After enjoying Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s production of Toni Stone, we checked to see its future shows. Piano Men immediately jumped out.
Piano Men features virtuoso piano players Steve Watts and Nygel D. Robinson (to be replaced by Colte Julian Feb. 8) sitting opposite each other, performing songs from all genres of music. They sprinkle in short stories to break up the music and add another layer of entertainment.
Steve Watts photo by Michael Brosilow.
A mix of concert, sing-along, musical revue and storytelling, each set list is unique. The audience guides the show through requests via paper slips provided at our seats. Some songs are played in full, while others are abbreviated to fit as many as possible. The pianists play some straight and some with their own twists.
Nygel D. Robinson photo by Michael Brosilow.
My dilemma was deciding which song to request. As a big Billy Joel fan, I wanted to hear them do one of his songs, but I figured with “Piano Men” as the name, they had to play one anyway. I requested Queen, allowing them to pick whichever song they wanted. By the end of the night, they played Queen, Bach and dozens in between, including Joel’s “Piano Man,” which made my night.
Steve Watts and Nygel D. Robinson photo by Michael Brosilow.
Part of the Camille & David Kundert Stackner Season, Piano Men runs in the Stackner Cabaret through Feb. 27. The setting is intimate, seating only 186.
Up next for me at Milwaukee Repertory Theater is As You Like It, running Feb. 15 through March 20. The Beatles meet William Shakespeare in a humorous take on the classic romantic comedy featuring more than 20 songs from the Fab Four.
— John Wroblewski, online writer
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