Michelle Sauer News

At a time in our history when gay teens are committing suicide at an astounding and alarmingly high rate, a show like BARE: A POP OPERA shines a bright and important light on their struggles to deal with their difficulties in coping with accepting, and be accepted, for who they are. There are no easy answers to be found here, only questions that demand real solutions and not simple platitudes or religious dogma. New Line Theatre's current production of BARE is a devastatingly powerful presentation that features a strong and talented cast performing at an exceptional level under director Scott Miller's sure hand.

At a time in our history when gay teens are committing suicide at an astoundingly high rate, a show like BARE: A POP OPERA shines a bright and important light on their struggles to deal with their difficulties in coping with accepting, and be accepted, for who they are. There are no easy answers to be found here, only questions that demand real solutions and not simple platitudes or religious dogma. New Line Theatre's current production of BARE is a devastatingly powerful presentation that features a strong and talented cast performing at an exceptional level under director Scott Miller's sure hand.

New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' opens the final show of its 20th anniversary season, the regional premiere of the massive cult hit, BARE, running June 2-25, 2011, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Tickets are available through Metrotix, at 314-534-1111.

New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' opens the final show of its 20th anniversary season, the regional premiere of the massive cult hit, BARE, running June 2-25, 2011, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Tickets are available through Metrotix, at 314-534-1111.

New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' opens the final show of its 20th anniversary season, the regional premiere of the massive cult hit, BARE, running June 2-25, 2011, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Tickets are available through Metrotix, at 314-534-1111 .

Though Shakespeare's first play, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, is ungainly and raw at times, many of the devices and plot mechanisms that will soon become the playwright's stock in trade are present in its text. As such, it remains a crude example of an early work by a master still fine tuning his craft. In Galt MacDermot (music), John Guarre (lyrics) and Mel Shapiro's (who polished and 'corrected' the Bard's book) 1971 musical adaptation it becomes a light-hearted and enjoyable introduction to his work, full of the same pluck and irreverence that distinguished MacDermot's Hair, but fully capable of standing on its own merit too. New Line Theatre and director Scott Miller's current production of Two Gentlemen of Verona not only rocks, but it's hilarious as well, aided greatly by the spectacular efforts of an enthusiastic cast and a crack band. I honestly can't recall when I've ever witnessed an audience laugh at and enjoy Shakespeare more; the resident 'Bad Boy of Musical Theatre' has come through again.

New Line Theatre, 'The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' continues its Twentieth Anniversary Season of provocative, adult, alternative musical theatre with the rock and roll, Shakespearean sex comedy TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, running March 3-26, 2011, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend.

New Line Theatre, 'The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' continues its Twentieth Anniversary Season of provocative, adult, alternative musical theatre with the rock and roll Shakespearean sex comedy TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, running March 3-26, 2011, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend.

New Line Theatre closes its nineteenth season with the first St. Louis production in many years of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera EVITA, running July 8-31, 2010, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Tickets are on sale now, through Metrotix, 314-534-1111.

Simply put, New Line Theatre's current production of EVITA absolutely rocks! Employing a more intimate staging and utilizing stripped down orchestrations acts to reinvigorate the work, personalizing the story and adding a real edge to the music. This is one of the chief reasons I'm always drawn to New Line's productions; they don't conform to the norm, offering regular theatre goers the opportunity to witness creative and imaginative takes on new works as well as more familiar ones. If you're already a fan of EVITA (or musical theatre in general), or if you've only seen the misguided movie version with Madonna in the lead role, and you've been turned off to the subject as a result, then you owe it to yourself to check out New Line's darkly engaging presentation.

New Line Theatre closes its nineteenth season with the first St. Louis production in many years of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera EVITA, running July 8-31, 2010, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Tickets are on sale now, through Metrotix, 314-534-1111.

New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' closes its nineteenth season of provocative, adult, alternative musical theatre with the first St. Louis production in many years of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's political rock opera EVITA, running July 8-31, 2010, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend.

New Line Theatre closes its nineteenth season with the first St. Louis production in many years of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's rock opera EVITA, running July 8-31, 2010, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Tickets are on sale now, through Metrotix, 314-534-1111.

New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' continues its nineteenth season of provocative, adult, alternative musical theatre with the St. Louis premiere of Andrew Lippa's rowdy, raunchy, jazz musical THE WILD PARTY, running April 22-May 15, 2010, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Tickets are on sale now, through Metrotix, 314-534-1111.

New Line Theatre, 'the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre,' continues its nineteenth season of provocative, adult, alternative musical theatre with the St. Louis premiere of Andrew Lippa's rowdy, raunchy, jazz musical THE WILD PARTY, running April 22-May 15, 2010, at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend.