A Soldier’s Play
With inferences of segregation and the generalizations of inter-racial despisement, playwright Charles Fuller's, A Soldier's Play is impactful and filled with suspense and intrigue.
How Blood Go
Fulson and Langford masterfully illuminated and reeducated the audience with this powerful narrative about how white society uses a form of pareidolia, a psychological phenomenon in which the mind perceives a specific image or pattern difference or where it does not exist— where blacks must be exclusively white to receive fair treatment.
Tina- The Tina Turner-Musical
Tina Turner The Musical is entertaining, so if you love Tina, you will love this play.
Carmen
J'Nai Bridges is phenomenal as Carmen. The Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano, who has played the role of Carmen at several prestigious opera companies, dazzled the audience with her operatic voice and acting. And the stellar singing from South African soprano Golda Schultz (Micaëla), third-year Ryan Opera Center members Denis Veliz (Frasquita), and Katherine DeYoung as Mercedes was immaculate.
Seven Guitars -Milwaukee Rep
Parson vividly brings this masterpiece of Wilson's story to life by always finding and fitting the ideal cast together to astonishingly display and demonstrate the right amount of love, pain, joy, and struggles the African-Americans endured.
Annie
Directed by Jean Thompson and Chorography by Patricia Wilcox, the entire cast being spectacular, this Annie will bring any grown-up back to those exhilarating childhood days when you wanted to see the wonders of live theater.
Reasons: A Tribute To Earth, Wind & Fire
Reasons is one of the best and most complete performances I've seen at Black Ensemble Theater in a long time, which I've come to expect from writer/director Daryl D. Brooks.
1776
With that said, this new production of 1776, directed by Jeffrey L. Page and Diane Paulus, hits the mark for entertaining its audience — the all-woman cast provided a stimulating exhibition of singing and acting combined with vigorous passion and debate
Chlorine Sky
Browne using her experience as a young teen, helped Director Ericka Ratcliff identify with the characters in this Young Adults (SYA) production of Chlorine Sky, which intensified the passion she brought into the narrative storyline.
Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Stevie Wonder Experience
Mercury Theatre celebrates Stevie Wonder through the multi-talented John-Mark McGaha singing some of Wonder's greatest hits. McGaha, who last year performed "Unforgettable: John-Mark McGaha Sings Nat King Cole at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, brings his outstanding combination of singing and storytelling in Signed, Sealed, Delivered: A Stevie Wonder Experience.
FEN
Escapism is the central theme of this play as many of these women are like indentured servants who live in impoverished situations, trapped within a company structure that doesn't allow them to mentally, psychically, and financially survive. They want to feel free from living a nonexistent, miserable life where nobody seems to understand or even recognize they exist.
Les Misérables
One of the longest-running musicals, Les Misérables, a timeless story of freedom, courage, grief, and love, playing at The Cadillac Palace Theatre, is something we should all witness once in our lifetime.
Boulevard of Bold Dreams
Gardner, Langford, and Lott-Rogers are masterful, desiring awards for great chemistry, passion, and performance. Gardner's positivity will make anyone believe in their dreams, and making her debut at Timeline, Lott-Rogers gave us a brilliant look at Hattie McDaniel's trepidation of being a future historical figure. However, company member Langford blew us away with her incredible acting during one scene where she goes on a rant, ridiculing and scolding McDaniel. This scene between Langford and Lott-Rogers is priceless, and their vocals are fantastic.
Toni Stone
The star of the evening is Tracey N. Bonner as Toni Stone. Bonner was nothing less than brilliant in her performance, and her combination of the love for the game where she could rattle off players' stats and comedic wit was amazing.
Alaiyo
Felicia Oduh's enthralling personality and outstanding performance made Alaiyo a play that anyone should bring their daughters who struggle with finding their self-worth. Oduh's delightful curiosity and youthful desire to love and be loved pull you into the story, capturing your soul with each line.
Dance Like There Are Black People Watching: A Black Excellence Revue
Dance Like There Are Black People Watching, which runs around one hour and 50 minutes, including an intermission (shows are only Fridays and Saturdays), is a night of pure enjoyment and well worth the trip to Second City.
Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar & Grill
From the moment she stepped on the stage in her beautiful white dress, Alexis J. Roston blew us away with her remarkable vocals that embodied Billie Holiday (Lady Day) in this one-act performance.
A Chorus Line
Who would have ever thought that a musical concept about a line of dancers set on a bare stage would win nine Tony Awards and become one of the longest-running Broadway musicals; ever? Well, the answer is James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante.
Hansel and Gretel
Published in 1812, this cannibalistic German fairy tale by the German Brothers Grimm tells a haunting story about a brother and sister (Hansel and Gretel) walking into the forest after being forced by their mother to find berries.
Wuthering Heights
I struggled with rating this play, deciding that the generational gap of individuals coming to see this play would determine the diverse reactions audiences would take home after seeing this version of Brontë's Wuthering Heights. For my age group, you may have to give this version of Emma Rice's production a fresh look…