The Milwaukee Post

May 11, 2018 • Milwaukee County Post • 17 ENTERTAINMENT By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic MILWAUKEE — It is hard to put your finger on the rea- son for the incredible success of "The Fantasticks," which broke the record for longest- running show in Greenwich Village in New York, but it has certainly charmed and continues to charm many. Perhaps one of the reasons for its longevity is the fact that it is a low-budget pro- duction, which is rare for a musical, and is very portable as well as universal in its message. In Tandem Theatre has chosen this somewhat quirky musical for its last seasonal offering. It is a very worthy production, largely because of Jane Flieller's astute direction and its stellar cast. It is a story about young love, parenting, and learning from experience — pretty basic stuff. However, its man- ner of presentation is more creative than that employed in many similar stories. It uses a narrator who also takes some character roles (shades of "Our Town), mini- mum props and several rather odd characters who amuse us with a little slap- stick along the way. There is also a mute character who directs the whole operation, almost like an on-stage man- ager. Two widowers who live next door to each other are yearning for their respective son and daughter children to leave the nest. Frankly, they are sick of the challenges of parenting and the uncertainty of the outcomes. They are aware that Matt and Luisa are falling in love with each other, and they approve, but they're afraid that if they show their approval, it will drive the couple apart as teenagers don't like agreeing with their parents on much of anything. So they cook up this elabo- rate scheme. They hire an abductor, El Gallo, to capture Luisa, which will inspire Matt to rescue her and be the hero. Two stage actors get involved in the project and grant us some amusement to boot, so when it comes to re- capturing Luisa, Matt has to fight all three of them to heighten his appeal and make him irresistible to her, which he already is. Act I ends with a happy ending. Both fathers and both young lovers are bliss- ful. But, wait! Act II presents the darker side of love and life. Matt decides to explore the world rather than get married while Luisa pines away but soon falls in love with the El Gallo, the abductor. After Matt experiences a series of setbacks, he returns a wiser man. Meanwhile, the two fathers, Hucklebee and Bellamy, start fighting with each other about their gar- dens and their boundaries. They discover that the wall that earlier separated them was, perhaps, a good thing. Maybe all relationships would work better with a few walls. The most beautiful song, "Try to Remember," stands out above the rest, but joined by "They Were You," two wondrous ballads delight us. "Plant a Radish," a third memorable tune, rings true to all parents. It's nicely ren- dered by Chris Flieller and Matt Daniels, a good comedic duo of befuddled fathers. The voices of Andrew Varela (El Gallo) and Susan Wiedmeyer (Luisa) are both thrilling to listen to. Keegan Siebken (Matt) is quite melo- dious, too. He and Luisa both utterly capture our hearts. Always a delight, Robert Spencer as Henry is a master of buffoonish comedy. His counterpart, Austin Dorman, who plays Mortimer, Henry's partner, amused us with his masterly death throes. The mute (Mary McLellan) communi- cated a lot in silence. I loved the keyboard and harp accompaniment of Josh Robinson and Mary Keppeler. It gave an ethereal aura to the show. All in all, everything works. "The Fantasticks" The play runs through May 20 at the Tenth Street Theatre on 10th Street and Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee. Call 414-271-1371 or visit InTandemTheatre.com. At a glance 'Fantasticks' sticks as a much-loved musical Austin Dorman (Mortimer) and Robert Spencer (Henry) in the In Tandem production of "Fantasticks." Mark Frohna By CATHERINE JOZWIK Special to the Post Fans of Barbra Streisand, one of the most popular recording artists of all time, can enjoy her songs per- formed live in Muskego dur- ing Mother's Day weekend. Minneapolis-based singer Melody Mendis will perform some of Streisand's greatest hits, including "Don't Rain on My Parade," and lesser- known songs Saturday and Sunday at The Suburban Bourbon, S76-W17745 Janesville Road. Mendis became a fan of Streisand at an early age. She said her mother would often play the singer's records. "I've been listening to her my whole life. I remember dancing around the living room to the 'Guilty' album in the '80s," she said. A native of Detroit, Mendis studied music at Michigan State University, learning music theory and developed her piano skills. As part of her college choral singing group, she traveled to Wales to perform. "The classical world really trained me to belt out high notes," Mendis said. Although she gained valu- able experience, she grew tired of singing classical music and auditioning. Mendis moved to Minneapolis in 2002 to join the Margolis Brown theater company (now MB Adaptors). Although she had intended to take a break from music, she was cast as the lead vocalist in a produc- tion of "Sleepwalkers" at the O'Shaughnessy theater in St. Paul. "It was great. I thought music would find me again, and it did," said Mendis. She later joined High and Mighty, an 11-piece horn band that performed rhythm and blues and soul hits by artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire and Aretha Franklin. "I was excited about going in a few different direc- tions," she said. Mendis went on to produce and record a jazz album, "Wanderlust," and form Melody and the Dramatics, a group which covered unusu- al renditions of '80s new- and dark-wave songs. These days, Mendis said she is focused on her Streisand tribute project. Arranging a show is chal- lenging and this one requires Mendis not only perfect Streisand's vocals, but to embody her mannerisms as well. "I've memorized every YouTube video and inter- view," said Mendis. "I researched for a long time." She and friend Keith Russell co-wrote the shows. Streisand has historically been a favorite artist of the LGBQT community, and Mendis premiered her trib- ute show at the 2016 Minneapolis Pride Festival. Mendis noted that Streisand, who she feels is a naturally gifted vocalist, does not read music when singing. "She's all ear. I have to refer back to sheet music for intervals," she said. Streisand often injects comedy into performances, and Mendis tends to ad-lib during shows. "I'm a natural comic. So is Barbra," she said. "There's a bit of a Fanny Brice ele- ment." Mendis said her perform- ances attract a wide range of demographics, from millen- nials to octogenarians. She attributes this to Streisand's long and successful singing and acting career. The Suburban Bourbon show will be Mendis' second out-of-town gig, and she hopes to have many more. "I'm just trying to find Barbra fans. I want to bring the show to smaller towns that might not have this kind of entertainment," she said. A Mother's Day treat: Melody Mendis sings Barbra Streisand Melody Mendis, who performs the music of Barbra Streisand and takes on some of her mannerisms, will be in Muskego this weekend. Melody Mendis Sings Barbra Streisand When: 7 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 p.m. Sunday Where: The Suburban Bourbon, S76-W17745 Janesville Road, Muskego Tickets: $12 for Saturday show and $25 for Sunday show, which includes three entrée choices and roses and cham- pagne for all mothers. www.screaminpromotions.com. Contact: 262-682-4406. At a glance

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