Our St. Louis Critics
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BWW Reviews: Engaging Production of LES MISERABLES at the Fox Theatre
Apparently, if you've seen LES MISERABLES in its current incarnation, you're missing 15 minutes (approximately), and a revolving stage that makes the action come alive. Well, I hadn't seen the production in any form-I even missed the Muny's presentation, so this was a fresh experience for me. I can'...
BWW Reviews: Circus Flora's A CELTIC NIGHT CIRCUS - TIR NA NOG
Circus Flora tries something different by offering dinner with a show in their October presentation called: A Celtic Night Circus - TIR NA NOG. It's always a fun time seeing the circus performers do their thing, and combining it with a lovely dinner is a special treat. Although, the story this time ...
BWW Reviews: St. Louis Actors' Studio's Fascinating Production of GOOD
Playwright C.P. Taylor's work, GOOD, is a piece of theater guaranteed to make the audience think. That's a good thing. Too often, things are so cut and dry that the viewer isn't really required to ponder what they've just seen, they simply digest it and move along. But, Good stays with you, and make...
BWW Reviews: New Jewish Theatre Stages Dramatic LOST IN YONKERS
Though cut from some of the same cloth as his "Eugene" trilogy, LOST IN YONKERS is a different animal all together from playwright Neil Simon. There are laughs to be found for sure, but the overwhelming sense that pervades this particular work is that of the dramatic. There are similarities as well,...
BWW Reviews: The Rep Stages Lovely DADDY LONG LEGS
With there being so much negativity in the world these days, it's nice to see a play, especially a musical, that has such a sweet disposition. DADDY LONG LEGS (book by John Caird with music and lyrics by Paul Gordon) is just such a production, telling a good story with a fine score, and doing so wit...
BWW Reviews: Upstream Theater's Memorable Production of THE HAIRY APE
Upstream Theater consistently brings unique shows to St. Louis. Sometimes they're new and foreign to these shores, and sometimes they're neglected classics. In the case of Eugene O'Neil's THE HAIRY APE, it's the latter, providing us with the opportunity to view a rarely scene play that carries a pow...
BWW Reviews: Circle of Eleven's LEO Dazzles at the Edison Theatre
When a magician reveals how a particular trick is accomplished it often spoils the moment. Once we know how something is done, there's no longer any "magic" associated with it. Which is what makes Circle of Eleven's presentation of LEO so amazing. We actually see two rooms on stage, one projected, s...
BWW Reviews: Stray Dog Theatre's Hauntingly Beautiful SPRING AWAKENING
The original cast album of Spring Awakening (music by Duncan Sheik with book and lyrics by Steven Sater) is still in heavy rotation in my iPod, not only because it's a terrifically catchy score, but because of its dramatic power as well. And though some may try to draw comparisons to the touring com...
BWW Reviews: New Line Theatre Produces Hilarious Gem with BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON
It's kind of hard to describe the new musical BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON (book by Alex Timbers with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman), but only because it's such a phantasmagorical journey through the life and presidency of Andrew Jackson. Parts of it are downright hilarious, while others are ...
BWW Reviews: The Fabulous NICK LOWE at the Sheldon
Nick Lowe performed a solo session at the Sheldon Concert Hall this past week and put on a whale of a good show, mining his catalog for a collection of material both old and new. Though perhaps lumped unfairly in with the New Wave acts back in the late 70's and early 80's, Lowe actually practices a ...
BWW Reviews: Dramatic License Productions Offers Engaging DINNER WITH FRIENDS
With the divorce rate as startling high as it is, it's not uncommon to find plays that deal with this subject matter. However, playwright Donald Margulies examines not only the plight of the couple going through the breakup, but that of their friends as well. With DINNER WITH FRIENDS, Dramatic Licen...
BWW Reviews: Ken Haller's Delightful Cabaret - THE TV SHOW!
Ken Haller's latest cabaret foray, "THE TV SHOW!" is a sheer delight, reveling in tunes that a lot of us grew up with emanating from the boob tube. It's an interesting approach, and Haller doesn't stick to just singing TV themes, but mixes in commercials, as well as tunes that were written for other...
BWW Reviews: STAGES St. Louis Puts On Flashy and Stylish MY ONE AND ONLY
MY ONE AND ONLY is what I like to call a "retrofit" musical, appropriating tunes from the Gershwin brothers (Ira and George, of course) catalog, while creating a book (Peter Stone and Timothy Mayer) that incorporates familiar elements from 1927, the year it's set in. That being said, it's a slick an...
BWW Reviews: HotCity Theatre's GOODBYE RUBY TUESDAY - A Touching Slice of Life
One of the really cool things that HotCity Theatre does every year is their Greenhouse New Play Festival. It not only gives a voice to new playwrights seeking to have their plays produced, but it also provides something fresh and entertaining for the theatre going public. The winner this time around...
BWW Reviews: The Rep Presents Stellar BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS
It may seem odd that over the course of 46 seasons the Rep has never produced a work by prolific playwright Neil Simon, and yet it makes sense in a way. Simon has actually been overproduced by community theatres around the country, and the Rep is dedicated to seeking out new works, and putting a spi...
BWW Reviews: Mustard Seed Theatre's Exceptional Production of GOING TO SEE THE ELEPHANT
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...
BWW Reviews: Max and Louie Production's Wonderful Presentation of THE VIOLET HOUR
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...
BWW Reviews: Union Avenue Opera's Charmingly 'Reduced' DAS RHEINGOLD
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...
BWW Reviews: Dazzling Production of THE LION KING at the Fox
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...
BWW Reviews: Elegant and Robust THE KING AND I at The Muny
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...
BWW Reviews: Stray Dog Theatre's Nutty Production of THE GREAT AMERICAN TRAILER PARK MUSICAL
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...
BWW Reviews: Hilarious Production of PIRATES! at The Muny
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...
BWW Reviews: Wonderful, Charming THE SOUND OF MUSIC at Stages St. Louis
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...
BWW Reviews: The Muny's Lively Production of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
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...
BWW Reviews: Shakespeare St. Louis's Intriguing Production of CORIOLANUS
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...
Videos
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God of Carnage New Jewish Theatre (NJT) (6/11-6/28) |
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The Light in the Piazza Loretto-Hilton Center (5/30-6/28) |
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The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Stages St. Louis at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (5/29-6/28) |
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The Wasp by Morgan Lloyd Malcom Albion Theatre (6/12-6/28) |
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Wicked Fox Theatre (5/12-5/30) |
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USAF Band of Mid-America “Freedom 250” Concert Old Post Office Plaza (7/02-7/02) |
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UMSL Music Presents: Afriky Lolo 20th Anniversary Showcase 'Sundiata' Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center (7/17-7/17) |
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Ludo The Pageant (10/24-10/24) |
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16th Annual Missouri Chamber Music Festival June 10-21 at The Sheldon Sheldon Concert Hall (6/10-6/10) |
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Kauffman Stadium Kauffman Stadium (7/15-7/15) |
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