http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/articles.sec-27-1-theater.html If one subscribed to Aristotle's definition of the history play, Aeschylus' The Persians might be placed in that genre. After all, it is constructed around a particular event, namely the Battle of Salamis, and describes rather than shows the events surrounding Persia's staggering defeat at the hands of the Greeks. However, the moral message at the heart of the play, that loss and failure inevitably greet all acts of hubris, holds the universal currency Aristotle ascribed to tragedy. Renaissance Theaterworks' production of the play heightens its universal themes-not through the obvious ploy...]]> The Vast Difference, a 1993 comedy by playwright Jeff Daniels (best known for his acting roles), makes it to the stage at Village Church Arts courtesy of a new production by Windfall Theatre. Likable Windfall regular Thomas Rosenthal displays the sympathetic end of his comic range in the role of George Noonan, a man with five daughters whose wife wants him to have a vasectomy. ]]>    Stephen Schwartz isn't exactly a household name around these parts. But mention some of the songwriter's credits, including Godspell, Pippin and the current box office smash Wicked, and people start paying attention. The Grammy-winning Schwartz has a smooth, self-deprecating onstage manner that played well Sept. 26 at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center. Dressed all in black, perhaps as a nod to his New York roots, Schwartz played piano as he led the audience through many of his hits. His boyish, animated face...]]> The Boulevard Theatre Ensemble's new production of Somerset Maugham's The Constant Wife (running through Oct. 5) proves that you can easily convey the vivacity of Maugham's script without resorting to elaborate sets and costuming. Less is definitely more. If only this idiom had been extended to the extraneous packaging that hampers this otherwise enjoyable production. The idea of setting The Constant Wife as a play within a play is not entirely without merit, if it helps cast a fresh light on the play...]]> Lombardi: The Only Thing, a biographical play about legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi, debuts at Milwaukee's Next Act Theatre on Sept. 11. Playwright Eric Simonson recently revised the script, which premiered in Madison last year. Next Act worked closely with Simonson to amplify the show's impact, says Lombardi director Edward Morgan. ]]>