Forte’s Christmas radio show makes a big splash on the air waves

By Marilyn Jozwik

The Christmas season is like a stocking overflowing with treats of entertainment. But like moths to light, folks seem to gravitate to those familiar feel-good stories with universally positive messages.

And there’s none more positive than the power of believing on display in the time-honored “Miracle on 34th Street.” In fact, the 1947 film, starring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn, has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.”

Forte Theatre Company has brought back the first show they produced in December of 2019, “Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play.” The show is adapted from the 1947 radio broadcast by Lance Arthur Smith. This version adds some jazzy original music and unique arrangements of old favorites by Jon Lorenz. And of course, the beloved story of the department store Santa who thinks he’s the real deal and a little girl’s conversion to believing never grows old. Randall Dodge directs.

Molly Kempfer, from left, Michael Trimboli, Lydia Rose Eiche and Sean Lambie are lively, animated characters as they sing “Toy Department” in a scene from Forte Theatre Company’s “Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play.” Liam Ledford, the sound designer, and Alexus Coleman, as Susan Walker, are in the background.

In this version, the audience plays the studio audience of 1947, complete with “On Air” and “Applause” signs. The performers in the live radio show play the parts of well-known actors and actresses, who introduce themselves before the show begins. It is a show within a show.

Forte’s show at Martin Luther Performing Arts Center is in an intimate space that nicely mimics a radio studio, offering the audience an opportunity to experience what live radio was like. Performers use scripts as they would have done for the radio play, although in this show they were virtually unused in Act 2.

The announcer of the radio show, played by Alex Chilsen, also is the narrator and accompanies vocalists on the piano. Chilsen also serves as the show’s music director and plays a number of small roles. He has the perfect radio voice and handles his many duties wonderfully.

Robert Zimmerman is Kris Kringle, who is at the center of the story. His insistence that he is Santa Claus leads to a dramatic, and sometimes humorous, courtroom scene. The outcome will determine whether the kindly oldster should be spending his days in an institution or continue to spread his message of hope. Zimmerman has the right look and demeanor to make even the audience believe.

The quartet of Molly Kempfer, Sean Lambie, Lydia Eiche Rose and Michael Trimboli puts the spice in this wassail for some delicious harmonies and solos. All four have multiple roles and handle the original tunes and creative versions of old favorites with flare.

The announcer (Alex Chilsen) accompanies the radio performers in a scene from Forte Theatre Company’s “Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play.”

The clever “King Wenceslas” trio of tunes, that goes from jazzy to mellow, is especially appealing. Kempfer beautifully handles all the unexpected pacing and pausing in “Jazzy Halls” and “Melancholy Halls,” giving the old favorite a fresh sound.

As Doris Walker, Kempfer’s character evolves from the practical mom who has no use for fairy tales or make-believe, to one of Kringle’s converts. She is nicely paired with Lambie, who handles the role of Fred Gaily, Doris’s neighbor and love interest. I loved his twitchy Mr. Sawyer, Macy’s psychologist who deems Kris Kringle unfit, and his Irish priest with his thick brogue. Trimboli is another one of the cast’s Swiss Army knives, effectively handling roles of a number of characters including the DA, Thomas Mara.

Eiche and Kempfer are real crowd-pleasers with their hilarious portrayals of children. Eiche also belts out the tunes with relish and audience engagement, always adding something special to her roles.

Alexus Coleman is the star atop the tree with her role as Susan Walker, Doris’s daughter, who is skeptical of the existence of Santa. She nicely delivers in song her letter to Santa.

Ledford does a marvelous job adding layers of sound such as doors opening and closing, footsteps and dishes being cleared to enhance the show.

Forte’s show is filled with everything you need to make the holiday merry – a story of hope, sparkling performances, wonderful tunes and a sprinkling of snowflakes covering the stage at the end.

If you go:

Who: Forte Theatre Company

What: “Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play”

When: Through Dec. 21

Where: Martin Luther Performing Arts Center, 5201 S. 76th St., Greendale

Info/Tickets: fortetheatrecompany.com/414-366-3634

Sunset's 'Nuncrackers' delivers a sackful of music, mishaps and merriment

By Marilyn Jozwik

As we were leaving a recent performance of Sunset Playhouse’s “Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical,” we heard one audience member exclaim, “I wish I would have had nuns like that in school.”

Indeed, the fun-loving Little Sisters of Hoboken don’t resemble the stern, black-and-white-clad women many Catholics remember.

If you’re a regular theater-goer, you’ve probably seen one of Dan Goggin’s “Nunsense” shows. There are nine of them, including one in which men play the roles of the sisters, one that sends the sisters to Hollywood, even a Yiddish version that sees the nuns stepping in at the last minute to perform “Fiddler on the Roof.”

The sisters in “Nuncrackers” are producing a cable TV Christmas special that includes the dubious talents of the Reverend Mother (Paula Garcia) and several of the other sisters including Mary Hubert (Heather Houdlett), Robert Anne (Margaret Teshner), Mary Paul (Veronica B. Tooke) and Mary Leo (Nya Cymone Udengwu). Joining the good sisters are Fr. Virgil (Jack Lynch) and five students from Mt. Saint Helen’s School: Louise (Katie Kriegl), Maria (Aubrey Reuter), Billy (Ilyana Mallegni), John (Louisa Glick-Johnson) and Francis (Alice Paff). Beth Burrows directs.

There are loads of merriment, mishaps and music that have made the “Nunsense” franchise so popular. There is nary a serious moment to be had (OK, maybe a couple), so wear something loose and get ready for a sack full of belly laughs

Children from Mt. Saint Helen’s School join the sisters and Fr. Virgil for the opening of their cable TV special in the basement of St. Helen’s School in a scene from Sunset Playhouse’s “Nuncrackers.” Photo by Katrina Smith

Tooke as Sister Mary Paul, aka Sister Amnesia, gets the ball rolling as she dispenses hilarious Secret Santa gifts to several audience members. Tooke, whose Sister Amnesia is more ditsy than forgetful, engages wonderfully with the audience and delivers a charming “Santa Ain’t Coming to Our House” with a Dolly Parton voice. She also leads the students in cute malaprop carols, which the audience loved.

As Sister Mary Annette, Odengwu leads a wall of puppets in a rousing, nicely delivered “Twelve Days Prior to Christmas.”

Another highlight of Act One is Garcia’s Reverend Mother’s song about growing up in the carnival, “A Carnival Christmas.” Garcia is a natural as the head of this rowdy bunch and is perfect for the many song-and-dance tunes. Her ad libs and comic timing make her scenes notable, including the very funny Catholic Home Shopping Service bit with Fr. Virgil.

Sisters Mary Paul (Veronica B. Tooke), Robert Anne (Margaret Teshner) and Mary Hubert (Heather Houdlett) perform a jazzy “The Three Kings” in a scene from Sunset Playhouse’s “Nuncrackers.” Photo by Katrina Smith

Zietlow’s Fr. Virgil tackles the riotous “Sister Julia’s Cavalcade of Christmas Cooking.” Sister Julia, Child of God, who had poisoned 52 nuns at one time, cannot be part of the cooking segment so Fr. Virgil takes over and ends up drinking most of the rum for the fruitcake he’s making. You can imagine how that goes!

“The Nutcracker Ballet” to end Act One is a brief version featuring nuns in tutus and other costumes to bring laughs rolling right into intermission.

Houdlett, Teshner and Tooke, as Sisters Hubert, Robert Anne and Amnesia, render a fun and jazzy “The Three Kings,” featuring a salad-shooter among the gifts and shopping bags from Harrod’s.

Perhaps the highlight of the night is “In the Convent,” a Village People sort of number that features Houdlett’s Sister Hubert doing a Tina Turner-like C-O-N-V-E-N-T, and “YMCA”-like letter recreations. A real crowd-pleaser!

Fr. Virgil (Matthew Zietlow) takes over “The Cavalcade of Christmas Cooking” for Sister Julia, Child of God, with hilarious results in a scene from Sunset Playhouse’s “Nuncrackers.” Photo by Katrina Smith

Houdlett comes back with another audience favorite as she belts out “It’s Better to Give” with real flare.

The kids did well with their tunes and movements, especially in “The First Noel” piece, but could have used a bit more volume. Enjoyed the sword fight with the prince and mice in “The  Nutcracker Ballet.”

Music director and keyboardist Mark Mrozek gets lots of sound and variety from two keyboards and percussion. There are nearly a couple dozen numbers for nearly non-stop music and dance.

To wrap up this perfect holiday gift is an audience sing-along that sends everyone into the holiday spirit. And if that weren’t enough, a light dusting of snow greeted audience members as they left.

If you go:

Who: Sunset Playhouse

What: “Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical”

When: Through Dec. 21

Where: 700 Wall St., Elm Grove

Info/Tickets: SunsetPlayhouse.com/262-782-4430 

WCT's 'Newsies stacked with energy and talent

Newsies strike organizerr Jack Kelly (Cobi Tappa) is restrained by an enforcer (Sarah Brown) as he goes toe-to-toe with newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer (Karl Miller) in a scene from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Newsies.” Photo by Anne Kenny Creative

By Marilyn Jozwik

Disney’s “Newsies” is the perfect vehicle to showcase the talents of local young people. With its rousing anthems for the underdog, energetic dancing that blends gymnastics, ballet and a little karate thrown in for good measure, plus a likeable hero, unlikeable villains and a charming love story it is perfect for youthful exuberance.

All that energy was on display during a recent Sunday matinee of “Newsies” at Waukesha Civic Theatre. It was cold outside (and frankly a little cold inside, too), but the cast on stage was piping hot! It was hard to know where to look during the boisterous production numbers as the newsies cartwheeled, leapt and twirled all over the stage, all with effervescent smiles or defiant poses and gestures, but always with a vibrancy that could be felt all the way to the last row.

Matt Matysik-Przbyslski directs this energized bunch while Abby Rasmussen is the choreographer and Nicole McCarty is music director.

Jack Kelly (Cobi Tapper) tries to charm reporter Katherine Plumber (Megan Rose Miller) in a scene from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Newsies.” Photo by Anne Kenny Creative

The “Newsies” story is based on the 1899 newsboys strike and demonstrations across New York City that drew attention to their meager pay and poor working conditions at the hands of publishing giants Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst.

The protagonist in “Newsies” is Jack Kelly (Cobi Tappa), who is among a group of mostly homeless newsboys who scrape by selling newspapers – “papes,” as they call them – on the streets. His best buddy is Crutchie (Adam Frontera), who hobbles around on his bum leg with a crutch. Kelly longs to leave the city and stretch out in Santa Fe, N.M.

When newcomers Davey (Jacob Cesar) and his younger brother Les (Kyla Johnson) join the group to help support their family after their Dad has lost his job, inequities are brought to the fore. A smart cookie, Davey immediately questions why the newsies have to pay for papers they don’t sell and he double checks that the distribution center does not short him on papers. The newsies grumble among themselves but when the price the newsies must pay for papers goes up it becomes the tipping point. Kelly convinces his co-workers to go on strike.

Newsies Davey (Jacob Cesar), from left, Les (Kyla Johnson), Jack (Cobi Tappa), and Crutchie (Adam Frontera) gather to plan their strategies in a scene from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Newsies.” Photo by Anne Kenny Creative

The movement gains momentum throughout the city’s neighborhoods with the help of reporter Katherine Plumber (Megan Rose Miller), who takes a shine to Kelly. But will her secret put their relationship on strike?

Tappa has the swagger and charm, plus the right amount of toughness, as the strike organizer and segues nicely for some tender moments with Katherine. Their “Rooftop” is a delightful piece displaying lovely harmonies.

Megan Rose Miller follows up a top-notch showing in Forte Theatre’s “South Pacific” with another fabulous outing. She nails “Watch What Happens” – which basically summarizes the plot -- as she starts to write the story of the newsies’ plight. The song races through her insecurities (she’s only written entertainment articles before), the importance of her words and how it could affect change, her thoughts about Jack, all her conflicted feelings. Miller delivers yet another five-star performance.

As the publisher Joseph Pulitzer, Karl Miller is suitably haughty and mean-spirited. Cesar sets the right tone for the sensible Davey, while Johnson is a favorite as the little brother. I really enjoyed Frontera’s Crutchie, especially his earnest rendition of “Letter from the Refuge,” which he writes in a juvenile reformatory after being taken in by the police during the strike.

One of the newsies (Kaia Mormino) leaps across the stage in a scene from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Newsies.” Photo by Anne Kenny Creative

In small but memorable parts, local stage veteran Hal Erickson adds sparkling bits to his roles of Mr. Jacobi, who serves water to the non-paying newsies in his deli, and Gov. Theodore Roosevelt.

The prerecorded soundtrack kept the rousing pace of the music, and the cast of 31 provided a hearty sound for all the well-known numbers that have helped “Newsies” become a stage favorite, like “The World Will Know,” “Seize the Day“and “King of New York.”

If you go:

Who: Waukesha Civic Theatre

What: “Disney Newsies: The Broadway Musical”

When: Through Dec. 21

Where: 264 W. Main St., Waukesha

Info/Tickets: www.waukeshacivictheatre.org/262-547-0708

Next Act’s ‘Boswell’ adds color and humor to literary superstars

By Marilyn Jozwik

Pack your bags when you go to see Next Act’s “Boswell” because there will be lots of traveling.

To open the show, Joan, a graduate student in the early 1950s, sets her bags down in Scotland to research Samuel Johnson, who is known for his dictionary and has been called the “most distinguished man of letters in English history.” She settles into the home of a Scottish woman who has a collection of pertinent writings and embarks on another journey – that of self-discovery.

Joan is deeply disappointed at first, finding no writings of Johnson, only those of his biographer, James Boswell, whose “Life of Samuel Johnson” is considered the greatest biography written in English. While immersing herself in journals, letters and other materials, she again takes another journey, this one back to the 1700s where the audience meets Boswell, Johnson and friends.

Samuel Johnson (Brian Mani), right, has an intense discussion with James Boswell (Josh Krause) in the presents of friends Mrs. Thrale (Heidi Armbruster), Joshua Reynolds (Sarah Zapiain) and Oliver Goldsmith (David Cecsarini). Joan, a graduate student from the 1950s, observes the scene in back. Photo by Michael Brosilow

A graduate student doing research on a noted English man of letters and his biographer does not sound like fodder for a rollicking comedy. Yet, in the hands of playwright Marie Kohler, and with such colorful characterizations, this story has humor and wit, passion and humanity. Laura Gordon directs.

Joan watches as the characters she’s reading about appear in her midst, all made possible by a richly textured and layered, double duty set of bookcases, Persian rugs, chests, stacks of books, and old artifacts that work for the 1950s and 1700s.

Samuel Johnson was quite a celebrity in the 1760s and James Boswell – whose father wanted him to study law and find a wife (he did both) – is thrilled at the chance to meet him. Born in Edinburgh, Boswell moved to London (which his father called “Gomorrah,” among other things) and lived a libertine life, evidenced by his frequent bouts of venereal disease.

When he meets Johnson in London, he is determined to change the Englishman’s poor opinion of Scots and Scotland. “His putdowns could slice like knives,” says Joan of Johnson, who had words, not only about Scots, but Germans, Lapland, Norway, French (“revolutionary rascals”) and Americans (“who ought to be thankful for anything we allow them short of hanging”). Johnson loved a good culture war.

Joan (Madeline Calais-King), a graduate student researching Samuel Johnson, shows a painting of the famous Englishman, portrayed by Brian Mani, in a scene from Next Act Theatre’s “Boswell.” Photo by Michael Brosilow

He called philosopher David Hume “an atheistic ass” and befriended the noted actor David Garrick, but poked fun at his exaggerated gestures in his portrayals of Shakespearean characters.

The crusty, acerbic-tongued Johnson takes a liking to Boswell and the pair set off to explore Scotland with Boswell hoping to impress. So, playwright Kohler takes the audience on yet another trip. We learn about Johnson – his wit and humor, his stern father, his bouts of melancholy – as well as Boswell as the pair travel the countryside. The wit is nonstop with volleys of clever conversation. Boswell’s chronicling of the trip with Johnson became his “The Journal of the Tour to the Hebrides,” and preceded his biography of Samuel Johnson.

Boswell’s writing about Johnson and their travels is so enthralling that Joan no longer is concerned about finding any writings of Johnson himself. But can she convince her professor to change the subject of her mission? That will take Joan to a whole new place in her academic life.

These are such vivid characters we see in this play, so full of life and passions, hopes and dreams. It’s easy to see why the playwright wrote this role for Brian Mani, her husband. With his white wig and ample girth, Mani matches a picture of Johnson that hangs on the wall and delivers Johnson’s barbs, philosophies and facility with the English language with ease.

As Boswell, Josh Krause is as eager as a puppy and totally engaging. His character grows from being Johnson’s biggest fan to becoming a close friend and confidant, to the point where Boswell feels comfortable enough to vent his feelings of the Scots’ treatment at the hands of the English.

Madeline Calais King as the graduate student, Joan, beautifully juggles all the characters residing in the Boswell works she’s reading. Her intensity grows as she becomes more involved with Boswell’s writing and realizes that her original pursuits have been replaced by something even more intriguing. “Something lost has been found,” she says.

Her interactions with the landlady (Heidi Armbruster), who has a special interest in Joan’s work, are wonderfully done. Armbruster affects a marvelously thick Scottish accent that sounds like English going through a meat grinder and causes considerable, and hilarious, confusion for the Chicago-residing Joan. Armbruster also sweeps in with a flourish as the actor David Garrick.

David Cecsarini and Sarah Zapiain wear a number of hats – as do all performers except Krause as Boswell – and add wonderful, rich layers with their characterizations. I especially enjoyed Cescarini as the Irish writer Oliver Goldsmith and Zapiain as the barmaid. Here, she is at her most endearing, slyly flirting with Boswell and his raging libido.

Even though Johnson proclaims that “travel is highly overrated,” Next Act’s “Boswell” is a trip to be savored and enjoyed.

If you go:

Who: Next Act Theatre

What: “Boswell”

When: Through Dec. 14

Where: 255 S. Water St., Milwaukee

Tickets/Info: 414-278-0765/info@nextact.org

Two great minds match wits in Acacia’s ‘Freud’s Last Session’

By Marilyn Jozwik

Acacia Theatre Company’s “Freud’s Last Session” by Mark St. Germain is a spellbinding peek into the psyches of two brilliant minds, Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis.

In this fictional scenario – the two never really met – Acacia sets out to present how two individuals with polar opposite views on the existence of God, life’s meaning and other topics can discuss their ideas with civility and respect.

Freud, the famous psychoanalyst whose mother was Catholic and father was an Orthodox Jew, was an atheist. Lewis, a literary scholar whose father was a pastor, was an atheist who later converted to Christianity, embracing its beliefs to became one of the greatest Christian thinkers of his time.

These are two riveting performances by David Sapiro as Freud and Jason Will as Lewis. Elaine Wyler directs. The intimate space at St. Christopher’s Church has the audience nearly seated in the London study of Freud, filled with books, ancient artifacts and a desk full of papers and cigar paraphernalia with rich burgundy background. Of course, there is a psychoanalytic couch, which each character at some point utilizes. Add subdued lighting, and I was so mesmerized and comfortable with the experience I almost felt I could contribute to their conversation.

Sigmund Freud (David Sapiro) describes the contents of a jar held by C.S. Lewis (Jason Will) in a scene from Acacia Theatre Company’s “Freud’s Last Session.” Photos by Melinda Rhodebeck

The show runs a little over an hour and is dense with thought-provoking dialogue, delivered with conviction and realism, as the two characters match wits. The year is 1939 and London is under attack from Nazi Germany, which Freud fled. “When I looked out my window, I only saw Nazis burning my books,” he says of his home in Germany. Freud tunes in his radio periodically for updates. At one point a siren sounds and each scholar reaches for a gas mask, prompting a discussion of death.

Freud, who died that year, had endured 33 surgeries for oral cancer, the result of smoking and cocaine use. In the show, Sapiro is most convincing as the elderly Freud. Slightly stooped and speaking with authority, yet frail, Sapiro’s Freud gets especially animated at various points, such as when he rails about the tragic deaths of his daughter at age 27 and grandson at age 5 in the context of religion.

As Lewis, Will assumes a credible British accent as he partakes in the verbal competition with Freud. Like two prize fighters, they land punches, dodge others, but always stand strong in the ring. Interspersed in the conversation are bits of their backgrounds, such as how they felt about their fathers and their current families. Writer St. Germain expertly weaves in these details with the volleys of thoughts on religion, morality, enemies and other topics organically interspersed so the script never sounds like a lecture. “We cannot survive without enemies. They are as necessary as air,” says Freud.

C.S. Lewis (Jason Will) pleads his case to Sigmund Freud (David Sapiro) in a scene from Acacia Theater Company’s “Freud’s Last Session.” Photos by Melinda Rhodebeck

The show requires total engagement as there are so many nuggets, such as when Lewis says, “My idea of God is constantly changing. He is everywhere incognito.” He chides Freud for being a non-believer who spent so much time trying to disprove the existence of God. Freud maintains that the existence of God can’t be proved historically, while Lewis counters, “His death transferred myth into truth.”

St. Germain’s work, which was suggested by “The Question of God” by Dr. Armand M. Nicholi Jr., is the sort of discourse that is so needed in a world where different viewpoints can’t seem to come together without losing all semblance of civility. It is also theater that prompts audience members to want to learn more about these two important figures and their ideas.

If you go:

Who: Acacia Theatre Company

What: “Freud’s Last Session”

When: Through Nov. 9

Where: St. Christopher's Church, 7845 North River Road, River Hills

Info/Tickets: (414) 744-5995; office@acaciatheatre.com

WCT’s ‘Laughter on the 23rd Floor’ brings comedy to new heights

By Marilyn Jozwik

What do you get when you cram some of the nation’s best comedy writers into one room? You get Neil Simon’s “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” a non-stop primer in one-liners and Waukesha Civic Theater’s latest offering.

Stage comedy is not easy. It depends on much more than just a funny line. That’s why the work of this eight-member ensemble cast is so impressive. Neil Simon delivers the lines – in spades. The laughs are non-stop and this cast delivers them, first class. Tim Kietzman directs.

For much of the time, the writers on the comedy show portrayed in “Laughter” are priming the pump, verbally, for the show they are writing. But in Simon’s world, every conversation is filled with funny lines. And that’s what makes this WCT show so special – the comedy seems effortless. All the characters are used to comedic banter and are looking for ways to up the ante in the verbal gymnastics.

This cast gets all the nuances and subtleties of good comedy and executes this Simon laugh fest beautifully.

Max Prince (Joe Ferrie), who has sent his suit to the cleaners, meets with writers for “The Max Prince Show,” including Milt (Mike Durrenberg), from left, Brian (Kerry Birmingham), Kenny Bart Elgar and Val (Paul Weir) in a scene from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Laughter on the 23rd Floor.” Photos by Anne Kenny Creative

Set in 1953, “Laughter” is based on Simon’s own experiences as a writer for the TV show called “Your Show of Shows” with Sid Caesar. Simon’s brother was also a writer for the show.

Simon cleverly introduces each writer for “The Max Prince Show” one by one, starting with Lucas (Zach Rolf), who serves as the narrator and is based on Simon himself. Lucas, just two weeks on the job, is nervous, and anxious to make a good impression as the writers meet to discuss the next show.

Next to arrive is Milt (Mike Durrenberg). Though owning perhaps the quickest wit, he is basically insecure. He dresses fancy and fancies himself a ladies’ man, which is only a pipe dream.

Several others enter for the meeting. Val (Paul Weir), a Russian whose mispronunciations are often the butt of jokes; Brian (Kerry Birmingham), an Irishman with Hollywood aspirations; Kenny (Bart Elgar), perhaps the most practical of the bunch, keeping the writers from going completely off the rails; and Carol (Jessie Jefferson), who adds a woman’s perspective. The excentric Max Prince (Joe Ferrie), the star of the show, finally arrives, before Ira (Stefan Kent), the hypochondriac who is always late to the meetings. Simon based Ira on Mel Brooks. Kent effectively plays Ira over-the-top, with a boisterous voice and lots of physicality.

Ira (Stefan Kent), left, makes a bet with Brian (Kerry Birmingham) in a scene from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Laughter on the 23rd Floor.” Photos by Anne Kenny Creative

There’s so much tongue-in-cheek humor here, but when Ferrie’s Max says, “My writers are my flesh and blood,” it’s no joke. It is such a tightrope Ferrie’s character walks, he’s unpredictable, brilliant when it comes to comedy, and sometimes seems a little off the beam. Nonetheless, Ferrie captures Max’s humanity, and not just his eccentricities. He’s not a punchline. Our introduction to Max sees him walk into the meeting, remove his suit coat and pants and summon his secretary (Brigid O’Brien) to take them to the cleaners. No one seems surprised as he walks around in his underwear. As one writer says of the enigmatic star – after he had spent a night of drugs and booze -- “Nobody hates Max like Max hates Max.” Max is a difficult character to get right, but Ferrie captures him brilliantly.

The drama in the show comes from the news Max has to deliver. “The Max Prince Show” is on shaky ground with the network; they want to shorten it and lay off one member from each department, including one writer. Max tells the writers “They want s---.” The show is too sophisticated. Everyone is worried about what might be coming next.

In the meantime, the writers discuss topics of their lives and of the day, such as the news that Sen. Joseph McCarthy (who Max calls “Joseph McNuthouse” and other names) has accused Gen. George Marshall of being a Communist sympathizer, which sends Max into a frenzy – he ends up redecorating his office with holes he’s punched in the wall. Later, Val announces to the writers that Soviet leader Joseph Stalin has died, much to his delight.

There are all sorts of cultural and historical references – Hannibal, Moses, William Saroyan, Dostoyevsky – even a short Shakespeare skit ending with the song “Roma,” a parody of Al Jolson’s well-known “Mammy.” Lots of the comedy comes at others’ expense. Says one writer, “We humiliate and denigrate anyone just to get a laugh.”

This cast works so well together. They look so comfortable and their timing is so good. I especially enjoyed Weir’s Val. It would have been easy to fall into a caricature, but Weir’s Val is nicely understated.

Director Kietzman gives the characters lots of movement, which keeps the show moving at a good clip.

Although set almost 75 years ago, the show doesn’t show signs of age and proves that Simon’s comedy is timeless.

If you go:

Who: Waukesha Civic Theatre

What: “Laughter on the 23rd Floor”

When: through Nov. 2

Where: 264 W. Main St., Waukesha

Tickets/Info: 262-547-0708; waukeshacivictheatre.org 

Sunset creates magic with its captivating ‘Pippin’

By Marilyn Jozwik

Following a marvelous “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” this summer, Sunset again hits the mark with its current show “Pippin.”

A raucous Friday night crowd was in the palm of this cast’s collective hand as they reeled off one fabulous number after another. Even Bob Fosse’s iconic choreography with its striking tableaus, interesting angles and hands – lots of hands – didn’t faze this troupe.

Like “Joseph,” this show is fun and quirky. Its Middle Ages fictional characters – loosely based on Charlemagne and his son – may spout an expletive, or a 10-year-old character might tell an adult performer, “bite me.” This is sharp, clever material of creators Roger O. Hirson and Stephen Schwartz (music and lyrics) that keeps a clear focus and a lively, entertaining pace, all brilliantly executed by this cast and crew. Claire Margaret Vock directs.

“Pippin” is a play within a play. It begins with the Leading Player (Sarah Cunningham) introducing the show about Pippin (Sean P. Lambie) the cast is about to present as they sing “Magic to Do” with its “kings and things to take by storm.”

Pippin (Sean P. Lambie) and Catherine (Katie Renee Schafer) celebrate the simple life in a scene from Sunset Playhouse’s “Pippin.”

In their presentation Pippin is restless. “I wanted to be dedicated to something,” he says, mulling the extraordinary life that is expected of him. He goes off to war, dabbles in the arts, samples a hedonistic lifestyle. He even tries to lead a revolution against his tyrannical father – and succeeds, but finds he cannot be the kind of leader he hoped he could be. So, he continues his search, wondering: “Why can’t I find something completely fulfilling?”

The players – especially the Leading Player – are more than happy to lead Pippin romping through his meaningless life. Until he finds meaning in a simple, pastoral life with a simple, hard-working, kind and dutiful mother, the widowed Catherine (Katie Renee Schafer) and her son Theo (Logan Jocham). And the show being presented by the Leading Lady and her troupe goes completely off the rails.

The cast of Sunset Playhouse’s “Pippin.”

I can’t imagine a better Pippin than the one Lambie portrays. He seems so lost and sincere, yearning for that which is always just beyond his grasp. His mop of hair and lean, lanky stature give his youthful character the right look while his understated delivery is just what is needed. When he collapses in despair, the audience chuckles at his wet noodle prat fall. He lends a soft, tenor voice, perfect for tunes like “Corner of the Sky,” which he delivers with longing and conviction.

Every character is so spot-on here that it’s hard to know where to look. So many stand-out performances, so much fun and energy and visually stunning scenes one wished the show would go on.

Of particular note is Cunningham, who takes complete charge of her Leading Lady character, filling the stage with her engaging song and dance from the very beginning.

As King Charles, Clinton Dodds also has a commanding presence, his character summarily dismissing any peasant request and justifying any bloody conflict, at one point saying, “The Pope and I have dedicated ourselves to spreading Christianity throughout the entire world… even if we have to kill every non-Christian to do it.” His “War is a Science,” with its primitive map and tricky lyrics, is wonderfully done.

There were really nice performances from Leah Lewandowski as Fastrada, King Charles’ conniving wife, and Schafer’s sweet Catherine, who pairs with Lambie in some lovely duets.

Surrounded by lots of youthful talent, former Milwaukee newscaster Joyce Garbaciak still manages to steal the show with her delightfully hammy portrayal of Pippin’s grandmother Berthe. Looking spectacular in a sparkly Vegas-style outfit and heels, Garbaciak shows she is just as comfortable on a stage as she is before a newsroom camera, engaging nicely with Lambie’s Pippin and delivering a sparkling “Spread a Little Sunshine,” getting the audience happily singing along with her encouragement. This is just one of many instances performers break the fourth wall, much to the audience’s delight.

But oh, the dancing! Choreographer Vivian Romano once again fields an amazing array of dancers who don’t miss a step of Bob Fosse’s creative movements, with all sorts of interesting body angles and poses. Headed by dance captain and featured dancer Brycen Witt, who adds beautiful balletic shapes to the scenes, the cast members keep the story at a hasty clip through dance. With flips and other gymnastics, lighted “swords” and other props, every number is full of fun and surprises.

Music director Mark Mrozek leads the eight-piece orchestra, creating all the wonderful moods in “Pippin.”

This is a challenging production for sets, lighting, costumes and sound, with all aspects of the entire show running on all cylinders. Sunset has magic to do – and indeed they do it!

If you go

Who: Sunset Playhouse

What: “Pippin”

When: Through Nov. 2

Where: 700 Wall St., Elm Grove

Info/Tickets: SunsetPlayhouse.com/262-782-4430   

Forte’s ‘South Pacific’ an enchanted evening of musical theater

By Marilyn Jozwik

I have always been a Rodgers and Hammerstein fan. Perhaps the most recognizable of their musicals’ tunes have come from “Oklahoma,” “The Sound of Music” and “South Pacific.”

While I have seen a number of R&H musicals on community theater stages, I’d never seen “South Pacific.” The last stage version I’d seen was in 1973 at the Melody Top Theater, a summer venue on Milwaukee’s north side from 1963 to 1986.

Forte Theatre Company has taken on this ambitious project with impressive results. Perhaps more than any other musical, “South Pacific’s” music is recognizable and the audience can immerse themselves in its familiarity. And Forte certainly executed the music beautifully, making this a treat with eyes closed. But the broad scenes of tropical beaches made this a feast for the eyes as well. Randall Dodge directs.

The World War II story is set on a small island in the South Pacific where a group of sailors is waiting for orders to take on the Japanese. Nurse Nellie Forbush (Megan Rose Miller) has fallen in love with the mysterious, older and wealthy plantation owner Emile DeBecque (Randall Dodge), who hastily left his native France as a young man to start a new life on this remote and beautiful island.

Also after Nellie’s heart is Seabee Luther Billis (Matthew Umstot), whose boredom sets him on adventures that often get him in trouble.

Luther Billis (Matthew Umstot) leads his fellow Seabees in the rousing “There is Nothing Like a Dame” in a scene from Forte Theatre Company’s “South Pacific.”

When the handsome lieutenant Joseph Cable (Josh Pope) arrives on the island, De Becque is asked to accompany him on a dangerous mission. Cable is lured to the mystical island of Bali Ha’i after a local entrepreneur, a native woman nicknamed Bloody Mary (Sheila Gimenez), sings of its allure. There he meets and falls in love with Bloody Mary’s daughter, Liat. (Heather David).

Running through the show is the prevalence of prejudice that the dark-skinned natives face. From Little Rock, Arkansas Nellie is shocked to learn De Becque once had a relationship with a local woman and has two dark-skinned children from the relationship. She cannot understand her own feelings of prejudice, but knows they are what she learned growing up. Cable too wrestles with his own feelings and realizes they stem from his upbringing as he sings “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught.”

This is a great cast with wonderful performances throughout. Director Dodge does double duty as the French expatriate De Becque. His rich, full bass voice lends itself beautifully to the familiar “Some Enchanted Evening” and “This Nearly Was Mine.”

Bloody Mary (Sheila Gimenez) celebrates the relationship of her daughter Liat (Heather David) and Lt. Joseph Cable (Josh Pope).

Miller is full of spunk and down-home charm accentuated by a convincing Arkansas accent, as the love-struck Navy nurse. She offers top-notch versions of tunes made famous by Mary Martin (the original Nellie on Broadway) such as “A Cockeyed Optimist,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” and “I’m in Love With a Wonderful Guy.”

Perhaps the most elegant moments come from Pope as Lt. Joseph Cable. His “Younger Than Springtime” is lighter than air and allow his falsetto to rest effortlessly on the gorgeous high notes.

Gimenez provides much of the show’s comedy with her portrayal of Bloody Mary. Her heavily accented English offers lots of opportunities for laughs while her peddler character engages in flirtatious and sarcastic banter with the Seabees.

As Captain George Brackett, William Molitor is sufficiently gruff, while Dan Kerkman as Commander William Harbison is equally well cast. Kerkman uses an antique cane in the show that was donated to Forte Theater for its first production in 2019.

Ensign Nellie Forbush (Megan Rose Miller) decides to end her relationship with Emile De Becque and leads her fellow nurses in “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair” in a scene from Forte Theatre Company’s “South Pacific”

Umstot heads the rowdy bunch of Seabees. The group of seven provides a rousing, robust “There Is Nothing Like a Dame” as their bored characters pace restlessly, dramatizing their women-less lot. The Navy men and women were not allowed to mingle.

The nurses do their share of frolicking as well and are especially fun to watch in the Thanksgiving Follies “Honey Bun” number where assistant director Karl Miller’s snappy choreography is featured.

Music director/conductor Jim Van Deusen leads a seven-piece orchestra that filled out the memorable R&H tunes nicely and kept a good balance with the vocals. Included in the orchestra is Julie Fraleigh, whose harp lent a lovely, ethereal quality to tunes like the haunting “Bali Ha’i.”

On opening night, sound was somewhat of an issue with brief portions unmiked or with mikes being activated a word or two late. Not a big distraction, but something that should be cleaned up in subsequent performances.

The show is on the long side – 2 hours and 45 minutes – and did seem to lag at times. Nonetheless, this version is a fitting representation of one of Broadway’s longest running shows.

As a side note: Several members of the cast honored relatives who had served in the military in their biographical notes. Also, after the show, donations were collected to support military veterans through Honor Flights.

If you go:

Who: Forte Theatre Company

What: “South Pacific”

When: Through Oct. 19

Where: Saber Center for the Performing Arts, 8222 S. 51st St., Franklin

Info/Tickets: ForteTheatreCompany.org/414-366-3634

WCT’s ‘Dad’s Season Tickets’ scores points for comedy

By Marilyn Jozwik

I saw the musical “Dad’s Season Tickets” a few years back and remembered the laughs as a widowed dad grapples with two daughter who are vying to be recipients of his season Packer tickets when he dies. Matt Zembroski, a Dominican High School graduate, created the show.

What I had forgotten [MJ1] is what a tender, sweet story it is of a dad who is finally getting out from under the cloud of his wife’s death, only to be confronted by a family determined to rain on his parade. Waukesha Civic Theatre’s version provided this story with lots to chuckle about, but also gave us characters who we genuinely care about thanks to some nicely drawn portraits. Justin Spanbauer directs.

The story centers around Frank (Bob Zimmermann), who tenderly speaks to the photo of his wife as he is determined to bring a spirit of joy and togetherness to the upcoming holiday season which coincides with the Green Bay Packers’ successful 1996-97 football season. The family gathers every Sunday to pay homage to their hometown team with traditions and lots of hooting and hollering.

Frank’s daughters Rhonda (Jenavieve Plutz), from left, Cordy (Mariah Kiefer) and Gabby (Sierra Rottier) gather in Packer gear for a game in a scene from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Dad’s Season Tickets.”

Middle daughter Gabby (Sierra Rottier), who along with husband Edgar (John Rottier) is expecting their first child and Frank’s first grandchild, is a Packer fanatic. Rhonda (Jenavieve Plutz) – the oldest -- has taken up the mantle of her mother, preparing the family’s favorite snacks oblivious to the game. Youngest daughter Cordy (Mariah Kiefer), a high school senior, plans to go to journalism school and has gotten several scholarships.

But rivalries bubble up as Dad sets out to make out a will that will include his Packer tickets. Gabby is certain they will be hers as her deep interest goes back to when Dad took her to her first Packer game at age 8. Rhonda doesn’t know beans about football, but her husband Ralph (Mark Thompson), a Packer diehard, convinces her to learn the game and show her Dad that she’s worthy of the tickets.

Rhonda and Gabby have been at odds for years, and the competition for the tickets only makes matters worse. With her reporting skills and notebook in hand, Cordy, a fan but one not at all interested in joining their fight, sets out to discover why her once-close sisters have grown a football field apart. Meanwhile, Dad is exasperated with the bickering. Will the family come together with Packer season tickets on the line?

Edgar (John Rottier) and Ralph (Mark Thompson) share a moment in Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Dad’s Season Tickets.”

Zimmermann plays his part with all the right fatherly emotions: he is tender at times, tough at others; he gets soft and he gets angry. Plus, Zimmermann adds a pleasing voice to Zembrowski’s catchy tunes.

I loved Frank’s three daughters, who jell wonderfully and provide some lovely Andrews Sisters-like harmonies as well as spot-on vocals befitting their distinctive characters.

As Ralph, Rhonda’s husband, Thompson gets into his green-and-gold, dyed-in-the-wool character with genuine enthusiasm, rendering a touching and fun “I Love You More Than Football” to his skeptical wife.

John Rottier’s Edgar, Gabby’s professor husband, breaks the Packer spell, dropping literary pearls among the raucous gameday cheers. His bespectacled, articulate character – and also a closet fan of a rival team -- provides a humorous contrast to the shenanigans.

Zembrowski has gifted the show with some great tunes that resonate with football fans, such as the Act 2 opener “What Do You Do With a Bye Week?” showing the family’s malaise on Sundays when the Packers don’t play.

Music director Heather David and orchestra director Phil Smith keep the tunes at a lively pace with well-articulated lyrics.

Football fans will find lots to cheer about, while non-fans will be rooting for this All-American family come together as a team.

If you go:

Who: Waukesha Civic Theatre

What: “Dad’s Season Tickets”

When: Through Sept. 28

Where: 264 W. Main St., Waukesha

Info/Tickets: www.waukeshacivictheatre.org; 262-247-0708 [MJ1]

Immigrant teens find safe haven in each other in Next Act’s ‘Sanctuary City'

By Marilyn Jozwik

The issue of Immigration has been in the news for a number of years. It has been a political football and a source of much debate on both sides of the aisle.

But those discussions rarely put a face on the people so deeply affected by how this country treats those who have immigrated here.

In “Sanctuary City,” Next Act Theatre gives audiences a front row seat to two young people deeply affected by how the political winds on immigration blow. It is poignant and powerful with performances that totally captivate. Jake Penner directs.

The story takes place post-9/11 in 2001 Newark, New Jersey, following the lives of two high school students brought to America when they were quite young. The boy’s mother, afraid of her immigration status being uncovered, decides to return to her native country. The boy decides to stay and finish high school. He agrees to let a classmate – a girl he has known for years and the daughter of an immigrant – stay with him after she is injured by her abusive stepfather.

Ironically, the show’s creator, Martyna Majok, chose not to give names to the two teens; they are identified as “G” (girl) and “B” (boy). While generic in name, their characters are well developed.

King Hang and Ashley Oviedo in Next Act Theatre’s “Sanctuary City.”

The first part of the play features the boy and girl on an empty stage. Conversations are brief and often repetitious points that magnify the angst and difficulty the two find themselves in as undocumented immigrants. Time periods are marked by a soft ring sound, and the characters quickly scramble to new postures to show a different day and time and situation. It is a clever way to show the passage of time, but also shows how each day is a challenge.

During their difficult senior year of high school, the pair form a tight bond as they struggle with their uncertainty. While the two are staying together, the girl learns that her mother has obtained her citizenship and eventually moves out from her abusive husband. Finally rid of her stepfather, the girl returns home.

It becomes apparent that the only way the boy can become legal is if he marries a citizen, so he proposes to the girl, but she has gotten a scholarship which takes her away from home.

The pair rehearse the details of their lives that they will be asked by authorities if they decide to marry and the roadblock comes with questions of intimacy. And that’s where Henry comes in.

In the second part of the play, the boy is in his own apartment and has waited for the girl to return and then get married. But in those years of waiting, Henry, a law school student, has entered the picture.

While Henry has options, the boy has few. “Why do you want to stay in a country that doesn’t want me in it?” he tearfully asks Henry.

The boy finds himself in an impossible situation – marry the girl and deny who he is, but be safe from immigration authorities? Or stay with Henry and always be looking over his shoulder for authorities?

I loved the contrast between the boy and Henry, played by Joe Lino. Lino’s Henry is brash and confident – his life is full of options and possibilities. His lover, the boy – who represents the many who find that the person they are has no place in the country in which they live – has no good options.

As the boy, King Hang displays his kind and tender nature. During the time of his life that should present a smorgasbord of possibilities he finds only scraps. He could join his mother and leave the country he came to as a small child behind, his education just months from completion. Or, stay and marry a citizen. But the citizen he truly loves he’s not able to marry. Hang is a bundle of emotions as he helps the girl navigate her difficult life, then must decide which path to take for himself. His adopted country has left him out in the cold.

Ashley Oviedo plays the girl and matches Hang’s intensity. There are light moments when the two can simply relax and be fun-loving teenagers, like when they go to the senior prom and for a few brief moments their dilemmas are behind them. Yet, those moments are rare, replaced by the fear of deportation, abuse, loneliness for most of their years.

Through their months together, the girl notices the relationship is more that of a brother and sister. But because of the bond they share, she is willing to accept those limitations in their relationship, maybe hoping intimacy could develop with time.

While “Sanctuary City” offers no solutions for immigrants, it shines a bright light on how lives are affected by the rules they must live by.

If you go:

Who: Next Act Theatre

What: “Sanctuary City”

When: Through Oct. 5

Where: 255 S. Water St., Milwaukee

Tickets/Info: 414-278-0765; info@nextact.org

Sunset welcomes guests with hilarity for “Murder at the Howard Johnson”

By Marilyn Jozwik

I had totally forgotten about the iconic orange roofs and 28 flavors of ice cream at the once popular Howard Johnson restaurants and motor lodges– until I saw Sunset Playhouse’s “Murder at the Howard Johnson.”

Set within the orange and blue walls of a Howard Johnson room with the signage for the place glowing outside its windows and a pink rotary phone on the nightstand, the play clearly puts the audience in the ’70s for a rollicking comedy.

At the heart of the mischief are Arlene (Angela Bolmes), a spoiled, selfish young woman who has grown tired of her devoted, adoring husband, Paul (Jim Mallmann), and has taken a lover, the family dentist Mitchell (Peter Brian Kelly). All three, at some point, feel they have a good reason to commit murder, and elaborate plans are hatched on three different holidays to carry out the deed in a Howard Johnson room. Who will come out alive is the big question.

Mitchell (Peter Brian Kelly), right, tells his mistress’s husband, Paul (Jim Mallmann), about the murder plan he intends to carry out in a scene from Sunset Playhouse’s “Murder at the Howard Johnson.”

The play, by Bob Bobrick and Ron Clark, pokes fun at the ’70s era of self-awareness, especially in the character of Arlene, who can’t see beyond her own self-interests and will stop at nothing to get what she wants. Bolmes captures the drama queen to perfection. In her quest for freedom and fulfillment, Arlene toggles between the two men who love her, but is always distracted by the next shiny object. “Which one do I love, which one do I destroy?” she muses. At one point Paul and Mitchell fight on a narrow ledge outside the hotel room, in danger of plunging to their deaths onto the pavement several stories below. At first, she is delighted by their interest in her and concerned for their welfare, but when Independence Day fireworks appear outside her window, she turns her attention to that spectacle.

As the smarmy dentist Mitchell, Kelly too is well cast. His character finds himself in the middle of several dicey situations, from re-enacting a complicated murder attempt to running for his life in his very colorful underwear and maneuvering on a ledge outside his hotel room. Kelly bobs and weaves his way through the hilarity, as he uncovers a myriad of excuses for his unseemly behavior.

In contrast to Mitchell’s colorful – literally – character is the bland Paul, who prefers greys on the color wheel. I love Mallmann’s deadpan take on Arlene’s husband Paul, a used car salesman who works long hours to provide his wife with everything her heart desires. Mallmann’s Paul revels in the “kick me” sign he metaphorically has on his back, while he frequently complains about being “shafted” – like when he gets only wings in his bucket of fried chicken when he asked for breasts. We get a glimpse of his chauvinistic tendencies when he declares, ruefully, “Women are starting to think now.” There is something so delightfully pathetic about Paul that Mallmann captures nicely.

Jim Mallmann, Angela Bolmes and Peter Brian Kelly are featured in Sunset Playhouse’s “Murder at the Howard Johnson.”

Michael Pocaro directs the trio with a deft hand for all the nuances of this clever comedy. The three performers are a perfect fit for their distinct characters. They mesh beautifully and maintain the pace and physicality to keep the comedy rolling.

While there are lots of funny gags here, they tend to repeat in different forms in each of the scenes. Nonetheless, there is something fresh and a little Woody Allen-esque about the humor.

The scenes – especially with views to the outside – are especially well done, capturing a snowy Christmas and the tops of skyscrapers. Plus, the clever revolving windows work perfectly for the hilarious and precarious tussle between Paul and Mitchell.

If you go:

Who: Sunset Playhouse

What: “Murder at the Howard Johnson”

When: Through Sept. 21

Where: 700 Wall St., Elm Grove

Tickets/Info: 262-782-4430; SunsetPlayhouse.com