Posts Tagged ‘christina rios’

Fast-Paced, Whimsical “Midsummer” is a “Dream” for St. Louis Shakespeare

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on October 5, 2023| Leave a Comment »

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
by William Shakespeare
Directed by Christina Rios
St. Louis Shakespeare
September 29, 2023

Cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Photo by Marissa Meadows
St. Louis Shakespeare

The latest production from St. Louis Shakespeare is one of the Bard’s most popular and oft-performed comedies. With a large, lively cast directed by Christina Rios, A Midsummer Night’s Dream features a few intriguing twists, brisk pacing, and enthusiastic performances. It also features a rustic, whimsical tone that emphasizes the forest locale and updated setting.

One of the great things about this play–and Shakespeare in general–is how adaptable it is to different times, contexts, and settings. This production has a more modern, updated setting, while still being about Athenian nobles and artisans, along with woodland fairies. With a vibrant multi-level set design by Morgan Brennan, wonderfully coordinated costumes by Olivia Radle, energetic choreography by Mary Mather, and superb atmospheric lighting by Erin Riley, this well-paced production maintains the organic, back-to-nature vibe with sprinkles of magical wonder, and a marvelously energetic cast and whimsical comic tone. Modern elements like smartphones are worked into the story seamlessly, and the emphasis on physical comedy and ensemble chemistry adds to the charm of this production.

The story is the familiar one, with several different plots woven together, including the wedding of Theseus and Hyppolyta; the convoluted love square involving Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius, and Helena; and the mischievous antics of the sprightly Puck, who gets involved in a dispute between the fairy King Oberon and Queen Titania. Then, there’s the troupe of artisans who are rehearsing a play for the wedding, including the boastful weaver Bottom, who becomes involved in the hijinks between the fairy royals in a hilarious manner. 

The players here are all excellent, and director Rios brings out the best in the talented cast, with energetic staging that adds to the comedy and overall whimsical tone. While having the roles of Titania and Oberon each played by two different performers can be confusing at times, all of the actors are excellent, with Jodi Stockton and Bryce A. Miller as Titania, and Chuck Brinkley and Stephanie Merritt as Oberon, all having their memorable moments. Tiélere Cheatem as the nimble, mischievous Puck is also a standout, along with Ebony Easter and Remi Mark as fellow sprites Peaseblossom and Moth. Also memorable are Mark Kelley as the determined Peter Quince, the director of the play-within-a-play, Riley Stevio as the self-doubting Snug, who plays the lion in that play, and Fox Smith as the highly self-focused, opinionated “Nic Bottom”. There’s also a particular emphasis on the “mixed-up lovers” plot, with strong performances from Rhiannon Creighton as Helena, Jordan Ray Duncan as Demetrius, Molly Stout as Hermia, and Noah Laster with an especially hilarious interpretation of Lysander. There’s a fairly large cast here, with all playing their parts well, and the cohesive ensemble helps to make the fast-paced comedy work for maximum entertainment value.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a classic, and frequent theatregoers may have seen several productions over the seasons. What’s excellent about this show is that it makes the most of its setting and story while also managing to make it surprisingly fresh and immediate. With a well-executed creative vision and an enthusiastic cast and creative team, St. Louis Shakespeare has made this production a thoroughly engaging dream of a theatrical experience. 

Jordan Ray Duncan, Rhiannon Creighton, Molly Stout, Noah Laster
Photo by Marissa Meadows
St. Louis Shakespeare

St. Louis Shakespeare is presenting A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Robert G. Reim Theater until October 7, 2023

This review was orginally published at kdhx.org

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“A Man of No Importance” Brings Wit, Energy, Emotion at R-S Theatrics

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , on August 12, 2019| Leave a Comment »

A Man of No Importance
Music by Stephen Flaherty, Book by Lynn Ahrens
Book by Terrence McNally
Directed by Christina Rios
R-S Theatrics
August 8, 2019

Cast of A Man of No Importance
Photo by Michael Young
R-S Theatrics

Discovering lesser-known shows is a fun experience, especially when they’re performed by a company with a track record for excellent, thoughtful productions. Such a production is now onstage at the Marcelle in Midtown, produced by R-S Theatrics. A Man of No Importance is a show I hadn’t heard of before I saw the announcements for this production, so I looked it up and saw it had a great team of writers (the same team who created Ragtime), as well as an excellent cast and R-S Theatrics’ strong reputation for thought-provoking theatrical excellence. Upon seeing the show, I’m even more glad for companies like this, since it’s a witty, charming and poignant show that deserves a wider audience.

This is a show that’s full of character, and characters. Set in Dublin, Ireland in the 1960s, it’s based on a somewhat obscure 1994 film of the same name. It’s also, for the most part, a highly affectionate look at the world of amateur theatre. The central figure is Alfie Byrne (Mark Kelley), a bus conductor who is unmarried and lives with his sister, Lily (Stephanie Merritt). Lily wants to marry the traditionalist Mr. Carney (Michael B. Musgrave-Perkins), but has waited for Alfie to marry first, although Alfie is essentially “married” to his theatre company, St. Imelda’s Players, and he spends his time reading Oscar Wilde and imagining new productions he can stage. When Alfie meets newcomer Adele (Lindy Elliott), he is captivated, but not in the way Lily wishes he would be. Instead, he sees in Adele the ideal star for his dream production of Oscar Wilde’s biblical drama Salome, and he encourages her to participate even though she has no theatrical experience. He also harbors a secret affection for his good-looking young bus driver, Robbie (Kellen Green), who he also tries to recruit to be in the play. The usual regulars of his productions are there, as well, including kindly widowed stage manager Baldy (Kent Coffel) and eager participants Mrs. Curtin (Nancy Nigh), Mrs. Grace (Jodi Stockton), and Miss Crow (Kay Love), Rasher Flynn (Marshall Jennings), and Ernie Lally (Dustin Allison). The problems come when Mr. Carney, who has also been cast in the play, starts to have issues with its content, and he takes up his concerns with the local Catholic organization and Father Kenny (also Allison), the priest at the church where the theatre group performs. Through the course of the events, Alfie is also forced to come to terms with some important truths about himself. The show starts out as a flashback and a sort of play-within-a-play, telling Alfie’s story and that of his troubled production. The characters are especially well-drawn and specific, and the story is thoroughly engaging, with elements of fantasy blended in with slice-of-life comedy drama, with an intelligent book by Terrence McNally and an engaging score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens that includes influences of Irish music.

With such strongly defined characters, a great cast is essential for a show like this, and this production has that. Led by Kelley’s truly charming, thoughtful, well-sung performance as Alfie, this is a production full of impressive performances, including Merritt as the stubborn but loving Lily; Green, who is in great voice as Robbie; and Elliot who is sympathetic as the initially shy, somewhat mysterious Adele. Musgrave-Perkins is also a strong presence as both the self-absorbed, strait-laced Mr. Carney and as the ghost of Oscar Wilde, who appears as an encouraging figment of Alfie’s imagination. All the players are excellent, with Nigh, Stockton, and Love giving strong comic performances, and Allison excellent in a dual role as a well-meaning but doubtful priest and as a theatre company member who presents a directorial challenge for Alfie. There are also fine performances from Coffel as the dependable Baldy and Jennings as Rasher and also as Breton Beret, an enigmatic figure who Alfie meets in a pub. Jennifer Theby-Quinn, in a relatively small role as church member Mrs. Patrick, gets some terrific solo vocal opportunities, as well. It’s a superb cast all around, bringing energy and style and a believable Irish flair to the story.

The technical aspects of this show are also strong, with a believable lived-in look to the set (designer not listed), as well as colorful costumes by Amanda Brasher. Nathan Schroeder’s lighting and Heather Tucker’s props also add to the overall atmosphere especially well. There’s also an excellent band led by music director Curtis Moeller, who also plays a few smaller roles in the show, along with a few other band members. The music sounds great, although at times they can overpower the singers.

A Man of No Importance is a show you may not have heard of, but if you don’t know it, you should! It’s a well-constructed story with some important themes of community, self-expression, family relationships, and more, as well as an overarching tone of sheer love for the theatre. At R-S Theatrics, director Christina Rios and company have staged another memorable, thoughtful success. It’s Rios’s last production as director for this company, and she’s going out on an especially high note. Go see this if you can.

Cast of A Man of No Importance
Photo by Michael Young
R-S Theatrics

R-S Theatrics is presenting A Man of No Importance at the Marcelle Theatre until August 25, 2019

 

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R-S Theatrics’ “Light in the Piazza” Lights Up the Stage at the Marcelle

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , on August 18, 2018| Leave a Comment »

The Light in the Piazza
Book by Craig Lucas, Music and Lyrics by Adam Guettel
Directed by Christina Rios
Choreographed by Cecily A. King
R-S Theatrics
August 9, 2018

Macia Noorman, Tiélere Cheatem
Photo by Michael Young
R-S Theatrics

R-S Theatrics is great with making people anticipate their shows. They’ll announce a show months–sometimes as much as a year–in advance, and it creates this sense in me of “wow! They’re doing X show? That sounds great! I can’t wait to see it!” That was the case with last year’s In The Heights, and now with their latest production, The Light In the Piazza. Like everything R-S does, this show hadn’t been produced locally in St. Louis before (although the national tour based on the Broadway production played at the Fox), and I was looking forward to seeing what this theatre company–that has already produced many excellent shows in the past–would do with it. Well, it’s on stage now at the Marcelle, and I’m happy to say that it was worth the wait.

This show, which I had heard the score for but not seen until this production, was a hit on Broadway and had a national tour as well as a PBS broadcast performance. It’s a somewhat unusual hit in terms of having a relatively small cast, a more classical-sounding score, and having several extended untranslated sequences in Italian, although there are also important scenes that are translated in a particuarly effective way. The story, based on a novella by Elizabeth Spencer that was also turned into a film in 1962, follows American mother and daughter Margaret (Kay Love) and Clara Johnson (Macia Noorman), who at first appear to be “ordinary” tourists in Florence, where Margaret is showing her daughter the sights of the city and the youthful Clara attracts the interest of a young Italian man, Fabrizio (Tiélere Cheatem). The attraction is mutual, but Margaret is concerned because of a secret about Clara that Margaret is reluctant to reveal. We also get to meet Fabrizio’s family, who are close-knit but also have troubles of their own, such as Fabrizio’s married older brother, Giuseppe (Michael Lowe), who neglects his wife, Franca (Stephanie Merritt) in favor of the attentions of other women. His parents Signor and Signora Naccarelli (Kent Coffel, Jodi Stockton) are wary but initially supportive, although, inevitably, there are complications that have to be worked out, and Margaret has to deal with her own feelings of regret and concern for her and her family’s past and present realities, as well as being understandably protective of her daughter, while also wanting to encourage Clara to make her own choices.   There’s a lot of detail here that I’m leaving out because the journey of discovery is an important part of the play. The tone is lyrical, emotional, and alternately melancholy and romantic.

With the intense emotional and vocal demands of a show like this, a strong cast is essential, and this production has that. Led by the reflective, nuanced and wonderfully sung performance of Love as Margaret, and by the equally excellent Noorman in a sensitive, also well-sung turn as the youthful, determined Clara, this cast is extremely well chosen. Love and Noorman display a strong and credible mother-daughter relationship, and their scenes together are a highlight of the show. Cheatem, as the love-struck young Fabrizio, is also strong although occasionally struggling with volume on the vocals, although his vocal quality is superb, and the chemistry betweeen him and Noorman grows in intensity over the course of the show. There are also solid supporting performances from Coffel, Lowe, and Merritt, and an especially memorable portrayal by Stockton as the occasionally snarky Signora Nacarelli, who doesn’t speak English but still translates a lot of the Italian scenes by way of the magic of theatre. There’s a great ensemble here, too, in excellent voice and delivering complex harmonies with style, as well as helping to contribute to the overall 1950s atmosphere of the piece.

That time-and-place atmosphere is also supported by means of particularly impressive production values. The show fits well into its venue, the Marcelle Theatre, with a performance space that’s just the right size for this show. Director Christina Rios has staged the show with a constance sense of movement, as well as taking time for reflection as necessary. The set, designed by J. Keller Ryan, is simple and versatile, consisting of marble-painted blocks that are arranged to suggest the Florentine setting, as well as being able to be moved around as needed. The costumes, by Ashley Bauman, are well-suited to the characters and the era, and Nathan Schroeder’s ethereal lighting also contributes to the mood. Although there are occasional moments where the musical accompaniment can overpower the vocals, the stunning score is well-played by the superb band, as well, led by music director Sarah Nelson.

This is a thoughtful, reflective, highly emotional play that deals with many thought-provoking and timeless themes, especially in terms of risk and regret involved with love, both familial and romantic. Its well-defined characters and lyrical atmosphere are well-represented in this memorable production from a theatre company that already has a strong reputation for dramatic excellence. The Light In the Piazza is illuminating, challenging, heart-warming, and well-worth seeing.

Kay Love
Photo by Michael Young
R-S Theatrics

R-S Theatrics is presenting The Light in the Piazza at the Marcelle Theatre until August 26, 2018

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“In the Heights” Makes a Strong Impression at R-S Theatrics

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , on August 25, 2017| Leave a Comment »

In the Heights
Words and Music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Book by Quiara Alegría Hudes
Directed by Christina Rios
Choreographed by Cecily A. King
R-S Theatrics
August 17, 2017

Cast of In the Heights
Photo by Jill Ritter Photography
R-S Theatrics

In the Heights is a big show for a small theatre company like R-S Theatrics. With music and lyrics by the celebrated Lin-Manuel Miranda, this is a show with a great deal of technical and casting demands. It’s an exciting show as well, and I’ve been anticipating seeing it ever since R-S announced they would be producing it. That was over a year ago, and now R-S has proved that the show was worth waiting for, with a vibrant, well-cast production.

The show’s title comes from its setting–the Washington Heights neighborhood in New York City. The cast and characters reflect the neighborhood’s mostly Latino population. Usnavi De La Vega (Jesse Muñoz) owns a local bodega and introduces many of the local residents as they patronize his store. The rest of the cast includes Usnavi’s younger cousin Sonny (Kevin Corpuz), who also works at the bodega, and Usnavi’s friend Benny (Marshall Jennings), a young African-American man who works for a local taxi company run by Kevin (Jaime Reyes) and Camila Rosario (Maritza Motta-Gonzalez). The Rosarios’ daughter, Nina (Cassandra Lopez) has struggled with her grades at Stanford and returns to the area conflicted about how to tell her parents that she’s dropped out. Usnavi is attracted to hairdresser Vanessa (Natasha Toro), who has a difficult home life and wishes for a new life outside the neighborhood. There’s also Abuela Claudia (Carmen García), who Usnavi considers his grandmother, since she raised him after the death of his parents. There’s a large cast of additional characters as well, including Daniela (Anna Skidis Vargas), who runs the salon that Vanessa works at, and Carla (Gabriela Diaz), who also works there. There’s also Grafitti Pete (Karl Hawkins) and a local Piragüero (Kelvin Urday) who sells frozen treats in the neighborhood. The intertwining plot lines follow the characters through important moments and decisions, as well as showing their hopes, dreams, fears, and struggles as the neighborhood changes, and lives are changed in various significant ways.

This is R-S Theatrics’ first production in the new .Zack Theatre. It’s a space that has some interesting challenges in terms of staging, but director Christina Rios and the show’s large cast make the most of the space. Keller Ryan’s set is fairly simple, and it works well for the space, along with Nathan Schroeder’s vibrant lighting that helps set the scene and provide some excellent effects in various moments like the “Blackout” sequence and finale. There are some great costumes by Sarah Porter, as well, and the orchestra conducted by musical director Leah Luciano is also excellent. There is occasionally a problem with the music overpowering the actors’ voices, although that situation does improve significantly in the second act.

The cast is strong here, with excellent vocals and energetic dancing to Miranda’s eclectic, hip-hop, pop, and Latin-influenced score. Muñoz is particularly engaging as the earnest, charming and somewhat awkward Usnavi. He’s the main character and essentially the narrator of the show, but its emotional heart is largely with Carmen García’s excellently portrayed and powerfully voiced Abuela Claudia. There are also strong turns from Lopez as the conflicted Nina, who has good chemistry with the also excellent Jennings as Benny. Their duets are among the vocal highlights of the show. There’s also great work from Corpuz, who is simply terrific as Sonny, Toro as Vanessa, Skidis Vargas as Daniela, Diaz as Carla, Zayas and Motta-Gonzalez as Kevin and Camila, and Urday in especially strong voice as the Piragüero. There’s an excellent ensemble in support, as well, giving a lot of energy to the production numbers like “Blackout”, “96,000”, “Carnaval Del Barrio” and more, showcasing Miranda’s memorable score and Cecily A. King’s dynamic choreography.

In the Heights is an obviously affectionate musical, looking at the lives and loves of the residents of Washington Heights with poignancy and a strong dose of hope. It’s a Best Musical Tony winner, and I can see why. This is another strong, thought-provoking, immensely entertaining production from R-S Theatrics.

Jesse Muñoz, Kevin Corpuz, Marshall Jennings
Photo by Jill Ritter Photography
R-S Theatrics

R-S Theatrics is presenting In The Heights at the .Zack Theatre until September 3, 2017.

 

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R-S Theatrics’ “Mr. Burns” Is a Fascinating Post-Apocalyptic Fable

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , on September 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play
by Anne Washburn
Score by Michael Friedman, Lyrics by Anne Washburn
Directed by Christina Rios
R-S Theatrics
September 4, 2015

Cast of Mr. Burns Photo by Michael Young R-S Theatrics

Cast of Mr. Burns
Photo by Michael Young
R-S Theatrics

Who knew The Simpsons could be this influential? As ubiquitous as the perennially popular animated comedy series has been over the years, it’s a somewhat surprising source of cultural bonding in R-S Theatrics’ latest production, Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play. An unusual production that makes use of inventive and stylized staging, Mr. Burns employs a strong cast to tell a fascinating, somewhat jarring story.

Part play, part musical, Mr. Burns tells its story in three acts and spans a time period of about 82 years, starting in “the very near future”. As a group of disparate individuals are gathered together around a campfire talking about a favorite TV show, it soon becomes clear that these people are survivors of a cataclysmic nuclear event that has shut down all electricity and basically destroyed the structure of society as we know it.  The first act, set shortly after the event, shows the group getting to know one another, revealing vague details of the catastrophe, and bonding over shared memories of Simpsons episodes. In the second act, set seven years later, we see how drastically changed society has become, as the group of unlikely companions has now become a traveling theatre troupe of sorts, performing live productions of Simpsons episodes cobbled together from memory and from lines traded from other survivors. The hopes, fears, and concerns of the group and what’s left of American society are shared, as well as the changing scope of cultural influence. The third act, set 75 years later, is a stylized tableau that’s better seen (and heard) than described, showing how The Simpsons, as well as other television shows and art forms like the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, have become folktales that shape and are shaped by an entirely new cultural landscape.

Director Rios has staged this play in a clever way, moving the audience along with the action of the play. The first act is set up on the stage facing toward the backstage area, where the audience sits. Act 2 then turns the action around with a more traditional theatre set-up, with the audience moved from backstage into the auditorium.  The set, designed by Kyra Bishop, is appropriately evocative of the rustic way the survivors have to live. The costumes, by Amy Harrison and Ruth Schmalenberger, appropriately suit the characters and range from the more realistic outfits of the first two acts to the more theatrical styled costumes of the third, augmented by some wonderfully detailed masks by Scott Schoonover.  All the technical aspects of this show work together well in helping to achieve just the right post-apocalyptic atmosphere.

Acting-wise, the cast here is completely convincing, handling the mixture of drama, dark comedy, and more classical-styled performance extremely well.  Chuck Brinkley, Rachel Tibbetts, Jennifer Theby-Quinn, Will Bonfiglio, Rachel Hanks, Jared Sanz-Agero comprise the initial ensemble, with Maggie Wininger joining the group in Act 2, and Kay Love in Act 3.  All of the actors perform their parts well, with some taking on more than one role and several portraying multiple characters.  It’s difficult to single anyone out, as each performer is given their moments to shine and this is truly an ensemble production.

Mr. Burns is a dark piece, even bleak at times, but the hope is there as well. I’m amazed at how much depth and imagery can be drawn directly from The Simpsons. This is a show like I’ve never seen before, taking conventions to inventive levels with a great deal of thought and artistry.  It’s a challenging play that will make audiences think, and R-S Theatrics has brought it to the stage in a powerful, admirable production.

Will Bonfiglio, Jennifer Theby-Quinn Photo by Michael Young R-S Theatrics

Will Bonfiglio, Jennifer Theby-Quinn
Photo by Michael Young
R-S Theatrics

R-S Theatrics’ Production of Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play runs at the Ivory Theatre until September 20th, 2015

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