ST. LOUIS THEATER REVIEWS

I can recall viewing The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the old Varsity Theatre in the Delmar Loop before it closed its doors many years ago. There was a mood generated by the grungy atmosphere of that old movie house, with fans packed in like sardines, and dressed in various character costumes for th...

Upstream Theater opens their new season with a work by playwright Maya Arad Yasur called SUSPENDED. It's a fascinating piece of theater that touches on the issue of immigrants, and the challenges they face. Many cling to their old beliefs and ways, while some try to completely immerse themselves in ...

After playwright William Gibson's GOLDA fizzled he reworked the material to form the one woman show GOLDA'S BALCONY. It's been a big success for the actresses who have undertaken the role, and we're lucky to have one of St. Louis' finest portraying this historically important figure. The New Jewish ...

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; ...

I attended the world premiere of THE HUNGER, a new operatic work by Donnacha Dennehy in collaboration with the group Alarm Will Sound, and co-produced by Opera Theatre of St. Louis this weekend, and I was blown away by how affecting and compelling this 90 minute piece is. It's a multi-media exercise...

While I was watching FOLLIES, I was reminded of our own beloved Fox Theatre, and how it had tread a similar path during the 1970's. Like the fictional Weismann Theatre where this story's action takes place, it had been fallen on hard times, reduced to screening Kung-Fu and exploitation film fare bef...

STAGES St. Louis closes their 30th season with SISTER ACT, a musical based on the hit 1992 film of the same name, although this might actually be more entertaining in a lot of ways. Having seen a touring production a few years back, I was a bit concerned about some of the rougher edges that the show...

So, this was my first time seeing A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER, and as the plot began to unfold, I was struck by its similarity to a film I saw many years before. Growing up I remember watching selections from the Janus Films collection on my local PBS station (KETC, channel 9 in St. Louis),...

TELL ME ON A SUNDAY has an interesting history, being conceived by Tim Rice as a TV series initially. Frequent collaborator and composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber, later took the project to lyricist Don Black, and a lovely one act musical resulted. Though changes have occurred over the years with how it'...

Christine Brewer stars in 'DOUBT' at Union Avenue Opera....

On a beautiful summer evening, under a half moon sky, and with a gentle breeze wafting through the air, nothing could compare to seeing the final show of the season at The MUNY. They close with yet another stellar selection that's filled with flair and grace. This was especially important and eviden...

Set during a period of great turmoil just prior to the Russian revolution (1905), FIDDLER ON THE ROOF is a joyous celebration of life in times of uncertainty. Most versions I've seen have been scaled down considerably, focusing on the more intimate scenes. That's certainly not the case here. The MUN...

The Union Avenue Opera just keeps presenting wonders! Their current production, Puccini's 'Tosca', is among the very best of their best-musically, vocally and in production values....

You say that you're feeling a little blue, or maybe just experiencing some 'non-specific' sadness? Then a sure cure for your condition can be found by attending STAGES St. Louis' scintillating presentation of THE DROWSY CHAPERONE. This is an incredible and uproariously funny show that pokes gentle f...

We're so lucky to have the privilege of having the St. Louis Actors' Studio present the Labute New Theater Festival each year. Submissions come from around the country, are whittled down to a few, and then presented in two parts, with each section receiving a full two week run. In addition, there ar...

I've seen MAMMA MIA! many times, and I've always enjoyed the way it utilizes so many of ABBA's marvelously catchy, and so obviously theatrical in nature, tunes to tell its simple story. With the band cranking out a righteous sound, and back up singers filling the night air with harmony, The MUNY rem...

I did some creative work for First Run Theater during their early years, underscoring some shows, and even directing a couple of one acts. I admired the fact that they provided a testing ground, a full staging, of works by local playwrights. That's an opportunity that goes far beyond a staged readin...

I grew up looking forward to the weekend, because that's when channel 30 would broadcast 'Chiller Theater', providing a burgeoning horror fan like myself with the chance to view all the creepy classics that sprang from the loins of Universal Studios during the 1930's and 40's. I was a preteen when Y...

If you've seen the Maysles brother's documentaries GREY GARDENS and THE BEALES OF GREY GARDENS (which are actually collaborative efforts between David & Albert Maysles,Ellen Hovde, Muffie Mayer & Susan Froemke) then you have to see Max and Louie Productions' brilliant staging of the musical based up...

Meredith Willson's classic musical, THE MUSIC MAN, gets a lively and engaging workout on the stage of The MUNY. It's a show near and dear to my heart since I played the lead in a high school production many moons ago. It's also why I especially wanted my son to see it. Happily, he thoroughly enjoyed...

A simply splendid production of 'The Mikado' has opened at the Union Avenue Opera in St. Louis....

If you missed The Muny's production of 42nd STREET, you missed a show that was an absolutely perfect fit for the wide open spaces its stage presents. The original Warner Bros. 1933 pre-production code film was a blend of behind the scenes melodrama and onstage eye-candy. It gave depression era audie...

Every year you can count on STAGES St. Louis to produce a wonderful season of musicals, and you can always be sure there will be something for the younger set in the schedule as well. And,they make sure that the same care and professionalism goes into the production of each and every show, no matter...

It's always fun to take in the many treats available at Shakespeare Festival St. Louis each year in Forest Park, and I'm not just talking about the food and drink stands, but also all the performers, mini-versions of the show, etc, that take place before the main attraction begins (arrive early). An...

THE WIZARD OF OZ opens The MUNY's 98th season this year, and it's a lively and colorful production that provides an enjoyable experience for kids of all ages. This is an excellent presentation of one of The MUNY's most beloved shows, filled with fine performances and enough action to keep even the t...