Chris Gibson - Page 26

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.

FORGET ME NOT by playwright Tom Holloway explores a story torn from the tragic practice of "child migration" that was utilized during times of war and unrest in Great Britain since the 1600s. This is a poignant, touching and, ultimately, heart-breaking tale of one family's journey to reconnect. The acting and direction are simply superb, and you'd have to be a pretty tough person not to be moved by it. Upstream Theater's intimate production will linger in your memory long after the lights come up.

Playwright Matthew Lopez's THE WHIPPING MAN is a genuinely intriguing look at religion and the aftereffects of emancipation that is set in the days following the end of the Civil War. It examines a subject unfamiliar to most, and that's the fact that there were slaves on plantations that were raised in the Jewish faith. Informative and powerful, it's been given a wonderful staging by the New Jewish Theatre.

I've seen a great deal of cabaret shows over the years, and some are lively and enjoyable, while others are so serious and studied that it's sometimes work just to sit through them. But, New Line Off Line's Cabaret, WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING HERE?(January 25th at the Kranzberg), is a kind of cat indeed. It's a cabaret with attitude. Fresh and full of cool, the show offers a plethora of offbeat material that deserves to be heard by an audience. In director Mike Dowdy's more than capable hands, performers Ryan Foizey and Marcy Wiegert blasted their way through about an hour of songs and personal patter to the absolute delight of a sold out crowd.

Playwright Sharr White has concocted a mesmerizing and brilliant piece of work with his play THE OTHER PLACE. It's a mind-bending, non-linear narrative that's purposely disorienting, and absolutely hypnotizing to watch. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has constructed an amazing production of this work that's marked by top notch performances and direction. In other words, this is must-see theatre!

While THE RIDE DOWN MOUNT MORGAN might not be considered one of playwright Arthur Miller's best works, there is still plenty to chew on here. The subject matter, bigamy, is certainly a touchy one, but what makes it even more so is the way it's handled. The St. Louis Actors' Studio has assembled a fine cast to bring this interesting, and surprisingly amusing, piece to life, and the direction is top notch as well. And, while I don't necessarily agree with Miller's point of view as expressed by the lead character (Lyman Felt), it's an intriguing argument that's sure to spark debate, and that's what good theatre does.

As a rather humble musician myself, I can appreciate the patience and perseverance it takes to keep a group of musicians together for any outstanding period of time. I can also understand how changing one member can effect the dynamics of both the music and the people playing it. That's what makes playwright Michael Hollinger's OPUS so fascinating to me. Over the course of about 90 minutes you're taken backstage and onstage in various places,with a full access to the emotions and passions that come forth from, in this instance, a string quartet. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has put together a brilliantly spellbinding production that hits just the right note on every occasion.

It's amazing how many Hollywood comedies, cult and otherwise, have been turned into musicals, some successfully, some not so much. Which brings us to ELF, freely adapted from the amusing Will Ferrell vehicle of the same name, but lacking his particular comedic talents. That's not to say there isn't an audience for this show. Packed houses with families in tow seem to be eating up the playful nature of this holiday fare, and it's understandable. I brought my son along and he had a jolly good time as well.

One of the worst things that can happen to a theatre group is to lose its venue, and that's precisely what happened to The Black Rep. But, it's the season to give thanks, and in that spirit, we celebrate the fact that Harris-Stowe State University has graciously offered up the Emerson Performance Theatre as a place for the Black Rep to stage their current season. The first production in their new digs is the wonderful BLACK NATIVITY: A HOLIDAY CELEBRATION.

While most everyone is familiar with the tragic tale of Anne Frank and her family, fewer know the story of HANNA SENESH, although there have been books, movies and plays made about her extraordinary experiences. Hannah was a woman driven by her passion for life, and she was also a writer, having written both poems and plays, as well as a detailed journal. Playwright David Schecter (in collaboration with Lori Wilner) has done an exceptional job of turning these seemingly disparate elements into a thoroughly engaging work, and The New Jewish Theatre is currently presenting a very special production that demands your time and attention this holiday season.

The Fox Theatre has been home to an annual presentation of Nebraska Theatre Caravan's A CHRISTMAS CAROL for the past 9 years. It's easy to see why. The current version on display is a wonderfully crafted and picaresque take on Charles Dickens' holiday tale.