It's always interesting when shows get announced only weeks before their openings. So many shows appear months after they were first mentioned. Months of advance notice is nice, but the last-minute ones keep a theatre season interesting. Not too long ago, the latest new theatre companyThe Damned Theatre announced its premiere productionA Rising Wind. It's a drama about the sinking of the Lady Elgin.
The show opens a week from next Wednesdaythe 150th Anniversary of the sinking of the ship. The Civil War-era sinking was one of the greatest naval disasters in the history of the Midwest. At least 400 died when the overloaded passenger liner was hit by a lumber schooner.
On September 8th, The Damned Theatre debuts a script about the tragedy written by seasoned local theatre veterans John Kishline and Edward Morgan. Morgan directs an interesting mix of a cast including Kishline, recent Madison import Georgina McKee, Sherrick Robinson, Jonathon Wainwright and provocative experimental playwright/musician/actor Peter J. Woods. There's a subtle complexity to the castquite a diversity of talent going on here that could be staggeringly interesting. To see a group like this tackle an ancient tragedy should be really, really interesting.
A Rising Wind runs September 8th-11th at Best Place Tavern in the Pabst Brewery Complex on 901 West Juneau in Milwaukee. Tickets are a suggested donation of $10.
