Pink Banana is somethingof an older sibling to younger Milwaukeetheater companies, having featured many people who have gone on to found othertheater groups. For example, actor and Youngblood co-founder Michael Cotey hadone of his first directorial experiences with a Pink Banana short. This year’sone-act program is no exception, and provides a couple of actors with someinteresting directing opportunities.
Jason Waszak, currentlyappearing in the comedy Bye Bye Liverat Mi-Key’s, directs Bethany Ligocki and newcomer Jose Rodriguez in Romantic Chemistry, my entry into thisyear’s program. It’s the story of two people and their chemical baggage on adate. In Patrik Beck’s Pecking Order,talented comic actor Nick Firer directs and acts, appearing as a manager in aplay described as “business as usual.”
The program alsoincludes works by Boston’s Martha Patterson, Sheboygan’s Lisa Goldaand Whitewater native Neil Haven, who is best known for his feature-lengthworks Stuck and Who Killed Santa?
Newer actors will mixwith established talent, including frequent Wisconsin Hybrid Theater performerRandall T. Anderson and Vince Figueroa of the local sketch comedy groupMeanwhile. Figueroa also wrote the comedy 8-BitWarrior.
There’s a distinct charmto watching eight short productions in a single evening. Seeing largelyuntested talent producing plays on a small stage offers a different kind oftheater experiencea patchwork feel that is more restless and dynamic than thatof traditional feature-length programs.
Pink Banana Theatre’s Sex, Drugs and the American Way runs May 21 through June5 at the Off-Broadway Theatre.
Also opening thisweekend is SoulsticeTheatre’s production of Love Song, John Kolvenbach’s offbeatromantic comedy. A man falls in love with a woman who breaks into his home. Theromance hits the intimate stage at the Marian Centerfor Nonprofits through June 5.
