Kelsey Lawler

Directed by Ray Jivoff and starring Doug Clemons, this quirky and charming one-man show is a delight not to be missed—particularly for fans of the incomparable Barbra Streisand. 

The Milwaukee Rep’s Cabaret is stepping outside the box with 'The Last Five Years,' and it’s totally refreshing. This completely sung-through musical is a beautiful thing—an intimate story for an intimate space. I dare say it's a must-see.

If you take your littles to one show this spring, make it Finding Nemo at First Stage. This “theatre for young audiences” version of the classic Disney & Pixar film is a musical adventure featuring book, music, and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez—the dream team behind Frozen. The music is catchy, and the epic tale of a clown fish father trying to find his lost little fish in the big blue ocean is nicely compacted into a 75-minute (with intermission) spectacle.

Ice cream. The color yellow. Roller coasters. There are so many life-affirming, wonderful things in this world. Every Brilliant Thing is a one-man (or one-woman) show that celebrates life in all its brilliance—and resilience. 

Emily Song is a supernatural coming-of-age story in the vein of Percy Jackson. On her 12th birthday, Emily (Ginger Mai Foster) discovers she’s a music mage and her voice is her superpower. When the villainous Queen of the Night (Sara Zapiain) kidnaps Emily’s dad (David Lee) and best friend Layla (Annie Sturtz), it’s up to Emily and her Grandma Celeste (Sally Imbriano) to save the day. 

To say The Milwaukee Rep’s The Craic is good fun would be redundant. The word “craic” (pronounced crack) essentially means “fun” in Irish. This world premier written by Mark Clements and Deanie Vallone is not just good fun, but also a cozy theatrical hug. The Craic invites us out of the bleak midwinter to a space filled with the warm voices, oustanding instrumentalists, easy laughter, toe-tapping trad tunes, and heart-tugging ballads. 

What if Romeo & Juliet was a rom com complete with time travel, musical numbers, and duels fought over pizza toppings? That’s what we get with the world premiere of Juliet & Romeo: A New Musical, now on stage at Milwaukee’s Skylight Music Theatre.

Get ready to be delighted. The Golden Girls Holiday Special is back for its 8th year, bringing some Miami sunshine to Milwaukee this December.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer the Musical is a wholly enchanting experience—the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season with kids of all ages.

What did our critic think of ALCINA at MILWAUKEE OPERA THEATRE?

A baroque-style opera about a lovelorn sorceress, staged in a local vintage shop—that's Alcina, a collaboration between Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Early Music Now. Incredibly intrigued by this production, I was itching to chat with Milwaukee Opera Theatre's Producing Artistic Director, Jill Anna Ponasik about the upcoming show (November 12–17th, 2024): 

Read BroadwayWorld's review of the national tour of Beetlejuice at the Marcus Center. Learn more about the show and see what our critic thought.

Forte Theatre Company is kicking off its main stage season with the classic musical She Loves Me, running October 4–13.

It’s a new season of theater in Milwaukee, and the Milwaukee Rep is kicking it off with The Coast Starlight, written by Keith Bunin and directed by Mark Clements. Direct from Lincoln Center, this funny and heartfelt 90-minute, no-intermission play tells the stories of six travelers on an overnight train from Los Angeles to Seattle. Each has their past and future to reckon with—to varying degrees of intensity. But for the hours aboard the Coast Starlight, the outside world can wait.

What did our critic think of MOULIN ROUGE! at National Tour At Marcus Center? Are you a millennial who listened to “Elephant Love Medley” on repeat? Then this perspective is for you. But quickly, for those who need some background: Moulin Rouge! is the tragic love story of a poor writer, Christian, and the Moulin Rouge’s star burlesque performer, Satine.

Joshie says respect your parents, follow your dreams, and take your kids to see Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Musical at First Stage. Directed by Julie Woods-Robinson with musical direction by Paula Tillen, this spunky show runs through May 5th in Milwaukee and is a great one for young kids.

FROM HERE TO ETERNITY follows the lives of the soldiers of G Company based in Hawaii in the days leading up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. The story was inspired by author Jones’ own experiences during the war—but how does that story translate to the stage?

'The Chosen' is easily one of the best things the Milwaukee Rep has staged this season. For lovers of gripping and intimate family drama that will have you laughing, crying, and introspecting, this play is not to be missed.

It’s a big story to tell in a brief amount of time, but the heroic cast and crew at First Stage complete their quest for Percy Jackson success.