ST. LOUIS THEATER REVIEWS

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern may be dead, but the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival is very much alive. Those lucky enough to have secured a ticket to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead won’t be disappointed by this chaotically lively production of what Director Tom Ridgley calls “Tom Stoppard�...

This jukebox musical, directed by Augustin Family Artistic Director Kate Bergstrom, offers a condensed biography of Cash’s life, told through his music. From his early childhood in Arkansas to his rise to fame at Sun Records, addiction battles, and his advocacy, there’s a lot to cram into two ho...

Robbin, From the Hood has ambitious intent. Playwright Marlow Wyatt has crafted several potentially compelling scenarios about those living in impoverished and marginalized communities and how the conditions effect their population. But in its current iteration, Robbin, From the Hood loses its drama...

This ridiculously hilarious romp is gloriously wacky. Audiences should set aside any expectations and just go along for the ride. Giddy and wonderful, Promenade succeeds thanks to a stellar cast that relishes the ludicousness of it all. Happily devouring scenery as they goof off, they deliver an  i...

Blending the theater of the mind, math, logic, and visual trickery, The Enigmatist is a mind-blowing and engaging evening of entertainment that causes head shakes, screams of disbelief, and moments of euphoric amazement....

Flyin’ West is a family drama set against the backdrop of the migration West. The Jon Royal directed production succeeds because of the naturalistic acting of Handy, Pryor, Lockett, and Yancy. The women create realistic, believable relationships among the women they portray. The chemistry in Royal...

This year’s Spectrum 2026, produced by First Run Theatre, was unique. The six-play festival featured four wittily written plays that stood on their own. Two were flat-out funny, one was a bit macabre, and Tortured Poets Department was beyond charming....

Opera is widely considered to be a seasonal flower.  Around the world opera festivals show their shoots in early spring, they blossom in the summer, and they stretch their glory into the fall.  In St. Louis, though, we find one of the few fine opera companies willing to brave the icy blasts of win...

You will be entertained by Kathryn Bentley and Colin McLaughlin’s new play, but that is only one small part of why their work needs to be seen. This historical drama is an important part of St. Louis’ Black History. A Brick and a Bible is an empowerment story about women raising their voices for...

Filled with gamesmanship, deception, death, and creative differences, Stray Dog Theatre’s Deathtrap is sleuthing at its finest. Well-acted and draped in the unexpected, the production’s apprehensive atmosphere and inventive plot contortions cause audiences to gasp as the drama reaches a bloody c...

Lucy Kirkwood’s play The Children is fascinating and compelling. Her script prompts discussion about corporate responsibility, what accountability an organization’s employees should own, and how tragic circumstances force people to face personal transgressions and the fallout from their poor dec...

When Lucas Hnath’s play premiered on Broadway the New York Times and Time Out New York called it “the best play of the season.” It’s an engaging and modern script tackling themes of feminist autonomy and self-determination. Weber’s staging is well-conceived and highly entertaining. Layton,...

An example of how grief shapes identity played out onstage, The Rep’s latest is a compelling, powerful example of how theater can confront uncomfortable topics with tenderness, compassion, and humor....

The Black Feminist Guide to the Human Body, while staged as a play, is more of an artistic poetic reading. Lisa B. Thompson’s brief 80-minute work, currently on stage at The Black Rep, examines the life experiences of one woman told by three voices...

How do you tell that your play is a success?   Not so easy if it’s a drama; you might detect a little silent sobbing.  But with a comedy?  That roar of laughter is a sure sign you’ve got a hit!  Well, the folks at the Clayton Community Theatre have a hit on their hands with their production...

Myth of the Ostrich is brazen comedy. It’s among the most accessibly entertaining productions staged at Upstream Theater in recent years. It is full of artfully crafted irreverent portrayals, expert direction, and a bevy of belly laughs....

The Dance on Widow’s Row at The Black Rep features a charismatic ensemble with infectious energy stemming from playful performances. It’s a fun evening in the theater that provides a lot of laughter....

Filled with garlands and good times, the production’s loose adherence to traditional theater makes it refreshing. Whether a wallflower taking it all in or someone choosing to interact with the proceedings, everyone attending this party is treated to a fun romp filled with love, community, laughter...

The evening is surely funny (and a little bit sad). And it is simply, beautifully true....

More of a drama with sung interludes than a full-blown musical, The Outsiders is an outstanding production. Relying on a minimalist stage, dark lighting, and choreography, the ensemble is given a wide berth to perform....

Aided by a top-notch band, Justin Been’s potent drama uses moving songs and poignant drama to make Superhero is a thrill-packed adventure....

Watching Broadway’s Sara Sheperd perform her holiday themed cabaret, Please Come Home for Christmas, is akin to sitting in front of a cozy fire with a mug of hot cocoa. Sheperd, and her piano playing father Scott, shared more than a dozen of her favorite holiday songs peppered with a few seasonall...

John Hughes Your Own Adventure - LIVE is a whole lot of fun for anyone familiar with Hughes work. Hughes enthusiasts and aficionados will be laughing through their tears. The sold-out runaway hit was the headliner at STL Fringe and one of last summer’s hottest theater tickets. St. Louis Fringe and...

Director Will Bonfiglio, Music Director Larry D. Pry, Choreogrpaher Jo Palisoc, and the entire company deserve a lot of credit for their all in committed, peppy, and high-spirited production of a marginal show that is staged as a pet project far too often. There are thousands of musical theater asse...

At a time when the weather is colder, and winter is tuning up, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ production of Emma keeps us warm. The latest show of the company's 59th season is a vibrant feast of laughter and love....