The Milwaukee Chamber Theatre continues its series of Pulitzer Prize-winning plays with "Heroes," based on a French story called "The Wind in the Poplars."

In some ways, it is unexpectedly low key, dealing with three veterans from WWI living out their last days in a veterans home in France.

Three veteran actors, Daniel Mooney, Richard Halverson and Robert Spenser, play the roles of Phillippe, Gustave and Henri, respectively.

They sit on their little terrace with a sculptured dog, who almost becomes a character and exchange stories and barbs. They all have suffered injuries - Phillippe, a brain injury, which causes him to lapse into bouts of unconsciousness, paranoia and sometimes mild delusions; Gustave, who has turned into a frightened recluse, who hides behind a veil of bravado and cynicism; and Henri, the most daring of the three, who despite the partial loss of one of his legs, remains the most positive and forward-looking of the three. Behind the scenes are the nuns who run the place, often referred to in their conversations, not always positively.

The dialogue is spot-on clever; the characters, well differentiated; and the flavor, comical and poignant.

One enjoys listening to their banter and gradually coming to know these characters and discover their coping skills as they deal with their limitations and their future. In a way, it is a play that is more about trying to deal with one's past and one's mortality.

What makes this such a memorable experience is the trio of actors who comprise the cast. If you are a fan of Milwaukee theater, you have seen them all before, many times. I am so glad that Richard Halverson keeps coming out of retirement to play plum roles, such as this one of Gustave. He is priceless.

The lovely set created by Keith Pitts is sweet and reflective of the French architecture and gardening practices in the late '50s. The sound designer, Chris Guse, gave us a realistic melody of birds and geese overhead. But the most evocative of images, which we have to imagine, is a row of poplars in the distance, that inspire these three men to stretch their horizons and go on one last conquest.

Beautifully directed by Michael C. Wright, this slow-paced, inspiring script both delights and moves us. It is a jewel.

"Heroes" runs through Dec. 18 at the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee. Call 414-291-7800 for show times and tickets or visit www.milwaukeechambertheatre.com.