Green Bay Press Gazette

“Guys and Does” delights in Green Bay, too

WARREN GERDS - December 3, 2009

4 Stars out of 4

Here's a rare one. American Folklore Theatre's "Guys & Does" was so popular in its premiere run in Door County in fall — 54 straight sell-out performances — that the musical comedy was immediately shipped to Green Bay with its original cast and set.

Local audiences will find out what makes the professional troupe tick — an original show that's knee-slap funny one moment, thoughtful the next, earthy the next and cosmic the next.

It's a show with a deer ballet, a talking buck, a pencil pusher who knits and gets in tune with the feelings of trees when he dresses as one, plenty of appreciation for "up nort'" and one worthy and one vile hunter.

Two of the authors perform. Frederick "Doc" Heide is Fritz Dingleheimer, a weary mill worker. Lee Becker is Duane Puddles, a knitting nerd and Fritz's wannabe son-in-law.

Playing the clever music of third author, Paul Libman, is Kyle Nelson at the piano.

Doug Mancheski doubles. In some scenes, he's Joe Jimmy Ray Bob Johnson III, a careless hunter from Texas who is out to bag a rare white deer even though shooting one is illegal in Wisconsin. Mancheski also is Staghart of the Golden Horns — a centuries-old white buck — one of the most amazing character creations around these parts.

Director Jeffrey Herbst, troupe artistic director, has a terrific team to work with.

Heide and Mancheski probably are having extra fun because they grew up in Green Bay.

The language is blue-collar colloquial — "youse," "dem," "deez," "tree" for "three" and so on — so the show has a backwoods Wisconsin feel.

While opening night wasn't sold out, tickets are getting tight for the rest of the run.

Green Bay Press Gazette

American Folklore Theatre on target with “Guys & Does”

WARREN GERDS - September 7, 2009

4 Stars out of 4

EPHRAIM – With a ballet by deer, knitting jokes and a talking buck, American Folklore Theatre’s “Guys & Does” dares to be far-out different and succeeds.

The musical comedy is about deer hunting and more. It is stoked with thoughts on types of hunters, the philosophy of hunting, male-female relationships, being in love and earthiness in the natural world.

Mostly, the show entertains.

Fritz Dingleheimer (Doc Heide) is a frustrated mill worker who loves hunting, and this season is obligated to take along his daughter’s boyfriend, Duane Puddles (Lee Becker), who’d rather knit then shoot.

Fritz and Duane talk in “deez,” “does” and “youse” accents, which creates an especially large laugh when they meet up with Joe Jimmy Ray Bob Johnson III. Imagine what comes from Duane when he gets to III – “the third.”

Doug Mancheski plays Joe Jimmy, a vile, glory-seeking hunter from Texas who wants to shoot one of everything on Earth. Joe Jimmy especially wants to bag a white buck, no matter that it’s illegal in Wisconsin.

Through theatrics and quick changes, Mancheski becomes the buck, Staghart, who’s white from hoof to head, topped by golden antlers.

Staghart tells of this time as a youth with Merlin, and how he wants to carry on his line before re-joining Merlin in Avalon. Whew. Cosmic.

In a way, the show is “Doc Heide’s Lessons on Life and Imagination.” Heide, who in real life teaches graduate-level psychology, co-wrote the book and lyrics with Lee Becker.

The music by Paul Libman, played by pianist Kyle Nelson, fits whatever setup, be it an operatic lament (“I Can’t Kill Bambi’s Brudder”), sweet (“Knitting Love Song”) or fun-loving (“Ain’t Dat a Kick in Da Pants?”)

Jeff Herbst directs and choreographs. The latter especially comes to play when Duane dresses as a camouflage tree and is transported into being all sorts of trees in the romp, “If I Was a Tree.” Also mind-bending is the ballet for mating deer (Mancheski and Becker), “Pas De Doe,” a play on legit ballet’s “Pas de Deux” in more ways than one.

Door County Advocate

Laughs keep coming in AFT’s “Guys and Does”

Marty Lash
Door County Advocate
September 9-15, 2009

Ready for a singing, dancing, wisecracking albino buck? American Folklore Theatre is serving up this and more in its latest show, “Guys and Does.”

This new musical came from the minds of Paul Libman, Lee Becker and Fred “Doc” Heide, who love to find variations on Northwoods themes. “Guys and Does” is one of AFT’s most constantly funny and entertaining shows. My wife even said that it seemed like late AFT co-founder Fred Alley was back. It’s that good.

Here we are given two guys who decide to go “up Nort’” and do some deer hunting. Fritz Dingleheimer is played by Heide, and Becker is Duane Puddles (Where do they come up with these names?)

One of the humorous problems is that Friz is a fairly straightforward guy and an experienced, serious hunter. Duane, on the other hand, is anything but a hunter. He is sensitive and likes to read self-help books. He likes to “share” and hug. He has trouble dealing with the idea that he has to kill “Bambi’s brudda.”

Duane goes on the trip because he wants to marry Fritz’ daughter and hopes to get his approval. It’s also an opportunity for him to do a little male bonding.

This improbable mix becomes even funnier when Joe Jimmy Ray Bob Johnson III shows up. Here we have the ever-popular Doug Mancheski trying to wheel and deal with these guys. Joe Jimmy is from Texas and is seeking rare game (the albino deer), but his methods and actions are not that noble.

There are moments in the show when the situations have the audience in stitches. This happens when Fritz and Duane go hunting and Duane dresses up like a tree in order to camouflage himself. He is riotous as he moves around the stage in his ridiculous disguise. In these passages, even the actors are cracking up each other.

Even funnier is when Mancheski and Becker double as a buck and doe, both in albino deer costumes. They are called “Staghart of the Golden Horns” (Mancheski) and “The White Doe” (Becker). They perform a very funny “Pas De Doe” ballet-like dance.

This new show is set at Ephraim village Hall, which proves to be a good setting. Even though the hall’s capacity is small, the musical benefits from the halls’ intimacy. It just would not work as well on AFT’s main stage. The musical has very imaginative stage work that was done by Jim Maronek and Neen Rock, and musical director Kyle Nelson capably carries the three actors through their paces.

“Guys and Does” runs through Oct. 24 at Ephraim Village hall, State 42, Ephraim. Curtain times are 7:30pm Mondays through Fridays, and 4:30pm and 7:30pm Saturdays. Tickets are $21 for adults, $11 ages 11 and under for the 7:30pm shows, $18 adults and $11 children for the Saturday matinees. For tickets or more information, call 920-854-6117 or visit www.folkloretheatre.com <http://www.folkloretheatre.com> .