ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL
Feb 3 – March 7, 2010
Directed by: Mark Bucher
This rare and wonderfully bittersweet romance tells the tale of a physician’s daughter, Helena (Shannon Nettesheim), who is deeply in love with the fickle, aloof Betram (Chad Laudonio). Betram, the son of the Countess of Rossillion (Karen Ambrosh), is far above Helena in social status and is immeasurably beyond her reach romantically. Helena can either accept her restricted social standing (and a life of spinsterhood) or she must discover a way to simultaneously lift herself from her less than noble status, achieve social mobility, and win Betram’s unresponsive heart.
And Shakespeare’s heroine must accomplish all this while curing the ailing King of France (Charles Hanel) from his mysterious fatal disease, confront the Countess of Rossillion (Betram’s mother and Helena’s protector & guardian) about loving Betram, and solve the conundrum of Betram’s challenge (that he will never consider her as his wife until she can get his late father’s bequeathed ring off his finger and carry his child). Bertram’s challenge seems impossible to conquer as Betram has sworn to the Countess that he will never remove his late father’s ring and has publicly stated that he will never lie with Helena and will never allow himself to have sexual relations with her.
Also included in this romantic entanglement are: Betram’s mentor and ne’er-do-well braggart, Parolles (David Flores); the Countess’ sly & sarcastic clown Lavatch (Mark Ninneman); the King’s counsel, Lord Lafew (Douglas Smedbron), the lovely Italian girl whom the young Betram desires and pursues, Diana (Melissa Keith); the Dumaine brothers who serve the King of France (Paul Madden and Hugh Blewett); and the Countess’ handmaiden, Violetta (Jamieson Hawkins). Other local Milwaukee actors round out the large cast.
IT’S YOUR MOTHER
March 30 – May 9, 2010
Directed by: Mark Bucher
The Midwest premiere of Patricia Durante & Betsy Tuxill’s charming new play IT’S YOUR MOTHER! This delightful, touching script hilariously explores the “Mother Versus Daughter” dynamic.
IT’S YOUR MOTHER! is absolutely the best way to shake off the last dregs of Wisconsin winter and is guaranteed to put a spring in your step. This 80-minute romp takes a comedic look at the mother/child relationship and features actresses Marion Araujo, Leea Glasheen, Lisa Golda, Jan Gomper, Nicole Gorski, Christine Horgen, Melissa Keith, Jenny Kostreva, Rachel Lewandowski, Sandy Lewis, Shannon Nettesheim, Shemagne O’Keefe, Karen Suckow, Michael Tyburski, Barbara Weber, and Brooke Wegner.*
Through a series of scenes and monologues (a daughter returning home from college, planning a wedding, and how to raise children!), IT’S YOUR MOTHER! explores the tensions inherent in the relationship between mothers and daughters. This exciting new play by the East Coast team of Durante & Tuxill is always honest, often hysterical and, at times, deeply touching.
FOURPLAY: 4 COMEDIES OF SEDUCTION
July 28 – Sep 5, 2010
FOURPLAY will be the opening production in the Ensemble’s stellar line-up of scripts which includes Evan Smith’s wholly entertaining comedy THE SAVANNAH DISPUTATION, Gina Gionfriddo’s romantic romp BECKY SHAW, and Luigi Pirandello’s puzzler RIGHT YOU ARE! (IF YOU THINK YOU ARE!). Both SAVANNAH DISPUTATION and BECKY SHAW are Milwaukee premieres.
In FOURPLAY, the Boulevard (Milwaukee’s pioneer neighborhood theatre) has hand-picked four exquisitely crafted comedies to open its “Silver Anniversary Season,” and these comic cameos include celebrated East Coast playwright John Patrick Shanley’s early, charming tribute to young love entitled THE RED COAT as well as Elaine Jarvik’s reflection on matrimonial bliss DEAD RIGHT.
Both THE RED COAT (featuring Hugh Blewett, Keigan Vannoy) and DEAD RIGHT (featuring Barbara Weber and Mark Ninneman) are Milwaukee premieres and both will showcase the directing debut of Milwaukee actor Paul Madden. Madden won acclaim for his acting work in previous Boulevard productions (STATIONS OF THE CROSS, THE MARRIAGE OF BETTE & BOO, ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL).
FOURPLAY’s program of plays includes two scripts which have been produced previously in Milwaukee and which have proven themselves Milwaukee audience favorites: David Ives’ frenetic frolic of public “pick-up” SURE THING and Harold Pinter’s deviously clever marital indictment THE LOVER. SURE THING will be enacted by two Milwaukee favorites (Brooke Wegner, Ken Dillon) while THE LOVER presents an equally impressive two-handed cast (Ericka Wade, Jason Wills). Local actor/writer Tom Dillon makes his directing debut with SURE THING and Boulevard’s Artistic Director Mark Bucher tackles THE LOVER.
Dillon has appeared countless times with the Boulevard (AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN, THE LAST DAYS OF JUDAS ISCARIOT, MRS. FARNSWORTH, THE DAYS OF WINE & ROSES) as well as many other theatres (Windfall, Dramatists Theatre, etc.) and is a recognized face amongst Milwaukee audiences.
