Milwaukee Chamber Traces Life of ‘Witch’s House’ Owner Mary Nohl

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Photo by Michael Brusasco

'Maybe We'll Fly' - Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (2026)

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre's 2026 production of 'Maybe We'LL Fly' (2026)

A world premiere by noted Milwaukee playwright Marie Kohler brings a special kind of power to the walls of Milwaukee Chamber Theatre. The company opened its 52nd season last Saturday with a tribute to the late local artist, Mary Nohl. Kohler’s play, Maybe We’ll Fly, continues through October 11 on the intimate Studio stage at the Broadway Theatre Center.

The “power” created by this play is not the type you might associate with the owner of the commonly known Witch’s House. There is nothing otherworldly or ghostly happening onstage, except perhaps for the memories Mary kept of her relatives and friends who no longer walking this Earth.

What drew interest (and ire) from residents and frequent onlookers at the Witch’s House was Mary’s large, odd-looking concrete and wood sculptures. More than 100 of these creations eventually dotted the property. Mary, a trained artist, lived in the house with her parents for years after graduating from art school. She eventually took over the property after their deaths. Mary died in 2001.

Mary Nohl’s thoughts, work and lifestyle become the focus of Marie Kohler’s long-gestating play. It took Kohler 12 years and a couple of workshops to perfect the illuminating tale that now unfolds at Chamber Theatre.

Independent, Free-Spirited Woman

The playwright, who met Mary Nohl only once, says in the program notes that her work is not meant to be autobiographical. It is simply “inspired by” this strong, independent, free-spirited woman who lived life on her own terms.

The play begins with Mary in the final chapter of her life (played with grace and sensitivity by well-known Milwaukee actor Leslie Fitzwater). As Mary contemplates her eventual demise, she wonders what might happen to the treasured “critters” (as she called them) that decorated her lawn.

While watching the play, audiences learn that Nohl was never one to go along with the expectations of others. She spoke up for herself as a young girl and continued this independent streak for her entire life. Her father, a wealthy lawyer, left her enough money (an estate of $11 million) so that her day-to-day survival was never a concern. Nohl never married nor had children, and she spent her days creating art.

From her youth, Nohl was fascinated by the natural world around her. She greeted herons and walked along the sandy shores of Lake Michigan each morning. Like her father, Mary was a collector. However, instead of collecting stamps, coins or paperweights, Mary’s collection included odd bits of driftwood, sea glass and colorful cigar bands (which she happily fetched out of gutters). Many of these “prized possessions” later became incorporated into Mary’s sculptures.

Four Seasons

The play splits Nohl’s life into four phases. Fitzwater, known in the play’s program as “Winter,” begins a monologue that is accompanied by lovely cello music (by Alicia Storin). This music is incorporated into an evocative soundscape by music director and sound designer Josh Schmidt.

We are soon introduced to “Spring,” who portrays Nohl as a young girl. On opening night, actor Lainey Techtmann breezed onto the stage wearing a crisp white summer dress. Her attire (with matching hair ribbon) would have been appropriate for an upper-class family in that era. (On alternating nights, the part is played by Amelia Sajdak.)

As an older “Summer” (deftly created by Chicago actor Emma Rosenthal), Nohl spreads her wings beyond her family’s rigid environment. She enters a university but scorns the vapidness of her female classmates. In her letters to her father, she describes how their heart’s desire is to become “pinned,” a forerunner to getting engaged and then married.

A fourth season of Nohl’s life is encapsulated by another well-known Milwaukee actor, Karen Estrada. As “Autumn,” Nohl relishes her new-found freedom once her elderly parents are gone.

Individually and together, the four women weave a transfixing spell throughout. Thanks in part to the excellent direction of Elizabeth Margolius, the play’s movement, singing, music and dialogue complement each other nicely. The overall effect is sometimes poetic, sometimes starkly realistic. It is as unique as the art Mary Nohl once created.

Maybe We’ll Fly runs through October 11 in the Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center. The play runs 80 minutes with no intermission. For tickets, visit milwaukeechambertheatre.org, or call the box office at 414-291-7800.