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.

Albion’s Mysterious ‘I Have Been Here Before’ Shrewdly Ponders Time

Albion’s Mysterious ‘I Have Been Here Before’ Shrewdly Ponders Time

By Lynn Venhaus

Marked by twists, turns and a “Twilight Zone” flair, Albion Theatre Company’s latest whip-smart production “I Have Been Here Before” ponders the construct of time in a shrewd yet abstract way.

An adroit ensemble of six piques our curiosity, each one developing layers of their characters’ personalities and motivations. They seamlessly embody different classes, all at crossroads (whether they realize it or not).

The Black Bull Inn in Grindle Moor, part of the remote Yorkshire countryside, is where the story takes place in 1937. Set designer Rachel St. Pierre has fashioned a cozy, modest parlor, with Brad Slavik the astute set builder and Gwynneth Rausch specific in appropriate time-period props.

They have effectively set the period and place, so that co-directors Robert Ashton and C.J. Langdon were able to keep the characters on the move, so they weren’t as stodgy as they probably were nearly 90 years ago.

The six accomplished performers were notably well-rehearsed with distinct dialects and physically nimble in their mannerisms, driving the story with more verve than playwright J.B. Priestley’s dated drama indicated.

Photo by John Lamb

Today, the show hasn’t aged as well or is as suspenseful as an Alfred Hitchcock classic or even an Agatha Christie drawing room mystery. The set-up in the first act is intricate and lengthy, then has more engaging action in second act, while the third act teeters on implausible. Nevertheless, the sheer will and the skills of the actors make this watchable.

Priestley continued his fascination with theories of time here; one of the 39 he wrote. “Time and the Conways” and “Dangerous Corner” were among his most successful plays about time – he wrote seven.

He believed different dimensions could link past, present and future, and philosophizes, using Russian teacher P.D. Oupensky’s theory of eternal recurrence, which are life circles or spirals.

Robert Ashton and Anna Langdon are the reliable Sam Shipley and Sally Pratt, father and daughter innkeepers. He’s amiable, she’s pragmatic in their portraits. They are expecting three guests while a quiet but agreeable young headmaster, Oliver Farrant (Dustin Petrillo), is already spending a vacation there, for a rest. He relaxes by reading and going for long walks.

The upcoming holiday is known as Whitsuntide, around the time of the Christian holy day the Pentecost. In the south of England, it was the first official holiday of the summer (until replaced in 1971).

Photo by John Lamb

But the guests that reserved the rooms have cancelled. That allows a foreign guest, professor Dr. Gortler, (Garrett Bergfeld) and a wealthy businessman and his stylish wife, Walter and Janet Ormund (Jeff Kargus and Bryn McLaughlin), to book separate rooms.

Tall, gruff and exiled from Nazi Germany, the mysterious professor has already startled Sally by practically predicting future outcomes. He seemed to know who would be staying and not who originally booked rooms.

Are they thrown together by chance or is it on purpose?  That is one of the many questions raised as the plot thickens. It is rather odd that somehow, they seem inter-connected. Their decisions could have consequences that would affect others.

There is a nagging feeling that they may have lived through this experience before. But how could that be? The cosmic undertones seem to rattle some cages, especially suspicious Sally.

 An expert in math and science, Gortler is blunt at asking perceptive questions, revealing predictions, and shares a precognitive dream describing preposterous occurrences between everybody there. Dun dun dunnn!

Photo by John Lamb

Quite surprising is an assured, imposing performance by Garrett Bergfeld as the enigmatic professor. It’s been 20 years since he stepped on a stage, and one hopes it will continue.

Dustin Petrillo, who is always authentic in his portrayals, displays emotional depth and an unmistakable connection with Mrs. Ormund, who is unhappy with her workaholic – and alcoholic – husband.

Petrillo and Bryn McLaughlin worked together beautifully as husband and wife in “The Immigrant” at New Jewish Theatre two years ago, and they smoothly convey an ease with each other.

As restless Janet, McLaughlin contrasts her comfort with Farrant by showing unease with her inattentive husband.

Jeff Kargus is striking as the swaggering Ormund, used to getting what he wants and believably upper crust in speech and movement. He commands the stage, appearing as a manipulative mover and shaker, giving off shady vibes. One wanted to know more about these puzzling people.

Photo by John Lamb

As impressive as the actors are, so is the creative team that collaborated on a well-worn look, including the aforementioned scenic/prop designers. Costume designer Tracey Newcomb, whose work is always memorable, has economically created status in her ideal apparel choices. Lighting designer Eric Wennlund and sound designer Leonard Marshell set the mood well.

In 1970, rock group Crosby Stills Nash and Young released an album, “Déjà vu,” including a song of the same name.

If I had ever been here before
I would probably know just what to do
Don’t you?
If I had ever been here before on another time around the wheel
I would probably know just how to deal
With all of you

It later ends with the lyric, “We have all been here before” repeated several times. (“It’s déjà vu all over again,” in the words of an epic St. Louis philosopher-raconteur Yogi Berra.)

I was frequently reminded of those lyrics, as the play attempted to explain unnatural phenomenon. Had it followed through with a more convincing ending, it would have stuck the landing, but this is an observation in hindsight 90 years later.

Priestley worked with what was known at the time, and his own viewpoint on another life ahead as a do-over. Food for thought, to be sure.

In their customary fine fashion, Albion presented an unfamiliar play effectively, driven by excellent performances and strong contributions by local artisans.

 Albion Theatre presents “I Have Been Here Before” Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., on Oct. 23-26, 30-31; Nov. 1-2 at the Black Box Theatre at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. The show runs 2 hours, 30 minutes, with two 10-minute intermissions. For more information: albiontheatrestl.org.

Savvy Performances Heighten Chorus of Fools’ ‘Elsinore’ Clever Prequel

Savvy Performances Heighten Chorus of Fools’ ‘Elsinore’ Clever Prequel

By Lynn Venhaus

Laying the foundation for the palace intrigue in Shakespeare’s tragic “Hamlet,” the original play “Elsinore” is an interesting interpretation of those familiar characters in an affecting prequel.

Known for its bold choices, local theater company Chorus of Fools has mounted artistic director Eric Satterfield’s 2021 play updated by co-playwrights David Nonemaker and Satterfield, who also directed.

How did Denmark become so rotten? Satterfield wants answers and his strong cast will tell a more nuanced story.

Through compelling performances, this ensemble delves into the unraveling of the royal family and how the political scheming escalates, which eventually leads to the kingdom’s instability and headed to war with Norway.

Most remarkable is how much the language sounds like the Bard in tone and tempo. Smartly written with style, wit and theatricality, “Elsinore” plausibly imagines the backstories.

John Wolbers is the domineering King Hamlet. Photo by David Nonemaker.

The playwrights obviously have read and studied Shakespeare, presenting a new angle on one of literature’s most influential works. After all, “Hamlet” has been adapted in many ways (“The Lion King,” anyone?)

A rewarding aspect is its exploration of many of the same universal themes, such as making one’s mark, duty, honor, loyalty, destiny and revenge. However, in these earlier incarnations, character transformations and motivations give the actors a juicy challenge.

We may think we know these characters, but by the time Shakespeare crafted them, they had been developed by circumstances, revealing their true nature.  In the prequel, they are forging their paths.

While the prince of Denmark has always been fascinating, in the before times he is secondary to Claudius, who has the most complex character arc. Joseph Garner, one of the region’s most versatile performers, has been a formidable stage presence in supporting roles. As the king’s brother and emissary, he delivers a dynamic characterization rich in detail.

Initially, a dedicated selfless royal, Claudius undergoes personal tragedies and moral dilemmas that lead to his stunning power-grab as he ascends to the throne while breaking up his brother’s family.

Joseph Garner and Jocelyn Padilla as Claudius and Gertrude. Photo by David Nonemaker.

King Hamlet is not a benevolent ruler. John Wolbers portrays him as imperious and devious, and with his son Hamlet, he is demanding and impatient. The young heir is finding his way, clashing with his father and being more comfortable around his uncle.

He starts brooding, and Andre Eslamian gives the intense, rebellious lad an emotional depth while conveying quicksilver moods. He’s confused and angry in interactions with his father, merry with his goofy friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, playful with his cousin Claudius, and tender with Ophelia.

His father is not fond of his childhood pals, and Xander Huber, as Rosencrantz, and Zach Pierson, as Guildenstern, display why. As the bumbling buddies, they demonstrate sharp comic timing and play off each other well, adept at slapstick.

Chuck Brinkley, equally good at comedy and drama, adds moments of daffiness to the garrulous Polonius, who is Claudius’ trusted advisor. But he’s capable of conniving. (And what a trouper — he really did break his ankle, hence the assistance.)

Madness has not yet affected major players. Ophelia becomes a handmaiden for Queen Gertrude. She is an intelligent, curious girl, devoted to her father Polonius and gives her heart to Hamlet. Hannah Geisz plays her as a spirited, virtuous member of the court – but one who won’t be an afterthought.

Hannah Geisz and Chuck Brinkley as Ophelia and Polonius. Photo by David Nonemaker.

As Gertrude, Jocelyn Padilla is an obedient wife and dutiful mother. She is hurt by the king’s gruff treatment of her, and after his untimely death, brightens under the gaze of Claudius.

Huber and Pierson each fill another role – Huber is Lord Waldemar and Pierson as young Claudius. Joe Kercher handles three brief roles – Lord Olaf, Laertes and a hooded figure. Rose Reiker is Osric, a courtier and messenger.

Claudius, who becomes a widower after his loving wife Colette (Lexie Johnson) and their beloved son Claudius (Zach Pierson), died in a shipwreck, has somewhat of a reset.

He has lost faith after those devastating losses, becoming bitter and angry. He disagrees with his brother’s decisions and ruthlessly sets a course to takeover.

“Hamlet” was Shakespeare’s longest play, and this version is in three acts, with two intermissions. The second act resumes 14 years later, and the third is one year after that.

Joseph Garner, Andre Eslamian as Claudius and Hamlet. Photo by David Nonemaker.

The small company, with a modest budget, cleverly depicts the castle’s throne room, Claudius’ family sitting room, and the orchard where King Hamlet often napped. Vickie Delmas worked on the set design with Satterfield, and took care of props..

With its “Downtown Abbey” inspired Edwardian setting and period costumes, “Elsinore” creates an insular world where loyalty is demanded while secrets and lies are part of the growing corruption.

Costume designer Celeste Gardner paired different textures together to appropriately outfit the characters, with her work particularly noteworthy for Ophelia and Gertrude.

Bradley Rohlf’s atmospheric lighting design highlighted an impending doom, while giving the ghosts an other-worldly illumination. Satterfield’s outstanding sound design included imaginative needle drops and a regal music score to reflect the spreading darkness.

Other contributors were Ryan Lawson-Maeske, fight choreographer; Jen Kerner, accessibility consultant; Tress Kurzym, intimacy director; and Nikki Pilato, dramaturg (and also assistant director). Moira Healy was the stage manager.

With a castle community sensibility, the savvy cast transported us to a troubled time that has been examined through the ages, and managed to engage us with different, interesting angles. They skillfully conveyed Satterfield’s and Nonemaker’s intentions in a smart, entertaining presentation.

Andre Eslamian, Zach Pierson as the young Hamlet and young Claudius. Photo by David Nonemaker.

Chorus of Fools presents “Elsinore” Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. from Oct. 9 through Oct. 19 at The Greenfinch Theatre and Dive Bar, 2525 S. Jefferson. For more information: greenfinchstl.com/events

Masterfully macabre ‘The Woman in Black’ Thrills in The Rep’s Staging

Masterfully macabre ‘The Woman in Black’ Thrills in The Rep’s Staging

By Lynn Venhaus

With every door creak, candle flicker, wind moan, and eerie shadow glimpse, “The Woman in Black” immerses us in a haunting and unforgettable ghost story.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has impeccably presented a London West End production that will live in my head for a while, a gripping suspenseful classic Gothic fiction that is best experienced with a receptive audience.

The 1987 play earns its jump scares as an edge-of-your-seat feeling grows, building nearly unbearable tension for a pulse-pounding climax. It is an outstanding example of how our minds process strange things.

Stephen Mallatratt’s clever theatrical adaptation of Susan Hill’s 1983 mystery has engrossed audiences over 30 years. Reminiscent of Henry James’ unsettling “Turn of the Screw,” this is about a haunted house whose terror uncomfortably lurks through the ages. But that’s really only the start of horrifying consequences.

A lawyer, Arthur Kipps, has been bedeviled by a spectral figure in black for years, and to relieve his misery, he has hired a young actor to share his captivating story. He feels it must be told.

James Byng, Ben Porter. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

While the first act is much slower as it sets up the action, the second act ramps up the shocks and scares so effectively, we are totally enthralled in mutual shivers.

Our imaginations work overtime, and that’s such a wonderful communal feeling to be bonded with total strangers (and friends and family) over our fears, waiting for the next spine-tingling moment – or gasp or scream or the occasional giggle and sigh in relief.

This chilling tale unfolds as a play within a play, and the duo becomes ensnared in a terrifying sequence of events in an isolated old house near misty marshes. David Acton, who plays the tormented Arthur Kipps, works in tandem with James Byng as “The Actor,” to convince us we should be very afraid.

Acton and Byng’s superb storytelling deliver the well-timed frights – and the welcome doses of humor. Both actors were in productions at London’s Fortune Theatre, and their interactions are flawless.

Ben Porter. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

As a young solicitor, doing estate legal work for his firm’s clients, Kipps traveled to a remote village in northern England to sort through the documents of the deceased Alice Drablow, who owned Eel Marsh House. Byng portrays his younger self, lonely without his fiancé Stella nearby.

 He writes letters home and begins to read some of Mrs. Drablow’s alarming personal correspondence. The house’s unfortunate location means that it is cut off from the local village when the tide comes in. Kipps notices the villagers’ unwillingness to talk about the Eel Marsh House, but he does get assistance from local guys Samuel and Jerome (and an unseen dog named Spider).

One dark night, Kipps is alone with his thoughts in the creaky old house. Or is he? For the audience, the ‘flight or fight’ feeling escalates, not to mention the overwhelming atmosphere of dread. (This is the period where people were clutching others).

James Byng. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

As Kipps becomes aware of another presence, whoa. It’s truly a marvel of Swiss watch timing how exemplary the presentation is.

Because of the show’s emotional heft, another actor, Ben Porter, can perform both roles in repertory, and sometimes does. He was nominated for a Drama League Award in 2020 for distinguished performance in this play.

Original director Robin Herford has seen to it that every eerie detail isn’t missed on The Rep’s thrust stage. He has worked with touring director Antony Eden, associate director Maggie Spanuello, designer Michael Holt, lighting designer Anshuman Bhatia, sound designer Sebastian Frost and vision producer Imogen Finlayson.

The masterful use of sound and lighting adds to the creepy atmosphere, enhancing the minimalist set and ensuring the horror is believable in every moment. These visions will linger.

This production is being produced in a special arrangement with PW Productions, the original West End producers. After opening in London in 1989, it was performed there until March 4, 1923, for 13,232 shows, the second longest-running non-musical in West End history, second only to Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap.”

James Byng, Ben Porter. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Pemberley Productions, a tour booking company in New York and Chicago, has produced and general managed “The Woman in Black” in North America since 1918.

The effective shadows and the unnerving scares are in the well-crafted storytelling. With its twisty tricks unveiled, the play is a thrilling treat, as satisfying as the best horror movies. It’s as if we’re all at a bonfire, mesmerized by the evil conjured up at a most entertaining evening. The execution is sensational, and the pair of actors make it a must-see spellbinding experience. I’m leaving the lights on.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “The Woman in Black” Oct. 8 – 26 at the Loretto-Hilton Center, 130 Edgar Road, St. Louis. To purchase tickets, visit www.repstl.org or call the box office, Monday – Friday noon – 5 p.m.  at (314) 968-4925.

The play is 2 hours with a 15-minute intermission. Post-show discussions follow the Sunday, Oct. 19 and Wednesday, Oct. 22 performances.

Pretentious, Murky ‘After the Hunt’ Is Disturbing Take on Identity Politics

Pretentious, Murky ‘After the Hunt’ Is Disturbing Take on Identity Politics

By Lynn Venhaus

“After the Hunt” is a horrible movie about despicable people that attempts to tackle cancel culture, identity politics and a so-called female generation gap in 2019, which is strategically set during the #MeToo movement.

Ambiguous, pretentious and overlong, the psychological drama is a tedious watch because several lead characters are smug narcissistic liars who are morally bankrupt and intellectual know-it-alls.

These insufferable types are part of the insular world of Ivy League academia, in the philosophy department at Yale. Whether action is in a high-stakes classroom, a snooty Yale Club or a swanky dinner party, these caricatures are either going to pontificate or act out.

Directed by provocateur Luca Guadagnino, who is frustratingly vague about the points he’s trying to convey, meanders more than usual and boxes himself into a corner with Nora Garrett’s baffling screenplay.

Ayo Edebiri and Julia Roberts.




Apparently not a fan of political correctness, Guadagnino really does a disservice to victims of sexual abuse who deserve to be seen and heard. It’s an insult to anyone who has had the courage to come forward, at the risk of damage to their reputation. #MeToo needed to happen and should have much sooner.

While the A-list cast is given juicy, complex roles, the irredeemable parts lack connection and emotional truth.

Julia Roberts, at her most unlikable, plays haughty, viperous professor Alma Imhoff, whose fancy-schmancy lifestyle with her lapdog husband Frederik is built on secrets and lies.

Truly egregious is that Michael Stuhlbarg is wasted in an utterly ridiculous role as an attentive partner who gets little respect. Chances are odd-man-out Frederik will get fooled again, and again.

As this rotten character, Roberts doesn’t elicit one iota of sympathy. She recklessly drinks too much. She has severe abdominal pain and violent vomiting episodes, but instead of going to a doctor she abuses painkillers, which she downs by fistfuls.

Andrew Garfield and Julia Roberts.

She treats students cavalierly and acts superior to her peers. Not exactly role model material. Chloe Sevigny is also wasted as Dr. Kim Sayers in a too brief role as a psychiatric counselor that factors in to yet another subplot thread.

Alma is graduate student Maggie’s thesis advisor, and she attends her mentor’s dinner party. An inebriated Hank Gibson, a cocky professor played by Andrew Garfield, walks Maggie home.

As the star pupil, Ayo Edebiri is miscast as a character that is as nebulous as Garfield is repellent.

Later, a distraught Maggie confides in Alma that Hank, who was in her apartment for a nightcap, sexually assaulted her.

He denies it. She reports it. He’s fired and makes a lot of noise publicly. He was up for tenure, as is Alma, who has conveniently distanced herself from the situation. Or has she?

Ayo Edebiri as Maggie on the Yale campus.

It quickly gets very ugly. Maggie views it as a betrayal. Understandably, the Gen Z students rally around her. She is quite vocal in the press, while Alma becomes very vicious in response, showing a cold and calculating side to her bewildering personality.

Garfield is so off-putting as the swaggering Hank that it would be difficult to conjure up a smidgeon of sympathy over his career in tatters if that is what the film leans towards.

Don’t expect any relatability to these self-important characters. The academia snake pit comes across like an unappealing morass. These are selfish people who have such an inflated opinion of themselves that they think everything is about them.

Doesn’t it matter that Hank’s behavior is troubling and dangerous? In some sort of alternative universe, Maggie is now the subject of derision because her wealthy, influential parents are Yale’s biggest donors. Wait, what?

Is it a witch hunt? Hank’s version accuses Maggie of plagiarism. Oh, as if that’s not enough, they must unravel Alma’s past. There are too many plot points, and none satisfactorily resolved.

This supercilious debate about morality, ambition and ‘woke’ ideology fails to resonate. Is it an unwise battle between trailblazing women who broke glass ceilings and the entitled Gen Z’ers whose lives of privilege have handed them multiple gold-plated opportunities?

Contrivances abound as the plot goes in circles. Hank, longtime friend of Alma’s, perhaps had a sexual relationship with her, or did they just flirt a lot? She’d rather drink at a bar with him than go home to her psychoanalyst husband’s cassoulet.

And Maggie is purposely drawn to be unformed. She is in a relationship that lacks details. Her trans romantic partner and roommate is away when the Hank incident supposedly took place.

Cinematographer Malik Hassen Sayeed makes the hallowed halls of a prestigious university gleam with historic seriousness and the tony Imhoff home cultured and cavernous. The annoying contemporary score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is uncharacteristically too obtrusive.

Chloe Sevigny and Julia Roberts.

Guadagnino is a polarizing director, with detractors saying his style is too murky on substance. His sumptuous locations look beautiful, and the films often superficially and uncomfortably deal with desire – “I Am Love,” “The Bigger Splash,” “Call Me by Your Name,” “Challengers” and “Queer.” Characters often are complicated and meant to be stimulating but lack clear identities.

A better film on this subject, an authentic one set in a college town, is “Sorry, Baby.”

What is “After the Hunt” trying to say, and why does it try too hard to get our attention when there really is no point? We are tasked with the heavy lifting of deciphering the storytelling.

After more than 2 hours, the preposterous conclusion feels like cheating, ending in a very self-indulgent way. 

The Imhoff dinner party in New Haven.

“After the Hunt” is a 2025 psychological drama directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, Ayo Edebiri, Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloe Sevigny. It is Rated R for language and some sexual content and the run time is 2 hours, 19 minutes. Opens Oct. 17 in theatres. Lynn’s Grade: F.

Mendacity meets the mundane in Stray Dog’s razor-sharp ‘The Minutes’

Mendacity meets the mundane in Stray Dog’s razor-sharp ‘The Minutes’

By Lynn Venhaus

“A hundred years from now, will anyone care?”

And that line, asked by a small-town council member, is a double-edged sword in Tracy Letts’ brilliant “The Minutes.” Presented by Stray Dog Theatre, this comedy-drama is a rare work of raw theatrical power as told by a razor-sharp ensemble.

In his usual unflinching way, the master playwright probes the very tenets of democracy with his customary sharp wit and acerbic style. The eight-year-old play is as timely as ever as news is suppressed, and rules of law are disregarded currently in various administrations.

The Tony-nominated play, produced by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago in 2017, was scheduled for previews on Broadway in 2020, but had to be shut down due to COVID-19, then returned for opening in 2022.

What starts out as an amusing series of exchanges recalling the eccentric film “Waiting for Guffman” and nutty TV sitcom “Parks and Recreation,” nailing the quirkiness of small-town living and municipal government, makes a hairpin turn into a scalding look at democratic principles that should leave you shaken and stirred.

Tawaine Noah, John Reidy, Gerry Love, Jon Hey, Stephen Peirick and Jan Niehoff. Stray Dog photo.

The well-chosen cast, shrewdly subverting expectations, smartly interprets Letts’ blistering look at how those in power will ignore revisionist history to distort the accuracy for political agendas. And that’s chilling to think about how history is written and recorded.

In his contemporary civics discourse, Letts focuses on a fictional town called Big Cherry. At first, we witness funny coffee-break chatter before eight elected members of the city council comprise a quorum, and along with the mayor and clerk, have a closed-door session – but wait, one guy is missing, and the reason isn’t very clear.

Oh, Letts’ cunning. The minutiae have a motive – he’s carefully chosen every topic, every chuckle. Letts has smoothly built the action to reveal how people in authority overlook principles for their own greed and ambition.

The personalities are distinct. John Reidy is sly Mr. Breeding, your typical gladhander who measures people by their golf game. Will Shaw is the eldest statesman Mr. Oldfield, a cranky sort who likes things the way they were. Patrick Canute is harder-to-read Mr. Hanratty, who appears to be thoughtful and committed.

John Reidy, Jan Niehoff and Lavonne Byers in skit re-enactment of town’s founders. Stray Dog photo.

As Mr. Blake, Tawaine Noah is glib and fired up, pushing his pet project, “Lincoln Smackdown,” a cage match. Has he been drinking? Jan Niehoff is ditzy Ms. Matz, who is scattered and blurts out that she’s heavily medicated. Lavonne Byers is Ms. Innes, whose inflated sense of self-importance means she tends to make things all about her. Grandstanding is her favorite way to address her peers.

Mr. Assalone is one of Mayor Superba’s cronies who has little patience for transparency. As “that guy,” his portrayal measured, Jon Hey is smarmy and curt, attitude and aggression festering as the meeting progresses.

Gerry Love deftly plays the iron-fisted mayor as jovial enough but he’s manipulative, controlling and entitled, as his good old boy façade collapses into self-righteous excuses.

The city clerk, Ms. Johnson, savvily played by Rachel Hanks, is machine-like in efficiency, and Hanks has affected an annoying sing-songy voice to appear like an insufferable goody-two-shoes honor roll student you knew in school.

The guy who gets under all their skin is Mr. Peel, the earnest newcomer. Always impressive Nick Freed skillfully portrays the newly elected council member who wants to make a difference. He asks a lot of questions, harmless enough, but his curiosity is unwelcome.

Tawaine Noah, Nick Freed.

Mr. Peel missed the last meeting because his mother died. Where is Mr. Carp? This appears shrouded in secrecy. In a clever flashback, Stephen Peirick shows up as the now absent council member who dared to challenge his colleagues.

As preparations are underway for the annual Founders’ Day, a horrified Carp is compelled to share his findings. Delivered urgently and passionately, Carp has discovered something rotten they don’t want to hear.

Even the reason behind the town’s name is a lie. What is taught in classrooms and presented in pageants with great fanfare is not the reality Carp has uncovered. There’s a danger to the truth, and Peirick implores them to listen.

Peel, a dentist who is not from Big Cherry but moved there with his young family, is not familiar with the town’s founding father story. All he wants is to see the minutes from the meeting he missed. But as Peel becomes aware of why Carp retreated, a growing apprehension of being an outlier comes sharper into focus, and Freed’s work here adroitly exposes malfeasance.

Understanding the play’s complexities, director Justin Been finessed Letts’ nuances in a terrific push-pull with all the characters. As the power dynamics shifted, he carefully modulated the temperature in the room as the actors serve and volley, mostly seated, but occasionally as they move around the dais.

Along with Tyler Duenow’s effective lighting design, Been’s sound design signals a storm outside on this November evening. His scenic design captures a nondescript place like dozens of meeting spaces around the country, where public participation shapes laws.

Other creatives contributing to the production include Kevin Corpuz’ choreography, Colleen Michelson’s costume design and Lizi Watt as cultural consultant.

Letts, who was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2018 for this pitch-black show, exposes ugly truths and how self-preservation and complacency factors into moral dilemmas.

Letts grew up in Oklahoma and won a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Awards for his masterwork, “August: Osage County” in 2007. An insightful writer about dysfunctional human experience, he’s always thought-provoking, sometimes unsettling, with a penchant for the absurd.

Patrick Canute and Nick Freed. Stray Dog photo.

In “The Minutes,” he expertly built tension as the comfort level evaporated. At its core, the complicit council’s smugness threatened to suffocate common sense and decency in favor of expediency.

The one quibble is that while Letts engaged with a conventional narrative structure, he abandoned that for a surreal ending that seemed at odds with the tone of what’s gone on exploring imagery vs. substance, alternative facts vs. reason.

While he enjoys keeping people on edge, it appeared to be an extreme turn after already zig-zaggy storytelling. Still, an admirable work performed vividly with deliberate direction.

“The Minutes” is a potent, politically charged American allegory for the ages, relevant then and now. It may be a cliché that the smallest towns hide the biggest secrets, but exposing hypocrisy is always welcome.

Lavonne Byers, Will Shaw. Stray Dog photo.

Stray Dog Theatre presents “The Minutes” Oct. 2 – 18 at the Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Avenue, St. Louis, Mo 63104. Performances are at 8 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays, with additional performances at 2 p.m. Sundays on Oct. 5 and Oct. 12. The play is 90 minutes without an intermission.

The cast of “The Minutes” at Stray Dog Theatre.

All photos by Stray Dog Theatre.

Feel the Joy of Making Music in Stages St. Louis’ Affectionate ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’

Feel the Joy of Making Music in Stages St. Louis’ Affectionate ‘Beautiful: The Carole King Musical’

By Lynn Venhaus

How legendary singer-songwriter Carole King found her voice is chronicled in the crowd-pleasing “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” a remarkable life story that hits all the right notes in an exuberant debut at Stages St. Louis.

The smartly constructed show is the soundtrack of a generation, and King’s influential journey parallels the evolution of women in the 1960s and 1970s.

Bursting with catchy pop songs, King’s fascinating rise to stardom is as much about the beginnings of rock ‘n roll – all those tunes that had a good beat and we could dance to them – as well as the transformative power of music.

Entrancing in the title role, Brianna Kothari Barnes believably transforms from an insecure, talented teen into a strong independent woman, making Carole easy to love and empathize with through every change and heartbreak.

The charming, affable Barnes was matched in zest by the other principals and ebullient ensemble. Nobody misses a beat.

“It’s Too Late” turning point. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

Carole grew up in Brooklyn and then fought her way into the record business as a teenager. She begins as part of the pop hit machine at the Brill Building, located at Broadway and 49th St. in New York City.

Hired by producer Don Kirshner (a droll Jeff Cummings), she meets her first husband Gerry Goffin (Sean McGee) at Queens College, and they make beautiful music together – he writes the lyrics, and she composes the melodies, from 1959 to 1969. Soon, the whole world would sing their songs.

The hits keep coming when they start a friendly rivalry with the songwriting duo Barry Mann (David Socolar) and Cynthia Weil (Kailey Boyle) and that not only enlivens the script but ups the game. The foursome’s good-natured competitiveness produced standards for the girl groups and teen idols that defined the rock era.

(Fun fact: The Brill building was home to Burt Bacharach-Hal David, Mike Lieber-Jerry Stoller, Neil Diamond, and Jeff Barry-Ellie Greenwich.)

The Drifters – Ian Coulter-Buford, Trey McCoy, Devin Price, Justin Reynolds. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

Douglas McGrath’s witty and warm book conveys the emotional connections that music makes throughout the show, in many different ways. The two pairs have an effortless interaction – until the dramatic action gets tense because the biz overtakes Gerry’s psyche – but they all share an easy chemistry.

Veteran Amy Loui astutely captures Carole’s well-meaning mom Genie Klein, quick with the advice and the quips. As Kirshner, Cummings is both a caring friend and a sharp-as-a-tack boss with a terrific ear for what sells.

The ensemble is equally robust in singing the non-stop parade of peppy hits – Tatiana Bahoque, Maya Talia Bishop, Ian Coulter-Buford, Hugh Entrekin, Tiffany Frances, Jayna Glynn, Connor Kelly-Wright, Trey McCoy, McKay Marshall, Cara Palombo, Devin Price, Sydney Quildon, Alexandrea Reynolds, Justin Reynolds, Bryce Valle, and RJ Woessner.

As the chart-toppers The Drifters, The Shirelles, Little Eva and others, they perform their iconic songs. “Up on the Roof,” “One Fine Day,” “The Locomotion,” and “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” among them.

These songs clearly struck a chord. One of my favorite moments is when Hugh Entrekin and RJ Woessner, as The Righteous Brothers, deliver a soulful “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.”

David Socolar and Kaley Boyle as Barry Man and Cynthia Weil. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

So many music memories abound — Carole’s emergence as a potent solo artist when she tries out ‘It’s Too Late” at the Bitter End signals a turning point.

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 (My 1972 high school yearbook was titled “Tapestry”).

For us Boomers, this show is a true lovefest, a sentimental flashback. But other generations can enjoy it as well – as a blast from the past pop music history lesson and as a portrait of a resilient woman who finally believed in herself.

In a male-dominated business, her integrity and kindness stood out, and she not only survived but thrived in changing times.

Photo by Phillip Hamer.

Popular on Broadway, “Beautiful” played for 2,418 performances from Jan 12, 2014, to Oct 27, 2019, nominated for seven Tony Awards and won two – Jessie Mueller as Carole and sound design.

(The gifted and troubled Goffin died in 2014 at age 75, and did see “Beautiful” on Broadway before he passed. He and Carole each had three other spouses in their lives.)

Two national tours have played at the Fabulous Fox in St. Louis, in 2016 and 2019. The Muny produced it as one of four premieres for its 105th season in 2023. This production is the fifth time for me, since Broadway in 2014, and I believe it’s on par with that show – for its intimacy and its heartfelt desire to tell this fascinating story.

Jennifer Werner, who directed and choreographed the musical, brings out the fun and the joy in the music-making. For lack of a better word, she made the production ‘sing’ – and the scenes flow into each other smoothly. She made us feel what the times were like.

So Far Away…Carole at Carnegie Hall. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

 Music Director David Nehls conducted with gusto, and to play 29 songs from the great American songbook with aplomb was a remarkable feat for the musicians. Besides Nehls on keyboard, so was Mark Maher, with Alerica Anderson on bass, Travis Mattison on guitar, Abby Steiling on violin (select performances Fiona Brickey), Lea Gerdes and JD Tolman on reeds, Tom Vincent on trombone, Andy Tichenor on trumpet, Jonathan Taylor on drums and percussion. Randon Lane was associate music director.

Collaborating to set the scene, Peter Barbieri’s grid-like scenic design superbly captures the different eras, as did costume designer Johanna Pan, with costume design coordinator Cat Lovejoy and wig and hair designer Paige Stewart. all precise in the vintage looks.

Sean M. Savoie’s lighting design added just the right ambiance for every scene, day or night, while sound designer Breanna Fais was pitch-perfect in execution.

“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” is the best kind of jukebox musical – one that unites us, tells us a story rich in sincerity and humor, and has us leaving the theater with a smile on our faces and a song in our hearts.

We all feel the earth move at curtain call. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

Stages St. Louis presents “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” from Sept. 19 to Oct. 19 at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center’s Ross Family For more information, visit For tickets, visit www.stagesstllouis.org

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The outstanding ensemble of “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” at Stages St. Louis. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

Performers Dig Deep in Affecting, Heartfelt Work in NJT ‘The Wanderers’

Performers Dig Deep in Affecting, Heartfelt Work in NJT ‘The Wanderers’

By Lynn Venhaus

What is the cost of truth? And how will you pay for your own truth if it’s at the expense of another person’s goals?

In the engrossing drama “The Wanderers,” two married Jewish couples, from different time periods and circumstances, must navigate what exactly society’s social structure on togetherness means to them.

In the current New Jewish Theatre production, all the couple’s work is revelatory, and the execution is masterful. Their stories intertwine in interesting ways.

In the 1970s, Esther and Schmuli are Orthodox Jews who must follow a strict set of Hasidic Judaism rules, and their rigid roles as husband and wife are set, no variations in the Satmar community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

They have married the old-fashioned way – a business transaction made by their parents, with love not in that equation. However, they are very family-focused in their beliefs.

Bryce Miller and Jade Cash as Schmuli and Esther. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

In exceptional nuanced performances, Jade Cash as the curious Esther and Bryce Miller as the conservative husband Schmuli are raising two daughters. Esther’s best friend has married for love, a man outside her faith and race, and they seem perfectly happy in their secular lifestyle.          

While Esther learns more about the forbidden outside world, she’s intrigued by the personal freedoms she witnesses.  Bound by the constraints of their religion, Esther is increasingly restless.

She’d love to go to school, become a librarian – and listen to pop music on the radio while she’s finishing chores. Meanwhile, she gives birth to a son, and that changes their family dynamic.

She will soon learn the cost of yearning. And Esther’s plight is gut-wrenching, for she will have hell to pay, all because she dared to dream of becoming a better version of herself. Cash, who is getting more impressive with each new role, tugs at our heartstrings as she questions the old ways.

Bryce Miller and Jade Cash in Albany, New York. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Schmuli is challenged, too, because he follows traditions, no discussion, no questions. He is worried about unfavorable opinions and family scandals. He’s caught in a cultural war and battle for identity that he doesn’t understand.

Miller, who immerses himself as the devout head of household, conveys Schmuli’s faith authentically. In his loneliness, he becomes conflicted, and attempts to grasp changing male-female roles.

In the alternating contemporary story (2010s, gentrified Williamsburg), the other couple, Abe and Sophie, don’t necessarily practice their faith but send their children to Hebrew School. They are not rule-followers, per se, but the couple, writers by profession, attempt to raise their children in a traditional yet modern family.

Wendy Renee Greenwood and Joel Moses. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

As they traverse a challenging emotional and spiritual landscape, neither Sophie nor Abe can let go of the past. Wendy Renee Greenwood gives a devastating performance as a wife, mother, daughter and writer who is holding her family together after facing numerous disappointments. She struggles with unfulfilled dreams and a widening gulf between her husband and her identity. Is never being satisfied going to be her destiny, just like Esther’s?

Her husband Abe, a more successful writer with a Pulitzer Prize and two National Book Awards, is tempted through an email relationship with a beautiful movie star. It starts harmless enough, as dreamgirl Julia Cheever came to a book reading of his. Flattered by that, he takes off into Abe-land when she sends him an email.

Maggie Wininger is luminous as the charismatic actress who has her own insecurities and personal issues while she practices her craft, deals with failures and successes, and tries to juggle everything for life balance. Think Julia Roberts, that kind of screen presence and popularity.

Joel Moses and Maggie Wininger read their emails to each other. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Joel Moses, as is typical, immerses himself in a rollercoaster journey involving growth, grief, self-doubts, emotional infidelity, and lack of effort to be present for his wife and two children.

Abe is gregarious, intelligent, conflicted and increasingly lost. Why can’t he see what he has and not what he hasn’t? When he crosses a line, can he go back and correct the mistakes he’s made?

Director Robert Quinlan brings out the intricacies between these couples and the ties that bind them – their family, heritage, dreams, desires and society mores.

He’s established these different worlds on opposite ends of a runway type set, with functional and efficient scenic design by Reiko Huffman, one of remarkable detail in intimate spaces.

Joel Moses writing in solitude. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

IPlaywright Anna Ziegler’s twisty tale on relationships is fascinating in its entanglements. The play premiered in 2018, and debuted on Broadway in 2023. While not namechecking them per se, she explores the pledges a pair makes to each other in traditional wedding vows — “for better, for worse,” “in sickness and in health,” and “to love and to cherish” – in several vignettes.

In a layered – and sometimes dense — approach, she shows how unanchored they become trying to cling to what they assume is best for them. It’s a thoughtful play, looking at the joys and challenges of commitment in two different worlds.

Greenwood, Moses, Miller and Cash are fully invested in these roles, portraying each high and low with deep felt intensity. Wininger’s contribution is an interesting contrast of a famous person as fantasy and explaining her reality.

Their emotionally rich portraits engage and connect us to their characters’ motivations. Ziegler doles out their backstories, which led to their current plights in small nuggets. The couples get into situations in which there seems to be no escape, and this gives the play the necessary conflicts. While all vary in their beliefs, they admit their fears and show their vulnerabilities.

Jade Cash and Bryce Miller — what might have been? Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The technical work is strong in its storytelling, too, with Amanda Werre’s skilled sound design and lighting designer Jayson Lawshee’s striking choices between reality and fantasy noteworthy. Costume designer Michele Friedman Siler accomplishes the traditional Hasidic apparel while giving the contemporary story casual attire, and the movie star cosmopolitan career wear.

The specific time frames for looking at love from both sides are 1973 -1982 for Schmuli and Esther, and 2015-2017 for Abe and Sophie, with Albany, New York part of later storytelling.

Thought-provoking, and at times, frustrating, this examination of love and marriage is far-reaching in its complicated couplings. It is those layers that give the actors some real substance, and the audience intriguing questions to ponder, and conversations to begin..

New Jewish Theatre presents “The Wanderers” from Sept. 11 through Sept. 28, with performances on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: jccstl.com/arts-ideas/new-jewish-theatre/current-productions.
The play is 1 hour, 45 minutes without intermission.

Joel Moses and Maggie Wininger. What price devotion? Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Critics Choice Announces Honorees for Latino Cinema & Television Celebration on Oct. 24

Critics Choice Announces Honorees for Latino Cinema & Television Celebration on Oct. 24

The Critics Choice Association has announced the full slate of honorees for the 5th annual Celebration of Latino Cinema & Television, taking place on Oct, 24,  in Beverly Hills. The Celebration honors standout performances and work, both onscreen and offscreen, from the Latino entertainment community.

Honorees for this year’s Celebration of Latino Cinema & Television will include the following:

Civil rights icon Dolores Huerta will receive the Icon Award for her lifelong dedication to social justice and advocacy, honoring her legacy that has inspired artists, filmmakers, and changemakers for over seven decades. As co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union and one of the most influential labor leaders in American history,

Dolores Huerta

Dolores has spent her entire career fighting for the rights of farmworkers, women, and marginalized communities which continues today through her Dolores Huerta Foundation and her Peace and Justice Cultural Center. Her powerful rallying cry, “Sí, se puede” (“Yes, we can”), has become a universal call to action, and at 95 years young with a desire to inspire the next generation of activists and organizers to get off the sidewalks and onto the streets, she will share her extraordinary life story to be made into a feature film co-written by Barbara Martinez Jitner and Gregory Nava who will also direct.

Academy Award nominee Andy Garcia will be honored with the Vanguard Award in recognition of his outstanding body of work, including his most recent role in Paramount+’s Landman. Throughout his career, Andy has delivered unforgettable performances in tites such as The Godfather Part III, When a Man Loves a Woman, and Ocean’s Eleven.

Academy Award nominee and Emmy, SAG and Critics Choice Award winner America Ferrera will be honored with the Trailblazer Award in recognition of her extraordinary body of work and most recently for her starring role in Apple Original Films’ The Lost Bus. Throughout her career, America has been a tireless advocate for authentic Latino representation in Hollywood, with landmark performances in Real Women Have Curves, Ugly Betty, Barbie, and more.

Oscar Isaac

Critics Choice and Emmy Award nominee Oscar Isaac will accept the Actor Award for Film for his performance in Netflix’s Frankenstein, directed by Guillermo del Toro.  The Guatemalan-born actor debuted two highly praised films at this year’s Venice Film Festival, Frankenstein and In the Hand of Dante. Past credits include Inside Llewyn Davis, Dune, Scenes From A Marriage, and many more.

Kleber Mendonça Filho will receive the Director Award for his work on The Secret Agent (NEON). The Brazilian filmmaker was recently honored with Best Director at the 78th Cannes Film Festival for the film, in addition to receiving the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize.

Emmy Award winner Frida Perez will be recognized with the Showrunner Award for her work on Apple TV+’s The Studio. Frida co-created the critically acclaimed series, which broke the record for the most Emmy wins for a comedy series in a single year, garnering 13 wins with 23 nominations. Frida also made history as the first Latina ever to win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series and Writing for a Comedy Series.

Grammy winner and Emmy nominee Anthony Ramos will receive the Supporting Actor Award for Film for his role in Kathryn Bigelow’s A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE (Netflix). Anthony first rose to prominence with his breakout role in Broadway’s Hamilton and has since built a dynamic screen career with standout performances including In the Heights, Twisters, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.

Gabriel Luna will be honored with the Supporting Actor Award for Series for his performance in Peacock’s Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy. Gabriel recently wrapped production on the second season of The Terminal List opposite Chris Pratt, which follows his powerhouse performance as ‘Tommy’ in season two of The Last of Us.

Frida Perez, showrunner and Emmy winner for “The Studio.”

Tonatiuh will be recognized with the Breakthrough Actor Award for his outstanding performance in Kiss of the Spider Woman (Roadside Attractions). Alongside his cast, this talented Mexican-American actor debuted Bill Condon’s visionary new adaptation of the Golden Age musical drama at the Sundance Film Festival. This is his first major film role.

Camila Perez will receive the Breakthrough Actress Award for her work on the hit Apple TV+ series Acapulco, a Critics Choice Awards Best Foreign Language Series nominee last year. Camila bid farewell to her scene-stealing character this year during the series’ fourth and final season.

“It is a true privilege to celebrate this extraordinary group of honorees,” said Critics Choice Association Board Member and Co-Programmer Clayton Davis. “At a time when Latinos are too often vilified or overlooked, their artistry stands as proof of our brilliance, resilience, and undeniable influence. These stories reflect our community and elevate the global cultural fabric.”

Sponsors and partners include Milagro Tequila, NEP Sweetwater and FIJI Water.

The Critics Choice Association’s Celebration of Latino Cinema & Television will be produced by Javier Infante and Madelyn Hammond of Madelyn Hammond & Associates.

Follow the Critics Choice Association on Instagram and X @CriticsChoice, on TikTok @OfficialCriticsChoice, and on Facebook/CriticsChoiceAwards.

Cover Photo: Tonatiuh

SATE’s Homage ‘Classic Adventure Movie’ Celebrates Childhood

SATE’s Homage ‘Classic Adventure Movie’ Celebrates Childhood

By Lynn Venhaus

Hey, you guys!!! Do you remember growing up? Did you ever act out a fantasy adventure with your pals? Did you watch VHS tapes that you rented from the local Blockbuster Video?

Checking those boxes means you are the primo audience for SATE’s zany “Classic Adventure Movie,” which is an exuberant tribute to limitless childhood imaginations, a theatrical time-travel experience, and an homage to beloved characters who grew up in the Goon Docks.

With great affection, the company recreates the playful spirit of the Millennial touchstone, “The Goonies,” an iconic family film that premiered the same summer that “Back to the Future” did – in 1985.

Ever since this heartwarming tale of friendship came out on home entertainment, kids have been watching it over and over, repeat viewings a must. And any mother of Millennials knows it well (even if it’s been a while for me).

Chunk’s being threatened by the Fratelli gang. Photo by Joey Rumpell.

Get ready for that same warm glow of nostalgia that occurs when the children of the 1980s and 1990s remember how they fell in love with a merry band of misfits who dove into danger with the derring-do of a teenage Indiana Jones and the detective skills of Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys.  

And some of them, along with a few intrepid Gen X’s and Gen Z’s, are part of this fearless gang of “Never Say Die” performers who dash, dart, and dare to have fun as part of this fearless ensemble.

SATE is a regional theatre group renowned for its well-cast ensembles and strong collaborations, and this is another dandy example of the band getting back together and having the time of their lives.

Dynamic duo Rachel Tibbetts and Ellie Schwetye are the co-producers, with Rachel directing a fast-paced and funny show, where the comic lines land, the role-playing is spot-on, and the sentiment is endearing. Tibbetts injects the heart, Schwetye provides the soul as sound designer.

Courtney Bailey, Frankie Ferrari and Katie Donnelly. Photo by Joey Rumpell.

Ellie has compiled a greatest hits soundtrack to supply the audience with favorite movie themes and songs. Yes, you’ll hear John Williams’ unmistakable work among poppy needle drops, and it’s a terrific score to compliment this show.

This proud and loud troupe of 13 spryly navigate a makeshift playground of caves, secret passages, pirate ships, booby traps – and booty traps — and other escapades set up in the friendly, intimate confines of The Chapel (subbing for Astoria, Oregon).

It’s clear that the cast and crew have been sprinkled with Steven Spielberg’s magic pixie dust, and they’ve become kids again.

The movie plot is based on a story by Spielberg, who was inspired by Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” when Tom and Becky Thatcher are lost in a cave.

Written by Chris Columbus (“Home Alone” and “Mrs. Doubtfire”), the script focuses on a group of buddies who must move from their working-class neighborhood when a developer forecloses on their families’ homes to build a golf course.

Photo by Joey Rumpell.

Director Richard Donner (“Superman” and “Superman II”) drew authentic performances from the youngsters, showcasing their natural chemistry and high energy. That’s embodied by spunky Ricki Franklin as Mikey, the eternal optimist.

Franklin is the driving force as the lovable, loyal pal played by Sean Astin. She wears the trademark jean jacket, too. Costume designer Liz Henning splendidly outfitted each character to have some specific items to mark each look from on screen, such as Keating’s mismatched pants and shirt wardrobe copying Chunk’s lack of sartorial splendor.

Luck may be on their side as they discover notorious pirate One-Eyed Willy’s treasure map that could lead to some valuable loot. They must follow clues. But they’re not the only ones searching – a family of crooks is hot on their trail.

Fierce LaWanda Jackson is funny as the ruthless crime boss Mama Fratelli whose knucklehead sons are more of a hindrance than a help – Anthony Kramer-Moser is Jake and Victor Mendez is Francis, and they demonstrate their slapstick prowess, for they are more Three Stooges than wise guys.

Joining Mikey on this wild adventure are chatterbox Mouth, aka Clark Devereaux, with goofball Cassidy Flynn in the Corey Feldman role; tech wizard Data, with versatile Ashwini Arora in the future Oscar winner Ke Huy Quan role; rapscallion Chunk, with inventive Keating in the mischievous Jeff Cohen role. “I love the dark! But I hate nature!” they say.

Joey Rumpell photo.

The pals team up with high school jock Brand (Mikey’s older brother Brandon), with Carl Overly Jr. sporting a red bandana and gray shirt as the tough protector played by Josh Brolin.

Helpful is perky Andy, a popular cheerleader who has a crush on Brand, and is played by multi-faceted Hailey Medrano in the Kerri Green role. Her feisty best friend Stef is vibrant Marcy Wiegert in the resourceful role played by Martha Plimpton in the movie.

The actors added recognizable touches in their personal development of these iconic parts, and as anticipated, Keating goes to town in the “Truffle Shuffle.”

Two narrators are Katie Donnelly as Barb and Courtney Bailey as Lizzie, and they fill a variety of needs, including playing bridge trolls.

One of the sweetest touches was having some of the actors talk about their favorite movie from their youth in a heartfelt monologue, why it moved them and why the mattered. Jackson talked about “The Wiz,” Flynn “Pokemon,” Ferrari “Under the Tuscan Sun,” Keating “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and Wiegert “Labyrinth.”

The Goonies. Photo by Joey Rumpell.

One of the most inspired additions is Frankie Ferrari as Cyndi Lauper, the pop singer who had a cameo in the movie. She penned the title song “The Goonies R Good Enough” included on the soundtrack.

The music video was in frequent rotation on MTV, so she is part of its legend. The playwright found clever ways to use Cyndi, and Ferrari is all in, singing, dancing and replicating the pop star’s thick Brooklyn-Queens combo accent.  

The set design by Erik Kuhn has some sight gags, movie posters, and delightful reminiscences of childhood days gone by. Kuhn also served as technical director. He had to be handy and resourceful, coming up with clever substitutions for grand-scale images. Wearing a third hat, he served as fight director, too.

Katherine Leemon did a terrific job finding props that were integral to each character. Denisse Chavez expertly took care of the lighting design.                                                                                                                                                                                      

The play was written by Keating, after being conceived by Tibbetts, Flynn and Keating at a sleep-over birthday party where they watched “The Goonies.” They have included the most memorable parts of the movie, and one role is given to an audience member.

The cast of “Classic Adventure Movie.”

This is the group’s second work in a hopeful trilogy, after “Classic Mystery Game” in 2019, and uses story elements from their “First Impressions” on the Jane Austen novel “Pride and Prejudice” in 2017.

“Classic Adventure Movie” is elevated by SATE’s trademark camaraderie. The fleet-footed and expressive cast deliver one-liners and recognizable quotes from the movie in such a fun way that they must have put extra oomph into rehearsing the play to get the timing just so.

A primer on “The Goonies” isn’t a pre-requisite, but helpful. No matter what, you’ll be swept away by the youthful enthusiasm as they outwit, outplay, outlast – and outsnark — the villains.

SATE presents the world premiere of “Classic Adventure Movie, or Never Say Die,” Sept. 11 through Sept. 27, with shows Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m. at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: satestl.org.

The Black Rep’s ‘Raisin’ Is A Soulful, Expressive Musical That Defines a Moment in American Life

The Black Rep’s ‘Raisin’ Is A Soulful, Expressive Musical That Defines a Moment in American Life

By Lynn Venhaus
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
 like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
 Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
– “Harlem,” Langston Hughes, 1951

Where are we now, 74 years later? Timely and timeless, the musical “Raisin” is a vibrant exploration of the class, gender and racial divides that have become a dominant part of American life.

The Black Rep’s sensitive, thoughtful production pulses with its character-driven work that hopefully resonates and renews pleas for social justice in today’s divided times.

The iconic poem, “Harlem,” shared above, was an inspiration for playwright Lorraine Hansberry to explore deferred dreams and class divides in 1951 segregated Chicago in her groundbreaking drama, “A Raisin in the Sun.”

Anita Michelle Jackson and Andrea Mouton. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

The matriarch is expecting a $10,000 life insurance check in the mail after her hard-working husband’s passing. She wants to move the family from the South Side to Clybourne Park, a nicer neighborhood, where she has put a down payment on a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom house. She sees this home as a foundation to build everyone’s dreams on, a door to new opportunities.

Hansberry was the first black female playwright on Broadway – the show debuted in 1959, and it was a new look at black life in America in a way that had not been represented. Think of the dialogues it may have started!

While the musical has hiccups based on its construction, not the singing, dancing or acting, the Black Rep’s stylistic choices and casting decisions are highlights.

The Younger family leaves an indelible impression in the hands of Anita Michelle Jackson (Mama Lena), Duane Martin Foster, (her son Walter Lee), Adrianna Jones (his wife Ruth), their young son Travis (Jaron Bentley), and Walter’s sister Beneatha (Andrea Mouton).

Duane Martin Foster and Jaron Bentley. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

The 1973 musical adaptation, “Raisin,” won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1974, as well as Virginia Capers winning Best Actress in a Musical for playing Mama Lena, out of nine nominations. It also won the Grammy Award for best musical theater album.

But it has largely been forgotten over time. Landmark musicals of that era – “Purlie” in 1970, “The Wiz” in 1975 and “Dreamgirls” in 1981, signaling a new wave of creative artists, have been produced many times.

The book was co-written by the late Hansberry’s husband, Robert Nemiroff, and Charlotte Zaltzberg. The themes are the same — a family dares to dream of a better life that has been denied them and threatens to fall apart.

The music score by composer Judd Woldin, with lyrics by Robert Brittan, is an intimate story of a family, their daily and big-picture struggles, and real ongoing conversations. That was rare then and remains an unusual approach now.

This musical is an ambitious undertaking, and while the story is absorbing, faithful to Hansberry’s intentions, this isn’t a splashy, bombastic score with extravagant numbers. Still, there is much heart and soul to be discovered.

“He Came Down This Morning” – ensemble church number. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

Emphasizing authenticity and empathy, director Ron Himes depicts the Youngers’ struggles with the help of the creative stage work from sound designer Kareem Deanes and lighting designer Tony Anselmo.

The setting is their cramped, roach-infested apartment, effectively visually realized by scenic designer Tim Jones. But it opens beyond those walls – to a church, bar and streetscape. Mikhail Lynn contributed as a props designer, too.

The exceptional orchestra, led by music director Jermaine Manor, robustly brings out the jazz, gospel, blues and soul.  William Von Hombract is on bass, James Belk on percussion, Des Jones on drums, Mary Weber and Brady Lewis on trumpet, Stan Coleman on reed, Monet Royal and Adrian Walker on viola, David Glenn on guitar, and Manor on keyboard.

Choreographer Kirven Douthit-Boyd’s inspired dance work adds so much to the street life, with expressive moves to the musical beats of the city. Dancers Jorrell Lawyer-Jefferson, Demetrius Malik Lee and Aaliyah Weston are extraordinary in their pieces and group numbers.

Adrianna Jones and Duane Martin Foster. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

The gritty, bustling “Streets of Chicago” and “Runnin’ to Meet the Man” are livelier company numbers because of the choreography, and so is “Booze,” traditional “African Dance” and the ebullient spiritual gospel song “He Come Down This Morning.”

Walter Lee is a chauffeur but wants to open a liquor store and go into business with two other friends. Walter’s restlessness and growing resentments cause more fights between him and his wife and mother, mostly about the money. Mama Lena also wants to put money aside for Beneatha’s studies because she’s attending medical school.

Accomplished, acclaimed singers Jackson and Foster are the epitome of powerhouse vocalists, but to see them slip into the roles of Lena and Walter Lee with all their well-honed skills is to marvel at how natural their acting abilities are as well.

Jackson, who has a song full of hope as the prayerful Lena – “A Whole Lotta Sunlight,” and then a power ballad about resilience “Measure the Valleys” that’s a showstopper.

Jaron Bentley and Adrianna Jones. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

Foster’s sarcastic, bitter “Man Say” with his wife Ruth sets his tone, tired of playing by the rules while his aspirations are dismissed. while he seethes with rage in “You Done Right.”

In a tender moment, Foster and Jones pair on a lovely duet “Sweet Time,” while Jones shines in “Whose Angry Little Man,” a tribute to their son Travis.

In the second act, Foster shows a wider range of emotions, from an ebullient “It’s a Deal” to his anger that can’t be contained in the satirical “Not Anymore,” after a lifetime of disappointment and the bigotry they’ve endured, with his wife and sister participating, too.

The hopeful solo “Sidewalk Tree” is a special moment for the poised and talented Jaron Bentley, who delivers a dynamic performance as young Travis. He stood out at the Muny this summer in “Frozen” and “Evita” as part of the youth ensembles, and he has a bright future ahead with his remarkable stage presence.

A superb Robert McNichols is potent as Nigerian student Asagai, who is a friend seeing Beneatha. His charm shines through in the number “Alaiyo.” Beneatha’s exploration of her cultural awakening is another highlight, as illustrated in her fashion choices – fine work from costume designer Gregory Horton.

Singing in church. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

Supporting roles also include Will Bonfiglio as weaselly Karl Lindner, not exactly a Welcome Wagon for Clybourne Park., and De-Rance Blaylock as neighbor Mrs. Johnson, who literally takes us to church in the spirited number “He Come Down This Morning.”

The ensemble also includes Dwayne Moss III as Willie Harris, Adrian Rice as Bobo, Damari Padilla and Tia Renee Williams.

The ensemble moves well, their passion obvious.

The hope is that spotlighting this work will introduce a new generation to the play or at least remind others of work that still needs to be done.

The Black Rep presents “Raisin” as their 49th season opener from Sept. 3 through Sunday, Sept. 21 at the Edison Theater on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. For more information: www.theblackrep.org.