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Review: Milwaukee Pays Tribute to Hometown Legend in Liberace! | Third Coast Review

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Review: Milwaukee Pays Tribute to Hometown Legend in Liberace! | Third Coast Review


While Chicago can lay claim to many headliners of the past, only Milwaukee had a major influence in the life of a piano prodigy who eventually became known as a superstar, Liberace. The one-man show, Liberace!, is the holiday offering of longtime theater company Milwaukee Chamber Theatre.

As its name implies, the “chamber” part of this company’s title indicates that it performs its shows in a relatively small, intimate space. Only about 100 seats separate the audience from the stage. Opening night was completely sold out, no doubt due to the fact that another Milwaukee theater, the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, staged this production in 2010 and 2014 in its cabaret space.

This time, the Studio Theater has been decked out for the occasion. Multiple crystal chandeliers swing above the audience, and the set (by Scott Davis) is dominated by a gleaming black grand piano. It takes a while for Liberace’s signature candelabra to appear, but it eventually takes its familiar place on the piano. Sets of closed, red velvet curtains in the background conceal some of Liberace’s glitzier outfits. These are revealed in the second act, as Liberace recounts his rise to fame. Credit for the impressive lighting goes to Noele Stollmack.

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The play was written by the theater’s artistic director Brent Hazelton, who was working at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre at the time. The show’s music was composed by Jack Forbes Wilson, with additional compositions by Paul Helm.

Milwaukee native Brett Ryback recreates the charm and talent of Liberace. Photo by Mark Frohna.

This time, the man in glitter is portrayed by Milwaukee native Brett Ryback. Although his resemblance to the real Liberace is slight, he captures the man’s vocal inflections as well as piano flourishes with ease. Ryback is a handsome dude and impresses with his buoyant stage flair. Most importantly, he is able to communicate Liberace’s appeal to audiences worldwide.

These days, only a musical superstar like Taylor Swift approximates the adulation of Liberace in his prime.

Raised in West Allis, Wis., by a doting mother and a demanding father, Ryback’s Liberace takes us chronologically through his timeline on Earth. He grew up poor, as most immigrant families did. He couldn’t pay for schooling, and received scholarships to cover his expenses. Over time, Liberace raised himself up from meager beginnings to become one of the best-known (and best-paid) celebrities of the 20th century.

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For the uninitiated, Ryback points out that Liberace died in 1987, when he was in his late 60s.

However, that doesn’t stop the chatty (deceased) Liberace from commenting about current Milwaukee landmarks. He tells the audience that he is pleased that Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater still stands, although he does not know what to make of the odd-looking structure on the other side of downtown (Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum, home to the Bucks basketball team). He marvels that Milwaukee’s old country stadium is now a mammoth building with a retractable roof (for Milwaukee Brewers games). He is sad that one of Milwaukee’s foremost performing spaces disappeared to the wrecking crane long ago.

For the older members in the audience, Ryback briefly recounts some of the stages he shared with Hildegarde, another popular, one-name Milwaukee performer from yesteryear.

Long before Liberace became known as “Mr. Showmanship,” he studied earnestly at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. His playing impressed even the greatest classical pianists of his time and, for a while, it looked like Liberace would fulfill his father’s ambition of becoming a concert pianist.

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A Performance That Altered the Direction of Liberace’s Career

But a performance in La Crosse, Wis., changed all that. When he began asking for audience requests, someone shouted out, “Three Little Fishies.” Liberace rose to the challenge. He played the piece, and then began experimenting with how other famous composers would tackle the assignment. The performance was an absolute hit, and Liberace found his longed-for connection with his audience. Although he found little love at home, he was able to give and receive affection with his audiences while onstage.

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre recalls one of Milwaukee’s most famous sons in Liberace! Photo by Mark Frohna.

Today, Liberace’s rise to fame would be called “meteoric.” In 1953, he sold two million records. Despite some terrible reviews from New York music critics, Liberace eventually conquered Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, and appeared on the Ed Sullivan TV show, which was filmed in New York.  His was a household name, in the way that Rihanna, Madonna and Prince are for current music lovers.

All this adulation meant a steady stream of cash, which Liberace spent on fabulous homes, cars, jewelry and furs. Interestingly, this very flamboyant man was considered a sex symbol, especially to mature women. His stage outfits began to rival those of Elvis in his Las Vegas years (in fact, Ryback hints that he was a mentor to Elivs in this regard).  In Liberace, costume designer Alex Tecoma knocks audiences out of its socks.

While dropping bits of Hollywood gossip or pounding on the keys, Rybeck is a riveting presence onstage. His musical chops are certainly up to the task, as he delivers tunes by Beethoven and Rachmaninoff. His breathtaking (and very physical) musical presence indicates the adulation audiences felt for him. After every somber musical piece, Ryback would turn to the audience with a wide grin and crack a well-worn joke or two. (The jokes were corny, but squeaky-clean. In those days, nearly every top performer was expected to entertain the whole family.)

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In rare moments, especially near the end of the show, Rybeck tones down the flamboyance and becomes more “authentic.” As a top star of his time, Liberace’s life wasn’t publicity-free. Newspaper gossip columnists hinted at his homosexuality. In later life, Liberace was hounded by a 1982 “palimony” suit brought by a former lover. The story is a trenchant reminder of how actors needed to be “closeted” in those days in order to keep their fans. Ryback talks a bit about how he managed to lead a gay lifestyle under the noses of those who could expose him at any moment. Liberace had scores of lovers over the years, as long as he could keep the details private. But he struggled between keeping this life separate from his public one.

A Sad Ending for a Once-Great Performer

Liberace delves far more deeply into his final years. He recalls being shocked when fellow celebrity (and former lover) Rock Hudson was stricken by AIDS. It wasn’t long afterwards that Liberace’s own health began to deteriorate. Undaunted, he continued to perform in concert until almost the end. He kept his diagnosis to himself, telling only family members and his staff. A few days before he died, a newspaper revealed that he was dying from complications related to AIDS. That seemed to be the final insult to a man who had tried so hard to keep his public image as golden as possible.

Liberace! continues at the Studio Theatre in the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway, through December 10. Running time is 2 hours, 10 minutes, with one intermission. For more information on this and other Milwaukee Chamber Theatre productions, call 414-291-7800, or click on www.Milwaukeechambertheatre.org.

Did you enjoy this post and our coverage of Chicago’s arts scene? Please consider supporting Third Coast Review’s arts and culture coverage by making a donation by PayPal. Choose the amount that works best for you, and know how much we appreciate your support!

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Milwaukee, WI

Community members rally to preserve Milwaukee Public Museum exhibits

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Community members rally to preserve Milwaukee Public Museum exhibits


MILWAUKEE — Ten-year-old Alma Steele, a longtime visitor of the Milwaukee Public Museum, joined a group of supporters Saturday to protest plans for the museum’s relocation.

“We used to go every Saturday morning. My favorite is the butterfly exhibit,” Steele smiled.

This Saturday’s visit was different; she was there to voice her support for keeping the museum in its current building at 800 W. Wells St.

Alma was among more than a dozen individuals expressing their love for the museum and its exhibits, like the Streets of Old Milwaukee and European Village.

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The group is called Preserve Milwaukee, and it aims to advocate for the preservation of beloved exhibits and the character of the current building.

“A lot of these exhibits and displays are endearing to us. These are works of art and should not be destroyed,” Scott Bush, a member of the Board of Directors for the group, said.

The group formed in response to news that the museum is planning to move to a new location, slated to open in 2027, at West McKinley Avenue and North Sixth Street.

“They can build a new museum; it’s a good thing, but we don’t have to destroy this one,” Justin Gaver, another board member, said.

Some exhibits, particularly those integral to the museum’s structure, cannot be relocated to the new site, according to a post on X by the museum.

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Rebecca Ehlers, Vice President of Marketing, Communications, and Visitor Experience for the Milwaukee Public Museum stressed that the current building is roughly $100 million behind on maintenance, which poses a risk to the four million artifacts housed within.

“The building we have is not sustainable for the future,” she said. “All of the items that are the heart will come with us.”

TMJ4 reported in 2022 that there were cracks in the ceiling and walls, along with interior gutters and hanging buckets to catch leaking water.

As construction is underway at the new site, the fate of the current museum will ultimately be decided by Milwaukee County.

Preserve Milwaukee’s members said they will continue working on their campaign to save the building.

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Milwaukee, WI

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff Advocates for Kamala Harris’s Economic Vision at Milwaukee Event – Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper

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Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff Advocates for Kamala Harris’s Economic Vision at Milwaukee Event – Milwaukee Courier Weekly Newspaper


Second Gentlemen Doug Emhoff (Photo/Karen Stokes)

By Karen Stokes

An Economic Opportunity Event featuring Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff took place on Tuesday at Diamond Discs International located on Milwaukee’s northwest side.

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The Second Gentleman began his speech by addressing the escalating situation in Israel and the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in the southern states of North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. He noted that governors in the affected states have indicated that the administration is working hand in hand with them to ensure they have the necessary resources. He emphasized that the President and Vice President are dedicated to supporting these communities well beyond the immediate emergency response phase.

“Everywhere we go, it’s the same thing. People are ready for Kamala to be president of the United States. They’re ready for somebody who understands them, somebody who understands the economy, somebody who actually cares about you and brings real solutions to the table,” Emhoff said.

“She’s taking the fight directly to Donald Trump right to his face. It’s no surprise he’s ducking a second debate because she kicked his ass at the first debate because we need a president whose toughness is actually real — not just this reality TV fake tough guy routine.”

“Kamala Harris is a capitalist,” Emhoff said. “She’s pro-growth, she’s pro-innovation, pro-technology, she’s pro-business but also supports workers. All these things can work at the same time.”

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Even though Kamala Harris’ economic plan does overlap with aspects of Bidenomics, there are also key differences.

Emhoff highlighted Harris’ economic plan as having three tiers.

“First, she aims to lower costs, providing over $100 million in tax cuts. This includes a $6,000 child tax credit for the first year of a child’s life, crucial for families just starting out.

She has a plan to combat price gouging, balancing support for businesses with accountability. Her proposal extends insulin price caps for seniors to all Americans and includes a plan for affordable housing, targeting the construction of three million new homes and offering $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers.”

“The second pillar focuses on investing in innovation and entrepreneurship, with a goal of creating 25 million new businesses in her first term. She plans to allocate one-third of contract dollars to small businesses. The third pillar emphasizes ensuring that America leads in future industries,” he said.

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“More than 90 CEOs have endorsed Kamala. Mark Cuban has made a great case for why Kamala is the right choice for the economy. She’s going to create an economy that works for all of us, it’s forward looking, and it’s going to invest in technology, and innovation. She also knows we have to come together,” Emhoff said. “She knows we have so much more in common than what divides us. This is the most important election of our lifetime. Every single vote is going to matter here in Wisconsin.”

Emhoff referenced Michelle Obama’s quote about the importance of voting in such large numbers that it leaves no doubt and counters any attempts at suppression. “We need to win, and we need to win big,” he stated.

Harris will be in Wisconsin, a critical swing state on Thursday in the Fox Valley.





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History Suggests Mets Are World Series-Bound After Beating Brewers

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History Suggests Mets Are World Series-Bound After Beating Brewers


The Milwaukee Brewers may have been eliminated from the playoffs this week, but their presence in the postseason still looms large.

Thanks to Pete Alonso’s historic, clutch home run in the ninth inning on Thursday night, the New York Mets emerged victorious in Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series. That sent the Brewers packing, while the Mets got to punch their ticket to the NLDS.

And if past results are any indication, New York could wind up going much, much further.

As pointed out by MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy, every team that has beat the Brewers in the postseason has gone on to – at the very least – win a pennant. Six of the eight teams to do so have finished October as World Series champions.

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The Brewers, who played their inaugural season in 1970, made the playoffs for the first time in 1981. They lost to the New York Yankees in the ALDS, setting the Bronx Bombers on the path to their 33rd AL pennant.

The very next year, Milwaukee made it to the World Series themselves, but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.

Following a 25-year postseason drought, the Brewers got knocked out by the eventual World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies in the 2008 NLDS. They reached the NLCS in 2011, only to come face-to-face with the Cardinals, who went on to win the Fall Classic as well.

The 2018 Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Brewers in the NLCS, then lost to the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, but the 2019 Washington Nationals, 2020 Dodgers and 2021 Atlanta Braves all went through Milwaukee on their way to a title. The 2023 Arizona Diamondbacks, although they didn’t win the World Series, also defeated the Brewers en route to an NL pennant.

The Brewers’ postseason opponents have created a pattern – one team will eliminate them, then lose in the World Series, while the next three teams to eliminate them will win the World Series. Since the D-Backs lost in the World Series in 2023, that means the Mets should win it all in 2024, per this purely coincidental pattern.

In order to do so, New York will have to make it past the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. Game 1 of that best-of-five series is scheduled to get underway at 4:08 p.m. ET.

Continue to follow our Fastball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.

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