Jerry Vogel News

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.

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.

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.

October 2010 will mark the beginning of St. Louis Actors' Studio's fourth season, themed Angels and Demons. This theme will be examined from the minds of some of our favorite plays and playwrights; from lame duck presidents to aging comedy partners - human wants, needs and political relationships bring out the best and worst in us.

Don't miss this hit Broadway comedy. IT HAD TO BE YOU is an absurd, fast-paced comedy that tells the story of Theda Blau (Stellie Siteman), a zany, eccentric, ex-Hollywood B movie actress and wannabe playwright seeking love and/or a writing partner in New York City. She meets TV producer-director Vito Pignoli (Jerry Vogel), when she (unsuccessfully) auditions for one of his commercials.

I'm not sure how I would react if I found myself in the situation that Vito Pignoli finds himself in as the plot unfolds in Renee Taylor and Joseph Bologna's play IT HAD TO BE YOU. I certainly wouldn't remain as calm and collected as he (mostly) does while being trapped inside the apartment of a kooky actress named Theda Blau, during a snowstorm on Christmas Eve. Actually, I kept thinking that, if this were a drama, events might suddenly take a very nasty turn at any given moment. Thankfully, they don't. If your interest is sufficiently piqued, then check out Max and Louie Productions' presentation of this quirky romantic comedy.

Don't miss this hit Broadway comedy. IT HAD TO BE YOU is an absurd, fast-paced comedy that tells the story of Theda Blau (Stellie Siteman), a zany, eccentric, ex-Hollywood B movie actress and wannabe playwright seeking love and/or a writing partner in New York City. She meets TV producer-director Vito Pignoli (Jerry Vogel), when she (unsuccessfully) auditions for one of his commercials.

Don't miss this hit Broadway comedy. IT HAD TO BE YOU is an absurd, fast-paced comedy that tells the story of Theda Blau (Stellie Siteman), a zany, eccentric, ex-Hollywood B movie actress and wannabe playwright seeking love and/or a writing partner in New York City. She meets TV producer-director Vito Pignoli (Jerry Vogel), when she (unsuccessfully) auditions for one of his commercials.

St. Louis Shakespeare begins its' 26th season in July with THE TAMING OF THE SHREW, followed by Jane Martin's ANTON IN SHOW BUSINESS in August and THE TEMPEST in October, at the Grandel Theatre in the Grand Center Arts District. In March, SLS returns with CYRANO DE BERGERAC, presented at the Missouri History Museum as part of their Performing Arts Series.

Upstream Theater will present the local premiere of OUTLYING ISLANDS by David Greig, one of Scotland's leading playwrights. Set on a remote island off the coast of Scotland on the eve of World War II, the play shows three characters caught in a web of mounting sexual tension. A keen exploration of the human animal, a moving study of young people grappling with emotions, and a brilliant snapshot of that pristine moment in 1939 before the cataclysm-told with a lyrical language that has a power all its own. For mature audiences.

Upstream Theater's production of Scottish playwright David Greig's OUTLYING ISLANDS is an intriguing evening of theater, thoroughly confounding expectations, and providing plenty of food for thought. As a person who seeks out the unusual and unexpected, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself haunted by moments from it that linger in the memory long after viewing. Maybe it was all the references one character makes to Laurel and Hardy's classic 1937 film comedy Way Out West, or the fact that they actually break into a song from that film, warbling a drunken rendition of 'The Trail of the Lonesome Pine'. Whatever the cause, Philip Boehm's fine direction, and the wonderful work of an exceptional cast, help to make this a compelling and entertaining journey.

Upstream Theater will present the local premiere of OUTLYING ISLANDS by David Greig, one of Scotland's leading playwrights. Set on a remote island off the coast of Scotland on the eve of World War II, the play shows three characters caught in a web of mounting sexual tension. A keen exploration of the human animal, a moving study of young people grappling with emotions, and a brilliant snapshot of that pristine moment in 1939 before the cataclysm-told with a lyrical language that has a power all its own. For mature audiences.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) continues its 2009-2010 Mainstage series with Wendy Kesselman's adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett.

Playwright Wendy Kesselman has referred to her current adaptation of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK as the definitive version, and considering the fact that newly available passages of Anne's diary were incorporated into the text, it's certainly more eye opening in a lot of respects. Kesselman gives us a more thorough understanding of Anne, while also enhancing some of the darker aspects of her story, packing this episode in history with considerable emotional weight. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting a superb staging of this fresh adaptation (February 10 - March 7), featuring a stellar ensemble that breathes new life into this tragic tale.