Posts Tagged ‘keating’

SATE Takes the Audience on a Fun “Classic Aventure” With Much Energy and Nostalgic Style

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , on September 17, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Classic Adventure Movie: Or Never Say Die
Written by Keating
Based on a Concept by Rachel Tibbetts, Keating, and Cassidy Flynn
Directed by Rachel Tibbetts
SATE Ensemble Theatre
September 12, 2025

Keating, Ricki Franklin, Cassidy Flynn, Ashwini Arora
Photo by Joey Rumpell
SATE Ensemble Theatre

Remember The Goonies? Maybe you do, and maybe you don’t, but it’s clear that Richard Donner’s 1985 film–with a script by Chris Columbus based on a story by Steven Spielberg–has become a modern classic, especially for Gen X and the Millennial generation. With a cast made up of performers of various ages and experiences, SATE explores the story of the movie in its own madcap way, while also–in a style reminiscent of their earlier show First Impressions–allowing moments for the cast members to reflect on the “classic adventure movies” that shaped their own lives. The end result–Classic Adventure Movie: Or Never Say Die–is full of action, humor, reflection, enthusiasm, nostalgia, and ultimately a whole lot of fun.

What’s especially fun about this show is that, even if you haven’t seen the film or if, like me, you haven’t seen it since it first came out in theatres, you’ll probably still be able to follow this show fairly easily. The Goonies story is told, essentially, but with revisions and references to other films and stories, with occasional nostalgic breaks as the cast members tell of the films that shaped their lives, from more obvious selections like E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial to perhaps more surprising fare like Under the Tuscan Sun, and covering many decades of cinematic history, with a high concentration on movies from the 1990s and early 2000s. 

The adventure theme is present throughout, as the “Goonies”–an “outcast” group of kids and teens in their small Oregon town–find a treasure map apparently made by a long-lost pirate called One-Eyed Willy. The kids, led by Mikey (Ricki Franklin), Mouth (Cassidy Flynn), Chunk (Keating) and Data (Ashwini Arora) go on a quest to find the map with the hopes that the treasure will help them save their homes, which are slated to be demolished in order to build a Top Golf. Soon, the group finds themselves at odds with the criminal Fratelli family–brothers Jake (Anthony Kramer-Moser) and Francis (Victor Mendez) and their bossy Mama (LaWanda Jackson), who hope to find the treasure for themselves. They also are eventually joined by Mikey’s older brother Brand (Carl Overly, Jr.), Brand’s cheerleader crush Andy (Hailey Medrano), and Andy’s best friend Steph (Marcy Wiegert), along with appearances by fellow cheerleaders Barb (Katie Donnelly) and Lizzie (Courtney Bailey) and superstar pop singer Cyndi Lauper (Frankie Ferrari), who gets to play a much bigger part in this show than the cameo appearance she had in the film. 

There’s a lot going on here, with fun moments of humor and pop-culture references, and especially strong ensemble chemistry with no weak links in the cast. The four main Goonies are standouts, with some excellent moments from everyone else as well, and Ferrari seemingly having a blast playing Lauper and getting to lead the cast in an energetic rendition of one of Lauper’s hit songs. The nostalgia moments are fun, as well, exploring the very real way film has come to shape the lives of so many throughout the generations, and how “adventure” can mean different things to different people. 

The performance space at The Chapel has been used to maximum benefit by means of Erik Kuhn’s imaginative and detailed set, decorated with movie posters and nostalgic artifacts. Also noteworthy are Katie Leemon’s memorable props, the marvelous lighting by by Denisse Chavez and excellent sound by Ellie Schwetye that helps keep up the overall nostalgic and adventurous tone of the show. Liz Henning’s costumes are also excellent, adding a lot of nostalgic fun to the story and suiting the characters and overall tone especially well.

This is another hit from SATE. This company is great at what it does, with a quirkier take on theatre that also highlights creativity, imagination, intelligence, and heart. With a clever script by Keating, fast-paced direction by Rachel Tibbetts, and a first-rate cast who all seem to be having a fantastic time, this is a show that entertains with a lot of energy and charm. It’s a real adventure of a comedy, with loads of nostalgic charm and style. 

Cast of Classic Adventure Movie: Or Never Say Die
Photo by Joey Rumpell
SATE Ensemble Theatre

SATE Ensemble Theatre is presenting Classic Adventure Movie: Or Never Say Die at The Chapel until September 27, 2025

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SATE Invites Audiences to an Energetic, Poignant, Superbly Cast “Party”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 18, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Brontë Sister House Party
by Courtney Bailey
Directed by Keating
SATE Ensemble Theatre
August 17, 2022

Maggie Conroy, Cassidy Flynn, Rachel Tibbetts
Photo by Joey Rumpell
SATE Ensemble Theatre

I love SATE. I say that every time I write a review of one of their productions, it seems. I say it so much, I’m afraid I’m going to sound like a shill, or insincere. But it’s true, and absolutely sincere. I love this theatre company, because they embody what is truly exciting about theatre, time and time again. From production to production, SATE seems to strike just the right notes, whether the play is comedy or drama, new play or classic. Their latest, local playwright Courtney Bailey’s Brontë Sister House Party, is another example of SATE’s remarkable legacy of excellence.  This production, with its clever production and first-rate cast, is at once hilarious, poignant, thoughtful, challenging, educational, historical, and modern. 

This play is a bit of history, a bit of fantasy, a bit of philosophy, and a lot of party. Hosted by the famed literary sisters of the title, Charlotte (Maggie Conroy), Emily (Rachel Tibbetts), and Anne Brontë (Cassidy Flynn), this party is an existential exercise as well as an interactive experience with a moderate degree of audience participation. The sisters, after their lives on earth, have apparently been cursed by the unseen but much talked-about “Lavender Witch of Gondal” to exist in a “purgatorial time loop” for seemingly endless nights, hosting a new house party each night until they are finally able to reach the elusive and mysterious “Point of Celebratory Reverence”. Through the course of the evening, they lament their apparent lack of ability to throw parties, as well as recounting their lives and their relationships with their work; their brother Branwell (Joel Moses), who doesn’t know about their novels; and even fictional characters from their novels, such as Jane Eyre‘s Helen Burns (Vicky Chen) and Cathy (Bess Moynihan) from Wuthering Heights. Singer Kate Bush (LaWanda Jackson), who sang a song about Wuthering Heights, also figures into the story, as does a personified version of Amazon’s Alexa virtual assistant (Zeck Schultz), who serves as the DJ for the party. 

It’s a house party, and the atmosphere is remarkably realistic, as the evening goes through its degrees of anticipation, drinking, dancing, celebratory music, followed by a series of soul-bearing stories, revelations, and cathartic bonding. It’s an exploration of the sisters’ relationships to one another, as well as to their art and the times they lived in, and particularly to men, including their troubled brother. The entire look and tone of the production is set with just the right touches, as Bess Moynihan’s stunningly detailed set and lighting portray a much lived-in 19th Century house and the changing moods as the party progresses, The soundtrack of well-chosen songs suit the mood especially well, including some new music by playwright Bailey. The characters are outfitted with impeccable detail by Liz Henning, and Schultz’s sound design also adds much to the mood of the show. 

The scene is ideally set, which makes for a good party, but the most important part of any party is the people, and the hosts and guests are all especially well-cast. As the sisters, Conroy, Tibbetts, and Flynn all get their moments to shine, from silly fun near the beginning, provided most often by Flynn as the “nice sister”, Anne, to snarkiness from the guarded Emily, to seemingly misplaced hope from Charlotte, who still expects the professor she’s obsessed with to turn up, despite having missed thousands of parties already. The chemistry and interplay between these three provides much of the energy and emotion of the show, and there’s never a dull moment here. There are also excellent turns from Moses as the needy Branwell, Moynihan as the fiery, persistent Cathy, Chen as the disgruntled Helen, who gets a fun musical moment, and Jackson in an entertaining and well-sung turn as Kate Bush, even though Jackson doesn’t sing in the style of Bush.  There are a lot of intense moments here, as well as some fun surprises in terms of storytelling and staging, as the show manages to keep the audience involved and guessing what will happen next all the way through. 

I can’t give too much away concerning what happens at this party, but I will say it’s well worth attending. Even if you don’t know a lot about the Brontë sisters, it’s a fascinating show, with much to learn about the sisters, their stories, and their times, as well as some timeless thoughts about the human experience in general. It’s a compelling script, made all the more compelling by the remarkable pacing, technical qualities, and especially the performances. It’s another excellent show from one of my favorite theatre companies in St. Louis. 

Cassidy Flynn, Rachel Tibbetts, Maggie Conroy, Bess Moynihan
Photo by Joey Rumpell
SATE Ensemble Theatre

SATE is presenting Brontë Sister House Party at The Chapel until August 27, 2022

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