Lynn Venhaus

Total Post: 1140

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.

‘Georgetown’ Intersects Murder Mystery with Theatrical Politics

‘Georgetown’ Intersects Murder Mystery with Theatrical Politics

By Lynn Venhaus
The movie shows its cards right away: “This story does not in any way claim to be the truth,” we read on the screen. “Nonetheless, it is inspired by actual events.”

Washington D.C. social climber Ulrich Mott (Christoph Waltz) has conned his way into the upper echelons of politics and society, including marrying wealthy and much-older widow Elsa Brecht (Vanessa Redgrave). When she is found dead one evening after a triumphant dinner party, her daughter Amanda (Annette Bening) suspects foul play. The police investigation will uncover a large web of deception.

As we’re immersed into D.C.’s political maneuvering, we see the slick grifter Mott ingratiating himself with movers and shakers. The charming Mott is being hailed as “Lawrence of Arabia with a Blackberry,” regaling stories of his diplomatic exploits to the doyens of society.

Remarkably, his schtick works – until it doesn’t, but he can sure spin whoppers. In a truth is stranger than fiction way, “Georgetown” looks at the power plays in Washington D.C., where an ambitious German-born swindler can bamboozle the smart and important. And it’s a remarkable story how he got as far as he did – if we are to believe it all.

Based on the 2012 New York Times article, “The Worst Marriage in Georgetown,” by Franklin Foer, the film shows how Albrecht Gero Muth took advantage of Viola Herms Drath, a journalist, author, advisor to public figures and a wealthy widow. Although their names have been changed, the story is a tragic and bizarre true-crime headline.

Playwright David Auburn, who won a Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize for “Proof,” has adapted the sordid events into a dark comedy but the tone isn’t consistent, and there is little insight into the odd flim-flam man’s schemes and backstory.

In real life, Muth was 44 years younger than Drath and was convicted of her murder in 2014. You can dig deeper into that case on your own if you want more reality context.

As for the marriage, the movie offers a ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ scenario – a couple’s close relationship that disintegrates as more of Muth’s deceit is revealed.

Waltz, winner of two Oscars, and Redgrave, winner of one, delectably tango when she’s done with his charade and he’s not pretending to be devoted. They can make a three-course meal out of scenery chewing – and it’s fun to watch. Waltz also directed.

Not so fortunate is Annette Bening, whose Harvard law professor daughter character is underdrawn and is reduced to glaring at Mott with total disdain every time she’s on screen which isn’t much.

Because Redgrave, now 84, is playing a 91-year-old journalist, we see her sharp mind at work. The legendary actress might have slowed down but she’s still one of the best.

With such a lauded cast, you expect the outcome to be better but the film runs out of gas – maybe it’s because Mott is such an odd, pathetic character. It’s the kind of role that gave Waltz a film career, and he’s good at playing a schuyster. But even this guy can’t drum up any sympathy.

It is funny, however, when he’s donning an eye patch, claiming of service in the French Foreign Legion and as a brigadier general in the Iraqi Special Forces.

The attorneys are practically rolling their eyes over his antics — one of them being the exceptional Corey Hawkins, frustrated by Muth’s grandiosity and his clear-cut motives.

The movie was made in 2018, premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, and is finally out now. Not sure what that all means, and while it has its flaws, the story is intriguing  – and just to see Redgrave and Waltz tussle is worth it.

“Georgetown” is a 2019 true crime drama directed by Christoph Waltz and starring Waltz, Vanessa Redgrave and Annette Bening. Rated R for language and brief sexual material, with a runtime of 1 hour, 39 minutes. It was available Video on Demand beginning May 18.
Lynn’s Take: B-

That Uppity Theatre Company to Co-Produce ‘Pride in Progress’ at NYC Queer Playback Theatre

That Uppity Theatre Company to Co-Produce ‘Pride in Progress’ at NYC Queer Playback Theatre

In their first collaboration, That Uppity Theatre Company and Alight Theater Guild will co-produce NYC Queer Playback Theater with “Pride in Progress” on Sunday, June 13, at 7 p.m. CDT/8 p.m. EDT in a virtual interactive playback performance to honor Pride. This event is open to all ages and orientations and will run approximately 90 minutes, and is sponsored by St Louis Pride, St Louis Black Pride, #Boom Magazine and the Missouri Arts Council.

During the performance the audience will be invited to tell stories from their lives, then the story will be “played back” with facilitation, improvisational forms, and music by an ensemble, all around the theme of “Pride in Progress.” As we reflect on Pride in the midst of a pandemic and a racial reckoning, “Pride in Progress” hopes to ask what we are proud of individually and collectively, and what
progress is left to be gained?
 
“I am thrilled to be partnering with NYC Queer Playback to share their stories and that of our communities in a live event. Although we may miss gathering in more traditional physical spaces, virtual events like this provide more access for both artists and
audiences,“ said Joan Lipkin, the producing artistic director of That Uppity Theatre Company and Playback Now! St Louis. “NYC Queer Playback is one of the only LGBTQ+ specific playback companies in the US, and ideally suited to help explore our theme of Pride in Progress.”

NYC Queer Playback Theater aims to forge connection in the LGBTQ+ communities, whether participants identify within the community or as an ally, by creating a safe and diverse space for personal growth through Playback. Co-founder Jamie Roach said he
is excited to collaborate. 

“The LGBTQ+ community is hugely diverse, which is one of its biggest assets,” he said. “Playback allows its participants to reach across differences of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, age, country of origin, language, and ability/disability by providing a rare and rich chance to be vulnerable with each other’s stories while learning the true feelings and experiences of this dynamic community. As the many perspectives and identities are better understood, the ever-evolving Queer community is strengthened.”

For tickets, please register at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nyc-queer-playback-theaters-pride-in-progress-june-13-at-8pm-edt-registration-156443162711, and an event zoom link will be sent out on the day of the performance.

Tickets are priced at $12, with a pay-what-you-like option, including a free ticket choice. We invite all people, those from the LGBTQ+ community and allies, to reflect on our lives within our community, our nation and globally in the space that we are creating to
encourage openness, acceptance, respect, and equality regardless of one’s gender identity, sexual orientation, body size, ability, or status. Personal sharing is encouraged and entirely voluntary. Feel free to tell a story or to enjoy the stories of others.

About Playback
Practiced in over 60 countries, Playback Theatre is an original form of improvisational theater developed by Jonathan Fox and Jo Salas in which audience or group members tell stories from their lives and watch them enacted on the spot. Used in a variety of settings, Playback Theater provides highly enjoyable theater and promotes dialogue between different voices as audience members have the opportunity to speak and see their stories embodied on the stage. We discover who we are by telling our stories and,
as others bear witness and tell their own stories in response, a deep and empathy- building conversation is created through the collective stories brought to the stage.

About Playback Now! St Louis
Founded and directed by Joan Lipkin, Playback Now! St. Louis creates work based on the highly developed improvisational principles established by Jonathan Fox and Jo Salas that are practiced in over 60 countries to assist in individual storytelling for collective well-being.

The ensemble has performed at the Missouri History Museum, Monsanto, Webster University, Grand Center, the Monocle, Boeing, Edward Jones, St Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden, the Theater Communications Group Conference, the Grand Center Theatre Crawl and more as well as private settings.

About NYC Queer Playback
Founded in 2016, NYC Queer Playback Theater serves the LGBTQ+ community through open, monthly rehearsals, and since 2020, as a performing, Core Ensemble. Founded by Rick Sanford and Jamie Roach, under the mentorship of Mountaine Jonas,
NYC QPT values creating a safe and brave space for belonging and sharing stories about the layers and intersections within the Queer community. They’ve performed in NYC with SAGE (LGBTQ+ Elders) and in collaboration with Village Playback Theater, and have now found a strong connection through virtual programming. They are excited and grateful to collaborate with Playback Now! St. Louis.

Joan Lipkin

About Joan Lipkin


  1. She was commissioned by Luna Stage to write a piece about getting vaccinated. This is available online at https://www.lunastage.org/vaccine.
  1.  She is dramaturging and writing the script for “Environmental Injustice”, a dance concert by Ashleyliane Dance Company that will also feature the story of Hazel Johnson, the mother of environmental justice. Joan has written the text about Hazel Johnson. This is a  hybrid performance event with two optional parts:  Program A on Saturday, June 5 is taped and virtual. Program B on Sunday, June 6 is a live event at the Grandel Theatre in Grand Center with different material and also includes the piece about Hazel Johnson.
  1. 3. She is contributing to the script for A Call 2 Conscience’s “Celebration of Survival” featuring the real-life stories of St Louisans around COVID and the pandemic that is scheduled for live presentation Aug. 28-29.

‘Army of the Dead’ Is Zombie-Bashing Goodness

‘Army of the Dead’ Is Zombie-Bashing Goodness

By Alex McPherson

Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” is a hugely enjoyable jaunt into undead splatterville.

After a military convoy transporting cargo from Area 51 collides with a distracted driver, a bloodthirsty brain-muncher is unleashed upon the population of Las Vegas. All hell breaks loose — visualized in an over-the-top montage involving strippers, Elvis impersonators and others being overpowered in slow motion while “Viva Las Vegas” plays on the soundtrack. Oh, there’s also a zombie tiger and two smarter “alpha” zombies leading a, well, army of the dead. 

The U.S. military tries to rescue as many survivors as possible, assisted by mercenaries Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), Maria Cruz (Ana de la Reguera), and Vanderohe (Omari Hardwick), a lover of buzzsaws and existential ponderings. They eventually contain the zombies within the city’s borders. The government establishes a ramshackle refugee camp immediately outside, and the President announces a plan to deploy a tactical nuke to eliminate the infected once and for all. 

Scott, reeling from a decision that fractured his relationship with his daughter, Kate (Ella Purnell), is relegated to flipping burgers at a bar outside Vegas, despite having received the Medal of Freedom for saving the Secretary of Defense. Soon enough, a sketchy businessman named Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada) offers Scott an assignment to venture back inside Vegas to retrieve the contents of his casino’s safe, with the potential to get rich. Scott then recruits Maria, Vanderohe, a socially awkward safecracker named Dieter (Matthias Schweighöfer), a viral zombie-killing sensation named Mikey Guzman (Raúl Castillo), and a sardonic helicopter pilot named Marianne Peters (Tig Notaro, digitally replacing Chris D’Elia).

They are joined by Guzman’s pal, Chambers (Samantha Win), Bly’s crony, Martin (Garret Dillahunt), and “The Coyote,” (Nora Arnezeder), a badass individual who knows how to navigate the zombified horde. To complicate matters, Kate insists on rescuing her friend Geeta (Huma Qureshi), who entered Vegas to find funds to buy her escape from the refugee camp. Last and certainly least, an abusive security guard named Burt Cummings (Theo Rossi) tags along. Over-the-top fun ensues as the group attempts to grab the cash before they’re disemboweled or blown to smithereens.

Tig Notaro

Loud, unrestrained, and packed with cliches, “Army of the Dead” is perfectly satisfying as a summer action film, albeit one that shouldn’t be analyzed too closely. Indeed, for the most part, Snyder’s film embraces its goofiness — going all in on the gore and bombastic set pieces that any reasonable viewer should expect, while delivering the occasionally effective character moment and feeling about an hour too long.

Sure, “Army of the Dead” might not be doing anything particularly “new” for the genre, but the few additions Snyder adds are welcome, especially the aforementioned zombie hierarchy and intimidating feline. There’s little to criticize in the outrageously gory action sequences with on-the-nose musical accompaniments. During these moments, Snyder’s indulgent style absolutely shines, creating a symphony of carnage that’s glorious to behold.

The quieter scenes are less successful, but there’s still a few surprises to be found. “Army of the Dead” takes a while to get going, mostly due to the excess of characters of varying quality. Besides Scott, they’re each given barebones backstories that render them more as cartoonish caricatures than real people, and maybe that’s acceptable in this instance. I certainly wouldn’t want the film to be any longer — it’s two-and-a-half hours, for god’s sake — but having fewer characters could have strengthened the film’s pacing and given us more time to grow attached before they’re fighting for their lives. 

The film’s screenplay does elevate their charm, though, especially regarding the unlikely bond between Vanderohe and Dieter. Hardwick and Schweighöfer have excellent comedic chemistry, creating several amusing moments.  There’s plenty of cringeworthy lines scattered throughout, but the script has enough personality for me to care about (most) of the characters by the intense finale, overlooking some abrupt tonal shifts.

Only Scott is given much depth, but Bautista’s performance carries the film’s heart, lending the proceedings a human edge amid the bloodshed. Although I wish he was given more screen time and his storyline took more risks, there’s enough thematic meat to chew on. Bautista proves that he can deliver emotional lines with skill, as well as demolish ghoulish baddies with gusto.

All things considered, “Army of the Dead” is a messy, but nevertheless thrilling blockbuster. My criticisms don’t detract much from how entertained I was, and as a balm for our depressing times, it’s a meal worth feasting on.

“Army of the Dead” is a 2021 horror-action movie directed by Zack Snyder and starring Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, . Rated R for strong bloody violence, gore and language throughout, some sexual content and brief nudity/graphic nudity, the film’s run time is 2 hours and 28 minutes. The movie is currently available in theaters and streaming on Netflix. Alex’s Rating: B 

‘The Dry’ Is Riveting Murder Mystery Set in Australian Outback

‘The Dry’ Is Riveting Murder Mystery Set in Australian Outback

By Lynn Venhaus
The air is heavy with a sense of dread, for not only what Mother Nature has done to the land but also what man-made messes are haunting the townsfolk in fictional Kiewarra in “The Dry.”

When a childhood friend is found dead, Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) returns to his hometown for the funeral. It has been 20 years, and apparently, there is unfinished business. During their teen years, Aaron and his pal Luke were friends with a girl whose drowning death in 1991 was suspicious. His presence conjures up unpleasant memories for the flinty locals, who have their own secrets.

Aaron is still an outsider but sticks around to see if there would have been any motive for Luke and his family to be murdered. After all, in Melbourne, he is a federal police officer. This small farm town has been ravaged by a drought, and rain hasn’t fallen for 324 days, which adds to the distress.

The devastation has taken a toll on the town – and the conditions are a tinderbox waiting to happen in the dusty Australian outback. Their predicament has created a moody, unsettling atmosphere, with exceptional camera work from cinematographer Stefan Duscio, who did brilliant work in “The Invisible Man.”

The parched landscape and the isolated town are important to the story. Aaron teams up with young police sergeant Greg Raco, a fine Keir O’Donnell, whose dogged determination helps reveal clues as they figure out if the cases, 20 years apart, are connected.

The story unfolds methodically, and is based on a bestselling whodunit from Jane Harper, her debut novel in 2016. It’s a solid story, building tension as more people are put under the harsh interrogation glare.

Director Robert Connolly, who also helped write the adaptation, along with Harry Cripps, uses copious amounts of flashbacks of Aaron, Luke, Gretchen and Ellie at age 17. Samantha Strauss contributed additional writing.

The characters are well-drawn, and the supporting ensemble serve the story to create suspicion and doubt about certain townsfolk until the film’s dramatic climax. Noteworthy are John Polson as the school principal, Renee Lim as his wife Sandra, William Zappa as Ellie’s dad Mal Deacon and Rita Tapsell as the police officer’s pregnant and outspoken wife.

Eric Bana, who hasn’t been in a heroic leading man role for a while, displays the gravitas needed as a conflicted man confronting his past. As his friend, Genevieve O’Reilly gives a nuanced portrait of Gretchen, another one hiding details about their tragic losses.

The quartet portraying the four central characters as teens are key to this film working, and they excel at showing the pent-up energy of youths with hopes and dreams bigger than their environment (and those raging hormones). Joe Klocek as Aaron, Sam Corlett as Luke, Claude Scott Mitchell as Gretchen and BeBe Bettencourt as the troubled Ellie are memorable in those roles.

Bettencourt also sings a haunting version of “Under the Milky Way,” a 1988 hit for the Australian alternative rock band The Church. Her superb rendition also plays over the credits.

A score by Peter Rayburn punctuates the growing sinister tone, and is not overdone.

By the film’s conclusion, most loose ends are effectively resolved. The film’s strong sense of time and place, grounded acting, and captivating yarn make this murder mystery a cut above.

“The Dry” is an Australian film directed by Robert Connolly and adapted from Jane Harper’s 2016 debut novel. Starring Eric Bana, Genevieve O’Reilly, Keir O’Donnell and John Polson, this 2020 murder mystery is Rated R for violence and language throughout, and runtime is 1 hour, 57 minutes. It is in theaters and Video on Demand as of May 21. Lynn’s Grade: A-

St Louis Actors’ Studio to Restart 14th Season in September

St Louis Actors’ Studio to Restart 14th Season in September

:September 2021 will mark the restart of St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s Fourteenth season themed “The Lost Episodes”.The world is finally returning to normalcy and with that, STLAS is excited to get back at it. Producing word-class, thought-provoking entertainment at our intimate Gaslight Theater. We cannot wait to see you in the fall! Season subscriptions are the best way to experience St. Louis Actors’ Studio–you get a discount and no-hassle ticket exchanges and reserved seat signage. Let’s come back strong – get a group together this season and make a year of it!Our 2021-22 season, “The Lost Episodes.”

“The Zoo Story/The Dumb Waiter”
by Edward Albee/Harold Pinter
Directed by Wayne Salomon, Starring William Roth*
September 17 – October 3, 2021
Classic early one act plays by two giants of the theatre.  Edward Albee and Harold Pinter.
THE ZOO STORY – A man sits peacefully reading in the sunlight in Central Park. There enters a second man. He is a young, unkempt and undisciplined vagrant where the first is neat, ordered, well-to-do and conventional. The vagrant is a soul in torture and rebellion. He longs to communicate so fiercely that he frightens and repels his listener. He is a man drained of all hope who, in his passion for company, seeks to drain his companion. With provocative humor and unrelenting suspense, the young savage slowly, but relentlessly, brings his victim down to his own atavistic level as he relates a story about his visit to the zoo.

“Edward Albee is a voice unparalleled in American theater.” —NY Times.
“The dialogue crackles and the tension runs high.” —Associated Press.
“Darkly comic and thrilling.” —Time Out NY

THE DUMB WAITER: As the New York World-Telegram & Sun describes: “In the basement of a long-abandoned restaurant, two hired killers nervously await their next assignment. Barred from daylight and living public contact by the nature of their work, they expend their waiting time in bickering. So eerie is the situation that everything becomes comic, or grotesque, or both. Ben re-reading a newspaper and exclaiming in disbelief over the news items, Gus fussing with an offstage stove and offstage plumbing. Ben bludgeoning Gus into silence if he as much as mentions their work. Gus worrying that someone had slept in his bed. So then the ancient dumbwaiter comes to life, the suspense becomes almost unbearable—that expertly has Pinter put the nerves of his characters and audience on edge.

“A distinguished gift for sheer, old-fashioned theatrical effectiveness, including the use of melodramatic suspense and the hint of sinister forces lying in ambush.” —NY Post Statesman

“Comfort”
By Neil LaBute
Directed by Associate Artistic Director, Annamaria Pileggi,
Starring Kari Ely* and Spencer Sickmann*
December 3 – December 19, 2021
A new play by STLAS friend and associate Neil LaBute in which a successful author and her son meet after some time apart and revisit their troubled relationship. What’s at stake? Whether or not the instinctive bond between mother and child can survive not just the past, but also two new book deals.

“Mr. LaBute is writing some of the freshest and most illuminating American dialogue to be heard anywhere these days.” —NY Times.

“No contemporary writer has more astutely captured the brutality in everyday conversation and behavior: That kind of insight requires sensitivity and soul-searching.” —USA Today
.
“It is tight, tense and emotionally true, and it portrays characters who actually seem part of the world that the rest of us live in.” —Time.

“Hand To God” by Robert Askins
Directed by Associate Artistic Director, John Pierson
Starring Eric Dean White* and Colleen Backer
February 18- March 6, 2022
After the death of his father, meek Jason finds an outlet for his anxiety at the Christian Puppet Ministry, in the devoutly religious, relatively quiet small town of Cypress, Texas. Jason’s complicated relationships with the town pastor, the school bully, the girl next door, and—most especially—his mother are thrown into upheaval when Jason’s puppet, Tyrone, takes on a shocking and dangerously irreverent personality all its own. HAND TO GOD explores the startlingly fragile nature of faith, morality, and the ties that bind us.

“The fearsome critter [Tyrone], who takes possession of a troubled teenager’s left arm in Robert Askins’ darkly delightful play really inspires goose bumps as he unleashes a reign of terror…But he’s also flat-out hilarious, spewing forth acid comedy that will turn those goose bumps into guffaws.” —The New York Times.

“Furiously funny…Askins’ most impressive talent is his ability to make us laugh while juggling those big themes that make life so terrifying: death, depression, alcoholism, sexual guilt, emotional repression, religious hypocrisy and the eternal battle between your good puppet and your bad puppet.” —Variety.

“A scabrously funny scenario that steadily darkens into suspense and Grand Guignol horror, this fiery clash of the id, ego and superego is also an audacious commentary on the uses of faith, both to comfort and control us.” —The Hollywood Reporter.

“I don’t know which I want to do more: Sing Hallelujah—or wash its dirty little mouth out with soap. …Clearly a singular vision is at work here, with playwright Robert Askins venturing successfully into territory—satire—rich with potholes.” —Deadline.

“HAND TO GOD is so ridiculously raunchy, irreverent and funny it’s bound to leave you sore from laughing. Ah, hurts so good.” —New York Daily News.

9th Annual LaBute New Theater Festival
July 8-31, 2022
A Celebrated month-long festival of world premiere one-act plays.

*Member Actors’ Equity Association

Click Here to download the order form! 

West End Players Guild Announces 110th Season to Start in September

West End Players Guild Announces 110th Season to Start in September

Okay, let’s try this one again.  The Lost Year is ending and the season that never happened is gone for good, but now our darkened theatre is getting ready to light up once again.  Plan to join us in September for opening night of our 110th season of Big Theatre in a Small Space, with another exciting schedule of plays never or rarely seen in St. Louis.  

            September 17-26, 2021:  What if you could go back in time and change the one moment that reshaped your life forever?  What if you could see a lost love of 40 years ago just one more time, to learn how her life turned out?  Would you?  Steven Dietz’s Bloomsday, a bittersweet tale of love won and lost on the Emerald Isle, poses the questions.  The answers are for you to discover.  Jessa Knust makes her WEPG directing debut.   

            December 10-19, 2021:  Shirley Lauro’s A Piece of My Heart is, according to one reviewer, “six women telling a story you are not sure you want to hear.”  Four young military nurses, a Red Cross worker and a USO singer fly off to the Vietnam war, full of hope and driven by their desire to serve.  But the life they live there breaks their hearts and, for some, their lives.  Yes, it’s a story you may not want to hear, but it’s also one you’ll never forget.  Dani Mann directs.

            February 11-20, 2022:  In an alternate universe much like our own, in a budget motel room in a snowy part of the country called New Hampshire, the first woman to make a serious run at a major party’s presidential nomination is teetering on the brink of elimination from a race that hasn’t even really started yet; and her husband, himself an ex-president, isn’t helping much.  The play is Hillary and Clinton, Lucas Hnath’s take on what might have happened in that motel room.  Is Hnath’s tale history or fantasy?  We can’t say for sure, but we can promise a show that is smart, funny and full of characters you just might recognize.  Tim Naegelin directs his first WEPG production. 

            April 29-May 8, 2022:  We end our season where it began – in Ireland.  But Irish playwright Martin McDonagh’s The Lonesome West is no warm-hearted Irish love story.  This dark, dark comedy is the tale of Coleman and Valene, two brothers who can barely keep from killing each other.  McDonagh makes you laugh and laugh at things that really shouldn’t be laughed about.  But go ahead and laugh out loud.  We won’t tell.  Robert Ashton returns to WEPG to direct.   

            Season tickets for the upcoming season go on sale in July online at WestEndPlayers.org/tickets. Individual show tickets will go on sale in August.  All shows are at the theatre in the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union Boulevard in the Central West End.  Watch for further announcements and check for more information, including public health protocols to be observed at the performances (when they are finalized), at WestEndPlayers.org. 

Actors, take note:  Auditions for A Piece of My Heart, Hillary and Clinton and The Lonesome West will be held July 17 (Bloomsday, originally scheduled to be presented in April, 2020, has already been cast).  More information and audition sides will be posted at WestEndPlayers.org/auditions in June. 

“Silent Sky” Photo by John Lamb

            West End Players Guild is the region’s oldest continuously-operated theatre company, presenting “big theatre in a small space” since 1911. 

The Fox Resumes Guided Tours

The Fox Resumes Guided Tours

The Fabulous Fox Theatre has announced the return of guided tours of the historic landmark. Limited tours of the Fabulous Fox will resume on Saturday, June 5, 2021. Tours will be conducted on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and include a presentation on the Wurlitzer organ.

Tour tickets are $10 each and advance purchase is required at Metrotix.com or by calling MetroTix at 314-534-1111. Tickets will be delivered to guests’ mobile devices or emailed for print at home.  The Fox Box office is currently closed and tickets will not be available for purchase on the day of the tour. Ticket sales will close at 5 p.m. the Friday prior to each Saturday tour. 

In order to assure the safety of our guests and guides the following protocols will be followed: 

·         All guests are required to wear masks and will have their temperature taken with no-touch devices before entering the theatre. 

·         Fox tour guides and personnel will wear masks and will have their temperature taken when they check in for duty. 

·         Social distancing will be practiced and monitored during the entire tour experience.  Each tour’s capacity is limited to 20 guests.

·         The theatre will be thoroughly cleaned with emphasis on high touch areas prior to each tour.

·         Hand sanitizing stations are available throughout the theatre.

Tour guests should visit FabulousFox.com throughout the summer for possible updates to the tour schedule and safety protocols.

Tesseract Theatre Company Returns with ‘Feast’ on June 11

Tesseract Theatre Company Returns with ‘Feast’ on June 11

The Tesseract Theatre Company is returning to the stage at the .Zack Theatre with new play “Feast” by Megan Gogerty. The St. Louis premiere of Feast will star Donna Parrone and be directed by Shane Signorino. The production will be live and run June 11 – 27, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 4 pm.

A brave new work, navigating the intersection of politics and myth. Highly theatrical and timely, this dinner party is both thrillingly ancient and fiercely present. This is an immersive, visceral theatre experience where mythology crashes into pop culture. Feast reimagines an ancient myth as a cautionary tale against the rising forces of authoritarianism.

The .Zack Theatre is located at 3224 Locust Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103.

There will be group seating as well as social distanced seating available in the space. There will be a limited number of tickets on sale for each performance. As of now, audience members will be asked to wear masks in the space for the duration of the performance for the safety and comfort of all other audience members.

Tickets are available at MetroTix.com. $20 for general audience and $15 for students.

Questions can be sent to Tesseract Theatre at contact@tesseracttheatre.com

The Muny Revises Season, Announces Reduced Capacity

The Muny Revises Season, Announces Reduced Capacity

By Lynn Venhaus
The show will go on this summer at The Muny – but the 103rd season will start later and be shorter because of the coronavirus pandemic challenges.

After meeting with St. Louis public health officials, The Muny leadership modified plans for a 2021 season of seven shows to five, moved two musicals to next year and pushed back the opening production to July 26.

The Muny’s internal COVID-19 Compliance Task Force, which includes infectious disease experts, developed a plan for attendees, including reducing capacity to 60% to meet the recently updated social distancing guidelines from the city of St. Louis.

With a later start date, The Muny and the city hope the health landscape will continue to improve, providing patrons more comfort and certainty when heading to the theatre.

“The City of St. Louis Department of Health has partnered with The Muny to bring you a safe and enjoyable experience this summer,” said Dr. Fredrick Echols, acting director of health. “By establishing COVID-19 guidelines and collaborating through the planning process, we feel The Muny is well positioned to welcome theater-goers back safely, allowing many who depend on these summertime jobs to provide for their families.”

During the summer, the Muny employs 800 part-time workers in addition to its 35 full-time staff members.

The revised five-show schedule includes “Smokey Joe’s Café,” July 26 – Aug. 1; “The Sound of Music,” Aug. 3-9; “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” Aug. 12-18; “On Your Feet,” Aug. 21-27; and “Chicago,” Aug. 30-Sept. 5.

Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s “Mary Poppins” and “Sweeney Todd” will move to the 2022 season.

The Muny is the nation’s largest and oldest outdoor musical theatre and seats about 11,000. As one of the premier institutions in musical theatre, they usually produce seven musicals each year and welcome more than 350,000 theatregoers over a nine-week season.

Last year, for the first time in 102 years, The Muny stage remained empty because of the public health crisis, with plans moved to this summer, if conditions allowed.

Recently, new Centers for Disease Control guidelines for fully vaccinated people and eased public health restrictions in Illinois and Missouri were announced. To comply with the city, the Muny has established guidelines on social distancing, face coverings, staff health screenings and other mitigation efforts.

Managing Director Kwofe Coleman said it was a well-thought-out decision. As they did last year, they had evaluated every aspect of its operation in relation to their audience, staff, cast, crew and community, with health and safety foremost in everyone’s minds.

“From city leadership to the hundreds who bring theatre to life on our stage each summer, a remarkable sense of collaboration among everyone involved has made it possible for us to safely welcome this community back to its theatre this summer,” Coleman said. “It will be a remarkable moment of hope and relief to see the audience gather and the lights go on. We’ve missed that.”

Fully vaccinated patrons will not be required to wear masks at The Muny. Patrons who are not yet fully vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear masks on campus, unless actively eating or drinking.

For this season, social distancing will be required in all areas of the theatre. Patrons will be ticketed in groups of six or less with a minimum distance of 3 feet between parties in all directions (right, left, front and behind).

For the safety of patrons and employees, the event staff will wear masks. In addition, all full-time employees and event staff will be subject to daily health screenings before entering The Muny campus.

Concession stands, kiosks and other retail transactions made on The Muny campus will be cashless and only offer credit, debit or Muny gift card payment options.

Muny President and CEO Denny Reagan said he and the entire Muny family was thrilled to share their plans for the return of live theatre to Forest Park.

“To say we’ve missed our in-person audiences would be a vast understatement. We are overjoyed to welcome St. Louis back to its summer home for musical theatre and ready for many magical nights ahead,” he said.

The return is welcomed by a large contingent of collaborators, said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson.

“For every actor, designer, painter, musician, choreographer — well, everyone who creates at The Muny, the unprecedented past 16 months have been arduous. Knowing we’re returning to do what we do and be who we are is electrifying,” Isaacson said.

The casts and creative teams will be announced in a few weeks, Coleman said.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, who said her first job at age 16 was as an usher at the Muny, said she welcomed the return to Forest Park after last season’s cancellation.

“I look forward to this cultural icon bringing people back from all over into Forest Park, and hope everyone who visits takes the necessary precautions to protect the health and safety of fellow Muny patrons, performers and workers,” Jones said.

To allow a continuous stream of physically distanced patrons to pass through security checkpoints without the delays typically associated with bag checks and handheld metal detection devices, or wands, the Muny campus has deployed new state-of-the-art metal detection scanners.

For patron convenience, hand sanitizer dispensers will be widely available throughout the Muny campus.

The current season ticket holders for the 2021 season will be contacted personally with detailed information regarding updated seating options.

New subscriptions for the 2021 five-show package will begin June 21, with single tickets becoming available July 5.

Previously, in mid-March, season tickets went on sale for the 103rd season, planning to start weeks later than usual, on July 5 and run through Sept. 5.

But because of the ongoing pandemic and public health restrictions, the Muny management said they would officially make an announcement in May: “A final decision regarding the status of the 2021 season will be made in late spring based on the current health landscape, best practices and all available information.”

The five shows scheduled were top vote-getters from the 101st season survey in 2019.

Two shows are Muny premieres – “Smokey Joe’s Café,” Broadway’s longest running musical revue, which will be set in St. Louis’ historic Gaslight Square, and “On Your Feet!”, the Gloria Estefan musical, which is also the Midwestern regional premiere.

Kander and Ebb’s six-time Tony Award-winning “Chicago” was last seen in 2012. The Rodgers and Hammerstein classic “The Sound of Music” returns after 11 years for its 11th run. The Golden Age Muny favorite, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” will make its sixth appearance, not since 2011.

“It’s a good mix,” Coleman said. “We pick shows that we hope people are going to enjoy. The main thing is that people are coming back to the Muny and we get to be a community again. It will be an exciting moment.”

Without live shows last summer, the Muny pivoted with virtual programming, producing a free five-episode series, “The Muny 2020 Summer Variety Hour Live!” and airing Muny Magic concerts presented at The Sheldon in the off-season.

With viewers from 22 countries, the total estimated attendance for the free 10-show summer season was 189,582. This number represented a record-breaking first in The Muny’s live-streaming history, and is an aggregated estimate based on YouTube analytics.

The activities at #1 Muny Drive have continued. The stage is being installed and construction is on track.

Because the aging 11.5-acre campus needs upkeep and maintenance, The Muny is currently undergoing a multi-year major renovation project that was announced in October 2018.  Phase 3 started in September, focused on backstage support spaces.

The new Emerson Artists’ Building will house dressing rooms, the wig shop, hair and makeup departments and wardrobe. Renovations are planned for the costume shop, production and general offices, rehearsal space, craft and scenic room, painter and carpenter areas, and the sewer and plumbing infrastructure. The capital campaign has raised $85 million so far.

Coleman, who started at The Muny as a seasonal employee when he was 16, was announced recently as the theatre’s next president and CEO, succeeding Denny Reagan, who is retiring after 53 years. He begins the new position on Jan. 1, 2022.

Their mission, continued since establishing a home in Forest Park as the Municipal Opera in 1918, is to be accessible to all.

Tickets can be purchased online at muny.org or by phone by calling (314) 361-1900. Currently, the box office in Forest Park is closed for walk-up service. However, the box office is available via phone for internet and phone sales. 

All Muny Patron Policies and Sanitation Guidelines are available on The Muny website. Policies will also be communicated in preshow emails to patrons. Campus signage will be located at entrances and throughout public spaces to encourage proper physical distancing, hand sanitation, face covering policies and safety guidelines.

To stay connected virtually and to receive the latest updates, you can sign up for Muny emails or follow The Muny on their social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

The Rep Returns to Live Theatre with ‘Mlima’s Tale’

The Rep Returns to Live Theatre with ‘Mlima’s Tale’

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) is excited to bring an extraordinary production with a cast and crew from around the globe to St. Louis in the organization’s return to live theatre with ‘Mlima’s Tale,’ a moving, lyrical journey through the dark world of the international ivory trade from two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage. 

Performances of ‘Mlima’s Tale’ begin at COCA’s Berges Theatre onMay 28. The show runsMay 28 to July 11, times can be found here. Tickets begin at $20.50. 

‘Mlima’s Tale’ tells the story of a majestic and powerful African elephant murdered for his tusks. From beyond the veil of death, Mlima’s spirit follows the path of his tusks on a captivating and haunting journey through the dark world of the international ivory trade.

“As artists we are often tasked with examining our shared human experiences to help others imagine, dream and heal during a time of global crisis,” said Director Shariffa Ali. “Directing ‘Mlima’s Tale’ allowed me to dig deep into my own personal history, where as a child I would listen to the stories of my grandmother and the village elders of Nandi Hills, Kenya, planting the seed of storytelling in my soul. This cast and crew – from all over the world – has created a production that brings to life the bold majestic gestures and expressive faces of my motherland and beyond, as it so aptly exposes the social issues that come with the greed of human desire in our global economy.”

Mlima’s Tale cast includes Kambi Gathesha as Mlima, with Ezioma Asonye, Will Mann and Joe Ngo as the ensemble. The production will be directed by Shariffa Ali, Kirven Douthit-Boyd will serve as the choreographer, You-Shin Chen (scene design), Helen Huang (costume design), Jasmine Lesane (lighting design), Avi Amon (composer and sound design), Shannon B. Sturgis (stage management), R. Christopher Maxwell (assistant stage manager) and Madison Booth as the costume assistant; with Barbara Rubin and Julie Foh serving as dialect coaches.

“We are thrilled to bring Lynn Nottage’s haunting and riveting tale of globalism to our St. Louis audience,” said Hana S. Sharif, Augustin Family Artistic Director at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. “Mlima’s Tale is an exquisite story about culture, art, beauty, economics, greed and the incredible cost of conspicuous consumption. Through Mlima’s majestic spirit’s journey tracing its tusks around the world, we come to discover the collective power and impact of our choices.

For audience and performer safety, theatre capacity will be kept at 25 percent, in line with  St. Louis County Department of Health’s COVID-19 guidelines. In addition, The Rep is adhering to its comprehensive plan to keep actors, production staff and patrons safe during the return to live theatre. ‘Mlima’s Tale’ is The Rep’s only performance from the 2020-2021 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tickets will be available to the general public on May 20 at repstl.org. Subscribers will have earlier access to seating and tickets. For more information, visit repstl.org.