Chris Gibson - Page 13

Upstream Theater continues their fine season with the U.S. premiere of Australian David Milroy's engaging work, WINDMILL BABY. Upstream continues to bring us some of the finest and most thought-provoking plays from around the globe, both educating us and enhancing our perspective on the world around us in the process. This time around we're transported to the outback for a fascinating story that touches the heart and soul. A bravura performance, superb direction and inspired musical accompaniment combine to provide a scintillating evening of theatre that should not be missed.

Another welcome revival hits the local theatre scene with the Stages St. Louis production of ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza. It's an excellent show, full of good humor and packed with a great collection of classic country tunes. It plays out as more than just your typical tribute show, because it actually has a story to tell to go along with its superb music. What really makes this show work are the performances by the cast and band, all of whom do absolutely impeccable work. And, what makes this revival a special sort of success is the sense of intimacy that the cozy confines of this venue provide. It really allows the actors to interact with the audience, and they take advantage of that to get up close and personal. I've said all this before, but this is must-see entertainment, and I can't recommend it highly enough!

It's been a couple of years since playwright Deanna Jent's FALLING debuted here in St. Louis, and since then it's been published, and gone on to receive rave reviews on both coasts. FALLING's impact has been a wonderful thing to witness from afar, and so it's especially nice that we get the opportunity to revisit the play in Mustard Seed Theatre's current production. This was challenging and rewarding must-see theatre when I reviewed it in 2011, and I can assure you that my opinion is even stronger. This is a powerful piece that raises a number of important questions.

I have to thank the Artistic Director of MADCO, Stacy West, for allowing me to see the first full-run through of LIQUID ROADS. I was completely captivated by the union of music and dance I experienced, and found the piece thoroughly entertaining. And, I wondered how it would all come together on stage with a live band accompanying the performers. Well, naturally, it was even better than I'd imagined, adding another level of excitement to the proceedings.

ONCE, the Oscar-winning film ("Falling Slowly"), has a lot of qualities to it that don't immediately make you think it should transition well to the stage. It's a simple story that deals mostly with two main characters, and it doesn't have an "in your face" type of score, or mood about it. And yet, somehow writer Enda Walsh (book) is able to maintain that intimate intensity without sacrificing its charms. It helps that Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova have crafted a subtle, but fine collection of tunes that really work well to assist in telling the story, even on a big stage. The current production gracing the Fox Theatre is wonderfully directed (John Tiffany), and makes for a perfect "date night" out. This Tony Award winner is deserved of its praise and delivers must-see entertainment.

There's always a risk involved in becoming a test subject for a new drug. It's a necessary process for the pharmaceutical companies since it reveals the benefits and detriments of their latest discovery. But, the people who undertake these studies are often desperate for something that will help them, and there's a definite drive to see them succeed. But, at what costs? That's one of the questions playwright Kate Fodor explores in RX, a kind of romantic comedy that also touches on a serious subject matter. Though it remains a bit uneven in tone, it's likable and engaging as well. The current production by the West End Players Guild is certainly worth checking out, and provides plenty of food for thought.

Stray Dog Theatre tackles another classic musical, bringing Kander and Ebb's CABARET to the stage at the Tower Grove Abbey on this occasion. and It's a splendid rendition that combines a strong cast with incisive direction. Some bench seats have even also been removed to allow for a group of smaller club tables to surround an extended stage that puts the show right in your lap. I like that. I'm always a fan of any presentation where the audience can actually feel the intensity that the actors are putting forth. This production is definitely worth seeing, and judging by the large crowds, tickets will go fast.

Though this review is late in arriving, I wanted to publish it anyway because I found HotCity Theatre's production of playwright Adam Rapp's RED LIGHT WINTER so intriguing. This is a raw and edgy work that doesn't pull any punches. It's adult in its themes, and filled with rough language that initially shocks in its frankness. Though it's tone is often uneven, and some of the relationships seem a bit odd, HotCity's presentation is very well performed and skillfully directed. If you missed it, then you missed a fascinating piece of theatre that manages to get under your skin.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the first full run through of MADCO's (the Modern American Dance Company, led by artistic director Stacy West) latest production, LIQUID ROADS and even in the unfinished state I saw it in, it promises to be a lively and wonderful presentation. Choreographer Gina Patterson has created a 90 minute work that focuses our attention on the music that has traveled the length of the Mississippi River, providing us with a collection of classic blues and original works that captures the flavor of that experience.

Writer Arthur Miller's THE PRICE is a powerful and engaging work that uses a simple set up to discuss the "price" everyone pays for the decisions they make in life. Each choice we make makes an impact on those around us, often deeper than we're aware of. Though emotionally charged and dramatic, this is also a play that is quite funny at times. The current production by The New Jewish Theatre crackles with the kind of bristling energy we've come to associate with Miller's work, and with exceptional theatre. The Price is definitely worth checking out.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis closes another wonderful season with playwright Michael Frayn's hilarious farce within a farce, NOISES OFF. Frayn's work is just downright funny, but it's especially amusing to anyone who's ever taken part in a stage production sometime in their life. The Rep's presentation is excellent, with a talented cast that seems to be having a blast playing this material. It's a marvelous way to bring the season to an end, and it's a must-see production.

If there's any 'jukebox' musical that should be wildly over the top it would have to be one connected with the 70's and 80's rock group Queen. It just makes sense. Their music always had a sort of 'larger than life', heroic quality to it to begin with. So, it's only natural that WE WILL ROCK YOU (book by Ben Elton), the stage adaptation, delivers a perfectly cheesy science fiction plot that forecasts a dystopian future where instruments and composers have become outlawed. With a thumping ten-piece band pumping out the score, this amusing and undeniably wacky production is rockin' the Fabulous Fox Theatre.

A graduate of the Rep's Ignite! Play Festival (the 2014 festival takes place this week), playwright Rebecca Gilman's work, SOUPS, STEWS AND CASSEROLES: 1976, is currently receiving it's world premiere in the Studio Theatre of the Loretto-Hilton. This is a smart and funny piece with a message that still resonates today, and I found myself genuinely moved by it. Having been a teen during the year 1976 when this action takes place, I can readily identify with the themes and values presented here. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

While you watch ELAINE STRITCH: SHOOT ME, you'll hear the legendary lady described in a variety of ways. She can at turns be feisty, ferocious, headstrong, independent, tough as nails, one of kind, and any other adjective you can think. And she can also be vulnerable. Actress and icon Elaine Stritch has already left a legacy of work on Broadway, film and television for generations to continue to discover, but she's a restless spirit, determined to soldier on and keep the entertainment cooking. Retirement seems a dim possibility.

Local author Ridley Pearson, along with Dave Barry, crafted an interesting 'prequel' to the story of Peter Pan with their entertaining novel PETER AND THE STARCATCHER. The stage production of this tale, written by Rick Elice, is a similarly imaginative effort that utilizes a relatively small cast, with just about everyone playing multiple roles, and a frenetic pace that captures the same qualities that distinguished the original work. An engaging touring production with a very talented cast played the Peabody Opera House this weekend (March 7-9, 2014), and it was well worth the trip.

If you think you've seen RENT before, you really haven't. The touring companies with adults in the lead roles never really worked for me. They all seemed too old and mature to be portraying what is basically a 'coming of age' story. That's where New Line Theatre's current production really gets it right, and why you have to check it out immediately. A very talented, enthusiastic, and youthful cast brings Jonathan Larson's (book, music and lyrics) work to life in vibrant, intimate fashion that makes you actually care about these characters and their situation. This is a must-see show, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I don't think there's any "jukebox musical" that's as entertaining and interesting as JERSEY BOYS, and there are a lot of musicals out there that rely on classic rock, pop, country and blues for their score. What sets JERSEY BOYS apart from the rest is the fact that it actually has a story to tell (book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice), and it integrates these timeless tunes seamlessly (music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe, although a plethora of other songwriters contribute as well) by examining how they were created and recorded. The current touring production playing the Fabulous Fox Theatre is a nostalgic blast that's sharply performed and staged.

Quilting is truly an art form, and though a lot of the quilts made over the years were made strictly out of necessity, a lot of them now hang in art museums. Playwright Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder uses this fact to tell the story of the Pettway women from Gee's Bend, Alabama. Now, if you're thinking that quilting is all this play is about, you'd be mistaken. It's certainly a part of the picture, but Wilder let's us view the family as they age and confront the changes that occur to them against the backdrop of our history. GEE'S BEND is a fascinating piece that's deserving of your time and attention, and Mustard Seed Theatre has put together a very fine production.

Playwright Jon Robin Baitz has crafted an engaging an entertaining dramatic work with his play, OTHER DESERT CITIES. This isn't your typical 'coming home for the holidays' type of story, and the emotional toll that it takes on its characters resonates. The fact is, the details of the plot would probably ring true for any number of families who have had their life revealed in print by one or more of their offspring. It's the kind of tale that requires an excellent ensemble to truly bring it to life, and happily, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has assembled a superb one.

In our current celebrity-obsessed world, Hollywood is still a dream factory inhabited by people who are held to a higher standard, even though they're just as screwed up and insecure as the rest of us. We're all searching for happiness of some sort, but we're often too willing to sell out what our heart's desire if it stands any chance of jeopardizing our current success. Douglas Carter Beane examines this paradoxical behavior in his brilliant comedic work THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED, and Stray Dog Theatre continues their fine season with a very good production of this timely work.