Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s 51st season opener, Old Wicked Songs, at its heart, is centered on the power of music and the stories it helps us tell.
A burnt-out and arrogant American piano prodigy, Stephen Hoffman (Brett Ryback), is in Vienna in 1986, hoping to reignite his love for piano. He finds himself in the hands of Josef Mashkan (Steve Watts), a quirky, temperamental voice teacher, who forces Stephen to take a beginners singing class, much to his dismay.
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Understudy Steve Watts stepped into the role of Professor Mashkan for the performance I saw on Sunday. On Tuesday, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre announced that he would take over for the rest of the production, as Jack Forbes Wilson, who was originally cast to play Mashkan, had to step down due to illness.
But the show must go on! And on it did go. Watts seamlessly embodied the role after only working with the material for one week. Although there were a few tweaks to the show on Sunday – his script on a music stand nearby, props already on stage, adjusted stage movements – Watts made it feel natural and effortless, keeping all of the charm and complexity of Mashkan’s character intact.
He made the audience laugh: “Making love to a piano is like making love to a woman.” And he made us think: “Art is knowing the basic rules and knowing when to deviate.” And toward the end (no spoilers, I promise!), he made us all sit in reflection and “question, always question.”
And as Stephen Hoffman, Brett Ryback delivered a wonderful performance, jumping on stage with his new castmate with ease. He expertly illustrated his character’s growth throughout the show. I particularly loved how his singing shifted as the show went on, from a more rigid and hesitant style – to mirror his character’s animosity for being in a beginners class – to more open and relaxed as he warmed up to the professor and they learned more about each other through the music.
All in all, Old Wicked Songs is a powerful reminder that even when there is anger, rage, frustration, even helplessness, there is always room for beauty, joy and art. And that it’s art that helps us process, come together, and tell the stories that are hard to share but so important to pass along.
