Patrick Siler

This well-directed and remarkably acted version of HAMLET illustrates how entertaining and engaging Shakespeare’s works can be. Siler and his cast created a production that would meet the highest standards of a finicky bardolator while entertaining a casual theater goer who may wonder if Shakespeare is right for them. 

From March 15 to 17, First Maria Ensemble and Knickerbocker Players will present a 'Shakespeare in the Raw' production of 'Henry V' at Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater, 10 West 64th Street.

Moonstone Theatre Company has revealed the cast list and production design staff for its upcoming production of The Nerd by Larry Shue.

Moonstone Theatre Company will present the regional premiere of Grand Horizons by Bess Wohl at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center March 16 - April 2.

St. Louis Shakespeare presents Shakespeare's beloved romantic comedy AS YOU LIKE IT.

An astonishingly fierce tour de force blazes at Upstream Theater

Blisteringly poetic: Inspired by the Greek myth about a young woman offered as a human sacrifice, Gary Owen's IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT is a fireball of a monologue with lines that can be wickedly funny even as they drive home the high price people pay for society's shortcomings.

In keeping with the evolving response to the current public health crisis, Upstream Theater is postponing their regional premiere of IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT by Welsh playwright Gary Owen until next season. The play is now scheduled to run from October 9-25. If single tickets or a season passport were purchased, they will honor your ticket at that time.

THE EIGHT: REINDEER MONOLOGUES, a very dark Christmas comedy written by Jeff Goode and well suited for the 'Me too' era, is slated for a limited engagement Off-Broadway run this holiday season, Wednesday, December 12th - Thursday, January 3rd at St. Luke's Theater. The production is directed by Andrew Benvenuti and being produced by Sara Laursen and The Drama Club NYC, a newly formed arts organization that comes right out the gate staging a piece that LA Weekly describes as a 'hilarious and intelligent middle finger to all the candy-coated commercialism of the yuletide season.'

After eight years of summer performances, Adirondack Shakespeare Company will suspend operations this season.

A day trader in quarantine delivers a relentless, near-manic monologue that reveals his derailment from the fast track, and the resultant downward, deadly spiral… as though he may have contracted some horrible virus from the stock market monitors themselves. This gripping piece by one of Germany's leading poet/playwrights is a relentless collage of ideas and images, where past and present collide and where one man's innermost thoughts ricochet inside his head with all the volatility of a stock market in crisis. A very timely psychological study of a man and a society infected by greed.

A day trader in quarantine delivers a relentless, near-manic monologue that reveals his derailment from the fast track, and the resultant downward, deadly spiral as though he may have contracted some horrible virus from the stock market monitors themselves. This gripping piece by one of Germany's leading poet/playwrights is a relentless collage of ideas and images, where past and present collide and where one man's innermost thoughts ricochet inside his head with all the volatility of a stock market in crisis. A very timely psychological study of a man and a society infected by greed.

Adirondack Shakespeare Company (or ADK Shakes) gears up for its fifth season of autumn repertory shows on tour throughout the region. But this season is different. For a couple of reasons.

It's uncanny the way that Upstream Theater is able to produce plays that consistently tackle issues that, while often international in scope, often resonate with situations we face in our own country and, in particular, the current political climate we find ourselves in. A HUMAN BEING DIED THAT NIGHT is a very intriguing and powerful work by Nicholas Wright (adapted from a book by Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela) that focuses our attention on post-apartheid South Africa, and which delves into the institutionalized racism that gripped that area of the world for many, many years. It's a subject that it is abhorrent in nature, but one which we seem to see America headed toward with the rise of white nationalist actions and policies. The seeds seem to have been sown with the cultural backlash from certain quarters following the election of Barack Obama, our first African American president, and which are starting to become more dangerously vocal and violent since he left office and was replaced by our current president, who surrounds himself with people whose agendas and ideologies are in direct conflict with the progress that has occurred since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. This work, though it deals mainly with conciliatory efforts, is one that needs to be seen as a reminder that, if we are to continue to progress as an open society, we need to remain vigilant as citizens to ensure we do not take steps backwards in this regard. There's a lot to contemplate here, and this production is decidedly must-see theatre.

During the 1990s, psychologist Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela interviewed Eugene de Kock, commanding officer of the South African government's death squad stationed at Vlakplaas--a man who had ordered and carried out the torture and murder of dozens of anti-apartheid activists, earning the nickname "Prime Evil." De Kock was serving a 212-year prison sentence for crimes against humanity.

My lists for the best plays/musicals in St. Louis is in chronological order. I'm not limiting myself to any specific number of entries either. These are simply the best productions and performances in various categories that I witnessed during a packed year filled with companies closing and new ones opening. It continues to be a great time to be a theater-goer in our town, with many, many choices of quality shows available for your viewing pleasure on any given day or evening. My favorite show among all thesel selections just might be Upstream Theater's THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER. My son and I attended, and were simply delighted by the mix of music and drama occurring on stage. It was a magical experience that I was able to share with my then nine year old little boy, and we both highly recommend that you check out the band Sleepy Kitty.

Since 2010, the Adirondack Shakespeare Company has been serving up a world-class Summer Festival Season in upstate New York with professional productions of classical plays and original works for children. This year in addition to its regular line-up, the Company is adding an Arts & Crafts Workshop to its children play, Songs of the Iroquois: Turtle Island thanks to an ongoing fundraiser through Adirondack Gives.

In the director's notes for Upstream Theater's recent production of THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER, Patrick Siler mentions the fact that he was first exposed to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's work when he was around ten years of age. Interestingly enough, I brought my nine year old along with me so that he could experience this wonderful classic for the first time. And, what he saw was an absolutely amazing production, adapted by Siler with original music composed and performed by Sleepy Kitty. What a great introduction to a timeless piece. From the excellent musical accompaniment, which was simply beyond cool, to the projected images of Gustave Dore's original wood-engraved illustrations, to the fabulous performance of the cast, this was a presentation that was truly special in every sense of the word.

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.

The Adirondack Shakespeare Company, known for their unique Shakespeare IN THE RAW technique, will be returning to the Adirondack region for their fifth annual Summer Festival Season this July.