SDT’s Energetic “9 to 5” Highlights Nostalgia, Enthusiastic Cast

April 8, 2026 by Michelle Kenyon ("Snoop")

9 to 5 the Musical
Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton, Book by Patricia Resnick
Directed by Justin Been
Choreographed by Michelle Sauer and Sara Rae Womack
Stray Dog Theatre
April 4, 2026

Mara Bollini, Sarah Polizzi, Janelle Gilreath Owens and Cast
Photo: Stray Dog Theatre

I’m still not convinced 9 to 5 needed to be a musical. A hit comedy film from 1980 featuring the talents of Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton, the story was brought to the stage seemingly as a reason for the beloved Parton to write a musical score. And the score is probably the best part of 9 to 5 the musical, which also gets to serve as the showcase for its cast and especially the three leads, who are are notably excellent in Stray Dog Theatre’s latest production, directed by Justin Been. Still, the script doesn’t land quite the way the movie’s did (even though it’s written by the same author), although SDT’s cast and crew certainly try their best, and make for a crowd-pleasing production. 

I saw this show a few years ago, in a well-produced version from another local theatre company, and while I enjoyed it, for the most part, it didn’t make a strong case for why this show needs to exist in the first place. My thoughts about SDT’s production are along the same lines, although the cast and production values are certainly energetic and bring out much of the comedy of the piece. There are even featured video segments featuring Dolly Parton herself that add to the nostalgic air that seems to be the aim of the show now that its setting is almost 50 years in the past. There’s a vibrant production design featuring a colorful and versatile set by Rob Lippert, memorable costumes by Colleen Michelson and wigs by Sarah Gene Dowling, eye-catching lighting by Tyler Duenow and projections by Justin Been, energetic choreography by Michelle Sauer and Sara Rae Womack, and a fantastic band led by music director Mal Golden. Still, the overall impact of the show is different now, taking a lot of the “bite” out of the sharp satire from the film and playing out more as a “remember when” sort of story that majors on nostalgia, although the overall story majors on women who struggle to be taken seriously in the workplace and male co-workers who are largely sexist ogres, especially the boss, the selfish and scheming Franklin Hart (Joel Garrett Brown).

The story is mostly the same as the film, following three different women–longtime employee and management candidate Violet Newstead (Jennelle Gilreath Owens), “Backwoods Barbie” secretary and object of the boss’s lust Doralee Rhodes (Sarah Polizzi), and recent divorcee and workforce newbie Judy Bernly (Mara Bollini), who all have their various difficulties trying to succeed at their company, Consolidated. Among the obstacles is the obnoxious Hart along with his lovestruck assistant Roz (Laura Lee Kyro) and the general “boys club” office environment. There’s also an added love interest for Violet named Joe (Cole Guttman) who works in accounting and turns up from time to time, but isn’t given a lot to do. The plot essentially follows the film’s story, but with singing, dancing, and production numbers. 

The cast is strong, especially for the three leads. Owens projects the right degree of determination and competence as Violet, Bollini is especially adept at the comedy as the gutsy but green Judy, and Polizzi excels at playing a “Dolly Parton-type” without expressly imitating Parton. There’s also a memorable turn from Kyro as the lovesick Roz, who comes across as somewhat pathetic here, especially considering how sleazy Hart is, played with energy by Brown. There are fine turns by Josh Heffernan as Doralee’s devoted husband Dwayne and Gutmann making the most of an underwritten role as Joe. There’s also an enthusiastic ensemble who make the most of the energetically choreographed production numbers starting with the well-known title song. 

9 to 5 was a hit film, and the musical received mixed reviews on Broadway. It’s certainly a crowd-pleaser, and a showcase for Parton’s music and the well-cast three leads at Stray Dog Theatre. It has its fun moments, but it still doesn’t convince me that this movie needed to be a stage musical. Still the cast and crew make the most of this larger-than-life nostalgia fest. Especially if you’re a fan of the film, it’s worth checking out. 

Cast of 9 to 5 the Musical
Photo: Stray Dog Theatre

Stray Dog Theatre is presenting 9 to 5 the Musical at Tower Grove Abbey until April 25, 2026

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Education and Master-Class Acting Highlight Orange Girls and STLAS’s Stellar “Half-Life”

April 8, 2026 by Michelle Kenyon ("Snoop")

The Half-Life of Marie Curie
by Lauren Gunderson
Directed by Nancy Bell
The Orange Girls and St. Louis Actors’ Studio
April 3, 2026

Michelle Hand, Meghan Baker
Photo by Patrick Huber
St. Louis Actors’ Studio

The latest production from St. Louis Actors’ Studio is a collaboration with a company I had heard of, but hadn’t seen because they had disbanded before I started reviewing theatre in St. Louis. The Orange Girls’ semi-reunion is well-chosen, considering the focus of the latest production of the achievements, challenges, and deep friendship of the women featured in Lauren Gunderson’s well-structured The Half-Life of Marie Curie. Thoughtfully directed by Nancy Bell and featuring some truly stunning production designs, this show highlights a terrific cast and two important figures in the history of women in science. 

The story, set mostly in 1912, focuses on renowned, widowed Polish-French scientist Marie Curie (Meghan Baker), who is in the midst of a scandal involving her affair with a married French scientist. Hounded by the press, Curie is soon visited by her close friend, British engineer and mathematician Hertha Ayrton (Michelle Hand), who invites Curie to join her at her remote seaside cottage in England to avoid the press attention. Curie eventually agrees to go, bringing with her a glowing vial of radium–the element she discovered–that she keeps in her pocket. During her stay at Ayrton’s cottage, the two women engage in discussions and debates involving women’s suffrage–a passionate cause on Ayrton’s part–their relationships with their late husbands, the treatment of women in science, double standards involving men and women in affairs, and more. It’s a fascinating look at a close female friendship as well as the struggles of women to be seen as equals in the scientific field, and in society in general, as well as the wonders and dangers of new scientific discoveries, and the fragile nature of life itself, represented by the recurrent ticking of a clock.

The production is well-measured and remarkably well cast, featuring two of the three Orange Girls founders, Baker and Hand, at their best. Baker’s Curie is at once thoughtful, reticent, and determined, while Hand’s Ayrton is fiery and assertive while also being intensely loyal and encouraging. The two make a great team, bringing much relatability and warmth to their bonding moments, especially in a both hilarious and profound sequence in which the two share a bottle of whisky. The historical and biographical elements of the story are woven expertly into the relationship moments, making for a realistic and engaging portrait of a deep friendship as well as a snapshot of a moment in history. 

In addition to the fantastic cast and pacing, the production design is simply fantastic, with a striking “picture frame” style set by Patrick Huber that highlights a beautiful backdrop painting by Andy Cross as an homage to German painter Anselm Kiefer’s Für Gregory Corso. Denisse Chavez’s lighting is also remarkable, highlighting the set and the shifting moods and tensions of the story, and Kristi Gunther’s sound provides that recurring tick, the hiss of arc lights, and more in lending an air of authenticity to the proceedings. There’s also wonderfully detailed work from Teresa Doggett on the stylish and period-appropriate costumes, and from Maria I. Straub-David on props design. It’s an expertly designed production that brings the audience into the characters’ world and times, as well as into their minds and feelings with vivid intensity.

The Half-Life of Marie Curie is a profoundly fascinating production. Featuring a welcome reunion of a celebrated St. Louis theatre company and highlighting the works and relationships of brilliant and determined women, it’s a show that educates while it entertains. It’s also a master-class in acting from its two leads. It’s a must-see production from STLAS and the Orange Girls. 

Michelle Hand, Meghan Baker
Photo by Patrick Huber
St. Louis Actors’ Studio

The Orange Girls and St. Louis Actors’ Studio are presenting The Half-Life of Marie Curie at the Gaslight Theater until April 19, 2026

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“Rosencrantz & Guildenstern” Philosophize and Hold Attention in STLSF and Albion’s Fascinating Collaboration

March 30, 2026 by Michelle Kenyon ("Snoop")

Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
by Tom Stoppard
Directed by Tom Ridgely
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival in Association with Albion Theatre
March 29, 2026

Mitchell Henry-Eagles, Ryan Omar Stack
Photo by Phillip Hamer Photography
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival has grown a great deal over its lifespan, and now it’s bigger than ever. While, as always, they will be staging their “main event” in Shakespeare Glen later this year, they’ve also added a new production to their repertoire this season. Teaming up with the always excellent Albion Theatre, the festival is taking to the Kranzberg Arts Center to stage Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, playwright Tom Stoppard’s absurdist riff on Hamlet, here directed by Tom Ridgely and featuring a strong cast and excellent staging that emphasizes the theatrical to profound effect.

One of Stoppard’s more well-known plays, this is also among the best known of the “retell a familiar literary work through the eyes of side characters” genre, especially among theatrical works. I hadn’t seen the play before this production, but I read it in high school drama class, after we read Hamlet. I didn’t remember it well, because high school was longer ago than I sometimes realize, but I remembered the general vibe. As always with plays, though, seeing it live is even better than reading, and seeing this very wordy play brought to life with well-defined characters and fully realized performances makes it all the more entertaining, and thought-provoking. It helps the audience to be familiar with the plot of Hamlet, and some knowledge of absurdism also helps, but there’s still a lot here to think about regardless of prior knowledge.

This show keeps its theatricality on full display, and it begins with the audience being ushered in through a see-through plastic curtain, which stays up for the first segment of Act 1, as Rosencrantz (Mitchell Henry-Eagles) and Guildenstern (Ryan Omar Stack) play a coin-flipping game and ponder the nature of probability. They can’t quite remember what they’re supposed to be doing in the royal court of Denmark, but they vaguely remember being sent for and they make their way there, meeting a traveling theatre troupe on the way. This is, of course, the same group that features in Hamlet, but they have more to do here. The lead Player (Jeff Cummings) becomes something of a recurring foil/provocateur for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and the players add much to the humor and sense of inevitability of the story. Our “heroes” soon part with the players (to meet again–and again–later), and end up at Elsinore, where various characters and events from Hamlet weave in and out of their story, including Claudius (Eric Nenninger), Gertrude (Joy Christina Turner), Ophelia (Danielle Bryden), Polonius (Lynn Berg), and Hamlet himself (Sean C. Seifert), only here, the goings on of the “parent play” are like passing moments that must occur, while our bewildered duo still wonder what to make of their roles, their obligations, and their very identities. 

If you know the events of Hamlet, you sort of know where this is going, but we see everything from a new angle, including moments only talked about in the source play. The focus is much more on being and pondering than doing, although there is a fair amount of action especially in the third act, and it seems to pose a general question throughout of “who is in charge, anyway?” Even our leads don’t know for sure, nor do they always seem to know which one of them is which. Still, they are a personable pair, and the looming conclusion takes on a tragic air as the ship on which they find themselves makes its way across the sea. 

The actors are well chosen, and the pacing is just right–not too fast and not so slow as to drag. The two leads, Henry-Eagles and Stack, present relatable if bumbling characters that take the audience along on their existential journey with determination and moments of wit and charm. They make a memorable pair. Cummings as the Player is also a force, with an obvious theatrical air that works to entertain and challenge. The rest of the performers also acquit themselves well, with standout moments from Seifert as a recognizable but somewhat bewildering Hamlet, Nenninger as a commanding Claudius, and India Eddy as a somewhat reluctant young player named Alfred. The whole ensemble is cohesive and energetic, and all are worthy of kudos. In addition to those already mentioned, they include Tiélere Cheatem, Bryn McLaughlin, and Mason Ramsey. 

The technical aspects of this production are in keeping with the whole theatrical tone of the show, which features fourth-wall breaking, meta references, and acknowledging that an audience is present. The audience walking through “backstage” to get to their seats is just the beginning, and the whole set-up uses the Kranzberg black box space to its fullest potential. The set, lighting, and props by Katherine Stepanek and sound by Amanda Werre contribute much to this overall air of being at, and also in, a play. Olivia Radle’s costumes are also cleverly designed and detailed, in keeping with the spirit of this play as well as Hamlet. There’s also excellent work from fight coordinator Bart Williams and intimacy coordinator Nikki Green.

If you love Shakespeare, and especially Hamlet, as well as having a bit of philosophical bent and a fondness for absurdism, this is a show for you. It’s a good starting point for exploring experimental aspects of theatre and connections between Shakespeare and contemporary drama. It’s also an excellent showcase for a magnificent cast. It’s a great new venture for the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. No wonder all the performances are sold out (but there is still a waiting list)!

Cast of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead
Photo by Phillip Hamer Photography
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, in association with Albion Theatre, is presenting Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead at the Kranzberg Arts Center until April 11, 2026

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Bread and Wine’s “Babette’s Feast” Entertains with Energy and Heart

March 28, 2026 by Michelle Kenyon ("Snoop")

Babette’s Feast
Conceived and Developed by Abigail Kileen, Written by Rose Courtney
Adapted from the Short Story by Isak Dinesen
Directed by Owen Brown
Bread and Wine Theatre Company
in Collaboration with KTK Productions
March 27, 2026

Deborah Roby, Michelle Yoder, Sonya Valentine
Photo: Bread and Wine Theatre Company

Bread and Wine Theatre Company is producing their latest production, Babette’s Feast, in a new venue at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Old North, in collaboration with KTK Productions, who have worked to renovate the church’s basement for their new theatre space. The production fits the space well, featuring an enthusiastic cast and striking musical elements, making for an entertaining and emotional story of generosity and grace in the midst of asceticism and interpersonal conflict.

The story is told in flashback, as narrated by the cast. While the titular Babette (Deborah Roby) eventually becomes a central figure, we don’t meet her until after a somewhat involved prologue setting up the story’s main event. We meet a devout religious community in a small Norwegian mountain town, led by a strict but loving Dean (Cole Wright) who has two daughters, Martine (Sonya Valentine), and the musically gifted Phillipa (Michelle Yoder). We see how Martine is courted by a young visitor named Loewenheilm (Michael Cox), who later reappears as a General (Charlie Labitska). Philippa, for her part, meets and takes singing lessons from renowned French opera singer Achille Papin (Ben Smith), with who she shares an attraction, but these relationships both end as the sisters choose to stay in their austere life and community. Years later, Babette appears on their doorstep, cast out from Paris and sent with a recommendation letter from Papin, who mentions that “Babette can cook”. She becomes the sisters’ housekeeper and carries herself with a determined air, eventually becoming well known in the village.  After more years pass, something happens that allow Babette to make an elaborate offer that both intrigues and frightens the sisters and the town, but eventually leads to much revelation and truth. 

It’s a fascinating story, originating as a short story by noted Danish author Isak Dinesen that was made into an acclaimed 1987 film. The stage version is well-structured and collaborative, with most of the players playing several roles, with the exception of the sisters and Babette. The narration is fairly easy to follow, except for a few of the moments in which the cast speaks in unison, which can sometimes be difficult to understand, and some of the acoustics make some dialogue difficult to hear at times. For the most part, though, the story flows well, and the characters are memorable, led by Roby’s determined Babette, who exudes a palpable blend of confidence, determination, and integrity. Valentine and Yoder are also convincing as the sisters, with Yoder’s excellent singing a particular highlight of the production. The rest of the players (also including Madeline Trinity, and Mary Elsa Henrich) fill out the story with enthusiasm and energy, and with memorable turns from Cox in various roles and Smith for his also impressive vocals. It’s a long production–almost two hours with no intermission–but the thoughtful direction and cast energy holds the audience’s attention without dragging.

The set by Tara Laurel works well on the slightly high stage, and Laurel’s costumes are appropriate to the period and setting, suiting the characters well. There’s also notable work from lighting designer Megan King and music director Nathan Wamsley. The production also included eye-catching Irish dancing from Lucy Marie and Pippa Gutting from St. Louis Irish Arts, although its inclusion in a story set in Norway and featuring no Irish characters seems a bit odd. 

Babette’s Feast is structured almost like a folk tale or poem, and it raises fascinating questions of asceticism and piety vs. generosity and indulgence, and how those concepts fit with religious devotion and community flourishing. The concepts of grace and generosity are well-embodied, and there’s much to think and talk about here. It’s also a delightfully musical show, featuring  both classical singing and congregational hymns. It’s an entertaining offering from the still relatively new Bread and Wine Theatre Company.

Cast of Babette’s Feast
Photo: Bread and Wine Theatre Company

Bread and Wine Theatre Company is presenting Babette’s Feast in collaboration with KTK Productions at Holy Trinity Catholic Church until March 29, 2026

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Soul Siren’s “Robbin” Intrigues and Educates with Strong Leading Performances

March 28, 2026 by Michelle Kenyon ("Snoop")

Robbin, From the Hood
by Marlow Wyatt
Directed by Cameron Jamarr
Soul Siren Playhouse
March 21, 2026

Brandon Avila, Jayous Celestine
Photo: Soul Siren Playhouse

Soul Siren Playhouse has taken the stage at the .ZACK with their latest thought-provoking production, playwright Marlow Wyatt’s Robbin, From the Hood, directed by Cameron Jamarr. A look at class differences, corporate greed and exploitation, along with persistence and ambition in the struggle for economic advancement, this show features memorable characters, a well-chosen cast and impressive projections and sound, along with a fascinating if not entirely believable story, and some clunky staging. 

The story focuses on high school student Robbin Woods (Joyous Celestine), who lives with her grandfather, Percy (Don McLendon) in a small apartment in a struggling neighborhood. She and her best friend and classmate Juan Rodriguez (Brandon Avila) are excited about having been accepted to a summer job training program at mega-corporation Kennedy Global. There, they meet executives Margaret (Chrissie Watkins) and Kyle (Jeremy Thomas), who have differing opinions about taking them on as well as investing in the poorer neighborhoods of the city. Robbin and Juan initially thrive, but some complications arrive. On the home front as Robbin deals with the onset of dementia for Percy, and his estrangement from his son (Robbin’s uncle) Charlie (Trials Davis), who is in prison; while at the office, Robbin’s ambition gets her noticed, but eventually a new situation arises that calls her standing into question, also leading to potential conflict with Juan. I won’t say much more, but I will say that the title’s reference to Robin Hood isn’t a coincidence, and some characters aren’t what they initially seem. 

It’s an intriguing story with an important message of class struggles, corporate greed, and the importance of family bonds, but the structure is a little confusing at times, and the ending is a bit too abrupt. Also, the staging might work better on a unit set with designated “office” and “home” areas, because as it is, the staging requires so many scene changes that it affects the flow and length of the play, which runs nearly two hours without intermission. The cast is excellent, however, especially Celestine as the likable and determined Robbin, Avila as the equally determined and upbeat Juan, and McClendon as the loving but increasingly confused Percy. Woods does well in a smaller role as Charlie, and Watkins and Thomas are solid in their parts as the conflicted and conflicting Margaret and Kyle. 

The set by Bradford Rolen is especially effective in the home scenes, representing the small apartment well, but the office scenes don’t quite seem grand enough for as big, glitzy, and initially intimidating as Kennedy Global is supposed to be. The videos and projections by Jamarr are stunning, however, and add much to the overall impact of the story. There’s also good work on the sound by Jamarr and Rolen on costumes and props, making for an especially believable transition for Robbin and Juan into the corporate world. 

Overall, this is a thought-provoking, characterful story that effectively highlights the lead characters’ plight, although it could use a bit of restructuring to make it a little more coherent, and some of Robbin’s, Margaret’s and Kyle’s actions especially seem implausible in parts. Also, the .Zack space still has sightline issues that can detract from the overall audience experience. Still, for the most part, Robbin, From the Hood makes for an intriguing, educational evening of theatre.

Trials Davis, Don McClendon
Photo: Soul Siren Playhouse

Soul Siren Playhouse is presenting Robbin, From the Hood at the .ZACK until March 29, 2026

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The Rep’s “Ring of Fire” is a Celebration of Music and a Complex Life

March 28, 2026 by Michelle Kenyon ("Snoop")

Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash
Written by Richard Maltby, Jr., Conceived by William Meade
Directed by Kate Bergstrom
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
March 20, 2026

Cast of Ring of Fire
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’s latest production is a celebration of a man and his music, with the music taking the lead. Ring of Fire: the Music of Johnny Cash has been done at the Rep before, although this version, directed by Kate Bergstrom, seems a bit more dramatically focused, although music is still the star, with an excellent cast who all play instruments and make this “life of a musician” retrospective especially compelling, along with the show’s focus on talented but flawed individual who made the music. 

The show, featuring a cast of six players includes two “Johnny Cash” figures–the older Johnny (Kurt Zischke), who serves as the primary narrator; and the younger “J.R” (Andrew Frace), who figures in much of the developing story of Cash as a rising young performer. The production uses music to tell a fairly streamlined story of Cash’s life and career, featuring his parents (Zischke and Kim Blanck), his first wife, Vivian (Blanck), and most prominently his second wife, June Carter Cash (Caitlin McKechney), as the older Cash looks back on his life and personal choices. All along, the music is there, setting the mood and underscoring the story, as the musicians play expertly, including Eric Scott Anthony as Marshall and Ryan Guerra as Luther–Cash’s bandmates. It’s a story of hardship, love, and loss; aspiration, failure, and success; redemption and hope, all with the soundtrack of Cash’s classic hits like “I Walk the Line”, “Folsom Prison Blues”, “I’ve Been Everywhere”, and “Ring of Fire”, along with some country classics and traditional hymns. 

The music is the star, as I wrote, but the cast is simply magnificent as well, doing justice to the songs and overall spirit of musicianship and perseverance in trials. Zischke and Frace are both excellent as the older and younger versions of Cash, both managing to sound a lot like the singer in his different ages and eras. Frace especially gets the swagger and tone of the young Cash just right, as well as the stage presence, and Zischke has the right air of gravity and occasional melancholy as the older Cash looking back on his life. Zischke also has some fun moments early in the show as Cash’s father, paired with the personable and equally strong McKechney as Cash’s mother. McKechney is also ideally cast as June, managing to look and sound a lot like the real June, while playing a variety of instruments with dexterity and style and displaying believable chemistry with both “Johnnys”.  Blanck is also strong musically, especially on the fiddle, as well as getting a poignant moment as the neglected Vivian singing the heartbreakingly genuine “I Still Miss Someone”. Anthony and Guerra round out the cast with their superb musicianship, likable presence, and seemingly boundless energy. While the story itself isn’t exactly a thorough biography, it’s mostly about feelings, memories, and music, and all the players work well together getting that spirit across with flair.

In a technical sense, the show is simply and solidly staged, with an effective unit set by Scott C. Neale that reflects Cash’s farming roots and the traditions of country music. It’s all well lit by lighting designer Jayson Lawshee-Gress, with strong work by sound designer Amanda Werre, as well. The cast is outfitted with impressive country style by costume designer Renee Garcia, and there’s a bit of energetic country choreography by Taavon Gamble.

Overall, Ring of Fire is immensely entertaining, even if it is more concert than play. It should especially appeal to fans of traditional country music, and especially Johnny Cash. It’s certainly a crowd pleaser, and a highly enjoyable evening of musicianship, energy, and emotion in celebration of an imperfect but irreplaceable country music legend.

Andrew Frace, Kurt Zischke
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash at the Loretto-Hilton Center until April 12, 2026

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The Black Rep is “Flyin’ West” For a Well-Cast Lesson in History, Family, Perseverence

March 22, 2026 by Michelle Kenyon ("Snoop")

Flyin’ West
by Pearl Cleage
Directed by Jon Royal
The Black Rep
March 14, 2026

Margery Handy, Renee Lockett
Photo by VVH
The Black Rep

The Black Rep is shining the light on a lesser-known part of American history that deserves to be remembered with their production of Pearl Cleage’s Flyin’ West. Under the direction of Jon Royal, the show highlights a real town and moment in Black history while also focusing on the family dynamics of a group of sisters and their relations. Although the story itself has its predictable elements, the characters are memorable and well-drawn, especially as played by the excellent cast assembled for this well-realized production. 

The setting is a farmstead near the all-Black town of Nicodemus, Kansas, which is a real place that is now a National Historic Site.  The main focus is on three sisters who left Jim Crow-dominated Memphis, TN to settle out West and make a new life as landowners. The oldest, Sophie (Margery Handy) and middle sister Fannie (Jazzma Pryor) are living on the property while youngest sister Minnie (Christina Yancy) has been living in London with her ambitious writer husband, Frank (Aaron Allen).  Sophie is trying to help pass a bill that will discourage white land speculators from buying up the property in the area, while Fannie is hoping to write down stories of past struggles from their older neighbor, Miss Leah (Renee Lockett), while also entertaining a promising friendship with another neighbor, Wil (Reginald Parrish), who is clearly interested in Fannie. Meanwhile, Minnie’s 21st birthday brings a gift which she and Frank view with drastically different motivations, ultimately leading the sisters to a decision point and a challenge to their hopes and ambitions for the family and the town.

While the script itself is fairly predictable and the ending is a little too neat, the characters are expertly drawn and the relationships are entirely credible, especially as acted by the fantastic cast. The relationship between the sisters is the highlight, and all three performers make their characters distinct and believable, led by Handy in the fiercely determined turn as the strong-willed Sophie. There’s also a sweet connection between Pryor’s thoughtful Fannie and Wilson’s kindhearted Wil. That relationship serves as a contrast to the one between Yancy’s homesick Minnie and Allen’s troubled Frank. Lockett is also excellent as the cranky but endearing Leah. All of the various interactions and conflicts form the heart of this story, as do the underlying issues concerning how the characters and their situations have been affected by the oppressive society in which they were brought up.

The Black Rep is utilizing a new venue for this production, the Ross Family Theatre at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, which is perhaps most well known as the home of Stages St. Louis. The space works well for this show, with a more “up close and personal” audience setting than the company’s most frequent venue, Washington University’s Edison Theatre. The set by Chris Cumberbatch fits well on the stage, and depicts a well-realized cross section of the family’s home. It’s illuminated with clarity by means of Essie Claire Winston’s excellent lighting, adding much to the mood and period vibe, augmented by the sound design by Justin Schmitz. There’s also strong work from costume designer Michele Siler and props designer Mikhail Lynn, further contributing to the overall time and place of the story. 

Flyin’ West is a fascinating history lesson, with memorable characters and a convincing blend of humor and drama. It highlights a period in history that should be more well known, and serves also as a portrait of resilience, family loyalty, struggles with systemic oppression, and the persistent desire for freedom in all aspects of life. It’s another excellent production from the Black Rep. 

The Black Rep is presenting Flyin’ West at the Ross Family Theatre at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center until March 29, 2026

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Quirky, Experimental “Promenade” Showcases Strong Cast, Creative Staging at New Line

March 13, 2026 by Michelle Kenyon ("Snoop")

Promenade
Book and Lyrics by Maria Irene Fornés, Music by Al Carmines
Directed by Scott Miller and Chris Moore
New Line Theatre
March 6, 2026

Cast of Promenade
Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg
New Line Theatre

New Line Theatre is known for shining light on off-beat and lesser known shows, and their latest offering is one of their quirkiest yet. Promenade is an experimental musical from 1969 that features a catchy score and a markedly absurdist style. It’s sharply satirical and surprisingly relevant to today, featuring a cast and creative team that have gone all-in on the absurdity, making for a thought-provoking, entertaining and challenging production that highlights the best of what New Line is about. 

This is a highly experimental show from the 1960s that doesn’t have a “plot” per se, but it does have a structure. Two convicts, known only as 105 (Ronmal Mottley) and 106 (Tawaine Noah) escape from a prison in which they are guarded by an egotistical, clueless Jailer (Ian McCreary). They then end up crashing a posh party attended by a group of “Aristocrats” identified by letters of the alphabet: Miss I (Kathleen Dwyer), Miss O (Benni Jillette), Miss U Chelsie Johnston), Mr. R (Chris Moore), Mr. S (Kent Coffel), and Mr. T (Robert Doyle). They sing about their “problems” such as each being in love with someone who loves someone else (“Unrequited Love”), and watch a performer (Lauren Tenenbaum) emerge from a cake and sing a song (“Chicken Is He”).  They are waited on by a Servant (Stephanie Merritt), Waiter (Nathan Mecey), and Dishwasher (Michael Kramer), and are later joined by the self-important and power loving Mayor (W. Smith III). While the Jailer tries to find the escaped prisoners, the power dynamics and class differences are emphasized as the scenes change and eventually involve a war in which the Waiter and Dishwasher are enlisted against their will. Also, the Servant and prisoners encounter a wandering Mother (Bee Mecey) looking for her long-lost children. 

Essentially, this is a series of vignettes emphasizing class struggles, socioeconomic differences, and misuse of power, as well the different standards for those suffering from various consequences of life. The music is catchy, and several tunes have been playing in my head since seeing the show on opening night. The styles range from operatic to vaudeville to 1960s musical theatre, showcasing the strong voices of the cast particularly well. The cast is fantastic across the board, with Bee Mecey a particular standout both for comic timing and vocals as the forlorn Mother. Merritt also carries strong presence as the Servant, and Mottley and Noah make a strong impression as 105 and 106, with Smith showing off hilarious comic presence as the gleefully snooty Mayor. The group singing and harmonies are also especially excellent, with strong ensemble chemistry and energy. Livy Potthoff’s choreography is also strong, as are the musical arrangements by music director Jason Eschofen, who leads the terrific New Line Band. 

Another notable aspect of this production is the creative staging and use of Rob Lippert’s minimalist but memorable set, including table set piece that is cleverly reused several times to become the center for various scenes. The costumes by Becca Rose Bessette are also eye-catching and whimsical. The lighting by Eric Wennlund also works especially well to set the mood, as does Ryan Day’s sound design. It’s an energetically paced production, highlighting the satirical nature of the material and showcasing the performers with vibrant energy.

Promenade is a show like you probably haven’t seen before. Although it does fit in musically and thematically with its 1960s origin, its themes resonate a great deal to notable topics of today. It’s a production that brings out the best of what New Line can do while satirizing some of the worst of what humanity has to offer in terms of economic disparity and abuse of power. It’s certainly a show that will make you think, and you just might find the songs playing in your head as you leave.

Tawaine Noah, Stephanie Merritt, Bee Mecey, Ronmal Mottley
Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg
New Line Theatre

New Line Theatre is presenting Promenade at the Marcelle Theatre until March 28, 2026

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Bread and Roses Educates and Informs with Well-Cast, Music-Filled “Brick and a Bible”

March 5, 2026 by Michelle Kenyon ("Snoop")

A Brick and a Bible
by Kathryn Bentley & Colin McLaughlin
Original Music by Alicia Revé Like and Anita Jackson
Directed by Rayme Cornell
Bread and Roses Missouri
February 28, 2026

Cast of A Brick and a Bible
Photo by Studio Kay
Bread and Roses Missouri

Bread and Roses Missouri is presenting a fascinating production in various venues around St. Louis, having started at the Missouri History Museum, which is fitting since it centers around an important but not necessarily well-known moment in the life of our city. A Brick and a Bible focuses on a Depression-era workers’ strike that called attention to class struggles, racial divides, and institutionalized racism and sexism. This production sets the tone in a very historically “St. Louis” way, with Jazz and Blues music to underscore the movement led by a group of determined Black women. It’s not a long play, but it’s educational, informative, and strikes me especially as a show than can be toured.

Set in 1932 in the midst of the Great Depression, the story focuses on a group of workers at a nut factory, fighting for better working conditions and equal pay for Black women workers. The Funsten Nut Strike was eventually joined by more workers–including white women–and supported by Black churches as well as the Communist party, who historically supported various workers’ strikes and causes. The leaders, though, were a group of Black working-class women who were determined to make life better for their fellow workers. The central character is Elizabeth (Christina Yancy), a scholarly, church-going young woman who has taken a job at the factory to help support her family. She is contrasted with Delores (Thomasina Clarke), Elizabeth’s co-worker who helps bring the local Communist party into the cause, and who is good friends with Elizabeth despite their differences in faith and philosophy. As the initially reluctant Elizabeth is brought into the workers’ rights movement, she also struggles with the expectations of her academic mentor, Ms. Leonard (Alexandra Jay), who encourages Elizabeth to “find her voice” but also isn’t sure about how the young women chooses to be involved.

The rest of the characters are other leaders and participants in the strike, including Carrie Smith (LaWanda Jackson), Cora Lewis (also Jay), and Communist party representative Bill Setner (Ryan Lawson-Maeske). There’s also a “chorus” of singers (Adrienne Spann, Hassie Davis, Joshua Mayfield) who narrate and comment on the action, as well as playing other characters in the story as needed. The music, by Alicia Revé Like with additions by music director Anita Jackson, is rooted in the jazz and blues styles of 1930s St. Louis, as well as some Gospel influences, reflective of the deep faith and church involvement of many of the characters. The overall atmosphere and setting are well-realized by means of an excellent set by Laura Skroska that features a backdrop of news headlines of the day, along with striking lighting by Theresa Comstock and excellent sound design by Ahsa-Ti Nu. The costumes by Shevaré Perry also add an authentic air to the story, and the music is also memorable, played with skill and emotion by musicians Gregg Haynes and Willem Von Hombracht. 

The players are impressive all around, led by the charismatic and relatable Yancy as Elizabeth, Clarke as the sharp-witted and determined Delores, and Jay as the inspiring and occasionally bewildered Ms. Lewis. The rest of the cast is also excellent, with strong voices from the chorus and the rest of the players occasionally joining in the singing. This isn’t a musical, exactly, but more a play that uses music as something of a backdrop and commentary on the action.

Another striking aspect of this production is its portability. Though it opened at the Missouri History Museum, it played its second weekend at the Metro Theatre Company space in Midtown, which is where I saw it. It will be playing one more weekend at St. Stephen’s & The Vine Episcopal Church in Ferguson. This strikes me as the type of show that could fairly easily be toured to various venues, although I recommend checking it out while you can. A Brick and a Bible is a show that highlights an aspect of St. Louis History that many might not know. It’s a well-paced, intriguing and riveting tale. 

Bread and Roses Missouri will be presenting A Brick and a Bible at St. Stephen’s & The Vine Episcopal Church on March 7-8, 2026

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WEPG’s “The Children” Features Memorable Acting, Thought-Provoking Script

February 21, 2026 by Michelle Kenyon ("Snoop")

The Children
by Lucy Kirkwood
Directed by Jennie Brick
West End Players Guild
February 13, 2026

Tom Kopp, Bethany Barr, Jenni Ryan
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is starting a new year, and a new season, with a fascinating production of British playwright Lucy Kirkwood’s thoughtfully scripted play, The Children, directed by Jennie Brick. Featuring humor, drama, and thought-provoking timely topics, this production makes the most of its intimate performance venue. It also serves as an ideal showcase for a well-chosen and talented cast. 

The play runs 90 minutes with no intermission, and the story is essentially set in “real time” right after Rose (Jenni Ryan) has arrived after a long absence to visit her old friends and former co-workers Hazel (Bethany Barr) and Robin (Tom Kopp), who are now long-married and still live in the area near a nuclear power plant where the three all worked as engineers almost four decades previously. As Rose and Bethany catch up after years of separation and Rose’s long sojourn in the USA, it soon becomes clear that there has been a major crisis recently, involving the power plant. When they are joined by Robin, we learn more about personal secrets that have been kept, and about the complicated but close relationships among the three, and eventually about the real reason for Rose’s visit, which further unsettles Hazel especially. The contrast in personalities between the three–the worldly, seemingly independent Rose, the more “responsible” Hazel, and the personable but somewhat enigmatic Robin–makes for much of the drama here. Through the course of their reunion, we see their shifting relationship dynamics as well as the situation of the world in which they live, and their connections to the people around them, including family, friends, and the world at large. The crisis caused by the nuclear accident has repercussions that affect all three in various ways, as do the conflicting feelings stirred by the surprise reunion. 

This is an intelligent, thoughtful script with especially well-drawn characters, brought to life with dynamic veracity in the excellent performances of the three actors as well as Brick’s well-paced direction. The interactions between the characters are especially believable as played with palpable presence and energy by Ryan as the determined and somewhat mysterious Rose, Kopp as the personable but secretive Robin, and Barr as the devoted, family-minded Hazel. All three are excellent, bringing the audience on a journey of reflection, personal connection and conflict, nostalgia, and both personal and community responsibility. As the story plays out, the sense of these three as old friends who once meant a lot to one another but are now facing some real challenges becomes especially clear and relatable. As the characters reminisce, argue, share a meal, drink, and dance amid their reactions to the situation in which they find themselves, there’s a very evident sense of a “lived in” world and relationships. 

This mood and the English seaside setting are well maintained by means of a well-appointed set decorated by Margan Maul-Smith painted by Jessa Knust and Karen Pierce, and built by master carpenter Jacob Winslow and carpenters Tara Jackson, Nik Winslow, and Finley Winslow. There are also well-suited costumes by the cast and Joanne Stuart, and memorable lighting and sound by John “JT’ Taylor and props by Maul-Smith. There’s also notable work by fight and intimacy coordinator Douglas Klein, dialect coach Jeff Cummings, choreographer Hermione Duane, and music consultant Brian Brick. 

Amid all the relationship drama and personality conflicts, there’s an underlying sense of affection here amid the characters, as well as an overarching sense of aging and responsibility to younger generations. The Children is a play that I hadn’t heard of before, and its made an especially strong impression. It’s a profoundly thought-provoking work, and a fantastic showcase for three remarkable performers who work together to form a truly memorable ensemble. 

Jenni Ryan, Tom Kopp, Bethany Barr
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting The Children at Union Avenue Christian Church until February 22, 2026

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