Lynn Venhaus

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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.

‘Captcha’ and ‘Somewhere In Old Missouri’ Win Three Awards Each at St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase

‘Captcha’ and ‘Somewhere In Old Missouri’ Win Three Awards Each at St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase

The Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, an annual presentation of the nonprofit Cinema St. Louis (CSL), serves as the area’s primary venue for films made by local artists. The Showcase screened works that were shot in the St. Louis region or were written, directed, or produced by St. Louis-area residents or by filmmakers with strong local ties who are now working elsewhere. The Showcase’s 14 film programs ranged from narrative and documentary features to multi-film compilations of fiction, experimental, and documentary shorts.

The closing-night awards presentation took place in the Hi-Pointe Theatre on Sunday, July 30. Announced were nearly two dozen Showcase jury awards — including two $500 prizes to the overall Best Documentary and Narrative Showcase film. Cinema St. Louis staff also announced the films that will move on to the 32nd Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival in November. Below are the winners.

Narrative jury awards:

  1. Best Costumes – The Candy Crucible
  2. Best Makeup/Hairstyling – Eliza
  3. Best Use of Music – Somewhere in Old Missouri – Mother Meat, Bas Drogo, & Kevin Koehler
  4. Best Sound – Kyle Pham, Up for Air
  5. Best Production Design/Art Direction – Somewhere is Old Missouri
  6. Best Special/Visual Effects – Austin Zwibelman, Processing…
  7. Best Editing – Chase Norman & Hattie Smith, Up for Air
  8. Best Cinematography – Chris Lawing, Penitentia
  9. Best Screenplay – Andy Compton, Captcha
  10. Best Actor – Zachary Scott Clark, “Honorable”
  11. Best Actress – Kazia Steele, “Eliza”
  12. Best Ensemble – Honorable
  13. Best Direction – Kevin Coleman-Cohen, “Pretty Boy”
  14. Best Animated Film – Gorilla Tactics, Michael Long
  15. Best Comedy – Captcha, Andy Compton
  16. Best Drama – Pretty Boy, Kevin Coleman-Cohen
  17. Best Horror/Thriller – The Queue, Michael Rich
  18. Best Narrative Film under 20 minutes – Fortune Cookie, Fu Yang
  19. Best Narrative Feature over 20 minutes – Somewhere is Old Missouri, Tom Boyer
Bring Dat Mono Back

Documentary & Experimental jury awards:

  1. Best Animated Documentary or Experimental Film – Fortune Cookie, Fu Yang
  2. Best Use of Music – Bring Dat Mono Back, Edward Thornton
  3. Best Sound – Loup Garou, Erin Greenwell
  4. Best Editing – Todd Soliday, Uncle Bully’s Surf Skool
  5. Best Cinematography – Papa Blankson, Shark Brained
  6. Best Direction – Raising Spirits | The Big Muddy Dance Company, Chadwell & Ria Ruthsatz
  7. Best Documentary under 20 minutes – The Highland Incident, Zia Nizami
  8. Best Documentary Feature over 20 minutes – clusterluck, Cami Thomas
  9. Best Experimental Film – These Flowers Were for You, Taylor Yocom
Raising Spirits. The Big Muddy Dance Company.

Films invited to SLIFF:

  1. The Box, directed by Doveed Linder
  2. The Candy Crucible, directed by Micah Deeken
  3. Captcha, directed by Andy Compton
  4. clusterluck, directed by Cami Thomas
  5. Eliza, directed by Delisa Richardson and Dan Steadman
  6. Fortune Cookie, directed by Fu Yang
  7. Gorilla Tactics, directed by Michael Long
  8. The Highland Incident, directed by Zia Nizami
  9. Honorable, directed by Zachary Scott Clark and Mariah Richardson
  10. Nova, directed by Gabe Sheets
  11. Pretty Boy, directed by Kevin Coleman-Cohen
  12. The Queue, directed by Michael Rich
  13. These Flowers Were for You, directed by Taylor Yocom
  14. Up for Air, directed by Chase Norman
The Box

Chellapa-Vedavalli Foundation Best of Fest Essy Awards $500 cash prize: 

Documentary: Bring Dat Mono Back, Edward Thornton

Narrative: Captcha, directed by Andy Compton

Somewhere In Old Missouri

Instagram: @stlfilmshowcase Twitter: @stlfilmshowcase Facebook: @STLFilmmakersShowcase

For more information, the public should visit cinemastlouis.org.

Pretty Boy

Cinema St. Louis

For more than 30 years, Cinema St. Louis (CSL) has served as the region’s go-to arts nonprofit for educating and inspiring audiences of all ages through film. Annually, the organization hosts the St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF) —  included among USA Today’s 10 Best “Film Festivals Worth Traveling To” — as well as the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, QFest St. Louis, Classic French Film Festival, and Golden Anniversaries. In addition, Cinema St. Louis seeks to engage younger audiences, exposing them to the possibilities of becoming filmmakers, through free hands-on filmmaking camps and screenings through Cinema for Students.

Uproarious ‘Clue’ Is Winning Comedy Caper at Stages St. Louis

Uproarious ‘Clue’ Is Winning Comedy Caper at Stages St. Louis

By Lynn Venhaus

Noteworthy for its fleet-footed cast and flawless execution, the rip-roaring romp “Clue” is a winning combination at Stages St. Louis.

In its first non-musical presentation since 1989, the company strikes comedic gold with a farcical whip-smart whodunit patterned after the classic murder mystery board game and based on the 1985 movie that has blackmail on the menu. I haven’t laughed this hard at live theater in a long time.

Is Professor Plum the guilty one with the candlestick in the Library or Miss Scarlet with the rope in the Ballroom? We will find out what really happened in this briskly paced 90-minute escapade that connects the charades, deceptions, and secret passageways during an unusual dinner party.

The hilarious hijinks kick off on a dark and stormy night in 1954, in a well-appointed Boddy Manor, located in a remote area of New England.

As the oddball characters cavort through the mansion’s rooms and corridors, this exceptional quick-witted ensemble shows why each performer is at the top of their game, deftly demonstrating skills in slapstick and impeccable comic timing. Together, they are a finely tuned troupe, zany like the original Monty Python’s Flying Circus in movement and delivery. Let the silly walks begin!

Photo by Phillip Hamer.

The six suspects are named according to the familiar game designed by Anthony E. Pratt and first manufactured by Waddington’s in England in 1949. Updated over the years, the current American edition, labeled “classic detective game,” is published by Hasbro, which bought the franchise from Parker Brothers in 1992.

The players’ task is to determine who murdered the game’s victim, in what room the crime took place, and which weapon was used, with cards and miniature props divvied up. Each player, representing a token color, takes on the role of either Colonel Mustard, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, Professor Plum, Miss Scarlett, or Mrs. White, rolls the dice to move around the nine rooms, and collects clues to deduce the correct answer (which are secretly placed in a special solution envelope).

This stage play version, first performed in 2019, was written by Sandy Rustin, whose “The Cottage” opened on Broadway this summer. She adapted the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn (“My Cousin Vinny”), who also directed the movie.

The 1985 film, with Tim Curry playing the butler, was marketed with the gimmick of three different endings, and this version seems to jumble the endings’ best parts – wisely keeping the robustly delivered last line. New material was added by Hunter Foster and Eric Price.

As part of the merry menagerie, Mr. Boddy is the host who has been blackmailing the other dinner guests for years. Jeff Cummings is appropriately condescending and threatening, handing out gift-wrapped weapons to each, spelling out the dangers ahead. When he winds up dead, they become suspects. Their color-coded names are aliases, assigned to prevent real identities being exposed. It doesn’t appear that they are that innocent, and the plot thickens (insert menacing laugh here).

Whodunit? Photo by Phillip Hamer

In a virtuoso performance, Mark Price tickles the funny bone as the butler Wadsworth, a master manipulator who seems to be putting the puzzle together, but whose antics question everything we’ve seen and heard. With his rapid back-and-forth delivery and devil-may-care spirit dialed to 11, he is physically reminiscent of a younger Robin Williams in “Mork and Mindy.” He nimbly seizes control of every scene in the second act, earning breakout applause, and has the audience howling with laughter.

A Broadway veteran, Price is reprising his role from the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey production in January 2022, postponed from a planned bow in ’20, delayed by the pandemic. The original direction by Casey Hushion is noted in the program, and this production is directed with tremendous zeal by Steve Bebout.

Bebout highlights each character’s eccentricities and keeps us guessing as to whodunit. The story structure isn’t as dependent on the characters as it is on the performances, and this cast is a marvel of perpetual motion and goofy quirks to keep us interested.

Could it be the self-important Mrs. Peacock, married to a U.S. senator accused of taking bribes? Flamboyant in blue, Zoe Vonder Haar struts around in fine fashion, exaggerating slurping soup and putting on airs.

Or is it the vampy Miss Scarlett, a smooth operator who runs an underground brothel in Washington D.C.? Diana DeGarmo, who has already impressed at Stages in “Always… Patsy Cline” and “Aida,” continues her hot streak, sashaying in a satiny red gown, sultry attitude to match.

Or the third suspicious woman, Tari Kelly as dramatic Mrs. White, who claims she is innocent in the death of her nuclear physicist husband. However, this international woman of mystery is hiding other secrets and motives, giving off a black widow vibe.

The men project peculiarities and appear not to be very smart, even Professor Plum, whose fall from grace includes a patient’s death. Looking all stuffed-shirt with purple bowtie, Graham Stevens is the annoying agitator.

Colonel Mustard, David Hess, on right. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

As Colonel Mustard, in his medal-detailed military jacket, David Hess seems clueless and not in sync with anyone else, evoking laughs through his obvious befuddlement.
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Mr. Green, who seems rather strait-laced and buttoned-up, has a terrific reveal sequence that is not worth spoiling, for Charlie Franklin brings the house down as this clever chameleon.

The help is mischievous and mystifying, with Lari White sassy and sexy in a skimpy French maid outfit, affecting a spot-on accent, too, and Leah Berry funny as the demanding, no-nonsense cook who doesn’t suffer fools and knows knife skills.

Cameron Jamarr Davis conveys authority and reliability as “The Cop” among other roles, and Cummings re-appears in minor parts as well.

As outstanding as the cast is, the production’s artisans have matched their vigor. Lee Savage’s production design creates rooms Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes would have been comfortable in, while lighting designer Sean M. Savoie’s expert shades of illumination provide key shadows and moods. Costume designer Brad Musgrove has captured each character’s personality through a color palette that defines their attire and accessories. Sound designer Beef Gratz’s superb atmospheric contributions make sounds ranging from thunderstorms to creaking doors an integral part of the story.

The zest evident in presentation is this show’s most attractive quality, the sheer thrill of watching a high-wire act without a net. Stages St. Louis leaves us smiling on a summer night, and I’m still chuckling reminiscing about what I saw.

“Clue” at Stages St. Louis. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

Stages St. Louis presents “Clue” from July 21 (previews) through Aug. 20 in the Ross Family Theatre at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, 210 E. Monroe St., in Kirkwood, Mo. For more information, visit: https://stagesstlouis.org.

Photo by Phillip Hamer.

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Take Ten with Filmmaker Fu Yang

Take Ten with Filmmaker Fu Yang

By Lynn Venhaus

Feeling burnt out, Fu Yang took a real-life event, wrapped it inside a metaphorical tale about being consumed by an authority’s endless needs, being unappreciated and manipulated, and made an animated short, “Fortune Cookie.”

She is one of 22 female directors whose work was accepted into this year’s St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase. The nearly 4-minute stop-motion short is part of the Animation and Experimental Shorts line-up that will be shown at 1 p.m. on Sunday, July 30.

“The film speaks about where I was and how I saw a new path from the dead end,” she said..

Through personal projects, she shares pieces of herself and the culture she grew up in, she said. “I see every work as a journal to connect with people and share a message on subjects that matter in my heart.”

The short was created through a Voices With Impact production grant and premiered at Art With Impact ‘s Voices With Impact mental health film festival in June. 

Yang, originally from Taiwan, came to San Francisco to study traditional animation in 2016. In 2022, she re-established an animation studio with her husband, Ben Ellerbracht, in St. Louis.

In her biography, she said being an alien in the US has made her more sensitive to other storytellers trying to express their roots through filmmaking as a way to bridge communication and understanding among different cultures. Having the experience as a foreign art student also brings her attention to how other immigrants follow their dreams and break through the barrier of language and limited resources they often have, she said.

Tools of the trade for her stop-motion project.

The Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, an annual presentation of the nonprofit Cinema St. Louis, serves as the area’s primary venue for films made by local artists. The Showcase screens works that were written, directed, edited, or produced by St. Louis natives or films with strong local ties. Artistic Director Chris Clark said they chose to include 91 films.

The 17 film programs that screen at the Hi-Pointe Theatre from July 21-23 and 28-30 serve as the Showcase’s centerpiece. The Closing-Night Awards Party is at 7:30 p.m. at the Hi-Pointe Theatre.

The film programs range from full-length fiction and documentary features to multi-film compilations of fiction, documentary, and experimental shorts. The programs with feature films include post- screening Q&As with the filmmakers and/or subjects.

For a complete schedule and more information, visit: https://www.cinemastlouis.org/23rd-annual-st-louis-filmmakers-showcase

Fu Yang

Take Ten Q&A with Fu Yang:

1. Why did you choose your profession/pursue the arts?

It feels more natural to me to open up and connect with people through crafts and animation. I believe films have the power of empathy and can broaden the viewers’ knowledge and strengthen their minds.

2. How would your friends describe you?

Composed and resilient workaholic. 

3. How do you like to spend your spare time?

Snuggle with my hubby and puppy.

4. What is your current obsession?

Ramen.

5. What would people be surprised to find out about you?

I am a cheerful person who tends to create dark stories.

6. Can you share one of your most defining moments in life?

Every moment when I am physically animating a stop-motion scene.

7. Who do you admire most?

My Mom is a saint.

8. What is at the top of your bucket list?

Create reality competition shows about stop-motion animation to highlight the creators, storytelling and craftsmanship.

9. How were you affected by the pandemic years, and anything you would like to share about what got you through and any lesson learned during the isolation periods? Any reflections on how the arts were affected? And what it means to move forward?

When Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate movements happened along with the pandemic, I transited more of my creative energy on my identity and seeking understanding among different cultures through my art and work content.

10. What is your favorite thing to do in St. Louis? (Or your hometown)

Typing preplans of film projects on my studio deck.

11. What’s next?

Write a truthful animated short about sibling rivalry reflecting Taiwanese 90s to present memories.

More on Fu Yang

Name: Fu Yang 楊馥
Birthplace: Taiwan
Current location: St. Louis
Education: Academy of Art University | San Francisco, CA  2016 – 2019
MFA Traditional and Stop Motion Animation
Day job: Freelance Content Creator
First job: Album Cover Design
https://tompkinssquare.bandcamp.com/album/anti

First movie you were involved in or made: TellTale (2019)
https://fuyang.wixsite.com/fuyang/telltale-thesis-film

Favorite jobs/roles/plays or work in your medium? Teaching and producing animation interview program, Nice Shorts.
https://www.instagram.com/niceshorts.interview/

Dream job/opportunity: Hold stop-motion workshop & animation festival in St. Louis

Awards/Honors/Achievements: Voices with Impact Production Grantee for Fortune Cookie Short Film

Favorite quote/words to live by: Love & Kind

A song that makes you happy: Religious Man ( I am I am )

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKsI_A-DDIf/

Here is her director’s statement on this content, on why she focused on burnout:

“The original concept came out as a reflection of my working experience right after graduating from art school. I volunteered at non-profits believing in their missions. I trusted their false promises that they would consider hiring me in the future, and I dedicated all my time and efforts to proving my worth to the team

However, what I did seemed never good enough and never fit their qualifications of being “a true professional.” Those authorities told me it is normal for aspiring artists to compromise on their well-beings and payments as an exchange for their exposures and opportunities– this is how “everyone” starts in the beginning. I felt my face became their advertisement of embracing diversity, but my voice was undervalued. My projects related to servicing justice and supporting artists, but I was not the case to be noticed and considered.

I need an exit to put my mixed feeling of hopelessness, exhaustion and anxiety aside. Therefore, I want to transform the negativity into art to remind myself, other aspiring artists and young professionals the importance of knowing our limits and taking care of our well-beings while pursuing our dreams. People who are older than us, staying in the industry longer than us and having more resources than us do not mean they have the right to surpass and manipulate others. Be brave to say no and walk away. Believe in ourselves and find the right community to heal and to grow.” — Fu Yang

Bouncy ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is freaky, geeky fun at The Muny

Bouncy ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ is freaky, geeky fun at The Muny

By Lynn Venhaus

A mod, madcap rock musical, “Little Shop of Horrors” is a perfect palate cleanser after two serious prestige productions this season. The Muny merrily delivers this bright bouquet of quirky black comedy to ride out an inevitable midsummer St. Louis heat wave.

A pleasant evening of escapist entertainment, the campy cult classic shows why it is an enduring ‘little engine that could’ – a zippy two-hour musical that puts the bop in doo wop and delights with kooky characters while glossing over what is potentially icky with a lightness of being.

It is, after all, a horror comedy – and one loosely based on a cheesy 1960 movie meant to be a goofy cautionary tale about the atomic age. Designed to satirize science fiction, B-movies, the Faustian bargain and even musical comedy, the appeal of “Little Shop of Horrors” has now reached multiple generations.

Perhaps a maniacal plant that feeds on human flesh and blood doesn’t sound appealing, but in its fourth presentation and the first one since 2011, the Muny’s creative team knows how to get it just right, winning us over with the show’s lively tempo and unpretentious yet irreverent attitude.

Maybe when you discover Audrey II, the freakish carnivorous plant picked up by botanically curious Seymour in Chinatown during a solar eclipse, is a dastardly schemer from outer space that takes over Seymour’s life, it’s more palatable.

Nicholas Ward. Photo by Emily Santel.

“Two-eys” hearty appetite for destruction is the catalyst for Seymour blooming where he’s planted — providing him with a taste of fame and opportunities, the allure of celebrity leading to a possible livin’ large lifestyle that he’s been longing for – a dare to dream scenario.

And let’s talk about that spectacular centerpiece of the show – the Venus flytrap-like plant that grows to epic proportions is a doozy, a marvel of engineering and innovation designed by James Ortiz. (I was fortunate to see this puppet designer’s remarkable work in the recent Broadway revival of “Into the Woods,” and this guy’s got game.)

His neon green one-of-a-kind otherworldly monstrosity was created just for the Muny run. Four puppeteers impressively guide this mean green machine, with astonishing mobility credited to Travis Patton as “Audrey II Manipulation.” Just watching Patton move with Swiss-watch precision is fascinating, and he deservedly takes a bow during the curtain call.

The bloodthirsty, pushy character is voiced by Nicholas Ward with devilish charm. His “Feed Me (Git It)” is saucy, and his “Suppertime” is unsettling, those robust pipes a delight to hear – even if Audrey II’s endgame is world domination. Of course Ward played Mufasa in “The Lion King” on Broadway. You may recall his impressive vocal performance as Caiaphas in “Jesus Christ Superstar” here in 2017.

The fact that this intimate show feels comfortably at home on the Muny stage is a major achievement, for striking the right tone between playful and offbeat with fear and murder is not easy to do given the source material, and its unconventional backstory. It’s far more complicated than it appears, and this small cast and crew make it appear effortless.

What first became a low-budget Roger Corman horror B-movie in 1960, featuring an unknown Jack Nicholson as a masochistic dental patient (cut out of stage version) and written by Charles Griffith, was turned into an off-Broadway musical sensation penned by none other than those cheeky composing pals Howard Ashman (book and lyrics) and Alan Menken (music) in 1982.

Turned into a movie musical in 1986, the stage version finally made it to Broadway in 2003. It was revived off-Broadway in 2019, with the top-shelf cast of Jonathan Groff, Tammy Blanchard and Christian Borle.

Now household names, the late Ashman and Menken’s star rose with their Disney collaborations – “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast “and “Aladdin.” After Ashman’s death in 1991, Menken wrote music with other lyricists to maintain a Hall of Fame career – “Newsies,” “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Hercules” among a long list that has earned 8 Academy Awards, 11 Grammy Awards and 1 Tony (4 nominations).

Menken, unintentionally, is being showcased this season with three productions – “the kids’ show” “Beauty and the Beast” and closer “Sister Act,” displaying his range.

The Urchins and the Dentist. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

This Ashman-Menken score shows their compatibility, sense of humor, understanding of music history, and the ability to change styles fluidly. (For a deeper dive into their beginnings, “Howard” is a terrific documentary available streaming on Disney+).

Director Maggie Burrows keeps the pace crisp and snappy, as she did in “On Your Feet!” and last year’s “Legally Blonde,” and so does her collaborator, choreographer William Carlos Angulo. Along with music director Andrew Graham, they added the oomph to Ashman-Menken’s genial numbers. Orchestrations are by Robert Merkin and vocal arrangements by Robert Billig.

The high-spirited ensemble frolics with glee. The two leads are polished pros with strong voices – three-time Tony nominee Robin De Jesus and reliable Muny favorite Patti Murin are smoothly in sync as florist shop co-workers, genuine in song and performance. They sing from the heart in the romantic ballad “Suddenly, Seymour,” and have a good time with “Closed for Renovation” and “Call Back in the Morning.”

Working hard as the sweet and lovable dork Seymour, De Jesus draws us in to the poor orphan’s tough life on Skid Row, but the dead-end hasn’t hardened him to hope, even though he appears hapless. He’s craving change, noticeably so in “Grow for Me.”

Undeterred, he won’t stop trying to win over Audrey, the love of his life who feels unworthy of anyone’s affection. Without a shred of self-esteem, she is the victim of an awful, abusive boyfriend, which is the other ‘horror’ (after all, the title is plural). She delivers a heartrending “Somewhere That’s Green.”

Audrey II and Audrey. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

De Jesus’s humanity as conflicted Seymour comes through. And that’s usually a component evident in all his performances. He was last seen here as the title character in the pre-Broadway tryout of “Aladdin” in 2012. The original Sonny in “In the Heights,” for which he was Tony-nominated, he also scored a nomination as housekeeper Jacob in “La Cage Aux Folles” and Emory in “The Boys in the Band” stage play revival. He reprised his role in the 2021 Netflix movie.

I first noticed him in the underrated indie gem, “Camp,” from 2003, as one of the young misfits at a performing arts summer camp. In 2021, he played opposite Andrew Garfield as Michael in the Lin-Manuel Miranda directed “tick, tick…Boom.”

Murin is an affable Audrey, just as she has engaged here as Paulette in last year’s “Legally Blonde,” as Ariel in “The Little Mermaid” and Roxie in “Chicago,” both in 2011. She originated the role of Princess Anna in Disney’s “Frozen” on Broadway.

Tony winner Michael McGrath gives shop owner Mr. Mushnik an edge, for he treats Seymour shabbily but does have comical lines. A longtime Muny performer, he won a Tony for “Nice Work If You Can Get It,” and was nominated for “Spamalot.”

The ensemble sparkles, especially Taylor Marie Daniel, Kennedy Holmes and Stephanie Gomerez as the Urchins girl group, an R&B trio honoring the Brill Building/early Motown songwriters with the names Chiffon, Crystal, and Ronnette.

They bring the pizzazz as the Greek chorus, harmonious and spunky in the Prologue, “Skid Row (Downtown),” “Da Doo,” “Don’t It Go to Show Ya Never Know,” and “Dentist!”

Philip Hamer photo.

The meaty roles in supporting parts are one of the show’s selling points. Ryan Vasquez kills it as the sadistic dentist Orin Scrivello. He’s absurdly exaggerated in this plum part, especially in “Now (It’s Just the Gas).”

And he’s very funny as gaudily dressed assorted characters in the second act, showing a good-sport sense of humor in his Muny debut — and quite a range for an actor who played Alexander Hamilton and various founding fathers in “Hamilton” on Broadway.

The costumes are sensational, an integral part of the atmosphere. Costume Designer Leon Dobkowski created blasts from the past with the Urchins’ flashy fashions, and bosom-enhancing skin-tight outfits worn by Audrey that look like they were purchased from Frederick’s of Hollywood.

He also selected suitable nebbish attire worn by Seymour and Mushnik, and Kelly Jordan’s wig design also aided the retro look. Dobkowski won two St. Louis Theater Circle Awards for “Seussical” and “The Wiz,” and he has such a fun-loving eye.

The scenic design by Kristen Robinson is a striking grungy streetscape of an area that has seen better days, and an effectively shrewd interior of Mushnik’s Flower Shop, which includes subtle changes as the business prospers, and well-chosen pieces reflecting the economic fortunes. She tells the story well depicting those touches.

Greg Emetaz’s video design is seamless, deftly enhancing the set design and story progression with strong visuals.

This is a swiftly paced musical with a zest for fantasy, yet grounded in a dark side that is still amusing after all these years.

Photo by Philip Hamer

The Muny presents “Little Shop of Horrors” July 25-31 at 8:15 p.m. on the outdoor stage in Forest Park. For more information, visit: www.muny.org.

Unexpected, Unpredictable ‘Barbie’ Is An Irresistible Pop o’ Culture

Unexpected, Unpredictable ‘Barbie’ Is An Irresistible Pop o’ Culture

By Lynn Venhaus

Far from plastic and without a whiff of cynicism, “Barbie” is a cherry lemonade-frosted cupcake made with the best ingredients, no artificial sweeteners, and sprinkled with Mom love. It tickled me pink.

For our hero’s journey, Barbie must leave her comfort zone, the female-fantastic Barbie Land, to discover the perils of the Real World, where men rule, and she questions her existence.

Savvy writer-director Greta Gerwig has crafted an irresistible fantasy-comedy vision narrated by Helen Mirren, featuring Kate McKinnon as the outcast Weird Barbie, Ryan Gosling projecting “Kenergy” while wearing a floor-length white faux fur coat, and Lizzo singing a spirited “Pink” wake-up tune.

Whatever emotions a Barbie doll has evoked in your lifetime, this inventive live-action movie will bring them all out because of its sincere heart. While a delectable confection, there are multi-layers to digest, making it a surprising thought-provoking piece for our time.

On the one hand, with its frothy cotton-candy-colored façade and breezy beach vibe, “Barbie” is a joyous ode to childhood make-believe and a sentimental nostalgia trip for those who grew up playing with the style-setter. (However, this movie is not for kids, so scratch your plans for a mother-daughter bonding experience if they are under 12).

Brimming with great gags and vibrant visuals, it’s a dizzying pop o’ culture and universality. Through a smart, clever, and funny script co-written by Gerwig and the father of her two children, accomplished filmmaker Noah Baumbach, it is also self-aware and pokes fun at the Barbie ideal and how that has evolved over the years.

Most importantly, though, it is a matter-of-fact look at women’s treatment in society, pushing for more female empowerment while it points out inequalities and unrealistic beauty images. So, whether you love or hate Mattel’s global fashion icon, the takeaways are plentiful.

That’s because all the elements come together to celebrate girl power, while also taking a closer look at a toy’s story and what it reflects about us. Case in point — Issa Rae plays the President, and only female justices are on the Supreme Court in blissful Barbie Land while America Ferrara is a harried working mom in the Real World that tells it like it is in a monologue worthy of break-out applause.

Two-time Oscar nominee Gerwig, who grew up playing with Barbies, wants everyone to have their cake and eat it too. That’s why it is playful, but then addresses how it is a powerful yet polarizing corporation’s merchandise, at once adored by consumers but also decried by detractors.

With Warner Brothers’ studio’s extensive marketing campaign in high gear this summer, the world’s most famous doll, born in 1959, is ubiquitous – and both the filmmakers and filmgoers have embraced this journey.

Margot Robbie as Barbie

Gerwig, an inspired storyteller and enthusiastic film fan, includes nods to such whimsical influences as “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and “The Wizard of Oz,” and the colorful aesthetics of the Golden Age of Hollywood musicals and Jacques Demy’s unorthodox “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.”

And of course, she references “Grease” and “Saturday Night Fever” in group numbers and tempo. The catchy centerpiece “Dance the Night Way,” sung by Dua Lipa, also a Barbie, is produced by hitmaker Mark Ronson – although cut short when Barbie’s bubble bursts. 

The kicky escapist pop soundtrack includes the sampling of “Barbie Girl,” the 1997 Aqua song, in Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s “Barbie World,” along with HAIM’s “Home,” Sam Smith’s “Man I Am,” Tame Impala’s “Journey to the Real World,” Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” and yes, Gosling’s ‘90s boy-band ballad “I’m Just Ken.”

Must also mention the Indigo Girls song from 1989 “Closer to Fine” that becomes a singalong!

A nod to inventor Ruth Handler is lovely, with Rhea Perlman as the Jewish businesswoman (and Mattel’s first president) having tea with her creation. “Humans have only one ending. Ideas live forever,” Ruth tells Barbie.

The pink paradise that is Barbie Land is a wonder to behold, an imaginative playground where girls of all sizes rule. They are independent, successful Nobel Prize winners, Olympic athletes, astronauts, and doctors, living in custom Barbie Dream Houses and changing lives.

The most upbeat is Stereotypical Barbie, and as the blonde bachelorette beauty, Margot Robbie is splendid, with that megawatt smile of hers, radiating star quality. A two-time Oscar nominee (“Bombshell” and “I, Tonya”), she also produced the film.

Her self-sufficient character is no bimbo and certainly not in anyone’s shadow, least of all Ken, who is fine focusing on Barbie’s happiness.

When she discovers – gasp – that men rule the world, and Ken becomes enamored with the patriarchy, thirsting for the power associated with being in charge, not to mention hanging with his macho-cool bros –  it becomes a rocky road.

Fortunately, the toxic masculinity fueled Kendom is short-lived, and the divine disco dancing dude returns as his supportive self.

Ryan Gosling

Two-time Oscar nominee Gosling is flat-out hilarious and an all-in team player as the golden boy. While known for his brooding performances in “Blade Runner 2049,” “Drive” and “The Ides of March,” he has proven how funny he can be in two stints hosting “Saturday Night Live” (must-see sketches are “Close Encounters” in 2015 and “Papyrus” five years ago) and shown his prowess for singing and dance in “La La Land” and his Mouseketeer roots on “The All New Mickey Mouse Club.”

Robbie’s Barbie is not the only girl in town – and the casting is faultless. Emerald Fennell, who won an Oscar for her original screenplay “Promising Young Woman,” is seen briefly as the pregnant Midge, Barbie’s best pal that was discontinued in 2002.

McKinnon is a hoot as the embodiment of the doll who was played with a little too rough, one that had her hair chopped off and her face scribbled with magic markers. She’s become the sage, and makes Barbie select either a stiletto heel or a Birkenstock sandal, a riff on her path as “The Matrix” red or blue pill choice.

And Michael Cera steals the whole show as Allan, Ken’s friend — “I can wear the same clothes.” Marvel guys Simu Liu and Kingsley Ben-Adir are good sports as other Beach Kens. John Cena as Mermaid Ken? Yes, please.

The innovative sunny, sparkly production design by six-time Oscar nominee Sarah Greenwood is a work of art, aided by her frequent collaborator Katie Spencer as set decorator, as is the costume designs by two-time Oscar winner Jacqueline Durran, who worked with Gerwig on “Little Women.”

“Barbie” gets so much right that it’s unfortunate that the filmmakers don’t seem to know how to properly end it, appearing to run out of gas on that golden stretch of Pacific Coast Highway.

Nevertheless, any film that encourages self-expression is to be saluted.

As a first-generation Barbie owner (my mom gave me the ‘Picnic Set’ Barbie with the fishing pole, wearing jeans, for my 6th birthday in 1960), the gift was aspirational, for I could dream of adventures and a glamorous life of achievements when I grew up.

And that spirit lifts this entertaining film into a magical ‘make your own kind of music’ anthem whose time has come.

“Barbie” is a 2023 comedy-fantasy directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Michael Cera, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, America Ferrara, Simu Liu, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Will Ferrell and Rhea Perlman. It is rated PG-13 for suggestive references and brief language, and the runtime is 1 hour, 54 minutes. It opens in theaters July 21. Lynn’s Grade: B+.

Note: this review was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Take Ten with St. Louis Filmmaker Andy Compton

Take Ten with St. Louis Filmmaker Andy Compton

By Lynn Venhaus
At home behind a movie camera, Andy Compton has strived to be a resourceful filmmaker, working through pitfalls to take a film from page to screen. Post-pandemic, he has been busy, crafting shorts that have been accepted for the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, and last year’s comedy, “Ethan and Edna,” played at the St. Louis International Film Festival.

He’s currently working on four more shorts this summer through fall.

“Basically, just having a blast making stuff with my friends and trying to keep getting better as a filmmaker,” he said. 

His latest “Captcha,” a sci-fi horror thriller comedy short, will be screened as part of the Narrative Shorts #4 Program on Saturday, July 22, at 9 p.m. at the Hi-Pointe Theatre. At the July 30 Closing Night Awards Party, Cinema St. Louis’ artistic director Chris Clark will announce which of the 91 films screened this year will move on to SLIFF in November (3-13).

The Whitaker St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase, an annual presentation of the nonprofit Cinema St. Louis, serves as the area’s primary venue for films made by local artists.The Showcase screens works that were written, directed, edited, or produced by St. Louis natives or films with strong local ties.

The 17 film programs that screen at the Hi-Pointe Theatre from July 21-23 and 28-30 serve as the Showcase’s centerpiece. In addition, the event features a quartet of live-streamed master classes — the legal-issues class is also available as an in-person event — and the Closing-Night Awards Party at the Hi-Pointe Theatre.

The film programs range from full-length fiction and documentary features to multi-film compilations of fiction, documentary, and experimental shorts. The programs with feature films include post- screening Q&As with the filmmakers and/or subjects.

For a complete schedule and more information, visit: https://www.cinemastlouis.org/23rd-annual-st-louis-filmmakers-showcase

You can find Andy’s films on his YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@andycompton and follow him on social media — @andycompton_ on twitter and Instagram

He also produces “The Social Screenwriters Podcast,” where he interview screenwriters he has met on the internet about who they are, their projects, their writing process, and more. Available on podcast platforms.

“It’s a fun listen for writers chasing this crazy dream,” he said..

Here’s more about Andy.

Q&A QUESTIONS FOR “TAKE TEN”:

1. What is special about your latest project?

I think the most special thing about our latest short film, CAPTCHA, is that we shot it with a 4-person crew of friends for only about $250 when all was said and done. I’m incredibly proud of what we were able to make with very few resources.

2. Why did you choose your profession/pursue the arts?

A turbulent childhood coupled with a need for attention. That’s the recipe.

3. How would your friends describe you?

I would hope for charismatic and outgoing but more likely weird guy who goes to see movies alone.

4. How do you like to spend your spare time?

I grew up skateboarding and I’m still holding onto that at 35. Playing guitar. Watching movies. Pretty much the same stuff I was doing when I was 14. 

5. What is your current obsession?

Watching YouTubers watch movies I love for the first time and seeing how much they love it or if they cry when I cried or get scared when I got scared. I was just watching people react to Avatar 2 (another James Cameron banger).

6. What would people be surprised to find out about you?

Probably that I’m a former high school dropout. I quit school at 16, then just worked random jobs for most of my 20s until I got my GED at 26, enrolled in community college at 27, and graduated from Webster University with a Bachelor’s degree in Scriptwriting at 31. I took the long road, lol.

7. Can you share one of your most defining moments in life?

When I got sober in 2017. Drugs and alcohol were a big part of my life from my early teens on through my 20s. Eventually, I started noticing that those things were only holding me back in life. Then in 2017, I got a DUI. Obviously not proud of it, but it was undoubtedly the best thing that could have happened to me at that time and I was able to turn my life around starting the next day and I haven’t looked back since. Life has gotten so much better. Coming up on 6 years in September. 

8. Who do you admire most?

My mom. 

9. What is at the top of your bucket list?

I want to kickflip over the Arch.

10. How were you affected by the pandemic years, and anything you would like to share about what got you through and any lesson learned during the isolation periods? Any reflections on how the arts were affected? And what it means to move forward?

My hair got a lot more gray during the pandemic and I’m not sure if it was caused by the stress or simply coincidence. But, obviously it was a tragic and scary time for everyone. I will say, as a natural introvert, I was not mad about being forced to stay inside everyday. I got a ton of writing done. I was actually supposed to graduate from Webster in May 2020, but it was postponed. Also, we had a short film I had directed at Webster called TIN BOX entering into the film festival circuit at the time so all of that went online as well. It was a bummer for sure, but when people are losing family members out there, it was kind of hard to be upset about my dumb short film or not walking at graduation right away. It’s an interesting time for filmmakers as just when pandemic restrictions were lifted, the Writer’s Guild and Actor’s Guild have gone on strike (rightfully so), so it’s another pause on progress for those of us trying to break into the industry. That’s life, though. 

11. What is your favorite thing to do in St. Louis?

I’m a big St. Louis Blues fan so I love going to games. Also, Grammy Sammies at The Gramophone. Also, seeing shows at The Improv Shop. I did their training program when I first got sober and played on some teams until I just got too busy chasing the film dream. It’s a great theater and great community, though. Go see a show!

12. What’s next?

A lot! The same team behind CAPTCHA have another short film in post-production right now, then we’re shooting three more in August, September, and October. Four shorts from June to October seemed like a great idea earlier this year but now that we’re doing it, it’s a lot! But, I’m too stubborn to admit defeat so we’re pressing on. Basically, just having a blast making stuff with my friends and trying to keep getting better as a filmmaker. 

More on Andy:

Name: Andy Compton
Age: 35.
Birthplace: Lansing, Michigan
Current location: St. Louis Missouri
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Scriptwriting/Minor in Film & Television Production from Webster University
Day job: Wedding/Event Videography
First job: Line cook at Sonic Drive-in
First movie you were involved in or made: PET TURTLES, written & directed by Vern Tooley. Some improv friends and I were extras in one scene. My best friend and actor in all my movies, Larry Claudin, stars.
Favorite jobs/roles/plays or work in your medium: Due to a lack of budget, I’m usually wearing a lot of hats on the shorts I make. I write, direct, produce, edit, do production design, wardrobe, casting, etc. Of all those, I love the writing process, but my absolute favorite part is directing. Writing is a lonely profession. Being on-set with a whole creative team throwing out ideas, and actors who bring their own flavor to the words you put on the page is the best part. I also love doing improv on-set so I just love pitching jokes on the fly to actors and seeing if we can make the crew laugh. If the crew laughs, I know it’s funny.
Dream job/opportunity: I would love to develop a movie with Adam Sandler. He’s one of my heroes and it would be an honor to direct him in something. I think I would have to fist fight the Safdie Brothers to get to him, though.
Awards/Honors/Achievements: I had two feature scripts, SUPLEX, and BELLYACHE, make the Semifinals of the Nicholl Fellowship, the screenwriting competition run by The Academy in 2020. That kind of kicked off a lot of things for me and helped me land a manager in LA. 
Favorite quote/words to live by: Be kind.
A song that makes you happy: “Check the Rhime” by A Tribe Called Quest

Nolan’s Magnum Opus ‘Oppenheimer’ is Big, Bold And Brilliant

Nolan’s Magnum Opus ‘Oppenheimer’ is Big, Bold And Brilliant

By Lynn Venhaus
One of the best films of the year, “Oppenheimer” is a stunning achievement in sight, sound, story, and scope.

Brilliantly directed and written by Christopher Nolan, his first biopic about the “Father of the Atomic Bomb” is his magnum opus. He not only delivers a fascinating historical drama on the genius theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer’s research and development, but he has crafted it like a big-stakes psychological thriller with many pieces of a puzzle becoming clear over its three-hour runtime.

It was exhilarating to see something this intelligent, lucid, and well-constructed.

Based on the 2005 Pulitzer Prize-winning book, “American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer” by Kai Bird and the late Martin J. Sherwin, Nolan’s adaptation focuses primarily on the scientist’s rise in the hallowed halls of revered institutions, the U.S. government’s interest in his quantum mechanics work, directing the Los Alamos Laboratory during World War II, his role in organizing the Manhattan Project, and the aftermath of building a nuclear weapon.

This erudite character study explains much in its sharp dialogue that didn’t feel heavy or highbrow, and thanks to the actors’ snappy delivery, naturalistic.  Nolan’s verbal dexterity is crucial to this becoming edge-of-your-seat good instead of an academic exercise, and through meticulous detail, infuses a compelling biography with big-picture questions.

Nolan has created some of the best films of the 21st century since “Memento” in 2000, and is known for his cerebral storytelling, nonlinear style, and visual mastery.

Oscar-nominated five times for picture and director for “Dunkirk,” picture and screenplay for “Inception” and screenplay for “Memento,” his films have won mostly technical awards. He has thrilled with his Batman trilogy, impressed with “The Prestige,” and confounded with “Tenet” and “Interstellar,” gaining a fervent fan base.

Even those not as enamored will begrudgingly admit to admiring his commitment to big, bold cinematic grandeur, rarely relying on digital effects. (For instance, no computer-generated graphics in “The Dark Knight.”)

While weaving a grand-scale intricate narrative that flashes back and forward across decades, Nolan creates tension that leads to the “Trinity” code-name bomb-testing that’s one of the most astonishing sequences ever captured on film as he manipulates sight and sound for the Big Bang.

After the bomb is used and the government takes it over from there, the film raises issues about actions causing reactions, scientific advancement, and government responsibility as Oppenheimer is swept into the maelstrom of moral, ethical, and political debates unleashed after the bomb’s use to end World War II.

The story is framed with an unsettling hearing in 1954, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, which stripped Oppenheimer of his security clearance, a kangaroo court depicting the post-war Red Scare paranoia. With his leftist leanings, connections to people that were avowed (past) Communists, and fretting over nuclear proliferation, he was accused of being a Soviet spy and became an unfortunate scapegoat.

Nolan uses this backroom thrashing as a look back, intertwining science with politics by effectively alternating color and black-and-white film. It’s a master storyteller at the peak of his craft.

A key element is a mega-cast that features everyone giving their all, creating authentic portraits of people that played a part in history, from Alden Ehrenreich depicting a Senate aide to British actor Tom Conti unrecognizable as Albert Einstein and Gary Oldman’s sly work as President Harry S Truman in one scene.

A longtime fan of Cillian Murphy, I’m happy to see the Irish actor finally taking center stage in a part that seems tailor-made for him, and he’s on screen nearly the entire time. It’s such a virtuoso lived-in portrait, his career best, and he superbly unfolds multiple layers – showing many facets of Oppenheimer’s personality.

Murphy’s most well-known work is as crime boss Tommy Shelby in the Netflix series “Peaky Blinders” (2013-2022), which is about a gangster family in 1900s England. In 2002, he broke through in the Danny Boyle sci-fi masterpiece “28 Days Later,” and has been featured in six Nolan films, starting with “Batman Begins” in 2005 as DC Comics’ villain Dr. Jonathan Crane/Scarecrow.

As the two complicated women in his life, Emily Blunt is bulldog-like in her support, portraying his alcoholic biologist wife Kitty, unapologetic as a stressed-out mom, and Florence Pugh is troubled longtime girlfriend, psychiatrist Jean Tatlock.

Robert Downey Jr. stands out in a shrewd performance as Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission and ambitious political climber, and Matt Damon is strong as General Leslie Groves Jr., director of the Manhattan Project.

Josh Hartnett, who fell off mainstream movie radar, roars back as pioneering American nuclear scientist Ernest Lawrence, who worked with Oppenheimer at University of California-Berkeley, and Benny Safdie is once again surprising as theoretical physicist Edward Teller, who disagreed with Oppie on the hydrogen bomb.

A litany of recognizable actors portraying either scientists, military brass or support staff includes Casey Affleck, Kenneth Branagh, Jason Clarke, Dane DeHaan, Tony Goldwyn, David Krumholtz, Rami Malek, Matthew Modine, and Alex Wolff.

You might also be familiar with Dylan Arnold, who plays Robert’s brother Frank Oppenheimer, Michael Angarano as good friend-physicist Robert Serber, David Dastmalchian as William Borden, who filed a complaint with the FBI, Gregory Jbara as Senate Chairman Magnuson, and Macon Blair as Oppenheimer’s defense attorney Lloyd Garrison.

This film leaps to being either a frontrunner or contender in many awards categories, figuring into the year-end conversations. It will be in mine – considerations for film, director, adapted screenplay, lead actor, supporting actor (Downey), supporting actress (Blunt), cinematography, editing, music score, visual effects, production design, costumes, hair and makeup, and sound nominations.

Nolan’s go-to cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema, Oscar nominee for “Dunkirk” and showing his keen eye in “Nope,” reaches new heights here, groundbreaking actually. He shot the film partially in black-and-white, and in doing so, made history. In a combination of IMAX 65 mm and 65 mm large-format film photography it includes, for the first time ever, sections in IMAX black and white analogue photography.

L to R: Matt Damon is Leslie Groves and Cillian Murphy is J. Robert Oppenheimer in OPPENHEIMER, written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

So that the sections of the movie could be shot in the same quality as the rest of the film, Kodak developed the first ever black and white film stock for IMAX.

Composer Ludwig Goransson, who won an Oscar for his “Black Panther” score, distinctively guides the tone and the tempo with savvy music choices.

The artisan work is exceptional – especially Jennifer Lame’s decisive editing, and the sound editing and mixing technicians’ advanced capabilities (Richard King, Michael W. Mitchell, Kevin O’Connell, Gary A. Rizzo leading the way.)

Luisa Abel’s expert makeup and prosthetic department’s aging visages appear realistic, and costume designer Ellen Mirojnick’s looks for tweedy academia, active soldiers, swanky party guests and ‘40s housewives are spot-on, factoring in desert, Northern California, and New England climates.

Ruth De Jong’s production design spans decades and locations with accurate retro recreations, as Nolan moves from ‘20s grad school in Germany to ‘30s UC-Berkeley classrooms, to ‘40s Princeton, deserts and mountains, wartime New Mexico and McCarthy-era Washington D.C.

“Oppenheimer” harkens back to those mammoth blockbusters of old, those sweeping epics filmed by David Lean that captured our fancy. It is rare to see a movie of this magnitude be this satisfying, but it is nuanced filmmaking at its finest. Go see this big-brained movie on the biggest screen possible.

“Oppenheimer” is a 2023 drama-thriller-biography written and directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., and Florence Pugh. It is Rated R for some nudity, sexuality and language and runs 3 hours. It opens in theaters on July 21. Lynn’s Grade: A.

Note: this review was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist.

Comfortable Cast Contemplates Life’s Unpredictability in ‘The Years’

Comfortable Cast Contemplates Life’s Unpredictability in ‘The Years’

By Lynn Venhaus
Life and death. Lost and found. Weddings and funerals. The big picture and small moments. Cindy Lou Johnson’s “The Years” mulls it all over, and a pliant cast grasps their roles astutely in a bittersweet production from The Midnight Company.

A family comedy-drama written in 1994 and presented in St. Louis some years ago by the Orthwein Theatre Company, its universal themes again connecting in the intimate space of The Chapel. Joe Hanrahan directed the current show, and the latter.

The two-act framework, at first, seems like a familiar scenario: preparing for a small wedding with chaos all around two sets of cousins. Is any family spared drama on special occasions? Not in my experience – but we’re one of those who puts the ‘fun’ in dysfunctional, so the turmoil is relatable.

And this family is indeed ‘off-center.’ “The Years” is resolute in accepting the quirky, with characters going through different phases of understanding through a 20-year period. As the two sisters Andrea and Eloise, Alicen Moser and Summer Baer suffer both in silence and then out loud. They are fine, delicate actresses who excel at their craft.

Alicen Moser. Summer Baer. Photo by Joey Rumpell.

Their flakier cousins Isabella and Andrew are counted on to get things done, and Ashley Bauman and Joey File are terrific in comic relief as bossy, neurotic older sister Isabella and slacker, yet contemplative, younger brother Andrew. Newcomer File is the show’s breakout star, and one to watch.

It’s Andrea’s wedding day, but she is delayed by an inconvenient mugging that’s left her visibly bruised and emotionally battered. Meanwhile, her sister Eloise has problems of her own. They are both fragile, anyway, as they deal with their mother’s suicide soon after their father’s death.

They move on after that turbulent day, and 13 years pass. It’s time for another family wedding, and the cousins come together after struggling through the unpredictability of life. The last act takes place three years later, and this is where it stretched credibility, but it had me up to that troubling end, which didn’t feel like a ‘wrap up.’

The confident cast makes the most of a jagged little play, for they are a finely calibrated ensemble, smooth in their deliveries and comfortable on stage with each other.

In particular, the four cousins are convincing in projecting their shared bonds. While their lives intermingle, we get snippets of their characters through the skills of the performers – because the character backstories are slim.

Rounding out the cast, Michael Pierce and Joseph Garner may seem like interlopers, but their roles are anything but random. In only one scene, Pierce is assured as Eloise’s husband Jeff and Garner, a powerful presence in recent stage appearances, is a conflicted stranger Bartholomew, a lost soul that re-emerges throughout the play. He is prone to giving advice after life-altering events: “My life didn’t change – I changed my life.”

Hanrahan, a master storyteller on his own, has a knack for connecting people through art. A creative dynamo during the coronavirus public health crisis, he pivoted with original material, and keeps challenging himself and his casts with intriguing projects – well-known or new.

An experienced fight choreographer, Pierce (“Twelfth Night” by St. Louis Shakespeare Festival and “Murder on the Orient Express” at The Rep) set up authentic confrontations.

Competent design work was handled by Brad Slavik on set, Miriam Whatley on props, and Tony Enselmo on lights. Liz Henning’s costume designs are always outstanding

While not profound, “The Years” is a thoughtful reflection on connection, curveballs in life, and how our lives are impacted in roundabout ways, and ever more relevant after a global pandemic shutdown.

Summer Baer and Michael Pierce. Photo by Joey Rumpell.

The Midnight Company presents Cindy Lou Johnson’s “The Years” from July 13 to July 29 at The Chapel Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. on July 16 and 23. Tickets are on sale at metrotix.com. For more information, visit www.midnightcompany.com

The Midnight Company’s 2023 season continues with extended performances of “Just One Look” July 19, Aug. 16 and 30 at Blue Strawberry; “You Made Me Love You” July 26, Aug. 2 and 9 at Blue Strawberry; “Humans of St. Louis” at the St. Louis Fringe Festival Aug. 15-21, and “The Lion In Winter” Oct. 5-21 at the .Zack.

The Muny’s Electric, Elegant ‘West Side Story’ Aims For The Heart

The Muny’s Electric, Elegant ‘West Side Story’ Aims For The Heart

By Lynn Venhaus

Bursting with vitality, The Muny’s latest heart-tugging interpretation of “West Side Story” emphasizes its potency as a cultural snapshot and the exceptional elegance of its buttery vocals.

Arthur Laurents’ 1957 contemporary slant on Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” brims with pulse-pounding tension as rival ethnic gangs, The Jets and Sharks, fight on the mean streets of Manhattan’s pre-gentrified Upper West Side while you root for forbidden yet fairy-tale hopeful love.

As the star-crossed lovers Tony and Maria, Christian Douglas and Kanisha Feliciano will break your heart and their lush vocals will melt it. Their duets “Tonight” and “One Hand, One Heart” are exquisite, as is standout Douglas exuberant in “Maria” and projecting the longing in “Something’s Coming.”

The timeless music score again demonstrates its power as one of the greatest American musicals of all-time. Some 66 years earlier, Leonard Bernstein’s supple orchestrations and 27-year-old Stephen Sondheim’s brilliant lyrics forged unforgettable songs – including poignant “Somewhere,” vibrant “America,” propulsive “The Jet Song,” comical “Gee, Officer Krupke” and the fervid “Cool.”

The Jets. Phillip Hamer photo.

Rob Ruggiero seamlessly directs the musical with compelling urgency, stressing the emotional weight of an ‘us vs. them’ culture clash, an ingrained blind hatred that fuels the tumultuous turf wars of entrenched ‘white’ lower-class locals vs. Puerto Rican immigrants.

As is his custom, Ruggiero is a master at stripping down a show to its essentials, deconstructing a piece and making us see it through new eyes. He’s been the go-to guy for definitive productions of “Sweeney Todd” (2022), “Gypsy” (2018), “Hello, Dolly!” (2014) and “South Pacific” (2013) at the Muny, and transplendent productions of Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park with George” and “Follies” at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

When the musical first debuted on Broadway, while spellbinding and integrating those visionary dance scenes, audiences didn’t know how to take such a dark story that resulted in two major characters killed off before intermission. Tragedy wasn’t a forceful plot point in those golden era musicals – hence, “The Music Man” defeating it for Best Musical at the Tony Awards.

Photo by Phillip Hamer.

However, through the years, its appeal has grown, and several Broadway revivals have enhanced its stature, including a heralded 2009 reworking, with contributions by Lin-Manuel Miranda for more Latino authenticity.

The landmark 1961 film, the top-grosser that year, was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, and won 10, including Best Picture, making it the record-holder for movie musicals. The film is second only to “Singin’ in the Rain” on American Film Institute’s list of Greatest Movie Musicals.

Sixty years after its release, director Steven Spielberg reimagined this gritty street symphony in 2021, earning critical acclaim and seven Oscar nominations, with Ariana DeBose winning Best Supporting Actress as Anita.

The film first captured my heart on the big screen, as a reissue in fall 1968 before being sold to television, and I was immediately entranced at age 13. After multiple repeat viewings, a special anniversary DVD, and devouring all sorts of behind-the-scenes materials, it still holds my heart.

Jerusha Cavazos as Anita, center. Phillip Hamer photo.

While the original hasn’t aged well in the millennium with a predominantly white cast, bad makeup and some dubbed voices, it does capture a moment in time, and the 2021 adaptation corrected the egregious.

Eager to experience the magic again, this electric production did not disappoint Sunday night. The last Muny one, in 2013 with Kyle Dean Massey and Ali Ewoldt, was epic and became my gold standard, so a high bar. Let’s just say the Muny has come a long way since the first time I saw it there in 1982, as a season ticket holder, with Barry Williams, aka “Greg Brady,” as Tony. Ah, those old days of stunt casting.

This is the ninth time “West Side Story” is at the Muny, and retains its grip with such vigor, alive with possibility. It draws out the sadness because optimism is thwarted by ill-fated violence.

This run coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Muny’s first staging in 1963. It returned for a two-week run in 1967, and was seen again in 1982, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005 and then 10 years ago.

While some of the dialogue is insipid in that ‘50s daddy-o way, the stage musical continues to take me to my happy place as my all-time favorite. It does still pack an emotional punch in its truth and remains relevant today.

Why did this version make me fall in love with it all over again, after seeing it countless times on tour, in regional, community and youth theaters? Let me count the ways.

the Jets vs Sharks. Phillip Hamer photo.

Jerome Robbins’ original stylized dance numbers are precisely reproduced by choreographer Parker Esse – the enthralling “Prologue,” “Dance at the Gym,” “America,” and “Cool” and the muscular, balletic ensemble leapt on the ginormous stage in breathtaking fashion. The staging of the “Somewhere” dream ballet pulls the heartstrings, enhanced by Grace Marie Rusnica’s affecting vocal.

It’s a thing of lyrical and kinetic beauty to see those polished, passionate performers burn bright with red-hot intensity. Their version of the “Tonight” Quintet and Chorus is magnetic.

Arguably, there is not a better musical score, and the numbers are admirably delivered. Music Director James Moore is such a graceful conductor that a few bars into the overture, and his artistry has you hooked with his expertly orchestrated pieces. You may recall his luxurious skills in conducting Sondheim before – “Sweeney Todd,” “Gypsy,” and the last “West Side Story.” He makes you feel the music.

Performers familiar with their role’s challenges boost the show’s dynamics. Yurel Echezarreta is the seething, smoldering Bernardo, and it’s his seventh “West Side Story,” including Spielberg’s movie.

In his fifth Muny show, Kyle Coffman brings the heat as a limber Riff, the cocky, driven leader of the Jets and Tony’s best friend “womb to tomb.” He was Ice in Spielberg’s movie and part of the 2013 ensemble.

Making her Muny debut, Jerusha Cavazos is a fiery Anita, and along with her lissome dancing, she conveys a solid chemistry with Feliciano’s Maria, including the sublime duet, “A Boy Like That/I Have a Love.”

Caylie Rose Newcom is a feisty Anybodys, the tomboy Jet, and Ethan David Steph as hothead Action, Ethan Van Slyke as greenhorn Baby John and Daniel Assetta as explosive A-rab are also notable.

Ken Page as Doc. Phillip Hamer photo.

Local actors elevate the standard “adult” roles, with revered Muny all-star Ken Page touching as the kind, frustrated Doc, Tony’s boss and drugstore owner. Versatile veteran Michael James Reed portrays Lt. Shrank with a disquieting hostile edge and what a pleasure to see outstanding dramatic actor James A. Butz making his Muny debut as the sweaty, ineffectual Officer Krupke.

Ann Beyersdorfer’s scenic design is a striking urban jungle grid, depicting the decaying tenements that would be later torn down for Lincoln Center and such. Her set pieces – the dress shop, Doc’s drugstore – are smartly detailed, and both fluid and functional. Beyersdorfer is from Belleville, Ill., and this is her third show at the Muny, after this season’s opulent “Beauty and the Beast” and last year’s earthier “Camelot.”

Other noteworthy designs include the vintage costumes from Gail Baldoni, who has selected specific muted color palettes for the Jets and the Sharks and crafted a stunning white dress as Maria’s iconic outfit for the dance. Her bright fuchsia-violet shades for the Sharks’ girls in the “Mambo” and “America” scenes are eye-catching and enliven the dances.

And John Lasiter’s lighting design takes us from sweltering summer playgrounds to moonlit fire escapes to desolate concrete battle grounds while Shawn Duan’s video design punctuates exteriors and interiors.

“West Side Story” endures as a idealistic love story dashed by the gut-punch of tragic circumstances of gang war because of the reality we live. At a time when we hear of tribal sparring daily across the nation, this story is a reminder that decades after this social commentary pointed out what misguided hostilities can lead to, this musical provides a glimmer of hope that fists won’t stay clenched, and headlines won’t point out another young gun-related death.

Whether you have never seen it or have sat under the stars mesmerized multiple times, this season’s “West Side Story” entices – it has a significant snap and pop to it, and the care involved in its presentation is perceptible. We may be dreamers, but love is a powerful tool. And these soaring vocals will give you goosebumps.

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Somewhere. Grace Marie Rusnica sings. Phillip Hamer photo.

The Muny presents “West Side Story” nightly at 8:15 p.m. from July 15 to 21 on the outdoor stage in Forest Park. For more information, visit muny.org.

Dance at the Gym. Amy Maier photo.

Daffy Doings In ‘The Nerd’: The One With the Houseguest from Hell

Daffy Doings In ‘The Nerd’: The One With the Houseguest from Hell

By Lynn Venhaus
The laughs come in waves as wackiness ensues in “The Nerd,” a fizzy farce that showcases a nimble seven-member cast at their best.

Set in architect Willum Cubbert’s bachelor apartment in Terre Haute, Ind., in November 1981, what starts out as a typical drawing room two-act play soon turns into an outrageous comedy of manners that’s at once timeless and old-fashioned — but in a charming early ‘80s way. (Answering machine messages are a part of the humor).

Now on stage at the Strauss Black Box Theatre in the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, the Moonstone Theatre Company’s fleet production accents the laugh-out-loud circumstances and plays up the absurd character traits in playwright Larry Shue’s clever classic.

As played by Oliver Bacus, Cubbert is an anxious people-pleaser. His two best buds are a snobby theater critic named Axel and an ambitious ‘weather girl’ named Tansy (also former girlfriend), who are moving along with their careers while he’s, well, ‘stuck in second gear’ to use The Rembrandts’ lyric to “I’ll Be There for You” (aka the “Friends” theme song).

And like that ensemble that just clicked together, Bacus, Bryce Miller and Bridgette Bassa are a tight trio, effortlessly conveying a realistic friendship and establishing their distinct personalities as the unusually named Willum, Axel, and Tansy.

Oliver Bacus, Bridgette Bassa, Bryce Miller. Photo by Jon Gitchoff

Miller adds the sour and Bassa brings the sweet to the mix. Miller superbly lobs sarcastic one-liners and keeps the disdain brewing as he demonstrates his adroit comedic skills.

Bassa, who has been memorable in such dramatic roles as the rebellious niece Jean in “August: Osage County” and as Billy’s girlfriend Sylvia in “Tribes,” both at St. Louis Actors’ Studio, shows her comedic chops again after appearing in “Grand Horizons” at Moonstone in March.

Noteworthy is her agility during back-and-forth trips between the kitchen and the living room while carrying food, keeping the show’s fast pace on track. And she is stylish encapsulating the typical early ‘80s chic career woman look by costume designer Michele Siler, along with the requisite big hair.

Willum’s concerned friends think he is too nice of a guy, and they encourage him to have more of a backbone because those habits have affected his decision-making. Nevertheless, he is trying to advance his career and persuade Tansy to resume their relationship and not move for a job elsewhere.

Ever loyal, Willum, a Vietnam War veteran, has talked about what he owes fellow soldier Rick Steadman for saving his life. During his ‘Nam service, he was seriously wounded, and while he never met the good Samaritan Rick, he feels indebted to him. In a letter, he wrote that as long as he was alive, Rick “will have somebody on Earth who will do anything for you.”

Ryan Lawson-Maeske, Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Eager to collect the favor, Rick shows up one night, in the middle of a rather uncomfortable dinner party as Willum is trying to impress his hotel-owner client, who brought his wife, clearly ill at ease, and their rambunctious, spoiled son.

Weird timing, but Willum rolls with it, until he discovers just how peculiar Rick is and how disruptive he can be while staying as his houseguest. Pre-technology boom, the “nerd” definition was slightly different 42 years ago, and Ryan Lawson-Maeske embodies the socially inept, tone-deaf, unrefined guy in a full-throttle performance.

Accentuating the character’s oafishness, Lawson-Maeske affects a nasal, sing-song voice delivering goofy lines in a tactless way, and creating an awkward walk, so that his cadence and gait are funny no matter what he’s saying.

Bacus capably assumes the blander ‘straight’ man role because the eccentric people surrounding him need to standout. As an increasingly frustrated Willum, he feels put-upon, because this is a circus thrust upon him and people around him are demanding action in this escalating tug of war.

His exasperation and agitation grow as The Thing That Wouldn’t Leave wreaks havoc on his life. It all comes to a head when his friends concoct a ridiculous ‘foolproof’ scheme to send Rick on his merry way, and his domineering client is demanding immediate changes to his blueprints.

Kieran Thompson, Leslie Wobbe, Greg Johnston and Oliver Bacus. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

It’s a tour-de-force comedic portrayal by the versatile Lawson-Maeske, who can easily move between comedy and drama on St. Louis stages. He fully commits to the madness, finding the sweet spot so that the growing animosity towards Rick’s obnoxious behaviors isn’t perceived as cruel, being hurtful to a hopeless cause.

Presenting the ‘work’ part of the dilemma is the irritating Waldgrave family, utilizing the synergy of veterans Greg Johnston as the blustery hotel magnate and Leslie Wobbe as his fretful wife, with Kieran Thompson displaying youthful energy as their bratty kid Thor.

Shue wrote two highly regarded comedies before his untimely death at age 39 in a commuter plane crash in 1985 — “The Nerd,” produced first in 1981, and “The Foreigner,” in 1984.

At first glance, the plays seem like tailor-made laugh fests with clever turns of phrase. Shue was gifted with remarkable verbal dexterity, and adds idiosyncratic touches – not just the odd names, but Rick is a factory chalk inspector? Tansy, playing hostess, brings out heaping bowls of three-bean salad and macaroni salad — quirky choices.

But Shue also underlined the human condition in such a way that we can relate. How many times do we need a push in life, that we must get out of our way to move forward?

With this ace cast under the shrewd and sharp-witted direction of Gary Wayne Barker, you expect a madcap romp but may be surprised by the heart the players have mustered, and what it has to say about work-life balance.

The ensemble moves easily around the nondescript apartment set designed by Dunsi Dai, with recognizable retro touches. While that is static, this cast is anything but, and their proficiency in making jokes land is admirable. Their timing is so crisp it doesn’t tip off any twists, either.

 And I doubt anyone in the audience will be wanting cottage cheese any time soon.

Greg Johnston, Bridgette Bassa, Leslie Wobbe, Oliver Bacus and Bryce Miller. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Moonstone Theatre Company presents “The Nerd” July 6 – July 23 on Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. in the Strauss Black Box Theatre at KPAC, 210 E. Monroe. General admission tickets are $40, with seniors $35 and students $15. For more information, visit moonstonetheatrecompany.com or call MetroTix at 314-534-1111.

Ryan Lawson-Maeske. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.