MILWAUKEE —
MILWAUKEE – Looking for the best things to do in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin this weekend? From Native American Heritage Month celebrations and Broadway stars to magical acrobatics, holiday shopping, live theater and a concert by Pentatonix, here are Sandy Maxx’s top picks for November 13 through November 15.
Cultural Celebrations
Native Art Market
Saturday, November 14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Arts + Literature Laboratory, Madison
Celebrate Native American Heritage Month by discovering beautiful traditional and contemporary Indigenous art created by over 40 Native artists. Browse beadwork, quillwork, weaving, leatherwork, metalwork, basketry and clothing while supporting artists directly. You can also participate in artist-led workshops exploring techniques including porcupine quill jewelry, colorwork knitting and Ho-Chunk quilting and appliqué.
Milwaukee Intertribal Circle Open House
Saturday, November 14, 4-7 p.m., Milwaukee Intertribal Circle, 6510 W. Layton Avenue, Greenfield
The Milwaukee Intertribal Circle welcomes the community to celebrate its new gathering space dedicated to preserving Native American culture, strengthening connections and supporting Indigenous communities. Visitors can tour the facility, meet community members and learn about the organization’s mission. A Tradition of Song and Dance workshop led by John Morrow is also scheduled earlier in the afternoon, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Living Archives: An African Community Day
Saturday, November 14, Noon-4 p.m., Haggerty Museum of Art at Marquette University, Milwaukee
Experience the living traditions of the African diaspora through this free afternoon of art, food, dance and storytelling. The Haggerty Museum becomes a gathering place for cultural exchange and intergenerational learning, featuring African art-inspired storytelling, an African youth dance performance and African food tasting.
CelticMKE Céilí Dance
Saturday, November 14, 7-9:30 p.m., CelticMKE Center, Wauwatosa
Put on your dancing shoes for an evening of traditional Irish music, laughter and community! The Providence Céilí Band provides the music while beloved Irish dance caller Éamonn de Cógáin, known as the Céilí King, guides everyone through the steps. This month’s dance is especially meaningful as CelticMKE celebrates Éamonn’s final monthly céilí before he moves out of state. No experience is necessary.
Fanciful Fun
Fae Ball
Saturday, November 14, 7 p.m., Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts, Fond du Lac
Step into an enchanted world of fairies, folklore and fantasy during the Fae Ball! Guests are encouraged to dress as mythical creatures or characters inspired by The Lord of the Rings, Labyrinth, Harry Potter and The Chronicles of Narnia. The evening features themed bars, live music, dancing and plenty of opportunities to embrace your imagination.
Gravity and Other Myths: Ten Thousand Hours
Friday, November 13, 7:30 p.m., Uihlein Hall at Marcus Performing Arts Center, Milwaukee
Prepare to be amazed by the strength, balance and seemingly impossible feats of eight world-class acrobats from Australia’s Gravity and Other Myths. Their production Ten Thousand Hours explores the countless hours of practice required to master extraordinary physical skills. Expect breathtaking flips, flights, precision and athleticism in a performance celebrating the remarkable things the human body can accomplish.
Holiday Happenings
West Vliet Street Holiday Happenings
Friday and Saturday, November 13-14, West Vliet Street between 43rd and 60th Streets, Milwaukee
Milwaukee’s Washington Heights neighborhood welcomes the holiday season with old-fashioned charm, local shopping and horse-drawn wagon rides. Browse neighborhood boutiques, discover unique gifts, enjoy food from local restaurants and sip warm apple cider. Festivities run Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with complimentary wagon rides offered during designated hours.
Home Plate for the Holidays
Saturday, November 14, 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., American Family Field, Milwaukee
It’s a special holiday photo opportunity that’s a home run for Brewers fans! Families can book a private professional photography session right at home plate inside American Family Field, complete with a personalized message on the stadium scoreboard. Packages include digital photographs, with an optional appearance by Bernie Brewer, creating a uniquely Milwaukee keepsake for holiday cards and family memories during this World Series winning year. Advance reservations and package fees apply.
Pentatonix: Christmas in the City Tour
Saturday, November 14, 7 p.m., Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee
Get into the holiday spirit with the extraordinary harmonies of three-time Grammy Award-winning vocal group Pentatonix! Their Christmas in the City Tour brings contemporary a cappella arrangements, beatboxing, choreography and dazzling production to Fiserv Forum. Expect familiar holiday favorites alongside music from the group’s expanded Christmas in the City album, including the new single “Get Happy / Happy Days Are Here Again.”
On Stage
Big: The Musical
Opening Weekend, Friday, November 13 through Sunday, December 27, Cabot Theatre at Skylight Music Theatre, Milwaukee
Remember the beloved Tom Hanks movie Big? Skylight Music Theatre brings its heartwarming story to the stage with live music, dancing and a reminder that growing up isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be. When 12-year-old Josh Baskin wishes to be big, he wakes up in the body of a 30-year-old man and discovers the complications of adulthood. The family-friendly production features Milwaukee-area performers, live musicians and two alternating youth casts.
A Gift of the Magi
Opening Weekend, Friday, November 13 through Sunday, December 6, Broadway Theatre Center Studio Theatre, Milwaukee
O. Henry’s beloved story of love and sacrifice becomes an intimate musical at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre. Newlyweds Della and Jim each secretly give up something precious to buy the perfect Christmas gift for the other, leading to a touching lesson about generosity and what truly matters. The Milwaukee premiere features music by Tony-nominated composer Josh Schmidt, with live violin and cello accompanying the approximately 90-minute production.
Dad’s Season Tickets
Closing Weekend, Friday-Sunday, November 13-15, Watertown Players Theatre, Watertown
Only in Wisconsin could Green Bay Packers season tickets become the centerpiece of a family musical comedy! Written by Wisconsin musician and playwright Matt Zembrowski, Dad’s Season Tickets follows a father deciding which of his daughters should inherit his coveted Packers tickets. Set during Green Bay’s legendary 1996-97 Super Bowl championship season, the musical blends football fandom, family rivalries and heartfelt Wisconsin humor.
Angel Street (Gaslight)
Closing Weekend, Friday-Sunday, November 13-15, Racine Theatre Guild, Racine
Discover the chilling psychological thriller that helped popularize the term “gaslighting.” In Patrick Hamilton’s Angel Street, a Victorian woman begins questioning her own sanity as objects disappear, mysterious noises fill her home and the gaslights inexplicably dim. Her husband’s increasingly manipulative behavior turns the household into a suspenseful battle of deception, control and truth.
The Caffeinated Book Club of Chestnut Street Performs the U.S. Constitution
Closing Weekend, Friday-Sunday, November 13-15, TNW Ensemble Theater, Madison
What happens when a spirited neighborhood book club decides to stage the U.S. Constitution? Plenty of comedy, debate and unexpected revelations! This World Premiere Wisconsin production transforms the theater into a community center where opinionated book lovers wrestle with American history, democracy and their own disagreements. Expect handmade props, pointed political humor and even a dream sequence featuring intentionally ridiculous wigs and costumes.
Live Music
The Best of Steve Martin and Martin Short
Friday, November 13, 8 p.m., Miller High Life Theatre, Milwaukee
Two comedy legends bring decades of friendship, quick wit and musical talent to Milwaukee! Steve Martin and Martin Short combine stand-up, storytelling, playful insults and live music in a show celebrating their extraordinary careers. Grammy-winning bluegrass musicians Steep Canyon Rangers and pianist Jeff Babko add even more entertainment to this evening of comedy and music.
Seth’s Big Fat Jewish Broadway Show
Saturday, November 14, 7:30 p.m., Harry and Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center, Milwaukee
Broadway comes to Milwaukee with a celebration of Jewish contributions to musical theater! Broadway pianist, writer and host Seth Rudetsky, affectionately known as the Mayor of Broadway, joins acclaimed performer Mandy Gonzalez, whose credits include Hamilton, Wicked and In the Heights. Expect showstopping songs, behind-the-scenes Broadway stories, humor and conversation in an intimate setting.
Want more Mandy Gonzalez? Watch the full conversation with this Broadway star.
Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin Evening
Saturday, November 14, 7 p.m., The Riverside Theater, Milwaukee
The legendary music of Led Zeppelin comes roaring back to the stage with a direct connection to the original band. Jason Bonham, son of iconic Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, leads a powerful tribute featuring the group’s greatest rock anthems and unforgettable guitar riffs. It’s a chance for longtime fans and new generations to experience the sound of one of rock’s most influential bands.
Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra: Music for the Royal Fireworks
Saturday and Sunday, November 14-15, Bradley Symphony Center, Milwaukee
Let the musical fireworks begin! The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra performs George Frideric Handel’s spectacular Music for the Royal Fireworks, originally composed for a grand celebration marking the end of a European war and the signing of a peace treaty. Guest conductor Matthew Halls leads a program filled with triumphant brass fanfares, elegant Baroque music and works by Rameau, Muffat and Bach. MSO Principal Oboe Katherine Young Steele is featured in Bach’s expressive concerto for oboe d’amore.
Kids MusicFest
Sunday, November 15, 1-5 p.m., Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, Milwaukee
Let the kids make some noise! This free, hands-on music festival introduces young people to the joy of making music through an instrument petting zoo, percussion-led drum circles, workshops and performances by local youth ensembles. Families can connect with more than 20 music organizations, decorate T-shirts, make art, join a parade and meet favorite children’s characters including Clifford, Curious George and Pete the Cat.
Festival of the Spheres
Sunday, November 15, 5 p.m., Shattuck Auditorium, Waukesha
Blast off on an orchestral journey through outer space without leaving Wisconsin! The Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra’s flagship Senior Symphony presents a celestial concert featuring music by Claude Debussy, Lili Boulanger and John Williams, including selections from Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The evening culminates with Gustav Holst’s magnificent The Planets, a musical journey inspired by the planets of our solar system.
Looking Ahead – Trivia Night!
Kapco Kids2Kids Trivia Showdown Night
Thursday, November 19, 7 p.m., Wauwatosa, Leff’s Lucky Town
Put your trivia skills to the test for a great cause! Join WTMJ’s Sandy Maxx and ESPN Milwaukee’s Steve “The Homer” True on Thursday, November 19, as they co-host a special WTMJ Trivia Showdown benefiting the Kapco Kids2Kids Toy Drive. Gather your friends for a fun, free night of trivia, friendly competition and holiday cheer while helping make the season brighter for children across southeastern Wisconsin. Trivia is free to play and donations are welcomed.
Keep up with culture and creativity in Wisconsin and around the world with “What’s On Tap with Sandy Maxx” weekdays at 6 p.m. on WTMJ.
