The Milwaukee Post

16 • Milwaukee County Post • May 18, 2018 ENTERTAINMENT By JULIE MCHALE Post Theater Critic MILWAUKEE — First Stage Children's Theater has brought us many stellar pro- ductions over the years. "Judy Moody and Stink — the Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt" pales by comparison due chiefly to the story. Judy Moody is beyond obnoxious in the early moments of the show, and her parents are rather lame in their tolerance of her behavior. They should have at least tried to control her and reason with her. The roles of Mom and Dad were not worthy of two fine actors — Todd Denning and Kay Allmand. They were good examples of nonparents, if that was their goal. I suspect that it was a weak script, not weak actors. Judy is looking for an adventure so she can brag about it in third grade and at least have a T-shirt to wear, touting her "experience." She also wants to have some- thing interesting to include on her collage, a class assign- ment, which she will have to present to her peers. So the parents oblige and take her and her younger brother Stink to Okracoke Island where they can partic- ipate in a mad, mad, mad treasure hunt directed by a pirate. The parents offer almost no supervision during this journey, which is a bit unbe- lievable, considering their children's ages. Judy is put in charge of Stink, which is a questionable assignment at best. Judy and Stink are compet- ing with several other pairs of children, but the only other duo that gets any atten- tion and prominence is Smart Girl and Tall Boy (Liam Jeninga and Abby Schaufler), another sibling pair. The others just decorate the stage by running in and out of several entrances and exits, not much fun for them, I would imagine. Usually the large children's casts have more substantial roles. The day I saw it, the Porcupine Cast was on stage, and Eloise Field, who enact- ed the lead character, though easily heard and understood, played Judy Moody a bit too flamboyantly. Stink, on the other hand, was totally engaging, as delivered by Thatcher Jacobs. He was good on all counts. I hope he shows up again. But perhaps the star of the show is Bo Johnson, who played multiple roles and cleverly distinguished each one from the other. It has been a while since Johnson has delighted us with his multiple talents, and I enjoyed seeing him perform again. The cast was rounded out with Justin Lee, who plays the parts of teacher and waiter, again two undevel- oped characters. The set designer, Brandom Kirkham, provided us with various settings easily maneuvered. I especially admired the tombstones that easily disappeared into the floor when no longer needed. Overall, though there were memorable moments, it did- n't measure up to First Stage's usual quality. Thatcher Jacobs, left, and Eloise Field in "Judy Moody and Stink — the Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt." "Judy Moody and Stink — the Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt" The play runs through June 3 at the Todd Wehr Theater, 929 N. Water St., Milwaukee. Call 414-267-2961 or visit FirstStage.org. Judy Moody achieved her popularity in a series of books written by Megan McDonald. This play is an adaptation for the stage by Allison Gregory. At a glance For one, parenting in 'Judy Moody and Stink' is absent Paul Ruffolo First Stage picked a bit of a stinker with this story By CATHERINE JOZWIK Special to the Post An Eastern-European woman, Ana Popovic is somewhat of an anomaly in the male-dominated world of blues guitarists, but she feels that times are changing. "Girls play soccer and girls play guitar," the 41-year-old musician said during a recent telephone interview. The guitarist will perform with her six-piece band, including a horn section, May 23 at Milwaukee's Shank Hall, 1434 N. Farwell Ave. Having headlined on the final day of last year's Waukesha BluesFest, it's a return to the area for Popovic. Milwaukee rock band the Young Revelators will open for her at Shank Hall. Although Popovic has experienced a bit of discrimination over the course of her career, the guitarist doesn't let that faze her. "I've become stronger as an artist," she said. Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia) in 1976, music was an inte- gral part of her upbringing. Every Sunday, her father, a guitar player, would invite musicians over to their home to play. "I grew up around a jam session," Popovic said. Her father had a sizable collection of American blues records and also read guitar magazines. Through these, Popovic learned all about blues greats such as Howlin' Wolf and Albert King, and rock musician Jimi Hendrix — one of her favorites. At that time in Eastern Europe, American records and magazines were difficult to come by, Popovic recalled during a recent telephone interview. Through perseverance and by swapping albums with others, her father was able to acquire both older albums and newer releases. Popovic moved to Amsterdam at age 20 to study at the Jazz Academy and also began booking internation- al gigs, both in Europe and America. "I started playing both sides of the ocean," she said. Popovic moved to the United States in 2003, spending time in Memphis and New Orleans, cities famous for their blues and jazz scenes. That year, she became the first European artist nominated for Best New Artist Debut at the W.C. Handy Awards, which are presented by the nonprofit The Blues Foundation. Popovic now lives in Los Angeles, "which is fantastic," she noted. From 2014-17, she was the only female guitarist touring with Experience Hendrix, a collection of musicians including Buddy Guy, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Keb Mo, and Zakk Wylde, who performed the music of Hendrix. "I represented the ladies," Popovic said. "This was like a dream come true." Some of her favorite Hendrix songs to play are the lesser-known "House Burning Down" and "Belly Button Window." "I'm a fan of B-sides," she said. When it comes to favorite guitars and pedals, Popovic prefers vintage and no-frills — especially her beloved original 1964 Fender Stratocaster and Dunlop wah-wah pedal. "I like to keep it rootsy," she said. Popovic, who often performs in high heels and short, tight dresses, has a lean, athletic figure and com- manding stage presence, due in part to her unshakable confidence. "I enjoy being on stage, so I wear what excites me," she said, adding that many female musicians feel they have to dress masculine in order to get respect. "We can change the way people think of female guitar players. There is nothing wrong with being elegant and sexy," Popovic said. Her 2016 three-album-in-one release, "Trilogy," is her 11th studio album, and features 23 funk, jazz, and blues tracks, and guest artists such as Joe Bonamassa. "Having Bonamassa on my record was amazing," Popovic said. Popovic is working on an album with roots musician Keb Mo. The pair co-wrote the songs on the record. The album is expected to be released this August. The accomplished guitarist has words of wisdom for women who want to enter the music business. "You still have to fight for your ideas, no matter what stage in your career. But just believe in yourself, and the ideas and people will follow," she said. A Belgrade girl who gets the blues Ana Popovic back in area with Shank Hall show "We can change the way people think of female guitar players. There is nothing wrong with being elegant and sexy," Ana Popovic said. The blues guitarist will play May 23 at Shank Hall. Ruben Thomas

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