Bold openings and visual treats

Music

MSO Pops presents Ella, Louis and All That Jazz, featuring vocals from Marva Hicks and big brass sound from trumpeter Byron Stripling. Relive the golden era of jazz at 8 p.m. Friday Oct. 11 and Saturday Oct. 12, or at 2:30 p.m. Sunday Oct. 13. Tickets range from about $20 to $100, available online or call the Marcus Center at (414) 273-7206.

Present Music welcomes back Third Coast Percussion for Third Coast, an evening full of big sound from classic and unique percussion instruments. Present Music’s season opener, Inuksuit, featured these same artists and was a resounding success. The concert is one-night only at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12 at Vogel Hall. Tickets are $15, $25 and $35 available online or call the Marcus Center at (414) 273-7206.

The Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra will perform its last concert with director Linda Binder before welcoming classical guitarist Rene Izquierdo into the role. The performance features music from the tin pan alley era and takes place at Best Place (The Pabst Brewery) at 4 p.m., Sunday Oct. 13. Tickets are $15 online or at the door.

Frankly Music’s season opener gets nostalgic with Flashback!, recreating FM’s first concert from 10 years back. Mozart’s Divertimento for string trio will be featured, welcoming favorite musicians Edward Arron and Tony Appel back to the Conservatory. Performances are at 7 p.m. Monday Oct. 14 and Tuesday Oct. 15. Tickets are $36, students $10, available online or call (414) 276-5760.

See the boundary-breaking Kronos Quartet at the Wilson Center, in their 40th anniversary season. The group has worldwide achievements, and always seeks to bend the expectations of the typical string quartet. The concert is at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11. Tickets are $35, $55 and $65 available online or call (262) 781-9520.

Early Music Now opens its season with Heinavanker, featuring the ancient songs, chants and hymns of Estonia. The concert is at 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 at the St. Joseph Center Chapel, 1501 S. Layton Blvd. Tickets are $25/$40, $10/$20 for students available online or call (414) 225-3113.

Film

The energizer bunny also known as the Milwaukee Film Festival is still going, meaning you still have plenty of opportunities to catch a great film. Here at TCD we keep a running guide of daily film picks at the ready for your convenience. Already excited to see something? Perfect. Don’t forget to bring some friends with you! And stop by Hotel Foster afterward for some really great live bands (free with your ticket stub!). The MKE Film Fest finishes up this Friday, Oct. 11.

Theater

First Stage opens its season with Shrek: The Musical, based on the DreamWorks blockbuster. The Broadway musical premieres at 7 p.m. Friday Oct. 11 and runs through Nov. 17 at the Todd Wehr Theater. See the full schedule and purchase tickets ($12 to $32) online, or call the Marcus Center at (414) 273-7206.

Back by popular demand, Theatre Unchained (successor to Carte Blanche Studios) will stage three episodes of the BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers (the name of the hotel where the hilarity ensues). Last winter’s production sold out after opening night, so make sure you get over to 1024 S 5th St. when you can. The show premieres at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 and runs through Nov. 3, with showtimes at 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday and 6 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets are $25 available online.

Theatrical Tendencies presents The Laramie Project, a play by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project chronicling the aftermath of University of Wyoming gay student Matthew Shepard’s violent murder (this year marks the 15th anniversary of his death). The show premieres at Soulstice Theatre (3770 S Pennsylvania Ave., St. Francis) at 8 p.m. Friday Oct. 11 and runs through Oct. 26, with performances at 8 p.m. each Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $20 online.

Visual Art

The Milwaukee Art Museum unveils its newest exhibit, Thomas Sully: Painted Performance, this Friday Oct. 11. The 19th century American painter depicted presidents, international stars, and classic theatrical characters in his canvas works. The exhibit runs through Jan. 5; find more information at the MAM website.

Consider making a special trip to Sheboygan for the John Michael Kohler Art Center’s  upcoming exhibit, AAIEEE!, featuring energetic, original and complex works from emerging and established comic book artists. The exhibit opens Sunday Oct. 13 and runs through Feb. 16. Visit their website for more information.

Special Events

Skylight Music Theatre hosts Skylight Night 2013, celebrating the opening of Fidelio with a Bollywood Bash. Taking place at the Pfister Hotel, tickets include a silent auction and cocktail reception, dinner, and entertainment from the Aarabhi School of Dance. The formal gala will be followed by the Bollywood Bash After Party, hosted by the young professional organization SkylightENSEMBLE. Find more information about both events at the Skylight website, or call (414) 299-4972.

Author Junot Diaz will have a special event at Boswell Books on 7 p.m. on Monday. Diaz won the Pulitzer Prize for The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. His short story collection, Drown, received vast critical acclaim and his most recent story collection, This Is How You Lose Her, was shortlisted for the National Book Award. See the rest of his impressive credentials on the Boswell website, and purchase tickets for the event ($16) there as well.

Few things make Milwaukeeans prouder than our beer. The Pabst Mansion celebrates that history from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 with Retro Beer Night, sampling the ol’ favorites: Pabst, Blatz, Schlitz and Old Milwaukee. Enjoy grilled brats and the beer memorabilia Retro Silent Auction as well. Tickets are $35 ($30 for members) online.

If you missed your gazillion chances to enjoy an Oktoberfest celebration, no worries, historic downtown Cedarburg will be happy to host you. The newest of Cedarburg’s many annual festivals, the 6th annual Oktoberfest features authentic German bands, a Sheepshead tournament, German spelling bee, beer carrying contest, delicious food and even more delicious beer. Look for the big white tent at the Community Center, Saturday Oct. 12 and Sunday Oct. 13.

So You Think You Can Dance comes to the Riverside Theater Thursday, Oct. 10, featuring the top 10 finalists of the show’s 10th season. Tickets are $39.50 and $49.50. The Riverside Theater will also host political comedian Bill Maher, host of HBO’s “Real Time,” for a night of honest, hard-hitting stand up. Doors open at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12; tickets are $49.50 and $69 online, or call (414) 286-3663 or stop into the box office for either tickets.

Radiolab Live returns to Milwaukee with Apocalyptical, featuring the ever-astounding and creative talents of hosts Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich. The performance, based on the hit NPR show and podcast, blends music, science and storytelling. See the immense praise the show is receiving on twitter. Apocical takes place at the Riverside Theater, Friday, Oct. 11. Doors open at 7 p.m.; tickets are $35.50 or $45.50 online or call (414) 286-3663.

Last Chance

Youngblood Theatre: Dying City, through Oct. 12

Windfall Theatre: An Empty Plate in the Cafe du Grand Boeuf, through Oct. 12

Next Act Theatre: Perfect Mendacity, through Oct. 13

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre: The Detective’s Wife, through Oct. 13

Ongoing

APT: Dickens in America, through Oct. 19

APT: Antony and Cleopatra, through Oct. 20

Milwaukee Rep: I Left My Heart: A Salute to the Music of Tony Bennett, through Oct. 20

Milwaukee Rep: Ragtime, through Oct. 27

In Tandem Theatre: Burying the Bones, through Oct. 27

The Alchemist Theatre: Closing Night, through Nov. 2

Milwaukee Rep: Venus in Fur, through Nov. 3