Review: Music Heals in OLD WICKED SONGS at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre

UPDATE: Due to illness, Steve Watts will replace Jack Forbes Wilson in the role of Professor Josef Mashkan beginning on September 25th, 2025, and will continue in the role for the remainder of the run, which closes on October 5, 2025.

Jon Marans’ Old Wicked Songs posits that beauty sits at the intersection of sadness and joy. By that logic, the play itself is indeed a beauty. On stage now at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre under the direction of Elyse Gorens Edelman, Old Wicked Songs delivers unexpected moments that, despite some melancholy, ends up being an immense delight.

Old Wicked Songs tells the story of a burnt-out American piano prodigy, Stephen Hoffman (Brett Ryback), who arrives at the university in Vienna in an attempt to reignite his passion. En route to self discovery, Stephen is forced to take a class in basic piano accompaniment and singing with the quirky, endearing Professor Josef Mashkan (Jack Forbes Wilson). Bonds are made and broken, secrets are revealed, and an unlikely teacher-student kinship—based in sadness and joy—unfolds. 

The marvelous thing about this two-man play is that Ryback and Forbes Wilson are, in real life, student and teacher, respectively. Forbes Wilson has taught many talented kids and adults at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music and in his own private studio—and Ryback was once one of them.

What a treat to see them on stage together in these roles… I imagine. During opening weekend, understudy Steve Watts stepped in for Forbes Wilson with mere hours’ notice. Executive Artistic Director Brent Hazelton broke the news in his pre-show remarks saying, “The show must and will go on.” At the Sunday matinee, Watts had only been rehearsing the show for about a week, so he worked off a script and the staging was streamlined. Watts, Ryback, and everyone behind the scenes made it work wonderfully. Sincere kudos to all.

Moving ahead with the show to such success is a credit not only to the script's storytelling, but to all the artists involved: props and scenic designers (Jim Guy, Adam Hastings, Stephen Hudson-Mairet), Costume Designer and wardrobe (Army Horst and Brooke Wallo), sound designer (Ian C. Weber), lighting designer (Colin Gawronski), stage manager and assistant stage manager (Emily Marie Wilke and Carrie Johns), dramaturg (Jody Hirsh), dialect coach (Jill Walmsley Zager), and of course director and assistant director (Elyse Gorens Edelman and Marion Frank).

For the two on stage, Ryback and Watts have a pleasant rhythm. Ryback’s youthful Stephen begins as arrogant, disengaged, and uptight. Watt’s Professor Mashkan is cheeky, blunt, and a bit eccentric. Throughout the two-hour runtime, Ryback and Watts peel back the layers, showing just how full of surprises these characters are. Ryback serenades and plays flawless piano. Watts gets us laughing out loud and feeling on-edge. Both tap into deep, heart-aching drama. 

Even with Watts referencing a script, Old Wicked Songs is wholly enjoyable. I’m confident that, either when Forbes Wilson returns or Watts spends more time with it, that the play will only increase in beauty.

Photo Credit: Michael Brosilow