Review: WEDDING BAND at The Catherine B. Berges Theatre At COCA
by James Lindhorst - March 17, 2024
Jones collaborates with his cast and crew to mount an artful production of Alice Childress’ important story. He captures the grievous nature of oppressive racism and the fears of mixed-race couples in doomed relationships. This outstanding production of Wedding Band is being presented by The Black R...
Review: MOLLY SWEENEY at The Kranzberg Black Box Theatre
by James Lindhorst - March 17, 2024
Albion delivers another first-rate production with MOLLY SWEENEY. Ashton, the artistic director, and his staff carefully select quality theatrical assets to increase the probability of sensational storytelling. Albion’s production of MOLLY SWEENEY is just that, outstanding storytelling through exqui...
Review: DREAMING OF LEAR at Upstream Theater
by Steve Callahan - March 11, 2024
DREAMING OF LEAR is a brilliant, memorable piece of leading-edge experimental theater. Its director, Lucy Cashion, has, I think, the most refreshing brain in the St. Louis theater world. It’s been a decade since she appeared on my horizon, and in that time she’s led a number of exciting productions...
Review: SPECTRUM 2024 - A FESTIVAL OF SHORT PLAYS at The Chapel
by James Lindhorst - March 05, 2024
Of the Playwrights included in the Festival, Marilyn Zerlak’s two scripts were the best of the lot. FARE TO MIDDLIN’ is a tongue-in-cheek look at what judgment day may look like for folks who think that they may have been just good enough to receive their heavenly reward. Neither of the deceased can...
Review: NAUGHTY MARIETTA at Kirkwood Performing Arts Center
by Steve Callahan - March 11, 2024
Winter Opera continues it’s seventeenth season with another iconic operetta—Victor Herbert’s Naughty Marietta. This lovely old show premiered in 1910. It was produced by the first Oscar Hammerstein (the grandfather of you-know-who). In 1935 a movie version was made—with Jeanette MacDonald and Nels...
Review: COMPANY at Fox Theatre, St. Louis
by Rob Levy - February 28, 2024
Company is a fun romp about looking for love in all the wrong places. Filled with great performances and delightful musical numbers, it is a relentless roller coaster ride of emotions whose themes of romance, sex, marriage, and divorce remain just a s relevant today as whenit debuted in 1970. our cr...
Review: AN EVENING OF ONE ACTS at West End Players Guild
by James Lindhorst - February 19, 2024
All 7 of the plays were tightly directed to create engaging and interesting storytelling using limited set pieces on a nearly empty stage. The transition between each show occurred quickly and seamlessly, and at no point was the audience left waiting for an extended set change. There is no doubt tha...
Review: FLY at Hotchner Theatre on the Washington University Campus
by James Lindhorst - February 18, 2024
Edwards script if filled with humor but it does not shy away from taking on the current realities of unfairness, inequality, and discrimination in the United States today. His script is layered and complex. The text is foreboding with an admonitory tone, and Edwards realism reaches his audience beca...