensibility derived from the visceral imagery of World War II.

IMAX, PLANETARIUM

The Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater is in the Museum Center, 800 W. Wisconsin Ave. It doubles as the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium. Visit www.mpm.edu for times.

Current and upcoming IMAX shows:

THE POLAR EXPRESS, through Jan. 3.

AFRICA: THE SERENGETI, through Jan. 21: Safari into the "last great place on earth" where life and death dramas are played daily within the earth's most important animal sanctuary.

WILD OCEAN, through March 18: Explores the interplay between man and the endangered ocean ecosystem, an epic struggle for survival where animals collide mankind.

MUMMIES: SECRETS OF THE PHARAOHS, opens Jan. 22; Part historic journey and part forensic adventure, follow researchers and explorers as they piece together the archaeological and genetic clues of Egyptian mummies.

Current and upcoming DANIEL M. SOREF PLANETARIUM shows:

MYSTERY OF THE CHRISTMAS STAR, through Jan. 3.

GALILEO: THE POWER OF THE TELESCOPE, through March 18; Learn Galileo’s personal and powerful story, and explore how his discoveries displaced long-held views about the universe.

SECRETS OF THE DEAD SEA, opens Jan. 22; Ancient scrolls chronicle the passage of time by motions of the sun and moon, while rock and sand preserve a living record of a place as timeless as the star patterns above.