The Milwaukee Post

January 23, 2015 • Milwaukee County Post • 17 By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic MILWAUKEE — The theme of bullying is still getting a lot of focus these days, and well it should. Often the person who is different is the one that's bul- lied, whether it be a difference in religion, ethnicity or cultural practices. It could even be based on age, economic or intellectual status. We feel safest with those who are most like ourselves. Celebrating our differences sounds like a good practice, but it requires stretching bound- aries, which takes effort. That's why we must be reminded of it so often. Last season, First Stage offered us "Crash," which addressed the subject. This sea- son, the children's theater pres- entation of Y York's adaptation of Jerry Spinelli's novel "Stargirl" is on the docket to emphasize once again the dam- age bullying can do. It appeals to children ages 10 and older, for it takes place in a high school where a new girl who has been home-schooled up to now has just arrived on the scene, wear- ing a dress based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House on the Prairie." You can imagine how she is received. The new kid always has trouble being accept- ed, no matter what he or she is wearing. The Moa cast was on deck the night I saw the show. The role of Stargirl was played by Madison Penzkover, who was not always audible, but her demeanor nicely fit the character of a spunky young girl determined to be her- self. Leo, played by Smith Huber, was exceptional in his role as he struggled with his own desire to fit in and yet found himself falling in love with someone who didn't. The other three actors also brought dimension to their roles: Esther O'Brien as the smug, snotty Hillary; William Esty as the histrionic Kevin, and Seth Horne as Wayne, the kid with compassion but low self- esteem. The only adult role was nicely rendered by Richard Ganoung as the professor, that haven of understanding that kids so des- perately need, especially in those tough teenage years when they're struggling to find them- selves. Thank God there are a few of those adults around to help kids make the turbulent transition into adulthood. An interesting symbol in the story is the "Hot Seat," which is the center of a video show that Leo and Kevin have put together for the entertainment of their peers. They run interviews of fellow students and ask ques- tions designed to embarrass them. There's an element of cruelty involved as even Kevin candidly admits, "Mean is why they watch the show." Of course, Stargirl becomes the butt of their ridicule for the name she has given herself, as well as for the costumes she chooses to wear and the pet rat she keeps in her backpack. Stargirl is beautiful and kind and smart, but the fact that she is so different dominates others' impression of her and cancels out her good qualities. One wonders if conformity is the price we all must pay to be accepted and what happens to individuality in the process. "Stargirl" could open up some good discussions on this thorny duality we all face. The show is directed by John Maclay. First Stage puts bullying issue front and center Submitted photo Young Performers cast members Smith Huber as Leo and Madison Penzkover as Stargirl are shown in a scene from "Stargirl." At a glance "Stargirl runs through Feb. 15 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St., Milwaukee. Call 414-273-7206 for tickets. Group rates are available.Tickets can also be secured at www.firststage.org. By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic ST. FRANCIS — Because the themes of greed and power continue to resonate in the modern world, Shakespeare's "Macbeth" will always have something to say to us. What is a person willing to do to accrue more money, more power, more influence? Apparently almost anything in some cases. This insatiable drive can become an addiction that is more compelling than alcohol, drugs or sex. "Macbeth" is one of Shakespeare's darkest stories. It is rife with witches, ghosts, superstitions, premonitions, omens, multiple murders and upheavals in nature. The pathetic fallacy is strongly operative here. The downward spiral into evil as prophesied by Macbeth himself — "that we but teach bloody instructions which, being taught, return to plague the inventor" — proves true again and again. We are caught in a maelstrom of betrayals, lies and greed and are spun around and around until the last scene when some modicum of peace prevails, despite the pile of corpses that surround the sur- vivors. The Soulstice Theatre Company touts this production as unique in that it unveils the bloody bath with an all-female cast. I'm not sure that this really adds anything to the telling of the story because the male characters are still male; the females, still female. The physical fight scene between Macbeth and Macduff is unusual, though, and very well executed by two women. That's something one seldom encounters, and I'm sure it took some doing on the part of fight director Christopher Elst to get these women to be that violent. Other than the frustration of not being able to hear some of the lines that were delivered, the difficulty of Shakespeare's language was overcome by most of the characters. Certainly the task of conquer- ing Shakespeare and making him come alive for modern audiences can be accom- plished just as well by women as men. There was a time when men took all the parts, and that apparently worked, too. Outstanding performances were given by Amy Hansmann (Macbeth) and Lady Macbeth (Alicia Rice). Their scene when she confronts his shift in attitude before killing Duncan is especially well done. Rice's sleepwalking scene is also spot-on. Two other roles that are very credibly honed are those of Lady Macduff (Marcee Doherty-Elst) and MacDuff (Amber Regan). The witches, played by Ashlea Woodley, Tawnie Thompson and Hayley Cotton, are appropriately sinister, and Woodley also put on a very convincing demeanor as one of the murderers of Banquo and Lady Macduff. I liked the simple set. Its rustic look contrasted nicely with the costuming, especially that of Lady Macbeth's shim- mery outfits. Scene changes were made smoothly as well. Even though "Macbeth" is not one of my favorite Shakespeare tragedies, I always marvel at this ominous study in evil and guilt, and the dastardly aftermath suffered from some of the choices these characters made. It is interesting to note the differences in how Macbeth and his wife handled the repercussions of their actions. I also love the passages about sleep and am always moved by the deep cynicism expressed in Macbeth's "sound and fury" speech. The show was directed by Catherine R. Jones. Soulstice's 'Macbeth' tackles greed and power At a glance "Macbeth" runs through Saturday and Jan. 29 through Jan. 31 at the Soulstice Theatre, 3770 S. Pennsylvania Ave., St. Francis.Tickets can be pur- chased by calling 414-481-2800 or at www.soul- sticetheatre.org. 'Stargirl' emphasizes impact on the victims

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