 By Mary Boyle Looking for some seasonal live theatre? Halloween is an excellent time to tell a story about a WITCH, and Renaissance Theaterworks has one to tell. Though it's not particularly scary, in the traditional sense, you may find that this play makes you squirm in your seat a little, nonetheless, while keeping you laughing, throughout, as well as giving you something to think about on the way home. American playwright Jen Silverman seems to enjoy a good, dark tale. Her 2017 play, The Moors, which is set in England in the popular Regency period, has enjoyed great success, as has The Roommate, which RTW did in their 2019 season. Witch is her newest play and is based on an English play from 1621 called The Witch of Edmonton, which itself is based on the real story of Elizabeth Sawyer, who was burned as a witch not long before the play was written. WITCH bridges the gap between modern time and Jacobean England by using completely modern language and shifting the story just enough to keep it attached to its roots, while demonstrating how the struggles and views of the past are still very much the ones we suffer with today. The Devil (Neil Brookshire - There Is A Happiness That Morning Is) has come to visit the small village of Edmonton, looking to purchase some souls. Cuddy Banks (James Carrington - Airness) seems like an easy sell; as the only son and heir to his father, Sir Arthur Banks (Reese Madigan - A Christmas Carol), Cuddy is consumed with jealousy over his father's open preference for Frank Thorney (Joe Picchetti), a poor villager elevated in station by Sir Arthur. Meanwhile, Frank, as good and charming as he seems, is another easy sell: after all, Cuddy is in the way of his aspirations. Then there's Winnifred, a serving girl at the castle who's carrying a secret. But, most tempting of all is Elizabeth Sawyer (Mati Gobel): known by the villagers as a witch, why wouldn't she want to sell her soul for some vengeance? Directed by Susan Fete, WITCH is a study of the spectrum of human emotions - fear, love, anger, jealousy and, above all, hope - and what their overabundance or lack can do to us. While this sounds quite serious, the play is every bit as funny as it is thoughtful. Filled with a talented cast of familiar Milwaukee-based actors, this production will hardly scare you; in fact, just like the 1600s play it was based on, it will leave you with a healthy dose of sympathy for the witch, and maybe even some for the Devil. WITCH runs through November 12th at Next Act Theatre, located at 255 S. Water St. in downtown Milwaukee. Tickets may be purchased online at www.r-t-w.com/, by calling the office at (414) 273-0800, or at the Box Office at 158 N. Broadway St. in Milwaukee's Third Ward Monday through Friday from noon - 5 p.m. and 2 hours before each performance. Special Events Captioned Performances: Sat, 4pm Oct. 21 & 28, Thurs. 7:30pm Nov. 2 & 9. Wine Wed!: Enjoy a FREE glass of wine on Wed. evening performances. Arrive early! Must be 21+ to consume alcohol. Wed. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 25, Nov. 1, Nov. 8 Post-Show Talk: Stay after the show to discuss the play. Fri. Oct. 27, 7:30 p.m. Wed. Nov. 1, 1:30 p.m. Play Club: This enhanced subscription includes a digital copy of the script, an invitation to the First Rehearsal and a private post-show discussion, with wine and cheese, led by RTW Artistic Director, Suzan Fete. Must be a Play Club subscriber to participate. Sun. Oct. 29 2:00 p.m. Pre-Show Talk: Artistic Director Suzan Fete leads a conversation at 6:45pm. Fri. Nov. 3 7:30 p.m. ASL Interpreted Performance: Sun. Nov. 5 2:00 p.m. Sensory Friendly Performance: a specially modified and relaxed performance for people with sensory sensitivities. Wed. Nov. 8 1:30 p.m. Audio Described Performance: Fri. Nov. 10 7:30 p.m. Contact Community Engagement Manager Ryan Rehak ([email protected]) for information on these community events. About Renaissance Theaterworks RTW is Milwaukee’s first professional theater company founded and led by women and the nation’s second-oldest professional theater devoted to gender equality. RTW is a resident company at 255 South Water St. in Milwaukee’s Harbor District, with increased capacity and improved accessibility.
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 Adi Roy as Aladdin in the North American Tour of ALADDIN. Photo by Deenvan Meer. By Mary Boyle Nothing makes you feel old like realizing the children who were born when Disney's animated film, Aladdin, was released are now old enough to drink. I was in my Senior year of high school when the film came out, but you're really never too old for a Disney movie, and this one was a hit. I mean, who could ever forget Robin Williams' amazing performance as the voice of the Genie? I had no idea that there has been a musical based on the film running on Broadway since 2014 (with a small break for the pandemic), or that it has become the 10th highest grossing musical of all time, but thanks to a North American Tour and the Marcus Performing Arts Center's Broadway at the Marcus Center Series, Milwaukee audiences can experience ALADDIN live on the stage! The tale of Aladdin is associated with the book One Thousand and One Nights, the collection of Middle Eastern folktales often referred to as "Arabian Nights." Aladdin (Adi Roy) is an orphan living on the streets of Agrabah, trying to stay alive while not getting caught stealing by the palace guards. Meanwhile, at the palace, the Sultan (Sorab Wadia) is constantly searching for a suitor for his daughter, Princess Jasmine (Senzel Ahmady), who stubbornly refuses every prince she meets. This agrees with the Sultan's evil plotting advisor, Jafar (Anand Nagraj), who is next in line for the throne should Jasmine fail to wed; but, to make sure he succeeds, Jafar is searching for a magic lamp hidden in the desert. When Jasmine decides to escape her gilded cage to see what life is like outside the palace walls, she meets Aladdin in the marketplace. Unaware that the pretty girl he is falling for is the Princess, Aladdin helps her navigate the marketplace, but their blossoming friendship is soon interrupted by the palace guards, who arrest Aladdin for stealing and reveal that Jasmine is the Princess. Jafar purchases Aladdin's freedom and sends him to the cave of wonders to get the magic lamp; however, though Aladdin is warned to touch nothing but the lamp, he is tempted by the teasure in the cave and becomes trapped inside. Wondering what is so great about a dirty old lamp, Aladdin tries to polish it up and discovers the Genie (Marcus M. Martin), who will grant Aladdin three wishes. Aladdin is certain that, if he were a prince, he would be able to win the heart of the Princess and, with the Genie to help him, he returns to Agrabah in style. Directed by Thomas Schumacher and with book by Chad Beguelin, the Broadway musical of Aladdin is fairly close to the animated film, and features the songs by Alan Menken and Tim Rice from the film that people know and love, such as "Arabian Nights," "Friend Like Me," "Prince Ali," and "A Whole New World;" but, there are also several added songs with lyrics by Beguelin and Howard Ashman that, unfortunately, largely only help to move the musical along as a musical, and don't seem to really fit with the feel of the original music. The other big change from the film is that the animal characters are replaced by people, but it doesn't take away from the story. Iago, who is Jafar's sarcastic parrot in the film, is instead a sarcastic sidekick played by Aaron Choi, while Aladdin's animal friends are replaced by three human friends: Babkak (Jake Letts), Omar (Nathan Levy), and Kassim (Colt Prattes). Jasmine has an entourage of ladies (Lizzy Marie Legregin, Sonia Monroy, and Adriana Negron) instead of a tiger, but they don't really play much of a part in the tale. A colorful feast for the eyes, Aladdin is full of sparkly costumes, magical special effects, and big Broadway dance numbers that are simply fun to watch and, while you might think the stars of the show are Aladdin and Jasmine, it's the Genie who drives this production. Let's be honest: Robin Williams is a tough act to follow, but Marcus M. Martin does it right by putting his own spin on the character, while still delivering the stream of punchlines and rapid-fire impressions that Williams' Genie was known for, leaving the audience laughing and clapping. This is a family-friendly production and a great first Broadway performance for kids, yet entirely palatable for adult audiences (especially those who grew up loving the animated film). See it while you can! ALADDIN runs through October 22nd at the Marcus Performing Arts Center's Uihlein Hall, located at 929 N. Water Street in downtown Milwaukee. Tickets can be purchased online at www.marcuscenter.org/ or by calling 414-273-7206. Run time is 2 hours and 30 minutes with one intermission. There is a Sign Language Interpretation on October 21 at 2:00 p.m. For more information, visit AladdinTheMusical.com/tour. About MarcusPerforming Arts Center A mission-based non-profit organization located in downtown Milwaukee, the Marcus Performing ArtsCenter (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, JohnsonBank, 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 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 withover 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: The Musical and Moulin Rouge! The Musical.  The cast of Skylight Music Theatre's CANDIDE, through October 29th at the Cabot Theatre in Milwaukee's historic Third Ward. Photo by Mark Frohna. By Mary Boyle Skylight Music Theatre has always had a knack for producing classic musicals: not yet what we think of when we think of a Broadway musical, but not the opera, either - the ones that are somewhere in between. In 2017, they did an amazing job with Beauty & the Beast, thanks to Director James Ortiz's brilliant vision and puppetry. This went so well, Ortiz was scheduled to return for another classic production, but it was delayed by the pandemic. Thankfully, Skylight and Ortiz stuck with it, so Milwaukee audiences can experience the gem of a classic musical that is CANDIDE. Based on a novella of the same name written in 1759 by the French Enlightenment writer, philosopher, satirist, and historian known as Voltaire, Candide was made famous as a musical in 1956 by the great American composer Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story, On the Town, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue). With book by Hugh Wheeler and Lyrics by Richard Wilbur, as well as some by the iconic composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim (West Side Story, Into the Woods, Sweeny Todd), the pedigree of the musical, alone, is enough to draw a crowd and, though it doesn't quite fit with our modern sensibilities, its cultural significance is undeniable. Candide (Sam Simahk) is truly a lucky bastard. Taken in by a wealthy family, he is raised alongside their adored son and daughter, Maximillian (Doug Clemons) and Cunegonde (Susie Robinson), receiving lessons all together from their tutor, Pangloss (Andrew Varela), a great believer in the philosophy of optimism. When their beautiful maid, Paquette (Samantha Sostarich), has an affair with Pangloss, Cunegonde sets her eye on Candide, only to find that her parents weren't such believers in equality, after all. Candide is thrown out of the home for reaching too high, and thus begins the crazy and perilous journey of these two lovers, and the people they meet along the way, such as the Old Woman (Sara Stem), Cacambo (Shawn Holmes), Martin (Ben George) and Vanderdender (Nathan Marinan). Ortiz decided to set the play in the time of Berstein and Sondheim, and the Leave it to Beaver vibes work brilliantly with the early optimism of the story, where everything seems light and silly. What's interesting about the play is it veers suddenly from sillliness to horror and tragedy and back again; one moment you're laughing, and the very next you're wondering if the musical is actually supposed to be funny at all. Describing the play, Ortiz explained that Candide is “about the quest we all continually go on to become the best version of ourselves. The only way to do that demands that you peel back the layers of what you've been taught in order to form your own unique identity. We get to watch these characters of every age be forced to ‘grow up’ in sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes hilarious ways.” Quite often with classic musicals, you will recognize a song or two from them, even when you've never seen them before, but that was not the case with this musical; I think, because they still retain an operatic quality that renders them not as catchy and singable. Nonetheless, the music is both clever and lovely, with layers of song intertwining to create something magical. Robinson's voice as Cunegonde, in particular, is truly impressive, but the cast all together is greater than the sum of their parts. One of the highlights of this production is definitely the puppets — something Ortiz has become well known for beyond Skylight; he created the puppet design for the 2022 Broadway revival of Into the Woods, as well as earning the 2022 Drama Desk Award for his puppet design for Lincoln Center’s The Skin of Our Teeth. Much like in Beauty & the Beast, Ortiz's puppets make characters larger than they could possibly be than by being performed by actors, alone. Make no mistake that the addition of puppets makes this musical family-friendly; this is absolutely a production for mature audiences, as it features very mature themes. After all, Voltaire was a great philosopher of his time; this is a play that will make you think. CANDIDE runs through October 29th at the beautiful Cabot Theatre, located in the Broadway Theatre Center at 158 N. Broadway in Milwaukee's historic Third Ward. Tickets may be purchased online at https://www.skylightmusictheatre.org/, email [email protected] or call the Box Office at (414) 291-7800. Special Events Skylight Insights. In-depth discussions with Artistic Director, Michael Unger and special guests take place one hour before all Wednesday and Sunday performances. ASL Performance. Candide will be interpreted in American Sign Language on Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. To purchase tickets for this performance, email [email protected] or call Skylight Music Theatre's Box Office at (414) 291-7800. Mention ASL performance for seating in the appropriate section. Supported by UPAF Connect. About Skylight Music Theatre 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 64th season in 2023-2024. Skylight Music Theatre is a proud Cornerstone Member of the United Performing Arts Fund. |
Mary BoyleReviewing live theatre in Wisconsin since 2014. Proud member of the American Theatre Critics Association. #OzTheatre
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