The Milwaukee Post

April 4, 2014 • Milwaukee County Post • 17 'Crash' teaches lessons Milwaukee Film Festival call for entries now open Post Staff MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee Film is now accepting entries for the sixth annual Milwaukee Film Festival, to be held Sept. 25 through Oct. 9. Works of all genres, forms, and lengths are considered. The deadline for all entries is Monday, June 23. For a third year in a row, the festival is offering free submission for all films. The entry form and complete informa- tion regarding eligibility for the 2014 Milwaukee Film Festival Call for Entries is available at http://mkefilm.org/call-for- entries. Questions regarding submissions may be directed to entry@mkefilm.org. "Our annual call for entries is an excit- ing time for the organization," Artistic and Executive Director Jonathan Jackson said. "Last year, a large portion of our local showcase was made up of filmmakers unknown to us. It's a sign of a healthy film community that the filmmaking pool is expanding at this rate. We can't wait to see what's cooking out there this year." Also returning this year is The Milwaukee Youth Show, a showcase of short films by and for filmmakers ages 18 and under. In an ongoing effort to inspire and pro- mote filmmaking in southeastern Wisconsin, Milwaukee Film offers a film- maker-in-residence program each year to the filmmaker who receives the Cream City Cinema Award. The program enables the winning filmmaker to make a new film using the support, guidance, and resources provided by Milwaukee Film. Once com- pleted, the film will premiere at the Milwaukee Film Festival. Past recipients were Michael T. Vollman, "Before You," 2013; Chris James Thompson, "The Jeffrey Dahmer Files," 2012; Michael Hawkins-Burgos, "Don't Go," 2011; Tate Bunker, "Mickey Burgermeister," 2010; and John Roberts, "Mary's Friend," 2009. The Milwaukee Film Festival also will offer its annual Herzfeld Competition Award to one of the eight films selected to be a part of the competition program, pre- sented by the Heil Family Foundation. The winning film is determined by a jury of selected industry professionals, which in past years has included The Dissolve Editor Scott Tobias, Oscar-winning cine- matographer Vilmos Zsigmond, Music Box Films Head of Sales & Acquisitions Andrew Carlin, Rolling Stone Senior Editor David Fear and Remote Area Medical co-director Farihah Zaman. In addition, non-juried audience awards, pre- sented by Allan H. (Bud) and Suzanne L. Selig, are given to the top-rated short- and feature-length films based on audience rat- ings. A crowd of 55,194 filmgoers attended the 2013 film festival, which screened 241 films and boasted 64 sold-out screenings. A record 212 filmmakers and industry profes- sionals were in attendance for last year's festival. Passes and ticket six-packs go on sale in April for this year's festival, with the best prices available to Milwaukee Film Members. For information on how to become a member, visit http://mkefilm.org/membership. Tickets for individual screenings will be available through Milwaukee Film Festival box office starting Sept. 10 for Milwaukee Film Members and Sept. 11 for the general public. By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic MILWAUKEE – First Stage Children's Theatre's "Crash" offers a lesson in toler- ance and respect for all ages. In a well- honed production that provided five young actors meaty roles, we observe seven out of the eight characters growing in under- standing as they encounter the challenges of self-acceptance and acceptance and appreciation of others, especially those who are different from themselves. The play opens with Crash wallowing in his football prowess, having just cele- brated making six touchdowns in one game, but also expressing some disap- pointment at the fact that no one in his family comes to his games. Mike, a new kid, wanders by to get acquainted, figuring that he can best make the transition to his new school if he can make an impression on the popular athletic star Crash. Both boys soon bond over their self-impressed attitudes and their interest in football. We soon meet Penn, a neighbor who comes from a lower economic group, and whose interests lie in ecology and caring for his pet turtle Oliver. He is considered a nerd by Crash and Mike and is not deemed cool enough to measure up to their status. However, Crash's younger sister Abby is on Penn's wavelength, and another new- comer, Jane, soon aligns herself with him, as well. So the clashes begin, not only between the young people but also between Crash and his parents as they battle to balance their work lives with their roles as par- ents. Crash and Abby's colorful grandpa Scooter soon enters the scene and proves a cata- lyst in the process of e v e r y o n e ' s gaining a new perspec- tive. The only c h a r a c t e r who remains unchanged is Mike, who still persists in his bullying at the play's end. The cast of young performers on the day I saw the play were very impressive. William Esty handles his leading role as Crash with understanding and credibility. Matthias Wong as Penn captures the strength and wisdom of this little charac- ter who seems undaunted by other peo- ple's opinions and just bravely follows his own path. As I was leaving the theater with my 9-year-old grandson, he said that he liked Penn the best and that I should tell people that. He got it, I thought to myself. The adult cast, consisting of Deborah Staples, Jonathan Wainwright and Robert Spencer, was very strong, but the young actors – Elliott Brotherhood (Mike), Mary Elsa Henrichs (Jane) and Claire Zempel (Abby) plus the aforementioned above, are the stars in this one. Well directed by the ubiquitous Mary MacDonald Kerr, "Crash" is a story that provides entertainment and many life les- sons. We can all learn a lot from each other if we pay attention and are open to the pos- sibility that no one knows it all. Submitted photo Young performers Seth Horne as Crash and Benjamin Kindler as Penn are shown running in First Stage's "Crash." In the background, adult actors Jonathan Wainwright, Robert Spencer and Deborah Staples watch. At a glance "Crash" runs through April 13 at Todd Wehr Theater at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St., Milwaukee. For show times and tickets, call 414-273-7206 or visit www.firststage.org. Post Staff SOUTH MILWAUKEE – Classically infused, indie pop rock band I'm Not A Pilot and the 70-member Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra will appear together for the first time at 7:30 p.m. April 25 at the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, 901 15th Ave. "We selected (the) MYSO for this concert because we know that the students' energy and skill will bring another level of excite- ment to the stage," said Peter Thomas, the band's electric cellist and also cellist for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. "We are thrilled for this opportunity to pair the sensitive, yet fun – driving, yet ten- der work of the band with the myriad of col- ors, textures and harmonies available to the symphony. It's an honor to share the stage with I'm Not a Pilot," said Linda Edelstein, executive director of the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra. The band chose international composer and arranger Jim Gray of Nashville to cre- ate the orchestral charts for the MYSO. Gray has worked with an array of artists and groups, including New York Metropolitan Opera star Jeffrey Wells, R&B legends Patti LaBelle and Jonathan Butler and pop-rock artists The Flaming Lips and Imagine Dragons. The new charts arrived in Milwaukee earlier this month and include arrangements for eight songs composed by I'm Not A Pilot. Chad Piechocki, director of the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, called the concert "a rare opportunity to experi- ence one of Milwaukee's favorite bands playing original music with a full orchestra accompanying them." Tickets range from $12 to $29 and can be ordered by calling 766-5049 or visiting www.southmilwaukeepac.org. I'm Not A Pilot, symphony to perform

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