Cristie Johnston

'Spells of the Sea' shows polished professionalism. The marvelous Metro Theater Company has launched it's 50th season of fine theater for children. They open with a world premiere of a musical play, Spells of the Sea, by Guinevere Govea (with contributions by Anna Pickett). It's playing at the Grandel Theater.

Upstream Theater opens their new season with a work by playwright Maya Arad Yasur called SUSPENDED. It's a fascinating piece of theater that touches on the issue of immigrants, and the challenges they face. Many cling to their old beliefs and ways, while some try to completely immerse themselves in our culture because they seek to blend in rather than stand out. These two points of view are discussed at length as a pair of window washers address the world that exists behind the glass they clean. At the same time, a link between the gentleman emerges that reveals some painful truths as to what went on before they actually came to this country. Once again, Upstream Theater has given us something that timely, and which will provide plenty to chew on. It's an engaging and entertaining 75 minute presentation that demands to be seen.

When it comes to classifying THE GIN GAME, it's a bit of a sticky wicket. On the cover of Donald Coburn's play it says it's a tragicomedy, and yet it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. No wonder my fellow critics and I felt a bit confused as to where it should fall categorically. Personally, the amount of humor present leads me to side with way the play was published. Probably the most famous couple to play the leads in this two person play were Hume Croyn and Jessica Tandy, but many, many others have revived the play over the years. Luckily for you, the current production of this engaging and entertaining work features two of St. Louis' finest actors; Linda Kennedy and Peter Mayer. Under the guidance of director John Contini, this pair provide a wonderful experience that deserves your time and attention. Go see it.

Playwright Ger Thijs' work, DE KUS has been splendidly translated by Paul Evans in Upstream Theater's production of THE KISS. There is a certain magic in these woods where a chance encounter takes place. It's that old adage about the importance of first impressions, but taken to show that second and third and fourth, etc impressions can be more even more revealing, and honest. That's the sense of wonder we experience watching this unique play, set in a woodland, path strewn Dutch forest, where a man and woman meet repeatedly, and find new "hidden truths" that allow each of them to delve a bit closer into the life of the other. It's a truly special show that captures the imagination in unexpected fashion, somehow transforming a black box theatre into a beautiful landscape where personalities begin to emerge as an unlikely couple come together, to ponder, console, and pass the time. This is just a terrific show that completely demands your attendance.

When you're a creative person it's very important to have other people check out your work, not just for validation, but to give you good, honest feedback. It's a vital part of the process, because it's a way for you to tweak the things that are good to make them better, and also to cut the things that just don't work for whatever reason. Playwright Theresa Rebeck applies this notion to fiction writers in her work SEMINAR. The St. Louis Actors' Studio is currently presenting a production of this play, and it's an interesting, if only fitfully amusing, look at how a group of writers react to the various criticisms they receive once they've signed up and paid for seminar with someone who's achieved a modicum of success in his given field. I think this will mostly appeal to those prospective authors who are curious about how such a seminar would function, and I think the general public will find it fairly entertaining, but not nearly as funny, or serious, as it could be.

I've been privileged to see several versions of Greek playwright Sophocles' 2500 year old work ANTIGONE over the years. All of them have been good, and each of them has been uniquely different. A version I caught at a college even went so far as to incorporate the traditional masks that were utilized for the original productions. But, David R. Slavitt's translation is, by far, the most intriguing and accessible version I've ever seen. With the inclusion of a dash of humor to the proceedings he's also managed to enhance the dramatic depth of the tale. Upstream Theater's current production is masterful and powerful in equal measure, providing a memorable experience that demands to be seen.

59E59 Theaters will welcome St. Louis Actors' Studio with the New York premiere of DAY OF THE DOG, written by Daniel Damiano and directed by Milton Zoth. DAY OF THE DOG begins performances on Thursday, March 13 for a limited engagement through Sunday, March 30. Press opening is Tuesday, March 18 at 7:30 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday - Saturday at 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 3:30 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $18 ($12.60 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or go to www.59e59.org.

Playwright/novelist/screenwriter/songwriter Suzan-Lori Parks has crafted an intriguing work with Topdog/Underdog, which is currently playing at The Gaslight Theater in a marvelously acted production by the St. Louis Actors' Studio. The theme for their seventh season is 'Sins of the Father', and as they have in the past, it's an eclectic and cool mix of older classic works, and newer plays. This current production is distinguished by a pair of exceptional performances which really make it worthy of your time and attention.

TALKING HEADS started life as a series of BBC television monologues before it became a play (actually a couple of them), and if you're expecting a rather static work you'll be pleasantly surprised by these compelling, poignant, and sometimes hilarious vignettes. Author Alan Bennett (as both writer and performer he was a member of the famous Beyond the Fringe revue, which included the late Peter Cook and his partner in crime, Dudley Moore) has put together a fascinating career that includes stage plays, screenplays, novels and radio plays, and this particular collection showcases his ability to craft intriguing and engaging situations and characters. The St. Louis Actors' Studio's current production is distinguished by a wonderful cast and fine direction, making it a must-see presentation.

Playwright Daniel Damiano's DAY OF THE DOG is a quirky little dramatic comedy that explores a fractured family's dysfunction through their relationship with an aggressive canine. There are a number of good laughs, and a lot of therapeutic interactions, that occur as this premiere production by the St. Louis Actors' Studio unfolds. It's still a work in progress in some regards, but it's done well, with an excellent cast doing a fine job interpreting their roles, and solid direction.

It's been speculated that Queen Elizabeth I enjoyed the character of Falstaff so much she asked Shakespeare to write something else with him in it. Thus, we have one of the earliest examples of a sequel of sorts with THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. Though it definitely lacks brevity, it's an amusing trifle for the most part, and St. Louis Shakespeare has put together a generally fine production of the play.

Shakespeare's last great play, THE TEMPEST, has always been a favorite of mine, if only because it lends itself to intriguing stagings and imaginative re-interpretations with it's appealing mix of comedy, romance, and magic. And, with director Julie Taymor's film version about to be put into wide release, it's certainly a good time to revisit this material.

To an audience today, William Shakespeare's THE TAMING OF THE SHREW might be considered politically incorrect. After all, it's a tale about a man who takes on the challenge of breaking the will of a strong-minded woman in order to provide him with a subservient wife. I'm thinking this isn't exactly a plot that feminists will find particularly inspiring. But, it's important to look at things within their historical context, especially when you're going to attempt to swallow that kind of concept. St. Louis Shakespeare is currently presenting a colorful and generally engaging production that plays the whole affair rather tongue-in-cheek.

TREASURE ISLAND, Robert Louis Stevenson's narrative coming-of-age adventure about sea-faring scalawags and buried treasure, is a touchstone for all things pirate. All the standard iconography that we associate with these vicious buccaneers is present in his text including: one-legged seamen who have pet parrots, maps with 'X's' on them, and tropical islands where booty has been stashed.