Category: Stackner Cabaret

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!

This is a reprint of my remarks about “Songs for Nobodies” at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater presented in their Stackner Cabaret during the 2018 – 2019 season. This originally appeared on my Facebook timeline on September 15, 2018! My first post about theater…so I was a little nervous.

I have putting off writing about Songs for Nobodies partly because I was afraid that I would give too much away and didn’t want to pepper this post with spoiler alerts. But since the JSOnline review pretty much tells the whole thing…I can say all the cool things that I want to say!

I wasn’t sure how this was going to turn out. The lead has to become ten different characters over the period of about 90 minutes. And oh my goodness, but Bethany Thomas is absolutely mesmerizing! Really!!! The songs featured are identified with five female vocalists from the 20^th Century who set the bar for their peers and those that followed later in each of their respective genres: Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Edith Piaf, Billie Holiday and Maria Callas. She performed those songs flawlessly…moving easily from one vocal style to the other. Her accents and ability to evoke the styles of each was perfect. After the Piaf portion, I was convinced the Ms. Thomas was a native French speaker. Just a medley of these songs by Ms. Thomas would be worth the price of admission.

But she also presents the ‘Nobodies’ of the title. Five average women, living their lives, working their professions, who were touched in some way by these five celebrities. This presents an entirely new set of personalities and accents and attitudes for Ms. Thomas to slip into beyond the songs. And real stories…with philosophies…and history…and personal desires…and angst. Far beyond the expectations of a cabaret exposition.

I often skip performances at the Stackner…too lazy to fit them in my schedule. But I am certainly glad that I was able to take in this one. It is really ‘a don’t’  miss event of the season. And the Milwaukee Repertory Theater did a great job of casting when they selected Bethany Thomas for this role.

Now, I want to make an additional note. The show rocks because pianist Abdul Hamid rocks. He effortlessly provided the accompaniment for each and every song…didn’t miss a beat…and he made sure we felt the era and feeling behind each song. Too bad there isn’t a tip jar for the piano player!

Last but not least, when you go, make reservations in the Stackner before the show and have dinner there. The new venue and the new menu are a real treat. And the servers go out of their way to please! Do it for your own enjoyment, you won’t be sorry!!