Chris Gibson - Page 46

Capitalizing on the rave reviews of its initial debut as "The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Tour" in 2010, the touring production has been enhanced to capture the imaginations and interests of all types of fans including Broadway, concert and Elvis aficionados. The nationwide tour kicks off in Morganton, N.C., on January 14. Subscription and single tickets are now on sale for all tour engagements. For more information visit: www.ELVISLIVESTOUR.com.

A good cover band faces the challenge of living up to its audience's expectations every time they play a number that somebody else wrote and performed. But, no one can realistically expect even the best cover band to hit the mark every time. That's what makes Christmas with the Rat Pack-Live at the Sands interesting in the same way that Rain or the Australian Pink Floyd are. In each case there's a focus on a particular sound, but the Rat Pack may be the hardest to actually replicate. It was a frozen moment in time when Sammy, Frank and Dean came together to strut their stuff, usually accompanied by the comic routines of Joey Bishop. The current show playing the Fox Theatre imagines the Rat Pack (sans Bishop) performing a Christmas show, and it's complete with all the banter and manic antics one would expect.

The New Jewish Theatre continue their 15th season with Alfred Ury's (of Driving Miss Daisy fame) engaging and informative LAST NIGHT AT BALLYHOO. It's a delightful slice-of-life comedy with an examination of an extended family and its peculiarities providing the stage for a look at whether Jews who moved South did or did not maintain, more or less of, their orthodox heritage, and how a kind of bigotry existed within their own community, in regards to this key distinction in behavior (keying on "club life" and their differing observations of Christmas and Hanukah). This is an intelligent, amusing work with plenty to offer.

An alternative to the typical holiday fare exists once again at the Kranzberg this year under the auspices of HotCity Theatre's Greenhouse Series and the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance, which offers up an unusual and entertaining look at the way human beings interact, and the psychology behind their actions and reactions, all filtered through the prism of the Stanley Kramer (best known for more socially conscious fare like The Defiant Ones) film It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Or, something to that effect. All I know is I was totally engrossed and involved in the things taking place on stage during WHAMMY! THE SEVEN SECRETS TO A SANE SELF (and the images and quotes projected behind it), and it certainly helped that I listen to a lot of the music that was utilized for the show.

Laura Eason's recent adaptation of Mark Twain's immortal THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER is an invigorating and captivating work, full of enthusiastic performances and thrilling action. I've seen several different takes on this book, and this is probably the most fun and smartly conceived of them all. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is currently presenting a production of Eason's play, and it's another top notch production in a season full of terrific choices.

Since the release of his 2004 critically acclaimed CD When I Fall In Love, Chris Botti has become the largest selling American instrumental artist. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 Jazz Albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum & Grammy Awards.

I've seen the Black Rep's production of BLACK NATIVITY before, and I enjoyed it so much I thought I'd check it out again this year. It's an amazing, uplifting work told in two acts that examine the story of the birth of Christ and the true meaning of Christmas with completely different approaches. It's also a joyous celebration well worth your time and attention, featuring a strong, talented cast and expert direction.

It may not have the depth of a show like Jersey Boys, but it's easy to understand the appeal of a jukebox musical like MAMMA MIA!, especially when you consider just how tuneful the score is, overflowing with a couple dozen of ABBA's greatest hits. Besides, although the motion picture adaptation looked great (the countryside, not the grungy taverna), it came up empty in a lot of other ways, especially where the singing was concerned. So, seeing a production live is really your best bet at enjoying it to its fullest. The current touring show gracing the stage of the Fox Theatre is a splendid presentation, as engaging and charming as we've come to expect, and brimming with plenty of good humor.

Ever since I produced the music for a production of the musical GODSPELL it's held a special place in my heart. Working as a one-man band, I became intimately familiar with Stephen Schwartz's genre-hopping score. Ever since, I've been a unabashed fan of the work, and try to catch as many productions of it as I can (which isn't easy with my busy schedule). Mustard Seed Theatre is presenting an exceptional presentation that's distinguished by an excellent cast, sharp musical direction, and absolutely expert ensemble direction.

My son Zachary wasn't sure if he wanted to see INTERGALACTIC NEMESIS, and then I explained to him exactly what the concept was (and showed him a couple of clips from the website). Suddenly, he was very interested. I was instantly reminded of times we've spent together before bedtime, me clutching a comic book in one hand, and he hanging on my every word as I describe the action and portray the different characters from the story. This show brings those actions to life in exciting fashion, combining the use of 1250 panels of hand drawn action (projected on a Hi-Res screen), three voice actors who cover all the characters who populate this adventure, a talented foley artist who makes sure the atmosphere feels authentic, and a pianist who accompanies it all with a thrilling score. Intergalactic Nemesis does exactly what it sets out to do, bringing a graphic novel to life on stage in thrilling, compelling, and sometimes downright humorous manner.

Even though three couples are the focus of Richard Maltby (lyrics), David Shire (music) and Sybille Pearson's (book) musical called BABY, there's a very good reason the title is singular and not plural. I mention that only to let you know that the play, as charming and engaging as it is, has some moments of drama present as well. This production by Citilites Theatre is nicely done, with a well cast group of couples, and splendid direction by Nick Moramarco, who also did the musical direction and accompanies the group on piano.

If you're looking for a book on contemporary musicals that's as entertaining as it is informative, you can't go wrong with Scott Miller's new book, SEX, DRUGS, ROCK & ROLL, AND MUSICALS. Miller examines the post modern musical with a depth of knowledge that's astounding. His theatre company, New Line, has produced the majority of the shows mentioned in this work (with the exception of a few from the last chapter), and his understanding of their themes and underlying motivations will have you aching to see those shows again, or at the very least, you'll want to refer back to any original cast albums you may have in your collection.

The late 1960's were a time of great social upheaval, and race riots broke out in a number of major cities, leading to what has been termed 'white flight', as the Caucasians abandoned the urban areas for the suburbs. The latest production at the Missouri History Museum, PALMER PARK, written by playwright Joanna McClelland, is a joint effort between the Black Rep and the St. Louis Actors' Studio that examines this time in our history. But, it focuses specifically on an integrated neighborhood known as Palmer Park, where huge beautiful homes could be purchased relatively cheaply because of their proximity to downtown Detroit. Here, middle class African Americans could mix (in a strict 65% white, 35% black ratio) and mingle in an idyllic setting where many long held myths were shattered.

Muddy Waters Theatre end their season dedicated to playwright Paula Vogel with her award-winning work, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, and it's easily the most accomplished and straightforward of her plays. It lacks the humor of the others that were presented this season, but it replaces the laughs with something deeper that disturbs and stays with the viewer long after the play has ended. This is a very successful staging of this haunting work powered by sharp direction and stellar performances.

Before there was South Park, Team America, Orgazmo, or even The Book of Mormon, Trey Parker completed a film that's become a cult favorite; CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL. This hilarious, low rent production, features all the elements that would crop up in the aforementioned works, combining gore, sophomoric humor and a knack for writing catchy little tunes that stick like glue in your memory. Happily, Morning Star Productions has decided to mount a live production, and it's every bit as funny as the original. This is a must-see event for audience members who have an offbeat sense of taste and humor.

The stage continues to mine the movies for product, and sometimes it strikes gold (High Fidelity-although not hugely successful was, for me a better musical than a movie) and sometimes it strikes tin. The hugely acclaimed and multi-awarded BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL falls into the latter category, taking a gloriously fine and moving film and turning it into a bloated, tuneless production that's only saved by the winning performance of its lead (which rotates between four young lads) and some dazzling choreography Unfortunately, it tries too hard to cram into far too many plot elements, clocking in at almost three hours. And, it features a legendary pop tunesmith's worst work to date, leaving its audience with nary a hummable song in its score. It's a real shame because there are absolutely electric moments to be found here and there. But, too often, what worked on the big screen doesn't make the transition to the stage in smooth fashion.

I'm a completely unabashed fan of George Romero's 1968 classic film NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. I first saw it a midnight screening and was floored by it's raw cinematic energy and black and white gore. It was one of the first films I owned on video tape during the video revolution, and it was widely available since the title had slipped into the public domain. When the official Romero-approved version hit DVD I picked that up as well, and I even have a copy of the film on my iPod. So, I was pleased that a group actually did the smart thing and decided to stage a presentation during the Halloween season. It's too bad that Marble Stage had to battle the surging St. Louis Cardinals and their phenomenal and improbable World Series run for an audience. It's also too bad that their production wasn't more tightly executed.

There's something very funny, yet very sad about the two characters in Rajiv Joseph's bittersweet work GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES. They're both damaged goods in one way or another, and we desperately want them to make a real love connection since they truly seem oddly suited for one another. And yet, there's a poignancy to the fact that won't ever progress past the point where they began at age 8. R-S Theatrics is presenting this unusual play, and it's made even more interesting by the fact that a real life husband and wife play the two characters that keep our attention for about an hour and a half.

I don't know if playwright Annie Baker ever attended a six week community summer drama class like the one depicted in her wonderful work, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION, but it has the painful ring of truth that makes you think she may have at one time. Whether or not that really occurred though is immaterial, this is a remarkably funny, and at times painful, play that marks the opening of the Repertory of St. Louis' Studio series, and I think it's a near-classic. So, whether you attend the production playing upstairs on the mainstage (God of Carnage) or downstairs in the studio, you can't go wrong; both have more than their fair share of laughs.

How would you react as a parent if your ten year old son was smacked in the face with a stick with resulted in a fat lip and a couple of lost teeth? Would you be able to keep you cool? Would you just immediately contact the police or a lawyer and deal with it from that perspective? Well, I'm not sure how I would handle that type of situation, but playwright Yasmina Reza's GOD OF CARNAGE (with a witty and intelligent adaptation by Christopher Hampton) provides a cautionary tale for any parent faced with just such a dilemma. The Repertory of St. Louis' current production is simply brilliant, showcasing incredible performances and smartly conceived direction. This is heady stuff that makes you laugh and think. I've written it a lot lately, but this is one that should not missed at any cost.