'Run Bambi Run:' Milwaukee Rep brings true-crime saga to stage

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Rep is bringing one of the city's most infamous, true-crime stories to the stage in "Run Bambi Run."

A Milwaukee police officer and convicted killer. That is how many know Lawrencia "Bambi" Bembenek. 

Lawrencia Bembenek

"You’d just mention her name, and people just right away, they have an opinion," said Eric Simonson, bookwriter for the "Run Bambi Run" musical. 

"The entire story is so wild," said Erika Olson, who is playing Bembenek. 

Erika Olson

Come September, Milwaukee Rep will stage "Run Bambi Run," a musical about Bembenek's saga. 

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"People want to make her out to be a playboy Bunny, then also this crazy murderer, then she’s stupid enough to flush a wig down the toilet," Olson said. "This story is also centered around a really tragic murder."

In 1990, Bembenek escaped prison where she had been serving a life sentence for the murder of her husband's ex-wife, Christine Schultz. It is a crime Bembenek insisted she did not commit. 

"No matter what you believe about what happened, you can watch this story and take something away from it," Olson said. "Coming in within the first day, we were talking about that and leaving space in the room for those devastating losses that happened."

Fueled with unique music and writing, it is a journey this troupe says you'll have to see to believe. 

"It can be telling something very serious, and yet I think we feel there’s still room, plenty of room for humor and jokes," said Gordon Gano, "Run Bambi Run" lyricist and composer.

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"Run Bambi Run" can be seen from Sept. 22 through Oct. 22.