Posts Tagged ‘young liars’

90’s Slumber Party Fever Dream “Wild Nights” is a Lot of Thought-Provoking Fun from Young Liars

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , on June 1, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Wild Nights
by Courtney Bailey
Directed by Chuck Harper and Maggie Conroy
Young Liars
May 31, 2026

Ashwini Arora, Ellie Schwetye, Keating, Frankie Ferrari
Photo by StudioKayMedia
Young Liars

You’re invited to a slumber party, and don’t forget the Brand Name Snacks! It’s 1997, although time is something of a spectrum here since our main characters are from the 19th century, as famed poet Emily Dickinson (Ashwini Arora) and her close friend and sister-in-law Sue (Ellie Schwetye) have enlisted the help of a group of 90’s teens to host an authentic sleepover with the aim of seeing the Face of God in Courtney Bailey’s hilarious new play Wild Nights. It’s also a memorable time in history, as the characters soon learn of Princess Diana’s tragic car crash and wait to learn her fate. There are also card tricks, Dr. Pepper, the “Hot Boy Report”, and personal revelations about growing up, poetry, love, life, and mortality. It’s somewhat of an odd play to figure out at times, but there’s a lot here to think about, and as produced by Young Liars under the direction of Chuck Harper and Maggie Conroy, it’s certainly a show that lives up to its title.

The set is a whimsical delight, designed by Maggie Conroy with such careful detail that creates a real “slumber party” that provides a semi-immersive element while also adding a bit of a mystical twist, in that the fridge is a sort of gateway between time periods, among other fun aspects. My slumber party days were mostly in the 80’s, but there’s a bit of a timeless vibe about sleepovers to which many in the audience obviously relate, judging by reactions on the night I saw the show. Many long-held traditions are upheld here as Emily and Sue have enlisted the help of “sleepover experts”–a group of Boston teenagers including Missy (Keating), Bernadette (Frankie Ferrari), Anoushka (Molly Burris), Donna (Conroy), and Donna’s cousin Christopher (Cassidy Flynn). With all their plans kept in a sacred Trapper Keeper, the pair–eventually joined by Emily’s sister Lavinia (Rachel Tibbetts)–embark on their journey to see the Face of God in the midst of revelations about relationships, poetry, growing up, life and death–as the news about Diana eventually gets out and is incorporated into the story. Pop culture elements like 90s music, Tomagotchis, and more are blended into the story along with Dickinson’s poetry and some memorable singing and dancing. There’s excellent work from the entire crew, including vibrant costumes by Marcy Wiegert and well-designed lighting by Bradley Rohlf and sound by Chuck Harper. 

The entire cast is splendid, led by Arora and Schwetye in highly likable quirky turns as Emily and Sue, along with an especially enthusiastic Tibbetts as Lavinia. All the teens are well cast, as well, with strong turns from each, and Keating and Flynn especially standing out for their energy and emotional moments. It’s a strikingly cohesive ensemble, giving off the 90’s teen vibe with gusto, capturing the naivety and reckless energy of youth as well as a palpable sense of fear of the unknown mixed with insatiable curiosity. There’s a lot to ponder here, and Bailey’s script manages to be absolutely hilarious and remarkably thoughtful at the same time. There are a few memorable surprises here as well that I won’t spoil, but at least one of them was fairly predictable although still wonderfully appropriate. 

Overall, Wild Nights makes for, well, a wild night. It’s a well-staged, personable work that’s sure to delight 90’s kids and even those, like me, who are a little older, and probably younger as well. Bring your stuffed animals, fuzzy slippers, and Trapper Keepers to the Greenfinch, and enjoy a fun show with an intelligent literary twist.

Cast of Wild Nights
Photo by StudioKayMedia
Young Liars

Young Liars is presenting Wild Nights at Greenfinch Theater & Dive until June 13th, 2026

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Young Liars Fascinate with Riveting, Thought-Provoking “Wolf Kings”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on November 12, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Wolf Kings
Created by Maggie Conroy and Chuck Harper
Texts Adapted from and inspired by the Writings of Angela Carter, Alphonse Daudet, Marie de Rabutin-Chantal Sevigne, Benjamin Walker, with original material written by Chuck Harper and the Ensemble
Directed by Chuck Harper
YoungLiars
November 7, 2024

Frankie Ferrari, Kay Ailee Bush
Photo: Young Liars

YoungLiars is presenting a new show for the first time in a few years. This time, this bold, adventurous theatre company is taking their audience on a compelling, philosophical, fairy-tale influenced trip to a dystopian world and a thoughtful exploration of myths and archetypes, resistance, loyalty, friendship, and betrayal in their stylized, memorably cast new work Wolf Kings, currently being staged at The Chapel. Featuring a striking atmosphere and fascinating characters, this is a show that keeps its audience engaged and guessing through its 90 minute runtime and even beyond, making for a unique theatrical experience. 

There’s so much going on in this relatively short show that I feel obligated to warn audiences to pay attention to everything that happens, as much as possible. I also can’t describe the plot in too much detail because discovering what’s going on is a major strength of this piece. It’s also not made entirely clear what’s happening at first. The promotional materials mention a group of women who have weekly meetings “as an antidote to their dystopian daily lives” by engaging in a “clandestine theatrical soiree”. What’s not made clear, though, is exactly what they are escaping, and how they came to have these weekly meetings. Before the characters start appearing, there’s some audio that suggests some kind of battle or war, but that’s the only real clue we are given before the action actually begins. We don’t even know the time or place, although the overall vibe suggests Europe in the period between the World Wars, but there’s some more modern music played at times, and some references that suggest various times and settings. Also, the five women (Ashwini Arora, Frankie Ferrari, Keating, Maggie Conroy, Kay Ailee Bush) are joined by one man (Cassidy Flynn), who seems to regularly join the group but is warned that tonight, he wasn’t expected to be there and, after he insists on staying, he’s warned that he may very well regret his decision. 

The group engages in various games, songs, and readings, including a fun rendition of the old English music hall song “I Was a Good Little Girl ‘Til I Met You” which allows Flynn to show off an impressive higher vocal range. It’s all sort of whimsical and theatrical for a while, with degrees of snark and gradually increasing ominous undertones, as the group members play as aristocratic French ladies exchanging “compliments” and then stage a dramatic rehearsal of sorts, acting out the Little Red Riding Hood story with added elements including various men who meet Little Red on her journey and want different things from her. All the while, there are stories of a menacing and mysterious Wolf, along with exercises in divination and the specter of danger and  betrayal. That’s about all I can say without spoiling too much, but I will say this is a fascinating show, with a plot that unfolds carefully and artfully, and had me thinking about it for days after the show ended. It’s at once surprising, entertaining, and unsettling, covering concepts of loyalty, secrecy, trust, resistance, and reckoning. 

Even though I wish there was a little more backstory, the world the show creates is vividly realized, as the characters arrive one by one and remove the sheets covering various items of furniture, revealing the group’s secret hiding place from the outside world. The costumes by Marcy Wiegert offer a stylish flair and degree of theatricality to the proceedings. There’s also exquisitely crafted and timed lighting by Morgan Brennan and sound by Chuck Harper that punctuates the story with just the right blend of whimsy, mystery, and growing sense of ominous dread. There’s also excellent work from choreographer Mikey Thomas for the memorable dance moments throughout the show.

As for the cast, everyone is excellent, playing their parts with energy and strong ensemble chemistry. Flynn and Ferrari especially shine, giving multi-layered performances with an impressive range of emotions. Keating, Arora, Conroy, and Bush are also strong in their various roles, making the tone shifts and ultimate sense of urgency thoroughly convincing.

Wolf Kings is a fascinating play. It provides so much to think about as an exploration of well known fairy tales as well as familiar themes and that growing tone of mystery and suspense. It’s a welcome return to the stage for YoungLiars, and an intellectually and artistically stimulating theatrical exercise. 

Cassidy Flynn, Keating
Photo: Young Liars

Young Liars is presenting Wolf Kings at The Chapel until November 23, 2024

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YoungLiars Turns Up the Volume–and the Blood–With “Titus Andogynous”

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , , on November 4, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Titus Androgynous : Un Comico Spettocolare
by William Shakespeare, Adapted by Chuck Harper
Directed by Chuck Harper
YoungLiars
October 28, 2017

Katy Keating, Jonah Walker
Photo: YoungLiars

This year, St. Louis has already seen a somewhat subdued production of Shakespeare’s notorious “bloodiest” play, Titus Andronicus, from St. Louis Shakespeare. Now, another company, the ambitious YoungLiars, has gone the other way entirely, hamming up the comedy and the blood in an over-the-top comic/horror/musical adaptation they’ve titled Titus Androgynous. It’s a definite twist on the source material, but it’s a hilarious twist.

The story here has been streamlined and tweaked, but it’s essentially the Titus Andronicus story with a few name changes and an emphasis on comedy and gore, to the point where the cart containing the copious amounts of stage blood used in the play is a prominent feature. There’s also, as suggested by the title, a Commedia Dell-Arte influence. Also prominently featured is Paul Cereghino as Valentine, the Master of Ceremonies, who plays keyboards and sings much of the narration of the story. All the characterizations are over-the-top here, and there’s also a good deal of breaking the fourth wall, as Cereghino tells the story and relates theatrical conventions as it goes–such as having some actors play more than one character, as well as when Valentine himself decides he wants to be in the play and takes on the role of a Clown, with hilarious results. The emphasis here is on comedy, sensationalism, and lots of scenery-chewing, telling the story of Titus (Jonah Walker) and his battle of revenge with Roman empress and former Queen of the Goths Tamora (Maggie Conroy), with a cast of characters (spellings as listed in the program) including Titus’s daughter Lavinia (Rachel Tibbetts), his sons Luscious (Mitch Eagles), Quintas (Amanda Wales), and Mutius (Ellie Schwetye), and his father Old Marcus Jeff Skoblow), as well as Tamora’s sons Demetriass (also Wales), Chiron (also Schwetye), and Alarbus (also Keating), along with Tamora’s husband, Roman Emperor Saturnanus (Isaiah de Lorenzo), his brother and would-be Emperor Bassianus (also Eagles), and Tamora’s scheming lover Aaron the Moore (Erin Renee Roberts).

YoungLiars has taken the original source’s “bloody” reputation and amped it up to the max here, to the point where the overall effect is more comic than gory. Still, if you are especially squeamish about blood on stage, take this as a warning. There is a lot of stage blood used in this production, and it’s not subtle. That aforementioned cart with the blood and various accessories is put to frequent use. David Blake’s scenic design is also characterized by the liberal use of white plastic sheeting. The costumes, by Maggie Conroy, are stylized, with a decidedly macabre, gothic look. Also prominent is the music, composed by Cereghino and played by Cereghino on keyboards and Michael Ferguson on drums, with a creepy-comic style that adds much to the overall atmosphere of this production.

Performance-wise, everyone is in top form, hamming it up to the extreme, with extremely hilarious results. Cereghino is a standout as the over-eager narrator and, later, as a persistent, pigeon-keeping Clown. There are also memorable performances from Keating in various roles, from Roberts as the gleefully villainous Aaron, by Walker and Conroy as the bitterly feuding Titus and Tamora, by Tibbetts as the tragic Lavinia, and by Schwetye and Wales in turns as Titus’s sons and Tamora’s sons. The whole cast is strong, though, seeming to revel in the exaggerated goriness of the proceedings in a plot that involves multiple murders, revenge, and even cannibalism.

Titus Androgynous is, in essence, Titus Andronicus turned up to its loudest, with a viciously comic twist and a memorable musical score. For anyone with a penchant for the macabre, this is the play for you. This is a bold, confrontational, and darkly hilarious production.

Maggie Conroy, Erin Renee Roberts
Photo: YoungLiars

YoungLiars is presenting Titus Androgynous at the Centene Center for the Arts until November 11, 2017

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