Touchdown in the Family Zone

Sierra Rottier (left) as Gabby and Mark Thompson (right) as Ralph in Dad's Season Tickets. Photo credit: Anne Kenny Creative

A review of Dad's Season Tickets

by Ellie Wilhelm, age 15

The musical Dad’s Season Tickets, written by Matt Zembroski, is being put on by the Waukesha Civic Theatre. It is a lighthearted and relatable musical that is great for all audiences. I believe that the musical is a very good quality show, with realistic and unique aspects, great music and vocals, and phenomenal acting.

Dad’s Season Tickets takes place from 1996 to early 1997 during the NFL season. It is about a father named Frank (Bob Zimmerman) who owns Packers season tickets due to inheriting them from his family. He has three daughters: Cordy (Mariah Keefer), Gabby (Sierra Rottier), and Rhonda (Jenavieve Plutz). Things stir up between the family as they meet up to watch a Packers game together, and conflicts arise as the season plays out. 

This musical is very unique and stands apart for many different aspects. For one, it is about a topic that very few shows are about: sports. The director, Justin Spanbauer, really plays into this idea. He decided that the show should have the atmosphere of a sports game in order to envelop the audience. He did this in a few ways. He incorporated an announcer regularly into the script, which makes the audience feel as if they are in the stands of a sporting event. Another aspect that was also utilized was something I have never experienced before in the theatre world: instead of clapping, the theatre handed out thundersticks, and encouraged the audience to use them instead of their hands. I found this so creative, and felt it played very well into his vision. There were a few other intriguing aspects, including the smell of popcorn, the frequent breaking of the fourth wall, and the loud music. 

Not only was the environment of the musical unique, but the songs were as well. For one, there was a live band of only three people. I found this to be unbelievably impressive because the band made so many different noises as a whole that made every song feel different—and catchy—and it felt like there were far more than three musicians playing. Not only this, but the vocals that accompanied the band were amazing. The sound felt very full for a six-person cast, and they all blended great as an ensemble. One of my favorite parts was listening to the beautiful harmonies that were featured in many songs. The vocal director, Heather David, did an amazing job at putting these vocals together for an overall stunning sound. This all adds to the amazing quality of the musical as a whole because the songs really assist to tie everything together.

Thirdly, the talented acting in Dad’s Season Tickets felt very realistic and was fun to watch. Every character was deeply developed and played a crucial part in the plot that revealed more about them. This made the show feel well-rounded and easy to understand. Not only this, but the actors playing each role were outstanding. When I watched the show, one actor that really stood out to me was John Rottier, who portrayed Edgar. The role of Edgar is unique because his personality is very unlike the other roles: he is a literature professor and often speaks in poems or complex words. Rottier made some very creative and well-thought out choices in their role, which made it feel very realistic and complete while also keeping me laughing with some of their jokes.

Overall, Dad’s Season Tickets truly are one in a million. The mix of outstanding acting, music, and vocals onstage and the elements offstage truly make this musical a worthy watch. I would really enjoy going back again to watch this show as I know I missed some details that would really add to my love for it. The show runs Friday, September 12 through Sunday, September 28, 2025, so come out to see this fun and immersive musical at the Waukesha Civic Theatre!