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More than any other season in memory, the show biz adage applies in 2020-’21: Titles and dates are subject to change.
In preparing their new seasons in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Milwaukee’s performing arts groups are balancing the health of customers, artists and venue staff against the urgent need to get performers, craftspeople and staff back to work.
A Wisconsin Policy Forum report published in August said the arts and culture sector in Wisconsin is facing an “existential threat” from the pandemic. It estimates that 33.9% of people employed in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector in this state filed initial claims for unemployment between March 15 and July 5.
“I worry about a lot of the smaller companies in town,” said Jack R. Lemmon, executive director of Skylight Music Theatre. ” I expect a number of them will not be around at the end of this. … So people need to support (those groups) if they want a vibrant performing arts community or even arts community itself.
Citing lack of income and a space too small for social distancing, Off the Wall Theatre has already closed its doors.
First Stage decided to make its 2020-’21 season completely online, for the safety of both audiences and performers.Â
Other groups have pushed the start of their season back a few months, and plan a mixture of online and socially distanced public performances. In some cases, when rights are available, groups will offer both options for a given show.Â
“We’re trying to be incredibly flexible with people,” said Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater executive director. “Because returning to the theater is going to be a very personal decision for some people, and sometimes they’re going to feel safe and other times they’re not.”
Here is a summary of the announced plans of some leading local performing arts groups. Just remember, things can change.Â
Milwaukee Ballet
The Milwaukee Ballet plans to stage “The Nutcracker: Short & Sweet,” a 40-minute performance, for limited, in-person audiences beginning Dec 12 in the We Energies Foundation Performance Studio at the Baumgartner Center for Dance, 128 N. Jackson St. According to an e-newsletter sent to subscribers and fans, the ballet will seat up to 40 guests per performance, which is 20% capacity of the studio. It will also make the performance available for online viewing.  Tickets, dates and other details will be announced soon.
The ballet is offering online and in-person classes for studios, with health and safety protocols. Info: www.milwaukeeballet.org/.
First Stage
The family oriented theater company plans a virtual season with all performances online. Several shows are tailored to take advantage of the potentials of digital media.
The lineup: “The Quest for Solomon’s Treasure,” streaming Oct. 4-Nov. 15, a seven-episode web series with new clues revealed each week; “The Girl Who Swallowed a Cactus (In Your Home),” Nov. 2-22, featuring Karen Estrada, for ages 7-15 and older; “She Kills Monsters: Virtual Realms,” Nov. 13-22, a comedy performed by First Stage Theater Academy’s Advanced Acting students based on fantasy role-playing games, for ages 14-18 and older; “The Two Gentlemen of Verona,” Dec. 4-13, performed by First Stage Young Company; “Escape From Peligro Island – A Create Your Own Adventure Play,” with audience voting on character decisions, livestreamed on Jan. 29-30 and Feb. 5-6, recorded episodes available through Feb. 14.
Other First Stage online events include the Young Performer Virtual Showcase, in conjunction with the Milwaukee Black Theater Festival, streaming Sept. 6-13; a reading of the new play “Apollo and the Trials of Hercules,” streaming Sept. 11-13; and Young Company scenes and monologues from Utah Shakespeare Festival’s high school competition, streaming Oct. 10-24. Info: www.firststage.org or call (414) 267-2961.
RELATED:First Stage announces all-streaming new season, no shows with live audiences
Danceworks Performance MKE
Danceworks will partner with Milwaukee Opera Theatre for Enchanted Park(ing Lot), a 45-minute show of dance and opera, at 7 and 8:30 p.m. Oct. 15-17 in the Danceworks parking lot at 1661 N. Water St. The Danceworks Youth Performance Company will also be part of the production.
Masks and advance registration will be required; no walk-up tickets will be available. Parking lot spaces will be assigned for social distancing. A maximum of four people from a household may occupy a space. For tickets and info, call (414) 277-8489 or visit danceworksmke.org.Â
Florentine Opera
The Florentine has bumped the start of its mainstage series at the Marcus Performing Arts Center to February. Mainstage shows include “Little Mahagonny,” Feb. 12 and 14, 2021; “Cinderella” and “The Child and the Enchantments,” March 12-21, 2021; “La Boheme,” May 7 and 9, 2021; and “Rigoletto,” Oct. 8 and 10, 2021.
The Florentine will also present a series of six more intimate concerts available digitally, including performances by soprano Vivica Genaux and tenor Eric Ferring. Info: www.florentineopera.org/.
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
Chamber opened its season Aug. 23 with the Milwaukee Black Theater Festival, an online collaboration with local Black theater groups and artists. The festival includes full-length play readings of “Kill Move Paradise” by James Ijames, “Stew” by Zora Howard and “Home” by Samm-Art Williams, plus artist responses in the form of videos, songs, monologues, podcasts and playlists from Klassik, SistaStrings, B~Free, Tarik Moody, Cedric Gardner and many others. The festival continues through Sept. 12. One pass includes a week of digital access to nearly nine hours of content.Â
Chamber had planned to record “The Way She Spoke” by Isaac Gomez and make it available online to subscribers in October, but “the epidemiological situation in Wisconsin” has forced the theater to postpone that production, MCT said in a recent statement.
Info:Â www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org/.
Milwaukee Opera Theatre
Working with a coalition of independent opera companies around the United States, MOT will be part of “Tales From a Safe Distance,” a world-premiere production of short operas derived from Boccaccio’s 14th century classic “The Decameron,” a collection of tales by people sheltering together to avoid the plague of the Black Death.
MOT’s contribution, “Orsa Ibernata,” will premiere online at 7 p.m. Oct. 23. Composed and sung by soprano Elizabeth Blood, it was directed by librettist Danny Brylow and videographed outdoors by Christal Wagner. For tickets and other info, visit www.milwaukeeoperatheatre.org.
Milwaukee Repertory Theater
The Rep plans five productions with small casts for limited capacity audiences seated in a socially distanced manner. Also, every ticketholder can choose to watch a high-definition virtual performance instead of attending in person, even at the last minute.Â
The Rep’s 2020-’21 Season Reset includes “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol,” Dec. 1-24, with Lee E. Ernst playing all roles, accompanied by a sound effects artist; “Ella Fitzgerald: First Lady of Song,” Feb. 16-March 14, 2021; “McGuire,” March 23-April 18, 2021, featuring Tony Award winner and Thomas More High School grad Anthony Crivello reprising his performance as Marquette basketball coach Al McGuire; “Antonio’s Song / I Was Dreaming of a Son,” April 7-May 2, 2021, starring actor and co-writer Antonio Edwards Suarez; and “Nina Simone: Four Women,” April 27-May 23, 2021. Performances will be in the Quadracci Powerhouse, except for “Antonio’s Song,” which will be in the Stiemke Studio.
The Rep has also commissioned four audio plays with local settings under the Soundstage banner. They will be posted online during the fall. Info: milwaukeerep.com or call (414) 224-9490.Â
RELATED:Shifting gears, Milwaukee Repertory Theater plans five-show season with small casts, socially distanced seating
Milwaukee Symphony
The MSO will play an online schedule of 12 classical and four Pops concerts for subscribers, beginning in January 2021. It plans to video orchestra members performing on the new Bradley Symphony Center stage, making that video available live and on demand for subscribers. Music director Ken-David Masur will be present for all 12 classical concerts and will likely conduct many of them. These concerts will feature smaller ensembles and creative programming; for example, a bill of Baroque and contemporary music. Safety protocols permitting, the MSO hopes to let subscribers attend reduced-capacity, socially distanced concerts. It also plans to offer subscribers and donors (above a certain level) a private tour of the new Bradley Symphony Center. Info: www.mso.org.
RELATED:Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra switches to an all-online 2020-’21 season for subscribers
Next Act Theatre
Next Act will open its season with a virtual production of Lucas Hnath’s drama “The Christians” Nov. 23-Dec. 13. In addition, it will Curbside Concessions that folks can pick up from the Next Act bar.
The remainder of the announced Next Act schedule includes “Principal Principle,” by Joe Zarrow, Feb. 11-March 7, 2021; “The Last White Man,” by Bill Cain, April 15-May 9, 2021; and “Red Herring,” by Michael Hollinger, May 27-June 20, 2021. For tickets and info, visit www.nextact.org.Â
Present Music
PM’s 2020-’21 season, dubbed “Limitless,” includes four headline concerts, three piano concerts and two free community events. Earlier concerts will be online only, later concerts are scheduled to be in-person with an online option. Headline series: “Reality Check,” with guest Milwaukee hip-hop star Klassik, Oct. 24; Thanksgiving concert, Nov. 22; “Out With the Cold, In With the New,” March 25-26, 2021; “Spaghetti Western,” including music by Ennio Morricone, June 11. Piano concerts: Mabel Kwan, Sept. 19; Michael Mizrahi, Feb. 20, 2021; Cory Smythe, April 16, 2021. Community events: Phil Kline’s “Unsilent Night,” Dec. 4; Musicircus, May 14, 2021. For info on subscription packages and concert locations, visit www.presentmusic.org/.
Renaissance Theaterworks
Renaissance has moved to a new performing home, Next Act Theatre’s space at 255 S. Water St. It plans to begin performances in January: “Muthaland,” written and performed by Minita Gandhi, Jan. 8-31, 2021; “Actually,” Anna Ziegler’s drama about sexual consent, March 12-April 4, 2021; “The Cake,” a comedy by  Bekah Brunstetter, June 26-July 18, 2021.
Renaissance’ Br!NK New Play Festival will take place online Sept. 9-13, with full-length readings of two new plays: “28 Light Years From Now,” by Rachel Bykowski; and “To Saints and Stars,” by Jordan Ramirez Puckett. Info:Â www.r-t-w.com.
Also, Renaissance will begin a collaboration with Adirondack Theatre Festival by offering “Cruise in a Box,” an interactive, Zoom-based family show Nov. 4-7 and 10-14. After buying a ticket, people are mailed a box of related materials to be opened right before the show starts. Look for more info soon on the Renaissance website.Â
Skylight Music Theatre
Skylight’s revamped season features four productions with limited-capacity audiences seated in a socially distant pattern. The shows include “Little Shop of Horrors,” Nov. 13-Dec. 27; a concert staging of “Evita,” March 12-28, 2021; “Raisin,” May 7-23, 2021, a musical adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry’s play “A Raisin in the Sun”; and “Fledermaus MKE,” June 4-20, 2021, an English-language production of the Strauss operetta, set in Milwaukee and filled with local references. All performances will be in the Broadway Theatre Center’s Cabot Theatre, 158 N. Broadway.
Also, Skylight will stream its first virtual musical, “Being Earnest,” from Oct. 16-Nov. 12. It’s an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” with a British ’60s setting and British Invasion influenced score. Info: skylightmusictheatre.org or call (414) 291-7800.
Wild Space Dance
Encouraged by the response to its July debut of socially distanced parking lot performances, Wild Space will stage “Parking Lot Dance #2: On the River” Sept. 16-17 in the Edison Parking Lot, 1301 N. Water St. There will be reserved chair seating and standing room spots. For tickets and info, visit www.wildspacedance.org/parkinglotdances.
This story was updated with new information Oct. 21, 2020. Contact Jim Higgins at jim.higgins@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jhiggy.
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