In Tandem Theatre
Philadelphia-born-and-raised playwright Bruce Graham—who has only been to Milwaukee once, but says he likes brats and loves our airport—is author of 13 published full-length plays, one of which, Any Given Monday, opens at In Tandem Theatre next Friday, Oct. 2. Graham’s Barrymore Award-winning play, of which he “thought about for maybe 30 years and then wrote it in two weeks,” takes us on a journey with Lenny, the most decent guy in the world, and how “he has to tap into his own little dark side when his life gets turned upside down.”
When asked what inspired him to write the piece, Graham replied, “I’ve always wanted to write a play that took place during a Monday Night Football Game. I think football’s a great metaphor for the underlying violence in people. Had I lived in the time of the Romans, I would have had season tickets to the gladiators.” He adds, “I know this will sound shallow, but I’m an entertainer. I just want folks to get involved in the story and characters and—at least with this one—laugh a lot. If they get anything deeper out of it, hell, there’s no extra charge.”
The piece also has some autobiographical aspects. “My best friend does work in a subway. I’ve been an English teacher. I love the score to To Kill a Mockingbird,” Graham shares. “And when my wife read it she said, ‘I don’t think I like this play. I’m Lenny, aren’t I?’ And she was right.”
Any Given Monday, directed by Chris Flieller, runs Oct. 2-25 at Tenth Street Theatre, 628 N. 10th St. Show recommended for ages 16 and up. For more information and tickets, call 414-271-1371 or visit intandemtheatre.org.
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Theatre Happenings:
* Yussef El Guindi’s Back of the Throat makes its Milwaukee premiere at Next Act Theatre (225 S. Water St.) Oct. 1-25. Show director Edward Morgan says, “The collision of the Middle East and the West is the dominant crisis of our time and Back of the Throat is an outlandish close-up on some of the consequences.” For tickets, call 414-278-0765 or visit nextact.org.
* Acacia Theatre Company and Morning Star Productions co-present the regional premiere of Freud’s Last Session, which details an imaginary intellectual encounter between a 41-year-old C.S. Lewis and an 83-year-old Sigmund Freud on the day England entered World War II. The show, featuring David Sapiro and Simon Jon Provan, runs Oct. 2-25 at Eastbrook Church, 5385 N. Green Bay Ave. For tickets, call 414-744-5995 or visit acaciatheatre.com.
* Sunset Playhouse’s SideNotes Cabaret Series presents Rana…Roamin’: A Musical Memoir, a one-woman piece featuring singer-actress Rana Roman and her journeys in Milwaukee and many places in between. Performances run Oct. 1-3 at 800 Elm Grove Road. For tickets, call 262-782-4430 or visit sunsetplayhouse.com.
* Falls Patio Players celebrates its 50th anniversary with the production of Godspell Oct. 2-4 and 9-11 at North Middle School Auditorium, N88 W16750 Garfield Drive, Menomonee Falls. There will be a cake and coffee reception in the lobby following the opening night performance. For more information and tickets, call 262-255-8372 or visit fallspatioplayers.com.
