BWW Reviews: Placing Bets on a TEN DOLLAR HOUSE

Many small Wisconsin towns thrive on their rich European history. In a state steeped in a melting pot of culture, it seems almost unreal that anyone would try to do away with any aspect of that existence. However, in the 1930's there was a push to demolish the crumbling stone houses that etched the story of Mineral Point, WI - until two men got in the way.

That is where this story begins.

Bob Neal and Edgar Hellum, were the couple responsible for preserving not just the humble homes of the miners who lived in the town, but also a mansion shrouded in generations of familial antiquity. They did these things despite the adversity they met because of their 'alternative lifestyle.' Drawn out by writers Rick Kinnebrew and Martha Meyer, the two historical Wisconsinites are brought back to life by Broom Street Theater. Their current production outlines how Neal and Hellum began their journey of maintaining their town's original beauty by purchasing a Ten Dollar House.

Christopher Holland as Neal is a blissfully peppy chap who realized early on that his dreams were a far cry from normality in his rural Wisconsin town. Admitting at one point that he "is a pompous ass", Holland toes the line between the needy lover and the highbrow man of society that his character so desperately craves. With Andrew J Lonsdale at his side as his dashing partner Hellum, the two ignite their playful dialogues and recreate the livelihoods of two men that history nearly brushed passed.

Kinnebrew and Meyer's wordplay skillfully guides this story through its course. Their piece is clever, witty, and heartbreaking - touching upon every nuance one could ask for from a well-crafted play. It's no surprise that Ten Dollar House has already been met with such renown. As wordsmiths, Kinnebrew and Meyer too are preserving history in their own way by sharing a story of hardwork and discriminating love.

Coincidentally, the same discrimination that faced Neal and Hellum nearly 85 years ago is still alive and well.

Hours before this particular production was staged on Thursday night, Indiana governor Mike Pence signed a law. That law legalized the refusal of service to same-sex patrons under a stipulation that the business owners' moral convictions stand firmly against homosexuality. That weighed heavily on my mind, as I am sure it did for others in the audience, as the show went on. Knowing that, more than half a century later, parts of American society would still condemn their relationship makes this show even more emotionally charged.

Every once in a while a production will emerge that is just necessary. A moment exists in which the circumstances in the lives of its audience members or the larger whole of mankind give it more power. That is how art can thrive in every age - relevance. At present, a show that highlights where our open mindedness once was, where it can lead, and why that matters, is indescribably important.

Needless to say, this play is indescribably important.

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