Eleemosynary at Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
Well, here it is–the last day of January 2013. I’ve found myself thinking back at all the great theatre I saw in 2012 (London, Denver, the new-and-improved Muny, etc.), and I’m very grateful for all I got to see and do last year. My only real regrets are that I didn’t see more shows at the various different theatre companies here in St. Louis, and that I didn’t manage to review every show I saw. So with that in mind, here are my Theatre Wishes for 2013:
In 2013 I hope to:
1. Review every show I see–That is, regretfully, something I didn’t do in 2012. Here are some brief thoughts about the three 2012 shows that, for various reasons, I didn’t get around to reviewing last year:
- Chicago, the Muny (June 25th)—This was a full-scale production of the much-loved Broadway show with a fun set that brought the orchestra onstage and set the action in the atmosphere of a jazzy 1920’s nightclub. It was a lively, colorful production with great performances by Patti Murin and Natascha Diaz as musical murderesses Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly, as well as by Justin Guarini as slick lawyer Billy Flynn (with a smooth crooner’s voice and great dance moves) and Jackie Hoffman as tough prison matron Mama Morton.
- Pirates! Or Gilbert and Sullivan Plunder’d, The Muny (July 30)—This show was imply a lot of fun! This production, which is basically The Pirates of Penzance with a Pirates of the Caribbean twist, had a lively cast led by Hunter Foster as the Pirate King, Jay Armstrong Johnston and Analisa Leaming as the noble and loopy lovebirds Frederic and Mabel, and probably the best ensemble chemistry I’ve ever seen at the Muny. It was a tale of pirates, curses, True Love, and more, and it was a sheer delight from start to finish.
- Eleemosynary, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble (November 17)—This was a show that I had never heard of prior to my seeing it at SATE. Great performances and creative staging tells the story of the complicated relationships among an “eccentric by choice” grandmother (Margeau Baue Steinau), her more conventional daughter (Rachel Tibbetts) and her bright and determined spelling-bee champion granddaughter (Madeline Steineau). It was a truly beautiful production with exquisite performances. I’ve never seen a bad production at SATE, but this was one of their best.
2. See more shows in 2013—In addition to the Muny, the Rep, Shakepeare Festival St. Louis and SATE, there are many other great local theatre companies that I haven’t patronized yet. I hope to see more shows at more venues in the coming year, as well as taking in special events like Shake 38 and St. Lou Fringe, and reporting about all that I see. St. Louis might not have the bustling theatre scene of New York, London, or even Chicago, but it has a lot more to offer than many would imagine, and I hope to explore the St. Louis theatre scene more thoroughly in the next year.
3. Write more topical entries–Reviews are fun, but I really see myself as a fan more than a critic. I review shows as a celebration of theatre, but I hope to explore more of my thoughts on various topics ranging from favorite composers and playwrights, favorite shows and performers, and issues that particularly interest me concerning theatre. I also may occasionally write about movies and TV, although theatre will be my main focus because that’s what I’m most interested in.
4. See and review at least one show in a city other than St. Louis—In the past few years, I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to see shows in New York, London and Denver. . If I could, I would travel to many cities around the world seeing shows and writing about them, but this year my travel plans aren’t as extensive. I do hope, however, to get to a show on my family’s planned trip to our old stomping grounds, Washington, DC, later this year.
5. Write more consistently—Because I don’t get to see as many shows as I’d like to, I’ve often gone for long periods of time between blog entries, and this year I aim to change that. My minimum goal is to write at least two blog entries per month, although I hope it will end up being more than that.
So, one month into 2013, I’m approaching the year ahead with high hopes and happy memories. I hope 2013 will be as eventful theatre-wise as 2012 was, and even more so!