The lives of authors can be every bit as mundane as the lives of everyone else. There's a compelling kind of drama in the kind of personality that can carve things out of one's head and derive sustenance from it, though.
Donald Marguiles explores that kind of drama in Collected Stories. In a plot mirroring themes found in Mamet's A Life In The Theatre, we have a young artist working with an established one. Successful author tutors bright-eyed, young student and personalities change.
The Milwaukee Chamber Theatre continues it s season with a production of the drama starring American Players Theatre's charming Sarah Day as the established author to Laura Frye's energetic student. C. Michael Wright directs the show as a collaboration with Madison's Forward Theatre Company. Wright has proven his abilities as a director countless times since taking over as Artistic Director of Milwaukee Chamber and here he's working really, really closely with a couple of really talented actors. This should be a fun trip to the Broadway Theatre Center's Studio Theatre. This kind of show works best with the stage being set-up lengthwise rather than straight ahead that way it so often is. I'm hoping that more of the audience can be closer to the story here . . . after all, that's the big appeal of connecting-up with an author, isn't it?
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's production of Collected Stories runs November 21st - December 16th. For ticket reservations, call 414-291-7800 or visit Milwaukee Chamber theatre online.
