It will be up to you to decide! But I laughed between bouts of holding my breath.
Murder Girl has been selling out its entire run and as a result has been extended through December 7, 2025. So hint, hint, don’t dawdle! But that fact just added to my anticipation in seeing it at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre!
And what do we have here? A murder mystery or a comedy? Yes! Playwright Heidi Armbruster has provided a magnificent bit of Wisconsinana. I don’t care if that’s not a word, that’s what Armbruster has written! And with a delightful cast of characters that will seem all so familiar to those of us who celebrate our time away from work in the Up North of Wisconsin and dine in nothing but the finest local supper clubs. The one here that is the center of attention is Marty’s Supper Club, but alas Marty is no longer with us…but fondly remembered…and her twins run the place. Well sorta!
Marty’s Supper Club. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
Marty’s Scenic Designer Lisa Schlenker knows the Up North supper club by heart. That quaint combination of beer signs, mounted trophies (I mean deer heads and muskies) and the local bric-a-brac that a small town bar is known for. Until we get into the action, it is hard to place Marty’s in a time frame. Much of the decor is so last century as to feel antiquey. Worn wood floors and paneling, totally past their prime bar stools, and the Formica dining table in the corner tell us exactly where we are and maybe why we are here. But then the TV and electronics are fresh from Best Buy! So are we here for the Friday Night Fish Fry or the Saturday Prime Rib? We are here for the murder mystery…ssssh…listen…can you hear the theme music from Murder She Wrote?
L to R: Carrie Hitchcock, Colleen Madden, Matt Bowdren, Bree Beelow, and Joe Lino. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
And the suspense starts immediately as twins Eric and LeeAnn enter a darkened Marty’s separately each thinking that they are alone…and surprise each other with a certain fright. Matt Bowdren, returning the MCT after his appearance in A Doll’s House, is Eric. And Bowdren’s Eric, is sullen, un-trusting, depressed, and a bit jumpy. LeeAnn is portrayed by Bree Beelow as fluid, self-assured, and ready to take control whether Eric approves or not. Both of them are clearly still mourning their mother, Marty, who died in a car accident. Questions still remain about the accident and they are mourning in very different ways, but Bowdren and Beelow both present as people at wit’s end…just at different ends of their wits. Eric is coping by keeping Marty’s alive and just settling for the status quo. LeeAnn has escaped town and found another life, so to speak, but as Eric reminds her, she keeps coming back. So has she actually escaped at all? In her bio notes in the Playbill, Beelow says she hopes to KILL IT on stage as LeeAnn…and rest assured she has done just that.
Armbruster has drawn three more very intriguing and very strong characters here. All denizens of Marty’s but not blood relatives…but given the small town vibe and atmosphere around the supper club…and the way the treat each other, they might as well be.
L to R: Joe Lino, Carrie Hitchcock, Colleen Madden, and Matt Bowdren. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
Director Brett Hazelton (also Executive Artistic Director fo MCT) has pulled together a cast that plays very believable as small town service employees. Let’s start with Ted. A gentleman with a bit of background issues himself, Joe Lino gives us the strong silent type, well until all heck breaks loose and then he seems to be the strong anchor in a sea of chaos…often just being the support that everyone else needs. Carrie Hitchcock assumes the ideal caricature of a small town waitress as Charlotte…with a quick imagination, willingness to blurt out her ideas and thoughts, and protective of Marty’s and the staff no matter what the daily chores of the job introduce. And her perfect foil is the Other Charlotte. A really delightful role played by American Player Theater’s Colleen Madden. What incredible fun to see Madden outside of her trusting environment and seeming to be completely enjoying herself in this dark murderous comedy. She shows that she can be very very funny,
The Charlottes! My favorite characters. Left to Right: Colleen Madden and Carrie Hitchcock. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
Murder? Mayhem? Yes and there are suspicions, suppositions, conspiracy theories, secrets, and more secrets…but all will be revealed in the marvelous language woven together by Armbruster and the pliant and engaging ensemble put together by Hazelton. Murder? Well there is a missing young woman, Emily, who was a waitress at Marty’s. She may or may not have had a variety of non-supper club relationships or interactions with our other characters. And there is her distraught mother, Jen, also a Marty’s waitress, who only appears as a disembodied voice on the recurring news casts played on Marty’s TV. And there are clues and clues and plenty of opportunities to tumble down a rabbit hole (or two). But the answers to all of this are going to be left between you and Armbruster!
Bree Beelow and Matt Bowdren, Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
Run time: approximately 90 minutes, no intermission
Can you bring your family? Well, you betcha! We’d be delighted to welcome your whole crew for this homegrown holiday whodunnit! MURDER GIRL does include some strong language, as well as references to drinking, violence, and death. If this were a movie, we’d call it PG-13.
L to R: Matt Bowdren, Bree Beelow, and Carrie Hitchcock. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Chamber Theatre
Yasmina Reza wrote Art in 1994, in French. And the American Players Theatre are presenting an English translation by Christopher Hampton that is a quintessential French existential comedy. And despite the translation, director Jackson Gay has lost nothing of the Frenchness here! So this is the play for the Francophile, Art Lover, and Theater Goer in you!
Art features three characters, long long time friends, middle aged and fairly successful. Serge, a doctor, Marc, an engineer, and Yvan, who is soon to be married, is currently working in sales. And our set fits all of the parameters set forth by Reza, a simple apartment setting that changes location depending on the occupant, Serge, Marc, or Yvan. As Reza stated and the program reinforces: nothing changes, except for the painting on the wall. Kate Noll’s set is perfect but I will get to the details in a bit!
Marcus Truschinski, THE painting, and Triney Sandoval. Photo courtesy of the American Players Theatre. Photos by Michael Brosilow
Art is played complete without intermission but it isn’t quite a traditional act/scene format. Instead we observe a series of vignettes as the friends interact in pairs or in the full group and each, at times, will step forward solo into a spotlight and address the audience directly. So there is some backstory and story line set up that we alone are privy to directly
Triney Sandoval and La Shawn Banks Photo courtesy of the American Players Theatre. Photos by Michael Brosilow
Marc is the engineer. And costume designer, Fabian Fidel Aguilar, has dressed him in a bit oversized rumpled suit that would do a disheveled academic proud. And as Marc, Triney Sandoval fills that suit with a big personality, a bit of cocky assuredness, boundless energy for a middle aged professional, and a sense of superiority over his friends. And when the balance of power in this little trio begins its shift, Sandoval can bring out the bit of condescension that Marc’s character calls for. You will know exactly how Marc feels about art, trust me. BTW: Marc sets up the intro to the play!
La Shawn Banks and Marcus Truschinski. Photo courtesy of the American Players Theatre. Photos by Michael Brosilow
Serge is a doctor, a dermatologist I believe. Aguilar has dressed Serge in the perfect Euro threads for a professional in the late parts of the 20th Century. Tailored sport coat, flawless jeans, turtleneck shirt, and the perfect shoes; elegant business casual, if you will. Marcus Truschinski presents Serge with the perfect airs of what Americans might envision as a stereotypical Parisian of the period. Perfectly groomed, he delights in his new found knowledge and appreciation for ‘modern art’. Although I’ll claim it’s actually ‘post modern’, but that’s a minor quibble. And he has purchased a new painting by a major figure in French modern art for a considerable sum. And when first showing it to Marc, he makes Marc guess how much he paid for it. The currency isn’t mentioned but whether Francs or Euros, it is a considerable sum. Serge’s new prize is described as a four foot by five foot painting in white with a few off white or sometimes gray stripes across the vast expansive face. For our APT version, the lines are a bit raised from the surface for the benefit of the audience. But Marc, with a clear and expressed disdain for modern art, forcefully declares the painting to be ‘white shit’. And you can imagine where the play goes from here.
La Shawn Banks’, Yvan, is far more energetic character than his two friends. Because of that energy and activity on stage he makes us feel like he’s a bit younger. In his earlier aside in introducing Yvan, Marc tells us that Yvan hate conflict and will often act as an arbiter and try to calm the waters. And Banks gives us that Yvan precisely, joining in with Marc’s criticism of the painting and fun at Serge’s expense over the folly of the painting when meeting with Marc, and then of course, the opposite when he visits Serge. But when the three get together to go out for the evening, he gets caught in the middle as both Marc and Serge try to use his own comments to support their positions in the argument.
Marcus Truschinski, La Shawn Banks (foreground) and Triney Sandoval. Photo courtesy of the American Players Theatre. Photos by Michael Brosilow
And here is the grand focus of the play. Art is the pivot in the story to investigate and discuss friendship. Why are these men friends? How do you maintain long term friendships? What do you accept that normally might irk you? What do you over look? What do you repress? Reza and Gay present a pretty dynamic discussion of all of these topics as the three confront each other. But there is a resolution…a happy resolution.
Now I promised a description of Kate Noll’s stage set. Up front on the Touchstone’s thrust stage, Noll has placed three pieces of a sectional, just a bit off white, just a bit severe, and just aptly late 20th Century Euro in feel…all against a perfectly white central back wall with a few white moldings and highlights, that refuse to let us forget the anatomy of the painting.
And I can’t take credit for this, but my wife, Rosalie, mentioned this as we were heading back to the car, but Yvan’s costume contains burgundy, borrowed from Serge’s turtleneck, and blue, borrowed from Marc. Bravo, and how clever, to Aguilar once again!
Spoiler alert but I couldn’t ignore this. At their major falling out and reconciliation, they were supposed to meet to go to a movie and then to dinner. Yvan was 40 minutes late and was all apologetic but Marc and Serge were having none of it. And then Yvan breaks down in a breathless minutes long rant about his day and the arguments around his wedding invitation between his fiance, father, future step mother in law, his own step mother, and mother…until we are ready to burst for breath. When he finishes Marc and Serge just stare in incomprehension and the audience erupts in a round of applause. But he’s not done, he’s just catching his breath, repeat. And when he finally finishes and reaches for sympathy, Marc and Serge, still sore that he was late, just tell him to call it off.
And just an aside. Given that it is 2025, many might find the argument around the painting rather surprising having lived with modern art and post modern art for better than a century. Even in 1994, when this was written, it was probably something of a surprise, particularly in Paris. But back in the day when I was in art school (1968 – 1973) this would be very much a topic for discussion in art history and the painting studios…although I don’t remember any friendships being risked over it! LOL!
More information on the APT’s Art and tickets here. Art is presented in APT’s intimate indoor Touchstone Theater, down the hill. It plays in repertory with other plays, so there aren’t that many dates left in the season and as of this writing a number have sold out. But the last day for Art is September 28, 2025. Contains adult themes & language.
Marcus Truschinski, La Shawn Banks (foreground) and Triney Sandoval. Photo courtesy of the American Players Theatre. Photos by Michael Brosilow
A Gentleman’s Guide To Love And Murder! could also be called the Land of a Thousand costumes. This boisterous comedic musical runs across Turn of The 20th Century England landscape and cultural environs. And with four named characters who appear in any number of situations and an ensemble who play multiple roles and at times act as a Greek Chorus, costumes abound. And that doesn’t even include the D’Ysquith Family! More on them later. But my sincerest thanks to Costume Designer: Cas Mayhall for pulling this off.
This is a highly effective send up of rom-coms, murder mysteries, musicals, English operettas, colonialism, and the British aristocracy. Not even the Earl of Highhurst can maintain his stiff upper lip. And for those of you of a certain age you might detect a tip of the hat or two to Monty Python gags.
The chorus. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective
But first we meet our Greek Chorus, warning us of the mayhem and the gore that is to follow and the squeamish may want to leave now…and then a warning is sent to the first two rows…that they may be splattered with blood and such and that they may want to move back. Ignore them! This is a small intimate theater with general admission seating. Get there early to secure the front rows! I promise you, you won’t be disappointed.
left to right: Emily Mertens, Jonathan Riker, and Shannon Messplay. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective
And now to the real story. We find Monty Navarro sitting in a jail cell waiting for the jury to decide if he is innocent or guilty of murder. Concerned that no one will understand how he came here, he is writing his ‘true’ memoir. That is the major conceit of the musical, Monty narrates a bit and then the cast plays out the story for our ears and eyes. Jonathan Riker gives us a determined but unconcerned Monty. Telling his story seems more important than his potential fate. But once we get the story underway, Riker is the main boisterous voice and is the center of attention from here on out…but Riker still plays it cool as he learns he is eighth in line to be Earl of Highhurst…a discovery brought to him by his mother’s best friend after her funeral. She had married for love and was disowned and cast out from the family. His disbelief turns to acceptance and he begins the journey of ‘joining’ the family while improving his chances to be Earl…with a bit of cleverness and steadiness that Riker playfully brings to the stage.
Jonathan Riker and Emily Mertens. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective
Oh and the guide to love? Monty is in love with Sibella Hallward, a charming young lady who also happens to be in love with Monty. Emily Mertens is very effective as the sexy and flirtatious Sibella and she seems quite attached to Monty. But his low class position doesn’t suit her ambitions and she marries another gentleman with a motor car. But that doesn’t mean she and Monty are through…not by a long shot.
Shannon Messplay and Jonathan Riker. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective
Shannon Messplay is the shy, coy, and cool as a cucumber Phoebe D’Ysquith. She is completely taken with Monty’s mother’s story…able to marry for love! And is equally attracted to Monty himself. And not being in line ahead of Monty for the Earldom, he too is taken with her and wholeheartedly accepts her proposal to wed. Messplay is a delight as Phoebe.
Ezra Quinn. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective
And then there is The D’Ysquith Family! Every single one of them played in joyous over the top performances by Ezra Quinn! From the pastor, sister, cousin, son, father, janitor, and Earl, Quinn leaves nothing behind…having far too much fun I would hope! And Quinn is one of the reasons you want to be down in front…Quinn gets to act out one grisly death scene after another and produces some of the best laughs in the play. You don’t want to miss a single overwrought death throe!
Ezra Quinn. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective
And my congratulations to Director Kimberly Laberge for convincing this gang of talented people to play this treasure trove of misfit characters and making it all work so smoothly and without any missed bits or false steps.
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder was written by Robert L. Freedman, Book and Lyrics, and Steven Lutvak, Music and Lyrics, and based on a novel by Roy Herniman. (still feeling a bit silly after attending yesterday’s matinee, I wanted to write: based on a novel by a man named Lear so so bad…if you don’t know…you can Google it)
left to right, Shannon Messplay, Jonathan Riker, and Emily Mertens. Photo by Adam Laberge. Photo courtesy of Kith & Kin Theatre Collective
Kith & Kin Theatre Collective will continue to present A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder at Inspiration Studios (1500 S. 73rd St, West Allis) through May 18, 2025.
