Unless playwrights are already well known, most of them have trouble convincing a theater company to produce their new work. Audiences are often reluctant to see something brand new and most theaters operate on such a tight budget that it's difficult for them to take the financial risk.
But many theaters in Milwaukee do take the risk — because they know they need new voices, perspectives, and audiences. Milwaukee Chamber Theatre is doing just that by welcoming a new voice to their stage with No Wake, which is making its world premiere from Feb. 21 - March 15.
Written by Madison-based playwright Erica Berman, the two-person show focuses on an elderly man on a mission to save the loons of Lake Winnipesaukee, and a young housekeeper next door. The two form an intergenerational bond through themes of place, loss, and belonging.
“I really love stories that are about intergenerational people or people who wouldn’t normally rub up against each other or come together or even converse with each other,” says Berman. “And how different points of view can affect how they see the world.”
The play was written a year before Berman’s father died, which has changed the way she views the work. She describes loss as an ever-changing experience.
“I wrote this play about grief before I had experienced profound loss,” she says. “It’s really interesting coming back to this play after the loss of my father. I’m finding new layers in my own work about grief that I haven't really found before.”
