The Milwaukee Theater District is giving March Madness a whole new meaning. Typically reserved for the unpredictable sporting chaos and fast-paced action that can only be found during the NCAA Tournament, this March, the district’s packed calendar, the excitement of all the shows, large and small, coming to Milwaukee this month is as action-packed as any basketball game. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take and 100% of the shows you don’t make. Here are nine shows you just can’t miss this month.
Plays
The comedy. The tragedy. The delicious drama. The sidesplitting laughs. Far from the hardwood of the madness taking place at Fiserv Forum, here are just a handful of the plays to see in Milwaukee.
“Every Brilliant Thing”
Now – March 16 | Goodman Mainstage Hall
What are some small little slices of life that you love? If one of those things was theater performances that make you laugh so hard your stomach hurts, you’re in luck. “Every Brilliant Thing” is part theater, part stand-up, this show was described by The Guardian as “one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression—and possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop.” Get your tickets today!
“The Last Five Years”
March 21 – May 18 | Stackner Cabaret
Love isn’t bound by logic and it certainly doesn’t adhere to the construct of time. For some, life only makes sense looking backward, while others live in chronological harmony. At the intersection of all these themes, you’ll find “The Last Five Years,” a beautiful and heartbreaking work that tells the story of a New York couple in their twenties who fall in and then out of love with each other over the course of five years from both perspectives, one in linear time, the other in retrospect. Secure your seats here!
“Buyer Seller”
March 21 – April 13 | Renaissance Theaterworks
Did you know that, in Barbara Streisand’s basement, there is a make-believe shopping arcade? Well, in this production, there is anyway. When Alex, an out-of-work actor, gets a job working in this fictional wonderland, he spends his days alone dusting the shelves. That is until Barbara Streisand herself comes down to play pretend. Don’t miss this collaboration with Sturgeon Bay’s Third Avenue PlayWorks that makes you think about the price of fame, the cost of living and the way that the oddest jobs make for the best stories. Buyer tickets here!
“Ride the Cyclone”
March 29-30, April 5-6, April 12-13 | Milwaukee Youth Arts Center
This play opens with a fatal roller coaster accident, cutting the lives of six teenage members of the Canadian chamber choir short…if it sounds bleak, just hear us out. It’s actually a sidesplitting comedy that you can’t miss this month. The youngsters awaken in limbo, where they meet, of all things, a mechanical fortune teller who offers up a challenge: The best storyteller gets the chance to return to their life. Throughout the six perspectives, ranging in musical styling from rock to rap to glam to pop, this play is a hilarious examination of what it means to live a life well-lived. Find your seats!
Concerts
When you buy a ticket to a concert, you’re really buying a ticket to endless sonic possibilities. The unpredictability of a live set. The fan favorites. The covers. The unreleased songs. The moments that stun a crowd into a silent awe. Here are a few to try for March.
Keb’ Mo’ & Shawn Colvin
March 18 at 7 p.m. | Bradley Symphony Center
A star-laden duo, this eight-time Grammy Award-winning lineup will perform their collection of hits against the magnificent backdrop of the Bradley Symphony Center when they come to town in the middle of the month. A genre-bending musician whose fingerprints can be found all over the past three decades of music, Keb’ Mo’ has performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall to The White House, collaborated with many artists, including Taj Mahal, Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, The Chicks, and Lyle Lovett and has hit songs of his own like “Am I Wrong,” “Live is Beautiful” and “I Remember You.” Meanwhile, during those same three decades, Shawn Colvin has amassed 12 albums with standout songs like “Sunny Came Home,” “When You Know” and “Never Saw Blue Like That.” Punch your ticket to a night of Americana. Find your sets here!
Dwight Yoakam and the Mavericks
March 21 at 7 p.m. | Miller High Life Theatre
The Cosmic Roundup & Rodeo Tour gallops into Milwaukee this spring as two-time Grammy-winner Dwight Yoakam and the Mavericks bring “Brighter Days,” Yoakam’s 21st studio album, to the Miller High Life Theatre. Over his four decades in the country music scene, the star has produced a portfolio of hits like “Guitars, Cadillacs,” “Fast as You” and “Streets of Bakersfield.” Milwaukee is just the second stop on this spring/summer cross-country tour! Get your tickets before they sell out.
Red Hot Chili Pipers
March 21 at 7:30 p.m. | Marcus Performing Arts Center
A Friday night concert featuring the bagpipes? Count us in. One of the most famous bagpipe bands on the planet is bringing a show that’s billed as “bagpipes with attitude, drums with a Scottish accent and a show so hot it carries a health warning. Now’s your chance to experience “BAGROCK” for yourself as the multi-platinum, award-winning Celtic rock bands return to Milwaukee this spring. These tickets are red-hot. Get yours today!
The War & Treaty
March 27 at 8 p.m. | Turner Hall Ballroom
Dynamic husband-wife duo Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter are bringing their uplifting and life-affirming songs to Turner Hall Ballroom. Performing their trademark blend of country and soul that has earned the band fans from around the globe as the tandem performed in support of bands like the Rolling Stones and Zach Bryan, The War And Treaty rolls into town on their spring tour, toting their new album “Plus One” as well as hits like “Are You Ready to Love Me,” and features including Zach Bryan’s “Hey Driver,” and Wilder Woods’ “Be Yourself.” Don’t miss out on this one! Find tickets here.
Comedy
When it’s time to roll out the barrel of laughs, there’s really no place better than the Milwaukee Theater District. Here’s just a taste of the top-notch comedians coming to the Cream City.
Aziz Ansari
March 7 at 7 p.m. | The Riverside Theater
You know him from his roles in “Parks & Rec” and “Master of None,” but this time, Aziz Ansari is back in Milwaukee for the first time since 2018 for his very much non-hypothetical “Hypothetical” tour. Coming off his most recent Netflix special, his fifth, entitled “Aziz Ansari: Nightclub Comedian,” the award-winning actor, director, writer and comedian now embarks on a new comedic adventure for what is sure to be a night that’ll have you laughing your whole way home. Get your tickets now!
Adaptive Performances
Milwaukee Theater District shows are for all! Here are some of the adaptive performances from these can’t-miss shows.
"Every Brilliant Thing"
- ASL Interpretated: Friday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m.
"Buyer Seller"
- ASL Interpretated: Thursday, April 3 at 7:30 p.m.
- Open Captions: Saturday, April 5 at 4 p.m.
- Sensory Friendly Performance: Wednesday, April 9 at 1:30 p.m.
- Audio Description Available: Friday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m.
