By Mary Boyle

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, over 700 Wisconsin residents die by suicide each year — over four times the homicide rate — and over 5,500 are hospitalized due to intentional, self-inflicted injury.  While these statistics are difficult to digest, talking about suicide proves to be even more difficult.  Theatre is an excellent tool for making difficult topics accessible, and that is especially true of the new play Every Brilliant Thing, happening at The Rep's intimate Stiemke Studio through May 5th.

Written by Duncan Macmillan, with Jonny Donahoe, and directed by Terrence J. Nolen, Every Brilliant Thing is an impressive one-man show starring Scott Greer that sheds a hopeful light on the topic of suicide by documenting the impact it had on a boy whose mother made multiple attempts over several decades of his life, beginning when he was just a child in 1977.  After this first attempt, the boy began a list of all the things worth living for, in the hopes that it might save his mother.  As he ages, the list continues to work its way back into his life, as well as in the lives of others, in different and powerful ways, and becomes a shrine to the absolute beauty of life.

This powerful, highly engaging show requires a lot of audience participation; audience members actually play the roles of the boy's father, first love, teachers, and more, as well as reading off entries on the list, which makes for a different play every time Greer takes the stage.  This concept also means that Greer needs to do a lot of improv and quick thinking, which can lead to both hightly comedic and profound results.

In the play, Greer says, "Every suicide is a tidal wave, with many left in its wake."  Not only does the production address suicide prevention, it has a broad focus on support for the family members and friends in the circle of someone who has attempted, or has been lost by, suicide by offering resources within the show.  The Rep takes this a step further through the use of Act II, which is a community guest responder who delivers a five-minute response to the show, followed by an opportunity for audience members to participate in small group discussions led by trained members of the Zeidler Center for Public Discussion.  

Act II has been praised both locally and nationally, and was overwhelmingly successful at bringing diverse groups of people together for dialogue around community issues. More than 9,000 patrons took advantage of the opportunity to share, listen, and learn with a group of fellow audience members over the past three seasons with American Song, Disgraced and Until the Flood, making this a highly sought after audience experience. This format has the opportunity to create the space for mutual understanding and respect allowing for open and honest dialogue.

Every Brilliant Thing runs through May 5th at the Stiemke Studio, located within the Patty & Jay Baker Theater Complex at 108 E. Wells St. in Milwaukee.  Tickets can be purchased by calling (414) 224-9490, in-person at the Box Office, or online at www.MilwaukeeRep.com.

About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
The Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin, in terms of audiences served, and one of the largest professional theaters in the country.  Each year, The Rep welcomes up to 275,000 people at nearly 700 performances of 15 productions, ranging from compelling dramas, powerful classics, new plays, and full-scale musicals in its three unique performance venues: the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio, and Stackner Cabaret.  Now in its 65th Season, The Rep has gained a national reputation as an incubator of new work, an agent of community change, and a forward-thinking provider of .vital arts education programs.  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.
 

By Mary Boyle

Generally speaking, the terms "Civil War" and "comedy" don't usually appear in the same sentence, but in Richard Strand's play, Ben Butler, they go together perfectly.  Through April 28th, the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre brings this one part historical drama, one part biographical story, and completely entertaining bit of theatre to the Cabot stage at the Broadway Theatre Center in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward.

In May of 1861, the Civil War was still in its infancy.  General Benjamin Butler (Drew Brhel), who was recently a lawyer, now finds himself in command of Fort Monroe in Virgina, where Lieutenant Kelly (Chase Stoeger) informs him that a runaway slave demands to see him.  Intrigued by the boldness of the slave and the affect he is having on the Lieutenant, the General finally relents.  Being from the North, Butler has no experience with slaves, but he realizes right away that Shepard Mallory (Marques Causey) is "peculiar."  Mallory asks the General for sanctuary in the Fort, but the General's hands are tied: the law states that runaway slaves must be returned to their owners, and he's already received word from Major Cary (David Sapiro) of the Confederate Army that he will be arriving at the Fort to return the slave back to his owner.  Mallory insists that if he is returned, he will surely be killed.  What is a law-abiding General to do?

Playwright Richard Strand found the story within a footnote in a biography of Abraham Lincoln.  "One of the things I love most about Ben Butler is that it takes characters from our American story that historians have cast in bit parts and gives them [the] leading roles they deserve," said Director Michael Cotey.  "History is messy; much of it only making sense in retrocspect, if we're lucky.  As Frederick Douglass said, 'We cannot see the end from the beginning.  We live but today, and the measureless shores of the future are wisely hid from us."

All four actors are no stranger to the MCT stage, or most Milwaukee stages, for that matter.  In fact, Drew Brehl is no stranger to being a General, as he played the fabulous Major General in The Pirates of Penzance with Skylight Music Theatre several seasons ago.  Marques Causey, a Milwaukee Native, was seen in MCT's Strange Snow this season, as well as in their productions of The Brothers Size and Picnic, and is brilliant as Shepard Mallory.  Chris Stoeger is wonderfully funny as Lieutenant Kelly, and David Sapiro is perfect as the snide Major Cary.

I absolutely loved this production, from the stellar acting to the excellent set design by Lisa Schlenker and the spot-on costumes by Lyndsey Kuhlmann.  Ben Butler is cleverly written and laugh-out-loud comical, yet powerful and uplifting at the same time.  This is a production that all ages will enjoy, so bring the whole family (kids 10 and up, I suggest) and prepare for a great time and the very best kind of history lesson!

Ben Butler runs through April 28th at the Cabot Theatre, located within the Broadway Theater Center at 158 N. Broadway in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward.  Tickets may be purchased by calling 414.291.7800 or online at milwaukeechambertheatre.com.  

About Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Milwaukee's third largest non-musical theatre company, has long been recognized as producing first-rate, thought-provoking drama and a major contributor to the rich cultural and economic life of the community. One of the city's oldest,  professional theatre companies, MCT was co-founded in 1975 by two local actors, Montgomery Davis and Ruth Schudson, who envisioned a space where audiences could open their minds to new theatrical ideas and Milwaukee's theatre professionals could broaden their skills and apply their craft.  C. Michael Wright, a local director and actor, was appointed as the company's second artistic director in September of 2005 and, under his leadership, MCT has produced smaller, more intimate productions that feature emerging local talent,  expanding its programming in order to develop new voices, such as the annual Young Playwrights Series and the Montgomery Davis Play Development Series, honoring the company's founding artistic director. 

Join MCT for their 45th anniversary season, and C. Michael Wright's 15th and final season as producing artistic director, as they present Unnecessary Farce, Fires in the Mirror, Jeeves at Sea, No Wake and Gently Down the Stream.

This spring we are establishing the Arts Council at a third location in the heart of downtown Port Washington, at 303 N. Franklin Street. It is a family friendly gallery space where you can make something, buy something, and learn something. As part of this initiative we welcome Pamela Hugdahl as Administrative Director. Pam comes to us from the Cedarburg Art Museum, where she was the director since 2016. We are excited to have her join our team. Our door will open in May!


Saturday, April 20, is the Artist Talk and Closing Reception for the exhibition From One to Another. The talk will feature the dialog between teachers and their students.


Saturday, April 27, join us for a Pinhole Photography Workshop led by Hal Rammel at Studio 224. The cost of the workshop is $25 or $35 for families. Fee includes making a pinhole camera that you can keep. Register and pay online at the link.


Sunday, April 28, bring your pinhole camera and join us for Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day. This event is free, however registration is required. The darkroom at Studio 224 will be open from 10:00am until 2:30pm for processing paper negatives. Register at artscouncil@gallery224.org. 


Friday, May 10, is the Opening Reception for Emerging 2019 at Gallery 224. Exhibition features the Port Washington High School Studio Art Class, and runs through May 18.


Saturday, May 18, is the opening day for Discovering Port En Plein Air, an opportunity for plein air painters to capture the scenic views of Port Washington at their convenience, over the course of ten weeks. No worries about the weather or scheduling conflicts, just show up when the spirit moves you! For those who prefer to paint with a group, we are offering four meet-up dates with a different guest plein air artist each time. The first meet-up date is Saturday, May 18. Select paintings will be featured at Gallery 224 in August. Watch for details in the coming weeks.


Sunday, May 19, ARTservancy artist Nicole Shaver will be featured at the World Migratory Bird Day at Forest Beach Migratory Preserve. Other artists will be present with information about ARTservancy.


Sunday, May 26, the Arts Council will host an opening reception in their new space at 303 N. Franklin Street during the Annual Community Street Festival in Port Washington.

Drop in and Draw, every Friday morning from 10:00-11:30. Stop by with a sketch pad and drawing materials of your choice for some inspiration, ideas and camaraderie. Please note the day has changed from Thursday to Friday!

Photo Book Conversation meets the first Monday evening of every month from 6:30-8:30. This is an informal gathering at Studio 224 where people are invited to show up with a favorite photo book or two to share with the group.

By Mary Boyle

Rodgers & Hammerstein are one of the most familiar duos Broadway Musicals.  The darlings of the "Golden Age" of musical theatre in the 1950's and 60's, the composer and lyricist/dramatist had a string of hits, including Oklahoma!, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, and Cinderella.  It could easily be argued that a cultural education is not complete without taking in the works of these two artists and, luckily, the Broadway at the Marcus Center series has come to the rescue for Milwaukee area audiences with Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I.

The King and I is based on the true story of a widowed Welsh woman, Anna Leonowens (Angela Baumgardener), who accepts a position as a school teacher to the many children, and wives, of the King of Siam (Pedro Ka'Awaloa) in the late 1860's, along with her young son, Louis (Hayden Bercy).  While the King recognizes the value and importance of a Western education for his children, he and Anna are both very stubborn, and the clash of cultures leads to struggles, with an overtone of romance. 

The story of Anna and the King has remained remarkably popular over time.  Leonowen's memoirs were made into a best-selling novel in 1944, the Broadway Musical in 1951, and the 1956 film starring Yul Brynner as the King of Siam, as well as other films, and even a television series.   The music from the Broadway show — particularly "Getting to Know You" — is widely recognized, even by people who haven't seen the musical or film.

This Broadway production, based on the Lincoln Center Theater production, is visually stunning and well cast.  Angela Baumgardner's voice is divine, and Pedro Ka'Awaloa is fantastic as the King of Siam.  My favorite part is the play within the play: Siam meets Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, resulting in a play called "The Small House of Uncle Thomas." Funny, romantic, and still culturally relevant, The King and I is well worth a couple of hours of your time.

Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King and I runs through April 14th at the Marcus Center for Performing Arts Uihlein Hall, located at 929 N. Water St. in Milwaukee.  For tickets, call 414.273.7206, or online at:  https://www.marcuscenter.org/show/king-and-i

The 2019/20 Broadway at the Marcus Center Season has an amazing lineup of shows, including Hamilton, Dear Evan Hansen, The Lion King, Miss Saigon, and My Fair Lady.  Find out more at https://www.marcuscenter.org/series/broadway-marcus-center-2019-2020
 

By Mary Boyle

Despite the title, Next Act Theatre's latest production is not about the Bible, or religion, at all — it's about family.  Specifically, it is a memoir of the playwright, Bill Cain's, family; a family, he proclaims, that was not, in fact, dysfunctional.  One might wonder how you can possibly get a good play out of a functional family, but it does help if you start with some really good actors, and that is what Director David Cecsarini has done with Cain's play, How to Write a New Book for the Bible.

Bill Cain, both the playwright and the narrator of our play, has kept a diary every day of his life, so it's no wonder that he grew up to be a writer.  Well, also a Jesuit priest, which is why the subject of God pops up frequently in his work, but not in the way that you'd think.  For instance, at the start of this play, Bill says, "If you want to see God, look at your family story." When Cain's mother was diagnosed with an incurable cancer, he came home and documented his final days with her, along with the story of his family, comparing them to the family in the bible, but as an improved rewrite, with the complex love between family members at the heart of the story.

Interestingly, Bill, our narrator, is played by a relative newcomer, Jack Dwyer, who makes his Next Act Debut, but the rest of the family consists of some of Milwaukee's finest, including Jonathan Wainwright as Paul, Bill's older brother, a Vietnam Vet who went on to become a successful teacher; Carrie Hitchcock as Mary, Bill's mother, a somewhat hard woman who was never quite motherly; and, Norman Moses as Pete, Bill's father, who passed away before Mary, but makes his way into the story as Bill reaches into the past to help define the future.  

Cecsarini, the Producing Artistic Director of Next Act Theatre, became a fan of the playwright after reading and then producing his play, Equivocation, last season at Next Act.  Bible, he felt, had a broader reach.

"Families are the building blocks of society.  People are forged in the family unit  Families come in as many different shapes, sizes, styles and flavors as there are people to inhabit them and time to let them mix and grow.  As Bill Cain searches for life's meaning in his family story, he points the way (an author, a priest: they both point), encouraging us to do likewise."

While the actors each deliver excellent performances (Carrie Hitchcock is particularly phenomenal), I can't say that I liked the writing.  There are exceptionally funny and poignant moments between Bill and Mary as they struggle to reside under the same roof, and with Mary's failing body, that would touch anyone who has cared for an aging parent, but the overall storyline isn't very cohesive, and there are too many side characters that are either too fleshed out or not fleshed out enough.  Truth be told, I would consider Cain's family to be about as functional as your average family, and though he strives to demonstrate that the love between family members is akin to the love of God, he misses the real truth about all family relationships, which is the paradox of how we struggle to really know our family members, yet are inescapably shaped by them.  Nonetheless, it's a play that invokes good discussion about family relationships and aging, and the idea of each generation of a family being given the opportunity to add a new chapter, and to write the story better, is compelling.

How to Write a New Book for the Bible runs through April 28th at Next Act Theatre, located at 255 S. Water Street in Milwaukee.  Tickets may be purchased by calling (414) 278-0765 or online at   https://nextact.org/.

About Next Act Theatre
Next Act Theatre engages 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.  Led by Producing Artistic Director, David Cecsarini, Next Act continues its tradition of creating high-quality, professional theatre in Milwaukee. .

​Join the Ozaukee County Board in celebrating the restoration of the Miss Columbia Mural at the County Courthouse!  The Ozaukee County Historical Society is pleased to present a public Open House to Celebrate Miss Columbia on Saturday, April 13, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Ozaukee County “Old Courthouse” 121 West Main Street in Port Washington, WI.
 
The event will feature Milwaukee’s popular bluegrass band, Picking Up Speed, refreshments and historical exhibits celebrating Miss Columbia and E.G. Wurthmann, the primary artisan responsible for the decorative plaster work and painting in the building.  The “Old Courthouse” is a hidden jewel in Port Washington, don’t miss the opportunity to visit this fabulous public building!

The 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago inspired the mural of Miss Columbia. The fair was entitled “World’s Columbian Exposition”.   Constructing the County Courthouse in 1901 was a timely decision to include an image of this famous symbol of liberty. During these times, Miss Columbia was a goddess representing American Liberty.  The song “Hail Columbia” was considered one of the unofficial National Anthems of the United States until 1931 and is now the official song of the Vice-President.

The restoration of the Miss Columbia mural and the surrounding plaster and walls, funded through private fundraising, began in August of 2018.  Historic Surfaces of Michigan is the same company who restored the County Board Room on this same floor. Decades of smoke damage and loosening plaster made the restoration a challenge. The large mural, which is actually painted on a canvas and then adhered to the ceiling, was removed and spread out on a large table and painstakingly restored while the plaster and paint on both the ceiling and walls was repaired and refreshed. The mural was then reattached to the ceiling. Restoration of the room directly south of the staircase was accomplished at the same time.
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Contact County Administrator Jason Dzwinel at 262.238.8202 or jdzwinel@co.ozaukee.wi.us  for more information. ​

By Mary Boyle

Spring has sprung (finally!), and Easter is right around the corner, which means egg hunts, brunch, meeting the Easter Bunny, and finding the perfect Easter candy for your baskets.  Luckily for you, we've got the skinny on all things Easter in Oz!

Easter Events

The Cedarburg Park & Rec will host their annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 6th at 10 a.m. sharp at Cedar Creek Park for children ages 10 and under.  The Easter Bunny will be on hand for pictures, so be sure to bring your camera and baskets!

On Saturday, April 13th, Grafton Park & Rec has their 25th Annual Egg Hunt at Centennial Park. Pictures with the Easter Bunny will available between 12:30 and 1, and the hunt will begin at 1 p.m. sharp — don't forget your basket!

The Northshore Academy of Gymnastics in Cedarburg has their Easter Egg Hunt Open Gym from 1:30-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 13th.  The cost is $10/child ages 1 through 8th grade (children under 1 are free).

4-H will host their annual Bunny Breakfast at the Circle B in Cedarburg from 8-11 a.m. on Saturday, April 13th.  Enjoy all-you-can-eat pancakes, with ham, fresh fruit, applesauce, juice, milk & coffee, as well as a picture with the Easter Bunny, crafts and games, and the chance to pet a real, live bunny!

Port Washington has their annual Hippity Hoppity Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Bonnet Contest (even pets can get dressed up!) on Saturday, April 13th from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m..  Meet at Possibility Playground at 10 a.m. (registration for Easter Bonnet Contest at 9:45) where the Egg Hunt will begin for kids ages 2-9.  Photos can be taken with the Easter Bunny at the park, and everyone can participate in the Easter Bonnet Contest, including pets, with prizes for different age groups.  Then, "hop" to downtown Port, where many of the local businesses will be handing out additional treats between 11 and 1 p.m.

Riveredge Nature Center in Newburg has their special Family Egg Hunt  on Saturday, April 13th, at three different times: 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and 1 p.m.  This is a candy-free hunt for kids up to 10 years old, and prizes will be awarded to all participants. After the hunt, discover the wonders of Wisconsin’s egg-laying animals and color eggs using natural dyes. This event will appeal to the whole family. For everyone’s enjoyment, group sizes for the hunts will be kept small, children will be divided according to age, and bag limits will be set. Pre-registration required, and this event sells out each year ($5 All Access Members, $6 Trail Pass Members, $8 Non-Members).

Riveredge also figured out that grown-ups may like an egg hunt of their own, so they do a very special evening Adult Egg Hunt on Friday, April 19th from 5:30-9:30 p.m. with an outdoor hike, fun raffle, drinks, and more!  The cost is $7 for All Access Members, $10 for Trail Pass Members, and $12 for Non-Members.  You must be 18 or older to attend, and 21 or older to drink, and you must register for this fun event.

Kids in Belgium who are 10 or younger can meet at Heritage Park for an Easter Egg Hunt from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday, April 20th to meet the Easter Bunny, hunt for eggs, and do a craft.  
 
Easter Brunch 
Eating out for Easter is a popular option, which means reservations are usually required, but there are many places to choose from in Oz!  In Port Washington, try Twisted Willow, Newport Shores, or Seven Hills Pub & Grille.  In Grafton, Flannery's at Fire Ridge is holding up their tradition, or you can also try Atlas BBQ.  In Cedarburg, Galioto's Twelve 21 has your Easter Brunch covered.  In Newburg, you'll want to visit No No's Supper Club.

Easter Candy
If you're in need of Easter Candy, get it local!  Amy's Candy Kitchen and Ashley's Confectionary in Cedarburg have great selections.  Sweet Trio in Grafton and The Chocolate Chisel in Port have plenty of chocolate bunnies to go around, as well.

Happy Easter from Ozaukee Living Local!
 

By Mary Boyle

In modern theater, the "fourth wall" — the imaginary wall that separates the audience from the actors on the stage — is rarely breached, but in Madison native Aaron Posner's recent play, a "sort of" adaptation of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's 1898 play, Uncle Vanya, the fourth wall is nearly obliterated, along with just about every other theatre standard, to thoroughly modernize a tale of love, longing, and loss.  Leave it to Madison's Forward Theater Company to make sure this funny and refreshing production gets a proper production in the playwright's hometown; a play with a title as snarky and pessimistic as its characters:  Life Sucks.   

By all accounts, the characters in Posner's play, directed by Jennifer Uphoff Gray, could be almost any modern family: some members are connected by blood, others by friendship or marriage, and some are simply inherited, somehow; in other words, they are odd and messy.  Sonia (Elyse Edelman) lives in her childhood home with her late mother's best friend, Babs (Sarah Day), her mother's brother, Uncle Vanya (William Bolz), and the ever-present Pickles (Marcella Kearns), an unusual lady who lives above the garage.  A regular visitor to the house is Dr. Aster (Reese Madigan), who is Vanya's best friend since childhood and who is unknowingly the object of Sonia's desire.  The normal chaos in their household is being disrupted by a visit from Sonia's pompous, pretentious father, known as "The Professor" (Brian Mani), and his gorgeous and much younger third wife, Ella (Rana Roman), who is the object of both Vanya and Dr. Aster's desire.

Life Sucks is unusual in that all seven characters are fully aware that they are in a play, but not actors in a play.  As they engage with each other in life's gavotte, their love, longing, and losses are revealed and, along with them, life's great truths in all of their pain and glory; nothing new, really, but just beautiful in their honesty and recognition.  Milwaukee theatre regulars will recognize Reese Madigan and Rana Roman as Mr. and Mrs. Bob Cratchit from The Rep's A Christmas Carol, as well as Elyse Edelman, who is frequently seen on Milwaukee stages and is well cast as Sonia. Marcella Kearns, who is often seen in the role of Director or Educator in Milwaukee, is fabulously strange as Pickles.  Brian Mani was most recently seen in Junk at The Rep, and delivers another excellent performance as The Professor.  William Bolz and Sarah Day, who are both Forward Theater Advisory Company members, along with Rana Roman, give fantastic performances as the brooding Vanya and wise and eccentric Babs, respectively.

What I truly enjoyed about this play was the absolute honesty and familiarity of it, even as the characters and their reactions are exaggerations of the norm, which is the key to the comedy of it.  In the first act, Dr. Aster, who is lamenting on the repetitiveness of his life, says, "There can not be anything more ridiculous in modern life than a treadmill."  These types of insight, a complete disregard for polite language,  and the awareness and engagement of the audience make for a highly enjoyable two hours of theatre as the characters try to determine if life really does, in fact, suck.  Make a day of it and spend some time in the Capitol Square with a good friend, as I did, and I guarantee that you won't think life sucks at all.

Life Sucks runs through April 14th at The Playhouse at the Overture Center, located at 201 State Street in Madison.  Tickets are available by calling the Box Office at 608-258-4141, in person at the Box Office, or online at https://www.forwardtheater.com.  

About Forward Theater
Forward Theater Company is a not-for-profit professional theater company founded to provide exceptional theater experiences for area audiences and give professional actors, designers, and directors an artistic home.  Forward Theater Company is proud be a resident organization in the beautiful Overture Center for the Arts, providing opportunities for artists and audiences to explore great dramas and provoke conversations about the issues that matter the most.

By Mary Boyle

In the late 1990's, psychologist Arthur Aron created a quiz consisting of 36 personal questions and gave the quiz to couples who were complete strangers to see if they would fall in love.  The remarkable thing?  They did.  Some even got married.  The quiz, Aron found, even helped married couples rekindle their romance.  This is the premise behind Jennifer Lane's new play, To Fall in Love, presented by The Constructivists at the Underground Collaborative in Milwaukee.

Merryn (Madeline Wakley) and Wyatt (Matthew Scales) are a couple on the verge of divorce, but agree to meet and "give it one last shot" by taking Aron's quiz over Arnold Palmers and chips and dip at Wyatt's apartment.  Well, make that bourbon and pizza.  As the questions become more personal, they uncover pain and fears, as well as love and passion, but which one will win?

Directed by Jaimelyn Gray, The Constructivists' Founder and Artistic Director, To Fall in Love explores the complexities of love and loss, but the playwright's extremes of these conditions creates a loss of empathy from the audience; the concept is brilliant, but the work would have been more powerful if the characters and situation were more average.  A plain old ordinary marriage has enough trials for anyone.

Earlier this season, I saw The Constructivists' production of The Pillowman.  Although the production was great, overall, I did not care for the violence for the sake of violence nature of the play; the shock value made me uncomfortable -- not in the manner of a hard lesson being learned, but uncomfortable in the manner of watching something I wasn't supposed to be watching.  Like The Pillowman, To Fall in Love has a similar shock value in that the level of intimacy between Merryn and Wyatt feels like something you shouldn't be witnessing, and the enclosed space of the UC heightens that sensation.  Pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable in live theatre seems to be The Constructivists hallmark.  Nonetheless, the play is well cast, well acted, and anyone who has been in a relationship will undoubtedly relate to these two characters whose interaction is alternately funny, intense, disturbing, and passionate; the messy, beautiful, horrible, magical, difficult thing that is love.

To Fall in Love runs through April 13th at the Underground Collaborative, located in the basement of the Grand Avenue Mall at 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. in Milwaukee.  Tickets are available online at theconstructivists.org or by calling the Box Office at (414) 858-66874.
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About The Constructivists
Milwaukee's new Non-Equity Theatre company, The Constructivists, are committed to creating accessible, viscerally-driven live theatre, exposing and exploring the complexity of human nature and the perils it creates in an effort to challenge, enlighten, educate, and entertain a diverse, mature audience.  The Constructivists are excited to announce their second season! Coming in Fall of 2019, The Constructivists will take on the rarely-produced dark comedy "God of Hell" by Sam Shepard, as well as "The Nether" by popular contemporary female playwright, Jannifer Haley.

By Mary Boyle

If I say, "The Man in Black," chances are you'll know who I'm talking about.  Although the roots of Johnny Cash's music are in Gospel and Country, his fans come from all ages and all walks of life, which is why Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash should prove to be a very popular show this season at The Rep's Stackner Cabaret.  

Born in 1932, Johnny grew up steeped in music on a farm in Arkansas.  Working and singing alongside his parents and 6 siblings in the cotton fields, it wasn't long after he left the farm and joined the Air Force that he started his first band.  After his discharge, he married his first wife, Vivian Liberto, and worked a variety of odd jobs while he tried tirelessly to break into the music business.  Finally, Johnny got his chance with Sam Philip's Sun Records, and went on to release several successful singles, including "Cry, Cry, Cry," "Folsum Prison Blues," and his biggest hit, "I Walk the Line."  Johnny's success continued throughout the 1950's and 60's, playing the Grand Ole Opry and making appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, among other programs, but the success came with a terrible price: a divorce and a drug problem.  With the help of his singing partner, June Carter, Johnny overcame his addiction, married June, and enjoyed continued musical success throughout the rest of his life.

Back by popular demand after a sold-out run in 2013, Ring of Fire was created by Richard Maltby, Jr. and conceived by William Meade and adapted from the Broadway Production by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Jason Edwards.  Featuring a cast of five immensely talented "quadruple threat" performers who tell Cash's story through his songs, this is one show you do not want to miss! Kent M. Lewis and Corbin Mayer are both Johnny Cash in different stages of his life, and both have the voices and musical skills to pull it off.  Alex Keiper returns to The Rep as the only woman in the cast, and takes her turn as all of the women in Cash's life: his mother, his first wife, and June. James David Larson and Paul Wyatt round out the band, playing a multitude of instruments between them, including  stand-up bass, harmonica, guitar, mandolin, banjo, violin, and more; in fact, all five performers take turns playing multiple instruments over the course of the show.

Dan Kazemi, a New York-based composer, actor, director, music director, and educator, as well as being an Associate Artist and frequent collaborator at The Rep, is both the Director and Music Director of the show, and just about everything musical this man touches at The Rep turns to gold, including this season's In the Heights and The All Night Strut!,  as well as past shows such as Murder for Two, Guys and Dolls, Man of La Mancha, and Dreamgirls.  

With so many hit songs to cover, Ring of Fire focuses more on Cash's music, particularly in the first half of his career, without being able to get too deep into the details his life, which is the only disappointing aspect of the production.  After Johnny married June, he landed his own show on network television called The Johnny Cash Show, where he crossed generations and genres by featuring musical greats like Bob Dylan and Neil Young, and used his platform to address social issues, such as the plight of Native Americans, prison reform, and the Vietnam War.  He was the youngest living inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame and one of only a handful of musicians who was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  His career continued to be successful right up until 2003 when, in May of that year, June unexpectedly passed away; Johnny followed shortly after her that September.  Johnny Cash remains one of the very few artists to sell over 90 million records, and will likely go down in history as one of the most popular American musicians of all time.

Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash runs through May 26th at the Stackner Cabaret,  located within the Patty & Jay Baker Theater Complex at 108 E. Wells St. in Milwaukee.  Tickets can be purchased by calling (414) 224-9490, in-person at the Box Office, or online at www.MilwaukeeRep.com.

About Milwaukee Repertory Theater
The Milwaukee Rep is the largest performing arts organization in Wisconsin, in terms of audiences served, and one of the largest professional theaters in the country.  Each year, The Rep welcomes up to 275,000 people at nearly 700 performances of 15 productions, ranging from compelling dramas, powerful classics, new plays, and full-scale musicals in its three unique performance venues: the Quadracci Powerhouse, Stiemke Studio, and Stackner Cabaret.  Now in its 65th Season, The Rep has gained a national reputation as an incubator of new work, an agent of community change, and a forward-thinking provider of .vital arts education programs.  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.