Shepherd Express - June 2024

AT SHEPHERDEXPRESS , WE ARE COMMITTED TO ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND RESPONSIBLE PRACTICES.

OUR PUBLICATION IS PRINTED ON PAPER THAT IS CERTIFIED BY THE FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (FSC), SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE (SFI), AND THE AMERICAN TREE FARM SYSTEM (ASTFS), ENSURING IT COMES FROM RESPONSIBLY MANAGED FORESTS. IN ADDITION TO OUR ECO-FRIENDLY PAPER, WE UTILIZE INKS THAT INCORPORATE RENEWABLE RESOURCES SUCH AS SOYBEAN OIL, LINSEED OIL, CASTOR OIL, TALL OIL ROSIN, AND GUM ROSIN. THESE CHOICES REFLECT OUR DEDICATION TO REDUCING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND PROMOTING A GREENER FUTURE.

MOREOVER, OUR DEDICATION TO SUSTAINABILITY EXTENDS TO THE END OF THE PUBLICATION'S LIFECYCLE. OUR PRINTED MATERIALS ARE DESIGNED TO BE RECYCLABLE, ALLOWING READERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND PLAY A PART IN PRESERVING THE ENVIRONMENT.

6 Mayor Cavalier Johnson Whats going Right in Milwaukee? 11 This Modern World

12 The Lies that Ate the Republican Party — Taking Liberties

14 How can we Achieve Real Economic Freedom? — Issue of the Month

16 Keeping the Khemistry with Jakayla Bridges — Hero of the Month

18 Chris Miskel CEO of Versiti Blood Centers "We want to Eradicate Blood Disease" — MKE SPEAKS: Conversations with Milwaukeeans

FOOD & DRINK

22 Alvi Brings Greece to Brewers Hill

24 Spicy Lentil Water: The Ultimate Protein Drink — Flash in the Pan

26 Why not a Summer of Barolo?

Beverages

HEAR ME OUT

32 Happy Pride! — Dear Ruthie 34 Putting on a Pridefest Behind the Scenes of Milwaukee's LGBTQ Celebration — My LGBTQ POV

38 Summer Arts Guide

Summerfest Guide

66 Household Hazards you might Overlook — Pets 68 O utdoor Dining Guide

SPONSORED BY

CULTURE

82 This Month in Milwaukee

LIFESTYLE

86 Dear Bad Mama — Ask Ally

Angry? Repress yourself

Out of My Mind

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Louis Fortis (louis@shepex.com)

MANAGING EDITOR: David Luhrssen (dluhrssen@shepex.com)

BUSINESS MANAGER: Peggy (peggy@shepex.com)

ASSISTANT TO THE BUSINESS MANAGER: Tanya Bielinski (tanya@shepex.com)

EVENT COORDINATOR: Jourdain LaFrombois (jourdain@shepex.com)

MEDIA CONSULTANTS: Julee Mitchell (julee@shepex.com) Tyler R. Klein (tyler@shepex.com)

SENIOR MEDIA CONSULTANTS: Bridgette Ard (bridgette@shepex.com) Chuck Hill (chuck@shepex.com)

MEDIA SALES MANAGER: Jackie Butzler (jackie@shepex.com) IN MEMORY OF DUSTI FERGUSON (OCTOBER 18, 1971 – NOVEMBER 20, 2007)

WEBMASTER: Barry Houlehen (barry@shepex.com)

DIGITAL STRATEGIST: Sophia Hamdan (sophia@shepex.com)

STAFF WRITER & CIRCULATION COORDINATOR: Blaine Schultz (blaine@shepex.com)

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT CREATOR: Sabrina Rosler

INTERN: Julia Watt

Layout and design by Timothy Czerniakowski.

Distribution: New issues of the Shepherd Express magazine are on the street, on the first Wednesday of each month, free of charge. The Shepherd Express may be distributed only by authorized distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of the Shepherd Express, take more than one copy of each monthly issue. Mail subscriptions are available. No refunds for early cancellations. One year (12 issues) via First Class mail: $100.00.

207 E. Buffalo St., Suite 410, Milwaukee, WI 53202 Phone: 414/276-2222

Advertising Inquiries: jackie@shepex.com e-mail: info@shepex.com URL: shepherdexpress.com

COVER: MOWA Chalk Fest Photo courtesy of MOWA. Cavalier Johnson Photo by Tom Jenz, Pride Fest Photo by Alessan Biascioli / Getty Images, Cocktail Photo by Andry5 / Getty Images.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson

What’s going right in Milwaukee? Mayor Cavalier Johnson What’s going right in Milwaukee?

BY TOM JENZ

When I walked into his historic City Hall office, Mayor Cavalier Johnson came out from behind his desk, pulled his chair right next mine and leaned forward.

Regarding the normal news interview style of a major politician, I decided to do something different. Skip the “gotcha” questions and the critiques and focus on the positive things happening in the city. Throughout our conversation, I sensed a certainty about the mayor that makes him seem wiser than his 37 years.

I started with Downtown—including the Third Ward and Fifth Ward, the Deer District, the lakefront—and Bay View. In all these areas, new apartment, condo and corporate buildings have been built or are being built. I brought up two examples—the Jeffers apartment and commercial building next to Fiserv Forum accommodating 210 apartments and a large new business—and the nearly completed Couture, a 44-story, mixed-use skyscraper on Michigan Avenue near the lake, with 322 residential apartments and stores.

“Downtown developments add to the quality of the lives of residents,” he said, “but they also enhance the lives of people who live and work in the area. Besides the two developments you mentioned, there is also 333 Water Street, the NOVA apartments on Van Buren and The Edison, a 32-story mass timber tower with 381 units near the Deer District. Milwaukee is adding density, and when you add density, it creates vibrancy, and residents who have expendable incomes spend their money locally. This all creates jobs for people who work in the retail industry Downtown.”

Downtown is already home to several large corporations. “And they help the Downtown thrive,” he added. “I’m thinking of successful corporations like Fiserv, providing payment and financial services technology, and the Fiserv Forum Bucks arena. There is Northwestern Mutual’s Tower and also their revamped office building. Keep in mind that people who come from the challenged neighborhoods of the inner city have the opportunity to work in the trades on those projects. Many also work in the Downtown service industry.”

by

Recently, city officials of Portland, Ore., visited Milwaukee to learn about how to create a thriving downtown.

“Not just Portland,” he said, smiling, “but also officials from Oklahoma City and Salt Lake City visited us to learn about our successful city development.”

SOUTH SIDE, NORTH SIDE

I shifted the focus to the South Side. “In my observation, National Avenue, Mitchell Street, and Greenfield Avenue are making a comeback,” I said. “The housing conditions in the Hispanic communities have improved. I’ve spent time with Latinos. They have a culture that values family, and they want to keep families intact. Does the city have plans to expand the southside area?”

“We do,” Johnson answered, nodding. “In fact, I just came back from the South Side, touring a Boys & Girls Club location. There were hundreds and hundreds of kids. I have a goal of creating more public gathering places in the city, and there is a new skate park coming to the South Side.

In the next couple years, National Avenue will undergo a complete infrastructure transformation. Years ago, Mitchell Street was one of the core shopping areas of the city.

I believe that Mitchell Street could be Brady Street south. You will see more investments as time goes on.”

Thirty-nine percent of the city’s population is Black, and most live in North Side neighborhoods. For many years those communities have endured criminal activity, homicides, shootings and poverty. However, over the last couple years, community groups became more active, and development is happening. Among them: Community within the Corridor on Center and 32nd with 197 apartments; new housing in the Harambee neighborhood; the Bader Philanthropies building on Martin Luther King Drive, Black owned businesses such as the Sherman Phoenix and another impressive development in progress, the huge ThriveOnKing building on MLK Drive. Riverworks partners with the city in rehabbing the Beerline Trail and revitalizing homes and businesses.

Portrait photo

Tom Jenz

Are there additional plans to bring more prosperity to the North Side?

The mayor responded that he wants to grow Milwaukee. “That means a comprehensive plan for the entire city including infrastructure investments in the North Side. I grew up on the North Side, and we rode bikes in the summertime. I’m trying to add more protective bike lanes, so kids and their family members feel safe on their bikes. There are other developments going on—the Library Apartments on King, a number of private housing complexes and affordable market rate housing on the Northwest side. Speaking of that area, we just bought the old Northridge Shopping Center complex, and we plan to tear it down and build new developments.”

Reckless driving is another major issue. The city has installed speed bumps and bike lanes. In his State of the City address, Johnson said, “In 2024, 45 traffic calming projects will be underway all across the city.”

Johnson seemed to welcome the topic. “We received a federal grant of $36 million to rehabilitate Sixth Street from the largely Black Bronzeville community on the northside all the way south through the Downtown business district and further south to Walker’s Point and the entryway to the Latino community. We will be adding protective bike lanes and facilities for busses. As for reckless driving, we’ve seen improvement in speeding. If speeds are reduced, there will be fewer fatal accidents. Our goal is to eventually eliminate traffic deaths. We need to calm traffic, slow folks down. The old “no-pursuit” policy by police actually encouraged people to speed, unfortunately. We changed that policy. Recently, people have commented to me that they believe things are calming down. Part of the reason, I think, is that we are re-engineering the streets through speed bumps and bike lanes that force drivers to slow down.”

REDUCING VIOLENCE

On the topic of violence, the mayor has called for the Office of Community Wellness and Safety, formerly known as the Office of Violence Prevention, to do a better job of spending the federal pandemic money it has received. “I think one of the metrics folks should be able to look at is the amount of money the Office presently has and getting those out of the door,” he said. I told him that I’d done stories on the two heads of the Violence Prevention Office, Ashanti Hamilton and Karin Tyler, both hardworking and dedicated city officials. But they did seem to have trouble allocating funds. I asked, “Why can’t more funds be swiftly allocated?”

“If you check with those two leaders currently, you will see improvement,” he answered. “They are getting the funds out the door.”

I introduced the serious problem of domestic violence, saying it is perhaps the cause of most violence in the city. “I recently did a story on Sojourner Family Peace Center and its CEO, Carmen Pitre,” I said. “‘Sojourner provides support to 8,000 domestic violence clients each year,” Pitre told me, “‘Sojourner found two-thirds of people killed last year

in domestic violence incidents had never requested help either from local law enforcement or from Sojourner.’” When I asked why these victims would not seek help, she said, ‘There is fear and shame. We live in a victim-branded society. Many people of color won’t interact with the system. If you are a Black woman, a poor white, or an undocumented victim living on $15,000 or less annually, where are you going to go?’” I asked the mayor, “What are your thoughts on this important domestic violence issue?”

He thought a little before he made this comment, “The Sojourner Family Peace Center is a welcoming and trusted place in the city for domestic violence victims. Carmen has pointed out that many of the homicides we saw in recent years were attributed to domestic violence. We cannot have a police officer on every corner or in every home. We just have to keep beating the drum that city, county and nonprofit services are available if you experience domestic violence. I will add that most lives lost to overall violence happen through the use of guns. The state and federal governments need to do more regarding access to firearms. There are people who should never get their hands on a gun, for example, a known criminal, a felon, or a person who has committed domestic violence.”

PUBLIC SAFETY

“Let’s talk about the police,” I said. “One year ago, you told me, ‘The role of police is very important for safety. But the police and community have to work together for there to be improvement in safety.’” Police Chief Norman recently said, “‘I was speaking at a Boys & Girls Club event, and I asked the young people, ‘What as parents and adults can we do for you?’” The kids told him, “Listen to us. We have mental health issues, we have suggestions and ideas, but no one is talking to us. They talk over us.” In my own experience, I do see police and citizens interacting more. On the good side, all categories of crimes are down considerably from past years.”

The mayor said, “Chief Norman has struck a chord as it relates to police and community relations. His guiding principle is making sure police and citizens are able to exchange ideas and be in conversations. We all want to get to the goal of safety regardless of race, gender or economic status. Everybody wants to be safe, but this goal is hard to achieve if you only have a set amount of police officers.”

I told him that I’d once asked Chief Norman if there could be beat cops walking neighborhood streets like in the old days. The chief pointed out that beat cops would be ideal, but there isn’t enough money in the budget to add that many police officers. “If folks see something wrong happening in their neighborhoods,” said the mayor, “they can call the police anonymously or call their alderperson, or they can call Crimestoppers or Safe and Sound. Most important, if we want safety, then the people doing bad things must be held to account.”

According to the latest police reports, overall crime is down. Homicide declined by 31%, non-fatal shootings by 23%, carjacking by 29% and robbery by 16%. “Why do you think the crime stats have improved?” I asked.

“Because we have a multi-pronged approach for increasing safety in Milwaukee,” he said. “It’s not just police. It’s the community working together at all levels, city departments, nonprofits, and citizens. It’s a team effort. Actually, our crime incident numbers are exceeding below the national average for big cities.”

THE MAYOR’S JOB

“Let’s talk about the mayor’s job,” I said. “You’ve been mayor for over two years. It seems like it is impossible to please all constituents. You once told me, ‘You don’t understand the magnitude of the mayor’s job until it’s your name above the door.’ What has it been like for you to be mayor?”

He thought for a moment. “This is the most difficult, complex and challenging job, but still very rewarding,” he replied. “As you once told me, Tom, citizens ask you, ‘Why can’t the mayor do this or do that?’ and your response is the mayor is not a dictator. True. The answer is the mayor’s power is not infinite. For example, I have to work with the 15 city council members. With regard to public safety, I can only do so much. The police and fire department do not report to me directly. They report to the Fire and Police Commission.

Remember, once a person is arrested, they get passed off to the County Prosecutor Office and our elected judges, which are totally out of my purview. But as you see crime falling, this is the city at work.”

“Recently, you said, ‘I’ve set an ambitious goal to grow our population to one million Milwaukeeans.’ How can Milwaukee grow its population from 563,000 to a million residents?”

Mayor Johnson did not hesitate. “I’ve directed our Housing Development department to overhaul our zoning code to allow for more density and development along transit lines everywhere in the city,” he said. “More immigration can be a part of our growth. We need more youth-serving programs outside of the classroom so that children will grow up and continue to live and work in Milwaukee. I want to see a strong and vibrant university. That means UWM and Marquette. And I want to retain the talent we already have here and provide good opportunities, especially more jobs and more businesses.”

Tom Jenz is a Milwaukee writer and photographer. He contributes the weekly Central City Stories column to shepherdexpress.com.

The Lies That Ate the Republican Party

BY JOEL MCNALLY

Many Americans believe the hardest thing for presidential historians to explain about this year’s election should be how Donald Trump has held such a tight grip on the Republican Party despite being criminally indicted for attempting to violently overthrow democracy four years ago.

Elected Republicans including Mike Pence and his family ran for their lives along with Democrats from the violent insurrectionists Trump sent to attack them to try to prevent Congress from certifying President Biden’s election. Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and Senate Leader Mitch McConnell publicly denounced Trump’s actions.

FACT CHECKERS FOR THE WASHINGTON POST METICULOUSLY DOCUMENTED A FINAL TALLY OF 50,573 LIES BY TRUMP AS PRESIDENT. MOST OF US HAVE KNOWN SOMEONE WHO LIES A LOT, BUT IT’S SAFE TO SAY NONE OF US HAVE EVER KNOWN ANYONE BEFORE WHO’S TOLD 50,573 LIES.

Four years later, McCarthy is gone, McConnell is a pale shadow of the powerful Senate leader he once was, and Trump is back again as the Republican nominee spewing increasingly insane threats of a violent “bloodbath” in America unless he’s elected in November.

But it’s not difficult to track how Trump’s escalating lies throughout his single four-year term as president destroyed Republicans as a conservative political party and attracted the armed hate groups into the party that Trump called upon to keep him in power after Biden defeated him in 2020 with the largest vote in history.

The lies that ate the Republican Party began the summer after Trump took office with what turned out to be a dress rehearsal for the violent insurrection that ended Trump’s presidency four years later.

VERY FINE PEOPLE?

Trump praised the “very fine people on both sides” in the Unite the Right riot in Charlottesville, Va., a national gathering of Nazis wearing swastikas, Klansmen in hoods and other rightwing extremists celebrating Trump’s election by violently protesting the city’s removal of Confederate monuments.

The street protests turned deadly when a self-identified Nazi from Ohio drove his speeding car into a large biracial crowd of pro-democracy counter protesters. He killed a young woman and seriously injured dozens of others. The night before, the Nazi contingent carried torches into the University of Virginia campus threatening students and chanting “Jews will not replace us!” and “Into the ovens!”

Roger Stone, who advised the criminal Republican presidencies of Richard Nixon and Trump, coined the slogan “Stop the steal!” in 2016 to falsely accuse Hillary Clinton of massive vote fraud when everyone including Trump thought she would win. The campaign expected that battle cry to raise millions of dollars from gullible Trump voters. They were right, but they had to delay their scam for four years when Trump shocked America and the world by winning the election.

It’s never been a secret among elected Republicans or Democrats that Trump is a pathological liar. Fact checkers for The Washington Post, the hometown newspaper for members of Congress and administration officials, meticulously documented a final tally of 50,573 lies by Trump as president. Most of us have known someone who lies a lot, but it’s safe to say none of us have ever known anyone before who’s told 50,573 lies.

Photo of man by yuriyzhuravov/Getty Images

Illustration of Republican logo by Ruslan Maiborodin/Getty Images

LIES ABOUT ELECTION FRAUD

There’s only one thing more dangerous than Trump’s lies about election fraud inciting his violent supporters to overturn American elections. It’s all the crimes Trump promises to commit if he’s ever elected again. His first priority is appointing a corrupt attorney general to dismiss his criminal indictments and replace legitimate federal prosecutors with MAGA Republicans. The second is to lock up “the entire Biden crime family.” Trump’s supporters laugh when he says he’ll become a dictator on Day One like he’s joking. He’s not.

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR OWN BODIES AND THEIR OWN LIVES DON’T EXIST IF THEY CAN BE ABOLISHED BY POLITICIANS IN ANY STATE.

Trump’s scariest new threat was expressing support for allowing Republican states to monitor women’s pregnancies to prosecute them for violating abortion bans. He told a brand-new lie claiming widespread support for the Supreme Court supermajority he appointed to destroy 50 years of constitutional abortion rights for women. Trump said “all legal scholars, both sides, wanted and in fact demanded” that laws controlling abortion be returned to the states. No, they didn’t. Constitutional rights for women to make decisions about their own bodies and their own lives don’t exist if they can be abolished by politicians in any state.

Trump has made it clear if he’s elected again he doesn’t intend to have anyone in his administration who doesn’t believe his two biggest lies. Trump’s appointees will be expected to believe that he won the 2020 election and that the violent Jan. 6 attack on Congress was a peaceful demonstration by patriotic Americans who are now being unfairly imprisoned by Biden as political hostages.

The hiring standards will be even higher for Trump’s vicepresidential running mate. Vice President Pence fell out of favor with Trump for insisting on counting electoral votes in states won by Biden based on actual election results. Republicans went to a lot of trouble creating fake electors for Trump in those states.

Trump believes when the U.S. is fortunate enough to have someone like him as president, it should consider the political system he admires in other nations of electing presidents for life.

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. For more McNally, visit shepherdexpress.com.

How Can We Achieve Real Economic Freedom?

BY WILLIAM HOLOHAN

When Republican Eric Hovde announced his candidacy to challenge Tammy Baldwin, two-term U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, he included in his opening speech a standard party message: he’s in favor of “freedom.” But what does that mean to voters?

This version of freedom is not an invocation of the sacred oath to defend the nation’s Constitution against “all enemies foreign and domestic.” Nor is it a reference to FDR’s Four Freedoms, nor the freedoms set forth in the Bill of Rights. No: this “conservative” rhetorical flourish means freedom from government, especially business regulation and personal and corporate income taxes. In support of this conception of freedom is a standard list of objectives: limited government, smaller government, individualism, free markets, balanced budget, lower taxes, less regulation. In other words, get the government off the back of the private sector profit-seekers.

The problem with this recitation is that market capitalism requires the proper mix of a strong public sector in support of the private sector. Neither the public nor the private sector works well on their own. The hard work of legislative public policy is to determine how best to design and implement the complementarity of these sectors.

Without that hard work, that reflexive “standard list” is mere sloganeering. Candidates for office should be required by reporters, pundits, and debate moderators to explain the proper role of government in support of the private sector and how to obtain it.

ALLEVIATING SCARCITY

The purpose of any economy is to alleviate “scarcity” —meaning nature’s limits on resources. Scarcity imposes constraints on human activity and even survival. Accordingly, economic freedom increases when the people enjoy increased command over resources, usually summarized as the increased ability to pay for goods and services. Often government intervention is needed to provide for and enhance economic freedom. For example, the Affordable Care Act has set a record of 45 million people enrolled, most of whom would not have the freedom afforded by health insurance without the Act.

Market economies enhance economic freedom when important pre-conditions are present, primarily competition. Competition coordinates incentives to induce profit-seekers to enhance economic freedom although that is not part of their intent.

Markets alleviate scarcity by providing a decentralized coordination of the billions of personal and business

decisions that are made every day. But when the pre-conditions for markets are not present, complex tasks must be performed by government—national defense, highway construction and repair, water/sewer systems and a host of other combined federal, state and local government responsibilities.

CHIPS AND SCIENCE

Consider two episodes in which government intervened in the workings of the economy: the Chips and Science Act to stabilize the U.S. market for microchips and Operation Warp Speed that accelerated the production of the vaccine to fight Covid-19. In each case the question becomes “Did economic freedom rise or fall as the government intervened?”

These days nearly all goods of any complexity require semiconductor microchips—not only computers but also dishwashers, washing machines, automobiles and any devices festooned with the word “smart,” such as televisions and telephones. Microchips are essential in regulating the flow of electricity across the “smart” grid. Prior to the pandemic, the manufacture of microchips was concentrated in mainland China and Taiwan, a natural outcome of market forces that tend to place mass production in low-cost locations.

To reduce the risk of the collapse of the international chip market due to the pandemic (or perhaps hostile government shut-down of chip exports during periods of international conflict), to free the nation from such risks, the Biden administration established the Chips and Science Act to invest $52.7 billion to encourage chips manufacturers to expand mass production of microchips within the United States.

OPERATION WARP SPEED

Before new drugs are allowed to be used by U.S. citizens, they must pass the food and drug administration tests for safety and efficacy. Ordinarily, the process of testing/ approval precedes mass production/ distribution. However, when in early 2020 the pandemic threatened to kill millions of people, Operation Warp Speed was designed to test and manufacture simultaneously This gambit resulted in hundreds of millions of doses produced and stored by the time the mRNA vaccines passed

the tests for FDA approval. (Had they failed the tests, those units would have been destroyed.) Because the vaccine was available, distribution— shots in arms—could began in the first months of the Biden administration. This government intervention made the population safer and willing to return to work, boosting the economy and increasing the income and wealth of the nation, raising economic freedom substantially.

As these two examples exhibit, “economic freedom” is derived from the proper mix of private and public sector activity. Voters should demand that candidates for office demonstrate an understanding of this basic economic principle.

William Holahan is emeritus professor and former chair of economics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Jakayla Bridges is the founder of Keeping the Khemistry, a resource and business that provides formal wear to youth at no cost. Whether the occasion is a school dance, wedding, graduation or a job interview, Bridge’s mission is to make attire like dresses and suits accessible to those who normally may not afford it. She also offers to do makeup at a discount price for high school students getting ready for prom, plus she has her own cosmetics and skincare line, Khemistry Kosmetics.

Born in Milwaukee and raised between here and Memphis, Jakayla Bridges first got the idea for Keeping the Khemistry while working at Vincent High School. She had a deep connection with the students there who would talk to her about issues they experienced. One student wanted to go to prom who could not afford it.

“My goal became to figure out how I could help them,” Bridges recalls. “I could do her makeup at the time, but I didn’t have resources for other things. A teacher ended up helping us with the dress situation, and I wanted to keep helping other students dealing with the same issue.”

Bridges empathized so much with this student because she looks back at her own prom experience, remembering, “I really wanted to go and have fun with my friends, but I wasn’t living with or being supported by my family at the time. It ended up being super stressful to the point where it didn’t all feel worth it. I went and had a great time, but when I had to come back to the reality of my situation, all the joy I had kind of faded.”

ALLEVIATING ANXIETY

Ultimately, though, Bridges feels she would not be where she is today without going through that; she continues, “I want to help alleviate that stress and anxiety that comes with getting together everything you need, where people have someone that they can come to if they’re feeling lost.”

Keeping the Khemistry with Jakayla Bridges

BY BEN SLOWEY

Inspired by community clothing swaps, she began doing open calls for donations of suits and dresses on social media, officially launching Keeping the Khemistry in 2022. The name came about from a joke Bridges made to a friend. “I had makeup all over my hands from mixing different tones together for a specific color and said that I felt like a chemist,” she remarks with a laugh.

Most of the Keeping the Khemistry inventory is donated, and Bridges finds the rest while thrifting or shopping retail. Prom and homecoming dresses and suits are loaned to students for the occasion and then returned and cleaned, but for long-term situations like a job that requires formal attire, Bridges allows folks to keep apparel like dress shirts, skirts and pants.

If someone needs a certain size or item that she does not have, Bridges puts out a request for it on social media. “Organizations like Metcalfe Park Community Bridges, Love on Black Women and Sun-Seeker MKE all get clothing donations and sometimes they’ll have what I’m looking for,” she adds. “Even if I have to go out and search for it, usually I end up with what I need.”

Keeping the Khemistry does formal drives in addition to appearing at markets and youth-oriented events throughout the year. “People have brought loads of things for my pop-up events,” Bridges notes. “It’s reaffirming to know that I’m actually helping people with what I do.”

She often vends Khemistry Kosmetics at her pop-ups as well. Having previously worked at Ulta Beauty, Bridges wanted to sell all-natural beauty and skin care products like oils, lotions and body scrubs that appeal to those with sensitive skin. “Over time you learn that a lot of the formulations of the stuff you use can have irritants and toxins,” she explains.

Photo courtesy of Keeping the Khemistry

While she currently does everything at home, Jakayla Bridges hopes to gradually expand her operation, potentially into a shared commercial space. “I want to be a community resource and connect with other community resources at the end of the day,” she concludes. “I’m not totally sure what it’s going to end up looking like, but I’m excited to keep building my vision.”

Follow Keeping the Khemistry on Facebook and Instagram @keepingthekhemistry or email Jakayla Bridges keepingthekhemistry22@gmail.com to get in touch. For Khemistry Kosmetics, follow @khemistrykosmetics on Instagram.

Ben Slowey is a Milwaukee writer and regular contributor to shepherdexpress.com.

Chris Miskel, CEO of Versiti Blood Centers

‘We want to eradicate blood

disease.’

BY TOM JENZ

In the field of medicine, the future lies in blood research. At the Versiti Blood Research Institute in Milwaukee, investigators are experts in the fields of transfusion medicine, immunobiology, thrombosis, hemostasis and vascular biology, and also stem cell biology and hematopoiesis. The nonprofit Versiti is rated as the best blood research institute in the United States. Soon, Versiti will be expanding by adding a new building.

To find out more, I met with 49-yearold Chris Miskel, Versiti’s CEO, at their headquarters on Wisconsin Avenue near Marquette University. I found him soft spoken but confident. Born in Ohio, Miskel lived there until he was 14, but attended high school in Bloomington, Ind. His mother and dad had started out in Milwaukee, and his dad worked his way up at Sears. Miskel graduated with an MBA from Harvard Business School in 2000.

You became a high school basketball star in Bloomington. During your high school years, did you have an idea what you wanted to do as a future career?

Bloomington is known for basketball as is Indiana, and I had a really good coach and program. I liked my accounting teacher. He was kind of a mentor. My dad was a business guy, and I knew I wanted to be in business. Dad encouraged me to pursue a corporate career.

So where did you go to college?

I got recruited to play basketball at Butler University, a division one college, and I majored in accounting, the hardest major there.

What was your first job out of college?

I worked for Eli Lilly in Indianapolis. My sister was Type 1 diabetic. Before every meal, I watched her grab the insulin shot from the refrigerator and inject herself.

Eli Lilly was producing that insulin. Altogether, I worked for Eli Lilly for 17 years, half the years in Indianapolis.

I understand you held various jobs at Eli Lilly, right?

I was on a leadership track. I started in finance, went to sales, sales leadership, marketing, and strategy. For my last job, I was the general manager of Australia and New Zealand. I lived in Sydney, Australia. That was a fantastic experience. After Eli Lilly, I worked for four years at Baxter Labs in Deerfield, Ill. Baxter is big in healthcare. I was in their Rare Disease Division that focused on hemophilia, which is all things blood. Wonderful company. But when Baxter was sold, the Versiti CEO job in Milwaukee became available. With the help of a mentor, I got the job. Through my career, I’ve had the help of mentors. I loved that Versiti is focused on science and medicine. That was in 2017, and my family moved to Milwaukee.

Portrait photo by Tom Jenz

Why did you pursue a career in healthcare and why Versiti?

It was all about my sister and her diabetes disease. That is partly why I took my first job at Eli Lilly. It was a very strong midwestern culture at Lilly.

What are your job responsibilities as CEO of Versiti?

As a nonprofit organization, our first responsibility is to serve the community, particularly for patient outcomes. I take that very seriously. We have five service lines—research, physicians, collecting and processing, organ tissue and distributing blood. We have a diagnostic lab for specialized testing for customers across the United States. This means there is a patient waiting on the other end of all our service lines. My primary job is to grow the impact of our mission so that we serve more patients and get them well. And also, that we grow our talent. We have a culture here where employees can have a viable career where they can grow, be professional, and also be themselves.

I found this quote from you: “My personal expectations for performance are very high. I’m extremely competitive by nature.” How does your competitiveness apply to your job as CEO at Versiti? You know, I’m lucky to be in this role. My job is to carry on this Versiti legacy. Milwaukee should be proud of this organization and what it has meant for the city since its founding in 1947.

This is the fourth largest blood center in America and the best blood research institute. I owe it to those leaders that came before me to make sure we are expanding, driving innovation, and taking care of patients.

Versiti has a presence in five states, I believe.

Yes, we cover five midwestern states— Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin. We have about 2,300 employees across these states. The biggest operation is our blood collection operation. We have about 40 blood donor centers all over these five states.

The blood samples go through us and end up at a hospital where it can save a patient’s life. Versiti is a conduit, selfless donors on one side, patients in need of blood on the other, with Versiti in the middle. We are one of 50 to 55 blood centers in America that can collect, process and distribute that blood. We also run mobile blood drives.

Do you store the collected blood samples in your facilities?

We keep blood inventory here, while hospitals and clinics also keep smaller inventory. We have a system in place as to when we need to restock our clients’ shelves.

I understand Versiti is a blood services provider but is also involved in transfusion medicine and blood products. Tell me more about your products and services. Through our five service lines, Versiti is focused on eradicating blood disease. With our Blood Services, we have about 385 hospitals that we supply blood to across our five-state footprint.

In our diagnostic blood testing lab, we analyze special cases brought to us by doctors across the country, and we also support clinical trials. Another service is organ and tissue, meaning if patients are waiting for an organ transplant, we can help facilitate that process. Then, there is our Medical Sciences Institute. We run the Comprehensive Center for Bleeding Disorder in southeast Wisconsin. If someone has a bleeding disorder or a blood disease, our physicians provide clinical care. We can even provide social workers if needed.

I did not realize you provide all those services. You have a big responsibility and a big job. It’s really cool. When people ask me, “Why Versiti?” I say it’s the research, the legacy that goes back to when we started in 1947. We have a super international reputation in blood research and clinical care. We employ some of the best researchers, and they are right here in Milwaukee. They publish their findings in the most reputable medical journals.

Here is a quote from you, “Renowned for our innovative and leading research and extensive knowledge of bleeding and clotting disorders, we are now broadening our focus to include blood cancers and immune system diseases.” Can you expand on your focus goals?

Blood flows through the entire body. It affects cancers, heart attacks, and diabetes, for instance. Blood tends to be implicated in in so many different diseases of the body. We want to eradicate blood disease. With science, critical mass matters, the ideal being numerous scientists working on the same problem. For instance, we are starting to do more research in the blood cancers like leukemia and immunology. We have a variety of researchers working on cancers, and this approach allows them to bounce ideas off one another. Ideally, we’d like to have eight to 12 researchers in each of our key areas.

Let me quote you again, “What value are we uniquely situated to provide? If not us, then who? We are grounded in the purpose of ‘Saving the Lives You Love.’” Can you further explain what you mean?

“Saving the lives you love” is a mantra for us. It means: in that moment that no one wants to be in, that sick moment, someone has to be there and be prepared. But you have to prepare before that moment happens. Everybody in this organization is thinking about blood. We have the largest concentration of blood researchers under one roof in America, and they are sharing ideas together. I heard one researcher say, “I can impact tens of thousands of lives if we get this right.”

Versiti is a nonprofit company. Where does the funding come from?

For the Versiti Blood Research Institute, we rely on grant funding through research ideas. Our researchers and scientists receive government grants from NIH funding, the National Institutes of Health. Another source of our funding comes from philanthropy. We also have an endowment that helps. And we receive income from the clients we serve such as hospitals and clinics. We are a nonprofit 501(c)(3) and are reimbursed for the cost of the work we do plus our administrative costs.

Versiti will be expanding soon with a new building. I am reading from the press release, “It will be a 79,000 square-foot addition that will nearly double Versiti’s research capacity, add approximately 100 new jobs and generate an estimated $19 million in additional tax revenue for the state of Wisconsin over 30 years. Versiti is nearing capacity and plans to expand its current team of 31 principal scientists to approximately 50 in the next 5-7 years.” The building expansion is now underway. Is that right? And when will the expansion be complete?

Groundbreaking for the new building will happen later this year in Wauwatosa near the Medical College of Wisconsin, who will also be building a new cancer wing. Presently, the Versiti Blood Research Institute and Blood Center of Wisconsin is located on that property. Through an above ground skyway, our new building will be connected to the new Medical College of Wisconsin cancer research facility. We are hoping both new buildings will be open in 2026.

I just thought of something. You’ve had a highly successful basketball career in high school and at Butler University. As a business leader, do you see parallels in terms of management philosophy between a sports team and your job here?

Some of the lessons from that sports experience still guide my leadership style. The Butler basketball philosophy consisted of five principles, and they still drive me today: passion, unity, servanthood, humility, and thankfulness.

For how and where to donate blood, visit the Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin website. Versiti.org

Tom Jenz is a Milwaukee photographer and writer. He contributes the weekly Central City Stories column to shepherdexpress.com.

Avli Brings Greece to Brewers Hill

BY DAVID LUHRSSEN

Pair “Greek” with “restaurant” in Milwaukee and many leap to an assumption: “family restaurant” with big portions, bottomless cups of (American) coffee and an accent of the Mediterranean in the form of feta and spinach omelets.

But Greek restaurant can also mean chef-prepared cuisine. Milwaukee has had a few of those Greek restaurants over the years—Kosta’s White Manor, Dionysus and now, Avli, open since last year in Brewers Hill with a commanding view of Downtown.

Avli is the Milwaukee outpost of the Chicago micro-chain by that name. The entirely unique, multi-roomed and multi-terraced space was formerly occupied by Roots and Wolf Peach.

Avli has a full bar offering all the usual libations plus signature cocktails featuring Greek bitters and spirits (“A Greek in Wisconsin” is an old fashion made with Metaxa brandy) and a wine list focused on Greek vineyards. Sit back in the main dining room, sip a beverage and drink in the setting. White, airy and open to the sun, furnished with woven-backed patio chairs and lanterns hanging from the high ceiling—you can easily imagine that you’re dining in a contemporary restaurant in Athens or Rhodes.

SMALL PLANTS

A good way to explore the starters is with the sampler of three spreads. At a recent meal, we chose tirokafteri, a spicy dish made from roasted red peppers, feta and yogurt; hummus, dressed up with paprika and bits of tomato; and tzatziki, with a creamy yogurt and cucumber base. The platter of toasted pita bread was drizzled with olive oil and dusted with herbs. Pita bread usually isn’t usually a “Wow!” moment, but it was the first of many at Avli.

For heavier appetizers, turn to the section labeled Meze, a word in many languages meaning small plate dishes. Included are spanakopita (spinach pie), calamari and prawns, but the saganaki is a must and unlike any other. The flame-cooked cheese is honied and served sizzling on an iron pan and topped with fig chutney.

Among other choices for starters are avgolemono (egg-lemon soup with rice) and a pair of attractively served salads.

TENDER CHOPS

The entree menu is short but covers several food groups with fried cod (a beer-battered nod to Milwaukee but with a Greek accent), pork, beef and chicken dishes. The lamb chops are tender and to order, cooked with baked sundried tomatoes, oregano, thyme, basil and an unusual pesto. The eggplant-based moussaka is unlike any version in the area, served in a big bowl and oven browned—it looks like French onion soup—but is composed of mashed potato and ground beef ragout flavored with bechamel and cheese. All entrees are a la cart, but don’t ignore the sides. The Greek fries are large and covered in grated tomatoes, rosemary, sea salt and a hint of cheese—great for dipping in tzatziki.

Service is friendly, attentive but unobtrusive. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are clearly marked.

AVLI

1818 N. Hubbard St. (414) 395-1300

avli.us/avli-milwaukee

$$-$$$

David Luhrssen is Managing Editor of the Shepherd Express.

Photos Courtesy of Mary Manion. Background Pattern by yamonstro/Getty Images

Spicy Lentil Water: The Ultimate Protein Drink

Spicy Lentil Water: The Ultimate Protein Drink

BY ARI LEVAUX

If we needed more evidence that American society is in decline, consider how little respect we give lentils. Pound for pound, these legumes quietly deliver more nutrition to more people than anything else growing on earth. One serving of this lightweight bean contains twice the antioxidants of blueberries, about half your daily fiber needs, loads of folate, iron, and other minerals, and more protein than any plant that isn’t soy. Being legumes, they can grow on marginal soils, and improve the soils with each planting.

The trick to cooking lentils is to treat them more like pasta than rice. Don’t try to get them to absorb all the liquid. Instead, cook them in plenty of liquid and then strain them. But do save the liquid. It may be the most important part. More on that soon.

Indian farmers produce at least 50 varieties of lentil. It’s probably not a coincidence that India is also one of the few places I’ve visited where vegetarian options are usually more appealing than meat-based, thanks in part to that hot lentil action. If you are down with animal proteins but maybe don’t have a ton at your disposal, you can always add a ham hock or stew meat to the lentil soup.

HEALTHY CROPS

In North America, most lentils are grown in the upper Columbia River basin. But production is migrating east, over the continental divide and onto the Northern Plains, where grain farmers are planting rotations of lentils, if not focusing exclusively on them. Being so good for the soil, the lentils themselves are almost a bonus, a byproduct of a healthy cropland system. And while lentil cheerleaders will sometimes gush about how easy it is to cook lentils it’s not necessarily as easy to make them tasty. A thick, bland gruel that may also be too crunchy? No problem. But making lentils taste good with a palatable texture takes more finesse. And again, don’t forget that water. For some, like my friend Norman, that water is more important than the lentils themselves.

I met Norman years ago under a massive tamarind tree in Kona, Hawaii. I was there because a mutual friend had told me about Norman’s proprietary spice mix. Norman generously told me how to make his spice mix, and explained how he uses them to flavor a lentil-based dish called rasam (pronounced like awesome). In giving me this recipe, Norman taught me a lot about lentil cookery.

Norman is an Indologist, aka an expert on all things India, and the method by which rasam is prepared pertains to the reason India consumes half the world’s lentils. That reason was dahl, the simple yet satisfying Indian lentil soup. Rasam is made with the water used to precook lentils before they are cooked into dahl. It’s flavored with Norman’s spices, tamarind and tomato.

It all comes together into a thin, reddish brown soup that is full of tang and spice, balanced against the savory undertones of that rich lentil water.

Rasam is so satisfying that the lentils themselves are basically a byproduct. It’s up to the chef to figure out what to do with them, and there are many options. You could use the lentils to make dahl of course. Or lentil hummus. Or add them to tabouli or a salad. Me having lentils reminds me of when my son has a hammer, and everything looks like a nail. When I have cooked lentils on my hands, I realize that I can add them to anything. The last time I made rasam, as it happens, I was also boiling some meaty soup bones for a stew. So, I added the lentils to my stew, along with the usual carrots, onions and celery. As I had some of the Norman spices on my hands, I used them to flavor my meaty lentil stew.

Headline photo by monticello/Getty Images

NORMAN SPICES

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 tablespoon coriander

• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds

• 1 tsp black pepper

• Just a few pieces of fenugreek

In a heavy-bottomed pan, toast the seeds on medium heat, stirring often until browned but not burned. In a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind the toasted spice seeds into a powder. Store in an airtight container.

RASAM

four servings

• 1 cup red or yellow lentils

• 8 cups water

• 2 tablespoon oil or butter

• ½ cup minced onions

• 2 tablespoons rasam

• 1 can diced tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon tamarind paste or Knorr brand tamarind soup

Boil the lentils until they are completely soft. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions in the oil until they are translucent. Add the rasam powder, tamarind and diced tomatoes, including all of the juice in the can, and allow it all to simmer together. Finally, pour the lentil water into the pan of onions, tomatoes and spices. Season with salt and serve.

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

Recipe photo courtesy of Rosmarie Voegtli

Legume cups photo by AndreyGorulko/Getty Images, lentil pile photo by Vitalina/Getty Images, wooden scoop photo by wabeno/GettyImages

Why Not a Summer of Barolo? Why Not a Summer of Barolo?

BY GAETANO MARANGELLI

It was June. I was moving from the wine world of Chicago to the world of wine in New York City. I was looking for a job. I was meeting the legendary sommelier Paul Grieco at his exemplary wine bar called Terroir. I was early for our meeting. I was standing by the bar. I saw Barolo on his by-the-glass wine list.

Barolo, the most noble wine of Italy. Barolo, with its structure, and its tannins, and its capacity for bottle aging. Barolo, the ideal companion for the months of winter.

Did I tell you it was June?

And then again, I wondered, “Why not an early summer glass of Barolo?” If Barolo is the so-called “King of Wines and Wine of Kings,” wouldn’t the largess of its nobility afford me a glass on an evening in June? Barolo, with its perfume of roses and forests. Barolo, with its minerality, and its acidity, and its longevity.

PIEMONTE, BAROLO AND NEBBIOLO

The appellation of Barolo is located in the Langhe area of Piemonte, a name which translates to “foot of the mountain.” The Alps mountain range surrounds Piemonte, the largest region in Italy for the production of DOC and DOCG wines. DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) are the highest classifications of wines in the Italian government system which serves to protect the quality and authenticity of Italian wines. There are 58 DOC and DOCG appellations in Piemonte, more than any other region. The greatest of them all is Barolo.

Barolo is made exclusively from the nebbiolo vines cultivated on the hills of eleven villages in the appellation of Barolo. Five of the villages account for nine-tenths of the wine made in the appellation. They are the villages of Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba, La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, and Barolo (the eponymous subzone of the Barolo appellation). Nebbiolo grapes are small and their skins are thin. They are among the first to flower and the last to ripen. They reward their growers in these Barolo villages with rich, ageworthy wines of pale color, high acidity, and strong tannins.

The DOCG for Barolo requires its wines to be aged for a minimum of 38 months, including 18 months of oak aging. (The DOCG for Barolo Riserva wines calls for its wines to be aged for a minimum of 62 months, with 18 months of oak aging.) If all of the grapes for a Barolo are from a delimited vineyard in the eleven villages, the wine can be identified with an MGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive), which specifies the name of the vineyard.

THE SOILS OF BAROLO

The soils of Barolo were made by two separate ages of geology, the older Serravallian and the younger Tortonian. The soils of these ages have distinctive qualities which affect their nebbiolo grapes and the character of the wines they make. Tortonian soils cover the villages of Barolo and La Morra in the west of the appellation. These soils are made up of calcareous marls, which are relatively compact and fertile. Serravallian soils cover the villages of Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba, and Monforte d’Alba in the east of the appellation. These soils are composed of sandstone and sand, which are relatively poor, less compact, and less fertile than Tortonian soils.

VILLAGE OF BAROLO

The village of Barolo is the birthplace of the King of Wines and the namesake of the appellation for the eleven villages. The soils of the village are principally blue and gray Tortonian marl. They make for fragrant and elegant wines. While these wines—like all the wines of all 11 villages—are seriously age-worthy, the wines of the village of Barolo are easier to enjoy in their youth.

VILLAGE OF CASTIGLIONE FALLETTO

The soils of Castiglione Falletto are primarily made up of deposits from the Serravallian age. These are the most complex soils of the 11 villages. The wines of this village can be as complex as their soils, offering perfume, structure and elegance.

VILLAGE OF SERRALUNGA D’ALBA

The Serravallian soils of Serralunga d’Alba are famously light. They yield austere and demanding wines.

Photo by Rostislav_Sedlacek/Getty Images

VILLAGE OF LA MORRA

The largest of the 11 villages is La Morra. Its soils consist primarily of Tortonian age blue and gray marl, which makes for graceful, perfumy Barolos.

VILLAGE OF MONFORTE D’ALBA

Sandstone, clay, and calcareous marls make up the soils of Monforte d’Alba. This range of soils yields a range of Barolo styles, from perfumed and complex to rich and tannic.

WHY NOT A GLASS OF BAROLO IN JUNE?

Back at the wine bar called Terroir in New York City, after my meeting with Paul, I thought, “Why not?” I asked for a glass of Barolo. And it was the perfect glass of wine for an early summer evening.

Gaetano Marangelli is a sommelier and playwright. He was 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.

The 2024 Shepherd Express LGBTQ Progress Awards Celebrates 10 Years of Community Recognition

BY PAUL MASTERSON

Over the past decade, the Shepherd Express LGBTQ Progress Awards have recognized dozens of veteran community activists and allies as well as businesses and organizations. The main criterion for the award is the recipient’s dedication to the cause of LGBTQ equality that has resulted in progress toward that end. As in past years, the 2024 roster represents the full spectrum of the community. The eight recipients have contributed to Milwaukee’s LGBTQ progress towards equality in the arts, athletics, business (in this case the practice of law), philanthropy, health care, preservation of our history and as allies and pioneers of LGBTQ social justice. Their brief biographies barely offer an overview of the cumulative impact on LGBTQ progress they have made, often achieved over decades of unrelenting commitment despite challenges and personal sacrifice.

TOMMY THOMPSON : SPECIAL ALLY

As Wisconsin’s governor from 1987 to 2001, Republican Tommy Thompson found himself in a unique role of inadvertent LGBTQ ally. Since 1983 when Wisconsin’s first AIDS case was reported, the pandemic raged with no end in sight and no viable therapy to slow its progress. Thompson, unlike his conservative colleagues and despite the unpopularity of supporting the gay community, funded the Milwaukee AIDS Project. Given the state’s looming health crisis his actions were pragmatic and logical. However, they also served to not only change attitudes toward people with HIV/AIDS but also toward the LGBTQ community as a whole. Thompson’s strategy-maintained momentum for HIV funding and care, quieting opposition through compassionate example and leadership. Later, as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush, Thompson continued support of U.S. funding of international HIV/AIDS programs, serving as chair of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

BRENDA LEWISON: BUSINESS

Brenda Lewison received her doctorate in labor and employment law in 1995 from the University of WisconsinMadison. Her recognition of the legal needs of the LGBTQ and underserved communities has since guided her career. Over the decades Lewison’s law practice represented

individuals in employment discrimination and related cases. These included federal court litigation over sexual orientation and race discrimination.

Among her professional affiliations, Lewison is a member of the National Lesbian and Gay Lawyer Association and helped found the Washington Heights Rainbow Association and the Human Rights League Political Action Committee (now part of Fair Wisconsin PAC). She is also a pastpresident of the Individual Rights and Responsibilities (now Civil Rights and Liberties) Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin. Lewiston has also been honored a top volunteer for Wisconsin Free Legal Answers,” an American Bar Association legal clinic and Pro Bono Attorney of the Year by the State Bar of Wisconsin.

SCOTT STEWART: ARTS AND CULTURE

Scott Stewart’s contributions to Milwaukee’s arts landscape and greater LGBTQ community are multifold. As a founding artistic director of Wisconsin Cream City Chorus (WCCC), the city’s first LGBTQ chorus (established in 1987), Stewart ignited a “home-grown, word of mouth bunch that needed a voice regarding community at the time we were living in” as he described it. Honored at the time as one of “20 Who Helped Make Everything Possible,” Stewart’s commitment to achieving that community “voice” was unrelenting, establishing one of Milwaukee’s most enduring arts organizations. Stewart’s musical mission was to give the community a means to define itself and express its unity through song. As his legacy, WCCC spawned the creation of several other choruses, that continue his mission today. Beyond his own community, in those times when being out was a risk, Stewart’s impact reached the professional arts world as an out and proud gay man.

UWM LGBT ARCHIVE & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS: EDUCATION

Established three decades ago, the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee Archives’ LGBT+ collections consist of documents, photographs, digital records and recordings from individuals and organizations, media about and produced by the LGBTQ+ community, oral histories, manuscripts, queer-zines and other related material.

Housed in the UWM-Golda Meir Library and publicly accessible, this repository of LGBTQ history is one of few such archives nationwide. The collections cover the earliest days of Milwaukee activist Eldon Murray and the Gay People’s Union, ACT-UP AIDS activism and healthcare, the struggle for marriage equality, lesbian feminism, queer culture and community.

The collections capture the dynamics of the LGBTQ community from the quotidian organizational operations of Cream City Foundation to the recorded personal stories of love, loss and identity. Ever-expanding with new acquisitions, the LGBT Archive and Special Collections provide resources for study and a necessary repository for future generations to explore and understand their history.

MONA GARCIA: EQUALITY

Nearly 20 years ago, seeking a community organization to support, Mona Garcia discovered SSBL (Saturday Softball Beer League), Milwaukee’s LGBTQ softball league. She soon became its greatest ally, becoming not only an advocate but also a leader (and even, on occasion, a player). Garcia soon became SSBL’s treasurer and served as a member of the SSBL’s gay softball World Series committee in 2009. Her expertise in management and organization helped make that event a spectacular success, giving international recognition not only to SSBL but to Milwaukee itself. Garcia’s engagement expanded to the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance (NAGAAA) where she served as its executive assistant. For her dedication and generosity shown to the LGBTQ athletic community Garcia was inducted to the Halls of Fame of both SSBL and, as its first straight ally, NAGAAA. Appropriately enough, NAGAAA instituted the “Mona Garcia Volunteer of the Year Award” in her honor.

STEPHANIE SUE STEIN: HEALTH

Stephanie Sue Stein began working with senior issues in 1993 with the Social Development Commission (SDC) when there were no public senior programs. With federal and state funds, Stein innovatively developed nutrition, adult daycare and other programs for the aged. She left the SDC as director of Older Adult Programs and was appointed director of the City Department of Aging. Stein integrated LGBTQ programming into that process. When activist Eldon Murray appeared at a Commission on Aging meeting, he had just brought the LGBTQ senior Advocacy organization, SAGE, to Milwaukee. “We’ve been waiting for you. Where have you been?” Stein exclaimed. The result was the first government funding of an LGBTQ organization in the United States. Later, as acting director of the LGBT Community Center, Stein insured there would be visibility, representation and awareness of senior issues. Stein continues her senior advocacy through the League of Progressive Seniors.

ANTHONY “TONY” RHODES: PHILANTHROPY

In the early years of Milwaukee’s LGBTQ community, the need for a centralized financial strategy to support its growing number of organizations became apparent. Self-reliance in a time when LGBTQ causes were largely dismissed by mainstream entities was critical for community success and progress. Fund raising and managing donations to these various groups dedicated to the pursuit of equality demanded professional oversight. Anthony “Tony” Rhodes was among the early leaders of Cream City Foundation, the city’s LGBTQ philanthropic organization. Rhodes understood prioritized focus on that need. Rhodes tenure as CCF executive director from 1993 to 1998 represented an era of the great demand for funding due to the AIDS pandemic. Yet he managed and negotiated this incredible burden while still maintaining CCF’s support of the full spectrum of LGBTQ organizations and demographics including arts, athletics, advocacy for youth and seniors, parenting, education, social services and civil rights.

LULA REAMS: PIONEER

Born in rural Tennessee, at age 10 Lula Reams moved with her sharecropper family to Racine, Wisconsin. Her realization of a feeling of difference came later, after she married. When she decided to embrace her difference, she had been married for 19 years. Reams volunteered at the Counseling Center of Milwaukee. That lead to “more learning,” as she would phrase it, “My exposure to lesbianism there was through support groups for women who were married and seeking a lesbian lifestyle.” It was then she conceived her brainchild, an organization known as “Lesbians of Color” (LOC). With co-founder Sarah Ford, Reams’ innovative idea would mark a historic moment. Founded in the mid-1980s, LOC would be Milwaukee’s first organization for lesbians not only of color, but inclusive of all. Reams would later serve on the Cream City Foundation board of directors.

HAPPY PRIDE!

June may be Pride Month throughout the country, but few cities serve the fun like Milwaukee. Not only does Cream City host Pridefest—considered one of the top pride events in the U.S.—but we have a helluva pride parade, too.

The month also features incredible theater, celebrity appearances, fundraisers and more. That’s why I’ve created a special social calendar for the month. I’ll be back next time with advice for local lovelorn, but until then, let’s celebrate pride all month long!

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

Ruthie's Social Calendar

JUNE 1

“FINDING OUR WAY FORWARD TOGETHER” OUR VOICE MILWAUKEE SPRING CONCERT AT THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF WHITEFISH BAY (819 E. SILVER SPRING DRIVE): Milwaukee’s chorus for gay men and their allies, Our Voice offers up this heartfelt 7:30 p.m. concert. Stop by www.ourvoicemke.org for tickets.

JUNE 6 THROUGH 8

PRIDEFEST MILWAUKEE AT HENRY W. MAIER FESTIVAL PARK (SUMMERFEST GROUNDS) (200 N. HARBOR DRIVE): The biggest LGBTQ+ celebration of the year has arrived! See www.pridefest.com for a lineup of entertainers, vendors and more. From the dance pavilion and beer pods to family-friendly activities and food options, Pridefest hosts a great time for everyone!

JUNE 6

AMANDA LEPORE AT THIS IS IT (418 E. WELLS ST.): The infamous Amanda Lepore sashays into Brew Town for “Queer Icon Night.” The 18+ night involves a 7 p.m. meet and greet with the diva, so nab your tickets at www.eventbrite.com.

JUNE 7

KINKY BOOTS AT WAUKESHA CIVIC THEATRE (264 W. MAIN ST., WAUKESHA): The hit musical by Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper struts its fabulous stuff into Waukesha with this jaw-dropping musical. Stroll over to www.waukeshacivictheatre.org for tickets, but hurry because Kinky Boots closes on June 23.

JUNE 9

MILWAUKEE PRIDE PARADE (FROM SECOND AND SCOTT STREETS TO SECOND AND SEEBOTH STREETS):

The best Sunday Funday of the year, the Pride Parade steps off at 2 p.m. I’m emceeing the pre-parade street show and the parade itself near the corner of Second and National, so stop by and say hello! See www.prideparademke.org for more.

JUNE 13

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES AT LACAGE NITECLUB (801 S. SECOND ST.): Outskirts Theatre brings La Cage the musical to LaCage the nightclub with this production. Relish the story that’s warmed hearts for decades amid incredible songs and all the LOL moments you can handle. See www.outskirtstheatre.org for tickets before the run ends on June 30.

JUNE 15

RAINBOW BINGO BASH AT HO-CHUNK GAMING, WISCONSIN DELLS (S3214 COUNTY ROAD BD, BARABOO):

Mix up pride month with a road trip to the Dells! This party has it all—bingo, a drag competition, super jackpot, cash drawings and more. The fun starts at 3 p.m. with early-bird games an hour earlier. Visit www.ho-chunkgaming.com/ wisconsindells for tickets.

JUNE 15

BOMBSHELL’S 24-HOUR MUSICAL AT NEXT ACT THEATRE (255 S. WATER ST.): The team at Bombshell Theatre ups the ante with this one-night-only show. Visit www.bombshelltheatre.org and vote for the musical you’d like to see. After the votes are tabulated, the cast and crew have 24 hours to create the winning show. Reserve seats at 414-622-0234.

JUNE 20

BINGO GAME SHOW AT HAMBURGER MARY’S (730 S. FIFTH ST.): Mary’s takes drag bingo to new heights with several rounds of bawdy bingo in addition to hilarious game-show games. Best of all, the 7:30 p.m. event raises money for local charities every week.

JUNE 25

CREAM CITY FOUNDATION’S ANNUAL SUMMER SOCIAL AT RADIO MILWAUKEE (220 E. PITTSBURGH

AVE.): Enjoy a cocktail party for the books when you attend this 5-8 p.m. bash. Celebrate all the good Cream City Foundation does while enjoying drinks, raffles, auctions, entertainment and more. Nab your ticket at www. creamcityfdn.org, and I’ll see you there!

JUNE 28

TEEN NIGHT: PRIDE GLOW PARTY AT MILWAUKEE LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER (315 W. COURT ST.): This monthly event for LGBTQ+ teens provides a safe, sober, supportfilled spot for teens. The 8-11 p.m. party includes karaoke, a DJ, munchies and video games. Email ahughes@mkelgbt.org for details.

Putting On PrideFest

BEHIND THE SCENES OF MILWAUKEE'S LGBTQ CELEBRATION

BY PAUL MASTERSON

Few have any inkling of the incredible effort made to put on PrideFest. For the tens of thousands of attendees walking through the festival gates, PrideFest is simply there.

As a 10-year member of the Milwaukee Pride board of directors, production manager and long-time participant, I am familiar with the technical intricacies, emotional commitment and sheer exhaustion of the behind-thescenes side of PrideFest. I also had a long conversation with MKE Pride President Wes Shaver who has led the organization since 2017 to provide details for this exploration of putting on PrideFest.

PrideFest has come a long way since the first Pride event, a softball tournament, picnic and ball in 1988. An official Milwaukee Gay/Lesbian Pride Committee was formed to plan future events. A more politically conscious Pride Rally and March took place in 1989 on Cathedral Square with an estimated attendance of 1000. Over the decades, PrideFest evolved, drawing ever larger crowds and featuring entertainment and vendors. Suffice to say, the challenging and politically charged move to Henry Meier Festival Park in 1996 under the leadership of PrideFest founder Bill Meunier was a vital moment. When PrideFest became a member of Milwaukee World Festivals Inc. not all its members were happy with the queer presence on the lakefront festival grounds. Still, PrideFest overcame the opposition, raising the profile and stature of Milwaukee’s LGBTQ

community in the process. If any historic moment galvanized the LGBTQ community, it was this momentous occasion when PrideFest, breaking major social and political barriers, achieved equity with the other festivals and, by extension, the greater Milwaukee community.

Mustering the financial means, organizational and business expertise, emotional commitment and political will to produce any event of such magnitude demands incredible dedication under the best of circumstances. Add to that the increasingly empowered community with all its diversity, differences and expectations--the inevitable personalities clash, snafus occur and … it rains.

PrideFest wrestled with all of those, including a washedout festival in 2003 that caused a near bankruptcy. Another disastrous year, 2011, saw a perfect storm of lousy weather, a headliner cancellation and other unforeseen calamities. Yet, PrideFest persevered and carried on regardless. Perhaps it was the realization of PrideFest’s importance not only to the LGBTQ community but to the City of Milwaukee. MKE Pride President Wes Shaver reflected on that reality. “Its success is largely based on community support. Other festivals have not fared as well. African World Festival and Arab World Festival, Indian Summer have closed down. Festa Italiana temporarily moved off the Festival Park grounds as it recouped after the pandemic.”

Photo by Alessandro Biascioli/Getty Images

BROAD SPECTRUM OF SUPPORT

Whatever the motivation, the broad spectrum of producers, volunteers, attendees, sponsors and entertainers have remained wholeheartedly engaged and have overcome those obstacles. Ironically, while Cream City Foundation’s financial assistance rescued PrideFest after that disastrous Rain Pride two decades ago, today Milwaukee Pride is a financial supporter of CCF. Thanks to an appreciative and supportive public, PrideFest’s attendance has grown exponentially. Over 42,500 attended in 2023.

The quid pro quo of community engagement has long always been a key to PrideFest’s success. Beer pods staffed by local organizations present a fundraising opportunity (the Castaways leather club has run a beer pod for decades). The Health & Wellness Area offers festivalgoers exposure to the city’s LGBTQ and other social and health organizations; the Stonewall Stage compliments that mission, offering educational presentations and panel discussions focused on LGBTQ issues. A decade ago, trans organizations consulted MKE Pride to establish its transgender outreach and bathroom policies. Meanwhile, for decades, PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) has acted as a welcoming committee outside the PrideFest gates, providing a defensive line between attendees and the gauntlet of Nazis and rabid Evangelical fanatics hell-bent on harassing them.

Speaking of carrying on regardless, days after the first COVID cases were confirmed in Wisconsin, the pandemic effectively closed down life as we knew it and with it, the lakefront festivals (including Summerfest for the first time in 53 years). Even then, despite PrideFest’s cancellation, in solidarity with the city’s Black community MKE Pride provided infrastructure, logistical assistance and acted as fiscal agent for the March with Pride for Black Lives Matter (BLM) organized by LGBTQ activist Broderick Pearson. In 2021, like other festivals, MKE Pride decided against producing its main event. Instead, in celebration of Pride Month, it lit the Hoan Bridge in rainbow colors for the first time. Returning symbolically to its roots, MKE Pride’s Wes Shave lead a ceremony held at Cathedral Square attended by city and county officials, Mayor Tom Barrett and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley cut a rainbow ribbon launching the first MCTS Pride Bus and Milwaukee’s “Hop” streetcar, both adorned in rainbow array (with MKE Pride ensuring a design that acknowledged Transgender people and POC). Artworks were displayed on the Square as well. Still, in an effort to not let the year go by without a proper Pride festival, MKE Pride produced Pride-toberFest, a better-late-than-never, abbreviated PrideFest held in October, LGBTQ History Month.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Corporate partnerships have been developed over the years as well. Among the earliest were Miller Brewing Company and Potawatomi Bingo Casino. Strides made over the years in corporate relationships have added many more. PrideFest’s recent partnership with Vivent Health’s food bank spawned a collaboration with Kohl’s Foods which provided matching grants for the food collected (this year, MKE Pride is matching the match!). PrideFest 2024 boasts a new sponsor, none other than the Milwaukee Brewers.

Meanwhile, putting on the physical festival itself is a yearlong endeavor. “Major vendor and entertainment contracts and for Henry Meier Park are signed months in advance. Others are negotiated at the last moment. This year because of the RNC we started working with vendors in Fall of 2023,” Shaver explained. The set-up begins almost a week in advance; the break-down after takes two days.

Still, not everyone is a fan. Like any effort, there is inevitably a small but shrill contingent of sideline snipers, sneering and complaining about just about everything. Sadly, some hateful community members vehemently criticized MKE Pride for its support of BLM. But, for those toiling away to produce PrideFest, it is beyond a distraction. Yet, the show goes on. “It’s a challenge of making and keeping everybody happy.” Shaver said, “Community relations are such a layered eco-system. It requires flexibility and nimbleness. You have to pivot every day, jumping from one crisis to the next. Petty complaints can rise to the level of a crisis while ignoring the greater mission. In the past, there were conflicts between the various parts of the movement of gays, lesbians and trans, but there was a common goal of fairness. It was mutually agreeable. Today, people are less concerned for equality than what’s trending for self-image.”

Ultimately, Shaver places PrideFest’s enduring success on its staff and volunteers. “It’s run like a small business. People get autonomy for talent and innovation and are put into positions where they bring ideas and knowledge. It’s a democratic structure. There’s communication and a common belief in our philosophy. If the festival were run any other way, it would not work. People are empowered and take ownership of their space. Expectations are set with the individual so they will succeed. As a result, the festival succeeds.”

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.

Summer Arts Guide Summer Arts Guide June - August 2024

APT Welcomes Another Season with Nine Productions

in spring green

BY ANNE SIEGEL

With Wisconsin’s soggy spring firmly behind us, we can finally turn our attention to summer. In Spring Green, Wis., home of American Players Theatre for almost the past half-century, APT has been in “summer mode” for a while now. The activities surrounding the theater in late spring/early summer consume more than 200 artistic-minded folks: actors, play directors, production

designers, carpenters, lighting and sound experts, seamstresses (all those costumes!), wig makers, stagehands and what-have-you.

Only a relatively few of these talented people will remain after the opening curtain rises on the first production. Then it’s off to the races for a series of nine productions that have various starting dates between June 9-November 10.

In addition to the plays listed below, a 45th anniversary celebration has been announced for July 21 from 1-4 p.m. The ticketed event ($25) will be a big party, featuring music, food and related festivities. Please note that theater tickets for that day are not included. Tickets to June 21 performances must be purchased separately. More anniversary event details will be announced closer to the date.

Here is a schedule of productions by month to help plan your summer. Performances are held in the large, outdoor Hill Theater, and the more intimate, indoor Touchstone Theater. Tickets to all performances (except for some sold-out shows, see below) are available now. Contact americanplayers.org for tickets and information.

JUNE

Ring Round the Moon by Jean Anouilh. A lush and witty comedy, as only APT know how to do. Get ready for a lavish, musical and clever romp. Opens in the Hill Theater June 9.

Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare. One of APT’s most popular Shakespeare comedies is back on stage, with a seasoned cast to prove “true love never did run smooth.” Opens in the Hill Theater June 14.

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom by August Wilson. For those familiar with the Netflix rendition of one of Wilson’s best-known plays, the Roaring ‘20s return in a recording studio where a trailblazing Black blues artist and her band face off with white record producers. Opens in the Hill Theater June 21.

The Virgin Queen Entertains Her Fool by Michael Hollinger. This world premiere about an aging queen who must choose her successor has already stirred up enough buzz to fill several performances to capacity. Order now to avoid sold-out shows. Opens in the Touchstone Theater June 14.

Wolf at the Door by Marisela Trenvino Orta. A second play in Orta’s ongoing cycle of Latinx fairy tales (which also includes The River Bride, which APT staged in 2022). Opens in the Touchstone Theater June 25.

AUGUST

Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel. Set in rural Ireland, a family navigates the challenges within their own home, as well as societal changes around them. A poetic tale of sister bonding that also deals with hardships in a remote but lush environment. Opens in the Hill Theater August 22.

King Lear by William Shakespeare. A classic tale about an aging king and the effects of wisdom and madness that torment him. The Shakespeare play, considered one of his best, has been staged several times at APT. Opens in the Hill Theater August 9.

Constellations by Nick Payne. What happens when two people first meet? The choices are endless in this mind-bending contemporary drama. Opens in the Hill Theater

August 10.

OPENING IN FALL

Nat Turner in Jerusalem by Nathan Alan Davis. This play shines a light on a near-forgotten American figure who was instrumental in the fight to end slavery. Opens in the Hill Theater October 17.

53212 PRESENTS 53212presents.org

5 POINTS ART GALLERY 5ptsartgallery.com

Temperatures Rising: Wearable Arts Exhibition, through June 23

ACACIA THEATRE COMPANY acaciatheatre.com

The Agitators, June 14-30

Mat Smart is a prolific contemporary American playwright. One of his most produced plays, The Agitators, is based on the friendship between activists Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony. Smart wrote the play after learning that they were longtime friends as well as collaborators. Douglass and Anthony had disagreements but were fundamentally persuaded by the premise that America was a work in progress whose promise could be fulfilled. Concordia University’s Lori WoodhallSchaufler directs Acacia’s production. (David Luhrssen)

THE ALICE WILDS thealicewilds.com

ALL IN PRODUCTIONS allin-mke.com

ALVERNO ART & CULTURES GALLERY

AMERICAN PLAYERS THEATRE (APT) americanplayers.org

APERI ANIMAM aperianimam.com

ARTS @ LARGE artsatlargeinc.org

BACH CHAMBER CHOIR bachchoirmilwaukee.com

BAYVIEW GALLERY NIGHT, MAY 31 bvgn.org

BEL CANTO CHORUS belcanto.org

BLACK ARTS MKE blackartsmke.org

For Colored Girls who Considered

Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf, Aug. 8-25 (Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall in the Marcus PAC)

The 2024 Milwaukee Black Theatre Festival will include a three-week livestage production of Ntozake Shange’s acclaimed 1976 play, performed as a series of poetic monologues accompanied by music and dance. Milwaukee’s Linetta Alexander will direct. (Morton Shlabotnik)

BLACK HOLOCAUST MUSEUM abhmuseum.org

BOERNER BOTANICAL GARDENS boernerbotanicalgardens.org

BOMBSHELL THEATRE CO. bombshelltheatre.org

James and the Giant Peach, June 7-9

One of Roald Dahl’s beloved children’s stories, James and the Giant Peach was transformed into a 1996 musical film, a Tim Burton-produced stopmotion, live-action extravaganza. In any medium, the story of a boy who encounters human size bugs inside a magical peach has delighted kids for half a century. (David Luhrssen)

Disney’s Frozen Jr., June 11-13

The 24 Hour Musical, June 15

The Prom, Aug. 9-18

Mean Girls Jr., Aug. 12-14

BOULEVARD THEATER milwaukeeboulevardtheatre.com

THE BOX THEATRE CO. boxtheatreco.org

The Wind in the Willows , June 13-24

Mr. Toad, Rat, Mole and Mr. Badger go on adventures in this Edwardian children’s story by Scottish author Kenneth Grahame. The Wind in the Willows has inspired many adaptations for screen (Eric Idle and Steve Coogan star in a 1996 film) and numerous stage adaptations, including a 1985 Tony-nominated Broadway musical. (David Luhrssen)

BRONZEVILLE ARTS ENSEMBLE facebook.com/

BronzevilleArtsEnsemble

BROOM STREET THEATRE, MADISON bstonline.org

CABARET MILWAUKEE facebook.com/cabmke

CAPITAL CITY THEATRE, MADISON capitalcitytheatre.org

Tick, Tick … Boom, Aug. 9-11

CARROLL PLAYERS carroll-players.com

CARTHAGE COLLEGE THEATRE carthage.edu/arts/experience-thearts/theatre-dance-performances

CATEY OTT DANCE COLLECTIVE cateyott.com

CEDARBURG ART MUSEUM cedarburgartmuseum.org

The Life of Water: 2024 Juried Exhibition, through Aug. 18

Preserving History, through Aug. 18

Strawberry Festival, June 22-23

CEDARBURG CULTURAL CENTER cedarburgculturalcenter.org

Art on the Preserve, through June 9

Jodi Reid, through June 9

William Millonig, through June 9

CEDARBURG PERFORMING ARTS CENTER cedarburgpac.com

CHANT CLAIRE CHAMBER CHOIR chantclaire.org

CHARLES ALLIS ART MUSEUM charlesallis.org

Screen Time: Video Art and Photography, through July 21

Some 20 artists from diverse backgrounds are featured in an exhibit concerned with the information onslaught of the present century. With references to the history of photography and video art, the exhibit brings “a fresh sensibility of humor, self-awareness and inter-subjectivity” to the subject. (Morton Shlabotnik)

CHAZEN MUSEUM OF ART (UW-MADISON) chazen.wisc.edu

Look What Harvey Did: Harvey K. Littleton’s Legacy, through Aug. 16

CHORAL ARTS SOCIETY OF SOUTH EASTERN WISCONSIN choralartsonline.org

THE CONSTRUCTIVISTS theconstructivists.org

CONCORD CHAMBER ORCHESTRA concordorchestra.org

COVERED BRIDGE ART STUDIO TOUR cedarburgartistsguild.com

DANCECIRCUS dancecircus.org

DANCEWORKS PERFORMANCE MKE danceworksmke.org

DAVID BARNETT GALLERY davidbarnettgallery.com

DEAD MAN’S CARNIVAL facebook.com/Dead-MansCarnival-338362982860387

DOOR SHAKESPEARE doorshakespeare.com

Romeo and Juliette, July 3-Aug. 16

Romeo and Juliette is one of Shakespeare’s most enduring plays and is among the most enduring works of theater in any language. Almost a romantic comedy as it begins, the society inhabited by the young lovers ensures its tragic outcome. Prokofiev turned Romeo and Juliette into a ballet, and it has been filmed many times, including the 1996 version with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, but the story’s natural habitat is the stage. (David Luhrssen)

Jane Austen’s Emma, July 4-Aug. 17

EARLY MUSIC NOW earlymusicnow.org

EX FABULA exfabula.org

Since 2009, Ex Fabula has been connecting community through the art of true, personal storytelling. Ex Fabula, which is Latin for “from stories,” presents storytelling workshops, StorySlams and Community Collaborations where people listen to each other, feel heard, and grow in empathy and understanding. (Morton Shlabotnik)

After Dark: For the Culture, June 13 (at Radio Milwaukee)

FALLS PATIO PLAYERS fallspatioplayers.com

Disney’s Alice in Wonderland Jr., June 17-28

First came Lewis Carroll’s children’s novel, then a 1951 animated feature ranked with the best from Disney’s classic era, and then director Tim Burton’s 2010 live action version. The latter is the basis for the whimsical stage adaptation that follows Alice down the rabbit hole into a land where everything is upside down. (David Luhrssen)

FESTIVAL CITY SYMPHONY festivalcitysymphony.org

FINE ARTS QUARTET fineartsquartet.com

FIRST STAGE firststage.org

Escape from Peligro Island, through-June 2

The story is a fun and pulpy actionadventure story that, in First Stage’s previous staging in 2021, featured time travel, dinosaurs and super-heroics depending on audience choices. The interactive nature of the story can be fun at times without pushing too much complexity into a tale that draws most of its appeal from breezy, simple storytelling. It is pleasantly engaging silliness that manages a moment or two of real, heartfelt emotion. (Russ Bickerstaff)

Photo by Daniel McCullough

CHARLES ALLIS MUSEUM - SCREEN TIME

FLORENTINE OPERA florentineopera.org

Pasta and Puccini, June 21-22 (La Lune)

Covers, July 2-Aug. 4

Al Fresco: Summer Ensemble, July 19 (garden party in Fredonia)

Al Fresco: Deanna Breiwick, Aug. 22 (garden party in Milwaukee)

FORTE THEATRE COMPANY fortetheatrecompany.org

Disney-Pixar Finding Nemo Jr., July 26-28

FORWARD THEATER, MADISON forwardtheater.com

FOUR SEASONS THEATRE, MADISON fourseasonstheatre.com

FRANKLY MUSIC franklymusic.org

FRESCO OPERA THEATRE, MADISON frescoopera.com

GALLERY 218 gallery218.com

GALLERY 2622 gallery2622.com

GALLERY NIGHT AND DAY gallerynightmke.com

July 19-20

Milwaukee’s original art hop runs Friday July 19 from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday July 20 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with a focus on galleries in the Third Ward, East Town and Walker’s Point. (Morton Shlabotnik)

GHS DRAMATIC IMPACT gsdwi.org

GREEN GALLERY Thegreengallery.biz

GREENDALE COMMUNITY THEATRE greendaletheatre.org

Beauty and the Beast, July 25-Aug. 3 (Greendale High School Auditorium)

The stage adaptation of the Disney musical debuted on Broadway in 1994 and ran through 2007, making it one of Manhattan’s great tourist attractions before becoming a popular production for school and community theaters. (David Luhrssen)

GROHMANN MUSEUM msoe.edu/grohmann-museum

Dennis Darmek: Crossing the DMZ, A Contemporary Look at Working Women, through Aug. 23

The 50 photos by Milwaukee’s Dennis Darmek are culled from a 2017 trip to Vietnam. He focused on the faces of women he encountered working outdoors in a variety of settings, including marketplaces, construction sites and farms. The women are old and young, wearing western clothing or the traditional conical hats of rice farmers. “The development of modern Vietnam is as much on the shoulders of women as men,” Darmek says. “Vietnam wouldn’t have defeated the French at Dien Bien Phu if not for women porters carrying heavy weapons and they fought alongside men in the wars against the French and the Americans,” Darmek says. (David Luhrssen)

GROVE GALLERY gallerygrove.com

HAGGERTY MUSEUM OF ART marquette.edu/haggerty-museum

Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowships for Individual Artists 2023, through-Aug. 4

Road Trip: American Photographs 1968-2005, Aug. 23-Dec. 22

HARLEY-DAVIDSON MUSEUM harley-davidson.com

H. F. JOHNSON GALLERY OF ART carthage.edu/art-gallery

HOVER CRAFT hovercraftmke.com

Photo courtesy of the Harley-Davidson Museum

GROHMANN MUSEUM - CROSSING THE DMZ

Photo by Dennis Darmek

HYPERLOCAL MKE hyperlocalmke.com

INSPIRATION STUDIOS ART GALLERY inspirationstudiosgallery.com

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, June 14-23 (Theatrical Tendencies)

Olivia Raye Exhibit, July Group of 5: August

IRISH CULTURAL AND HERITAGE CENTER ichc.net

JAMES MAY GALLERY jamesmaygallery.com

Katherine Steichen Rosing Solo Show, June

Ida Floreak, July

Matteo Neivert, August

JAZZ GALLERY CENTER FOR THE ARTS

jazzgallerycenterforarts.org

Homage: Honoring those Who Came Before, through June 1

Free Improvisation Sessions, Saturday mornings

Milwaukee Jazz Institute, Sunday afternoons

JEWISH MUSEUM MILWAUKEE

jewishmuseummilwaukee.org

Chagall’s Dead Souls: A Satirical Account of Imperialist Russia, June 7-Sept. 8

Bursting the boundaries of realism, Nikolai Gogol’s novel Dead Souls (1842) was a scathing satire of provincial life in czarist Russia. Marc Chagall was a Russian Jewish artist known for his dreamy depictions of his homeland, modern yet rooted in childhood impressions. In the 1920s he made 96 etchings illustrating Dead Souls. They have rarely been exhibited together. (David Luhrssen)

JOHN MICHAEL KOHLER ARTS CENTER

jmkac.org/home.html

Cloth as Land, through June 16

The 30-piece exhibit, which runs through June 16, 2024, taps into JMKAC’s already impressive collection of traditional Hmong textiles augmented by examples of contemporary Hmong mixed-media art. (Michael Muckian)

Shae Bishop: Original Rhinestone Rattlesnake Boy, through Aug. 4

Marthat Pogglioli: Body Works, through Aug. 4

Mad Dash: 50 Years of Arts/Industry, through Feb. 2, 2025

KETTLE MORAINE SYMPHONY kmsymphony.org

KIM STORAGE GALLERY kimstoragegallery.com

Jean Roberts-Guequierre: Dreamworlds, through June 8

KITH AND KIN THEATRE COLLECTIVE kithandkintheatre.com

KOHLER MEMORIAL THEATER kohlerfoundation.org

KO-THI DANCE COMPANY ko-thi.org

LAKE ARTS PROJECT lakeartsproject.com

LAKE COUNTRY PLAYHOUSE lakecountryplayhousewi.org

The Gin Game, through June 1

Chasing Monet, June 7-8

The Trip to Bountiful, June 14-15

Jane Eyre, July 5-21

Night Sky, Aug. 16-17

The Hatmaker’s Wife, Aug. 22-23

Aura, Aug. 24-25

LAKEFRONT FESTIVAL OF ART mam.org

June 14-16

Named one of the top art festivals in the U.S., the three-day event showcases 120 jury-selected artists from across the country. This year’s outdoor festival spotlights artists working in ceramics, jewelry, paintings and more. (Morton Shlabotnik)

Photo by Jon Mattrisch courtesy of the Milwaukee Art Museum

LATINO ARTS, INC.

latinoartsinc.org

Home Grown, through June 7

The exhibit is modest and approachable, with works in a variety of media and subjects. The artwork is presented in groupings that highlight each individual’s offerings rather than an intermediary’s secondary conceptual vision, which is often the case in group exhibitions. Of the seven artists in the show, six are working in two-dimensional media, and one artist, Paula Lovo, offers three digital videos on monitors. Lovos’ narrative videos feature allegorical tales of environmental degradation through the point of view of a bee, a spider, and an ant.

They offer soft, efficient, and thoroughly engaging five-minute cautionary tales about our society’s relationship to the environment. (Shane McAdams)

The Big Idea Xi: The Future is Now, June 21-Aug. 23

LILY PAD GALLERY lilypadgallery.com

Ocean House Spring 2024, through-June 5

Contemporary Classism: The Art of Alfredo Palermo, through June 30

LYNDEN SCULPTURE GARDEN lyndensculpturegarden.org

“The Time Has Come: The First Lynden Staff Exhibition,” through June 8

The art world has a long and somewhat illustrious history of staffbased exhibitions. The Time Has Come: The First Lynden Staff Exhibition” is on view through June 8 and as the release offers: “grew out of our ongoing discussion about Lynden’s identity.” It tells us things about its inside that aren’t apparent from the surface. And in fact, we can see it from the getgo at Lynden, where we are greeted with what feels like a community of committed individuals who happen to be working across media and content. (Shane McAdams)

MADISON MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

mmoca.org

MADISON THEATRE GUILD madisontheatreguild.org

Art Work by Gabriella Avila

Photo Courtesy of Latino Arts

Artwork Courtesy of Lynden Sculpture Garden and John W. Balsley.

LATINO ARTS INC. - HOME GROWN

MARCUS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

marcuscenter.org

That Girl Lay Lay, June 1

City Roast Competition, June 1

Rainbow Summer Highlight, July 23-27

Downtown Milwaukee is gearing up for a burst of color and creativity this summer with the Marcus Performing Arts Center’s eagerly awaited return of Rainbow Summer. Included in the event is Atelier Sisu’s immersive public art installation “Elysian Arcs” along with five nights of live music. (Morton Shlabotnik)

El Boricua es Cosa, Aug. 4

Milwaukee playwright Gaetano Marangelli, whose work has attracted international attention, tells the story of an idealistic Wisconsin candidate confronted by the less attractive aspects of politics. Doors open at 4 p.m. for a wine social. Reading begins at 5. Next Act’s Cody Estle will direct. (David Luhrssen)

MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY THEATRE marquette.edu/communication/ theatre-arts.php

MASTER SINGERS OF MILWAUKEE mastersingersofmilwaukee.org

MATERIAL STUDIOS + GALLERY materialstudiosandgallery.com

MEMORIES DINNER THEATRE memoriesballroom.com

MARN ART + CULTURE HUB marnarts.org

The City of Benedict della Crosse, Aug. 24

MARCUS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER - RAINBOW SUMMER ELYSIAN ARCS

Photo Courtesy of Marcus Performing Arts Center

Poster art by Gabriel Termuehlen

MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM mam.org

Winter Series: Larry Bell’s Iceberg, through March 10

Idris Khan: Repeat After Me, through Aug. 11

Idris Khan’s exhibition is as the title suggests, repetitive. It’s awash in layers of recycled information that settle into sedimentary compositions blurring the lines between objectivity and abstraction. Though repetition isn’t typically the first quality most would look to on the way to originality, Khan’s work finds complexity in the idea, looking at how perceptual information settles into history over time. (Shane McAdams)

Life Captured in Line: 17th Century Dutch and Flemish Prints, through Aug. 18

Beyond Heights: Skyscrapers and the Human Experience, through Sept. 8

MILWAUKEE BALLET milwaukeeballet.org

MILWAUKEE CHAMBER THEATER

MILWAUKEE CHILDREN'S CHOIR milwaukeechildrenschoir.org

MILWAUKEE COMEDY milwaukeecomedy.com

MILWAUKEE FESTIVAL BRASS mfbrass.org

MILWAUKEE FILM mkefilm.org

MILWAUKEE FRINGE FESTIVAL mkefringe.com

MILWAUKEE INSTITUTE OF ART & DESIGN GALLERY miad.edu

MILWAUKEE IRISH ARTS milirisharts.wordpres.com

MILWAUKEE JAZZ INSTITUTE milwaukeejazzinstitute.org

Alyssa Allgood Quartet, June 8 (Bar Centro)

MILWAUKEE JAZZ ORCHESTRA mjojazz.com

Take It All album release concert, Aug. 21 (Racine Theater Guild)

MILWAUKEE MAKERS MARKET https://www.milwaukeemakersmarket. com/

Milwaukee Makers Market champions local artists, creators, designers and crafters to celebrate the city’s small businesses. This one-stop shop experience provides an inclusive environment for local makers to showcase their talent and connect with Milwaukeeans. (Sophia Hamdan)

June 16 (Discovery World)

July 7 (Discovery World)

Aug. 8 (Discovery World)

MILWAUKEE MUSAIK milwaukeemusaik.org

MILWAUKEE OPERA THEATRE milwaukeeoperatheatre.org

MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER milwaukeerep.com

MILWAUKEE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA mso.org

Latin Fire, May 31-June 2

Carmina Burana & Fate Now Conquers, June 7-9

The unusual thing about Carl Orff is that he’s known for only one composition, but that composition is among the most familiar pieces in the classical music canon. The timbres and rhythms of Carmina Burana are visceral, memorably projecting the Latin doggerel of the verses he set to music. The MSO pairs Carmina Burana with Carlos Simon’s Fate Now Conquers, inspired by a Beethoven notebook entry on the unpredictable ways of fate. Also on the bill is Tan Dun’s Three Muses in Video Game, showcasing principal trombonist Megumi Kanda. (David Luhrssen)

Hadelich Plays Tchaikovsky, June 14-15

Toy Story in Concert, June 22-23

MILWAUKEE YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA myso.org

MILWAUKEE YOUTH THEATRE milwaukeeyouththeatre.org

Photo Courtesy of Milwaukee Makers Market

MILWAUKEE MAKERS MARKET

MKE BLACK THEATRE FESTIVAL blackartsmke.org

For Colored Girls who Considered Suicide when the Rainbow is Enuf, Aug. 8-25

(Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall in the Marcus Performing Arts Center)

The 1976 play by Ntozake Shange is a series of poetic monologues accompanied by music and dance. For Colored Girls tells the stories of seven women confronted by racism and sexism. It has played on and off Broadway and was adapted into a 2010 Tyler Perry film starring Janet Jackson and Whoopi Goldberg. (David Luhrssen)

MORNING STAR PRODUCTIONS morningstarproductions.org

History Mystery: The Frontier, June 1-2 (Cedar Springs Ranch)

MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART wisconsinart.org

Chalk Fest, Aug. 17-18

Mark Mulhern: The Pleasure of Seeing, through July 21

Chris T. Cornelius: ukwé·tase (newcomer/stranger), through January 2025

The three-dimensional structure blends contemporary and traditional architectural aspects in unique and compelling ways, while exploring themes of familiarity and alienation within the environment it seeks to capture. The work represents humankind’s place in a world to which it is both resident and stranger, creating a sense of wonder and wariness of the world around us, the Milwaukee-born Indigenous artist says. (Michael Muckian)

MOWA | DTN (Saint Kate-The Arts Hotel)

POW-litical Comics: From Ripon to the RNC, through July 22

MOWA on the Lake (St. John’s on the Lake)

NEXT ACT THEATRE nextact.org

RIP: A Musical Comedy of Life & Death, July 17-28

The world premiere of the play by Milwaukee author Robert Grede is directed by Next Act’s lighting designer Alan Piotrowicz and staged at Next Act Theatre. (Morton Shlabotnik)

NŌ STUDIOS nostudios.com

NORTH SHORE ACADEMY OF THE ARTS facebook.com/ northshoreacademyofthearts

MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART - CHALK FEST

Artwork by Julie Jilek, Photo Courtesy of MOWA

NORTHERN SKY THEATER northernskytheater.com

The Fisherman’s Daughter, June 12-Sept. 1

The musical The Fisherman’s Daughters, which premiered at Northern Sky in 2021, is a fictionalized account of two sisters living on land that eventually became Peninsula State Park. It’s set in 1908 as the park was being established and will be performed outdoors on location at Peninsula State Park Amphitheater. (Morton Shlabotnik)

Hell’s Belgians, June 13-Sept. 1

OCONOMOWOC ARTS CENTER

oasd.k12.wi.us/artscenter

OIL A CITY GALLERY oilmilwaukee.com

OPTIMIST THEATRE optimisttheatre.org

This year’s summer season will feature nearly 50 performances in green spaces throughout the city, including: a one-person Hamlet (starring Libby Amato); an original by Milwaukee’s Liz Shipe called Another Midsummer Night’s Dream; The Comedy of Romeo and Juliette: Kinda Sorta featuring Schmitz ‘n Giggles Shakesparody Players; and Pocket Park Puppet Players’ Macbeth. (Morton Shlabotnik)

OUTSKIRTS THEATRE facebook.com/outskirtstheatre

OVER OUR HEAD PLAYERS overourheadplayers.org

OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS,

MADISON overture.org

PAINT CEDARBURG: A PLEIN AIR PAINTING EVENT

cedarburgartistsguild.com/paintcedarburg

June 8-15

PENINSULA PLAYERS peninsulaplayers.com

I Ought to Be in Pictures , June 18-July 7

The Angel Next Door, July 10-28

Million Dollar Quartet, July 31-Aug. 18

The jukebox musical visits Memphis’ legendary Sun Studio and the four recording artists who redirected the course of American music, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. Million Dollar Quartet debuted on Broadway in 2010, played on London’s West End in 2011 and has become a popular production for regional theater companies. (David Luhrssen)

Mary’s Wedding, Aug. 21-Sept. 1

PHILOMUSICA QUARTET philomusicaquartet.com

PIANOARTS pianoarts.org

2024 North American Competition, May 28-June 4

PORTRAIT SOCIETY GALLERY portraitsocietygallery.com

PRESENT MUSIC presentmusic.org

PROMETHEUS TRIO wcmusic.org

QUASIMONDO PHYSICAL THEATRE quasimondo.org

Pop-up performance, Locus Street Festival, June 9

RACINE ART MUSEUM ramart.org

RAM’s First 20 Years: A Visual History of the Art and Architecture, through July 20

In Between: Contemporary Artists Working in Two and Three Dimensions Featuring Dennis Lee Mitchell, through Aug 31

Collection Focus: Frances and Michael Higgins, through Oct. 12

RACINE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA racinesymphony.org

RACINE THEATRE GUILD racinetheatre.org

Cabaret, through-June 2

First Date, July 19-28

Give first impressions a second chance? Blind date newbie Aaron, and serial-dater Casey enter the hilariously exhausting ritual through the ups and downs of a first date. Dull conversations, awkward flirting and humiliating mishaps are accompanied by an ever-rotating cast of characters from both of their pasts and possible futures. Music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner. (Morton Shlabotnik)

REAL TINSEL GALLERY realtinsel.com

Flat File Project, through forever

Real Tinsel’s Shane McAdams has been compiling an indexed collection of Wisconsin artists working on paper, stored and displayed in flat drawer cabinets in the basement lounge of his gallery. He has gathered a variety of drawings, etchings, prints and more. “I curate them on the basis of which work is of professional caliber, not my own taste,” McAdams said. The public is invited to peruse. (David Luhrssen)

REAL TINSEL GALLERY - FLAT TILE PROJECT

Photo Courtesy of Real Tinsel

RENAISSANCE THEATERWORKS r-t-w.com

SACRA NOVA CHORALE sacranovacathedrale.com

SAINT KATE - THE ARTS HOTEL GALLERY saintkatearts.com

Novel Ecosystems: A Group Exhibition, through July 7 (The Gallery)

Stephania Urist: The Past to Yesterday, through July 7 (The Space)

Maureen Fritchen: See Foam, through July 7 (The Vitrine)

Rick Silva: Liquid Crystal, through July 7 (The Closet)

SEAT OF OUR PANTS READER THEATRE mkereaderstheatre.com

SHARON LYNNE WILSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS wilson-center.com

Tom’s Elton Tribute, June 5

Cold Sweat and the Brew City Horns, June 28

Wisconsin Philharmonic, July 5

B.D. Greer and The Gents, July 26

Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Aug. 17

Jeff Baxter played in several bands, including the Holy Modal Rounders, before becoming a founding member of Steely Dan. His guitar solos were prominent on their early albums (Can’t Buy a Thrill, Countdown to Ecstasy, Pretzel Logic) but by 1974 it was clear Steely Dan was no longer a band but a recording project for songwriters Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. Baxter moved on to the Doobie Brothers and has enjoyed a successful career as a session guitarist. (David Luhrssen)

SHEBOYGAN THEATRE COMPANY stcshows.org

SKYLIGHT MUSIC THEATRE skylightmusictheatre.org

SOUTH MILWAUKEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER southmilwaukeepac.org

SUNSET PLAYHOUSE sunsetplayhouse.com

Rehearsal for Murder, through June 16

A Chorus Line, July 11 – Aug. 4

THEATRE GIGANTE theatregigante.org

THEATRICAL TENDENCIES theatricaltendencies.com

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, June 14-23 (Inspiration Studios)

THIRD AVENUE PLAYHOUSE, STURGEON BAY thirdavenueplayworks.org

Stones in His Pockets , June 12-30

Jeeves Saves the Day, July 17-Aug. 18

Cluelessly wealthy Bertie Wooster and his resourceful servant, Jeeves, were the stars of P.G. Wodehouse’s series of comedic novels. The gentle spoofing of upper-class mores in 1920s England was adapted into a British TV series (starring Hugh Laurie as Wooster and Stephen Fry as Jeeves) and has provided material for many stage adaptations. (David Luhrssen)

THRASHER OPERA HOUSE, GREEN LAKE thrasheroperahouse.com

Merz Trio, June 6 (Green Lake Festival of Music)

Robin Hood, June 22 (Missoula Children’s Theatre)

An Evening of Opera, July 19 (Green Lake Festival of Music)

Henry IV, July 12 (Shakes by the Lake, Deacon Mills Park)

TOOTH-AND-NAIL GALLERY toothandnailmke.com

Soft Structures, through June 1

Tooth-and-Nail’s second exhibition in the Lincoln Warehouse in Bayview is a subtle dandy, with a collection of work by the Milwaukee art community’s most celebrated artists. “Soft Structures” offers work interested in fiber, materiality, and expanding and variable form. It’s a focus that fits well in the particular exhibition space, allowing the art to mingle ambiguously with that of the workshop. (Shane McAdams)

TORY FOLLIARD GALLERY toryfolliard.com

UW-PARKSIDE THEATRE uwp.edu/the rita/ theatreperformances.cfm

UW-MILWAUKEE PECK SCHOOL OF THE ARTS uwm.edu/arts/events

Upstart: Dance MFA Concert, July 25 (Mitchell Hall)

UWM THEATRE/PECK SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

UWM UNION ART GALLERY uwm.edu/studentinvolvement/artsand-entertainment/union-art-gallery

UW-WHITEWATER CROSSMAN GALLERY uww.edu/coac/crossman

UW-WHITEWATER YOUNG AUDITORIUM uww.edu/youngauditorium

VAR GALLERY & STUDIOS vargallery.com

Club Noir Summer Showcase, June 15

VILLA TERRACE DECORATIVE ARTS MUSEUM villaterrace.org

Emily Robertson: Dyed Well, through Oct. 13

A Century from Sopra Mare, through Dec. 22

VILLAGE PLAYHOUSE villageplayhouse.org

VOICES FOUND voicesfoundrep.com

WALKER'S POINT CENTER FOR THE ARTS wpca-milwaukee.org

WAREHOUSE ART MUSEUM wammke.org

WATER STREET DANCE MILWAUKEE waterstreetdancemke.com

Death’s Door Dance Festival, July 27 (Door County)

Water on Water, July 31 (Cedarburg

Solstice VII, Aug. 2 (Cedarburg)

WAUKESHA CIVIC THEATRE waukeshacivictheatre.org

Kinky Boots, June 7-23

WEST ALLIS PLAYERS westallisplayers.org

Is Murder Tax Deductible (Liberace Auditorium, West Milwaukee)

WEST BEND THEATRE COMPANY westbendtheatreco.com

WEST PERFORMING ARTS CENTER nbexcellence.org/community/ westpac.cfm

WILD SPACE DANCE COMPANY wildspacedance.org

WINDFALL THEATRE windfalltheatre.com

WISCONSIN CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC wcmusic.org

WISCONSIN CRAFT wisconsincraft.org

Morning Glory Art Fair, Aug. 10-11 (Deer District)

WISCONSIN LUTHERAN COLLEGE CENTER FOR ARTS AND PERFORMANCE wlc.edu

No Relationship is Perfect

LetMeHelp

WISCONSIN MUSEUM OF QUILTS & FIBER ART wiquiltmuseum.com

25 Million Stitches: One Stitch, One Refugee, through-July 28

“25 Million Stitches” is made from 25 million hand-sewn stitches, each representing a single displaced person as counted in the UN’s High Commissioner on Refugees 2019 report. The stitches, bound to 407 muslin banners, were sewn in all 50 states and 37 countries. (Morton Shlabotnik)

WISCONSIN PHILHARMONIC wisphil.org

WOODLAND PATTERN BOOK CENTER woodlandpattern.org

Alternating Currents: Poetry and Music, June 6

Poetry in the Park, June 11 (Juneau Park)

Formations Series for New & Improvised Music, June 20

Open Mic, June 28

WUSTUM MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS ramart.org

Comedy and Tragedy Masks by Kapley/Getty Images

SUMMERFEST STAGES DAY BY DAY SUMMERFEST STAGES DAY BY DAY

BY JAMIE LEE RAKE

To view the whole of the 2024 Summerfest schedule over its 11 stages on three long weekends is to witness many things, including the past, present and possible future of multiple genres of music.

As always, the Summerfest lineup provides a good time on a Great Lake with great acts to be found on the side stages. Here are our picks for each day of the festival.

Photos courtesy of Summerfest

THURSDAY, JUNE 20

MINDI ABAIR

7:30 P.M., ULINE WAREHOUSE

Among the many female instrumentalists in smooth jazz, saxophone has become the predominant axe of choice. And Mindi Abair might be the queen of that field, considering her stint in the “American Idol” band, among other gigs. She may also be one of the most entrepreneurial, what with her owning a wine company. Abair does double duty as a vocalist as well.

FRIDAY, JUNE 21

PROXIMA PARADA

8 P.M., BIGGS & STRATTON BIG BACKYARD

If the shaggy young men of Proxima Parada were to claim Dave Matthews and Jack Johnson as their sources of roots music, they would be believed. The San Luis Obispo quartet inherited the same kind of good-time, easy-going acoustic neo-hippie vibes of the aforementioned dudes with whiffs of Grateful Dead. Even when they sport death metal paint for a music video, an earnest, winsome innocence pervades patchouli-fueled grooves.

SATURDAY, JUNE 22

HERE COME THE MUMMIES

4:30 P.M. MILLER LITE OASIS

Some bands’ appeal lies in scintillating musicianship with an absence of flash. Others offer abundant visual stimulation accompanying their performances. Here Come the Mummies proffer both sarcophagi-indebted spectacle and stunning chops in a funk rock vein incorporating jazz, reggae and ska. If they work up a sweat at Summerfest, some of it may be due to all those bandages.

THURSDAY, JUNE 27

CEDRIC BURNSIDE

6 P.M. BRIGGS & STRATTON BIG BACK YARD

As a third-generation player, Cedric Burnside is deep in the blues. The Mississippian’s granddad, R.L. Burnside, played guitar, but like his father, Carl Jackson, Cedric also plays drums. With both instruments he emphasizes rhythm over solos. Poetically plainspoken lyrics and casually urgent singing make Burnside a complete blues package.

Photos courtesy of Summerfest

FRIDAY, JUNE 28 BRENT COBB

7:30 P.M., BRIGGS & STRATTON BIG BACK YARD

Brent Cobb has an esteemed indie country producer Dave Cobb for older kin, but it’s reasonably certain that the junior relative would have made his way to roots music prominence regardless of family connections. Cobb’s songs celebrate life while acknowledging its finite nature, and he sets them to music that can rock warmly without losing his footing in stone cold country.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

OBONGJAYAR

7 P.M. AURORA PAVILION

The life of Nigerian-born Englishman Obongjayar includes varied cultural influences. He sings, chants and raps over tracks echoing West African rhythms, American hiphop beats and European electronic experimentation. Obongjayar's stylistically polyglot music can be tenderly spiritual and righteously angry.

THURSDAY, JULY 4

SAY SHE SHE

7 P.M. AURORA PAVILION

Say She She’s name may be a nod to Chic. But the Brooklyn septet, fronted by a female trio, aren’t merely revivalists channeling the essence of one of disco’s greatest bands. The group reinterprets and expands upon a broad swath of late ‘70s-early ‘80s multicultural styles, including boogie-oriented soul and jagged new wave.

FRIDAY, JULY 5

REYNA TROPICAL

5:45 P.M., AURORA PAVILION

Reyna Tropical’s myriad moving parts result in sounds that inspires dancing: electronic Afro-Hispanic rhythms with nature sounds, chiming guitar and lyrics hailing ethnic, gender and sexual minorities all delivered by guitarist-activist Fabi Reyna. With an album to the act’s credit, Reyna Tropical will surely lead a celebration of varied identities at Aurora Pavilion.

SATURDAY, JULY 6

DAN LEPIEN

12:45 P.M., USCELLULAR CONNECTION STAGE

Milwaukee’s Dan Lepien is amassing a following for his traditional country music by modern means, issuing a steady stream of tracks solely on digital platforms. However, he’s also a tireless road dog. With a style that could be easily accepted by mainstream country radio, but without the electronics and cross-genre pollination that currently sully the format, Lepien could be a break away from becoming Wisconsin’s next country star.

Jamie Lee Rake is a Wisconsin writer who contributes the Comedy Column to shepherdexpress.com.

Household Hazards You Might Overlook

BY CARRIE MARBLE, OWNER, BARK N’ SCRATCH OUTPOST

There can be hidden dangers in our homes. Not only are dangers lurking around for you when you least expect it, but dangers for your pets are also in plain sight and you may not even know it.

Recently my husband Michael brought home beautiful flowers for Mother’s Day and was happy he found a bouquet of flowers without lilies. We have two cats, Babebelle and Sir Lancelot, and Michael and I know that lilies are poisonous to cats. Later as I was cleaning up the stems, I noticed the tulips had the same look to them on the inside as lilies. I thought “Lilies can’t be the only plant poisonous to cats” and a quick Google search revealed that tulips are in fact also poisonous to cats!

Tulips are part of the lily family; they contain alkaloid and glycoside compounds as well as allergenic lactones, which are harmful if ingested. Actually, Google displayed 20 plants poisonous to cats and found many of the same plants can also be poisonous to dogs and children. I had those tulips out in plain sight on the counter where the cats can go if they want. They usually don’t go on that counter, but now with new flowers the cats could have a reason to explore, especially if they are bored.

Do you know that chip bags and other snack bags and pet food bags left on the kitchen counter, living room table, under a bed or even in your car can harm your pet? The dog or cat puts its head inside the bag to get a lick and the bag tightens when the pet inhales. The pet can suffocate in a couple of minutes!

I recently came across a Facebook group and website, PreventPetSuffocation.com. Bonnie Harlan, Founder of Prevent Pet Suffocation, Inc., is bringing awareness to the danger of pet suffocation. Bonnie’s dog, Blue, suffocated in a chip bag in December 2011. Here are some of the tips Bonnie shares to help prevent pet suffocation:

• Serve snacks to your family in glass bowls.

• Cut up bags before throwing them away.

• Keep your trash bin safely secured where your pets cannot access it.

• Safely store all pet food and snacks away where your pet cannot reach them.

• Take a pet CPR class.

Pet CPR classes will be starting soon at Bark N’ Scratch Outpost. Keep an eye out for the upcoming dates. Please share this information with everyone with a pet.

The pet you save may be your own.

Content sponsored by Bark N’ Scratch Outpost. Locally owned since 2006, Carrie, Michael and staff are dedicated to educating pet owners about healthy options for their pets. Bark n’ Scratch is located at 5835 W. Bluemound Road, Milwaukee, WI 53213. www.milwaukeepetfood.com

BARNACLE BUD’S

1955 S. Hilbert St.

Milwaukee (414) 481-9974

Barnaclebuds.com

Milwaukee’s iconic Best Kept Secret is not so secret any longer. Tucked away on the Kinnickinnic River, it offers a reprieve from the city with its casual atmosphere and fare. Barnacle Bud’s offers everything from seafood

Outdoor Dining Guide Outdoor Dining Guide

BOONE & CROCKETT

818 S. Water St.

Milwaukee (414) 212-8115

Boonemilwaukee.com

There’s a reason Boone & Crockett has won BEST PATIO more than once! There’s always a good time to be had when you’re sitting on the river. Amazing drinks, food trucks, live music,

BOTANAS RESTAURANT

816 S. Fifth St.

Milwaukee (414) 672-3755

Botanasrestaurant.com

In the summer, sip margaritas and munch on chips and guacamole on Botana’s open-air patio. It’s spacious enough for large groups and also perfect for a table of two. If the outdoor seating is full, request a table under the covered patio to still take advantage of a summer evening. Both options are a great way to enjoy this casual cantina that offers authentic Mexican dishes.

Photo courtesy of Barnacle Bud's.

Photo courtesy of Boone & Crockett.

Photo courtesy of Botana's Restaurant.

Photo by Andry5/Getty Images

CAFÉ AT THE PLAZA

1007 N. Cass St. Milwaukee (414) 276-2101

Plazahotelmilwaukee.com/eat/

The Café at the Plaza courtyard is Milwaukee's most unique patio. Nestled in the heart of downtown, ivy-covered walls and the city's best brunch make this spot a can't-miss hidden gem.

CAFÉ CORAZON

Multi locations in Bay View, Riverwest & Brown Deer Corazonmilwaukee.com

The Riverwest location along the Beerline Trail complements the restaurant's bright, fresh Mexicaninspired food. In Bay View, you'll find a quiet, artsy patio tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Kinnickinnic. The Brown Deer location hosts the largest Corazon patio with seating for 60. It too is off the Oak Leaf Trail and will feature its own outdoor bar.

CAFÉ MANNA

3815 N. Brookfield Rd. Brookfield (262) 790-2340

Cafemanna.com

Enjoy this summer season at our neighborhood gem located off of Capitol Drive. Sit, socialize and indulge in Manna’s craft cocktails and exciting vegetarian/ vegan summer cuisine.

Photo courtesy of Café at the Plaza.

Photo courtesy of Café Corazon.

Photo courtesy of Café Manna.

CAMINO

7211 W. Greenfield Ave. West Allis (414) 810-4838

Caminomke.com

Tucked away in a narrow alley, you’ll find a lush green landscape at Camino in Walker’s Point. It’s truly a hidden gem amongst downtown patios. Summer is short—come imbibe and get down with some killer bar food in this outdoor oasis while you can. Kitchen open late.

GOLDEN MAST

W349 N5293 Lacy’s Lane

Okauchee (262) 567-7047

Weissgerbergroup.com

The Golden Mast is a family-run restaurant and special events venue that offers delicious steaks, seafood and traditional German specialties in a truly unique setting. Gorgeous views of Lake Okauchee and warm European atmosphere make it a Lake Country favorite. Classic Fine Dining, Lakeside Lounge Patio, Casual Menu, Banquets & Weddings, Marina & Boat Launch and Bay Runner Pontoon.

CENTRO

808 E. Center St.

Milwaukee (414) 455-3751

Centrocaferiverwest.com

An Italian-inspired, full-service restaurant with delicious food, warm service, and a charming atmosphere… seasonal deck & sunken garden terrace dining…exceptional dining experiences to remember…bar centro jazz lounge next door.

LAKEFRONT BREWERY

1872 N. Commerce St.

Milwaukee (414) 372-8800

Lakefrontbrewery.com

For over 35 years, Lakefront Brewery has been crafting dependable, trueto-style beers, giving America’s Favorite Brewery Tour™, and creating fun for all. This summer, enjoy Lakefront’s upgraded patio, refreshing beers, and the Curdwagon – Lakefront Brewery’s gluten-free food truck. Milwaukee’s number one, iconic, craft brewery welcomes everyone for a brew, some food, and a laugh.

FIVE O’CLOCK STEAKHOUSE

2416 W. State St.

Milwaukee (414) 342-3553

Fiveoclocksteakhouse.com

Relax and enjoy your supper club experience on our intimate patio lined with beautiful flowers and firepit. Five O’Clock Steakhouse specializes in serving award winning steaks and seafood paired with a notable wine list, classic cocktails, and outstanding personalized service.

408 W. Florida St.

Milwaukee

Lostvalley.com

Lost Valley Cider Bar serves up the largest selection of ciders from near and far. Featuring over 50 different ciders to choose from plus cider slushies, spirits and craft beer. All of Lost Valley is dog friendly, both inside and the large outdoor patio.

LOST VALLEY CIDER CO.

Photo courtesy of Lakefront Brewery.

Photo courtesy of Lost Valley Cider Co.

Photo courtesy of Golden Mast.

Photo courtesy of Camino.

Photo courtesy of Centro.

Photo courtesy of Five O'Clock Steakhouse.

MOTOR BAR & RESTAURANT

401 W. Canal St.

Milwaukee (414) 287-2778

Motorrestaurant.com

Mil-town’s best patio is found at MOTOR Bar & Restaurant on the campus of the Harley-Davidson Museum! The waterfront vibes and lawn games pair perfectly with -scratch cooking and handcrafted cocktails. Let us provide your ideal setting to kick back and make memories all season long.

MULLIGANS IRISH PUB & GRILL

8933 S. 27th St.

Franklin (414) 304-0300

Mulliganson27th.com

Enjoy lunch or dinner on our beautiful, spacious smoke-free patio that is perfect for private parties and large groups. You can also catch live music with Ian Gould each first Tuesday of the month, starting in July (weather permitting).

ROUNDHOUSE BEER GARDEN

AT MCKINLEY MARINA

1750 N Lincoln Memorial Dr

Milwaukee 414-395-4909

roundhousemke.com

An updated venue serving all those drawn to this freshwater coastline. Serving up snacks, drinks, and sundries, it’s your one-stop shop before setting sail. Not heading out on the water? Food and drinks purchased at Roundhouse Beer Garden can be enjoyed on the comfortable parklike lawn surrounding our building. Drinking at Roundhouse Beer Garden at McKinley Marina supports future Milwaukee County park projects.

VON

TRIER

2235 N. Farwell Ave.

Milwaukee (414) 272-1775

Vontriers.com

A taste of Germany is closer than you think. Spend hot summer nights on our award winning Biergarten, located right in Milwaukee’s East Side, cooling off with our award-winning import beer selection. Not to mention we serve killer food too.

Photo courtesy of Motor Bar & Restaurant.

Photo courtesy of Roundhouse Beer Garden.

Photo courtesy of Mulligans Irish Pub & Grill.

Photo courtesy of Von Trier.

This Month in Milwaukee

11 THINGS TO DO IN JUNE

BY STEVE COHEN, SOPHIA HAMDAN, ELIZABETH LINTONEN, DAVID LUHRSSEN, JULIA MARSHALL AND BLAINE SCHULTZ

JUNE 2

Bloodys & Brews  Pilot Project Brewing

Bloody Marys are a Wisconsin favorite, especially served with a beer chaser. Sip on Bloody Mary samples from local bars and restaurants while enjoying music, food samples and pickle beer chasers from Pilot Project, and additional food vendors. VIP ticket holders will also have access to a private rooftop area. Lash Dolls will provide a 360 camera and photobooth, Cactus Bros. will provide the music, and there will be several food and retail vendors on site. Noon-3 p.m. For tickets, visit shepherdexpress.com/ shepherdevents.

JUNE 2

UPAF Ride for the Arts

Bike the Hoan and support the arts on the 20-mile Hoan Loop Course during the annual UPAF Ride for the Arts. During this June 2 event, bikes rule the roads from 7 a.m. until noon. Friends, families and coworkers are encouraged to gather and bike the route in an effort to raise money for more than 50 local performing arts organizations.

JUNE 5

Alexian Village Car Show 9301 N. 76th St.

The outdoor event, billed as a tribute to veterans, features a classic car show with classic rock by Wolfman Troy. There will be door prizes and, the organizers promise, “a good old time.” 2-6 p.m.

JUNE 6

Terese Allen  Boswell Books

Madison is known for many things, and one of the most delicious is the Dane County Farmer’s Market. Every summer, people from all over the state travel to the capitol for fresh produce and community. With The Dane County Farmers’ Market Cookbook: Local Foods, Global Flavors, Terese Allen has taken on the challenge of writing a tribute to the vendors and chefs who make it possible. In conversation with Milwaukee food writer Lori Fredrich, 6:30 p.m.

JUNE 7

Daniel Rey & The Revenirs w/ Bellends, and Eric Hagen Linneman’s Riverwest Inn

Daniel Rey began as the solo alt-country, side-project of singer-songwriter Dejan Kralj, who has spent the last threeand-a-half decades as the bassist and one of the primary songwriters for Milwaukee’s The Gufs. Onstage, The Revinirs are comprised of Chicago and Texas musicians. Bellends turned more than a few heads at last year’s Locust Street Festival; Americana troubadour Eric Hagen rounds out the bill.

JUNE 14

Wobblyhead’s 25 Year Anniversary Showcase: Def Harmonic, Signaldrift, Casino Versus Japan, One.F, Rob Sevier and Old Man Malcolm Cactus Club

Space was the place and imagination was the destination when the Wobblyhead collective emerged 25 years ago. DIY, minimalist and lo-fi by design as well as choice, the label is re-assembling the crew for a one-night-only showcase.

Photo by Kelly Richardson/Getty Images

Photo by bhofack2/Getty Images

JUNE 14-16

Granville Blues Fest 

8633 W. Brown Deer Road

A woman of many talents, Sheryl Youngblood projects her enthusiasm on and off the stage, helping to entertain audiences with her distinctive singing, and her ability to get the audience feeling like they’re a part of the show. And indeed they are, when Youngblood sings the blues. She headlines the Granville Blues Fest (June 14). The following day’s headliner, Carlos Johnson, is not limited to blues and his sets may include soul music, funk and rock. Closing the festival on June 16, Mike Wheeler is rooted in the blues tradition while creating an entertaining and exciting show with his experienced band. His appearance at the Granville Blues Festival is a highly anticipated performance that will exemplify the feeling of the blues, whether you like the traditional approach, or the more modern stylings.

JUNE 15

Chuck Prophet

Shank Hall

Rock and roll as a tent show revival, Chuck Prophet’s performances are high energy testimonials. Prophet began his career as guitar slinger in Green on Red and his 30-plus year solo career has included ingredients from pop, psychedelic, Americana and classic Brill Building sounds. A great collaborator, he has worked with his longtime foil Stephanie Finch, Jim Dickinson, Alejandro Escovedo, Kelly Willis and Peter Mulvey.

JUNE 17

Joe Jackson

Pabst Theater

Billed as “Mr. Joe Jackson Presents: Joe Jackson Solo and The Music of Max Champion,” Jackson performs a set and returns for a second as alter ego Max Champion, the obscure music hall songwriter whose sheet music was “found” and resurrected—after he was lost in World War I. Originally branded one of New Wave’s “angry young men,” Jackson continues his imaginative, restless trajectory.

JUNE 23

Sham 69 w/ No Consent and The Grovelers

X-Ray Arcade

Sham 69 formed in 1975 and were one of the most successful punk bands in the United Kingdom, achieving five top 20 singles, including “If the Kids Are United” and “Hurry Up Harry.” If the lineup has shifted over the years, the sense of purpose remains. SoCal’s No Consent has a simple mission statement: Anti Racist Anti Fascist Anti Sexual Assault Anti Injustice. The Grovelers, Milwaukee’s typhoon of rockabilly, garage and punk rock make any day brighter.

JUNE 26

Milwaukee Night Market 

310 W. Wisconsin Ave.

Get ready! The Milwaukee Night Market, produced by Westown Association, returns for its season opener on Wednesday, June 26 from 5-10 p.m. See live performances from a diverse mix of Milwaukee entertainers, shop from local artisans and savor a variety of delightful treats. It’s a celebration of the city’s unique, artistic scene. For more information, visit mkenightmarket.com.

Photo Courtesy of Granville BID

Photo of Milwaukee

Dear Ally,

Please help me rebuild the relationship with my daughter. I just visited her family in Minneapolis. Although I love spending time with my grandkids, the downside is that I never get any private time with her. My birthday was coming up and I told her the only thing I wanted was to have lunch with just the two of us. It was great! She never expresses her emotions, but I think it was important to her too. While growing up, she always accused me of favoring her special needs brother. She resented the amount of family resources dedicated to his care. During our lunch, I apologized for that, and she seemed to understand. But later in the weekend, she had an angry outburst, accusing me of things in the past, ending with, “What kind of mother does that?”

Dear Bad Mama,

I wish I had comforting words for you. Nothing quite impacts a mother like the unexpected sting of an angry child. You did well by not responding. The last thing we should do in those moments is to remind them of all of the good things we did for them. This approach will only start an argument.

Your daughter’s childhood experience, as she describes it, was painful. She will continue to bring this up until you validate her feelings. Listening to her is the only thing you can do.

But there’s good news here for you and her. You mentioned that your daughter is not emotional. The fact that she told you about her disappointment while growing up is actually positive for her personal growth. She felt safe enough with you to express her anger. To me, this means that she still has room in her heart to hope for a better relationship with you.

Ally Bad Mama

Your responsibility as a parent is to listen to your daughter’s experience: what did she need from you while your attention was focused solely on your son?

I know how overwhelming parenting can be and we all make mistakes. If you really want to move forward with your daughter in an authentic relationship, you must apologize for your wrong decisions.

Psych Mom online is specific about ways your apology can be meaningful so that your daughter can feel understood. If I were you, I'd start working on this now, before more time gets in the way.

Be present to her when you child explains her experience. Empathize with her. If she feels truly heard, only then will you both be able to rebuild the relationship.

Ask your daughter what you can do to resolve this issue between you. Express to your daughter how badly you feel. If you could do it all over again, you would have paid more attention to her feelings. You can apologize for your lack of understanding and how favoring her brother may have affected her.

Psych Mom states that “when the parent admits their mistake, the child can calm down because her hurt feelings are validated. When you truly apologize, you can admit your embarrassment at doing this at her expense. Then a conversation can begin to bring the parent and child closer together.”

Once your daughter’s feelings are validated, she can let go of the negative memories and begin to remember more happy times.

Tell her you love her. After you finish your apology, please do not expect things to go smoothly right away. Your daughter will not thank you or give you a big hug. But now you can truly start a new beginning with her.

Be Brave. You can do this. We are all behind you.

Angry? Repress Yourself

BY PHILIP CHARD

While often earning a bad rap, anger is a foundational emotion. Without it, our forebears likely would have lost the battle for survival. It helped them muster the energy and focus to overcome physical threats. Today we know that, on its face, anger is neither bad nor good. That determination emerges from how we express it and the ways it influences our behavior. For decades, psychology encouraged us to better control anger by venting. But, no more.

Before behavioral scientists conducted a review of 154 studies focused on so-called anger management, the recommended approach was built largely on a metaphor. We compared angry people to steam boilers. According to that paradigm, inside us, anger builds up the emotional pressure, threatening to reach a bursting point when all hell breaks loose. To address this, we were advised to vent, to release that pressure in order to avoid a full eruption. This even spawned the development of so-called “rage rooms” where people could throw things, punch pillows, emit so-called primal screams or even throw themselves against padded walls.

Physiologically and psychologically, anger is a state of heightened arousal. The body goes into “battle stations” mode while the mind becomes singularly focused on the real or perceived threat. However, contrary to the steam boiler metaphor, venting one’s anger does not reduce this state of arousal. Instead, “blowing off steam” actually amplifies it. More often than not, venting leads to rage rather than relief.

EMOTIONAL HIJACKING

Angry rants can also damage one’s health. Researchers identified a link between unleashing one’s wrath and what they call “blood vessel dysfunction,” which amplifies the risk of heart attack and stroke, particularly in people with underlying conditions in this regard. Other studies showed the extreme stress from “losing it” damps down immunity for several hours, increasing susceptibility to various illnesses. These deleterious impacts are not nearly as pronounced in response to other challenging emotions, such as anxiety and depression.

There are broader social effects as well. Consider how many people are becoming emotionally hijacked by anger and rage. We witness it on social media (think haters), on our highways, in widespread incivility, in political shouting matches, domestic violence and similar demonstrations of angry venting. Incidences of gun violence often arise from enraged persons surrendering their self-control and opting to “cut loose.”

by

So, instead of encouraging people to give their anger free reign in the interests of their mental health, we should be educating them about how to repress themselves. Repression is not a popular term, but it clearly has a place in regulating our behavior. Managing anger is one of them. But how?

RESTORING CONTROL

Effective approaches need to focus on reducing the state of heightened physiological arousal that anger catalyzes. You might think vigorous exercise would expend sufficient energy to accomplish this, but not so. Running, weight lifting, even robust swimming and cycling, all amplify physiological arousal, adding fuel to the fire. In contrast, activities like tai chi, yoga, strolling outside, breath work, cuddling with a pet, listening to soothing music and nature immersion decrease arousal and restore greater emotional control.

We also know that self-talk can influence arousal states, up or down. When angry, it’s easy to fall into an obsessive cognitive loop of self-righteous thoughts, often about being treated unfairly, victimized, insulted or humiliated. This kind of cogitating pokes at the inner bear, so to speak. To counter this, something as simple as quickly writing down what we are angry about and then ripping it up and throwing it away, even burning or shredding it, lowers one’s emotional temperature. This approach may sound simplistic, but the researchers characterized the effect as “remarkable” rather than minor.

Another way to short-circuit angry arousal is to “lose your mind and come to your senses.” For example, splashing cold water on one’s face can interrupt an angry thought cycle, interrupting the cognitive loop by interjecting sensory awareness. Another method is called “the three threes.” You look at, listen to and touch three things in the immediate environment, interrupting the angry thoughts.

There is power in anger. But, when angry, true power resides in restraint.

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.

Photo

SIphotography/Getty Images

From The City That Always Sweeps

BY ART KUMBALEK

I'm Art Kumbalek and man oh manischewitz what a world, ain’a? Cripes, can’t hardly believe it’s June already. And what with the global warming on account of the climate change and the first day of summer coming back up like a bad burrito, we’re into that time of year where my five favorite words are “cool front on the way,” as pronounced by our local TV weather guys and gals, I kid you not. I tell you’s, these next couple, three summertime months during which a guy can’t even blow his nose without some fockstick wanting to foist some kind of outdoors festival about it, do definitely not comprise my favorite time of year, no sir.

And in case you’ve forgotten, our month of June is named after the Roman goddess Juno, and from my toe-tip into the waters of research, she was “the god of marriage and childbirth, and the wife of Jupiter, king of the gods.” Okey-dokey, what the fock.

(No mention of Zeus, Jesus or other kings (Elvis Presley?) hooked-up with the official naming of the month and such. But this Juno must’ve been some kind of hotsy-totsy to be the sixthmonth-of-the-year calendar girl for, lo, these thousands of years, ain’a?)

So as I was saying, we’re in the month of June, that favorite time of year for what-you-call traditional young ladies to become new brides; and traditional boyfriends to become new grooms, whether they like it or not. And so June, as the years pass, does become the month for anniversaries, the remembrance pleasant, or bittersweet, as in this little story:

A doctor at a health conference said, “The material we put into our stomachs is enough to have killed most of us years ago. Red meat is awful. Soft drinks corrode your stomach lining. Chinese food is loaded with MSG. High-fat diets can be destructive, and none of us realizes the longterm harm caused by the germs and shreds of plastics in our drinking water. But there is one thing that is the most dangerous of all and we all have, or will, eat it. Can anyone here tell me what food it is that causes the most grief and suffering for years after eating it?”

After a period of silence, an elderly man in the front row raised his hand and softly said, “Wedding cake.” Ba-ding!

And let us not forget that June also brings us Father’s Day on the 16th, and here’s an idea I had a while back for what you ought to do come Father’s Day if you’re too focking cheap to spring for some kind of gift for the old fart. Hey, how ’bout at least make a nice homemade card. I even got a sentiment you can write down in it. It’s a quote from no finer writer there ever be again than dear Mr. Yeats from near Dublin, who will celebrate his 159th B-day, June 13, as best he can (three days before what would become known as Bloomsday wouldn’t you know, but that’s another story and a triple-half).

I have certainly known more men destroyed by the desire to have a wife and child and to keep them in comfort than I have seen destroyed by drink and harlots.

A-focking-men, W.B. Happy Father’s Day. And if that doesn’t cheer dad up, then relate to him the following little story on the phone when you call him up to tell him you can’t stop by on the Sunday ’cause you got more important things to do:

So this foursome of guys are on the first tee. As the fourth guy is smack in the middle of his backswing, a funeral procession passes by on the road that runs alongside the first tee. The guy drops his club, takes off his golf cap and places it over his heart until the line of cars recedes from sight.

The other three guys can’t believe it and are besides themselves in awe and admiration. After the round was over, one of them says to Mr. Respectfor-the-Dead, “Jeez louise, Hank, that was an honorable thing you did back there on the first tee.” Hank says, “You mean when the funeral passed by? Yeah, thanks, but what the fock, I figured it was the least I could do, after all, I was married to her for 42 years.” Ba-ding!

And as for me, yes, then, of fathers, of sons, this time of year, I’ll be seeing you’s, as the song goes, in all the old familiar places, in every lovely summer’s day; I remember you dearly, ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek, and I told you so.

Photo