Kent Coffel News

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," announces its 28th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the world premiere of THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, Gilbert & Sullivan's newly discovered, original 'operatic abomination,' in its first ever production, running Sept. 27-Oct. 20, 2018; followed by the 'family values' classic musical LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, running Feb. 28-March 23, 2019; and to close the season, the St. Louis premiere of the new sci-fi rock musical BE MORE CHILL, based on the bestselling novel, running May 30-June 22, 2019. All New Line's mainstage shows will be in the company's home, the Marcelle Theater, in the Grand Center Arts District.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," announces its 28th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the world premiere of THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, Gilbert & Sullivan's newly discovered, original 'operatic abomination,' in its first ever production, running Sept. 27-Oct. 20, 2018; followed by the 'family values' classic musical LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, running Feb. 28-March 23, 2019; and to close the season, the St. Louis premiere of the new sci-fi rock musical BE MORE CHILL, based on the bestselling novel, running May 30-June 22, 2019. All New Line's mainstage shows will be in the company's home, the Marcelle Theater, in the Grand Center Arts District.

New Line Theatre, the bad boy of musical theatre, continues its 27th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, with a public reading of the new/old musical THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, 'Gilbert & Sullivan's original operatic abomination,' free and open to the public, on January 8 for one night only; followed by Cole Porter's satiric masterpiece ANYTHING GOES, running March 1-24, 2018; and the St. Louis premiere of the world's first bio-historical musical comedy, YEAST NATION, written by the Urinetown team, running May 31-June 23, 2018. All shows will be in the company's home, the Marcelle Theater, in the Grand Center Arts District.

New Line Theatre, the bad boy of musical theatre, will present a public reading of the new/old musical THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, Gilbert & Sullivan's original 'operatic abomination,' free and open to the public, on Monday, January 8, 2018, at 8:00 pm at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, in the Grand Center Arts District. Admission is free.

REBEL AND MISFITS PRODUCTIONS is thrilled to announce 'Uncle Vanya: Valiantly Accepting Next Year's Agony,' the second piece in its' series called The Immersive Theatre Project. This production, directed by Kelly Hummert, Artistic Director of the company, will feature a two-hour interpretation of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's 'Uncle Vanya.' The event will run for two weeks, Today through Monday, from August 24 through September 3 at a private residence at 110 Dielman Road in Ladue.

REBEL AND MISFITS PRODUCTIONS is thrilled to announce 'Uncle Vanya: Valiantly Accepting Next Year's Agony,' the second piece in its' series called The Immersive Theatre Project. This production, directed by Kelly Hummert, Artistic Director of the company, will feature a two-hour interpretation of Russian playwright Anton Chekhov's 'Uncle Vanya.' The event will run for two weeks, Thursday through Monday, from August 24 through September 3 at a private residence at 110 Dielman Road in Ladue.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," announces its 27th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the St. Louis premiere of the four-woman rock opera LIZZIE, a very different take on the Lizzie Borden legend, running Sept. 28-Oct. 21, 2017; followed by Cole Porter's satiric masterpiece ANYTHING GOES, running March 1-24, 2018; and the St. Louis premiere of the world's first bio-historical musical comedy, YEAST NATION, written by the Urinetown team, running May 31-June 23, 2018. All New Line's mainstage shows will be in the company's home, the Marcelle Theater, in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district.

There are so many things to love about New Line Theatre's latest production, SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, that this review is certain to be filled with superlatives. I've watched the 1957 film a number of times, and I like the way John Guare's book for the show uses the first act as a backstory before it touches on the events that actually take place in the movie during the second act. By attacking the story this way Guare adds depth and establishes the characters in ways that the film doesn't. The score is a cool and jazz-tinged effort by the late Marvin Hamlisch, with lyrics, by Craig Camelia, which give the numbers added bite. It's clear to me that the show requires the intimacy this production provides to fully succeed, and also explains its short run on Broadway. That's just one of the things that New Line does so consistently well. The movie is a dark, film noir masterpiece, and in adapting it as a musical for a large stage that claustrophobic atmosphere that is so necessary to the genre is lost. Here, the viewer becomes a fly on the wall, observing the machinations of the plot unfolding in the same way that the film utilizes closeups and shadows to pull us into its cynical world. Superior performances, a great band, and sharp direction make this show a must-see.

Welcome to Broadway, the glamour, power, and sleaze capital of the universe.

New Line continues its 26th season with the local premiere of the fiery 2002 jazz-rock musical THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, by legendary film and stage composer Marvin Hamlisch (his last theatre score), lyricist Craig Carnelia, and Tony-winning playwright John Guare, based on the famous short story and film. The show was nominated for seven Tonys, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score, and eleven Drama Desk Awards. It's a Faustian moral nightmare, all set to a sizzling 'jazz noir' score from the composer of the stage musicals A Chorus Line, They're Playing Our Song, Smile, The Goodbye Girl, and the film scores for The Sting, The Way We Were, Sophie's Choice, and many others. 

There's something oddly life-affirming about the character of Zobra. He's a cheerleader for living life to its fullest. ZORBA the musical (lyrics by Fred Ebb, music by John Kander, and book by Joseph Stein) impresses an audience with the realization that time never stands still, and therefore, life goes on despite the nasty curves it may lob our way. New Line Theatre's production is a real revelation, because even though this show received its fair share of award nominations, it's really not revived that often. Perhaps it's the darker elements that pervade the show that turn some people off, but then life isn't always sunshine and roses, so I like that they are present. This kind of presentation is something that New Line does better than anyone else, and that's to revive a neglected or forgotten show for a new audience to appreciate, and their track record is impeccable in this regard. This show is a genuine must see, and taking it in I've come to realize that we all need our own personal 'Zorba' to prod us into taking risks and fully investing ourselves in whatever we do, even if things might go awry on occasion.

It's 1924, on the Greek island of Crete, and you're about to go on a wild, whirlwind tour of the lusty passions of the human heart.

Mustard Seed Theatre has brought back their popular staging of ALL IS CALM - THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914 (for what they say is the last time, at least, for a while), which premiered in 2013, and it remains a piece of theatre that's worthy of your time and attention. Originally broadcast on Minnesota Public Radio, but later turned into a moving and compelling theatrical experience. The creators of this amazing work are Peter Rothstein, Erick Lichte, and Timothy C. Takach. If you haven't see it then you need to make sure you do so during its current run, and even if you have see it before, I don't have to tell you that it's well worth seeing again.

Though I'm extremely familiar with Tom Jones' (words) and Harvey Schmidt's (music) most popular work, THE FANTASTICKS, I had never seen their follow up, CELEBRATION. What I'd read while doing research was that it really fizzled once it was on Broadway. However, after seeing it I can understand why; it's a smaller scaled show that requires just the right venue to succeed. That's why I'm so glad New Line Theatre opened their 26th season with this fanciful and tune-filled musical. Through their superlative efforts we're able to see the premiere of a version that's been revised by Tom Jones. I'm not sure what was changed, but what we're privy to is a very engaging and entertaining production that will make you wonder why it isn't performed with more regularity. The score itself is gorgeous, and I cannot recommend this neglected gem highly enough.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," opens its 26th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the world premiere of a new revised version of the wild, 1969 adult jazz-rock musical CELEBRATION, by the creators of The Fantasticks, runningSept. 29-Oct. 22, in the company's new home, the Marcelle Theater, the new blackbox theatre in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district.

New Line Theatre, “the bad boy of musical theatre,” opens its 26th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the world premiere of a new revised version of the wild, 1969 adult jazz-rock musical CELEBRATION, by the creators of The Fantasticks, running Sept. 29-Oct. 22, in the company's new home, the Marcelle Theater, the new blackbox theatre in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' announces its 26th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the world premiere of a new revised version of the wild, 1969 adult jazz-rock musical CELEBRATION, by the creators of The Fantasticks, running Sept. 29-Oct. 22, 2016; followed by Kander & Ebb's rarely produced gem ZORBA, running March 2-25, 2017; then the regional premiere of the pitch-black 2002 jazz-rock musical THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, based on the famous novel and film, running June 1-24, 2017; and the world premiere of the third installment of New Line's own creation, the new revue OUT ON BROADWAY: THE THIRD COMING, running August 3-19, 2017. All New Line's mainstage shows will be in the company's new home, the Marcelle Theater, the new blackbox theatre in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district.

Originally adapted from John Gay's "The Beggar's Opera" with a writing collective Bertolt Brecht had formed, THE THREEPENNY OPERA, with Brecht's lyrics brought to life by Kurt Weill's inspired musical compositions, is a dark look at the underworld, oozing with depravity, and filled with a sense of desperation, neatly leavened by a sharpened satirical edge. New Line Theatre gives us this stage noir classic with all its wickedness intact. It's a pitch-black masterpiece that sucks you in with its nightmarish charms. This is the Marc Bliztstein translation, and I only mention that because there have been numerous attempts at re-imagining the work over the years. New Line Theatre gives us the Brecht/Weill collaboration I've imagined in my mind after only hearing select musical pieces, and watching a fuzzy copy of G.W. Pabst's 1931 film. This is true art, and a show that you absolutely need to see!

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' closes its 24th season of adult, alternative musical theatre in June with one of the masterpieces of the art form, the darkly satiric THREEPENNY OPERA (which isn't really an opera), running now through June 20, 2015. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' closes its 24th season of adult, alternative musical theatre in June with one of the masterpieces of the art form, the darkly satiric THREEPENNY OPERA (which isn't really an opera), running tonight, May 28-June 20, 2015.