Fish Creek, Wisconsin, has “an ineffable character.” Or so they say in The Fisherman’s Daughters, on stage now at the Milwaukee Rep through March 1. The play itself, under the direction of Molly Rhode, is not quite ineffable. Words like warm, heartfelt and joyful spring to mind.
Songwriter and playwright Katie Dahl penned the book, music and lyrics, delivering an intimate folk musical dipped in poetry. “Sarah Peterson keeps the north wind in her pocket; Sarah Peterson keeps the west wind up her sleeve…”
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Who is Sarah Peterson? It’s Door County in 1908, and Sarah Peterson is the woman walking 3.2 miles to town from Peterson Point in her dead father’s hulking overcoat. She’s never left Fish Creek, though she dreams of seeing California. Her sister, Nora, is the woman riding the ferry back to her childhood home. She’s been teaching in Chicago and hasn’t made the trip since her father’s funeral two years prior. Nora is the brains, Sarah is the brawn. Together, they’re the fisherman’s daughters. Theirs is a story of sisterhood, coming home and coming back to each other amidst the founding of Peninsula State Park.
The hardened Sarah is played by the wonderful Kelly Doherty, who originated the role at Northern Sky Theater in 2024. It’s easy to see why she followed this piece to the Milwaukee Rep. Dry humor, prickly demeanor, tugging at the heartstrings – she deftly does it all. Eva Nimmer, last seen in the Rep’s It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, blends softness and spirit for Nora Peterson, proving a bright-eyed, charismatic foil for Doherty’s Sarah. The two create real magic in quiet moments, like Nora tenderly sharing a book with Sarah, who never learned to read.
Michael Brosilow, courtesy of Milwaukee Rep
Rounding out the cast and eliciting lighthearted laughter are Alex Campea as John and Chase Stoeger as Charlie, reviving their 2024 Northern Sky roles as men on a mission. Charlie’s mission: petitioning to trade Columbus Day for The Day of the Norwegians, arguing that famed Norse explorer Leif Erikson set foot in North America 900 years before Columbus. John’s mission: convincing landowners near Fish Creek – including the Peterson sisters – to sell their property in pursuit of Peninsula State Park.
The two are totally delightful, but Campea’s portrayal of an awestruck city dweller enamored with Door County’s natural beauty is a master class in how to be heartwarming. He sees this land as a jewel – “a place of deep refuge” to be protected and cherished for generations. Campea delivers earnestness so sweet and thoughtful, it stirs up a sense of wonder, reminding folks in the audience to get outside and notice the sky, the lake, the trees.
Michael Brosilow, courtesy of Milwaukee Rep
The folk Americana score perfectly fits the mood of this story and its themes. If that style of music is your thing, the songs will catch you hook, line and sinker. With lilting melodies, rhythmic interludes and jolly toe-tappers, these tunes are easy on the ears with sweet, smart lyrics raised by lovely voices. Pulling the sound together are fiddle and guitar duo Susan and John Nicholson, known together as Frogwater. From the two-person band to the four-person cast, this is a big little show – one that’s highly rewatchable.
At its core, The Fisherman’s Daughters is a love letter to Door County: “breathing room for those who are tired by the city.” If you’ve been to Door County, you get it. Their visitor economy is, in no small part, thanks to a state park founded in 1909. “Turns out, Fish Creek is extraordinary,” Katie Dahl writes. That “turns out” highlights how the beauty of a place is often news to the people who live there. Sometimes, only with an outsider’s eyes can we appreciate what’s right under our nose. Well, “The Fisherman’s Daughters” is right under your nose, Milwaukee.
