The Milwaukee Post

16 • Milwaukee County Post • April 28, 2017 We are now accepting Memorials, Obituaries and Pending Death Notices. Now for only $85 (Includes up to 300 words.) For an extra $10 Add a Photo. Or a short notice for only $25 (Includes 25 words.) For more information call Dan Muckelbauer @ 262-513-2626 and leave a message or email dmuck@conleynet.com Let your friends and relatives know about the passing of a loved one. Place a memorial in the Milwaukee County Post newspaper. DEADLINES ARE TUESDAY (2pm) FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKEND PAPER. 255317040 ENTERTAINMENT George Katsekes Jr. From left, Linda Wirth, Stephanie Demyun Smith, Donna Daniels, Maureen Chobanoff and Cathy Marschall play a group of friends who reunite annually in the Sunset Playhouse's "The Dixie Swim Club." George Katsekes Jr. From left, Maureen Chobanoff, Stephanie Demyun Smith, Cathy Marschall, Donna Daniels and Linda Wirth during the early years represented in the Sunset Playhouse's "The Dixie Swim Club." By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic ELM GROVE — The "Dixie Swim Club" is a comedy where five women who comprised a winning swim team in college meet once a year at a beach house in North Carolina to catch up on each other's lives. The story covers a 30-year period, opening when they are in their 40s and ending when they are in their 70s. Each character is distinctly drawn, and though the humor is somewhat exag- gerated and very Southern, we can find ourselves and others we know in these personalities. Maureen Chobanoff plays Lexie, the self-absorbed femme fatale who spends most of her time on her body image and discarding and acquiring husbands. Chobanoff manages to forge a character that amuses us greatly, even as we pity her shallowness. Linda Wirth, a talented actress, convincingly por- trays the somewhat sardon- ic successful lawyer Dinah, who masks her unfulfilled side in her dependence on alcohol. We enjoy Dinah's sardonic wit and apparent strength and drive. Sheree is the organizer with the manicured life, the devoted husband, the suc- cessful child, a devotee of nutritional correctness, the one who tries to control everything, but who becomes unglued when she anticipates becoming a grandmother. Donna Daniels aced the role. She can annoy her peers as mother hens often do. Vernadette provides the most humor. Her life is awry in many ways, but her sense of humor overrides her setbacks. Her delivery of the speech in defense of biscuits is one of the many highlights of the show. Cathy Marschall is very well-cast in this role as the epitome of disaster with her problematic children, couch-potato husband and physical afflictions. Lastly is Jeri, the woman who surprises us most with her radical change of lifestyle. Stephanie Demyun Smith has a fresh- ness about her that casts a ray of sunshine on the group, reminding them and us that one need not become jaded as life progresses. From the frequent hearty laughs, it was evident that the audience was enjoying meeting up with these women. As is often true at most reunions, there were some unexpected revela- tions. The aging process was well-executed, especially when they reached their 70s, and the costumes and hairdos indicated the pas- sage of time with its many changing fads and fashions. Joanne Cunningham and Sharon Sohner (costume designers) did a good job here. Director Dustin J. Martin obviously under- stood the playwright's intent and elicited the best from his cast. "The Dixie Swim Club" The comedy runs through May 7 at the Sunset Playhouse, 800 Elm Grove Road, Elm Grove. Call 262-782-4430 or visit sunsetplayhouse.com for times and tickets. At a glance Sunset's 'Dixie Swim Club' retains interest as time goes by

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