By Mary Boyle After two years of pandemic craziness, The Milwaukee Rep returns for its 69th Season with a strong opening round of shows at all three of their theaters located within the Patty & Jay Baker Theater Complex on Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee: TITANIC THE MUSICAL at the Quadracci Powerhouse, UNFORGETTABLE at the Stackner Cabaret, and WIFE OF A SALESMAN at the Stiemke Studio. TITANIC THE MUSICAL was originally part of last year’s season and enjoying great success when the show had to be cancelled due to a COVID-19 breakout within the cast and crew. Miraculously, the show was able to be remounted, with very little cast changes, for an exclusive 5 week run which comes to an end on October 23rd. Directed by Mark Clements, with musical direction by Dan Kazemi, the production is a powerful telling of a story whose ending everyone already knows. Many from the original cast were able to return to this production, including Milwaukee favorites Matt Daniels as Pitman/Etches, Kelly Faulkner as Caroline, Carrie Hitchcock as Ida Straus, and Andrew Varela as Ismay. New to this production are Alex Keiper (The Nerd, The Ring of Fire) who brought a lot of life to the production as Alice, and Jeffrey Kringer (West Side Story), who was fun to watch as Barrett. For those interested in the actual story of the Titanic, the show is rife with facts, figures, and conjectures on what caused the tragedy. The set design by Timothy R. Mackabee is simple and clean, but impressive and made very effective using video superimposed on the stage, including some actual historical footage. The cast is immense, and though it is filled with individually talented singers, it is when they sing collectively that the music soars and swells within the theater and the hearts of audience members, alike. Hop on board this production while you still can. UNFORGETTABLE: John-Mark McGaha sings NAT KING COLE was created by Chicago-based Artists Lounge Live’s Angela Ingersoll, who wrote and performed in last season’s Get Happy: Angela Ingersoll Sings Julie Garland. The Rep also hosted their production of First Lady of Song: Alexis J. Roston Sings Ella Fitzgerald. The goal of AAL is to combine superb musicianship with intimate storytelling, and the Stackner Cabaret is the perfect venue for this type of production. McGaha is an incredibly talented singer and musician, in his own right, and shares many similarities with the great Nat King Cole: both were born in Alabama; both began piano lessons at a very young age and their mothers were their teachers; and, both considered themselves musicians more than singers. Besides singing, McGaha plays piano and guitar over the course of the show and is backed by four other very talented musicians who play drums, upright bass, piano and flute/saxophone. As he covers Cole’s greatest hits, along with some lesser-known songs, McGaha shares Cole’s story, including insight into Cole’s all too early death from lung cancer at the age of 45. From Cole’s early iconic jazz tunes like “Straighten Up and Fly Right” to the R&B classic “Route 66” to his most memorable love songs like “Unforgettable” and “Mona Lisa,” the music of Nat King Cole is a part of our culture – even my 17-year-old son, who saw the performance with me, recognized over half of the songs, and I can assure you that he is not a jazz aficionado. These are talented people making great music and telling a good story while they do it; that being said, I also was seated next to a woman who could only be described as a true Nat King Cole fan and, while she was pleasantly surprised by some of the lesser-known tunes that made it into the show, she was also a bit disappointed that there were drums, saxophone and flute, which were historically not a part of the King Cole Trio’s instrumental lineup (Fun Fact: The King Cole Trio’s Live at the Circle Room was recorded in Milwaukee!). I am not enough of a Cole fan to weigh in on such matters, but I’d love to get feedback from those who are. You have until November 6th to catch this performance. WIFE OF A SALESMAN is, to paraphrase a character in the play itself, “a deconstruction” of Arthur Miller’s 1949 classic play, Death of a Salesman, “through the feminist lens.” Written by new playwright Eleanor Burgess, whose play The Niceties was a part of the 2019/20 Season at The Rep, Wife of a Salesman is a World Premier in collaboration with Writers Theatre in Glencoe, IL and is, without a doubt, one of the most moving works of theatre I have ever witnessed. In Death of a Salesman, we learn that the salesman is having an affair with a woman from Boston. In Wife of a Salesman, the story begins when the salesman’s wife (Heidi Armbruster) confronts her husband’s mistress (Bryce Gangel) with the hope of breaking up the affair. Then, in a mind-boggling instant, that is not the play you are seeing at all. That shocker, I can assure you, is nothing to how surprised you will be at the play’s end. Directed by Marti Lyons, Wife of a Salesman raises major questions about marriage and motherhood, and how the way we view them has changed over generations. As a wife, mother, and as a woman, I have never felt so called out, nor so seen, heard, and validated, by a play. I was so shell-shocked at the end that it took a moment to remember to clap; then, once I was safely in my car on my way home, I felt a warm flush come over me as if I was embarrassed – but embarrassed by what? Then, out of nowhere, I began to sob uncontrollably (I was truly thankful I saw this one on my own, I can tell you). Honestly, I haven’t been able to stop thinking of this production; of all the ways I saw myself in the wife; of how I, too, put so much love into my family, only to wonder where it all went. Here is a story that never gets told and so desperately needed to be. Please go and see this play and be a part of this conversation – tell them Mary sent you. Tickets to these productions and the rest of the 2022/23 season may be purchased online at www.MilwaukeeRep.com, by calling the Ticket Office at 414-224-9490, or in-person at 108 E Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee. Group tickets are available for parties 10+ by calling 414-290-5340. Titanic The Musical runs through October 23rd at the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater; Unforgettable: John-Mark McGaha sings Nat King Cole runs through November 6th at the Stackner Cabaret; Wife of a Salesman runs through November 6th at the Stiemke Studio. For more information, please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com. For Ozaukee Audiences – Know Before You Go Due to construction on I43, it is best to plan to leave 1 hour before showtime (1 ½ hours for those in northern Ozaukee) to allow time to park and find your seats. Purchasing a parking pass with your tickets is highly recommended and allows you to park directly below the theaters without having to go outdoors to get to the show. Planning dinner before or after performances can be a bit tricky; note run times and know that sometimes performances run late – many area restaurants close their kitchens by 10:30 p.m. Pre-show dinners are available on site at the Stackner Cabaret. If you are seeing a performance at the Stackner Cabaret, you must be at your seat 30 minutes ahead of show time to order food and drinks prior to the start of the show. Always remember to turn off your phone during the performance – you don’t want to be that guy. About Milwaukee Repertory Theater Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin with three unique performance venues in the Patty & Jay Baker Theater Complex– the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio and Stackner Cabaret. For over six decades, Milwaukee Rep has been a centerpiece of Milwaukee’s vibrant arts and cultural scene with productions ranging from Broadway musicals to Shakespeare to American Classics and New Works that are entertaining, inclusive, and impactful. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Executive 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.
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Port's Brenda Peterson Releases New Book Documenting Her Experiences As A Messenger For The Spirit WorldBy Mary Boyle Brenda Peterson was around 7 years old when her family moved to Port Washington; it was also when she first saw and felt who she now refers to as "the peeps" – spirits, guides, and angels who she sometimes feels around her, and occasionally actually sees. "I was always an empath – I feel what other people are feeling – but then it became something more." When she was a teenager, she was able to shut out the communications for a time; she just wanted to be "normal." Then, shortly after graduating from Port Washington High School, she developed an intense craving for spiritual knowledge, becoming a Reiki Master, reading books, joining groups, and developing her abilities; however, not many people knew about her skill set since, for most of her adult life, she worked with non-profits and kept her other talents mostly to herself. Finally, seven years ago, she decided it was time to embrace her gifts as a medium, as well as focusing on her art; in fact, she even found a way to combine the two. People who knew her from the non-profit world were often shocked when they learned about her career change. "One guy actually started laughing – he thought I was joking," Peterson laughed. In fact, helping people connect with their loved ones, guide them on their journeys, or even develop their own intuitive abilities is something that Peterson takes quite seriously. Through her website, clients can register for art classes that help to develop their creativity and intuition, purchase Peterson's art, or book an intuitive reading, reiki session or a mentorship session, among other opportunities. "I love to feel that curiosity building in clients," Peterson shared, "That's my favorite; when I feel the heart and spirit open; when they feel the love they didn't know was there." Peterson hadn't planned on writing a book about her experiences as an intuitive but, during the pandemic, she sat down and began to write, and the words just poured out of her. The book, Marvelous Mystical Messages, brings attention to all of the different ways "the peeps" communicate, which often depends on who the message is for. "They communicate how you would know them," Peterson explained, meaning that they use language or images that mean something to the person the message is intended for, but it may not make any sense to Peterson or anyone else. Sometimes the message feels like her conscience talking, but sometimes they communicate in pictures that appear in her mind. Interestingly, they never seem to use names. People have been coming to Peterson for the past six years, during transitions in life when they need help getting balanced, or often after the death of a loved one. Peterson feels that regular visits with a medium are very heathy. "We get facials and massages, but what are we doing for our spirit?" she asks. Peterson considers herself a very spiritual person, but not a religious person; however, if she had a religion, it would be love. In telling the stories of the people she has delivered messages to, Peterson hopes to open readers up to the possibility that they may be able to develop the same gift or, if nothing else, to bring them to the realization that they are not alone; that there are loved ones, guides and angels looking after them and that they can learn to notice the signs of their presence if they are willing to. There are several upcoming events as part of the book launch for Marvelous Mystical Messages, including an Intuitive Reading and Book Signing at Eclectic Avenue in Port Washington on October 20th, a Book Signing at Art of Joy in Cedarburg on October 29th, and an Intuitive Reading and Book Signing at Village Point Commons in Grafton on October 30th. Peterson is a participating artist on the Studio Art Tour, where her book will also be available, and her art can be found at the Grafton Arts Mill Roastery, the Cedarburg Art Museum and Cedarburg Cultural Center, Eclectic Avenue in Port Washington, and Sheboygan Visual Artists and Book Maven in Sheboygan. Above all, Peterson considers herself a messenger, and the overall message that she brings is love. "We're all brothers and sisters; we're all made of energy," Peterson said. "Once people leave this place, there are no issues, they're pure love." To learn more about Brenda Peterson, go to: https://brendapetersonllc.com/ Fall is here, and that means it's time to get your pumpkins and apples! Luckily, finding a humble pumpkin patch, or a sweet-smelling orchard in Oz is not too difficult a task.
One of the best ways is to let the farmers come to you at one of the area's Farmers Markets: Port Washington and Cedarburg on Saturday, Saukville on Sunday and Thiensville on Tuesday. Of course, if you're looking for a farm to visit, we have plenty of those, too: Cedarburg Creek Farm has just about every pumpkin hunting experience you could hope for: a kid's straw bale, a corn maze, and much more fall fun, close to home. Add in no admission fees and FREE Hay Wagon Rides, and they are THE place for affordable family fun. Cedar Creek Farm is located at 649 Hwy. 60 in Cedarburg and opens for the season on September 17th. Appleland in Fredonia has apples, of course, and a stunning variety of them, at that, but they also have pumpkins to pick or already picked, and an assortment of jams, bakery, caramel apples, cider, and more in their market store. Free wagon rides on the weekends. Appleland is located at 4177 Highway 57 in Fredonia. Buechler Farms offers a fun family fall experience on the weekends, beginning September 30th with their three day Fall Festival, which coincides with more events celebrating Belgium's Centennial, including a Water Lantern Release, and more. The farm is located at 587 South Royal Ave in Belgium. Regular pumpkin season will continue every weekend in October. Creekside Valley Farm opens for their season on Saturday, September 17th, with a pumpkin patch, hay maze, petting zoo, fall decor, pedal tractors, and more. Find them at 13101 N Wauwatosa in Mequon, open daily from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Nieman Markets, located at 14335 N. Wauwatosa Rd. in Mequon, has apple picking, a corn maze, pumpkins, a petting zoo, a market, and more. Barthel's Fruit Farm is synonymous with apple picking. Located at 12246 N Farmdale Rd. in Mequon, the barn has plenty of already picked pumpkins and gourds, or you can go to the field to pick your own. Barthel's apples are also available at Outpost in Mequon. Open 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily, Barthel's offers homemade bakery as well as a Beer Garden (weather permitting) from noon-6 Fridays through Sundays. If you're willing to venture a bit out of Oz, there are a few places worth the trip: Spieker's Pumpkin Farm in Random Lake features a massive corn maze, hay rides, and an incredible variety of pumpkins and gourds, as well as a petting zoo, and more. Find it at N1181 Hwy. 57 in Random Lake. Meadowbrook Pumpkin Farm and Market in West Bend has quite the exotic petting zoo, and a haunted corn field, a totally unstaged and hair-raising adventure through 8 plus creepy houses and 3/4 miles of narrow trails in tall, dense corn, on narrow confined trails. Not exactly family fun with young children, but possibly a great outing with your teenagers or adult friends. Find Meadowbrook at 2970 Mile View Road in West Bend. Happy picking!! By Mary Boyle Every Summer, I write an article about Shakespeare in the Park that always includes American Players Theatre; but, APT is so much more than Shakespeare in the Park. With its 1,089 seat outdoor theater known as The Hill situated in the beautiful driftless region of Spring Green, Wisconsin, APT is the second largest outdoor theater in the country, after The Muny of St. Louis. This is where Wisconsin's finest actors come to play in the woods, and where you will see some of the best live theatre in the state. Whether you are a theatre fanatic or just looking for a nearby weekend getaway, a visit to Spring Green and APT is just the ticket. Devoted to the classics, APT always has at least one or two works by the Bard. This season, they take on the rarely staged LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST and Shakespeare's greatest tragedy, HAMLET. Being a bit of a rabid Shakespeare fan, myself, I made sure to see these two productions. With the Regency period being all the rage, and being a Jane Austen fan, I also had to see SENSE & SENSIBILITY. Finally, just for pure fun, I chose THE RIVALS. The only disappointment from my weekend was that the rain caused me to miss the second half of S&S, and though LLL was interrupted by the weather, it was worth the hour wait to see the rest. From casting to costumes to set design, APT is at the top of their game. I was particularly excited to see Love's Labour's Lost, as I have never had the opportunity; in fact, it's been two decades since APT has done it. Directed by Brenda DeVita, the production is brilliantly set in the 1950's at the "University" of Navarre, where a group of steadfast male students solemly vow to apply themselves to their studies so loyally that they swear off even the presence of any females for the next three years. This, of course, is just before an evenly matched group of determined ladies show up on the University's doorstep, resulting in the expected hijinks. This one is perfection, but I would be remiss if I didn't note Josh Krause as Dull, the Constable, who steals the show, as he so often does. While watching this wonderfully funny and witty production, you will wonder why this particular tale isn't staged more often, but you will find your answer at the end. See it, anyway, and hurry – Love's Labour's Lost only runs through October 2nd . Then, just when you think you couldn't possibly see a better version of Hamlet than the filmed National Theatre production starring Benedict Cumberbatch, APT shows up. The ghost king is formidable and terrifying, Horatio is cast as a woman, and Nate Burger plays the role of Hamlet so brilliantly, it is a joy to behold. Directed by James DeVita, this is another very strong cast, but I particularly loved Chiké Johnson's take on Polonius. The stark, gritty set design and lighting by Takeshi Kata and Jason Fassl truly makes the production. Sure, you may have seen Hamlet a few times, but you've never seen one like this. You have until October 8th, and I can't think of a better ghost story to kick off your October with. Who doesn't love Jane Austen?! When Mr. Dashwood passes, Mrs. Dashwood and her three daughters are quite destitute after being thrown out of their own home in Sussex by their Uncle John and his horrible wife, Fanny. As they adjust to their new, and much poorer, life in Devonshire, their new neighbor, Mrs. Jennings, makes it her mission to get the young ladies married off. Directed by Marti Lyons, Sense & Sensibility is sweet, funny and, dare I say, terribly romantic. Marcus Truschinski as Colonel Brandon could not be any more awkward and heartbreaking. Fans of Austen, the Regency era, or hopeless romantics, this one's for you; you have until October 9th. Now, what can I say about The Rivals? This one reminds me of last season's Rough Crossing, with Josh Krause in a very similar role with hysterical results; at any rate, The Rivals is three hours of clever, laugh-out-loud fun. Directed by Aaron Posner and written in 1775 by Richard Brinsley Sheridan, the great Irish satirist, poet, playwright and owner of Drury Lane, the rivals are all of the men who are trying to win the hand of one Miss Lydia Languish, who can't possibly wed Captain Jack Abolute, the man her Aunt Malaprop wishes her to wed, but insists on marrying Ensign Beverly, a man of no means, wealth or name and with whom she's infatuated with. The funny thing is, they're the same man. The highlight of this show is James Ridge, who is in his comedic element as Sir Lucious O'Trigger (seriously, watch for the little Irish jigs he throws in – it's priceless!). This one only runs through September 17th, so you really need to get on it. Also at The Hill this season is Lorraine Hansberry's classic, A RAISIN IN THE SUN, which runs through October 7th. American Players Theatre is also home to an intimate indoor theater called The Touchstone, where you can see THE BROTHERS SIZE by Tarell Alvin McCraney, THE RIVER BRIDE by Marisela Treviño Orta, THE MOORS by Jen Siverman, and STONES IN HIS POCKETS by Marie Jones, which ends the season on November 20th. For more information and to purchase tickets, go to: americanplayers.org/ or call the Box Office at 608-588-2361. Know Before You Go
What to do in Spring Green Spring Green is the home of Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin, as well as the iconic Wisconsin attraction, House on the Rock. Spring Green, itself, is an adorable little main street community with some lovely shops and restaurants; I highly recommend making a stop at Arcadia Books and the Last Leaf Public House. There are also two State Parks nearby: Tower Hill and Governor Dodge. For the history buffs, you can see two State Historical Sites just a bit further south down 151: in historic Mineral Point you can see Pendarvis, and you will find the First Capitol in Belmont. There's also historic Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, where you can check out the trollway and visit the nearby Cave of the Mounds. By Mary Boyle For the past 17 years, Aaron Rossmiller and Kat Chronis have been running at least one version of Lakeside Music & Naturals – a venture that has combined both of their interests in one business: one part music store (offering instruments for sale, lessons, repairs & appraisals) and one part natural childrens store/boutique (offering everything from wooden toy instruments to fair trade jewelry and clothing, to personal care products made with natural ingredients). Music, though, is what has tied it all together, from the concerts they attend on a regular basis to the Music Together classes for young children that Kat has been offering for the past several years. After the couple opened their first store in Sheboygan in 2005, they spent several years trying to find the right location in Ozaukee County, beginning at the Cedar Creek Settlement and then trying two different locations in Grafton, but they couldn't find the right fit. Interestingly, it was another mutual love that brought them to Port Washington: coffee. A manager at the Smith Bros. Coffee House, who regularly hosted live music and was a customer of theirs, told them about a space opening up across the street. Regular visits to Smith Bros. saw them through the growth of their store, Kat's music classes for children, the birth of their second child, hours of Kat's grad school work, adopting a new puppy, and the opening of a third store in Manitowoc. Then, Smith Bros. closed in September of 2021. "Downtown traffic dropped after Smith Bros. left," Kat said. "You did not have the people walking through like you once did." With their convenient coffee supply gone and reduced traffic to their store, the couple decided to start yet another venture: a coffee shop of their own inside Lakeside Music & Naturals. The name, Banjo's Brews Coffee, comes from the rescue pup they adopted, whom they aptly named Banjo Kazoo. They sourced their fair trade organic coffee from local Milwaukee roasters, Colectivo (the same coffee roaster Smith Bros. used) and Aaron, himself, has not only built the counters and set up the kitchen, but he's also the one making their bakery. Music remains the theme, even for the coffee shop. The menu offers "Classicals" (such as a cappucino, latte or Americano) or "Melodies" (such as fruit smoothies or frozen lemonade); drink specials are named with musical inspiration, such as this week's "blackbird," a frozen blackberry lemonade slushie that is delightful and refreshing. Regular live music is something the couple really hopes to add to the Banjo's Brews schedule, along with soups and sandwiches, come fall. The focus of the menu will be plant-based and cater to vegetarians, vegans, and those with other dietary restrictions. Although the opening took a bit longer than they'd expected, it came just in the nick of time: Kat is due with the couple's third child on September 11th and is about to start her final year of grad school, which will make her a family nurse practitioner when she's done. If anybody needs coffee, it's these people. For now, they're working out the kinks, continuing to work on the space, and planning for their Grand Opening, which will take place on Saturday, August 27th from noon to 4 p.m., where they'll be offering delicious bakery for both people and their dogs, as well as live music from 2-4 p.m. from the students of Annette Meyer Studio in Grafton. Ten percent of the bakery and drink proceeds from the day will go to the Ozaukee Campus of the Wisconsin Humane Society. For more information about Lakeside Music & Naturals and all they have to offer, go to www.lakesidemusicstore.com/. To keep up with what's happening at Banjo's Brews, go to www.facebook.com/banjosbrewscoffee. Fredonia’s Jacqui Fulcomer is leading the charge to preserve Waubeka’s buildings with the creation of a Historic DistrictMary Boyle Jacqui Fulcomer is known for growing things. Her and her partner, Dan Bertram, own Willoway Farm in Fredonia, which began as a traditional produce CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) operation and evolved to include Jacqui’s Waggle Dance Flowers, a flower CSA that offers a variety of weekly bouquets throughout the growing season, as well as a number of opportunities on their farm, including weddings, photo and painting sessions, workshops, and even camping. More recently, though, Jacqui has been working on growing something entirely new: a passion for preserving the Village of Waubeka. And, just like everything else Jacqui grows, she really wants to share it with everyone. Given Jacqui’s interest in Waubeka, one would think she grew up here, but she is in fact from New Jersey. She met Dan in Whitefish, Montana while they were both employed at the same restaurant, and the two quickly discovered a common love of nature and the outdoors. After several years of working on various farms and learning about sustainable agriculture, the couple found the farm of their dreams while visiting Dan’s family, who happen to reside in Fredonia, and the two have been growing their farm and their family since 2006. Like many of the communities in Ozaukee, Fredonia houses a couple of unincorporated villages, and it didn’t take long for Jacqui to discover and fall in love with Waubeka: a quaint and often overlooked area of Ozaukee with a number of charming historic cream city brick, frame, and field stone structures, intersected by the Milwaukee River. Waubeka’s known claim to fame is being the birthplace of Flag Day. Each year on the second Sunday of June, thousands of people visit the historic Stony Hill School, where a young teacher named Bernard J. Cigrand started the first Flag Day celebration, and attend the Flag Day parade down Waubeka’s main street. However, as Jacqui learned, the Stony Hill School and the story of Flag Day are not the whole of Waubeka’s history or appeal. Waubeka was a very industrial town in the mid to late 1800’s, according to an article in the Port Pilot from 1976. The community had a doctor, dentist, general store, two tailor shops, a drug store, two cigar shops, a saw mill, a casket shop, a slaughterhouse and meat market, saloons, a large mill used for feed and the manufacturing of flour, and a button factory which, prior, was a furniture shop run by a Mr. Kendall (a box flume from the mill supplied water power for running the machinery). There were three blacksmith shops, a millinery shop, a pump factory, a cooper shop that made wooden barrels and cisterns, and a photograph gallery operated by a Miss Paulus. Perhaps most notably, there was the Klessig Cheese Factory and the Cooley Cheese Box Factory, which employed a large number of young men and boys in the community. Then, in the 1870’s, the railroad was routed through the east side of Fredonia, causing Waubeka’s decline. While Cedarburg and Port Washington are considered the historic areas of Ozaukee County, their buildings often needed to undergo extensive renovation to unearth their original look after decades of modernization. Waubeka, meanwhile, has essentially been frozen in time, with many of its structures unchanged from its industrial heyday. Unfortunately, not all of the structures have weathered time well; without a collaborative effort to preserve them, Waubeka could easily lose its quaint and authentic character. In 2018, the Klessig Cheese Factory was for sale and Jacqui and Dan, along with Dan’s brother, Greg, and a few of their friends, formed the Klessig Riverside Group and purchased the property with the hope of restoring the historical integrity of the building and kickstarting the preservation of Waubeka. The more research Jacqui did on the property, the more enamored she became of Waubeka’s history, and the more determined she became to save it. “I have grown quite fond of the Waubeka history and admire its founders,” said Jacqui. “Dan and I, and our friends, find the properties in Waubeka charming and want to see it flourish for generations to come.” When the neighboring Bidinger Blacksmith House became available, another group called the Bidingers Haus, LLC, also consisting of Jacqui, Dan, Greg, and some friends, was formed. The trouble is, both structures are near the Milwaukee River and considered to be in a flood plain; therefore, there is a cap on the amount of money that can be invested into the structures – basically, enough to stabilize them, but not enough to restore them. However, should the area be named a State Historic District and the buildings listed in the district, the cap is removed. Furthermore, buildings in a State Historic District are eligible for state and federal income tax credits for rehabilitation, as well as for federal grants and the use of the state’s Historic Building Code, which may help to facilitate the rehabilitation. Jacqui and Dan raised some funds by selling Christmas trees the past two winters on their properties in Waubeka and were able to hire Preserve, LLC, a historic preservation consulting firm, to help begin the process, which consists of identifying which structures are recommended to be included in the district and putting together a step-by-step plan, which begins with getting the community on board. To that end, Jacqui has arranged a public meeting at Boots Q ‘n Boogie (the former Waubeka Fire Hall) on Wednesday, August 17th from 5-7 p.m. to size up interest. Preserve, LLC will be present at the meeting, as well as Jason Tish, the Preservation Education Coordinator from the Wisconsin Historical Registration Office, to present the proposed district and to answer any questions from members of the community. Some members of the community have already reached out to help. Local artist, Katie Musloff, donated a drawing based on a photo from June 7, 1895, of the Singer Society’s 25th anniversary parade, a primarily German glee club that built the Singers Hall in Waubeka in 1871, held song festivals, and even established a German theatre program in the community. Some of the notable members were Julius Klessig, the Founder of Klessig Cheese Factory, as well as several other Klessig family members, M.T. Neuens, and Nicholas Cigrand, the father of Bernard Cigrand – names that are familiar to anyone who resides in the community. Should there be enough interest, the next step will be to create a non-profit Waubeka Historic District Support Association, which will make it easier to raise the funds needed to obtain the listing on the State Register. Creating a non-profit, Jacqui estimates, will cost around $900, while getting the historic district can cost over $20,000. To help defray the cost of the meeting, Jacqui will be selling flowers at the event. For anyone who would like to support the project, but cannot attend the meeting, Jacqui invites them to purchase flowers ahead of the event for pick up at the Klessig Cheese Factory porch (N5412 Cigrand Dr.); any flowers that are not picked up will be delivered to Forest Haven Assisted Living in Fredonia for their residents to enjoy. For more information about the Waubeka Historic District or to purchase flowers, contact Jacqui at klessigriversidegroup@gmail.com. To learn more about the State Register of Historic Places, visit https://www.WisconsinHistory.org/Records/Article/CS4330. To learn more about Waubeka’s historic buildings, walk the Chief Waubeka Historical Trail created by the National Flag Day Foundation. There's nothing quite as Americana as the 4th of July in the small town communities of Oz. Looking for a celebration near you? Look no further! Thiensville Family Fun Before the 4th is a nearly all-day event, and a great day for the whole family! On Saturday, June 25th, the massive parade kicks off at 10:30 a.m. Follow it to the Village Park, where free ice-cream, live music, and a variety of events await, followed by fireworks at dusk. Fun Before The 4th in Fredonia will happen at Fredonia's Fireman's Park at 3:30 p.m. where food, fun, free ice cream and music awaits, with fireworks at dusk. Grafton's Holidaze Grafton's Holidaze returns with a parade downtown at 11 a.m., followed by a celebration at Lime Kiln Park from 5-10 p.m., with live music and fireworks at dusk! Rotary Music Festival in Cedarburg The Drum Corps International Tour will return to Cedarburg's CHS Athletic Field on Sunday, July 3, at 7:30 p.m. for the 22nd Annual Rotary Music Festival, featuring drum and bugle corps. Freistadt Fourth It doesn't get any more Americana than Trinity Freistadt's 4th of July Parade and Picnic! Spend your day enjoying one of Ozaukee County's best kept secrets, beginning with an outdoor worship service at 10 a.m. (weather permitting) followed by a picnic, a tour of the Trinity Historical Grounds, and the very German music of the Alte Kameraden Band and dancing by the Pommersche Tanzdeel Dancers. The parade begins at 1 p.m. parade, followed by a flag raising, with the picnic continuing until 4 p.m. Port Washington Port has a Community Picnic at Veterans Memorial Park from 11-2 and a Pool Party at the Waterpark from 1-4; plus, the Amercan Legion, across from the park, is hosting a Patriotic Summer Celebration from noon-5, complete with a Patriotic Pet Costume Contest! The day ends with fireworks at dusk on the lakefront. Saukville Saukville's parade begins at 1 p.m. on the 4th, going through downtown and ending at Grady Park for a picnic, music and games from noon-5. The fun then moves to Peninsula Park, where there will be more music, games, and food from 5 p.m. until dusk, and fireworks are at dusk. Cedarburg Cedarburg's 4th of July Hometown Celebration boasts the largest parade in Ozaukee (roughly 2 hours long!), which begins at Fireman's Park at 10 a.m., and heads south along Washington Ave., making its way to Cedar Creek Park, where a picnic, music, and activities can be found until 9:30 p.m., when the fireworks begin. Happy Independence Day, Ozaukee! One of the best parts of summertime in Ozaukee County is the plethora of outdoor concerts to attend. From Summer Sounds to Gathering on the Green, there's something for everyone. Here's the 2022 lineup: Summer Sounds in Cedarburg Summer Sounds kicks off Friday, June 17th, at Cedar Creek Park and continues every Friday through August 19th. Each concert begins 6:30 p.m., and there is plenty of food and drink available on site, as well as a playground for the kids nearby. Bring a blanket or chairs, find your spot, and plan on an evening of fun! Live at the Triangle in Saukville's Veteran's Park will return with 6 free concerts this summer on Wednesday evenings from 7-9:30 p.m., beginning June 22nd and running through August 24th. Food and beverages are available for purchase on site. Belgium Summer Nights LIVE Belgium's Community Park will feature live music and family fun for all. Food and drinks are available for purchase, and sign up for kickball! Join them on Friday, June 3rd and Friday, July 22nd from 6-9 p.m. Shully's River Sounds in Thiensville will have free concerts on the first Thursday of June, August and September from 5:30-9 p.m., rain or shine, with some delicious food available, made (of course!) by Shully's. Bring your own chairs; no carry-ins. Gathering on the Green at Mequon's Rotary Park returns Thursday, July 7th with Bruce in the USA, Friday, July 8th with Roots & Boots, Saturday, July 9th with Night Ranger and 38 Special and Sunday, July 10th with Danny Gokey. the baaree Thiensville's Nepalese restaurant, the cheel, still runs their outdoor beer garden, the baaree, located at 105 S. Main St., while beginning construction on the restaurant. The baaree has amazing live music all summer long, along with great food and drinks. Beanies Summer Rock the Patio concert series happens every Sunday evening from 5:30-7:30 p.m. through Labor Day weekend. Grab a famous Beanies Margarita, relax, and listen to some great tunes near the lake in downtown Port Washington! The Cedarburg Art Museum Beer Garden will have live music and food Thursday evenings from 5:30-8:30 p.m. beginning on June 9th and through September 15th, as well as during Strawberry Festival and Wine & Harvest Festival. The Mequon Public Market/Spur 16 Summer Patio Music Series has some great live music planned for their outdoor patio over the summer! Keep an eye on their website for more details. Oz has several places to catch live music year round, just hit on their links to see who's playing next! The Stagecoach Inn's Five20 Pub in downtown Cedarburg Rebellion Brewing Co., right on Cedar Creek in downtown Cedarburg The Bridge in Grafton Boot Q 'n Boogie in Waubeka If you don't mind the drive, Sheboygan has the amazing Levitt AMP Sheboygan Music Series kicks off on Thursday, June 23rd, with most of the music starting at 6 p.m., but check their lineup for details. The Series also incorporates the Midsummer Festival of the Arts on Saturday and Sunday, July 16th and 17th, on the JMK Arts Center Festival Green. Also not too far from Oz, the Homegrown Music Festival returns to Regner Park in West Bend on Sunday, July 10th from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., with a great lineup of Wisconsin bands. Parking is free, and a $10 donation is recommended. To stay informed about all of the great live music happening in and around Oz, make sure to stay tuned to the Ozaukee Living Local Events Page, and subscribe to our Friday Newsletter! Am I missing a series or place to catch live music in Oz? Let me know! By Mary Boyle Most of the area theatre companies take a break over the summer months, when everyone would rather be outdoors and soaking up the sun, but there are a few whose season only coincides with Wisconsin's warmest months, and they bring their performances outdoors, with an almost exclusive focus on the most famous of playwrights: William Shakespeare. Since 2014, the Summit Players, a group of mainly Marquette Alumni, have worked hard to make Shakespeare accessible to families by performing for free at State Parks throughout Wisconsin. This year, the production is the Bard's much loved Much Ado About Nothing. Their plays use the original language, but they are edited for time, and to be as family-friendly as possible, while still retaining the brilliance that the Bard intended, and they even offer a pre-show workshop that is perfect for school-aged kids. The Players won't be at Belgium's Harrington Beach State Park this season, but they will be just north of Oz in Sheboygan at Kohler-Andrae State Park on Saturday, July 16th, and just west of Oz in Hartford at the Kettle Moraine State Forest on Saturday, August 19th. The workshop is at 5:30 p.m., and the show is at 7; note that you will need a vehicle admission sticker to get into the parks. To see the Summit Players full schedule and learn more, go to: www.summitplayerstheatre.com/ Optimist Theatre in Milwaukee has been doing Shakespeare in the Park in Milwaukee since 2010, and they return this season with Twelfth Night Or What SHE Will, an entertaining romp that everyone will enjoy. Since the pandemic, SITP has moved from the Peck Pavilion to a touring show that will travel around the Milwaukee area between June 18th and August 7th. The show, as always, is free and outdoors (you will need to bring your own chair/blanket) and walk ups are welcome, but you are encouraged to register at their website; space is always first come, first served. Members (a yearly donation of $75) are able to reserve seats at one show each season To see the full schedule and learn more about Optimist Theatre, please visit: http://www.optimisttheatre.org Door Shakespeare has been doing Shakespearean productions, as well as other classical works, in the Garden of Björklunden’s 405-acre estate on Lake Michigan in Baileys Harbor for over 20 years. This season they will perform The Tempest and The Three Musketeers from June 22nd through August 27th. A trip to Door County is made even better with the addition of live, outdoor theatre in the Garden of Björklunden. To learn more about Door Shakespeare, their play schedule, and their other programs, visit http://www.doorshakespeare.com. For those willing to travel just a bit further, one of the best outdoor theatre experiences in Wisconsin is just outside of Spring Green at the American Players Theatre. APT has multiple productions, both modern and classic, throughout the summer on two different stages, one outdoor and one indoor, but they never fail to perform at least one of Shakespeare's plays. This season, APT has selected two by the Bard: the rarely produced Love's Labours Lost and the classic tragedy of Hamlet. The APT season opens Friday, June 11th, and runs through Sunday, November 20th. To learn more about APT's complete season, go to: https://americanplayers.org/ There is a reason that Shakespeare in the Park can be found in outdoor spaces throughout the country: in William Shakespeare's time, his plays were mainly performed in open-air theaters, so it feels right to recreate those conditions for today's audiences. The outdoor theatre experience, much like an outdoor concert, has an energy all its own that must be experienced to be understood. While every live theatre performance is unique, the weather and nature are crucial and unpredictable parts of the outdoor theatre production that give an entirely different, and highly individual, dimension to a play, and make for an unforgettable performance. Add to the itinery of your camping trip, or go just for the show, but make sure you add one of these performances to your summer calendar! There's nothing like spending a beautiful day at a Farmers Market, getting to know your local farmers and growers and connecting with community. Although we lost both the Grafton and Fredonia Farmers Markets this year, there are still plenty of great options to choose from, and even more ways to get your local food beyond the markets, which is an excellent sign of a healthy local food system! Port Washington Port's Farmers Market opens Saturday, June 18th and runs every Saturday through October 29th. Main Street is closed between Franklin and Wisconsin Streets from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with fresh produce, honey, soaps, bakery, live music, and more. Saukville Located at Veterans Park in the center of downtown, Saukville's Farmers Market happens every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., beginning on June 12th and going through October 30th (except Independence Day and Labor Day weekend), with fresh produce, flowers, and arts and crafts. Thiensville Thiensville's Village Market opens Tuesday, June 21st at Village Park, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and will continue every Tuesday through October 11th. Live music and The Best "Dam" Chef Competition are some of the highlights of this market, aside from fresh food, flowers, and more. Cedarburg The Cedarburg Makers & Growers Market, which features a variety of artisans and locally grown produce, has a shorter run, but will be open on Saturdays from 9-1 August 6th through the end of September at Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, located at W76 N627 N Wauwatosa Rd. Just outside of Oz in West Bend is the amazing West Bend Farmers Market, which is worth a look if you've never been, as it is the largest in the area. Happening every Saturday from 7:30-11 a.m. from May 21st through October 29th, it's an early one, but the Historic District is a sight to see, in itself, plus it puts you in walking distance to the Museum Of Wisconsin Art! If you just can't make it to the market, there are other ways to get your local food! Outpost in Mequon is committed to local and regional produce and products, with several of their items coming from producers within 100 miles of the co-op. The brand new DreamPort Harvest Market in downtown Port Washington is a sweet little shop that brings some of the area's best local food indoors every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. There are also a number of farms in Oz that sell directly to consumers, including Witte's Vegetable Farm and Kay's Home Farm (which has pasture-raised beef) in Cedarburg, Barthel's Fruit Farm in Mequon, Rare Earth Farm in Belgium (which is a CSA, but also has an online store), The Victory Garden Farm, Willoway Farm (which has an amazing flower CSA) and Appleland Farm Market (which is open Wednesdays from noon-6, then opens for the apple season on August 22nd; they have also added a CSA) in Fredonia, and Winterspring Farm CSA in Newburg. One of the best ways to get local food from a wide variety of local growers is to join the Ozaukee Area REKO Ring on Facebook, which was started by The Victory Garden Farm. Growers post their offerings on the site each week and you can purchase/order direct from them, then pick up your order on Thursdays between 6 and 7 p.m. in Grafton. Many of the farms mentioned here are a part of the REKO Ring. Do you see something we've missed? Contact us, and we'll add it to the article! Mary@OzaukeeLivingLocal.com |
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