An Early Summer's Midsummer and More

The summer starts with Midsummer....Fairies and ghosts and fairies and comedy breezing across intimate, little spaces indoors and out in a whimsical flourish that includes a particularly talented actress doing all of Hamlet entirely on her own (with the aid of a talented director.) Shows whimsiically flit from one outdoor stage to the next as summer manifests itself across Milwaukee. Here's a look at what's ahead.

​BOO--A New Play by Deanna Strasse
Death is a topic that makes its way into the center of a few different world premiers on the small stage this summer. There’s a musical comedy opening at the Next Act/Renaissance stage in July. Prior to that, local playwright Deanna Strasse debuts a comedy about a group of paranormal investigators. The supernatural comedy makes its way to The Brick House in Riverwest June 7 - 9. The cozy old Milwaukee-looking space should serve as a fun, little home for a haunted, little comedy by one of Milwaukee’s most charming playwrights. For more information, visit the show’s events site on Facebook.

​Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
The story of a group of middle-aged siblings originally debuted about a decade ago. This June Theatrical Tendencies continues it season with a production of the show on the Inspiration Studios space in West Allis. TT is notably good with just about any show, but the intimate, little ensembles tend to really resonate with the company. The script by Christopher Durang is inspired by Chekhov...three siblings engage each other in a country house. June 14 - 23 at Inspiration Studios on1500 S. 73rd St. In West Allis. For more information, visit TT online.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Summer Shakespeare in Milwaukee opens-up with a a Summit Players production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The scrappy, little touring company makes its way to various Wisconsin parks  once again. Costuming and set elements are drawn from trunks in the course of the performance. The first regular performance makes it to Richard Bong State Recreation Area on June 14th. Directed by local theatre veteran Maureen Kilmurry, the show features Maya Banks, Jake Badovski and more. The show continues to tour through July 29, when it closes the show with a performance at  Havenwoods State Forest. For more information, visit Summit Players online,

Optimist Theatre: Shakespeare in the City
This year Optimist Theatre gets a little crazy with its offerings. Typically in the past, Optimist has offered one big show that has toured around Milwaukee parks. This summer they’re doing something bigger involving a whole bunch of rotating Shakespeare shows. In this year’s Hamlet, Michael Stebbins directs a cast of one as Libby Amato is granted the dream/nightmare of performing a one-person Hamlet. Amato is riveting onstage, so this should be a lot of fun. Patrick Schmitz returns to an old spoof with his Shakesparody Players in a performance of The Comedy of Romeo and Juliet: Kinda Sorta and Pocket Park Players present a Macbeth performed entirely...with puppets.  The action begins June 15th at Wisconsin Lutheran College and continues touring various locations through July 7th for more information, visit Optimist Theatre online.

Another Midsummer Night’s Dream
Local playwright/director Liz Shipe has taken a few characters from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and set them off on their own in a new show that’s being performed as a part of Optimist Theatre’s Shakespeaere In the City. Cara Johnston is Peasblossom...who is trying to convince the Fairy Queen that Puck (Noah Silverstein) is a positive influence on love in the mortal world. Another Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed twice:


June 15 at 4:30 pm at Wisconsin Lutheran College
And
June 23 at 5:00 pm at Lincoln Park