Category: Stackner Cabaret

This is a reprint of my remarks about ” 2 Pianos, 4 Hands ” at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater presented in their Stackner Cabaret during the 2019 – 2020 season. This originally appeared on my Facebook timeline September 9, 2019.

2 Pianos, 4 Hands…a few moments of Victor Borge and a snippet from Ferrante and Teicher plus your favorite classical piano bits and Piano Man…are all features of this opening play in the Milwaukee Repertory’s Stackner Cabaret! Always the cool thing with Stackner performances is the musical skills shown by the actors on top of incredible acting chops.

This piece features just two actors…Joe Kinosian as Ted and Ben Moss as Richard. And they play two aspiring world class classical pianists from age 10 to middle age. So they get to play from age appropriate dialogue and piano skills throughout and just simply nail it. From the physical competitive nature of 10 year olds through the cultural/musical competition of teen to young adulthood. Simply amazing on the face of it.

But there’s more to it than that…the two actors also get to play the various adults who help them achieve their goals or sometimes get in the way. So we see them play off each other as parents or teachers or contest judges. The range of characters and voices and sometimes accents that these actors achieve is simply amazing.

Just looking at the idea of the play, you are ready for plenty of humor. And boy oh boy there is plenty of laugh out loud humor. But I was also surprised at the angst and seriousness that also underlies their quests. So don’t be surprised if there is a tear to two a few moments after a pretty good laugh.

One question got asked in the play that I have always wondered about, having attended a fair number of youth music contests with my musician son…how does a judge keep their sanity when hearing 20 young people play the same piece…one after another…all day long? Yikes!!

Anyway, if you have ever participated in learning to play an instrument or guided a youngster in trying to master an instrument…this is a great play to see. And even not, if you appreciate piano music and coming of age drama/humor…well…have at it.

And don’t forget, after you order your tickets, make reservations and enjoy an absolutely great meal at the Stackner before the play. You won’t be sorry!!

P.S. If you don’t know who Victor Borge or Ferrante and Teicher are, Google them, you are going to love them!

This is a reprint of my remarks about “Ring Of Fire” at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater presented in their Stackner Cabaret during the 2018 – 2019 season. This originally appeared on my Facebook timeline on April 1, 2019!

Ring of Fire – the songs and a bit of the life of the late Johnny Cash comes to life in the Stackner Cabaret of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. If you like country or simply love Johnny Cash…this show will not disappoint. You’ve got the younger Johnny…the mature Johnny…June Carter Cash…and depending on the tune the Tennessee Three or the Tennessee Two.

And songs…and songs…and songs…it is unlikely that they will miss your favorite Cash song or June/Johnny duet…although I would have liked to hear “One Piece At A Time”! AND the crowd loved the show…standing O and an encore and everything!!

But the musicians were right on…the harmonies perfect…the instrumental hand offs (go see it you’ll know what I mean) were flawless…the choreography enchanting…and as the story unwound the age and wisdom and love and fatigue all were exhibited. Awesome jobs from the cast: Alex Keiper, James David Larson, Kent M. Lewis, Corbin Mayer, and Paul Wyatt.

I know this is cabaret but one thing I don’t understand is why it is so important to employ multi-instrumentalists and hand off instruments mid-song.

And although I was right down in front, I couldn’t identify the acoustic guitars being used on stage…if any of you know…please let me know!!

This is a reprint of my remarks about “The All Night Strut ” at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater presented in their Stackner Cabaret during the 2018 – 2019 season. This originally appeared on my Facebook timeline on November 14, 2018!

Finally getting around to writing about The All Night Strut at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Stackner Cabaret! The conceit here is we are all traveling cross country and enjoying entertainment in the bar car of a train from the 1930/40s. We have four entertainers and plus a musically adept conductor who run through the big band hits of the period. Unlike Paul McCartney these weren’t songs that were hits before my mother was born. Instead they were songs I heard as a child of the 1950s on my father’s favorite oldies station. So it was a bit of a stroll down memory lane. Songs that I enjoyed now and enjoyed in 1950 but came to detest in adolescence.

But other than the train ride, there really is no story as we mainline from one song to another…with the songs apparently related to the ‘stops’ along the route. Decent renditions…really motivated performers…nostalgia galore for those of us old enough to remember these…maybe too much kitsch at times. Besides singing, everyone dances…and everyone plays instruments. My favorite on Sunday night was Nygel D Robinson…the man can sing…dance…and play piano, guitar, string bass, drums…a..a..n..d trumpet. And he seemed to be the most relaxed member of the cast thoroughly enjoying himself…although our conductor, Jonathan Spivey, seemed to be having just as much fun. It was opening night so there were a lot of Rep royalty in the house and we shared a table with Sound Designer Eric Backus…he done good! If you are looking for serious theater…don’t stop here. But if you want to hear some great songs…well performed with little story line getting in the way…this is the holiday show for you! And the Manhattans here are great!