Consumer Stage Economics
Russ Bickerstaff
Curtains
The size of an audience going to “some bullshit musical at the Marcus Center”* (or the Milwaukee Theatre for that matter) is considerably larger than what would be seen at a main stage show at the Rep. The audience seeing just about any show a
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Day Three: Milwaukee Sketch and Improv Comedy Festival
Russ Bickerstaff
Curtains
The third annual Milwaukee Sketch and Improv Fest ended with an exhaustive three-program day that saw the stage at the Off-Broadway Theatre more or less occupied for something like 6 hours. That’s a lot of program . . . 4:30 pm Family-Friendly Matin
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Stuck Review
Russ Bickerstaff
Curtains
Centering a play around a hotel elevator is one of those delightfully off-beat ideas that seem so staggeringly simple that it comes as something of a surprise to think that no one had come up with it before—at least, no one worth speaking of here
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Day One: Milwaukee Sketch and Improv Comedy Festival
Russ Bickerstaff
Curtains
The lobby of the 342 North Water Street Building appeared to be under heavy construction. The stairs and much of the rest of the lobby were behind caution tape. It took a trip to the elevators to get to the Off-Broadway Theatre on the second floor, bringi
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This Is All, Of Course, Completely Trivial: Scattered Thoughts
Russ Bickerstaff
Curtains
REMEMBER: IT’S AN OPENING NIGHT—NOT A PRESS JUNKETIt’s always an interesting crowd at the opening night of a Milwaukee Shakespeare show. Opening night of Twelfth Night was no exception, though it was taking place far from the heart of th
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Q & A with Director Timothy Douglas
Russ Bickerstaff
Curtains
New York-Based Director Timothy Douglas has had a remarkable career thus far. Having worked on projects all over the country. He has had the distinction of directing the world premiere of August Wilson's Radio Golf at the Yale Repertory Theatr
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Summer Combat Theatre with Bunny Gumbo
Russ Bickerstaff
Curtains
A little less than half a year after its last Combat Theatre outing, Bunny Gumbo returned to the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center for another two-day festival of skits written and performed in 24 hours. The only limitations on the productions were the 24-ho
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Combat Theatre with Bunny Gumbo
Russ Bickerstaff
Curtains
Some of the first new shows of the New Year open this weekend. Some of them also close this weekend. Last night I attended my first of two consecutive evenings of theatre under pressure. It was a pleasant evening just north of downtown on Walnut Street wh
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Three Viewngs: Exquisite Comedy from Kopper Bear
Russ Bickerstaff
Curtains
It’s just three people talking. And they’re not even talking to each other. Somehow, three people delivering monologues in a studio theatre in Elm Grove can have an undefinable kind of compelling magic. If it’s the right three p
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Ruth Arnell Pitches Her Show
Russ Bickerstaff
Curtains
It’s a long standing tradition in Hollywood for press types to be invited to press junkets where actors and filmmakers take an endless series of individual interviews from countless members of the media who all individually ask them the same q
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