A mid-play plaint from Lauren. And then Theresa and Marty assure her they are acting.
The Next Act description of Circle Mirror Transformation doesn’t quite do the play justice. Although every word in the description is true, the play that you will see when you attend transcends your expectations. And although a comedy, there is enough angst, pathos, and confusion to bring us all into an awareness of human frailties as well.
Playwright Annie Baker hasn’t given us a straight forward comedy either. Her Circle Mirror Transformation tells its story through a series of vignettes or skits delimited by black outs that represent the passage of time and allow the cast to change costume and sometimes moods or personas. Our overall setting is a community center class in acting. The action occurs over six weeks and includes a number of games or exercises performed by the five class participants and then candid interactions between class members outside the parameters of the class. The nuts and bolts of this play will resonate with theater insiders and long time theater buffs as well.
Director Cody Estle has very carefully assembled a cast that could clearly represent a typical community center class roster. But it is more complex than that and transformation is part of the title and he has deftly brought about the transformations that each character exhibits as the play progresses…not all of them for the better it would seem…but maybe that’s not my call.
Marty is the class leader. Tami Workentin brings us a very confident and in control Marty who without a doubt leads her class through exercises that seem redundant and at times silly to those of us in the audience. I thought Baker was having a bit of fun with theater basics here but I was assured these are actual exercises. And who knew that it is so hard to count to ten as a group. But Workentin doesn’t remain the direct taskmaster throughout and brings on an incredible empathy as she gets to know her students and their issues…well except for Lauren’s late payment for the class. But the confidence that Workentin brings to the class does bring them all out of the shells and lets them feel themselves in a safe space.
Mark Ulrich is James, Marty’s husband. At first he is rather stiff and maybe a bit resistant and Ulrich gives us a sense that he has to be there…maybe to make sure there are enough students to hold the class? I have been in classes like that. But he does have a fun side that he feels free to exhibit at last, including taking a spin at the hula hoop. And Ulrich gets it. Later Ulrich shows us some tender moments as well, which weren’t quite expected.
Milwaukee favorite Elyse Edelman is Theresa, an actor who has recently relocated to this small community, Shirley, Vermont. We don’t immediately know that she is here because she is hurting after a break up with a boy friend. Edelman is free flowing and natural in this role and brings a sense of direction and purpose to Theresa. Everyone in the class admires her.
Another Milwaukee favorite, Reese Madigan plays Schultz, a divorced local man who seems to be here to forget his troubles. Madigan’s Schultz takes an immediate shine to Theresa and Madigan gives us a very shy unsure man as he tries to open up conversation with Theresa. And they seem to hit if off well until Madigan shifts to a clingy lover and ends up pushing Theresa away. But as an actor wannabe, he throws himself into the class wholeheartedly except for the occasional groan when the counting to ten circle fails.
And Chloe Attalla is Lauren, a sixteen year old high school student who is interested in acting. At first Attalla gives us a perfect example of reticent sixteen year old, which is totally expected given she is the only high school aged student in the class. But Atalla also can be explosive when she asks the question in the title or when she shouts at Theresa: “You are a real actor, why aren’t you teaching the class?”. And she too apparently has a issue at home as she dodges Marty’s questions about payment. Attalla plays down to sixteen years old exquisitely. I hope we get to see more of her on Milwaukee stages.
Next Act Theatre is performing Circle Mirror Transformation from now until May 18, 2025. The play runs two hours without intermission in their shared theater building at 255 South Water Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.