Posts Tagged ‘west end players guild’

WEPG’s “Cellphone” Calls Great Cast Into a Lively Exploration of Life, Death, and Personal Connection

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on April 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Dead Man’s Cellphone
by Sarah Ruhl
Directed by Summer Baer
West End Players Guild
April 10, 2026

Ben Ritchie, Nicole Angeli
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

A woman and man who have never met sit at nearby tables in an otherwise empty cafe. When the man’s phone keeps ringing and he doesn’t answer, the increasingly annoyed woman decides to go over and find out what’s going on, only to make a surprising and morbid discovery. That’s the setup for Sarah Ruhl’s dark comedy Dead Man’s Cellphone, currently being staged by West End Players Guild under the sharp-eyed direction of Summer Baer. With a great cast, striking production values, and an especially keen sense of timing, this is a play that examines its subject matter with a whimsically dark lens.

The setup isn’t really a spoiler, considering the title. Also, even though Gordon (Ben Ritchie)–the owner of the cellphone–is dead, he does get his chance to speak through the magic of theatre. The woman, Jean (Nicole Angeli) begins answering the frequently ringing phone and soon finds herself drawn into a strange new world involving the Gordon’s family including his distraught and doting mother (Payton Gillam), his somewhat flighty wife Hermia (Lynett Vallejo), and his neglected brother Dwight (Nick Freed), as well as a mysterious “Other Woman” and “Stranger” (also Gillam). As Jean and Dwight share an attraction, the various characters reveal secrets about Gordon that Jean–who feels an increasing obligation to answer the cellphone–isn’t necessarily prepared to deal with. It’s an odd play, with a structure that’s basically linear but sometimes “out of time”, as well, using its sharp wit to explore issues of personal connection, relationships, secrecy, and more. 

The cast is fantastic, with Angeli’s wary but constant Jean being the center around which everything else revolves. Angeli’s connection with Freed’s affable but ostracized Dwight is credible and fascinating. Gillam displays excellent range in her different roles, and Vallejo shows excellent timing in her role as Hermia, and Ritchie as the mysterious Gordon gets his moment to have his say in memorable fashion.  In fact, all of the actors are on top of their game with the timing, which is essential in this show. So many moments depend on pauses between lines, or timing of reactions, to the point in which I was sometimes wondering how the audience reaction would be effected if the timing were different. Baer’s direction is hauntingly precise, and that adds much to the dark, mysterious tone as well as the comedy of the piece. 

I like when productions at this venue change up the usual staging, and this show does that well, with seating on three sides and the main staging area being away from the stage in the basement of Union Avenue Christian Church. Baer’s set, colorfully painted by Morgan Maul-Smith, is an abstract space surmounted by a dangling mobile, making for a whimsical setting for the strange and sometimes disturbing events of the play. The lighting by Renee Sevier-Monsey and sound by Bryn McLaughlin–featuring well-chosen use of music–works well with the tone and mood of the story. Liz Henning’s costumes and Gabrielle Lynn’s props also contribute to the overall quirky air of the show.

Dead Man’s Cellphone is the first play by Sarah Ruhl I’ve seen, even though I’ve heard of this playwright before. This thoughtful, darkly comic production makes me more interested in checking out more works by Ruhl. At WEPG, it manages to be alternately creepy, chilling, humorous, and oddly hopeful. It’s a particularly strong showcase for a talented local director and first-rate cast.

Payton Gillam, Nick Freed, Nicole Angeli
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting Dead Man’s Cellphone at Union Avenue Christian Church until April 19, 2026

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WEPG’s “The Children” Features Memorable Acting, Thought-Provoking Script

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on February 21, 2026| Leave a Comment »

The Children
by Lucy Kirkwood
Directed by Jennie Brick
West End Players Guild
February 13, 2026

Tom Kopp, Bethany Barr, Jenni Ryan
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is starting a new year, and a new season, with a fascinating production of British playwright Lucy Kirkwood’s thoughtfully scripted play, The Children, directed by Jennie Brick. Featuring humor, drama, and thought-provoking timely topics, this production makes the most of its intimate performance venue. It also serves as an ideal showcase for a well-chosen and talented cast. 

The play runs 90 minutes with no intermission, and the story is essentially set in “real time” right after Rose (Jenni Ryan) has arrived after a long absence to visit her old friends and former co-workers Hazel (Bethany Barr) and Robin (Tom Kopp), who are now long-married and still live in the area near a nuclear power plant where the three all worked as engineers almost four decades previously. As Rose and Bethany catch up after years of separation and Rose’s long sojourn in the USA, it soon becomes clear that there has been a major crisis recently, involving the power plant. When they are joined by Robin, we learn more about personal secrets that have been kept, and about the complicated but close relationships among the three, and eventually about the real reason for Rose’s visit, which further unsettles Hazel especially. The contrast in personalities between the three–the worldly, seemingly independent Rose, the more “responsible” Hazel, and the personable but somewhat enigmatic Robin–makes for much of the drama here. Through the course of their reunion, we see their shifting relationship dynamics as well as the situation of the world in which they live, and their connections to the people around them, including family, friends, and the world at large. The crisis caused by the nuclear accident has repercussions that affect all three in various ways, as do the conflicting feelings stirred by the surprise reunion. 

This is an intelligent, thoughtful script with especially well-drawn characters, brought to life with dynamic veracity in the excellent performances of the three actors as well as Brick’s well-paced direction. The interactions between the characters are especially believable as played with palpable presence and energy by Ryan as the determined and somewhat mysterious Rose, Kopp as the personable but secretive Robin, and Barr as the devoted, family-minded Hazel. All three are excellent, bringing the audience on a journey of reflection, personal connection and conflict, nostalgia, and both personal and community responsibility. As the story plays out, the sense of these three as old friends who once meant a lot to one another but are now facing some real challenges becomes especially clear and relatable. As the characters reminisce, argue, share a meal, drink, and dance amid their reactions to the situation in which they find themselves, there’s a very evident sense of a “lived in” world and relationships. 

This mood and the English seaside setting are well maintained by means of a well-appointed set decorated by Margan Maul-Smith painted by Jessa Knust and Karen Pierce, and built by master carpenter Jacob Winslow and carpenters Tara Jackson, Nik Winslow, and Finley Winslow. There are also well-suited costumes by the cast and Joanne Stuart, and memorable lighting and sound by John “JT’ Taylor and props by Maul-Smith. There’s also notable work by fight and intimacy coordinator Douglas Klein, dialect coach Jeff Cummings, choreographer Hermione Duane, and music consultant Brian Brick. 

Amid all the relationship drama and personality conflicts, there’s an underlying sense of affection here amid the characters, as well as an overarching sense of aging and responsibility to younger generations. The Children is a play that I hadn’t heard of before, and its made an especially strong impression. It’s a profoundly thought-provoking work, and a fantastic showcase for three remarkable performers who work together to form a truly memorable ensemble. 

Jenni Ryan, Tom Kopp, Bethany Barr
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting The Children at Union Avenue Christian Church until February 22, 2026

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WEPG Explores Relationship Crises, Memorable Characters “At the Wedding”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on April 10, 2025| Leave a Comment »

At the Wedding
by Bryna Turner
Directed by Anna Blair
West End Players Guild
April 4, 2025

Alexis Monsey, Steph House
Photo by Anna Blair
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild’s latest production, Bryna Turner’s At the Wedding, packs a lot of character into its roughly 75 minute running time. It also features some fun participatory elements, so the audience gets to “attend” the show’s titular wedding along with its central character, Carlo (Steph House). Although the plot is fairly predictable, the characters, especially Carlo herself, are well-drawn, and the cast is particularly strong, as are the various elements that help to achieve and maintain the overall modern wedding atmosphere. 

Carlo starts out sitting at a table the wedding reception, telling a story about love and loss that comes across as emotional and oversharing. We find out that she’s attending the wedding of her ex-partner, Ava (Angela Healy) to a man who is only ever referred to as “the Groom”, and she’s still processing her feelings about the split even though it seems like some time since she and Ava broke up.  Through the course of the evening, Carlo meets with various members of the wedding party, guests, and others while trying to deal with her own feelings of rejection and inadequacy and trying to find the strength and hope to move on. Among the people she encounters are bridesmaid Carly (Alexis Monsey), with whom Carlo has an adversarial relationship; wedding guest Eli (Kevin Hester), who is something of a romantic and is full of quotes from Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner; mother-of-bride Maria (Deborah Dennert), who is drowning her sorrows after finding out her ex-husband has brought his new girlfriend to the wedding; and the somewhat mysterious Leigh (Nachalah Duclerne), a wedding guest who forms a flirtation with Carlo and tries to convince her to skip out on the rest of the reception. There’s also Victor (Matt Anderson), a dutiful but somewhat exasperated waiter at the venue, who seems to mostly just be hoping to finish out this job and get home to his own partner. Through the series of interactions, a few hints are dropped that some of these people may be more than what they first seem, although for the most part, this is about Carlo and her attempts to deal with her own feelings and life goals, as well as coming to terms with her breakup and Ava’s moving on in her life. 

The story is somewhat predictable, as previously mentioned. It’s fairly easy, for instance, to figure out some of the relationships that aren’t immediately spelled out. The point of this story, though, is more about the characters than the plot, and especially, it’s about Carlo, it is played with humor and cranky energy by the excellent House, who portrays a credible emotional journey as the events unfold. There are also strong supporting turns from Dennert as the personable but somewhat bitter Maria, Duclerne as the enigmatic Leigh, Anderson as the somewhat tired Victor, and Monsey as the snarky Carly, Healy as the likable Ava, and especially Hester in a winning performance as the persistently hopeful, somewhat geeky Eli. 

The wedding reception atmosphere is achieved by some fun touches such as passing out bubbles, toasting beverages, and birdseed to audience members, and encouraging the audience to sing along with the guests when they break into a rousing rendition of “Sweet Caroline”. The set by director Anna Blair is simple but effective, with excellent sound by Blair and lighting by Renee Sevier Monsey. The staging is well-paced and thoughtful, with excellent use of music (Audra Angelique is the DJ), and all the songs well-chosen for the scenes in which they are used.

At the Wedding isn’t an intricately plotted show, and there are predictable elements, but the memorable characters and semi-immersive wedding reception setting help to make it entertaining and engaging. The blend of humor and drama works reasonably well, and House’s performance–as well as Hester’s–help to lift this play to another level. It’s a good show to check out from West End Players Guild. 

 

Matt Anderson, Kevin Hester, Steph House
Photo by Anna Blair
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting At the Wedding at Union Avenue Christian Church until April 13, 2025

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WEPG Explores Relationship Possibilities With Fascinating “Constellations”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on February 15, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Constellations
by Nick Payne
Directed by Karen Pierce
West End Players Guild
February 13, 2025

Caleb D. Long, Summer Baer
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

For Valentine’s season this year, West End Players Guild is looking at a relationship at various angles. Exploring the idea of a “multiverse” and all the endless possibilities of how two people can meet, form or not form a relationship, and experience the triumphs and tragedies of life, Constellations is already an intriguing show, and I’ve seen it done well by another local company a few years ago. At WEPG, however, director Karen Pierce and two excellent actors find even more fascinating drama in this already rich script. 

Roland (Caleb D. Long) and Marianne (Summer Baer) are a pair of English would-be lovers who meet and get together, or not–and then break up, or not, in various ways. Marianne works in quantum physics at Cambridge, and she brings up the concept of a “multiverse” in describing her work, but the structure of the play explores that idea in the various moments in the couple’s relationship. The story is sort of linear, with occasional time jumps to a later period in which a serious and potentially tragic situation is occurring–again, in a variety of ways. It’s a fascinating play, as the various replayed scenarios explore the characters and how they relate, as well as playing out the oft-pondered  idea of “what would happen if you changed this one small thing?”  It’s a show full of wit, humor, and poignant drama, with the fascinating conceit of the multiverse serving as a way of further exploring the personalities of these intriguing characters and their relationship. 

The production values are deceptively simple, with director Karen Pierce designing the set and the lighting as well, with Ted Drury designing the sound. All the technical elements serve the story, but there isn’t anything flashy or elaborate. It’s just two people on a mostly bare stage, with staging, pacing, and lighting enhancing the mood as needed and aiding quite a bit in adding clarity to the story. The main focus is on the characters, and the marvelous performances of the two actors, who both turn in remarkable performances. Their chemistry is believable and compelling, with Long’s somewhat geeky and earnest Roland and Baer’s more impulsive, outgoing Marianne working well together, and Baer especially bringing out a wide range of emotions as her character arc (or arcs, really) drives the story for the most part. 

If you’ve ever found yourself wondering “what would my life be like if…”, then Constellations is a show for you. At WEPG, it’s a profound and compelling experience anchored by excellent acting and brisk pacing. It’s a contemplative, dynamic show that’s sure to provoke a lot of thought and discussion. 

Caleb D. Long, Summer Baer
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting Constellations at Union Avenue Christian Church until February 16, 2025

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WEPG Brings Dark Comedy Home to the Midwest in Well-Cast “Butcher of Baraboo”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on November 20, 2024| Leave a Comment »

The Butcher of Baraboo
by Marisa Wegrzyn
Directed by Renee Sevier-Monsey
West End Players Guild
November 15, 2024

Jan Niehoff, Joseph Garner, Steph House, Anna Blair
Photo: West End Players Guild

Halloween is over, and Thanksgiving is coming soon. It looks like West End Players Guild has decided to split the difference with their latest play. Marisa Wegrzyn’s dark comedy has the creep factor of Halloween along with awkward family moments which are often associated with Thanksgiving, with a touch of the Coen Brothers’ film Fargo thrown in for good measure. While this show is not for all tastes, at WEPG it’s a well-staged presentation featuring excellent pacing and a memorable cast.

The title refers to Valerie (Jan Niehoff), who we first see sitting at her kitchen table in Baraboo, Wisconsin, cleaning a meat cleaver. She works as a butcher, and seems to take pride in her work. She also just casually keeps a gallon of blood in her fridge like it’s no big deal, although it is to help her sister, Gail (Anna Blair), who is a local police officer. I’m not spoiling why, but I will say it’s darkly funny, like much of this play and its quirky and not-entirely-likable characters. There’s also Midge (Tori Shea Cole), Valerie’s adult daughter who still lives with her mom. Midge is a pharmacist who may be using her position in not entirely ethical ways, to say the least. Valerie’s husband and Gail’s brother, Frank, has been missing and presumed dead for a year, and there’s much tension in the family for various reasons. There’s also Gail’s other brother, Donal (Joseph Garner), who likes to talk and who looks forward to having another child with his somewhat shy, seemingly naive wife, Sevenly (Steph House), who is originally from Provo, Utah, and doesn’t seem as enthusiastic about adding to their already large brood of six. There are several interweaving strands to this plot, involving personal secrets and regrets, family tensions, ice fishing, butcher knives, pharmaceuticals, and the suggestions of murder, although nothing seems to go exactly as viewers might expect.

The plot is full of twists, some funny, some disturbing, some both, and some that can be interpreted either way depending on the viewer’s point of view. There’s a distinctly Upper Midwest vibe to the story and characters that also adds much in the way of atmosphere and tone. As mentioned before, these characters aren’t easy to like, but they are well-drawn and, for the most part, their motivations are reasonably clear.

What’s essential in a show like this is pacing and characterization, and this production manages both of those elements especially well. The cast, led by Niehoff’s gruff, secretive Valerie and Cole’s even more secretive Midge, is first-rate, playing all the comedy with its disturbing edge and just the right moments of depth. Blair is also a standout as the complicated Gail, who has more going on than audiences will first realize. Blair has some especially hilarious physical moments. There’s also Garner, who manages to make the talky, somewhat domineering Donal more watchable than his type would be in real life, and House is also impressive as the initially bland-seeming Sevenly, whose initially soft-spoken character is hiding a fair amount of tension and trouble of her own. The dynamics between these contrasting personalities and the threats to reveal various secrets they hide provide much of the conflict, humor, and dark edge of this story, and this excellent cast carries out their assignment especially well. 

The set by director Renee Sevier-Monsey also impresses in being both detailed and specifically characterful. The lighting-also by Sevier-Monsey, casts the appropriate mood, with strong support from Morgan Maul-Smith’s sound design. There’s no costume designer credited, but whoever assembled the outfits is also to be commended, because they fit the characters well and add much to the overall vibe of the story, as do Anna Blair’s props.

This is one of those shows that’s not going to appeal to everyone, especially concerning its often crass and occasionally downright disturbing subject matter, and its tendency to veer from comedy to the edge of despair. Still, at West End Players Guild, The Butcher of Baraboo features a highly energetic cast, excellent pacing, and a consistent sense of atmosphere and theme. If you have a strong stomach and don’t need to love the characters to be able to be entertained by them, you might want to give this show a try.

Jan Niehoff, Tori Shea Cole, Anna Blair, Joseph Garner, Steph House
Photo: West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting The Butcher of Baraboo at Union Avenue Christian Church until November 24, 2024

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Simply Staged “Turn of the Screw” at WEPG is a Well-Cast Thriller

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , on October 11, 2024| Leave a Comment »

The Turn of the Screw
by Jeffrey Hatcher
Directed by Morgan Maul-Smith
West End Players Guild
October 4, 2024

Rob McLemore, Payton Gillam
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

It’s October, and in the spooky Halloween mindset, West End Players Guild is presenting a haunting, impeccably cast thriller. Featuring only two performers playing all the roles, this simply staged adaptation of Henry James’s classic The Turn of the Screw by playwright Jeffrey Hatcher is a fascinating mystery with an edge of creepiness that works especially well for this season. The biggest highlight of this show is its marvelous cast.

Cast members Payton Gillam and Rob McLemore are billed in the program as simply “The Woman” and “The Man”, respectively, although Gillam plays one role throughout the story, while McLemore plays several. The Woman is a governess, hired by a mysterious man to take charge of his orphaned niece and nephew on his family’s country estate called Bly. She befriends the only other adult on the premises, the housekeeper Mrs. Grose, and quickly meets and loves Flora, the little girl who is either unwilling or unable to speak. Soon they are joined by the boy, 10-year-old Miles, who has been dismissed from his school for undisclosed “unspeakable” reasons. As the governess gets to know the children and the house, she soon begins to see ghostly apparitions, apparently of a man and  woman who used to work at the house, and she becomes increasingly obsessed with finding the cause of the haunting and driving the spirits away. Are the ghosts real? Why is the governess so preoccupied? What do the children know? This mystery unfolds in an increasingly suspenseful narrative as the Woman looks for answers to the mystery that threatens to consume her and affects her perception of reality and her health, as well as the wellbeing of those around her.

The tone of this show is in keeping with the Gothic thriller genre, with its setting, characterization, and overall vibe. The cast is stellar, led by a strikingly convincing performance from Gillam as the initially somewhat naive but increasingly obsessed governess. Gillam plays every scene with credible energy and a palpable sense of growing suspicion. Also excellent is McLemore in a variety of roles, from the imperious, evasive Gentleman who hires the Woman, to the kindly Mrs. Grose, to the enigmatic young Miles, who becomes a major focus of the Woman’s suspicions, and obsession. The growing suspense is well-maintained in the brisk pacing from the actors and director Morgan Maul-Smith, with the sense of enigma and mystery insistently ramping up to keep the audience interested, and guessing.

The production values here are impressive, even in their simplicity. The relatively basic set by Maul-Smith is an effective backdrop for the action, augmented by strikingly effective lighting also designed by Maul-Smith that underscores the classic Gothic tone of the story. There are also impressively detailed costumes by Tracey Newcombe that add to the credibility of the story. Even though there aren’t any flashy sets or special effects, the pacing, lighting and overall tone-setting help to aid the audience’s imagination of what is happening.

Whether you are familiar with the source novel or any of its film adaptions or not, The Turn of the Screw at West End Players Guild is a riveting, thoroughly suspenseful story led by a fantastic two-person cast. It works well for this time of year, as well. If you’re looking for some classic Gothic horror/suspense/mystery for Halloween season, this is a great show to check out.

Payton Gilliam, Rob McLemore
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting The Turn of the Screw at Union Avenue Christian Church until October 13, 2024

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“Dark Matters” is Chilling, Fascinating at WEPG

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on April 11, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Dark Matters
by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa
Directed by Karen Pierce
West End Players Guild
April 5, 2024

Cory Burke, Joseph Garner, Suki Peters, Ben Ritchie
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is venturing into science fiction and mystery with its latest production. Playwright Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa’s suspenseful, intriguing Dark Matters proves to be a fascinating story with an increasingly chilling tone. With strong direction and four convincing performances, this play tells its story well, with enigmatic characters and a challenge for the audience concerning what–and who–to believe. 

The story is narrated occasionally by Jeremy (Cory Burke), a teenager whose parents have recently moved the family from Washington, DC to a small mountain town in Virginia. As the story begins, Jeremy’s father Michael (Joseph Garner) is concerned that his wife, Bridget (Suki Peters) has gone missing. The local Sheriff, Benjamin Egan (Ben Ritchie) is working with Michael to figure out what’s happened, and his questioning gets more and more intrusive, calling into question Bridget’s mindset and pre-disappearance activities. Meanwhile, Jeremy has been rummaging in the attic and has found writings by Bridget that suggest she really believes in aliens from outer space, rather than just researching them for a book as Michael has told the sheriff. Soon, however, Bridget returns with a story that seems too strange to be believed, and Michael grows even more suspicious, while Jeremy is more inclined to believe his mom and the Sheriff continues to ask questions. 

That’s about all I can say without spoiling, and make no mistake–it’s the sense of building suspense and mystery that makes this show as effective as it is. That sense of something being “off” but not being sure what the truth actually is, and where this story is all leading, even at the very end, is what makes this play so powerful and spine-tinglingly chilling. The well-paced direction by Karen Pierce, and the strong performances of all the players make this worth seeing. From Garner’s increasingly doubtful and unhinged Michael, to Burke’s devoted, alternately hopeful and frightened Jeremy, to Ritchie’s matter-of-fact and increasingly enigmatic Sheriff Egan, to Peters’ fully convinced and persistent Bridget–the whole cast is excellent. It’s not always clear what to believe, but one sure thing is that the acting is superb, and the ensemble is cohesive and impressive.

The set by director pierce makes good use of the stage in the basement of Union Avenue Christian Church, as well as the area in front of the stage. The lighting by Jacob Winslow and sound by Morgan Maul-Smith add to the overall mysterious atmosphere and growing sense of urgency. 

Dark Matters is fully engaging and compelling theatre, especially for viewers who like mystery and science fiction. It’s a human drama with an otherworldly air, and after its conclusion, questions still linger. There’s a lot to think about here. Who, and what, do you believe? That’s a question that will be surely talked about for a while after seeing this remarkably well-staged play.

Suki Peters, Joseph Garner
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting Dark Matters at Union Avenue Christian Church until April 14, 2024

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Relationships Are in Focus In WEPG’s Engaging “Evening of One Acts”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 17, 2024| Leave a Comment »

An Evening of One Acts
Directed by Carrie Phinney and Renee Sevier-Monsey
West End Players Guild
February 10, 2024

Jane Abling, John Reidy
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

The latest production from West End Players Guild isn’t one play, but seven. An Evening of One Acts presents a series of short plays on the broad theme of relationships, most of them of the romantic variety. It’s an intriguing, entertaining evening featuring an enthusiastic cast and fairly simple production values. Here are some brief thoughts:

“A Sunny Morning”
by Serafin & Joaquin Alvarez Quintero

The focus of this play, set in Spain, is on an older woman, Dona Laura (Jane Abling), and an older gentleman, Don Gonzalo (John Reidy) who meet by chance as Laura sits on a park bench to feed the birds, and Gonazalo looks for a place to rest as his usual bench is occupied. He reluctantly joins Laura on her bench, and the two strike up an initially bristly conversation. As they begin to talk more amicably, they both soon realize that maybe they’re not strangers, after all. This is a bittersweet story that features two memorable performances and strong chemistry, along with some fine supporting work from Lesa Bush and Kurt Knoedelseder as the respective caretakers/companions of Laura and Gonzalo.

“Post Its (Notes on a Marriage)”
by Paul Dooley & Winnie Holzman

The staging of this play is simple, as an unnamed couple (Mike DePope, Amie Bossi) sit on either side of the stage, reading a series of Post-It notes, essentially telling their story from their first date to their eventual marriage and life together. There are some fun moments here, as well as moments of poignancy, featuring understated but compelling performances.

“The Spot”
by Steven Dietz

I’m not entirely sure how this play fits with the overall “relationship” theme, since this is essentially about a political campaign commercial, and the heavy “spin” that Roger (Reidy), who is in charge of the campaign, is encouraging. The “spot” focuses on a woman, Betsy (Shawntay “Tay” Vaughn), who will be endorsing Roger’s candidate, although Roger has doubts about her appeal to voters, as he’s constantly asking his assistant Nelson (Knoedelseder) to check the poll numbers for various topics. Roger is much more impressed with Gloria (Bush), who assists one of his staff members, but who seemingly fits Roger’s “ideal”, while Betsy grows increasingly uncomfortable with Roger’s manipulations, as his staff members Chumley (DePope) and Wagner (Michael Monsey) grow more anxious. This is sharp satire that seems especially timely in an election year, with strong performances all around, although again, I don’t really see where it fits with the overall theme of the evening. 

“Left to Right”
by Steven Dietz

Another play by Dietz, this one has something of a confusing structure, as two married couples sit at a table, having a series of conversations in pairs, changing positions when a bell rings. Bossi as Angie, Bush as Dee, Reidy as Ron, and Knoedelseder as Scott are each hiding their own secrets that they are trying not to reveal to their spouses, but as the conversations continue, it’s not always clear what the characters know and what they don’t. The performers do a good job with the overall timing, but this story can be a little difficult to follow.

“Controlling Interest”
by Wayne Rawley

This play features a clever twist, as a “business meeting” turns out to be not quite what it first seems to be. Jack (Reidy), Brad (Monsey), David (DePope), and Steven (Kurt Knoedelseder) are prepare to negotiate with Ashley (Vaughn) and Bethany (Abling) concerning the serious and daunting issue of “boys liking girls”. This is a fun concept, even though it indulges in stereotypes for the sake of much of its humor. The performances and pacing are especially energetic here. 

“Surprise”
by Mark Harvey Levine

This is perhaps my favorite play of the set, with a clever premise and strong characterizations. Even though it’s not very long, DePope, as Peter–a psychic who can only see two minutes into the future–and Bossi as Whitney, his increasingly exasperated girlfriend, are convincing and exhibit excellent timing. The two are sharing a contentious date at a restaurant, as sympathetic server Esther (Vaughn) has a surprise in store for Peter. The script is well-constructed, and the performances are strong across the board.

“There Goes the Neighborhood”
by Marjorie Williamson

The final entry for the evening features a nosy woman, Eleanor (Abling) spying on her new neighbor, as her husband, Richard (Knoedelseder) humors her ramblings and assumptions. As Eleanor’s “concerns” about the hairdresser who has moved next door grow more and more elaborate and absurd, it becomes clear that a  revelation is coming about Eleanor herself, as well as Richard, which adds a new level of absurdity to Eleanor’s attitude along with a creepy twist. This is a clever concept, well played by Abling and Knoedelseder.

Technically, the staging is simple, with fine work from Sevier-Monsey on lighting and Mary Beth Winslow on sound, as well as props design by Anna Blair. It’s something of a minimalist presentation, with the focus mostly on the actors and the energetic staging. The plays range from sweet to the thought-provoking to disturbing, making for an intriguing evening of theatre.

 

Shawntay “Tay” Vaughn, Kurt Knoedelseder, John Reidy, Mike DePope, Michael Monsey, Jane Abling
Photo by Carrie Phinney
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting An Evening of One Acts at Union Avenue Christian Church until February 18, 2024

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WEPG’s Engaging “Cronkite” Showcases Two Strong Performances

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on December 6, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Walter Cronkite is Dead
by Joe Calarco
Directed by Anna Blair
West End Players Guild
December 2, 2023

Leslie Wobbe, Kate Durbin
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

Two women meet as strangers in an airport bar. One is more outgoing and talkative; the other is initially more reserved and reticent. Brought together by circumstance, they soon find themselves opening up to one another, revealing their differences, as well as how much they have in common. This is the premise of Joe Calarco’s Walter Cronkite is Dead, which is currently being staged in a thoroughly engaging production at West End Players Guild, featuring two memorable performances and an overall atmosphere that draws the audience into the worlds of these two different, but oddly similar, characters. 

This is something of a “talky” play, but it doesn’t get boring in the least, considering the dynamic staging by director Anna Blair and the superb performances of its two leads, Leslie Wobbe as Patty and Kate Durbin as Margaret. Finding refuge in a bar at Washington, DC’s Reagan National Airport because of a weather emergency causing massive flight delays, the two form a gradual bond that at first seems unlikely, considering that the more reserved Margaret seems wary of the talkative Patty, but eventually the conversation starts, revealing much about these two women and why they are in the airport, as well as their contrasting outlooks on life, with Patty being a more “country” conservative from Tennessee, and Margaret being more of a Northeastern liberal who loves the Kennedy family so much that she’s named all four of her children after them. It’s a lively interaction, with ups and downs as the two struggle with their differences and deep-held stereotypes, as well as discovering similarities with which they can relate, concerning their relationships with their children and more. The tone is mostly comic, but there are also some palpable moments of drama, providing a deep emotional range for these two excellent performers. 

The acting is just marvelous, from both Wobbe as the more chatty, outgoing Patty, and Durbin as the more standoffish, but eventually just as emotive Margaret. The dialogue is well-constructed, and Wobbe and Durbin play off of each other with relatable energy, making for a completely believable performance and building relationship. 

The look and mood of the show is well-maintained by means of a simple set–the designer of which is not credited in the program, as well as atmospheric lighting by Amy Ruprecht, sound by Mary Beth Winslow, and props by Blair. The costumes are also excellent and perfectly suited to their characters. I’m not sure if there was a designer or if the performers assembled the outfits themselves, but the whole look and style of the characters works well considering their personalities. 

Walter Cronkite is Dead has a lot to say considering first impressions, stereotyping, and polarization in today’s society. Although the story takes place in 2010, it’s especially timely for 2023. It’s a remarkable, insightful production. 

The West End Players Guild is presenting Walter Cronkite is Dead at the Union Avenue Christian Church until December 10, 2023

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WEPG Presents an Entertaining, Educational “Finale”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , on May 4, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Finale
by Vladimir Zelevinsky
Directed by Steve Callahan
West End Players Guild
April 28, 2023

Sadie Harvey, Paula Stoff Dean, Timothy McWhirter, Matt Anderson
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild’s latest play is a somewhat ambitious endeavor that can be difficult to categorize in terms of comedy or drama, considering the marked difference in tone between the first and second acts. Still, Finale is an engaging look at famed opera composer Gioacchino Rossini and some of his most important relationships, with a friend and producer, with his first wife, and with music itself.  As staged by director Steve Callahan and featuring a memorable cast, this show is at turns bright and energetic, and poignantly affecting.

Finale is the latest play from Vladimir Zelevinsky, who has had several productions premiered at West End Players Guild. This one will be especially appealing to fans of classical music and opera, and Rossini in particular. It focuses on two important periods in the composer’s life. In Act One, the young Rossini, played by Timothy McWhirter, is struggling to compose the Act One finale to The Barber of Seville, with little time to spare before the curtain rises on the production’s premiere in Rome. Backstage, the gifted but impulsive and amorous young composer deals with the impatience of his producer Domenico Barbaia, played by Matt Anderson, and flirts with renowned singer and Barbaia’s fiancée Isabella Colbran, played by Paula Stoff Dean. Rossini enlists Isabella’s help in working on his composition as the two banter and deal with their obvious attraction, as well as with unwelcome interruptions by Barbaia and other plot twists involving a young aspiring singer called Angel, played by Sadie Harvey, who is the source of several surprises.

The first act is lively, witty, and fast-paced, with a fair amount of physical comedy involved, but the second act offers a striking contrast. Taking place years later in Paris, the story revisits Rossini as a tired, jaded writer who is absorbed in his work but struggles to write something new and original. Isabella is neglected and hopes to take her husband to a new home and revitalize their relationship, and Barbaia has a new offer for the composer from the King of France himself. Angel is there too, although in this act she’s more of a fantasy or memory, and the overall tone is more dramatic and melancholic. The contrast in the situations emphasizes the difference in Rossini’s character as he has grown from young, energetic and impulsive to older and more regretful. 

In a way, this story almost seems like two plays in one, but it works largely because of the excellent performances of McWhirter as the charming and unpredictable Rossini, and Dean as the talented, hopeful but eventually neglected Isabella. These two are the heart and soul of this production, with strong chemistry and stage presence. Harvey is also excellent, particularly in her comic moments in the first act, and as a sounding board for Rossini’s regrets in the second. Anderson, for his part, is a little difficult to believe as the somewhat clueless Barbaia of the first act, but he is much more believable in act two as the enterprising older impresario. 

Technically, the show has a striking, period-appropriate look, with stylish scenic design by Ken Clark and excellent lighting by Nathan Schroeder and sound by Chuck Lavazzi. Tracey Newcomb’s costumes are also memorable, with period-specific detail that lends much to the overall tone of the show in both acts, reflecting the change in fashion over the years. The pacing is brisk and energetic, especially in the more farcical first act, while becoming a bit more deliberate in the more reflective second act.

Overall, Finale is a promising work that I’m thinking will appeal especially to viewers who are familiar with Rossini and his work, as well as the technical aspects of reading and writing music. It’s also an educational experience for those who aren’t as familiar with these subjects. It’s another fascinating work from Zelevinsky, who attended the opening night performance. With a good cast and excellent direction, this is a work of art worth seeing, hearing, and experiencing.

Paula Stoff Dean, Timothy McWhirter
Photo by John Lamb
West End Players Guild

West End Players Guild is presenting Finale at Union Avenue Christian Church until May 7, 2023

This review was originally published at kdhx.org

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