Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov Adapted by Neil LaBute Directed By Annamaria Pileggi
John Pierson Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
St. Louis Actors’ Studio is currently staging a production of Chekhov’s classic Uncle Vanya, in an adaptation by Neil LaBute. This play is famous for a reason, considering its timeless themes and memorable characters. On stage at STLAS’s Gaslight Theater, the play is given a remarkably measured, expertly acted staging that brings out the play’s poignancy and emotion.
The story, set in late 19th Century Russia, follows a group of characters whose lives aren’t where they would want them to be. Vanya (John Pierson) and his niece Sonya (Bryn McLaughlin) manage a country estate that belonged to Sonya’s late mother. Her father, the retired professor Serebryakov (Greg Johnston) has been staying there recently along with his young second wife Yelena (Jennelle Gilreath Owens). While the ailing professor bemoans his lost youth, Yelena has attracted the attentions of both Vanya and local doctor Astrov (Michael James Reed). The story that ensues involves unrequited love, regrets of lost potential, flirtations, resentments, and crushing loneliness, as almost everyone seems to want something they can’t have.
It’s an ensemble play, with most of the action revolving around Vanya, Sonya, Astrov, and Yelena, but also featuring supporting characters in the form of the professor, Vanya’s mother Maria (Jan Meyer), family nurse Marina (Eleanor Mullin), and family friend Telegin (Michael Musgrave-Perkins), who also lives on the estate. The acting is universally impressive, well-paced by director Pileggi so that every emotional moment is earned, and nobody goes over the top. Pierson is excellent as the regretful, lonely Vanya, and McLaughlin’s pining (after Astrov) but insistently hopeful Sonya is also a standout. There are also strong performances from Owens as the conflicted Yelena and Reed as the lovestruck Astrov. Everyone is strong, with excellent moments all around and cohesive ensemble chemistry that helps carry this long play and make every moment fascinating.
Technically, this production is also remarkable, in using the Gaslight Theater stage in a way the emphasizes the confined, closed-in feeling of some of the characters. The meticulously crafted set by Patrick Huber, who also designed the lighting, suits the mood and era appropriately, as do Teresa Doggett’s excellent costumes. There’s also good use of sound and music in the transitions, with impressive work by sound designer Pileggi.
Uncle Vanya has stood the test of time for its relatable themes, characters, and situations, even though we may be over a century removed from its setting. Astrov has some lines that mention what people may think of them a hundred years in the future, and these moments made me think of how this play has endured through the years, being staged in many places and venues around the world. At St. Louis Actors’ Studio, this play is given a remarkable production more than worthy of the play’s reputation.
Jennelle Gilreath Owens, Michael James Reed, Bryn McLaughlin Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
St. Louis Actors’ Studio is presenting Uncle Vanya at the Gaslight Theater until March 5, 2023
The LaBute New Theater Festival, Part 2 Directed by Spencer Sickmann St. Louis Actors’ Studio July 22, 2022
Carly Uding, Brock Russell, Bryn Mclaughlin in “St. Louis” Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
St. Louis Actors’ Studio is back this week with the second round of their 2022 LaBute New Theater Festival. This week’s selection features one from last week, namesake playwright LaBute’s “St. Louis”, which stood out for its sharp dialogue on this viewing, as well as its strong performances by Carly Uding, Brock Russell, and Bryn Mclaughlin. The rest of this installment’s entries represent a mix of styles and subject matter, with a bit of a focus on the unexpected, as well as a turn more toward drama. Here are some thoughts:
“TNT” by Steve Apostolina
This play is the most comedic of this set, focusing on relationships between work colleagues Tucker (Drew Patterson), Nunez (Mara Bollini), and Thompson (William Humphrey), who work in the parking garage of some type of movie and/or television studio. The personality conflicts, political differences, and hidden secrets between these three characters form the story. Tucker and Nunez, on opposite sides of the political spectrum, seem to barely tolerate one another while trying to maintain a cordial working relationship, while Nunez drops hints about new co-worker Thompson and soon, a series of surprises reveal themselves as the story plays out, revealing how quickly feelings can change when key information is revealed. It’s briskly paced, and all three performers handle the timing well, even though the ending is more than a little abrupt, to the point where it almost leaves me wondering what the point of this play is. Still, it’s a timely reflection on how relationships are affected by core beliefs, with some amusing moments, along with some room for thought and reflection.
“Maizie and Willow, Brown Penny, Blue Pillow” by John Yarbrough
This is by far the shortest of the plays in this set. In fact, it comes across more as a scene from a larger play, and as such it leaves a lot of questions. There’s a lot of detail here that doesn’t get explored because the play is so short. The story focuses on married couple Maizie (Missy Heinemann) and Willow (Jaelyn Hawkins), as they deal with a major life decision having to do with Willow’s apparent terminal illness. There are intense moments in this play, and both performers exhibit strong chemistry and intense, credible emotion while dealing with a controversial subject that is going to affect different audience members different ways. It’s an intriguing vignette, but for the most part, it seems incomplete.
“What Do they Want” by Gary Pepper
This play gets my vote for “best of the festival” this year–in a near-tie with the next play of this set–with its fascinating twists and turns in the plot, as well as it’s surprisingly well-drawn characters and excellent pacing. In this story, strangers Gary (Brock Russell) and Burt (Drew Patterson) meet on the roof of a building, while Gary tries to figure out a puzzling issue and Burt is trying, again, to quit smoking. At first, it’s not entirely clear what Gary’s problem is, but when Burt tries to help, he finds himself more and more disturbed. Then, the situation turns in a striking way with a fairly simple revelation, and the power balance shifts back and forth as these two work out their issues and talk through a variety of issues in their lives. It’s a mixture of comedy of drama in terms of tone, with both performers turning in excellent performances as these two increasingly fascinating characters.
“Who Will Witness For the Witness” by Susan Hansell
This is another strong entry in the festival, with a focus on women from history that you may or may not have heard of, and an infamous, horrific, and tragic event
that is well known. Told in a narrative style, first presented by a photojournalist character identified in the program as “Woman 1” (Jaelyn Hawkins) and then intertwining with the stories of Woman 2 (Mara Bollini), a philosopher, mystic, and activist; Woman 3 *Bryn Mclaughlin), a resistance fighter; and Woman 4 (Missy Heinemann), a Catholic convert and nun. All are essentially contemporaries, standing up against atrocities and injustice, mostly revolving around the World War II and specifically the Holocaust. This in an intense play, with a strong sense of story and character, as these historical figures tell their tales and implore the audience never to forget. There’s a lot here, but it’s a well constructed story, making a profound, emotional impression. This is a remarkable production.
St. Louis Actors’ Studio is presenting Part 2 of the LaBute New Theater Festival at the Gaslight Theater until July 31, 2022
The LaBute New Theater Festival Directed by Spencer Sickmann St. Louis Actors’ Studio July 10, 2022
Mitch Henry-Eagles, Eric Dean White, Carly Uding in “Time Warp” Photo: St. Louis Actors’ Studio
St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s usually annual LaBute New Theater Festival is back at the Gaslight Theater after a two year hiatus, in its usual 2 part format. The first set of plays, which opened on July 8, focus largely on relationships–romantic, adversarial, and friendship. It’s an intriguing set of plays, and as usual, features an entry by the festival’s namesake, Neil LaBute, that will be running throughout the festival. Unlike previous years’ festivals, which had a variety of directors, all the plays this time were directed by Spencer Sickmann. The set design and lighting design are by Patrick Huber, the costume design is by Carla Landis Evans, and the props and sound design are by STLAS. Here are my thoughts on Part 1:
“What Else is New” by Aren Haun
Eric Dean White, Mitch Henry-Eagles Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
This is a character-focused show that seems to drag a little at first, but picks up as the story plays out. The setting is a nameless diner, and Bruno (Eric Dean White) enters with a roll-on suitcase and begins asking questions of the only worker in the place, Mark (Mitch Henry-Eagles), who we soon find out is an art student. Bruno is very particular, bringing his own silverware and straw to the diner, as well as asking Mark pointed questions and insisting he turn on the TV. At first, Mark seems annoyed by Bruno, but as Bruno shares more of his story, the tone starts to change. It’s an intriguing look at the developing relationship between two characters who are initially strangers, although it does seem to run a little long. The point seems to be about finding connection in the midst of loneliness and disappointed dreams, and both actors do an excellent job portraying these two contrasting characters.
“Twilight Time” by John Doble
Bryn Mclaughlin, Alexander Huber Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
This one is the shortest play of the night, again featuring two strangers meeting and forming a connection. What’s different about this play is that the characters, Benjamin (Alexander Huber) and Geraldine (Bryn McLaughlin), soon find that they are both there for the same dark reason. Not to give too much away, but I feel the need to provide a warning here, as suicide is discussed, along with various methods. Soon, however, the mood shifts, as the two characters find that they share much more in common than their mutual, sad goal. In fact, an attraction quickly grows between them, and the tone of the show starts to shift somewhat rapidly. The overall staging is simple, but well-paced. This is a very short play, and the overall comic tone may strike some audience members as odd, but both performers play out this story with excellent chemistry and compelling stage presence, and the characters seem surprisingly well-developed as a result, considering the length of the play.
“Funny Thing” by Willie Johnson
Mitch Henry-Eagles, Drew Patterson Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
This entry is more of a relationship drama, with a non-linear element that can become confusing at times, although the staging and especially the lighting help in figuring out what is going on, and when. It shows the development and breakup of a romantic relationship between two characters identified as Older Man (Drew Patterson) and Younger Man (Mitch Henry-Eagles), with Older Man starting and ending the show holding a large rock-like object that he then hangs on the wall for the most of the play, taking it back down at the end. I’m not entirely sure what this action and object are supposed to mean. Maybe the relationship–or the act of of meeting, dating, and then breaking up is seen as a cyclical burden–but that’s not made entirely clear. It’s mostly just an “observational” type story as we see these characters meet, get to know another, and then break up, with the initial breakup scene happening right after the first meeting scene, forming two basic “threads” of the story. It’s an intriguing structure, reminding me somewhat of the musical The Last Five Years except here, both characters are interacting in both threads. It’s an interesting concept, but Older Man isn’t especially likable, and there’s not enough time to show exactly why the relationship sours, so it’s not as easy to follow as it could be. The performances are strong throughout, but there doesn’t seem to be a major point here much of the time.
“Time Warp” by Fran Dorf
Eric Dean White, Alexander Huber Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
This play is, to my mind, the most fascinating concept, as well as featuring the most compelling characters. The story takes place in what appears to be an antique shop in New York City, as an older couple, Brian (Eric Dean White) and Beth (Carly Uding) are celebrating their anniversary with a trip, and find themselves wandering into this shop, run by a friendly but mysterious proprietor , CG Young (Mitch Henry-Eagles). Soon, both Brian and Beth begin recognizing objects in the shop, as well as remembering, or almost-remembering, events that seem to have happened in their dreams. Soon, we hear about Brian’s experiences while serving in the Vietnam war, and an old Army acquaintance of his starts to figure into his memories and Beth’s–the angry but talented artist Joey Passarelli (Alexander Huber). It soon becomes clear that this shop is not what it first appears to be, and the answer to Brian and Beth’s growing confusion is something that the audience may not have guessed. I know I didn’t guess. The acting here is especially strong, although some of the subject matter is highly disturbing. Still, it’s a compelling story, and all of the players work well together. The lighting and sound are also especially notable in this production, working to lend a mysterious air to the proceedings.
St. Louis by Neil LaBute
Carly Uding, Brock Russell, Bryn Mclaughlin Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
As the “headline” act of this festival, “St. Louis” strikes me as curious. It’s a cleverly structured, interview-style play, featuring a developing story of the intertwining relationships of characters listed in the program as Him (Brock Russell), Her (Carly Uding), and She (Bryn McGlaughlin), although they do have names that are mentioned throughout–Scott, Stephanie, and Sue, respectively. All three seem to be responding to an interrogation of sorts by an unseen interviewer, as their answers are sometimes hostile and/or defensive. It tells a fairly simple story in an “unfolding mystery” type of way, as Scott moves into the same apartment building as Stephanie and Sue, who are a couple. Soon, though, he and Stephanie strike up a rapport, and the story plays out from there, in a somewhat predictable fashion. It’s fairly easy to follow, and the characters and their relationships are clearly defined and portrayed, even though all three are standing alone in different areas of the stage. The acting is strong here, with characters who aren’t always easy to like (especially Scott), but the setting is somewhat superficial. The title of the play is “St. Louis”, and the story is ostensibly set here, but that setting doesn’t go any further than mentioning a few local place names. These names could easily be changed to have to play set essentially anywhere. Still, the dialogue is sharp and the characters well-defined. I’m curious to see what I will think when I see it again in Part 2 of the festival.
Part 1 of the LaBute New Theatre Festivalis running at the Gaslight Theater until July 17, 2022. Part 2 begins on July 22, 2022.
St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s newest production isn’t just a St. Louis premiere–it’s a World Premiere, by playwright Neil LaBute, with whom the company has had an ongoing working relationship. They’ve produced several of his plays before, mostly as part of their annual LaBute New Theater Festival. The new play, Comfort, is a two-character drama examining a strained mother-son relationship, while exploring and challenging the character and choices of the mother in particular. It’s a superbly cast and acted play featuring two excellent local performers, and it works especially well as a showcase for their impressive talents.
The mother character, Iris (Kari Ely), is the main focus of the play, and the real catalyst for its action, even if what she did to set the play’s action in motion happened offstage and years before the events depicted in the play. Iris is a celebrated, multi-award-winning author who lives alone and cherishes the time she spends by herself, as well as the accolades she has received–and hopes to receive, as she has apparently recently been subject to some Nobel Prize buzz. Cal (Spencer Sickmann), her adult son, was primarily raised by his father–Iris’s recently deceased ex-husband–since the couple split up when Cal was 10 years old. The action begins when Cal breaks into Iris’s house while his mother is out, ostensibly to retrieve some photo albums that feature old family pictures from before the divorce, but we find out when Iris inevitably comes home and discovers him that Cal has an underlying motive that he doesn’t initially admit. What ensues is a series of scenes and events that work to challenge Iris’s choices as a writer, as a mother, and as a person, as well as reveal some of the reasons behind her estranged son’s resentment toward her.
As one who finds LaBute’s work somewhat hit-or-miss, I have been curious to see what this new work would be like. I have to say now that in my mind, this one is a lot more “hit” than “miss”, although it does contain some elements that I that I think need some editing or reworking, such as some repetitious situations and dialogue and some “revelations” that are too obvious, as well as some points that could be elaborated more. I also think the character of Cal isn’t as well-drawn as he could have been, although Sickmann does a commendable job of making him interesting. Both he and Ely make the most of their roles, and their dynamic interplay is the main source of the drama here, as at first it’s not entirely clear what Cal wants, and the revelations throughout the play are introduced gradually. Iris is a complex character with many levels of depth, and Ely does a fantastic job of portraying all of these levels with clarity and, when needed, startling intensity. Iris is also not especially likable, although Ely’s performance makes her fascinating to watch as the story unfolds and her interactions with Sickmann’s Cal become more emotionally charged.
As for the staging, director Anamaria Pileggi makes the most of the small stage here, and Patrick Huber’s thoroughly detailed set. The mood is helped along through means of Huber’s excellent lighting as well, and costume designer Teresa Doggett has outfitted the characters well. I’m continually impressed by how STLAS is able to use their relatively small venue to the best of its potential, and this show is no exception.
Overall, Comfort is a worthwhile theatrical experience. It’s not a perfect play, but it makes an excellent showcase for two superb performances. With its complex relationship dynamic dealing with academic, social, and personal issues, it’s an intense drama that’s sure to make audiences think.
Spencer Sickmann, Kari Ely Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
St. Louis Actors’ Studio is presenting Comfort at the Gaslight Theater until December 3, 2021
LaBute New Theater Festival
Set Two
St. Louis Actors’ Studio
July 20, 2019
The second set of St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s LaBute New Theater Festival is now on stage at the Gaslight Theatre. Featuring a fresh collection of plays, all ably directed by Wendy Renee Greenwood, and the one holdover–festival namesake LaBute’s entry “Great Negro Works of Art” (directed by John Pierson). Featuring strong casts, these plays are also thought-provoking if not quite as well-formed as most of the first set. A new set of issues is in focus here, including artificial intelligence and privacy issues with technology, as well as journalistic integrity and couples therapy. Here are some thoughts about Set Two:
This play, which opens the newer set, features a meeting between a reporter named Sparlin (Tiélere Cheatem), and an enigmatic stranger named Laura (Kim Furlow). Being a journalist and former Pulitzer Prize winner who now writes obituaries, Sparlin has done research on Laura, but he hasn’t figured out why she wants to see him. As the plot–or really, the conversation–unfolds, Laura tells Sparlin a story, the importance of which becomes clear soon enough. It’s an intriguing concept, with the intended ideas apparently being about sensationalism in journalism and how easy it is for a person’s whole life to be obscured by one incident, but as a play it doesn’t have much suspense or structure. It’s just a conversation, basically. Furlow and Cheatem do well in their roles, bringing about as much drama as this play can produce, although there isn’t much here that couldn’t be covered just as well by an essay.
“Henrietta”
by Joseph Krawczyk
Directed by Wendy Renee Greenwood
Chuck Brinkley Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
The evening’s second play is its cleverest concept, being part “perils of modern technology” tale and part morality play. Here, as Carl (Chuck Brinkley) prepares for an extramarital tryst in a nearby motel, he finds his new “upgraded” GPS AI has other plans. Called “Henrietta” and voiced by Carly Rosenbaum, this AI isn’t putting up with Carl’s excuses, taking him for a nightmare ride as she takes control of his car. It’s an especially well-acted and staged bit of thriller-fantasy that’s especially chilling is its basic plausibility. It’s one of those “be careful what you do when you don’t think anyone’s looking” tales beefed up with a bit of “Big Brother” technological fear thrown in for good measure. The staging and pacing here is crisp and chilling, and both Brinkley and Rosenbaum give especially convincing performances, and particularly Rosenbaum as the determinedly in-control “Henrietta”.
“Sysyphus and Icarus: a Love story”
by William Ivan Fowkes
Directed by Wendy Renee Greenwood
Tiélere Cheatem, Shane Signorino Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
The final of the new entries for Set Two is a cute concept that evolves into something reminiscent of a late-episode Saturday Night Live sketch. It’s a fun concept, with the mythological figures of Sysyphus (Tiélere Cheatem) and Icarus (Shane Signorino) speaking in faux-Shakespearean dialogue and forming an attraction, then, as the story veers into SNL territory, they show up a few years later as a married couple clad in hipster-ish beanies being counseled by the New York-accented Libra (Colleen Backer), a self-promotional therapist who tries to help them see why their once-exciting relationship has soured. It’s a fun show, full of broad comedy that brings laughs but not much in the way of substance. The performers seem to be having a great time, though, and they’re all excellent. The production values are particularly notable here, too, with great work from festival costume designer Megan Harshaw and lighting designers Patrick Huber (who also designed the set) and Tony Anselmo.
Overall, the LaBute Festival continues to be an intriguing showcase for new playwrights, with some hits and misses but with some thought-provoking subject matter and strong work from the actors and directors. Set Two has one more weekend left, and it’s worth checking out.
St. Louis Actors’ Studio is presenting Set Two of the LaBute New Theater Festival at the Gaslight Theatre until July 28, 2019
LaBute New Theater Festival 2019
Set One
St. Louis Actors’ Studio
July 5, 2019
St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s latest installment of their annual LaBute New Theater Festival is now under way at the Gaslight Theatre. The first set of plays, which opened over the weekend, feature a variety of thought-provoking, timely issues, along with some memorable characters and strong performances. Here are some brief thoughts:
The first play of the evening is the annual work by the Festival’s namesake playwright, Neil LaBute. It’s also the first of two plays in the set that deal in some way with what can be best described as “the perils of online dating”. That issue is more directly addressed in the set’s second play, but it’s an issue in this one as well, although other topics are more prominent. This pairing features Jerri (Carly Rosenbaum), who is white, and Tom (Jaz Tucker), who is black, who are meeting in person for the first time after communicating online. Jerri chose the location, which is an art exhibit with the same provocative title as the play itself. The main focus here is on the interplay between Jerri and Tom, who points out the similarity of their names to the well-known cartoon characters, as well as cringing at Jerri’s increasingly flippant and obtuse comments and ignorance not only of African-American culture, but also apparently of her own inability to listen and recognize her obtuseness. It’s an all-too-realistic encounter, which serves as a challenge to the systems in society that have historically recognized works of white artists over those of artists of color, as well as a challenge to individuals (especially white individuals) to recognize how they contribute to this disparity. The performances of both performers are strong, and the play is both an intense character study and a thought-provoking personalization of timely issues.
“Color Timer”
by Michael E. Long
Directed by Jenny Smith
Shane Signorino, Rachel Bailey, Colleen Backer Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Or “The Perils of Online Dating, Part 2”. In this play, the couple in question features intellectual Aaron (Shane Signorino), and calculating reality TV production worker Stacy (Colleen Backer). They meet for their first date at a restaurant, and Stacy comes on strong, challenging Aaron with confrontational questions and a few shocking revelations. This play, more than the first, is a more direct examination of dating in the age of technology, as well as the challenges and perils of a tech and entertainment-oriented society in general. The highlight here is Backer’s gleefully brash and enigmatic performance, along with excellent performances by Signorino as a man put on the defensive and by Rachel Bailey as a well-meaning and seemingly clueless server. This one is especially chilling, and keeps you guessing up until the very end.
“Privilege”
by Joe Sutton
Directed by Jenny Smith
Chuck Brinkley, Spencer Sickmann Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
This play has a lot of ideas but probably needs some more work. The premise is compelling, as a young would-be lawyer, Peter (Spencer Sickmann), undergoes an unexpectedly aggressive line of questioning when applying for his law license. The unseen questioners are particularly interested in Peter’s family, including his uncle, Mark (Chuck Brinkley), to whom Peter turns for advice. His cousin, Amy (Carly Rosenbaum), another aspiring lawyer, who is the daughter of another of Peter’s uncles, experiences the same questioning, which turns out to relate to a violent incident from years before that involved Peter’s cousin (Amy’s brother), and that the family had done their best to cover up. Peter, for his part, doesn’t want to sweep it under the rug–he wants to find out what really happened, and to meet with the victim (Shane Signorino). There seems to be an element of symbolism here, concerning the family’s last name and some lines uttered by Mark and Amy, but the short nature of the play makes it difficult to cover the subject adequately. Still, the performances are compelling, especially from Sickmann as the determined Peter, and the use of lighting (by Patrick Huber and Tony Anselmo) is particularly effective.
“Kim Jong Rosemary”
by Carter W. Lewis
Directed by John Pierson
Eli Hurwitz, Jenny Smith Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
I had been especially anticipating this play, considering its author, Carter W. Lewis, is the writer of my overall favorite play from a LaBute Festival (2017’s “Percentage America”). This one, though, certainly has its moments, but it isn’t quite as cohesive and effective as the previous play. It has a fascinating premise, as mother and daughter Rhonda (Jenny Smith) and Beth (Eli Hurwitz) talk about issues relating to Rhonda’s anger, which is physically represented by a giant, overstuffed bag that she pushes around on a dolly. Colleen Backer makes a memorable appearance as an incarnation of the playwright, explaining the reasons for writing the play and acknowledging contributions to the anger of Rhonda and women in general. It’s an interesting character-piece, with talking points about gender roles and identity, societal expectations, and more, but it leans a little on the self-indulgent side this time. Still, there are great performances all around, and the dialogue is witty and provides food for thought on several timely topics.
Overall, I would say this set is more cohesive and themed than I’ve seen before from the Festival. It continues to be an excellent showcase for new plays and playwrights. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store for Set Two.
St. Louis Actors’ Studio is presenting Set One of the LaBute New Theater Festival at the Gaslight Theatre until July 14, followed by Set Two from July 19-28, 2019.
Labute New Theater Festival 2018
Set Two
St. Louis Actors’ Studio
July 20, 2018
The Labute New Theater Festival is back with Set Two, and it’s a stronger set altogether. St. Louis Actors’ Studio is continuing its festival with another set of plays that feature thought-provoking concepts, strong acting and staging, providing for an all-around impressive production at STLAS’s Gaslight Theatre. In addition to the continued run of the festival’s namesake playwright Labute’s “The Fourth Reich” in which Eric Dean White’s performance is even more insidiously creepy than it was the first time around, the bill includes a strong group of three intriguing plays:
“The Gettier Problem”
by Michael Long
Directed by Wendy Greenwood
Colleen Backer, Erin Brewer, Spencer Sickmann Photo by Justin Foizey St. Louis Actors’ Studio
The first of the new plays is an intriguing work that challenges the audience’s perception and raises some interesting questions. The “Gettier” of the title here is Edie Gettier (Colleen Backer), a patient in a hospital psychiatric ward who is awaiting a surgical procedure and is attended by a stern, wary nurse (Erin Brewer) and an assistant (Spencer Sickmann) with whom Gettier seems to be enamored, referrring to him as her “boyfriend” and insisting he stay with her after the nurse leaves. Then, she spins a story that he finds difficult to believe at first and calls to question everything we’ve seen up until this point. It’s an interesting premise, although the short play format makes the ideas raised somewhat difficult to explore. It would be interesting to see what a longer version of this play could look like. The performances are universally strong, especially from Backer who presents an enigmatic character with impressive credibility. Sickmann and Brewer provide strong support, as well.
“The Process”
by Peter McDonough
Directed by Ryan Scott Foizey
Erin Brewer, Carly Rosenbaum Photo by Justin Foizey St. Louis Actors’ Studio
This play is a puzzle of sorts–an unfolding mystery that becomes increasingly riveting as the story unfolds, although there is a degree of predictability to it. That doesn’t take away from the poignancy, though, in this tale of an interview that at first appears to be a therapy session of some kind, with a “client” who is soon revealed to be a soon-to-be-married elementary school teacher (Carly Rosenbaum). She’s meeting with someone who initially seems to be a counselor (Erin Brewer) who is helping her “client” recover memories that she seems to have blocked out. What is happening becomes more apparent as the details are gradually revealed, although I did guess the “twist” fairly early in the story. The weight of the drama is still here, though, even if you can guess where this is going. With great, sympthetical and emotional performances from both Rosenbaum and Brewer, this is a stunningly effective play and story.
“Unabridged”
by Sean Abley
Directed by Ryan Scott Foizey
Zak Farmer, Spencer Sickmann Photo by Justin Foizey St. Louis Actors’ Studio
This, the last and most inventive production of the evening, is an impressive exercise in world-building, with well-realized characters and an intriguing setting for a short play. It’s something of a venture into fantasy that could easily have been an episode of The Twilight Zone–an imagined “what if” situation in which words have become a valued commodity. Here, in what appears to have once been a library or bookstore in an unspecified but vaguely post-apocolyptic setting, a shopkeeper (Zak Farmer) hosts a frequent customer (Spencer Sickmann) whose passion for new words is almost akin to a drug habit. He’s desperate, intense, jittery, and hanging on every word he can find, both from Farmer and from an unseen competitor who seems to be feeding Sickmann faulty definitions for some inexplicable reason, leading to some humorous moments as well as some poignant ones. It’s a clever script, tackling some intriguing ideas and touching on some timely topics and some challenging philosophical concepts. It’s another play that I wish could be longer, because it would be interesting to see these ideas elaborated further. Farmer, Sickmann, and Eric Dean White (as another of Farmer’s customers) perform their parts well, with Sickmann especially memorable. This is probably my favorite of this year’s festival plays. It’s a highlight of a particularly strong week of plays that is well worth catching while this year’s festival heads into its final weekend.
Set Two of St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s Labute New Theater Festival runs at the Gaslight Theatre until July 29, 2018
Labute New Theater Festival 2018, part 1
St. Louis Actors’ Studio
July 6, 2018
St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s annual Labute New Theater Festival is on again at the Gaslight Theatre, showcasing new short plays by a variety of artists, including its namesake playwright. Set One has another weekend to run, with Set Two preparing to open next week. The first batch of plays showcase a variety of characters and situations, from amusing to confusing to downright disturbing. Here are my brief reviews:
As with all of Neil Labute’s previous showcased works at the festival, this play will be featured for the entire run of the event. Also like most of his festival offerings, this one comes across as more of an extended acting exercise than a play. It features an excellent local performer, Eric Dean White, in a memorable performance as an initially polite-enough seeming guy talking to the audience in an interview of sorts. It’s not entirely clear whether this is a formal interview, or some kind of organized event, or if White is just talking to the audience because he wants to. Still, he’s there, sitting in his comfy chair, growing more and more effusive in his praise of Adolf Hitler, acknowledging that Hitler lost World War II but insisting that history hasn’t given him a fair hearing. It’s a weird, defensive sort of monologue, as White’s unnamed character wheedles his way through a succession of repetitive arguments, growing more and more obviously sinister all the while, and even directly challenging the audience to broaden their perspective. It’s an impressive, measured performance by White, who manages to make the character grow more and more obviously sinister through the course of the monologue until the end, which is positively chilling. It’s a strong performance, but as a play I’m not sure what to do with this. A case could be made that this illustrates the sheer insidiousness of people and ideas like this, but still the play’s purpose isn’t entirely clear. The end result is just simply disturbing.
“Shut Up and Dance”
by Barbara Blumenthal-Ehrlich
Directed by Wendy Greenwood
Colleen Backer, Erin Brewer, Carly Rosenbaum Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
The second play of this set is in more of a darkly comic, somewhat fantastical vein, basing its situation at least in part on a real event. Here, a nameless Rockette (Erin Brewer), is haunted by imaginary “Rockette”-like apparitions in her dreams after she decides not to dance at Donald Trump’s inauguration. She flees to a hotel, later calling her mother (Margeau Steinau) and reflecting on the impact of her decision and the concerns about the future of the country. It’s an interesting idea, with good performances by all, especially Brewer and Steinau, although it seems disjointed in terms of format, almost like two plays instead of one, which becomes an even greater issue in the third play of the evening…
“Advantage God”
by Norman Kline
Directed by John Pierson
Eric Dean White, Colleen Backer Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Talk about disjointed. This is certainly a clever idea, but there’s a little too much going on here and the situation isn’t set up as clearly as it could be. Here, a couple of well-to-do suburbanites (Eric Dean White and Colleen Backer) try to cope with an apocalyptic crisis, as they find themselves in the midst of some nebulous invasion. The two prattle on about their various self-centered concerns while it looks like the world is falling apart around them, but then the Voice of God (Reginald Pierre) starts talking and the whole course of the play changes. The story then shifts to a philosophical and metaphysical debate of sorts before taking a more literal turn that requires a jarring and time-consuming scene change. It has some funny moments, and White, Backer, and Pierre give strong performances, but ultimately the story comes across as disjointed and confusing, although it defintely has some funny moments.
“Hipster Noir”
by Jame McLendon
Directed by John Pierson
Reginald Pierre, Carly Rosenbaum Photo by Patrick Huber St. Louis Actors’ Studio
The last play of the first set is the most memorable, and the funniest. A cast of three, in excellent comic form, present an old-style Maltese Falcon-type detective story set in a coffee shop in ever-so-trendy Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Nick (Pierre) narrates the story with a sense of earnest urgency, as he recounts the tale of his meeting with the mysterious Delilah (Carly Rosenbaum), who apparently needs Nick’s help but who also has an agenda of her own. There’s also Atticus (Joshua Parrack), a young hipster with a fondness for typewriters and fountain pens. How he figures into the story isn’t made obvious until later in the play. The comedy here is sharp, with a kind of faux-serious tone that goes well with the Film Noir theme. It’s a fun, clever story with strong performances and a lot of jokes, particularly about hipster culture, relying largely on stereotypes and innuendo. It’s a little obvious at times, but it’s funny.
The production values across the plays are good, with some clever costuming by Megan Harshaw, a simple and versatile set by Patrick Huber, and strong lighting by Huber and Dalton Robison. So far, the festival has presented some interesting ideas, although most of the scripts do need some work, especially in terms of overall cohesiveness and clarity. Still, this festival is an excellent showcase for local actors and directors, presenting some interesting new works. I’m especially curious to see what Set Two is going to to bring.
Set One of St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s 2018 Labute New Theater Festival runs at the Gaslight Theater until July 15, 2018. Set Two opens on July 20 and runs until July 29, 2018.
LaBute New Theater Festival 2017
St. Louis Actors’ Studio
July 9 and 22, 2017
It’s time again for the LaBute Festival, and St. Louis Actors’ studio has populated the Gaslight Theatre this year with a variety of short plays that cover questions of truth, identity, belief, power struggles, and more. As usual, the festival’s main feature is a play by the festival’s namesake, celebrated playwright Neil LaBute. His play runs throughout the festival, with the rest of the plays shown in two sets, the first one having opened on July 7, and the second–which is still running–opening on July 21. Overall, it’s an intriguing group of plays this year, showcasing some promising playwrights and some excellent local acting talent. Here are my thoughts:
This year’s contribution from Neil LaBute is a two-character piece focusing on a complicated relationship and a secret “plan”. Greg Hunsaker and Chauncy Thomas play two men who are obviously involved in some sort of romantic relationship, although it seems Hunsaker is more enamored with Thomas than the other way around. In fact, it often seems like Thomas can barely stand to be around Hunsaker, even though Hunsaker’s attitude toward Thomas is more on the level of adoration. As the two plan to carry out a sinister plan, it’s fairly clear who is in control and who is being manipulated. This is an intriguing character study, exploring issues of self-acceptance and self-loathing, as well as the power of attraction and personal manipulation. It’s quite disturbing when the nature of the plan becomes known, as well as the two men’s different attitudes toward it, and toward each other. The dialogue is sharp, and the performances are strong and believable. It’s a strong, but unsettling, entry from the always provocative LaBute.
Part 1 (July 9, 2017)
“Waiting for Erie Lackawanna”
by Ron Radice
Directed by John Pierson
This play is the first of two in this festival that have strikingly similar themes. Basically, an unsuspecting individual in a seemingly mundane situation is confronted by other characters who seem intent on messing with his mind. Here, Ryan Lawson-Maeske is waiting for a commuter train at a station he hasn’t been to before, and two “regulars” at the station, played by Spencer Sickmann and Reggie Pierre, confront him and challenge his very sense of what is real. Tone-wise, this is essentially a suspense comedy, and it’s well played by all three actors, although the overall point of it isn’t entirely clear. There’s a lot of energy to this production, though, and the staging is clever, with casting that emphasizes the intimidation factor, in that both Sickmann and Pierre are much taller than Lawson-Maeske, and the height difference adds to the sense of tension that grows as the play progresses. It’s a simply staged piece, and has some memorable comic moments.
“Sacred Space”
by Barbara Blumenthal-Ehrlich
Directed by Nancy Bell
This is a short, poignant play that deals with issues of death, mourning, and atonement. Two women (Sophia Brown and Kim Furlow) are preparing to carry out a Jewish cleansing ritual for a woman in her upper 80s who has recently died. While they are preparing for their task, however, they talk about their day, and strange messages keep appearing on the wall that they first try to dismiss, but they won’t stop. As the women try to continue their work, they can’t help but be caught up in the messages, and the story that they tell. It’s a story they are both familiar with, as they’ve heard it on the news. Brown and Furlow are both excellent in this short production that serves as a tribute to the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, as well as a reflection on life, death, tragedy, and the importance of remembering.
“Percentage America”
by Carter W. Lewis
Directed by John Pierson
Kelly Schaschl, Nancy Bell, Chauncy Thomas Photo: St. Louis Actors’ Studio
As far as I’m concerned, this play is the highlight of the festival. An extremely well-constructed, cleverly written, incisive and impeccably staged piece, this play is several things at once, and they all work. It’s a mystery, a light romance, a story of political intrigue, and more. It’s framed as a “date play”, in which a man and woman (Chauncy Thomas and Nancy Bell), who have met via an online dating site are getting to know one another, and decide to engage in a little fact-finding game in order to escape the boredom of every day life. They decide to pick a news story and by comparing various news reports and finding their own sources, they try their best to determine the truth of what happened.
This is such a clever, insightful, incisive play, with commentary on the nature of news coverage, the current state of political affairs in the US, and the general media culture, as well as insights into modern dating, teenage life, and more. So much is said in such a short piece. The story is structured so well and the performances are universally strong. It’s a riveting production from start to finish.
Part 2
“How’s Bruno”
by Cary Pepper
Directed by Nancy Bell
I guess the moral of this play is “when you get a text from a stranger, don’t text back”. In a story that’s oddly reminiscent of “Waiting for Erie Lackawanna”, an unwitting young man finds himself surrounded by strangers who may or may not be deliberately messing with his mind. Spencer Sickmann plays the man, who is sitting in a coffee shop and gets a text from a number he doesn’t recognize. When he responds, two men (Ryan Lawson-Maeske, Reggie Pierre) soon appear with an urgent story about how Sickmann is apparently in a whole lot of trouble. Chauncy Thomas later shows up and continues the story, increasing Sickmann’s confusion. The tone is broadly comic, for the most part, with similar themes as “Lackawanna” but with the added element of modern technology-induced paranoia. It’s a funny play, with a somewhat mysterious ending, although there doesn’t seem to be lot of point to it beyond the shock factor.
“Sin Titulo”
by Tearrance Chisholm
Directed by Linda Kennedy
This play, the last and longest of this year’s plays at the festival, is actually set in St. Louis, looking at the experiences of three members of an African-American family shortly following the 2016 presidential election. Damascus (Reggie Pierre) is an activist who led a local chapter of the Hillary Clinton campaign, and after her loss, he feels aimless and depressed. His wife Naomi (Patrice Foster) is concerned about him, and encourages him to find a new focus for his energy. Complicating the situation is Naomi’s unemployed brother Lloyd (Jaz Tucker), who is full of conspiracy theories that Damascus tries to play along with in order to manipulate Lloyd into being more responsible with his life choices. There are a lot of important, timely issues covered in this play, although it’s a bit disjointed and the ending is especially abrupt. Still, the performances are excellent, the relationships are credible, and the story provides a lot to think about, even though it’s not always clear what’s real and what’s happening in Damascus’s mind. This is a promising play, even if it can be a little confusing at times.
There are still a few days left to catch the second half of this year’s festival. It’s a fascinating group of plays this year, with humor, drama, suspense, and strong casting. It’s a memorable feature of the St. Louis summer theatre season.
St. Louis Actors’ Studio is presenting The LaBute New Theater Festival at the Gaslight Theatre until July 30,2017
LaBute New Theater Festival 2016 St. Louis Actors’ Studio July 22, 2016
St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s LaBute festival has become one of the highlights of the summer theatre season in St. Louis after just a few years. Every year, the festival features a new play by celebrated playwright Neil LaBute as well as a variety of new one-act plays by various playwrights. This year, I was unfortunately unable to see the first installment of the festival, although I was able to see the second. In this edition’s selection of plays, the theme of power and control seems to be prevalent. Here are the selections and my thoughts:
This year’s entry from festival namesake LaBute is an exploration of the relationship between artists and the models who pose for them, as well as an exploration of the nature of art itself. The artist (Jenny Smith) has been drawing this particular model (Bridgette Bassa) for a number of weeks or months, although the artist is secretive about her work. When the model challenges the artist’s motives, a power struggle ensues that leads to a somewhat predictable conclusion. This is a well-staged play and the cast members do an excellent job, from Smith’s defensive, evasive artist to Bassa’s confrontational model. Still, the play itself is a little confusing as to what message it’s trying to convey.
“American Outlaws”
by Adam Seidel
Directed by John Pierson
Eric Dean White, David Wassilak Photo by John Lamb St. Louis Actors’ Studio
The next play in this installment explores the relationship between two men who have something undisclosed in common. The revelations of this play are too complex to explain without spoiling much, but I’ll just say things aren’t necessarily as they seem, although the conclusion is fairly easy to guess. Eric Dean White is the nervous, conflicted man who has called the meeting, and David Wassilak is the more assured party in the arrangement. It’s clear from start to finish that, although White’s Mitch thinks he has some say in what goes on, it’s Wassilak’s Mike who is in control. The dialogue here is sharply written, and the secrets are revealed in a suspenseful way. Both actors give terrific performances, as well. This is the strongest play of the collection, I think, although it’s extremely bleak.
“Show of Affection”
by Laurence Klavan
Directed by Patrick Huber
Bridgette Bassa, Ryan Foizey Photo by John Lamb St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Here, the festival veers into the realm of horror/fantasy/dark comedy, with a story about a family getting ready for dinner. At first, they seem like a fairly ordinary family, but soon we learn more, as vampires, murder, jealousy, and revenge are brought to bear on the plot. The performances are strong, with Emily Baker’s determined matriarch and David Wassilak’s loyal father anchoring a story that also features memorable performances from Bridgette Bassa and Ryan Foizey in energetic performances as their adult children. This is an unusual, fast-moving play that features a lot of caustic humor and stylized horror elements. It’s also somewhat predictable, but entertainingly so.
“Blue Balls”
by Willie Johnson
Directed by Patrick Huber
Ryan Foizey, Eric Dean White Photo by John Lamb St. Louis Actors’ Studio
The final play of the evening has an unfinished quality to it. Ostensibly, it’s about a nervous man, Peter (Eric Dean White) waiting for a woman to get ready for their first date, only to be intimidated by her adult son, Benoit (Ryan Foizey). And that’s it, really. Benoit tries various ways to make Peter uncomfortable, and Peter tries to keep the situation civil, but essentially this is just a son being snarky to his mother’s date. The fact that Benoit has cerebral palsy is made an issue, but it’s ultimately a fairly minor element of the plot. Both actors give good performances, but there really isn’t much to this story beyond that simple conflict. It also ends rather abruptly with no apparent resolution. Although this has the potential to be an interesting character study, it’s really just a simple situation without much of a story.
Overall, I think the LaBute Festival is an excellent showcase for local talent and new playwrights, and I wish I had been able to see all of the plays this year. The production values are all excellent as well, from Patrick Huber’s versatile set and lighting design to Carla Landis Evans’s costumes and props. It’s another good year for this festival, and I look forward to seeing what STLAS has in store next summer.
The LaBute New Theatre Festival, presented by St. Louis Actors’ Studio, runs at the Gaslight Theatre until July 31, 2016.
