Glitz and Glitter: Jack Forbes Wilson sparkled in his role as Liberace in the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s production about the iconic entertainer who grew up in West Milwaukee. Wilson channeled the charming Mr. Showmanship while playing an amazing repertoire from ragtime to Liszt and telling the poignant story of the entertainer’s life.
On hand were the show’s playwright/director Brent Hazelton and stage manager Becky Merold. Also spotted in the crowd were Cari Taylor-Carlson, head of the Walking and Eating Society, with society member Rochelle Ciurro; Kato and Bob Schley; Renaissance Theaterworks’ Susan Fete and her husband, Jeff, there for the second time; Lanie Taylor, daughter Mary Vi White and granddaughter Sasha Schroeder with pal Heidi von Hagke, who owns Marsh Hill antiques with her husband, Mark. The ladies all wore alpaca vests from Daley's Pleasant Hill Farm Yurt Store. Ken Robinson and wife Pat Luebke tabled stage-side with Tom Wolfgraf and Kaye Wolfgraf Vance. Kristin Olson, the Stackner Cabaret’s manager, ran a tight ship at the sold-out performance.
Clean Water: Jeff Martinka, executive director of Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust (Sweet Water), hosted a seasonal get-together at Riverfront Pizzeria for engineers, civic officials, concerned contractors and others interested in clean water. Martinka, celebrating his one-year anniversary with the organization, greeted business partners and pals such as Cheryl Nenn, Milwaukee Riverkeeper; Menomonee Valley activist Peter McAvoy; Tom Grisa, Brookfield public works director; and Nadia Bogue, of 16th Street Community Health Center.
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Also partying were UWM’s Nancy Frank; Dr. Jennifer Runquist, biochemistry researcher at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and her husband, Al; Gail Epping Overholt, of UW-Extension; the DNR’s Marsha Burzynski; Paul Lohmiller and Randy Videkovich from Graef-USA Engineering; Gerald Demers from Shaw Environmental & Infrastructure Group; Daniel Lanzdorf; and consultant Jeff Bentoff.
White Truffle Extravaganza: Bacchus hosted a triumphant seven-course dinner featuring the famed white truffle that sells for up to $3,500 a pound. The meal was created by nine chefs from the Bartolotta Restaurant group, including Adam Siegel from Bacchus and Lake Park Bistro, Carlos Deleon from Harbor House, and Brent Perszyk from Mr. B’s. Even Paul Bartolotta of Ristorante di Mare in the Wynn Las Vegas flew in for the occasion. Kyle Cherek, host of “Wisconsin Foodie,” filmed the culinary gala for an upcoming show.
At the bar out front, bartender Brian Ojer served rounds of holiday cheer to several Cudahy Tower tenants, including lobbyist Moira Fitzgerald and Abby Christofferson.
Here Come Da Judges: A mid-December party promoting progressives running for Wisconsin Supreme Court justice sparked conversation over holiday beverages and culinary tidbits in the North Star Bistro’s lively new Oakland Avenue digs. Grassroots Northshore chairman Keith Schmitz presided over the fund-raiser, attended by candidate Marla Stephens, backed by her political director, Mike Pomerantz.
Sarah Krasin and Dave Broker of HSG Campaigns were drumming up support for Joel Winnig. Among the savvy political stalwarts on hand were Lucia and Pete Petrie, Doug Cvetkovich, who’s running for Port Washington-Saukville School Board, and Scott Viar. The bar was also abuzz with the then-new rumor that philanthropist Chris Abele was thinking about a run for county executive.
In the Bistro’s “Family Room,” North Shore Moms Club held its annual holiday party with an abundance of little critters. Informal chair Jessie Schaub, with husband John and kids Ruby and Gus, circulated, along with Katie Barry and her husband, John,and Colleen Buckley and her husband, Kevin, and their crew; Andy and Dominique Ulijasz, with their adorable 19-month-old daughter, Raina; as well as pharmacist duet Chrissy and Dean Gruber, with tykes Matthew, Megan and Max in tow.
Elsewhere in the eatery, John Eckl met up with friend Brian Hagan, CFO of Fiserve. And surprising Peggy Schmidt on her Big 55 was a clutch of revelers, including husband Paul, son Drew, and her Shorewood High School pals, including Lynn Hutchinson, Joy Curter, Karen Myles, Tim Somers, Susan Anthony, acupuncturist Jodie Curro Heinrich and her husband, Steve, plus Ray and Lee Ann Dzelzkalns of MindBodySpirit Integration.
New Bistro general manager Anna Gaborsky, fresh from a stint at COA Restaurant, kept her trained eye on all the evening’s events.
Caffeinated Music:John Sieger and Jeffrey Foucault played to an appreciative crowd at the rear of the Alterra on Prospect Café, where bean roasting used to take place. Listening on were Alterra co-founder Paul Miller, Ken and Melinda Krei of Third Ward Records, Duane Dudek and Kathy Flanigan, Dena Aronson and Rusty Borkin. Josh Adams, president of Mindpool Productions, filmed the show for future webcasting. He was there with his wife, Milwaukee Art Museum’s Sandi Anderson.
On the Town: During a pause at the Aloft w xyz bar, bartender/writer/Alchemist Theatre performer Kirk Thomsen told how the hotel is working on turning lobby and other first-floor space into performance/art showcases. Performing in the background were bassist/keyboardist Mitch Cooper, drummer Brian Bruendl and Bad Boy singer Xeno.
If you have any tips for Boris and Doris, contact them at borisanddorisott@aol.com. Their next column will appear in the Jan. 13 issue of the Shepherd.
