Shepherd Express - March 2023

MARCH 2023

PLEASE VOTE ON APRIL 4 THIS ELECTION WILL DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF WISCONSIN ENDORSEMENTS PAGE 5

JUDGE JANET PROTASIEWICZ for WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT

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SPRING DRINK PAGE 52 • HOME & GARDEN PAGE 47

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NEWS 05 Please Vote on April 4 10 Republicans Still Aren't Ready to Accept Democracy — Taking Liberties 11 This Modern World 12 Overcoming Income Gaps with the Fierce Urgency of Math — Issue of the Month 14 Friendship Circle’s Leah and Levi Stein Address the Need for Mental Health Services — Hero of the Month

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16 Shar-Ron Buie on Marquette's Program for People Affected by Incarceration — MKE SPEAKS: Conversations with Milwaukeeans

FOOD & DRINK 18 The Bridgewater Modern Grill 20 Make Plov, Not War — Flash in the Pan

SPECIAL SECTION 22 Escape to Madison for the Art of It All — Day Trips 24 Spring Arts Guide SPONSORED BY

GENERAL MANAGER: Kevin Gardner (ext. 3825) MANAGING EDITOR: David Luhrssen (ext. 3804) BUSINESS MANAGER: Peggy (ext. 3832) EVENT COORDINATOR: Jan Bruder (ext. 3810) ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Bridgette Ard (ext. 3811) Petra Seymore (ext. 3828) Tyler R. Klein (ext. 3815) Laurie Verrier (ext. 3831) SALES MANAGER: Jackie Butzler (ext. 3814) BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER: Chuck Hill (ext. 3822) IN MEMORY OF DUSTI FERGUSON (OCTOBER 18, 1971 – NOVEMBER 20, 2007) WEBMASTER: Barry Houlehen (ext. 3807) DIGTAL STRATEGIST: Allen Halas (ext. 3803)

47 Starting Garden Plants Indoors

STAFF WRITER & CIRCULATION COORDINATOR: Blaine Schultz (ext. 3813)

48 Was Your House Purchased Through a Catalog? — Open House

INTERNS: Sabrina Rosler, Tomasa Lane

47 Home & Garden

52 Spring Drink SPONSORED BY

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PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Louis Fortis (ext. 3802)

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52 A Coffee Guru and a Conversation About Making Espresso at Home — Open House 53 St. Patrick's Day Guide 2023 58 Is Your Pet in Distress? — Pets

CULTURE 60 World Premiere Wisconsin Offers an Enticing Menu of New Plays, Musicals 62 This Month in Milwaukee

LIFESTYLE

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64 Alcohol is Not Your Friend — Out of my Mind

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66 Growing Apart... For Jesus — Dear Ruthie 68 The Wrecking Ball may be Coming to the Wreck Room — My LGBTQ POV

ART FOR ART'S SAKE 70 From the City that Always Sweeps

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COVER: Janet Protasiewicz for Wisconsin Supreme Court. Photo courtesy of Janet for Justice. Spring Arts Guide illustration by Sophie Yufa.

Please Vote on April 4

JUDGE JANET PROTASIEWICZ FOR WISCONSIN SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

THIS ELECTION WILL DETERMINE THE FUTURE OF WISCONSIN

BY THE SHEPHERD EXPRESS EDITORIAL BOARD Photo courtesy of Janet for Justice.

S

pring elections are local elections for city, village, town or county offices along with judicial elections, school board elections and any special elections to fill vacancies. These are non-partisan elections meaning that candidates run as individuals and not on a party ticket.

The April 4 election is very important for the future of Wisconsin. The State Supreme Court election will determine the direction of Wisconsin for the next 10 years, including whether women will have full access to reproductive choices including abortions. After the retirement of one of the far-right justices this year, the court will have three conservative and three progressive justices.

With a new progressive justice, the court will also be able to decide whether Wisconsin will continue to have honest and fair legislative districts not the unconstitutionally gerrymandered legislative districts as they were declared by a conservative three-judge federal judicial panel.

Our unconstitutionally extreme gerrymandered districts enable one party to win the vast majority of the legislative races even when they received less than half of the total statewide votes for legislators. This is why Wisconsin, which had a national reputation for being a smart, forward-looking state, has fallen toward the bottom of the lists along with Alabama and Mississippi in such areas as education, fair taxation, equal opportunity to vote and protecting our children and senior citizens.

These extreme gerrymandered districts enable the legislators to ignore the wishes of their constituents since it is virtually impossible for them to lose in their gerrymandered districts.

T

he Editorial Committee of the Shepherd Express is unanimous in its endorsement of Judge Janet Protasiewicz for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice on the April 4 2023 election. Her values are strong support for women’s reproductive rights and fair legislative districts, boldly stating that the current gerrymandered Wisconsin legislative districts are rigged. Spring elections are lower turnout elections, so it is important to vote. Supreme court elections are non-partisan, but the two sides certainly have their candidates.

Right now, the seven-person court is divided 4-3 with the rightwing in charge. This conservative majority has, for example, condoned our extreme gerrymandered legislative districts, supported, at every opportunity, all the anti-choice abortion legislation, and supported the voter suppression laws pushed by Republicans denying our citizens an equal opportunity to vote.

VOTERS CAN CHANGE THIS ON APRIL 4 Wisconsin has a chance to change the direction of our extreme rightwing Supreme Court this Spring. One of the conservative four is retiring so the direction of the court is in the balance.

This upcoming election is without question the most important election for Wisconsin to begin to return our state to the honest, decent, progressive state we grew up in.

Wisconsin was always viewed as a forward-looking state with a great education system from kindergarten through post graduate work. Wisconsin was a state that protected our natural environment, helped foster the creation of well-paying, safe, and decent jobs, and cost-effective laws that protected our most vulnerable.

SO WHAT HAPPENED TO WISCONSIN? That all changed over the past 15 years. The extreme rightwing Bradley Foundation along with an assortment of rightwing billionaires like the Koch Brothers decided to use Wisconsin as an experiment to turn our state into an ignorant, low wage, backward-looking state putting Wisconsin shoulder to shoulder with Alabama, Mississippi and West Virginia.

One of the key parts to their strategy was to pump millions of dollars of dark money funneled through shell companies with very high-sounding patriotic names into the Wisconsin Supreme Court races. Unfortunately, it worked. Through false and negative ads and in the Gableman race, overtly racist ads, they were able to elect a majority of extreme justices who put their rightwing politics above the Wisconsin constitution.

RESTORING WISCONSIN’S VALUES That could change this spring with the election of a smart, hardworking, honest judge to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Judge Janet Protasiewicz is Wisconsin. She worked her way through UWM and Marquette Law School. She chose public service over much higher paying private law firm positions. Judge Protasiewicz served as an assistant district attorney for 26 years and then eight years as a Milwaukee County Circuit Judge. She taught at the Marquette Law School as an adjunct law professor. We have watched her career for the past 34 years. We know her values and her respect for an honest interpretation of the state constitution, and we are totally confident that she would be a great Wisconsin Supreme Court justice.

Please vote for Janice Protasiewicz on Tuesday April 4.

MARCH 2023 | 5

ENDORSEMENTS

JODI HABUSH SINYKIN FOR STATE SENATE The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses Jodi Habush Sinykin for State Senate to represent the Northshore and surrounding communities.

This district has been represented by Alberta Darling for the past 30 years until she retired in December 2022.

Darling was first elected to the State Senate in the Fall of 1992 running as a very moderate Republican who proudly listed her membership in Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin in her resume. It was very sad and disappointing to watch her slowly move to the extreme right of her party including voting anti-choice in order to please her party leadership and to hold on to her committee chairmanships.

Jodi Habush Sinykin would be a fresh start for the residents of this state senate district. She is strongly prochoice on women’s reproductive issues which is in sync with both her district and the majority of people in Wisconsin. Habush Sinykin was born and raised in the district. Left for college and then Harvard Law School. She declined the highly paid opportunities to join the Wall Street and other East Coast law firms to instead return to Wisconsin to focus primarily on public interest legal work.

CONSENSUS AND COALITION BUILDER Habush Sinykin is a consensus and coalition builder, which is what we desperately need in Wisconsin and the nation. Her legal positions often had her at the Capitol working both sides of the aisle. She worked on numerous issues but was most recognized for her work on environmental issues and humane animal treatment. Habush Sinykin was absolutely instrumental in securing Wisconsin’s support for the Great Lakes Compact, which was an international agreement with the U.S. Great Lakes states and Canadian provinces. This was once in a generation legislation that will protect our freshwater for generations to come.

Perhaps her greatest victory in the struggle for Humane Animal Treatment was helping to pass the Puppy Mill Law. This legislation ended the inhumane treatment by the greedy owners of the then unregulated breeding operations in Wisconsin.

If elected, beside fighting for women’s reproductive choice, environmental protections and humane animal treatment, Habush Sinykin would also focus on safe communities by fighting for more state shared revenues to adequately fund our local law enforce-

Photo courtesy of Jodi for State Senate/Doug Hyant.

ment, which would lessen that burden on the property tax. She will also focus on the state’s economy. She has been a business owner and understands what small businesses need to flourish. Jodi would work across the aisle to develop legislation that would be bipartisan so it can pass both chambers of the legislation and also be signed into law by the governor. She is definitely not interested in posturing, instead she wants to see results that improve the lives of Wisconsinites.

Please Vote for Jodi Habush Sinykin for State Senate.

MOLLY GENA FOR MUNICIPAL JUDGE The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses Molly Gena for City of Milwaukee Municipal Judge. Gena is very well qualified for the position having spent more than 15 years as a legal aid attorney serving over 1,700 clients in 45 different municipal courts and 23 circuit courts around Wisconsin representing clients who could not afford an attorney. Most of her work was in Milwaukee Municipal Court.

Photo by Jocelyn Gallegos.

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If elected, Gena will fight to take reckless and dangerous drivers off the streets and hold them accountable for the threat they pose to our community.

She will also hold abusive and predatory landlords accountable for their actions that often puts tenant’s health and safety at risk. This is just partial list of the issues she would work on.

Municipal courts deal with everyday problems that have effect on many of our lives. Her patience and temperament and her history of treating everyone with fairness, respect, and dignity makes her very well suited for the job of Municipal Court judge.

Please Vote for Molly Gena for Municipal Judge.

REELECT CORY MASON RACINE MAYOR The Shepherd Express strongly supports the reelection of Cory Mason for Racine Mayor. As mayor, Mason has worked tirelessly to reduce violent crime, grow the middle class, improve the health of the community and its residents. This is not just talk; there were real results.

Photo courtesy of Mason for Racine.

With respect to violent crime, Mason worked with the school district and the county to create a Violent Crime Reduction Initiative. This worked and led to over 500 criminal arrests, but also and most importantly, built the partnerships in the community to help prevent crime before it happens. This includes investing in mental health services, youth programs and other violence reduction initiatives.

Mayor Mason has also focused on growing a stronger middle class through the GROW Racine Initiative which directly invests in its residents.

Growing a stronger middle class by bringing more residents into the middle class requires working on many fronts which is what Racine is doing. Racine now runs the largest adult high school program in the state. They are building a health clinic and also run a summer youth employment program and have helped over 300 residents become homeowners.

Racine definitely needs Mason to continue and grow these efforts.

Please Vote for Mayor Cory Mason for Reelection on April 4.

VOTE YES ON REPEALING THE ANTI-CHOICE LEGISLATION On the April ballot in Milwaukee County is a referendum on repealing the 1849 legislation that bans all abortions with the only exception, saving the life of the mother, which requires at least two doctors to attest to the fact that the mother’s life is at risk. Obviously, this is pre-Civil War legislation when voting in Wisconsin was limited to only white males.

This is an advisory referendum because Wisconsin does not have a binding

referendum provision. Just because this is advisory, please do not think this is not important. The anti-choice people will be coming out to vote since they are hyping this up on their networks.

They definitely want to win this vote and argue that Wisconsin does not support choice. It is important that the people who believe in a woman’s right to choose vote on April 4 and continue to show that the people of Wisconsin do trust women to make their personal choices.

The ballot referendum reads as follows: “Should Wisconsin Statute 940.04, which bans abortion at any stage of pregnancy without exception for rape, incest, or health of the patient, be repealed to allow legal access to abortion care?”

Please Vote Yes and Support a Woman’s Right to Choose.

WORK REQUIREMENT ADVISORY REFERENDUM Republicans in the Legislature put this advisory referendum on the ballot for April. The referendum reads: “Shall able-bodied childless adults be required to look for work in order to receive tax-payer funded welfare benefits.” While this referendum is designed to seem like common sense to most voters, which it is; so why the need for it on the ballot? It’s actually a political ploy which tries to reinforce the conservative big lie that all of the people who are poor are poor because they are personally irresponsible. Studies show that these “irresponsible people”

are a very small fraction of the poor.

Instead, the studies clearly show that it is our collective failure to provide lower skilled individuals with decent training and employment opportunities at a decent wage. It also functions as a dog whistle racist appeal which capitalizes on prejudice in color-blind language.

Three decades of research since work requirements came into vogue in the 1990s demonstrates that these work requirements do not increase employment long-term or reduce poverty. The one thing they do well is create barriers

that forces many in need of food security, health care, and other necessities to go without. Most people do not realize that the vast majority of people on public assistance already do work.

However, they simply cannot obtain a job which raises them out of poverty and enables them to fed their families.

The minimal wage in Wisconsin is still at $7.25 per hour set decades ago. I think that says it all.

With the way this referendum is written, we suggest that you simply ignore it.

MARCH 2023 | 7

ENDORSEMENTS

MILWAUKEE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS There are there are five Milwaukee school board positions up in the April 4 2023 elections.

Three of the five positions have incumbents running for a second term. All but one of the four positions have contested elections. The two members of the board who are not seeking reelection are Board President Bob Peterson and Board Vice President Sequanna Taylor.

All five of our endorsees are strong supporters of public schools and believe that public education is essential to strengthening our democracy. Yes, our public schools need improvements, but that is difficult to do with years of underfunding by the Republican dominated legislature, and the ongoing vilification of public schools and the teachers who work daily with our Milwaukee’s students.

DISTRICT 1: MARVA HERNDON

DISTRICT 2: ERIKA SIEMSEN

DISTRICT 3: GABI HART

The Shepherd Express endorses Marva Herndon for reelection to the Milwaukee School Board. Herndon was first elected in April 2019. She is a graduate of West Division High School (now Milwaukee High School of the Arts).

During her four years on the board Herndon has been a strong leader insisting that MPS students have access to full time music teachers, art teachers, physical education teachers and librarians. She has worked closely with teachers and the MPS administration across the district to increase these important components of education for all students.

The Shepherd Express supports Erika Siemsen for reelection to the Milwaukee School Board. Erika was an MPS elementary school teacher for more than 30 years and she brings that expertise to the school board. She is well versed in teaching reading, restorative practices, and need for schools to be welcoming places for all students, parents and families.

The Shepherd Express strongly endorses Gabi Hart for election to the Milwaukee School Board District 3.

Hart is a community activist who has focused on youth organizing work.

She believes strongly that programs must serve all children. Hart will be a hardworking bridge builder, working collaboratively within the community to get things done for the children of Milwaukee. Among her many accomplishments, she co-led the Program in the Parks in Sherman Park after the conflict there a few years ago.

Herndon has been a strong promoter of schools encouraging children’s appreciation for the natural world, including the need for students to learn about climate justice, agricultural practices (think Vincent High School, River Trail Elementary) and how they can help build a sustainable world.

Herndon’s four daughters are MPS graduates and her grand children who live in Milwaukee are MPS graduates or enrolled in MPS. As a 40-year resident of District 1, she is well known as a strong advocate for the community and one who is not afraid to speak up about what needs to be improved.

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Siemsen graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a B.A. in elementary education and later received her Master of Arts degree from Cardinal Stritch University in the area of literacy reform. Siemsen is an expert in early childhood education, which is a key factor in improving students literacy and math skills. She is from a family of three generations of MPS graduates. Her granddaughter currently attends Milwaukee Public Schools.

DISTRICT 8: MEGAN O'HALLORAN Megan O'Halloran does not have an opponent in her reelection and that probably says all we need to say; however, if she did have an opponent, the Shepherd would almost definitely be endorsing her. Megan is a strong supporter of public schools and works closely with the schools in her Bayview/ Southside district. A few years ago she led a walk to the state legislature in Madison highlighting the need for adequate funding for all public schools.

She is a strong advocate of parent involvement in MPS. Her two children attend Cooper Public School.

CITYWIDE DISTRICT: MISSY ZOMBOR The Shepherd Express enthusiastically endorses Missy Zombor for the Citywide District. Zombor is an education, community and labor activist who is passionately committed to public schools. Her son attends a Milwaukee middle school, and she is marketing director for Rethinking Schools which promotes the importance of public schools and racial and social justice in schools. Zombor has previously worked communications director for the Milwaukee Teachers’ Education Association, the largest educators local in the state of Wisconsin. There she helped fight back a Republican-backed state takeover of Milwaukee Public Schools and supported resolutions for more nutritious food, longer recess, and smaller class sizes for students in early grades.

She is running for the position from which Bob Peterson is stepping down.

Peterson has also endorsed her saying, “Missy is a smart hard-working and experience MPS parents and public education champion committed to defending and improving our schools.”

MARCH 2023 | 9

NEWS TAKING LIBERTIES

REPUBLICANS STILL AREN’T READY TO ACCEPT DEMOCRACY

BY JOEL MCNALLY

D

uring his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump promised Republicans when he was elected, “We’re gonna win so much you’re gonna get tired of winning.” Like so many of the lies Trump told his gullible supporters, just the opposite turned out to be true.

Trump’s disastrous, divisive presidency quickly alienated so many American voters it led to major Republican losses in the next three national elections. In November’s midterms, overwhelmingly favoring the minority party, Republicans won a razor-thin House majority incapable of passing much of any legislation.

But Republicans aren’t tired of losing yet. They re-elected Ronna McDaniel, Trump’s handpicked chair of the Republican National Committee who presided over the last six years of election defeats. They’re ready to go for eight in a row in 2024.

It tells you everything you need to know about McDaniel that she used to proudly call herself Ronna Romney McDaniel. She agreed to drop her family name when Trump recruited her for the job because he hated her uncle Mitt. That was even before the Utah senator, the party’s 2012 nominee for president, voted to convict Trump for the high crimes that led to both of his impeachments.

FRINGES OF SOCIETY Political hatred is the only ideology of the armed White supremacists and other violent extremists Trump 10 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

attracted from the fringes of society to vote Republican in 2016. Political hatred often leads to political violence in America. And that’s exactly how Trump’s supporters opened and closed his angry, hateful presidency.

Terrorist Klansmen and neo-Nazis were among those Trump called “very fine people” who traveled to Charlottesville, Va., in the summer of 2017. They celebrated his election with a violent “Unite the Right” street battle opposing the city’s removal of Confederate monuments that killed a young woman and injured dozens of others.

Trump summoned those same violent groups to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, in his attempt to overthrow democracy and remain as president after his defeat. That time he praised them as “very special” for rampaging through the Capitol threatening to murder members of Congress and his own vice president. Trump told them he loved them and to “Remember this day forever!”

I recently had the opportunity to attend a moving ceremony at the University of Virginia honoring the police officers who testified publicly about the savagery they faced that day. It’s difficult to forget images of police slipping in the blood of colleagues while engaging in hand-tohand combat with other Americans to protect democracy.

Every decent American should be forever grateful for the televised public hearings by the bipartisan House committee presenting graphic details of what was happening within all the chaos and behind the scenes of the worst domestic terrorist attack on our country in history.

What the extreme rightwing Republicans who now control the House don’t understand is nobody cares about partisan political congressional investigations in which politicians in one party fraudulently accuse politicians in the other party of committing imaginary crimes.

PRESIDENTIAL CRIMES

POLITICAL HATRED IS THE ONLY IDEOLOGY OF THE ARMED WHITE SUPREMACISTS AND OTHER VIOLENT EXTREMISTS TRUMP ATTRACTED FROM THE FRINGES OF SOCIETY TO VOTE REPUBLICAN IN 2016.

The hearings of the bipartisan House January 6 Committee like those of the bipartisan Senate Watergate Committee 50 years ago riveted the nation’s attention because both involved actual crimes by the president of the United States.

That’s another reason McDaniel should not lead any legitimate political party in America. She wrote the resolution the RNC overwhelmingly passed a year ago condemning Republicans Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for participating in the bipartisan House Committee investigating the deadlyinsurrection. McDaniel called it “Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse.”

MITCH MCCONNELL AND KEVIN MCCARTHY BOTH HELD TRUMP RESPONSIBLE FOR THE VIOLENT INSURRECTION IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT HAPPENED. BUT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS TRIED TO PRETEND EVER SINCE THAT IT NEVER HAPPENED.

GOP DISHONORS POLICE That’s an obscene description of the horrors America witnessed that day that murdered one police officer, later led to four more police deaths by suicide from depression and PTSD and left 140 others with brain damage and other permanent injuries from being brutally beaten with flagpoles, baseball bats and other clubs.

Richard Nixon’s crimes were nonviolent. A burglary ring run out of the Oval Office broke into the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee during the 1972 presidential election.

That seems like small change compared to Trump sending an armed mob of thousands of angry supporters to shut down a joint session of Congress to stop it from certifying President Biden’s election.

The January 6 Committee gathered detailed evidence of Trump’s direct involvement in organizing the violent attack on the Capitol and pressuring Mike Pence to throw out legitimate electoral votes for Biden and accept fake electoral votes for Trump submitted by Republicans in Wisconsin and other states. It’s now up to the Justice Department to prosecute.

Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy both held Trump responsible for the violent insurrection immediately after it happened. But the Republican Party has tried to pretend ever since that it never happened.

We all know it did. We couldn’t forget if we tried. Republicans don’t deserve to win another election until they’re ready to accept the votes of the American people.

Joel McNally was a critic and columnist for the Milwaukee Journal for 27 years.

He has written the weekly Taking Liberties column for the Shepherd Express since 1996.

MARCH 2023 | 11

NEWS ISSUE OF THE MONTH

Overcoming Income Gaps with the Fierce Urgency of Math

BY BILL HOLAHAN

Photo by Ridofranz/Getty Images.

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n the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. that sweltering afternoon of August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. told the nation of his dream, and how long his people had been waiting.

Seared into that speech was “the fierce urgency of now.”

“Now” was 59 years ago. Much progress has been made on voting, housing, and employment, but not in many high-paying occupations. Among the remaining barriers to opportunity that have been getting far too little attention: gaps in math education and attainment across the social and economic spectrum.

Those deprived of solid math preparation are denied entry into many highly paid occupations. The lack of diversity in high-paid and rewarding professions, including the obvious ones—engineering, science, IT, medicine, business analysis and finance, economics—and, in this high-tech age, even history, political science, journalism, and the arts, has lasted generations, reinforcing the income and wealth gap across race, ethnic and gender lines.

INVESTMENT THROUGH LEARNING Unlike subsidies for rent, utilities, food and other important assistance, a working knowledge of math cannot simply be transferred. Instead that knowledge must be learned through an organized time commitment, involving both instruction and practice. For most of the math deprived, circumstances prevent them from 12 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

making the necessary investment themselves. If the investment is to be made, and latent talents developed for the benefit of the individual and society as a whole, it must be done at public expense.

Teaching math requires an educational background, experience and love of the subject. These attributes are transferrable to many employment options; teaching is only one of them. To attract more highly qualified individuals to the teaching profession, pay them more and invest in smaller classes.

GETTING HELP Many students find it difficult to get accurate and timely help with homework. One way to reduce this mathhelp gap is to offer online tutoring through virtual meeting technology like Zoom or Google Meet. To reverse this gap, widened even further by the COVID pandemic, researchers at Johns Hopkins and Brown University propose a massive increase in tutoring online.

They outline a tutoring service staffed by 300,000 college students and other community members who could interact with students struggling with their math and reading.

According to their report, “the most effective strategy for struggling students, especially in elementary schools, is one-to-one or one-to-small group tutoring. Structured tutoring programs can make a large difference in a short time, exactly what is needed to help students quickly catch up with grade level expectations.”

Matthew A. Kraft, and Grace Falken of the Annenberg Institute at Brown University, set forth a 10-point blueprint for implementation. They propose that tutoring, greatly scaled up, could become a permanent feature of the U.S. public education system. “Tutoring is among the most effective education interventions ever to be subjected to rigorous evaluation.”

To engage such a large number of tutors, they suggest that peer tutoring be organized where successful students, properly trained, would provide the service for struggling students a few years younger. High school students would earn class credit for tutoring elementary school students; college students would earn workstudy pay, course credit or partial loan forgiveness for tutoring high school students. The Biden White House agrees. Biden is including such a massive tutoring plan as part of his administration’s support for student success.

Finally, the state of modern technology should compel state and local governments to provide all students with laptops and WIFI hotspots so that students and school systems can take advantage of this tutoring option.

Bill Holahan is Emeritus Professor and former Chair of Economics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. An earlier version of this article was posted on Econ4Voters at grassrootsnorthshore.com.

MARCH 2023 | 13

NEWS HERO OF THE MONTH

Friendship Circle’s Leah and Levi Stein Address the Need for Mental Health Services

BY ERIN BLOODGOOD

W

hen you walk into the Friendship Café and Bakery on Port Washington Road, you immediately hear kids laughing, bustling conversations, and feel a sense of warmth emanating from the room. Kids are making art together while the coffee steamer hisses behind the café counter—and everyone in the room appears to be smiling.

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Leah and Levi Stein built this center in 2016 to provide friendship and opportunities for people with special needs, but what they really built was a support network and community space. People may not realize how lifechanging it could be to make a friend, explains Levi. “I didn’t have any friends myself in school,” he says, but when he found the Friendship Circle growing up in Detroit, he got involved and found a supportive space to build lasting relationships.

Photos by Erin Bloodgood.

Many kids with special needs such as down syndrome, autism, or even undiagnosed mental health issues struggle finding friends in school, which can leave them with feelings of loneliness and hopelessness. “Anyone who is struggling with their mental health can benefit from a friend,” says Levi. The center Levi and Leah built creates a space for people of all ages to flourish by offering programming like art nights, teen support groups, and adult employment training programs.

FOCUSING ON MENTAL HEALTH Recently, the organization shifted to put a special emphasis on mental health services to address the urgent need in the state. Many are calling mental health a crisis here in Wisconsin, including Gov. Evers who declared “2023 the Year of Mental Health.” Here in Milwaukee, adolescent self-harm and attempted suicide is increasing at one of the highest rates in the country.

As Levi points out, there’s something missing in the many mental health services and organizations around the state: suicide prevention trainings. The organizations that offer these trainings tend to offer simplified online trainings. So, the Friendship Circle has launched their SafeTALK program with new funding from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Levi leads these four-hour suicide prevention trainings at locations around the state to teach people how to recognize when someone is having thoughts of suicide and how to connect them to help.

“The problem is, all these people having thoughts of suicide are not necessarily going to those organizations, they’re not seeking help,” says Levi. “They’re kind of letting go of subtle hints and if we don’t pick up on those, their life could end.”

The need is urgent, and Levi and Leah want to offer these trainings to as many people as possible.

PROGRAMMING FOR TEENAGERS According to a 2022 study by the Wisconsin Office of Children’s Mental Health, 18% of teens are seriously considering suicide. The Friendship Circle understands the particular vulnerability of teens, which is why they host Teen Talk sessions.

In this program, teenagers meet once a month with other peers in their area to talk about their feelings of grief and depression, without judgement.

Levi and Leah have clearly put their hearts into the center and have worked to make a welcoming space for everyone—whether they have special needs or not. That love and community shows the minute you walk through the doors.

It's hard to underscore just how much these programs matter, but as Levi says, “Being a friend is subtle, but can have a life changing difference.”

Learn more about the Friendship Circle at www.fcwi.org.

Erin Bloodgood is a Milwaukee photographer and storyteller. See more of her work on her website at www.bloodgoodfoto.com.

MARCH 2023 | 15

NEWS MKE SPEAKS: CONVERSATIONS WITH MILWAUKEEANS

SHAR-RON BUIE ON MARQUETTE’S PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE AFFECTED BY INCARCERATION

BY TOM JENZ

Photo by Tom Jenz.

A

pproximately one in eight Black men in Wisconsin are currently incarcerated. For Milwaukee’s inner-city community, over 50% of Black men are likely to be incarcerated at some point in their lives. Most incarcerated individuals are eventually released back into their original neighborhoods, but too many have no job skills or education to fall back on.

Enter the Marquette University Education Preparedness Program (EPP), which provides higher education classes free of charge to people impacted by incarceration. The EPP Program offers tuition-free college courses at the Milwaukee County Community Reintegration Center (formerly the House of Correction), the Racine Correctional Institution and on the Marquette campus. The Director of EPP, Dr. Theresa Tobin, told me, “Last year, we taught six classes—two in history, and one each in English, social welfare & justice, eeducation and criminology & law studies. This year, there will be 12 classes—one each in English, philosophy, psychology, social welfare and justice, sociology, and a business class. Also, two classes each in history, education, criminology and law studies. Our on-campus classes are open to legal-system-impacted people including those who were formerly incarcerated.”

She suggested I talk to the EPP Associate Director SharRon Buie, who had once been incarcerated and also worked inside the Wisconsin prison system. We met at a restaurant on the West Side. With extensive knowledge on the prison culture, Shar-Ron seemed eager to talk about EPP. Over the course of our conversation, I got the impression that if you needed a person to handle stressful situations, Shar-Ron should lead the challenge.

From what I understand, you’ve had a grueling background, the stuff movies are made about. Please tell me your story.

I have a multi-varied beginning. I never lived in the same city for consecutive years until I was about 15. I come from a challenging family structure. My mother was 15 when she got pregnant with me in Natchez Mississippi. In that community, if a girl got pregnant that young, the family up and moved to save face.

16 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

My family moved to Madison, Wisconsin where I was born in 1967. My grandmother took custody of me and became my guardian. I was raised to believe my grandmother was my biological mother, that my aunts and uncles were my brothers and sisters, and my biological brothers and sisters were my nieces and nephews. I called my real grandmother, “Mama,” while my real mother was my sister. Over time, “Mama” moved us all over the place, Kentucky, Nashville, Michigan, Madison and back again. We were poor, and she’d take us wherever there was the best opportunity. Everybody in my family kept the lie going that “Mama” was my mom. Finally, when I was around 13, I found out the truth about my real mother, but the lie still went on. That year, I was sent back and forth from Nashville to Madison four times.

What was it like for you, having to go to so many different schools and make friends, find stability?

Well, I was somewhat intelligent and also small for my age. I skipped two grades. So when I was in Nashville at 14, I was in the 10th grade, and the older guys would sometimes beat me up. I never got the chance to establish long term friendships. When I was 16, I was going to Madison East High School, and I refused to go back to Nashville because my uncle and “Mama” had been physically and verbally abusing me there. I still have the scars all over my body. (Shar-Ron showed me some of his scars.)

At 16, I moved out of the family house and struck out on my own in Madison. For a while, I lived on the streets or at friends’ homes. But I got a job at Oscar Mayer for $11 an hour, then got my own apartment. I’ve been on my own ever since. In 1986 when I had just turned 19, I joined the Marines and spent four years in the service. Throughout that time, I was married and had some issues with my wife. So I left the Marines, and we came back to Madison, and that is when I got in trouble. I was arrested for homicide.

This unfortunate tragedy had to be an enormous turning point in your life.

Absolutely. I spent the next 25 years in various prisons in Wisconsin. I earned 63 diplomas and degrees including a bachelor’s degree and a paralegal license. I founded the

American Legion Post 1998. I was a Veteran’s Service representative. I won several claims for fellow inmates. On the downside, I was denied parole 19 times.

When you got out of prison, you earned a master’s degree from UW-Platteville.

Yes, in criminal justice. It took me 14 months, and I am presently working on my doctorate in criminal justice.

You are Associate Director of the Educational Preparedness Program at Marquette University (EPP). This program helps the incarcerated, formerly incarcerated, and legal-system-impacted folks, who take college classes for credit. Describe the EPP program and how it works, and how did you get involved?

In prison, I was a tutor, helping inmates earn their high school diplomas and also take college classes. In my research, I discovered the Wisconsin Higher Education Grant, the WHEG grant. It pays the tuition and fees for qualified inmates for two college classes, the books, and $65 extra.

I wrote a program based on my experiences helping those students. As a result, the prison in Red Granite adopted my program.

To read the rest of this article, visit shepherdexpress.com

Tom Jenz writes Central City Stories for shepherdexpress.com.

MARCH 2023 | 17

FOOD & DRINK

The Bridgewater Modern Grill CASUAL SOPHISTICATION IN THE HARBOR DISTRICT

BY SUSAN HARPT GRIMES

I

n autumn of 2022, the Bridgewater Modern Grill became the newest addition to the up and coming Harbor District. Bridgewater specializes in seasonal dishes which are inspired by modern classics and elevated comfort foods. This dynamic restaurant is sure to surprise visitors who have yet to discover the revitalization happening in this part of the city. While there is a somewhat industrial feel to the neighborhood, high-end apartments and other new development suggest the modern elegance of the Bridgewater has arrived right on time.

The clean lines of the polished interior of the Bridgewater create an ambiance of relaxed luxury. Tall windows with views of the Kinnickinnic River create an airy feel to the dining areas which offer both large cozy booths and sleek wooden tables and chairs for diners.

Valet parking is available and is a nice touch, especially with our changeable Wisconsin weather, but there was also ample parking close by. On a recent visit the hostess was friendly, the waitstaff knowledgeable and helpful, with top-notch service throughout the meal.

18 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Begin your meal with one, or more, of Bridgewater’s small plate options. A pleasant opener, the artichoke dip ($14) is served with lovely toasted flatbread, and the dip features all of the warm, melty cheese you want to have in this dish. Or try the delicious pulled duck barbacoa tostada ($15), with a nice little kick of ancho chili spice. Don’t overlook the simplest of the offerings though. The fresh local sourdough bread ($7) accompanied with a mild ash butter is quite good and a wonderful palate cleanser.

Main entrees at the Bridgewater range from an excellent oak-fired grass-fed ribeye ($45) to a supremely satisfying Wagyu beef burger ($19) topped with roasted shallots, melted Gruyere, and garlic aioli. Also quite good, the baby back ribs ($29) were perfectly tender and served with frites. The real standout though were the U-10 scallops ($34), which were properly seared, then paired with creamy corn grits, rapini and an outstanding bacon marmalade.

Additional sides round out the menu nicely, including the memorable oakfired carrots ($9) and smashed crispy fingerling potatoes ($8).

Lunch, and a recent addition of weekend brunch, are other fine ways to experience Bridgewater. Fast favorites include a to-die-for crab cake benedict ($19) featuring the generously crab-filled crab cake topped with tasty Bearnaise sauce and expertly poached egg. Or go with the incredible patty melt ($18) which stars a housemade sausage patty topped with positively decadent melted fontina and Brie cheese, egg, roasted shallots and garlic aioli.

Photos by RevPop. Courtesy of The Bridgewater Modern Grill.

The well-stocked bar, respectable wine list, creative cocktail and thoughtful mocktail offerings will endear Bridgewater to our community which enjoys having an adult beverage with a good meal. As the weather warms, there’s little doubt that the Bridgewater patio will be a popular spot for al fresco dining, drinks, and river views.

THE BRIDGEWATER MODERN GRILL 2011 South 1st Street (414) 299-6556 bridgewatermke.com $$-$$$

Susan Harpt Grimes is a food and features writer for shepherdexpess.com.

MARCH 2023 | 19

FOOD & DRINK FLASH IN THE PAN

MAKE PLOV, NOT WAR

BY ARI LEVAUX

Photo by Ari LeVaux.

P

lov is a hearty and meaty ricebased meal from Central Asia.

The dish is widely considered the progenitor of rice pilaf and a cousin to paella. Native to present-day Uzbekistan, plov has spread throughout the former Soviet republics, where it varies by region. Some renditions include chickpeas. Azerbaijani plov contains dried fruit. Ukrainian plov is often made with chicken. But every plov will include carrots, onions, garlic and some kind of meat. It’s traditionally prepared in a large, shallow pan called a kazan. A heavy wok, large frying pan or Dutch oven is probably the closest approximation that most of us have in the kitchen.

Legend has it that Alexander the Great commissioned the world’s first batch of plov as a way to feed his soldiers once in the morning and keep them nourished and strong all day. Like many myths, it contains elements of truth.

Plov does fill you up and keep you

20 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

satisfied and can be made in batches large enough to feed an army. But I believe plov has potential for peacemaking instead.

I first learned how to make plov at a dinner party hosted by a group of Uzbek businessmen who were visiting my hometown. They drank tea and murmured peacefully in the kitchen as they slowly prepared their dish, filling the house with the aroma of cumin, coriander, bay leaves, garlic and meat.

It was a beautiful scene but sullied by the sexism attached to the dish. The plov-makers made it clear that its preparation is man’s work. I asked why women can’t make it.

“If a woman wants to eat plov,” one of then explained patiently, “she must order her husband or her brother to make it. That way, she can eat with pleasure. If you want to eat something that is prepared perfectly, you must have the master prepare it. Man is the master of plov.”

The party was full of nationals from many former Soviet countries with names ending in -stan, like Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. These folks had strong opinions on plov. One guest from Tajikistan told me she thought women wouldn’t add enough meat if they were in charge of the plov.

If we are going to mess around with gender stereotypes, it’s worth pointing out that most wars are planned and orchestrated by men. Given that reality, getting the menfolk to drink tea and make plov, rather than war, might not be the worst idea. If only Russian and Ukrainian diplomats could hang out together around a simmering kazan of plov, talking quietly as the rice, meat and spices work their way toward a balance, they could find a way toward a peaceful end to their conflict. If men can make plov together, they can make peace together.

PLOV

T

his recipe makes a basic plov. Consider it a point of departure for the creation of your own personal version. Feel free to im-plov-ise.

Lamb or mutton are the traditional meats of choice for plov, because their strong flavors can stand up to the cumin, coriander, and other spices. For this reason I often use deer meat, which is similarly flavorful. Beef and chicken can make decent plovs, but the flavors of these renditions are more subtle less bold.

Serves 6 • 1- 2 pounds of lamb, as fatty as possible, diced • 3 tablespoons olive oil (unless the lamb is really, really fatty) • 2 cups long grain rice, preferably jasmine or basmati • 1 tablespoon crushed or powdered cumin • 1 tablespoon crushed or powdered coriander • 2 teaspoons black pepper • 2 teaspoons salt; more to taste • 3 large carrots, cut into chunks • 1 large onion, halved and sliced • 2 heads garlic, left whole with the tops lopped off • 4 bay leaves • 1 cup red wine

Brown the lamb in the olive oil in a wok, Dutch oven, or large frying pan. While the meat browns, wash the rice in a bowl by filling it with water, stirring, and dumping the water. Rinse and repeat until the water runs clear.

When the meat has browned, mix in the cumin, coriander, black pepper and salt. Add the carrots, onions, garlic heads, bay leaves and wine, and stir it together. Sauté slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the carrots are soft. Add the rice and mix it all together. Add about two cups of water, until there is about a half-inch or so covering the rice.

Cover the plov and simmer over medium heat until the rice is soft. Be ready to add more water if the pan dries out before the rice is fully cooked.

Let the plov sit, or “rest,” for about 30 minutes with the lid on before serving. This lets the flavors settle and come to balance with one another and allows for the moisture to distribute itself evenly. As you serve it, break apart the garlic heads and distribute the soft cloves, so every serving includes a couple.

Ari LeVaux has written about food for The Atlantic Online, Outside Online and Alternet.

MARCH 2023 | 21

SPECIAL DAY TRIPS

Escape to Madison for the Art of It All

BY MICHAEL MUCKIAN

M

adison has long been described as “33 Square Miles Surrounded by Reality,” a term originally coined by former Wisconsin Gov. Lee Sherman Dreyfus. Dreyfus was a Milwaukee native and clearly understood the difference between the Capital City and the rest of the world.

Such distinction helps make Madison the perfect spring weekend getaway, especially for fans of the arts. Here is a list of arts opportunities coming up this season for those who decide to make the 90-mile trek west. It’s the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg.

ARS GRATIA ARTIS Madison is home to a host of artists, multiple galleries and two excellent art museums. Time spent at the Chazen Museum of Art on the UW campus and the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA), adjacent to the Overture Center for the Arts, will be among the most rewarding time of your trip.

In February, the Chazen launched re:mancipation, a collaborative project based on the reinterpretation of “Emancipation Group,” sculptor Thomas Ball’s now troubling statue of Abraham Lincoln holding his hand over a kneeling former slave. A copy of Ball’s statue has been on display at the Chazen since 1976, and a consortium led by the museum, Black sculptor Sanford Biggers, and others reevaluate the work and its meaning. There’s also a documentary film and social justice website as part of the exhibit. On display through June 25.

MMoCA kicks off the spring season in April with Sertraline Dolls, a first-person single-player video game by Chicago new media and performance artist Ava Wanbli that “merges multiple formats of the artist’s body in a meditation of self-production through sexual expression and consumption 22 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

of the body.” If this concept, set in a cyberpunk futuristic wasteland, sounds appealing, stop in any time after April 1 and try your hand. The exhibit runs through August 20.

Admission to both the Chazen and MMoCA is always free.

CLASSICAL GAS Thanks to the UW’s Mead Witter School of Music, Madison is blessed with an abundance of classical musicians, all of whom have personal performance as part of their educational mission. The city’s spring classical scene is vibrant because of it.

The Madison Symphony Orchestra (MSO) kicks off March at Overture Center with its “Beyond the Score” series featuring an unusual performance of Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 – Heaven or Earth, including the composer’s back story performed by actors from American Players Theatre. The season continues with performances of Britten, Brahms and Saint-Saëns’ Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor performed by guest soloist Blake Pouliot and ends in May with a thunderous performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana.

The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra wraps up its indoor Masterworks series starting in March at Overture with the Spanish guitar of Mabel Millán performing Ponce’s Concierto del Sur for Guitar and Orchestra, with works by Bartok, Boccherini and Halftter filling out the evening. In April, WCO continues the Spanish theme with a performance of Copland’s El Salón México in a free family concert at Madison West High School, concluding back at Overture in May with guest pianist Michael Mizrahi performing Beethoven’s Piano Concert No. 1 and assisting with the composer’s Symphony No. 6, Pastoral. The Suite from Edmonia ends the season and caps off composer Dr. Bill Banfield’s two-year residency with WCO.

Photos by Focal Flame Photography. Courtesy of Destination Madison. Watercolor background by sensationaldesign/Getty Images.

CURTAIN CALL

ALL THAT JAZZ, ETC.

Madison’s theater scene is not quite as vibrant as that of Milwaukee, but there are still some interesting productions coming that may be worth your time.

In Madison, music of all kinds tops the charts of things to do.

From large on-campus concerts to intimate east side clubs, you can pretty much find what you want. Here is the March schedule for just some of the city’s most popular venues.

Forward Theater is the city foremost Equity theater group.

In April, the company hosts the world premiere of Artemisia, playwright Lauren Gunderson’s meditation on Artemisia Gentileschi, the most celebrated—and today least known— female painter of the 17th century. Forward’s season ends in May with Out in This World, its annual Monologue Festival, during which 12 storytellers offer travel tales from both far away and closer to home.

Four Seasons Theatre, which shares space in The Playhouse at Overture Center with Forward Theater, kicks off March with Makin’ Cake with Dasha Kelly Hamilton, Wisconsin’s Poet Laureate and Milwaukee’s 2021 Artist of the Year. Supported by two on-stage bakers, Hamilton considers issues of race, culture and class in new and interesting ways, with a cake reception following the performance.

Madison also is home to community theater groups, all of whom call the Bartell Theatre, just off the Capitol Square, home. In March, you can enjoy the Madison Theatre Guild’s Bad in Bed (A Fairy Tale) or Sondheim on Sondheim; Stage Qs’ production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and maybe even Mercury Players Theatre’s Escape from Happiness, with more to come later in spring.

Barrymore Theater: Leo Kottke, March 3; Drive By Truckers, March 12; Chapel Hart, March 26; Ryan Adams, March 28.

Orpheum Theatre: Sarah Silverman, March 9; Indigo Girls, March 21.

The Sylvee: Cory Wong, March 2; Flogging Molly, March 3; Badflower, March 4; Subtronics, March 5; Morgan Wade, March 8; J.I.D & Smino, March 23; Nick Cannon’s Next Superstar Tour 2023, March 24, Andrew Bird, April 5.

Overture Center for the Arts: Black Violin, March 2; Barbarito Torress & Juan de Marcos Afro-Cuban Allstars, March 3; Trinity Irish Dance, March 4; Red Hot Chili Pipers, March 18.

There also are numerous bars and clubs featuring music of all types. Take the drive, get into the scene and have a great time.

Michael Muckian was the banking and finance writer for the Milwaukee Business Journal and is the author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Financing and Accounting and The One-Day Guide MBA in Finance and Accounting. He lives in Madison.

MARCH 2023 | 23

SPECIAL SPRING ARTS GUIDE | SPONSORED BY MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

SPRING ARTS GUIDE MARCH-MAY 2023

Opening Reception, The Warehouse Art Museum, “Rediscovering Ruth Grotenrath”. Courtesy of The Warehouse Art Museum.

Milwaukee Artist Rediscovered

R

“

Ruth Grotenrath, Yuki, ca. 1970, Casein on paper. Photographed

by Avery Pelekoudas. Courtesy of The Warehouse Art Museum.

24 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

ediscovering Ruth Grotenrath: All Things Belong to the Earth” is the first comprehensive retrospective of the Milwaukee artist’s work. One of the exhibition’s dominant images, Modern Madonna (1935), betrays the influence of Diego Rivera and other politically charged public artists of that era. The mother at the painting’s heart, grasping a screaming child to her breast, is menaced on all sides by bayonets; the hand of capitalism dispenses gold coins as a demon leers over her shoulder. It’s a Roman Catholic martyrology revised to represent the torments of humanity on the road to World War II.

Grotenrath never painted anything like that again, but Modern Madonna bears some ideological links to the work for which she is often remembered. As an employee of the New Deal WPA, she was hired by the federal government to adorn the walls of schools, post offices and other public places with murals. “Rediscovering” includes sketches for one of her murals, the charcoal outlines of heroic laborers rebuilding America in the face of the Great Depression.

Soon enough, other influences supplanted social realism. Grotenrath

Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

MARCH 2023 | 25

SPECIAL SPRING ARTS GUIDE | SPONSORED BY MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

and her artist husband, Schomer Lichtner, often visited Taliesin where they absorbed Frank Lloyd Wright’s enthusiasm for Japanese printmaking. The couple also spent many hours at the Chicago Art Institute studying the European modernists whose influence can be seen in Grotenrath’s bold colors and rejection of Renaissance perspective.

Along one wall of “Rediscovering” a series of Grotenrath’s still lifes form a timeline of artistic development. From the careful realism of her early years, she embraced a vibrancy of vital colors and a dense layering of objects. She was a ceramicist and while only a few of her ceramics are on display, her paintings often include her distinctive tilework along with one of her cats.

Ruth Grotenrath. Meadow (Lorrie Otto’s Garden), 1970. Oil on linen. 40 x 30 in. Photographed by Avery Pelekoudas. Courtesy of The Warehouse Art Museum.

26 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Grotenrath’s landscapes mirror the Wisconsin surroundings she knew so well. One in particular is outstanding

for size, color and content. Meadows (Lorrie Otto’s Garden) (1970) reflects her friendship with the environmentalist whose garden she depicts as an explosion of leaves and flowers, trunks and stems—plants of all sorts in outrageous bursts of color but arranged in different levels of density so that the eye can discern the individual components.

At the gallery’s entranceway is an exhibit within the exhibition, a wall of black-and-white photographs by the Warehouse’s codirector Jan Serr of Grotenrath and Lichtner at home in 1985. Assembled from the collections of several museums and private collectors, including many objects never exhibited before, “Rediscovering Ruth Grotenrath: All Things Belong to This Earth” runs through March 31 at the Warehouse Art Museum, 1635 W. St. Paul St. For more information, visit wammke.org. (David Luhrssen)

Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

MARCH 2023 | 27

SPECIAL SPRING ARTS GUIDE | SPONSORED BY MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

53212 PRESENTS

BLACK HOLOCAUST MUSEUM

CATEY OTT DANCE COLLECTIVE

53212presents.org

abhmuseum.org

cateyott.com

5 POINTS ART GALLERY

BOERNER BOTANICAL GARDENS

CEDARBURG ART MUSEUM

5ptsartgallery.com

boernerbotanicalgardens.org

cedarburtartmuseum.org

Nuestros Cuerpos, Nuestros Almas (Our Bodies, Our Spirit), through March 26

BOMBSHELL THEATRE CO.

Art of Charles Porteus, through April 16

ACACIA THEATRE COMPANY acaciatheatre.com We Will Not Be Silent, March 10–26 Playwright David Meyers’s fact-based play concerns the courageous acts of Sophie Scholl, a college student in Nazi Germany who, with a small group of friends, painted graffiti and circulated anti-Hitler flyers. Dostoevsky-like, We Will Not Be Silent presents Scholl’s debate with her Nazi interrogator, who offers to trade her life in exchange for her conscience. (David Luhrssen) THE ALICE WILDS thealicewilds.com ALL IN PRODUCTIONS allin-mke.com AMERICAN PLAYERS THEATRE (APT) americanplayers.org APERI ANIMAM

bombshelltheatre.org Sunset Boulevard, April 21-May 7, Broadway Theatre Center

Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, Sky: Climate Transformed, through May 14

Bombshell conjures the glamor of old Hollywood to the stage of the Broadway Theatre Center as it presents Sunset Boulevard. Kara Ernst-Schalk stars as the reclusive silent film start Norma Desmond. Bombshell’s Eric Welch plays screenwriter Joe Gillis who stumbles into her life. (Russ Bickerstaff)

Student Art Matters, through May 21

Annie Junior, April 24-26, Broadway Theatre Center BOULEVARD THEATRE milwaukeeboulevardtheatre.com THE BOX THEATRE CO.

CEDARBURG CULTURAL CENTER cedarburgculturalcenter.org The Little Show: CCC’s Annual Juried Exhibit, through March 5 CEDARBURG PERFORMING ARTS CENTER cedarburgpac.com I Am … He Said: A Celebration of Neil Diamond, March 17 Michael Cavanaugh, May 5

boxtheatre.co.org

CHANT CLAIRE CHAMBER CHOIR

Descendants: The Musical, through March 5

chantclaire.org

Once Upon a Mattress, May 19-28 BRONZEVILLE ARTS ENSEMBLE

Concert with William Baker Festival Singers, April 30, St. Joseph Chapel Spring Concert, May 13 CHARLES ALLIS ART MUSEUM

aperianimam.com

facebook.com/ BronzevilleArtsEnsemble

Lacrimae Nostrae, May 19, Calvary Presbyterian Church

charlesallis.org

Zuri’s Crown, April 27-29, Marcus Performing Arts Center

The Sarah Ball Allis Art Museum, through June 11

ARTS @ LARGE

The tale of Rapunzel serves as the basis for Bronzeville Arts Ensemble’s world-premiere musical Zuri’s Crown.

The ensemble tells the story of a mysterious woman who teaches a lesson to the wife of the owner of a beauty supply store. (Russ Bickerstaff)

Allis Chalmers, West Allis, the Charles Allis Art Museum—the Allis name is inseparable from Milwaukee’s history. A new exhibition hopes—among other goals—to turn the spotlight on a member of that family whose role in the community has been overlooked.

Through June 11, the Charles Allis Art Museum will become the Sarah Ball Allis Art Museum in an exhibit featuring 20 contemporary artists juxtaposed with the institution’s permanent collection. (David Luhrssen)

artsatlargeinc.org BACH CHAMBER CHOIR bachchoirmilwaukee.com Rutter Requiem, April 2, St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church BEL CANTO CHORUS belcanto.org Music of our Times, March 12, St. Monica Parish Brahms, “A German Requiem,” May 21

CABARET MILWAUKEE facebook.com/cabmke CARROLL PLAYERS carrollplayers.weebly.com CARTHAGE COLLEGE THEATRE carthage.edu/fine-arts

BLACK ARTS MKE marcuscenter.org/series/ black-arts-mke Zuri’s Crown, April 27-29, Marcus Performing Arts Center 28 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

FML: How Carson McCullers Saved My Life, March 2-4 Legally Blonde: The Musical, April 28-29; May 4-6

Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

MARCH 2023 | 29

SPECIAL SPRING ARTS GUIDE | SPONSORED BY MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

THE CONSTRUCTIVISTS

DEAD MAN’S CARNIVAL

theconstructivists.org

facebook.com/Dead-Mans-Carnival

I’m Gonna Pray for You So Hard, April 29-May 13, Interchange Theatre Playwright Halley Feiffer is the daughter of famed cartoonist/playwright Jules Feiffer. This spring The Constructivists present her play I’m Gonna Pray For You So Hard. It’s a comedy involving a playwright father and his daughter who is an actress. (Russ Bickerstaff) CONCORD CHAMBER ORCHESTRA concordorchestra.org Young Talent, March 25, St. Sebastian Parish CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

EARLY MUSIC NOW earlymusicnow.org Rachel Barton Pine & Jory Vinikour, “All Bach!” March 4, St. Paul Episcopal Church House of Time, “Angels & Demons,” April 29, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church EX FABULA exfabula.org StorySlam: Parenting, March 15 StorySlam: It’s About Time, April 27 ExFabula All-Stars, May 11

cuw.edu

FALLS PATIO PLAYERS

COVERED BRIDGE ART STUDIO TOUR

fallspatioplayers.com

cedarburgartistsguild.com

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, April 21-30

DANCECIRCUS dancecircus.org

FESTIVAL CITY SYMPHONY

FINE ARTS QUARTET

Monarchs, Mounds, Migrations, March 8-11, Next Act Theatre

festivalcitysymphony.org

fineartsquartet.com

Grand Passions and Tales: The Music of Italy and France, March 4, Bradley Symphony Center

Beethoven and Glazunov, March 11

His Greatest Symphony: Music of the Ballet and Antonin Dvořák, April 25, Bradley Symphony Center

firststage.org

DANCEWORKS PERFORMANCE MKE danceworksmke.org DAVID BARNETT GALLERY davidbarnettgallery.com Art is How We Live: Black Artists in Wisconsin, through April 14

A Springtime Galop: Spring Pajama Jamboree, May 3, Marcus Performing Arts Center

FIRST STAGE The Hobbit, through March 5, Milwaukee Youth Arts Center The engaging drama of Tolkien’s classic fantasy comes to life in a brisk 90-minute program as director Jeff Frank presents First Stage’s production of The Hobbit. The magic of Middle Earth fuses with the wonder of live theater. Frank has a talent for conjuring big adventure to small stage environments in one of the best children’s theatre programs in the country.

(Russ Bickerstaff) Little Women, March 24-April 2 The SpongeBob Musical for Young Audiences, March 3-April 2 The Forgotten Girl, March 30 Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, April 21-May 21 The Gracious Sisters, May 5-21

30 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

MARCH 2023 | 31

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FLORENTINE OPERA

GHS DRAMATIC IMPACT

HARLEY-DAVIDSON MUSEUM

florentineopera.org

gsdwi.org

harley-davidson.com

Cosi fan tutti Remix, March 17-26

Legally Blonde: The Musical, March 6-8, Germantown Performing Arts Center

Off-Road Harley-Davidson, continuing

Director Jill Anna Ponasik describes Cosi fan Tutte remix as”a delightfully fresh and spunky adaptation of Mozart and Da Ponte’s opera, now unfolding at a midwestern university in the 1980s (Think Big Chill or St. Elmo’s Fire), as six college friends face the prospect of graduation, and then, meet again 20 years later at their reunion.” (David Luhrssen) FORTE THEATRE COMPANY fortetheatrecompany.org Into the Woods, April 14-23 FRANK JUAREZ GALLERY fjgmke.com FRANKLY MUSIC franklymusic.org GALLERY 218 gallery218.com

GREENDALE COMMUNITY THEATRE greendaletheatre.org GROHMANN MUSEUM

Building a Milwaukee Icon: HD’s Juneau Ave. Factory, continuing Tsunami Motorcycle Display, continuing

msoe.edu/grohmann-museum

H. F. JOHNSON GALLERY OF ART

David Plowden: The Architecture of Agriculture, April 21-Aug. 20

carthage.edu/art-gallery

Photographer David Plowden, age 90, lives in Winnetka, IL. “I befriended him in 2011 when we hosted an exhibition of his railroad photographs Madison,” says the Grohmann’s director James Kieselburg. “It is in knowing and befriending Plowden that one also knows that his full impact is likely yet to be felt, as we continue to lose the features of the American landscape that he so expertly and thoughtfully captured. From the rural landscape to railroads to bridges to heavy industry, he has distilled in many ways the essence of America by portraying our too often overlooked treasures—the commonplace fabric of our familiar environment—dilapidated or dismantled today.” (David Luhrssen) GROVE GALLERY gallerygrove.com HAGGERTY MUSEUM OF ART marquette.edu/haggerty-museum Tomas Saraceno: Entangled Air, Jan. 20-May 21

HOVER CRAFT hovercraftmke.com HYPERLOCAL MKE hyperlocalmke.com INSPIRATION STUDIOS ART GALLERY inspirationstudiosgallery.com West Allis West Milwaukee Youth Art Exhibit, March Fleeing Artists Theatre, A Raisin in the Sun, March Broadway Bound Wisconsin, Bedtime Stories, March Rosie Hartmann, The Brick of It, April Fleeing Artists Theatre, Stop Kiss, April Placeholder Players, Orion, May Weir Nature Center Camera Club Exhibit, May Von Trio, May Thom Cauley Presents, The Spectrum Revisited, May

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Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

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IRISH CULTURAL AND HERITAGE CENTER ichc.net JAZZ GALLERY CENTER FOR THE ARTS jazzgallerycenterforarts.org “Word and Image,” March 4-April 15 JEWISH MUSEUM MILWAUKEE jewishmuseummilwaukee.org Degenerate! through June 4 JOHN MICHAEL KOHLER ARTS CENTER jmkac.org/home.html Angela U. Drakeford: In Bloom at the End of the World,” through April 16 The exhibit by multi-disciplinary artist Angela U. Drakeford that is really like no other. Housed in JMKAC’s large glass gallery space, Drakeford’s installation is a sanctuary space, a parlor or perhaps living room filled with growing green plants, recordings of bird songs, comfortable furniture, books, pillows and other assorted domestic bric-abrac. (Michael Muckian) KACM THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS kacmtheatrical.weebly.com KETTLE MORAINE SYMPHONY kmsymphony.org “Desserts, Drinks and Diversions,” March 18, Historic West Bend Theatre Brahms: A German Requiem, May 21, location TBD

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KOHLER MEMORIAL THEATER kohlerfoundation.org Mariachi Herencia de Mexico, March 10 KO-THI DANCE COMPANY ko-thi.org LAKE ARTS PROJECT lakeartsproject.com LATINO ARTS, INC. latinoartsinc.org Mama Said: A Reflection on Material Figures, March 1-June 2 Lupita Infante, March 3 LILY PAD GALLERY WEST lilypadgallery.com In a Place of Dreams, through April 30 LYNDEN SCULPTURE GARDEN lyndensculpturegarden.org

MARCUS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER marcuscenter.org The Spongebob Musical for Young Audiences, Mar 3 - Apr 2 Six, Mar 7-12 One Night of Queen, March 18 Hunchback Of Notre Dame, March 23-26 The Simon & Garfunkel Story, Mar 29 Late Nite Catechism, Mar 31 Dixie's Tupperware Party, Apr 13 -16 Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds, April Zuri's Crown, April 27-29 Hadestown, May 2-7 Winnie The Pooh, May 4-7 Peter Pan, May 11-14 One Man Star Wars Trilogy, May 12 One Man Avengers, May 13 Il Barbiere Di Siviglia / The Barber Of Seville, May 19-21 MARN ART + CULTURE HUB marnarts.org Nicole Acosta: Hoops, through April 2 MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY THEATRE marquette.edu/communication/ theatre-arts.php Detroit `67, April 14-23

Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

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MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM

MILWAUKEE CHILDREN'S CHOIR

mam.org

milwaukeechildrenschoir.org

“2023 Scholastic Art Awards: Wisconsin Exhibition,” through March 19

Brilliant Earth, May 6, Crossroads Presbyterian Church

milwaukeecomedy.com

Playing Favorites: Spotlight on the Petullo Collection, through April 2

mfbrass.org

A Very Strong Likeness of Her: Portraiture and Identity in the British Colonial World, through April 9 Native America: In Translation, through June 23 MASTER SINGERS OF MILWAUKEE

MILWAUKEE BALLET

mastersingersofmilwaukee.org

milwaukeeballet.org

“Saying Our Peace,” May 13, Oak Creek Performing Arts Center

Momentum, through March 4 Baumgartner Center for Dance

MATERIAL STUDIOS + GALLERY materialstudiosandgallery.com MEMORIES DINNER THEATRE memoriesballroom.com Side Kicked, March 17-26 It’s Friday, March 2, 1960, and we are at the final taping of “The Lucy/Desi Comedy Hour.” This is the final time the four beloved characters will perform together before a live audience. We find ourselves in the dressing room of Vivian Vance aka Ethel Mertz. She is reflecting on all the years of “I Love Lucy” and how she feels—the highs and lows of this epic journey—with Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and William Frawley. A behind the scenes look at what really occurred is eye opening and jaw dropping. This one-woman show will grab your attention and hold it. A very different perspective with the greatest neighbor the world has ever known, Ethel Mertz. (Blaine Schultz) Four Old Broads on the High Seas, April 14-23 Packing Up Polly, May12-21 MENOMONEE FALLS SYMPHONY www.mfso.net Showcasing Showstopper, April 23, Hamilton Fine Arts Center

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MILWAUKEE COMEDY

After Ashcan: The 14th Street School, through March 26

Momentum is the title of the annual show by Milwaukee Ballet’s Second Company, the 20 emerging professionals, aged 17-22, who fill out the casts of the main season shows. This year, under Artistic Director Mireille Favarel, they’ll recreate the classical Marius Petipa choreography for the climactic wedding scene of Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty, and premiere three works: MBII Rehearsal Director Calvin Hilpert’s Grief and Rage, guest choreographer and composer Kristopher Estes-Brown’s Light, Dark, and In Between, and second year MBII dancer Amanda Lewis’ Unspoken with live accompaniment by Milwaukee composer/ violinist Allen Russell. Most of the First Company’s dancers came through MBII. (John Schneider) MILWAUKEE CHAMBER THEATER milwaukeechambertheatre.org Hoops, March 10-April 2 The Mountaintop, April 21-May 7 The life of Martin Luther King Jr. is explored in Katori Hall’s drama. It’s a conversation between the man and a hotel maid the evening before his assassination. Milwaukee Chamber Theatre presents a staging of the play at the Broadway Theatre Center’s Cabot Theatre. (Russ Bickerstaff)

MILWAUKEE FESTIVAL BRASS Spring Concert, May 6, St. John’s Lutheran Church MILWAUKEE INSTITUTE OF ART & DESIGN miad.edu Art Against the Odds: Wisconsin Prison Art Exhibition, through March 11 Beyond being a powerful art show, the exhibit has much to say about our criminal justice system and mass incarceration. Presenting the expressive work of 65 prison artists and examining the penal system within which they create, the exhibition aims to pierce prison walls and counter the invisibility which those walls otherwise impose on so many in our society. (Peter Goldberg) MILWAUKEE IRISH ARTS milirisharts.wordpress.com Faith Healer, March 24-26, Sunstone Studio MILWAUKEE JAZZ INSTITUTE milwaukeejazzinstitute.org MJI Night, March 18, bar centro MJI Night, April 15, bar centro International Jazz Day Celebration, April 30, Saint Kate - The Arts Hotel Educational Jazz Festival, May 15-16, Hilton Milwaukee City Center MJI Night, May 20, bar centro MILWAUKEE MAKERS MARKET milwaukeemakersmarket.com April 16, Discovery World May 14, Ivy House The Milwaukee Makers Market features over 50 artisans, bakers and makers candles selling coffee, clothing, jewelry, art and much more. (Frank Grey) Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

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MILWAUKEE MUSAIK milwaukeemusaik.org Springtacular, April 25, Wisconsin Lutheran College Center for Arts and Performance MILWAUKEE OPERA THEATRE milwaukeeoperatheatre.org Impossible Operas (with Quasimondo Physical Theatre), May 19-28, Broadway Theatre Center Studio Theatre MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER milwaukeerep.com Dino! An Evening with Dean Martin, through March 19; Stackner Cabaret The production by Armen Padola is directed with a keen eye for detail and pacing by The Rep’s Jonathan Hetler who creatively maximizes the intimate stage with scenic designer Sydney Lynne’s retro “home” and “work” settings. But this is, after all, all about Dino ... and what a Dino this is in the extraordinary characterization by the multi-talented Tally Sessions.

Sessions excels as Martin himself did at performing, singing and making the audience laugh. (Harry Cherkinian) The Heart Sellers, Feb. 7-March 19, Stiemke Studio August Wilson’s Seven Guitars, March 7-April 2 The Greatest Love for Whitney: A Whitney Houston Tribute, March 24-May 8 God of Carnage, April 18-May 14

MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA mso.org Music of Montgomery and Dvořák, March 3-4 Jessie Montgomery’s Records from a Vanishing City is a tone poem based on memories of the music that suffused Manhattan’s Lower East Side, her neighborhood in the ‘80s. Every open window was a portal to a sonic universe. Latin jazz, straight-ahead jazz, alt rock and folk music from a dozen nations inspired her creative process.

This work by a contemporary American will be programmed with Prokofiev and Dvořák under conductor Jonathon Heyward. (David Luhrssen) Mendelssohn’s Elijah, March 24-26 Don Juan & Beethoven Piano, April 14-15 Joyce Yang Plays Mozart, May 5-6 The Zodiac and the Planets, May 26-28 MILWAUKEE YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA myso.org Chamber Ensemble, March 12 Fanfare and Finale Concert, April 30 MILWAUKEE YOUTH THEATRE milwaukeeyouththeatre.org MORNING STAR PRODUCTIONS morningstarproductions.org The Resurrection of Father Brown, Feb.-March

MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART wisconsinart.org Ten at Ten, through April 9 Has it been 10 years since MOWA opened its gleaming white modernist gallery in the heart of West Bend? To mark the anniversary, the museum is exhibiting 10 emerging Wisconsin artists. “We believe these are the artists to watch in 2023 and beyond.

Expect great things from them over the next 10 years,” says MOWA Executive Director Laurie Winters. The diverse media includes oil on canvas and video installation as well as experiments with calcium carbonate and papier-mâché.

(David Luhrssen) Social Realism to Surrealism: The James and Karen Hyde Collection, through April 89 MOWA | DTN (SAINT KATE-THE ARTS HOTEL) Leslie Vansen: The Typography of Line, through April 2 In Leslie Vansen’s work, the simple line has definition, depth, weight, and history. It represents life’s natural order, while at the same time disrupting the way we see and understand life. The line defines the nature of Vansen’s paintings and drawings, while struggling against the restrictions the artist has placed on its own stubborn expressiveness. (Michael Muckian) MOWA ON THE LAKE (ST. JOHN’S ON THE LAKE) Pat Hidson: Compositions, through May 21 NEXT ACT THEATRE nextact.org There is a Happiness that Morning Is, through March 19 God's Spies, April 27-May 21 Shakespeare wrote King Lear in quarantine. Everything was closed. During COVID lockdown, modern playwright Bill Cain imagined Shakespeare waiting out the plague in the company of a prostitute and a Puritan in God’s Spies, which makes its. Wisconsin debut in a production with Next Act. (Russ Bickerstaff)

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Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

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SPECIAL SPRING ARTS GUIDE | SPONSORED BY MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

NŌ STUDIOS

OVER OUR HEAD PLAYERS

nostudios.com

overourheadplayers.org

racinetheatre.org

NORTH SHORE ACADEMY OF THE ARTS

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, March 24

The Tin Woman, through March 12

facebook.com/ northshoreacademyofthearts

PENINSULA PLAYERS

NORTHERN SKY THEATER northernskytheater.com OCONOMOWOC ARTS CENTER

peninsulaplayers.com Changing Channels, March 6 i, April 3

oasd.k12.wi.us

PIANOARTS

Rock’n’Roll Tribute from Elvis to The Beatles Featuring The Neverly Brothers, March 11

pianoarts.org

ComedySportz, March 18 Cabaret Café Series: Barley Jacks, March 25

PORTRAIT SOCIETY GALLERY portraitsocietygallery.com “Can't Stand the Rain: Phoenix S Brown and Ashley Lusietto,” through March 11

OHS Players, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, April 29

presentmusic.org

Wisconsin Philharmonic: The Glory of Spring, May 11

Northern Lights, April 6, Milwaukee Art Museum

Lake Country Film Festival, May 19

In conjunction with the museum’s exhibit “Scandinavian Design and the United States 1890-1980.” The concert includes a world premiere by Dan Trueman performed by Irish fiddler Caoimhin O Raghallaigh playing the hardanger d’amore, a 10-stringed instrument from Norway. The concert will feature a wide variety of Scandinavian music, as well as impromptu performances by Trueman and guest composer Clarice Assad. (David Luhrssen)

Main Stage Series: Doobie Others, May 20 OIL GALLERY MILWAUKEE oilmilwaukee.com Human/Nature, through March OPTIMIST THEATRE optimisttheatre.org OUTSKIRTS THEATRE facebook.com/outskirtstheatre

PRESENT MUSIC

Birds of a Feather, May 31-June 1, Jan Serr Studio QUASIMONDO PHYSICAL THEATRE quasimondo.org RACINE ART MUSEUM

RACINE THEATRE GUILD

The Cat in the Hat, March 17-19 Brad Upton, March 18 Tony Castaneda Latin Jazz Band, March 25 Rico Vibes, April 8 Stand and Deliver, April 14-23 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, May 19-June 4 Sweeney Todd began as a gory 19th century British melodrama of a serial killer on the loose. Director Tim Burton turned it into a 2007 film starring Johnny Depp in the title role. However, the tale will probably live on longest in Stephen Sondheim’s musical. In searching for a musical language appropriate for the material, Sondheim remembered a scary movie of fog-bound London from his youth, Hangover Square, with music

by Bernard Herrmann. Sondheim composed Sweeney Todd with unresolved dissonances, leaving the audience in suspense. (David Luhrssen) REAL TINSEL GALLERY realtinsel.com RENAISSANCE THEATERWORKS r-t-w.com Tidy, March 24-April 16, 255 S. Water St. A struggling novelist excavates her own life, lost memories and the history of the world as she cleans her house in playwright Kristin Idaszak’s one-woman drama Tidy, a charming, intimate journey of self-discovery.

(Russ Bickerstaff)

ramart.org

SACRA NOVA CHORALE

RAM Showcase: Focus on Glass, through May 27

sacranovacathedrale.com

On Fire: Surveying Women in Glass, through July

saintkatearts.com

RACINE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA racinesymphony.org Masterworks: Seven Last Words, April 7, First Presbyterian Church

SAINT KATE - THE ARTS HOTEL External Strife, Internal Peace, Eternal Love by Nehemiah Edwards, through March 12 Locating Private Spaces by Jan Wohlner, through April 9

Masterworks: Pictures of a Sound, May 21, Memorial Hall 40 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

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SEAT OF OUR PANTS READER THEATRE mkereaderstheatre.com SHARON LYNNE WILSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS wilson-center.com Frank Almond & Emi Ferguson, March 11 Club Show Series: Athas, March 17 Milwaukee Musaik, March 19 Tony Desare: Song Diaries Live, April 16 Club Show Series: Donna Woodall Group, April 21 Joan Curto: The Songs of Sondheim, May 17 Club Show Series: The Contenders, May 19

SKYLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE

SUNSET PLAYHOUSE

skylightmusictheatre.org

sunsetplayhouse.com

Noises Off, March 17-April 2

The Cemetery Club, March 2-19

British playwright Michael Frayn’s Noises Off was a hit on Broadway and the West End for its loving, insider’s spoof of theater and theater people. The fast-paced comedy includes a beleaguered stage manager and a production that unravels before the audience’s eyes. Artistic Director Michael Unger will direct Skylight’s version with a live singer and lounge band on stage. (David Luhrssen)

Young Frankenstein-West End Version, April 20-May 7

SOUTH MILWAUKEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SUNSTONE STUDIOS

southmilwaukeepac.org Leo Kottke, March 4 Paddygrass, March 5 Sam Bush, March 8 Knightwind Ensemble, April 2

5 Women Wearing The Same Dress, April 28-30 Descendants: The Musical, April 30-May 8 Little Red Riding Hoodie, May 3-6 101 Dalmatians Kids, May 20-21

sunstonestudios.mke THEATRE GIGANTE theatregigante.org In the Belly of the Beast, May 5-20 THEATRICAL TENDENCIES theatricaltendencies.com

Animal: A Farm Story, April 6

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Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

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THIRD AVENUE PLAYHOUSE, STURGEON BAY thirdavenueplayworks.org THRASHER OPERA HOUSE, GREEN LAKE thrasheroperahouse.com Lunasa, March 3 Dirty Dozen Brass Band, March 11

UW-PARKSIDE THEATRE uwp.edu/the rita/ theatreperformances.cfm The Aliens, March 3-12 reasons to be pretty, April 14-15 Spring Awakening, April 29-May 7 UW-MILWAUKEE PECK SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

Skerryvor, April 1

uwm.edu/arts/events

Session Americana, April 22

New Music MKE: Hub New Music, March 1, Music Recital Hall

Kyshona, April 29 Mike Farris, May 5 Iris Dement, May 12 TORY FOLLIARD GALLERY toryfolliard.com Amy Fletcher & Katie Musolff, March 3-April 15 Anna Kunz: New Paintings, April 21-May 27

Chamber Music Milwaukee, March 2, Music Recital Hall Concert Chorale Spring Concert, March 3, Helen Bader Concert Hall Sing into Spring Choral Concert, March 4, Helen Bader Concert Hall All Night Strut, March 8-12, Mainstage Theatre Jazz Ensemble, March 9, Jan Serr Studio Wind Ensemble and Symphony Band, March 16, Helen Bader Concert Hall UWM Piano Studio Recital, March 16, Music Recital Hall Spring Opera Production, March 31-April 1, Helen Bader Concert Hall New Music MKE: Student Premiers, April 5, Music Recital Hall Makers! Student Exhibition, April 7-21, Kenilworth Square East 2023 BA/BFA Spring Exhibition, April 8-May 20, Kenilworth Square East Jack Thorpe, April 10, Music Recital Hall Jazz Ensemble, April 13, Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts Cicchillitti-Cowan Duo Classical Guitar Concert, April 14, Music Recital Hall

University Community Orchestra, April 23, Helene Zelazo Center for the Performing Arts The Rivals, May 3-7, Mainstage Theatre Springdances 2023, May 10-14, Jan Serr Studio UWM UNION ART GALLERY agallery@studentinvolvement.uwm.edu UW-WHITEWATER CROSSMAN GALLERY uww.edu UW-WHITEWATER THEATRE uww.edu VAR GALLERY & STUDIOS vargallery.com VILLA TERRACE DECORATIVE ARTS MUSEUM villaterrace.org Grounded, through March 5 Mestiere 2023, April 6 - Aug. 13 The Villa Terrace's first biennial exhibition honoring and celebrating craft in the Greater Milwaukee Region.

VILLAGE PLAYHOUSE villageplayhouse.org Death Takes a Role, March 10-11, Interchange Theater voicesfoundrep.com WALKER'S POINT CENTER FOR THE ARTS wpca-milwaukee.org WAREHOUSE ART MUSEUM wammke.org Rediscover Ruth Grothenrath: All Things Belong to this Earth, through March 31 WATER STREET DANCE MILWAUKEE waterstreetdancemke.com

Elena Abend and John Daugherty, April 15, Music Recital Hall Sweat, April 19-23, Kenilworth Five-0-Eight

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Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

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SPECIAL SPRING ARTS GUIDE | SPONSORED BY MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

WAUKESHA CIVIC THEATRE

WILD SPACE DANCE COMPANY

WISCONSIN PHILHARMONIC

waukeshacivictheatre.org

wildspacedance.org

wisphil.org

RENT, March 10-26

WINDFALL THEATRE

Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, April 21-May 7

windfalltheatre.com

The Glory of Spring, May 11, Oconomowoc Arts Center

W.O.M.A.N - A Cabaret, April 27

wisconsincenter.com

ACAP PlayMakers Back and Forth to the Future, May 11

WISCONSIN CRAFT

WEST ALLIS PLAYERS westallisplayers.org The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged, April 21-30, West Milwaukee Intermediate School Liberace Theater

WISCONSIN CENTER

wisconsincraft.org WISCONSIN LUTHERAN COLLEGE CENTER FOR ARTS AND PERFORMANCE wlc.edu Milwaukee Musaik, April 4

WEST BEND THEATRE COMPANY

WISCONSIN MUSEUM OF QUILTS & FIBER ART

westbendtheatreco.com

wiquiltmuseum.com

Calendar Girls, May 5-14

Fabulous Fads, through May 14

WEST PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

WOODLAND PATTERN BOOK CENTER woodlandpattern.org WUSTUM MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS ramart.org Focus on Glass, through May 2023 The exhibition is a celebration of four unique glass artists from diverse backgrounds: Jose Chardiet, Brett Kee Young, Acquaetta Williams and Etsuko Nishi. According to museum organizer Lena Vigna, the exhibit aims to not only “reflect the variety of artists making contemporary work” but also display the “different components of working with the material and how artists appreciate it.” (Jenny Maurer)

nbexcellence.org/ community/westpac.cfm

46 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Background and illustrations by Sophie Yufa.

Photo by Olha Pylypenko/Getty Images.

Słarłing Garden Planłs Indoors

BY SHEILA JULSON

B

y March, most winter-weary Wisconsinites yearn for all things summer, including getting our hands dirty in the garden. Starting garden plants indoors is a therapeutic and economical way to feel connected with nature as we dream of summer days that lie ahead.

Starter plants, also known as seedlings, starts and transplants, are plants started from seed indoors and then transplanted to an outdoor garden once the threat of frost passes. A common myth is that elaborate greenhouses or expensive grow lights are needed to start seedlings indoors.

Those tools are helpful, but any bright, sunny windowsill, especially those on south-facing windows, can serve as an area to grow seedlings.

Think about what plants you want to grow. Some plants do better than others when started indoors. Basic lettuce varieties, peas, beans, radishes, greens, broccoli, cauliflower and herbs do well. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant can be also started from seed indoors, but they take a little longer.

Once you’ve got your seeds, gather some starter pots. Peat pots, cell trays and seed starting kits can be purchased, but repurposed household items like plastic clam shells from produce, egg cartons or yogurt cups, all rinsed out with drainage holes poked through the bottom, work well. You’ll also need seed starting mix or potting soil, a spray bottle of water and plant markers. The latter can be crafted from Popsicle sticks or handles from repurposed plastic cutlery.

SLIGHTLY DAMP, NOT WET Pre-moistening the soil can help with germination. Dump the soil into a large bucket and add just enough water to moisten it. Mix with your hands until the soil is slightly damp, but not wet. Fill the starter pots with the soil mix. Place a few seeds in each pot and press them into the surface of the soil. Some seeds won’t need to be topped with more soil, but larger seeds will need to be completely covered; consult the seed package for sowing directions.

Since there will likely be a few seedlings that won’t survive, plant a couple of extra seedlings per type of plant. Label each pot with plant markers. Place the pots on the drain trays on the windowsill. Mist the seeds with water and cover the containers with plastic cling film, the tops of plastic clam shells or other snug-fitting clear tops to create a greenhouse environment. A heating pad can be placed underneath the pots to generate more warmth. If you live in an older home with boiler heat, radiators, as long as they don’t get too hot, near sunny windows are a good place to put the pots or containers.

Keep the soil moist, but not too wet. When the seeds begin to sprout, usually within one to two weeks, remove the cling film or plastic domes. As the seedlings continue to grow, thin them out by carefully pulling the smaller ones from each pot so the strongest seedling remains. Over the coming weeks, keep the soil damp, but not wet. If the seedlings start to grow tall and lanky, they may flop over and wither. This can happen if there is too much or too little moisture, or too much or too little warmth, so try adjusting those elements.

More potting soil can be added to the base of the stems to strengthen the seedling as it grows. This is particularly helpful for tomato starts. Transfer starter plants into larger pots if they outgrow the original pots.

As that long-awaited planting day nears, the seedlings should be hardened off so they aren’t shocked by abruptly going indoors to outdoors. Move the starter plants outdoors into sunlight for a couple of hours each day and bring them back inside at night. Gradually increase the time the starts are left outdoors. After the last threat of frost passes, the plants are ready to be planted into their outdoor summer garden.

Sheila Julson writes the Eat Drink column for shepherdexpress.com.

MARCH 2023 | 47

SPECIAL HOME & GARDEN OPEN HOUSE

WAS YOUR HOUSE PURCHASED THROUGH A CATALOG? WHEN SEARS AND ROEBUCK VENTURED INTO HOME SALES

BY SHEILA JULSON

F

or more than a century, the Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalogs satisfied every consumer want, from clothing to housewares to toys. But from 1908 to 1940, Sears was also a major force in home sales.

Sears Modern Homes offered many architectural styles of kit houses, from Arts and Crafts to Queen Anne to Colonial Revival and English cottages. Houses became a large division of Sears’ business; at one point, the company even offered financing. By the ‘30s, Sears catalog houses were present in many metropolitan areas. In Milwaukee, there was a Sears Modern Home sales office, and the company had built two model homes in the Wilson Park neighborhood.

Photo by Michael Burmesch.

Other businesses besides Sears also sold build-your own kit homes via catalog. Montgomery Ward, and the North American Construction Company, later known as makers of Aladdin Houses, sold rail-shipped, pre-cut structures from mail order plan books.

The Sears catalog house kits came with blueprints, instructions, lumber and all the building materials needed to put together a consumer’s dream home. Once a consumer had their property and a contractor to pour the foundation, they were all set to assemble their Sears house.

48 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Some Sears homes that haven’t been remodeled over the years still retain stamped numbers and letters on exposed rafters or joists in the basement or attic.

Robert and Susan Maciolek of South Milwaukee live in a Sears catalog house. Theirs is the Osborn model and was built in 1926. Susan shared documents retained by previous owners.

There’s a copy of the original ad for the Osborn model, “already cut” starting at $2,753.

The Macioleks are the fourth owners of the nearly 100-year-old house. The man that had the house built left it to his two daughters. One of his daughters stayed in the house until her elder years. She died from misadventure, Robert relates. On a hot summer day, she confused the heat and air conditioning on her new HVAC unit and accidentally turned on the heat. A neighbor grew concerned when he couldn’t reach her and called the police for a welfare check. They broke in and found her dead. After her, a young family owned the house and had the kitchen and bathroom remodeled. But the home retains many original features.

INSIDE A SEARS HOME The Macioleks have lived in the house since 2010. They didn’t know it was a Sears catalog house when they

Photo by Michael Burmesch.

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SPECIAL HOME & GARDEN OPEN HOUSE

Photo by Michael Burmesch.

Photo by Michael Burmesch.

Photo by Michael Burmesch.

bought it. Robert was impressed by the steam shower installed by the previous owners, along with the natural lighting.

Susan loved the picture frame moldings. “I just really loved the house. It’s pleasing to the eye everywhere you look,” Susan enthuses.

There are two bedrooms, one of which has a southwest theme and serves as the Maciolek’s television room.

Off of that room is a sunroom with original windows that open inward, letting in natural air flow. It sits on four brick columns rather than on the main foundation.

Main features of their Sears house echo architectural details popular for the era, such as crown molding and woodwork. They take advantage of the picture frame moldings to display art and photographs. A spacious room off the dining area is lined with windows that flood the room with natural light.

Robert suspects it may have once been an entranceway, as shown in the floor plans.

Original doors include a French door that separates the dining room from the kitchen, and a wide front door at the main entrance. The windows in the living room above the fireplace mantel feature latching hardware. The house retains a milk chute that harkens to the days when milk was delivered by local milkmen. A laundry chute, still functional, is in the hall by the bathroom.

Photo courtesy of Robert and Susan Maciolek.

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Exterior touches include brick and wood columns, and an open porch with a concrete staircase on each side.

Upon hearing the term “kit house,” one might wonder if Sears homes have stood the test of time. The Maciolek’s house is in fine condition, and they’ve had no major issues. Throughout Milwaukee, several Sears catalog homes still stand.

Sheila Julson is a regular contributor to shepherdexpress.com.

Photo courtesy of Robert and Susan Maciolek.

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SPECIAL SPRING DRINK | SPONSORED BY DISCOUNT LIQUOR

A Coffee Guru and a Conversation about Making Espresso at Home

BY GAETANO MARANGELLI Photo by spyross007/Getty Images.

S

usan and I arrived at a lovely Airbnb apartment in the Lavapiés quarter of Madrid on a sunny October afternoon. We were in the city last autumn for the premier production of a series of my plays on themes of authenticity.

“As soon as we unpack,” Susan says, “We have to shop for necessities.”

“Coffee and wine,” I reply.

“Exactly.”

Guided by a natural wine and food app called Raisin, we found our way to a shop called Pastora on the Carrera de San Francisco in the La Latina quarter.

Pastora is a treasure chest of natural wines and artisan comestibles. The crown of Pastora’s gems is its coffee, which the shop’s owner, Juan Camilo, imports from La Finca La Noria, his family’s coffee bean farm in the Andes Mountains of Columbia. Pastora is the wellspring for the La Noria Coffee Project (lanoriacoffeeproject.com), which Juan conceived of to deliver consumers with the complete traceability of the quality of their coffee from plant to cup.

After Susan asked Juan for a bag of coffee for her French press, I asked him for coffee for my Moka espresso pot, a query which led to a conversation about making espresso at home.

THE TRUTH ABOUT MAKING ESPRESSO AT HOME Gaetano Marangelli: What do you tell people who ask you how they can make quality espresso in their kitchen?

Juan Camilo: The short answer would be that, unless you spend quite a lot of money on gear, you can’t. Making espresso at home is always a big challenge, more so if you're aiming for a quality espresso — perfectly bal52 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

anced, bright and sweet. Many factors such as grind size, ratio, pressure and temperature are key to evenly extracting a good espresso shot, and unfortunately this is only obtainable with an expensive espresso machine and an equally expensive espresso grinder.

This is the only way around to getting results close to what you get in your favorite coffee shop. I know now there are a lot of domestic coffee machines that promise to make espresso by pushing a single button, but in my opinion the majority of domestic espresso machines just lack the consistency on pressure and temperature required to make a quality espresso.

GM: What do you tell people if they ask you how they can make quality espresso using their Moka pot?

JC: Here I would make a distinction, the Moka pot is a great coffee maker, but the brew of a Moka pot is not an espresso. As I said before, to make an espresso you need an espresso machine that uses around nine bars of pressure for making a very concentrated cup of coffee in under 30 seconds, hence the name espresso.

Nevertheless, the Moka pot is definitely the closest you can get to espresso in terms of strength and concentration at home without an espresso machine.

A cup of coffee made with the Moka pot is typically two to three times more concentrated than drip coffee and when used properly you can get a full-bodied, strong and concentrated cup of coffee that can be enjoyed black or as a base for milk drinks like cappuccino or flat white.

JUAN CAMILO Photo by spyross007/Getty Images.

GM: How do you use a Moka pot properly to get a full-bodied, strong and concentrated cup of coffee?

JC: First things first, to make good coffee you need to buy freshly roasted, good quality beans, and if you buy it at a coffee shop where they can grind it specially for the Moka pot, even better. Every method works best with a specific grind size, so if you don't own a grinder, the best next thing is to buy the coffee where they can grind it specifically for the method that you use at home. The grind size for a Moka pot would be three on a scale from one to ten. That being said, there are three basic tips for making coffee in a Moka pot: 1) start with hot water, this way you’ll reduce the time the coffee is in contact with the hot metal before it starts brewing; 2) use medium to low heat and leave the lid open so you can see the coffee brewing slowly and forming a delicate layer of cream; and 3) once it starts making noise and big bubbles, close the lid and let it finish brewing off the burner. That's it, with this method you'll avoid a bitter taste and bring the best flavors out of the coffee.

Gaetano Marangelli is a sommelier and playwright. He was the managing director of a wine import and distribution company in New York and beverage director for restaurants and retailers in New York and Chicago before moving to Wauwatosa.

Moka Pot photo by farakos/Getty Images.

2023

BY BARRY HOULEHEN

A

round here, St. Patrick’s isn’t just a day, it’s a season— those of us in the Irish American community like to call it Green Season, and it starts the first weekend of March and often lasts through the weekend after Paddy’s Day. Here’s a selection of some of our picks for this year and they don’t all involve drinking; in fact, some of them are actually family friendly! Due to deadlines, we couldn’t get full schedules from everyone, so be sure to check our online Paddy’s Day Guide at shepherdexpress.com, which will be updated as we get closer to St. Patrick’s Day, March 17. (Have an event you’d like featured? Send it to barry@shepex.com.)

Illustrations by Ali Bachmann. Photo by vadimguzhva/Getty Images. Woodgrain texture by Julia_Khimich/Getty Images.

MARCH 2023 | 53

SPECIAL SPRING DRINK | SPONSORED BY DISCOUNT LIQUOR

THE PARADES There are two parades in Milwaukee (on the same day!) on March 11, plus the legendary Town of Erin parade on St. Patrick’s Day.

SHAMROCK CLUB OF WISCONSIN ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE saintpatricksparade.org

Saturday March 11, noon Starts on Wisconsin Avenue at Martin Luther King Drive and winds north via Plankinton and MLK to Juneau, ending at Water and Highland.

A fun family-friendly event, the Shamrock Club’s parade features lots of floats and costumed marchers from local Irish groups and marching pipe bands. For a bite to eat, a warm viewing spot, and maybe even a wee pint, stop by the Irish pubs on the route: Mo’s, The Harp and Trinity Three.

54 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

The Shamrock Club throws the Post-Parade Party afterwards at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center; see below for more info.

TOWN OF ERIN ST. PATRICK’S DAY (WASHINGTON COUNTY SOUTH OF HARTFORD)

BLUEMOUND ROAD ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARADE

The little Kettle Moraine township of Erin holds it parade on Paddy’s Day on Highway K and it attracts large tailgating crowds. Bub’s Irish Pub in Germantown has a bus trip to and from the parade leaving at 9 a.m.

Visit bubsirishpub.com for more info and tickets.

bluemoundparade.com

Saturday March 11, 3:30 p.m.

The West Side/Tosa parade kicks off at 3:30 and runs on Bluemound from 68th Street (Balistreri’s Bluemound Inn) to 52nd (Kelly’s Bleachers), with plenty of spots to watch on the street, and places to stop for some food and drink.

Friday March 17, 10 a.m.

THE DAY FRIDAY, MARCH 17 PATTY’S PUB (EAST SIDE)

Sigmund Snopek, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

DJs Fancy Nancy and Killa Kutz spinning Irish vinyl, 3- 6 p.m.

Atlantic Wave, 7 p.m.

HOUSE OF GUINNESS (WAUKESHA)

Brothers Morgan, 11a.m.-2 p.m.

Old Goat Skiffle Band, 6- 9 p.m.

Sandwich Sisters food truck, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

O'DONOGHUE'S IRISH PUB (ELM GROVE)

Paddygrass, 9 a.m.

McBob's Pub & Grill (West Side) 3 Pints Gone, 9 a.m.- 2 p.m.

MOONLIGHT TAVERN IN THE PORT HOTEL (PORT WASHINGTON)

Green Sails, 4-6 p.m.

Mo's Irish Pub (Downtown) Reilly, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

COUNTY CLARE IRISH INN & PUB (EAST TOWN)

Doors open at 8 a.m. with full Irish breakfast till 10:30; food all day.

Blessing of the Shamrock, 10:30 a.m.

Music all day, including Evan and Tom Leahy, Beglan School of Irish Dance, Barry Dodd & Friends, Ian Gould, The Scrubbers, Blackthorn Folly, Frogwater

Illustrations by Ali Bachmann.

MARCH 2023 | 55

SPECIAL SPRING DRINK | SPONSORED BY DISCOUNT LIQUOR

MATTY’S BAR & GRILLE (NEW BERLIN)

Music inside and outside all day including Rick Pomeroy, Shag, Jypsy and Marr’lo Parada, plus other Irish entertainment:

IRISH CULTURAL & HERITAGE CENTER (DOWNTOWN)

THIRD SPACE BREWING CO. (MILWAUKEE)

The acclaimed Celtic traditional band from Ireland in concert. For more, visit ichc.net

Blackthorn Folly, 5-7 p.m.

Lunasa, 4:30 p.m.

Bagpipers, 12 p.m.

Glencastle Irish Dancers, 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.

The Gleasons, 5-9 p.m.

KELLY’S BLEACHERS (WEST SIDE)

St. Patrick’s Day Party open at 6 a.m. with free breakfast, full Irish menu, DJ and more

X-RAY ARCADE (CUDAHY)

Flatfoot 56 with Something to Do and Mertles Acres, 7 p.m.

GLORIOSO’S ITALIAN MARKET (BRADY STREET)

St. Patrick’s Day Feast of the Irish cooking class with Chef Michael Solovey: corned beef and cabbage and Guinness cupcakes. Information at gloriosos.com

GREEN SEASON BEFORE AND AFTER PADDY’S DAY

SATURDAY MARCH 11 SHAMROCK CLUB OF WISCONSIN POST PARADE PARTY

Irish Cultural & Heritage Center (Downtown)

HALLAMOR 2-2:25 p.m.: Beglan Academy of Irish Dance 2:45-3:10 p.m.: McNamara McCarthy School of Irish Dance 3:45-4:45 p.m.: The Gleasons 5:15-5:40 p.m.: Cashel Academy of Irish Dance

SHAMROCK CLUB PARLOR 1-2:15 p.m.: Cat and Hare 2:30-3:45 p.m.: Blackthorn Folly 4-5:45 p.m.: Old Goat Skiffle Band

UPSTAIRS BALLROOM 1:30-2:45 p.m.: The O’Bradys 3-4:15 p.m.: Ian Gould 4:30-5 p.m.: Caledonian Scottish Dancers

Paddygrass, 1 p.m.

MCBOB’S PUB & GRILL (WEST SIDE)

COUNTY CLARE IRISH INN & PUB (EAST TOWN)

Barry Dodd, 3 p.m.–5 p.m. Áthas, 9–11 p.m.

SUNDAY MARCH 12 CELTIC MKE (WAUWATOSA)

Irish Family Day—Passport to Ireland, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. $15 per family at the door. For more, visit celticmke.com

SATURDAY MARCH 18 THE COFFEE HOUSE IN THE PLYMOUTH CHURCH UCC (EAST SIDE) Green Sails, 7:30 - 8:30 p.m.

SPANKY’S SPORT BAR (WATERFORD)

Bagpipers, 10 a.m.

Andrew Tylander, 11 a.m.

Reilly Irish Boys, 3 p.m.

The Dawleys, 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY MARCH 4 SHAMROCK SHUFFLE PUB CRAWLS

12-6 p.m.

Water Street, Third Street/MLK Drive, Brady Street, Walker’s Point. For more, visit swarmmevents.com

SUNDAY MARCH 5 SOUTH MILWAUKEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

“The World on Your Front Porch,” 2 p.m., featuring Paddygrass and the Milwaukee Irish Dance Company. For more, visit southmilwaukeepac.org 56 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Illustrations by Ali Bachmann.

MARCH 2023 | 57

SPECIAL PETS

Is Your Pet In

Distress?

PET TRAINERS SHARE TIPS ON RECOGNIZING WARNING SIGNS

BY SHEILA JULSON

Photo by Kerkez/Getty Images.

W

e humans don’t speak the same language as our beloved fur babies. Interpreting a dog’s or a cat’s body language can be key in determining whether our pets are happy or experiencing stress.

THEY’RE NOT THE PARTY ANIMALS WE THINK THEY ARE Kim Rinzel is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge Assessed, and owner of Companion Animal Behavior Services. She served as director of training for the Milwaukee Dog Training Club, and the training manager for the Behavior Department at the Wisconsin Humane Society.

Rinzel says. “When we reach for our dogs and they stick their tongues out, that tells us that the way I reached out, or where I reached out to, made him uncomfortable.”

Stress can mean something different to each dog. Taking time to learn your dog’s stressors is important, says Holly Lewis, owner of Cold Nose Canine training and co-founder of Force Free Trainers of Wisconsin. “Mild signals of stress may include a yawn, lip lick or panting out of context. A stiff body, facial tension or a tucked tail may also be seen.”

“I often see how people impose themselves on their animal without actually watching the animal,” observes Rinzel.

“People tend to assume animals will tolerate stuff—and if they love you, they will tolerate stuff—but there are signs that tell you the animal does not love what you’re doing.”

More intermediate signs of stress may be a dog that is moving away from something, freezing in place or offering a low growl. “Spend time observing your dog to really learn their specific cues,” Lewis recommends. “It is important to note there is usually an escalation of signals when a dog feels stressed.”

An often-missed sign of distress in dogs is slightly flicking out their tongues. “It’s a very subtle sign, but dog-to-dog, it’s a very clear sign,”

Rinzel advises to watch for when dogs give the stink eye—a powerful ‘back off’ signal from dog-to-dog. The stink eye is when a dog looks out of the cor-

58 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

ner of his eye, and you see the whites of their eyes. It’s akin to a human eyeroll of disgust.

“Dogs have such a great way of communicating among themselves.

The more that people understand animals, the fewer bites there are,” Rinzel affirms.

A ROUND-HEADED CAT IS NOT A HAPPY CAT With cats, Rinzel explains if a feline’s ears are flattened back against his head, making the head shape round, do not touch the cat. “Round-headed cats whose ears are flat is the equivalent of a dog growling and about to bite.”

With cats, a wagging or twitchy, flicking tail means the cat is getting angry, and the person with whom he’s interacting should back off—before he turns into a round-headed cat.

Cats will carry their tails high when feeling friendly. “If a cat comes to greet you and his tail is high, with a little hook in it like a question mark, that’s inviting,” Rinzel says. “But a cat whose tail is down and flicky means the cat doesn’t want to be with you.”

REMOVING STRESSFUL TRIGGERS Once we can pick up on our pets’ distress signs, we can put them at ease.

The trigger could be a party, other dogs or cats, or the garbage collection truck. Rinzel says avoiding the trigger is the easiest way. If a dog is afraid of the garbage truck, walk the other way on garbage collection day. “That’s a super-simple thing that people can do to help the dog feel more at ease, without changing their lives and investing a lot of problem-solving energy.”

Watch the animal. If the animal seems uncomfortable, leave the situation, or put some distance between the animal and the trigger. Like humans, pets have good days and bad days, and pet owners need to be flexible with their animals to meet the needs of the animal on that particular day.

“It is 100% okay to comfort and support a dog that is experiencing stress.

Please do not hesitate!” advises Lewis.

Assuming your dog is not in pain, she recommends petting them or engaging them with a favorite toy to help them shake off the stress.

With cats, Rinzel advises removing the cat from the triggering situation. When the vacuum cleaner comes out, or guests come over and everyone wants to pet the cat, put your cat in a different room with a litter box, food and water, and close the door. Let the cat get used to the noise. Cats are vibrationally sensitive, so they easily pick up on footsteps and sounds.

Some distress signs might signal a medical issue. Knowing your dog can help you know when it is time to contact a vet. “Remember, many dogs will not show outward signs of pain,” Lewis reminds us. “Watch for a dog that may be panting, pacing and unable to settle, not drinking or drinking too much, difficult or rapid breathing, unusual lack of energy and difficulty moving or poor balance. Those are all signs a call to the vet is in order.”

Sheila Julson writes about food, cannabis and health for shepherdexpress.com.

MARCH 2023 | 59

CULTURE

World Premiere Wisconsin Offers an Enticing Menu of New Plays, Musicals

BY ANNE SIEGEL

M

ilwaukee’s newest “festival” is getting an early start this year, and it won’t be located on the traditional Summerfest grounds. Called World Premiere Wisconsin, it will bring a season of new plays and musicals to Milwaukee theaters, as well as theaters located around the state.

Some of the productions on tap are by well-known playwrights, while others are the work of relatively new voices in the theater. All of the work promises the joy of discovery for theatergoers wanting something new and exciting in their entertainment line-up.

World Premiere Wisconsin (WPW) is the result of years of work by some of Wisconsin’s premier, non-profit theater companies. One of WPW’s goals is to strengthen relationships between theater companies around the state.

WPW is based on a similar initiative in Washington, D.C. In 2019, Forward Theater Artistic Director Jen Uphoff Gray called on the leaders of Wisconsin’s top theaters to come together and create what is now known as WPW. Forward Theater is located in Madison.

The festival “provides opportunities to connect and collaborate in new ways,” according to Michael Cotey, festival producer.

Photo by Tim Moder. Courtesy World Premiere Wisconsin.

Cotey, who lives in Chicago, grew up in South Milwaukee. He attended UWM and, in 2014, he was voted UWM’s “Graduate of the Last Decade.” He was the founding artistic director of Milwaukee’s Youngblood Theatre (200913). Cotey has directed at many of Milwaukee’s major theaters, including Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act Theatre, First Stage, and UWM.

AUDIENCES ARE RETURNING Although WPW began as a pre-COVID initiative, it has become even more important now, Cotey says. Theater, like all of the performing arts, has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.

Audiences are slowly returning to enjoy the spectacle of live entertainment, but attendance has not yet reached pre-pandemic levels. WPW is meant to encourage audiences to come out and see what’s new in the theater community, Cotey says.

WPW will showcase the talents of passionate Wisconsin theater artists for the benefit of both loyal audiences, and newcomers who are willing to dabble in the unexpected.

It must be noted that Wisconsin theaters have long championed the production of new work, which is considered a critical element for the health, sustainability and survival of theater itself.

MICHAEL COTEY

The festival kicks off in Milwaukee with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s current production of The Heart Sellers

by Lloyd Suh. Funny and deeply moving, this exploration of the lives of two Asian immigrants is by the same playwright who wrote The Chinese Lady, which was part of the Rep’s 2018-19 season. The Heart Sellers continues in the Stiemke Studio through March 19.

Other Milwaukee theaters involved in the festival include: Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (Hoops by Eliana Pipes), Renaissance Theaterworks (Tidy by Kristin Idaszak), Next Act Theatre (God’s Spies by Bill Cain) and First Stage (The Gracious Sisters by Alice Austen).

Other new work will debut in Madison and Door County as part of the project.

There’s also a longer list of participating theaters statewide, consisting of semi-professional, community and college productions. They plan to offer a variety of full productions, staged readings and workshops. In all, more than 20 Wisconsin communities are expected to participate in the festival, which concludes in June.

For more information about WPW, including ticket deals and offers, go to the website at worldpremierewisconsin.com. Visitors can sign up for an app that tracks all of the festival’s offerings. There’s also a free digital passport for theatergoers to earn points (and rewards) for festival plays they attend.

Anne Siegel has covered Milwaukee theater for many years for the Shepherd Express.

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Background by littleclie/Getty Images.

MARCH 2023 | 61

CULTURE

This Month in Milwaukee

EIGHT THINGS TO DO IN MARCH

BY ALLEN HALLAS, ELIZABETH LINTONEN, DAVID LUHRSSEN AND BLAINE SCHULTZ MARCH 3-MARCH 4

MARCH 11

Manic Focus Miramar Theatre A two-night electronic extravaganza will kick off the week, celebrating 11 years of Brew City Bass, which worked its way up from throwing club dates to eventually owning the storied venue. Both nights are headlined by producer and DJ Manic Focus, who blends funk and hip hop with modern EDM. With Menert and Statik Flow on Friday and Jaenga and Spunback on Saturday.

The Dollyrots, The Von Tramps, Gold Steps, The Stinkeyes X-Ray Arcade Husband-and-wife duo The Dollyrots return to Cudahy on March 11, headlining a night of female-fronted bands at X-Ray Arcade. They’ll be joined by Minneapolis ska-punk hybrid The Von Tramps, Milwaukee-by-way-of-Austin pop punk band Gold Steps, and Wisconsin punks The Stinkeyes. The all-ages show brings together a host of exciting acts from throughout the Midwest for the next evolution of riot grrrl-led music.

MARCH 4

MARCH 13

Leo Kottke South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center Leo Kottke’s guitar does most of the communicating during his solo concerts, but he is also known for his dry self-deprecation and for spinning amusing tales between songs. Along with John Fahey, he was a proponent in the ‘60s of the finger-style playing associated with the folk-blues-country playing traditions that inform much of Kottke’s work.

Os Mutantes at Cactus Club It’s not every day that Brazilian pioneers Os Mutantes make their way to Milwaukee. On March 13, a very special set will happen when the band come to town in a joint production from Cactus Club and Rush-Mor Records. Combining elements of psych rock with samba and bossa nova, the band were able to fuse the sounds of South America with England and the United States as rock and roll was beginning to ascend around the world. The band began playing out again in 2006 and have since released music via David Byrne’s Luaka Bop label. An entirely unique experience comes to Bay View this month.

MARCH 14 Liam Callanan Boswell Book Company A bold, funny novel of Italian cities and midlife crises, When In Rome is the perfect novel for anyone looking for a heartwarming story of redemption. Milwaukee-based author Liam Callanan will present his latest work on March 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Boswell Books. When In Rome is a thoughtful take on one woman’s journey as she learns what it means to experience transformation, face her past, and find peace in the future.

MARCH 16

Elyse Edelman, Matt Daneils, and Jake Badovski in THE HOBBIT. First Stage, 2023. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.

THROUGH MARCH 5 The Hobbit First Stage, Milwaukee Youth Arts Center “I think all of us harbor in our core the secret desire to be swept up into an adventure where we might find ourselves the hero.

Folks connect with Bilbo,” says The Hobbit’s director Jeff Frank, speaking of why J.R.R. Tolkien’s story has endured. They see themselves and travel along with Bilbo on this unexpected journey. Along the way the book explores what it means to be a leader, to be a friend and what in the end we should value the most. There is as much power in these simple truths as there is in the grand magic and wonder of the world that Tolkien created.”

62 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio Shank Hall Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, aka DLO3, plays a steaming blend of Blues, Funk. Jazz and Soul. Lamar, a self-taught keyboard player, updates the classic Hammond organ sound recalling greats Baby Face Willette, Booker T. & The M.G.'s and the Meters. Unafraid to pull out all the stops, the trio traffic in grooves deep enough to trip in. As the saying goes, if they don’t get you moving, check your pulse.

MARCH 31 Bug Moment, North Warren, Pescatarian At Best, Handmade Wolves, Socially Suspect Shank Hall A generation of young indie rock on the East Side is moving out of basements and DIY spaces into Milwaukee’s clubs like a tidal wave. Five of those acts will flock to Shank Hall at the end of this month, when Bug Moment headlines a stacked bill of young bands. Spanning the sonic gamut from shoegaze to punk, this quintet of bands is certainly part of a new movement in Milwaukee music that cannot be ignored.

Background concert photo by Blue Planet Studio/Getty Images.

MARCH 2023 | 63

LIFESTYLE OUT OF MY MIND

Illustration by Ali Bachmann.

Alcohol is Not Your Friend

BY PHILIP CHARD

A

merica is a booze culture. This psychoactive drug is so enmeshed in our society that it influences most aspects of our lives, including economics, population health, relationships, family ties, mental well-being and more.

We’re hard pressed to watch TV, flip through a magazine or surf the net without encountering slick ads encouraging us to imbibe. Go to a party or other social event and the chances are the drinks will flow.

The purveyors of alcohol can encourage us to “drink responsibly” all they want, be that a sincere appeal or just CYA, but the nature of booze makes that tougher than it sounds. For many, rather than supporting responsible behavior, by virtue of its impact on the brain, alcohol fuels the opposite. It undermines one’s ability to self-regulate emotions and actions, often leading to impulsivity. Sure, there are many who drink without morphing from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde, but even their quiet, sensible consumption comes with long-term risks.

First, some facts, unpopular as they may be for some.

Roughly 70% of us used alcohol in the last year, and over 56% drink regularly. What’s more, just over 25% of adults report at least one episode of binge drinking (five or more drinks in less than two hours) every month. So what? According to the CDC, approximately 140,000 Americans die prematurely every year from alcohol consumption (that’s about 380 deaths daily). On average, these folks perish a whopping 26 years earlier than their projected life spans.

So, how does booze kill these folks? Most succumb to the chronic health effects of drinking, most notably liver dys-

64 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

function, cardiovascular disease and cancer. While perhaps unintentional, this constitutes slow motion suicide. For those who die from short-term effects (an acute intoxication episode), most suffer alcohol poisoning, vehicular accidents or outright suicide. The bottom line? Alcohol consumption is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

NO SAFE DRINKING Even among moderate drinkers (two drinks per day for men, one for women), alcohol’s impacts on physical well-being are significant. You’ve probably seen the dueling studies about this, some claiming moderate use can be good for your health with others asserting there is no such thing as an entirely safe level of consumption. The bulk of research supports the latter conclusion. I suspect some of you are thinking, hey, I’m a responsible, moderate drinker who doesn’t drive under the influence and keeps their cool.

Great, but you’re not immune from the long-term health risks. The major ones include hypertension, heart disease, stroke, liver damage, a slew of cancers, GI disorders and dementia. However, even if you skirt these physical landmines, there are the mental and social ones to consider. Due to alcohol, more than a few lose their jobs, run afoul of the law, stir up family dysfunction and undermine their overall mental health.

Speaking of the latter, a lot of folks drink in a failed effort to self-medicate for their psychological issues. Some clients tell me they use booze to fall asleep (actually disrupts restorative sleep), lift their mood (alcohol is a depressant),

lower their anxiety (it rebounds stronger) or salve social awkwardness. Even when these efforts help in the shortterm, over time, the palliative impacts erode.

In conversation with a colleague who is a moderate drinker, I was chastised for being “too rigid.” After all, he reminded me, most of us engage in risky behaviors, such as driving, contact sports, junk food and countless others. His mantras (“You can’t live forever, so enjoy yourself” and “All things in moderation”) are common refrains among regular drinkers.

Fair enough, but the societal cost of our cultural affinity for booze affects us all, including tee-totalers, and it ain’t pretty. Misuse of alcohol is directly linked to criminal behavior, including robbery, sexual assault, domestic partner violence, child abuse and homicide, and over 40% of violent felons committed their crimes while under the influence. Ours is a violent society so, collectively, when you combine our gun problem with our drinking one, you get a toxic social cocktail that wreaks havoc on many lives and families.

Sure, those who imbibe occasionally and in moderation may skate through the booze gauntlet relatively unscathed.

However, whatever your relationship with alcohol, it’s important to remember one thing. It’s not your friend. It’s a thief. Given sufficient time and exposure, it will steal your well-being if not your life altogether.

Philip Chard is a psychotherapist and author with a focus on lasting behavior change, emotional healing and adaptation to health challenges. For more, visit philipchard.com.

MARCH 2023 | 65

HEAR ME OUT DEAR RUTHIE | SPONSORED BY UW CREDIT UNION

GROWING APART...

FOR JESUS DEAR RUTHIE, We’re a group of 10 besties who do everything together; from dinner and drinks to movies and game nights. Recently, one of us has become a born-again Christian. We’re all supportive of our friend’s renewed interest in religion, but he’s gone overboard in our opinion.

He only wants to talk about Jesus and seems hellbent on converting us. It’s to a point where we don’t want to be around him anymore. We hate to end this friendship but he’s not the same person. Should we cut ties with him? That seems harsh but we aren’t sure what to do anymore.

HELP US!

Fed-Up Fellow DEAR FELLOW, I’m not sure if you truly speak for your entire group of friends, but for purposes of this article, I’m going to assume you are.

You’re correct in saying that it seems harsh to ghost your bestie because he’s taken an interest in religion. That said, people grow and change, and often that means growing apart as friends.

Have one-on-one conversations with him, avoiding an intimidating group confrontation. Each of you talk to him calmly about individual concerns or annoyances with his recent behavior.

When friends talk to him about why they need him to “cool it with the Jesus talk,” he may get the message and taper his conversations. He may also decide to move on with new friends who share his interests. Give him the option to make that decision for himself instead of making it for him.

XXOO

Ruthie

Have a question for Ruthie? Want to share an event with her? Contact Ruthie at dearruthie@shepex.com.

Follow her on social media, too!

Facebook: Dear Ruthie | Instagram: RuthieKeester | Twitter: @DearRuthie

66 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

DEAR RUTHIE BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Ruthie's March Social Calendar MARCH 3 "MAKE ALL OUR DREAMS COME TRUE” CONCERT BY OUR VOICE MILWAUKEE AT THE FITZGERALD MANSION (1119 N. MARSHALL ST.): We’re going to do it our way…and we hope you join us! I’m emceeing this toe-tapping cabaret from the city’s LGBTQ+ chorus. See www.cityoffestivalsmenschorus.org to reserve a seat or even an entire table, and I’ll see you at the 7:30 p.m. show.

MARCH 4 LESBIAN POP-UP BAR AT DELTA BEER LAB (167 E. BADGER RD., MADISON): This traveling party serves up great times, and this month’s event is no exception. Head over to Mad City for the 6 p.m. party where you’re sure to make new friends and reconnect with a few old ones as well.

MARCH 10 "FOR THE CULTURE” AT THIS IS IT (418 E. WELLS ST.): Montell Infiniti Ross hosts this show spotlighting black excellence in Milwaukee. Stop by the monthly 10 p.m. event and you’ll also find friendly bartenders, great drink specials, DJs and dancing.

MARCH 18 FAIRE FOLK SPRING REVEL AT BEST PLACE AT THE HISTORIC PABST BREWERY (901 W. JUNEAU AVE.): Can’t wait to get your ren-faire revelry on? The gang at Awkward Nerd Events hosts this noon to 6 p.m. fete complete with a marketplace, games, entertainment, food and more.

See www.awkwardnerdevents.com for additional information.

"ONE NIGHT OF QUEEN” AT MARCUS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (929 N. WATER ST.): Gary Mullen & The Works bring their popular Queen tribute to Milwaukee with a 7:30 p.m. concert. Relish the sound, look and overall experience Freddie Mercury fans know and love when you hit up this one-night-only show. Stop by www.marcuscenter.org for tickets.

MARCH 26 INKED FOR LIFE AT WALKER’S POINT TATTOO COMPANY (712 S. SECOND ST.): The local chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention teams up with Walker’s Point Tattoo Company for this fundraiser. Get a $100 tattoo from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (first come, first served), with funds going to the charity.

MARCH 31 “TRANS ENOUGH” EXHIBIT AT MILWAUKEE LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER (315 W. COURT ST.): Don’t miss this incredible collection of stories from the trans and gender non-conforming members of the greater Milwaukee area.

Featuring written, audio and filmed stories, the exhibit runs to April 3 DINING WITH THE DIVAS AT HAMBURGER MARY’S (730 S. FIFTH ST.): I’m hosting two seatings of what’s been awarded Milwaukee’s favorite drag event. My guests and I put on two shows (6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.)

Make a reservation via www.hamburgermarys.com/mke to truly jumpstart your weekend.

MARCH 2023 | 67

HEAR ME OUT | SPONSORED BY UW CREDIT UNION

The Wrecking Ball may be Coming to the Wreck Room

BY PAUL MASTERSON

F

ifty years after the popular Third Ward gay bar, The Wreck Room, opened in 1972, the Germanic styled 19th century building (which it occupied until 1996) will likely face a wrecking ball. For some, the old Cream City brick structure (now painted a grim battleship gray) is a significant landmark of Milwaukee’s gay life during the post-Stonewall era and worth preserving; for others, it represents times past and nostalgic memories but is not of such historical significance that its demolition would be of consequence. .

I recall walking into the Wreck Room for the first time in 1974. Admittedly, for someone in his gay spring awakening, I was curious. After all, the Wreck Room had a reputation as a den of inequity, especially compared to the frivolity of the River Queen and disco destination the Factory. So, it was with great trepidation (and randy expectation) that I crossed the threshold and entered, expecting a scene of debauchery and wild abandon.

To be sure, I already sported the obligatory ‘70s moustache, but for this occasion I dressed the part in button-fly Levi 501s (with an appro-

68 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

priately hued handkerchief in a back pocket) and, rather than wear a polyester paisley shirt with a wide collar with points practically touching one’s shoulder, unbuttoned to mid-chest, of course, so de rigueur for a night out at the trendier establishments, I wore a basic white T. Once inside, I felt a tad disappointed, to be honest, and, perhaps rather relieved, that, aside from the bar’s hard core macho decorative accents (like the front end of an old car projecting from the wall as if it had crashed through, and a rugged old buckboard wagon), the place was a pretty unimposing, convivial theme bar (with a not so macho carnival peanut cart) where everybody not only knew your name, but also the names of all your dalliances.

PLAYING SOFTBALL Still, like most of the bars at the time, the Wreck Room became an integral part of greater gay life and, for that, has become a focal point of local lore.

It fielded softball teams as part of SSBL (Saturday Softball Beer League) and launched the Wreck Room Classic, an annual regional softball tournament. Today, the tradition lives on as the “Dairyland Classic.”

When the Wreck Room closed, an auction was held to liquidate its chattel and other contents. As it turns out, a friend’s mother, an antiques dealer, bought the buckboard and only after the purchase realized its long-wooden hitch ended in a protruding phallic finial. She subsequently sold it and, years ago, the wagon reappeared at Woody’s Sports Bar for a time, although without the infamous hitch. The grand wrought iron gate to the backroom shop where one could purchase leather accessories, poppers and other sundries turned up for sale on Facebook several years ago.

Meanwhile, purchased by the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD), the building served as its Student Union until 2013 when an attic fire resulted in major damage to the roof and to the structure itself. MIAD then sold it to a developer who intended to turn it into a restaurant. However, the structure was then given a Wisconsin historical designation making renova-

tion subject to regulation. The proposed development ground to a halt and the building has been essentially abandoned ever since.

When the Architectural Review Board of the Business Improvement District No. 2 announced a meeting to be held on February 15 to address the status of the building it naturally came to the attention of the LGBTQ community. History Project founder Don Schwamb, county supervisor and Cream City Foundation board member Peter Burgelis and about a dozen other community members were in attendance. Some offered opinions supporting preservation. Schwamb recalled being a regular at the Wreck Room and that it was part of the trio of bars that included the Factory and M&M’s. The sites of the latter still stand today.

The possible demolition of the building ultimately pits those arguing for its preservation based on its historic significance against the march of time and progress. Built in 1884, it survived the great Third Ward Fire of 1892. In 1912 an addition was constructed. Both structures do not have pile supported foundations resulting in settlement that caused cracking to the façade.

Subsequent decades saw the building undergo half a dozen major renovations, the last in 1997.

The meeting’s report by the architectural firm tasked with assessing the building’s condition offered a grave assessment. Essentially, the building is in such poor condition that restoring it would be “infeasible.”

Over recent decades, bars like the Nut Hut, Switch, Boom & the Room, Triangle, Boot Camp and a number of others have shuttered or been lost with no rush by prospective owners or investors to replace them. Now with the wrecking ball dangling over it, the Wreck Room site will likely vanish as well. As compelling as they might be, fond memories are not enough to save it.

Paul Masterson is an LGBTQ activist and writer and has served on the boards of the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center, Milwaukee Pride, GAMMA and other organizations.

Illustration by Michael Burmesch.

MARCH 2023 | 69

ART FOR ART'S SAKE

From The City That Always Sweeps

BY ART KUMBALEK

Photo by mediaphotos/Getty Images.

I

’m Art Kumbalek and man oh manischewitz what a world, ain’a?

Good lord, it’s the month of March already. And like I always say about this third-month time of year: March, in like a lion, out like a lamb. Or, is it in like a lamb, out like a lion? And in some quarters, does he/she/they go in as a lamb and come out as a prime ingredient stuffed into a tasty gyro sandwich?

What with the climate change, who knows from the peculiarities of a March these days, what the fock.

So my friends, as I slap this essay together toward the end of January on account of working ahead for deadline purposes, here is what I project you can brace yourselves for come this year’s edition of the Shepherd March monthly, the month that the ancient Romans named “Martius” way back when, named after “Mars,” their god of war. Swell. So in Russia, is the third month of the year now called “Putin”?

March: The madness with the college basketball tournament; St. Patrick’s Day; the first day of spring; daylight saving time (as if a guy my age can afford to flush a focking hour pinched from out of my life’s dwindling calendar of days); International Women’s Day; Purim; a late-winter monumental snow storm; a couple, three celebrity deaths; Art Kumbalek rearranging his sock drawer; Franz Kafka’s 140th birthday not to mention Fred “Mister” Rogers’ 95th (March, 1928, wouldn’t you know, who would’ve been a great president but I’m thinking he had more important

70 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

work to do); our Milwaukee Brewers kicking off another Major League Baseball season vs. the Chicago Cubs, March 30. Yeah yeah, you betcha: Fock the Cubs.

it take to change a light bulb? That’s right, repeat after me: Twenty-three.

One to hold the bulb, and 22 to drink whiskey until the room begins to spin.”

O’ ba-ding!

That’s a chock-packed jam-full calendar load to deal with, I don’t care what month you’re talking about, I kid you not.

Six retired Irish guys were playing poker in O’Leary’s apartment when Paddy Murphy loses $500 on a single hand, clutches his chest and drops dead at the table. Showing respect for their fallen brother, the other five continue playing.

And cripes, I almost forgot that in the middle of the month we’ve got Oscar’s Academy Award shebang where once again Art Kumbalek Versus the Martians and Whatever Else You Got: The Musical” failed to nab not nary a single a nomination. Just a guess, but maybe one of these days I ought to whip together a script, film it, and get it into a couple, three theaters. But is it really my fault that I can’t goddamn pin down the finances needed to put this obvious blockbuster up onto the silver screen? Hey, you tell me.

And then I’ll tell you’s that during this year’s month of March we are stuck but good into the Lenten season, and I’m wondering just when the hell do the local radio stations begin to play 24hour ’round-the-clock Easter music— haven’t heard any yet, so what the fock is the hold up, ain’a?

But as I observe all that comes and goes during March, seems to me that St. Patty’s Day-and-a-week-and-afocking-half is the big day many.

And so I will leave you with a little story right after I observe my traditional riddle presented yearly mid-March, which is this: “How many Irishmen does

A bit of a while later, Michael O’Connor looks around at the surviving five and asks, “Oh, me boys. I believe we have a bit of a situation here. Paddy is dead and someone surely must tell Paddy’s poor wife. Who will it be then?” They draw straws. Brendan O’Gallagher picks the short one. They tell him to be discreet, be gentle, don’t make a bad situation any worse.

“Discreet? I’m the most discreet Irishman you’ll ever meet. Discretion is me middle name.” So Brendan O’Gallagher goes over to Murphy’s house and knocks on the door. Mrs. Murphy answers and asks what he wants. Gallagher declares: “Your husband just lost $500 and is afraid to come home.”

“Tell him to drop dead!” says the Mrs. Murphy. “‘To drop dead.’ I’ll go tell him then, ma’am,” says Gallagher. O’ ba-ding!

And so I wish you all the best on your march to the month of April showers, ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.