Valhalla

Stage Q and Madison seem to like Paul Rudnick, the author of the upcoming production, Valhalla. In 2000 Mercury Players brought us his play, Jeffrey, a romantic comedy about a man who swears off of sex only to find love. It was produced by Stage Q’s founder, Thomas McClurg. Also under the auspices of Mercury Players McClurg produced Rudnick’s The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told (not to be confused with The Greatest Story Ever Told) in 2001. In act one of the comedy numerous Biblical stories, a little bit different than what you’re used to, are fabulously told, starting with the idea that God did create Adam and Steve. Act two shows us a gay relationship between a couple named Adam and Steve in modern-day New York. Rudnick specializes in fast-paced comedies with twists and with zinger after zinger of bitchy wit. The previous Madison productions were both enjoyable renditions of his work. While technically not Stage Q pieces McClurg’s production of them is what led to the founding of the organization.

Six years after the successful Mercury productions of Rudnick’s work Stage Q returns to the author with this production of Valhalla. In the play two seemingly disparate stories are intertwined. The first is the story of the Mad King of Bavaria, Ludwig II, a man who was responsible for the building of ornate and expensive castles all over the country, who was Richard Wagner’s sponsor, and who was known to become infatuated with many different men in the late 19^th century. The second is the fictional story of a 1940’s-era Texas teenager named James Avery, a gay boy devotee of opera. This is where their lives intersect and we see the parallels of two gay men centuries apart in time, but near to each other’s souls, revealed in some “grand operatic moments”, according to director, Tara Ayres, who is also the group’s Artistic Director.

While Rudnick’s plays tend to be funny they also tend to look at serious issues. They examine the way in which we see our world. This one examines the ways in which we see and relate to beauty, and how that impacts us, and it is done with what Ayres calls a beautiful play.

Valhalla opens on October 5 and runs Thursdays through Sundays through October 20, with performances on the Evjue stage at the Bartell Theater, 113 East Mifflin Street. Call (608) 661-9696 x 3 for reservations or more information.