Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's World Premiere, 'Christmas in Babylon'

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Photo Credit: Paul Ruffolo

The holidays are a wonderful but often stressful time of the year, and such is the case in Babylon—specifically North Babylon, a suburb on Long Island, home to the McShanes.

Terry (Tom Klubertanz), his wife Denise (Mary MacDonald Kerr) and their daughter Abby (Sara Zientek) struggle with their frustrations and anxieties of dealing with their blue-collar life. Terry hems and haws about the good old days and his seemingly unambitious daughter, while Denise rolls her eyes. The McShanes already drive each other crazy, but their lives are turned even more upside down when Terry’s high school girlfriend Kathleen O’Rourke (Laura Gray) and her daughter Kelly (Eva Nimmer) enter the picture. Terry is puzzled why Kathleen, who is now a trippy dippy self-help guru, and her daughter, studying to be a doctor, have an interest his life after such a long absence. Their lifestyles seem to be as different as can be—the McShanes eat pizza from paper plates while Kathleen stays in a $400 a night hotel, treating herself to an Icelandic masseuse. Terry and his family are pushed off the deep end as they evaluate their lives after Kathleen reveals a 25-year-old secret.

The world premiere of Christmas in Babylon, presented by Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, has a script written by James DeVita (a native of Long Island, who studied at UW-Milwaukee). It’s a nice mix of comedy and some tender sarcastic but sweet family moments. Christmas in Babylon delivers a solid and funny performance from the entire cast. It shows that family should stick together through thick and thin, even (and maybe especially) if you drive each other up a wall.

Through Dec. 23 at Broadway Theatre Center’s Studio Theatre, 158 N. Broadway. For tickets visit milwaukeechambertheatre.com.