Phot by Michael Brosilow
Run Bambi Run
Erika Olson and cast in the Milwaukee Rep's ‘Run Bambi Run’
Milwaukee’s mainstream theater season for 2023-24 offers a host of LGBTQ relevant fare.
In October, Milwaukee Chamber Theater mounts a reprise of Brent Hazelton’s Liberace. Having premiered locally a decade ago, this intimate study of West Allis’ favorite son explores both the artistic extroversion and internal struggle of the closeted but ostentatiously fey gay and besequined celebrity pianist in a homophobic world.
Also in October, the Skylight Music Theater’s season opens with Candide, a work created in 1956 (in the midst of the Lavender Scare, by the way) by the triumvirate of top tier musical gays, composer Leonard Bernstein with lyricists Steven Sondheim and John Latouche. Ironically, reverentially or coincidentally, Bernstein biographer Joan Payne referred to Candide as a “gay pastiche.” Not surprisingly, the work is based on a satirical novel of the same title by another gay (or, perhaps bisexual) blade, the Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire. His dalliances with men began, according to his own account, with Jesuit instructors at his Catholic alma mater in 18th century “gay Paree.” Among his later paramours was Prussia’s Frederick the Great, (the same King of Prussia for which King of Prussia, Pennsylvania is named, by the way).
Music and Comedy
Speaking of trios and same sex dalliances, in spring 2024, the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Quadracci Powerhouse presents Christina Ham’s Nina Simone: Four Women. Focusing on the spell-casting jazz singer’s role as civil rights activist, the show is the third Rep production over recent years featuring LGBTQ identified Black female singers. Previously Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith were on the marquee and this season Nina Simone completes the trinity. The aspect of sexual identity, save for some titillating hints, has not, however, played much of a role in the back stories presented in the previous productions. It will be interesting to see just how, or even if, the subject is broached this time around.
Later in the Skylight’s season, the musical comedy Xanadu with music and lyrics by apparently straight (nobody’s perfect) Jeff Lynne and John Farrar hits the stage. One critic called Xanadu a gayer version of Spamalot (which was petty gay). Then there’s Spring Awakening, inevitably another gay collaboration, this time with music by Duncan Sheik and lyrics by Steven Sater.
Last but not least, in charming Waukesha, Outskirts Theatre Company celebrates its tenth season with four productions including a pair of LGBTQ relevant shows. Diane Son’s lesbian themed Stop Kiss opens in April at the Waukesha Civic Theatre. Then, in June for Pride Month 2024, Outskirts stages the ever-popular gay family musical comedy, La Cage aux Folles. The nine performance run takes place, appropriately enough, at Milwaukee’s La Cage NiteClub in its upper room theater venue. In fact, auditions for the show take place this month on Oct. 16 at La Cage. Information may be found on the Outskirts social media page.
Meanwhile, The Rep has announced its Pride Night dates for the season. Hosted by the Wisconsin LGBT Chamber of Commerce buttressed by a busty quintet of Cream City’s most celebrated drag queens, the first has already taken place for the September opening of Run Bambi Run, a rock musical based on the infamous Milwaukee murderess Laurie “Bambi” Bembenek (wouldn’t it be fun if someone would revive Dale Gutzman’s 1991 play Bembenek?). Anyway, future Pride Nights take place in November for Dial M for Murder and, naturally, for Nina Simone: Four Women in April 2024.
Suffice it to say, between the LGBTQ dedicated productions by the Boulevard Theatre and Theatrical Tendencies and those staged by the mainstream houses, this season may be one of the gayest we’ve had the pleasure of seeing in years.
