LCP delights with uplifting, musical 'Christmas Carol'

By Marilyn Jozwik

In Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” Scrooge declares after his redemption, “I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy.”

In its presentation of the Dickens classic, Lake Country Playhouse captures a lighter Scrooge, a Scrooge who seems open to changing his miserly ways early on in this musical version by Ernest Brusubardis, with lyrics and adaptation by Michael Koscinski.

“A Christmas Carol The Musical,” directed by Robert Hurd Sr., has a festive feel starting with a sextet of costumed female performers presenting several carols with lovely, lilting voices and harmonies before the action begins.  Act Two opens with the entire cast, each holding candles in the darkness, singing an enchanting rendition of “Carol of the Bells.” Catherine Pfeiler directs the music for the show.

Robb Bessey plays Scrooge with familiar gruffness in the opening scenes as he rebuffs carolers, fundraisers and his merry nephew Fred (Max Levine) before he heads home from his office on Christmas Eve.

There he is visited by the ghost of his late partner Marley, played by Rebecca Richards. Richards’ Marley is not the enraged, chain-rattling Marley whose entrance is often eerie, clamorous and frightening. This Marley enters in a smoky haze and has long gray locks looking more witchlike than ghostlike. The specter is more pitiful than scary, wailing in despair about missed opportunities in life that forged the chains now required in death, while strongly urging Scrooge to not repeat his partner’s mistakes. I liked this gentler take on Marley that focused on his message more than theatrics.

As the Ghost of Christmas Past, Cayla Anderson enters clad in an elaborate, gauzy white angelic costume, moving lightly and gracefully as she entreats Scrooge to “open your mind” in one of Brusubardis’s lovelier tunes. The scenes retreat in time to the shop of Fezziwig (Brian Wochle), where the youthful Scrooge toiled, and a merry holiday party with some nicely done dancing. Later Scrooge and ghost revisit the young Scrooge (Scott Tracy) and his fiancée Belle (Johanna Lee), who sings a lovely tune of how Scrooge’s love of money has tainted their relationship.

Terry Haller gets Act Two started with a fun-filled portrayal of the Ghost of Christmas Present, frolicking with the reserved Scrooge and dousing all with sprinkles of good cheer. I really enjoyed Haller’s whimsical portrayal and Bessey’s reactions, which gradually warm to the cheery ghost’s antics. In the Cratchit home, Emma Bond as Mrs. Cratchit cradles Tiny Tim (Joey Radtke) while beautifully singing an enchanting lullaby that the youngster nicely adds to. The family, headed by Bob Cratchit’s (Danny Polanski) strong, pleasant vocals, intones a song of thanks.

The story moves swiftly through the final scenes, including a jolly dance and song presented by Mrs. Shelby (Kathy Voigt) and Old Joe (Richard Levine) as they sort through the dead Scrooge’s effects. I enjoyed Voigt’s comic touch and Cockney accent as well as Levine’s verve. Bessey’s Scrooge completes his transformation in song.

The entire cast returns for a final festive tune, leaving all to depart in a holiday spirit.

A new lighting system over the stage is put to the test, enhancing moods with color and dramatic effects. Sam Schulenburg handles the light board. Handsome backstage panels easily fold to create different settings. Costumed actors quickly and easily turn the panels between scenes, sometimes dancing across the stage to complete their task.

At the Sunday matinee we attended, a number of youngsters – some younger than 5 – seemed enthralled by the family-friendly show.

If you go:

Who: Lake Country Playhouse

What: “A Christmas Carol: The Musical”

When: Through Dec. 12

Where: 221 E. Capitol Drive, Hartland

Info/Tickets: LakeCountryPlayhouseWi.org

Sunset's 'She Loves Me' an engaging musical

By Katherine Beeson

Is it possible for two people, who barely tolerate each other at work, to be falling in love through anonymous letters? 

That is the question to be answered in Sunset Playhouse’s holiday musical, “She Loves Me.” This story is familiar; it’s based on the movie “The Shop around the Corner,” which was based on the original play “Parfumerie” by Mikos Lazlos (and which also inspired the movie “In the Good Old Summertime” AND the rom-com “You’ve Got Mail.)” This production is directed by Karl Miller with Mark Mrozek as musical director. The fabulous set was designed by Matthew Carr. 

The premise: It is Budapest, 1934. Georg (Sam Scherrer) and Amalia (Eliza Lambert) are working at Maraczek’s, a shop that specializes in perfumes, lotions and the like. They don’t seem to get along in real life, but, as it turns out, both have responded to a Lonely Hearts advertisement and have established a close relationship through a series of cloaked “Dear Friend” letters. The situation gets more complicated – almost disastrous -- as these two friends decide to meet at a romantic café. 

They are not the only people with romantic problems, however. Marasczek himself (Cory Klein) finds out his wife is having an affair with one of his employees; another store clerk with a heart of gold, Iiona, (Megan Rose Miller) is trying to maintain her complicated romance with Kodaly, a co-worker with a roving eye (Keith R. Smith) and, finally, energetic messenger boy Arpad (Jacob Cesar) is busy trying to convince the boss that he should be promoted to clerk. The main cast is rounded out with Matthew Matysik as Sipos (clerk and friend to Georg.) This musical is a true ensemble and each character has a short narrative song that advances the plot and explains their backstories. It’s also fun to see that no matter what the characters are experiencing in their lives, the entire sales force snaps to attention and breaks into song to thank a departing customer. 

A few cameo performances deserve shout-outs. Two dancers (Becky Cofta and Clayton R. Irwin) enhance the atmosphere of the romantic café with a sensuous tango (beautifully choreographed by SaraLynn Evenson.) Bringing humor to what turns out to be a stressful situation is the café’s waiter/owner, played by Jack Lynch. Lynch is laugh out-loud funny as he vainly tries to maintain the decorum of the place he proclaims is a “rendezvous for lovers” while desperately trying to have Amalia and Georg take their growing argument outside. (Georg sits down while Amalia protests that she is saving the seat for someone special.) 

One tiny disappointment; there is only one tune that people will recognize from this show and that is the title song. Georg sings it after a certain wonderful encounter and, while Scherrer does a nice job with it, he could have done so much more. He has the entire stage to himself, his character just made a surprising discovery; his delivery should convey this delight and happiness. At this point the audience was ready for this song and Scherrer could have had them in the palm of his hand. 

This is a cute story – this musical opened on Broadway in 1963 and has enjoyed several revivals. Sunset’s production carries all the light-hearted charm from beginning to end. 

“She Loves Me” is a delightful night at the theater. It runs through December 19.

Next Act’s ‘Red Herring’ tosses a funny bone to ’50s murder-mystery

By MARILYN JOZWIK

For its holiday show, Next Act Theatre is presenting the Michael Hollinger comedy “Red Herring.” I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun at a play.

Hollinger’s show is a barrel full of quirky characters, tongue-in-cheek laughs—and 24 scenes that are all gems. And Next Act has polished each one to a high gleam. David Cecsarini directs.

The show features hard-boiled detective Maggie (Mary McDonald Kerr), “a flatfoot in heels,” evoking 1950s mysteries. Maggie is surrounded by all sorts of goofy situations and characters in the era of McCarthyism, the Cold War and the hydrogen bomb. These don’t seem like the themes of comedy, yet Hollinger has found lots to spoof and Next Act runs with it.

Besides the intrigue of the era and a murder mystery, Hollinger weaves three very unconventional love stories throughout the comedy and ties up all the knots in heartwarming fashion. Besides Maggie and her partner Frank (Dylan Bolin), Lynn (Eva Nimmer), the fictional daughter of Sen. Joe McCarthy (McCarthy did have a daughter named Tierney, who was adopted as an infant in 1957) and James (Zach Thomas Woods), a Russian spy, are lovers; so are landlady Mrs. Kravitz (Kelly Doherty) and her tenant Andrei (Bo Johnson). The three couples intersect as plans for a deadly bomb hidden in a block of Velveeta cheese end up on a Boston dock, where a corpse was found days earlier.

Mrs. Kravitz (Kelly Doherty), James (Zach Thomas Woods) and Frank (Dylan Bolin) end up in a tense situation on the dock in a scene from Next Act’s “Red Herring.” Photo by Mark Frohna

This is a show that is dense with humor and wordplay, mystery and all sorts of period and other references including “Moby Dick,” “The Prisoner of Zenda,” Richard Nixon, “Ike,” fission, fusion, Quakers, Catholics (including a hilarious confessional scene), Jews and lots more. A screen in the back of the stage shows clips from the McCarthy trials, as well as images of a Boston dock and other locales related to the action.  Each scene’s ending is a thought-provoking line that simmers briefly before the next gem of a scene begins.

Like a neatly wrapped gift, each scene is a surprising treasure, especially as the characters’ personas start to form. Kerr’s Maggie, with her trench coat and distinctive hat, has the look and demeanor of a film noir detective, like Humphrey Bogart’s Philip Marlowe. Maggie is fast-talking, tough and driven. She is in total command of every situation, but vulnerable when it comes to Frank, the love of her life, who is ready to take the plunge until he uncovers Maggie’s secret. As Frank, Bolin matches Maggie’s toughness and also has some wonderful turns as Major Hartwell (part of a Hydrogen bomb experiment team) and a priest.

Lynn (Eva Nimmer) and Andrei (Bo Johnson) vie for the attention of the priest (Dylan Bolin) in the confessional in a scene from First Stage’s “Red Herring.” Photo by Mark Frohna

Perhaps the most memorable characterizations are Doherty’s as Mrs. Kravitz, the dockside landlady; Lyn’s clueless mother; and the haughty, overbearing bridal shop owner. With various voices, inflections and timing, Doherty creates a trio of crowd-pleasing characters. Johnson also effectively handles multiple roles, the largest being Andrei, who dances to hide his identity.

As James, Woods is eager and engaging. He pairs well with Nimmer, as the naïve Lynn, for some subtle and charmingly comedic scenes.   

The show is a carousel of characters and situations that move swiftly through the many scene and costume changes. Each scene is vividly created through complex lighting, sound, set design and costumes—thanks to Rick Rasmussen (scenic design), Cecsarini (sound and images design), Amy Horst (costume design), Aaron Sherkow (lighting design), Abby Pitchford (properties design) and Jessica Connelly (stage manager).

If You Go:

Who: Next Act Theatre

What: “Red Herring”

When: Through Dec. 19

Where: 255 S. Water St., Milwaukee

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

'Best Brothers' a warm, touching and funny journey through grief

By Catherine Jozwik

Milwaukee-based Boulevard Theater’s production “The Best Brothers,” written by Canadian LGBTQI playwright Daniel MacIvor and directed by Boulevard founder and artistic director Mark Bucher, seamlessly blended domestic comedy with pathos and a keen understanding of grief and family dynamics. With its themes of tolerance, acceptance and gratitude, the play was particularly appropriate for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Boulevard held two free enhanced readings of “The Best Brothers” at different locations Saturday. This reviewer attended the 1pm performance at the back room of Bay View establishment The Sugar Maple, 441 E. Lincoln Ave. The intimate venue, which held around 30, was packed, and the audience seemed to be enjoying themselves, laughing frequently and loudly.

The production was minimal, with a cast of three (including narrator Carole Herbstreit Kalinyen), no sets, and several props. But, as an audience member pointed out after the show, Kalinyen’s effective narrating of the stage directions allowed viewers to visualize the sets and to focus on the reading’s wonderful dialogue and monologues.

Kyle Conner and Matt Specht were fantastic as openly gay and optimistic brother Kyle Best and disapproving, straight-laced heterosexual brother Hamilton Best, respectively. Connor brought a warm and endearing enthusiasm and comedic energy to his role, and Specht portrayed the perfect mix of sternness and vulnerability. Donning red gloves, both actors delivered engaging monologues as Bunny Best, the Best brothers’ beloved mother who has recently died as the result of a bizarre parade accident.

The enhanced reading takes the audience through the beginning stages of the brothers’ grief process, and how they deal with practical matters after their mother’s death, such as the funeral and wake, responding to condolences cards, and the will and estate.

Enzo, Bunny’s cherished and ill-behaved Italian greyhound, wasn’t a physical member of the cast, but he is referred to so frequently in the production that he may as well be. From the descriptions of the hound chewing up Hamilton’s pricey kitchen cabinets to Bunny’s hilariously poignant recollection of how Enzo came into her life, the audience can almost feel the pup’s cold wet nose against their cheeks. During the final scene of the play, which takes place at a dog park, Kyle Best holds a pink leash in his hand as the brothers watch the canine romp around.

“The Best Brothers” is proof that a winning script and exceptional acting beat out flashy, expensive scenery, costumes and visual effects—every time. 

Acacia brings new spirit to Dickens’ Christmas classic

By Marilyn Jozwik

Charles Dickens’ story of redemption, “A Christmas Carol,” has been told in many different ways and from many different perspectives.

Acacia Theatre Company’s holiday offering, “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol” by Tom Mula, fleshes out Scrooge’s business partner, Marley, who in the original is long dead and only appears in ghostly form. Elaine Wyler directs.

In this version, we learn about Marley in the afterlife, and how his greed and unkindness during life, not unlike Scrooge’s, forged the chains made of money boxes and other metals that he must carry in death. He is told that he did not learn the lessons of charity and love offered him in life and now he must pay the price.

But Marley is given a chance at vindication: He must use his power of time travel and his ability to change form to return to earth and redeem a lost soul. His project? Ebenezer Scrooge. Not only that, but he must accomplish the feat in 24 hours.

Jason Will takes on the many characters in the show with incredible skill and humor. The show’s venue is the small, modern black box theater at Norvell Commons at St. Christopher’s Church in River Hills that is comfortable for the audience and offers lots of opportunities to enhance the show with lighting, visuals and sound, giving this one-man show and simple set the sense of many locations and immersing the audience in each scene. And in the hands of Will, numerous characters come vividly to life.

In the first act, we see Marley in his final earthly days. He is described as “being wound too tight” or “having all the juice squeezed out of him.” Mula’s language is vibrant, creating all sorts of imagery that Will enhances tenfold with his marvelous portrayals. The story then follows Marley to the afterlife where, through sound, light and Will’s physicality and performance skills, we see Marley’s suffering in many forms, including a “hellish aquarium.”

Lest the show get weighted down by Marley’s heavy links, the show contains many modern references and intriguing characters, such as The Bogle, a tiny spirit that fits in Marley’s ear. In one of the many voices Will uses, The Bogle has a Cockney accent with Will portraying the spirit in a sort of hunched manner and light-hearted, whimsical way. He is remindful of Jiminy Cricket in Disney’s “Pinocchio,” serving as the main character’s guide. The Bogle explains how Marley can “apply for a transfer” to the Record Keeper, whom Will portrays in a suitable administrative tone.

Act Two follows the Scrooge story, with Marley transformed into a couple of the familiar ghosts, with several twists, including going back to Marley’s childhood. The same joyful scenes of redemption which have made Dickens’ story so enduring – and endearing -- are magnified here, allowing all to ponder how they might be able to change a lost soul.

I must confess that I am often skeptical before I see one-person shows, as they can often contain long, static monologues. With Will’s expertise, the stage is filled with colorful characters, each given a distinctive persona. Marley’s father, Bob Cratchit, the young Marley, Scrooge and many others become crystal clear. Will consumes every inch of the stage, every ounce of his energy and every dramatic facial and vocal device to create worlds of characters and scenarios.

Set designer Ashley Petrowsky, Light designer Dan Hummel and Sound designer Colin Kovarik must be commended for their expert contributions to the show, a wonderful way to realize the true meaning of the season and get into a suitable holiday spirit.

If you go

Who: Acacia Theatre Company

What: “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol”

When: Through Jan. 8

Where: Norvell Commons at St. Christopher's Church, 7845 N. River Road, River Hills

Info/Tickets: www.acaciatheatre.com; 414-744-5995

First Stage’s ‘Charlie Brown Christmas’ brings joy and laughter to the holidays

By Marilyn Jozwik

First Stage couldn’t have picked a better show to celebrate the holiday season than its presentation of Charles M. Schulz’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The classic holiday show, based on the 1965 animated television special by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson, with stage adaptation by Eric Schaeffer, features  wonderfully engaging personnel led by Artistic Director Jeff Frank and Music Director/Pianist Paul Helm. The show is appropriate for children 4 and older.

First Stage’s two-cast show featured the Sparky cast of 11 youngsters for its opening performance on Nov. 20, as well as adult performer J.T. Backes as Snoopy. Backes will perform with both casts. The show centers around the lovable underdog Charlie Brown (Nolan Zellermayer) who has the blues, despite the merriment around him, due to the excessive commercialism of the holidays. “I know nobody likes me,” he groans. “Why do we need a whole season to emphasize it?”

Patty (Lucia Harris) and Lucy (Alice Rivera) are enchanted by the falling snow while Sally (Maura Kuhnen-Grooms) makes out her gift list in a scene from First Stage’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Photo by Paul Ruffolo

He finds purpose when Lucy (Alice Rivera) suggests he direct the Christmas pageant. Charlie takes on the challenge, but his young charges want only to frolic, ignoring his direction and putting him right back in his funk. It takes a tiny tree, the somber proclamation by Linus (King Z. Pollard) and the support of friends to help Charlie find joy.

The scenes in the show are short and kid-friendly, with lots of physical humor to keep a young audience roaring with laughter and dialed in to the action. You can tell just how engaged an audience is when the kids in it are answering the onstage questions and reacting to the performers!

Each brief scene is a charming, poignant or funny vignette – outdoor skaters, Pigpen (Benjamin Poindexter) and Charlie building a snowman and choosing a Christmas tree, youngsters tossing snowballs, Snoopy as the Red Baron fighting the enemy on his whirling doghouse, Lucy and her 5-cent psychiatric services and the heartwarming final scene of songs and friendship. Falling snow and simple, brightly colored props enhance the festive show.

The youngsters in the audience especially enjoyed the antics of Backes as Snoopy, who speaks not a word but creates lots of moods with a variety of amusing dog talk. The kids giggled and chortled at his hilarious attempts to open a folding chair and other missteps, which Backes played up wonderfully. Helms provided the perfect piano accompaniment, punctuating dialog and movement with well-placed notes and handling the familiar score with aplomb.

Snoopy (J.T. Backes) dances on the piano Schroeder (Thatcher Jacobs) is playing, much to the annoyance of Lucy (Alice Rivera).

The members of the young cast were all wonderful, romping on the layered set of a winter wonderland – including a little ice pond for the skaters -- with energy, joy and precision. Zellermayer as Charlie Brown was sincere and affable as he rallied his young charges to create a beautiful pageant befitting the season. Rivera infused her Lucy character with a bossy, self-assured attitude as the nemesis of Charlie Brown, who grudgingly begins to see him in a positive light.

Other performers in the Sparky cast are Thatcher Jacobs as Schroeder; Patrick Kanter as Shermy; Lucy Halpern as Violet; Maura Kuhnen-Grooms as Sally; Taylor Arnstein as Freida; Lucia Harris as Patty; and Sharon Chumlea as Skater.

Young performers in the Schulz Cast include Edward Owczarski as Charlie Brown; Ben Nowacek as Schroeder; William Swoboda as Linus; Collin Weise as Shermy; Layton Lal as Pig Pen; Ailie Snyder as Lucy; Abigial Montie as Violet; Lauren DeGroot as Sally; Reese Bell as Freida; Sydney McElroy as Patty; and Lauren Edwards as Skater.

If you go:

Who: First Stage

What: “A Charlie Brown Christmas”

When: Through Dec. 26

Where: The Marcus Center’s Todd Wehr Theater, 929 N. Water Street, Milwaukee

Info/Tickets: firststage.org; (414) 267-2961

Village Playhouse one-acts cover lots of dramatic and comedic ground

By Marilyn Jozwik

Village Playhouse is presenting its 35th One-Act Festival with a mixed bag of short original shows containing moments of humor and wit, poignancy and irony, as well as moral proclamations while handling issues of aging and loss.

Humor takes center stage starting with Michael Lucchesi’s clever take on creation in “But I’m Just Not IN Love with it.” As a pitchman for his latest venomous creature, Luc (Luis Castillo) presents his ideas in the office of TB (Derek Jacobs), who makes several calls to Jesus for guidance during the meeting while slogans and catch phrases are bandied about. Castillo and Jacobs do a nice job creating this ad agency setting with smatterings of Greek and Roman mythology, Biblical references and modern allusions. Tom Zuehlke directs.

Sandra Wyss, Lea Cornell, Maureen Lavin and Katherine Beeson are featured during Village Playhouse’s 35th One Act Festival.

In “The Interview,” written by Carol Ratliff Drury and directed by Stacy Madson, Amy Wickland plays a job seeker taking part in a virtual interview. Wickland is wonderful dialing through a range of emotions as the three off-site interviewers (Paul Weir, Katherine Beeson and Jon Goltz) ratchet up their questioning from benign to intrusive to ridiculous. The satire works with Wickland’s well-done portrayal and the amusing interactions of the stuffy interviewers and the interview’s coordinator (Elizabeth M. Havican).

Weir does triple duty in the festival, also appearing in the touching, one-person “Good Neighbors” by Marjorie Pagel as well as “Old Friends” by Jon Kolb. In “Good Neighbors,” directed by Zuehlke, Weir portrays Bernie, a recent widower sharing thoughts with an unseen neighbor. A Milwaukee Brewer baseball fan, Bernie wears a team jersey and cap as he mulls the several months since his wife died and his new outlooks on life. Weir is comfortable and engaging as the cong l Bernie, who is lightened by his unburdening thoughts.

Weir appears again as a recent widower, Ed, in the intense “Old Friends,” while Dale Jackson plays his best buddy Jack. The two are meeting for coffee (and later some alcoholic additions from Ed’s flask) at a shop with Katie Kadaver playing the Waitress. This has been a long-standing tradition for the old friends now dealing with loss, maladies and changing times. “How long have we been doing this?” asks Jack. “Since we felt good,” replies Ed. The pair share easy conversation until Jack hits a nerve, exposing Ed’s still raw emotions. Weir and Jackson are riveting as loss brings them even closer as friends. Madson directs.

Paul Weir plays a recent widower in “Good Neighbors” during Village Playhouse’s One Act Festival.

In “The Visitation” death is featured, but in this one it’s strictly for laughs. Before visitors arrive, Mrytle (Vivian Moller) spews her anger at her husband Leonard’s (everyone calls him Lumpy) funeral and the burden she feels lifted by his being gone. Lumpy’s brothers Darnell (Evan Prier) and Parnell (Tom Jozwik) soon appear, reminiscing and discussing the unsavory circumstances of his death which leads to laughs and a surprise ending. Sandra Wyss plays Darnell’s wife while Donna McMaster is Parnell’s wife and serves as the show’s director. Playing the funeral director is Lea Cornell while Maureen Lavin plays the vampish Betsy Baker. This cast squeezes a lot of chuckles out of Mike Willis’ rustic characters.

In yet another look at aging, Dawn Molly Dewane plays Elizabeth Blackburn, a 110-year-resident at a nursing home in Gary Jones’ “The Oldest Crawford County Widow Tells All,” directed by Zuehlke. Elizabeth details her interesting life and loves to her very disinterested caregiver played by Wickland, who files Elizabeth’s nails while making condescending remarks to the accomplished centenarian-plus trying to cling to her dignity.  

If you go

Who: Village Playhouse

What: 35th One-Act Festival

When: Through Nov. 14

Where: Interchange Theater Co-Op, 628 N. 10th St., Milwaukee

What’s More: A virtual option will be available. Check the website: www.villageplayhouse.org

Youngsters travel to new dimensions in First Stage’s ‘La Llorona’

By Marilyn Jozwik

Everyone loves a good story. Especially a good scary story. And there’s no better time than fall and the season of ghosts and goblins to bring out the scariest stories.

The final play in First Stage’s fall 2021 Amplify – BIPOC Short Play Series is “The Tale of La Llorona as Told by Consuelo Chavez,” written by Jose Casas. In the play, the young performers recount several spine-tingling tales from different cultures. David Flores directs while Frank Prahl provides appropriate music to heighten the eerie mood.

Through Dec. 5, the play will stream for free. To access the YouTube link, go to:  https://www.firststage.org/events-tickets/2021-22-season/amplify-bipoc-short-play-series/ 

The backdrop for the storytelling is an intriguing combination of events creating drama, mystery and thoughtful moments.   Several friends (portrayed by Stephanie Santoyo-Bustos, Abigail Montie, Lina Singh, Thomas Bastardo, Carson Pressley and Augie Poppert) have gathered to celebrate Halloween, most likely their last together as they will all be going on to high school soon. The stormy weather has forced them into a basement to discuss their plans for the evening.

We see them all in different costumes, sitting on wooden blocks when a young man of similar age, dressed in a suit, appears as the Narrator (Zach Church). He speaks to the audience, describing the youths as “best friends connected by a lifetime of childhood memories” and telling the audience they’ll be “traveling through another dimension.”

Since they’re not able to be outdoors, the six friends decide the best way to spend the night is to tell scary stories. So, they gather around a lantern to relate some well-known spooky tales from various cultures. Storytelling on this night is a ritual for these friends, wanting to hold fast to the familiar as they embark on new adventures in their lives.

The young performers are marvelous in their narrations, using broad gestures, lots of movement and voice variations to enhance the fright. All the stories are thought-provoking, giving the friends – and audience -- lots to reflect on. Chuy (Bastardo) starts the frightening folklore with the tale from the Americas of the Chupacabra, a sort of vampire who drinks the blood of goats. Michael (Pressley) describes the mermaids of South Africa who pull swimmers under the water to their deaths. Lisa (Singh) and Angel (Montie) ask what it would be like to live forever, and then describe Koschei, a character from Russian folklore who hides his soul to be immortal. 

It looks as though the evening is about to break up when Consuelo (Santoyo-Bustos) pleads with the others not to go. She tells the tale of La Llorona, a Latin American myth about a woman dressed in white, grieving for her dead children. Amid effective lighting and sound, Bustos, dressed in a white gown, stands atop a block as she retells the tale in chilling realism that causes all her friends to wonder exactly what happened. The maelstrom seems to reflect the group’s anxiety about moving from the comfort of familiar friendships to new dimensions in their own lives.

This fine cast maintains energy throughout and provides performances that will resonate with young audiences. The stories are captivating in the hands of these young performers.

Ira Levin's Clever Story Graces Civic's Stage

By Katherine Beeson

Alex Cullen (Sydney), Christopher Orth (Clifford), Chelsey Hamilton (Myra) in Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Deathtrap.” Photos by Anne Kenney Photography

Waukesha Civic Theatre continues its 2021-2022 season with "Deathtrap," the play that holds the record for the longest running comedy-thriller on Broadway. This production is directed by Mary Rynders. The set was beautifully designed by Evan Crain.

The premise: Sidney Bruhl, a well-known playwright living on his wife's money, is desperate to write another hit. He tells his wife, Myra, that a student, Clifford, has contacted him and sent him a script for a play called "Deathtrap" that is sure to be a big success. After learning that there are only two copies in existence, Sidney invites Clifford (and the original script) to the Bruhl secluded home to collaborate on the play, but it is obvious that Sidney intends to kill Clifford and take credit for the work. Myra unhappily witnesses the murder and helps bury the body.

Bill Kirsch (Porter), Susan Zuern (Helga) in Waukesha Civic Theatre’s “Deathtrap.” Photos by Anne Kenney Photography

The story takes a number of twists and turns from there, but I won't spoil the fun. Just when one thinks all the surprises are over, Levin treats the audience to just one more.

The cast is fine, if a bit strained at times. The two standouts in this cast are Christopher Orth as Clifford and Susan Zuern as Helga ten Dorp, a famous psychic who recently rented a home next door and has amazing talents and uncanny perceptions. Orth is likable and entertaining as the seemingly naive student, while Zuern keeps her character real and never segues into a caricature as she delivers clairvoyant bon mots such as "there is death in this room."

Few playwrights equal the creative genius of Levin, even though describing "Deathtrap" as a true comedy might be a stretch. This show is a wonderful play within a play that also turns around on itself as one of its characters proclaims that the perfect play is "two acts, one set, five characters" -- exactly what this production is.

"Deathtrap" runs through November 7.

The Constructivists "Wink' prowls the human psyche

By Marilyn Jozwik

After a long Covid-induced hiatus, The Constructivists have opened their season with the alluring Jen Silverman play, “Wink,” directed by Jaimelyn Gray.

The show is offbeat. You’ll see a man wearing fur shorts, a woman tearing the fluffy insides out of a pillow, a psychotherapist making out with his carpet and a cat seeking revenge.

The story revolves around Wink. Wink is a cat. Who is missing. And it seems a terrible fate has befallen him at the hand of Gregor (Ekene Ikegwuani), the husband of Wink’s owner, Sophie (Rebekah Farr), who is distraught over the loss. The couple has been hanging on to their unhappy marriage and separately seeing the same therapist, the eccentric Dr. Frans (Matthew Scales), who keeps their emotions in check and their relationship duct-taped together. The cat situation causes even more stress in their marriage, but creates opportunities for some quirky and sometimes hilarious dialogue and action, which this cast handles brilliantly – with energy, expert timing and physicality. By the show’s end, the characters have gone through quite a wild metamorphosis in quest of their true natures.

Dr. Frans (Matthew Scales), left, meets with Gregor (Ekene Ikegwuani) in a scene from The Constructivists “Wink.” Photo credit: Testaduro Media, LLC

These performers have poured every ounce of their being into this show and the opening night audience was most receptive, with frequent chuckles and guffaws at Silverman’s light and dark humor.

Silverman easily conveys her themes. Through the characters’ rants, the audience sees how people today rigidly follow conventions, hold back emotions and desires in order to conform, work until their shoulders droop. Says Dr. Frans, “I want to do terrible things to people who look happy.”

Wink the cat is the perfect contrast to the conforming humans. As Wink says, “If something doesn’t give me pleasure, I wouldn’t do it.” He starts Dr. Frans thinking about those things we take for granted. At one point he asks Dr. Frans, “Why do you wear clothes under your clothes?”

Sophie (Rebekah Farr), left, and Wink (Jaime Jastrab) get a chance to chat in a scene from The Constructivists “Wink.” Photo credit: Testaduro Media, LLC

As Wink, Jaime Jastrab is an ethereal figure. He fairly purrs when he talks and slinks when he walks, the eye of the storm of the humans around him. Wink throws Dr. Frans’ ordered life off center.

Silverman’s fantasy allows the human characters to play big and they use every bit of the stage in pouring their passion into the story.

As Sophie, Farr does so much emoting with body language and facial expressions she hardly needs to speak for the audience to know what she’s feeling. And, in fact, she doesn’t speak at all as the only character in one scene.

Ikegwuani’s Gregor is intense, yet Ikegwuani handles comedy deftly. As Dr. Frans, Scales wrings out all the right tones. The doctor-patient couch scenes are a riot, while Dr. Frans’ scenes with Wink are moving and tinged with sexuality. The scene in which Wink teaches Dr. Frans how to stand like a cat is pitch perfect.

As the characters orderly life changes, so does the set, moving from neat as a pin to total disorder when the characters let go of their pent-up emotions. Sarah Harris handled set and costume design for the show, while Ellie Rabinowitz did the lighting design. Les Zarzecki was in charge of technical direction and set construction.

The show is a little over an hour and the scenes short, with monosyllabic chants during the speedy set changes keeping the off-beat tone of the play.

If you go:

Who: The Constructivists

What: “Wink”

When: Through Nov. 6

Where: Broadway Theatre Center Studio, 158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee

Info/Tickets: theconstructivists.org; 414-858-6874

Sunset’s ‘Wait Until Dark’ shines with intensity

By Marilyn Jozwik

As one theater-goer said at the sudden ending of Sunset’s “Wait Until Dark”: “That was intense.”

Indeed, those final moments of this taut thriller, by Frederick Knott and adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher, are intense.

The show simmers nicely at a slow burn under the direction of Dustin Martin (Nicholas Callan Haubner is assistant director), until the final moments bring the story to a five-alarm fire, keeping the audience at the edge of their seats throughout.

The show opens in Greenwich Village, New York, in 1944. Two baddies, an ex-cop gone bad named Carlino (Ralph Frattura) and a deranged conman Roat (Josh Scheibe), are trying to track down a doll containing a hidden treasure that would provide quite the payday for them. Their search brings them to the Greenwich Village apartment of a young, newly married couple—Sam, a photographer (Karol Nowak), and his blind wife, Susan (Maura Atwood). Sam and Susan have been lured away to give the pair an opportunity to check out the place.

Susan has a helper, Gloria (Eva Dahlberg), a neighbor girl from a dysfunctional household who takes delight in playing tricks on the sightless Susan, like moving furniture around in Susan’s apartment. After Carlino and Roat case her apartment, Susan is visited by a war buddy of her husband’s, Mike (Chris Celestin), who gains Susan’s trust while her husband is gone on an assignment and a strangled woman is found in the neighborhood.

I loved the opening scene, especially Scheibe’s Roat, whose long pauses and measured cadence are perfect contrasts to Carlino’s excitable demeanor. Scheibe sits in the couple’s apartment, slowly lighting a cigarette, looking cool and creepy, like a Hannibal Lecter wannabe, while he describes his nefarious plans. This sinister scene sets a firm foundation for the evil about to descend on Susan’s ordinary life.

Gloria (Eva Dahlberg) assumes a smug attitude as she annoys her neighbor Susan (Maura Atwood) in a scene from Sunset Playhouse’s “Wait Until Dark.”

Atwood’s Susan is engaging from the start. Her strident Brooklyn accent adds humor to many of her lines, especially her conversations with the mischievous Gloria, nicely done by Dahlberg. Atwood plays Susan with a sensible, can-do attitude as she relies on the acuity of her other senses to navigate the terror-filled situations she finds herself in.

Mike (Chris Celestin) makes a phone call in Susan’s apartment while Susan (Maura Atwood) and Gloria (Eva Dahlberg) look on.

Frattura’s Carlino is sort of a caricature of a Brooklyn cop-cum-gangster, which mostly serves his character well. As Sam’s Army buddy, Mike, Celestin pairs well with Atwood, his character displaying an ease and charm that reassures the on-edge Susan.

Sunset chose to do the blackout scenes in virtually total darkness, relying on the actors’ dialogue and utterings to describe the action. I’ve seen the play done with a darkened set before, but not so dark as to not see what the characters were doing. With the total blackout, Sunset’s characters had to work especially hard to convey the action.

Set designer Matt Carr did a good job of creating a set that allows the audience to see all the important elements needed to understand the plot and create a manageable playground for the performers. Marty Wallner’s lighting design is up to the challenge of a play that relies heavily on exact positioning and intensity of light to set its mood and enhance its story.

If You Go

Who: Sunset Playhouse

What: “Wait Until Dark”

When: Through Nov. 7

Where: 800 Elm Grove Road

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

WA Players guilty of a superb ‘Witness for the Prosecution’

By MARILYN JOZWIK

Agatha Christie’s “Witness for the Prosecution” has been a popular stage whodunit since it first appeared on the London stage in the 1950s.

West Allis Players has selected the play as its fall 2021 show, and a fine production it is.

Directed by Katherine Beeson, the play has a fresh feel with a sleek, modern set in earthy ocher tones by Scott Fudali, giving the actors a perfect canvas on which to paint their uniformly splendid performances.

Zach Sharrock plays Leonard Vole, a charming – though penniless – young man who has befriended a much older, wealthy spinster, Emily French. In the early moments of the show, Vole seeks legal counsel after he reads in the newspapers that he’s a suspect in French’s murder. Handling his defense are Sir Wilfrid Robarts (Paul Weir) and Mr. Mayhew (Mack Bates). Even though Vole swears his innocence, it doesn’t look good for him since he was at French’s apartment the night of her death. He also could benefit financially from her death. It appears his fate hinges on the testimony of Vole’s mercurial wife, Romaine (Stacy Madson). Will she provide the alibi that could save him?

Amy Wickland gets the show started with her charming Cockney accent and cheery demeanor in the small but memorable role of Robarts’ secretary, Greta. The first act moves swiftly thanks to Sharrock’s intense, animated Vole – which he maintains throughout the show. Vole relates his story to his defense team of Robarts and Mayhew. In Act 2, the action moves to the courtroom for testimonies by key witnesses, who all perform admirably as the story keeps the audience guessing.

French’s housekeeper, Janet McKenzie, played by Beeson, gives a lengthy testimony, key to the case, about her recollections of the evening of the murder. Beeson’s spot-on Scottish accent and range of emotions keep the audience totally engaged.

Weir’s Robarts is in a virtual chess match with the prosecutor, Mr. Myers (William Molitor). Portraying Robarts, Vole’s hope for salvation, Weir (as always) is in top form. He paces and stalks the witnesses, probes and cajoles, looking every bit the polished senior counsel. His counterpart, Molitor’s Myers, stays at the prosecutor’s table, keeping a lower profile to provide contrast.

Madson as Romaine is spellbinding. She strides into the solicitor’s office, confident, even arrogant, an enigmatic character who maintains her mystery throughout the show. The plot hinges on Romaine, and Madson’s portrayal is completely up to the scrutiny.

Act 3 contains more twists than a mountain road as Vole’s guilt and innocence swing like a pendulum. The dramatic ending is wonderfully staged to put a cherry on top of this thriller.

While the first and third acts are most riveting, the Act 2 courtroom scenes lose some intensity in the large West Allis Central stage that dwarf the characters, especially the witnesses tucked far in the back. Perhaps moving the witnesses forward and keeping those scenes more intimate would have increased the power even more.

The show’s references to women and foreigners are notable, especially opinions given by the pompous judge (nicely done by Doug Smedron), Weir’s Robarts and other male characters, highlighting the chauvinism and other prejudices of the times as well as showing the legal system as being somewhat of a Good Ol’ Boys Club.

To accommodate set changes, two intermissions were inserted into the almost three-hour production. Yet, the energy and movement of the performers and the intriguing story keep the action moving at a good clip.  

Plus, the intermissions provide an opportunity for audience members to sample several varieties of Seroogy’s chocolate bars (made in De Pere), on sale in the lobby, to fuel them for the next round of intrigue inside the theater.

If You Go:

Who: West Allis Players

What: “Witness for the Prosecution”

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 15 and 16; 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 17

Where: West Allis Central High School, 8516 W. Lincoln Ave., West Allis

Info/Tickets: www.westallisplayers.org

Alex Vrba sinks his teeth into Main Stage’s ‘Dracula’ role

By Marilyn Jozwik

“Dracula,” Bram Stoker’s 1897 classic horror tale, seems like an unlikely story for ballet. Yet, all the elements that create drama and terror can be conveyed beautifully in dance.

The MainStage Academy of Dance, under artistic director Eddy Bray, will bring the dark, yet mesmerizing, tale of “Dracula” to the Oconomowoc Arts Center for four performances Oct. 8-10.

Alex Vrba will portray the bloodthirsty main character in this production. Vrba danced with MainStage dancers in the October 2019 Bray Ballet Company’s presentation of “Dracula” at the Oconomowoc Arts Center. In the role of Jonathan Harker, the English lawyer who travels to Count Dracula’s castle in Transylvania, Vrba was light as air with gorgeous lines, especially in his leaps and spins. His Harker showed desperation in his bold, precise movements as he found himself surrounded by fiendish vampire brides in gauzy, blood-red gowns and in the clutches of the black-cloaked, demonic Dracula.

Vrba will soon be joining the Madison Ballet.

MainStage once again transforms the Oconomowoc Arts Center with creepy crypts, coffins and malevolent murk -- an ethereal gothic playground for Vrba’s Dracula, the beautiful women he desires and others who fear and enable him.

The family-friendly show features spellbinding special effects, clever choreography, stunning costumes and an eerie, scene-setting score. Even for those unfamiliar with the story, the dancers’ dramatic movements, evocative music and effective staging create chilling and taut moments to bring Dracula’s sinister motives into focus.

In keeping with the Halloween theme, MainStage will once again have a costume contest with prizes for first, second and third place.

If You Go

Who: Main Stage Academy of Dance

What: “Dracula”

When: 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9; and 2 p.m. Oct. 10

Where: Oconomowoc Arts Center, 641 E Forest St, Oconomowoc (adjacent to Oconomowoc High School and west of Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital)

Info/Tickets: 262-560-3172; www.TheOAC.net

Falls Players' handles 'moving' comedy with much merriment

By Marilyn Jozwik

Falls Patio Players opens its 2021-22 season with the delightful comedy “Things My Mother Taught Me” by Katherine Disavino.

The story has so many opportunities for humor and this cast of six doesn’t miss any of them. Karen McKinney directs.

 A young couple, Olivia (Zoe Oskarsson) and Gabe (Simon McGhee), are moving from New York into a modest apartment in Chicago, where Gabe is planning to pop the question. The comedy starts when a high-back chair – the first piece of furniture the couple bought together (and the first to go into the apartment) – gets stuck in their apartment’s entry door. This provides an opportunity to meet the building’s “super,” played by Goo, a performer who makes every role memorable. Her well-placed ominous “oh-ohs” and her proclaiming “My English is not so good” in a thick Polish accent always get laughs.

Olivia (Zoe Oskarsson) and Gabe (Simon McGhee) share a tender moment in Falls Patio Players’ “Things My Mother Taught Me.”

The move is starting to get on the couple’s nerves, but the tension accelerates when Gabe’s parents, played by married couple Dottie and Mike Crain, and Olivia’s parents (Diane Kallas and Don Lambert), arrive on the scene to help their children settle in … and plan to stay overnight! The hilarity ramps up with a toilet seat adventure, a stolen moving van, a missing wedding ring, a bottle of Polish booze and some mischief with a whipping cream canister.

I really enjoyed Oskarsson and McGhee as the young couple, as they convey the excitement – and irritations -- of moving in together, their willingness to work things out and their affection toward each other. Oskarsson transitions nicely from starry-eyed girlfriend to willful daughter as her mother lectures her on her lifestyle choices. A veggie chopping scene with Oskarsson and Kallas gives a wonderful comic edge to their annoyance. McGhee is as comfortable as a favorite old sweater as the sweet, laid-back Gabe, but turns charmingly taciturn when his best-laid plans go awry.

Olivia’s parents (Dottie and Mike Crain), left, and Gabe’s parents (Diane Kallas and Don Lambert) peek in on their children in their new apartment in a scene from Falls Patio Players’ “Things My Mother Taught Me.”

As the mothers, Dottie Crain and Kallas settle into their mom-knows-best roles with abandon, adding lots of comic flair. The dads, Mike Crain and Lambert, know best to stay out of the way of their rampaging wives. The dads get their chance to offer Gabe advice and engage in some rowdy male bonding in a tender and funny proposal mishaps scene. “He (Gabe’s dad) may smell like whiskey and pickles, but he speaks the truth,” says Olivia’s dad.

And what can you say about Goo’s character? You simply have to see her arrive on the set and you know something unexpected or hilarious is going to happen. When she brings in a bottle of booze to help the ladies deal with the tension, her Polish toasts become a farcical a word salad.

Playwright Disavino doesn’t dazzle with witty repartee, but manages to create characters and scenarios that are fun to watch in their earnestness and no doubt resonate with young couples and parents everywhere.

If You Go

Who: Falls Patio Players

What: “Things My Mother Taught Me”

When: Through Oct. 3

Where: North Middle School Auditorium, N88 W16750 Garfield Drive, Menomonee Falls

Info/Tickets: www.fallspatioplayers.com

Next Act’s ‘Three Viewings’ a triple treat of humor, poignancy and irony

By Marilyn Jozwik

Next Act’s “Three Viewings” almost seems like a joke that starts:  There are this mortician, this jewel thief and this widow who ….

Make no mistake, there is lots of humor in this wonderfully staged show, a delightful way to open a new season of live performances. Yet, there are moments of poignancy and irony as three characters navigate death from unexpected angles, struggling with unrequited love, longings, desires and loss. Edward Morgan directs.

There are only three characters in the show: Emil (David Cescarini), Mac (Cassandra Bissell) and Virginia (Carrie Hitchcock). Yet, Jeffrey Hatcher’s storytelling is so vibrant, and the three are so adept at recreating encounters with others, that you feel like there is a whole stage full of characters—characters the three mention in their monologues. The audience gets to know these unseen characters through Emil, Mac and Virginia’s often hilarious impersonations.

Cassandra Bissell plays Mac in Next Act’s “Three Viewings.”

There are places, too, that become familiar – especially the small-town funeral parlor where everyone knows everyone. There are other places the three mention as well, which link the characters.

Yet, their stories couldn’t be more different. Each of the three is spellbinding, starting with Cescarini’s Emil, the town’s mortician who pines after the lovely real estate agent he often sees at funerals. Emil is obsessed with Tessie, but can’t find the courage to tell her of his feelings. Cescarini as Emil captivates the audience members who are aching along with him on his quest for true love that is as elusive as a butterfly.

Next, we hear Mac’s story. Bissell as Mac is quite the contrast to the buttoned-down, three-piece suited Emil with her heavy boots, leather jacket and plenty of attitude. She’s a jewel thief, but not the kind you’d expect. Bissell sounds tough, like a gang member, and it’s easy to dismiss her as a miscreant. Until you know her sad story.

Lastly, Virginia hobbles in, leaning on her cane. She’s just lost her husband and is trying to get to the bottom of a mysterious message that threatens to turn her comfortable life into chaos. Hitchcock reminded me of my own grandmother, sitting on her high-back chair, cane by her side, telling delicious stories that make you listen and laugh.

Carrie Hitchcock plays Virginia in Next Act’s “Three Viewings.”

There is so much nuanced emoting, including well-placed pauses, plus energy and expressiveness that keep the audience thoroughly engaged. Performers execute the rise and fall of voices, whispers, shouts, exuberant expressions and pitiful ones, confident strides and shoulder-slumping to animate their characters. Cescarini and Bissell use the entire stage to effectively create a variety of settings and times, while Hitchcock as the elderly Virginia charms with her expert story-telling. There is virtually no set, yet it’s easy to imagine other places, other people, through the performers’ skillful characterizations.

Next Act did an expert job with a series of high-quality virtual shows last season, but it can’t compare to the experience of live theater. Next Act has done a yeoman’s job in creating a safe theatrical experience (proof of vaccinations, ID and face masks required, plus social distancing in the auditorium) to make everyone comfortable while enjoying top-notch entertainment.

If You Go

Who: Next Act Theatre

What: “Three Viewings”

When: Through Oct. 17

Where: 255 S. Water St., Milwaukee

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

First Stage's "How to Actually Graduate" provides a window of teens' views during a pandemic

By Marilyn Jozwik

The recent months of pandemic shutdowns and other changes have affected many people, but probably none more than students, especially high school seniors on the cusp of graduation.

Senior year is filled with so much hope and promise, the end of one chapter, the beginning of another. Last school year, many memories typically made during senior year did not happen for many students.

The second season of Amplify -- First Stage's BIPOC Short Play Series – takes a look at a group of teens grappling with the pandemic in “How to Actually Graduate in a Virtual World.” The 38-minute show, written by Nikkole Salter and directed by Samantha Montgomery, features five high school seniors sharing their feelings about their upcoming graduation and how to make a special day out of the virtual experience.

First Stage’s show is also virtual and free to view at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJTSDnxCROA through Dec. 3.

Each of the quintet in the show has a different view based on his or her perspective. And all realize in the end that collaborating is hard, that people are more important than things, and that good can come from terrible times like a pandemic.

 TT, the valedictorian (Maya O’Day Biddle), opens the discussion with her thoughts about Milwaukee. She loves her city, but feels the rest of the world doesn’t share her feelings. And she doesn’t want to go unnoticed, like she sometimes feels her city is. “I am somebody, I’m not invisible,” she says. She talks about rappers and especially Milwaukee rapper Webster X – who wrote the tunes for the show. “If I shout out my city, nobody hears.”

TT is finding it hard to understand the pandemic that is upending so many high school plans – prom, field trips, sports, yearbook and, especially, graduation.  “I felt I was being punished,” she says.

Her friend Jordan (Jonae Thomas), who’s grandmother is sick with Covid, pushes back at TT’s complaints about a virtual graduation. “I don’t need to hear my name called,” she says. Jordan bristles at the pettiness she feels her classmates are displaying about their lack of an in-person graduation ceremony.

Friends Kenya (Christian Hughes), Shannon (Abby Wallace) and Raynell (Nahjee Robinson) join the conversation and brainstorm about doing a music video for graduation, but as the excitement builds Jordan throws cold water on the plans. “It’s a waste of time,” she says, adding that nobody is going to care about the video. Jordan has more on her mind than a music video.

Without Jordan – the choreographer of the group – the others struggle with ideas to make their final days of high school special.

But when Jordan needs the comfort of her friends, they all come together in support. And their new plans for the final days of school are a huge success, as is TT’s virtual valedictory address!

TT is the centerpiece of the show. She’s smart, articulate and focused—but also myopic as she’s not able, at first, to see beyond her own feelings of loss. Biddle embodies all of TT’s qualities and handles the role, especially the inspiring closing speech, well. Thomas as Jordan is strong-willed, firm in her convictions. She beautifully nails her delivery of an emotional eulogy.

The high school friends of the duo, played by Hughes, Robinson and Wallace, filter in and join the lively discussion with richly distinctive personas. The show ends with a music and dance celebration with lots of youthful energy and hope.

The show provides a window into the ups and downs of high school teens navigating a worldwide pandemic with creativity, compassion and optimism.

Sunset's 'Run for Your Wife' elicits double the laughs

By Marilyn Jozwik

Ray Cooney’s “Run for Your Wife,” Sunset Playhouse’s 2021-22 opener, is a laugh fest from start to finish. A Thursday night audience was thoroughly entertained by the non-stop humor and wit, Cooney’s trademark.

A veteran cast, seasoned in comedy, keeps pace with the numerous laugh lines, sight gags and quick deliveries. Brian Zelinski directs.

The comedy comes from the implausible story of John Smith (Phil Stepanski), a cab driver in 1968 London area who finds himself in quite a dilemma – he has two wives, each unaware of the other. He manages two households on a very tight schedule, claiming he works a different shift to each wife.

The whole scheme unravels when Smith, trying to protect an old woman from two thieves, receives a blow to the head (“from an “old bag” – the woman’s purse!) and finds himself in the hospital and late to arrive at each of his homes. In a daze, he gives both his addresses to hospital staff, which sets off a series of madcap events involving two detectives (Corey Klein and Hal Erickson), two wives (Tanya Tranberg and Allison Chicorel) and two neighbors (Josh Scheibe and Jim Mallmann).

Cooney’s play, which premiered in 1983, looks a little worn with its stay-at-home wives and heavy reliance on gay jokes. Nonetheless, the hapless Smith is a lightning rod of laughter as he tells tale after tale to keep his dual life intact.

Stepanski’s Smith is a loveable teddy bear – you can see why two women wanted to marry him. He is a like a carnival performer who keeps a row of plates twirling on poles as he races among them, tugging at the poles, to keep the plates from falling. Stepanski’s Smith becomes increasingly unhinged as he tries to manage several cockamamie stories, which means hurrying to his two homes to keep his secret lifestyle intact. Stepanski is the perfect person for the role with his expressive visage and penchant for physical humor.

John Smith (Phil Stepanski) and his wife, Barbara (Tanya Tranberg), are captured by a newspaper photographer (Jim Mallmann) in a scene from Sunset Playhouse’s “Run For Your Wife.”

As Mary and Barbara, Smith’s two wives, Tranberg and Chicorel are wonderful, having to dial through a range of emotions including concern, confusion and finally indignance, plus displaying some marvelous comic timing. 

The cast of Sunset Playhouse’s “Run For Your Wife” features, from left, Corey Klein, Jim Mallmann, Hal Erickson, Phil Stepanski, Allison Chicorel, Josh Scheibe and Tanya Tranberg.

Perhaps the most animated performance is Scheibe’s as Smith’s unemployed, unkempt neighbor Stanley. Scheibe is a scene stealer as John Smith’s accomplice in the cover-up, cranking out a steady stream of ridiculous excuses. Scheibe is central in my favorite scene in which Stanley pretends to be John Smith to Detective Porterhouse (Erickson) and Smith’s wife Mary (Tranberg) in a hilarious, fast-paced exchange.

Erickson’s Detective Porterhouse is a delight to watch as he cluelessly laps up all the ruses with an easygoing way. Klein is matter-of-fact as Detective Troughton, a nice contrast to the chaos around him.

Mallmann, as Bobby Franklyn, the Smith’s foppish neighbor, periodically pops in on the confusion with good-natured obtuseness, adding another layer to the riotous romp.

While the British accents were all over the map, they were sufficient to set the scene and didn’t distract from the comedy. A hard-working set held up well to the abuse, while the color-scheme and prop placement made it easy to distinguish the two separate homes. Well done!

If you go

Who: Sunset Playhouse

What: “Run for Your Wife”

When: Through Sept. 26

Where: 700 Wall St., Elm Grove

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

WCT’s ‘Miss Holmes’ women are definitely not clueless

By Marilyn Jozwik

Just when you thought that community theater had exhausted all the good mysteries, along comes “Miss Holmes,” a clever twist on the Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes mysteries.

Waukesha Civic Theatre’s 2021-22 opener, written by Christopher M. Walsh, keeps the elements of a good Doyle mystery, only this Sherlock is a woman – a woman who is just as cunning in her craft as her male counterpart.

This feminist theme carries throughout the show – her sidekick, Dr. Watson, is a woman, too – giving it a fresh feel and lots of opportunities for light moments. This gender-bender doesn’t just insert women in traditional male roles, but gives them distinct voices battling the sexism of that time.

Sherlock, it turns out, is an Old English word meaning “bright hair.” So why not a woman? Michael Pocaro, who has shown his mastery at directing comedies, many at Sunset Playhouse, directs this show with an outstanding Sherlock in Alexa Farrell. With her bright orange-red hair, Farrell fairly glows on stage and commands every scene she’s in with a self-assurance in her clipped British-accented speech and crisp, confident movements.

Sandra Hollander as Dr. Dorothy Watson is a wonderful contrast – sweet, soft-spoken, thoughtful – to Farrell’s audacious Sherlock.

The story is set in 1880s London and concerns a mysterious note sent to Lizzie Chapman (wonderfully portrayed by Alyssa Pankiewicz, who also has two smaller roles), third wife of police official Thomas Chapman. The note warns Mrs. Chapman of possible nefarious intentions involving her husband. Thomas Chapman’s first two wives have died under suspicious circumstances.

Sherlock Holmes (Alexa Farrell) reacts angrily as institution staff (Logan Rehn, left, and Jacob Regenfelder) subdue her while Thomas Chapman (Christopher Orth) and Sherlock’s brother, Mycroft (Mark Ninneman) stand by approvingly.

Lizzie Chapman visits Sherlock, hoping the renowned sleuth can uncover the sender of the mysterious message. Sherlock has just been released from a mental institution, installed there by her brother Mycroft (Mark Ninneman), who feels the need to protect his sister from her penchant for reckless actions in her unorthodox and sometime bellicose pursuits as a detective. She’s a bit of an oddball, which she acknowledges. “I’ve never mastered the process of converting acquaintances to friends,” says Sherlock.

Sherlock summons the accomplished Dr. Watson to visit and finds a connection, which is rare for Sherlock. As Mycroft tells Dr. Watson, “She likes you. She doesn’t like anyone.”

As the two women embark on their investigations, you see Watson’s prudence and care rubbing off on the mercurial Sherlock. Watson, in the meantime, throws caution to the Thames River and begins to plunge into London’s underbelly with abandon. The two become an awesome crime-solving duo, generating lots of levity and wit in their adventures.

While the story is intriguing, the feminist undercurrent is illuminating. We learn about the Surgeon’s Hall Riot of 1870 in Edinburgh, in which women studying to be doctors were verbally and physically assaulted by a mob as they tried to enter the building to take a medical exam.

Perhaps the most telling line is Lizzie Chapman’s confiding in Sherlock that she feels her husband is her equal. She asks the unmarried Sherlock if she would feel the same, to which Sherlock replies in the negative. The audience knows what she means.

Sherlock’s maid Mrs. Hudson (Keri Spencer) listens in while Sherlock Holmes (Alexa Farrell, right) and Dr. Watson (Sandra Hollander) meet with Lizzie Chapman (Alexa Pankiewicz).

With a solid story to work with, the whole cast has fun with the crowd-pleasing material and delivers a bevy of wonderful performances.

Christopher Orth has two very different roles – as the sweet Michael, who has been pining for the independent Dr. Watson for years, and the scheming police official Thomas Chapman. Both are pitch perfect. He and Hollander create one of the show’s funniest scenes – both pretending to be German doctors and speaking in convincing faux German – as they attempt to free Sherlock from an institution.

Keri Spencer plays three roles, all with aplomb, including Watson colleague Dr. Anderson; Sherlock’s ever-exasperated maid Hudson; and the grieving mother of Thomas Chapman’s second wife.

Although on stage briefly, Jacob Regenfelder gives a strong performance as the mental institution’s superintendent, complete with a convincing British accent, while Alex Roehrkrasse is well-suited for the Inspector Lestrade role. Logan Rehn handles the Edwin Greener role with appropriate desperation as his character finds himself in the soup.

Adding to the show’s enjoyment are the full, rich sound system that gives the dramatic music between scenes extra depth and the dialogue a distinct clarity. A handsome street scene backdrop, mood-creating lighting and good-looking and fitting period costumes all enhance the show.

If You Go

Who: Waukesha Civic Theatre

What: “Miss Holmes”

When: Through Sept. 26

Where: 264 W. Main St., Waukesha

Info: 262-547-0708; www.waukeshacivictheatre.org 

Voices Found awakes from pandemic slumber to a marvelous 'Midsummer Night's Dream'

By Marilyn Jozwik

It’s been many long pandemic months since Voices Found mounted one of its patented high-energy, highly entertaining productions.

During that time, this cast must have been hoarding their talents because their presentation of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is an explosion of joyous passion. More than a play, this is a celebration.

The beauty of Voices Found is that you can always expect the unexpected – something surprising in every performance. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is a quirky show to begin with, so it was right in this group’s wheelhouse.

Besides putting their own distinctive mark on this fun fantasyland of a show, directed by Sarah Zapiain, this cast adds tons of movement, perfect pauses, humorous asides and effective props, plus some nicely placed modern tunes to keep this show fresh.

I mean, who would expect to hear a kazoo solo of “My Heart Will Go On” from the movie “Titanic” during a soliloquy?

Lysander (Grace DeWolff), left, and Hermia (Haley Ebinal) share a tender moment in a scene from Voice Found Repertory’s “A Midsummer’s Night Dream.”

About 15 minutes before the show starts, actors cavort during a handful of classic pop tunes to set the stage for the show including “With a Little Help from My Friends,” “Jolene,” and “Jesse’s Girl,” all performed with an organic ease and verve. Maya Danks handles music direction. With a couple guitars (Ben Yela and Brittany Haut), ukulele, kazoo and bongo (Hannah Kubiak) and other percussion instruments, the group intersperses pop songs to keep the show relevant.

Costumes of T-shirts and jeans, sneakers, short dresses and spandex also gives the show a youthful vibe.

In “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Shakespeare takes characters from Greek mythology on a whirlwind of a fantasy thanks to the mischievous Puck (Kyle Conner), who mistakenly dispenses love potions.  Love is in the air with couples finding it, losing it and, sometimes, finding it again.

Theseus (Brandon Haut), Duke of Athens, and Hippolyta (Amber Weissert) are engaged to be married, while Lysander (Grace DeWolff) and Hermia (Haley Ebinal) find a roadblock to their relationship and must escape Athens. Demetrius (Phillip Steenbekkers), too, loves Hermia, but is relentlessly stalked by Helena (Maya Danks). Puck’s mistakes scramble the love lives as the couples end up in a wooded fairyland headed by Titania (Weissert) and Oberon (Brandon Haut). Recounting the strange events, all the young lovers think they were just dreaming.

In the meantime, Quince (Kubiak) is preparing a play to present at the wedding of Theseus and Hippolyta. The play’s preparations and the actual “performance” are hilarious, thanks to the relentless chewing of scenery by Nick Bottom (Yela), who thinks that every line must carry the utmost emotion. 

No one dies, love is found and kept and everyone appears to live happily ever after. Hard to believe it’s Shakespeare.

This is a wonderful cast, from top to bottom, with great chemistry and engagement. I especially enjoyed the play within a play, performed by (as Puck calls them) “rude mechanicals,” a group of tradesmen headed by Bottom. Yela as Bottom is like a tornado, whirling around the stage as he rehearses, and later presents, the play – a sort of “Romeo and Juliet” – in a dizzying array of exaggerated characterizations. Yela’s over-the-top performance effectively turns the serious play into comedy for both the real audience and the play’s audience.

I was also charmed by the rest of the play’s troupe: Hannah Kubiak, Brittany Haut, Kazoua Thao, Alexis Furseth and Jessica Trznadel, who all doubled as fairies. Just so much fun to watch.

Brandon Haut commands his roles of Theseus and Oberon, and pairs well with Weissert’s queenly roles of Hippolyta and Titania. As the playful Puck, Conner, who also play Egeus, is pure delight.

I really enjoyed the scene after the misplaced potions find Lysander and Demetrius in love and in trouble with Hermia and Helena. The insults fly and tempers flare as members of this foursome clownishly, and hilariously, clash.

This is such a high energy romp -- with players using every inch of the stage, the aisles and even audience members -- and a great way to introduce anyone who thinks Shakespeare is boring.

There’s not a dull moment in this show.

If You Go

Who: Voices Found Repertory

What: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

When: Through Sept. 12

Where: Inspiration Studios, 1500 S. 73rd St., West Allis

Info: email voicesfoundrep@gmail.com

LCP’s ‘Revolutionists’ give women a powerful voice

By Marilyn Jozwik

It takes a master playwright like Lauren Gunderson to make a play about The French Revolution seem fresh and relevant.

Lake Country Playhouse has taken on Gunderson’s play, which contains her thoughts on theater, politics, feminism, revolution and more against the intriguing background of the terror and uncertainty of the French Revolution. Gunderson demonstrates a keen ear for sarcasm and wit through four real historical characters.

You won’t find more interesting women anywhere in theater than the quartet represented in this show. And director Andrea Ewald has put their portrayals in most capable hands.

Madison Nowak is Olympe de Gouges, a playwright suffering from writer’s block in 1793 Paris. “There’s drama everywhere.” she says. “Why can’t I write any of it?”

She is visited by Marianne Angelle (Jaleesa Joy), a Haitian rebel who wants to free her French-ruled nation from slavery and is hoping Olympe will write a declaration for her.

Barging in on the duo is Charlotte Corday (Abigail Stein), who describes her plans to murder journalist Jean-Paul Marat, a radical responsible for numerous deaths during the revolution. Corday is convinced of the righteousness of her mission and wants Olympe to write her final words as she knows what her fate will be.

Rounding out the foursome is Marie Antoinette (Mary Grace Seigel), whose husband Louis XVI was one of many to suffer the guillotine during the Revolution. Marie strolls in like a movie star onto a set.

Gunderson’s play is smart, fast-paced and thick with ideas, commentary and humor. She gives us the courage and compassion of “Steel Magnolia” ladies, only these ladies have life- and history-changing missions and mountains of obstacles during the male-dominated revolt.

The four performers are pitch-perfect in their roles, growing with their contrasting characters, engaging in swift exchanges of verbal conflict with ease as they explain their complex roles in obtaining the liberty, equality and fraternity promised by the revolution.

Nowak transforms Olympe de Gouges from calm and rational in her writer’s cocoon, shielded from the realities of the unrest and the parade of guillotine victims by her fiction, to a raving maniac when she learns she is no longer safe from the madness around her. Nowak gains lots of empathy from her audience with her engaging and often charming character.

Joy portrays the Haitian rebel Marianne Angelle as the voice of reason, a steady force amidst the turbulence of the times. As a wife and mother, she shows empathy, yet her passion for her cause is palpable.

Stein’s Charlotte Corday is riveting. She presents the would-be assassin as wide-eyed and manic as she describes how she is going to kill Marat. She faces the audience, and peers to some place beyond, consumed by her scheme to destroy one man to save many.  

But it is Seigel’s portrayal of Marie Antoinette that provides the light side to the dark comedy. Her ditzy mannerisms, one-liners and general cluelessness belie the seriousness of the situation. Yet, Seigel’s portrayal lets the audience see the queen through fresh eyes and gain an understanding of her role in the revolt.

The play was wonderfully staged with effective lighting and well-designed costuming.

Once again, the intimate setting of Lake Country Playhouse brings this show right to the audience. At one point, as Olympe earnestly greeted the crowd, an audience member in the front row waved back. The theater allows the audience that kind of engagement with the performers.

If You Go

Who: Lake Country Playhouse

What: “The Revolutionists”

When: Through Aug. 15

Where: 221 E. Capitol Drive, Hartland

Tickets: LakeCountryPlayhouseWi.org