It's sometimes hard to tell whom Corn Productions attempts to target with its works. Its humor, rooted firmly in puns and slapstick, seems suitable for your grandmother, but it's sufficiently racy that you might not want to watch it with her.
Corn Production's latest show, "Don Wisconsin," written by Michael and Patrick Brooks and directed by Robert Bouwman is based on an amusing premise: Prohibition-era Chicago gangsters attempting to use Wisconsin dairy farms as a front for beer smuggling.
Gangster Don Luigi (Ian Harris) dispatches his not-quite-reliable son, Michael Corleone (Steve Mendez), and his comically mismatched partner, "Mikey the Mick" McExposishohan (a hilariously attired Roger Price). Some of the play's other prominent gangsters include "Whispers" (who whispers a lot) and Salvatore "Sally" Field who shouts out statements like "You like me! You really like me!" when he's given command of operations.
That's what we're dealing with here, folks: lots of amusing chatter between the gangsters and local cheeseheads. We also watch Luigi Junior fall in love with the farmer's daughter, Ginny Lou. Wackiness, not surprisingly, ensues. The quality of a show like "Don Wisconsin" depends on your affinity for the genre; it's either your bottle of beer or it isn't. You may find the silliness groan-inducing or infused with a spirit of adorable pluck. Personally, I got a kick out of Scott Lambergy's songs but felt there was entirely too much play around them. If nothing else, there's some savage satirical assaults on Prohibition, guaranteed to make Warren G. Harding's face red as a lobster.
"Don Wisconsin" runs through June 15 at Cornservatory Theatre 4210 N. Lincoln Avenue. 9 p.m. Wednesday- Friday; 8 p.m. Saturday (6/2-6/16 only). Tickets cost $7-$15.
