Posted September 11, 2006
By Warren Gerds
“3 Stories from Middleville”
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, through Oct. 14 at Venture Theatre, De Pere.
$12 adults, $10 students. Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes.
3.5 stars (out of four)
DE PERE — In a production that at first seems makeshift, then becomes defined, Venture Theatre ventures into the new again in “3 Stories from Middleville.”
The play with three separate stories with interconnecting arcs is running on weekends into October in the shoebox theater.
The stories have these things in common: They take place in a town called Middleville, are written by young local playwright Matt Worzala, directed by Mike Eserkaln, performed almost completely by six actors, introduced by graphics and a bit of story-fitting music and presented in black and white.
The last item is crucial. “3 Stories from Middleville” is set in 1953, and Worzala’s big (unspoken) joke is everything in the ’50s is in black and white. After all, TV was, and so were many of the movies.
The stories also play with ’50s stuff — wholesome families, Communists, conspiracies, sci fi, private eyes and a lot more. Introductory music is wonderful popular songs of the time.
It’s interesting that Worzala is interested. The era is before his time, yet he has knowledge of genres that are part of the stories.
The stories turn back time in another way. The first, “All Before Dinner,” takes place two weeks after an earthquake in Middleville. The second, “Monkey-Kidnapped!” takes place one day after the earthquake. “Attack of the Mole-Men” happens on the day of the earthquake and explains in all its goofy glory why there was an earthquake.
The play puts the players to the test. They’re different people in each play (except for a comical crossover from one story to the next) of varying ages and mannerisms. Some do the flip-flopping more easily than others, though everybody’s comedy experience shows.
The character-changing, energized cast is made up of Peter Blavat, Justina Cegelski, Jessica Green, Jared Knabenbauer, Mike Lorenz and Nick Ludy.
Blavat and Lorenz are the surest actors, and Knabenbauer has a fantastic effect that helps make “Attack of the Mole-Men” the strongest piece.
The stories tease phony facades of TV families, twitching about Commies, almost-real science advances and, for some reason, Ohio.
New, original, local, adventuresome, thought-out, fun — “3 Stories from Middleville” has its share of pluses.
