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A Place For A Muse: The Emile H. Mathis Art Gallery @ UW – Milwaukee

Entry to the Mathis Gallery, Mitchell Hall Rm 170 © 2024 by Ed Heinzelman

I can’t believe that it has been nearly two years since I posted my first and only A Place For A Muse post. That one was about the Paine Art Center in Oshkosh. I intended to write posts about the museums that I visited and describe their attributes and amenities. If you want to read my original rationale and announcement for the series, check it out here. But I got distracted, mostly by theater. So with the second feature about The Emile H. Mathis Art Gallery at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee, let’s hope I can back on track.

View of Gallery A in the Mathis Gallery from the front entrance. © 2024 by Ed Heinzelman

My original intent was to discuss museums and The Emile H. Mathis Art Gallery isn’t called a museum. But it isn’t a gallery either. It doesn’t have a stable of artists, it doesn’t sell art, it doesn’t hold solo shows for contemporary artists, it isn’t commercial in anyway. It is far more than a gallery…it is the portal into the extensive collection of donated art at UWM. And it serves the university community in a number of ways but to me it seems to be nearly invisible to the wider community in Milwaukee, and that is a shame.

another view of Gallery A in the Mathis Gallery. © 2024 by Ed Heinzelman

The Emile H. Mathis Art Gallery is a 2,400 square foot exhibition space in Room 170 of UWM’s venerable Mitchell Hall. Mitchell Hall is located on the Southeast corner of Downer Ave and Kenwood Ave and Room 170 is on the first floor near the Southwest corner of the building (facing towards Mellencamp Hall and the Student Union). The official address of Mitchell Hall is 3203 North Downer Ave., Milwaukee, WI.

View of Gallery B in the Mathis Gallery. © 2024 by Ed Heinzelman

The Mathis gallery is free and open to the public as well as the university community. But it is only open during the academic year (September through May but not during semester break or spring break) because it is staffed by students. During the current semester, it is open from 11 AM to 4 PM Monday through Thursday. The Emile H. Mathis Art Gallery is part of the university’s Art History Department. And the gallery is named for Emile Mathis who donated his extensive collection of prints on paper to the university.

The university has an extensive holding of art works and objects and they are used in a number of ways. Of course the collection is available to art history students for their study and research. And each year there are a number of thesis shows assembled by graduating art history majors to support their research and field of interest. These shows are primarily sourced from the collection. What a great experience, to be able to search through a collection and pull works that provide insight into your field of interest and then curate a show to share your knowledge with the rest of the community.

Another view of Gallery B in the Mathis Gallery. © 2024 by Ed Heinzelman

And professors and staff also put together any number of shows over the course of a semester or academic year. I have seen some amazing shows. Some of my favorites featured Byzantine Icons, or S.W. Hayter prints, or African Art, and the current show, What the Folk!, which explains and displays the various sub-genre’s of folk art.

Oh, I almost forgot. The UWM collection is also being digitized and shared online. If you want to take a peek or have your own research project underway or just have a favorite artist to look for, here’s the link to the collection!!

Extra Credit Reading: The Mathis Gallery Home Page Is Here! or Plan Your Visit here, if you have a particular question or want to insure the gallery is open when you want to visit, contact them here mathisartgallery@uwm.edu. AND some collection highlights!

The current shows run through May 9, 2024.

another view of the entrance the the Mathis Gallery. © 2024 by Ed Heinzelman

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Nina Simone: Four Women. Gospel to Jazz to Protest to Anthem @MKERep

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Nina Simone: Four Women bridges the divide between drama, musical, cabaret, and social commentary using songs that run the gamut from the titles description, gospel, jazz, protest, and finally anthem. Many of these songs were written or co-written by Nina Simone.

left to right: Gabrielle Lott-Rogers, Brittney Mack, Alexis J Roston, Toni Martin and Matthew Harris at the piano. Photo Courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

Nina Simone: Four Women the play is built from the concept that Simone incorporated in her song, Four Women. She provides us with four characters who represent in some ways, the stereotypes and in others, the realities of life for Black women in America in the mid-1960s. The four women in the song and the play are Aunt Sarah, a servant, to Sephronia, a light skinned young woman, to Sweet Thing, a street tough prostitute, to Peaches, a version of Simone herself.

The play opens in Simone’s studio where she is angry and grieving after the murder of Medgar Evers and the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963. She is determined to write a serious and definitive protest song about those events and civil rights. But she is struggling as she moves from looking at her sheets of music and lyrics to picking out notes on her grand piano. And as time elapses during the play she moves her desire from writing a protest song to creating an Anthem. But along the way she feels and hears the explosions from Birmingham in her mind and the other characters eventually seem to appear out of these episodes.

Alexis J Roston Photo Courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

Alexis J. Roston is an appropriately angry and determined Nina Simone as she struggles with her composition, and my goodness, can she sing! And she very effectively plays off of the other characters as they appear…changing from anger to indignation to empathy and back again. And actively pointing out that they are in truth, all in this together.

Her first interruption is Aunt Sarah in a maid’s outfit and obviously Simone’s maid. But Auntie’s interruption isn’t well received and their views on how to react to events and how to participate in the civil rights movement are in some opposition. Gabrielle Lott-Rogers gives us the calm contained Auntie who at times seems to tease Simone’s efforts at an anthem…and Lott-Rogers too is an amazing songstress here.

right to left: Gabrielle Lott-Rogers, and Toni Martin. Photo Courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

Toni Martin makes the scene as Sephronia, a light skinned Black woman who feels trapped between two cultures. But she is active in Doctor King’s Civil Rights movement and proud to be a participant. And she encourages the other women, particularly Simone to get involved. There is a bit of banter here about Simone’s position in life as a successful entertainer. But Simone insists her best course is to write and record her anthem. Both women are clearly sure of their positions…and Martin gives us a clear picture of a young energized activist.

And finally we have Sweet Thing, a street tough, knife carrying, prostitute, ready to take whatever advantage she can of her position. Brittney Mack has the proper cat like menace to bring the character to life on the Rep’s Quadracci Powerhouse Stage.

And finally we experience the song, Four Women, with all four actresses bringing their personas to the tune until it finally explodes with Simone as Peaches. But scrolling back, we realize all four of these characters came from the mind of Nina Simone to populate her anthem. A timely telling and an exquisite interpretation from Director Malkia Stampley.

Alexis J Roston and Matthew Harris. Photo Courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

And thank heaven for Mathew Harris who plays Sam Wayman who plays Simone’s grand piano so all of these wonderful actors can entertain us with their songs.

Nina Simone: Four Women continues at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Quadracci Powerhouse throught May 12, 2024. Additional information and ticket ordering here~

And Extra Credit Reading: The Program and The Playbill!

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First Stage Provides A Stunning: An Enemy Of The People!

Besides the boisterous and invigorating musicals that they present for children of all ages, by children of all ages, at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, First Stage also features their Young Company, young actors of high school age, in their black box theater in the round at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. The Young Company is ambitious and tackles mature adult plays usually without adult actors involved…and for me…the results are always delicious.

First Stage Young Company Cast in AN ENEMY OF THE
PEOPLE. First Stage, 2024. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.

And this time they have taken on Henry Miller’s adaptation of the Ibsen classic, An Enemy Of The People. Although set in late 19th Century Norway, the story has resonance today. After being away for a short time, Dr. Thomas Stockmann returns home and becomes the medical officer at the newly created medicinal baths that will bring fame and economic growth to his small town. His brother, Peter Stockmann is the town’s mayor and head of the committee running the baths. Thomas does a bit of research and discovers that a series of mysterious illnesses that have been inflicting visitors to the baths is the result of pollution and bacteria in the water that are coming from a tannery up the mountain. He is convinced that once he shares his discovery with the town, that they will stand firmly behind him and fix the issue. But he’s being incredibly naive here. Instead, Peter takes up the opposition and through a series of partial lies, innuendo, and subterfuge, undermines Thomas and it doesn’t end well for the doctor or his family.

John Eash-Scott (Center), and cast in AN ENEMY OF THE
PEOPLE. First Stage, 2024. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.

Dr. Thomas Stockmann is played by John Eash-Scott with an incredible amount of vigor and determination. Totally sure of himself and totally sure of his position, he forges on in his determination to expose the issues around the baths. And as he rounds up support from the local press and small business men, he becomes ever more sure of himself…and Eash-Scott clearly brings that to life on the stage. And even as his brother starts to bring doubt into his mind, he doubles down, and Eash-Scott brings that all to bouncing life.

William Kastner (Left) and John Eash-Scott in AN ENEMY OF THE
PEOPLE. First Stage, 2024. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.

There is certainly a small amount of sibling rivalry here and despite his important position in the town, William Kastner as Mayor Peter Stockmann, makes that plain to see. And it also comes into play as he tries to dissuade he brother from publishing his claims of pollution…is it real civic duty or a bit of envy? And when the brutal bits of open conflict begin, Kastner ramps up Peter’s position of power and clearly becomes the pompous ass that the role requires.

And then there is the press that initially support Dr. Stockmann, but go all in against him when the mayor turns on the heat. Chief among them is editor Hovstad, Elena Marking, who presents the enthusiasm of every young editor about to have the big scoop as they prepare to publish Dr. Stockmann’s report…until they are confronted by Mayor Stockmann, and Marking gives us the unflinching portrayal of the wishy washy turncoat with no feeling or compunction about what is being done. And Hovstad’s change in position is one of the most damaging for Dr. Stockmann, both publicly and personally. And similarly situated is Aslaksen, a town small business leader and publisher of Hovstad’s paper. Madison Jones gives us the properly slippery and slimy turncoat too!

Madison Jones in AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. First Stage, 2024. Photo
by Paul Ruffolo.

One of the side issues revolves around the doctor’s family…as he pushes on with his quest…he loses sight of how it will affect them all. His wife Catherine is aware of what may happen and voices her fears quite clearly. Maya Thomure plays Catherine and easily moves from the happy and carefree hostess and matriarch, to the concerned and warning helpmate. Her daughter, Petra, is an adult and teacher in the local school and Reiley Fitzsimmons gives us an assured and determined young teacher who is willing to support her father and take up his cause against the town.

John Eash-Scott in AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. First Stage, 2024.
Photo by Paul Ruffolo.

The First Stage Young Company’s An Enemy Of The People runs through April 28, 2024 at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. The play runs for two hours plus intermission and is recommended for teens and adults. For more information and to order tickets, click here.

AND, as always, extra credit reading: The Playbill!! and The Enrichment Guide!

This is a Young Company Performance Project — an
actor-driven presentation using elemental production
values. By stripping down to a nearly bare stage, the
connection of actor to audience is enhanced, and
the words of the play come alive in exciting ways,
allowing our award-winning students to showcase
their graduate level skills with full length material,
from Shakespeare to American classics to pieces
commissioned specially for them.

Brinn Hill
Interim Education Director