Chris Gibson - Page 42

Dedicated to bringing the world to St. Louis, Upstream Theater takes a to Poland this time for an engrossing and compelling tale based on the memoirs of Kazimierz Moczarski (adapted by artistic director Philip Boehm). It's a fascinating story based on his own experience in Warsaw, originally involved in counter-intelligence during the second World War before being imprisoned by the Stalinist Polish secret police and charged with cooperating with the enemy. With CONVERSATIONS WITH AN EXECUTIONER, Boehm and company have produced a brilliant piece of work that it well worth your time and attention.

Revisiting a popular play in the ten work "Pittsburgh Cycle" from August Wilson, the Black Rep has put forth a superior effort. MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM is especially interesting to me as a musician since the focus is really on the interplay that goes on between Ma Rainey's band as they banter about various aspects of life and the music business, all while waiting for Ma to show up, or trying not to incur her wrath when she does. A terrific cast makes for an enjoyable, if tragic, ride that's well worth your time and attention.

KILLER JOE is a killer show! I only regret not being able to see this show until I'd returned from my vacation, effectively eliminating my chance to laud the show properly in order to drive an audience to it. My sincerest apologies, because I'm a fan of playwright Tracy Letts, and, not having seen this show before, I was unprepared for its sheer rawness. It's a hilarious pulpy send-up on the classic idea of hiring a hitman to off someone in order to benefit monetarily from the situation, and the St. Louis Actors' Studio have outdone themselves with an excellent rendering of this early work. The direction and acting of the entire ensemble is fearless and superb.

The Black Rep presented Le Freak C'est Chic as part of their Sunday concert series this past weekend (April 1, 2012), and it's an interesting mix of dance, music, and incredible vocalizations that was thoroughly entertaining and as sexy as advertised. The show gave St. Louis an opportunity to see some of the finer singers, dancers, and musicians, that this town has to offer, and thankfully, they were greeted with a very warm reception. The production basically takes us on a tour through Cabaret to Funk, and then on to Rock Star, and gives everyone involved a chance to show off their various skills.

CAVALIA is nearly impossible to describe as a show, at least in terms of giving you a true perspective on all the things that are happening at once on stage, and yet, I can say it's an elegant, athletic, visual and audio delight that combines a number of elements in achieving its success. First off, there are the nearly 50 horses of various beautiful breeds (all geldings and stallions) that are paraded in various "scenes" to great effect, and then there are the acrobats, riders, band members, singers, as well as an awesome projected scenic design that take us all the way back to ancient times with cave drawings, bas relief work, and coliseum settings that all occur in the first act alone. CAVALIA is a wondrous delight, a trip through time filled with atmosphere and dynamic dynamite maneuvers. It's an eye-popping experience, an equestrian extravaganza, and the run for the show has been extended due to popular demand.

It's amazing to me that Broadway keeps looking to Hollywood for its hits, especially since there are so many great original musicals and plays still being written today. And yet, every now and then a movie is reworked so much that it's almost unrecognizable from the movie, and it works. BRING IT ON THE MUSICAL brings together a bevy of talented people who makeover, what is potentially pretty fluffy material, into something much more appealing. Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q) has remade the original script into something much funnier and more socially conscious than it originally was, and Tom Kitt (Next to Normal) and Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights) have crafted some damn catchy little ballads and hip hop tunes, while Amanda Green (High Fidelity) and Miranda have accentuated the humorous tone with their lyrical contributions. So, is it any good? Yes, it's actually a blast of a show that combines eye-popping acrobatic cheerleading scenes with amusing scenes and songs that keep the mood generally upbeat.

Anyone who reads my reviews regularly knows that I'm a fan of Shakespearean re-imaginings. Sure, I like my Shakespeare played straight as well, but sometimes when one of his plays is tinkered with in just the right fashion it comes to life in new and unexpectedly exciting ways. Such is the case with the Rep's slapstick take on THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, which is given the background of New Orleans during Mardi Gras, and given a heavy dose of 1930's period music to liven things up considerably. It's a brilliant take and leaves the Rep with a perfect batting average for the season. It's the reason why we go to Rep in the first place; they consistently provide entertaining shows that are expertly acted and directed, in a theatre that puts you right on top of the action. What more could you ask for?

With NO CHILD, playwright Nilaja Sun brings to light the troubling failure of the "No Child Left Behind" program. It's a fascinating look at one teacher/artist's attempt to reach a group of student who describe themselves as the worst in the school. Conceived as a one woman play, the work gives an actress the opportunity to portray a number of characters from teachers, to students, to the principal herself, as well as a sage old custodian who acts as a sort of narrator for this play within a play within a play. The Black Rep's thoughtful production is superbly performed and directed, and is so socially relevant that it demands to be seen.

The Rep's Imaginary Theatre Company presented a version of PUSS IN BOOTS that more in line with Charles Perrault's original fairy tale, than with the Dreamworks, sword-wielding brand we've become accustomed to. Playwright/composer Brian Hohlfeld's take is decidedly more true to its source, although it does add some cute little catchy songs, and pop-culture references in telling its tale. ITC's production was very well done, as always, and featured a fine cast and clever direction.

Playwright Jeffrey Sweet has constructed an entertaining and though-provoking work with THE VALUE OF NAMES. This brief (75 minutes) look at two men and the different paths their lives have taken since one named names during the Senator McCarthy red hunt trials of the 1950's. Filled with a surprisingly amount of humor, though mostly caustic and self-deprecating in tone, this is an interesting look at the fallout from that dark period in our country's history. The New Jewish Theatre has put together a marvelous, compact production that continues through April 1, 2012.

When we think in terms of terrorism, we usually picture suicide bombings, and planes flying into the sides of buildings, but we rarely ponder the idea of socioeconomic terrorism. That's why the Rep's final Studio Theatre production is so compelling and brilliant; that possibility is brought to light in a crisply acted and paced 75 minute piece called THE INVISIBLE HAND written by playwright Ayad Akhtar. Superior acting and direction make this into a fascinating and revealing show, that will gives audiences plenty to think about as they leave the theatre.

BUG is a play that gets under your skin, burrowing into your psyche and feasting on your anxieties. It may make you restless to watch it, and you may find yourself absentmindedly scratching at imaginary itches. It's a small tale filled with big ideas, and a must-see for conspiracy theory enthusiasts and fans of grindhouse films from the 1970's. Muddy Waters Theatre presents a strong and brave cast for their current production that combines with solid direction to make for an unusually compelling experience.

Over the years I've seen a number of productions of THE GLASS MENAGERIE by Tennessee Williams, and they've varied in degrees of appeal greatly. There's even another production from another local company scheduled later this month. There's a reason; it's a classic. This play, based on the author's short story "Portrait of a Girl in Glass", can be a unique, involving experience in the hands of the right actors and director. Thankfully, Dramatic License Productions has put together a terrifically engaging presentation that's really true to its source, lyrical and magical, with the additions of a series of projections that set the mood by hinting at each scene's essence. It's a clever device, and with four very solid performances, this makes for a great combination that's very worth of your attention and time.

CRY-BABY is a smash, a musical and cultural send up of drape and square mores, while at the same time, a parody of the typical "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back" scenarios that we've all been exposed to in more traditional shows. At times, it's like watching a throwdown between Little Richard and Pat Boone over who really sings "Good Golly, Miss Molly" the best and most authentic. And, at other times, it's a completely over the top take off on shows of the past. For some reason, I was reminded of both The Music Man and West Side Story. Scott Miller and New Line Theatre have once again given us something outside the norm, and it's a joyous ride. This revision of CRY-BABY (I confess, I didn't see it on Broadway) is a sheer delight, full of characters and situations from the movie by filmmaker John Waters, but also standing on its own with a clever and hilarious score (music and lyrics by David Javerbaum and Adam Schlesinger), having jettisoned the tunes from the film itself. Go see this play now. It's wonderfully directed, smartly choreographed, and marvelously acted.

AMERICAN IDIOT is an absolute blast, a musical filled with energy and exuberance, both evidenced in the music and in the performances. There will surely come a time when it's considered a period piece, since it does take place in the recent past, focusing on the last Bush presidency and the wars on terror at home and abroad that consumed it. But it's still timely at this point, because people are still fighting overseas, and a lot of the same social and political issues remain unresolved. It's essentially Green Day lead singer/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong's vision filtered through director Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening), who cut a lot of the book they wrote together to make this more of sung-through musical experience. This focuses our attention on Armstrong's lyrics, and they're strong and pointed enough to make this approach work like a charm. And, like Spring Awakening, the band is on stage and the lighting is positively eye-popping.

It's nice when a local playwright gets the opportunity to stage their work, and Stephen Peirick's comedy, WAKE UP, CAMERON DOBBS, is certainly a worthy first effort. There are a lot of good lines that were lost to the Sunday matinee crowd I saw it with, so we can ignore them and get straight on to the play. West End Players Guild has put together a fitfully funny, and a times, quite amusing comedy, and it's definitely worthy of your attention. A fine cast and clean, crisp direction help to make this an engaging experience.

Theatre companies are always on the lookout for performance space. There are just not enough venues to house all the groups that have sprung up in the last few years. Even veteran companies have to sometimes choose unusual settings for their productions. Such is the case with BRIEFS, A FESTIVAL OF SHORT LESBIAN AND GAY PLAYS, which was performed at La Perla (February 24-26, 2012), which has probably seen more wedding receptions and private parties than play festivals over the years. However, the issue of space proved to be a non-factor, as a simple stage and just enough chairs allowed the festival to flourish, regularly selling out for every performance. I found it to be an enjoyable and entertaining excursion, myself, and was grateful for the opportunity to see an evening of short plays that centered around the subject of homosexuality, but brought to light different aspects than we're used to seeing.

It seems like productions of prolific playwright and filmmaker Neil Labute's works have been presented everywhere the past couple of years, and another is currently being presented by R-S Theatrics, formerly known as Soundstage Productions, in their current home in the Crestwood Mall ArtSpace. AUTOBAHN is a seven play cycle where all the scenes take place in the front seat of a car between two individuals. It's an often hilarious work that presents a variety of situations, despite the fact that the setting is always the same. Four directors and seven actors collaborate to bring these pieces to life, and it makes for an enjoyable evening of theatre.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is one of the few Shakespearean plays that's considered totally original, not owing its story to any other source other than the Bard's imagination. It's a delightful romantic comedy with fun, supernatural elements, and unlike his many tragedies and histories, nobody dies. In the hands of The Black Rep, it's been transformed into an absolutely funkadelic experience. Director Chris Anthony has set this version in the 1970's, and as such, it's filled with wildly colored clothing from that period, and features snippets of dialog and music anyone who grew up in that era will recognize. It's also superbly performed.

Playwright and raconteur (what else would you call a man orphaned by his prostitute mother, who grew into a thief, before finding his niche as a controversial and often banned writer?) Jean Genet's THE MAIDS (translated by Martin Crimp) is a peculiar and provocative one act whose images stay with you long after its 90 minutes are finished. It's an interesting take on the separation of the classes, focusing on the maids of a wealthy mistress and the humiliation she submits them to, although we only briefly glimpse this. The play shows two different reactions to this abusive behavior, and tells its story mostly through the playacting of the maids themselves. It's a fascinating and rarely seen work that's well worth your time, and Upstream Theater's current production is helped by three stellar performances and sharp, incisive direction.