ST. LOUIS THEATER REVIEWS

The musical Raisin, currently on stage at The Black Rep, is based on Lorraine Hansberry's 1950’s drama A Raisin in the Sun. The story tells of three generations of the Younger family sharing a cramped inner-city apartment on Chicago’s southside....

Death Jam is more a theatrical experience than storytelling. It is poetry and dramatic reading supported by modernistic lighting, sound, and video projections. Davis impresses with his command of the text and his vocal and physical interpretation. Bradford Lewis Rolen’s direction and set design, B...

Marriott Theater’s production of Catch Me If You Can works on every level. It is funny and ridiculously entertaining. The cast has immense chemistry, and their execution of the material is next level. It’s a Broadway quality production and is as close to musical theater perfection as a show can ...

This TOUR CO production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream is special. It is delightfully amusing and filled with crowd pleasing performances. The ensemble dazzles and wows. It is just fun. Director Tre'VonGriffith and the actors make Shakespeare accessible and engaging for young and old. Their work wil...

Fans of The Four Season and those that have seen many productions of Jersey Boys are going to enjoy Maggie Burrow’s nostalgic and fresh take. Pablo David Laucerica’s star is on the rise. He’s terrific vocally and has outstanding stage presence. He will soon be making his Broadway debut in the ...

Kelly Slawson brings a dazzlingly powerful, beautiful voice to the title role.   It’s an unforgettable triumph in a real tour de force....

Emphasizing the themes of overcoming a harsh environment, ethics and the complexities of teen relationships, The Second Hurricane packs a lot of drama into a small amount of time....

The Muny’s La Cage Aux Folles is enormity in storytelling. Contrasted with the intimacy of last week’s Dear Evan Hansen, Marsha Milgrom Dodge’s La Cage captures the grandeur of what The Muny does best. It is a grand venue that supports epic productions....

Director Michael James Reed and company present A Streetcar Named Desire with grand showmanship, attention grabbing storytelling, and intense performances. The Tennessee Williams Festival is an outstanding chance to see a superb production of his Williams’ masterpiece. It is hard to say a Tenness...

Madam is a fictional story based on a real-life 19th century entrepreneur and real-estate investor. The adult-themed book’s shrewd protagonist, devilish villains, and supporting characters tell a story of the seedier side of old St. Louis....

Steel Magnolias is an actor's piece. Margery A. Handy’s transformative performance is reason enough to spend two and a half hours revisiting Robert Harling’s play. ...

Over the next few weekends Equally Represented Arts (ERA), one of the city's leading companies in experimental theater, is presenting an adaptation of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. Three emerging directors, Miranda Jagels Felix, Spencer Lawton, and Jimmy Bernatowicz, share the directorial efforts.Whe...

STAGES St. Louis pre-Broadway production of Austen’s Pride is polished and ready for the road. It glows with originality. Lindsay Warren Baker and Amanda Jacobs’ book seduces with enchanting storytelling. Igor Goldin and Sheela Ramesh’s collaborative direction have drawn radiant performance...

The Muny production of Dear Evan Hansen is a departure from the huge overblown musical extravaganzas that normally populate The Muny stage. It's a much smaller show but it is profoundly emotional. It creates intimacy that was once thought impossible in this large venue and opens other opportunities...

A powerful double-bill. 'Josephine' is a stunning mini-biography of a great star; 'Pagliacci' is an overpoweringly passionate step into verismo opera....

The Details is a story of catharsis that stems from confronting one’s beliefs, taking accountability for behavior, and charting a path forward for change. The narrative has promise. Larson has a strong point of view, and he has penned a play with a mostly satisfying conclusion. The character’s b...

Two Jews Walk into a War... is not slapstick or laugh out loud funny. It is more wryly amusing. The humor is abundant. Laughs come from Seth Rozin’s quippy script, Aaron Sparks’ crisp direction and sharp timing, and Gary Glasgow and Chuck Winning’s playful sparring. But Rozin, Sparks, and the...

EVITA at The Muny is an auditory and visual feast. Hear Katerina McCrimmon, Paulo Szot, Omar Lopez-Cepero, and the rest of this talented ensemble sing the Webber and Rice score in superb operatic fashion. Be mesmerized by a breathtaking masterclass in production aesthetics and designing for the th...

This year’s LaBute Festival is filled with six strong scripts that are enhanced by Bryan McLaughlin and Avery Harrison’s direction. Both directors help their actors find and create intriguing characters in completely original stories....

Romeo and Zooliet is an enchanting theatrical event. The ingenious Jennifer Joan Thompson’s clever script and Michael Curry’s fairy-tale like puppets are brought to fantastical life in the exuberant performances of a well-rehearsed, talented, and vivacious cast. Tom Ridgely’s leadership and co...

What did our critic think of PRIDE AND JOY at The Chapel?McLaughlin and Overly’s audience are unwelcome intruders listening in on a family’s raw, unfiltered, and private conversations. Pride and Joy is very funny. The Moran Family, as portrayed by the talented ensemble, is a bit of a trainwre...

The Muny’s Frozen is filled with endearing performances, gasp-inducing stagecraft, beautiful musical direction by Darryl Archibald, and loveable puppets created by Puppet Kitchen’s Eric Wright. But it's not the many wow moments that make Frozen special. Frozen is touching because of John Tarta...

Read our review of MY FAIR LADY, playing now at Union Avenue Opera through July 12. This beloved musical has everything going for it: absolutely captivating melodies by Frederick Lowe, lovely clever lyrics by Alan Lerner, and plenty still of the incomparable wit of that old master George Bernard Sha...

The Muny’s emotionally impactful Come From Away captures the humanity, heart, and soul of Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s poignant book and beautifully soaring score. This elite cast of actors transports the audience back to Gander, Newfoundland with lived-in and emotionally truthful performance...

The Muny's Bring It On is electrifying musical theatre for people of all ages. The biggest surprise is Jeff Whitty’s clever book. His story is filled with laughs, unexpected surprises, and a lot of heart. The young exuberant cast’s lively performances are punctuated with high-intensity dancing a...