Posts Tagged ‘luis salgado’

STAGES Dazzles with Poignant, Powerful “Aida”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , on June 9, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Aida
Music by Elton John, Lyrics by Tim Rice
Book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang
Directed and Choreographed by Luis Salgado
STAGES St. Louis
June 7, 2023

Wonu Ogunfowora (center) and Cast of Aida
Photo by Phillip Hamer Photography
STAGES St. Louis

STAGES St. Louis is back for another season, and their first production is spectacular. With a stellar cast and truly spellbinding production values, Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida has made an indelible impression on audiences. Its a poignant, compelling story, as well as showcase for a great deal of astonishing talent, including some very welcome returning artists and some excellent STAGES newcomers.

With the exception of a framing device at the beginning and end, the story is set in ancient Egypt, during a war between Egypt and the country of Nubia. The Nubian princess Aida (Wonu Ogunfowora) is captured early in the story along with some of her countrywomen, and is brought into slavery in Egypt. The strong-willed Aida stands up to the military leader who captures her, Captain Radames (Ace Young), and both feel drawn to one another, with initial reluctance especially on Aida’s part. As for Radames, he’s engaged–for nine years–to the Pharaoh’s daughter, the initially flighty Princess Amneris (Diana DeGarmo), who loves Radames but increasingly doubts that he feels the same way about her. Meanwhile, Radames’ scheming father, chief minister Zoser (Ryan Williams) schemes to get his son on the throne as soon as possible, and the enslaved Nubians spurred on by the determined Mereb (Albert Jennings) hope to someday return to freedom in their home country. As the attraction between Aida and Radames grows, she keeps her identity as a princess secret, but forces are conspiring against them and threaten their hope of a future together, as well as the hopes of the Nubians and anyone who desires peace and freedom. The memorable score by Elton John and lyrics by Tim Rice help to drive the story that features timeless themes of striving for love, hope, freedom, and the terrors of greed and injustice. 

The cast here is wonderful, with standout performances from all three main leads, as well as the rest of the cast. The anchors, though, include the stellar Ogunfowara as the strong-minded Aida, with a powerful voice on songs like “Easy as Life” and her memorable duets with the also excellent Young, who has a pleasant tenor voice and brings a sense of warmth to Radames that rises to the surface as his relationship with Aida grows. DeGarmo as Amneris is another significant standout, with her sheer stage presence and remarkable vocals, as well as her ability to portray her character’s progression from flighty and sheltered to more self-aware and determined, as demonstrated remarkably in her two big songs–the energetic “My Strongest Suit” in the first act, and the more emotional, expertly sung “I Know the Truth” in the second. Other notable performances include Jennings, who is thoroughly convincing as the idealistic Mereb; and Williams, who revels in every oily moment as the nefarious, scheming Zoser. There’s a strong supporting cast with no weak links, as well as excellent vocals all around, with memorable group numbers like “The Gods Love Nubia” showcasing their talents, as well as the stunning choreography by director/choreographer Luis Salgado, who makes a triumphant return this year after last year’s excellent In the Heights. 

Technically, this show also dazzles, with all the elements blending together to tell this compelling story. The versatile set, by Kate Rance, features neon pyramids that go along with the bright “glow stick” like rods that are used to great effect in the choreography. Herrick Goldman’s lighting is also superb, contributing to some truly spectacular effects as the story unfolds, and Brad Musgrove’s meticulously detailed costumes are equally impressive, lending a bit of edgy modern twist to the ancient Egyptian setting and motifs. The orchestra, led by music director Erika R. Gamez, sounds great, bringing power to the already excellent score. 

It was great to see Executive Producer Andrew Kuhlman onstage after the curtain call, bringing many of the backstage crew and creatives to the stage for a well-deserved ovation. There’s a lot of talent involved in this production of a timeless story poignantly and memorably told.  Simply speaking, Aida at STAGES is a production that’s not to be missed. 

Diana DeGarmo, Ace Young, and Cast of Aida
Photo by Phillip Hamer Photography
STAGES St. Louis

STAGES St. Louis is presenting Aida at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center until July 2, 2023

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STAGES Brings a Vibrant Neighborhood to Life in Memorable “In The Heights”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , on July 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »

In the Heights
Book by Quiara Alegría Hudes, Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Directed and Choreographed by Luis Salgado
STAGES St. Louis
July 27, 2022

Cast of In the Heights
Photo by Phillip Hamer Photography
STAGES St. Louis

In the Heights was the first Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-winning Best Musical before Hamilton. Even though it wasn’t quite the huge phenomenon that the latter show turned out to be, the first show is an entertaining, memorable, and character-filled hit in its own right. Now on stage at the Kirkwood Performing Arts center as produced by STAGES St. Louis, this is a dynamic, crowd-pleasing production with a strong cast and stellar production values.  It’s a compelling look at a distinctive New York City neighborhood and variety of people who live there, along with their hopes, dreams, triumphs and struggles.

Miranda’s blend of hip-hop, pop, Latin music, and traditional musical theatre influences work well to tell this story set in Washington Heights, a largely Latino neighborhood. The central character, Usnavi (Ryan Alvarado) owns a bodega, assisted by his young cousin, Sonny (Luis-Pablo Garcia). Usnavi essentially narrates the show from the beginning, telling his own story as well as introducing many of the other characters whose stories intertwine. There’s the Rosario family, who run a taxi business–Kevin (Edward Juvier) and Camila (Tauren Hagans), who are proud of their daughter Nina (Isabel Leoni), who has just finished her first year at Stanford. She’s hiding a secret, though, which she’s afraid to reveal to her parents. Nina also grows closer to Benny (Jahir Lawrence Hipps), who drives for the taxi company, but hopes to start his own someday. There’s also Vanessa (Amanda Robles), the object of Usnavi’s affections, who dreams of moving to an apartment downtown. Other local characters include Vanessa’s boss at the local hair salon, the gossip-loving Daniela (Ariana Valdes) and equally gossipy co-worker Carla (Marlene Fernandez), as well as Sonny’s pal Graffiti Pete (Cristian Rodriguez), a local frozen treat vendor known as Piragua Guy (Michael Schimmele), and the woman most people call Abuela Claudia (Tami Dahbura), who is especially close to Usnavi and the Rosarios. It’s a steamy summer in the neighborhood, and transition is in the air for many of the characters, whose aspirations vary and are affected by various plot events in different ways. A lottery drawing, romantic and family tensions, a heatwave and a blackout all contribute to the drama of this compelling, well-structured story.

The cast is terrific, simply stated. Alvarado has an amiable, awkward charm as Usnavi, and his performance is somewhat reminiscent of original Broadway lead Miranda. His chemistry with Robles’s determined Vanessa is sparkling, as are his scenes with the superb Dahbura as the “heart” of the show, Abuela Claudia. Garcia is also a strong standout as Sonny, showing strong physicality and comic timing. Also strong are Leoni as the conflicted Nina, who also has excellent chemistry with the equally impressive Hipps as Benny. There are some particularly strong voices here all around, and some great moments to shine especially for Dahbura on “Paciencia y Fe”, Schimmele as Piragua Guy, and Valdes as the big-voiced Daniela. Also worth mentioning are Juvier as Kevin Rosario, and Fernandez in a fun comic turn as Carla. There’s a great ensemble here, as well, with lots of energy, enthusiasm, and strong dance skills in the production numbers, dynamically choreographed by director Luis Salgado. It’s also great to see a live orchestra here again, which is becoming an especially welcome new tradition for STAGES now that they are in their current venue. The band here, led by music director Walter “Bobby” McCoy, is lively and in great form. 

With great music and vocals, this show is a treat for the ears, as well as for the eyes, since the production values are nothing short of dazzling. Broadway set designer Anna Louizos has brought Washington Heights to the stage here in vivid detail, with a richly appointed multi-level set. There’s also vibrant lighting design by Sean M. Savoie and colorful, detailed costumes by Brad Musgrove. In the setting and the staging, the neighborhood has come to life as essentially a character in its own right. 

With music, drama, dynamic energy, and lots of heart, In the Heights is a vivid portrayal of a community and a neighborhood, as well as a portrayal of the importance of family, friendships, dreams, and the definition of “home”. It’s also supremely entertaining. It’s a first-rate production at STAGES St. Louis.

Amanda Robles, Ryan Alvarado, Luis-Pablo Garcia
Photo by Phillip Hamer Photography
STAGES St. Louis

STAGES St. Louis is presenting In the Heights at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center until August 31, 2022

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