{image1}Milwaukee's Bialystock & Bloom prides itself on being a user-friendly theater company. For almost 10 years and more than 25 productions, it has continuously cultivated a fun atmosphere and provocative theater-going experience.

Now B&B comes fully equipped with a home, a modest full-time staff and a growing reputation of excellence. But it started from humble beginnings and a simple request of its audiences, "if you like what you see, tell your friends and if you don't, then keep your damn mouths shut!"

In the beginning there were three men with an idea, a passion for the arts and, of all things, a red fez to collect donations. Jonathan West, Stephan Roselin and Scott Howland set out to do a one show engagement of Martin Sherman's "BENT" as part of Theatre X's late-night series.

This production ended up being very popular. "Then we realized we may do this more than once, so we should come up with a company. And the first thing you need to do when you come up with a company is come up with a name," says West.

So in 1995, the three men sat at Landmark Lanes with a frosty mug and deliberated options for naming their new theater company. The idea of Bialystock & Bloom came up because of their appreciation of the Mel Brooks movie "The Producers."

"We thought, 'well, wouldn't it be perfect if we name ourselves Bialystock & Bloom, because these guys were successes in spite of themselves,'" West says. "They set out to create the world's biggest flop and it became the biggest hit."

In spite of themselves, they endured though years of being a nomadic theater company, searching for available space to produce their shows. Now, it has found a home as a resident company in the Studio Theatre of the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway.

West says that the benefits to having this space are numerous.

"For our patrons, it's nice because there is a bar in the building. You buy drinks, bring them in, and drink them during the show."

The company still depends on the input of its three founding fathers, but only has two full-time staff members. West is the artistic director and Wise is the managing director.

West is committed to helping young artists get work, he says.

"We try to promote new people who are emerging artists ... we are dedicated to giving young, professional artists an opportunity to showcase their work."

The mission of Bialystock & Bloom is clear-cut: "to produce professional theater with provocative themes." For West, it is essential that the season that they pick reflects this statement.

"Provocative is the key," he says. "The subject matters are provocative, the plays are provocative. You are not going to see us doing a Neil Simon play any time soon, there is nothing wrong with Neil Simon, but you're not going to see us do a Neil Simon play. We do subjects that aren't sometimes universally popular. I mean we have plays that have incest in them, very funny plays." The plays must also have a bit of an edge to them, "we are not cutting edge, we tread the edge. You can come to one of our plays and understand it because it has a linear form to it."

B&B strives to create a different theater-going experience, a very personal one where the audience feels that pretty much anything could happen during a performance. Often, anything will happen, West says with a grin.

"There's a little bit of that surprise and titillation factor with us. We are kind of like your favorite crazy uncle. You are probably glad that you don't live with him, but it is really fun to see him every once in a while."

More than anything, B&B wants to make theater fun. West and his cohorts understand that they are not competing with other theater companies, but with HBO, television and movies. Thus, they are determined to make the case that coming to the theater can be as comfortable as sitting on your living room sofa. Audiences are invited to wear jeans and a T-shirt, bring in a drink and relax.

At Bialystock & Bloom laughter is always the greatest medicine.

"We have always approached everything with a great sense of humor," West says. "We love to laugh a lot, but laughter is also a coping mechanism for the harder things."

Bialystock & Bloom plans on continuing this tradition as it prepares to enter its 10th anniversary season.

"We want to continue to be Milwaukee's most fun and provocative theater companies, and we want to continue to give young artist opportunities to show their talents."

So, be sure to tell your friends. If you don't, then keep your damn mouths shut!

Bialystock & Bloom's Web site is www.bialystockbloom.com.