​By Mary Boyle
 
Can you believe that it’s been nearly 23 years since Shrek, the Dreamworks Animation film inspired by the children’s book of the same name by William Steig, hit the theaters?  Featuring the voices of Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy, and John Lithgow, Shrek was an unparalleled success, being the first to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and the first 21st Century animated film to be preserved in the Library of Congress National Film Registry.  Not only did the film inspire three sequels and a couple of Puss in Boots spin-offs, there was also a Broadway musical, with music by Jeanine Tesori and a book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, which ran for a little over a year.  Now, the Kimberly Akimbo award winning duo have revisited their original musical and sent it off for a national tour, so audiences can “fall in love all ogre again” with SHREK THE MUSICAL.

Directed and choreographed by Danny Mefford, the musical follows essentially the same storyline as the film, although here we get the chance to meet Shrek as a young child on his 7th birthday, which is also when his parents send him off into the world to find a place of his own.  Settling down in a swamp all to himself for several years, Shrek (Nicholas Hambruch) is shocked to suddenly find his home invaded by a bunch of fairy tale creatures who have been run out of the kingdom by Lord Farquaad (Timmy Lewis).  Shrek vows to go to the kingdom of Duloc to get his new neighbors restored to their own homes and is joined on his quest by a talking Donkey (Naphtali Yaakov Curry). When they reach Duloc, Lord Farquaad has another quest for Shrek to get his swamp back: he must rescue the Princess Fiona (Cecily Dionne Davis) from her tower, guarded by a fire-breathing dragon, so that Farquaad can marry her and legitimately become the King of Duloc.

This is not a Broadway-level version of the show, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a good time.  The use of puppets helps to slim the cast and move the story along, as well as the original music written for the show and directed by Harrison Rothis.  What I like about the production is that the actors make the characters their own, rather than trying to be the originals from the film, which would be an impossible reach. The cast, overall, is quite talented – there were plenty of opportunities to steal the show, and Farquaad, Donkey, Pinnochio, and Gingy took turns doing it.  What I didn’t care for was the blatant rainbow washing with the “fabulous” wolf from Little Red Riding Hood.  The original message from the film, to learn to love and accept yourself the way you are, was far more subtle.  In this version of the musical, the writers don’t trust the audience to figure out the message for themselves, which is mildly annoying.  Nonetheless, the show is a good time for all, but especially those within the Shrek fandom.

SHREK THE MUSICAL comes courtesy of Round Room Live and Fifth Estate Entertainment to the Marcus Performing Arts Center, located at 929 N. Water Street in downtown Milwaukee, on Friday and Saturday, March 22nd and 23rd.  To purchase tickets, visit www.MarcusCenter.org, call 414-273-7206, or visit the MPAC Box Office at 929 North Water Street, Downtown Milwaukee.  Groups of 10 or more can secure their seats by calling 414-273-7207.  SHREK THE MUSICAL is the part of the2023/24 MPAC Presents Series.
 
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.

About Fifth Estate Entertainment
Founded in 2016, Fifth Estate Entertainment is a New York based theatrical production and general management company specializing in developing and producing live entertainment for the stage as well as managing tours, New York City productions, and special events. Recent productions include the 10th Anniversary tour of Rock of Ages, Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live, and In Residence on Broadway.
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About Round Room Live
Round Room Live is the leading producer and promoter of exhibitions and family show entertainment, specializing in transforming both new and iconic intellectual property into engaging and thrilling live events. Round Room creates unique live experiences tailored to the distinct character of each property and produces the highest quality productions for audiences around the world. Their current roster of touring theatrical shows includes: Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour, Blippi The Musical (2023 Olivier Award nomination for Best Family production), Sesame Street Live!, Peppa Pig Live, Nitro Circus 20th Anniversary Tour, and Blue’s Clues & You! Live On Stage. Round Room’s Immersive and Entertainment Experiences division is currently touring: Formula 1: The Exhibition, Jurassic World: The Exhibition, Mandela: The Official Exhibition, and Tupac Shakur: Wake Me When I’m Free.
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By Mary Boyle

Celebrating its 38th season, local actor, director, and producer Mark Bucher's small but steady Boulevard Theatre has done over 300 productions over the years, persevering after the loss of their permanent home in Bayview by moving on to the Plymouth Church in Milwaukee, where they continue to create "elevated presentations" that focus on back-to-basics theatre and the use of local talent, while also striving to make live theatre accessible and affordable to Milwaukee area audiences.  I stopped in to catch their season finale, which happened to be the Midwest premiere of CECILE.

French playwright Jean Anouilh seems to be experiencing a bit of a renaissance, as of late.  Milwaukee's newest small theatre, Vanguard Productions, did a reading of Anouilh's Antigone at the beginning of the month, and American Players Theatre has his Ring Around The Moon in their upcoming season. A prolific writer, Anouilh’s career began in the 1930’s and didn’t finish until his final play in 1981.  Written in 1954, Cécile (ou l'École des pères – or the School for Fathers) is a romantic comedy that follows a common theme among Anouilh’s plays of “maintaining integrity in a world of moral compromise.”

Directed by David Flores, who acts as a bit of a narrator for the production, we meet Cécile’s widowed father, Monsieur Orlas (Matt Specht), who is questioning aloud the wisdom of hiring such a young governess for his seventeen-year-old daughter to the governess, herself: twenty-three-year-old Araminthe (Caitlin Kujawski Compton).  On the one hand, Orlas complains that his daughter and her governess are basically the same age, so how can the governess possibly guide her? On the other hand, Orlas admits he is in love with Araminthe; but, when she points out that she is too young for him according to his own words, he insists that, in fact, she is much more mature. 

Orlas is unhappy about his daughter’s suitor, le Chevalier (A.J. Magoon), who has no fortune - though neither does Cécile (Sarah Donofrio), which is why le Chevalier admits to Araminthe that his own father has forbidden him to marry Cécile.  Instead, he confides to the governess that he has plans to abduct both Cécile and Araminthe and elope with Cécile that very evening.  Araminthe reports the plan to Orlas, who is certain his daughter cannot be the target of le Chevalier, but that it is Araminthe, his love, who will be abducted that evening.  Orlas calls on his old friend and Araminthe’s father, Monsieur Damiens (Michael Pocaro), and the two fathers hatch a scheme to foil the lovers’ plans, but what will happen when Monsieur Damiens finds out that Orlas wishes to keep his friend’s daughter for himself?

This production of Cécile was a dramatized reading, meaning the actors had their scripts with them, but also had costumes and a bit more freedom of movement than a traditional reading.  Although the original play had no music, this version truly was elevated by the addition of several songs, under the direction of Donna Kummer, who also served as the pianist.  The entire cast was quite vocally proficient: “La Vie En Rose” was performed beautifully by Donofrio and Kajawski Compton, and “Mimi” by Richard Rodgers, C’est Si Bon” by Henri Betti, and “C’est Magnifique” by Cole Porter were all excellent additions to the show.  The intimate space at Plymouth Church was a lovely setting for this type of production, where the performers really must carry the show without the help of sound enhancement or fancy lighting – luckily, they were up to the task.  A.J. Magoon, who was recently seen in A Moon for the Misbegotten with Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, was particularly delightful, funny, and charming as le Chevalier.

Small theatre companies like Boulevard offer area audiences the chance to see plays that often escape the notice of larger outfits.  While Anouilh’s Antigone regularly makes the circuit because it is the play he is best known for, Cécile is rarely staged.  I feel lucky to have had a chance to see it and, in particular, to see this version, which was made entirely entertaining by the addition of live music – I would love to see a full staging of this production. 

While Milwaukee’s small theatre companies contribute so much to the fabric of the arts scene here, offering a less costly ticket while still producing a quality performance and making work for local actors, they are terribly underfunded.  Boulevard has been implementing a Pay-What-You-Can admission policy since the pandemic, which is so admirable, but not sustainable without support from audience members who can support their work. Want to help grow our theatre community?  Commit to seeing shows from smaller companies while broadening and enriching your theatre experience!

To learn more, donate, and keep abreast of Boulevard Theatre’s 2024/25 season, go to: https://milwaukeeboulevardtheatre.com/

By Mary Boyle

The board game Americans know as Clue was invented in the UK by Anthony E. Pratt way back in 1943 during WWII.  Inspired by Agatha Christie murder mysteries, which were terribly popular at the time, the war caused a delay in the release of the game, which didn’t come out until 1949.  The game was known as Cluedo in the UK, and was purchased by Parker Brothers and renamed Clue in the United States.   Now published by Hasbro, the game has evolved many times over the years and continues to be incredibly popular, having inspired books, video games, and the 1985 cult classic film starring Tim Curry, Madaline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, and others. 

In 2017, the story was written for the stage by Jonathan Lynn, the original screenwriter, and adapted by Harry Foster, with additional material by Eric Price.  Titled Clue: On Stage, the play starred Sally Struthers and Erin Dilly.  Then, in 2020, Sandy Rustin wrote another adaptation that has launched as a North American Tour in 2024.  The touring show of CLUE: A NEW COMEDY makes its Wisconsin Premier at the Marcus Performing Arts Center in Milwaukee, March 12th through the 17th.

Directed by Casey Hushion, this updated version of the play is essentially the 1985 film played on the stage, but with the constrictions that are inherent to the stage.  The year is 1954 and the place is Boddy Manor in New England, where Wadsworth the butler (Mark Price), Yvette the maid (Elisabeth Yancey), and the cook (Mariah Burks) are preparing to greet a series of guests who were invited to the Manor by their employer, Mr. Boddy (Alex Syiek).  The guests have each been given a pseudonym to protect their identities: Colonel Mustard (John Treacy Egan), Mrs. White (Tari Kelly), Mrs. Peacock (Joanna Glushak), Mr. Green (John Shartzer), Professor Plum (Jonathan Spivey), and Miss Scarlet (Michelle Elaine). 

The guests all have one thing in common: they each have a secret that Mr. Boddy is blackmailing them to keep quiet.  Mr. Body presents each guest with a murder weapon and challenges the 6 of them to get rid of Wadsworth, the butler, who he claims is the one who knows too much.  After turning out the lights, a scuffle ensues, and a gunshot rings out.  When the lights go back on, Mr. Body is dead on the floor, and it is up to those who remain to figure out which one among them is the murderer.

While the film was initially panned by critics and fell short of reclaiming its budget, its popularity grew exponentially over time, and is regularly referenced in pop culture.  With that kind of cult fandom, it makes sense that it was adapted to the stage; the trouble is, nearly every audience member is coming because they loved the movie; they are comparing it to the movie; and, nothing can beat those legendary performances, particularly by Tim Curry and Madaline Kahn, in the film. 

​The play attempts to make up for it by adding a significant amount of physical comedy, particularly by Mr. Green, played by John Shartzer, whose acrobatics and antics are a show within the show.  The scenic design by Lee Savage is brilliant, creating all the various rooms and secret passages of the mansion within the confines of the stage.  Overall, the cast is very strong, but Mark Price as Wadsworth is an absolute wonder.  A delightful, farcical romp, this version of Clue is a fun way to experience the film live or, for those who haven’t seen the film (seriously?!), a great way to introduce yourself to the Clue fandom.
 
CLUE: A NEW COMEDY runs through March 17th at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, 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 20-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, Kimberly Akimbo, MJ: TheMusical and Moulin Rouge! The Musical.

By Mary Boyle

Vanguard Productions made a splash in the Milwaukee theatre scene back in 2022 with their concert performance of All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 by Peter Rothstein.  What was meant to be a single production turned into a new company, founded by George Lorimer and Joshua Pohja, which returned this past holiday season to mount a glorious full production of All Is Calm, with the intent of making it a yearly offerring.  The new company has hit the ground running with a series of APEX Classes and Readings, the most recent of which was Jean Anouilh’s ANTIGONE, adapted by Lewis Galantiere and directed and re-imagined by Joshua Pohja.

Two shows, back-to-back, one night only.  The actors had very little time with the script and even less time with each other – particularly Gregory Linington (King Creon), who jumped into the performance to cover a sick actor at the last minute.  The location was Calvary Presbyterian Church in Milwaukee, and the set was laid out as a theatre in the round, the audience surrounding a long table.  The cast was a mixture of mainly First Stage Young Company alumni and a couple of seasoned regional actors.

Anouilh’s Antigone is based on the tragic tale by the ancient Greek Sophocles.  Antigone (Chantae Miller) is a princess of Thebes and the daughter of Oedipus (yep, that guy).  Oedipus has died, and the kingdom of Thebes had been ruled by Antigone’s two brothers, Polynices and Eteocles, who were supposed to rule the kingdom on alternate years; however, when Polynices’ turn came up, Eteocles refused to yield, and the brothers killed each other in combat.  Oedipus’ brother, Creon (Gregory Linington), became the new king; his wife, Eurydice (Maya Danks), the queen.  Eteocles was given a hero’s burial, while Polynices, Creon ruled, was to be left to rot.  In fact, anyone attempting to bury him will be put to death. 

Antigone’s nurse (Shanti Lleone) realizes that Antigone is not in her bed early in the morning and finds her coming in from outside.  Her sister, Ismene (Josie Trettin), joins them and tells Antigone that they must not go and bury their brother, as Antigone had suggested, but what we soon learn is that Antigone had already gone out and done it.  While she waits for Creon’s men to come for her, she meets with her fiancé, Haemon (Jake Badovski), the son of Creon, to tell him that, although she loves him, she will not be marrying him.  Eventually, the Guard (Elliott Brotherhood) comes for Antigone and Creon is shocked that the agitator is his own niece. Will he actually put her to death?

This dramatic reading was spellbinding.  The Chorus, Leo Madson, was the youngest performer, but had a lion’s share of the lines, and he did it with great intensity and passion.  George Linington was the ideal commanding presence as Creon, while tiny Chantae Miller was perfectly cast as his opposition: the fierce, indignant, and rebellious Antigone.  Although she had not a single line, Maya Danks’ performance as Eurydice must be commended – it was a long time to sit so poised and knitting, emanating the emotions being thrown around the table.  Elliott Brotherhood created a much-needed tension break as the bumbling guard, while Jake Badovki’s performance as the tortured Haemon was heartbreaking.  Josie Trettin and  and Shanti Lleone rounded out an overall incredibly talented cast. 

My one complaint of the evening was the sound, which was also an issue at All Is Calm.  The cavernous space of the church has an echo affect that made it difficult to understand all of the words unless an actor was facing you directly, despite the addition of sails of fabric strung from the ceiling, which did not seem to help the sound, but did make a dramatic tent-like affect over the staging area.  Hopefully, this issue can be solved, because it seems that Vanguard is working to make a theatre home at Calvary Presbyterian.  With their upcoming APEX Classes and more performances on the horizon, I’m excited to see what this talented group does next!
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Learn more about Vanguard Productions shows and actor training at: https://www.vanguardmke.com/
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By Mary Boyle

German playwright Frank Wedekind’s Frühlings Erwachen, or Spring Awakening, made its premiere in 1906, but was rarely staged afterwards, as it was deemed too controversial.  The story follows a group of teenaged schoolchildren entering into the throes of puberty, and how they are adversely affected by the grown ups who are supposed to be guiding them, from parents to teachers to church leaders.  The play’s subtitle, A Children’s Tragedy, gives just a vague hint at what the play might entail, which happens to be instances of rape, suicide, teen pregnancy, child abuse, and abortion.  One can only imagine how shocking this particular piece of theatre was to audiences at the time, yet it managed to persist.  Then, in 2006, the play was made into a rock musical that made its way to Broadway, winning several Tony Awards, including for Best Musical, as well as a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.  Here in Milwaukee, Skylight Music Theatre has added yet another layer of complexity to the production by casting the show with a mix of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing actors, further pushing the boundaries of live theatre.  Are you ready to experience this SPRING AWAKENING?

With music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater, the original story is left largely unchanged: it’s still set in Germany in the early 20th century, and the costumes and set design reflect that, with the boys in matching school uniforms and the girls looking like a Laura Ingalls/cottage core mash-up.  This production is inspired by the 2015 Broadway revival by Deaf West, which produces Deaf-centered theatre in Los Angeles, and is designed to be experienced by both hearing and deaf audiences the same way, in real time.  To accomplish this, some of the actors are deaf or hard-of-hearing and use Sign Language while being shadowed by their voices, played by a hearing actor; however, many of the hearing actors are also using Sign Language and, at times, there is also open caption, meaning the text is sometimes projected on the wall to be read. 
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“There is an unfortunate history of the Hearing world deciding what is best for those who are Deaf, including forcing them to read lips and prohibiting the use of Sign Language,” explained Michael Unger, Skylight’s Artistic Director. This discrepancy is not unlike the treatment of the children by the adults in the play.

Unger shares directing responsibilities with renowned deaf theatre artist, Alexandria Wailes, who loves utilizing the power of theatre to bring people together from various backgrounds and help them move through the fears of the unknown; to create spaces that open dialogue across generations about the things that cause discomfort, which hopefully leads to learning, healing, and compassion.  “Theatre-making can also be about celebrating, elevating, amplifying the voices of those overlooked or assumed to not have anything to contribute,” Wailes said.  “It is about challenging preconceptions and allowing for the reflection on how much or how little may have changed.”

Spring Awakening is a tragedy whose themes are timeless: we see them in Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, the famous star-crossed lovers, and we can recognize it in John Hughes’ 1980s film, The Breakfast Club.  In each of these stories, we see children on the verge of adulthood, constrained by the expectations of their elders without given any context, guidance, or consideration, and the havoc it wreaks in their lives.  Here, we have Melchoir (Caden Zane Marshall), a brilliant and handsome young mind who is both a teachers’ pet and the envy of his classmates, and Wendla (Erin Rosenfeld), a young girl who is both desperate to understand the adult world and equally desperate to remain a little girl.  Rosenfield is deaf, so she is shadowed by her voice, played by Emma Knot, who was seen last season at Skylight as Poppy in Noises Off.  Marshall is a hearing actor and American Sign Language interpreter, so he is also sometimes voiced by other actors.

Trouble begins with a fellow classmate, Moritz (Joseph Saraceni), who is particularly struggling with his changing body and unable to get help from the adults in his life (a variety of characters played by Milwaukee favorites Karen Estrada and Joel Kopischke, as well as acclaimed deaf actor Liz Tannebaum).  Saraceni is also a deaf actor, so his voice is shadowed by Edie Flores.  Melchoir tries to help Moritz by providing him with a graphic essay about sex, but it only makes things worse, as Moritz’s lack of sleep and language barrier threatens his educational prospects.  Meanwhile, Wendla is shocked when she learns that another classmate, Martha (Kaia Fitzgerald), is being abused by her parents, and doesn’t know where to go with her questions, since her mother refuses to talk about “difficult” topics.  Tensions and problems build as children are either failed by or terrorized by the very adults in their lives who are supposed to help them, often under the guise of cultural decency.

In the original play, it is the voices of the children that are amplified, and what they have to say is deeply uncomfortable.  The modern version is still uncomfortable, which only serves to demonstrate that we have yet to fully address and understand these problems.  Then there is the additional layer of the amplification of Deaf voices, as well as a graphic scene involving partial nudity.  No amount of rock music can convince viewers that this is a fun, lighthearted Broadway frolic; in fact, the music felt incongruent to me, and not just because it didn’t align with the time the rest of the play is set in – after all, it worked just fine for Hamilton – but more because I felt that these topics are too serious to work as a musical.  I wanted it to be a drama. That being said, the cast is very dedicated and talented, and the music was well performed, overall.

As Unger says, “There is a reason this old play, with new music, has resonated so profoundly with a younger generation of theatregoers.”  There is no doubt that Skylight is pushing the boundaries of theatre with this production, but will the people that need to see it get themselves into the seats? My hope is that younger audience members make their way to the theatre community who may not have felt it was for them, with this one, but I challenge anyone over the age of 30 to give this one a try, especially if the very idea of it makes you uncomfortable.  This is how we learn and grow.
 
SPRING AWAKENING runs through March 17th at the Cabot Theatre in the Broadway Theatre Center, located at 158 N. Broadway in Milwaukee’s historic Third Ward.  Tickets may be purchased at https://www.skylightmusictheatre.org/ or by calling the Box Office at (414) 291-7800.  This show is recommended for ages 10 and up. 

About Skylight Music Theatre
Founded in 1959, Skylight is Milwaukee’s professional Equity music theatre company and the largest employer of Wisconsin actors in the state.  We are Milwaukee’s Home for Music Theatre--the only professional Milwaukee arts company devoted solely to music theatre.  Skylight produces the full breadth of music theatre, ranging 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. Skylight Music Theatre marks its 63rd season in 2022-2023.  Skylight Music Theatre is a proud Cornerstone Member of the United Performing Arts Fund.