Illinois playwright Margaret Raether took inspiration from P.G. Wodehouse’s stories and created a trilogy of original plays featuring his characters. Milwaukee Chamber Theatre produced Jeeves Intervenes in 2010, Jeeves in Bloom in 2013 and this year, the company will wrap up its season with the final installment, Jeeves Takes a Bow.
Director Tami Workentin says Raether describes her pieces as “a nod to all the New York series featuring Bertie and Jeeves.” The premise? Bertie takes his charm (and lack of desire to do anything) to America, where in New York he finds out that his old friend Binky has a small part in a Broadway play and is using Bertie’s name as a stage name. This confusion is compounded by a kooky chorus girl, her gangster friend and multiple fiancées, but all ends well thanks to Jeeves.
Matt Daniels starred as Jeeves in the first two installments and will do so again in this final encore. “We have developed a ‘language’ now in how we work together,” says Workentin of working with Daniels. “Matt is brilliant at choreographing Jeeves’ movement through scenes as he follows and picks up the detritus along the way. [Daniels and I] had a conversation the other day where Matt also felt like now that he knows this character, he is able to give Jeeves extra flourish.” Also featured are Kay Allmand, Anna Cline, Chris Klopatek, Steve Koehler and Chase Stoeger. “Our cast is a great group of comedians that bring so much to this romp,” says Workentin. “I have loved seeing this series through to the end.”
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Jeeves Takes a Bow runs April 16-May 3 at Broadway Theatre Center’s Studio Theatre, 158 N. Broadway. For tickets, call 414-291-7800 or visit chamber-theatre.com.
Happenings:
■ Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater presents C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce, adapted by Max McLean and Brian Watkins, Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11 at 144 East Wells St. For tickets, call 414-286-3663 or visit greatdivorceonstage.com.
■ Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost comes to UW-Milwaukee Theatre’s Mainstage (2400 E. Kenwood Blvd.) April 15-19. Follow a young king and his best bachelor buddy on their journey to try and swear off women for three years. For tickets, call 414-229-4308 or visit www4.uwm.edu.
■ Soulstice Theatre (3770 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 2) presents The Pillowman, by Martin McDonagh, April 16-May 2. This compellingly dark production addresses the power of stories and evil that sometimes comes from people who misinterpret them. For tickets, call 414-481-2800 or visit soulsticetheatre.org.
■ Racine’s Over Our Head Players bring the satirical comedy Pageant Play to stage April 17-May 3. Two contest coaches lure parents with their seminar titled “Is My Child a Pageant Queen, and If Not, Can I Make Her One?” and, of course, Pinky wants her little darling Chevrolet to be victorious—even if it means using some unorthodox methods. For tickets, call 262-632-6802 or visit overourheadplayers.org.
■ Village Playhouse of Wauwatosa presents Moon Over Buffalo, a madcap comedy about fading stars George and Charlotte Hay who may have one last shot at stardom. Show runs April 17-May 3 at Inspiration Studios, 1500 S. 73rd St. For tickets, call 414-207-4879 or visit villageplayhouse.org.
■ The acclaimed Blue Man Group comes to the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts’ Uihlein Hall (929 N. Water St.), April 17-19. Blue Man Group is best known for their exciting combination of comedy, music, technology and paint that creates a totally unique form of entertainment and is accomplished without spoken word. For tickets, call 414-273-7206 or visit marcuscenter.org.
■ Cabin Fever, presented by Morning Star Productions April 17-26, shares the story of a male bonding weekend gone hilariously wrong. For tickets for the show at Eastbrook Church (5385 N. Green Bay Ave.), call 414-228-5220, ext. 119 or visit morningstarproductions.org.
