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volume 30, issue 1 30, volume 2019 september “ Why THE REVOLUTIONISTS? by David Cecsarini

There’s no doubt, I’m a first look and life’s last, here, Lauren Gunderson fan. We’ve every day. And you will see produced four of her plays yourself in it, or your fear, or recently: THE TAMING in 2016 your future before the play’s (remember when the beauty end. And you will test your Photo: Ross Zentner Ross Photo: queen candidate won the White heart against trouble and House?), SILENT SKY (Henrietta joy, and every time you’ll feel Leavitt measures the universe), a flicker or a fountain of feel- I AND YOU (two teens bond ing that reminds you that, for one lifetime), and now THE yes, you are yet living. REVOLUTIONISTS (a dream-fugue I’ve heard many explanations for take on an all-female French the purpose of theatre, and tried Revolution). So, what’s with the Bree Beelow in THE TAMING to formulate some of my own, Gunderson? but Henry’s meditation brings up Lauren Gunderson’s heroes are I also like Olympe because goose bumps. she’s a stand-in for playwright women. I think this, above all What was a tangential inquiry in Gunderson herself. There’s an other reasons, is why I’m a fan THE BOOK OF WILL has taken cen- unmistakable similarity of voice, and why I picked this play. Inter- ter stage in THE REVOLUTIONISTS. bright mind and inquisitiveness estingly, in the script’s cast list, Gunderson puts Olympe through in Olympe’s character which I Lauren initially describes each an arduous obstacle course of recognize from Lauren’s oth- of the four women as “badass.” challenges, creative frustration, er plays and her appearance at She’s serious about her heroes! fear, inspiration and revelation the Madison Public Library I had Without knowing anything about as she wrestles with the mean- the pleasure of attending a few Olympe DeGouges, the reluctant ing and value of art - specifi- years back. At that gathering, playwright-activist at the cen- cally, theatre. Responding early she took the opportunity to read ter of Gunderson’s revolution- on to accusations that theatre a selection from her very recent ary romp, I was readily drawn is nothing but fiction, and of no script, THE BOOK OF WILL (seen into her artistic and societal help to anyone in need, she says: struggles, empathizing with her as a reading at Next Act in 2018), doubts and fears and at last, cel- where two of Shakespeare’s It might be fiction, but it’s not ebrating her triumphs as an artist actors are contemplating the fake. meaning of theatre, sitting on the and proud member of the world’s The beating hearts in front of well-worn boards of the empty sisterhood. you are real. and dark Globe stage. The gathering of people is John: Why do we bother with real. any of it? The time we spend together, Henry: To feel again.

Photo: Ross Zentner Ross Photo: this time, is real. John: I feel enough (says the The story is real when it man who has just lost his starts. dear wife to sudden illness). Continued, page 2 Henry: I said to feel again. Inside This Issue The faeiries aren’t real, but the feeling is. We play love’s In Tandem With You! Jane Flieller 3 Deborah Staples in SILENT SKY Renaissance is Moving to Next Act 3 The 4 THE REVOLUTIONISTS is generously sponsored by Next On Tap 6 Larry & Patty Compton and Dr. David Dentistry Challenging Visions 7 Why THE REVOLUTIONISTS continued In Tandem With You! by Jane Flieller, Development Director I’ve written before that the actor’s art is often als is storing up, to be released and processed as equated with lying. The comparison is in itself, a the play is freshly remembered. Here are a couple I promised myself I was going to sleep writing grants, hosting lie, clearly an opinion held by those who are as yet of tidbits: through the month of July and then rest in August. fundraising events, and innocent of the power of the ancient art of story- But my alarm clock went off early when David called getting to know patrons … a good deed needs a good story or else it telling which emanates from actors, on wooden to say that Next Act was in need of a Development and donors. All of these might vanish like nothing. ever. happened. planks, in a darkened room, to a gathering of in- Director. things will be part of what …let us laugh, and laugh too loudly and too I’ll do for Next Act. So quisitive minds and open hearts. Under those ex- For the past 21 years, along with my husband, often, and call out the hypocrites of our age while it may have been quisite conditions, the actors’ deep-seated grasp Chris, I was co-founder and Producing Director of of character and circumstance intertwines with until they are the butt of the joke. a little earlier than I had In Tandem Theatre. This past spring, we made the planned, I eagerly took the willingness of humans to imagine and believe, I mean, you can’t kill the writers — that’s decision to cease operations and leave our venue, and miraculously, truth appears. It’s the nature, the the job at Next Act this Democracy 101! the Tenth Street Theatre on Milwaukee’s near west past July. power of theatre. Fiction, not fake. side. While it was a difficult decision, it is one with As she writes in her script notes, “The play is based which we are happy. We believe we did the right My history with Next Act goes back a long way. Another admirable Gunderson trademark, very on real women, real transcripts and real executions. thing at the right time for the organization and for Prior to In Tandem, I worked as a freelance stage much present in THE REVOLUTIONISTS, is her deft But remember it’s a comedy.” And under Gunderson’s ourselves. In Tandem will live on as we continue manager, working with Theatre Tesseract, Next touch when it comes to touchy subjects. Her char- masterful supervision, that comedy is realized along with projects outside of our programming, such Generation Theatre and then for Next Act when the acters draw you in with their ebullient presence and with a deeply-felt exploration – no, celebration - of as training and providing actors to do role-play- two aforementioned companies merged. My dear smart repartee, and then suddenly one of them will the strength, resilience and generosity of the better ing exercises for students of social work through friend, Charles Kakuk, was my mentor when we be- emit the flash of an idea, a flip-sting comment, or half of this planet’s population. a profound and challenging truth which hangs in the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare and other gan In Tandem – teaching me the ins and outs of the air, impossible to miss or avoid. But then, on- Vive les femmes! small events. Who knows, perhaps we’ll put on a arts administration. The transition has been quite ward; Gunderson propels you forward, and as you show somewhere, some day (I hear Next Act rents easy, as I have the benefit of using the same pro- stay alert to the journey, the energy of her editori- their theatre...). Artistically, I do hope to direct again cesses and techniques that Charles instituted for in the future. Next Act and that he passed along to me. I also have known David, the Next Act staff, most of their Ibraheem Farmer Once Chris and I made our decision, it was time to & Cristina Panfilio in I AND YOU actors and designers, as well as many of their pa- decide what direction to take, career-wise. I began trons and donors for years. It all feels very familiar to think about all the things I did administratively and comfortable. with In Tandem and of the myriad of hats I wore, Photo: Ross Zentner Ross Photo: what I would miss the most. The answer kept com- I look forward to seeing old friends and making new ing back to development. I enjoy researching and ones as we launch Next Act’s 30th anniversary season together. Renaissance is Moving to Next Act Over the summer, Renaissance Theaterworks RTW then joined Next Act Theatre for “a couple (RTW), announced they would be moving to a new of fun seasons in the early 2000s” when Next Act artistic home at the Next Act Theatre building at Theatre established its first home, The Off-Broad- the beginning of its 2020-21 production season. way at St. Paul and Water Street. “We look forward THE REVOLUTIONISTS by Lauren Gunderson “We’ve grown beyond the capacity of the 99-seat to hosting RTW’s productions once again, and even though there is significant crossover between our SEPTEMBER 26 - OCTOBER 20, 2019 Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center,” audiences, we anticipate the added benefit of in- SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY shares Managing Director Lisa Rasmussen, “and we 26 27 28 are excited to seize this moment and embrace the troducing even more people to more good theatre.” Preview Opening demand for more opportunities for the community 4:30 7:30 7:30 8:00 to experience RTW. This bold move will allow us to 29 2 3 4 5 continue on a positive trajectory for many years to come.” 1:30 4:30 2:00 7:30 7:30 7:30 8:00 The move to Next Act Theatre is not the first time 6 9 10 11 12 the two companies have shared a space. Next Act 1:30 4:30 Theatre Producing Artistic Director David Cecsa- 2:00 7:30 7:30 7:30 8:00 rini shares, “We’ve been successful housemates 13 14 16 17 18 19 before,” noting RTW and Next Act’s collaborative 4:30 history dating back to 1997 for a co-production of 2:00 7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30 8:00 KINDERTRANSPORT by Diane Samuels staged at 20 Personal Preview (Begins 30 minutes prior to curtain) the Stiemke Theater in the Milwaukee Repertory Talkback Pay What You Can Theater complex, which was Next Act’s production 2:00 base at the time. Renaissance Theaterworks’ Artistic Director, Suzan Fete and Managing Director, Lisa Rassmussen 2 3 THE FRENCH REVOLUTION (this time, I paid attention) by David Cecsarini

I was introduced to the French Life conditions for the common people – peasants, any reigning king. Louis tried to stop the meetings, executed on , 1793. was Revolution at about 10 years old. I remember feudal system farmers, laborers – were pretty but as they went on, even some higher ups began to follow her husband’s fate nine months later, on well our basement rec room on W. Courtland Ave- tough in the years before the first revolt, July 14, to sympathize with the new ideas. Eventually the October 16th. nue in Brookfield, Wisconsin, where our Sears Sil- 1789 (the real storming of the ). There was King sent in the army and the people pushed back remedies to problems became more reac- vertone portable record player stood ready to au- much bad weather and then, poor harvests. Like to defend themselves. They needed weapons and tionary and brutal, carried out under the auspices rally entertain. The album cover depicted the head other European powers, was draining a lot ammunition, and the Bastille was a great big store- of the Committee of Public Safety. What followed of a funny-looking guy with black framed glasses of treasure to estab- house of such things. In they went on July 14th. has become known as The , during smiling at me amidst an ocean of nuts. Indeed, the lish and secure colonies Now, from here, there are loads of events that I’ve which the paranoia over counterrevolution or sup- record was called My Son The Nut, in far-flung places like been assured won’t be on the test. We’ll touch on port for monarchy resulted in nearly 16,000 trials featuring song parodies by comedian Haiti, for instance. And the highlights. leading to executions; thousands more perished Allan Sherman. He sang about auto- she had recently helped without such legal formalities. Eventually, in 1794, mation to the tune of “Fascination.” out a fledgling coun- LIBERTÉ - EGALITÉ - FRATERNITÉ actual counter- arose, and pushed He told his catchy summer camp try with a Political representatives set out to write a French Robespierre out and into the arms of that same story, Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah war of its own, starting constitution - the Declaration of Rights of Men and terrorizing he had used to secure his ideal (here I am at Camp Granada…). And he summarized in 1776. (Any chance to Citizens – certainly inspired by ’s of the people. the monarchy’s part in the French Revolution with poke the British in the American efforts. Large assemblies of women be- his bluesy, Peter Gunn bass line shuffle, “You Went eye was always of in- gan to appear, protesting the continued hard eco- NEW DUDE IN TOWN The Wrong Way Ol’ King Louie.” More than 50 years terest.) There was a tax nomic conditions and bread shortages, and also to The final chapter tells of continuing wars and the later I can still hear that indelible line, cheerfully system, but ineffective, remind their ad hoc leaders that women and slaves rise of a short but brilliant French army general who anticipating the French monarchy’s impending de- and a heavier burden fell might just need rights too. In general, the anti-nobil- was successfully fighting off France’s challengers, mise, “We’re gonna take you and the Queen, down upon the poor; somehow, the well-off nobility could ity and anti-monarchy feelings kept growing – there known as the First Coalition. Europe tried again to the guillotine, and shorten you a little bit.” get around the laws and the clergy were exempt. were peasant revolts against feudal landlords, and with its Second Coalition, but our man Napoléan Then, a few years later, I’m sure we touched upon On the cultural side, Europe was at the zenith of the people even came to Versailles, demanding that again beat them away with his big, Bonaparte stick. La Révolution at some point in world history. And its , when science, reason and the King and his Queen, Marie Antoinette, move to He then overthrew France’s government, The Di- during Madame Bertazinni’s philosophy became more widespread and began to Paris, where they could be better-controlled. rectorate, and established his own, naming himself First Consul in the bargain. Although the title signi- French II class, I recall attempt- encourage questioning of the status quo, in partic- The new French government kicked out the Roman fies the highest elected office holder in the land, it ing to plow through Victor Hugo’s ular, the power of the Roman Catholic Church and Catholic Church and took all the land, which did not seems that Napoléan was thinking more in terms of epic novel Les Misérables, in the the rights of nobility and monarchy. please the Holy Roman Empire to the east. It looked empire. After all, that was to be the going political original French! Honestly, once as if the choice was leaning toward constitutional trend in the new century. Jean Valjean was arrested with the monarchy like they had in Britain, but the King and kindly priest’s silver chandeliers Queen grew doubtful of their future and beat feet All that work to kick out the one guy with all the (candlesticks) in his possession, toward Austria, under disguise. But being famous power just to get another guy with all the power. my recollection falls apart. Or was with faces on coins and such, they were recognized History is pretty crazy sometimes. that my French grammar? near the Austrian border and brought back to Paris. BACK TO SCHOOL On a side note, I am struck by the similarity OK, so now with Gunderson’s THE REVOLUTIONISTS of pre-Revolution conditions back in 1789, and coming to our stage, it’s time to catch up – it’s the those of our own time. For your consideration: theatre’s way of insuring that I finish my formal education. • Lopsided control of wealth THE STORMING As with any significant political and cultural hap- From his massive and beautiful country palace at • Tax relief for the rich pening, its causes are complex and many; the char- Versailles, King Louis XVI was aware of the tough • Economic peril in lower classes acters and events numerous and entwined. How- times. In fact, in 1789 he made attempts to re-tune • Ineffectual leadership ever, one thing seems common to most revolts of the tax system to spread the burden more fairly, the people: those people have had enough. Or per- but was voted down by 2 of the 3 Estates. The no- • Heavy spending on military and colonial haps, in France’s case: had not enough. excursions bility(1), the clergy(2) and the common people(3) THE TEETERING CROWN formed France’s representative body, with one vote All this chaos and class-leveling was weakening • Active resistance to representative political Versailles per Estate. The common people pushed for one army discipline and effectiveness, and other coun- power man-one vote, but the other guys were in the nu- tries began to attack on Louis XVI’s behalf (they • Ignoring existential threats to people and merical minority, and didn’t want to lose their grip still believed in monarchies). This exacerbated con- country on power, so, no go. Well, the commoners – sens- ditions at home, the army revolted and arrested • Rise of reactionary policies and violence ing there was strength in numbers - began meeting the King, and the Jacobins party, lead by Maximilen amongst themselves and the talk was of democ- Robespierre, gained power. The King was tried for • Tabloids and pamphlets spreading racy and fair taxation — certainly threatening to — conspiring with enemies of France — and misinformation

4 Continued, next page 5 Next On Tap... Challenging Visions: The Art of Peggy Thurston Farrell & Pacia Sallomi by Jim Toth

contemporary Next On Tap... returns for a third season, and we’re happy to welcome four new breweries this year. From the time of El Greco, visual artists have often been revolutionists, chal- A free beer tasting is included with the ticket purchase for the second Saturday of each production. A lenging the powers that be and confronting their representative from the brewery is on hand to sample three to four of their beers, ranging from their audiences with different perspectives and hidden, tried and true favorites to new releases. In addition, each production will have a featured beer on sale or not-so-hidden, truths. They have also played the at our bar from that month’s participating brewery. role of revolutionist in more intimate ways, explor- Check out the breweries we’re partnering with below. Stay tuned to social media and email for additional ing and exposing our inner lives and the social dy- details! namics of which we are all a part. Our guest artists, Peggy Thurston Farrell and Pacia Sallomi represent both. Third Space Brewing Black Husky Brewing Peggy’s FoxConn Series of silkscreen collages was Production: THE REVOLUTIONISTS Production: A SMALL FIRE inspired by the consequences of “progress” as de- Saturday, October 5, 2019 • 7pm Date: Saturday, February 8, 2020 • 7pm fined by the massive project underway in Racine Third Space Brewing is a production brewery, tap Black Husky Brewing began in 2010 in a small log County where, as she observes, “In order to build room and beer garden that opened in Milwaukee’s cabin in the woods of Pembine, WI. Inspired by the this hub, hundreds of acres of beautiful farmland historic Menomonee River Valley in September dogs in their son’s sled dog kennel, co-founders in Mount Pleasant were sold and bulldozed. Natu- 2016. Their name comes from the concept that Tim and Toni Eichinger named the brewery after ral habitats were destroyed, wetlands filled in, and L-R: Birds on a Wire, Conversation III, Night Tango with Red Interval people need a “third space” in their lives after home their beloved husky, Howler. Each of their beers’ 100-year-old oak trees cut down. Once beautiful and work. According to Ray Oldenburg, who initial- names is associated with the dogs from the kennel. farms were now deserts of flattened dirt.” Through Pacia’s paintings are her “way of exploring the spir- ly coined the term, a third space is “a public place In 2016, Black Husky moved its brewery operations layers of images and symbols, Peggy expresses her itual qualities of lived life” and are the result of “an where people can gather, put aside concerns of to the Riverwest neighborhood where they cur- concerns about the negative impact of loosening intuitive process that is informed by experience, re- home and work and hang out simply for the plea- rently operate a taproom and produce their beers. environmental standards and the greed that often search and journaling.” However, her artwork not sures of good company and lively conversation.” plays a major role in corporate decisions. only tells us something about how she sees the world, it invites us to join her in that vision; to ex- plore new perspectives; to consider deeper mean- ings and connections that are not always immedi- ately evident. Pacia Sallomi and Peggy Thurston Farrell, both nationally recognized for their art, are long- time members of the art faculty at Carroll Uni- Lost Valley Cider Co. versity in Waukesha. I am honored to share their Melms Brewing Company Production: 9 CIRCLES work with the Next Act Theatre community and Production: LAUGHTER ON THE 23RD FLOOR Saturday, April 11, 2020 • 7pm commend them for their years of dedication to Saturday, November 30, 2019 • 7pm their students as artist/art educators. You can Lost Valley Cider Co. is built on the ardent belief learn more about them by visiting their websites: Melms Brewing Company is the rebirth of one of that life is an adventure worth exploring. They’ve peggythurstonfarrell.com and paciasallomi.com. Milwaukee’s original brewing powerhouses, trans- found their Lost Valley: it’s a state of mind. An formed into a small craft brewery with a taproom openness to the vast potential of the universe. The in Hartland. Founded in 1854, the original brewery feeling you get through shared new experiences. Jim Toth is a retired art educator, now in his was on Street in Walker’s Point. By 1860, Their taproom and bottleshop in Walker’s Point What Happened to Our Water? fifth season as Next Act’s volunteer gallery curator. Melms had become the largest brewery in Milwau- opened in 2016. Along with their very own house kee and C.T. Melms is widely considered to be the ciders, Lost Valley features over 20 taps dedicated first Milwaukee “beer baron.” It was sold to Pabst solely to cider. NEXT ACT BOARD OF DIRECTORS in 1869, but after a four year fundraising campaign, SKYLINE CATERING Creating events for the downtown Milwaukee area since 1997. Melms reopened in March 2018. PRESIDENT We are proud sponsors of Next Act Theatre! Dave Anderson VICE PRESIDENT SECRETARY Daniel P. Murray Joyce Mielke TREASURER IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Tom Gauthier Cathryn Jakicic

Terri Alioto Kelsey Lawler Sean Rierdon WHAT’S NEXT is a quarterly publication of Next Act Theatre Michael Burzynski* Steve Marcus* Susan Schoenfeld 255 S. Water Street PO Box 394 | Milwaukee, WI 53201 • 414-278-7780 • Contact Ernie or Robin for your next corporate or personal Mohammad N. ElBsat Donna Martynski Sandra Zingler www.nextact.org • email [email protected] breakfast, lunch, dinner or appetizer event. [email protected] | [email protected] | 414.294.4808 John McGivern Editors Rebecca Moder & David Cecsarini Layout Rose Delaney * Past President 6 7 PO Box 394 Milwaukee, WI 53201

Box Office 414-278-0765 Administration 414-278-7780 255 S. Water St. • Milwaukee, WI 53204 www.nextact.org E-mail [email protected]

The Her-story of the Fempire – Trivia of the Ladies of THE REVOLUTIONISTS Guillotined July 17, 1793 Guillotined November 3, 1793 • Gained access to the room where she • Wrote “The Declaration of the Rights killed radical revolutionary, Jean Paul of Woman,” a response to the “The Marat (who was in a medicinal bath due Declaration of the Rights of Man and to a skin condition) by promising to give the Citizen” written by the Marquis him names from the more moderate de Lafayette with input from Thomas political party he opposed (which she Jefferson. The dedication was addressed supported) to Marie Antoinette • Given the nickname “The Angel of Assassination” by • Included Marie Antoinette as a character in her writer in 1847 unfinished last play, FRANCE PRESERVED OR THE TYRANT DETHRONED, the manuscript of which was Marie Antoinette Guillotined October 16, 1793 used as condemning evidence in Olympe’s trial • “” is the most famous quote attributed to Marie Antoinette. Angelle Not an historical person However, there is no historical evidence • Has the same name as La Marianne, the national that she ever said it. It is thought symbol of the French Republic, which emerged that the revolutionaries spread it as during the French Revolution propaganda. • Based on the women lost to history who were a • Initially buried in , part of the slave rebellion in Saint Domingue, Haiti, one of four cemeteries used to dispose of guillotine which started in 1791 and was the first successful victims during the Reign of Terror (including slave revolt in the world Charlotte, Olympe, and Marie’s husband Louis XVI); later exhumed with Louis and moved to the Basilica of St. Dénis

THE REVOLUTIONISTS is generously sponsored by Larry & Patty Compton and Dr. David Paris Dentistry