The Call List by Brian James Polak World Premiere in Door County, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Eagle/10346365

STURGEON BAY, Wis. - WisconsinEagle -- Third Avenue PlayWorks (TAP) announces The Call List, by Brian James Polak as part of the World Premiere Wisconsin Festival, a statewide festival celebrating new plays and musicals, running September 23 to October 11, 2026.

Polak writes existential plays featuring stuck people, and The Call List is no exception. Considered a dark comedy, the play takes place in a toxic work environment and features a depressed legal assistant who is handed a list of names to call to announce a client's death. Armed with only her notebook and razor-sharp wit, she is pulled into a mystery that is equal parts darkly funny and unexpectedly heartfelt. Polak has created an environment that is hard for his character, but ultimately wants to help her find the way out of the darkness, and show audiences a pathway to a deeper understanding of themselves.

About his plays, Polak hopes "people will return to their lives more empathetic, or at the very least, aware of their need to show and be shown empathy."

While Polak is from New Hampshire and currently resides in Minnesota, The Call List is no stranger to Door County, Wisconsin. The play was workshopped with actor Eva Nimmer at the Door Kinetic Arts Festival in Door County in 2023. Now in its tenth year, the week-long festival provides Door County residents and visitors a peek at the creative process through film screenings, staged readings, performed works in progress, and workshops in the exceptionally beautiful and serene atmosphere maintained at Björklunden in Baileys Harbor.

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In March of this year, The Call List went through another round of workshops at Third Avenue PlayWorks. This time, Polak and Nimmer collaborated with Jacob Janssen, Jackie & Steve Kane Artistic Director, and director for this production.

The Call List has already garnered recognition as a Semi-Finalist in Seven Devils New Play Foundry Playwrights Conference (2025), as well as Semi-Finalist in B Street Theatre's new Comedies Festival (2019). "So blown away reading this script. It's such a detailed, slice of life play," said award-winning playwright Rachel Bublitz, "It gives us an incredibly focused look into the lives of the protagonist, the folks she's calling, and the dead man she's calling about, all in a one person show! Highly recommend this show. It's funny and sad in all the best ways."

For more information about performances of The Call List at Third Avenue PlayWorks or to purchase tickets, visit thirdavenueplayworks.org/the-call-list.