Next Act Theatre presents: THE TREASURER

Reese Madigan and Annabel Armour in THE TREASURER at Next Act Theatre in Milwaukee. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

By Mary Boyle

A young American playwright from Denver, Max Posner has created a significant amount of Off-Broadway stir with his plays: dark comedies that bring an almost alarming amount of reality to the stage. Next Act Theatre in Milwaukee is tackling the Wisconsin premiere of Posner’s most recent play, THE TREASURER, from 2017, for their season finale, which gives area audiences a chance to get a taste of this up-and-coming writer.

This production marks the first play directed by Cody Estle, Next Act’s Artistic Director, who took over for David Cecsarini in the middle of last season.  The story of The Treasurer is a relatable one to any middle-aged person, in that it is about taking care of an aging parent, but this story goes a bit further into the dynamics of the parent-child relationship. 

Ida Armstrong (Annabel Armour) finds herself alone and destitute after the death of her second husband and calls on her three sons for help; the three sons she abandoned when they were quite young to marry said second husband. “The Son” (Reese Madigan) who takes charge of Ida’s finances is the narrator of our story; he is quite certain he’s going to hell because he doesn’t love his mother, yet he and his brothers (Alexis Green and David Flores) seem powerless to say no to her unreasonable demands.  Most of the contact between The Son and Ida takes place over the phone, as he is in Denver and she is in Albany, and each conversation is oftentimes both funny and painful to witness.  Meanwhile, between calls, we watch Ida’s desperate attempts to connect with another human being while her condition deteriorates both mentally and physically, until the time comes when she must be moved to a facility that can offer more care.

The set design seems ridiculously sparse and simplistic – mostly a single wing back armchair that gets moved back and forth as the story switches from phone calls between the brothers to whatever Ida is up to now – and then, out of the blue, an entire Asian restaurant rolls onto the stage, where Ida and her son are finally face-to-face at one of the most awkward and uncomfortable dinners you will ever attend (but kudos to Scenic Artist Carri Dahl for her amazing work).

Reese Madigan, who is regularly seen in The Milwaukee Rep’s annual production of A Christmas Carol as Bob Cratchit, and was recently seen this season in Renaissance Theaterworks’ production of Witch, is entirely believable as Ida’s frustrated, struggling son and is an excellent choice for the strong and steady actor who carries the bulk of the production on his shoulders.  Annable Armour, who makes her Next Act debut, gives an inspired performance as the narcissistic and rapidly aging Ida Armstrong, managing to elicit the same empathy from the audience that her character wrings out of her children, though that character is difficult to like.  David Flores and Alexis Green, who also make their Next Act debuts, take on a wide variety of other characters in stride, besides playing Ida’s other children, making for a very strong cast.
​
What’s fascinating about Posner’s play is the realness of it; every one of the characters will remind you of yourself or someone you know, which is what makes it so accessible.  Yes, this play will have you considering the care of an aging parent, or your care as the aging parent, but it also delves deeply into the relationship we have with our parents and our children, how that relationship makes us feel about ourselves, and how it plays out in our lives.  As thought-provoking as it is uncomfortable and as funny as it is heartbreaking, The Treasurer is a worthy piece of modern theatre.
 
THE TREASURER runs through May 19th 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.
 
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.