The concept focuses on repairing criminal harms by examining their impact on not only the offender but more importantly on the victim and the community, said Janine Geske, former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice and distinguished professor of law at Marquette University Law School. Restorative justice holistically approaches crime, calling upon all involved parties to openly discuss their viewpoints through methods such as sharing circles and victim-offender conferencing. The concept addresses three main questions: Who has been harmed? What is the harm? How can the harm be fixed?

The idea behind restorative justice originates in deeply rooted tribal traditions, Geske said. At Native American tribal assemblies, community members held talking pieces such as feathers, rocks and sticks to indicate whose turn it was to speak. Similar practices were also found within New Zealand tribal communities and the Mennonite religious tradition.

Despite restorative justice’s longstanding practices, the United States didn’t embrace its methodology until recently whereas Canada, New Zealand and the European Union have extensive documentation of its practice, Geske said. The American restorative justice movement first appeared in the 1970s but has gained momentum in the last 10 to 15 years.

Under direction of Geske, Milwaukee has begun to implement restorative justice into its community. Marquette has collaborated with local and federal law enforcement, volunteers and community organizations to create the Safe Streets Initiative, a restorative justice program that targets drug and gang-violence in the roughest parts of Milwaukee.

Geske described the program as an opportunity for communities to hold offenders accountable for their actions and to sound a final call for change. It asks offenders to clean up their acts or face the consequences of law enforcement. Through community support and accountability, the SSI ultimately hopes offenders will realize their harmful actions have a viral effect on the individuals around them.

A drug dealer doesn’t see his impact on a drug-addicted mother whose child is taken away, or how gun shots in a neighborhood shake a community’s safety and security, Geske said. Law enforcers, offenders, victims and communities gain insight into their intertwined interactions through the open dialogue the SSI encourages.

Call-ins, the SSI’s central program component, encourage community leaders to convene with drug dealers and gang members in an effort to confront injury and work to heal the community. Community interventions often take the form of restorative justice circles, a mutual meeting of minds and opportunity for every participant to share his individual perspective without interruption.

Participants gather in a circle and discuss how harm shapes their community, Geske said. Similar to Native American traditions, a talking piece is passed around the room to indicate an individual’s time to verbalize his perspective.

Paulina de Haan, community coordinator for the SSI on Milwaukee’s near south side, said the circles and call-ins she organizes are definite deterrents for crime.

“Ninety-five percent of the crime that occurs only really occurs by 5 percent of the population,” de Haan said. “In the inner city, most people are just trying to make a living and be safe. The theory is that if we target the most violent, gang-affiliated, we can show offenders their actions are bad and have consequences.”

And restorative justice’s impact is evident. de Haan recalled a moving circle in which two former rival gang members joined. In the past they had directed hatred and gunfire at one another, but by the circle’s end they exchanged apologies and hugs. de Haan said she felt uneasy about the situation but trusted the circle’s process.

“Telling each other how much they hated each other and realizing there was no basis for it was incredible,” de Haan said.

Through circles, restorative justice ultimately helps heal communities, but one of its most powerful components brings victims and offenders together through one-on-one conferencing.

Oftentimes victims initiate contact with offenders in order to satisfy their curiosity, Geske said. In some cases the victim wants the offender to hear the harms he caused. In other instances victims want to know more about the crime or what the offender has done since it was committed. Ultimately, victim-offender conferences aim to provide closure and healing to the victim.

“If we paid more attention to supporting victims, we would have fewer offenders,” Geske said.

Will Butler, president of Marquette University Law School’s Restorative Justice Society, said that there would be fewer offenders if communities incorporated restorative justice measures into everyday society.

“It’s the difference between being in the emergency room with a heart attack versus preventing one by exercising and eating right,” Butler said.

Implementing restorative justice programs into school systems and neighborhood communities teaches individuals healthy techniques for tackling conflict, he said. Members of the legal community must also step forward to promote this approach to the legal system.

“What starts really small can become large,” Butler said. “The legal community needs to set a standard. It’s important that the legal community steps up and says there’s more to conflict than just crime.”

The law field’s slow implementation of more restorative justice measures comes from professionals fearing they won’t appear tough on crime if they embrace the concept, he said.

“No one wants someone in office who isn’t tough on crime,” Butler said. “The problem is much more nuanced than what can be put on a voter ticker. “

The approach isn’t designed to take the place of our criminal justice system; it’s designed to repair harm instead of ignoring the fact that harm has been committed, he said. Not every case is right for restorative justice. Dangerous people should not be released from prisons.

In the end, restorative justice reconnects victims, offenders and the community.

Despite society’s technological playground of tweeting and blogging, we grow increasingly disconnected with the community around us. A merry-go-round of fast track communication claims to bring us together but often creates distance between us and our neighbors. We have Internet connectivity at our fingertips but often forget about the human web that pulls us together.

“The most powerful thing about not only circle but restorative justice is the idea of community,” Butler said. “Communities have a powerful way of influencing other people to act right. When you don’t have a community around you, you don’t realize the impact of your actions.”

de Haan said she sees the power of community in the district in which she works.

“We need more community in the inner city,” de Haan said. “It’s a transient community that moves around a lot. People are working hard to make ends meet, and circles help remind everyone we’re in on this together.”

In other words, healing comes full circle. Offenders realize the harm they cause to victims. Victims find closure and a sense of peace. The community grows closer and stronger to one another.

The show:

The show starts with Jules, just out of the shower, playing with her flab in front of a mirror. We later see that she has a perfect body, but just seems to be feeling the natural insecurities of many women — old and young.

A lot happened in few minutes. During the 30-minute show, we’re introduced to a possible future love interest — a hot neighbor man Jules calls a “tiger” who seems to be coming home with a different young woman every night.

Jules and her younger friend Laurie (Busy Philipps) go out “on the prowl” (the cougar references are plentiful) for men, but Jules is afraid she’ll become one of the cougar women that she makes fun of. She proves she’s still got it, and while she’s starting to enjoy her 40’s the way she wishes she had enjoyed her 20’s, her son is getting some flack at school.

The reaction:

Since I can remember, it was never embarrassing or shameful to have a “MILF” — a lot of younger guys are proud of their cool moms. In this show, however, a hot mom is an embarrassing mom. I agree that having a cougar mom would be embarrassing (son Travis walks in on Jules with a man who can’t be much older than he is), but having a hot mom is nothing to be ashamed of.

Take it or leave it — I’m not sure if I’ll give it a second shot. The issue I’m concerned with, though, is how ABC is handling the “cougar” theme.

The issue:

The online dating Web site, CougarLife.com, elected to advertise during “Cougar Town” last night. The 60-second commercial advertisement was pulled by ABC, even though it seems it would have been a perfect fit for the show. Talk about a target audience!

While there are major differences between just a MILF and a cougar mom, I don’t understand any differentiation ABC might make between real life and fictional cougars. It’s all the same thing.

The entire show is basically promoting the lifestyle and cultural changes of the cougar era, but the network would not allow a real life service embracing this change in society to advertise during the show.

The fact that there is a primetime television show specifically focused on cougars (a term that has become mainstream in the past couple of years as society has evolved) proves that this is something we see in real life, and the idea is making money for networks. Why block another company from adding to the message?

Likewise, I feel the theme is a little too drawn-out. We might laugh at the show, and a lot of women will be able to relate to Jules, but how novel is this concept? I’m tired of it already.

Hot middle-aged woman takes back her life. Then ABC rejects a paid advertisement from hot middle-aged women who are taking back their lives. I don’t think the show will last, but I guess there will always be real life cougars “on the prowl.”

Watch the CougarLife.com commercial here.

In 1901, the American League, a second Major League, was created in competition with the National League. Frank Fleming said on Sports Encyclopedia Web site that Ban Johnson, President of the then Western League and founder of the AL, selected the home cities for his four teams to create rivalries with existing NL clubs.

Fleming said Milwaukee was one of two of Johnson’s Western League cities that was allowed to keep its team, and the original Milwaukee Brewers were established. According to Ballparks.com, Lloyd Street Grounds, located at North Ave. and 18th St., was the home for the Brewers’ lone season in Milwaukee.

The Brewers finished 48-89 that season and moved to St. Louis after that year to become the Browns. Even so, Fleming said that Milwaukee became a prominent minor league baseball city for the next 50 years.

In March 1953, Boston Braves owner Lou Perini decided to move his team to Milwaukee, according to a Milwaukee Braves Web site. County Stadium became the home to the Braves, even though it had just been completed for Milwaukee’s minor league team, the Brewers, to use.

County Stadium was located where the parking lot of Miller Park currently sits. Home to the Braves, and later the Brewers, County Stadium was used until the end of the 2000 Brewers season. Since then, Milwaukee has been the home to the Brewers.

During the 13 years the team played in Milwaukee, the Braves experienced more success than any other MLB team to pass through the city. The Braves won the World Series in 1957, triumphing over the New York Yankees in a seven-game series and claiming the only Series victory for the city of Milwaukee. The club returned to the Fall Classic the following year but was unable to reclaim the title.

In each of the 13 seasons the Braves occupied Milwaukee, the team finished with a record above .500, according to Sports Encyclopedia. During this time, future Hall of Famers Hank Aaron (outfield), Phil Niekro (pitcher), Warren Spahn (pitcher) and Eddie Mathews (third base) called Milwaukee home.

According to Sports Encyclopedia, the Braves wanted to leave Milwaukee after the 1964 season and planned on moving to Atlanta for the start of the 1965 season. Minority stockholder and used car salesman Bud Selig wasn’t letting that happen without a fight.

Selig sued the Braves in order to keep them in Milwaukee, claiming the “loss of a baseball team meant the loss of an identity,” the Web site said. This action only managed to keep the Braves in Milwaukee for one more season, and after the 1965 campaign, Milwaukee bade farewell to its second Major League franchise. Selig, who is now in his 11th year as the Commissioner of Major League Baseball, has become a Milwaukee icon.

The wait wasn’t long before another major league team landed in Milwaukee. After its first season in the MLB, the Seattle Pilots were flopping both on the field and in the front office. Attendance was low, and the team was losing money. The team was forced to leave the Pacific Northwest and head to Milwaukee, according to a Seattle Pilots Web site.

Selig bought the floundering Pilots on April 1, 1970, only a week before the team was scheduled to kick off its sophomore season, according to the Pilots history guide. That week, the Pilots were re-named, and on April 7, major league baseball was back in Milwaukee as the newly christened Brewers were welcomed to County Stadium.

It was in 1970 that the Brewers began to make their mark in Milwaukee. Milt Mason, a 69-year-old fan, camped out atop the scoreboard of County Stadium until the team had a game with 40,000 in attendance. Mason’s antics became iconic to Brewers fans, and he became the team’s first mascot, “Bernie Brewer,” according to the Bernie Brewer page of the Brewers Web site.

Until 1984, Bernie had a home at County Stadium. His Web site reports that, similar to today, Bernie would slide into a beer barrel after each Brewer home run and win. After the 1984 campaign, however, the stadium was renovated and left Bernie without a home or a career until 1993 when a fan vote led to the reinstatement of the team’s mascot.

“I can’t imagine the Brewers without Bernie at the games,” said Sabrina Bong, a junior in the College of Communication. “Since I was little, I remember going to the games and watching Bernie. Having a mascot is a something that not many other teams have.”

Bernie is a great way to get kids involved in the game, she said.

“He was what I associated with the Brewers. The first Brewers game I went to was when they still played at County Stadium,” Bong said. “The only thing I remember from that game is watching Bernie slide into his beer barrel.”

Winning was something the Brewers and their fans got used to in the early 1980s as the team made its first two post-season appearances in 1981-’82. The Brewers’ season was magical in 1982, but the magic died too soon when they lost the World Series in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals.

In 1998, the Brewers moved from the American League Central to the National League Central in order to balance interleague play. The Baseball Almanac, an official collection of baseball history, said the Brewers are the only team to have ever switched leagues.

With this move, a new rivalry was born: Brewers vs. Cubs.

“Milwaukee has a huge loyalty to this team,” said Carly Zarr, sophomore in the College of Education. “I’m a Cubs fan, and just wearing one of their jerseys up here draws a lot of attention. And none of that is good.

“The fans really do get behind the team and think that after a few wins the team is going to be on a roll for the rest of the season,” she said. “It’s a lot like Cubs fans, which makes this rivalry so intense.”

A stage for modern Brewers vs. Cubs rivalries, Miller Park, was opened and became the home of the Brewers in 2001.

“Miller Park is amazing,” said Pedro Ruiz, senior in the College of Arts & Sciences. “The state-of-the-art field draws people in really well, and there is a little bit for everyone who comes.

“There is tailgating before the games, and so much is available for kids and family there, too,” he said. “Even though there is a ‘beer’ atmosphere at the park, it still maintains a family-friendly feel by having a lot of stuff for kids.”

Although it seemed like Milwaukee wasn’t destined to house a Major League baseball team, the Brewers beat the system and now play in a city that loves them.

NO DOUBT: Sh*t Wasn’t Bananas, But it Was Hella Good

Forgotten, Paramore. That’s what you get when you open for legendary No Doubt. When the sky darkened over the Marcus Ampitheater on July 2, the crowd was rabbled and roused by openers Bedouin Soundclash and Paramore as it waited for the curtain to open for the headliner. Paramore, led by Hayley Williams, brought some last-minute energy and girl power to the stage. And then we waited.

No Doubt silhouettes appeared on the curtain, and a few people peed themselves (a little). Shadow-Gwen pumped her fist and up went the curtain, revealing a sleek, white set with an outerspace vibe. Evenly spaced along white arches that cascaded onto the stage, band members Tom Dumont (guitar), Stephen Bradley (trumpet/keyboard), Adrian Young (drums), Tony Kanal (bass) and Gabrial McNair (trombone/keyboard) posed comfortably in black and white attire.

Gwen Stefani (vocals) stepped out onto the main platform wearing thigh-high black boots with all-white trousers and a white belly shirt to match the dichromatic set. The Gen-Yers sighed and thought of the 90s. The only thing more alien than the set was Gwen’s rock-hard body, which showed absolutely no sign of recent babymaking.

The band stuck to its tried and true songs (Just A Girl, Spiderwebs and Sunday Morning, to name a few) for the show, part of a tour marking their reunion after their five-year break. The public loved Stefani’s two solo albums, but it was time to send the Harajuku girls back to Japan and get on the road to make a new album as part of good old-fashioned No Doubt.

No Doubt comfortably performed their classics, flawlessly cranking out all of their top singles to an ecstatic crowd. Gwen kept the crowd hot and the energy high with her stage antics. At one point, she called three girls dressed in Stefani style onstage to pose for their camera phones.

During “Just A Girl,” Stefani paused to rally the cries of Wisconsin women who deafeningly followed her lead. When Gwen asked the boys to follow suit, they half-heartedly shouted, “I’m just … a girl …” Gwen responded, “Nice try, but that was sh*t!”

Hearing No Doubt after a long hiatus was a reminder of their many musical achievements. Their singles remain catchy and relevant. The show heightened anticipation for the band’s upcoming album. It’s sure to be hella good.

THE VERONICAS: All Sex and No Substance

Aussie-chicks The Veronicas performed at Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard stage on July 5. For those unfamiliar with these betties from over the pond, The Veronicas are Jessica and Lisa Origliasso, two deliciously gorgeous twin sisters with pipes that match. They are best known for their single “Untouched.”

The crowd swelled with estrogen as fans squeezed themselves onto the edges of picnic tables to see the stage, with the occasional scared boyfriends scattered here and there. The Briggs & Stratton stage is underneath the arches of I-94, a cement canopy to complement the rough-edged rock stars tuning up on stage.

Blondie Jess and raven-haired Lisa appeared on stage wearing oversized T-shirts and little else. After giving the crowd their gratitude for being in Milwaukee, they launched right into their concert with strong feminine vocals and pop-rock rhythms.

The band rocked out while the girls took turns singing, playing guitar and stalking the stage like tigers. Occasionally, they stood back to back and belted their melodic thoughts on relationships. “I feel so untouched right now / Need you so much somehow / I can’t resist you…”

The initial energy seemed to fizzle. After performing a few of their more popular songs such as “Everything” and “Take Me on the Floor,” The Veronicas started to lose the crowd’s interest. The girls kept singing and stalking, but maybe the novelty had worn out. With barely any crowd interaction or pause between songs, the show became one long pop song about love and lust.

Less than an hour after the concert began, it came to a somewhat abrupt end. The final song was “Forever,” but it seemed like no time at all.

Though The Veronicas put on a sexy, pop-rock performance, the concert was quick and lacked any major emotional distinction. Still, there’s nothing wrong with the occasional one-night stand.

Did you see any shows at Summerfest? Submit reviews and photos to copy@marquettejournal.org or comment on this post.

This scientist was Galileo Galilei, and he discovered that the planet Jupiter had moons, a fact that disproved the geocentric model of Earth in which the universe revolved around our planet. Although it was not appreciated in Galileo’s lifetime, the theory was eventually proven to be true. Four hundred years later, the world deems Galileo’s discovery worthy of celebration rather than condemnation.

And so a celebration has been planned. Organized by the International Astronomical Union, 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy. The IAU stated in a press release that the event was planned to “stimulate world interest, especially among young people, in astronomy and science.”

To commemorate this historic anniversary, the IAU hosted an event called 100 Hours of Astronomy, where astronomers, amateur and professional took to the streets to look at the skies. The event was so popular that the IAU decided to create a new event, called Galilean Nights, which will take place over the night of Oct. 23 to 24.

According to Donna Smith, task group member for Galilean Nights, the event focuses on seeing Jupiter and its moons. During the 100 Hours of Astronomy event, it wasn’t possible to see the planet. Galilean Nights gives those who participated in the prior event a chance to see them now instead.

Smith also said the event was designed not for present astronomers, but for people who would otherwise never consider looking up at the night sky through a telescope.

“The purpose is to take your telescope out to people,” said Smith, who suggests places such as street corners and movie theaters for the event. She says bringing astronomy to the public is the best way to interest others in the science because people will only go out to a big observatory or buy a telescope if they’re already interested.

“The whole idea of the event is for astronomers to be reaching out to as many people as they can,” said Smith.

But some astronomers are trying to reach out to more than street corners. Elias Jordan, an amateur astronomer from Kansas, is planning a “star party” for Galilean Nights with a twist: he’ll be broadcasting the event over the Internet.

It’s not something new for Jordan, who did a similar webcast for the 100 Hours of Astronomy. He said the event “turned out to be overly successful,” and this inspired him to do the same for Galilean Nights.

According to Jordan, webcasting can be done three different ways, all of which involve a Web site known as Ustream, a Web page where users can post live videos for others to watch. The simplest way is to connect a webcam to a computer, and point it up at the night sky. This creates a simple ‘naked-eye-view’ for the event.

If a webcaster wants a better, more dynamic webcast, Jordan said, he can instead move the webcam and computer around the star party, and put the camera’s lens up to a telescope so that viewers can see an enhanced view of the skies.

The last, and most complicated way to webcast a star viewing event is to have a group webcast, as Jordan hopes to do for Galilean Nights. In a group webcast, multiple webcasts are set up at the same time in different places.

Jordan said he plans to have two Galilean Nights groups in his area, which epitomize the two distinct aspects of the event. The first, he says, will be centered in town, and the second will be about 30 miles away at a nearby observatory.

“You get a much, much better view outside of the observatory,” he said, adding that the event taking place outside the city was more for established astronomy groups than the average person.

“We’re just trying to give the public the ability to mimic Galileo,” Jordan said.

Here at Marquette, students who hope to look to the night sky might be served best by turning to the Physics Club. Amongst other activities, including building trebuchets and periodically launching rockets, the Physics Club hosts star nights periodically for interested students.

Physics Club president Victoria Salas said the Physics Club plans to have a star night Sept. 25 to 26, during the first quarter moon. She said they considered an event for Galilean Nights but nothing had been decided.

“It’s up in the air,” said Salas. “It depends on the interest in our other star night.”

Salas said that there were potential problems other than a lack of interest. For example, she said the weather has to be warm enough for students to remain outside. It’s also difficult to find people who know how to use a telescope, she said.

The Manfred Olson Planetarium at UW-Milwaukee is offering stargazing nights throughout October and November starting at 8:30 p.m., and the Milwaukee Astronomical Society Observatory, in New Berlin, is offering a public observation night on Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Most importantly, you’ve said adieu to your family. After years of living with them at home, you’ve sent them on their way, and a future of independence has begun. Glorious, isn’t it?

Ten minutes later, your phone is ringing. It’s not the hottie you met earlier that morning — it’s your mother. “How’s it going? Make any new friends? Have you met up with your adviser yet? I can call him and set up a time. I would love to join!”

Independence. For some, it holds true to its name. For others, independence comes with a revolutionary new aspect: the helicopter parents. In middle school, these were the parents who showed up to defend their son or daughter from bullies or from a teacher giving “unfair” treatment. In high school, these were the parents constantly calling and meeting with guidance counselors, completing class projects and sometimes even college applications. Once a son or daughter reaches college, helicopter parents constantly call, involve themselves with student advisers … and join Facebook.

So, you have a parent who is exhibiting  helicopter characteristics? How do you deal with this problem without being too harsh or otherwise cutting off conversation completely? After all, they might be paying for your college tuition.

Here is a simple guide:

1. Be direct without being mean. Parents are having separation anxiety, especially if you are their  first child to head off to college. They’re sensitive. Therefore, “stop calling me!” might not be the best way to approach their clinginess. Casually mention that while you appreciate their calls, you need your independence. After all, it is your time to make decisions on your own, figure things out the hard way and make some mistakes. It will benefit both you and your parents in the long run. You can hang out with friends without having to leave the room because “a friend from home” is calling, and parents can take a breath of fresh air knowing that they don’t have to continue holding your hand.

2. Call them! Instead of feeling bombarded by their phone calls, e-mails and text messages about what they cooked for dinner or what your dog is doing, pick up the phone. A five minute conversation you initiated might do more than you think. Pretty soon you’ll have your mother bragging to her friends about what a great son or daughter you are. You might even be more successful with obtaining a nice little check in the mail.

Nina Lewis, a sophomore in the College of Communication, says she talks to her parents about three to four times a week on the phone, “just to talk about my day at school and if anything new happened.” Lewis also uses e-mail and text messaging to communicate with her parents throughout the week.

Kelli Romine, a freshman in the College of Health Sciences, said that she and her family are really close, “so I e-mail, call and text home daily.” Romine is still adjusting to life away from home but says she assumes the more comfortable she becomes at Marquette, the less frequent communication will be.

3. Prove to them you’re responsible. Parents still worry about your health, safety, well-being and academics. Mention to them that you met with your adviser, picked up your prescription from Walgreens or did well on a test. These all prove you are capable of living on your own and can handle your responsibilities.

4. Plan out communication times. Seeing as your parents don’t know where you are every second of the day (or maybe they do) and thus what times you are available to chat, inform them. Set up times that fit into both schedules to talk. You won’t be fumbling around for your phone in class when it starts ringing or trying to tell your mom about your day while rushing from class to class. Using a little bit of free time to sit down and have a legitimate phone call will make that communication all the more satisfactory and non-disruptive.

Matt Allie, a junior in the College of Engineering, says, “There are weeks when I talk to them a bit either through e-mail or phone, and there are weeks where things are really busy or there’s not much to talk about and I don’t have a chance to call.”

5. Make conversations meaningful. The three-minute phone conversation consisting of a brief overview of your day is probably the reason your parents keep calling. Therefore, when you can have a real conversation with them, make it meaningful. Tell them about your professors and what you’re learning in class. Tell them what you did over the weekend (OK, not everything you did). Tell them what you ate for dinner — and mention how it isn’t as good as their cooking. One meaningful conversation is equivalent to five nagging, annoying, three-minute conversations.

As a junior, Allie has had a few years to settle in to life at Marquette and has seen communication with his parents diminish. “It’s more common that we have real conversations,” he said. “I’m not just calling for help or advice about adjusting to new things.”

While excessive communication from parents can seem annoying, students need to appreciate the benefits of parents who truly are interested and care about how they are doing.

“I think it’s better than them not calling. (Calling) is not a bad thing, it just shows that they care about us and miss us,” said Mike Breen, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences.

An hour later I found myself actually enjoying a mandatory class assignment.

“The Government Inspector,” a satire written by Russian playwright Nikolai Gogol, focuses on the Russian Tsar and its infamous corruption and greed.

A mayor, his family and fellow townspeople engaged in a quest to impress upon a government inspector the splendors of their town. But when there is a mix up as to who the government inspector is, the townspeople and the mayor falsely go on believing a man named Khlestakov is the inspector.

Khlestakov, a jobless and suicidal alcoholic, eventually realizes the townspeople believe he is the inspector. He proceeds with the game and takes advantage of money and amenities he is offered. The mayor bribes Khlestakov with money, the mayor’s wife and daughter both throw themselves at him and the other townspeople get on their hands and knees for his every need.

The play kept me laughing throughout its entirety. The mayor, eccentric and loud, puts on a pompous act to which he often can’t stick. His wife is portrayed a seductress that pounces on Khlestakov as soon as she has him alone. The mayor’s daughter, a rich, gothic-esque Russian girl who shows no interest in anything, keeps to herself throughout the majority of the play. She suddenly opens up when Khlestakov creates an elementary school rhyme about her name.

While only a dress rehearsal, it was clear the actors were well-trained, well-practiced and serious about their work. It also indicated a very talented director and behind the scenes production members.

I thoroughly enjoyed the scenery with its bold and gaudy colors, and how it tied into the era of the story. I was impressed by the scene changes and how dramatic they were, especially with the incorporation of folk/rock music.

This experience opened my eyes to all that a play can offer: humor, a good story, talented actors, flawless scenery and lighting. It also made me look forward to the other plays I will attend for my Theatre Appreciation class as well as my possible future as a theater connoisseur.

The Government Inspector is currently showing at the Milwaukee Rep. Click here to find tickets.