Archive for December, 2024

“Million Dollar Quartet Christmas” is a Well-Cast, Tuneful Celebration from the Rep and STAGES

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 10, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Million Dollar Quartet Christmas
Book by Colin Escott
Directed by Keith Andrews
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and STAGES St. Louis
December 6 ,2024

Cast of Million Dollar Quartet Christmas
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, STAGES St. Louis

Both the Rep and STAGES St. Louis have presented the musical Million Dollar Quartet before, with STAGES’ version occurring just last season. Now, the two prominent local companies are teaming up for the first time to present the holiday-themed sequel, Million Dollar Quartet Christmas, with most of the cast from last year’s STAGES show on the Rep’s main stage at  the Loretto-Hilton center for a well-cast evening of music, reflection, and yuletide cheer as the cast of (mostly) well-known characters continue their jam session with a series of popular songs and holiday favorites.

Since the “Million Dollar Quartet” of Elvis Presley (Sean Buckley), Johnny Casy (Scott Moreau), Carl Perkins (Jeremy Sevelovitz), and Jerry Lee Lewis (Brady Wease) were only brought together by producer Sam Phillips (Jeff Cummings) at the Sun Records studio in Memphis on one occasion, I wondered how a sequel would work. What book writer Colin Escott has done, however, is just to extend that “jam session” on the same night, taking place after the four posed for the famous photo. It’s December, and Christmas is approaching, so I guess it makes sense that the group would add some carols and other holiday tunes to their repertoire such as “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”, “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and “Blue Christmas”, along with a few other hits of the day including Elvis’s “Don’t Be Cruel” and well known songs by other artists including “Que Sera, Sera”, “Hot Diggity Dog” and more. It isn’t purely a concert, though, and there is a bit of  a plot, if you can call it that, as Phillips continues to express his disappointment at the artists leaving Sun Records for more glamorous contracts elsewhere, the artists stress over family commitments and other developments,  and the role of Elvis’s fictional girlfriend, Dyanne (Shelby Ringdahl) has been expanded in a way that works surprisingly well, as she serves as more a catalyst for some of the events this time as well as having some memorable vocal moments with songs like “Santa Baby” and the aforementioned “Que Sera, Sera”. 

It’s a fun musical experience, with a great cast returning and turning in stellar performances all around, joined by newcomer Buckley as an appropriately charismatic, vocally strong Elvis who also moves well. Sevelovitz and Zayas, as Carl and Jay Perkins, are standouts again as they were last year at STAGES, and Wease has all the electric energy that the role of Lewis requires, along with great piano skills. Moreau is solid as Cash, as well, and Ringdahl gets an impressive showcase in the slightly expanded role of Dyanne. Cummings as Phillips is also strong, although the script can make him occasionally come across as overly whiny, and there’s also strong support again from musical director Dave Sonneborn as percussionist W.S. “Fluke” Holland. This is a fun little story, but mostly it’s a jam session, and it’s all about the music, which is played very, very well, and with an additional dose of holiday spirit this time.

The set by Adam Koch is appropriately authentic-seeming, and there’s also excellent lighting by Sean M. Savoie and sound by Beef Gratz. The costumes by Brad Musgrove are suitably colorful and authentic to the characters who wear them. The late 1950’s atmosphere is well-maintained, along with the extra Christmasy elements that make this a holiday show.

Overall, Million Dollar Quartet Christmas is just about as entertaining as the first addition, coming across as something of an extended, holiday-themed encore. It’s great to see the impressive cast returning, with an excellent new addition in Buckley. What’s especially encouraging, though, is the collaborative effort of the Rep and STAGES, and I hope this won’t be the last time we see these excellent companies working together.

Brady Wease, Scott Moreau, Jeremy Sevelovitz, Shelby Ringdahl, Sean Buckley, Chuck Zayas
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory of St. Louis, STAGES St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and STAGES St. Louis are presenting Million Dollar Quartet Christmas  at the Loretto-Hilton Center until December 22, 2024

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“Bell, Book & Candle” Casts a Lively Spell at Stray Dog Theatre

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , on December 10, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Bell, Book & Candle
by John Van Druten
Directed by Gary F. Bell
Stray Dog Theatre
December 5, 2024

Claire Coffey, Liz Mischel
Photo by John Lamb
Stray Dog Theatre

Stray Dog Theatre is offering another offbeat show for the holidays, closing out their 2024 season with John Van Druten’s classic supernatural rom-com Bell, Book & Candle. A story about a New York City witch who falls in love with an “ordinary” guy, this play was an acknowledged influence on the hit TV show Bewitched, and this show has some of that whimsical tone that viewers of that sitcom might recognize, although there are several obvious differences. Here on stage at Tower Grove Abbey, director Gary F. Bell has made some clever choices in staging, as well as featuring a strong cast and well-orchestrated production values, making for a lively, often hilarious staging.

In the first act, we are introduced to Gillian Holroyd (Claire Coffey), an elegant, sophisticated witch who manages a New York City apartment building. Her mischievous Aunt Queenie (Liz Mischel), also a witch, also lives in the building and has been causing trouble for their neighbor, young publisher Shepherd Henderson (Joel Wilper). Gillian finds Shep attractive, and contemplates a romantic adventure, but it’s not supposed to be serious because witches aren’t supposed to fall in love. Gillian promises to introduce Shep to a popular writer, Sidney Redlitch (Gary Wells), who writes about magical happenings but doesn’t seem to understand what’s really going on, and Gillian’s troublemaking brother, Nicky (Victor Mendez) soon becomes involved, teasing Gillian about Shep and promising to “help” Redlitch with his book. Shenanigans ensue, of course, but Gillian soon finds more than she bargained for, as she grows closer to Shep and more at odds with her friends and relatives in her secretive community. There’s a lot in the way of mixed motives, whimsical pranks, and unexpected reactions as the disparate characters become involved in hilarious clashes, schemes, misunderstandings, and surprises, with Gillian herself getting perhaps the biggest surprise of all.

The tone here is whimsical and upbeat, for the most part, with an arch upper-class 1950’s tone that works well with the story, accentuated by impressive Mid-Atlantic accents from most of the cast. The costumes, lighting, set, and sound are all used in creative ways to enhance character development and story. Bell’s marvelously detailed set, with scenic painting by Jude Hagene, adds much in the way of atmosphere and Mid-Century New York sophistication with an air of quirkiness and mystery. There’s also excellent lighting by Tyler Duenow and sound  design by Justin Been that add to the overall atmosphere, and the costumes by Colleen Michelson are a work of art in themselves, from Aunt Queenie’s and Nicky’s more colorful, whimsical attire to Shep’s more toned-down but also stylish outfits, to Redlitch’s rumpled look, and especially the succession of ensembles worn by Gillian that change in tone, color and style over the course of the play reflecting changes in her character and situation. It’s an impressive technical effort that adds to the overall emotion and whimsicality of the show.

The cast is excellent, with all the performers well-chosen for their roles. Coffey as Gillian has the most character development, and she plays the changes well, from confident, sophisticated, and worldly, to somewhat bewildered. Her growing relationship with Wilper’s goofily charming Shep is thoroughly believable. There’s also excellent support from Mischel as the sweetly wacky Aunt Queenie, Mendez as the mischievous Nicky, and Wells as the rumpled, eager but somewhat clueless Redlitch. There’s also a memorable feline performance from Agatha Coffey as Gillian’s magical cat, Pyewacket. The energy levels are lively, the pacing is spirited, and the tone is an appropriate blend of goofy comedy and mid-century sophistication and quirkiness. 

I hadn’t seen this play before, although I had heard of it, and I’m glad SDT’s version has been my introduction to this wacky, occasionally risqué, and ultimately sweetly romantic story. The “witchcraft” in the story often serves as a metaphor for any kind of offbeat or artistic nature or way of living, and there is a bit of a conformity message that may register differently with modern viewers than it would have in the 1950’s, however. Still, it’s a fun show, with a great cast, and a whimsical “holiday” show for Stray Dog Theatre.

Victor Mendez, Claire Coffey, Gary WElls, Joel Wilper
Photo by John Lamb
Stray Dog Theatre

Stray Dog Theatre is presenting Bell, Book & Candle at the Tower Grove Abbey until December 21, 2024

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