By Mary Boyle

On Tuesday, December 4th, 1956, a chance gathering of four of rock-n-roll’s greatest musicians occurred at Sam Phililips’ Sun Records recording studio in Memphis, TN: Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Jerry Lee Lewis.  Known as the “father of rock-n-roll,” Sam Phillips gave each of these artists their start in the music industry, not knowing that this one day would be both the first and last time he and his “boys” would all be together in the same place.  The jam session they recorded became known as the MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET and, while the existing recording is not great, the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s recreation of that historical event most definitely lives up to the hype.

With book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux and based on the original concept and direction by Floyd Mutrux, Million Dollar Quartet consolidates some of the best music of the 1950s into one fast-paced, high-energy show derived straight from the stuff of legends.  Carl Perkins (Armando Gutierrez) was recording a new record at Sun Records studio with his brother Jay (Michael Ritter) on bass and W.S. “Fluke” Holland (Patrick Morrow) on drums when Phillips brought in an obnoxious, loud, nobody of a piano player to round out the sound by the name of Jerry Lee Lewis (JP Coletta).  Elvis (Joe Hebel), who had recently been sold to RCA, stopped by with his girlfriend, Marilyn Evans (“Dyanne” in the show, played by Aja Alcazar), followed by Johnny Cash (Blake Burgess/Trevor Lindley Craft), who Sam hoped to sign on for another contract.  As the musicians began to jam, Sam recorded the moment for posterity, capturing a legendary moment in rock-n-roll history.



​Carl Perkins, known as the “king of rockabilly,” had already had a hit with the song “Blue Suede Shoes,” but Elvis inadvertently stole it from him when he performed it instead of Perkins on television while Perkins was still in the hospital recovering from a car crash.  Perkins’ fame came more from other artists, such as Johnny Cash and, later, The Beatles, performing his songs, like “Matchbox,” which was recorded that day with Lewis on piano.  The quartet plays several by Johnny Cash, including “Folsom Prison Blues,” along with Lewis’s “Great Balls of Fire,” and more, but they also cover other classics such as “Long Tall Sally,” “That’s All Right,” “Down by the Riverside,” and “Sixteen Tons.”

Directed by Laura Braza, Million Dollar Quartet is one of the best concerts you’ll see this year.  The band, as a whole, is just incredibly talented, but I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight JP Coletta, who makes his Rep debut as the wild and crazy Jerry Lee Lewis.  I am already dying of curiosity wondering if both Coletta and his piano will survive the run of this show – his energy and performance level is off the charts!  If you are not out of your seat by the end of this performance, you better check your pulse.

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET runs through May 24, 2025 in the Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, located in the Marcus Performing Arts Center at 929 N. Water Street in downtown Milwaukee.  Tickets may be purchased at www.MilwaukeeRep.com, by phone at 414-224-9490, or Ticket Office at 108 E Wells Street, Milwaukee.

Talks and Events
Early Bird Performance: Tuesday, May 6 at 6:30pm
TalkBacks: Wednesday evenings following the performance: April 30, May 7, 21
Post-Show Panels: Thursday, May 15 – History of Black and White Music

Join the Milwaukee Repertory Theater for their amazing 2025/26 Season, featuring: It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Come From Away, A Christmas Carol, The Fisherman’s Daughters, The Lehman Trilogy, McNeal, August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, Ain’t Misbehavin’ The Fats Waller Musical Show, Frida…A Self Portrait, Mrs. Christie, George & Gracie: A Love Story, and And Then There Were None.
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About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin with its new artistic home in the Associated Bank Theater Center opening Fall 2025 with three unique performance venues – the Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater, Herro-Franke Studio Theater and Stackner Cabaret. For over seven decades, Milwaukee Rep has been a centerpiece of Milwaukee’s vibrant arts and cultural scene with productions ranging from Broadway musicals to Shakespeare to American Classics and New Works that are entertaining, inclusive and impactful. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Executive Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee’s rich diversity. More information is available at www.MilwaukeeRep.com 

By Mary Boyle

For their final production of their 35th season, Next Act Theatre in Milwaukee chose a play that embodies the magic of acting.  A "love letter to the theatre", CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION by Annie Baker (Body Awareness, Uncle Vanya, The Antipodes) will most certainly resonate with anyone who’s ever taken a theatre class or anyone who loves live theatre; but, more importantly, the play demonstrates, at its most basic level, how theatre connects people and why that is so important.

Directed by Cody Estle, Circle Mirror Transformation follows five people from Shirley, Vermont who have signed up for an adult acting class at the local community center over the summer.  Marty (Tami Workentin), the teacher, is also the co-executive director of the community center.  Marty is joined by her husband, James (Mark Ulrich); Schultz (Reese Madigan), a recently divorced carpenter who makes artistic chairs; Theresa (Elyse Edelman), a single woman who is new to the community and still recovering from a difficult breakup; and, Lauren (Chloe Attalla), a high school sophomore who hopes to get the lead in West Side Story at her school in the fall.

As the class goes through the standard repertoire of embarrassing and awkward acting exercises, the audience, in the forced empathy that is live theatre, must feel as uncomfortable as one would imagine an adult acting class at a rec center could be, while exploring emotions, sharing memories, and revealing private thoughts and secrets to virtual strangers.  Gradually, the class begins to sync – to be fully present without judgement or projection – which allows them to connect, both with themselves and each other.  Who needs therapy when you could take an acting class?

Tami Workentin is pure brilliance – this may be the best role I’ve ever seen her in – and Chloe Attalla holds her own in her debut performance alongside a cast of Milwaukee’s finest.  Perfectly (and locally) cast and executed, from costumes to set, Circle Mirror Transformation is alternatingly humorous and heartbreaking, but mostly humorous; moreover, it’s a master class in the struggles of being human and the healing power of theatre that simply must be experienced.

CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION runs through May 18th at the artistic home of Next Act Theatre, located at 255 S. Water Street in Milwaukee.  Tickets may be purchased by calling (414) 278-0765 or online at www.nextact.org.
 
Live your own real-life CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION with adult acting masterclasses offered by the Milwaukee Rep at Next Act Theatre! Sign up for Intro to Acting on May 19, Discovering Shakespeare on May 21, or both. Register here! (Ticketholders get a 10 percent discount on either class! Check your email for the discount code!)

Next Act Theatre recently announced their 2025/26 Season!  Join them for the Wisconsin Premieres of SANCTUARY CITY by Martyna Majok, BOSWELL By Marie Kohler, SWING STATE By Rebecca Gilman, and the U.S. Premiere of DINNER WITH THE DUCHESS By Nick Green.
 
About Next Act Theatre
Since 1990, Next Act Theatre has been engaging the hearts and minds of audiences with intimate, compelling productions intended to stimulate thought, foster the exchange of ideas, and promote the development of new perspectives and understanding.  Next Act believes that stories work best when they involve characters in the midst of a struggle or a quest. Audiences identify with them, becoming emotionally and intellectually invested. The character’s situation, tragedy or triumph becomes the audiences’ to endure, mourn or celebrate. The theatre proves itself, then, as essential to the nourishment of our human spirit by bringing us together to examine, experience and explore the human condition, perhaps coming away with knowledge and perspective that only a good story can deliver.

By Mary Boyle

American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist Suzan-Lori Parks was the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2002 for her play TOPDOG/UNDERDOG, which also won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play in 2023.  A prolific creator, Parks also unveiled three world premieres in 2023: Sally & Tom (Steinberg New Play Award finalist) at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis,  Plays for the Plague Year (winner of The Drama Desk Award for Best Music in a Play) at Joe’s Pub in New York City, and a musical adaptation of the 1972 film The Harder They Come (winner: Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical) at the Public Theatre, as well as being named among “Time Magazine’s 100.”  A MacArthur “Genius” Fellow and an inductee into the Theater Hall of Fame, to say Parks is “one to watch” is a bit of an understatement, but I can say with certainty that her Pulitzer Prize winning play is absolutely one to watch.  Luckily, you can take that opportunity courtesy of Milwaukee Chamber Theatre through May 11th.

Directed by Gavin Dillon Lawrence (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Topdog/Underdog is a picture of sibling rivalry set in the backdrop of generations of trauma that is all too often the Black American experience.  Two brothers, Lincoln and Booth (their father’s idea of a funny joke) find themselves reunited under one roof again when Lincoln’s wife throws him out and he is in need of a place to stay – not that Booth’s place is much of a place, but a run down room with no running water and a shared bathroom down the hall is still better than the street, even if his bed is an old recliner.  Getting by mainly by theft, Booth hopes to regain the favor of his girlfriend and figures the best way to do this is to follow in his big brother’s footsteps by learning three card monte.  The trouble is, Lincoln swore off cards after one of his guys got shot and, ironically, he’s doing his best at making an honest living playing honest Abe, himself, at a local arcade.

Milwaukee’s own Dimonte Henning (Romeo & Juliet) was born to play Booth, the competitive younger brother whose internal war between love, envy, and jealousy towards his older brother turns him from thoughtfulness to barely contained rage in the blink of an eye. Chicago’s Anthony Fleming III is calm and cool as Lincoln, the older and wiser brother who is doing his best to avoid getting pulled back into his old ways but, try as they might, unhealed wounds keep surfacing, pulling the brothers back down any ladders they attempt to climb.

I would be lying if I said this play was a walk in the park.  While there are plenty of moments of grim humor, the shockingly visceral reality of Booth and Lincoln’s world is brought forth in their realistic language and actions, played expertly by Henning and Fleming III – a world that, to a white girl who grew up in the suburbs, seems too horrible to believe, but is too glaringly real to be faked.  If little boys like Lincoln and Booth lived this life, the least I can do is spend a fraction of mine bearing witness to it and trying to understand how two people who grew up in the same country as me could have such a terribly different experience of it.  What our country needs so desperately right now is empathy and compassion; this play is one way to help us get there.

“I see a future where we realize that the obstacles we must work hardest to overcome are self-limiting perceptions and the belief that one of us must win at the expense of another,” said Lafayette Crump, the Commissioner of City Development in Milwaukee.  “Rivalry needn’t drive us.  Collective achievement and liberation can take its place.”

A powerful way to end Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s 50th Season, Topdog/Underdog is the epitome of MCT’s commitment to “local focus, artist development, and bold storytelling through powerful writing.”  This is not feel-good theatre, but hard truth-telling theatre, made to make us feel, think, and take action in our own lives and in our own communities.  
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Artistic Director Brent Hazelton wrote, “Artists are the ‘what if’ engine of a community, continually asking if the way we are living today is the way we wish to live tomorrow (and if not, what we intend to do about it). When those artists are rooted in the communities they serve, the questions become even more urgent.  The answers, more personal.  The art, a powerful space in which to vision a future and reflect on a past.”
 
TOPDOG/UNDERDOG runs through May 11, 2025, in the Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center, located at located at 158 N. Broadway in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward. Tickets may be purchased in person at the box office, online at www.MilwaukeeChamberTheatre.com, or by calling (414) 291-7800 (Monday - Saturday, 12-6 p.m. and 2 hours before BTC showtimes).  
 
Special Events:

• Saturday, 5/2 — SipStudio: An Insider Experience, with behind the scenes sneak peeks and drinks provided by Thelma Carol Wine Merchants — 5:30-7:30pm, between the matinee (4pm) and evening (8pm) shows, free and open to all Saturday, 11/16 ticketholders.
• Thursday, 5/8, 7:30pm — Thursday Talkback, a post-show discussion with the artists
• Friday, 5/9, 7:30pm — ASL Interpreted Performance

 
About Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
Founded in 1975, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (MCT) produces intimate and accessible theatrical works that engage and challenge the audience, while employing and nurturing principally local theatre artists. 

By Mary Boyle

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Anyone of a certain age remembers the box office hit movie Sister Act starring Whoopi Goldberg from 1992.  The movie was so popular, it was followed just a year later by a sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.  Considering its popularity and viability as a musical, I was surprised to learn it took until 2006 to premiere a musical of the same name and that, despite the music being written by Alan Menken (Newsies, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Little Shop of Horrors), the show didn’t make it to Broadway until 2011, where it was nominated for a gratifying number of Tony Awards.  I was astounded to learn that a third film, still including Whoopi, is scheduled to be released on May 16th, just over a month away, and what better way to pre-game the new film and celebrate the final show in Skylight Music Theatre’s 65th season than with a rousing production of SISTER ACT?!

With lyrics by Glenn Slater, book by Cheri Steinkellner & Bill Steinkellner, and additional book material by Douglas Carter Bean, Sister Act the musical is based on the Touchstone Pictures Motion Picture written by Joseph Howard and centers on Deloris Van Cartier (Mona Swain), a nightclub singer in Philadelphia with dreams of becoming a star until she inadvertently witnesses her boyfriend, Curtis (Shawn Holmes), commit a murder.  When Deloris runs to the police, she recognizes one of the officers as Eddie (Dennis Lewis), a guy she went to school with who had a crush on her. To protect Deloris while they await Curtis’ trial, they hide her in a place they think she’ll never be found: a convent.

Though Mother Superior (Janet Metz) has no desire to take in Deloris, the church is in no position to refuse the needed funds that arrive with her; in fact, Monsignor O'Hara (Robby McGhee) warns that the church is on the verge of being sold.  When Deloris has trouble adjusting to her new life, Mother Superior puts her in charge of their struggling choir, which quickly becomes the place that Deloris shines.  Although Sister Mary Robert (Hope Riesterer), Sister Mary Patrick (Amanda Satchell), Sister Mary Lazarus (Laura Monagle), Sister Mary Martin-of-Tours (Nicole McCarty), and Sister Mary Theresa (Jenny Rudnick) adore the new addition of “Sister Mary Clarence,” Mother Superior is certain Deloris will ruin them all when their two worlds collide.

Directed by Molly Rhode, with music direction by her sister, Alissa Rhode, who makes her Skylight debut, this Sister Act really is a sister act!  Also making her Skylight debut is Mona Swain as Deloris, who is jaw-droppingly gorgeous as well as being vocally blessed.  Most of the cast are Skylight regulars, including Hope Riesterer (Oliver!, Spring Awakening), who landed her dream role as the young postulant, Sister Mary Robert; Laura Monagle, who blows the roof off the place during her Sugarhill Gang Rapper’s Delight inspired part of “Sunday Morning Fever;” and, Janet Metz, who was born to play the role of Mother Superior.  One of the highlights of the show is Curtis’ gang: Joey (Miss Kyle Blair), TJ (Rashard “Rai” Hudson), and Pablo (Tomás Dominguez) – all Wisconsin based actors making a return to the Skylight stage.  Not only do they steal just about every scene they’re in, their “Lady in the Long Black Dress” song is pure comedic genius.   

The addition of live music and a better mic system would have brought this production to a Broadway level, but excellent choreography by Alexis J. Roston, costumes by Bobby Sharon, and scenic design by Jonathan Berg-Einhorn, combined with an exceptionally talented cast, Menken and Slater’s cleverly written songs, and a story that is funny, joyous, and full of spirit makes Sister Act the best show I’ve seen at Skylight this season.  While I wasn’t a huge fan of the film, the musical captured, and uplifted, my heart, which is something we could all use, right now. 

SISTER ACT runs through April 27, 2025, at the Cabot Theatre, located within the Broadway Theatre Center at 158 N. Broadway in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward. Tickets may be purchased by calling the box office at 414-291-7800 or by visiting www.skylightmusictheatre.org.
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Skylight recently announced their 2025-2026 Season, which includes: Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Amadeus, The Spitfire Grill, and A Rockin’ Midsummer Night’s Dream.   
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About Skylight Music Theatre
Skylight Music Theatre is a professional theatre company that produces high-quality musical productions that entertain, educate, and inspire. We are committed to providing a platform for local talent and showcasing the best of Broadway and beyond. Founded in 1959, Skylight is Milwaukee’s professional Equity music theatre company and the state's largest employer of Wisconsin actors. Skylight produces the full range of music theatre, from blockbuster Broadway musicals to reimagined operas, and from exciting world premieres to contemporary off-Broadway hits. Skylight’s mainstage home is the Cabot Theatre in the Broadway Theatre Center, which was built by Skylight in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward in 1992. Considered to be one of Milwaukee’s most beautiful theatres, the Cabot Theatre is based on the design of an 18th-century French opera house. With just 350 seats it offers audiences great views of the action onstage and an undeniable connection with the performers. Skylight Music Theatre marks its 65th season in 2024-2025. Skylight Music Theatre is a proud Cornerstone Member of the United Performing Arts Fund.

By Mary Boyle

​When I think of Milwaukee actor, director, and playwright Maya Danks, I can’t help but think of Shakespeare.  I first saw her in the title role of Titus Andronicus with Voices Found Repertory in 2018, then as Helena in their 2021 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, not to mention a couple seasons of Shakespeare in the state parks with Summit Players Theatre.  Clearly the girl likes Shakespeare.  In fact, she likes it so much that she did the next best thing to writing it: she created an adaptation utilizing Shakespeare’s words from over 20 of his works to flesh out the tragedy within a tragedy and created a whole new play, The Tragic Romance of HAMLET & OPHELIA, which underwent a staged reading April 6th and 7th at Dandy in Milwaukee.  Being a fellow fan of the Bard, I had to check it out.

Produced under the auspices of Theatre Nervosa, Hamlet & Ophelia imagines the deeper story of the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia from Shakespeare’s Hamlet by borrowing language from his other works to create new scenes.  While the bulk of the story is still Hamlet, Hamlet is no longer the star of the show and, more importantly, Ophelia is no longer a footnote to the story; no longer just a meek young woman being pushed about by the men in her life, but a full character in her own right.  By reframing the story around the couple’s relationship, the play behaves more like Romeo & Juliet, and we are given a better explanation for Ophelia’s descent into madness and, ultimately, her death.

Directed by Danks, the cast featured several Summit Players Theatre alumni, including Caroline Norton as Guildenstern and others, Joe Picchetti as Claudius and the ghost of King Hamlet, and Matthew Torkilsen as Rosencrantz and others.  A.J. Magoon, the co-producer, is also a founding member of Summit.  Rebekah Farr was splendid as Hamlet and I couldn’t imagine a more stunning Ophelia than Grace Berendt, whose beautiful voice made me imagine a full production with more music, played live by the actors on stage.  Susie Dueker was a convincing Gertrude, Adam Qutaishat a solid Laertes, and Thomas Sebald brought a lively amount of humor to the reading with his portrayal of Ophelia’s father, Polonius.

Dandy, a vintage shop and event space located at 5020 W Vliet Street in Milwaukee, was an excellent venue for the reading, with an abundance of mid-century style and sophisticated ambiance.  I would love to see the same cast in a full production, because they were truly perfect together.  As a fan of Shakespeare, I found it fun to recognize the lines from other plays and I liked that the story was more streamlined and fast-paced than a full production of Hamlet; however, as a Shakespearean purist, I’m still not sure how I feel about the slightly altered ending to the play.  That being said, I can hardly argue with finding another way to enjoy Shakespeare so, when this play moves into a full staging, I hope to be in the audience on opening night.
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Congrats to Maya, A.J., and the cast on a well staged reading!  I look forward to seeing more from Theatre Nervosa.

By Mary Boyle

​Canada, our hockey playing and maple syrup making neighbors to the north, have made some worthy additions to our collective pop culture.  I mean, where would we be without the music of Drake, Justin Bieber, or Céline Dion?  Think of all the great movies that wouldn’t exist without Ryan Reynolds!  And though there have been some great contributions when it comes to theatre, none have received the counter-culture cult following like 2008’s Ride the Cyclone by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell.  The musical premiered in our neck of the woods at Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2015, then Off-Broadway the following year and, though it has yet to be made into a full-blown Broadway production, the musical has been quietly gathering mainly young fans far and wide, particularly after a 2022 video of Emily Rohm singing “The Ballad of Jane Doe” went viral on TikTok.  The young fandom inspired a high school version of the play, which Milwaukee audiences can catch thanks to the First Stage Young Company, who delivers an impressive performance of RIDE THE CYCLONE, THE MUSICAL (High School Version) through April 12, 2025, at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center.

Directed by Michelle LoRicco, The Cyclone is the name of the roller coaster that was the final life experience for the St. Cassian High School chamber choir from the small fictional town of Uranium City in Saskatchewan.  We meet the choir after the tragic accident in a strange limbo where an animatronic fortune teller (Edward Owczarski) hosts a game in which one of the deceased can get a chance to return to their life, but there’s one catch: the group must unanimously choose the winner.  Ocean (Evelyn Maassen), a straight A student and all-around overachiever, is certain she should be the pick, even over her best friend, Constance (Hazel Dye).  Mischa (Max Larson), a bad boy from Ukraine, and Noel (Lio Landis), a gay boy who would rather be tragically French, must work harder to state their cases, while Ricky (Thomas Bastardo), who couldn’t even speak before his untimely end, was virtually unknown by his fellow choir members.  Most mysterious of all is the addition of Jane Doe (Mackenzie Wooten), an unknown classmate who was also found dead (and headless) at the scene of the accident.

A delightfully dark and creepy ride with a Nightmare Before Christmas vibe, Ride the Cyclone as the High School Edition is more streamlined and family-friendly, but still incredibly vocally challenging; however, the YC cast is more than up for the task.    Mackenzie Wooten is flawless as Jane Doe, whose operatic solo is the star of the musical, but the rest of the cast members are equally perfect for their roles.  Once again, the Young Company blew me away with their talent, not just on the stage but also as part of the production team.  The costumes by Michelle Verbos, lighting by Marion Frank, and music direction by David Bonofiglio all combined to make for the authentic Ride the Cyclone experience that fans are looking for at an unbeatable ticket price.  Do not miss this show.

RIDE THE CYCLONE, THE MUSICAL (High School Edition) runs through April 13th at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, located at 325 W. Walnut Street in Milwaukee.  The musical runs approximately 90 minutes with no intermission and is recommended for families with young people ages 13-17 and theater lovers of all ages.  Tickets are available by calling (414) 267-2961 or online at firststage.org.
 
About First Stage
Founded in 1987, First Stage is one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families, and a driving force behind the creation of the best and most innovative plays for family audiences, theater training programs for young people, and education initiatives for its schools and community. First Stage ensures that all programming is not only accessible to its community but that it is reflective of the community it serves.

First Stage produces plays that honor the young person’s point of view, include diverse and traditionally underrepresented voices, and inspire meaningful conversations. First Stage has presented more than 70 world premiere productions that address important subject matters relevant to today’s youth. The Theater Academy is one of the nation’s largest high-impact theater training programs for young people (3-18 years old). Through a challenging curriculum taught by professional teaching artists, the Academy nurtures life skills through stage skills and includes the Next Steps Program that tailors Theater Academy classes to the needs of young people on the autism spectrum and with other developmental disabilities. As Wisconsin’s leader in arts-integrated education in schools, First Stage’s dynamic Theater in Education Programs cleverly blend theater activities with standard curriculum—allowing more than 10,000 students annually to learn traditional academic subjects through creativity and self-expression. 
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First Stage is a member of TYA/USA, the American Alliance for Theatre and Education, the Wisconsin Alliance for Arts Education, Milwaukee Arts Partners and is a cornerstone member of the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF). For more information, visit firststage.org.



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By Mary Boyle

​In January of 2018, Neil Diamond was 77 years old and partway through his 50th Anniversary tour when he announced that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.  Arguably the hardest working man in music, Diamond has sold over 130 million albums worldwide, earning 38 Top 40 singles and 18 Top 10 albums, as well as 40 Gold albums, 21 Platinum albums, and 12 multi-Platinum albums, all while touring the country and world for over five decades.  Were it not for the recommendation of his doctors, “…my heart and soul would tour until the day I die,” Diamond said, “if only my body would cooperate.” 

While his touring days were over, Diamond didn’t stop working entirely.  In 2022, with Diamond’s help, a new musical was unveiled on Broadway that tells the story of his incredible journey from a poor Jewish kid growing up in Brooklyn to becoming one of the world’s greatest showmen.  At last, Milwaukee audiences can join in A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL from March 25-30 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee, thanks to the Broadway at the Marcus Center series.

Directed by Michael Mayer and with book by Anthony McCarten, the musical features many of Diamond’s greatest hits, all written by him, including “America,” “Forever in Blue Jeans,” and “Sweet Caroline,” as well as his first hit that he wrote for The Monkees, “I’m A Believer.”  While I seriously doubt there are many songs in the show that aren’t familiar to anyone over the age of 40, it’s the story of Diamond’s life and how the songs were inspired that gives them all more dimension and meaning; a story that is told by “Neil – Now” (Robert Westenberg) as he works through a lifetime of struggle with depression in the office of his therapist, Dr. Lu Katzman (Lisa Reneé Pitts).

“Neil – Then” (Nick Fradiani) was a desperate man; a songwriter from Flatbush in need of a break with baby number two on the way with his first wife, Jaye Posner (Tiffany Tatreau).  The break came from Ellie Greenwich (Kate A. Mulligan), a pop music singer, songwriter, and record producer in New York who convinced Diamond to keep his real name and eventually convinced him to stop giving his songs to others and to perform them himself.  From his first live performance at The Bitter End in New York in 1967, Diamond seemed destined for fame, though he struggled to appreciate his successes and made several wrong turns.  The Bitter End was where Diamond met and fell in love with Marcia Murphey (Hannah Jewel Kohn), his second wife who was married to him for the next 25 years, until the constant touring finally took its toll.  It was Diamond’s third wife, Katie, who insisted he finally get some help with his depression, and this decision turned out to be the one that truly changed Diamond’s life for the better.

“There used to be a stigma around talking about mental health and thankfully through the years, it’s become an important and accepted topic of conversation,” Diamond wrote in his letter about the musical.  “…in the end, coming to terms with my life and accepting it has somehow come full circle.  I feel fortunate and full of gratitude for all the people in my life.  It is each of them who have impacted and shaped me in their own way to get me to the place where I am now…a better man.  A better father.  A better husband.  A better songwriter.”

As a child of the 80s, Neil Diamond’s music has been a part of the soundtrack of my life, though I never considered myself a huge fan; however, the musical caused me to revisit that soundtrack with new understanding, and I have a new appreciation for his songwriting.  Nick Fradiani is a ringer for the young Neil, with that voice “like gravel wrapped in velvet,” and nearly as effective as the real Diamond at getting the audience off their feet to clap and sing along, especially to “Sweet Caroline” – a song that even the twenty-something set can sing along to.  “Neil” is backed by a great band and talented backup singers and dancers, with music supervision and arrangements by Sonny Paladino and choreography by Steven Hoggett.  A Beautiful Noise is so much more than the music Neil Diamond created; it’s a fitting legacy for a man who worked hard all his life running away from his loneliness, only to find peace when he finally forced himself to sit down and listen. 

A BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE NEIL DIAMOND MUSICAL runs through March 30,  2025, at the Marcus Performing Arts Center’s Uihlein Hall, located at 929 N. Water Street in Downtown Milwaukee. Tickets may be purchased online at www.MarcusCenter.org, calling 414-273-7206 or by visiting the MPAC Box Office.  Groups of 10 or more can secure their seats by calling 414-273-7207.
 
About Marcus Performing Arts Center
A mission-based non-profit organization located in downtown Milwaukee, the Marcus Performing Arts Center (MPAC) brings high-quality arts and cultural programming to Southeastern Wisconsin. MPAC strives to act as an energizing force that connects the community to the world through collaboration, innovation, social engagement, and the transformative power of the performing arts. Through multiple performance series, community events, and educational experiences, MPAC brings a diverse range of celebrated artists to the region. A fixture in Milwaukee for over 50 years, MPAC is proud to be part of the Milwaukee Theater District as well as a dedicated War Memorial facility. Learn more at www.MarcusCenter.org.

Johnson Financial Group, with offices in Wisconsin and Minnesota, is a privately owned financial services company offering banking, wealth and insurance solutions through its subsidiaries, Johnson Bank, Johnson Wealth, and Johnson Insurance Services. For more information visit  johnsonfinancialgroup.com.
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Broadway Across America (BAA) is part of the John Gore Organization family of companies, which includes Broadway.com, The Broadway Channel, BroadwayBox.com, Group Sales Box Office, and Broadway Brands. Led by 22-time Tony-winning theater producer John Gore (Owner & CEO), BAA is the foremost presenter of first-class touring productions in North America, operating in 48 markets with over 400,000 subscribers. Presentations include Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon, and Hamilton. Current productions include & Juliet, Hadestown, Hamilton, Hell’s Kitchen, MJ: The Musical, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, The Outsiders, and Stereophonic.

By Mary Boyle

In 2009 a theatre company called StarKid Productions was born at the University of Michigan.  Bold and innovative, they produced their works by utilizing Kickstarter, meaning anyone could help support the production.  One of the people who supported their 11th stage show was a local actor from the Milwaukee area named Logan Milway, and Logan is the reason I came to know about the inexplicable phenomenon that is THE GUY WHO DOESN'T LIKE MUSICALS.  After a short run in the fall of 2018, the show was uploaded to YouTube and has now been viewed over eight million times.  Six years later, Logan finally got his chance for his "dream role" as Paul, the Guy, himself, in the Hartford Players Theatre Company's production of this underground gem of a musical that Logan originally helped bring to the stage.

Directed by Abigail Ford, TGWDLM is definitely a show for mature audiences.  Based on the 1956 horror film, The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, this production has far more humor than horror but makes good use of adult language.  Paul (Logan Milway) works in an office (not unlike Office Space) with his three coworkers:  Charlotte Sweetly (Elena Donley), an anxious wreck of a woman trying to repair her marriage with her husband, Sam (Colleen Cline), Ted Spankoffski, a young, overconfident womanizer, and Bill Woodward (Brandon Haut), a divorced father who is hoping to gain favor with his teenage daughter, Alice (Maddy Buchta) by taking her to a performance of Mamma Mia!  When Bill invites Paul to the musical, Paul refuses, because he really doesn't like musicals.  Instead, Paul heads over to the local coffee shop in hopes of seeing his favorite barista, Emma (Brianna Deans), who is crabbier than usual because the management is making the staff sing for every tip.  Paul is sympathetic, and the two of them bond over their mutual hatred of musicals.

As it happens, Bill never gets to take his daughter to Mamma Mia! because a meteor crashed straight through the marquee and into the theater; however, the following day, strange things begin to happen in Hatchetfield.  Everywhere Paul goes, people are singing – beginning with the Greenpeace girl (Mackenzie Gehrke) and even his boss, Mr. Davidson (Kory Friend).  Paul heads to Emma, needing a strong coffee and someone to confide in, but the two quickly realize that something truly is amiss.  Together with Paul’s coworkers, they find refuge with one of Emma’s professors from college, Professor Hidgens (Cobi Tappa), an eccentric doomsday prepper whose home is like a fortress.  What has come for the simple people of Hatchetfield?  Will this band of unlikely people be able to do anything to help?

With music and lyrics by Jeff Blim and book by Nick & Matt Lang, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals is a hilarious parody mash up of musicals and campy 50s horror films that really can’t be beat.  Clever, fast-paced, and full of pop culture references, the entire show will keep audiences laughing and entertained from start to finish.  The cast and crew do an admirable job in keeping with the original, which is important, because anyone with an internet connection can see it.  The set, costumes, and “special effects” are spot on and the cast, overall, is strong – how they all manage to play it so straight without cracking up is admirable.  Cobi Tappa and Kory Friend are scene-stealers as Professor Hidgens and Mr. Davidson, so look for them.  Inspiration Studios is an easy to find, intimate space, which means seats are limited – don’t miss this one!
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THE GUY WHO DIDN’T LIKE MUSICALS runs through March 23rd at Inspiration Studios in West Allis, located at 1500 S. 73rd Street.  Tickets may be purchased online at https://hartfordplayers.ltd/tickets/.  Seats are general admission and $25 each.
 
The Hartford Players do professional theatre, they just don’t get paid for it. The goal is to give our community the very best in theatre by tapping into the incredible pool of talent that walks by you in the grocery store and sits near you in the restaurant at lunch.  They create beauty on the stage today and nurture the seeds of tomorrow’s beauty together through scholarships for worthy students of the arts.  The Hartford Players is a 501 (c) (3) organization. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today.

By Mary Boyle

Shakespeare only used a prologue in five of his plays, but easily the most famous is from his most performed work:

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life;
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their parents' rage,
Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
 
One would think the spoiler would take all the fun out of the story but, in fact, the introductory outline of what will happen helps the audience know what to expect and makes them want to hear the details.  In my humble opinion, this is possibly a large part of why ROMEO & JULIET is the Bard’s most known play.  That, and the wonder, passion, and magic of young love.  Although I’ve seen this play around a dozen times, it never gets old because, even though the language remains the same, each production breathes new life into the story simply by changing the setting, the costumes, and the set.  I’ve seen Romeo & Juliet with the genders reversed, with Romeo as a deaf actor, and many more configurations, both classic and modern, but the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s new version of this most classic of classics is, hands down, the best I’ve ever seen.

Most people know the basics of the story.  The Montagues and Capulets have been at war so long that neither family even knows what the original insult was – they only know they hate each other.  Lord Montague (Dimonte Henning) and Lady Montague (Giselle) are worried about their son, Romeo (Kenneth Hamilton), who seems to have fallen into despair over a girl.  Romeo’s good friends, Mercutio (Mathew C. Yee) and Benvolio (Nate Burger), vow to make him forget by crashing a party held by the Capulets.  There, Romeo meets Juliet (Piper Jean Bailey) and they fall hopelessly in love.  The young couple enlists the help of Juliet’s nurse (Alex Keiper) and Friar Laurence (Nate Burger) to secretly wed, but trouble follows immediately afterward when Juliet’s cousin, Tybalt (Davis Wood) kills Mercutio in a fight, followed by Romeo killing Tybalt in vengeance.  Romeo is banished from Verona as punishment, which is bad enough, but then Lord Capulet (Matt Daniels) and Lady Capulet (Laura Rook) inform Juliet that they have agreed to marry her to Paris (Gabriel Armstrong) immediately.  Friar Laurence comes up with a desperate plan to get Juliet out of her oncoming marriage and reunited in banishment with Romeo but, alas, the star-crossed lovers cannot be helped.

Adapted and directed by Laura Braza, The Rep’s Romeo & Juliet is a dark, gritty rendering with a southern, swampy vibe that rips the story from its English roots and grounds it firmly in America.  From start to finish, the production is woven with music played and sung by the actors themselves, under the direction of musical wizard, Dan Kazemi.  The show opens with a performance of “Ain’t No Grave,” a song composed by twelve-year-old Claude Ely in 1934 when he was sick with tuberculosis, but it is believed to be inspired by an African American gospel song of the same period.  The song, which seems to be made for the story, forms the backbone of the musical score, weaving its way throughout.

The Rep put together an incredible cast, filled with local and regional actors who are steeped in Shakespeare (but honestly, they had me at Nate Burger).  Two years ago, The Rep did an excellent grunge-inspired version of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, also directed by Laura Braza, which featured several members of the cast for R&J, including Nate Burger, Alex Keiper, and Kenneth Hamilton.  Both Laura Rook and Nate Burger have been Core Members at American Players Theatre in Spring Green for over a decade, where Shakespeare is always a part of the season lineup.  Milwaukee favorites Matt Daniels (who has taught Shakespeare to several generations of kids with at First Stage) and Dimonte Henning (who just directed a production of R&J this past season at Door Shakespeare) both delivered incredible performances in this show, as usual, but newcomers Piper Jean Bailey and Mathew C. Yee as Juliet and Mercutio were simply beyond impressive in both their acting and their singing and playing.  Rep Emerging Professional Resident Actors Gabriel Armstrong, Giselle, and Davis Wood rounded out the cast nicely.
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While construction is underway at the new Associated Bank Theater Center, this show will take place at the Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall, housed inside the Marcus Performing Arts Center,  located just one block away from from Milwaukee Rep and the Associated Bank River Center.  Though it’s no Quadracci Theater, it does the job.  For those who have never seen a performance of Romeo & Juliet, this is the one.  The southern dialect lends itself to Shakespeare’s words so wonderfully, making it even easier for audiences to understand; furthermore, this line-up of actors is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you do not want to miss.
 
ROMEO & JULIET runs through March 30th at the Wilson Theater at Vogel Hall located inside the Marcus Performing Arts Center at 929 N. Water St. in downtown Milwaukee. To purchase tickets, go to www.MilwaukeeRep.com, call the Ticket Office at 414-224-9490 or visit in person at 108 E Wells Street in Downtown Milwaukee.  For more information, please visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com.
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About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin with its new artistic home in the Associated Bank Theater Center opening Fall 2025 with three unique performance venues –the Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater, Herro-Franke Studio Theater and Stackner Cabaret.  For over seven decades, Milwaukee Rep has been a centerpiece of Milwaukee’s vibrant arts and cultural scene with productions ranging from Broadway musicals to Shakespeare to American Classics and New Works that are entertaining, inclusive and impactful.  Under the leadership of Artistic Director Mark Clements and Executive Director Chad Bauman, Milwaukee Repertory Theater ignites positive change in the cultural, social and economic vitality of its community by creating world-class theater experiences that entertain, provoke and inspire meaningful dialogue among an audience representative of Milwaukee’s rich diversity. More information is available at www.MilwaukeeRep.com



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