ST. LOUIS THEATER REVIEWS

If you go in thinking you're going to see a pachyderm when you attend GOING TO SEE THE ELEPHANT, then you might be disappointed. However, the metaphor it represents is duly explained early on to avoid any unnecessary confusion. Instead, you'll be treated to a post Civil War tale of four women taking...

Playwright Richard Greenberg's The Violet Hour is an engaging and intriguing mix that combines a play about a publishing house in 1919 with a Twilight Zone twist. It's this twist that makes it rise above the ordinary into something else entirely. A strong ensemble and sharp direction make this a fas...

I've seen the Union Avenue Opera's current production described as "Wagner-lite", and to a degree, that's true. But, any Wagner has the ability to be stirring and surprisingly cinematic in execution, and this presentation is no exception. Besides I prefer the description of DAS RHEINGOLD by Jonathon...

Translating an animated feature to the musical stage is a daunting challenge. Really, any film, even with actors who are drawn onto cells, usually makes a rocky transition. That's what makes THE LION KING so disarming and dazzling in its conception and execution. The techniques and ideas pioneered h...

The Muny closes their 2012 season with the revival of a classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, THE KING AND I. It's an elegant end to a very entertaining season that's been full of surprises. Here, the only surprise is how well this warhorse has aged, with its "East meets West", or "mismatched mat...

There's something lovably crass about THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL that makes it a very wild ride, indeed. As an audience, we're accustomed now to the tell-all, show-all, behavior that's seen on daytime (and some times night time)television, especially if you watch Jerry Springer or other...

The latest extravaganza to grace the stage at The Muny in Forest Park is a hilarious re-working of Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of the Penzance (although some of the tunes are lifted from other works by the pair). PIRATES! (or Gilbert and Sullivan Plundr'd) is a spirited romp with a storyline more...

There are a number of reasons that Rodgers and Hammerstein's THE SOUND OF MUSIC is still so popular today. The songs are definitely catchy and familiar, and the story is compelling. But, it takes a good cast and solid direction to make it work properly, and the troupe that Stages St. Louis has corra...

If you like your JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT's straight up (no chaser), then the current production playing The Muny may not be your cup of tea. But, if you like it when they give the show a St. Louis twist, then this is your type of musical. I've seen enough productions of this pa...

St. Louis Shakespeare's mission is to present the complete works of Shakespeare, and with their current production of CORIOLANUS, they've moved one step closer toward attaining that goal. The trouble is that when you've performed all of the Bard's familiar and popular works, you're left with a few o...

If you only went to the Muny this week to see a very svelte Jennifer Holliday sing "And I'm Am Telling You I'm Not Going", in the role that virtually made her career, you would already have enough reasons to attend The Muny's production of DREAMGIRLS. But, the fact is, there are so many more things ...

I missed press night for DISNEY'S ALADDIN: THE NEW STAGE MUSICAL, but I decided to go down this Tuesday and check out the production from the free seats. Armed with a pair of binoculars, which I didn't really need, I was able to take in this wonderfully charming presentation after all. And, I was no...

Giuseppe Verdi's opera, UN BALLO IN MASCHERA(with a libretto by Antonio Somma) is a fictionalized account of the actual assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden at a masked ball. In this case, the location and names have been changed, but the outcome remains the same. This production by the Union ...

The musical adaptation of the 1967 animated feature film, THE JUNGLE BOOK, is a sheer delight, perhaps best viewed through the eyes of a child. And, the first production I ever took my young son to see was this same show a few years back. But, he was so small he didn't really remember it that well. ...

If you've only seen the movie version of CHICAGO, and it's a pretty sexy and sleek story on the big screen, you have to do yourself a favor and check out the current production at the Muny. The Muny has such an expansive stage that some musicals can get lost, but not this one. In this case, CHICAGO ...

The dictionary defines insidious as "proceeding in a gradual way, but with harmful effects". Playwright Ibn Shabazz's work INSIDIOUS certainly follows that line of thinking, with the eponymous title character worming his way into the lives of a engaged couple Kara and Dawud. The play makes allusions...

When Iago talks about 'Jealousy…the green-eyed monster,' he might as well be referring to himself. It's his envy of Cassio's promotion under the leadership of Moorish general Othello that sets a devious plot in motion that will leave many dead and others wounded. And so it goes, in St. Louis Shake...

One of the first shows I remember reviewing when I became a theatre critic was AIN'T MISBEHAVIN', and it's become a favorite of mine ever since. Although, I've had to wait quite a few years for a group to do a revival of this fascinating revue based on the songs and recordings of the fabulous Fats W...

Every year I look forward to going to Circus Flora, which is St. Louis's own one-ring (air-conditioned) circus, with family in tow, knowing that a splendid time is guaranteed for all. And, this year's show is no exception. There are acts of equestrian artistry, magical hijinks with the much beloved ...

When I reviewed New Line Theatre's production of HIGH FIDELITY in 2008, I decided to start off in the spirit of Nick Hornby by giving my readers the top five reasons they should see this wonderful musical. Well, here are the Top Five reasons you should see High Fidelity, either for the very first ti...

Playwright Richard Dresser's work, ROUNDING THIRD, really struck a chord with me since I'm a coach on my son's coach-pitch little league team. Sure, I hope they win every game they play, but much like the character of Michael is at the beginning of the play, at their age I'm just happy to see them h...

If you had the opportunity to see RIVERDANCE at the Fox this past weekend, then you were treated to a fine display of Terpsichore and musicianship. If you didn't, then you may have missed your chance to see it at all, since it was, in all likelihood, the troupe's final trip to St. Louis. It's a sham...

The touring production of MARY POPPINS that's currently gracing the stage of the Peabody Opera House is "practically perfect", featuring eye-popping special effects, a glorious set, and terrific performances that manage to capture the spirit of the 1964 Disney film, as well as the P.L. Travers books...

Playwright James Sherman has crafted a charming and delightful work with his play JACOB AND JACK. It's a fond remembering of the last days of the Yiddish theatre and it weaves in the modern day with the past with considerable flair. It has farcical elements, including the requisite doors, six in thi...