Gallery Night MKE Goes Beyond the Canvas, Shakespeare in the Park, and a Story of Freedom

Gallery Night MKE takes center stage on this episode of What's On Tap with Sandy Maxx on WTMJ, celebrating the artists, galleries, and creative experiences that make Milwaukee a cultural destination. Get your guide to one of the city’s biggest arts events with Wisconsin artist Karen Elwing, whose colorful Door County-inspired oil paintings will be featured at Skylight Music Theatre, along with Kim Storage and artist Megan Woodard Johnson, who preview the vibrant “Color Play” exhibition at Kim Storage Gallery. The conversation continues with a look at the Milwaukee Night Market, the popular downtown event bringing together local makers, artists, musicians, food vendors, and thousands of visitors for an unforgettable celebration of Milwaukee’s creative community. The episode also highlights more of the city’s cultural calendar, including Optimist Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park 2026 season. Executive director Susan Scot Fry shares how puppets, professional actors, and family-friendly performances are making Shakespeare more accessible with productions of Richard III and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Plus, filmmaker Michael Jahr and Milwaukee High School of the Arts choral director Raymond Roberts discuss the powerful Wisconsin story of Joshua Glover, a freedom seeker whose rescue helped shape the abolitionist movement and the birth of the Republican Party. Hear how students are contributing original choral recordings to the upcoming feature-length documentary Liberty at Stake.