Posts Tagged ‘anna blair’

WEPG Explores Relationship Crises, Memorable Characters “At the Wedding”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on April 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »

At the Wedding
by Bryna Turner
Directed by Anna Blair
West End Players Guild
April 4, 2025

Alexis Monsey, Steph House
Photo by Anna Blair
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild’s latest production, Bryna Turner’s At the Wedding, packs a lot of character into its roughly 75 minute running time. It also features some fun participatory elements, so the audience gets to “attend” the show’s titular wedding along with its central character, Carlo (Steph House). Although the plot is fairly predictable, the characters, especially Carlo herself, are well-drawn, and the cast is particularly strong, as are the various elements that help to achieve and maintain the overall modern wedding atmosphere. 

Carlo starts out sitting at a table the wedding reception, telling a story about love and loss that comes across as emotional and oversharing. We find out that she’s attending the wedding of her ex-partner, Ava (Angela Healy) to a man who is only ever referred to as “the Groom”, and she’s still processing her feelings about the split even though it seems like some time since she and Ava broke up.  Through the course of the evening, Carlo meets with various members of the wedding party, guests, and others while trying to deal with her own feelings of rejection and inadequacy and trying to find the strength and hope to move on. Among the people she encounters are bridesmaid Carly (Alexis Monsey), with whom Carlo has an adversarial relationship; wedding guest Eli (Kevin Hester), who is something of a romantic and is full of quotes from Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner; mother-of-bride Maria (Deborah Dennert), who is drowning her sorrows after finding out her ex-husband has brought his new girlfriend to the wedding; and the somewhat mysterious Leigh (Nachalah Duclerne), a wedding guest who forms a flirtation with Carlo and tries to convince her to skip out on the rest of the reception. There’s also Victor (Matt Anderson), a dutiful but somewhat exasperated waiter at the venue, who seems to mostly just be hoping to finish out this job and get home to his own partner. Through the series of interactions, a few hints are dropped that some of these people may be more than what they first seem, although for the most part, this is about Carlo and her attempts to deal with her own feelings and life goals, as well as coming to terms with her breakup and Ava’s moving on in her life. 

The story is somewhat predictable, as previously mentioned. It’s fairly easy, for instance, to figure out some of the relationships that aren’t immediately spelled out. The point of this story, though, is more about the characters than the plot, and especially, it’s about Carlo, it is played with humor and cranky energy by the excellent House, who portrays a credible emotional journey as the events unfold. There are also strong supporting turns from Dennert as the personable but somewhat bitter Maria, Duclerne as the enigmatic Leigh, Anderson as the somewhat tired Victor, and Monsey as the snarky Carly, Healy as the likable Ava, and especially Hester in a winning performance as the persistently hopeful, somewhat geeky Eli. 

The wedding reception atmosphere is achieved by some fun touches such as passing out bubbles, toasting beverages, and birdseed to audience members, and encouraging the audience to sing along with the guests when they break into a rousing rendition of “Sweet Caroline”. The set by director Anna Blair is simple but effective, with excellent sound by Blair and lighting by Renee Sevier Monsey. The staging is well-paced and thoughtful, with excellent use of music (Audra Angelique is the DJ), and all the songs well-chosen for the scenes in which they are used.

At the Wedding isn’t an intricately plotted show, and there are predictable elements, but the memorable characters and semi-immersive wedding reception setting help to make it entertaining and engaging. The blend of humor and drama works reasonably well, and House’s performance–as well as Hester’s–help to lift this play to another level. It’s a good show to check out from West End Players Guild. 

 

Matt Anderson, Kevin Hester, Steph House
Photo by Anna Blair
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting At the Wedding at Union Avenue Christian Church until April 13, 2025

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WEPG’s Engaging “Cronkite” Showcases Two Strong Performances

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on December 6, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Walter Cronkite is Dead
by Joe Calarco
Directed by Anna Blair
West End Players Guild
December 2, 2023

Leslie Wobbe, Kate Durbin
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

Two women meet as strangers in an airport bar. One is more outgoing and talkative; the other is initially more reserved and reticent. Brought together by circumstance, they soon find themselves opening up to one another, revealing their differences, as well as how much they have in common. This is the premise of Joe Calarco’s Walter Cronkite is Dead, which is currently being staged in a thoroughly engaging production at West End Players Guild, featuring two memorable performances and an overall atmosphere that draws the audience into the worlds of these two different, but oddly similar, characters. 

This is something of a “talky” play, but it doesn’t get boring in the least, considering the dynamic staging by director Anna Blair and the superb performances of its two leads, Leslie Wobbe as Patty and Kate Durbin as Margaret. Finding refuge in a bar at Washington, DC’s Reagan National Airport because of a weather emergency causing massive flight delays, the two form a gradual bond that at first seems unlikely, considering that the more reserved Margaret seems wary of the talkative Patty, but eventually the conversation starts, revealing much about these two women and why they are in the airport, as well as their contrasting outlooks on life, with Patty being a more “country” conservative from Tennessee, and Margaret being more of a Northeastern liberal who loves the Kennedy family so much that she’s named all four of her children after them. It’s a lively interaction, with ups and downs as the two struggle with their differences and deep-held stereotypes, as well as discovering similarities with which they can relate, concerning their relationships with their children and more. The tone is mostly comic, but there are also some palpable moments of drama, providing a deep emotional range for these two excellent performers. 

The acting is just marvelous, from both Wobbe as the more chatty, outgoing Patty, and Durbin as the more standoffish, but eventually just as emotive Margaret. The dialogue is well-constructed, and Wobbe and Durbin play off of each other with relatable energy, making for a completely believable performance and building relationship. 

The look and mood of the show is well-maintained by means of a simple set–the designer of which is not credited in the program, as well as atmospheric lighting by Amy Ruprecht, sound by Mary Beth Winslow, and props by Blair. The costumes are also excellent and perfectly suited to their characters. I’m not sure if there was a designer or if the performers assembled the outfits themselves, but the whole look and style of the characters works well considering their personalities. 

Walter Cronkite is Dead has a lot to say considering first impressions, stereotyping, and polarization in today’s society. Although the story takes place in 2010, it’s especially timely for 2023. It’s a remarkable, insightful production. 

The West End Players Guild is presenting Walter Cronkite is Dead at the Union Avenue Christian Church until December 10, 2023

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