The Boulevard Theatre's latest production is the Milwaukee premiere of <em>This Lime Tree Bower</em>, a trio of interconnected monologues by Irish playwright Conor McPherson. This drama tells the story of three people coming of age in unique ways at different stages of life. In the confines of its snug studio theater, the Boulevard does a nice job of tapping into the stories.<br /><br />Donald Madden plays Joe, who is going through all of the problems that a schoolboy runs into on the verge of adulthoodincluding a raging libido and the desire to drink. The character doesn't offer much in the way of originality, but Madden is able to bring enough genuine sweetness to the stage to make the role work.<br /><br />Marty McNamee plays Ray, a college professor. Ray is a bit stunted emotionally, but in the course of the play he achieves a sense of accomplishment in life that he may not quite have expected.<br /><br />Rachel Lewandowski is absolutely irresistible as Frankie, a girl who makes a sudden decision involving a gun and a rather large sum of money. It adds a fantastic element to an otherwise mundane story. Lewandowski makes the character's decisions feel not only believable, but also completely unavoidable. The force of her performance ties the three narratives together into what ends up being an enjoyable show.<br /><br />The Boulevard Theatre's production of <em>This Lime Tree Bower </em>runs through April 1.<sup> </sup>For ticket reservations, call 414-744-5757.
