Archive for 2017

Tuneful “On Your Feet” Celebrates Two Lives In Music at the Fox

Posted in St Louis Theatre, USA Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on November 17, 2017| Leave a Comment »

On Your Feet! The Emilio & Gloria Estefan Broadway Musical
Book by Alexander Dinelaris
Featuring Music Produced and Recorded by Emilio & Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine
Directed by Jerry Mitchell
Choreographed by Sergio Trujillo
The Fox Theatre
November 7, 2017

Mauricio Martinez, Christie Prades
Photo by Matthew Murphy
On Your Feet! National Tour

The latest national tour at the Fox is a tuneful crowd-pleaser. On Your Feet! is another in the growing genre of “jukebox bio-musicals”, in the vein of Jersey Boys, Beautiful, and more. This time, the subject is the music and life of Latin-pop music icons Gloria and Emilio Estefan, following their story and featuring many of their well-known hits. With a great cast and an excellent soundtrack, this national tour of the recent Broadway production is an entertaining tribute and a compelling story.

While it’s billed as “The Emilio and Gloria Estefan Broadway Musical”, the focus of the story here is primarily on Gloria (Christie Prades), as well as her personal and professional relationship with musician, producer, and her eventual husband Emilio (Mauricio Martinez). The story follows Gloria as a young child growing up in Miami, where she and her family immigrated from Cuba. Her relationships with her father, Jose Fajardo (Jason Martinez), her grandmother Consuelo (Alma Cuervo), and her mother, also named Gloria (Nancy Ticotin). The young Gloria (Amaris Sanchez and Carmen Sanchez, alternating in the role) starts out playing songs on her guitar, and then grows up  taking care of her father as he suffers the progressive effects of MS. She’s not intending a career in music at first, but her grandmother contacts Emilio, who is part of a popular local act called the Miami Latin Boys, and Gloria and her younger sister Rebecca (Claudia Yanez) go to his house for an audition. Eventually, Gloria becomes the lead singer of the band, which gains fame under its new name, Miami Sound Machine, in various countries and crossing over from the Latin market to the Pop market. The show, punctuated with hits like “Anything for You”, “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You” and the rousing “Conga”, follows the couple’s rise to international fame as well as personal challenges in relationships with Gloria’s family, and Gloria’s fight to regain her health after a devastating tour bus crash, culminating in her celebrated “comeback” performance of “Coming Out of the Dark” on the American Music Awards broadcast in 1991.

This is a well-produced show, with strong production values including David Rockwell’s versatile set, Emilio Sosa’s detailed costumes, Kenneth Posner’s dazzling lighting, and striking projection design by Darrel Maloney. There’s also vibrant, energetic choreography by Sergio Trujillo, and an engaging book by Alexander Dinelaris that emphasizes the importance of family history and relationships in the Estefans’ lives. The music is the main attraction, with hit after hit well-performed by this excellent cast, but it’s not just a concert. There’s a compelling story here, as well.

The cast is uniformly strong, led by the dynamic, strong-voiced Prades as Gloria, who is well-matched by Martinez in a solid, amiable performance as Emilio. The strength of their relationship is an important part of this story, and both of these two make that relationship work with their excellent chemistry. There are also memorable performances from Cuervo as Gloria’s supportive, persistent grandmother Consuelo, Ticotin as the loving but sometimes overprotective mother Gloria Fajardo, and Jason Martinez as Gloria’s father Jose. The whole cast is strong in support, as well, with an excellent singing and dancing ensemble, helping to bring this story, and the music from the chart-topping hits to lesser-known songs, to life with energy and style.

Although On Your Feet! is going to appeal especially to fans of the Estefans and Miami Sound Machine, the story and music are compelling enough to entertain even those who may not be as familiar with the music. There’s an energetic “Megamix” finale that lives up to the title, as well, bringing the audience member to their feet. It’s a crowd-pleaser in the best sense of that term.

Cast of On Your Feet!
Photo by Matthew Murphy
On Your Feet! National Tour

The National Tour of On Your Feet! The Emilio & Gloria Estefan Broadway Musical is running at the Fox Theatre until November 19, 2017.

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YoungLiars Turns Up the Volume–and the Blood–With “Titus Andogynous”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , on November 4, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Titus Androgynous : Un Comico Spettocolare
by William Shakespeare, Adapted by Chuck Harper
Directed by Chuck Harper
YoungLiars
October 28, 2017

Katy Keating, Jonah Walker
Photo: YoungLiars

This year, St. Louis has already seen a somewhat subdued production of Shakespeare’s notorious “bloodiest” play, Titus Andronicus, from St. Louis Shakespeare. Now, another company, the ambitious YoungLiars, has gone the other way entirely, hamming up the comedy and the blood in an over-the-top comic/horror/musical adaptation they’ve titled Titus Androgynous. It’s a definite twist on the source material, but it’s a hilarious twist.

The story here has been streamlined and tweaked, but it’s essentially the Titus Andronicus story with a few name changes and an emphasis on comedy and gore, to the point where the cart containing the copious amounts of stage blood used in the play is a prominent feature. There’s also, as suggested by the title, a Commedia Dell-Arte influence. Also prominently featured is Paul Cereghino as Valentine, the Master of Ceremonies, who plays keyboards and sings much of the narration of the story. All the characterizations are over-the-top here, and there’s also a good deal of breaking the fourth wall, as Cereghino tells the story and relates theatrical conventions as it goes–such as having some actors play more than one character, as well as when Valentine himself decides he wants to be in the play and takes on the role of a Clown, with hilarious results. The emphasis here is on comedy, sensationalism, and lots of scenery-chewing, telling the story of Titus (Jonah Walker) and his battle of revenge with Roman empress and former Queen of the Goths Tamora (Maggie Conroy), with a cast of characters (spellings as listed in the program) including Titus’s daughter Lavinia (Rachel Tibbetts), his sons Luscious (Mitch Eagles), Quintas (Amanda Wales), and Mutius (Ellie Schwetye), and his father Old Marcus Jeff Skoblow), as well as Tamora’s sons Demetriass (also Wales), Chiron (also Schwetye), and Alarbus (also Keating), along with Tamora’s husband, Roman Emperor Saturnanus (Isaiah de Lorenzo), his brother and would-be Emperor Bassianus (also Eagles), and Tamora’s scheming lover Aaron the Moore (Erin Renee Roberts).

YoungLiars has taken the original source’s “bloody” reputation and amped it up to the max here, to the point where the overall effect is more comic than gory. Still, if you are especially squeamish about blood on stage, take this as a warning. There is a lot of stage blood used in this production, and it’s not subtle. That aforementioned cart with the blood and various accessories is put to frequent use. David Blake’s scenic design is also characterized by the liberal use of white plastic sheeting. The costumes, by Maggie Conroy, are stylized, with a decidedly macabre, gothic look. Also prominent is the music, composed by Cereghino and played by Cereghino on keyboards and Michael Ferguson on drums, with a creepy-comic style that adds much to the overall atmosphere of this production.

Performance-wise, everyone is in top form, hamming it up to the extreme, with extremely hilarious results. Cereghino is a standout as the over-eager narrator and, later, as a persistent, pigeon-keeping Clown. There are also memorable performances from Keating in various roles, from Roberts as the gleefully villainous Aaron, by Walker and Conroy as the bitterly feuding Titus and Tamora, by Tibbetts as the tragic Lavinia, and by Schwetye and Wales in turns as Titus’s sons and Tamora’s sons. The whole cast is strong, though, seeming to revel in the exaggerated goriness of the proceedings in a plot that involves multiple murders, revenge, and even cannibalism.

Titus Androgynous is, in essence, Titus Andronicus turned up to its loudest, with a viciously comic twist and a memorable musical score. For anyone with a penchant for the macabre, this is the play for you. This is a bold, confrontational, and darkly hilarious production.

Maggie Conroy, Erin Renee Roberts
Photo: YoungLiars

YoungLiars is presenting Titus Androgynous at the Centene Center for the Arts until November 11, 2017

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“Heisenberg” Is Certainly Intriguing at the Rep Studio

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , on November 3, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Heisenberg
by Simon Stephens
Directed by Steven Woolf
Repertory Theatre of St.Louis, Studio
October 27, 2017

Joneal Joplin, Susan Louise O’Connor
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Rep is opening its Studio season with a much talked-about two-character play called Heisenberg. It’s a short play, running at just under an hour and a half, and the focus is much more on character than on the plot. It’s a clever, somewhat unpredictable script that serves as a great showcase for its two excellent lead performers.

The title of this play isn’t referenced in the story itself, but it’s one a lot of people will be familiar with, even if they aren’t well-versed in physics. Although associated with a particular scientific concept, one doesn’t really have to know anything about physics to get the gist of this title. Essentially, the first word most people associate with the name Heisenberg is “uncertainty”, and in this play, that’s the general idea. Life is uncertain, and people are uncertain, and we don’t even know how much time we have with the people who come into our lives. The story follows the quirky relationship of two very different people, the 40-something American expat Georgie (Susan Louise O’Connor) and 75-year-old Irish-born butcher Alex (Joneal Joplin), who meet at a train station in London and eventually become more involved in one another’s lives, due largely to Georgie’s persistence. Over the course of their relatively short acquaintance (six weeks, according to director Steven Woolf’s note in the program), there are lies, misrepresentations, revelations, sudden decisions, and other surprises as we learn more about these two and the qualities that draw them together. There isn’t much else to say that doesn’t spoil too much, but the real focus here is on the relationship, as these two characters grow closer and show how their relationship and their interactions with the world around them and other important people in their lives shapes their present decisions, relationship, and character.

The set here is minimal. Designed by Peter and Margery Spack, it consists mainly of two long tables and some chairs, with video screens to help suggest the setting. Nathan W. Scheuer’s lighting and Rusty Wandall’s sound also contribute to the overall atmosphere here, which is more of a suggestion of settings than a concrete representation. Marci Franklin’s costumes are well-suited to the characters and their well-defined personalities.

And it’s those personalities that are the chief focus of this show, boldly embodied by the superb actors who bring them to life. Joplin does a great job of presenting Alex as a well-rounded character even early on, when he doesn’t speak as much and is largely reacting to Georgie. There’s so much communicated in Joplin’s mere looks and reactions, and as we find out more about him as the play progresses, Joplin continues to make these revelations fascinating, and his chemistry with O’Connor is wonderful. O’Connor is equally superb as the more outwardly expressive Georgie, although we soon learn that although she’s not as reserved as Alex, she has her own secrets. The contrast and dynamic between these two characters is really what makes the play so fascinating, and the performers here make the most of that relationship.

The play is fairly simple, plot-wise, even though its driven by a series of surprises, and the ending is somewhat abrupt. The point, I suppose, is that we never really know what to expect from life, so we might as well make the most of it while we are here. Here, that lesson is exemplified by two memorable characters in this witty, poignant play. This production, with it’s terrific leads and the assured direction of Steven Woolf, carries its message well. Life may be uncertain, but this play is certainly worth seeing.

Joneal Joplin, Susan Louise O’Connor
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting Heisenberg in its Studio Theatre until November 12, 2017.

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Variety Children’s Theatre Presents a Vibrant “Wizard of Oz”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , on October 23, 2017| Leave a Comment »

The Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank Baum
Adapted by Frank Gabrielson with music of the MGM motion pictures score by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg, background music by Herbert Stothart
Directed and Choreographed by Lara Teeter
Variety Children’s Theatre
October 19, 2017

The Wizard of Oz is a classic tale about dreams, home, and family. Adaptations–and especially those based on the classic 1939 movie starring Judy Garland–have been staged in various places around the world for decades. It’s a very popular show, especially for family audiences. It’s an ideal selection for Variety Children’s Theatre, with its huge casts of adults and children, featuring director and choreographer Lara Teeter’s inventive staging and excellent opportunities for the child performers especially, making for an entertaining and vibrant show that’s definitely a crowd-pleaser.

Variety Children’s Theatre is now in its ninth year, producing shows in association with Variety the Children’s Charity, which works with children with special needs. The shows allow the Variety kids the opportunity to participate in a full-scale production either on stage or behind the scenes, along with more local children and professional actors and crew. The Wizard of Oz is the first Variety show I’ve seen, although I had heard great things about their productions in the past. Overall, this is an impressive production, utilizing the space at UMSL’s Touhill Performing Arts Center with a great deal of energy and creativity.

It’s the Wizard of Oz. It’s so well known that I don’t think I really need to summarize the plot. It’s a beloved classic, but it’s one that’s been done so many times that it can get to the point where it doesn’t seem like anything new can be done with it. This production proves that the show can be performed as written, but with still finding new and fresh approaches to the staging and characterization. I’m usually impressed when a production casts a Dorothy who doesn’t try to sound like Judy Garland, and this production does that well with the excellent Elizabeth Teeter, but it goes even further, with a characterization of the Wicked Witch of the West (Allison Newman) that is truly novel, as far as I’ve seen. The rest of the familiar characters are all here–Aunt Em (Laurie McConnell), Uncle Henry (Rich Pisarkiewicz), the Scarecrow (Drew Humphrey), Tin Man (Martin Fox), and Cowardly Lion (Patrick Blindauer), as well as Glinda (Julie Tabash Kelsheimer), the Wizard himself (Alan Knoll) and, of course, Toto (Nessa). The story is the usual story, but what’s most notable here is the inventive staging, including excellent flying effects and the excellent utilization of the adult and children’s ensembles.

The production values are excellent, from Dunsi Dai’s colorful, versatile set that relies a lot on movable set pieces, to John Wylie’s dazzling lighting, to the well-suited costumes by Robert Fletcher and Kansas City Costume. The flying effects, from Flying by Foy, are among the most impressive I’ve seen in a St. Louis production, as various characters and set pieces “fly” with seeming effortlessness. The staging is especially strong as well, particularly in the ensemble numbers which provide excellent moments for the child performers, especially in Munchkinland, and for the adult ensemble in the Emerald City sequences and in the Witch’s castle. Teeter’s energetic choreography is also a highlight, from the various solos for the Lion, Tin Man, and Scarecrow, to the spectacular “Jitterbug” sequence. Teeter is especially adept at incorporating all the cast members into the production numbers in inventive ways.

There’s a great cast here, from the earnest, strong-voiced Elizabeth Teeter as Dorothy to Newman’s truly hilarious,  interpretation of the Wicked Witch. She’s younger, and kind of whiny, spoiled and entitled. I’ve never seen the Witch played that way before, but here it works, and Newman does a good job of being funny and menacing at turns. There are also winning performances from the scene-stealing Blindauer as the Lion and as Kansas farmhand Zeke; the flexible Humphrey as the Scarecrow and farmhand Hunk; and from Fox as the amiable Tin Man and farmhand Hickory. Pisarkiewicz is also impressive as Uncle Henry and especially as the Emerald City guard, and McConnell turns in a solid performance as Aunt Em. Knoll, as the Wizard and as Professor Marvel in the Kansas scenes, is also in good form, and there’s an excellent canine performance from Nessa as Toto. The children’s ensemble is excellent, as well, with notable performances from Nick George as the Mayor of Munchkinland and Charlie Mathis as the Munchkin Coroner. The adult ensemble features excellent performances from all, and especially Will Bonfiglio, Nathaniel Hirst, Mitchell Holsclaw, and Caleb Long as the Apple Trees. Everyone does a great job, though, from the Munchkins to the Winkies to the Flying Monkeys and more.

I’m glad I was able to see this performance. It’s a huge production, with a huge cast, and as is fitting for The Wizard of Oz, a lot of heart, brains, and courage. This is a thoroughly entertaining show, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Variety Children’s Theatre will present in the future.

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The Muny Brings “Magic” Back to the Sheldon

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 19, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Muny Magic at the Sheldon: Our Leading Men

Conceived by Megan Larche Dominick and Michael Horsley, Book by Michael Fling
October 18, 2017

This is my first year attending the Muny’s regular concert event, Muny Magic at the Sheldon. They’ve been doing this for three years now and this is the fifth edition, featuring celebrated Muny performers and highlighting the history of the Forest Park institution. This year, going into the much talked about 100th anniversary season, the Muny’s producers have assembled a collection of classic songs saluting and remembering the leading men of the Muny, sung by four excellent leading men who have appeared in recent productions–Ben Davis, Davis Gaines, Jay Armstrong Johnson, and Mykal Kilgore. Overall, I would say it’s an entertaining, worthy tribute to these excellent performers and the legendary composers and  leading men that have performed at the Muny over the years.

The stage is simply set, with stools for the singers and a small but excellent musical ensemble, directed by music director Michael Horsley. There’s also a large video screen, on which is projected the pictures and credits of a host of well-known leading men who have performed at the Muny including Bob Hope, Cary Grant, Ben Vereen, Jerry Orbach, and Muny favorite Ken Page, who was in the audience and received a standing ovation when his presence was acknowledged from the stage by Kilgore before Kilgore launched into an energetic, vocally dynamic rendition of “Ain’t Misbehavin'”.

The format is that of a scripted concert, with jokes and witty rapport among the foursome as they took turns singing songs associated with the Muny’s long history, as well as highlighting the upcoming 100th season with selections from each of the scheduled shows, including comic moments such as the men singing “It’s the Hard Knock Life” from Annie, as well as an upbeat performance of “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night) from Jersey Boys, Johnson’s spirited rendition of “All I Need Is the Girl” from Gypsy, Davis’s joyful “Singin’ In the Rain”, and Kilgore’s powerful “Home” from The Wiz, as well as Gaines leading the audience in a sing-along of “Meet Me In St. Louis”.  Other highlights included some spectacular vocal showcase moments including Davis’s “This Nearly Was Mine” from South Pacific and (accompanying himself on guitar) “Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music, as well as Johnson’s “Something’s Coming” from West Side Story and “If I Loved You” from Carousel. Gaines singing a medley from Man of La Mancha and the classic “Ol’ Man River” from Show Boat, and Kilgore’s soaring, emotive “Corner of the Sky” from Pippin. All four men are stunning vocalists, and this show gave them many opportunities to display their talents, both as individuals and as a group on songs like “Brotherhood of Man” from How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying, and “Fugue For Tinhorns” form Guys and Dolls.

The evening was a an excellent showcase for these superb leading men, and a fitting tribute to the Muny’s past as well as a celebration of its present, and its future. It’s a great concert, with an enthusiastic and highly appreciative audience as well.  I’m glad I was there to see and hear it.

 

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Energetic “Baskerville” at Insight is Clever, Funny

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , on October 19, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery
by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Maggie Ryan
October 14, 2017

John O’Hagan, Gwen Wotawa, Elliot Auch, Kent Coffel
Photo by John Lamb
Insight Theatre Company

Insight Theatre Company is closing out their latest season with a comic mystery that’s familiar in more ways than one.  Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery is another telling of a well-known story about a well-known literary detective, but its style is also somewhat familiar, calling to mind another popular theatrical comedy thriller. At Insight, this story benefits from an impressive cast and some clever staging.

The first thing that came to my mind when reading about the structure of this show wasn’t Sherlock Holmes but another popular mystery story that’s been given the comic theatrical treatment, The 39 Steps. Like that popular and often-staged play, Baskerville is staged with a small cast, and with some of the cast members playing a wide variety of characters. It also has some similar staging conventions and pacing. Still, it stands well on its own without appearing merely derivative. The story is based on one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s more well known Holmes tales, The Hound of the Baskervilles. The characters of Holmes (John O’Hagan) and Dr. Watson (Kent Coffel) are central, especially Watson in this staging. All the other characters are played by three performers, billed as Actor 1 (Elliot Auch), Actor 2 (Ed Reggi), and Actress 1 (Gwen Wotawa). The story follows Holmes and Watson as they investigate a strange case involving a murder on a moor bordering a country estate and an old family legend of a gigantic killer hound. The estate’s heir is transplanted Texan Sir Henry Baskerville (Reggi), who gets a note warning him to stay away from the moor. Watson then goes with him to his newly inherited estate to try to figure out what’s going on. Much intrigue, scheming, and hilarity follows, as the various characters and would-be suspects are introduced, and as the plot is further complicated by an unexpected romantic entanglement.

Although this is billed as a Sherlock Holmes story, it’s actually Watson who seems to get the most stage time, and Coffel plays his role with charm and energy. O’Hagan is also excellent as the brilliant but evasive Holmes. The other three players, each playing a number of roles, are excellent as well, with Auch displaying a variety of accents in various roles ranging from Baskerville neighbor Dr. Mortimer, to mysterious and butterfly-obsessed Jack Stapleton to a young informant helping Holmes. Reggi plays the friendly but bewildered Baskerville and a number of other roles, including the gruff Inspector Lestrade, among others. There’s some particularly clever staging involving an extremely quick character change by Reggi that provokes a big laugh from the audience. Wotawa rounds out the cast in a variety of roles ranging from various women involved in the case–particularly Beryl, who becomes involved with Sir Henry–as well as a young boy who helps Holmes gather information in London. The staging involves a lot of quick costume changes, as well as some self-referential humor, and it’s all performed with a lot of enthusiasm by this energetic ensemble.

The set, designed by Matt Stuckel, is versatile and works well for the quickly moving nature of this play. With movable set pieces and a prominent video screen, the locations can be set easily and moved around with speed. There’s also excellent atmospheric lighting by Connor Meers and strong sound design by Robin Weatherall, providing the various affects needed for the situations, from comic to spooky. All the technical elements work together well to help tell this story and facilitate the high-energy, always moving style of the show, as well as the traditional “Sherlock Holmes” look.

Baskerville is a lot of fun.  It’s a well-timed and cleverly staged production that provides a lot of opportunities for versatility among the cast members. It’s Sherlock Holmes, but not like you may expect. It’s a memorable way for Insight to close a successful season.

Ed Reggi, Kent Coffel, Elliot Auch
Photo by John Lamb
Insight Theatre Company

Insight Theatre Company is presenting Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery at the .Zack Theatre until October 29, 2017

 

 

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The Rep Brings a Dynamic “Hamlet” to the Stage

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on October 19, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Hamlet
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Paul Mason Barnes
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
October 13, 2017

Ross Cowan, Jim Poulos, Stephen Hu
Photo by Peter Wochniak

Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Hamlet is arguably Shakespeare’s best-known play. It’s certainly oft-studied and oft-performed. Still, in its 51 years of existence in St. Louis, the Rep had never actually staged it, until now. And now, the Hamlet they’re staging is not exactly what you may expect. Produced by much of the team behind the Rep’s excellent A Midsummer Night’s Dream from a few years ago, this Hamlet is fresh, immediate, and characterized by a dynamic, highly physical performance from its leading actor.

Story-wise, this is Hamlet. It’s Shakespeare’s tale of the titular Danish prince (Jim Poulos), who is visited by the ghost of his late father, the previous King of Denmark, and urged to avenge his father’s death at the hands of his uncle, Claudius (Michael James Reed), who has not only taken over as king but has also married the queen, Hamlet’s mother Gertrude (Robynn Rodriguez). As Hamlet undertakes his effort at revenge, he confides his plans to his friend Horatio (Christopher Gerson), but his actions start to perplex those around him, including the members of the king’s court, Hamlet’s sometime love interest Ophelia (Kim Wong), her father Polonius (Larry Paulsen), Gertrude, and the increasingly suspicious Claudius, who enlists the help of Hamlet’s old friends Rosencrantz (Ross Cowan) and Guildenstern (Stephen Hu) and eventually Opehelia’s brother Laertes (Carl Howell) in foiling Hamlet’s plans. The results of all this plotting, planning, and revenge-seeking is famously tragic, with consequences affecting essentially everyone to one degree or another.

That’s the basic plot description, but this play–as with all of Shakespeare’s plays–can be staged in many different ways. The approach taken by director Paul Mason Barnes for this production is decidedly fast-paced and physical, particularly in the casting of Hamlet himself. Having previously played Puck so memorably in the Rep’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Poulos brings us a particularly puckish portrayal of the Melancholy Dane. His Hamlet is thoughtful, but he’s also confrontational, witty, and full of dynamic energy, challenging baffling Claudius and crew with his actions and body language as much as, if not more than, his words. It’s a brilliantly visceral performance. There are also impressive turns by Gerson as the sympathetic Horatio, Reed as the scheming, guilt-addled Claudius, Wong as the caring, manipulated, and increasingly unstable Ophelia, Paulsen as her busybody father Polonius, and Howell as a particularly earnest Laertes. Rodriguez as Gertrude is a standout as well, making her confusion and growing concern for Hamlet palpable and her famous “closet scene” devastatingly effective. Jonathan Gillard Daly and Tarah Flanagan are also excellent in dual roles as the Player King and Queen and as the gravediggers. It’s a strong cast all around, with excellent ensemble chemistry and excellent support from the entire ensemble.

Visually, this production is notable for its stark, imposing minimalist set designed by Michael Ganio. Consisting of some scaffolding, an ominous leaning wall, and a series of plain square pedestals all arranged around a large looming column, the set serves well in facilitating the often urgent staging of this play. The fantastic lighting by Lonnie Rafael Alcarez, the sumptuously detailed 19th Century-influenced costumes by Dorothy Marshall Englis, and the superb sound design and atmospheric original music by Barry G. Funderberg all contribute to the overall immediate, intense atmosphere.

It could be easy to ask why it’s taken so long for the Rep to produce Hamlet, but it’s also easy to say now that I can’t imagine how they could have done it better. Particularly in its casting and fast-paced staging, this is a Hamlet that is confrontational and majoring on emotion, with a truly remarkable title performance at its heart. It’s a theatrical triumph for the Rep.

Cast of Hamlet
Photo by Peter Wochniak
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting Hamlet until November 5, 2017

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“Revenge” is “Sweet” at Upstream Theater

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , on October 18, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Sweet Revenge
by Aleksander Fredro
Translated from the Polish by Philip Boehm
Directed by Philip Boehm
Upstream Theater
October 12, 2017

Whit Reichert, John Contini
Photo by ProPhotoSTL
Upstream Theater

Upstream Theater is bringing a Polish comedy classic to the stage with style. Aleksander Fredro’s Zemsta (or “Revenge”) may not be as well known in the United States, but it’s extremely famous in Poland, and Upstream’s director Philip Boehm has now brought it to the stage in St. Louis, with the added bonus of paying tribute to a Polish-American theatrical troupe that was active here in the mid-2oth Century. It’s a fun show, with excellent staging and a great cast.

Sweet Revenge, as Boehm has titled his translation, is given the framing device of being a 1933 performance by the Julius Slowacki Theatrical Society, which is a real company with which cast member John Bratkowski and several of his family members were involved. In the opening scene, the cast members sing a Polish song and an audience member (Eric Conners) sings along, whereupon he is noticed by the cast and invited to join them in performing the play, since they are apparently one actor short for their play. From there, until the very last scene that revisits the framing device, the play proceeds in a straightforward manner. The story follows feuding neighbors Czesnik (Whit Reichert) and Milczek (John Contini), who already hate each other but then dispute over the repair of a wall that separates their property. To further complicate the story, several people are vying for the hand of Czesnik’s ward, Klara (Caitlin Mickey), including Czesnik’s friend Papkin (Bratkowski), Czesnik himself (at first), and Milczek’s son, Waclaw (Pete Winfrey), who Klara actually loves. There’s also the widow Hanna (Jane Paradise), who Papkin pursuades Czesnik to woo but who has an agenda of her own that involves Waclaw. In the midst of all this romantic scheming, Czesnik and Milczek are both intent on doing whatever it takes to get “sweet revenge” and emerge victorious in their years-long feud.

The play is inventively staged, with a traditional proscenium set-up as would be fitting for a performance in the 1930s. The set by Patrick Huber is colorful and appropriately whimsical, with excellent work by scenic artists Erica Ahl, Mary Hopkins, and Cristie Johnston to help set the scene. There’s also strong work from lighting designer Steve Carmichael, prop designer A. S. Freeman, and costume designer Laura Hanson, helping to present the play in a way that is both true to its comic style and to the way it might have been presented in 1933 St. Louis. The framing device, while not strictly necessary and not really having much bearing on the actual plot of the play, still works well enough to call attention to the importance of this play in Polish culture, as well as communicating a message of diversity and reconciliation that is timely now as it would have been in 1933.

As for the play itself, it’s hilarious, with crisp staging and broadly drawn characters, and a rhyming verse structure that is handled extremely well by translator and director Philip Boehm and the cast. The cast is extremely strong, as well, led by Reichert and Contini in excellent form as the stubbornly feuding neighbors, and by Bratkowski as the hapless, self-serving Papkin. It’s a great cast all around, as well, with excellent comic timing by all, and good chemistry between Mickey and Winfrey as the young lovers caught in the midst of all the scheming. Paradise, as Hanna, and Conners as the audience member and in three different roles in the play, are also impressive. This is a very funny play, especially as the plot gets even more complicated as it goes on, and the whole cast rises to the challenge presented by such a broad, physical type of comedy.

Ultimately, Sweet Revenge works well as both a comedy and a bit of a history lesson, as a present-day St. Louis theatre company pays tribute to one from the city’s past, and to an important Polish theatrical work. As is usual with Upstream, it’s an impeccably cast production, as well. It’s well worth seeing.

Cast of Sweet Revenge
Photo by ProPhotoSTL
Upstream Theater

Upstream Theater is presenting Sweet Revenge at the Kranzberg Arts Center until October 22, 2017.

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The Muny–100 Years!

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on October 12, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Mike Isaacson

The Muny revealed the lineup for their historic 100th season today, and I was honored to be invited to attend the press conference making the announcement. It looks like the Muny has a lot of exciting events in store to celebrate this milestone year, and as I sat there listening to the announcements, I found I was listening not just as a “member of the press”, but as a fan for whom St. Louis is my adopted hometown. I’ve been seeing shows at the Muny since my family and I first moved here in 2004, and in a fun coincidence, the first show I saw there is one that will also be part of the Muny’s 100th season.

The are many great shows and events planned for next year, as announced by the Muny’s Marketing and Communications director Kwofe Coleman and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson, following introductory remarks by the Muny’s President and CEO, Dennis Reagan. In addition to the lineup of seven musicals, there will be parties, an exhibit at the Missouri History Museum, and a documentary on HCTV as well as Judith Newmark’s continued “Muny history” article series in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. For more information, see the Muny 100 page on their official website.  Now, on to the list!

Dates and exact order will be announced at a later date, but the full line-up of shows is as follows:

Jerome Robbins’ Broadway

The Wiz

Singin’ In the Rain

Annie

Gypsy 

Jersey Boys

Meet Me in St. Louis

I have a lot of thoughts about this list, but for the most part, I think it’s a great lineup. In Isaacson’s introductions of the shows, he repeatedly talked about the Muny’s legacy and its historical reputation, as well as the idea of musical theatre as an American innovation. These are all American shows, with some having a long history at the Muny. There are two shows here, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway and Jersey Boys, that will be regional theatre premieres. There are also time-honored classics and more modern classics. There’s also, as I mentioned above, the first show I ever saw at the Muny, Meet Me In St. Louis, which is an obvious choice considering what this show means for the history of this city.  It’s a lineup that is sure to appeal to a wide audience, as the Muny generally seeks to do, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Isaacson’s Muny will do with them. Also, while I’m familiar with all of these shows and have seen the movies and/or televised versions of six of them, I’ve only seen three of them live on stage before, so this will be a particularly interesting season for me to cover.  I’m looking forward to it, and to all of the various celebrations the Muny has in store for their 100th season.

 

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St. Louis Shakespeare’s “Cardenio” Shows Us a Shakespearean Comedy as it Might Have Been

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , on October 12, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Cardenio
by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher
Re-Imagined by Gregory Doran
Directed by Donna Northcott
St. Louis Shakespeare
October 7, 2017

Erik Kuhn and Cast
Photo by Ron James
St. Louis Shakespeare

Cardenio at St. Louis Shakespeare is something of an exercise in discovery. Well, the “discovery” is from the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Artistic Director Gregory Doran, who sought to reconstruct a famous “lost” play credited to Shakespeare and John Fletcher, but whose script doesn’t exist anymore.  Examining various sources from Shakespeare to Miguel de Cervantes’s Don Quixote, Doran put together this play as something of a Shakespearean re-creation. Now, St. Louis Shakespeare has staged the play, and it’s a fascinating experiment, featuring an excellent cast.

The structure of this play is reminiscent of one of Shakespeare’s comedies, although there are dramatic elements as well. The title character, Cardenio (Erik Kuhn) is in love with Luscinda (Shannon Lampkin), but they are having difficulty getting their parents to agree to let them marry. When Cardenio is about to ask his mother, Dona Camilla (Larisa Alexander) to make an offer to Luscinda’s father, Don Bernardo (Colin Nichols) for Luscinda’s hand, Cardenio doesn’t get a chance to speak before he is summoned to court, where he meets and befriends Fernando (Jason J. Little), the younger son of the Duke Ricardo of Aguilar (Jeff Lovell). While the Duke’s older son, Pedro (Kevin O’Brien) is mature and responsible, Fernando is more of a rogue, who has been involved with a farmer’s daughter, Dorotea (Lexie Baker) but then rejects her, although she doesn’t give up so easily. Then, when Fernando decides to take Cardenio back to his hometown to buy some horses, he sees Luscinda and in a moment decides to pursue her despite his friendship with Cardenio. Luscinda still loves Cardenio, however, and even though her father prefers the match with Fernando, Luscinda isn’t easily persuaded. This leads to a botched wedding, a confused and jealous Cardenio, and a series of events that involves Luscinda taking refuge at a nunnery, Cardenio wandering in the wilderness, and Dorotea disguising herself as a boy and working for a shepherd out in the same area where Cardenio has fled. Of course, this is essentially a comedy, so the various threads are eventually tied together, but it takes a lot of twists and turns of the plot to find that resolution.

This is an enjoyable play, very much like Shakespeare in style, although it takes a while for the plot to really get moving. The first act drags somewhat, but after the intermission is when the story really starts to get going. The characterizations are broad and distinctive, with the noble Cardenio and Luscinda and the wronged Dorotea emerging as the “heroes”, and the caddish Fernando needing to learn a lesson in how to treat basically everyone. There are some good comic moments here and some intrigue especially in the second part of the show. The casting is strong, as well, with Kuhn as the earnest Cardenio, Lampkin as the devoted Luscinda, and Baker as the determined Dorotea being standouts. The chemistry between Kuhn and Lampkin is particularly strong. There are also memorable performances from Karl Hawkins as Fernando’s exasperated servant Gerardo, Alexander as Cardenio’s stubborn mother Dona Camilla, O’Brien as Pedro, and Little as the roguish Fernando. It’s a strong cast all around, and there are some fun ensemble moments such as during the wilderness sequence when most of the cast members play sheep, costumed in nothing more than “regular” clothes. There’s also a clever use of the ensemble members as essentially props in various scenes.

The set, by Matthew Stuckel, is suitably detailed and serves well as various locations through the course of the story. There are some excellent costumes by Michele Friedman Siler as well, outfitting the players as everything from Spanish nobles to rustic shepherds to nuns and more. Madeline Schneider’s lighting and Robin Weatherall’s sound design also contribute well to the overall atmosphere of this sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical production.

Overall, I think Cardenio is a worthwhile exercise in re-imagining a play from Shakespearean catalog that nobody today would otherwise be able to see. It’s like the “Shakespeare that may have been”, really. Technically, it’s not really Shakespeare, but it’s a fascinating facsimile, and St. Louis Shakespeare has done an admirable job of bringing it to St. Louis audiences.

Cast of Cardenio
Photo by Ron James
St. Louis Shakespeare

St. Louis Shakespeare is presenting Cardenio at the Ivory Theatre until October 15, 2017.

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