Chris has been active in the local theatre scene for over 30 years and reviewing local theatre for over 11. In addition to his acting work, he's also contributed as a director, writer and composer. Though, initially a film buff, he grew tired of the sanitized, PG-13 rated blockbusters that were being continually shoved down his throat by the studios. An opportunity to review theatre in St. Louis has grown exponentially with the sudden explosion of venues and talent in the region. He now finds himself obsessed with witnessing those precious, electric moments that can only happen live, on stage.
In February 2016, SATE will adapt Shakespeare's beloved pastoral comedy As You Like It and set the story of Rosalind, Celia, Orlando, Jacques, and Touchstone amidst the Depression-era Ozark forests, complete with original, Old-Time tunes played live by the cast and Jason Scroggins, of the local band
So I'm watching a Paul McCartney DVD, which is a collection of videos he released over the years, and I start to queue up the one for the song "Pipes of Peace", and I notice immediately that the short film is based on the Christmas Truce of 1914.
I first became aware of author Roald Dahl from watching the film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, although I didn't read the book it was based on, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, until later, finding it much darker in tone than the movie, but very entertaining nonetheless.
The New Jewish Theatre opens their season with a nicely staged presentation of Neil Simon's lovingly written tribute to the those long gone days of vaudeville, THE SUNSHINE BOYS.
I remember when the film version of DOGFIGHT was release, and how I was initially repelled by the very concept, but then I saw the film, and I understood.
The 1980's were an interesting time for movies with teen comedy/dramas seemingly appearing everywhere, and one of the most intriguing aspects of these pictures was the absence of many adult characters.
When you're a creative person it's very important to have other people check out your work, not just for validation, but to give you good, honest feedback.
As playwright Jessica Dickey reveals in her notes in the program, THE AMISH PROJECT is a fictionalized realization of an actual event that occurred in Nickel Mines, which has an Amish community.
It's most certainly a renowned and respected classic of musical theatre, and the fact is that it's so popular that you're likely to find a production playing somewhere in the world at any given moment.