By the time I finish writing this and getting it published, Vanguard Milwaukee’s presentation of On The Exhale will have completed its run. It was scheduled for just four days and was performed in The Drawing Room of the Var Gallery’s South 5th Street location (just half a block or so north of National Ave). The stage was a simple black cube, raised a few feet above the floor, with folding chair seating on all four sides. Annika Perez-Krikorian directed and Emily Vitrano is the sole performer. We last saw Vitrano as newly-wed Corie in Renaissance Theaterworks delightful Barefoot In The Park.
Photo by Ross Zentner and courtesy of Vanguard Milwaukee.
This is quite different. Vitrano is a single mom college professor who has been confronted by male students demanding a grade change. She refuses. And the result isn’t a confident, I did the right thing. Instead it is nightmares that resolve into the student pulling a gun and shooting her. She takes some measures to protect herself in her office and one day hearing a commotion in the hall, runs to slam her door shut, only to realize the dean is trying to reach out to her. There is an active shooter situation going down, but not on their campus. Instead it is at her son’s elementary school and she rushes over their only to herded into groups with other parents…and she describes the roil of emotions she feels as she wait and waits…to finally be told her son is dead.
Photo by Ross Zentner and courtesy of Vanguard Milwaukee.
Her eventual response isn’t what I expected. It probably isn’t what you would expect. It probably isn’t what any of us would do in this situation. She mourns of course. In her own way. She pulls back from the other parents. She collects all of the news clippings, police documents, etc, and lays them out on the floor and tapes out the outline of her son and marks off the place where the shooter stood.
Photo by Ross Zentner and courtesy of Vanguard Milwaukee.
And then she goes down the real rabbit hole as she purchases the same make and model assault rifle that was used to murder her son. And she learns how to shoot it. And she masters it. And she comes to understand the feeling and control that a person can feel using just such a weapon, although she calls it a tool. And the rabbit hole gets deeper and she testifies before a legislative body and stalks an inattentive senator and does no harm, but leaves a trail that says in an obvious way, that he actually dodged a bullet.
Photo by Ross Zentner and courtesy of Vanguard Milwaukee.
This is an extremely emotional play that goes from fear, to loss, to anger, to defiance. How Vitrano managed to keep her own sanity through rehearsals and these four performances had to be a struggle. Because she has entirely internalized the character. Yes, she paces and stomps and shouts and poses with the implied gun and squats and spins and twirls around the stage. But there are more slight variations in her posture and gait that express the grief or anger or fear far more effectively. And it’s there in her eyes. Just watching her eyes tells the emotional story very clearly. Her eyes seem to harden and squint and blaze open in fear and actually redden and retreat on command. I couldn’t help but internalize her feelings as well. This was a completely unexpected and completely amazing performance.
On The Exhale was written by Martin Zimmerman.
Photo by Ross Zentner and courtesy of Vanguard Milwaukee.
Let’s start at the beginning. I mean when you enter the Herro-Franke Studio Theater (formerly the Stiemke Theater). Unlike most performances, this time the stage isn’t sacrosanct and some members of the audience were allowed to walk through it on the way to their seats. And it is quite an elaborate but simple set. Scenic designer Collette Pollard has put together the perfect set for a seance…totally referring back to those sets we remember from old movies and TV shows…a curious blend of almost stereotypical comfortable while still fresh and intimate and engaging. All very reminiscent of the early 1910s or 1920s or so. But dominated by a somewhat intimidating, larger than life, photographic portrait of Harry Houdini. Now on with the show.
Katie Bender. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
And then Katie Bender walks on stage talking on her cell phone, issues a sort apology and explanation to us, and sings her son good night. Setting her things down and arranging a few things she then cues Mark Clement’s prerecorded announcement to turn off our cell phones and to laugh, cry, and exclaim (appropriately) before continuing. This casual familiarity with the audience will be a constant vibe throughout the evening. And she then goes on to place us geographically within the theater and delimiting our north, south, east, and west boundaries with local landmarks that define this Milwaukee neighborhood.
Now my conundrum. There is only one actor and one character in Instructions For A Seance. And the performer is Katie Bender and the character is unnamed. And Bender is the playwright AND the actor. Bender is speaking to us in the first person so I don’t know if the character is self-referential as Katie Bender or if Bender is just an actor pretending to be someone else here on stage. This is theater so I am going to just treat Bender as the character.
Katie Bender. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
So, we are presented with some background information on our character and then an explanation on her research into Harry Houdini and his museum and a few artifacts that she was able to ‘acquire’. She reads out the instructions for a seance that she has discovered and performs an incantation to summon Houdini’s spirit to our stage. And don’t think for a moment that you are not involved. You are in fact a participant in this seance and you will notice a little pencil and slip of paper beneath your seat. At some point Bender will provide instructions on what to write on the paper and how to turn it in and later how to return your pencil. Audience members will be enlisted to help. Now don’t stress out. It is all very simple and direct, it’s not a final exam in psychology. Well, maybe it is.
And I was negligent in mentioning that some audience members are seated in some of the parlor furniture along the edges of the stage. They will be part of Bender’s activities as well. If seated in these special seats, you might want to make sure you have your reading glasses. But honestly, it is all fun!!! On to the seance.
Seance attendees and Katie Bender. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
After a brief review, Bender has herself handcuffed and locked into a trunk, stage left. The theme is after all Harry Houdini and escape. But whose escape, while discussed, will never be quite clear: Houdini’s, Bender’s, or ours? Again, pay attention, for you may be part of the discourse after all. And of course all manner of eerie events take place, dimming lights, strange noises, items that turn themselves on, and such. But nary a sign of Houdini. Of course if we were to summon him opening night, well I guess the rest of the run of the play would be redundant. But Bender is successful and a spirit holds forth and we are all amazed. And beside Bender’s ample acting chops, I have to give her props for the handful of magic tricks she pulls off during the evening, not just the trunk escape.
So again, where does playwright Katie Bender stand with this amazing tight little play, although partly scripted and certainly partly ad-libbed as well but very well conceived and written? And where does Katie Bender stand as performer? Is she acting or story telling on herself? Katie Bender is all things to all people in this version of Instructions For A Seance. But at times, it feels just a bit self-indulgent to me.
Katie Bender. Photo by Michael Brosilow and courtesy of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater.
And thanks to director Lily Wolff for keeping the flow so, well, mesmerizing. And certainly pulling the eerie bits together in Bender’s story. But it also brings a new question to my mind that I need to research for another time.
Instructions For A Seance is being presented by the Milwaukee Repertory Theater from now through November 8, 2026 in the Herro-Franke Studio Theater in the Associated Bank Theater Center. Run Time: 70 minutes with no intermission. Content: Blends mystery, humor, and the supernatural. The play explores themes of motherhood and loss. It also contains discussions of ghosts, a brief description of physical violence and sexual assault, and strong language.
Editor’s note 10/13/2026: When I originally published, I hadn’t received the production photos from the Contructivists. But now that I have them, I am just going to intersperse them and keep the original logo and head shots that I used.
With a title like 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, you aren’t quite sure whether to expect a heartfelt drama or a delightful comedy. I am here to report, that you will be delighted. And yes, I had a clue that this was going to be an over the top comedy from the cheeky advertising and promotional bits.
The Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sister of Gertrude Stein proudly welcomes you to The 1956 Annual Quiche Breakfast, and you are all members in good standing and thank you for bringing your quiche. And the organization’s motto is? No Men, No Meat, All Manners! Don’t forget to put on your name tag, it may be of importance as we celebrate. A little side note, it’s all about the eggs!
Writers Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood have written a non-stop farce of hysterical comedy and director Joe Lino pushes it as far as it will go, getting over the top excitability, manic chaos, and crises responses from his cast.
Our story opens as we are sitting in the society’s hall and four of the officers enter in a boisterous anticipatory gaggle. They greet the membership and take notes and photos. And they twitter and shout and shriek their conversations in their excitement, as the quiche breakfast is really a thing for them. It would be an understatement to say the excitement is palpable because it is actually tangible. The energy expended here is off the charts crazy. Why are they milling about waiting for something?
L to R: Emily Harris (Dale), Bree Kazinski (Vern), Kellie Wambold (Lulie), Aly Rader (Ginny), and Anya Palmer (Wren). Photos by Kłamię Studios and courtesy of the Constructivists.
Well, that something, is the prize winning best quiche which society president, Lulie Stanwyck, is warming up. When it is ready, she brings it to the table mid-set with great fanfare and dignity. Kellie Wambold presents Lulie as a woman in control and comfortable with her authority. And Wambold’s Lulie can also be a bit vindictive and has a long term memory about a quiche sin committed by another member. She enjoys making that member, Marjory, an audience member, uncomfortable, always. Later Wambold sheds that authoritative stance when she is forced to reveal a secret that goes against the theme of the society.
Emily Harris, as secretary Dale Prist, is one of the most excitable characters on stage. She presents a Dale who is both direct and curious at times. Dale has found a photo in the archives of the society founder and hangs it in the meeting room. The accomplished rough cut woman in the photo is stern and proud and looks remarkably like executive producer and Contructivists founder Jaimelyn Gray. When Lulie discovers the portrait, Wambold pulls herself to her full height and in a demanding tone, asks, who did this? And all of the others cower until Dale meekly admits her transgression and Lulie goes all sentimental and applause and back slaps are shared around the room. This is just the first example of the impulsive nature that Harris portrays for Dale.
L to R: Emily Harris (Dale), Bree Kazinski (Vern), Kellie Wambold (Lulie), Aly Rader (Ginny), and Anya Palmer (Wren). Photos by Kłamię Studios and courtesy of the Constructivists.
And now it’s time to taste the winning quiche. Four of the officers grab their forks and surround the table. And Aly Rader, as secretary Ginny Cadbury is boxed out. Rader has been playing Ginny as a bit excitable in person but with a prim and proper side when she is taking notes or updating the meeting agenda, doing her secretarial stuff. But she takes her disappointment in hand and Rader just shoves everyone else aside and leaps onto the table and just goes face down in the quiche. All of the rest of us are appalled particularly given the all manners mantra. But there may be a bit of a hmmm to consider too.
Bree Kazinski plays a very organized and get it done Vern Schultz, who is the building and grounds official. Kazinski loves explaining the security measures she has taken to protect their clubhouse. Remember, it’s 1956 and we are in the middle of the Cold War…and Vern has built an effective fall out shelter. But as you hear the different features you have to wonder if all of them are good ideas. Given her initial calm and decorum, when things start to go south, Kazinski seems to take charge…seems to. And Wren Robin is the events chairwoman and played by Anya Palmer. Palmer is just one of the excitable women at first but takes on a more studied persona until she finally comes out to all of us in the room. But I am jumping ahead in the story.
L to R: Emily Harris (Dale) and Anya Palmer (Wren). Photos by Kłamię Studios and courtesy of the Constructivists.
Yes, it is 1956 and all of the members of the society are ‘widows’, closeted lesbians. Until all hell breaks loose. That actual event that Vern was preparing for occurs during their breakfast and they are now trapped in their bunker for four years. It is at this point that they can cast aside their pretense. Considering themselves to be the only survivors in the U.S, they one by one take up the process of admitting their actual sexual identities. And four of our stalwarts, the original four to enter the stage, affirm that they are lesbians…but Lulie hangs behind until she admits that she may be bi and is three months pregnant by a man. This starts an entirely new train of thought and concerns and tragedy strikes. I will leave it at that.
Beyond being a bit of absurdist comedy at times, the play also breaks the normal play vs. audience fourth wall as actors interact with the audience, asking questions, telling stories, etc, etc, etc. We are all, after all, also members of The Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sister of Gertrude Stein, and your name tag will have your society name. I am Nancy, it’s a pleasure to meet you. And we will be asked to chant the society name at times and clap for society activities and speeches. You will find it difficult to remain passive here.
L to R: Anya Palmer (Wren), Emily Harris (Dale), Bree Kazinski (Vern), and Aly Rader (Ginny). Photos by Kłamię Studios and courtesy of the Constructivists.
5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche will be presented by The Contructivists from now through October 24, 2026 at PATH (Pink’s Accessible Theater Home), 1104 Historic W Mitchell St, Milwaukee. There is plenty of on street parking. I don’t see a run time on the website but it is about 90 minutes and there is no intermission.
