The First Stage Young Company presents: AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE

John Eash-Scott (Center), and cast in AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE. First Stage, 2024. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.

By Mary Boyle

​I keep saying it, but the First Stage Young Company is truly the best-kept theatre secret in Milwaukee.  These high school aged kids receive college-level training from some of Milwaukee’s finest actors and directors, along with a professional-level performance space, which makes for some of the best, most economical live theatre in the area.  For their final performance this season, YC is doing AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE, adapted by the great American playwright Arthur Miller (Death of a Salesman) from the original play by Henrik Ibsen, and it could not be any more timely.
 
“The wisest man is not the one who possesses all the answers, but the one who questions everything.”
 
Directed by Joshua Pohja, An Enemy of the People centers on Dr. Thomas Stockmann (John Eash-Scott), a doctor in a small Norwegian town that is becoming known for their healing spring.  Unfortunately, the Doctor has discovered that the spring is contaminated with toxins from further upstream, because of the way it was constructed (which he’d advised against), but he is certain that when he tells his brother, Peter (William Kastner), who also happens to be the town’s Mayor, the town will fix the problem by rebuilding the spa, and he will become a hero of the people.  The doctor’s wife, Catherine (Maya Thomure), and adult daughter, Petra (Reily Fitzsimmons), aren’t as certain, but Catherine’s father, Morten Kiil (Thatcher Jacobs), seems delighted by the potential chaos. 
 
“Silence in the face of injustice is complicity.”
 
Initially, the town’s reporters, Billing (Mara Holzen) and Hovstad (Elena Marking), are determined to break the doctor’s story and reveal the incompetence of the town’s leaders; however, the Mayor demands that the Doctor keep his findings a secret, as revealing them will cause the town to lose much-needed money from visitors.  The doctor refuses but, before he can get his statement published, the Mayor visits the newspaper.  When the reporters and the owner, Aslaksen (Madison Jones), learn from the Mayor that a new tax will be enforced to pay for the rebuild of the spa, they realize that the people will blame them, so they refuse to print the Doctor’s report.
 
“The measure of a civilized society is how it treats its dissenters.”
 
Determined to reveal the truth, the Doctor calls a public meeting with the help of his friend, a ship Captain named Horster (Sophia Bernhardt), but the Mayor and Aslaksen work to make sure that the Doctor is discredited.  First, Petra is fired from her teaching job; then, their young son, Morten (Lila Lester), is sent home from school after getting beat up by some of the other kids; Captain Horster, who had offered the family passage to America on his ship, lost his position for supporting the doctor.  Then, just when the Doctor thinks it can’t get any worse, it does.  Will he hide the truth to save himself and his family, or will he stand by his findings and keep his integrity?
 
“The strongest man is the one who stands up against the mob, even if he stands alone.”
 
Ibsen’s play premiered in 1882 – over 120 year ago – while Miller’s adaptation came out in 1950 – 74 years ago – and it continues to be relevant, today.  This Young Company production, done in their stark, minimalist style with sparse props and simple costuming, is powerful, moving, and thoroughly enlightening.  This is must-see theatre for our times and these kids are nothing short of brilliant.  See it while you can!
 
AN ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE runs through April 28th at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center, located at 325 W. Walnut Street in Milwaukee.  Tickets are $15 and may be purchased at firststage.org or by phone (414) 267-2961.
 
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 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 autistic
young people. 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.  First Stage ensures that all programming is not only accessible to its community but that it is reflective of the community it serves. In order to do that, First Stage relies on its community of donors. With an annual operating budget of $5 million, more than half of First Stage’s revenue comes from generous contributions from individuals, corporations, foundations, government sources and the United Performing Arts Fund. Join First Stage’s community of donors with a contribution today and transform lives through theater.  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). firststage.org
 
About Young Company
First Stage Young Company, the Theater Academy’s award-winning training program for
advanced high school actors, is open to students who want to take their work to the next level.  Accepted students will complete college and graduate-level training in Acting, Voice, Movement and Shakespeare as well as electives ranging from Auditioning to Stage Combat to Dialects. Traditionally, the Young Company hosts master classes with guest artists from across the nation, produces a season of three plays and facilitates special excursions to the Utah Shakespeare Festival and American Players Theatre. To learn more, please visit:  firststage.org/theater-academy/young-company/