In Catherine Trieschmann's How the World Began, Milwaukee Rep's Deborah Staples stars as a teacher who moves from New York to teach in the rural Midwest in the wake of a major natural disaster. She finds further difficulties in teaching science to people of a very different cultural mindset. Staples summons admirable passion and sophistication in her performance as an educator having to face a new job and a pregnancy on her own, far removed from family and friends. In addition, a remark made during a lecture on the origin of life sets her at odds with the fiercely religious community she has come to call home.
Rep newcomer Ben Charles plays Micah—a student trying to make sense of life after the disaster. He is troubled by what she says and attempts to confront her. Charles does a good job of bringing the interpersonal, intellectual drama to the stage. It feels a bit awkward seeing someone as old as Charles play a high schooler, but he carries it well.
Marty Lodge (also new to The Rep) plays a concerned citizen acting as Micah's guardian. He is a sparklingly pleasant presence onstage who manages to make the character's nosy intrusiveness seem less than offensive.
The Milwaukee Rep's production of How The World Began runs through Feb. 24 at the Stiemke Studio Theatre, 108 E. Wells St. For ticket reservations, call 414-224-9490.
