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BWW Reviews: LA CAGE AUX FOLLES at the Fox Theatre - Simply Brilliant
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 ...
BWW Reviews Best of 2011 - By BroadwayWorld's Chris Gibson
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...
BWW Reviews: Webster Conservatory Class of 2012 Shines in Cabaret at the Kranzberg
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...
BWW Reviews: Stray Dog Theatre Presents David Sedaris' THE SANTALAND DIARIES
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...
BWW Reviews: ITC's Delightful Christmas Show THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER
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...
BWW Reviews: CHRISTMAS WITH THE RAT PACK at the Fox Theatre
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 ...
BWW Reviews: New Jewish Theatre Continues 15th Season with Delightful LAST NIGHT AT BALLYHOO
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 ...
BWW Reviews: HotCIty and SIUE'S Fascinating WHAMMY! THE SEVEN SECRETS TO A SANE SELF
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...
BWW Reviews: Rep Presents Winning Production of THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER
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. ...
BWW Reviews: Black Rep's Uplifting Production of BLACK NATIVITY
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...
BWW Reviews: Fun and Tuneful Production of MAMMA MIA! Plays at the Fox Theatre
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...
BWW Reviews: Mustard Seed Theatre Presents Compelling and Entertaining Production of GODSPELL
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...
BWW Reviews: Washington University's Ovation Series Wows with Stellar Production of INTERGALACTIC NEMESIS
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 ...
BWW Reviews: Citilites Closes 2011 Season with Delightful Production of BABY
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...
BWW Book Reviews: Scott Miller's Informative and Engaging SEX, DRUGS, ROCK & ROLL, AND MUSICALS
If you're looking for a book on contemporary musicals that's as entertaining as it is informative, you can't go wrong with Scott Miller's new book, SEX, DRUGS, ROCK & ROLL, AND MUSICALS. Miller examines the post modern musical with a depth of knowledge that's astounding. His theatre company, New Lin...
BWW Reviews: St. Louis Actors' Studio and the Black Rep Combine Their Efforts for Informative PALMER PARK
The late 1960's were a time of great social upheaval, and race riots broke out in a number of major cities, leading to what has been termed 'white flight', as the Caucasians abandoned the urban areas for the suburbs. The latest production at the Missouri History Museum, PALMER PARK, written by playw...
BWW Reviews: Muddy Waters Theatre Presents Haunting Production of HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE
Muddy Waters Theatre end their season dedicated to playwright Paula Vogel with her award-winning work, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, and it's easily the most accomplished and straightforward of her plays. It lacks the humor of the others that were presented this season, but it replaces the laughs with som...
BWW Reviews: Morning Star Productions Rocks with Hilarious Production of CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL
Before there was South Park, Team America, Orgazmo, or even The Book of Mormon, Trey Parker completed a film that's become a cult favorite; CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL. This hilarious, low rent production, features all the elements that would crop up in the aforementioned works, combining gore, sophomoric...
BWW Reviews: Choreography Shines in Fox Theatre Production of BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL
The stage continues to mine the movies for product, and sometimes it strikes gold (High Fidelity-although not hugely successful was, for me a better musical than a movie) and sometimes it strikes tin. The hugely acclaimed and multi-awarded BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL falls into the latter category, tak...
BWW Reviews: Marble Stage Delivers Toothless Production of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
I'm a completely unabashed fan of George Romero's 1968 classic film NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. I first saw it a midnight screening and was floored by it's raw cinematic energy and black and white gore. It was one of the first films I owned on video tape during the video revolution, and it was widely ...
BWW Reviews: R-S Theatrics Painful and Painfully Funny Production of GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES
There's something very funny, yet very sad about the two characters in Rajiv Joseph's bittersweet work GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES. They're both damaged goods in one way or another, and we desperately want them to make a real love connection since they truly seem oddly suited for one another. And y...
BWW Reviews: The Rep's Funny and Knowing Studio Production of CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION
I don't know if playwright Annie Baker ever attended a six week community summer drama class like the one depicted in her wonderful work, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION, but it has the painful ring of truth that makes you think she may have at one time. Whether or not that really occurred though is im...
BWW Reviews: The Rep's Hilarious and Harrowing Production of GOD OF CARNAGE
How would you react as a parent if your ten year old son was smacked in the face with a stick with resulted in a fat lip and a couple of lost teeth? Would you be able to keep you cool? Would you just immediately contact the police or a lawyer and deal with it from that perspective? Well, I'm not sur...
BWW Reviews: Chuck Lavazzi Delivers Informative and Amusing Show with JUST A SONG AT TWILIGHT
The Missouri History Museum is a perfect venue for Chuck Lavazzi's retooled cabaret show JUST A SONG AT TWILIGHT, since it allows a number of slides to be projected (courtesy of Marjorie Williamson) which give life to Lavazzi's recollections of the golden age of vaudeville. There is also a very pers...
Videos
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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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God of Carnage New Jewish Theatre (NJT) (6/11-6/28) |
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The Wasp by Morgan Lloyd Malcom Albion Theatre (6/12-6/28) |
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Saint Louis Ballet's ENCORE Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center (6/13-6/13) |
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Wicked Fox Theatre (5/12-5/30) |
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16th Annual Missouri Chamber Music Festival June 10-21 at The Sheldon Sheldon Concert Hall (6/17-6/17) |
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Mamma Mia! The Fabulous Fox Theatre (3/30-4/04) |
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The Book of Mormon (Non-Equity) Fox Theatre (2/02-2/07) |
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Motown Magic Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (6/19-6/19) |
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