The Milwaukee Rep presents "Of Mice and Men"

Finding joy in a tragedy 

Confession: I've never read John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. I must have been in the wrong American Lit class in high school. But I still associate the story with high school literature, just because so many other folks do. I do remember seeing bits and pieces of the 1992 movie starring John Malkovich and Gary Sinise (AKA Lieutenant Dan), but like I said — bits and pieces. That was my knowledge of Of Mice and Men before the Milwaukee Rep's opening night production last Friday.

I'll confess another thing: I don't know that I would normally seek out this play. It's a slice of depression-era Americana, and I'm not one to devote my time to much of anything with "depression" as a key descriptor. But as a proud part of the Rep's social media club this season, I find myself being pushed out of my theatrical comfort zone — and boy am I ever loving it. 

So far I've seen the musical Dreamgirls and Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap at the Rep — both absolutely great. But I have to say Of Mice and Men might be my favorite so far. Shocking coming from this lover of musicals and murder mysteries — genres I get into outside of the theater, too. But here comes Of Mice and Men, a play about dashed dreams and loneliness, and I was riveted the entire time.

I don't want to say too much in case, like me, you're going into the show with just some general knowledge of the plot. But I must give a shout out to the lead actors: Jonathon Wainwright as George and Scott Greer as Lennie. George does a lot of talking and dreamy story-telling, and Wainwright delivers the character with natural charisma. Scott Greer's Lennie will, to put it plainly, break your heart. 

It's a beautiful thing — the spectrum of emotion The Rep's Of Mice and Men brings you through. You'll certainly laugh, feel your heart melting, and — if you're like me — openly cry through the last scene and into the standing ovation. True story: I verged on blubbering. What can I say? I'm a crier. 

I have to thank the Milwaukee Rep for giving me the chance to be in their social media club, thereby forcing me outside of my bubble of musicals and mysteries. If a tragedy could ever bring an audience a whole lot of joy, Of Mice and Men is certainly a testament to that.

Catch Of Mice and Men at the Milwaukee Rep now through February 21st! For ticket information, visit milwaukeerep.com.