Posts Tagged ‘kate bergstrom’

The Rep’s “Ring of Fire” is a Celebration of Music and a Complex Life

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 28, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash
Written by Richard Maltby, Jr., Conceived by William Meade
Directed by Kate Bergstrom
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
March 20, 2026

Cast of Ring of Fire
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’s latest production is a celebration of a man and his music, with the music taking the lead. Ring of Fire: the Music of Johnny Cash has been done at the Rep before, although this version, directed by Kate Bergstrom, seems a bit more dramatically focused, although music is still the star, with an excellent cast who all play instruments and make this “life of a musician” retrospective especially compelling, along with the show’s focus on talented but flawed individual who made the music. 

The show, featuring a cast of six players includes two “Johnny Cash” figures–the older Johnny (Kurt Zischke), who serves as the primary narrator; and the younger “J.R” (Andrew Frace), who figures in much of the developing story of Cash as a rising young performer. The production uses music to tell a fairly streamlined story of Cash’s life and career, featuring his parents (Zischke and Kim Blanck), his first wife, Vivian (Blanck), and most prominently his second wife, June Carter Cash (Caitlin McKechney), as the older Cash looks back on his life and personal choices. All along, the music is there, setting the mood and underscoring the story, as the musicians play expertly, including Eric Scott Anthony as Marshall and Ryan Guerra as Luther–Cash’s bandmates. It’s a story of hardship, love, and loss; aspiration, failure, and success; redemption and hope, all with the soundtrack of Cash’s classic hits like “I Walk the Line”, “Folsom Prison Blues”, “I’ve Been Everywhere”, and “Ring of Fire”, along with some country classics and traditional hymns. 

The music is the star, as I wrote, but the cast is simply magnificent as well, doing justice to the songs and overall spirit of musicianship and perseverance in trials. Zischke and Frace are both excellent as the older and younger versions of Cash, both managing to sound a lot like the singer in his different ages and eras. Frace especially gets the swagger and tone of the young Cash just right, as well as the stage presence, and Zischke has the right air of gravity and occasional melancholy as the older Cash looking back on his life. Zischke also has some fun moments early in the show as Cash’s father, paired with the personable and equally strong McKechney as Cash’s mother. McKechney is also ideally cast as June, managing to look and sound a lot like the real June, while playing a variety of instruments with dexterity and style and displaying believable chemistry with both “Johnnys”.  Blanck is also strong musically, especially on the fiddle, as well as getting a poignant moment as the neglected Vivian singing the heartbreakingly genuine “I Still Miss Someone”. Anthony and Guerra round out the cast with their superb musicianship, likable presence, and seemingly boundless energy. While the story itself isn’t exactly a thorough biography, it’s mostly about feelings, memories, and music, and all the players work well together getting that spirit across with flair.

In a technical sense, the show is simply and solidly staged, with an effective unit set by Scott C. Neale that reflects Cash’s farming roots and the traditions of country music. It’s all well lit by lighting designer Jayson Lawshee-Gress, with strong work by sound designer Amanda Werre, as well. The cast is outfitted with impressive country style by costume designer Renee Garcia, and there’s a bit of energetic country choreography by Taavon Gamble.

Overall, Ring of Fire is immensely entertaining, even if it is more concert than play. It should especially appeal to fans of traditional country music, and especially Johnny Cash. It’s certainly a crowd pleaser, and a highly enjoyable evening of musicianship, energy, and emotion in celebration of an imperfect but irreplaceable country music legend.

Andrew Frace, Kurt Zischke
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash at the Loretto-Hilton Center until April 12, 2026

Read Full Post »

“Sherwood” is Swashbuckling, Action-Packed Fun at the Rep

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 22, 2025| 1 Comment »

Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood
by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Kate Bergstrom
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
March 21, 2025

Matt Lytle, Jayne McLendon, Michael James Reed, CB Brown, Louis Reyes McWilliams
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Rep is closing out its 2024-2025 season with a wildly entertaining bit of adventurous fun. With nods to the classic story, filmed versions, and especially Monty Python, Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood is a hilarious, engaging adventure from start to finish. With vivid, whimsical storybook-styling and an enthusiastic, well-chosen cast, this is a show that’s a delight for all ages. 

The Robin Hood story has been told many times in various forms, and the marvelous, vividly realized set by Lindsay Mummert and Courtney O’Neill evokes a giant pop-up storybook surmounted by a massive oak tree. The cast led by Michael James Reed’s Friar Tuck, who narrates much of the story, introduces us to the story of the titular hero, Robin Hood (Louis Reyes McWilliams) in the middle of the action, as he’s about to be executed by the government of the greedy Prince John (Eric Dean White),  conducted by the vain Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Matt Lytle), but then the story flashes back to the very beginning, as Robin of Locksley is born and grows up as a member of the nobility and is soon made aware of the oppression of the Saxons by the Norman conquerors. Upon saving the lives of a miller and his daughter, Deorwynn (Fabiola Cabrera-Davila), Robin starts on a mission to right wrongs and help the poor and oppressed throughout England, rousing the ire of Prince John, Sir Guy, and Sir Guy’s henchman, the foppish Sheriff of Nottingham (David Weynand). Along the way, Robin draws a following, making friends with Friar Tuck along with Little John (CB Brown), and others, and becomes reacquainted with his childhood friend Maid Marian (Jayne McLendon), who had been sent away to France and has returned having become an expert archer and involved in a situation that makes things more complicated for both her and Robin. As the story progresses, many of the familiar Robin Hood tales are told, and adventure ensues as Robin and his merry band lead the fight for justice for the poor and wait for the return of the absent King Richard. 

The tone of this show is decidedly comic, although there are occasional moments of heartfelt drama. The style takes a fair amount of influence from Monty Python specifically, with one hilarious direct nod that I won’t spoil, but that audiences familiar with the source will recognize as soon as they see it. The characterizations are broad and not exactly caricatures, but with the villains veering more into that territory than the heroes, which provides great comic fodder for the actors. Lytle, Weynand, and White especially seem to be having a marvelous time hamming it up in villainous ways, but the heroes also have their moments to shine, led by McWilliams in a heroic turn as Robin and McLendon as the fiery, gutsy Marian who is in every way Robin’s match. Reed, Brown, and Cabrera-Davila also turn in strong, characterful performances, ably supported by Oriana Lada in a variety of roles and DeAnté Bryant as Troubadour, accompanying the cast on guitar as the story goes along.

There’s a lot of music in this show, actually, composed in a traditional folk-style by music director Colin McLaughlin and played and sung throughout the show by various cast members. There’s also dynamic fight choreography by Rachel Lee Flasher and Zachariah Payne, who also serve as intimacy choreographers. The glorious set is augmented well by means of Christina Watanabe’s excellent lighting and Amanda Werre’s proficient sound design. The costumes, by Dottie Marshall Englis, are meticulously crafted and colorful, fitting in with the overall whimsical tone of the show and working well with the aforementioned stunningly realized set. 

In no uncertain terms, Sherwood is simply a hilarious, adventurous romp through the forest, with an adventurous spirit and an enthusiastic cast that gives this production an extra dose of warmth, charm, and chaotic energy. It’s a comedic triumph for director Kate Bergstrom and the entire cast and crew. There’s even a clever use of audience participation at various points, providing even more enjoyment to this bold and simply fun adventure in Sherwood Forest. 

Matt Lytle, David Weynand
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood until April 13, 2025

Read Full Post »

The Rep’s “Wonderful Life” is a Clever, Nostalgic Staging

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , on December 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
Adapted by Joe Landry
Directed by Kate Bergstrom
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
December 12, 2023

Melissa Harlow, Michael James Reed
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Most people know It’s a Wonderful Life as the classic Frank Capra film starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed. A lot of people my age have probably seen that movie on TV dozens of times by now, as ubiquitous as it is. Now, courtesy of the Rep, audiences get to see this familiar story in a different way. Joe Landry’s adaptation It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play isn’t new, but the way the Rep is presenting it, it’s a fresh, entertaining production set featuring some welcome local references and a strong energetic cast.

This isn’t a straightforward adaptation of the film story. It’s based in a local radio station sometime in what appears to be the late 1940s. The announcer, Freddie Fillmore (Eric Dean White) provides the introduction while the rest of the cast–including actors and technicians–assembles and star performer and World War II vet Jake Laurents (Michael James Reed) arrives a little bit late. Fillmore announces the cast of characters. Sally Applewhite (Melissa Harlow) plays Mary Bailey and others; Harry Heywood (Deanté Bryant) plays Clarence the angel, Harry Bailey; Rosa Ramos (Carmen García) plays George and Harry’s mother; Lana Sherwood (Aria Maholchic) plays Violet Bick; and Dr. Richard Ross (J. Samuel Davis) plays Joseph the angel supervisor and the villainous Henry Potter. These performers play a variety of roles in addition to their main ones, as well, except for Laurents, who plays George Bailey. Fillmore himself also plays a few roles, including Uncle Billy Bailey, and the stage manager (Jailyn Genyse) and sound engineers (Daisy Held, TJ Staten, Jr.) also contribute to the voice cast at times. Also, as was the case with actual “Old Time Radio” broadcasts, the cast and crew provide the live sound effects as necessary using a variety of devices. 

The story plays out as expected, with Clarence observing George’s life up until a point of crisis, in which the angel is enlisted to help George see the importance of his life and the effect he has had on his family, his neighbors, the town of Bedford Falls, and even the world outside the town. What’s different about this production, though, is that we’re not seeing a straightforward telling of the story–we’re seeing the radio actors performing the story in a meticulously re-created 1940s studio in St. Louis. So we get to see the different actors transition between different roles, doing the sound effects, and singing at various moments, including in some truly entertaining mid-Century styled commercials for real local businesses, like Schnucks and Crown Candy Kitchen. The original film of It’s a Wonderful Life already has a degree of nostalgia about it considering it’s almost 80 years old, but all the old-time radio trappings add another layer to that nostalgia. Also, while the radio studio setting is always there, there are many moments when the drama of the story being told takes over, effectively transporting the audience to the fictional town of Bedford Falls and into the midst of George Bailey’s plight.

The performances are excellent across the board. Reed makes an ideal George Bailey, bringing a lot of depth to the character and making me (at least) even more sympathetic to his situation than Stewart’s in the movie. It’s refreshing that none of the actors here are doing impressions of the movie characters–their performances are their own, although there are a few occasional moments when Reed’s vocal delivery gives a subtle nod to Stewart. Reed’s chemistry with Harlow’s Mary is excellent, as well. Other standouts include Bryant, who is especially memorable in his role as the determinded, kind-hearted Clarence; and Davis as both the wise Joseph and the scheming Potter. White also makes a memorable, amiable host as Fillmore. It’s a strong cast all around, with much energy and enthusiasm in their roles as radio actors and as their characters in the drama. 

The fun of a show like this is getting to see the authentically re-created workings of a 1940s radio station, with An-Lin Dauber’s marvelous set and meticulously detailed costumes adding to the overall ambience, along with excellent lighting by Christina Watanabe and sound by Michael Costagliola. There’s also great atmospheric music, supervised by music director Ron McGowan. 

Overall, this is a truly delightful holiday presentation from the Rep. It’s a Wonderful Life is already a well-known story, but adding the extra layer of local nostalgia and old-time radio atmosphere adds even more appeal to the familiar drama. It’s a Wonderful Life, indeed, and a wonderful show, as well! 

Cast of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play until December 23, 2023

Read Full Post »

The Rep Brings Lots of Laughs With Cleverly Staged “39 Steps”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on March 31, 2022| Leave a Comment »

The 39 Steps
Adapted by Patrick Barlow
From the Novel by John Buchan
From the Movie by Alfred Hitchcock
Licensed by ITV Global Entertainment Limited
And an Original Concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon
Directed by Kate Bergstrom
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
March 25, 2022

Futaba Shioda, Ryan Colbert, Jimmy Kieffer, Olivia Gilliatt
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The 39 Steps is a popular play, possibly because it’s so deceptively simple, with a small cast and a format that’s conducive to basically any budget. This latest production at the Rep is the fourth production I’ve seen in St. Louis over the last twelve years, including presentations by three different theatre companies. In fact, the first time I saw it was also the first show I saw at the Rep, in 2010. Even though they’ve staged it before, the Rep brings a new, fresh energy to this latest staging, led by a first-rate cast of four flexible and seemingly fearless performers.

I think one of the reasons this show is so popular, with theatre companies and audiences, is that it brings so much with seemingly little. It’s a small cast, and the production values can be as simple or elaborate as the director and company wants, but the true appeal is in the characters, and the energy they bring, with most cast members playing a variety of different characters. In fact, the only cast member who plays the same role throughout is the actor playing Richard Hannay (here played by Ryan Colbert), a Canadian living in London who unwittingly finds himself in the midst of an international espionage plot. After attending a seemingly innocent evening at the theatre, Hannay finds the experience turning ominous as he meets a mystery woman (played by Olivia Gilliatt), who soon ends up murdered in his apartment, but not until after she drops some hints of spies plotting a scheme that threatens to imperil the country in the leadup to World War II. Hannay is then forced to flee for his life, as he is suspected of murder, and along the way he meets a collection of characters from police officers to spies, to Scottish farmers and hotel keepers, as well as theatre performers, and eventually, a woman (also Gilliatt) with whom he becomes entangled (sometimes literally) in the process of trying to stop the plot and clear his name. It’s a fast-paced, action-packed comedy full of memorable characters mostly played by two “Clowns” (Jimmy Kieffer and Futaba Shioda), as well as three memorable women played by Gilliatt, while the hapless Hannay desperately seeks to find answers, and the audience is treated to a hilarious romp through English and Scottish cities, towns, farms, and railways. 

The cast and the staging make this show, and the technical aspects blend seamlessly  with the broad, hilarious performances to make this clever riff on classic spy stories, and particularly the films of Alfred Hitchcock, a treat from start to finish. Director Kate Bergstrom has staged the show with lots of action, and the cast is more than able to keep up, showing great physical comic abilities–and Kieffer and Shioda are especially adept at this. Kieffer and Shioda also show off their versatility in a range of different roles, as does Gilliatt in convincingly portraying three very different women–the mysterious Annabella, the lonely and infatuated Margaret, and the determined Pamela. As Hannay, Colbert shows a convincing blend of dashing charm, stubborn determination, and a little bit of goofy cluelessness. His chemistry with Gilliatt’s Pamela is especially strong.

The physical stunts are also well-staged, with kudos to fight director Michael Pierce. There’s a versatile set by Stephanie Osin Cohen that suggests an old-time theatre stage, but also is especially adaptable as pieces are moved around to form different set pieces as needed. Tilly Grimes’s costumes are also excellent and versatile, and there’s great atmospheric work by lighting designer Christina Watanabe, lending much to the old fashioned spy film look and feel of the show. 

The 39 Steps is popular for good reason. It’s fast-moving, funny, and crowd-pleasing, as well as being clever, witty, and evocative of an earlier era and genre of films. It’s an especially great showcase for an enthusiastic cast, and the Rep definitely has that. It’s an immensely enjoyable show, and the Rep has, once again, staged it with excellence.

Ryan Colbert, Futaba Shioda, Olivia Gilliatt
Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting The 39 Steps until April 10, 2022

Read Full Post »