'Earlybird' is a Wisconsin comedy that's the cat's meow

Milwaukee-made indie celebrates can-do spirit of local theater

There are a lot of empty seats in the 6th Street Theatre, and that’s not just because half of them are broken. The opening scene of “Earlybird” appears to be a rehearsal, as a few scattered souls watch two actors onstage run through “Romeo & Juliet.”

Nope, that’s the audience, and that’s the show. And that’s the cast – the theater apparently can’t afford to hire more than two actors to be in Shakespeare’s doomed romance. 

Hey, that’s showbiz. “Earlybird,” was written and directed by Wisconsin filmmaker Martin Kaszubowski, who was a co-writer on another Wisconsin indie I really liked, “Ringolevio.” It’s a wry, big-hearted comedy that celebrates the can-do, let’s-put-on-a-show spirit of local theater companies. But what if you put on a show and nobody comes?

Harried theater owner Michael Wagner (Joshua Koopman) is used to seeing one earnest high-minded production after another fail to draw an audience. When his landlord tells him he’s raising the rent, Michael knows it’s the end of the road for his little theatrical experiment. His supportive wife (Julie Pope) suggests that this could be a fresh start (“Do some woodworking, make a business plan.”). But before that, she urges Michael to go out with an avant-garde bang and put on the wildest show imaginable, now that he doesn’t have to worry about selling tickets.

The show is called “Cat War,” which is sort of a cross between “Cats” and that Vietnam War play that Max Fischer stages at the end of “Rushmore.” You can probably guess what happens next. “Cat War” is a huge hit, with customers lining up around the block. Of course it is. I’d go see “Cat War” in a heartbeat.

(Photo courtesy of Good Deed Entertainment)

So “Earlybird” has a lot in common with Mel Brooks’ “The Producers,” in that what seemed destined, even designed, to be a huge flop is instead a massive success. That success gives Michael’s theater a new lease on life (and a new lease), but it also goes to his head. After being a nurturing supportive leader to his cast and crew, because he knew they’d fail no matter what, he becomes something of a front-office tyrant, working his people to the bone to keep the success going. And he pushes them to produce more money-making “joke plays” like “Cat War,” no matter how embarrassing.

The performances of the entire ensemble are lovely, especially Koopman (who looks a lot like Rich Sommer from “Mad Men”), and Kaszubowski keeps the manic backstage energy flowing from scene to scene. The Milwaukee and Racine locations are well used (especially the theater, which feels like a character in itself), and there are some enjoyably goofy visual flourishes, such as when Michael and his wife kiss on the beach, and Kazsubowski frames them in a “Love, American Style”-style heart.

I’m glad the movie didn’t dip too much into the schism between “high art” vs. “low art” – there should be room in our hearts for both “Romeo & Juliet” and “Cat War.” “Earlybird” is more about the joy of making art with friends and colleagues – whether you’re wearing drawn-on whiskers or not.

“Earlybird” premiered last month at the Milwaukee Film Festival and is now available to rent or buy VOD at Prime Video and Apple TV+.