Posts Tagged ‘parker esse’

“Something Rotten!” Entertains in Shakespearean Style at the Muny

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on August 19, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Something Rotten!
Book by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell
Music and Lyrics by Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick
Directed by Rob Ruggiero
Choreographed by Parker Esse
The Muny
August 18, 2026

Jacob Dickey, Matt Doyle, WIll Burton and Cast
Photo by Phillip Hamera
The Muny

The Muny is closing out its 2026 season with a trip to the Renaissance, for the hilarious, Shakespearean musical comedy Something Rotten!, directed by Rob Ruggiero and choreographed by Parker Esse.  Having seen it twice before–one bigger production and one small–I was looking forward to seeing what the Muny could do with it on its giant stage in Forest Park. The result is, as expected, a laugh riot, with lots of humor and a good deal of heart as well. With a strong cast and the Muny’s typically fantastic production values, this show is a sure crowd-pleaser that draws lots of laughs and audience enthusiasm. 

The story, after an intro from a Minstrel (DeMarius  R. Copes) takes us to Elizabethan England, where brothers Nick (Matt Doyle) and Nigel Bottom (Will Burton) head up a theatre troupe, but they are having trouble finding their next hit play due to constant competition from star playwright William Shakespeare (Jacob Dickey), who seems overly interested in what the brothers produce. Nick, desperate to support his family including wife Bea (Bryonha Marie) and impending baby, finds a soothsayer named Nostradamus (Jen Cody)–not that one, but his niece–to find out what Shakespeare’s biggest hit play is going to be, along with what “the next big thing” in theatre will be. This leads Nick on a path to producing a flashy show to the frustration of poet Nigel, for whom the idea “just doesn’t sound right”. Nigel, for his part, has fallen for Portia (Elizabeth Teeter), a young Puritan woman who also loves poetry, to the great disappointment of her sanctimonious father, Brother Jeremiah (Lara Teeter). While the brothers try to work out their differences and Shakespeare schemes, much hilarity ensues leading up to the production of Omelette: The Musical. 

It’s a fun show. What’s especially good about it is that it works no matter the size of the cast or company, and it works just as well with flashier production values as it does on a more modest budget. It’s just funny, and funny goes a long way. The Muny’s production is obviously a bigger one, with a lavish set by Edward E. Haynes Jr. that takes the audience to a slightly cartoonish version of Renaissance England, as well as excellent costumes by DW, based on the original Broadway designs by Gregg Barnes. There’s also catchy lighting by Rob Denton, strong sound by Joshua Hummel, and memorable video design by Camilla Tassi. The orchestra is also excellent, doing justice to the fun score and led by music director Anne Shuttlesworth.  It’s a big, bright energetic show with brisk pacing and a load of hilarious jokes.

The cast is first-rate, as well, led by likable performances from Doyle and Burton as Nick and Nigel. Burton is especially a standout as the sensitive, creative Nigel, and his scenes with the equally excellent Elizabeth Teeter as Portia are a highlight. Marie is strong as the feisty Bea, as well, and Dickey brings a scheming energy and rock-star like quality to Shakespeare. Cody is also a scene-stealer as Nostradamus, showing off excellent physicality and comic timing. The leads are backed by a top-notch ensemble, as well, with fun moments from Adam Heller as Shylock, Lara Teeter as the dour Brother Jeremiah, and Copes as the clear-voiced Minstrel, along with a large ensemble of villagers, actors, and more. It’s an energetic troupe, executing Parker Esse’s vibrant choreography especially well. 

Something Rotten! is, simply put, a whole lot of fun. It’s great to see it make its Muny debut with such a large, vibrant production and such a strong cast and crew. If you love Shakespeare and musical theatre, like I do, it’s sure to be a special treat. All the musical insider jokes make for a special treat, as well. It’s a marvelous way to close out the Muny season. 

Casst of Someting Rotten!
Photo by Phillip Hamer
The Muny

The Muny is presenting Something Rotten! in Forest Park until August 23, 2026

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The Muny’s Impressive “Fiddler” Reminds Us Why It’s a Classic

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , on July 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Fiddler on the Roof
Book by Joseph Stein, Music by Jerry Bock, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Directed by Rob Ruggiero
Original Choreography by Jerome Robbins Adapted for the Muny Stage by Parker Esse
The Muny
July 20, 2024

Adam Heller and Cast
Photo by Phillip Hamer
The Muny

Fiddler on the Roof is about to be 60 years old, and it still resonates with audiences around the world. It’s been performed at the Muny ten times before, and now that it’s on stage again, it’s as fresh, vibrant, and poignant as ever. Under the direction of Rob Ruggiero and featuring an excellent cast led by Muny veteran Adam Heller as Tevye and featuring a superlative Muny Orchestra led by music director Darryl Archibald, this show is as timeless, timely, and tuneful as ever.

This show is so well known that many viewers will already know the story. In a small village in early 20th Century Russia, Tevye the Milkman (Heller) and his wife, Golde (Jill Abramovitz) live in a close-knit Jewish community that holds its traditions dear, although times are changing and their lives will soon be thrown off-balance, within families, in the village at large, and in the outside world. Tevye’s five daughters successively challenge long-held traditions and beliefs–especially the three eldest, Tzeitel (Samantha Massell), Hodel (Hannah Corneau), and Chava (Emerson Glick). Meanwhile, the news of disruptions and discord throughout the land continues to creep into the little village of Anatevka, getting closer and closer to radically changing the lives of everyone who lives there. As the story plays out, the familiar songs such as “Tradition”, “Matchmaker”, “If I Were a Rich Man”, “Sunrise, Sunset” and more are featured, highlighting the themes of connection, conflict, tradition and change.

This is a show that works so well, it’s not easy to mess it up, but it’s also so familiar that it’s fairly easy to just coast through and do a “good enough” version. At the Muny, this Fiddler is a lot more than just “good enough”. Led by Heller’s enthusiastic, charming performance as Tevye, this cast makes the stage come alive with strong voices and excellent stage presence and chemistry. Heller and the equally strong Abramovitz work especially well together, and all of the daughters are also memorable, well-matched by their suitors, Max Chernin as Motel, Clay Singer as Perchik,  and Andew Alstat as Fyedka. There are also standout performances by Cheryl Stern in a fine comic turn as Yente the matchmaker; Jeremy Radin as Lazar Wolf the butcher; and Susan J. Jacks and Blair Goldberg who make the most of their roles as Grandma Tzeitel and Fruma-Sarah in the “Tevye’s Dream” sequence.  There’s a strong ensemble across the board, and the production numbers are especially impressive, with strong choreography recreated by Parker Esse based on Jerome Robbins’s original work. There’s also that excellent orchestra adding much in the way of atmosphere and sweeping emotion.

The look of this production is also impressive, with an inventive set by Tijana Bjelajac augmented by excellent video design by Kevan Loney, giving the show a timeless look that fits with the mood of the show, but somewhat veers away from the more traditional sets that many productions of this show seem to use. There’s also striking lighting by John Lasiter and meticulously detailed costumes by Alejo Vietti, along with wigs by Tommy Kurzman. 

Overall, this is a Fiddler that tells its story well, with the well-known themes and iconic score given a notable production on the vast stage in Forest Park. It’s a timeless tale, with a great cast and a marvelous score. At the Muny, it’s a classic show that still resonates as much as I imagine it ever could. 

Hannah Corneau, Samantha Massell, Emerson Glick
Photo by Phillip Hamer
The Muny

The Muny is presenting Fiddler on the Roof in Forest Park until July 25, 2024

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The Muny Impresses Again with Riveting, Resonant “Story”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 17, 2023| Leave a Comment »

West Side Story
Book by Arthur Laurents, Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Directed by Rob Ruggiero
Original Jerome Robbins Choreography Reproduced by Parker Esse
The Muny
July 16, 2023

Christian Douglas, Kanisha Feliciano
Photo by Phillip Hamer
The Muny

The last time I saw West Side Story onstage was at the Muny ten years ago. This classic show is unquestioningly a Muny favorite, with the  2023 production being the theatre’s ninth. I remember the previous production being particularly stellar, but I’m not going to spend time comparing, because this current production deserves to stand on its own merits. And fortunately it has a great many merits, indeed. Although it does take a little while to really get going, the end result is a powerful, heart-wrenching triumph of a production.

When I first was introduced to West Side Story as a child, in the form of the 1961 film as shown on TV, I hadn’t been aware that the story was based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, but now it seems that the more I see of this story–on stage or on screen–I’m reminded even more of its origins. The “star-crossed lovers”, the warring gangs/families, the excitement of young love, as well as the hatred and violence that leads to tragedy is all here, set in late 1950’s New York and focusing on a gang rivalry between recently arrived Puerto Rican immigrants and the first-generation American-born descendants of European immigrants. Tony (Christian Douglas) and Maria (Kanisha Feliciano) meet and fall in love among the growing tensions between the Sharks–led by Maria’s brother Bernardo (Yurel Echezarreta), and the Jets, led by Tony’s best friend, Riff (Kyle Coffman), who won’t let former Jet Tony forget that they once led the gang together. As we get to know the characters, including Bernardo’s girlfriend Anita (Jerusha Cavazos) and the various gang members along with sympathetic drugstore owner Doc (Ken Page) and a collection of would-be authority figures, the tensions grow to a breaking point, leading to the inevitable tragedy for which this show and its source play are both well-known.

This show is also well-known for its timeless score by Leonard Bernstein with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and its dynamic dancing, originally choregraphed by Jerome Robbins, who also directed the original Broadway production. The director here is Muny veteran Rob Ruggiero, and the iconic Robbins choreography is re-created by Parker Esse. There’s a great ensemble and the dancing sparkles with energy in numbers like “The Dance at the Gym” and “Cool”. While the energy is good in the first act, though, the show especially comes alive in the second, with the players giving their all and the bringing out the raw emotion of the piece. Douglas and Felicano make an ideal pair as Tony and Maria, with “One Hand, One Heart” especially compelling. Feliciano also has memorable scenes with the also excellent Cavazos as the strong-willed Anita. Other standouts include Coffman, who shows off his “cool” moves as Riff; as well as Echezarreta as an especially memorable Bernardo, and Muny favorite Ken Page (repeating his role from the 2013 production) in a convincing and emotionally resonant turn as Doc. It’s a great cast all around, with Jets, Sharks, and everyone else filling the stage with intense energy, impressive vocals, and that great, athletic dancing as needed. 

The look, sound and overall setting and mood are achieved with superb detail by means of Ann Beyersdorfer’s New York neon-and-fire-escape inspired set, which also utilizes the Muny’s turntable in effective ways. There’s also dynamic lighting by John Lasiter, strong video design by Shawn Duan, and marvelous costumes by Gail Baldoni. The Muny Orchestra, led by music director James Moore, is in fine form, as well, filling the Forest Park air with that glorious Bernstein score and supporting the performers with style. 

There’s no doubting that West Side Story is a legendary show. It’s also a timeless classic that continues to resonate with audiences over 65 years after its Broadway debut. The Muny also obviously loves this show, and this latest production is another example of that tradition of excellence, as well as the sheer emotional impact of this story. As before in 2013, this year’s production is also notable for the rapt silence of the audience at the end of Act 1, and this year, especially at the end of the show, after a truly powerful finale. I have no doubt the Muny will stage this show again in a few years, but now, this production is one to see, experience, and remember. 

Cast of West Side Story
Photo by Phillip Hamer
The Muny

The Muny is presenting West Side Story in Forest Park until July 21, 2023

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