The Funny Side of Dracula?

Take a journey to The Playhouse, a rustic, low-budget theater in a barn in New England, as the cast and crew desperately try to put together a successful season which features a newly-written adaptation (to save money) of the Dracula story.  The result: “a summer stock production of Dracula disintegrates into chaos on opening night. Gothic horror becomes high comedy amid misplaced technical cues, forgotten lines, wrong entrances and eccentric acting,” as a reviewer for the Salt Lake Tribune observed,” adding, “the large audience howled with glee.”

This backstage farce is called Laughing Stock, and in writing it, Charles Morey drew on his experiences as the acclaimed director of Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Company. He actually did an adaptation of Dracula for the company and has written many other plays. Laughing Stock has been performed there and in numerous theaters nationally, though it hasn’t gotten to Broadway.

The show will be staged by the UW-Milwaukee theater department and directed by UWM professor of voice and speech Michelle Lopez-Rios, who has both performed and done voice coaching for a long list of theaters nationally and has directed plays at UWM, in Prague, Mexico and other ports of call.  There will be a pre-show talk with Lopez-Rios on Wednesday, March 5 at 6:45 p.m. in the Mainstage Theatre Lobby.

Peck School of the Arts: Laughing Stock March 5-9 at Mainstage Theatre. Tickets are $17, $15 for UWM Faculty & Staff, $5 (pre-sale) or $8 (night of show) for students, and free for majors, available online or call (414) 229-4308.

Music

Pink Martini featuring China Forbes and the Von Trapps perform at The Pabst Theater Tuesday, March 4.

The Pabst Theater: Pink Martini featuring China Forbes and the Von Trapps Tuesday, March 4. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets range from $35-$55, available online or call (414) 286-3663.

Italian Community Center: Cure for Cabin Fever Music Series March 4-April 29. Free admission and free parking for guests, and the music performances take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Drink and food orders are taken by Cafe La Scala staff.  Tuesday evenings feature jazz and blues acts and Thursday evenings feature rock-and roll bands. Reverend Raven & The Chain Smokin’ Altar Boys will perform on Tuesday, March 4, and The Ricochettes will perform on Thursday, March 6.

Bel Canto Chorus: Seven Last Words from the Cross/Lux Aeterna Sunday, March 9 at 3 p.m. at The Basilica of St. Josaphat. For more information call (414) 481-8801.

Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra: Choral Collaboration Sunday, March 9 at 3 p.m. at Helen Bader Concert Hall.

Mitchell Park Conservatory (The Domes) “Music Under Glass” series presents Marcell’s Matrix, 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 6. Tickets are $6.50, $5 for seniors/students. 

Wisconsin Conservatory of Music present Orquesta Tumbao Concert Thursday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Piano Music from France: From Rameau to Ravel as part of their Conservatory Concert series Sunday, March 9 at 3 p.m. Both shows will be held at Helen Bader Concert Hall.

Theater

Marcus Center: Flashdance-The Musical March 4-9. Tickets range from $40.85-$99.80, available online or call (414) 273-7206.

Visual Art

Charles Allis Art Museum: FORWARD: A Survey of Wisconsin Art Now, March 7-June 29. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, Military personnel and students, free for members and children 12 and younger.

Latino Arts Inc. presents the opening reception of Boricua Fame & Bomba Negra exhibition (Feb. 28-June 6) by painter Martin Soto on Friday March 7 at 5 p.m. in the Latino Arts Gallery, followed by a musical performance by Juancho Herrera at 7:30 p.m. in the Latino Arts Auditorium. Tickets for the performance are $15, $10 for seniors and full time students, available online.

Danceworks Performance Company and Present Music’s Temptation’s Snare comes to Next Act Theatre March 6-9.

Danceworks Performance Company & Present Music: Temptation’s Snare March 6-9 at Next Act Theatre. Tickets range from $20-$35, available online. Student tickets are 50% off with ID.

Film

Harley Davidson Museum presents Movie Night featuring a screening of the documentary, Why We Ride, 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 8. Tickets are $6 for museum members, $9 for non-members, available online.

Comedy

The Pabst Theater: Mike Birbiglia will perform two shows on Saturday, March 8. Doors open at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Tickets range from $29.50-$39.50, available online or call (414) 286-3663.

Special Events

Turner Hall Ballroom: 88Nine Radio Milwaukee Mardi Gras Party with Herman Astro and Extra Crispy Jazz Band on Tuesday, March 4. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.  Tickets are $14 includes dinner by Maxie’s and Milwaukee’s largest king cake, available online or call (414) 286-3663.

Turner Hall Ballroom: Milwaukee’s South By Send Off on Wednesday, March 5 featuring performances by Milwaukee artists. Tickets are $12.45, available online or call. All proceeds will benefit Milwaukee musicians that will be performing in Austin, Texas at the MilwaukeeHome Stage showcase at SXSW on March 12.

Last Chance

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre: October, Before I was Born, through March 9

Milwaukee Repertory Theater: Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie, through March 9. For review of show see https://urbanmilwaukeedial.com/2014/01/theater-still-radical-after-all-these-years/

Acacia Theatre Company: Searching for David’s Heart, through March 9

Ongoing

Milwaukee Repertory Theater: The Whipping Man, through March 16 For review of show see https://urbanmilwaukeedial.com/2014/02/10/theater-a-twisted-tale-of-slavery/

In Tandem Theatre: Chesapeake, through March 16

First Stage: Anatole, through March 16

Fireside Dinner Theatre: Mary Poppins, through April 20

Milwaukee Repertory Theatre: An Iliad, through March 23