WCT’s ‘Clyde’s’ serves up kitchen magic

By Marilyn Jozwik

Imagine a sandwich shop where sandwiches are made with the heart and soul of their makers.

Now picture those makers as four recently incarcerated felons.

That’s the story of “Clyde’s,” an intense study of four diner workers fresh from jail, who, in their quest for the perfect sandwich, learn that their own imperfections need not keep them from growing and thriving.

Waukesha Civic Theatre has sandwiched this intense, compelling drama between two soft slices of Wonder Bread, a Ken Ludwig comedy, “Moon Over Buffalo” in September, and the musical “Mary Poppins” in December.

Letitia (Ash Meeks), Jason (Keenan Pulver) and Rafael (Roman Valdivia) in a scene from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Clyde’s.”

With its multi-racial characters and social justice themes, “Clyde’s” offers lots to chew on, plenty of food for thought all wrapped up in playwright Lynn Nottage’s superior story telling. Truly a welcome, bold choice for WCT. Ashley S. Jordan directs.

This is a stellar ensemble cast that takes Nottage’s story of redemption and runs with it.

The story features five tough characters, people who have seen the seamy side of life. The kitchen staff are basically decent folks who have made mistakes; mistakes which landed them in prison. Nottage makes no effort to try to sanitize the language or situations for these sorts of characters. There are plenty of F-bombs and more. These are not people who have been surrounded by “pleases” and “thank yous” in prison.

Clyde (Autumn Green) checks out her diner’s kitchen in a scene from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Clyde’s.”

At a popular truck stop diner that bears her name, Clyde doles out insults and threats to her staff faster than lunch plates, which terrorizes them knowing how hard it is to find work after prison. Played by Autumn Green, Clyde makes the Captain, a prison guard in “Cool Hand Luke,” look like Mother Teresa.

The kitchen staff is headed by Montrellous (Dennis Lewis), who has the demeanor of a mystic.  As Jason, the new guy in the kitchen says, “I got trained by a guy that smelled like patchouli and canola oil.”

Lewis’ Montrellous is cool, calm and detached. Except when it comes to his sandwiches. He grows his own herbs and speaks of his creations as if they are a spiritual revelation. Soon, his three kitchen mates are creating their own perfect sandwiches with unexpected ingredients – molasses, caramelized onion, habanero, rosemary—on all sorts of exotic breads, stretching the traditional sandwich into something magical and hopeful.

Letitia (Ash Meeks), almost 30, has a young daughter and an irresponsible mate. Her co-worker, Rafael (Roman Valdivia), adores her and wastes no opportunity to flirt, which Letitia is mostly indifferent to, thinking it’s just workplace banter. But Rafael is serious, which leads to one of the most poignant moments in the show.

Jason (Kenan Pulver), the new guy, is tatted with racial slurs that get him and Letitia off on the wrong foot. Jason tries to evade the drama. “I just want a paycheck and peace,” he says.

Nottage has created five memorable characters, starting with Clyde. Every time she steps into the kitchen, the ring, she knocks the staff down. As Montrellous tries to keep the staff’s head above water, Clyde rebukes him: “Keep your lofty ideas out of their heads…Don’t disappoint me by having aspirations.”

Jason (Kenan Pulver) assembles a sandwich at his work station in a scene from Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Clyde’s.”

But as they begin to bond, their resilience allows the kitchen workers to get up and fight another day. Until the day THEY deliver the knockout punch.

Green as Clyde becomes more menacing as the play goes on. Parading around in her stuffed-into spandex and black platform boots, she hisses like a snake as she confronts the staff, looking like the demon of hopelessness and self-loathing they need to overcome.

Meeks’ Letitia and Valdivia’s Rafael create a touching workplace dynamic, while Pulver’s Jason maintains the hangdog appearance and attitude of someone who has been beaten down by life.

Shoutouts have to go to scenic designer and builder Evan Crain for the kitchen design, as well as to Chef Pam’s Kitchen, which provided kitchen props and assistance to give the set a real diner kitchen atmosphere.

If you go:

Who: Waukesha Civic Theatre

What: “Clyde’s”

When: Through Nov. 1

Where: 264 Main St., Waukesha

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

Sunset’s ‘Annie’ brings lots of sunshine to tomorrow

By MARILYN JOZWIK

Hearing Franklin D. Roosevelt singing the eternally optimistic “Tomorrow” during the Great Depression is truly an uplifting moment in musical theater.

The song, of course, is the centerpiece of “Annie,” Sunset Playhouse’s latest offering. And while Annie, played by Jule Jordan Schloemer, sings a lovely version early on, it is Filippo Carini as FDR, seated in his wheelchair, centerstage, who delivers in a pivotal moment. Carini’s FDR encourages Cabinet members – and all in the audience (even Republicans!) – to join him in the upbeat anthem, breaking the fourth wall as he lends his own fine, robust baritone to the tune. There was something that transcended musical theater in that moment into a communal sense of optimism.

It epitomized the tone of the show, which, under the direction of Beth Burrows, has a heart beating with hope and humanity.

Erin Fricker as Grace Farrell, Jule Jordan Schloemer as Annie and Clinton Dodds as Oliver Warbucks star in Sunset Playhouse’s “Annie.” Photos by Katrina Smith

 “Annie,” based on the 1924 comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” is set in 1933 New York City, in the midst of The Great Depression. Its orphans are remindful of Dickens’ characters in “Oliver Twist” and “David Copperfield.”

At the orphanage, Annie and her 10 roommates are tormented by Miss Hannigan, who despises the girls and doesn’t waste any opportunity to insult, bully or put them to work. She is perhaps one of the most villainous of antagonists in theater, and Madison Nowak epitomizes her to a tee. With flask in hand and hair that looks like she just got out of bed, Nowak glowers over her charges and spits out her disdain in “Little Girls.” Her Hannigan is hilariously manic, teetering on the edge of a breakdown or worse.

Annie escapes from the orphanage, and finds herself in a Hooverville slum, where once- middle-class folks vent their frustrations with their current lot, blaming former president Hoover. Even there Annie displays her unwavering positive attitude. When a resident complains of using newspapers for blankets, Annie opines, “Then you can read in bed.”

Annie is returned to the orphanage by police, but luck is with her. Billionaire Oliver Warbucks’ assistant visits the orphanage while Annie is in Miss Hannigan’s office. She is looking for a youngster to spend the Christmas holidays in Warbucks’ opulent mansion.

Annie is chosen and life looks good until the slimy Rooster (Drew “Egypt J” Taylor) and his wife Lily (Shay Feiter) claim to be her parents in order to claim the huge check Warbucks is offering to find them.

The girls in the orphanage execute a snappy chorus line as they have fun mimicking “You’re Not Fully Dressed Without a Smile” from a popular radio show in a scene from Sunset Playhouse’s “Annie.” Photos by Katrina Smith

Warbucks decides he needs to call in favors from his pal, FDR, to ensure Annie has the Christmas of her dreams.

The opening night audience hooted and hollered its way through the tunes, from Annie’s opening “Maybe” to the “Tomorrow” finale.

This is a fine cast all around, topped by Schloemer’s Annie, Clinton Dodds as Warbucks and Erin Fricker as Warbucks’ assistant. Dodds is a commanding presence with a lovely tenor voice. He navigates the tender moments with subtle beauty in “Something Was Missing,” yet delivers a spirited “NYC” as he takes Annie for a night on the town.

There are no gaps in this talented cast, with many musical highlights thanks to the full sound of the seven-piece pit band under the direction of Riley Luettgen.

The cast of Sunset Playhouse’s “Annie.” Photos by Katrina Smith

I especially liked this version’s handling of the Cabinet meeting in which Annie’s can-do attitude infects FDR, as he and Cabinet members such as Harold Ickes (Josiah D Bender) and Cordell Hull (Eric Boldger) tackle the nation’s ills, from rampant unemployment to impending war. Rather than a throw-away humorous moment with sometimes off-key versions of “Tomorrow” by meeting attendees that I’ve seen in other shows, this group sings beautifully as the scene crescendos to its rousing finale, putting a cherry on top of Annie’s message inspiring FDR’s New Deal.

Choreography was simple and executed crisply. The orphan girls especially were a big hit with their “Hard Knock Life” and “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile.”

The show breezed along with quick, clever set changes as costumed characters moved set pieces quietly to segue seamlessly to the next scene. I loved the clever use of golden ornaments the size of balance balls that Warbucks’ staff held to create an even more festive holiday scene.

If you go:

Who: Sunset Playhouse

What: “Annie”

When: Through Nov. 8

Where: 700 Wall St., Elm Grove

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

‘Annie’s’ sunny message shines in Forte’s big production

By Marilyn Jozwik

Forte Theatre Company just keeps cranking out big, crowd-pleasing, professional-quality musicals season after season.

Opening its 2026-27 season, Forte, under the direction of Randall Dodge, brings the ever-popular, ever-optimistic “Annie” to the sweeping Saber Center stage at Franklin High School.

The massive theatrical canvas enhances this rangy production, allowing performers lots of room to roam in numbers like “Hard Knock Life,” with the orphans scrubbing floors in their bunk-bedded dormitory, or the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple in “NYC.” But it is especially effective when the scenes turn to Oliver Warbucks’ opulent mansion, where the billionaire and his smartly-attired hired help and others go about the business of entertaining in the richly appointed, massive expanse.

And entertain they do! Forte has assembled some of the finest local talent for this production, including lots of veteran performers, as well as a passel of lively youngsters headed by the Arya Eden as Annie.

The girls at the orphanage get playful as they describe their lot in “Hard Knock Life” in a scene from Forte Theatre Company’s “Annie.” Photo by Mark Frohna

The story is a familiar one. “Annie,” based on the 1924 comic strip “Little Orphan Annie,” was written by Thomas Meehan during the Vietnam War era. Meehan sets his story in 1933 New York City, in the midst of The Great Depression. Its orphans are remindful of Dickens’ characters in “Oliver Twist” and “David Copperfield.”

In “Annie,” we see Annie in the orphanage with 10 roommates, all bullied by the child-hating Miss Hannigan (Lydia Rose Eiche). Annie is determined to find her parents, who left her at the orphanage when she was a baby, 11 years earlier. She escapes from the orphanage, but is returned by Officer Ward (Michael Trimboli, with a nicely done Irish brogue) who finds her in a Hooverville slum, composed of residents impoverished by nation’s economic woes.

Miss Hannigan (Lydia Rose Eiche), her brother Rooster (JT Walker) and his wife Lily (Samantha Knapp) celebrate their get-rich plot as they dance to “East Street” in a scene from Forte Theatre Company’s “Annie.” Photo by Mark Frohna

Annie’s fortune changes when Grace (Hope Riesterer), an assistant of billionaire Warbucks, comes looking for an orphan to spend Christmas at Warbucks’ expansive mansion. Annie is chosen and life looks good until the unscrupulous Rooster (JT Walker) and his wife Lily (Samantha Knapp) claim to be her parents in order to claim the huge check Warbucks is offering to find them.

It is a Christmas like no other for Annie, in which Warbucks calls in favors from high places – including the White House – to make sure it’s a happy one for this special little girl.

Eden’s Annie has a nice blend of little girl sweetness, spunky street smarts and childlike wonder to make her a most appealing character. She handles the optimist’s anthem “Tomorrow” with pitch-perfect sincerity.

Grace (Hope Riesterer), Oliver Warbucks (Shawn Holmes) and Annie (Arya Eden) as well as Warbucks staff and girls from the orphanage celebrate during “New Deal for Christmas” in a scene from Forte Theatre Company’s “Annie.” Photo by Mark Frohna

Shawn Holmes gives Warbucks a big, boisterous personality, yet delivers a most tender “I Don’t Need Anything but You” as he realizes that all his wealth means nothing without someone to love. His voice is silky smooth, whether navigating soaring high notes or luscious lows. A truly memorable performance.

But it is Eiche’s Miss Hannigan who really brings the house down. From the moment she barges into the orphans’ room, terrorizing the girls with threats and anger in a grating Brooklyn accent, she epitomizes the kind of cruelty reminiscent of Fagin and Sikes in Dickens’ “Oliver Twist.” In “Little Girls” she belts out her disdain for her charges, ending with a definitive snarl. I also loved the “East Street” scene with Hannigan and her brother Rooster (Walker) and his wife Lily (Knapp), a really enjoyable song-and-dance number. As Rooster, Walker has the agility of a cat and the smarminess of a used car salesman. Great fun to watch.

Riesterer as Grace, Warbucks’ assistant, is also nicely done, as were all of the smaller roles including Ryan Jay’s charming “Fully Dressed,” William Molitor’s as President Roosevelt and Jon Eiche’s as the head butler, Drake.

I loved the look of the maids in their green outfits and male servants in green vests and the snazzy outfits for the NYC scene, which helped make the vibrant, professional-quality dance numbers so much more enjoyable.

While I usually prefer a live orchestra, the sound system here is so sophisticated it’s hard to tell the difference.

One small note, which didn’t’ affect the performance: the biographies of a couple of major characters were omitted from the program. Perhaps a sheet inserted in the program could have included that info.

Nonetheless, this is a top-notch rendition of one of musical theater’s timeless classics.

If you go:

Who: Forte Theatre Company

What: “Annie”

When: Through Oct. 11

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

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

Next Act’s ‘Trayf’ takes teens’ faith and friendship on a bumpy ride

By Marilyn Jozwik

Even though it’s 1991 and the two main characters are 18-year-old Orthodox Jews in NYC, there is something very timeless and universal about “Trayf,” now being presented at the Next Act Theatre. Elyse Edelman directs.

In “Trayf” (a Yiddish word meaning “forbidden” or “unkosher”), playwright Lindsay Joelle presents Zalmy (A.J. Magoon) and Shmuel (Alex Mitchell), who have taken up the banner of a popular rabbi known as Rebbe. While the trend with post-Holocaust Jews is to become assimilated, Rebbe’s message is quite the opposite, encouraging his followers to embrace their culture and reignite the spark of their Jewish souls.

With youthful exuberance and hope, Zalmy and Shmuel go all out on their mission to light up Jewish souls. They are two teenagers off on the adventure of a lifetime. They rent an RV – that they dub “Mitzvah Tank.” They believe the Messiah may be coming soon and that  performing mitzvahs – good deeds – could hasten his arrival.

Shmuel (Alex Mitchell) and Zalmy (A.J. Magoon) spot Jonathan (Lucas Prizant) on the streets of New York and decide to to take him on as a project and help him connect with his Jewish roots in a scene from Next Act Theatre’s “Trayf.” Photos by Michael Brosilow

On the RV is a banner that reads: “Zalmy and Shmuel’s Mitzvahs on the Spot, For People on the Go.” Their plan is to find Jews on the streets of New York who have neglected their Judaism and lead them back to the fold. They want “Jews to fall in love with being Jewish,” says Shmuel.

What makes this show so engaging, so funny, so thoughtful is Joelle’s expertly drawn characters and Magoon and Mitchell’s superb portrayals of Zalmy and Shmuel. They are, at heart, just kids, teenagers. As Orthodox Jews, their lives have been different from most teens. The strict rules they follow have kept them from experiencing much of what other kids do. Shmuel, in particular, plays by the book – the Torah, to be exact. When Zalmy mentions Elton John, Shmuel has no idea who he is talking about. Zalmy yearns for more freedom. He sneaks out at night just to ride with people of all kinds on the subway or to go to the theater. Shmuel is shocked, but promises not to tell Zalmy’s parents.

Their friendship is classic. They’ve known each other most of their lives and are joined at the hip, bound by their love of Judaism. Their conversations are sweet, genuine and touching, like their hilarious discussions about sex and Shmuel’s first date.

But the test of their friendship comes when they meet Jonathan (Lucas Prizant), who just found out, after his father’s death, that the father was Jewish. Since his mother was Catholic, Shmuel questions his Jewish soul.

Yet, the two friends decide to take Jonathan on as a project. Zalmy invites him to his home for Shabbat dinners, which soon becomes a habit. Zalmy is jealous of Jonathan’s freedoms – his many girlfriends, clothing options, musical interests, his job at a music store – while Jonathan yearns for the kind of closeness, values and religious traditions of Zalmy’s family. And Shmuel is jealous of Zalmy’s relationship with Jonathan, insisting, “He’s dragging you down.”

Zalmy (A.J. Magoon), foreground, finds his friendship with Shmuel (Alex Mitchell) is on thin ice in a scene from Next Act’s “Trayf.” Photos by Michael Brosilow

Zalmy starts testing boundaries of his faith, which threatens to derail his friendship with Shmuel. Their perfect friendship and the constancies in their lives are unraveling.

No one is happy, including Jonathan’s girlfriend, Leah (Rachael Zientek), who is angry at Jonathan’s new religious rituals. She decides to confront Shmuel, who tells her: “We have a saying in the community. ‘There is no love, only acts of love. Real love comes by doing.’”

Leah snaps back, “I know what it means to be Jewish … you learn that being Jewish is a liability.”  

The question becomes, can Zalmy and Shmuel’s friendship survive the crisis? Will they continue their mission? Will Jonathan’s newfound faith get him a seat in the “Tank?”

It is a wild ride, but so worth the trip, with a most heart-warming and satisfying conclusion.

Magoon and Mitchell beautifully capture the innocence, the naivete, the passions of Zalmy and Shmuel, making them such layered and likeable relatable characters. Along with Prizant’s Jonathan and Zientek’s Leah, they capture so well what is at the heart of a friendship, what is at the heart of our faith, how fragile and important they are and just how hard it is to keep both.

The audience loved the show, with much laughter as well as appreciative applause after each scene. And, as always, Next Act leaves the audience with a lot to think about.

If you go:

Who: Next Act Theatre

What: “Trayf”

When: Through Oct. 4

Where: 255 S. Water St., Milwaukee

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

Sunset’s ‘Lend Me a Tenor’ hits all the right comedic notes

By Marilyn Jozwik

 “Lend Me a Tenor,” Sunset Playhouse’s latest offering, is Ken Ludwig’s first of many plays, and it has become his most popular.

It’s easy to see why. It’s fast pace, visual humor, clever dialogue and farcical situations make for highly entertaining theater.

But there’s a lot that can go wrong. First and foremost, the stage must be created to high standards as it takes quite a beating from all the hijinks. It brings to mind that Nissan commercial where a guy repeatedly opens and slams the door on the car to test its durability. The same is true of “Lend Me a Tenor,” in which six doors play a huge part as entries to bathrooms, a closet and the hotel hallway, as well as a passage between two visible hotel rooms. All must perform flawlessly to keep the performers doing the same.

Sunset’s production held up to that test. But of course, people don’t come to the theater to see doors slamming.

Saunders (Jim Mallmann), left, tries to explain the evening’s confusing events to Maggie (Brigid O’Brien), Bellhop (Christopher S. Orth) and Julia (Cathy Marschall) in a scene from Sunset Playhouse.’s “Lend Me a Tenor.”

The show takes place in 1934, when a famous tenor, Tito Merelli (Michael Stickney), is scheduled to perform “Pagliacci” for the 10th anniversary of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company. The company’s general manager, the irascible Saunders (Jim Mallmann), and his meek assistant, Max (Chris Gonyo), are anxiously awaiting Merelli’s arrival for the evening’s performance as the rehearsal is just minutes away. Bullied by Saunders, Max is responsible for Merelli’s whereabouts and comfort before the show. Finally, Merelli shows up, with his fiery wife (Alexa Farrell) berating him in no uncertain terms for eating like a pig and feeling sick and being a womanizer. The Merellis’ arguments are epic, with broad gestures and thick Italian accents.

Tito Merelli as Pagliacci (Michael Stickney) shares a humorous misunderstanding with ingenue soprano Diana (Rachel Wenndt) in a scene from Sunset Playhouse’s “Lend Me a Tenor.”

Max befriends Merelli, who tutors Max in his aspirations to be a world-class tenor like himself. When Merelli seems to be indisposed for the evening’s performance, it may be Max’s chance to show just how good he is. Suddenly, there are two Pagliaccis in the hotel, and the police, as well as Max’s girlfriend, Maggie (Brigid O’Brien); ingenue soprano Diana (Rachel Wenndt); opera guild chairwoman Julia (Cathy Marshall); and a bellhop (Christopher S. Orth) are all hoping to spend time with the famous Merelli. The action is dizzying as mistaken identities lead to hilarious situations.

This ensemble cast, directed by Michael Pocaro, generally handles the fast pace and physical humor well, but there were a few pacing  and syncing issues at the performance we saw which will probably be ironed out in the future.

Gonyo is a lovable Max, who finds himself in near constant motion as he tries to balance his roles as Merelli’s keeper, Saunders’ factotum and the subject of adulation. He is totally engaged with his demanding character and the audience as the fulcrum of much of the humor.

The cast of Sunset Playhouse’s “Lend Me a Tenor”: Back, from left, Christopher S. Orth, Rachel Wenndt, Jim Mallmann, Alexa Farrell, Brigid O’Brien and Chris Gonyo; front, Cathy Marschall and Michael Stickney.

As Merelli, Stickney couldn’t be more perfect. He is so comfortable as the demanding divo, passionate about his music, a willing mentor to Max and totally bemused when another Pagliacci is in the house. He has such marvelous expressions as his evening goes completely off the rails and his Italian accent is spot on. Loved the scenes with him and Farrell’s Maria, who is effectively and hilariously over the top as Merelli’s buxom jealous wife. Definitely a scene stealer.

I also enjoyed Cathy Marschall as Julia, chairwoman of the Cleveland Opera Guild, who affects a nice British accent and breezy attitude as she finds herself in the middle of the muddle. One of the best lines in the show has Saunders saying that her outfit makes her look “like the Chrysler Building.”

A shout-out has to go to scenic designer and technical director Scott Wirtz Olsen for the set design and master carpenter Duane Bauer for building the set, which provided a hard-working, visually appealing playground for the performers, contributing to the many successful gags.

If you go:

Who: Sunset Playhouse

What: “Lend Me a Tenor”

When: Through Sept. 27

Where: 700 Wall St., Elm Grove

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