Since 2014, Cabaret Milwaukee has been staging original, 1940s-style radio dramas in historic venues that embody the spirit of the era. The company’s latest home is the bar and restaurant of the Astor Hotel, where this season it’s reprising its “Jealous Revolver” trilogy, a pulpy crime series filled with sly nods to Milwaukee’s past. Like their old-time inspirations, the stories don’t beat around the bush: Episode One opens with a thief tied to a chair in the back of a speakeasy, soon to be executed by Vick Marconi, a hotheaded gangster played with devilish menace by Kerric Stephens.
The script delivers the expected gunfire, femme fatales and betrayals, but also ample levity in the form of the station’s frequent breaks for musical interludes, news updates and even a tap dance performance. The station’s resident trio, The Howling Jinglers, serenade the audience with chipper jingles about local institutions, including Pabst beer, Transfer Pizzeria and the Astor Hotel, itself, while a pair of spirited crusaders, played by Samantha Paige Deibler and Deborah Oetinger, engage in a heated debate about the proper way for women to assist the war effort.
The night is soundtracked by pianist Joe Makovec and violinist Allen Russell, who provide a sizzling jazz accompaniment. They’re also joined by crooner Cameron Webb, a regular at the Jazz Estate, on several numbers, including a smoldering rendition of a Billie Holiday classic. The old-time radio format may be antiquated, but it’s easy to see why Cabaret Milwaukee has embraced it: It allows the troupe to pack a lot of entertainment into two hours.
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Through Sept. 14 at the Astor Bar, 924 E. Juneau Ave. For tickets, visit brownpapertickets.com/event/3515165.
