When this crazy musical first appeared in Milwaukee exactly a year ago, the unthinkable happened. Fred Alley, the Wisconsin playwright who wrote the show's book and lyrics, died of a heart attack in a nearby town. His death was particularly traumatic, as it seemed to end a promising career. Alley's script for The Spitfire Grill had just been optioned for a film, and his other plays were gaining wider acceptance.
Perhaps due to Alley's death, little has changed in the world of The Bachelors. In essence, the show is about two 30ish bachelors who live "blissfully in a state of extended adolescence." What exactly does this mean? In one of dozens of funny bits, the two roommates sit waiting for a late night pizza to arrive. "We need hors d'oeuvres," observes one, and checks under the couch. When the "pizza delivery girl" arrives, we learn that somehow she is the reincarnation of a woman the men have wronged in a past life. Huh? Well, it's best not to ask too many questions of this show. Logic can only spoil the fun.
There have been a few changes in the year since The Bachelors made its successful Milwaukee debut. A runaway hit, the show has moved to a larger setting. Instead of appearing in the Milwaukee Repertory Theater's 118-seat cabaret, as it did last year, it has now been moved to larger quarters, a 218-seat proscenium theater. This is the Milwaukee equivalent of moving from Off-Off Broadway to Off-Broadway. However, the show's creators obviously didn't see the need to tinker with success. This is a disappointment, since a number of the show's edges could use some sharpening. Even the set has been transferred intact from its smaller space. This is not problematic, just unfortunate, since the show isn't opened up to new possibilities or pushed past its modest beginnings. For example, the delightful music could use more support than is provided by a piano; expanding to a trio would have been a nice touch. The songs remain intact, too. This is fine, except in the case of a clinker, called "Don't Be a Fool for Love," or something like that. It appears near the finale -- a sour note at the end of a fun evening.
As the bachelors, actors Doug Mancheski and Michael Herold are again in fine form. Michelle Smith, a recent addition to the cast, is an improvement over the less-vivacious actress who previously played the part. Smith is a triple threat, displaying excellent work in acting, singing and dancing categories. Some of her dance moves, which pay tribute to the work of the late choreographer Bob Fosse and other musicals (such as West Side Story), are cleverly inserted. All in all, it was pleasant to check in on The Bachelors once more. However, it does seem like they'll never change.
