The Constructivists Celebrate Eight Years of “Dark Art Catharsis” in Milwaukee
Milwaukee audiences seeking a unique theatrical experience are in for a treat as The Constructivists, a local theater company, marks its eighth season. The company specializes in productions designed to help viewers process difficult emotions through the power of laughter, utilizing dark comedy, dramedy, and drama – a practice founder Jaimelyn Gray terms “dark art catharsis.”
The Constructivists, currently based at the Broadway Theater Center in Milwaukee’s Historic Third Ward, have steadily grown since their humble beginnings in 2017. Their inaugural production, “Gruesome Playground Injuries,” debuted in the basement of the Grand Avenue mall at the Underground Collaborative. The company successfully navigated the challenges of the pandemic and has now completed three seasons at their current venue.
“We’re all about using humor to explore the darker sides of the human experience,” Gray explained. “It’s a way to connect with audiences on a deeper level and offer a sense of release.”
The current season kicked off with “Bed and Breakfast of the Damned,” a world premiere horror comedy penned by Cameron McNary. That production concluded its run on Friday. Looking ahead, The Constructivists will present “A Very Deadly Constructivist Holiday,” scheduled to run from December 18-20. This holiday show promises a darkly comedic exploration of human behavior, framed around the seven deadly sins.
“Holidays do kind of make people go crazy,” Gray noted. “It’s all about humans behaving badly over the holidays, according to the seven deadly sins. So there are vignettes of scenes that go through lust and wrath and envy and all of the sins.”
Gray skillfully balances multiple roles within the company, serving as both director and owner, and occasionally taking to the stage as an actress. She recently appeared in the company’s spring production of “The Beauty Queen of Leenane.” Behind the scenes, the company operates as a true family affair, with Gray’s husband constructing the sets and a longtime college friend handling the designs – a collaborative partnership that has endured throughout the company’s eight-year history.
The Constructivists have also forged a valuable partnership with Imagine a WIFE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting local artists and creative spaces within Milwaukee’s vibrant art scene. This collaboration underscores the company’s commitment to fostering a thriving artistic community.
This story was originally reported on-air by a journalist and has been adapted for this platform with the assistance of AI, and subsequently verified by our editorial team for accuracy and fairness.
