Black Arts MKE's cherished holiday tradition returns for its eighth year, with a reimagined and elevated experience. Black Nativity by Langston Hughes will grace the stage for one remarkable weekend from December 7 to December 10, 2023, at Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, Marcus Center. This new and uplifting retelling of Hughes’ timeless 1961 play telling the story of the … [Read more...] about ‘Black Nativity by Langston Hughes’ returns with new director and renewed vision
Arts and Entertainment
MKE Black Theatre Festival, Aug. 9-27: Check out the full schedule and get tickets
New this year is that the festival is three weeks long, instead of one week as in previous years. Get ready film buffs, the 2023 MKE Black Theatre Festival schedule has been revealed. Organizers said in a statement Tuesday, July 18, 2023, that the three-week-long "celebration of black arts and culture" will be held Aug. 9 - 26, 2023. Black Arts MKE is producing the … [Read more...] about MKE Black Theatre Festival, Aug. 9-27: Check out the full schedule and get tickets
Black Arts Fest MKE at Summerfest Grounds on Saturday, August 5, 2023
Family-fun festival celebrates African Heritage and Black Cultural Arts Black Arts Fest MKE (BAFMKE) announced its annual festival to be held on the Summerfest grounds on Saturday, August 5, 2023 from noon – 10 p.m. This family-fun festival celebrates the deep roots of African heritage and the creativity of black cultural arts. The theme, “Doing It For The Culture”, was … [Read more...] about Black Arts Fest MKE at Summerfest Grounds on Saturday, August 5, 2023
‘Queen of rock ‘n’ roll’ Tina Turner dies at 83
Tina Turner, the American- born singer who left a hardscrabble farming community and abusive relationship to become one of the top recording artists of all time, died on Wednesday, May 24, 2023 at the age of 83. She died peacefully after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, her representative said. Turner began her career in the 1950s during … [Read more...] about ‘Queen of rock ‘n’ roll’ Tina Turner dies at 83
Harry Belafonte, activist and entertainer with a ‘rebel heart,’ dies at 96
Harry Belafonte, the dashing singer, actor and activist who became an indispensable supporter of the civil rights movement, has died, his publicist Ken Sunshine told CNN. He was 96. Belafonte died Tuesday, April 25, 2023, of congestive heart failure, Sunshine said. Belafonte was dubbed the “King of Calypso” after the groundbreaking success of his 1956 hit, “The Banana … [Read more...] about Harry Belafonte, activist and entertainer with a ‘rebel heart,’ dies at 96
Patti LaBelle announces date for rescheduled Riverside Theater show
Patti LaBelle will return to Milwaukee in May 2023 for a rescheduled concert after a bomb threat cut short her performance in December 2022. The concert will be at 8 p.m. on May 10. Doors will open at 7 p.m. All previously issued tickets and parking passes will be honored at the Riverside Theater on the new date and do not need to be exchanged. If the new show date … [Read more...] about Patti LaBelle announces date for rescheduled Riverside Theater show
Local author celebrates release of new book: Reflections!
Terry Wells-Jones grew up in a small town in the Deep South during the Jim Crow era in the 1950s. After a traumatic experience in her life, her family moved to Milwaukee, WI, where she graduated magna cum laude from North Division High School and was awarded a four-year academic scholarship to the University of Wisconsin majoring in pre-med and business administration. She is … [Read more...] about Local author celebrates release of new book: Reflections!
Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, DJ for ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show,’ dead at 40
Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the amiable DJ for “Ellen DeGeneres Show” and dancer who rose to fame on “So You Think You Can Dance,” has died, his wife, fellow dancer Allison Holker Boss, confirmed in a statement to CNN. He was 40. “It is with the heaviest of hearts that I have to share my husband Stephen has left us,” Holker Boss said in a statement. “Stephen lit up every room … [Read more...] about Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, DJ for ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show,’ dead at 40
‘Beehive’ chronicles changing times through music
By Jacquelyn D. Heath Special to The Milwaukee Times If you were alive and conscious during the decade of the 1960s, you may remember it as a time of relative innocence that built up to radically changing mores. For women, it was a time of coming out front, finding a social and political voice, and being recognized as individuals and as an important demographic group. A … [Read more...] about ‘Beehive’ chronicles changing times through music
Lena Horne Theatre dedication celebrates the relationship between the late performer and the Nederlander Organization
The Lena Horne Theatre is the latest Broadway house to be renamed for a black artist. On November 1, 2022, the venue, owned by the Nederlander Organization and the current home of “Six,” revealed its new marquee in a dedication ceremony and block party outside the theater on 47th Street. Led by Broadway royalty (LaChanze, Audra Mc- Donald, Tamara Tunie and Vanessa Williams — … [Read more...] about Lena Horne Theatre dedication celebrates the relationship between the late performer and the Nederlander Organization