By Mary Boyle

When you think back to the books you were required to read in high school, it's likely that you read the play The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams; it's equally likely that you didn't get much, if anything, from reading it, because this play requires more empathy than your average high school student can muster.    Many a grown-up can recall that painful classroom reading of Romeo and Juliet in their freshman year that ruined Shakespeare for all time (plays, you see, are meant to be seen, not read).  Luckily, now is your chance to experience this theater classic the way it was meant to be, with The Milwaukee Repertory Theater's production of The Glass Menagerie.

The play, which brought Williams into the limelight, premiered in Chicago in 1944, but quickly made its way to Broadway, where it won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award in 1945.  Largely autobiographical, the story is set in the same tenement building in St. Louis during the Great Depression that Williams, himself, began to write in, while the characters are modeled after Williams and his family; particularly his older sister, Rose, who suffered from schizophrenia and was institutionalized after a botched lobotomy during a period of time when Williams was away from St. Louis.  Williams went on to be a prolific playwright, winning Pulitzer prizes for his plays, A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and made sure that Rose was well cared for throughout her life.  

In this "memory play," Williams character is Tom Wingfield (played by Ryan Imhoff), a young man struggling with the weight of putting aside his own dreams in order to support his mother, Amanda (Hollis Resnik), and his sister, Laura (Kelsey Brennan), after their father left them.  A faded Southern Belle, Amanda escapes her bitter reality by living in her storied past, while simultaneously fretting over the future, and what will become of her and her children.  Laura's life has been shaped by her disability: a leg crippled by a childhood illness that has left her with a noticeable limp; more crippling, though, is her social anxiety, which has left her unable to attend the typing classes her mother had hoped would gain her employment and, therefore, financial security.  Laura wants nothing more than to be left alone with her glass menagerie, but the logical option to secure Laura's future would, of course, be a husband, so Tom is charged with finding a "Gentleman Caller" (Brandon Dahlquist) to save the day.   

Directed by Mark Clements, The Rep's Menagerie has an excellent cast and a brilliant set that stays true to Williams' vision:  seemingly stark, direct, and simple.  The narrator takes the guesswork out; the metaphors are obvious.  On the surface, it appears to be mainly a story of desperation and regret, but what makes it timeless and intriguing is its relationship to each individual in the audience; the way a person identifies with the characters in the play that changes with age, life experiences, and the passage of time, so that although the play remains the same, it is different each time you see it.   Though some of the social conditions that contribute to the characters' troubles in this play no longer exist, the play remains as compelling as ever.  Perhaps, those thousands of high school English teachers are on to something.

The Glass Menagerie runs through April 9th at the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, located at 108 E. Wells St. in Milwaukee.  Tickets can be purchased by calling the Ticket Office at 414-224-9490, online at https://www.milwaukeerep.com, or in person at the Ticket Office, Monday – Sunday from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.  The Ticket Office will also be open on performance days from noon until 15 minutes after curtain.

About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Milwaukee Rep is a nationally-recognized company that presents compelling dramas, powerful classics, award-winning contemporary works and full-scale musicals housed in its three unique performance venues – the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio, and Stackner Cabaret. The Rep also produces an annual production of A Christmas Carol,
featuring a World Premiere new adaptation in 2016, at the historic Pabst Theater. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Managing Director Chad Bauman,
Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social, and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke, and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee’s rich diversity.​

 By Mary Boyle

Texting is the main form of communication for high school students, these days, and the inherent loss of nuance, tone, and body language that informs a face-to-face conversation has caused plenty of problems previous generations couldn't possibly imagine.  In the World Premiere play, "TXT U L8R," performed by the First Stage Young Company, a group of students are getting strange texts from people they don't know that create all kinds of chaos, but is it a clever prank, or is there something more to their digital companions than meets the eye?

Playwright, Eric Coble, has done several adaptations for the stage, including Sherlock Holmes:  The Baker Street Irregulars, which made its world premier at First Stage in their 2014/15 season.  "TXT U L8R," however, is an original that Coble wrote specifically for Young Company to perform at the 2016 New Visions/New Voices conference in Washington D.C. last May.  The week-long conference, hosted by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, inspires new plays and musicals geared towards young audiences and families.

Directed by Milwaukee favorite, Matt Daniels, who also happens to be the Associate Director of the Young Company, "TXT U L8R" is  Clue meets The Breakfast Club, with a little bit of Horton Hears a Who, for good measure; in other words, kids ages 12 and up are going to love this fast-paced, funny, mystery that manages to shed some light on the people we see, but don't really see, every day.

Tickets for TXT U L8R are selling fast!  The remaining performances are on Saturday, March 18th, at 3:30 and 7 p.m. at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, located at 325 W. Walnut St. in Milwaukee.  Tickets are $14, and can be purchased by calling (414) 267-2961, or online at http://www.firststage.org/.

About First Stage
Celebrating its 30th anniversary in the 2016-2017 season, First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young audiences and families. First Stage touches hearts, engages minds, and transforms lives by creating extraordinary theater experiences for young people and families through professional theater productions that inspire, enlighten, and entertain. Its Theater Academy, the nation’s largest high-impact theater training program for young people, fosters life skills through stage skills and serves over 2,100 students each year. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-integrated education in schools, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education programs use theater to promote active learning throughout the curriculum, serving over 20,000 students throughout southeastern Wisconsin each year.  In 2012, First Stage was selected to participate in the Partners in Education program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. First Stage is the recipient of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s Eureka Award in 2013 and 2015, recognizing creativity and innovation in business, education, and the arts. First Stage is a member of TYA/USA, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, Theatre Wisconsin, and Milwaukee Arts Partners, and is a cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF).

By Mary Boyle

To say that Mequon resident Steve Shapson is a fan of mushrooms is an understatement: he loves them so much that he is the President of the Wisconsin Mycological Society, a group that provides education in identification of edible and poisonous mushrooms, and an outlet for fungal-focused hobbies, including cooking and preservation,  home cultivation, artistic endeavors, and more.

Dan Wiken, Executive Chef and Owner at the Twisted Willow restaurant in Port Washington, is also a fan of fungus, and has bartered mushrooms with Shapson on several occasions.  This mutual appreciation led to their collaboration on the 5 Course Mushroom Dinner, held at the Twisted Willow on March 5th, which served to illustrate the versatility of this forage-able food, as well as the ability for Ozaukee's favorite farm-to-table restaurant to show what could be done with them.  
​

The Shaved Mushroom Salad was my favorite of the evening, not only for the beautiful presentation, but for the amazing combination of flavors.  A variety of exotic mushrooms, including crimini, lion's mane, king trumpet, and enoki, were utilized in this dish, which was served over a smear of honey mascarpone.  This was paired with a Mushroom Flip; a fizzy, sweet beverage with a delicious head of foam.

Paired with an interesting Portabella Shrub, the third course was Seared Scallop over a forest mushroom whole wheat couscous, and oyster, crimini, and shiitake mushroom raisin goulash with baby greens, which was simply delicious.  

The main course featured Porcini-Crusted Veal Loin with kabocha squash and shiitake mushroom ravioli and broccolini.  The Rioja Bordón" Gran Reserva 2005 paired with this dish was also used in the demi glace on the veal, which made a lovely combination.

​Yes, even the dessert featured mushrooms:  in this case, a Maitake & Nameko Forest Mushroom Bread Pudding served with vanilla bean ice cream and saffron milk cap salted caramel, which was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and just the right amount of sweetness.  This was paired with a Wild Mushroom Cortado; a warm espresso and milk beverage that went quite well with the dessert.

By Mary Boyle

Over a year ago, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced their plans to create a new Lake Michigan National Marine Sanctuary in Wisconsin, in order to conserve shipwrecks and other maritime heritage resources  along the shores of Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Manitowoc Counties.  The proposed sanctuary will cover 1,075 miles and protect 37 known shipwrecks with significant historic, archaeological, and recreational significance, as well as a potential 80 more that have yet to be discovered.

A report published in January measuring the economic and environmental impact of the sanctuary showed a positive impact on the counties bordering the sanctuary; however, that does not mean that the proposal will be approved, and the public still has their opportunity to comment, which citizens of the affected communities are being encouraged to do  -- particularly in regard to where the headquarters for the Lake Michigan sanctuary might be located:  Port Washington, Mequon, Manitowoc, Two Rivers, or Sheboygan.

Russ Green, the Regional Coordinator for the NOAA, insists that the process isn't competitive among communities:  "It's been very collaborative, from Two Rivers to Mequon; it's very regional, so the sanctuary will benefit all of the communities."

A national marine sanctuary essentially creates an underwater museum or park, which will not only protect and conserve shipwrecks, which are an important part of our state and national maritime history, but will also allow public access.  Mooring buoys would be installed over shipwrecks and other areas of significance, allowing divers to find and explore the sites far more easily, while alerting other water traffic to its existence.  Furthermore, the research involved in creating the sanctuary, such as lake bottom mapping to search out more shipwrecks, will serve both historical and biological purposes, as the findings will also be used to examine the health of the Lake.

A public meeting will be held in Port Washington on Thursday, March 16th, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Lakeview Community Room (formerly the Wilson House), located at 206 N. Franklin St.  Citizens will be given the opportunity to look at the proposal, which offers two different options for the borders of the sanctuary, and to ask questions about how the sanctuary will affect them.

If you are unable to attend the meeting, comments can also be made online at: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/wisconsin/ through March 31st, or you can sign the NOAA form here.  For more information, contact Russ Green, Regional Coordinator, at 920-459-4425 or [email protected].

By Mary Boyle

Ozaukee County is constantly rated as one of the wealthiest and healthiest places to live, and this designation is both a blessing and a curse.  On the one hand, it gives residents pride in their community; on the other, it may make one believe that nobody struggles here, and that is far from the truth.  That is why the Family Enrichment Center is so important to our community.

Located in Grafton, the FEC is an amazing collaboration between multiple non-profits housed under one roof.  This unique arrangement helps organizations such as COPE, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ozaukee, Energy Services, Ozaukee Family Services, Interfaith Caregivers of Ozaukee, and the Alzheimer's Association share resources, which enables them to afford more services for families all over the community.

Since 2014, the FEC has hosted the Gourmet Gala: a wonderful fundraiser that not only allows the community to learn more about the services the FEC provides, but also gives them the opportunity to try food and beverages from several local restaurants and win fabulous raffle and auction prizes, all while supporting the FEC non-profits.  

For the first three years, the Gala was held at the FEC, but had grown so popular, that more space was needed for the event. This year was the Gala's first time at the Ozaukee Pavilion, where there was plenty of room for everyone to spread out.  

Upon arrival, guests were encouraged to grab a beverage and view the many raffle baskets, participate in the Wine & Whiskey Pull, or get their photos taken on the "red carpet."

One of the benefits of the Ozaukee Pavilion was the ability for sit-down dining.  Guests simply dropped their drinks off at one of the many beautifully set tables, and then proceeded to the corners of the room, where four different restaurants were busy making small plates of appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

​Appetizers were covered by The Cheel, who served a delightful Burmese dish called Tohu Thoke (a cold chickpea salad, tossed with garlic, onion, ginger, cilantro, and peanuts) and Twisted Willow, who contributed a delicious Roasted Beet Salad with goat cheese and candied walnuts.

​All four restaurants served an entree on small plates.  From Scratch Catering made an amazing Pork Tenderloin with a Cherry Cashew Wild Rice, while Yellowbellies offered up a dainty version of one of their most popular sandwiches, the O.G. (flatbread topped with bacon aioli, organic mixed greens, Bernie's bacon, Cedar Valley 2 year cheddar, pulled rotisserie chicken, and roasted tomato). Twisted Willow served Marinated Flank Steak with Cauliflower Puree, Chimichurri, and Micro Greens, and The Cheel did Sandheko Sukuti, which was crispy Nepalese spiced pork served with crispy flattened rice.  Vegetarian options were also offered at the stations, upon request.

For dessert, Yellowbellies served two different mini-cheesecakes, and From Scratch offered a spice cake with caramel sauce and whipped cream.  ​

Tom Wachs of Fox 6 News was the Emcee for the event, introducing two videos about the FEC, and moving the evening along. The live auction was a particularly fun part of the evening, featuring two items:  the Baird Suite at Miller Park for 20 Guests, and "The Cheel in your Ville," in which Executive Chef and Owner of The Cheel, Chef Barkha Limbu Daily and her husband, Jesse, offer a hands-on, in-home culinary experience for 10.  Bidding for both items was fast and competitive, but when Chef Barkha, who returned for her third year at the Gala, manned the mic, she managed to drive up the bidding for her item even further than the Miller Park package.

"[The FEC] core values are very near and dear to my heart," Chef Barkha said in a recent FEC video.  "They believe in fostering and enriching connections, community growth, and the well-being of the community -- that was one of the big reason I started my own restaurant.  This is why I'm coming back."

Aside from being a wonderful evening, the Gourmet Gala truly highlighted the love, support, and appreciation for the Family Enrichment Center and all that they do for Ozaukee County.  This is absolutely an event you'll want to mark on your calendar for 2018!