On Assignment

by Matt Wild + Photos by Kat Berger I’m sipping a flat rum and coke at a place called El Bait Shop (Spanish for: The Bait Shop) in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, when I realize how much this town is like a Lou Reed record: difficult, frustrating and haunted by past brilliance. Sure, there’s always something of worth to be found buried beneath the bright bars and non-existent music scene (or, in Lou Reed’s case, concept albums about Edgar Allen Poe) but damn if you don’t have to work for it. To explain: In late August, Vital sent me to cover the inaugural World Xtreme Boxing Challenge being held in Des Moines. Less than 48 hours before I was scheduled to leave, the tournament was cancelled. Figuring a weekend out of town might do me some good, I decided to make the trip anyway. My story would now be of the city itself, its similarities and differences to Milwaukee, its selling points and hidden treasures. It would also be a half-assed travelogue, one that would come to feature a failed Wayne Newton encounter, an appropriately geeky renaissance fair and me getting slapped in the face by a dwarf. And finally, like a Lou Reed album (I’m thinking something along the lines of Transformer now), it would be about how a road trip can be a bundle of blind hope, bitter disappointments and – given enough time and patience – something like a revelation. This is the story of that road trip. This is Des Moines. DAY 1 Looking out the windows of the ultra-swank Embassy Club atop the 801 Grand building, you can see nearly everything there is to see of Des Moines, a city roughly a quarter the size of Milwaukee. It’s a beautiful city, really, with the Iowa State Capitol – its 23-karat gold-plated dome shining in the sunset – overlooking downtown. I’m taking it all in with a glass of red wine in my hand, joined by Milwaukee’s own Amy Elliott, Bridget Brave and Kat Berger. (A quick note to male readers: when making a road trip with three women, it takes less than 20 minutes before the conversation turns to tampons and Judy Blume books.) We’ve just driven seven hours and have barely made our dinner appointment with three members of the Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau. There are no prices on our menus and the ladies look amazing. I’ve managed to put on a shirt and tie. The similarities between Des Moines and Milwaukee are striking: both share a clean, compact downtown that has benefited from recent revitalization programs, and both have a contentious, newly-erected bronze statue to contend with (in the case of Des Moines, it’s of recent Olympic gold-medalist Shawn Johnson). Other fun facts learned over our five-course meal: Des Moines is the insurance capital of America, it contains some of the most extensive urban biking/hiking trails in the world, and its four-mile downtown skywalk system is second-to-none. Later, a helpful Wikipedia […]

Octoberfeast

Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival held each year in Munich, Germany. Originated in 1810 to commemorate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Bavaria, it is reputed to be the world’s largest fair, with millions celebrating every year by troughing mass quantities of food and lager. Here are a couple of great recipes for your own Octoberfeast. VS (Photos by Lynn Allen) Chef/Owner John Poulos Karl Ratzsch’s 320 E Mason Street Milwaukee, WI 53202 414-276-2720 Karl Ratzsch’s celebrates its 105th birthday next year. Chef/owner John Poulos came on board in 1976 as a prep cook during his training at MATC’s culinary school. Many of the Southern German recipes go back to Mama Ratzch’s originals, like the renowned hot bacon salad dressing, the sauerbraten, wiener schnitzel, roast goose, stuffed pork chops and German potato salad. Five years ago, with partners Tom Andera and Judy Hazard, Poulos bought the restaurant from the Ratzch family. Poulos has since tweaked the menu, adding appetizers and lighter fare. His salmi recipe is the happy result of a mistake. Mr. Ratzch was roasting ducks and forgot about them, so they overcooked. He took bar olives and cherries and made a sauce with Burgundy wine. It’s been on the menu or run as a special ever since and is always featured at lunch and dinner on Saturdays. Karl Ratzch’s Salmi of Duck Shanks A salmi, short for salmigondis, is a ragout of wild game, often featuring waterfowl plentiful during Wisconsin’s fall hunting season. You may also stalk down all the ingredients you need in the aisles of your grocery store. 6 duck shanks (8 to 10 ounces each) Salt and pepper to taste Granulated garlic to taste 2 onions, sliced 4 bay leaves 6 cups chicken stock ¼ cup honey ½ cup packed light brown sugar 2 cups frozen sour cherries, thawed ½ cup pimento olives, sliced ¼ cup Burgundy wine ½ cup cornstarch mixed in ½ cup cold water Chicken base to taste Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season shanks with salt, pepper and garlic. Put duck shanks skin side up in a 15-by-10-by-2-inch roasting pan and cook 40 minutes in the oven or until light brown in color. Add onions, bay leaves and stock. Cover with foil and roast in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Remove foil and baste. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Return to oven without covering. Cook 30 to 40 minutes longer, or until golden brown and the meat is tender. Remove shanks and strain stock. Transfer strained stock to a saucepan. Add honey, brown sugar, cherries, olives and Burgundy. Bring to boil, then thicken with cornstarch and water mixture until the consistency of a medium-thick gravy. Adjust seasoning of sauce with chicken base to enhance flavor, then return meat to roasting pan and top with sauce. Roast 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with wild rice and stuffing. Makes 3 servings. Ms. Marcellyne C. Amann Ms. Amann grew up in a large family of German and Irish heritage […]

Behind the Scaffolding

There’s a lot going on in City Hall right now – not that you’d know from Milwaukee’s broadcast news and daily paper. With increased coverage of suburban issues – Shoplifter at Large in Glendale! – the most important issues of the day for the region’s economic and cultural hub are largely left untouched. That’s why VITAL Source is making space for this column. To give you the inside scoop on what’s going in City of Milwaukee government. Hopefully it will be both enlightening and entertaining. Let’s start with the 2009 city budget. About two weeks after posturing as an anti-tax guy (read: afraid of talk radio) and vetoing a much-needed “wheel tax,” Mayor Barrett introduced a host of increased fees – from snow removal to “solid waste” removal – in his new budget. (That latter fee is your garbage collection, in case you were wondering what constitutes “solid waste.”) Here’s the key difference between the wheel tax, which passed with 11 cosponsors, and all the new fees that Mayor Barrett is trying to implement in the budget: the $20-per-year wheel tax is actually replacing the street assessments, which totaled thousands of dollars, saving money for property owners. Barrett’s new budget fees replace nothing – they’re just new fees. Advantage: aldermen. (And alderwoman – can’t forget Coggs.) Whether libraries are closed, fire fighters are cut or sanitation services are consolidated, times are tough for the City of Milwaukee. Watching the committee meetings, you get the sense that the department heads are scrambling to make ends meet. Milwaukee should have a long-term plan for progress, but it seems like everything is addressed at the 11th hour. I don’t think the heads of Manpower, Harley or even VITAL manage their funds this way, so I don’t know why it doesn’t bother the mayor. Captain Jim Harpole, who was in the running for MPD Chief and has been at the helm for the District Three Police Station – in the heart of the central city – is being promoted to Assistant Chief. The promotion got little attention from the Journal Sentinel and nothing from the TV stations, but it could have far-reaching ramifications. City Hall insiders – and those who pay attention to crime statistics – know that Harpole has worked wonders at D3, so his replacement will be key. Alds. Murphy, Bauman and Hines are sure to be especially nervous. Another Mayor-Common Council conflict of late is how to deal with Milwaukee’s foreclosure crisis. In August, President Willie Hines wrote a letter to Barrett, asking that he consider hiring a full-time Housing & Foreclosure Policy Advisor, as many other cities have done. The mayor has granted that request, but it seems like the new advisor will only be a low-level manager, not a cabinet-level adviser, as Hines requested. My next column will focus more on the nuts-and-bolts of the departments behind the scenes, as I interview the people who actually fill potholes (hopefully), board up houses and weigh babies (public health nurses) for […]

Moon Over Buffalo

By Jenna Raymond Very often, comedies can be overdone. Characters can seem generic and ridiculous as the entire plot grows to completely unrealistic proportions. However, under the direction of Debra Krajec, Marquette University’s production of Ken Ludwig’s Moon Over Buffalo is nuanced, seamless and zany in the best way. The action takes place behind the scenes of a traveling theatre company in Buffalo, NY in the early 1950s. George and Charlotte Hay head up the company that used to employee their daughter, Rosiland. She has since left to lead a “normal” life outside the theatre, including a weatherman fiancée, Howard. Rosiland returns to introduce Howard to her family, only to find that her father has impregnated another company member; her ex-lover is still in love with her; and the family attorney wants to run away with her mother. And then Frank Capra calls to say he needs to re-cast his next movie immediately and will fly out to catch their matinee as an audition for George and Charlotte. Mistaken identities, chases, missing persons and frantic confusion ensue. The roles of both George and Charlotte require an immense amount of physical acting: duels and fights abound, and George appears in several stages of drunkenness that cumulates in a fall into the orchestra pit. Senior Kevin Hogan is flush with excellence in this roll. Even when it’s revealed that George has cheated on his wife, Hogan is able to keep George endearing. Nick Inzeo, playing the part of Paul, Rosalind’s ex-lover, displays superb physicality that is an added bonus to the relationship between Paul and George. The two are able to reach slapstick without compromising the integrity of Ken Ludwig’s play. As Charlotte, Jennifer Shine is over the top in the best way. Charlotte is certainly meant to be extremely emotional, and Shine is able to consistently reach Charlotte’s heightened reactions. Bonnie Auguston plays Rosiland, and after the first few scenes she was able to fully emerse herself into the character and was especially charismatic in her scenes with Inzeo. Comedy is often much more difficult to perform than drama. Timing really is just about everything and the entire cast hit nearly everything spot on. Comedic acting is mostly talent with excellent guidance, and director Debra Krajec chose an apt cast that benefited from her experience and instruction. Marquette University opened its 2008-2009 season with a high benchmark. If Moon Over Buffalo is indicative of the kind of theatre Marquette is capable of this season, their theatre department should be regarded on the same level as some of Milwaukee’s professional theatre. Moon Over Buffalo runs through October 5 at the Helfaer Theatre on Marquette University’s campus. For tickets or more information call 414.288.7504 or visit Marquette’s Theatre department website at: www.marquette.edu/theatre.

Gypsy

This iconic musical retells the story of a show business mother, Rose, and her two daughters, Louise and June. Louise went on to become the Burlesque star Gypsy Rose Lee. Gypsy: A Musical Fable, provides a softer framing for what June described as a “much darker childhood” than the fable presented in the musical based upon the book by Arthur Laurents. Gypsy is considered to be one of the greatest American musicals, containing memorable songs and sparking a film and numerous Broadway revivals that continually receive awards. Off the Wall Theatre’s production evokes the feel spoken of in the show’s lyrics: “This world…small… funny… and fine.” The staging, defined with Dale Gutzman’s astute direction, required using every inch in Off the Wall’s elongated, intimate space to capture the larger than life and exceptionally fine performances. The audience is within a few feet of the stage where Rose, Louise, June, and Herbie (the faithful lover Rose refuses to marry) confront them almost face to face. Created with minimal set design, even portraying the burlesque house with effective restraint, the entire stage frames the extraordinary talent presented in the theater. Sharon Rise portrays Rose’s complex personality as a person the audience can grow to understand, making it believable that she would lovable in eyes of Herbie and Louise. Rise’s stunning presence illuminates this real life tale, stretching the limits of the quintessential overbearing parent, while Robert Hirschi inhabits Herbie with a compassionate grace without lapsing into sentimentality. Liz Mistele’s blonde June and Alison Mary Forbes’ brunette Louise, who eventually becomes Gypsy Rose Lee, each obey the demands of their mother with reluctant devotion. When June elopes to claim her independence, leaving Louise as their mother’s last hope for stardom, Forbes and Rise cement their chemistry in the musical’s second act. This transformation in the configuration of the characters allows Rise and Forbes to deliver the emotional weight to sustain the production. Rise plays Rose letting go of Louise’s life, one she had once hoped to be her own, completing the formidable task every mother must accomplish when her children reach adulthood. A host of young performers round out the extraordinary cast, which includes the four-piece musical ensemble directed by Anne Van Deusen. Among the musical delights is “You Gotta Get A Gimmick,” the assorted stories of three strippers performed with delicious humor and accompanied by the audience’s laughter. While this autobiographical musical reveals the intricate relationship interplay between mother and daughter, the classic story also masks a dysfunctional family that gravely impacted the children’s education and welfare. Underneath the engaging music and comic entertainment, Off the Wall’s production of Gypsy uncovers the fine line between serious encouragement and the dreams parents press on their progeny. Search the sidelines of today’s athletic fields, behind the performing art stage doors, or the homes of Honor Society members to discover contemporary versions of mother Rose. Gypsy questions the ultimate value of parents’ projecting their uncompromising hopes for success on their children. Off the Wall Theatre’s […]

State of the Union

The Milwaukee Rep responds to a long, exhausting presidential campaign with Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse’s State of the Union. Despite having been written half a century ago, State of the Union delivers a surprisingly topical look at presidential politics in an entertaining show that only feels a bit long at times. The Rep draws on the talents of almost every actor in its Resident Acting Company to populate this ensemble piece, making it one of the most impressive productions of the season by virtue of its casting alone. Taking center stage is Lee Ernst as fictitious businessman Grant Matthews, who has the Republican nomination for the president thrust upon him. Ernst is thoroughly believable as a maverick everyman who is drawn into the kinds of compromises everyone expects of a presidential candidate from a major political party, but much like a less than successful politician, he fails to make much of an impression. Ernst is an overwhelmingly talented actor, but he fails to register as much more than a figurehead here. Matthews’ major challenge as a candidate for office comes in the form of an estranged wife who may as well be divorced from him for all the effect she has on his life. Laura Gordon cuts a fascinating figure as Matthews’ wife, Mary. Gordon takes an interesting turn as someone fascinated by her unsought role in the machinations and ambitions of an entire political party. She is a very sympathetic figure in the maelstrom of activity that defines a major political campaign. There are so many other impressive performances in this production that it’s difficult to decide what to mention in a brief review . . . Deborah Staples is a great deal of fun as Matthews’ adviser with questionable morals. The ambiguity of her relationship with the candidate makes her performance all the more interesting. Dan Mooney makes an appearance as politico Sam Parrish in a few select scenes. All of the Pickerings’ put in impressive performances, most notably Rose as Southern Belle Lulabelle Alexander, wife of Peter Silbert’s southern judge Jefferson. Featuring nearly two dozen performances, State of the Union sags in places, but it’s well worth seeing a production this sophisticated. The Milwaukee Rep’s production of State of the Union runs September 16 through October 12 at the Quadracci Powerhouse Theater. 414-225-5490 or www.milwaukeerep.com

The Constant Wife

It’s the classic tale of a man who loves a woman, a woman who loves a man and the world that gets in their way. Somerset Maugham’s tale of potential infidelity comes to the Boulevard Theatre as it presents The Constant Wife. Maureen Dornemann stars as title character Constance Middleton whose fidelity to her husband Dr. John Middleton, played by Michael Chobanoff, is called into question when former flame Bernard, played by Jaime Jastrab, re-enters her life. In a clever move to keep production costs low, the Boulevard stages this classic 1925 drama as a rehearsal of understudies for a much bigger, more opulent production of Maugham’s drama. The set and costuming are minimal, and the cast itself was assembled with many new faces and amateur actors. In such a stark environment, individuals have the opportunity to set themselves apart. Maureen Dornemann does a remarkably good job of portraying the title character, but she has previously proved herself to be a thoroughly interesting actress. Here Dornemann’s intelligent stage presence is put to good work portraying a woman who would seem less than three-dimensional if she were portrayed by an actress of less talent. Though she is clearly more defined in the play by her husband than anything else, the title character possesses a kind of strength that goes beyond her occupation as wife. It’s a delicate distinction that Dornemann nails perfectly. Her husband, played here by Michael Chobanoff, balances out the picture quite well. Chobanoff portrays the role of a less than faithful husband with all of the depth that a character like his needs in order to really makes the performance work. The Boulevard Theater’s production of The Constant Wife runs through October 5th. 414-744-5757 or www.boulevardtheatre.com for more info.

Gossamer

Casey Tutton and Mark Metcalf in Gossamer Gos·sa·mer (n): a light and delicate touch. These words define this coming of age story that confronts sensitive social issues with light touches of humor, imagining the nature of dreams against the realities of domestic abuse through this credible ninety-minute production that deftly uses puppets to portray delicate concepts. First Stage Children’s Theater, in collaboration with Oregon Children’s Theater, opens their season with Gossamer, a world premiere play adapted by Lois Lowry from her young adult novel. The story centers around Littlest, the youngest member of a community of ‘dream givers,’ who is being initiated and trained in the trade of delivering dreams to humans. Littlest is charged with delivering dreams to a vulnerable young boy named John. Removed from a foster home because of abuse, John explores the stories of his life through his bad and good memories. In the foster home, Littlest and her mentor, Thin Elderly, fight off the terrifying nightmares that diminish John’s self-esteem while giving him dreams that strengthen his spirit and offer the promise of emotional healing. Credit the considerable talents of the entire company, along with the creative puppets fashioned by Mark Hare, to bring Lowry’s innovative novel to life. As part of the Saturday evening cast, Casey Tutton (a girl of 11 with numerous acting credentials) delights with both believable innocence and concern while she struggles to voice her own intuitions. The superb Mark Metcalf, sharing a genuine affection for fellow actor Tutton, tenderly develops Littlest’s abilities playing Thin Elderly while making every night a dream to treasure. Richard Halverson is distinctly enjoyable as Most Ancient, a role that gracefully touches on respecting the wisdom of older generations. And puppeteer Alexis Block, playing the dog Toby, impressively imbues a marionette with personality. Every technical contribution — including white flowing costumes, underground staging, and artistic lighting — substantially develops Lowry’s lofty ideas into a tangible theater presence. The author puts fantastical events into three dimensions, which First Stage admirably captures. While this premiere script could benefit from minor tweaking, the performance provokes questions that require attention. If either the novel or the play educates one child or adult about abuse, the story will have served an even greater purpose. This production gives children a voice that allows them to picture surviving this delicate but critical reality in contemporary life. After the performance representatives from Children’s Services Society of Wisconsin, an organization that works to eliminate these tragedies, provides opportunities to answer questions regarding domestic violence and abuse. Where do dreams really come from? Lowry presents her audience with one otherworldly answer: that nightmares haunt the mind with recrimination and fear while dreams pervade the ordinary with courage and confidence. Who could survive life without imagining wonderful dreams during the days or nights? First Stage’s Gossamer reveals this forgotten and fragile insight that ultimately fosters enduring hope. First Stage Children’s Theater presents Lois Lowry’s Gossamer until October 5 in the Todd Wehr Theater at the Marcus Center […]

Splashcast

La Boheme

A large golden moon casts shadows over the Cabot Theatre’s stage set in Paris, 1933. In this glowing new version of La Boheme, Bill Theisen, the company’s artistic director, adapts the opera to define the artistic but risqué lifestyle rampant in Paris during that decade. With Theisen’s inspiration gleaned from the photographic collection of Brassai, this fresh production, also based on Scenes de la vie de Boheme by Henri Murger, revisits bohemian France together with Giacomo Puccini’s lyrical music. Last staged by the Skylight 40 years ago, the opera remains Puccini’s most recognized work and introduces their 2008-2009 season in celebration of the composer’s 150th anniversary. La Boheme speaks to the creative passion necessary in life as experienced by four fledgling artists while true love’s destiny intermingles with subsequent loss to change the lives of these common everyday men struggling to exist. Beginning on Christmas Eve in 1933, this quartet of artistic individuals parties before escaping their landlord and the rent due to partake in the city’s nightlife. Fate intervenes when Rodolpho meets his neighbor, Mimi, and the pair fall fast in love with moonlight shining through the rooftop apartment. One of the other artists, Marcello, later reunites with the love of his life, Musetta, and as the year passes into springtime, each of these love stories waxes and wanes until tragedy eclipses the ending. Theisen’s libretto, composed in English, adds concrete meaning to these sensual four acts, which are equally enhanced by a host of technical directors including Pasquale Laurino (music), Rich Rasmussen (scenic), Carol J. Blanchard (costume) and Kurt Schnabel (lighting). Each envisions Paris and Puccini in complete synchronization with Theisen’s original concept, and the evening builds upon this crescendo of theme, plot, and melodic composition with the accompaniment of the 30-piece orchestra and the Milwaukee Children’s Choir. Each member of the young cast captures the essence of this bohemian existence with an appealing chemistry heightening the premise and passion of the opera. Michael Mayes and Brandon Wood as Marcello and Rodolpho thoroughly embrace their counterparts Danielle Hermon Wood and Alicia Berneche – Musetta and Mimi. After the intermission, the actors command the imagination of the audience, drawing them further into 1933 Paris. La Boheme finishes with an emotional flourish due to the expert acting and operatic abilities of the entire ensemble. This explains how powerful a 100-year-old piece remains potent when produced by talented artists with a passion for their work. This Skylight production indeed becomes the perfect venue for initiating or indulging an artistic taste for the delights of opera. This story of love and loss, with lives severed short, resonates with all ages. The audience was enchanted opening weekend, attentive to the stage resounding with English instead of Italian but moved by the intense performances. These Parisian scenes honor the Skylight’s tribute to Puccini’s beloved La Boheme, a story confirming the belief that discovering an uncommon love in an ordinary world endures. VS The Skylight Theatre’s production of La Boheme continues until October 5 in […]

I Am My Own Wife

Photo by Jay Westhauser A string of white pearls defines the central character, Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, in The Rep’s season opener I Am My Own Wife at the Stiemke Theater. This real-life character, who was born in Berlin in 1928, wears a “black peasant dress, sturdy, in fact orthopedic, black shoes, and a string of pearls.” Charlotte’s given name, however, is Lothar Berfelde, and Charlotte represents the spirit of wit, intelligence, strength and survival as a transgender public figure under two extremely oppressive regimes during her lifetime: the Third Reich and Communist governments. I Am My Own Wife finds its unique rhythm in Doug Wright’s dramatic structure, as well as the impressive performance of Michael Gotch, who gives each of the over 30 miniature scenes and multiple characters he plays a refined dignity. Capturing Charlotte with a restrained mannerism and underlying respect, Gotch achieves a persona that reveals to the audience the immense hostility and cruelty brought upon individuals during these time periods. Through these vignettes of Charlotte’s life — as a youth at her Tante Louisa’s home, living in the subculture of Berlin, collecting the relics she considered a record of life, surviving her Stasi involvement as an informant and conversing with Wright as he tries to envision his play — she remains an eccentric individual whose story uncovers abundant treasures that give insight into the human condition. Touched with humor that brings both Charlotte and the audience to smile, her life is a microcosm of meaning for the all of society’s outsiders. Under Director John Langs, Gotch moves Charlotte through each character and time period seamlessly and effortlessly with only simple props. Scenic Designer Brian Sidney Bembridge, Sound Designer Josh Schmidt and Lighting Designer Noele Stollmack combine their efforts to present the grandeur of Charlotte’s Grunderzeit Museum, which she patiently restored and revived as a historic site, with vintage elegance and surprising effects. This two-hour play exposes the history of alternative lifestyles and enlightens the questionable facts surrounding the life of a remarkable, solitary person. Whether these are clearly established truths is secondary to the confrontation of atrocities and obstacles and the survival of all persons considered deviating from the normal, less than perfect, or seriously challenged – the “persona non grata.” This must-see 2004 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play will alter common visions of a string of pearls, refocused through the eyes of a woman who crosses over conventional lines to understand the gender, family and societies she is dominated by. Whether I Am My Own Wife references the World Wars, celebrity, homosexual life or tyrannical regimes, Charlotte Von Mahlsdorf – through Gotch’s superb acting – succinctly puts all in perspective when she reflects on her beloved furniture in the museum. “This is not only decoration, it was used. Show it as is … because everything here is a record of living, of life.” VS The Rep’s I Am My Own Wife in the Stiemke Theater runs through October 5. For more information call 414.224.9490 […]

Ripper!

In the autumn of 1888, a series of murders shook London’s Whitechapel district. The victims were all women, all murdered in similar ways, leading police to suspect they were all perpetrated by one person — now known to the world as Jack The Ripper. Possibly the most infamous serial killer of modern times, dozens of dramatic fictionalized presentations about the murders have appeared over the course of the century. Locally, a recent staging of the story featured Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper starring playwright Dale Gutzman as the detective. This month, the legendary serial killer finds a local stage again as Jackie Benka’s Ripper! debuts at the Alchemist Theater. While it is thoroughly entertaining, Benka’s script is not terribly intricate. The ending and a few plot details may, no doubt, seem novel to people with a passing interest in the killings, but those who are familiar with Ripper lore should not expect anything new. Indeed, some anachronisms in the script would irritate fans and scholars. But the production is fantastic for anyone looking for an affordable, entertaining evening of pop theatre in an intimate venue. Enter the bar/lobby area at the Alchemist to find it decked out in the nineteenth-century manner, with the actresses destined to be the Ripper’s victims offering escort into the theatre next door through the stylishly eerie alleyway behind the building. Alchemist has put a great deal of work into locking in the atmosphere of the play, and it really pays off. Inside the theatre, every open area not taken up by seating is made to look like a Whitechapel alley. Costuming may not be precise, but there is more than enough here to deliver an immersive mood. Seamless pacing starts the play as Alice Wilson escorts Aaron Kopec to center stage. Wilson plays streetwalker to Kopec’s London doctor — a gentleman named Sydney Pearcey. And so begins the story. Kopec’s Pearcey is a tragic figure that the audience is neither allowed to entirely empathize with or entirely hate; Kopec expertly plays the part somewhere between hero and villain. Briana Ziebell cuts an admirably strong figure as his wife, who suspects his infidelities. On the whole, the women in this play have exceptional emotional strength, which is a refreshing change of pace from many Ripper stories. The most notable female portrayal amongst the prostitutes is Liz Shipe in the role of Mary Kelly. Currently studying theatre at UWM, Schipe shows considerable promise. Also making a notable appearance is Mark Lonteen in the role of police Detective Abberline, a character written somewhere between actual policeman and dramatic hero. His performance is the heart of this production — moody and entertaining without being particularly dark or heavy-handed. VS Alchemist Theater’s production of Ripper! runs now through September 27. 414-426-4169 or visit Alchemist online for more info.