PROLOGUEThe Rep’s Online News Magazine Issue 4

March/April 2009

In this issue . . .• From the Interim Managing Director

• Anton Chekhov’s THE CHERRY ORCHARD • A Note of Gratitude • Myths, Legends and The Blues • Artistic Director Joe Hanreddy’s Final Season – 2009/10 Season Announcement

• Brian Vaughn – Facets • And now it’s time to play America’s favorite Prop Game Show . . . • Why does The Rep matter?

• The Rep’s 2009 Gala – The Bayou Ball

Available online quarterly by Milwaukee Repertory Theater milwaukeerep.com

Milwaukee Repertory Theater I Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex I 108 East Wells Street I Milwaukee, WI 53202milwaukeerep.com I Administrative Office: 414-224-1761 I Fax: 414-224-9097

Ticket Office: 414-224-9490 I Fax: 414-225-5490

Artistic Director: Joseph HanreddyInterim Managing Director: William PrenevostEditor: Cindy E. MoranPhotography: Jay Westhauser

Editorial Staff: David Anderson, Kristin Crouch, Megan Gadient, Sandy Ernst, Brent Hazelton, Kristy Studinski

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Torrey Hanson.

May. Wipe away the recession blahs with this hilarious comedy-mystery with a new ending every performance!

And one last thing: if you are a subscriber, please remember to send in your renewal for next season. If you are not a subscriber, please consider joining us. We would love to have you be a part of our exciting 09/10 season!

William Prenevost, Interim Managing Director

It is such a privilege to have the opportunity to share with you my personal thoughts about the plays coming up next here at The Rep. My regional theater experience stretches over many years and in several cities around the country including Chicago, Boston, Cleveland and Kansas City. So I speak from first-hand knowledge when I say

that Milwaukee’s own resident professional theater is without question among the finest in the country.

Each of the final plays in The Rep’s 08/09 season has a unique quality that will appeal to you in different ways.

For example, I JUST STOPPED BY TO SEE THE MAN (THE MAN for short), is a bit of a mystery-thriller that appeals to my Baby Boomer generation experiences, both musically and socially. Imagine what might have happened if in the 1970s a British rock legend-in-the-making like Joe Cocker or Eric Clapton dropped in, uninvited, on an American blues legend like Muddy Waters. But this blues celebrity, Jesse Davidson, supposedly died in a car crash 14 years earlier. The interplay between them takes on the feeling of a jam session, both fascinating and funny. The blues singer’s daughter gets in a lick or two of her own, especially when the Brit star tries to convince Jesse to come out of hiding for one last concert thrill.

For those of you with a taste for the classics, there is nothing more quintessentially classic than Anton Chekhov’s THE CHERRY ORCHARD. Of all the Chekhov plays I had to read in college, this is my favorite. What fascinates me about Chekhov, a doctor by profession, is that he portrays this family (challenged by bad economic times), in such a human manner. There are hues of pathos and shades of humor that match up to every emotion on the spectrum. This play gives one a level of satisfaction that only the brilliance of Chekhov can prescribe for the heart and soul.

And for pure entertainment value, you can’t do any better than a night in the Bayou or the hysterics of SHEAR MADNESS. FIRE ON THE BAYOU, now showing in The Rep’s Stackner Cabaret, is a foot-stomping Mardi Gras-style good time filled with a great variety of blues, jazz and soulful rock music. SHEAR MADNESS, featuring Milwaukee’s own John McGivern and Milwaukee Rep Resident Acting Compnay Member Lee Ernst, will tickle your funny bones over at Vogel Hall when it starts in mid-

From the Interim Managing Director

William Prenevost

Set in a unisex hairstyling salon and filled with local, spontaneous humor, SHEAR MADNESS is a hilarious whodunit in which the audience can get involved in solving the murder of Isabel Czerny, the salon’s landlady and one-time world class pianist.

Rep subscriber tickets are only $33 for any performance between May 13-24. Order your tickets today and mention special code: Rep.

Order through the Marcus Center Box Office at 414-273-7206 or online at www.MarcusCenter.org.

May 13 - June 7, 2009 Marcus Center, Vogel Hall

Mary MacDonald Kerr, Chris Tarjan and John McGivern

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From the Interim Managing Director

Anton Chekhov and his wife, Olga Knipper, who played Madame Ranyevskaya in the original production of THE CHERRY ORCHARD.

“I love my cherry orchard and, right now I cannot begin to conceive of life without it. I LOVE it. And if it really has to be sold,

well then, sell me along with it.” –Lyubov Ranyevskaya, THE CHERRY ORCHARD

Anton Chekhov (1816-1904) is one of Russia’s most renowned playwrights. In his writing career, he penned nine plays, eight novels and numerous short stories and sketches. From his canon of work, THE CHERRY ORCHARD, the final play he wrote, is widely considered to be his greatest. It explores the changing tide of Russian culture in the late 19th century when the country was rapidly emerging from feudalism and rushing towards revolution. Many of the societal rules were changing and Chekhov explored those changes by setting his play on a glorious cherry orchard estate that was losing its mortgage and whose inhabitants were losing their customary way of living.

Chekhov is a self-described comedy writer. Throughout his plays he invites us into the dark, soul-searching depths of his characters; he then exposes their funny and absurd underbellies. The first production of THE CHERRY ORCHARD was directed by Constantin Stanislavsky, the famous director of The Moscow Art Theatre. Stanislavsky preferred the intensity and honesty of Chekhov’s realism to the grandiose melodramas that prevailed at the time in the theaters of Russia and Europe. In our production you might find yourself crying at the fragility of a character and then suddenly laughing at the preposterous thing he just said. Chekhov is said to be able to make audiences laugh and cry simultaneously!

The play opens in May, inside the Ranyevskaya estate where friends, neighbors and servants are awaiting the return of the dramatic mistress of the house and her two daughters. Madame Ranyevskaya has been living lavishly in Paris for the last five years, trying to escape the depression of losing both her son and her husband years before. Unfortunately, her Parisian lover has made off with what was left of her fortune. Destitute and disillusioned with the world, she comes home to her beautiful cherry orchard only to discover that she’s at risk of losing it too – the mortgage is due!

Rehearsing with actors at The Moscow Art Theatre.

Intensity builds as Madame Ranyevskaya’s friends and family plot to save the estate. Perhaps they can refinance the property? Maybe the bank can draw them a loan? The looming risk of losing the cherry orchard profoundly alters the lives of everyone in the play. Livelihoods are affected and romances are at risk. Madame Ranyevskaya prays for a miracle while planning an extravagant ball that she can not afford.

Enter Yermolay Lopakhin, a former servant on the orchard who has grown up to become a practical businessman. He is charmed by one of Madame Ranyevskaya’s daughters, and has his own plan for the cherry orchard . . . to turn it into holiday cottages! As the inevitable auction of the property approaches, it becomes apparent to everyone that the world they’ve been living in is about to change forever.

Anya: “The moon is rising.”

Petya: (Watching the moon)“ . . . there it is. It’s getting closer . . . closer. It’s slowly coming . . . (the moon in and out of a cloud.) Happiness! And if we don’t see it

Anton Chekhov’s THE CHERRY ORCHARD

THE CHERRY ORCHARD Quadracci Powerhouse Theater

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fully realized, what does it matter? Others will.”–from THE CHERRY ORCHARD

We invite you to see Resident Acting Company Members Mark Corkins, Jonathan Gillard Daly, Laura Gordon, Torrey Hanson, Gerry Neugent, Jim Pickering, Rose Pickering, Deborah Staples and Brian Vaughn in THE CHERRY ORCHARD as winter finally changes to spring and the cherry blossoms begin to bloom!

Laura Lynn MacDonald, Literary Office Support

THE CHERRY ORCHARD By Anton Chekhov

PERFORMANCE INFORMATIONPreviews: April 14 – 16, 2009April 17 – May 10, 2009Tickets: $10.00 – $60.00

CAST LISTMark Corkins•Jonathan Gillard Daly•Laura Gordon•Richard HalversonTorrey Hanson•Jürgen HooperErin NealGerard Neugent• James Pickering• Rose Pickering•Katheen RomondDeborah Staples• Lee StarkBrian Vaughn•

•Member of The Rep Resident Acting Company

THE REP IN DEPTHJoin us for The Rep In Depth, our lively informative half-hour talk which starts 45 minutes before every performance in the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater. Rep Resident Acting Company Member James Pickering will be leading this Rep In Depth.

Made possible in part by the generous support of:

(Anton Chekhov . . . continued)

2009/10 Season

Kellie Waymire and Andrew May in The Rep’s 1995/96 Quadracci Powerhouse production of THE SEAGULL. Photo by Jay Westhauser.

Rose Pickering, Kellie Waymire and Peter Silbert in The Rep’s 1995/96 Quadracci Powerhouse production

of THE SEAGULL. Photo by Jay Westhauser.

food and denizens is like Milwaukee without its beer, cheese and summer music festivals.

In New Orleans, or “Nawlins” as the locals call it, one of the cultural traditions is the “second line” parade, where brass bands play pulsating tunes that drive revelers to follow behind with umbrellas pumping and handkerchiefs waving in the air. People parade in the streets of New Orleans just for the sake of parading, and maybe this is one of the many aspects of New Orleans culture that has instilled this undying and unwavering spirit into its natives. Now, almost three-and-a-half years after Katrina, New Orleans is slowly rebuilding. Within the next two months, my 92-year-old mother will be moving into a new environmentally-sound and eco-friendly round house, built by my sister. Unfortunately, many have not returned because there is no home to return to, and the billions of relief dollars allocated were squandered in bureaucratic red tape, leaving many to wonder (as the song goes),“Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?”

I hope your experience in seeing FIRE ON THE BAYOU will be as great as my journey was in creating this homage to the city I love. You will be treated to the awesome talents of Broadway veterans Milton Craig Nealy, Jannie Jones and an extraordinary group of musicians/actors led by Jeremy Cohen, Eric Noden and Milwaukee’s own Scott Napoli.

Kevin Ramsey, Author/Director

FIRE ON THE BAYOU: A Mardi Gras Musical Extravaganza

PERFORMANCE INFORMATIONPreviews: Now – May 10, 2009Tickets: $28.00 – $41.00

CAST LISTJeremy CohenJannie JonesScott Napoli

Generously sponsored by:

“The singer-actors make wildly infectious music with the defiantly unruly New Orleans tunes and musical sounds. . . . The musical and cultural explanations, given by various characters and paired with these classic tunes, are completely engrossing.” –Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

First and foremost, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Joe Hanreddy and Sandy Ernst for allowing me a supportive environment in which to create. Over the years, The Rep has fostered the creation or co-creation of some of my most cherished theatrical experiences. My first Rep production dates back to 1993 with IF THESE SHOES COULD TALK – which starred the legendary Harold Nicholas. Next was FROM MY HOMETOWN (1997/98), then SAM COOKE: FOREVER MR. SOUL (2006/07), and then last year’s GRAFTON CITY BLUES. Now, here we are with FIRE ON THE BAYOU, a musical tribute to the city in which I was born and raised, and that shaped me into the artist I am today.

FIRE ON THE BAYOU is a Mardi Gras extravaganza and mythical journey through the musical traditions of New Orleans, as seen through the eyes of Katrina survivors. As many watched the aftermath of Katrina in disbelief, horror or simply intrigue, I watched with a heavy heart in seeing my beloved city underwater. My first thoughts went to my mom, as the beautiful home built by my late father was destroyed, and then to the thousands that were stranded helplessly in the city for days after the storm had passed. Instead of being angry at the blatant disregard of the federal, state and local governments, I thought about all the music this intriguing city had birthed. What would happen to the music, musicians and cultural traditions that have fed the world?

As with GRAFTON CITY BLUES, I have chosen to use a band of street musicians to embody the spirit and tales of Mardi Gras and Katrina. It is unimaginable to think that if the eye of the storm had passed directly over New Orleans, the city would have been completely destroyed. New Orleans without its music,

A Note of Gratitude

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FIRE ON THE BAYOU: A Mardi Gras Musical Extravaganza Stackner Cabaret

Milton Craig Nealy, Jannie Jones, Jeremy Cohen and Eric Noden in The Rep’s 2008/09 Stackner Cabaret production

of FIRE ON THE BAYOU. Photo by Jay Westhauser.

Milton Craig NealyEric Noden

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Myths, Legends and the Blues

I JUST STOPPED BY TO SEE THE MAN Stiemke Theater

for his extraordinary musical talents. This story of the old blues player (loosely based on real life blues icon Robert Johnson), has risen to the level of myth. Jesse “The Man” Davidson is said to have died with his wife in a car crash in 1961. But is he really gone? Fourteen years later, Karl, the front man for a British mega-rock band on a stadium tour of the United States, idolizes Jesse and starts sniffing out the rumors about him at the old shack where Jesse lives with his daughter, Della.

When Karl discovers the truth about Jesse’s whereabouts, he churns up secrets and anguish from the past – a past that Jesse thought he had left far behind. When Karl, who has made a success out of singing Jesse’s famed blues songs with his rock band, offers Jesse the chance for a comeback and certain fame, the lure of the music throws “The Man” into a tailspin and puts Della in danger.

Will Jesse resurrect himself and claim his place once again as a musical giant and make the legend a reality? Join us in the Stiemke Theater as we explore the rhythms that will shake your spirit and stir your soul.

Kristin Crouch, Literary Director

I JUST STOPPED BY TO SEE THE MANBy Stephen Jeffreys PERFORMANCE INFORMATIONPreviews: April 8 & 9, 2009April 10 – May 3, 2009Tickets: $20.00 – $45.00 CAST LISTErik HellmanLanise Antoine Shelley•Cedric Young

•Member of The Rep Resident Acting Company THE REP IN DEPTHJoin us for The Rep In Depth, our lively informative half-hour talk which starts 45 minutes before every performance in the Stiemke Theater. This Rep In Depth will be led by Resident Acting Company Member Lanise Antoine Shelley.

Generously sponsored by:

For those who love “The Blues” – especially the Delta Blues – the names Charlie Patton, Robert Johnson and Son House should ring familiar as just a few of the many musical giants that arose from within the Deep South to create the powerful sounds that are the foundations of the modern blues and rock ‘n roll that we know today. Down in the Mississippi Delta, during the early years of the 20th century, a new musical style emerged from the southern plantations. The beginnings of the Delta Blues are steeped in the African-American culture of the region itself. The back-breaking labor and grinding poverty of the everyday lives of the black sharecroppers fermented an outpouring of gut-wrenching expression through music. The Delta Blues emerged out of this genre of music, “that is as soul-stirring as the old Negro hymnals and spirituals that were all birthed out of the souls and daily lives of the individuals that lived them.” “The Blues” became a universal language for musicians of all races, colors and generations to safely tell their stories and to exorcise their emotional demons. Through the darkness and mystery of the music, myths and legends arose.

With I JUST STOPPED BY TO SEE THE MAN (2000), playwright Stephen Jeffreys gives us the story of one such legend – the legend of “The Man,” who was believed to have sold his soul to the Devil in exchange

Actors Cedric Young, Erik Hellman, Lanise Antoine Shelley and Director Regge Life.

Artistic Director Joe Hanreddy’s Final Season – Ambitious, Engaging and Eclectic

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The artistic compass that guided the months of reading, discussion, reflection and relentless revision that went into the making of the 2009/10 season was to assemble a collection of plays that will illuminate, as well as provide welcome comic relief, from the issues and concerns of the day. We also designed a season that will inspire our artists with the kind of creative challenges and opportunities that result in inspiring experiences for audiences. The final line-up offers an array of genres, periods and styles all tied together by our love of each of these plays and our belief in their power to live in your imagination long after you leave the theater.

There is a brilliant comic equation at the heart of Nikolai Gogol’s THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, which will open the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater season. Mix together unchecked power, greed and ineptitude and then add complete and utter panic, minus any semblance of moral principles, and you get unbridled chaos. The comedy begins with a letter to the mayor, tipping him off that the government is sending an inspector – incognito – to look into the efficiency of the town’s institutions. Since the town’s administration is incorrigibly corrupt, the news of an inspection incites abject terror at city hall. Surely, the inspector is bound to discover that

although funds were approved and sent to improve hospitals, schools and courts, those agencies are hopelessly dysfunctional while the officials in charge all live luxurious lifestyles. When the mayor and his bureaucratic cronies hear that a young man from St. Petersburg

is staying in one of the town’s inns, they naturally assume that he must be the inspector and set out to flatter and bribe him with money, gifts, sex – whatever it takes to convince him to turn a blind eye to their conspicuous corruption. Playwright and screenwriter Jeffrey Hatcher, who adapted past Rep productions of SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS and ARMADALE, has written a brilliantly irreverent and uproarious script based on Gogol’s original. I’ll direct comic treasures Gerry Neugent, Torrey Hanson and other members of the Resident Acting Company in this production.

The central characters in our fall Quadracci Powerhouse Theater offering, Lucinda Coxon’s contemporary comedy HAPPY NOW?, are smart, well-educated and well-paid professionals. Their lives should be great – but long days filled with job and relationship stresses leave precious little time for anything other than putting the kids down, followed by re-runs of Will and Grace. The brilliant humor of HAPPY NOW? comes from its extraordinarily accurate and truthful observations about life among the “almost” affluent.

Deborah Staples heads the cast as Kitty – a mom, wife, daughter and family breadwinner with too much on her plate. HAPPY NOW? was a huge hit at London’s National Theatre and the Yale Repertory Theatre. Jon Jory, one of the American theater’s most eminent

and respected directors, will make his Milwaukee Rep debut.

For 47 years, millions of people from around the world shared their most intimate secrets and sought the advice of a diminutive Wisconsin native named Esther Pauline Lederer, who wrote a worldwide syndicated advice column under the name of Ann (continued on next page)

The Rep’s Artistic Director Joe Hanreddy at the 2009/10 Season Announcement event. Photo by Megan Gadient.

2009/10 Season Announcement

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Sharky’s ex-wife’s new husband and a well-turned-out stranger show up to pass the holiday with a friendly game of cards. As the booze flows around Sharky, he suddenly finds himself in a high stakes game with his soul as collateral. THE SEAFARER was a recent London

and Broadway hit and garnered a slew of awards for McPherson, considered by many to be one of our finest contemporary playwrights. Former Abbey Theatre Artistic Director Ben Barnes will return to The Rep to direct a cast for a February opening that includes Rep Resident Actors Jim Pickering, Jon Daly and Lee Ernst.

As the final project of the Quadracci Powerhouse season, I’m creating a new stage adaptation of George M. Cohan’s SEVEN KEYS TO BALDPATE. Billy Magee, a writer of popular melodramatic romance novels, comes to a summer resort in the dead of winter on a bet with the resort’s owner that he can knock out a bestseller in 24 hours. Billy banks on complete solitude, but throughout the night he finds that there are six keys to Baldpate besides his own – all of which belong to a series of intruders looking to use the resort for their own purposes. Expect strong doses of melodrama, farce, suspense and theatricality – including double coup de theatres at the conclusion

that wouldn’t be out of place in a play by Luigi Pirandello. Our last Cohan romp, THE TAVERN, was great fun for the entire company and was one of our most popular shows. Brian Vaughn will lead a cast that will include the entire Resident Acting Company.

Over in the Stiemke Theater, our first production will be a stage version of Joan Didion’s National Book Award-winning memoir, The Year of Magical Thinking. On Christmas Day 2003, Didion was preparing for dinner with her husband, John Gregory Donne. The couple had spent the morning at the hospital bedside of their grown daughter, Quintana, as she lay stricken with a mysterious infection. While Joan fixed a salad, her husband “was sitting across from me talking, then he wasn’t. Wasn’t talking.” THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING is Didion’s inspiring and deeply personal attempt to make sense of the unimaginable loss of the

Landers. Topics ranged from the deliciously trivial (from the appropriateness of vacuuming in the nude to the proper way to hang a roll of toilet paper), to heartfelt pleas for help with depression, divorce and grief, to the cultural lightning rods of abortion and homosexual unions. David Rambo’s beautifully crafted and respectfully-written THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS imagines Mrs. Lederer finishing the column that begins, “The sad, incredible fact is that after 36 years of marriage, Julius and I are being divorced.” As she struggles to complete the column, “Eppie” relives with her readers her funniest and most controversial columns. THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS will perform in the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater over the holiday season and promises a fully emotionally engaging and entertaining evening. The role of the “Lady” is a perfect match for Rep Resident Actor Laura Gordon.

Next up in the Quadracci Powerhouse will be YANKEE TAVERN, a new comedy suspense-thriller by Steven Dietz, which tells the story of Adam, a bartender and International Relations grad student, and his friend, Ray, a barfly and conspiracy theorist. Ray is ever-willing to go on a rant with the slightest of provocation, compelling Adam to debunk Ray’s outlandish theories surrounding the 9/11 attacks – until he finds himself caught up in one of those very theories. Steven Dietz is a master of ingenious plotting, which he blends in perfect pitch with comic dialogue to create a stimulating and suspenseful tale with genuine insight into how the most outrageous of suspicions can take root in a world where there is reason to distrust the

honesty and intentions of leaders. Central roles will be played by Rep Resident Actors Brian Vaughn, Peter Silbert and Torrey Hanson. John Langs, the director of last season’s beautifully-conceived I AM MY OWN WIFE, will direct.

Connor McPherson’s THE SEAFARER is set at Christmas time soon after Sharky, a recovering alcoholic with a slippery grip on sobriety, arrives home to look after his irascible, recently-blinded brother. The place is a mess as their hapless friend, Ivan, rummages about looking for the glasses he lost in the previous night’s bash.

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(Joe Hanreddy’s Final Season . . . continued)2009/10 Season Announcement

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two people most important to her. We’re wonderfully fortunate that Elizabeth Norment, who has given Rep audiences memorable performances in WIT and THE NIGHT IS A CHILD, will confront the role.

Against the dazzling backdrop of the Aurora Borealis, ALMOST, MAINE follows the residents and visitors of a small, northern town as they fall in and out of love at an alarming rate. Love is discovered; hearts are broken and mended – almost – in what the playwright, John Cariani, calls “a midwinter night’s dream.” We’ll be performing ALMOST, MAINE during the Valentine’s Day season as a romantic and comedic antidote to the Wisconsin winter. Laura Gordon will direct a cast that includes Deborah Staples, Gerry Neugent and Rep favorite Elizabeth Ledo. All will embark on a three-week tour of Wisconsin following our Stiemke run.

August Wilson’s RADIO GOLF is set in the late ’90s and completes his unparalleled achievement of creating a ten-play cycle that chronicles the African-American experience during each decade of the 20th century. Sadly, August Wilson passed without being able to witness this year’s historic election. In this fast-paced, dynamic and wonderfully funny play about a charismatic African-American political candidate with dreams to be Pittsburgh’s first black mayor, Mr. Wilson clearly had his eye on the changes, opportunities and challenges of the future. RADIO GOLF is an intimate, character-driven play – a perfect fit for the Stiemke Theater. I couldn’t be more pleased that Timothy Douglas, who worked directly with August Wilson and directed the world premiere of RADIO GOLF at the Yale Repertory Theatre, has agreed to direct the play as the final production in the Stiemke series. Audiences will remember Timothy’s past Rep productions of TROUBLE IN MIND, THE NIGHT IS A CHILD and GEM OF THE OCEAN.

Writer and director Kevin Ramsey, who created the current Stackner sensation, FIRE ON THE BAYOU, as well as last season’s GRAFTON CITY BLUES and many more Stackner hits, will kick off the new Cabaret season with SOULTIME: AT THE APOLLO, a new family musical experience celebrating the rich musical legacy of the world famous Apollo Theater. Kevin plans to feature the music and tales of such artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Patti LaBelle, Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Ben E. King and Mariah Carey, as well as the performances of old-time vaudeville favorites.

Next up, Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner, the creators of DOGPARK: THE MUSICAL, CHAPS! and THEY CAME FROM WAY OUT THERE, will bring us their newest confection – HOLMES AND WATSON: A MUSICAL MYSTERY. The two sleuths, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, are trapped in a Victorian drawing room. With time ticking down they musically review their past cases for the clue that will lead to their salvation. Malcolm is hard at work writing a variety of songs for the production in the tradition of the British music hall. It promises to be a delightful evening of fun and whimsy for the entire family.

In the joyous and entertaining tribute PEARL BAILEY . . . BY REQUEST, Roz White channels the irrepressible show business legend in a musical comic tour de force. Against a backdrop of swing, jazz and Broadway tunes that highlight a remarkable career, Ms. White will invoke Bailey’s infectious and sultry tones, underscored by her remarkable wit. Stackner favorite William Knowles will musical direct and accompany.

Due to a national tour of FOREVER PLAID, the finale for the Stackner Cabaret season will now be a “Rep” original, Roger Bean’s ROUTE 66, which premiered at The Rep ten years ago. This brand-new production has been enhanced with lots of new material, enjoying great success around the country. The four-man musical revue includes songs like The Texaco Star Theme, Girl on the Billboard, Beep Beep, Willie Nelson’s On the Road Again, and Roger Miller’s King of the Road.

And don’t forget Milwaukee’s longest running and most popular family holiday tradition, A CHRISTMAS CAROL. I’ll be directing the production after being away from it for a few years and couldn’t be more excited about the cast we have lined up headed by Jim Pickering as Ebenezer Scrooge.

So there you have it – that’s the line-up. It’s an ambitious, engaging and eclectic assortment of theatrical experiences that I promise will excite your mind and emotions as well as deliver abundant and much needed levity, whimsy and joy.

All the very best,Joe Hanreddy, Artistic Director

If you are a Rep subscriber, please remember to renew your subscription. We don’t want you to miss out on any of the exciting productions that Joe Hanreddy has selected for his final season! To renew your subscription please call 414-224-9490 or go to milwaukeerep.com.

(Joe Hanreddy’s Final Season . . . continued)2009/10 Season Announcement

bar. Here a cantankerous regular argues with talk-radio hosts and anyone else nearby on the wildest of government conspiracy theories. The young man behind the bar satirically derails his rants while his fiancée addresses invitations for the wedding. Then a stranger walks in and orders a beer for himself and his invisible buddy, setting off a topsy-turvy thriller that grips you until the very last word.

The SeafarerFebruary 9, 2010 – March 7, 2010 This whiskey-laden tale is set on Christmas Eve in the run-down Dublin home of Sharky and his blind brother. A sweet old friend who had slept there the night before, lights up their dreary lives as he comically rummages for his misplaced glasses. When the husband of Sharky’s ex-wife shows up unexpectedly with an outsider, they engage in a friendly game of poker. As the stories pour out with the liquor, Sharky realizes that the stranger dealing has come to claim his soul. McPherson weaves a rich and twisted tale of redemption in last fall’s Broadway hit.

Seven Keys to BaldpateMarch 23, 2010 – April 18, 2010 For our season finale, The Rep’s Artistic Director, Joseph Hanreddy, stages one of the hits from the canon of the famous Yankee Doodle Dandy. In this melodramatic mystery, novelist William Magee wagers with his wealthy friend that he can write a novel in 24 hours, under the proper circumstances. He’s given a key to the Baldpate Inn and is told it’s the only one. Magee soon discovers there are six other keys, as he is interrupted one by one by a cast of characters in a criminal conspiracy! His mission to complete his novel seems hopeless, yet everyone’s a winner in this hilarious farce.

Stiemke TheaterThe Year of Magical ThinkingOctober 14, 2009 – November 8, 2009

The New York Times and UK best selling book of 2005, this brilliant stage adaptation also captured a Tony Award nomination. Critics hailed it as “the cultural event of the season” (New York Post) and “remarkable” (The New York Times). Novelist and

Quadracci Powerhouse TheaterThe Government InspectorSeptember 8, 2009 – October 4, 2009

When a small town full of bumbling officials hears that a government inspector is paying a visit, the village spirals into a Marx Brothers-like world of panic, greed and silliness. The officials ridiculously mistake a penniless clerk for the government inspector and embark on an absurd mission to woo, outdo and bribe the unsuspecting visitor. Wildly witty, smart and satirical, this is an imaginative, madcap theatrical event.

Happy Now?October 20, 2009 – November 15, 2009

In her “thirty-something” world of well-educated, well-networked and well-meaning friends, Kitty’s life is overflowing. There’s her gay friend and confidant, the troubled married couple next door, her kids, her aging parents, her husband and the work colleague trying to seduce her into some uncomplicated and meaningless sex. A recent London hit, this is a starkly comic new play on contemporary life and how to survive it.

The Lady with all the AnswersNovember 24, 2009 – December 20, 2009

For decades, Eppy Friedman, aka Ann Landers, answered countless letters in a newspaper column that made her a legend. No topic was off-limits, from lovelorn teens to nude housekeeping (oy vey!), to the proper way to hang a roll of toilet paper. In 1975, an ironic twist of events confronts her. With a print deadline looming, she counsels her own broken marriage and heart. This funny and nostalgic play, based on real events and actual letters, features Resident Acting Company Member Laura Gordon as the famous no-nonsense “advice giver” whose daily dialogue helped to shape the social landscapes of the last half century.

Yankee TavernJanuary 5 – 31, 2010

Alfred Hitchcock meets Oliver Stone in this fascinating and funny new play set in a dusty old New York City

2009/10 Season Announcement

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The Rep’s 2009/10 Season

screenwriter Joan Didion’s memoir captures the compassion, humor and bewilderment of a fiercely intelligent woman whose world lurches suddenly from the ordinary to the unimaginable with her husband’s sudden death. It is an inspirational story that is both a love letter to a child and a tribute to an extraordinary marriage.

Almost MaineJanuary 13, 2010 – February 7, 2010 “Magical happenings bloom under the snowdrifts,” The New York Times said, “in this whimsical approach to the joys and perils of romance.” On a cold, clear, winter night, the northern lights hover over the remote town of Almost, Maine. All is not quite what it seems as the town’s residents find themselves falling in and out of love in hilariously unexpected, and often unusual ways. This enchanting midwinter night’s dream touches audiences with laughter, heartbreak and hope.

Radio GolfMarch 3 – 28, 2010

A dynamic and surprisingly humorous play about a successful real estate developer and the challenges he faces when he sets his sights on becoming the city’s first black mayor. Supporting his efforts are his wife, an ambitious public relations executive, and his business partner, a Tiger Woods fanatic (who gets involved in a radio station scheme). But when he’s about to demolish the decaying home of the legendary Aunt Esther, secrets are revealed that could be his undoing. This is the Tony Award-nominated finale of August Wilson’s unprecedented ten-play cycle chronicling African-American life in the 20th century

Stackner CabaretSoultime: At The ApolloSeptember 11, 2009 – November 8, 2009

A new musical experience that celebrates the rich musical legacy of the world famous Apollo Theater with the spirit of the Godfather of soul, James Brown, at the helm as emcee. Join us as “stars are born and legends are made.”

Holmes & Watson: A Musical MysteryNovember 13, 2009 – January 3, 2010

From the creators of hits CHAPS! and DOGPARK: THE MUSICAL comes a new musical comedy! It’s All Hallow’s Eve and the great detective Sherlock Holmes finds himself in a locked room with his faithful friend, Doctor Watson. They have until the last stroke of midnight to solve the fiendish Moriarty’s deadly puzzle. Is it curtains for the Wizard of Baker Street?

Pearl Bailey . . . By RequestJanuary 8, 2009 – February 28, 2010

In this musical tribute, show-stopping performer Roz White channels the irrepressible “Ambassador of Love” Pearl Bailey in a tour de force. Bailey’s infectious sultry tones are underscored by her remarkable wit in an evening of memorable swing, jazz and Broadway show tunes.

Route 66March 5, 2010 – April 25, 2010

A Rep “original” returns after ten years – this brand-new production has been enjoying great success around the country. The four-man musical revue includes songs like The Texaco Star Theme, Girl on the Billboard, Beep Beep, Willie Nelson’s On the Road Again, and Roger Miller’s King of the Road.

Pabst TheaterA Christmas Carol November 27, 2009 – December 27, 2009

Don’t miss the most extravagant and delightful holiday production in Milwaukee. For over 30 years, no show is more anticipated and treasured than The Rep’s annual production at the beautiful Pabst Theater. This timeless holiday classic will touch your soul and brighten your holiday season with its message of hope and redemption. Gather your friends and family for a true holiday tradition unlike anything else found in Milwaukee.

To renew or buy a subscription, call The Rep’s Ticket Office at 414-224-9490 or go to milwaukeerep.com.

All programs, actors and prices are subject to change.

2009/10 Season Announcement

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(The Rep’s 2009/10 Season . . . continued)

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I asked several of my colleagues to write a six-word description of Resident Actor Brian Vaughn. What they came up with revealed the many different facets of Brian.

1. “Can do all of it, brilliantly.” –Peter Silbert

My first encounter with Brian Vaughn in performance was accidental. During the winter of 1997, Peter Silbert was portraying Governor Timmy Tompkins in Joe Hanreddy’s adaptation of THE TAVERN. Early in the run of the play, Peter suffered a serious injury to his leg. I took over his role for the last 20 performances or so. I was sorry for his misfortune, but happy to be given an opportunity to join in the romp. One of the leading rompers was Brian. I had heard a lot about this kid from the Utah Shakespearean Festival from actors in the company who had worked with him and from Joe and artistic staff members who had recruited him for our company. I was delighted to discover that all the hype about him was true. Since then it has been my pleasure to direct Brian in two productions at The Rep, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (2001/02) and THE NERD (2006/07), and to share the stage with him in many more. He is among the most energetic actors I know, both kinetically and psychologically. In an actor as meticulous, focused and generous as Brian, that energy is a terrific attribute, especially for a member of a resident company of actors.

2. “Neil Diamond, eat your heart out!”–Jim Pickering

Maybe it was the fact that he was raised, went to school and spent the early part of his acting career dangerously close to Las Vegas. I can’t truly explain it, but he has this thing about Neil Diamond. During breaks in technical rehearsals, my wife will implore him to flash a little Neil – and he often obliges with a verse and a chorus of Cracklin’ Rose. This is particularly hilarious when one imagines him costumed as, say, Alexander Hamilton in THE GENERAL FROM AMERICA (1997/98) or Edward Voysey in THE VOYSEY INHERITANCE (2006/07). Brian’s first foray into the Stackner Cabaret was as a delightfully bewildered game show contestant in DON’T TOUCH THAT DIAL (1997/98). His self-description, “I’m not the greatest musical performer, but I enjoy doing them . . . I’ve always felt that you have to approach a musical just as you would HAMLET or KING LEAR. There’s still a story and characters,” later turned into prophecy as he played Horace in a wonderfully musical THE SCHOOL FOR WIVES (1997/98). More recently he was a smash, singing and dancing in THE PRODUCERS over at The Skylight.

I recently asked Brian how all this came about [this profile did, after all, begin life as an interview]:

Brian: I grew up in Arizona. I was in junior high and my drama teacher basically dared me to audition for this play, THE YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, this George Cohan piece, and then she ended up casting me in the lead role. And I was, like, “You gotta be kidding

Resident Acting Company Profile

Brian Vaughn – Facetsby Resident Acting Company Member Jim Pickering

Kristin Potter, Peter Silbert, Eileen DeSandre, Andrew May and Brian Vaughn in The Rep’s 1996/97 Quadracci Powerhouse

production of THE TAVERN. Photo by Jay Westhauser.

Brian Vaughn during a rehearsal break. Photo by Torrey Hanson.

(continued on next page)

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me!”Jim: You think maybe she knew something about you that you didn’t even know yourself?B: I think so. That was it. That was something I hadn’t really thought of. And, you know, the lights and the applause . . . J: And the chicks . . . B: And the chicks, absolutely. But I was also an only child – my parents were divorced when I was 11 – and so I had a pretty imaginative mind as a kid. But I was all baseball up until that point. That was all I wanted to do was play baseball. Then I went to junior high – I switched schools – and there was a new crowd and drama was the outlet.J: High school, too?B: That was when I really started to embrace it. I was kind of a drama geek. And my school, we did strange plays – I mean we did a lot of musicals – but then we’d do THE TAMING OF THE SHREW or something like that – a variety of things. And I had a lot of wonderful teachers. I’m one of these anomalies: I had a great experience in high school. I mean everyone talks about their crappy high school experience, but mine was great. Great people. I had a lot of really good friends that I’m still in contact with. I had a great choir instructor who was really good at nurturing singing and overcoming a lot of fear in that department. And speech and debate. I was really about all of that.J: While this was going on did you have another nominal career track you were supposed to be on?B. Not really. I was not a very good student in high school, so I kind of floated along. And I think I sensed that the theater thing was the way I was going to go. I didn’t really know how to go about it, but it was the thing I most wanted to do. And then for college I went to Southern Utah University, which was a small school, but it had the Utah Shakespearean Festival attached to it. And I honestly only planned to stay there for a couple of years – I was going to transfer to North Carolina School of the Arts or PCPA, some place with more of a conservatory program. But the passion among the group of students I was with (in Cedar City), well, there was a lot of “learning by doing,” and that made me think, “This maybe isn’t so bad,” and it was close to my family, and I like to snow ski and hike, and, I was drawn by the prospect of doing all this Shakespeare . . . J: Know the place. Know the feeling . . . B: Yeah. And just like during your time there, well, you’re this young kid and all these terrific regional actors come there – watching Bill Leach do DEATH OF

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A SALESMAN and Marco Barricelli – that you can talk to and pick their brains about things. It’s so odd that I ended up in Milwaukee. I never thought in a million years I would be in Milwaukee. But when I was in high school in speech and debate, I knew about the place because of THE NERD and THE FOREIGNER – I mean when you’re looking for a great comic monologue – so I knew about it. It’s really just synchronicity that I ended up here.

3. “Tragic or comic? Classical or Contemporary?”

–Lee Ernst

The first truly major role Brian played at The Rep was Mozart in AMADEUS during the fall of 1998. That performance remains one of my favorites in his body of work here, and, indeed, in the entire canon of Rep productions in the past 35 seasons. The role is, technically, a juvenile, but a juvenile with an ancient soul. Part of the character’s tragedy is that he is committed to notions outside of their time – many of them contemporary with our own. The play is a modern play framed upon a classical structure. In constructing the role, Brian was able to incorporate his own precocity as a performer with a thorough study of the substance of the young genius’s struggle with his demons to produce a compelling portrayal indeed.

4. “Tragical-comical-pastoral-historical with testicles. Is that six?”

–Rose Pickering

Oh, and did I mention he was naked in ENCHANTED APRIL?

Resident Acting Company Profile

Brian Vaughn in The Rep’s 1998/99 Quadracci Powerhouse production of AMADEUS. Photo by Jay Westhauser.

(continued on next page)

(Brian Vaughn – Facets . . . continued)

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5.“Caught in the Act. So Innocent . . . ”–Jonathan Gillard Daly

6. “Brian Vaughn: Serious Talent. Dangerous Twinkle.”

–Laura Gordon

I said earlier that it had been my “pleasure” to direct Brian in a couple of shows. There’s a little more to it than that. When you are doing a play like THE NERD and are directing scenes between Brian Vaughn and Gerry Neugent, it is essential that you keep your wits about you at all times. Each of them is an adroit comedian, and each of them is a serious actor who possesses a marvelous sense of truth. The key is to keep reminding them, while they’re, shall we say, robustly enjoying themselves in their work, to maintain a strong connection between those two equally essential personae. Don’t mistake me here. I wouldn’t have it any other way. That sort of reminding is one of the things a director is hired to do, and I hope to get the chance to do it again. I’m just saying it’d be good to have plenty of Red Bull and green tea on hand, because one needs to stay on the qui vivre if one wants to stay ahead of that pair.

7.“Mn ngahn. Hnn Dada mmph ngaha!”–Addelyn Vaughn

At this writing, Addelyn Vaughn has seven teeth, two gigantic blue eyes, a trunk full of fuzzy toys and a vocabulary of one recognizable word. On a brilliant March afternoon I caught up with her and her Mom, actress Melinda Pfundstein, in the living room of their Tosa bungalow. Melinda translated for me as I interviewed their daughter. What Addelyn was trying to convey to me (between attempts to chew on my microphone) was “Daddy sings me the funniest songs.”

Addelyn, when not exploring her warm bright little world, or dancing to Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, chills out watching Little Einstein on TV. (I gather from Mel that Brian occasionally chills out watching Young Frankenstein on TV.) When he is not reading scripts, criticism and secondary materials having to do with whatever role he is working on – and he is a thorough researcher, according to Mel – he falls back, for comfort reading, on the works of Steve Martin. Some of Martin’s books (originally acquired, I feel certain, when Brian was researching the role of Schmendeman in PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE), occupy the built-in shelves in the living room. Others are in boxes. The boxes are in a holding area. They used to be on the way upstairs to be stored. Now, though no one has moved them, they are on the way downstairs to be hauled off to Utah where Brian, Mel, Addelyn and Addelyn’s guardian and playmate, Percy the Weimaraner, will spend yet another season at the Utah Shakespearean Festival.

Brian Vaughn and Torrey Hanson in The Rep’s 1998/99 Quadracci Powerhouse production of PICASSO AT THE LAPIN AGILE.

Addelyn Vaughn, Melinda Pfundstein, Percy and Brian Vaughn.

Resident Acting Company Profile(Brian Vaughn – Facets . . . continued)

(continued on next page)

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The Vaughn family has two artistic homes, really. Mel and Brian met while students at Southern Utah University, and worked together at the Festival for a few seasons before they started dating. Eventually, Brian followed Mel to New York City (“There were other things in New York, too,” she says. Yankee Stadium, for one.) They were subsequently married just prior to Mel’s first appearance on a Rep stage in YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU in 2004. The demands of serving two masters 2000 miles apart doesn’t faze Brian. In fact, last spring he commuted between them during The Rep’s production of ARMADALE, in which he was playing the title role, to rehearse the Festival’s CYRANO DE BERGERAC, in which he was also playing the title role. He changes roles in another way, too, in traveling back and forth. As Mel describes it, “The company in Utah is filled much more by younger performers, whereas here there is so much more age-appropriate casting with the seasoned actors at The Rep. To see when he does something here that’s the sort of thing he does all the time in Utah, when some people are surprised at that, it’s been interesting to see him handle that.”

8. “True Collaborator’s Art Carries Life’s Joy.”

–Gerry Neugent

Most actors keep lists of roles they would like to play some day. In that regard, Brian finds himself in an enviable position. As Gerry Neugent has wailed, “And there’s VAUGHN who’s been doing leading roles in Shakespeare since he was four, or something!” Brian responds, “I really feel as if I have been fortunate to play a lot of great roles. But I can say the two that had the most impact on me were Prince Hal in Utah, and Mozart here, because it was the first time,

in each case, where the play was really about what happens with that particular guy. And then I’ve had other ones like The Gentleman Caller in THE GLASS MENAGERIE (1998/99) where you say, ‘This is just such a beautiful production. I’ve loved being involved in it.’ And the play is such a masterpiece. Then playing Cyrano last summer with Mel as Roxanne was absolutely one of the most special things – you know saying those things at the end of the play, to your wife, about love and death and dying (laughing), okay this stuff is bigger than all of us right now. Let’s go home and have a glass of wine.” I say, “And then there’s Hamlet.” And he continues, “Yeah. When you’re inside of it . . . it really taught me a lot about not being perfect every time, because you will never get it right 100%. And that’s true of everything we do. There’s the pursuit . . . you hope you’re gonna get that 100%, but all you can do is prepare and go moment-to-moment, living in the ‘now’ of all things. I mean, we all want the audience to like our performance, but if they don’t, what can you do? You get as much of the play as you can and come back the next night and have at it.” Mel’s perspective on his career so far, with a note about the possible future: “I think the roles he grew up wanting to play he has now played, or is getting ready to play. For as long as I’ve known him it was Hamlet, Cyrano, Henry V [which he is slated to do this summer], so I think what he’s looking for now are directing gigs, things of that nature, as much as roles. Other ways to stretch his chops.”

9. “Brian Vaughn is always totally there.”–Mark Corkins

Brian Vaughn in The Rep’s 2008/09 Stiemke Theater production of MIRANDOLINA. Photo by Jay Westhauser.

Resident Acting Company Profile(Brian Vaughn – Facets . . . continued)

Brian Vaughn in The Rep’s 2006/07 Stiemke Theater production of THE NERD. Photo by Jay Westhauser.

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“Howdja do that?” I guess that’s the question most frequently asked to any prop person. In the course of a regular season (or as “regular” as it gets in our line of work), a prop person will be asked to make big things feather-light, little things immovable, dry things appear wet. We’re routinely asked to make things disappear, blow up, change color, break on cue and move in mysterious and magical ways. Vegan actors are called upon to consume what appear to be chicken dinners. Non-smokers have to portray chain smokers and inanimate objects have to be carried onto the stage and a few minutes later they need to bleed. On cue. For exactly eight seconds. For the uninitiated, the problems and potential solutions shared by my colleagues on our national e-mail network can read like science fiction/fantasy come to life. The subject lines alone are worth the price of admission. “Spontaneous combustion.” “Counterfeiting.” “Explosive microwave dinner.” “Flag from a shotgun.” “Giant Stuff.” “That darned crossbow.” We’re a spam filter’s worst nightmare. God knows how many watch lists I’m on.

So while I’ve got you all here one last time this season, I thought I’d answer some of the questions that have come up either in conversation with some of our audience members or when I’ve spoken to groups interested in the production process.

Most recently I’ve been fielding a lot of questions about food and drink. What’s fake, what’s real and what the heck is that stuff? First off, if the food isn’t eaten, it’s probably not real. The decision is driven by budget and prep time, as well as how much fun it is to build convincing fake food. You can buy some beautiful, display-quality fake foods from companies that deal

Backstage at The Rep

FAQS FROM THE PROP ZONE: And now it’s time to play America’s favorite Prop Game Show . . .

in such things, but they can be extremely expensive and may not appear as convincing under stage lights or from Row R as they do in the store window or on the magazine page. So we make them. By “we,” I mean the artists in the Prop Department, to whom I refer as “Our Ladies of Superior Craftsmanship.” The ladies would be Margaret Hasek-Guy, Sarah Heck, Carina Liebsch, Jill Lynn Lyons and Anna Warren. Some bread and dough products are made from that old kindergarten craft staple, salt dough, which works and bakes up to look just like the real thing and which can withstand quite a bit of stage business. It’s practically bullet-proof and, unlike Kevlar, takes paint nicely. But it can be a little brittle. If rough handling is called for, fake food may well be sculpted from hard or soft foam and painted. The appetizing Danish on the plate in TROUBLE IN MIND? Anna built them. The plate of roast beef in THE VOYSEY INHERITANCE? The same vinyl from which fishing lures are made. The plate of bread and cheese in MIRANDOLINA? Well, the bread that was consumed was, of course, real bread. The rest of the loaf was sculpted, glazed and painted foam, as was the cheese. Some food-like products are cast from life, such as the cantaloupe that was tossed around in LAUGHING STOCK. Others, such as THE NERD’S Cornish hens and the devilled eggs that were not consumed, were sculpted and then cast in latex and painted. And what looks like a side of salmon but will remain inoffensive for over 40 techs and performances? Sculpted, tinted wax is what.

The real challenges are the ones in which actors actually have to eat the stuff. Sometimes you just can’t serve what the script says you need to serve.

(continued on next page)

Prop Shop staff members Anna Warren, Sarah Heck, Jill Lynn Lyons, Jim Guy, Margaret Hasek-Guy, Erik Lindquist and Dana D. Fralick. Photo by Megan Gadient.

WEIR. Just let it be said that, even if you hire the actual guy who makes the green beer for St. Patrick’s Day, beer tinting is far from an exact science. At some performance you may find your cast consuming ale with a pink head, which we affectionately referred to as “Valentine’s Day Ale.” The bottled stout, however, was a brand of sugar-free (diabetic in the cast) root beer that we landed on after extensive testing, served tepid because it held its head the longest that way.

Champagne? Depends. In a glass, ginger ale will do. Don’t like ginger ale? How’s sparkling water colored with apple juice? Or just sparkling cider. Jill will re-label it for you. Just be sure you don’t run out like we did during the Great New Year’s Eve Sparkling Cider Drought of ’02 (because the distributor ran short), and have to come up with enough in six hours to make it through the holiday weekend. (We call situations like that “Prop Fire Drills.”) And if you need the cork to pop and you aren’t budgeted for the sparkling stuff, Erik Lindquist will make a synthetic champagne cork fit with a valve stem – yep, like for a tire – so you can charge it up with compressed air for a festive report.

Liquors can be a lot of things. Some prop people prefer to use tea, but I find that tea, either brewed or instant, tends to retain that frothy little white collar of bubbles in the bottle and glass. (Can’t tell you how many scenes that has screwed up for me when I’m watching a movie. But I’ll bet my wife can.) My favorite base for liquors is good old flat, diluted Coke or Pepsi. (Don’t make that face. When you make that sound with the straw when you’re sucking the dregs out of your soft drink and ice, that’s what you’re drinking, and you’ve made it this far.) It doesn’t taste bad, comes in sugar-free if that is your want, has that great caramel color and with a little bit of color adjustment you can make it into everything from fine cognac to rotgut rye. Then there’s wine. It can be colored water, any of a number and combination of fruit juices – sometimes color adjusted with food coloring if that’s an important visual factor – or just juice cut with water to reach the right hue.

I’d better stop now. You’ve got a play to go to, and I’m getting hungry. But if I have to leave you with one piece of advice, it would be something that Jim Pickering said on a visit to our shop upon spotting a plate of donuts. In the immortal words of Mr. Pickering, “Never just pick something up in this prop shop and eat it. First ask if it’s real.” Bon appetite.

James Guy, Properties Director

In SOUNDING THE RIVER: HUCK FINN REVISITED, Huck and the boys were supposed to chow down on freshly caught and fried catfish. The caught fish were comparatively easy. Good old wiggly cast vinyl from a convincingly sculpted master. Nobody wants to fry, much less handle and consume, fresh fish on stage, though. So we got ourselves some raw pizza dough, shaped it like catfish fillets, devised a combination of green, black and blue food coloring that looked like catfish skin to paint one side, textured the other side like fish ribs and baked it to golden perfection every Monday for the week’s performances. Even the fishermen in the audience were convinced, and the cast lived to act another day.

Our most recent challenges came during the first scene of MIRANDOLINA, in which one of our nobles [Torrey Hanson] was called upon to eat a soft-boiled egg. Eight times a week. Twice on Saturday and Sunday. (We could probably have received underwriting from the Cholesterol Council had we thought harder. Maybe next time.) The actor involved expressed reservations, as well he should have. But the director was so taken by the image of this poor guy tapping away at his meager egg while his rival chowed down on a ham steak as big as a catcher’s mitt (actually a thick slice of ham atop a thick, like-colored slice of bread cut to the contour of the ham and appetizingly presented on a heap of greens) that the Prop Department Test Kitchens sprung into action. You know those highly decorated, hollow Ukrainian Easter eggs? That was the source of Margaret’s inspiration. We blew the innards out of eggs and boiled the shells to make them food safe. Then we plugged the pin hole on one end and with a long-nosed syringe we injected plain yogurt into the hollow shell. And into the center of that we injected another deposit of yogurt that we had tinted egg yolk yellow. Then we patched up the end of the shell and refrigerated the whole thing and, when opened on stage, what the audience saw when the Marquis removed the cap of his shell was a nice, only slightly runny soft-boiled egg, complete with yolk.

Drinks come in a lot of forms. The beer copiously swilled in GUYS ON ICE is actually water which the nice folks at Leinenkugel have been kind enough to can for us. Other beers have been sparkling water or ginger ale in cans reupholstered in labels devised by our graphic artist, Jill Lyons. Non-alcoholic beer pumped through stainless steel garden sprayer devices was served on tap in ANNA CHRISTIE. Don’t get me started on the “red ale” on tap that the director insisted on in THE

Backstage at The Rep

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(America’s favorite Prop Game Show . . . continued)

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Rep is able to initiate international collaborations with directors and designers that bring you a fresh perspective to the stage every year.

The influence of The Rep extends even further through a dedication to education. At a time when many schools are cutting arts programming, The Rep brings the magic of theater to over 20,000 students every year through partnerships with more than 100 public and private schools and community centers. Our programs are designed to encourage creativity, exploration and development of real-life skills, while simultaneously meeting many of the Wisconsin Academic Standards. Through in-school artistic residencies, rigorous pre-collegiate training, curriculum development, original touring shows, backstage tours and adult playwriting classes, The Rep wholly engages our community in every facet of theater.

For over 55 years, The Rep has nurtured this growing legacy by constantly proving its commitment to the arts and, more importantly, to Milwaukee and to you. Now, more than ever, we need your support to ensure that The Rep can continue to play a vital role in our community. Ticket prices cover only a small portion of the cost of what it takes to present the quality productions that we offer. We hope you will consider a donation so we can continue to provide you with amazing theatrical experiences and enrich the lives of children in the Milwaukee community.

Anne Cauley, Individual Giving Manager

For more information on how you can support The Rep, contact Anne Cauley at 414-290-5376 or acauley@milwaukeerep.com. Also, to learn about The Rep’s Limelight Society and planned giving go to: milwaukeerep.com/support/plannedgiving.htm.

As the nation takes on the current unprecedented economic challenges, one naturally begins to consider priorities and values. In this analysis, a question emerges: Why does The Rep matter? And really the question should be: How could The Rep not matter?

The Rep plays a vital role in the Milwaukee community. As audience members you are able to see some of the highest quality productions in the region. This gives you 14 ways every season to be entertained, inspired and challenged. We strive to improve your quality of life and help Milwaukee stand out amongst otherwise comparable cities.

You can take advantage of many opportunities to enrich your theater experience: pre-show talks before every Quadracci Powerhouse and Stiemke Theater production, easy ticket exchange, missed show insurance, baby-sitter rebates, subscriber benefits card, four issues of The Rep’s Prologue e-newsletter with in-depth information about The Rep and its productions, smoke-free Sundays, family Sunday matinees, assistive listening devices, audio-described performances, captioned and interpreted performances. We offer all of these programs to our subscribers at no cost so that you can connect more closely with what you see on stage.

The Rep remains one of the few theaters nationally to support a Resident Acting Company. This means that our actors can settle down in our community, raise families and enjoy a rare sense of stability in an unpredictable profession. These actors also give you a fuller performance because they can utilize countless shared performances to raise the bar every time they enter a rehearsal room. In fact, the opportunity to work with this core group is a primary reason The

Why Does The Rep Matter?

From the Development Department

Grant Goodman and Lee Stark in The Rep’s 2008/09 Quadracci Powerhouse production of PRIDE AND

PREJUDICE. Photo by Jay Westhauser.

W.E.B. Dubois High School students at a Scriptworks program taught by Rep Guest Actor Juson Williams.

of gorgeous greenery and twinkling lights. We are excited to feature a menu created by Scott Shully of Shully’s Catering. The dishes, inspired by the Bayou, are sure to be surprising, delicious and have a little spice!

The dinner will be followed by a special performance from two of the talented actors featured in The Rep’s current production of FIRE ON THE BAYOU: A Mardi Gras Musical Extravaganza.

The Rep’s 2009 Gala – The Bayou Ball is an event that is not to be missed! From setting the theme, to building the designs each year, our Board, Designers and Production teams work to make our Gala unlike any other. Tickets for this event are available for $250 per individual or $2,000 for a table of eight. Corporate tables are also available for $4,000.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Rebecca Kitelinger at 414-290-5347 or development@milwaukeerep.com. Rebecca Kitelinger, Development Events Coordinator

Spring is suddenly upon us and preparations have begun for The Rep’s 2009 Gala – The Bayou Ball. On Saturday, May 16 this event will take you to the exciting streets of New Orleans and the beautiful countryside of the Garden District all in one night! You’ll be able to win one-of-a-kind experiences at our auction and enjoy exciting performances of music from FIRE ON THE BAYOU, all in celebration of New Orleans’ food, music and culture. The co-chairs for this event, Rich and Maribeth Meeusen and Joe and Sarah Rock, have been working hard to assure this event is not to be missed.

We’ll get the celebration started in The French Quarter, where brass bands, entertainers and surprises will transport you to the streets of New Orleans. The Milwaukee Center Rotunda will undergo a transformation into the exciting Bourbon Street. Sip our signature cocktail, the Bayou Highball, and then enjoy exotic hors d’oeuvres, a silent auction full of tantalizing items you won’t want to miss and a wide variety of unique performances.

Our auction items will remain as unique as ever! We again have secured many one-of-a-kind items that you’ll never see in another auction. Maybe this year you’ll finally win a walk-on role in A CHRISTMAS CAROL or a dinner with a Resident Acting Company Member! Whatever your tastes may be, you’re sure to find something perfect at The Bayou Ball.

This year’s auction will again feature IML’s handheld auction devices. These devices allow you to instantly bid against your friends in real-time to assure you go home with the item you simply must have! The Live Auction will be hosted by TMJ4’s anchor, Vince Vitrano.

The celebration will then move from the excitement of Bourbon Street to the serenity and beauty of the Garden District. An elegant dinner will then be served on the Quadracci Powerhouse Stage under a canopy

The Rep’s 2009 Gala

The Rep’s 2009 Gala – The Bayou Ball

Eric Noden and Jannie Jones in The Rep’s 2008/09 Stackner Cabaret production of FIRE ON THE BAYOU. Photo by Jay Westhauser.

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TALKBACKSTalkbacks (post-show discussions) will take place after the following performances: I JUST STOPPED BY TO SEE THE MANThursday, April 16, 23 and 30THE CHERRY ORCHARDWednesday, April 22, April 29 and May 6

THE REP IN DEPTHJoin us for The Rep In Depth, a lively, informative half-hour talk which starts 45 minutes before every performance in the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater and Stiemke Theater. It’s free and you can drop in any time during the course of the talk. This popular series is sure to enhance your theatergoing experience with background information about the play you are about to see. Come and join all the other audience members who enjoy this free educational event!

JOIN THE FRIENDS OF THE REPJoin the Friends and join the fun! Members of the Friends of The Rep collectively donate thousands of hours of volunteer time and effort to assure that The Rep has the resources to maintain its artistic standards and meet its financial objectives. The Friends’ volunteer efforts provide extra “people” resources to help The Rep sustain its leadership as one of the finest regional theaters in the country. Membership fees range from $15 – $40 for one year. For more information, go to our website at: milwaukeerep.com/support/volunteer.htm.

STACKNER CABARETOne of Milwaukee’s best kept secrets is The Rep’s Stackner Cabaret. Not only does the Cabaret have some of the best cabaret musical entertainment in the state, it’s a great location to meet friends before or after any of The Rep’s shows. With a delightful menu in a unique theater surrounding, it’s the perfect place to meet before you see a show in the Cabaret, Quadracci Powerhouse Theater or Stiemke Theater. Stop up after the show and enjoy desserts and drinks – you never know who you’ll see! The Stackner Cabaret bar and restaurant is smoke-free and is open to the public before and after all evening Rep performances and is located just up the escalator in the Milwaukee Center. For dinner reservations, call 414-224-9490. For more information and to view the menu, visit milwaukeerep.com.

Get Involved

PLAY READINGS AT TEN CHIMNEYS ESTATETen Chimneys Foundation and Milwaukee Repertory Theater continue a fifth season of their highly-acclaimed collaboration “The Plays of Lunt and Fontanne: Play Readings at Ten Chimneys.” Featuring The Rep’s Artistic Intern Company, the series gives audiences an opportunity to enjoy some of the 20th century’s most successful plays – at the estate of the actors who made them famous. The final spring Ten Chimney’s Play Reading this year is:Robert E. Sherwood’s IDIOT’S DELIGHTMonday, May 4 The readings begin at 7 pm. Play readings are just $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Call 262-968-4161, extension 500, to reserve seats and for further information. You may also visit tenchimneys.org and go to the section called public programs to learn more about the Ten Chimney play readings.

REP PROP AND COSTUME GARAGE SALEMilwaukee Repertory Theater Prop and Costume Garage Sale will take place on Saturday, August 8th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm in The Rep’s Stiemke Theater. Items to be sold will include costume pieces, props, furniture and set decoration from some of your favorite productions. Payment by cash or check will be accepted. All purchases are cash and carry, and must be removed from The Rep by the end of the day. Get there early!

Get Involved

THE STACKNER CABARETMUSIC I FOOD I FUN

Call 414-224-9490 to make a reservation

Subscribe today for the 2009/10 season at milwaukeerep.com or call 414-224-9490.

InterParking. Enter off East Kilbourn Avenue or North Water Street, park, and then take the elevator to M or 2 for seating in the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater or Stackner Cabaret, and to G for the Stiemke Theater or Rep Ticket Office. Patron Parking Passes for the Milwaukee Center Parking Garage are available in the Quadracci Powerhouse and Stiemke Theater lobbies for $6.50. See the House Manager for details or to buy a pass.

ACCESS SERVICESPlease contact The Rep Ticket Office to request Access Services, 414-224-9490.

DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING SERVICESA sign language interpreted performance is scheduled for THE CHERRY ORCHARD on Thursday, May 7 at 7:30 pm and for I JUST STOPPED BY TO SEE THE MAN on Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 pm.

A Captioned Theater performance is scheduled for THE CHERRY ORCHARD on Sunday, May 10 at 2 pm.

A script synopsis is available for those patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing and would like to read it prior to attending a performance. If you would like to receive the synopsis, please call 414-224-1761.

The Quadracci Powerhouse Theater and the Stiemke Theater are equipped with an infrared listening system, which ensures clarity of sound from any seat in the house. If you would like one of the listening devices, please stop at the House Manager’s desk to check out a headset prior to watching your performance.

BLIND OR LOW VISION SERVICESAudio-described performances are scheduled for THE CHERRY ORCHARD on Thursday, April 16 at 7:30 pm and Tuesday, May 5 at 6:30 pm and for I JUST STOPPED BY TO SEE THE MAN on Thursday, April 23 at 7:30 pm. Audio description is the art of talking pictorially to make the arts accessible to people who are blind or have low vision. A cassette describing the visual elements and plot line of the productions are available at no cost to our patrons. Please call Erin Burgess at 414-290-5346 to make reservations for either of these audio-described performances or to receive the tapes.

Large print programs are available in the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater or Stiemke Theater by asking any usher. All Rep theaters are wheelchair accessible.

TICKET OFFICE: 414-224-9490TICKET OFFICE FAX: 414-225-5490ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE: 414-224-1761FAX: 414-224-9097WEBSITE: milwaukeerep.com

SINGLE TICKET PRICESQuadracci Powerhouse Theater: $10.00 – $60.00 Stiemke Theater: $20.00 – $45.00Stackner Cabaret: $28.00 – $41.00Shear Madness: $40.00 – $46.00

REP TICKET OFFICE HOURSMonday – Friday: Noon – 6 pmSaturday – Sunday: Noon – 6 pmWindow service is available until curtain time.

STUDENT AND SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNTSReceive $5 off any seat bought in advance or purchase half-price “rush tickets” 60 minutes prior to curtain. Offer valid for QUADRACCI POWERHOUSE and STIEMKE THEATER performances only. Proper identification is required. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with other discounts or Economy seating. Discount is not available online.

GROUP DISCOUNTSGroup Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more. For more information on The Rep’s Group Discounts, please contact The Rep’s Ticket Office at 414-224-9490.

NEW THIS YEAR – THE REP’S UNDER 40 DISCOUNTFor patrons under the age of 40, $10 tickets are available for select Quadracci Powerhouse Theater and Stiemke Theater seats. For more information or to order tickets visit: therep-entourage.com. (Under 40 tickets are based on availability.)

A NOTE ON RUNNING TIMESTo find out the exact running time for one our performances, please call the administrative office at 414-224-1761 on or after the first date of performance. Our receptionist will be happy to let you know the actual running time. Running times are also posted on our website at: milwaukeerep.com.

PARKINGLocated within the Milwaukee Center complex is an underground parking structure operated by

General Information

Basic Information

20 21

22

24 25 28 29TUESDAY WEDNESDAY FRIDAY THURSDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

March

27266:30 PRIDE(A)

6:30 FIRE

7:30 PRIDE

7:30 FIRE 7:30 FIRE

7:30 PRIDE(I) (TB)

8:00 FIRE

8:00 PRIDE

4:00/8:00 FIRE

4:00/8:00 PRIDE 2:00/7:00 PRIDE(C)

2:00/7:00 FIRE

31

10

17

24

28 29

21 22

14 15

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY FRIDAY THURSDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

8:00 FIRE FIRE4:00/8:00

FIRE 2:00/7:00

May

13

20

27

12

26

19

4:00/8:00

2:00/7:00

2:00/7:00

2:00/7:00 FIRE

2:00/7:00(A) (TB)

(NS)

8765

30

23

16

9

2

8:00 FIRE

8:00 CHERRY

8:00 MAN

4:00/8:00 FIRE

4:00/8:00 CHERRY

4:00/8:00 MAN

CHERRY

MAN

CHERRY8:00 CHERRY7:30 CHERRY7:30 CHERRY6:30 CHERRY

7:30 FIRE 7:30 FIRE 7:30 FIRE

CHERRY(TB) (I) (C)

4

87 11

28 29

21 22

14 15

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY FRIDAY THURSDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

April

5

7:30 FIRE 7:30 FIRE 8:00 FIRE 4:00/8:00 FIRE 2:00/7:00 FIRE

6:30 FIRE 7:30 FIRE 7:30 FIRE

31 2

109

1716

23

8:00 FIRE FIRE4:00/8:00 2:00/7:00 FIRE 7:30 FIRE 7:30 FIRE

8:00 FIRE FIRE4:00/8:00 2:00/7:00 FIRE 7:30 FIRE 7:30 FIRE

8:00 FIRE FIRE4:00/8:00 2:00/7:00 FIRE 7:30 FIRE 7:30 FIRE 7:30 FIRE

30

12

1918

24 25 26

2:00/7:008:00 MAN 4:00/8:00 MAN MAN(O)7:30 MAN(P)7:30 MAN(P)

4:00/8:00 2:00/7:00CHERRY8:00 CHERRY7:30 CHERRY7:30 CHERRY CHERRY7:30 CHERRY(P) (P) (P) (A) (O)

2:00/7:008:00 MAN 4:00/8:00 MAN MAN7:30 MAN7:30 MAN7:30 MAN (TB)

4:00/8:00 2:00/7:00CHERRY8:00 CHERRY7:30 CHERRY1:30/(TB)7:30 CHERRY CHERRY1:30/7:30MAN (TB) (A)7:30 MAN 2:00/7:008:00 MAN 4:00/8:00 MAN MAN

7:30 MAN7:30 MAN6:30 MAN (TB) (I)

7:30 CHERRY1:30/(TB)7:30 CHERRY

Quadracci Powerhouse Theater

Stiemke Theater

Stackner Cabaret

PRIDE = PRIDE & PREJUDICE

MAN= I JUST STOPPED BY TO SEE THE MAN

FIRE = FIRE ON THE BAYOU: A MARDI GRAS EXTRAVAGANZA

Marcus Center Vogel HallSHEAR = SHEAR MADNESS

(P) = Preview

(O) = Opening

(TT) = Theater Thursday

(TB) = Talkback

(FS) Family Sunday Matinee & Smoke-Free

(SF) = Smoke-Free

(A) = Audio Description

(I) = Interpreted in ASL

(C) = Captioned Theater

4:00/8:30 SHEAR 7:30 SHEAR 8:00 SHEAR 7:30 SHEAR 2:00 SHEAR

4:00/8:30 SHEAR 7:30 SHEAR 8:00 SHEAR 7:30 SHEAR 2:00 SHEAR

4:00/8:30 SHEAR 7:30 SHEAR 8:00 SHEAR 7:30 SHEAR 7:30 SHEAR

7:30 SHEAR

Performance Calender