For the past six years, Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s acting and directing interns have gotten to show what they’ve learned in an evening of short plays. This year’s Rep Lab showcases eight short plays (each about 10-15 minutes) in a two-hour presentation. Although brief, each play is meticulously selected, fully rehearsed, and accompanied by props, lighting, costumes and sound. The labs always are held in the Rep’s smaller, more intimate Stiemke Theater. Over the years, the Rep Lab has become so popular that its brief run has been extended to five days. Still, prospective patrons who don’t snap up tickets early may be shut out. This year’s lab added three additional performances after the originally announced run completely sold out weeks prior to opening. What struck this reviewer as different about this year’s production (having seen four of the five previous labs) was its emphasis on comedy. Only one entry (and one of its best) fell into the category of drama. As usual, the selected plays deal with topics that are familiar with the young actors: childhood, war, and relationships. The number of plays, and their rapid-paced presentation, has its pros and cons. The downside is that audiences can enjoy each play in the moment but may not recall many of them individually. Perhaps only one scenario, or a couple of characters, may imprint themselves after the final curtain comes down. (Most audience members don’t take notes on each short play. Thankfully, reviewers do take notes – mostly, so they can rank the plays afterwards. In the current crop of plays, two are outstanding and one deserves special mention. This doesn’t mean the others aren’t worth doing or that the acting/directing is not enjoyable. Indeed, the Rep Lab is still a highlight of the entire Rep season. It gives audiences a glimpse of emerging young talent that will shape theater in years to come. With that in mind, the “best of the best,” as it were, involves satire (in the first piece) and drama (in the second). In Controlling Interest by Wayne Rawley, parallels are drawn between the corporate boardroom and the playground. At first, the audience is presented with a handful of actors dressed in suits and ties, or in buttoned-down shirts and twill slacks. The actors sit at a conference table that faces a dry-erase board. Everyone at the table is a guy – which may not be noticeable to the audience until they start their meeting. It quickly becomes clear that this is a playroom in someone’s house, and these “executives” are actually eight-year-olds. This being the case, the subject matter veers toward topics such as snot, sand hill-smashing and “cooties.” One actor repeatedly intones, “I’m not comfortable with this.” The meeting’s leader introduces an idea: Is it possible to like girls? Once all the groaning and laughter dies down, the leader announces that he has invited some girls to discuss this. A pair of “girls” (wearing grown-up makeup, trendy outfits and heels) shows up. Both Bridgid Abrams and Kammeran Tyree are hysterical as they let the boys know what they are in for. The guys (Di’Monte Henning, Riley O’Toole, Jared Davis and Martin Hanna) are, at first, stunned. The leader dismisses the girls, not showing the anxiety he faces at contemplating what’s to come. JC Clements, a former directing intern, smoothly directs a play that is delightful to watch.
The second-best effort involves a young career Marine (Bridgid Adams). Dressed in military fatigues, she takes her first parachute jump. But she gets tangled in her parachute in mid-air. As she descends to the ground, she knows she is going to die. As she dives toward Earth, she “hears” the comforting words of her drill sergeant, reminding her that she’s not alone. During the entire sequence, Adams stands in the center of a parachute. She is surrounded by other Marines, at least one of which is trying to reach her in time. Adams doesn’t move – all of her emotions are registered from her neck to her head. Under the taut direction of Leda Hoffman, the piece rivets the audience. One almost holds one’s breath, waiting to see the outcome.
The third piece, written by Jami Brandli, is an appropriately seasonal tribute. Eggnog Martinis and Cosmo-ho-hos is set at a party on Christmas Eve. It includes a waiter dressed as an elf at a holiday party (Di’Monte Henning) and what turns out to be a real elf (Riley O’Toole). Like the aforementioned Controlling Interest, this piece keeps the waiter in the dark (although the audience has its suspicions from the start, given the elf’s peculiar behavior). As the two men wait for the bartender to re-appear (he never does), they commiserate about having to work on a holiday. Although the piece is somewhat dated, its dialogue about social issues is nicely performed under Ryan Holihan’s direction. The actors’ comic timing is especially notable. The Rep is to be commended—not just for presenting the annual Rep Lab--but mainly for its role in developing young artists. Those who attend these productions are watching history in the making, as fine actors and directors demonstrate the skills they’ve learned, while continuing to develop their craft in this fertile ground.
