Country music fans and critics alike know there are certain themes the music focuses on. The Milwaukee Repertory Theater's production of "Lana Mae's Honky-Tonk Laundry" takes the audience on a typical country music journey of tragedy, with "side trips through heartache and betrayal."

The new musical, written and directed by Roger Bean, features songs from the last 40 years of country. The songs are seamlessly woven in the first act into a story of heartache and betrayal and then in the second act into a show-within-a-show.

Bean crafted a script to tell the story of two women affected by trouble with men in the quaint setting of the Wishy Washy Washeteria and inserted songs from artists such as Terri Clark, Dolly Parton, the Dixie Chicks and Loretta Lynn, among others.

As Bets Malone's character, Lana Mae Hopkins, says: "Everyone's got a good story. If they didn't, we wouldn't have country music."

Misty Cotton plays the high-strung, overdramatic Katie Lane who loses her job, breaks up with her boyfriend and gets a new position at Malone's laundromat. Her pained facial expressions and habit of hyperventilating give credibility to the picture of a spurned woman.

The duo presents a musical with two very distinct vocal styles that give character to songs that have already been established by well-known performers. Malone's more nasal voice sounds like traditional country singers, while Cotton's rich tone and wide vocal range make her voice similar to the pop country of today.

In addition to the well-written script and entertaining performances, the costumes by Alex Tecoma and props from Jim Guy help immensely in creating a whole story in a show based around only two characters.

Malone's quaint character uses phrases such as "quicker than two shakes of a rattler's tale," while walking around her laundromat in bright pink capris, white crop tops and cowboy boots with curlers in her hair.

Cotton's slightly more sophisticated character, although she is less adept at handling crises, tends to dress conservatively, presenting an interesting contrast to Malone throughout the show.

By adding in props, such as Earl's boxers and the "town whore's" intimate apparel, the audience is given a picture of life outside the laundromat without having to bring in other actors.

In the second act, as the duo presents their "Grand Ole Laundry," the script brings the audience into the performance. During the song "Potential New Boyfriend (Keep Your Hands Off My)," Cotton walks into the audience, choosing a man as her potential new boyfriend and warning the female audience members to stay away.

The intimate setting of the show, in the Stackner Cabaret, allows the audience to feel closer to the women and enjoy the production more than if sitting farther from the action.

The cabaret also offers themed drinks, such as the Possum Flats Punch, Goodbye Earl and Lana Mae's Delight, among others.

Overall, "Lana Mae's Honky-Tonk Laundry" presents a package of witty dialogue, old music presented in a new way and talented performers creating a generally enjoyable evening — even for non-country music fans.

Grade: A

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Jan. 27 2005.