The Milwaukee Post

16 • Milwaukee County Post • December 24, 2015 Salvation Army set to feed more than 8,000 WAUWATOSA — More than 1,400 volunteers will help prepare a home-style Salvation Army of Milwaukee County Christmas dinner. They will serve turkey, ham, yams, mash potatoes and gravy, green beans, dessert, and beverages from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday for more than 8,000 people in the ballroom of the Wisconsin Center District, 400 W. Wisconsin Ave. The event is the largest feeding event hosted by The Salvation Army on Christmas Day in the country. Christmas Family Feast is free and open to the public. Guests receive gifts while sup- plies last. For more information, visit www.SAmilwaukee.org or call 414- 302-4300 LEGO donation drive at Hales Corners Library HALES CORNERS — This holiday season the Hales Corners Library is seeking donations of either used LEGOs or a cash gift that will be used to purchase LEGO sets for the premier of the Library LEGO Club. The hourlong LEGO Club is open to all children in kinder- garten through fifth grade. It starts at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 22. Registration begins Feb. 1. Register at www.halescornersli- brary.org, in person at the library or at 414-529-6150. For more infor- mation, call Youth Services librarian Patrick Lodge at 414-529- 6150 ext. 17. Family-friendly New Year's Eve at The Domes MILWAUKEE — Touted as a family-friendly New Year's Eve at The Domes, the balloons drop at 9 p.m. A variety of activities run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Dec. 31 at the Mitchell Park Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd. They include an interactive music show, a magic show, a folk singer and storyteller, fire danc- ing, a professional drum circle, a DJ dance party, face painting, bal- loon sculpting and children's crafts. Day of Donations blood drive on Monday GREENDALE — Day of Do- nations blood drive will be from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Southridge Mall, 5300 S. 76th St. All presenting donors will receive a swag bag that includes a $20 gift card toward an oil change at any Fast Track Oil Change Center; a $5 gift card to the Original Pancake House; a Cedar Crest Ice Cream coupon toward the purchase of a pint of ice cream; one free movie pass for Marcus Theatres (restrictions apply); two seven-day VIP passes for you and a guest at any Xperience Fitness location; and a pair of Stern & Bow tickets to a 2015-2016 Milwaukee Admiral game, while supplies last. Appointments are highly encouraged for this blood drive. Visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code "SOUTHRIDGE" to schedule an appointment. Eligible donors can download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800- RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) for more information. COMMUNITY/ENTERTAINMENT carpeted floor of the bedroom she seldom leaves — until she becomes smitten with a visiting Haitian plumber. In flashback, toastmaster Rudy as father of the bride uproariously disparages both his own marriage and his daughter's, nearly coming to blows with Tony. Also in flash- back, Tony, with Spanish accent, and Joy croon a far less than cap- tivating version of "Something Stupid" in a stage musical. Wonderful stuff, provided at an often frenetic pace. There are some pretty wonderful lines, too, like Rudy's, "This is not the prop- er way to be divorced," chortled repeatedly regarding Joy and Tony's continuing to share a home, friendship and parental responsibilities. And Tony's chiding comment, "Do you have to use a whole bottle of cologne? You smell like my grandmother," to his blind date-bound ex-father- in-law. If the second half of "Joy" isn't quite as delightful as the first, it does have a climax to be relished, involving a face-off between Joy and a Texan in a 10- gallon hat. Heck, as was suggested at the outset of this review, filmgoers are apt to appreciate "Joy's" entire 124 minutes, even as the quirkiness dissipates. y': From quirky to dramedy, movie captivates the entire time continued from Page 16 By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic MILWAUKEE — I have seen "Guys on Ice" many times, my favorite play of the talented Wisconsin play- wrights, Fred Alley and James Kaplan. It's the sort of comedy that provides a lot of laughs as well as affords some insight into male friendships. This is the play's eighth run in Milwaukee since it opened in Door County in 1998. Even though it contains a lot of regional humor, it has been enjoyed in many other states. Leinenkugel beer, Pick 'n Save, the Packers, allusions to difficult-to-pronounce cities such as Oconomowoc — all pepper the Green Bay landscape. But there is some- thing universal about it, too. It's an affectionate satire on men, and men are men wher- ever they are and whether or not they ever go ice fishing. The two main characters, Marvin and Lloyd, are off to Marvin's shanty to engage in one of their favorite winter pursuits — ice fishing. A local TV show host has prom- ised Marvin an interview about his hobby of sitting in front of his "wishing hole," awaiting the yellow perch. We get to understand the friends' sense of humor, their philosophy, their jobs, their relationship problems and their dreams. They sing, dance, tell jokes, shoot buck- ets into a contrived hoop with their empty beer cans and they do a lot of fantasizing. It is fun being that fly on the wall, listening in on their conversations. Doug Mancheski was the first Marvin, who shared the stage with composer Fred Alley (who since passed away), and has played the role hundreds of times. Steve Koehler took on the role of Lloyd in 2003 and has played the part more than 1,000 times. Mancheski supplies more of the humor, but Koehler plays a great straight man and has a gorgeous voice to boot. In his moving rendi- tion of "The One Who Got Away," he sings of the beauti- ful solitude of winter. Man- cheski does a great Elvis imi- tation when he sings about his upcoming appearance on TV. Their best collaborative number is the clever "Ode to a Snowmobile Suit" (my fav- orite). Both actors are a rare treat. I loved their discussion of heaven, how they feel about nature as well as watching them enjoy the comfort of their camaraderie. Ernie the Moocher is well- played by Bo Johnson, who occasionally bursts their pri- vate bubble by coming by to "borrow" a few things and to whip a variety of musical instruments from under his snowmobile suit to play an original tune or two. Johnson is a versatile performer, hav- ing done improv at Comedy Sportz and performed at many Milwaukee theaters. There's such a relaxed atmosphere in the audience during the show that it's fun to be part of this Wisconsin experience. Both men and women enjoy it for their own reasons: women, to smile at the other species; and men, to laugh at themselves. If you've never indulged in a little ice fishing, here's a wonderful way to do so while being spared the brutal tempera- tures and the disappointment of "the one who got away." Latest 'Guys on Ice' is another keeper 'Rep Lab' adds date for festival Photo by Michael Brosilow Doug Mancheski sings while Steve Koehler fishes in "Guys on Ice." "Guys on Ice" The musical comedy contin- ues through Jan. 17 at the Stackner Cabaret Theatre, 108 E. Wells St., Milwaukee. Call 414-224-9490 or visit www.MilwaukeeRep.com for times and tickets. At a glance MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Repertory Theater has added a sev- enth performance of "Rep Lab" as shows continue to sell out. The added show for the short play festival is at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 12. As of Tuesday, there was limited ticket avail- ability for 7 p.m. Jan. 10 and 7:30 p.m. Jan. 11. Tickets start at $15 and are subject to change. The Rep's emerging professional residents direct and act in the short plays at the Stiemke Studio in the Milwaukee Center, 108 E. Wells St. Tickets are available www.MilwaukeeRep.com, 414-224-9490 or at the ticket office at 108 E. Wells St. At a glance "Joy" ★★★★ Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, Edgar Ramirez Director-screenwriter: David O. Russell MPAA rating: PG-13 Running time: 124 minutes Release date: Friday Showings: www.marcustheatres.com

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