James Reed News

Gypsy, revered by many as the greatest musical ever written, is currently playing at the Muny. Check out a video of the cast singing 'Together Wherever We Go' below!

The grandest of all of America's grand outdoor theaters has opened Gypsy. In its one hundredth season the MUNY in St. Louis brings us one of their very finest productions. It's certainly one of the best musical theater offerings I've ever seen.

Tony Award-winning actress Beth Leavel stars as Rose in The Muny's 2018 production of Gypsy. The show is now on stage through August 2nd. The Muny's production of Gypsy is directed by Rob Ruggiero and choreographed by Ralph Perkins with music direction by James Moore.

Everything's coming up Beth Leavel! Gypsy, revered by many as the greatest musical ever written, is currently playing at the Muny. Check out a video of Beth Leavel singing the iconic 'Everything's Coming Up Roses' below!

Check out photos from The Muny's opening night performance of their centennial season production of Gypsy, Friday, July 27, 2018. Attendance for the opening night performance was 6,424. 

Award winning actor and playwright David Heron has returned to his classical roots, taking on the role of Lord Montague in the Shakespeare Festival of St Louis production of Romeo and Juliet.

Elena Araoz, a critically acclaimed New York-based director of opera and theater, will bring to life the tragedy of star-crossed lovers "Romeo & Juliet" June 1-24 at Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park. The production will feature a garage band trio from Omaha, hanging lanterns and streamers in the trees, an ultra-modern and uniquely lit set, and of course, the infamous balcony and a colorful moon for the two teenaged characters. The show, which begins at 8 p.m., is scheduled nightly, excluding Tuesdays. Preview performances are set for May 30-31.

The Muny announced today its complete cast and design team for the theatre's centennial season production of Gypsy, July 27 - August 2. Gypsy is proudly sponsored by Missouri Lottery.

"Into the Breeches," a play written by George Brant and directed by Nancy Bell, will be the main stage production of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis' new fourth pillar of programming, In the Works. The month-long, ticketed event, scheduled for late fall at the Grandel Theatre, will culminate the 2018 season that includes the Education Tour, SHAKE 38, the main stage production of "Romeo & Juliet" (June 1-24) and the Shakespeare in the Streets' production of "Blow, Winds," (June 15-16). 

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis will be adding a fourth pillar - In the Works - to its In the Schools, In the Streets, In the Park programming, enhancing its appeal as a year-round festival, it was announced today. In the Works, a month-long ticketed event, scheduled for late fall at the Grandel Theatre, will culminate the 2018 season that includes the Education Tour (Feb. 5-April 15), SHAKE 38 (April 18-22), the main stage production of "Romeo & Juliet" (June 1-24) and Shakespeare in the Streets' production of "Blow, Winds," (June 15-16).

A tense and tightly plotted drama, Faceless made a splash with its world premiere at Chicago's Northlight Theatre last year. Now, with much of its creative team and cast returning, that acclaimed production moves to The Rep's Emerson Studio Theatre. Written by Selina Fillinger and directed by BJ Jones, the play runs from January 17 to February 4.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents a uniquely engaging and compelling presentation of one of Shakespeare's finest plays with their current production of HAMLET. So many great lines that have become a part of our language are present here, and it's really amazing to think that the Rep hasn't staged this show until now. I think that just makes it all the more special, especially since director Paul Mason Barnes, who has an undeniable talent for interpreting the Bard, brings his vision to the project. Purists may quibble with it, but I found this staging utterly remarkable. Some people prefer their Shakespeare straight up, no chaser. But I've always found his canon to be extremely malleable; no matter how much you tinker with certain aspects, the powerful and poetic text will always shine through. Now, a lot has been cut to keep the show to a reasonable length (three hours split over two acts; we're not Elizabethan audiences, after all), but they're not things that are central to the plot, and overall, this trimming adds momentum, as well as ratcheting up the tension. I wholeheartedly recommend this production, and I think it's an example of must-see theater performed at its highest level.

Growing up in Northern California, it is impossible not to hear about the Donner Party, the group of 87 pioneers who tried to cross the Sierra Nevada mountains in the winter of 1846. Unfortunately, the name has become synonymous with cannibalism. After being trapped in an early winter storm at Truckee (now Donner) Lake, members of the party were forced to eat their dead in order to survive. In the horror that the imagery generates, it is difficult to remember that these were very real, living, breathing people who had dreams of providing a better life for themselves and their families. The Donner Party, A New American Musical, tells the story of 16 of those pioneers. Commissioned by Sacramento Theatre Company and written by Margaret Rose with music by Eric Rockwell, this is the musical's world premiere right here in Sacramento.

The first-ever Broadway revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic musical, Cats, returned to Broadway just last night at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 W 52nd Street). BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the star-studded red carpet below!

Seeing the women of Buffalo going crazy over a performance by the Chippendale male striptease performers gives Jerry an idea.

Taking it's name from the campaign slogan Lyndon B. Johnson would utilize for his run for the presidency in 1964, playwright Robert Schenkkan has crafted a brilliant, compelling, and very informative work with ALL THE WAY that picks up right after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November of 1963. Schenkkan has actually written another play (THE GREAT SOCIETY) that follows subsequent events in Johnson's life from 1964-1968. But, here the focus is on that tumultuous period when the nation was basically in shock as they witnessed their iconic fresh-faced president being gunned down, and with it their dreams of a 'new frontier'. However, they didn't realize they were in the hands of a career politician who knew that the road to something more than an 'accidental' presidency lay in his ability to make sweeping changes in our society, no matter what the cost. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis opens their season with a masterful production of this intriguing play, and I think you'll be blown away by revelations that have been glossed over in history books. A very strong cast and crew bring this story to life with amazing results that are thought-provoking and fascinating.

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Cleveland, Birmingham, Denver and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include Ken Ludwig's A COMEDY OF TENORS at the Tony Award-Winning Cleveland Play House, BIG FISH in Birmingham, and the Regional Premiere of ROCK OF AGES in Denver, just to name a few.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents All the Way by Robert Schenkkan and directed by Steven Woolf. More topical than ever before, this behind-the-scenes view of Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency runs September 9 - October 4 on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University).

I think that nearly every review of the MUNY's extraordinary production of BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY will probably make mention of Don McLean's song 'American Pie', which is lyrically centered around the tragic plane crash that claimed the lives of three of music's rising stars one very cold day in February of 1959. In fact, 'the day the music died' has become a rather morbid catchphrase of sorts that has been utilized far too often by the media whenever an iconic musician passes on. I also believe I'm not alone in my assessment that this early'jukebox' musical is an absolutely terrific show that's immensely entertaining. I not only highly recommend this excellent show, but am branding it as a must see production!

The Muny presents Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story through July 20 at Forest Park. Written by Alan Janes, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story is directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge, choreographed byJosh Walden and music directed by Michael Horsley. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you a look inside the opening night cast party!