Category: Ellen & Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater

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“Everybody Cut Footloose” That’s Footloose, Milwaukee Rep’s Musical Mainstage Season Opener

A full ensemble of 27 actors performing Footloose at open with an even more energetic reprise at the close of the show should be enough incentive to get you to attend the Milwaukee Rep’s presentation of Footloose, The Musical. But if you need more encouragement, the cast is obviously having a lot of fun and it is seriously contagious. So if you don’t have fun, it’s because you don’t know how to have fun…so sit back and take your cue from Willard.

Pictured: the cast of Footloose. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

Ethel McCormack is in sad straits. After he husband has left the family, she does not have the means to continue living in Chicago. So she accepts help from her sister and brother-in-law, but that involves moving to the small town that they live in. So she and her high-school aged son Ren, pack the car and head off on a ten hour drive, for Bomont. Once they arrive there Ren has a hard time adjusting to small town life and abruptly finds out that his favorite outlet for stress relief, dancing, is actually against the law in Bomont. Now, hopefully, I can be forgiven, given the cowboy hats and country music, for thinking we are in Beaumont Texas…I was surprised to see Bomont written on the gym attire on our youngsters at mid-play.

Pictured L to R: Galen Graff, Tarrick Walker, Manuel Abreu, Mathew Callas, Keyon Pickett. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

Ren finds out that his new pastor, the Rev. Shaw Moore, was the impetus on banning dancing following a traumatic car accident that killed four local teens on their way home from a…dance. And the pastor’s daughter, Ariel, is, of course, involved with the town’s bad boy but is curious about the new kid. Ren gets a bit of unearned notoriety as a troublemaker but eventually wins over his peers and takes on the Rev. Moore and town council and wins, allowing the big dance finale to end our version of Footloose.

Keyon Pickett alone is worth the price of admission. And you will feel his stage presence immediately on seeing his first Michael Jackson dance step. But beyond his remarkable dancing, Pickett is the real deal. His voice is a true musical instrument. From sad and questioning tunes to triumphal dance numbers, he can hit the whole range of nuance and the whole range of tones. And beyond his musical skill set, he has the chops to be a dramatic actor as well if he ever feels the need to pursue that. He’s going to be big Broadway star some day and we are lucky to have him here in Milwaukee.

Pictured L to R: Maddie Roberts and Keyon Pickett. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

The pastor’s daughter, Ariel Moore, is being played by Madison Robert. But she is only playing the role through October 11th. Robert owns this role and I certainly recommend seeing Footloose while she is still here. Robert’s Ariel is something of a free spirit and determined to do things her way and wants more out of life than what Bomont has to offer. Robert brings all of Ariel’s emotions front and center, from her love for her father, and her curiosity about Ren, and her playing the bad girl fling with Chuck. Robert too is in possession of a full, alive, vocal range and non-stop energy as a dancer and actor.

The voice that blew me away? That belongs to Olivia Hellman who plays one of Ariel’s besties, Rusty. And Rusty is a bit of a hell raiser herself. Hellman too is a remarkable dancer and actor, but her voice just fills the room and gave me chills at times. Rusty’s love interest is Willard, who after a bit of an altercation becomes Ren’s best friend. Carson Zoch is a tough talking and blustery acting young man who is just covering up his own self doubts and self perceived inadequacies. Zoch’s Willard has feelings for Rusty too but doesn’t know how to express them until Ren’s dance adventures allow him to break out of his shell. And break out is exactly what Zoch does going from stumbling bumbling to Saturday Night Fever slick in just a few moments of lessons and realizations that he CAN do it.

Pictured: Steven Koehler and Maddie Robert. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

And there are a few adult characters that I’d like to mention. Of course: Rev. Moore. For a pastor, he seems a bit domineering and officious in Steven Koehler’s portrayal. Koehler’s Moore is hard to like and it is hard to understand his motivations…until his final confrontation with Ren. A character who catches up with you is his wife Vi. She seems too compliant until you realize she is just holding back. Jackey Good is a perfect Vi and my goodness, her singing in ‘Learning To Be Silent’ with Ethel and Ariel and then the solo, ‘Can You Find It In Your Heart’, is a moving thing of beauty. Listen. And Rae Davenport as Ren’s mom, Ethel McCormack, is the calm and thoughtful and supportive mom you would hope every teen has in their life. And watch carefully as Milwaukee favorite Dimonte Henning plays a convincing high school athletic coach, Roger Dunbar.

Pictured: the cast of Footloose. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

It boggles my mind that just one person, Stephen Mear, can perform the dual roles of director and choreographer so effectively. Besides the dozens of actors, there are 18 songs which all require not just the direction of the actors but quite elaborate dance sequences as well. His version of Footloose is seamless and constantly in motion. This is where most of the fun gets made. And Rep stalwart, Dan Kazemi is the conductor (and a keyboard player) of the live band that is performing at the back of the set.

Footloose, The Musical, continues from now through November 1, 2026 at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre’s Ellen and Joe Checota Powerhouse Theater.

Additional Information Here and Ticket Info Here

Extra Credit Reading: The Program

Pictured L to R: Maddie Roberts, Jackey Moore, Rae Davenport Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

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Agatha Christie Ends The Milwaukee Rep’s Season, And Then There Were None

Sadly we have reached the end of the 2025/26 theater season in Milwaukee with the Milwaukee Rep’s And Then There Were None. But this is a perfect example of last but not least as director Laura Braza continues her roll of engaging productions by bringing together another star studded cast of local favorites and new faces in a dramatic and very effective production of this Agatha Christie classic.

The cast of And Then There Were None. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

And this is classic Christie but with some new wrinkles. Ten individuals are invited to a remote luxury home on an island off the coast of England. Three are employees of the host/hostess, a butler, housekeeper, and secretary. I will try to provide a decent backstory here without giving too much away. It turns out all three employees have been hired very recently by post, through an agency, and have never met their employers. And the guests have all been invited by letter from someone with some pretty bad handwriting so they aren’t sure who the host/hostess is or even if they know the person. But they come anyway. Such are the problems of the English idle rich in the early 20th Century. But we have a very very diverse group of complete strangers.

And then the shenanigans begin. Anonymous accusations, side stories, back stories, and questionable aliases until it gets serious and the guests start to die unexpectedly and inexplicably. But here’s where we stray from the typical Christie. There is no Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot to take charge and discover the miscreant. Instead the characters suspect each other and then form alliances and strategies to protect themselves. Despite there being a former cop, two former military men, and a retired judge in attendance, no one seems capable of doing anything effectively. So you will be left up to your own devices to determine the villain(s). But don’t worry, ALL will be revealed in the last act quite clearly and cleverly, if maybe not quite the way one might expect.

L to R: Armando Gutierrez, Mark Corkins, Steven Koehler, James Carrington. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

I am not going to do any deep dives into the characters to avoid giving too much away. OTOH, this is a famous book and movie, so maybe you know it already but…going into this without any knowledge of the plot and characters, I really had a great time!

And let’s start with our local favorites. I have enjoyed James Carrington any number of times in the big stage kids musicals at First Stage. A great voice and presence, Carrington manages to shrink that presence a bit as Dr. Armstrong, melting into a ball of nerves as the deaths pile up. Matt Daniels plays Rogers, the butler. Daniels has played Scrooge for a number of years in the Rep’s Christmas Carol. As Rogers, Daniels tries to bring forth a haughty Jeeves persona but can’t pull it off under the circumstances. Mark Corkins leads in with a formal and officious General MacKenzie, with maybe a bit cranky thrown in (and maybe a bit of irony as well). Surprisingly instead of being a take charge guy, Corkins’ general just fades into accepting whatever fate Christie has to offer. And the Rep’s recent Ghost of Christmas Present makes a short appearance as Todd Denning makes the most of a small part as the working seaman Fred Narracott, the ferryman who brings everyone to the island. Steven Koehler stomps about the stage, pontificates, demands answers and abeyance as called for, and thumps his cane to gain attention as needed, in the role of Judge Lawrence Wargrave. A far cry from Koehler’s iconic role as Lloyd in Guys On Ice.

L to R: Jessica Angleskhan, Steven Koehler, Max Pink. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

Others who have been with the Rep before: Max Pink plays Anthony Marston, a footloose and rather irresponsible young man who is the first victim . And Marcella Kearns, plays the butler’s wife, Mrs. Rogers, as a put upon, completely flustered, and highly strung housekeeper who is certainly stressing out in the chaos on the island. And coming from the Million Dollar Quartet where he played Carl Perkins, Armando Gutierrez plays William Biore, a former cop, who’s nose for crime doesn’t bode well for Biore or anyone else here. And Sarah Suzuki plays Vera Claythorne, the young woman hired to be the hostess’ secretary. Suzuki cleanly presents a solid secretary, keeping her cool, and clearly trying to make the most of a bad situation. But she also has feelings for another guest and is manipulated into an act of violence and eventually martyrdom. She was clearly an audience favorite on opening night.

L to R: Steven Koehler and Sarah Suzuki. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

And those making their debut at the Rep. Jordan Sobel is Philip Lombard. Sobel’s Lombard is something of a slippery fellow whose story doesn’t always line up, Emily Brent is a bit prickly and conservative and cold toward her fellow ‘guests’. Jessica Angelskahn knows her through and through. I would be surprised if we don’t see both of these actors on Milwaukee Rep stages in the coming seasons.

Michelle Lilly has put together an intriguing set of multiple levels that cause there to be extra suspense in the action as actors move up, down, in, and out of the set. There is also a magnificent ocean view beyond the room where the action is centered…AND…there are some wonderful art deco motifs around the room (don’t let them distract you, LOL).

L to R: Marcella Kearns and Todd Denning. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.

Be forewarned: And Then There Were None runs two hours and fifty minutes including a 20 minute intermission. However, the pacing and tempo of director Braza’s presentation here will keep you enthralled, and you will find yourself surprised when ‘it’s over already?’.

One extra aside: once having seen the play and knowing how it all ends, it might be fun to return and try to connect the dots we missed that first time around as it all transpires.

Ticket Information!

Extra credit reading: The Program

Sarah Suzuki. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
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Mrs. Christie. Where Were You…

Wisconsin playwright Heidi Armbruster leans into her strength and writes in a seemingly serious drama format but then wraps it all up in a hilarious comedy. This time Armbruster dabbles in a parallel universe around an unexplained disappearance by Agatha Christie in 1926 and a super-fan tries to solve the case from clues ‘discovered’ at a 2026 Christie festival on Christie’s estate.

Pictured L to R: Alex Keiper and Betsy Hogg. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

We first meet Agatha Christie in her home totally upset because she believes her dog has died. Alex Keiper’s Agatha is distraught, distracted, and clearly mentally elsewhere. And in many ways this sets the tone for her character deeper into the play. Armbruster’s and Keiper’s Agatha Christie isn’t the smart focused British writer that we would have anticipated. The very next instant it appears the dog is still with us but Agatha is also confronted with the open infidelity of her husband, Archibald Christie. And Matt Bowdren’s Archie is precisely the imperious and stuffy aristocrat that you might expect. Agatha clearly still loves him and he clearly wants to go and they are at an impasse. She won’t give him a divorce so he wants to prevent her from writing. Archie does everything in his power to hurt Agatha including parading his paramour around in their home.

Pictured L to R: Zoë Sophia Garcia, Alex Keiper, Dale Hodges, Blake Hamilton Currie. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

And then it is 2026 and there is an Agatha Christie festival going on on the grounds of the Christie estate. On the grounds is an important factor because we find ourselves in the same library work place as in the earlier 1926 scene. The home is now a museum and the library is off limits during the festival yet people keep wandering in. First is Lucy, a fan of Christie, who is attending the festival, and I guess is something of an ‘ugly American’? Zoe Sophia Garcia presents Lucy at seemingly loose ends and a little free with her hands. Touching everything, a few ‘relics’ make their way to her purse before she is confronted by the caretaker. She talks her way into staying a few more minutes when she encounters William, a Christie scholar and assistant to a Christie scholar. Blake Hamilton Currie is a smooth sexy lothario as William. And he has a few photocopied pages of a ‘lost’ Christie notebook that he uses as bait to seduce incredulous Christie fan girls. Garcia’s Lucy plays along but might be the better player and somehow manages to take possession of the lost papers. And then Dale Hodges as Jane wanders in. An elderly lady seeming just a bit confused, she sits down and starts knitting. But, she too is more than she seems and ends up partnering with Lucy to solve the mystery suggested in the purloined pages. Tally HO!

Pictured L to R: William Sturdivant and Alex Keiper. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

To avoid spoiling too much fun, I will simply say that we follow Christie to a seaside resort where she seems to exist in a drug induced haze…and Monsieur Hercule Poirot makes an appearance. Their conversations poke a lot of fun at detective story traditions and William Sturdivant nails the Poirot stereotype right on the head. And our intrepid Jane and Lucy turn their search for a solution into a scavenger hunt of sorts.

Pictured the cast of Mrs. Christie. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

But never fear, there is a traditional resolution. As a book end to a dinner gathering in Act I, all of the characters are again gathered together in the dining room of the Christie home. And everything is pretty formal and cold until Archie’s arm candy, Nancy, played by Amira Danan, falls to the floor after drinking her glass of wine. Everyone in the room has a motive and Poirot steps to the forefront. Every detective story ox is gored, all is revealed, and a solution to the case is found. This scene generated the greatest amount of laughter of the evening…as it should! It is smartly overwritten, overwrought, and overacted with hilarious results.

And laughter: kudos for Director Joanie Schultz for pulling out all of the wonderful humor built into this play. I didn’t expect to have quite this much fun with Mrs. Christie.

Character that you will hate: Charlotte, Mrs. Christie’s secretary. She is played by Betsy Hogg and shows up later as the 2026 as the gate keeper in the library, and at the beach resort. Hogg performs as exactly the same character in all three instances.

Pictured L to R: Dale Hodges and Zoë Sophia Garcia. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

Character that you will love: Dale Hodges, Jane. She is maybe the smartest cookie in the box and draws in our empathy as we watch her move through the real world. Generally she likes to travel alone but is willing to humor Lucy!

At one point, Lucy declares that they are just going around in circles. And at that point she and Jane literally are as the Rep has again pulled out a rotating stage. Initially used to change room locales, during their travels, our intrepid searchers are walking around the edge of the stage as it rotates. Marvelous scenic work by Se Hyun Oh.

Now, fair warning. This play requires all of your concentration. There are moments of sleight of hand that need to be seen that are important to the story. And with the English accents and Poirot’s Belgian French, you want to pay attention so you don’t miss a good joke!

Mrs. Christie runs about two hours and 15 minutes including an intermission. It is being presented on the main stage of the Checota Powerhouse Theater. It runs from now through May 10, 2026. Additional information and tickets can be found HERE

Extra credit reading: The Playbill

. Pictured L to R: Alex Keiper, Blake Hamilton Currie, Matt Bowdren, Amira Danan. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

All photos courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.