ST. LOUIS THEATER REVIEWS

URINETOWN is a satirical musical based on the idea that an ecological disaster could create a situation whereby individuals have to pay for the opportunity to eliminate their wastes in public amenities. If that sounds like an odd concept, you're right, it is. And, with it's grungy atmosphere and gri...

Mustard Seed Theatre continues their season with playwright Athol Fugard's PLAYLAND, and the location of the play affords the company a chance to be very creative with the set design (Courtney Sanazaro). But, this is a dark, although it brightens just as the sun rises, tale of border wars and Aparth...

A certain generation (namely, my own) is going to really get a kick out of ROCK OF AGES. Those younger than me will still be amused by its wildly over the top antics, but those that are older may be a bit befuddled by the constant barrage of cultural references from the late 1980's, and probably hav...

A member of the St. Louis Blues and Jazz Hall of Fame returned to his roots this past Sunday bringing a trio of talented musicians in tow. The Freddie Washington Quartet, led by the saxophonist extraordinaire, put on a blistering 90 minute set at the Grandel this past Sunday (1/29/2012) that showcas...

David Johnston's translation of playwright Juan Mayorga's WAY TO HEAVEN is an intriguing play with an interesting concept and execution. Told in five acts, the work, at first, seems to suffer from repetition, until you begin to realize just how this moment in history actually took place. The act whi...

A good friend told me about a production of OLEANNA (by playwright David Mamet) that he attended where the audience was actually segregated along gender lines. I can understand how that could be very intriguing and effective given the subject matter and eventual outcome of the piece. It's definitely...

It's easy to see some of the elements of A Steady Rain that playwright Keith Huff owes a debt to. There are certainly enough police procedural shows on television that reference enough of same plot points to breed a certain familiarity to the material, including a crucial bit concerning a Dahmer-lik...

Playwright Conor McPherson's THE SEAFARER plays like a Irish, whiskey-soaked poke at The Seventh Seal, with cards replacing the chess pieces. It's a wry (or should it be rye?), funny little piece, that's as dingy looking and feeling as it is raw in McPherson's approach to its dialog. The West End Pl...

I remember seeing the movie version of ON GOLDEN POND, and though it's very well done, it's awfully mawkish and sentimental. I've kind of avoided the movie ever since, just because I really didn't feel like having a cry fest. But, the actual play by Ernest Thompson is surprisingly amusing and touchi...

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE is a fascinating and visually dazzling examination of painter Georges Seurat and his unique style, which art books call pointillism. Stephen Sondheim has crafted an entertaining score, but it was at the suggestion of book writer, James Lapine, that this artful and deli...

I remember back in the early 80's when the film adaptation of the original French play, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, was a cable staple. It's a wonderful little movie well worth your time, and it spawned a sequel, the American remake, The Birdcage, and a cheeky, charming little musical with a book by Harvey ...

I saw over a hundred shows again this year, and have decided to make a list of musicals as well as a list of comedies and dramas, which will be lumped together to form two different top eleven lists (in tribute to Nigel Tufnel of Spinal Tap) of 2011. All of these productions greatly entertained me i...

For the past two years I've been attending the Webster Student Cabaret, which this time consists of three talented females and three talented males. This is a Cabaret showcase (I took in the 7:30pm show on 12/13/11) courtesy of the Kranzberg and the Presenters Dolan, which is made possible through t...

As a critic, over a relatively short period of time, I've seen several different plays several different times, and with each repeat viewing I've had to start weighing exactly how I felt about a script to begin with against the specific work of a performer (especially during a solo piece) and how th...

I lost count with how many "good" messages were being poured into Sarah Brandt (playwright) and Neal Richardson's (music, lyrics, arrangements, and musical direction production of THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER, which is the current holiday offering on the Heagney stage at Nerinx Hall as part of the Im...

A good cover band faces the challenge of living up to its audience's expectations every time they play a number that somebody else wrote and performed. But, no one can realistically expect even the best cover band to hit the mark every time. That's what makes Christmas with the Rat Pack-Live at the ...

The New Jewish Theatre continue their 15th season with Alfred Ury's (of Driving Miss Daisy fame) engaging and informative LAST NIGHT AT BALLYHOO. It's a delightful slice-of-life comedy with an examination of an extended family and its peculiarities providing the stage for a look at whether Jews who ...

An alternative to the typical holiday fare exists once again at the Kranzberg this year under the auspices of HotCity Theatre's Greenhouse Series and the SIUE Department of Theater and Dance, which offers up an unusual and entertaining look at the way human beings interact, and the psychology behind...

Laura Eason's recent adaptation of Mark Twain's immortal THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER is an invigorating and captivating work, full of enthusiastic performances and thrilling action. I've seen several different takes on this book, and this is probably the most fun and smartly conceived of them all. ...

I've seen the Black Rep's production of BLACK NATIVITY before, and I enjoyed it so much I thought I'd check it out again this year. It's an amazing, uplifting work told in two acts that examine the story of the birth of Christ and the true meaning of Christmas with completely different approaches. I...

It may not have the depth of a show like Jersey Boys, but it's easy to understand the appeal of a jukebox musical like MAMMA MIA!, especially when you consider just how tuneful the score is, overflowing with a couple dozen of ABBA's greatest hits. Besides, although the motion picture adaptation look...

Ever since I produced the music for a production of the musical GODSPELL it's held a special place in my heart. Working as a one-man band, I became intimately familiar with Stephen Schwartz's genre-hopping score. Ever since, I've been a unabashed fan of the work, and try to catch as many productions...

My son Zachary wasn't sure if he wanted to see INTERGALACTIC NEMESIS, and then I explained to him exactly what the concept was (and showed him a couple of clips from the website). Suddenly, he was very interested. I was instantly reminded of times we've spent together before bedtime, me clutching a ...

Even though three couples are the focus of Richard Maltby (lyrics), David Shire (music) and Sybille Pearson's (book) musical called BABY, there's a very good reason the title is singular and not plural. I mention that only to let you know that the play, as charming and engaging as it is, has some mo...