By Mary Boyle

The 1950’s are often referred to as the “Golden Age” of the United States.  The soldiers from WWII came home and built the solid middle class homes and families depicted in shows like Leave It to Beaver: healthy, happy families with two children living the American Dream.  Of course, it was mostly an illusion; a dream that was out of reach for many Americans but was sold as the norm.  The entire decade of the 1960’s was largely about destroying that illusion and, in theatre, the play that did it was Edward Albee’s WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF, a sometimes hilarious and frequently shocking production that throws back the curtains on a marriage built on similar illusions to watch it implode, up close and personal, over the course of a couple of hours.  This season, the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre tells this groundbreaking story, in all its uncomfortable and arresting glory, for a new generation to witness.

Directed by Keira Fromm, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was an instant success at its debut, winning the Tony Award and New York Drama Critic’s Circle Award for Best Play.  The story focuses mainly on George (James Ridge), a history professor at a New England college, and his wife Martha (Laura Gordon), the daughter of the college president, who have returned home from a faculty party.  They are soon joined by Nick (Casey Hoekstra) and Honey (Kate Romand), a new biology professor and his wife, who Martha invited over for drinks.  Martha and George take turns taking shots at one another and the fight turns increasingly nasty.  Although Nick and Honey are as embarrassed and uncomfortable as the audience, they cannot seem to tear themselves away from the proverbial train wreck that is George and Martha’s marriage and quickly become involved in the fray which, fueled by a constant supply of drinks, unveils the unstable underpinnings of both of their relationships.

This play is an intimate production with just 4 actors and MCT chose their actors wisely – there are perhaps no better candidates for George and Martha than Wisconsin’s own James Ridge, a core company member of the American Players Theatre, and Milwaukee’s Laura Gordon; both deliver splendid, riveting performances.  Casey Hoekstra and Kate Roman are also well cast and make their MCT debuts with truly impressive performances.  Moreover, this production is ideally suited to the cozy black box that is the Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center, located in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward, and Jason Fassl’s set design works wonderfully to transport the audience to the 1960’s home of an East Coast college history professor. Altogether, these details add up to an iconic production of an iconic play and is a credit to the Milwaukee theatre scene.

Just four years after the play’s debut it was made into a film starring Elizabeth Taylor as Martha and Richard Burton as George.  The film won Taylor an Oscar for Best Actress but the Academy struggled with the film, despite its popularity, because of the language used and the nature of the story was very controversial at the time.  Considered one of the great American plays, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has become controversial in different ways as it’s aged.  On the one hand, the play is nearly three hours long, which in itself can be a difficult sell to modern audiences.  On the other hand, though the play was groundbreaking in its day, it doesn’t hit the same in our current times, where we have broader knowledge of generational trauma and a different view of what constitutes a healthy family and healthy marriage. 

For my own part, the play feels a bit elitist.  In fact, the title is actually an Ivy League joke – a play on the Disney ditty “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” and English author Virginia Woolf, who was the pioneer of using stream of consciousness as dialog and who is believed to have suffered from bipolar disorder (I feel that both of those attributes relate to the play, but I’m no expert).  In essence, I feel that the playwright was working way too hard to seem smart.  That being said, it’s worth seeing from a historical and cultural standpoint and, quite frankly, anytime you get to see James Ridge and Laura Gordon act, you should.
 
WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? runs through February 12th in the Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Centre, located at 158 N. Broadway Street in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward.  Tickets may be purchased online at https://www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org/  or by calling the Box Office at (414) 291-7800.

Join Milwaukee Chamber Theatre for a very special Artist Appreciation Night and get exclusive access to our SIPSTUDIO which takes place on Saturday, January 28th from 7-7:50pm, prior to the 8pm performance. Mingle with staff, special guests, and other patrons in the 5th floor rehearsal hall for unlimited wine courtesy of our neighbors and season partner 2A Wine Merchants! All tickets are just $15, no codes needed.  Get Tickets!

MCT offers a special ASL Performance on Sunday, Feb 12th at 2 p.m.  Tickets HERE.
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There are TalkBacks after the performance on January 26, February 2, and February 9.
 
About Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
Founded in 1975 by Montgomery Davis and Ruth Schudson, guided until 2020 by Michael Wright and Kirsten Finn, and now led by Brent Hazelton, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (MCT) partners with other arts organizations, community-based organizations and universities to produce thought-provoking productions and innovative outreach programs on an intimate, human scale.  As a leader in developing Milwaukee and Wisconsin’s theater community, MCT provides regular employment and a stable artistic home to local theatre professionals through a five-play subscription season, the Young Playwrights Festival (YPF), and the Montgomery Davis Play Development Series (MDPDS).  MCT performs at the Broadway Theatre Center in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward and is a proud Member Group of the United Performing Arts Fund.

By Mary Boyle
 
For people who aren’t Shakespearean aficionados or very familiar with the Bard, Much Ado About Nothing is an excellent entry play because it feels so modern.  Fans of the sharp, witty bickering and banter between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice will be delighted by the exchanges between Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado (In fact, one can’t help but wonder if Jane Austen’s famous couple was inspired by Shakespeare).  Shakespeare’s incredible ability to frame the perfect insult is on full display in this play, to hilarious results, along with a bit of tragedy thrown in for good measure, which makes for an altogether pleasing live theatre experience.  This season, the Milwaukee Repertory Theater is bringing this modern-feeling play to a very modern era by setting MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING in the early 90’s and, believe it or not, it not only works, it’s pure genius!

Directed by Laura Braza, Much Ado is a romantic comedy focused on two couples: Beatrice and Benedick (Alex Keiper and Nate Burger) and Hero and Claudio (Sarah Suzuki and Kenneth Hamilton).  Soldiers returning home from the Gulf War under the command of Don Pedro (Mark Corkins) have been invited to stay on the estate of Leonato (Jonathan Gillard Daly).  The return of Benedick is mocked by Leonato’s niece, Beatrice, who has been engaging in a “merry war” with Benedick for some time.  Claudio, a friend and fellow soldier to Benedick, is instantly smitten with Hero, Leonato’s only child and heir.  Don Pedro assures Claudio that he will make the arrangements with Leonato so the two might be wed.  Alas, Leonato’s half-brother, Don John (Michelle Shupe), is always looking for an opportunity to cause trouble for Leonato and makes plans to destroy the happy union with help from Borachio (Drew Mitchell).  In the meantime, Don Pedro enlists Claudio, Hero, and Hero’s friends, Ursula (Jenny Hoppes) and Margaret (Katrien Van Riel), in his plan to bring Beatrice and Benedick, who have both sworn to remain single, together.

Then, of course, there’s the Dogberry and Balthasar bit.  You see, there’s a very dimwitted constable and his partner who are charged with security around the town and they, along with their new recruits, accidentally discover Don John’s dastardly plan.  Michael Doherty, who I am a huge fan of, takes the already funny role of Dogberry to an entirely new level (which may or may not cross a line for some audience members) with the help of some early 90’s humor and Will Mobley as his sidekick, Balthasar.  You will either be roaring with laughter or uncomfortably disgusted – there’s really no in between on this one.  Fun fact: Michael Doherty happens to be married to Alex Keiper who plays Beatrice, and this is not their first time appearing together on The Rep’s stage (The Nerd).

What’s truly amazing about this production is how well the play works in the early 90’s.  Music Director and Composer Dan Kazemi married Shakespeare’s lyrics to the Grunge sound of bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam and turned out some songs that fit the era so well you wouldn’t know the words were from over 400 years ago.  Costumes by Mieka van der Ploeg are spot on, including a replica Kurt Cobain sweater that Benedick wears towards the end of the show.  Speaking of Benedick, should you have been so lucky to see Nate Burger as Hamlet at American Players Theatre this past summer, you already know that Nate Burger and Shakespeare go together like peanut butter and jelly (and if you didn’t, now you know).  Much Ado is already a very accessible play as far as Shakespeare goes, but Nate Burger makes it even more so because the language seems so much a part of him and, as if that weren’t enough, he plays guitar! 

In fact, several of the actors get to fulfill their 90’s rock icon dreams in this production, including Will Mobley, Alex Keiper, and particularly Katrien Van Riel, who gets to be a brunette Courtney Love.  There are some points where it feels more like a concert than a play, which is fun, and there are plenty of nods to the musicians, fashion, and pop culture of the times to delight any child of the 80’s or 90’s.  The cast, as a whole, is incredibly talented and features a mix of veterans and actors making their Rep debut.  Mark Corkins and Jonathan Gillard Daly, two of Milwaukee’s finest and seen often at The Rep, are perfect for their roles.  I, unfortunately, was unable to see Alex Keiper (Ring of Fire) as Beatrice, but Jaelyn Raeford did it justice as the understudy.  All in all, this is one Shakespearean production you do not want to miss.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING runs through February 12th at the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater, located within the Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex, at 108 E. Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee. Tickets may be purchased online at www.MilwaukeeRep.com, by calling the Ticket Office at 414-224-9490, or in-person at the Theater Complex. Group tickets are available for parties 10+ by calling 414-290-5340. 

The Milwaukee Repertory Theater will have their first Sensory Friendly production with Much Ado About Nothing on Tuesday, February 7, 2023 at 6:30pm in partnership with Pink Umbrella Theater and Stepping Stone Educational Services. In an effort to make Milwaukee Rep’s performances and facilities accessible to all patrons, Sensory Friendly performances are designed to create a welcoming and comfortable arts experience that is intended for people with autism or other social, cognitive and physical challenges that create sensory sensitivities.   
Some accommodations incude:

• Lower sound levels, especially for startling or loud sounds.
• House lights remain on at a low level during the performance.
• Patrons are free to talk and leave theirs seats during the performance.
• Designated quiet spaces within the theater building.
• Limited ticket availability so there is space throughout the theater for standing and movement.
• Sensory bags
• Story Guide and Social Narrative

About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin with three unique performance venues - the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio and Stackner Cabaret.  For over six 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.
 
About Pink Umbrella Theater Co.
Founded in September 2018, the Pink Umbrella Theater Co. provides a creative and innovative environment for those with a range of abilities to experience theater. Classes are taught by professionally trained artists who teach acting, musical theater, improvisation and more. We host two to three professional productions throughout the year. In addition, we offer classes and workshops in partnership with organizations in Milwaukee and surrounding communities, and provide consulting for arts and community organizations seeking to become more accessible and inclusive. www.pinkumbrellatheater.org
 
Stepping Stones Educational Services
Mary Stones, CEO, has over 20 years experience in special education.  Her aim is to empower, educate, train and inspire arts organizations, non-profits, businesses and schools to learn about and embrace Autism and Disability awareness, understanding and acceptance.  Mary was first introduced to the world of disability when her son was diagnosed and found that there was a lack of support and guidance that would set him up with success throughout his life. She founded Stepping Stones Educational Services to bring understanding through trainings, consultations, curriculum, workshops and professional development. Mary believes that together, we can create communities that support, empower and celebrate individuals with disabilities. www.steppingstonesed.com

By Mary Boyle
 
The 1950's was a great decade for Broadway.  The Music Man, West Side Story, The King & I, The Sound of Music, and Guys & Dolls all came from this era, a group of musicals often staged and well-loved by audiences everywhere, and all of which I have seen and loved.  Included in this list are three musicals by the dynamic duo of lyricist and librettist Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe: Brigadoon (technically 1949), Paint Your Wagon, and My Fair Lady.  These Lerner and Loewe musicals have long been on my list of classic musicals to see and, thanks to Broadway at the Marcus Center, I finally got my chance to see the Lincoln Center Tour of MY FAIR LADY.  Unfortunately, I cannot count this one under the list of musicals I love, or even like.

My Fair Lady is based on the 1913 play Pygmalion, written by the great Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, which is inspired by the mythological Greek character of the same name who carves a statue of a woman, then falls in love with her and then, Pinocchio-like, the statue comes to life.  The musical follows the play quite closely, just with the addition of music, and tells the story of a Cockney flower seller in London by the name of Eliza Doolittle (Madeline Powell) who, while plying her trade in London’s Covent Garden, chances to encounter the renowned linguist, Professor Henry Higgins (Jonathan Grunert), who is secretly making notes on Eliza’s speech. The Professor has a chance encounter of his own when he realizes the man Eliza is trying to sell her flowers to is none other than Colonel Pickering (John Adkison), another linguistics fan who he’d been hoping to meet.  The Professor makes the claim that it is language, alone, that sets the classes apart and brags to the Colonel that with just 6 months of training he could have Eliza speaking so well that he could pass her off in high society. He invites the Colonel to stay with him so they can discuss phonetics further. 

While the Professor wasn’t being serious, his claim intrigued Eliza and, with the many coins the Colonel had generously dropped into her flower basket, she heads to Professor Higgins’ home to ask him to give her language lessons so that she might be able to be hired as an assistant in a flower shop instead of selling them on the streets.  The Colonel recalls the Professor’s claim and challenges him to attempt it, offering to pay for Eliza’s lessons and all that she needs.  Word gets back to Eliza’s drunken, abusive leach of a father, Alfred (Michael Hegarty), that Eliza has moved in with the Professor and, seeing an opportunity, he pays a visit to demand payment for his daughter.  Alfred’s philosophy and his insistence on desiring to remain one of the “undeserved poor” amuses the Professor who, as a joke, recommends Alfred to a wealthy American looking to found morality societies in England who had been bothering him for support.  Mrs. Higgins (Becky Saunders), the Professor’s wealthy mother, is shocked by the Professor and Colonel’s plan and worried for Eliza, but comes to like her quite well.  In fact, everyone comes to like Eliza quite well, including Freddy Eynsford-Hill (Nathan Haltiwanger), a gentleman of no means who haunts Professor Higgins’ front door in the hope that he might get an audience with the young lady who charmed him.

Seemingly good fortune becomes misfortune for both Eliza and Alfred.  During the ball, Eliza is allowed to dance with Professor Zoltan Karpathy (Daniel James Canaday), an obnoxious colleague of Professor Higgins’ who loves nothing better than discovering frauds.  Eliza passes the test when Karpathy guesses that she must be, in fact, a Hungarian princess.  Thus, Professor Higgins wins his bet – but what will become of Eliza?  She no longer fits in her old world yet cannot truly belong to the new one.  Meanwhile, the rich American moralist decides that Alfred is brilliant and, when he unexpectedly dies, leaves enough money to Alfred to put him solidly in the respectable middle class, to Alfred’s horror.  Worst of all, his social climb requires him to give up his evil ways and get married to the woman he’s been living with.  His perfect life is ruined.

For those of you who have no prior knowledge of Pygmalion or My Fair Lady, I know what you’re thinking: you’re thinking that this is a Cinderella, rags-to-riches story in which The Professor realizes he’s in love with Eliza, marries her and takes her away from her old life and her horrible father and they live happily ever after.  Given the popularity of this musical which, in its day, held the record for the longest-running musical on Broadway and won 6 Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical, one might presume it had a very straightforward, somewhat predictable formula.  My Fair Lady is the musical that made Julie Andrews famous; it was so popular that a film version starring Audrey Hepburn was made in 1964 which went on to win 8 Oscars, including one for Best Picture.   Lerner and Loewe’s music from this production is so much a part of our culture that most people will recognize the titles even if they’ve never seen the musical: “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?” “With a Little Bit of Luck,” “On the Street Where You Live,” “Get Me to the Church on Time.”

Happily ever after is not how this musical ends, dear readers; however, that is the least of what bothers me about it.  My Fair Lady has plenty of issues, some of which stem from the fact that it hasn’t aged well.  What was once considered romantic is often, to today’s women, insulting.  Some of the issues relate to the story, itself, which is lacking in character development and has too much ambiguity. Even back in 1913 with Shaw’s Pygmalion, audiences were a bit put off by the play’s “unconventional ending,” but Shaw insisted that marriage between Eliza and Professor Higgins was never meant to be.  On this point, I agree, but the choices directors make to bend the production to whatever their vision of the play is causes issues as well and, in the case of this Tour, which is based on the 2018 Lincoln Center Theater Revival directed by Bartlett Sherr with choreography by Christopher Gattelli, there are simply too many bad decisions.

The actors are talented; the costumes are phenomenal; the set design is great.  I thought Jonathan Grunert did an excellent job as Professor Higgins and Michael Hegarty was a stitch as Alfred P. Doolittle.  Little fault can be found in Lerner & Loewe’s music: “Why Can’t the English,” “I’m an Ordinary Man,” “With a Little Bit of Luck, “On the Street Where You Live,” and “Show Me” are clever, witty, and catchy.  I thought the highlight of the play was “Ascot Gavotte.”  “Get Me to the Church on Time” is probably the most memorable of the showtunes and, unfortunately, this is a large part of where this production went wrong.  For some reason, they thought it would be good to have male, cross-dressing can-can dancers performing lewd dances during this number and all I can say is, no matter how much the musical pokes at morality, it was a very poor decision.

My Fair Lady, like Pygmalion before it, is an unsatisfying story because it seems as though a great deal of trouble is gone through to set up a moral arc, but then it doesn’t go anywhere.  What’s compelling about it is that it could, with the right direction.  This production, unfortunately, really didn’t seem to know what story it was telling.  Does Eliza conquer both the controlling, abusive men in her life and go on to live for herself?  Do we prove that it is the environment of our childhood and not any inherent flaw in our design as human beings that dictate our class, thus demonstrating that social classes are wrong?  Does Professor Higgins come to realize that all people need to be treated with empathy and love?  For those who think these questions are too weighty for a Broadway musical, I have two word for you: Les Misérables.  The thing is, this story is not the predictable rags-to-riches formula and these are just some of the questions that this show envokes.  Alas, audiences, you will leave without any answers.  Should you choose to see it anyway, out of curiosity, hit me up for a discussion.
 
MY FAIR LADY runs through January 8, 2023 at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, located at 929 North Water Street in downtown Milwaukee, as part of the 2022/2023 Johnson Financial Group Broadway at the Marcus Center Season.  Tickets may be purchased at www.MarcusCenter.org, by calling (414) 273-7026, or by visiting the Marcus Center Box Office. Six-show subscriptions are still on sale for the 2022/2023 Johnson Financial Group Broadway at the Marcus Center Season. Groups of 10 or more can secure their seats by calling (414) 273-7207. 
 
About Marcus Performing Arts Center
The Marcus Performing Arts Center (MPAC) serves as a performing arts community gathering space in Southeastern Wisconsin, bringing high-quality arts and cultural programming to the region for over 50 years. As a mission-based non-profit organization located in downtown Milwaukee, 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 performing arts. Through multiple performance series and community events, MPAC brings a diverse range of performing arts to the region. Presented series include Johnson Financial Group Broadway at the Marcus Center, MPAC Presents, Dance, Jazz, National Geographic LIVE, Rainbow Summer, and additional special performances from internationally renowned artists. MPAC's education, community engagement, and inclusion initiatives provide free experiences that annually engage students and life-long learners in Milwaukee.  MPAC is proud to be part of the Milwaukee Theater District as well as a dedicated War Memorial facility, honoring those who bravely served our country.  For more information, visit 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.

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 18-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 and past productions include Ain’t Too Proud, Beautiful, Cats, Chicago, Dear Evan Hansen, Mean Girls, Moulin Rouge! and To Kill A Mockingbird.