The Milwaukee Post

16 • Milwaukee County Post • May 25, 2018 MILWAUKEE — Local actress and soprano Natalie Ford will perform in Looking for Love, a concert featuring ballads and duets from beloved musicals and Broadway hits. The concert, set for 5 p.m. June 1, is a part of Grace Lutheran Church's First Fridays, a free-and-open-to- the-public con- cert series in the church's sanctuary, 1209 N. Broadway, offering music selections on the first Friday of every month. Ford is joined by fellow local talents Tim Rebers, tenor and Maggie Rebers, pianist. "The First Fridays concert series gives the downtown community not only an opportunity to experience world-class music, but also a chance to get to know new neighbors and Grace's caring ministry," the Rev. Aaron M. Strong, who oversees com- munity outreach at Grace, said. This isn't the first time the theater and the church have crossed paths — the newly minted Grace in the Ward, a second site ministry for Grace Lutheran led by Strong, holds Sunday morn- ing worship services at The Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway in the his- toric Third Ward of Milwaukee. Ford's theatrical résumé includes Cinderella in "Into the Woods" by Skylight, Mary Magdalene in "Jesus Christ Superstar" by In Tandem, and Martha Jefferson in Milwaukee Opera Theatre's "1776," which featured a slew of local Milwaukee talent, including Tim Rebers as Edward Rutledge. Rebers, a member of Grace and co-coordinator of First Fridays along with his wife and local talent Maggie, are in "Urinetown," Skylight's final production of the 2017-2018 season. Free concert series to spotlight Natalie Ford in Looking for Love Ford Skylight brings across 'Urinetown' satirical points By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic MILWAUKEE — After the first few minutes, one quickly realizes that this show with the rather sur- prising name of "Urinetown" is a spoof on musicals but also a show with a serious theme. It combines satire, even a lit- tle farce, it uses a narrator who doubles as a character, but beneath the melodra- matic exaggerations, there lies a meatier message. The easily transformed set design by Brandon Kirkham and the costumes by Karin Simonson Kopischke reflect the sharp contrast between the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless, the rulers and the ruled. Senator Flip (Doug Jarecki) represents the inevitable connection between the wealthy and the politicians. But note the names of the characters; many of them are blatant reflections of the charac- ter's personality. The show lambasts greed, cruelty, the conniv- ing of politicians and peo- ple's unawareness of the fact that natural resources are limited, and we should have the foresight to deal with that fact before disas- ter strikes. The show's dual goals are that of delivering an important message amid satirizing some of the con- ventions of the typical musical. One recognizes patterns and scenes from "Fiddler on the Roof," "Les Miserables," "West Side Story" and even a glimpse of "Into the Woods," to name a few. As with most musicals there is a love story, a clash of values or economic class- es, and a sampling of char- acters who take action and those who grumble but sur- render. The music under the direction of David Bonofiglio and choreogra- phy by Ryan Cappleman are both spectacular. The voices of Bobby Strong, played by Lucas Pastrana, the leader of the Revolution, and the rebellious daughter, Hope Cladwell, portrayed by Rachael Zientek, are both impressive. Other standouts in the cast include Rick Pendzich as Officer Lockstock as well as The Narrator, Amber Smith as the tough Penelope Pennywise, Kaylee Annable as vulnera- ble Little Sally, and Steven M. Koehler as the conniving and ruthless Caldwell B. Cladwell. Some of the most memo- rable musical numbers are "Urinetown," "It's a Privilege to Pee" and "Follow Your Heart," the traditional love ballad. The collection of voices and the array of comic actors that director Ray Jivoff has gathered is outstanding. Beauty and the edge that this show requires are both on display here. The winner of many Tony Awards, "Urinetown" by Mark Hollman and Greg Kotis will continue to amuse us while delivering a much-needed reminder to respect and conserve the natural resources that sus- tain us all. This show is highly rec- ommended. Jivoff and a tal- ented staff have combined all the elements of a stellar production. Submitted photo Rachael Zientek, center (Hope Cladwell) and the cast in rehearsal for Skylight Music Theatre's production of "Urinetown, The Musical," running through June 10 at the Broadway Theatre Center. Submitted photo Lucas Pastrana, top (Bobby Strong), Zach Thomas Woods (Tiny Tom/Ensemble), Jenna K.Vik (Soupy Sue/ensemble) and Kaylee Annable, bottom (Little Sally) in rehearsal for Skylight Music Theatre's produc- tion of "Urinetown, The Musical." ENTERTAINMENT "Urinetown, The Musical" The musical runs through June 10 at the Skylight Music Theatre in the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee. Call 414-291-7800 or visit sky- lightmusictheatre.org. At a glance

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