Jerry Vogel News

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?

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) presents William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors. The show will be performed on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University), Webster Groves, March 14 - April 8, 2012.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) presents William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors. The show will be performed on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University), Webster Groves, March 14 - April 8, 2012.

David Johnston's translation of playwright Juan Mayorga's WAY TO HEAVEN is an intriguing play with an interesting concept and execution. Told in five acts, the work, at first, seems to suffer from repetition, until you begin to realize just how this moment in history actually took place. The act which begins after the intermission brings it all together in a much more satisfying and conclusive fashion. Getting there is frustrating at times, but well worth the trip. The current production by the New Jewish Theatre is a spellbinding true tale that will linger in your memory long after the curtain falls on this show. The ensemble work is exceptional, and the story itself is heartbreaking, powerful stuff.

Join us for a free reading of Kimberly Rosenstock's Every Other Hamlet in the Universe- Part of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis' 2011 Shake 38

Join us for a free reading of Kimberly Rosenstock's Every Other Hamlet in the Universe- Part of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis' 2011 Shake 38

In what can be labeled a 'First,' the New Jewish Theatre is proud to boast that the director for the upcoming production of Clifford Odet's 1935 classic AWAKE AND SING! is Steve Woolf, Artistic Director of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. While Woolf does direct outside of the Rep, he does not direct for other theatres in the St. Louis area. So this is a genuine First for both Woolf and the New Jewish Theatre. Most recently outside of the Rep, Mr. Woolf directed THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre (and then went on to direct the Rep's production of the same show). But the upcoming production at NJT was a show that he could not resist. Its realism and grittiness and the strength of the characters appealed to him.

Though playwright Clifford Odets wrote AWAKE AND SING! in 1933, it still has the power to resonate with an audience over 70 years later, not only due to the fact that our country is currently struggling with its own economic uncertainties, but also because the theme of pursuing your dream under undeniably dire circumstance is a timeless one. Revived in 2006, but rarely staged otherwise, this is a rare opportunity to see an American masterpiece. The New Jewish Theatre's current production is a real stunner, chock-full of drama and humor, and brimming with electric performances.

In what can be labeled a 'First,' the New Jewish Theatre is proud to boast that the director for the upcoming production of Clifford Odet's 1935 classic AWAKE AND SING! is Steve Woolf, Artistic Director of the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. While Woolf does direct outside of the Rep, he does not direct for other theatres in the St. Louis area. So this is a genuine First for both Woolf and the New Jewish Theatre. Most recently outside of the Rep, Mr. Woolf directed THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK at the Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre (and then went on to direct the Rep's production of the same show). But the upcoming production at NJT was a show that he could not resist. Its realism and grittiness and the strength of the characters appealed to him.

The evening will combine a tasting of several fine wines paired with specially selected and prepared appetizers and bites. The wines, provided by PRP Wine International, will range from lighter whites through bold reds with a special after dinner selection from Down Under. All wines will be available for purchase and can be delivered to your home.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) presents Macbeth by William Shakespeare. This poetic and potent drama will be performed on the Browning Mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road (on the campus of Webster University), Webster Groves, thru March 6, 2011.

The evening will combine a tasting of several fine wines paired with specially selected and prepared appetizers and bites. The wines, provided by PRP Wine International, will range from lighter whites through bold reds with a special after dinner selection from Down Under. All wines will be available for purchase and can be delivered to your home.

Since I've become a theatre critic I've had the opportunity to see several productions of William Shakespeare's MACBETH, and most have left me wanting in one way or another. But, just as Roman Polanski's gritty 1971 film adaptation is, for me at least, the best interpretation of the Bard's play that has been made into a movie, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has produced a staging that is vastly superior to any I have encountered to this point. This dark, bloody, and brooding production of Macbeth provides an excellent evening of theatre, and features a talented cast and powerful design and direction.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) presents Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

Twenty-two St. Louis theater companies are represented in the nominations for the Sixth Annual Kevin Kline Awards. Thirty plays and musicals produced in the St. Louis area during 2010 now share 112 nominations in 22 different categories for the coveted award.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) presents Macbeth by William Shakespeare.

We probably take the cultural impact of rock 'n' roll for granted, not fully comprehending the effect this raw, powerful blast of rebellious freedom has had worldwide, where it has somehow managed to shape generations that are far removed from its origins. With his play ROCK 'N' ROLL, Czech playwright Tom Stoppard is able to show us firsthand how this music molded the beliefs, hopes, and dreams of his own youth, and he filters it through a unapologetic, surprisingly sentimental haze that makes for an engaging and compelling ride through time. The St. Louis Actors' Studio is currently presenting a very entertaining and sharply acted and directed production of this work at the Missouri History Museum.

St. Louis Actors' Studio continues its fourth season, themed Angels and Demons, with Tom Stoppard's semi-biographical ROCK 'N' ROLL. ROCK 'N' ROLL is an electrifying collision of the romantic and the revolutionary. It is 1968 and the world is ablaze with rebellion, accompanied by a sound track of the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. Clutching his prized collection of rock albums, Jan, a Cambridge graduate student, returns to his homeland of Czechoslovakia just as Soviet tanks roll into Prague.

St. Louis Actors' Studio continues its fourth season, themed Angels and Demons, with Tom Stoppard's semi-biographical ROCK 'N' ROLL. ROCK 'N' ROLL is an electrifying collision of the romantic and the revolutionary. It is 1968 and the world is ablaze with rebellion, accompanied by a sound track of the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. Clutching his prized collection of rock albums, Jan, a Cambridge graduate student, returns to his homeland of Czechoslovakia just as Soviet tanks roll into Prague.

Jerry Vogel, who directed St. Louis Shakespeare's critically acclaimed productions of Merchant of Venice and Treasure Island in 2009, takes on Shakespeare's magical tale of revenge, young love, reconciliation and hope which opens October 1st at the Grandel Theatre.