Lynn Venhaus

Total Post: 1248

Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.  She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.  She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women's and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle. She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.

Go See a Play! What’s Happening Feb. 28 – March 6

Go See a Play! What’s Happening Feb. 28 – March 6

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor

The March winds are blowing in snow and ice, with productions starting strong, and there is a mix of classic musicals, hard-hitting dramas and hilarious comedies on local stages.

It’s the last weekend to catch the absorbing “Oslo” at the Rep, the tenth anniversary “Rock of Ages” tour comes to The Fox, and “Avenue Q” is extended at The Playhouse at Westport. New musicals opening include “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” “Company,” “La Cage Aux Folles.”

Wash U continues with “Angels in America” and SLU presents “The Misanthrope.”

“Well” opens at Mustard Seed Theatre, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” at Theatre Guild of Webster Groves, and “The Glitter Girls” at Alton Little Theatre. The Black Rep’s “Milk Like Sugar” continues at The Black Rep.

Roar back and go see a play!

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee”
O’Fallon Theatre Works
March 1-3 and 8-10
Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
O’Fallon City Hall
Tickets: www.ofallon.mo.us
Tickets are on sale now at the Renaud Spirit Center and at the box office, which opens one hour before each show.

What It’s About: Winner of the Tony and the Drama Desk Awards for Best Book, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a musical comedy with a funny book by Rachel Sheinkin and a vibrant musical score by William Finn.

An eclectic group of six adolescents vies for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life un-affirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves! At least the losers get juice boxes.

A riotous ride complete with audience participation, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” is a fast-paced crowd-pleasing comedy.

Director: Melissa Boyer, with music director Wendi Dicken and choreographer Cameron Bopp.

Starring: Ann Hier Brown, Mark Killmer, Benni Jillette, James McKinzie, Ben Ketcherside, Josh Towers, Hayden Hays, Mia Porcelli and Stefanie Kluba.


“Angels in America, Part 1: Millennium Approaches”
The Performing Arts Department at Washington University
Feb. 22 – March 3
Thursdays and Fridays at 7 p.m., 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays.
Edison Theatre
Tickets: 314-935-6543 or visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu

What It’s About: an epic that ranges from earth to heaven; focuses on politics, sex and religion; transports us to Washington, the Kremlin, the South Bronx, Salt Lake City and Antarctica; deals with Jews, Mormons, WASPs, blacks; switches between realism and fantasy, from the tragedy of AIDS to the camp comedy of drag queens to the death or at least the absconding of God.


“Avenue Q” 
The Playhouse at Westport Plaza
Jan. 25 – March 3
www.playhouseatwestport.com

What It’s About: Part flesh, part felt and packed with heart, “Avenue Q” is a laugh-out-loud musical telling the story of Princeton, a college grad who moves into the city with big dreams and a tiny bank account. He and his Avenue Q neighbors struggle to find jobs, dates and their life’s purpose.

Director: Lee Anne Mathews, with Music Director Charlie Mueller

Starring: Andrew Keeler, Brent Ambler, Jennifer Theby-Quinn, Kevin O’Brien, Grace Langford, Illeana Kirven, April Strelinger

Of Note: For mature audiences. “Avenue Q” won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical.

“Company”
Over Due Theatre
March 1-3, 8-10
8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday
Olivette Community Center
9723 Grandview
314-210-2959
www.overduetheatrecompany.com

What It’s About: First produced in 1970, Company was nominated for a record-setting fourteen Tony Awards and won six, including Best Musical. Company takes an unvarnished look at marriage through the eyes of Bobby who, unmarried on his thirty-fifth birthday, finds himself lost in the company of his married friends. With his trademark wit and sophistication, Stephen Sondheim examines the flawed nature of human relationships as Bobby journeys towards the realization that, in spite of all of his friends’ failings, there is no point in “Being Alive” unless he has someone with whom to share it.

“The Glitter Girls”
Alton Little Theatre
March 1- 10
Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
2450 North Henry in Alto
618.462.6562
www.altonlittletheater.org.

What It’s About: A brand new play economically described as “Steel Magnolias” meets “Survivor,” with a big dose of quirky humor thrown in for good measure. A strong ensemble play, which questions the wisdom of sudden wealth and the bonds of friendship.

“La Cage Aux Folles”
New Line Theatre
Feb. 28 – March 23
Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.
Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive
www.newlinetheatre.com

Tickets: MetroTix.com

What It’s About: What happens when the son of a middle-aged gay couple brings home the daughter of an arch-conservative politician — and her parents — for dinner? Musical comedy ensues.

“La Cage Aux Folles” takes place on the French Riviera for a night of love, laughs, illusions and truths, and the triumph of family over bullies and bigots.

Based on the 1973 French play and its 1978 film adaptation, “La Cage Aux Folles” tells the story of a middle-aged show business couple, grappling with aging, fidelity, kids, and holding on to their dignity when the world around them would rather strip it away. At the center is Georges, a St. Tropez nightclub owner, and his husband Albin, who is also the club’s erratic headliner Zaza. When Georges’ son gets engaged to the daughter of a right-wing politician, we see the politics and culture wars of 2019, at their most ridiculous and most fevered, onstage right in front of us.

Director: Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy-Windsor, with music direction by Nicolas Valdez and choreography by Michelle Sauer and Sara Rae Womack.

Starring: Zachary Allen Farmer (Albin/Zaza), Robert Doyle (Georges), Kevin Corpuz (Jean-Michel), Tielere Cheatem (Jacob), Zora Vredeveld (Anne), Kent Coffel (M. Dindon), Mara Bollini (Mme. Dindon), Lindsey Jones (Jacqueline), Joel Hackbarth (Francis), and as the notorious Cagelles – Jake Blonstein, Dominic Dowdy-Windsor, Evan Fornachon, Tim Kaniecki, Clayton Humburg, and Ian McCreary..

Of Note: In its original 1983 production, the show was a safely old-fashioned musical comedy. But in its 2008 London revival and 2010 Broadway revival, the show was transformed from a lightweight comedy into a more serious story with a lot of laughs.

The original 1983 Broadway production ran four years and 1,761 performances. The show received nine Tony nominations and won six, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book — beating out Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George. It’s been revived on Broadway and in London multiple times.

“Milk Like Sugar”

“The Misanthrope”
Saint Louis University Theatre
Feb. 28 – March 3
Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Kranzberg Arts Center Black Box
501 N. Grand Blvd.
Tickets through metrotix.com or 314.534-1111.

What It’s About: This Molière classic looks at the hypocrisy of society and the consequences of total honesty and will be directed by Lucy Cashion.
Of Note: The additional Saturday matinee was scheduled due to the limited seating at the venue. A seating policy is in place for this production: unfilled seats will be released 7 minutes prior to the start of the show.Your
cooperation is appreciated.

“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”
The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves
March 1-3, 7-10
Shows at 8 p.m., except Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
517 Theatre Lane, Webster Groves
Tickets are available only at the door (cash or check).
Sorry, we do not take advanced reservations
www.theatreguildwg.org
314-962-0876

What It’s About: Ken Kesey’s iconic counter-culture novel is set in a psychiatric hospital, where convicted criminal McMurphy winds up. He challenges authority and changes patients’ lives. This is the play adaptation, which was turned into an Oscar-winning film.

Director: Jessica Johns-Kelly.

Starring: Jerry Crump, Matthew Linhardt, Betsy Gasoske, Greg Savel, Tyler Crandall, Hal Morgan, Jason Blackburn, David Eiben, Christian Davis, Sherre Ward, Scott Ewers, Russ Leonard, Donald Kidd, Aaron Mermelstein, Noreen Ann G. Rhodes and Amie Bossi.

Of Note: This show contains content not suitable for children.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves is very old historic building with many steps and is not handicapped or wheelchair assessable.

Photo by Peter Wochniak

“Oslo”
Feb. 8 – March 3
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
130 Edgar Road, St. Louis
www.repstl.org
314-968-4925

What It’s About: The winner of the 2017 Tony Award for Best Play, this play by J.T. Rogers is set in 1993, when two bitter enemies shocked the world by shaking hands and agreeing to work towards peace. “Oslo” finds the unlikely story behind the historic event.

The drama explores the secretive and precarious negotiations that made that moment possible and focuses on the Norwegian couple who brokered talks between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Director: Steven Woolf

Starring: Jim Poulos, Kathleen Wise, Rajesh Bose, Ben Graney, Jerry Vogel, Michael James Reed, Amro Salama, John Rensenhouse, Michelle Hand, Jonathan Gillard Daly, Jeff Cummings, Jim Shankman, Chaunery Kingsford Tanguay, Jack Theiling and Tom Wethington.

Of Note: “Oslo” is recommended for adult audiences. The show contains strong adult language and weighty discussions about global politics and diplomatic relations.

“Rock of Ages”
The Fox Theatre
March 1-3
Friday at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m, and Sunday at 1 and 6:30 pm,. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center
www.fabulousfox.com

What It’s About: Nominated for five Tony Awards®, including Best Musical,
Rock of Ages” captures the iconic era that was the big bad 1980s Hollywood. Know What Love Is, Feel the Noise, and Take Your Best Shot at one of the Sunset Strip’s last epic venues, a place where the legendary Stacee Jaxx returns to the stage and rock-n-roll dreamers line up to turn their fantasies into reality. Featuring the music of hit bands such as Styx, Poison, Twisted Sister, and Whitesnake among many others, this Tenth Anniversary production features a dynamic new cast revisiting the larger than life characters and exhilarating story that turned the musical into a global phenomenon. This is one for the ages that will have you singing “Here I Go Again.”

“Well”
Mustard Seed Theatre
Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre
314-719-8060
www.mustardseedtheatre.com

What It’s About: Lisa Kron’s experimental play intends to explore racial and religious integration and cultural concepts of health. She does not want to talk about her Mother, who unexpectedly joins her on stage. What could possibly go wrong?

Diane

Diane

The Plot:

“Diane” is all about the external life and internal battles of an aging Baby Boomer as she goes through the mundane details of everyday living. Diane cares for everybody but herself. An empty nester, she visits friends in the hospital, volunteers at the soup kitchen, and gets together with friends. Her grown son Brian is a handful. Drug-addicted, he has been in and out of rehab. She can’t seem to get through. With her impact on her neighbors well-known, why is she troubled by something that happened so long ago? The secrets of the past refuse to let go.

Lynn’s Take:

An indie darling and film festival favorite, “Diane” is relatable for every woman of a certain age. But it will remind other generations of their own mother. Everyone knows a Diane.

This is a lived-in movie, and Mary Kay Place, in the role of a lifetime, immerses herself into this seemingly ordinary mother, neighbor, friend. She’s terrific – good for her! I’ve been a fan since her Emmy-winning role on “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman,” but after “The Big Chill,” she’s been reduced to playing insignificant supporting roles.

The sharp writing by Kent Jones, who also directed, is notable because it eloquently captures the nuances of people’s connections.

Diane is trying to make a difference in townspeople’s lives while reconciling her own messy life. And Place’s performance elevates this woman’s story with rich details.

The Chaperone

The Chaperone

The PLOT:

It’s 1922, and 16-year-old Louise Brooks, “the best dancer in Wichita,” has been accepted into the DenisShawn School of Dance in New York City for the summer. A star-in-the-making, Louise needs a chaperone, and local matron Norma Carlisle volunteers. She has her reasons, which soon become clear. Adopted by Kansas farmers after riding an Orphan Train from NYC, she wants to search for her past.

Louise would go on to a major career in silent films and become a flapper icon whose bob haircut became the Jazz Age rage. She roared in the ‘20s and ‘30s but retired in 1938. This is only the beginning of her journey.

LYNN’S Take:

Inspired by true events, a team from “Downton Abbey” impeccably crafts period details while Elizabeth McGovern and Haley Lu Richardson, as Norma and Louise, are engaging in this interesting peek into the beginnings of one of the first style icons – and independent women – of the 20th Century.

Writer Julian Fellowes, Oscar winner for the “Gosford Park” screenplay besides his “Downton Abbey” pedigree, and director Michael Engler, veteran of “Sex and the City” as well, know how to craft stories from a female perspective.

The movie’s focus really is the chaperone (hence the title), and we learn of her troubled marriage (Campbell Scott) and her past that she’s trying to piece together, with the help of the Home for Friendless Girls’ kindly custodian (Geza Rohrig, lead in “Son of Saul”).

She must corral live-wire Louise, a Kansas teen eager to live out her dream. More about Louise, aka “Lulu in Hollywood,” would have been good, but then, that’s another movie entirely.

Of note regarding this sweet little journey of self-discovery: PBS Masterpiece produced it, so after its theatrical run, it will be broadcast on PBS and made available for streaming later this spring.

This film has more substance than first appears. And, if anything, provides a fascinating glimpse into the screen siren whose 17 silent pictures include “Pandora’s Box” and “Diary of a Lost Girl.”

Go See a Play! What’s Happening Feb. 21-27

Go See a Play! What’s Happening Feb. 21-27

By Lynn VenhausManaging EditorAnd down the stretch we come! In the waning days of February, our shortest month, dusk is getting later and sure signs of spring are upon us. We can stay indoors for awhile longer — the weather is still frightful — but what awaits us inside a theater is juicy entertainment. Whether you are in the mood for taut political dramas (“Farragut North,” “Oslo”) or classic Arthur Miller (“The Crucible”) or goofy foul-mouthed puppets, the St. Louis stages are showcasing some mighty fine talent.Some local college theater departments are presenting classics, with Lindenwood taking on “Our Town” and St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley is tackling Tennessee Williams’ “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Washington University is presenting the first part of “Angels in America.” Such ambition! Such enthusiasm! Catch it — Go See a Play!

FRIDAY, FEB. 1, 2019 – This is a promotional photo for “Angels in America” by Washington University’s Performing Arts Department. Photo by Jerry Naunheim Jr./WUSTL Photos “Angels in America, Part I: Millennium Approaches”Washington University Performing Arts Department Feb. 22 – March 3Thursdays and Fridays at 7 pm, Saturday at 2 and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 p.m.Edison Theatre314-935-6543www.pad.artsci.wustl.eduWhat It’s About: Tony Kushner’s epic play focuses on politics, sex and religion, switching between realism and fantasy, dealing with the tragedy of AIDS to very spiritual territory.

Director: Henry SchveyStarring: Louis Gordon and Alex Knapp are Prior and Louis, and Nathan Wetter and Stephanie Wright are Joe and Harper. Stephen Reaugh is Roy Cohn. Justin Wright is Prior’s ex-lover Belize, a nurse and former drag queen. Jacque Randolph is the Angel, Kelley Abell is Hannah, Joe’s mother. Helen Fox fills a variety of roles.

“Avenue Q” The Playhouse at Westport Plaza Jan. 25 – March 17 (extended run) www.playhouseatwestport.com

What It’s About: Part flesh, part felt and packed with
heart, “Avenue Q” is a laugh-out-loud musical telling the story of Princeton, a
college grad who moves into the city with big dreams and a tiny bank account.
He and his Avenue Q neighbors struggle to find jobs, dates and their life’s
purpose.

Director: Lee Anne Mathews, with Music Director Charlie
Mueller

Starring: Andrew Keeler, Brent Ambler, Jennifer
Theby-Quinn, Kevin O’Brien, Grace Langford, Illeana Kirven, April Strelinger

Of Note: For mature audiences. “Avenue Q” won three Tony
Awards, including Best Musical.

“By the Way…Meet Vera Stark” Feb. 13 – 24 Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m. Emerson Studio Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Centerwww.webster.edu/conservatory/season 314-968-7128

What It’s About: A new comedy from the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Lynn Nottage, this draws upon the screwball films of the 1930s to take a funny and irreverent look at racial stereotypes in Hollywood. “By the Way…Meet Vera Stark” is a 70-year journey through the life of Vera Stark, a headstrong African-American maid and budding actress, and her tangled relationship with her boss, a white Hollywood star desperately grasping to hold on to her career.

Photo by John Lamb“The Crucible” Stray Dog Theatre Feb. 7 – 23 Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; special 2 p.m. matinee Sunday, Feb. 17. Tower Grove Abbey 2336 Tennessee www.straydogtheatre.org 314-865-1995

What It’s About: Lies. Betrayal. Lust. In 1690s
Salem, a young girl leads a Puritanical purge of witchcraft against a local
farmer and his wife. As fear and excitement grow in the town, the accusations
grow more ferocious and terrifying, until no one is safe, and the truth is
obscured completely. Written by Arthur Miller and winner of the 1953 Tony Award
for Best Play.

Starring: John Proctor: Graham Emmons, Elizabeth Proctor:
Cynthia Pohlson, Abigail Williams: Alison Linderer, Mercy Lewis: Sienna DeSuza,
Rebecca Nurse: Suzanne Greenwald, John Danforth: Joe Hanrahan, Ezekiel Cheever:
Charles Heuvelman, John Hathorne: Jonathan Hey, Ann Putnam: Laura Kyro, Francis
Nurse: Chuck Lavazzi, Susanna Walcott: Zoe Liu, Giles Corey: Gerry Love, Hopkins
: Michael Maskus, Sarah Good: Liz Mischel, Thomas Putnam: Tom Moore, John
Willard: Stephen Peirick, Rev. Samuel Parris: Ben Ritchie, Betty Parris: Avery
Smith, John Hale: Abraham Shaw, Mary Warren: Chrissie Watkins and Tituba: Kelli
Wright.

Photo of Spencer Sickmann and Hollyn Gayle by Patrick Huber. “Farragut North” St. Louis Actors’ Studio Feb. 8 – 24 Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 3 p.m. Gaslight Theatre 358 North Boyle Metrotix.com 314-458-2978www.stlas.org

What It’s About: Stephen Bellamy is a wunderkind press secretary who has built a career that men twice his age would envy. During a tight presidential primary race, Stephen’s meteoric rise falls prey to the backroom politics of more seasoned operatives. “Farragut North” is a timely story about the lust for power and the costs one will endure to achieve it. Director: Wayne Salomon Starring: Spencer Sickmann, Peter Mayer, David Wassilak, Shannon NaraThe West End Grill and Pub will be open before and after the performances for drinks.

“The Hundred Dresses” Metro Theatre Company Feb. 3 – Feb. 25 The Grandel Theatre Metrotix.com www.metroplays.org

What It’s About: Wanda Petronski, the new girl in Room 13,
is a Polish immigrant who lives in a shabby house and doesn’t have any friends.
Every day she wears the same faded blue dress, but tells her new class-mates
that she has a hundred dresses at home. Her classmates tease Wanda about her
hundred dresses until one day she disappears from school. As guilt overtakes
the children, they decide to find out what happened to Wanda and to make
amends. But is it too late? Bullying, friendship and forgiveness are at the
center of this play adapted from the beloved Newbery Honor Book by Eleanor
Estes.

Of Note: Eleanor Estes wrote down her childhood memories while recovering from tuberculosis and became a children’s author. Her many published works are widely read; but “The Hundred Dresses” continues to be the most popular, remaining in print since its publication in 1944. It was awarded the Newbery Honor in 1945. Speaking about “The Hundred Dresses” Eleanor Estes said, “I am holding up a mirror, and the scene reflected in the mirror is a true image of childhood, and the mirror, besides reflecting, also speaks and echoes the clear, profound, unpremeditated utterances, thoughts, and imageries of these children. I like to make children laugh or cry, to be moved in some way by my writing.

Justis Drakes “Milk Like Sugar”The Black RepFeb. 13 – March 3Hotchner StudioWashington Universitywww.theblackrep.org

What It’s About: Milk Like Sugar is an astute gut-wrenching observation of the impact of racism on African American youth. We see the cyclical nature of inherited trauma, the normalization of underfunded communities, the dire need for education that nurtures latent talent, childhood hunger, the categorization of Black youth as adults, and the injustice of the criminal system. The myth of self-determination and seeing those who cannot escape their circumstance as inferior is keeping us for mobilizing and tithing whatever time and talent we might have to give into those communities. This play affirms these children need us, just as much as we need them.

Photo by Peter Wochniak

“Oslo” Feb. 8 – March 3 The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis 130 Edgar Road, St. Louiswww.repstl.org 314-968-4925 What It’s About: The winner of the 2017 Tony Award for Best Play, this play by J.T. Rogers is set in 1993, when two bitter enemies shocked the world by shaking hands and agreeing to work towards peace. “Oslo” finds the unlikely story behind the historic event. The drama explores the secretive and precarious negotiations that made that moment possible and focuses on the Norwegian couple who brokered talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. Director: Steven Woolf Starring: Jim Poulos, Kathleen Wise, Rajesh Bose, Ben Graney, Jerry Vogel, Michael James Reed, Amro Salama, John Rensenhouse, Michelle Hand, Jonathan Gillard Daly, Jeff Cummings, Jim Shankman, Chaunery Kingsford Tanguay, Jack Theiling and Tom Wethington. Of Note: “Oslo” is recommended for adult audiences. The show contains strong adult language and weighty discussions about global politics and diplomatic relations.

“Our Town”Lindenwood UniversityFeb. 21 – 23 at 7:30 p.m.Scheidegger Center for the Arts, St. Charles campuswww.lindenwood.edu

What It’s About: Thornton Wilder’s timeless drama of life in the mythical village of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, has become an American classic with universal appeal. It first appeared on Broadway in 1938.

Director: Patrice Foster

“The Rat Pack is Back” Friday, February 22, at 7:30 p.m.. The Fox Theatre 527 North Grand in Grand Centerwww.fabulousfox.comWhat It’s About: This spirited show recreates one of the famous “Summit at the Sands” nights when the swingin’, ring-a-ding group known as “The Rat Pack” was creating hipster legend with a free-wheeling, no-holds-barred nightclub act starring Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin and Joey Bishop.

“A Streetcar Named Desire”St. Louis Community College at Florissant ValleyFeb. 21 – 24Fisher Theatre, 3400 Pershall Road www.stlcc.edu/fv/

“Transluminate”The Q Collective Feb. 21 – 23Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drivehttps://theqcollective.theater

What It’s About: A short-play festival and celebration of transgender, agender, non-binary, genderqueer, and genderfluid artists.

Cagey ‘Farragut North’ Pulsates with Passion and Purpose at STLAS

Cagey ‘Farragut North’ Pulsates with Passion and Purpose at STLAS

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor
What price glory? St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s savvy state-of-play production of “Farragut
North” sketches a fascinating world that we have only glimpsed as it escalates
to a fever pitch every four years.

Beau Willimon’s insider look at cutthroat politics on the
presidential primary election campaign trail premiered in 2008, and is named
for a metro stop in D.C. He wrote it as a Juilliard Playwriting Fellow, loosely
based on his experiences working for Vermont Governor Howard Dean, a one-time
frontrunner in the 2004 presidential race.

The playwright, a 1995 John Burroughs School graduate, first
had experiences on Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton’s Senate campaigns. So,
this territory is obviously in his wheelhouse.

Willimon’s sharp commentary on backroom politics, 21st
Century-style, remains topical even though it came out over a decade ago. As sharks
circle, anticipating the Iowa Caucus kickoff to the 2008 U.S. presidential
primary elections, this whip-smart drama pulsates with passion and purpose.

Director Wayne Salomon shrewdly exposes the underbelly of
political operators like he’s playing in a championship chess tournament. As he
tautly maneuvers the manipulators, we see the designs, desires and dreams of
every character through what is being said and not said, while others lie in
wait, like a cobra. Who will survive, thrive or take a dive?

A crackerjack cast smoothly delivers Willimon’s clever
wordplay and penetrating dialogue, nimbly rattling off statistics, polls and
facts with confidence. Don’t worry – it’s not just a numbers game, for there is
enough human drama to keep us riveted.

Salomon achieves an immediate lived-in authenticity. Staged
under the harsh glare of artificial lighting, in drab hotel rooms on the Iowa campaign
trail, this nondescript set by Patrick Huber fittingly captures the dullness.

Despite the banality, you can feel the drive of the participants
during this dreary January period because it is the first major contest of a
very long season. Those who don’t do well tend to drop out in the coming days
and weeks after Iowa.

Peter Mayer and Spencer Sickman in “Farragut North” at St. Louis Actors Studio. Photo by Patrick HuberEnter the political operatives on the same side, Spencer
Sickmann (Stephen Bellamy) and David Wassilak (Paul Zara) in the throes of
battle, with the opposition represented by Tom Duffy (Peter Mayer). These top-tier,
highly intelligent actors bounce off each other with a tight rhythm, unleashing
diatribes with remarkable force and skill.

The modern political landscape may indeed be a circus, but
the people who play in that minefield are as fascinating as any Shakespeare
concocted.

We meet our polished practitioners of spin in a ubiquitous
hotel bar, trash-talking and regaling each other with stories of glory days,
fueled by alcohol and lust for power.

A few characters are more transparent than others, but Willimon
is quite cunning in his introductions of hotshot press secretary Bellamy, his
boss/mentor Zara and the bright-eyed new kid Ben, played with eager-beaver wide-eyed
enthusiasm by Joshua Parrack.

Bellamy is a likable smarty-pants whose cockiness just may
be his downfall, but how he’s usually one step ahead is impressive. Sickmann is
stunning in this labor-intensive endeavor, for he is on stage in every scene,
and as the smartest guy in the room, the passages he must convey are long. But
he does so with great zeal.

Wassilak’s character is the wild card here, and as he
reveals his clever string-pulls, it’s quite a feat, a new facet of the actor’s
work.

Mayer’s character is the necessary instigator, and he
quickly nails this slick master whose scenes are few but his influence looms
large.

Into this mix comes a major media outlet. Shannon Nara is Ida,
a New York Times reporter who assimilates herself as “one of the guys.” She
does what journalists are paid to do – network and observe. Nara projects a
smart, seasoned professional who knows how to meet the demands of her work –
and not show her cards.

The other female role, Molly, is a young, very ambitious,
starry-eyed campaign worker who is committed to getting what she wants. This character
feels the most cliched, forced. But Hollyn Gayle does what she can by showing
her sly determination.

Photo of Spencer Sickmann and Hollyn Gayle by Patrick HuberAs the layers are peeled back on some truly fascinating
characters – ones who are far more motivated than we initially think — get
ready for sneaky turns in this soul-sucking journey.
Nevertheless, one character represents the ideology of successful political
candidates, and that is a Latino restaurant server working at his family’s
place. Luis Aguilar earnestly professes hope that his chosen candidate can do
the things he says, that can fulfill the hopes and dreams of Americans who want
opportunities.

We are reminded of the democratic process, putting the ‘why’
into perspective, while the rest of the play is about the who, what and how.
After all, a candidate who gets people fired up is always the goal.

It doesn’t matter that this play occurs before widespread
use of smart phones and social media, for Willimon’s sobering account of modern
election campaigns still has the same core that marks all cautionary tales: the
games ambitious people play when stakes are high.

Therefore, this timely staging has as much in common with “Mr.
Smith Goes to Washington” idealism as it does with “The Sweet Smell of Success”
cynicism and the real-world optics created by Nixon’s dirty tricksters,
perfected by political consultant/absolute power master planner Karl Rove and the
media cross-over — evil divide-and-conquer architect Roger Ailes.
 
Even though Americans tend to not like watching the sausage being made, this
riveting piece gives us precise characters worth getting to know.

Willimon went on to develop an American version of the
British inside-politics series “House of Cards” for Netflix and served as showrunner
for four seasons. And he received an Oscar nomination for adapting “Farragut
North” into the George Clooney-Grant Heslov film “The Ides of March” in 2011.

Therefore, it’s interesting to see where it all began. This is far from the last word in politics, but if Willimon is keeping tabs, I want to see that outtake. And Salomon, also responsible for sound design, has well-chosen his opening and closing songs as apt punctuation.

“Farragut North” is presented by St. Louis Actors’ Studio Feb. 8 – 24 at The Gaslight Theatre, 360 N. Boyle Ave, St. Louis. Performances are Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are available through Metrotix.com For more information, visit www.stlas.org.

‘Avenue Q’ Extends Run to March 17 at Westport

‘Avenue Q’ Extends Run to March 17 at Westport

Emery Entertainment has announced that the three-time Tony Award-winning smash hit musical “Avenue Q” will extend its engagement for two more weeks at the Playhouse @ Westport Plaza. The show will now run through March 17.

Tickets range from $30-$75 and are on sale now for all performances through MetroTix at www.metrotix.com or by calling 314-534-1111.  Additionally, tickets will be available at the Playhouse @ Westport Plaza box office one hour prior to show time. Groups of 10 or more should call 314-616-4455 for special rates.

“It was always our hope to extend the run, believing this talented, colorful cast of characters would win the hearts of St. Louis audiences. The overwhelming response from critics and patrons has exceeded our wildest expectations!” said Paul Emery, president of Emery Entertainment.

St. Louis critics agree that this show is a hit! “Fierce, funny and fabulously naughty” said Connie Bollinger at St. Louis Limelight. “It delivers an evening of fun and frolic.”

“Outrageously funny!” raved Calvin Wilson of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Tina Farmer from KDHX Radio called the show “whimsical and fun from start to finish!” 

“Westport is the perfect venue – intimate and cozy – for this beloved brazen show,” said Tanya Seale from BroadwayWorld.com. Mark Bretz from the Ladue Newsexclaimed, “A blend of national and local talent brings zest, exquisite precision and rampant enthusiasm to this delightful version…Avenue Q is quite a fun place to visit!”

AVENUE Q garnered the “Triple Crown” (Best Book, Best Musical, Best Score) at the 2004 Tony Awards for its hilarious and heart-warming tale about real life in New York City as told by a cast of people and puppets. Part flesh, part felt and packed with heart, AVENUE Q is a laugh-out-loud musical telling the timeless story of a bright-eyed college grad named Princeton.

When he arrives in the city with big dreams and a tiny bank account, he has to move into a shabby apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. Still, the neighbors seem nice. There, he meets Kate (the girl next door), Lucy (the slut), Rod (the Republican), Trekkie (the internet entrepreneur), superintendent Gary Coleman (yes, that Gary Coleman) and other new friends! Together, they struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life.

AVENUE Q features music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty, based on an original concept by Robert Lopez.

Due to adult situations (like full-puppet nudity), AVENUE Q may be inappropriate for kids under age 13.  AVENUE Q has not been authorized or approved by the Jim Henson Company or Sesame Workshop, which have no responsibility for its content.

The Playhouse @ Westport Plaza is located at 635 Westport Plaza in Maryland Heights, Missouri and is a venue filling a niche for a variety of Broadway and Off-Broadway entertainment that would otherwise not find its way to the St. Louis area. Programming at the venue is offered at affordable ticket pricing so that anyone can have dinner at one of the many restaurants in the area as well as see a great show. For additional information on upcoming events and to download high resolution photos, please visit www.playhouseatwestport.com.  

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.Fridays at 7:30 p.m.Saturdays at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.Sundays at 2 p.m.

Go See a Play! What’s Happening April 5 – 11

Go See a Play! What’s Happening April 5 – 11

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor

It’s opening day for our St. Louis Cardinals, but also new plays are offered this weekend, with a selection of plays currently in rotation and those making their final runs this weekend. Ah, the riches of what’s available- comedy, drama, musical, Shakespeare and new to St. Louis shows!

Go, Cards! And GO SEE A PLAY.

“Daddy Long Legs”
Insight Theatre Company
March 28 – April 14
Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
The Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center
www.insighttheatrecompany.com
314-556-1293

What It’s About: Based on the classic novel, which inspired the 1955 movie starring Fred Astaire, Daddy Long Legs is a beloved tale in the spirit of Jane Austen, The Brontë Sisters and “Downton Abbey. Daddy Long Legs features music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominated composer/lyricist, Paul Gordon (Jane Eyre), and Tony-winning librettist/director, John Caird (Les Misérables), and is a “rags-to-riches” tale of newfound love.

Director: Maggie Ryan

Starring: Jennier Theby Quinn, Terry Barber

“Dreamgirls”
Stray Dog Theatre
April 4 -20, Thursday – Saturday 8 p.m.
Tower Grove Abbey
2336 Tennessee
www.straydogtheatre.org
314-865-1995

What It’s About: In the 1960s, the Dreamettes, led by the powerful Effie White, embark on an R&B music career that leads them across the country. Romantic entanglements, Effie’s weight, racism, and the arrival of a fresh new sound in the 1970s are part of this showbiz hit (a fictional nod to The Supremes and Motown).

Director: Justin Been

Starring: Ebony Easter, Eleanor Humphrey, Abraham Shaw, Omega D. Jones, Tateonna Thompson, Don McClendon, Marshall Jennings, Robert Crenshaw, Lawrence J. Haliburton, Tony L. Marr Jr., Chris Moore, Chrissie Watkins, Jazmine Wade, Margery Handy, Chasity Cook, Rahnesha Holmes, Sierra Smith, Laurell Stevenson, Diamon Lester, Kanisha Kellum, Malaika Pedzayl-Ferguson, Ashley Santana

“Is He Dead?”
Monroe Actors Stage Company
April 5-14
Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; 2:30 p.m. Sunday
Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Ill.
www.masctheatre.com
618-939-7469

What It’s About:

Director: Zona Ludlum

Starring:

Of Note: Special $5 student performance on Thursday, April 11

“A New Brain”
Hawthorne Players
April 5-6, 12-14
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. April 14
Florissant Civic Center
http://www.hawthorneplayers.info/
314-921-5678

What It’s About: By the Tony Award-winning authors of Falsettos, this musical is an energetic, sardonic, often comical story about a composer during a medical emergency. Gordon collapses into his lunch and awakes in the hospital, surrounded by his maritime-enthusiast lover, his mother, a co-worker, the doctor, and the nurses. Reluctantly, he had been composing a song for a children’s television show that features a frog – Mr. Bungee – and the specter of this large green character and the unfinished work haunts him throughout his medical ordeal. What was thought to be a tumor turns out to be something more operable, and Gordon recovers, grateful for a chance to compose the songs he yearns to produce.

Director: Stephen Peirick, with music direction by Colin Healy

Starring: Danny Brown, Joel Brown, Stephen Henley,
Chadly Konner Jourdyn, Chris Kernan, John Kuehn, Laura Kyro, Kay Love, Stephanie Merritt, Bradley Rohlf, Dawn Schmid

“Othello”
St. Louis Shakespeare
April 5 – 13
Tower Grove Church
4257 Magnolia
Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.; Thursday and Sunday, April 7 at 7:30 p.m.
www.stlshakespeare.org

What It’s About: In Venice, at the start of Othello, the soldier Iago announces his hatred for his commander, Othello, a Moor. Othello has promoted Cassio, not Iago, to be his lieutenant.
Iago crudely informs Brabantio, Desdemona’s father, that Othello and Desdemona have eloped. Before the Venetian Senate, Brabantio accuses Othello of bewitching Desdemona. The Senators wish to send Othello to Cyprus, which is under threat from Turkey. They bring Desdemona before them. She tells of her love for Othello, and the marriage stands. The Senate agrees to let her join Othello in Cyprus.

In Cyprus, Iago continues to plot against Othello and Cassio. He lures Cassio into a drunken fight, for which Cassio loses his new rank; Cassio, at Iago’s urging, then begs Desdemona to intervene. Iago uses this and other ploys—misinterpreted conversations, insinuations, and a lost handkerchief—to convince Othello that Desdemona and Cassio are lovers. Othello goes mad with jealousy and later smothers Desdemona on their marriage bed, only to learn of Iago’s treachery. He then kills himself.

Director: Patrice Foster

Starring: Reginald Pierre, Bridgette Bassa, Cynthia Pohlson, Phil Leveling, Jesse Munoz, Brad Kinzel, Will Pendergast, Mike Stephens, Hillary Gokenbach, Victor Mendez, Lisa Hinrichs and Cece Day

Of Note: It takes place in modern Venice and Cyprus. Othello is a powerful exploration of the human condition and the disaster that can arise from our emotions. Trust is eroded and innocence is corrupted in this tragic tale of manipulation and jealousy. Featuring live jazz, this exciting, new take on one of Shakespeare’s darkest plays is not one to miss.

“Photograph 51”
West End Players Guild
April 5 – 13
Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., Thursday April 11 at 8 p.m.
Union Avenue Christian Church
733 North Union
314-367-0025
www.westendplayersguild.org

What It’s About: Anna Ziegler’s “Photograph 51” is a moving portrait of Rosalind Franklin, one of the great female scientists of the 20th century, and her fervid drive to map the contours of the DNA molecule. A chorus of physicists relives the chase, revealing the largely-unsung achievements of this trail-blazing, fiercely independent woman – largely-unsung because the men usually credited with cracking the DNA code, James Watson and Francis Crick, did so by “borrowing” Franklin’s most important discovery.

Director: Ellie Schwetye

Starring: Nicole Angeli, Ben Ritchie, John Wolbers, Will Bonfiglio, Ryan Lawson-Maeske, Alex Fyles.

“The Play That Goes Wrong”
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
March 15 – April 7
Loretto-Hilton Center, 130 Edgar Road
www.repstl.org
Box Office: 314-968-4925

What It’s About: Calamity, disaster, fiasco: whichever word you’d like to choose, the opening night performance of “The Murder at Haversham Manor” has gone decidedly wrong. A maelstrom of madcap madness ensues, complete with collapsing scenery, unconscious actors and a stage crew pushed to the brink. Will The Rep survive this train wreck of a play? Come find out!

Director: Melissa Rain Anderson

Cast: Ka-Leung Cheung, Ryan George, Benjamin Curns, Michael Keyloun, Ruth Pferdehirt, Matthew McGloin, John Rapson and Evan Zes.

Of Note: The Rep’s production is the first stand-alone production outside of New York and London. The Broadway run was extended, and now there is a 12-city national tour underway, but this is not a touring show.

“Popcorn Falls”
The Midnight Company
March 28 – April 13
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8 p.m.
Kranzberg Arts Center black box theatre
www.midnightcompany.com

What It’s About: Two actors take on 21 characters in a struggling small town. They decided to put on a play!

Director: Sarah Whitney

Starring: Joe Hanrahan, Shane Signorino

Of Note: This one-act by James Hindman is presented without an intermission.

“Time Stands Still”
New Jewish Theatre
March 28 – April 14
www.newjewishtheatre.org
Box Office: 314-447-3283

Starring: Wendy Greenwood, Ben Nordstrom, Jerry Vogel, Eileen Engel

What It’s About: In this play, a top photojournalist recovers from a near-fatal roadside bomb blast as her long-term relationship with a reporter undergoes its own test of survival. Donald Margulies, whose widely admired plays, Sight Unseen and Collected Stories uncovered the personal wounds inflicted on the battlefronts of art and fiction writing, now takes as his subject a creative couple who have met, worked and loved amid the all too real, mortal combat of the Middle East.

“Waitress”
The Fabulous Fox Theatre
March 26 – April 7
www.fabulousfox.com

What It’s About: The musical tells the story of Jenna – a waitress and expert pie maker, Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness. But Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life.

Carole King’s Joyous ‘Beautiful’ Is Voice of Generation

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor

Legendary singer-songwriter Carole King’s joyous and wistful music is the sound of a generation and her remarkable life story parallels the evolution of women in the 1960s and 1970s.

How she found her voice is chronicled in the wildly popular long-running show, “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” now on tour at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis for a limited engagement March 12 – 17. The show celebrated its fifth anniversary on Broadway in January.

It’s easy to love this smartly constructed show – compelling rise to stardom story and a glorious score bursting with catchy pop songs. Carole’s character goes through a tremendous amount of growth (and hairstyle changes), so she’s relatable and sympathetic.

Sarah Bockel immerses herself in the role, making a believable transformation from insecure but talented teen into a strong independent woman.

The smooth and crisp production is just as much about the beginnings of rock ‘n roll – the tunes that had a good beat and we could dance to it, as a young Carole was part of the hit machine at the Brill Building, hired by producer Don Kirshner. Her husband, Gerry Goffin, was the lyricist while she wrote the melodies, and the string of hits kept coming.

A wonderful nostalgia is evoked when The Drifters, The Shirelles, Little Eva and other recording artists perform their hit songs, a vivacious blast from the past that strikes a chord: “Up on the Roof,” “One Fine Day,” “The Locomotion,” and “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” among them.

John Michael Dias, who was on the first tour at the Fox, and Paul Scanlan as The Righteous Brothers delivered a rousing, soulful “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.”

The recognition factor to those chart-toppers is high, and the emotional connection to the story is immediate.

Douglas McGrath’s witty and warm book showcases plenty of heart and humor. In addition to Bockel’s affability and believability, Dylan S. Wallach conveys the hard-working early years as well as the pressures of the business that overtook the talented but troubled Gerry.

A supportive sisterhood was in full force opening night, as whoops, hollers and cheers met every “Attagirl!” woman empowerment line in the second act, when Carole emerges from divorce as a solo artist.

Her landmark 1971 album, “Tapestry,” which sold over 25 million copies, won Grammys for Best Record, Song and Album of the Year. It is still one of the bestselling albums of all-time, and the longest Billboard run by a female artist.

My generation knows every single word — still, and showed appreciation Tuesday night, for it was a true lovefest, along with a sentimental flashback to our youth, and a delightful walk down memory lane.

It’s a thrilling, magical moment when Carole decides to sing her own material and tries out ‘It’s Too Late” at the Bitter End.

Another key to this show’s success is because it isn’t just about Carole. Songwriting partners Cynthia Weil (Alison Whitehurst) and Barry Mann (hilarious Jacob Heimer), who were also at work, literally next door, are an integral part of the story. The foursome’s good-natured competitiveness resulted in many standards that defined the rock era, and it’s a sweet reflection on good friendships as well.

The strong cast embodies well-drawn characters. James Clow plays a significant mentor — producer Don Kirshner as both a boss and as a caring friend. Suzanne Grodner reprised her role as Carole’s supportive but nagging mom,

Director Marc Bruni, who has worked at The Muny eight times, kept the focus on the relationships and the work, as the couples go through the changing times of the 1960s. He made sure the show flowed well, with an up-tempo for the most part.

The production team captured the era well. The show isn’t only for Baby Boomers, it is for anyone who loves music and can identify with Carole’s progression. The musical celebrates the music that played in her head with style, rhythm and passion.

“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” is on national tour, and playing at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis March 12-17. For more information, visit www.fabulousfox.com. For tickets, visit www.MetroTix.com or call 1-314-534-1111.

Go See a Play! What’s Happening March 21 – 27

Go See a Play! What’s Happening March 21 – 27

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor

Upstairs or downstairs at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, you will be rewarded. It just depends what you are in the mood for — non-stop hilarity or thoughtful drama-romance. Why not see them both? This is the last weekend for the exquisite “Nonsense and Beauty” and the second weekend of the smash hit “The Play That Goes Wrong,” which runs through April 7.

The theater schedule is light right now, after all, there is Spring Break and awards to give out, so many rehearsals are underway for the shows to debut next week or the first week of April

In the meantime, if you haven’t seen “La Cage Aux Folles,” head to the Marcelle for quite a treat — New Line Theatre delivers the fun, with Zak Farmer’s tour-de-force performance a must-see.

The youth theater production, “Newsies” opens in St. Charles and Alpha Players of Florissant continues with the comedy “My Three Angels.”

Go see a play! And come to the St.Louis Theater Circle Awards Monday night at the Loretto Hilton to see excellence in regional theater in 2018 recognized and lots o’ good theater celebrated.

“La Cage Aux Folles”
New Line Theatre
Feb. 28 – March 23
Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m.
Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive
www.newlinetheatre.com

Tickets: MetroTix.com

What It’s About: What happens when the son of a middle-aged gay couple brings home the daughter of an arch-conservative politician — and her parents — for dinner? Musical comedy ensues.

“La Cage Aux Folles” takes place on the French Riviera for a night of love, laughs, illusions and truths, and the triumph of family over bullies and bigots.

Based on the 1973 French play and its 1978 film adaptation, “La Cage Aux Folles” tells the story of a middle-aged show business couple, grappling with aging, fidelity, kids, and holding on to their dignity when the world around them would rather strip it away. At the center is Georges, a St. Tropez nightclub owner, and his husband Albin, who is also the club’s erratic headliner Zaza. When Georges’ son gets engaged to the daughter of a right-wing politician, we see the politics and culture wars of 2019, at their most ridiculous and most fevered, onstage right in front of us.

Director: Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy-Windsor, with music direction by Nicolas Valdez and choreography by Michelle Sauer and Sara Rae Womack.

Starring: Zachary Allen Farmer (Albin/Zaza), Robert Doyle (Georges), Kevin Corpuz (Jean-Michel), Tielere Cheatem (Jacob), Zora Vredeveld (Anne), Kent Coffel (M. Dindon), Mara Bollini (Mme. Dindon), Lindsey Jones (Jacqueline), Joel Hackbarth (Francis), and as the notorious Cagelles – Jake Blonstein, Dominic Dowdy-Windsor, Evan Fornachon, Tim Kaniecki, Clayton Humburg, and Ian McCreary..

Of Note: In its original 1983 production, the show was a safely old-fashioned musical comedy. But in its 2008 London revival and 2010 Broadway revival, the show was transformed from a lightweight comedy into a more serious story with a lot of laughs.

The original 1983 Broadway production ran four years and 1,761 performances. The show received nine Tony nominations and won six, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book — beating out Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George. It’s been revived on Broadway and in London multiple times.

“My Three Angels”
Alpha Players of Florissant
March 15, 16, 22-24
The Florissant Civic Center Theater, Parker Rd. at Waterford Dr.  alphaplayers.org,
314-921-5678.

“Newsies”
Young People’s Theatre
March 22 – 24, March 29-31
St. Charles Community College
Stage Theatre in Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building
4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, Cottleville, Mo.
https://www.stchas.edu/community-resources/lifelong-learning/youth-programs-camps/young-peoples-theatre

What It’s About: Jack Kelly is a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged “newsies.” When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions. They fight for what is right and seize the day!

“Nonsense and Beauty”
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Emerson Studio Theatre
March 6 – 24
www.repstl.org
314-968-4925

What It’s About: In 1930, the writer E.M. Forster met and fell in love with a policeman 23 years his junior. Their relationship, very risky for its time, evolved into a 40-year love triangle that was both turbulent and unique. Based on a true story, Nonsense and Beauty captures the wit and wisdom of one of the last century’s great writers. This world premiere was developed as part of The Rep’s 2018 Ignite! Festival of New Plays.

Director: Seth Gordon

Starring: Jeffrey Hayenga, Robbie Simpson, John Feltch, Lori Vega and
Donna Weinsting.

“The Play That Goes Wrong”
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
March 15 – April 7
Loretto-Hilton Center, 130 Edgar Road
www.repstl.org
Box Office: 314-968-4925

What It’s About: Calamity, disaster, fiasco: whichever word you’d like to choose, the opening night performance of “The Murder at Haversham Manor” has gone decidedly wrong. A maelstrom of madcap madness ensues, complete with collapsing scenery, unconscious actors and a stage crew pushed to the brink. Will The Rep survive this train wreck of a play? Come find out!

Director: Melissa Rain Anderson

Cast: Ka-Leung Cheung, Ryan George, Benjamin Curns, Michael Keyloun, Ruth Pferdehirt, Matthew McGloin, John Rapson and Evan Zes.

Of Note: The Rep’s production is the first stand-alone production outside of New York and London. The Broadway run was extended, and now there is a 12-city national tour underway, but this is not a touring show.

Penguin Highway

Penguin Highway

The Plot:

Not to be confused with Disneynature’s “Penguins,” this sci-fi coming-of-age animated feature starts out with penguins on the loose in a suburb far from Antarctica and then has kid geniuses trying to solve this mysterious occurrence.

Lynn’s Take:

One of the most enchanting anime features, “Penguin Highway” has surprises around every corner. Its magical quality has as much to do with its unexplained phenomena storyline as its endearing pre-teen heroes.

Fourth grader Aoyama has 3,888 more days until he is an adult and he fills them with adventure. He is joined by several school chums and that begins an unforgettable summer of scientific discovery.

An adaptation of Tomihiko Morimi’s best-seller, the movie unfolds like one terrific young adult novel, with smart kids and keen characters. How they are all woven, randomly it seems, into this story is another mystery.

Both the story and the artwork are rich in details and beautifully woven together. But it does not unfold at the fast pace of slick American animation, for this story has far more layers than we’re usually accustomed to with the fluffy whiz-bang U.S. offerings.

The film was nominated for the Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year and won the Axis: The Satoshi Kon Award for Excellence in Animation Award at the Fantasia International Film Festival.

It’s of such top-notch quality and fascinating whimsy that I had to look twice to see if it was a Studio Ghibli film. Eleven Arts Anime Studio of Los Angeles is the distributor, and this will put them on the map. This is director Hiriyasu Ishida’s first feature, although he is acclaimed for shorts.

Of note: The film does not start in St. Louis until Monday, April 22. And it does feature some mature content.