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.

Raunchy, Bloody, Funny – Two Stars’ Bromance in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Saves the World and MCU

Raunchy, Bloody, Funny – Two Stars’ Bromance in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Saves the World and MCU

By Lynn Venhaus
Propelled by personality and pizzazz, the very funny, very bloody and very meta “Deadpool & Wolverine” is an epic throwdown teaming two very different superheroes played by a pair of dynamic superstars.

Now a civilian, a listless Wade Wilson thinks his days as a morally flexible mercenary are behind him. But when his ‘homeworld’ faces an existential threat, he must suit up again as Deadpool and join an even more reluctant Wolverine to save his loved ones.

Full of Easter Eggs for comic book and superhero fans, another pleasant surprise is the clever casting, and a memorable soundtrack mix of sardonic needle drops. You likely have never heard Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” or The Goo-Goo Dolls’ “Iris” this way.

The plot, which is muddled and messy multiverse mayhem, is likely immaterial. One setting is The Void, apparently mentioned in Disney Plus’ “Loki” television series, and another is the often-used Time Variance Authority (TVA), a bureaucratic agency that monitors timelines in the multiverse.

Since appearing in Marvel Comics in 1986 and in “Loki” in 2021-23, the TVA regulates reality and swiftly acts on temporal anomalies. I don’t understand it either. Are we in the Matrix or out?

Time rips, worlds must be saved so that these anti-heroes can matter, the very tall and muscular pair bicker like they’re in a buddy cop movie, the fight scenes are mind-numbing repetitive, and the saucy innuendo and no-filter in-jokes comprise a hefty chunk of the 2 hour, 7-minute runtime.

Don’t think too hard and you can follow up with the MCU backstories later.

Director and co-writer Shawn Levy and his four credited co-writers Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, star Ryan Reynolds and Zeb Wells have fun mocking the MCU – and new parent company Disney.

Reese and Wernick wrote the first two “Deadpool” movies (2016 and 2018) and Levy worked with Reynolds on the video game satire “Free Guy” in 2021 and the time travel family film “The Adam Project” in 2022. He also directed Jackman in “Real Steel” in 2011.

The fan service-focused writers aim for the audience to enjoy the comedic gifts of glib Reynolds, all in for the third time as Deadpool, aka “The Merc with the Mouth,” doing his signature fourth wall breaking and snappy repartee peppered with self-aware pop culture references.

This film is Wilson’s timeline, and I think we’re part of the portal that has discovered a grumpy version of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, the X-Men legend that he’s played 10 times on screen, and yes, was killed in 2017’s “Logan.”

If you haven’t seen a recent Marvel movie, they play loose with the multiverses, so really anything can happen – and does, as logic doesn’t matter.

Capitalizing on their viral social media faux feud, Reynolds and Jackman follow through with their odd-couple chemistry and amusing one-upmanship.

The charismatic duo, in frenemies mode, must use their specific sets of skills to thwart the foe, Cassandra Nova, Charles Xavier’s evil twin sister who benefits from telekinesis and telepathy.

Xavier is none other than the beloved Professor X, creator of the X-Men, and founder of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Logan taught a new generation of mutants there.

A bald, glowering Emma Corrin, best known for portraying a young Lady Diana Spencer on “The Crown,” is an unpredictable and dull villain that appears stuck in a scorched earth dystopian scenario reminiscent of another popular sci-fi fantasy franchise. 

The heavily banged-up, scraggly heroes are joined by faces both familiar and fresh, and while mentioning cameos would be a frowned-upon spoiler, those actors really perk up the proceedings.

Supporting characters include Emmy-Award winner Matthew Macfadyen (Tom on “Succession”) as a mysterious TVA manager-enforcer Mr. Paradox, Rob Delaney as Wade’s cheerful co-worker Peter who is eager to help save the world, Morena Baccarin returns as Wade’s sweet ex-girlfriend Vanessa, and Leslie Uggams is Wade’s cantankerous blind roommate Al.

With a torrent of F-bombs unleashed throughout – more than a 100, this is the first Disney-sanctioned Marvel movie to be rated R, and it’s also because of its gory slice-and-dice fights and raunchy, foul-mouthed humor.

If you’ve seen the previous two self-aware “Deadpool” movies, it follows that subversive-found family template.

Deadpool, a comic book figure created by Rob Leifeld and Fabian Nicieza, was a soldier dying of cancer when offered a lifeline by a shadowy agency – experimented on, which left him horribly disfigured but able to rapidly heal. He first showed up in the X-Men Origins movie “Wolverine” in 2009, and the bromance began.

This is also the first time Wolverine is seen in his comic book yellow-and-blue suit in 24 years of live-action films, and costume designers Graham Churchyard and Mayes C. Rubeo nail it.

The versatile Jackman, who is at home on both a Broadway stage and stabbing people with his mutant’s retractable adamantium claws, is in prime physical condition, and can capably handle his gruff character’s brute strength and animalistic rage, not to mention rock the mutton-chop sideburns.

Wolverine, aka James “Logan” Howlett, has been part of the X-Men, X-Force, Alpha Flight, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers. Depicted as a loner, he’s known for a long lifespan and therefore, many life experiences. Jackman has played the character since 2000.

We reviewers are contractually obligated not to give too much away in terms of spoilers, character development, cameos and major plot points, so this must suffice.

This film is going to be a huge box office champ, restoring the MCU’s luster after last year’s flops “Ant-Man vs. The Wasp: Quantumania” and “The Marvels,” so does it matter if it’s really a rough patchwork quilt, enlivened by zippy quips and two pros giving fans what they want?

I doubt that anyone is going to remember this plot, or comprehend it, once people get home. But they will recall laughing a lot – and a very sentimental homage to the Fox era of “X-Men” films over the closing credits.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” is a 2024 action-comedy-sci-fi movie directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corwin, Matthew MacFadyen, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, and Leslie Uggams. It is rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, gore and sexual references and runs 2 hours, 7 minutes. It opened in theatres July 26. Lynn’s Grade: B-.

The Muny’s Resplendent ‘Fiddler’ Laden with Happiness and Tears

The Muny’s Resplendent ‘Fiddler’ Laden with Happiness and Tears


By Lynn Venhaus

The Muny’s warm, wondrous and deeply affecting production of “Fiddler on the Roof” grabs your heart from the moment you hear a solo violin when an invigorated Adam Heller makes his entrance as Tevye and never lets us go.

An emotional powerhouse, this cherished musical premiered on Broadway 60 years ago, and remains beguiling with its universal story of faith and family that is both timeless and timely.

Since 1970, the Muny has staged this favorite 11 times, and while I haven’t been to all of them, I count at least six, and the current run will stand the test of time as one of its most uplifting and heartfelt.

This “Fiddler” is distinguished by an extraordinary ensemble, electrifying dance, life-affirming music, tender story and illustrious creative team.

With its everlasting theme of how our shared humanity unites us all, at this perilous time of oppression, tyranny and increased anti-Semitic hate crimes around the world, this version hits close to home.

Max Chernin and Samantha Massell in the 2024 Muny production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

We are reminded why this resplendent musical not only has endured, but how it endears to new generations. The cultural heritage is emphasized in the book by Joseph Stein, and the sumptuous music by Jerry Bock and ardent lyrics by Sheldon Harnick indicate resilience, compassion, love and community.

Set in imperial Russia around 1905, the Jewish village of Anatevka is where Tevye the dairyman, his wife Golde and his five daughters live, and the show is based on tales in Yiddish by Sholem Aleichem.

Tevye values “the old ways” but is tested when his children want to pursue their own definition of happiness, and they confound him with their modern views on love and marriage.

Forced to deal with change while unsettling times are at hand, he and his family must seek new homes after being evicted by the czar’s edict, as the country is on the brink of revolution.

What parent doesn’t tear-up relating to “Sunrise, Sunset” or feel the palpable joy of Motel the Tailor (a sublime Max Chernin) in “Miracle of Miracles”? Who doesn’t have a big grin watching The Dream Sequence or the Wedding celebration?

Jill Abramovitz and Adam Heller in the 2024 Muny production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

The second act songs always tug at my heartstrings – starting with Perchik’s elation “Now I Have Everything,” the touching Tevye-Golde duet “Do You Love Me?” and Hodel’s agonizing “Far from the Home I Love.” I started blubbering during the heartbreaking Chava sequence and tears continued to flow through the mournful “Anatevka” and that gut-wrenching exodus. That finale is eerily common in parts of the world today.

The plight of people making do, and that needing to belong, is part of this show’s appeal, and with hostile world conflicts heavy on our minds, the feelings well up automatically.

The casting is faultless, and to date this season, has been impeccable, so bravo, Michael Baxter, associate artistic director, for his guidance and instinctual eye.

Adam Heller is revelatory as Tevye. Oh, sure, Muny audiences love him – he was a dandy Herbie to his wife Beth Leavel’s Mama Rose in “Gypsy” in 2018 and St. Louis Theater Circle Award winner for his supporting performance as cuckolded husband Amos in “Chicago” in 2021. But here, he commands the stage as the larger-than-life lead, and is high-powered in song, dance and spirited line delivery. His comic timing is ideal.

From left: Hannah Corneau, Samantha Massell and Emerson Glick in the 2024 Muny production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

Jill Abramovitz is a feisty foil as his hard-working wife Golde and holds her own as Heller’s scene partner. Her howl of pain at Chava’s rebellion and Tevye’s reaction pierces your heart.

Samantha Massell excels as dutiful eldest daughter Tzeitel who must challenge the rules for love, taking a big risk. She played Hodel in the most recent Broadway revival and is genuine in portraying these sisters changing their times. She has appeared in nine shows at the Muny, and these are her finest moments to date. She superbly layers Tzeitel’s hopes so that you feel her connections to her family and the love of her life.

Massell leads a delightful “Matchmaker,” and Hannah Corneau, as a fiery and devoted Hodel, and Emerson Glick, as a smart and caring Chava, demonstrate their bright vocal strengths as well. The trio add oomph to these women as they are adamant about their choices.

The family scene in “Sabbath Prayer” is poignantly staged, and the sweet younger daughters are played with relish by Ellie Schwartz (Shprintze) and Zoe Klevorn (Bielke).

Andrew Alstat and Emerson Glick in the 2024 Muny production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

The eldest daughters’ life partners are terrific matches, too –besides Chernin as lovable Motel, Clay Singer is engaging as the fervid radical Perchik, and so is Andrew Alstat as the kind Russian soldier Fyedka. The men demonstrate they are skilled dancers as well.

Adding to the colorful cadre of villagers are Jeremy Radin as gruff butcher Lazar Wolf – outstanding in “To Life!”, Cheryl Stern hilarious as busybody Yente, Bob Amaral amusing as the respected Rabbi, and Zoe Vonder Haar as Motel’s mother Shaindel.

Susan J. Jacks and Blair Goldberg are quite a dynamic duo as Grandma Tzeitel and Fruma-Sarah in the Dream, always a highlight.

Max Chucker is a splendid Fiddler, and Jim Butz is imposing as a Russian constable, sympathetic to a certain extent.

The company of the 2024 Muny production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

Bottle Dancers Ze’ev Barmor, Michael Bullard, Derek Ege, Michal Kolaczkowski, Nick Nazzard and Nick Raynor deliver a sensational crowd-pleaser during the festive wedding, and Bullard, Kolaczkowski and Raynor, along with Jonathan Bryant, are equally muscular in the Russian dance portion of “To Life!”

Of special note for this production is the fine work by fight choreographer Bart Williams, who worked on last season’s “West Side Story,” “Little Shop of Horrors” and Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” and the contributions of dialect and culture coach Barrie Kreinik, who was also in the ensemble and one of the solos in “The Rumor” gossip song.

The musical is so well-constructed that there isn’t a wasted song or a moment, not a false move. Director Rob Ruggiero, a master at deconstructing classic musicals, injects this version with a fresh outlook and renewed vigor.

Through his many shows in St. Louis, at both the Muny (“Sweeney Todd,” “West Side Story,” “Gypsy,” “Hello, Dolly!”, “South Pacific,” and “Oklahoma!” and others), and the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (“Follies,” “Sunday in the Park with George” and “Evita” – St. Louis Theater Circle Awards for directing) his commitment to artistic excellence never wavers nor does his belief in the transformative power of the arts.

His expert touch is evident here, for every facet is a polished gem and seamless in its execution.

Hannah Corneau and Clay Singer in the 2024 Muny production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

In his Muny debut, music director Darryl Archibald flawlessly conducts a robust 32-piece Muny orchestra, bringing out the score’s lush textures and punctuating the lovely, lyrical songs.

Noteworthy are concertmaster Tova Braitberg and eight violinists, who are exquisite in delivering every emotional beat, aided by three cellos, bass and a harp. (And of course, the gorgeous sounds blending woodwinds, trumpets, French horns, percussion, guitar, bassoon, flute, piccolo, clarinet, and drums.)

The exuberant and athletic choreography, based on the original 1964 work by Jerome Robbins, his final musical theater dance for Broadway, has been adapted for the Muny stage by Parker Esse, who did the same thing for the Muny’s transcendent “West Side Story” last year.

The creative team must be lauded for their efforts. The sparse effective set design by Tijana Bjelajac is a marvel of smooth flow, and striking atmosphere.

The layered Eastern European peasant looks of award-winning costume designer Alejo Vietti differentiates each character and captures the turn-of-the-century period and culture perfectly, as does Tommy Kurzman’s wig design.

Adam Heller in the 2024 Muny production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

The lighting design by John Lasiter is crisp in definition, meticulously shifting Tevye’s inner thoughts and the show’s swift mood changes. The Dream sequence is particularly striking, and Kevan Loney’s creative video design adds a spooky element to ‘the nightmare.’. John Shivers and David Patridge’s sound design is immaculate.

The original Broadway production in 1964 was the first musical to surpass 3,000 performances and held the record for the longest-running musical on Broadway for nearly 10 years until “Grease” took over. Today, it is ranked 18th, with “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Chicago,” “The Lion King,” “Wicked” and “Cats” the top five.

Winner of nine Tony Awards in 1965, including best musical, score, book, direction and choreography, it has been revived five times – won a Tony for the 1990 revival starring Chaim Topol, who also starred in the critically acclaimed 1971 film that is known as one of the best musical-to-movie adaptations. The most recent triumph was a 2015 production starring Danny Burstein and directed by Bartlett Sher.

“Fiddler on the Roof” retains its zest, sincerity, charm and abundance of heart that made us fall in love with it the first time. There are moments that take your breath away. Did I mention how funny it is? It is one of those ‘forever Muny shows’ that is welcome any time, but chillingly relevant this summer.

Go. See. Enjoy. Now! (And bring tissues).

The company of the 2024 Muny production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

The Muny presents “Fiddler on the Roof” from July 19 – 25 nightly at 8:15 p.m. at the outdoor stage in Forest Park. The production is 2 hours, 45 minutes, with a 15 minute intermission. For more information and tickets, visit www.muny.org.

The company of the 2024 Muny production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

Tesseract’s Impassioned ‘Cascade’s Fire’ Is Admirable for Its Youthful Energy But Needs Further Work

Tesseract’s Impassioned ‘Cascade’s Fire’ Is Admirable for Its Youthful Energy But Needs Further Work

By Lynn Venhaus

With an urgency as a downward spiral sets in, the musical “Cascade’s Fire” focuses on a group of alienated, angry youth whose story relates to the Greek tragedy “Antigone.”

This original musical, with book and lyrics by St. Louis playwright Taylor Gruenloh and music by Kyle Wernke, is premiering locally as part of Tesseract Theatre Company’s New Musical Summer Fest.

Meant to be a mirror of our world with its current struggles, “Cascade’s Fire” unfolds like a doom scroll. Think a police drama procedural episode meets “Hadestown,” with a nod to disaffected, decadent “Less Than Zero” youth culture.

An earnest cast of eight play a group of college students in various degrees of conflict, with two performers acting as the narrators – Brittney Roberson as the female chorus and Chris Melton as the male chorus.

Melton capably sets the scene, and considering that he was a last-minute replacement, it’s a notable achievement. He grounds the show like an older, wiser brother. He delivers a soulful “Pressure.”

Roberson’s dialogue borders on sanctimoniousness, is delivered like a screed, increasing in volume and an accusatory tone that comes across as in-your-face finger-wagging. Sometimes, she’s lecturing us, other times, she is telling off characters. This is a female chorus that is a bit too strident as a cautionary tale.

With the issues facing the characters – destructive romantic entanglements, emotional dishonesty, fear, rejection, intimidation, suicidal and murderous thoughts, greed, coercion, sex abuse, and human rights violations – the level of distress starts at 11 and escalates from there.

There is little time to connect with the characters because, like they are, we are plunged into the deep end, and the lack of effective communication prevents anyone from resolving serious problems. (Which of course is the tragedy, but the audience needs to build empathy).

I can understand the female distress presented here, because it touches on serious themes that are present in the world today, and need addressing.

So, the tone starts dark, then grows more dramatic with its torrent of heated confrontations and lots of yelling. There is much handwringing, self-righteous defiance, and selfish, petulant and cruel behaviors.

Tender moments are brief, but a few songs offer another facet of the characters, and those numbers have something deeply personal to say.

Because ultimately the message is that we are not alone, and unified, we can turn things around – and that is something to grab onto, bracketed by the opening and closing number “Live or Die.”

Kampbell Hemeyer as Trinity, Jordan Ray Duncan as Robbie, Chris Melton, Male Chorus. Photo by Florence Flick.

Kampbell Hemeyer plays lost soul Trinity, whose crippling despair should evoke more heartbreak. Demonstrating vulnerability, she is an important thread to the time and space continuity. Her solo number is a bittersweet “A Girl Like Me” and sings the sensitive “Just Someone” with Robbie.

Ella Penico shows some gumption as confused and scared Olivia, who must realize doing the right thing is always the best choice. Her solo number “With Nobody” is a heart-tugger.

In the title role, Josie Schnelten is the determined and bitter Cascade, who is seeking revenge for several grievances. Her passion needs to ignite the others into action.

Schnelten has a strong stage presence, and it’s up to her to unite the characters fighting for humanity, or we are a lost cause.

Cascade has returned to her old university to investigate the mysterious death of Trinity, who is her ex-girlfriend. She is unsure of who to trust and now is uncovering a conspiracy that could burn the whole town down.

The smug morally bankrupt male characters Robbie (Jordan Ray Duncan) and Luke (Luke Goeckner) are up to their eyeballs in no-good horrible oppression, running a criminal enterprise. Their friend Dylan, played by David Pesoni, seems caught in the middle.

A love triangle, Cascade joins Robbie and Trinity on a tender “Looking at You,” and then Luke on “Time” and Dylan on “Hurt.”

Robbie and Luke are tough roles, and the actors look too much alike, need to be better delineated so we can understand motivations, shifting sentiments, and how they affect mindsets.

The play is presented on a largely empty stage, and sound designer Sasha Bateman ensures everyone can be heard.

Ella Penico as Olivia, Luke Goeckner as Luke. Photo by Florence Flick.

Gruenloh directed his own play, and he employed a stylized structure that involves the other actors being on stage while action focuses on mostly couples’ scenes. Actors walk to their marks, and that presents a loose format. Occasionally, they will stand, like a chorus, reciting lines reminiscent of Greek mythology.

Gruenloh was inspired by Sophocles’ 441 B.C. work because, as he explains in the program, culture uses it time and again during eras of democratic uncertainty. He wrote it at a time of national fervor, attaching the concepts of tragedy and folly to the subject of tyranny.

In the 2400 years since, there have been hundreds of translations and adaptations commenting on the extreme political divide. This is certainly perfect timing for people to revolt against oppression and intolerance, and using youth as a conduit is an intriguing direction.

Gruenloh, who founded Tesseract Theatre Company in 2010 with friend Brittanie Gunn, is an accomplished playwright whose works have been produced across the country. He was the artistic director until 2022, and now Gunn and Kevin Corpuz are in charge.

Gruenloh’s drama “Adverse Effects” was a 2020 finalist in the ScreenCraft Drama competition, and he won the 2017 St. Louis Fringe Festival for his play “Hot for T. Rex.” His “Purple Heart City” was published by NextStage Press in 2021. He also acts and directs.

Gruenloh, who is an assistant professor of theatre at Missouri Science and Technology in Rolla, works well with Gen Z, and inspires the cast who convey a passion for the material and project. Building on that sincerity could really be a turning point, for how he tackles social justice issues is admirable.

Chris Melton as the Male Chorus (Narrator). Photo by Florence Flick.

What this cast lacks in life experience and theatrical training techniques, they compensate for with their enthusiasm and commitment. They appear to be open to the challenge of shaping this original material, which should be workshopped further to develop deeper connections and broader multi-generational appeal.

From the start, there is little reason presented to engage with characters – no immediate gateway to connect. We should feel their anguish and pain.

On July 19, opening night, several vocals were problematic at times. More coaching by music director Randon Lane would have been helpful.  

However, the finale reprising “Live or Die” is strong with pleasant harmonies. I’d like to become more familiar with Wernke’s and Gruenloh’s songs, for they had interesting melodies and lyrics from the heart.

The score is played solely on a piano, and the modern motifs reminiscent of rock operas and “Spring Awakening.” Wernke is also a professor at Missouri S&T.

The program does not include a list of the 11 musical numbers, but there are some standouts worth hearing again.

While ambitious and well-intentioned, “Cascade’s Fire” needs to be tighter, trimmer, and toned down with less shouting. It is not quite professionally polished for its close-up yet but has the potential to succeed with its drive and ideas.

Narrators Brittany Roberson, Melton. Photo by Florence Flick.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents “Cascade’s Fire” July 19, 20, 25, 26, 27 at 8 p.m. and July 28 at 4 p.m. at The Marcelle, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, in the Grand Center. It’s currently a one-hour and 50 minute one-act without intermission. For more information, visit https://www.tesseracttheatre.com/2024-summer-new-musical-festival

Josie Schnelten as Cascade, David Pesoni as Dylan, and Melton as Male Chorus Photo by Florence Flick.

Cover photo by Florence Flick.

Period Romance ‘Widow Clicquot’ A Touching True Underdog Tale

Period Romance ‘Widow Clicquot’ A Touching True Underdog Tale

By Lynn Venhaus

An engrossing true tale of a visionary businesswoman’s triumph in revolutionizing the champagne industry in France, “Widow Clicquot” rises above its standard doubts-to–success template through poetic storytelling and a mesmerizing performance by Haley Bennett in the title role.

Director Thomas Napper unfolds a tragic heartbreaking love story while showing how a defiant young woman took control of a failing family business and her shattered life through renewed passion and purpose.

Her achievements established Veuve Clicquot as one of the finest luxury brands, which was founded by her father-in-law, Philippe, in 1772.

Based on a New York Times bestselling biography, “The Widow Clicquot” by historian Tilar J. Mazzeo, which was published in 2008, the film looks back at Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot’s marriage to Philippe’s heir, Francois. Their fathers were in the textile business in Reims, France, and arranged the union in 1798, when she was 21.

As marvelously portrayed by a hypnotic Tom Sturridge, Francois’ unconventional, uncompromising ways and their grand passionate romance adds an intriguing component to contrast with her hard-fought solo battle to keep his dream and memory alive after his untimely death.

The screenplay by Erin Dignam, based on a story by Christopher Monger, keeps an air of mystery through flashbacks as to the bright comet that was Francois, and how his influence helped Barbe-Nicole work through her grief and loss. She was widowed at age 27.

Francois’ inspired flights of fancy were also part of his manic-depressive disorder that, left untreated, caused his behavior to be erratic and volatile, and Barbe-Nicole recognized his trouble in the paradise he envisioned. She was also his most steadfast supporter and benefited from his tutelage. Theirs seemed to be a true partnership.

Her invention of rose champagne, and her finest hour, “The Comet” vintage of 1811, is legendary, not to mention such breakthroughs as the ‘riddling table’ to clarify champagne and speed up the process, that is her inevitable claim to fame.

How she endured power struggles, and faced the male skeptics of that time, when events and their pomposity threatened to wipe out her inheritance, and the very reasons for her to thrive, is chronicled in accurate historic detail during the reign of Napoleon.

After all, women weren’t allowed to run a business, unless they were a widow who inherited the husband’s livelihood, and his trade embargo on not allowing merchants beyond France’s borders really stymied profits. Fortunately for her, and in the nick of time, his empire imploded.

Bennett, in a finely etched portrait, displays the temperament needed to be an effective Girl Boss, treating workers with kindness and gratitude, building loyalty, and creating a collaborative workplace. She has much to overcome, and her grit is admirable.

Her super-power is knowing when she needs help – gaining strength from her husband’s legacy, and heeding advice from the unlikely ally Louis Bohne, the family’s wine merchant, her husband’s close friend, and her eventual love interest.

Sam Riley is a lively Louis, whose support for their product keeps the business afloat and propels her to legendary status.

While other actors play the traditional naysayers, etched in broad strokes — rivals, turncoat Droite (Paul Rhys) and her father-in-law (Ben Miles), who actually is won over, she has cultivated loyalists in a young accountant, Anson Boon as Edouard Werle, and field foreman George (Leo Suter). Her faithful attendant, Anne, well-played by Natasha O’Keeffe (Lizzie in “Peaky Blinders”), is the friend she needs.

Bennett, outstanding as luminous Roxanne in the uncommon and underrated “Cyrano” in 2021, had a breakout year in 2016 with three films – “The Girl on the Train,” “The Magnificent Seven,” and “Rules Don’t Apply.” She continually impresses with her naturalism, grace and range.

She has convincing chemistry with both Sturridge and Riley, which sustains both love stories.

Sturridge, twice nominated for Tony Awards, for “Orphans” and “Sea Wall/A Life,” is also known for playing the main role, Dream, in “The Sandman” series on Netflix. He captures the tormented Francois, his declining mental health, his unusual outlook and his contagious lust for life.

His larger-than-life portrait makes Francois indelible, and you understand his deep connection to the land and his wife, and their daughter Clementine (Cecily Cleeve). He has the soul of a poet, and a problematic opium addiction.

Bennett’s narration of her diary notes, recounting her love for her husband, and her methods in finding a way forward through common sense and best practices she has learned along the way, is quite stirring, and provides an emotional center.

Above all, the widow’s perseverance stands out. I realize these are familiar plot points, especially with the men all bent out of shape about allowing a woman to run things. But hearing another woman’s remarkable success story never gets old.

While the movie is 90 minutes, it ends rather abruptly – enough so that I wanted to learn more about this woman rather than an epilogue wrapping up her next decades as the toast of the region. But it’s a terrific monologue to end on, and Bennett’s knock-out delivery will endure.

Adding to the visual and aural enhancement of the film are cinematographer Caroline Champetier’s lush exterior shots and her stressful interior shots, where unnerving and tense conflicts arise. Production designer Jean-Hughes de Chatillon and costume designer Marie Frémont contribute to the authenticity.

Bryce Dessner’s string-heavy score, at times restless, melancholy and hopeful, connects the facets in a memorable way. Known as part of The National with his brother Aaron, they have branched out with impressive film scores, including the aforementioned “Cyrano,” and ‘C’mon, C’mon.”

“Widow Clicquot” provides a fascinating account of a rare woman who smashed a glass ceiling in significant ways, and the three main actors are genuinely effective in bringing these vivid characters to life.

“Widow Clicquot” is a 2023 drama that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last November and is now in nationwide release, as of July 19. It is directed by Thomas Napper and stars Hayley Bennett, Tom Sturridge, Sam Riley, Anson Boon, Ben Miles, Paul Rhys and Natasha O’Keeffe. It is rated R for some sexuality and nudity, and the run time is 1 hour, 29 minutes. Lynn’s Grade: B.

Tennessee Williams St. Louis Returns to Year-Round Programming with 9th Annual Festival Aug. 8-18

Tennessee Williams St. Louis Returns to Year-Round Programming with 9th Annual Festival Aug. 8-18

“I’m determined to do it–and nothing’s more determined than a cat on a tin roof–is there? Time goes by so fast. Nothin’ can outrun it.” – Maggie, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Tennessee Williams

“The last eight seasons HAVE gone by so fast – it is hard to believe how much we have grown,” explains Carrie Houk, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis’ Executive Artistic Director. “This year we happily return to our home – Grand Center.  In addition to bringing you the play you have all been waiting for, we celebrate Grand Center Theatre District with a little song, a little dance, a little seltzer down the pants!  As Mrs. O’Fallon exclaims in The Magic Tower – “You show people!  Always putting on an act!” That’s what we do and we cannot wait to share our wares with you.”

This year’s TWStL will give center stage to Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof directed by award-winning Michael Wilson at The Grandel Theatre in Grand Center August 8-18.

“I am thrilled to return to St Louis – the city which had such a profound impact on the life and work of Tennessee Williams – for its 9th Annual eponymous Festival to direct its centerpiece production, an all-new revival of his Pulitzer Prize winning and arguably most popular play, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF. “ – Wilson, Director

Michael Wilson is an American stage and screen director working extensively on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and at the nation’s leading resident theaters. He made his screen directorial debut with the 2014 Lifetime/Ostar television film adaptation of Horton Foote’s The Trip to Bountiful, which was nominated for two 2014 Emmy Awards and six 2015 NAACP/Image Awards. On Broadway, Wilson directed the 2013 Tony Award-winning revival of The Trip to Bountiful starring Cicely Tyson.

Other Broadway productions include the 2012 Tony nominated revival of Gore Vidal’s The Best Man (starring James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, Candice Bergen); the Tony nominated Best Plays Dividing the Estate; and Enchanted April. Internationally, he directed both parts of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America for the 1995 Venice Biennale. He directed the acclaimed Los Angeles premiere of the musical Grey Gardens: starring Betty Buckley and Rachel York for CTG/Ahmanson Theater at the Music Center.

This Pulitzer Prize winning drama follows the story of the Pollitts, a wealthy southern family whose history of greed and deception looms overhead as the imminent death of the family’s patriarch approaches. Siblings and spouses go head-to-head to secure the Pollitt fortune, weaving an overwhelming web of mistruths.

Post-show commentary will be conducted by Resident Scholar, Tom Mitchell, on Sunday Aug. 12 and Thursday Aug. 15.

“Life Upon the Wicked Stage / Celebrating Grand Center Theatre District – Then and Now” will be the focus for three one-act plays with music directed by former St. Louisan Brian Hohlfeld:

  • “In Our Profession”
  • “The Magic Tower”
  • “The Fat Man’s Wife”

Almost 100 years ago, what we now call Grand Center in St. Louis was the place to go for entertainment. Vaudeville was struggling but still popular…double-features (with live acts in between) played all day at The Fabulous Fox and Missouri theaters…music poured from dance halls and clubs…and the hotels were packed with the touring casts of last year’s Broadway’s hits.

Young Tom Williams soaked it all up.

In celebration of the history and the continuing charm of Grand Center, TWStL will present “Life Upon the Wicked Stage” taking place upstairs at The Curtain Call Lounge just steps from the bustling streets and locations where much of the action takes place.

“Like the rest of the theatre-going public, Tom was intrigued by what went on backstage, a world he would soon become familiar with, and imagined what the lives of the nomadic show-folk must be like. He brings them to life with affection and bemusement in these one-acts all set in the 1930s and portrays the ups and downs of a career in show-biz. In these early plays, Williams, still finding his voice, is clearly influenced by the plots and styles of the movies he would have seen on this very street, bringing the experience full circle,” explains Houk.

The theatrical but intimate setting of the Curtain Call is perfect for a program about show-biz. Like a “mini-jukebox musical,” “Life Upon the Wicked Stage” features songs from the period to evoke the era of Vaudeville and the type of entertainment Tom would have encountered in his Grand Avenue outings long, long ago…

Director Hohlfeld has been writing for feature films and television animation for over 35 years, with projects at Paramount, Universal, Warner Brothers, Tri- Star, Columbia, Disney, and Hasbro Studios. As a producer and writer, he has been nominated for four Daytime Emmy Awards and twice for a Humanitas Award, winning once for the Disney Jr. show he created My Friends Tigger and Pooh.

Hohlfeld started his career in St. Louis as an actor and playwright with the Theatre Project Company and the St. Louis Rep. For the St. Louis Tennessee Williams Festival, he directed the memorable on-site production of The Glass Menagerie as well as several one-acts onstage and as part of the radio series “Something Spoken,” in collaboration with Classic 107.3.

The following panels – which will further shed light upon the themes of the Festival – will take place at The Grandel.

  • Secrets of Tennessee’s Stage Directions
  • The Wicked Stage: 1930s Theatre and Performances in St Louis
  • Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: Revision upon Revision

Other Festival events include:

  • Reading of “Stella for Star” an adaptation of the first award-winning story by the young Tom

Williams curated by TWSTL Scholar Tom Mitchell

  • A Walking Tour: Grand Center Theatre District, Then and Now… led by Mitchell
  • Late Night Open Mic “Life Upon the Wicked Stage”

“Festival audiences are in-store for our best programming ever!” exclaims Board Chair Ted Wight.  “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is one of Tennessee William’s most popular plays that will delight the audience with intriguing theater.”

Tickets are on sale through Metrotix. Additional information and Festival event details can be found at twstl.org.

‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ in 2018 won seven awards from the St Louis Theater Circle.

About the Festival

In 2014, award-winning producer, casting director, actor, and educator Carrie Houk produced Williams’ Stairs to the Roof with such success that the ongoing annual Festival was established. The Festival, which aims to enrich the cultural life of St. Louis by producing an annual theater festival and other artistic events that celebrate the artistry and life of Tennessee Williams, was named the Arts Startup of the Year Award by the Arts and Education Council at the 2019 St. Louis Arts Awards. In its eight iterations since 2016, the Festival has attracted thousands to its readings, panel discussions, concerts, exhibitions, and productions, has reached hundreds of young people through its educational programming, and has garnered 13 awards from the St. Louis Theater Circle and was recently nominated for a  St. Louis Theater Circle awards for Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role for 2023’s Suddenly Last Summer.

Tennessee Williams and Anna Magnani on a Roman holiday filming “The Rose Tattoo”

About Tennessee Williams

Born Thomas Lanier Williams III in 1911 in Mississippi, Williams moved to St. Louis at age seven, when his father was made an executive with the International Shoe Company (where the City Museum and the Last Hotel are now located). He lived here for more than two decades, attending Washington University, working at the International Shoe Company, and producing his first plays at local theaters. He credited his sometimes-difficult experiences in St. Louis for the deeply felt poetic essence that permeates his artistry. When asked later in life when he left St. Louis, he replied, “I never really left.” Most people are familiar with the famous works that have garnered multiple Pulitzer Prizes, Tony Awards, and Academy Awards, such as The Glass Menagerie, A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Suddenly Last Summer. He also wrote hundreds of additional plays, stories, essays, and poems, many of which are only now seeing the light of day as his estate permits greater access. He is today considered by many leading authorities to be one of America’s greatest playwrights.

Kinetic Go-Big Spectacle ‘Twisters’ Is Familiar, But Less Fresh Than Original

Kinetic Go-Big Spectacle ‘Twisters’ Is Familiar, But Less Fresh Than Original

By Lynn Venhaus

The manufactured mayhem of “Twisters” may check off all the boxes for an entertaining summer blockbuster, but its unremarkable storyline neutralizes the visually stunning weather-induced shock and awe.

While the film showcases state-of-the-art modern technology, both in digital effects and severe weather tracking tools, this retread doesn’t feel new or fresh, but rather repetitive in its brutal storm depictions.

After all, dealing with dangerous weather patterns has become a routine part of real life in the Midwest in the 21st century. Case in point: our current summer.

So, what distinguishes this from a Weather Channel special report? This second go-round, loosely based on the 1996 disaster epic “Twister,” is super-sized in fury and look, and the mostly rural setting feels like a theme park meets “The Amazing Race,” stoking frantic chase scenes on a grander scale.

Daisy Edgar-Jones plays Kate Cooper, a retired tornado-chaser and brainiac meteorologist who is persuaded to return to Oklahoma to work with a new team and new technologies during a once-in-a-generational series of terrifying storm systems. She encounters swaggering social-media star Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) heading a team of hotshots. Will sparks fly or fizzle, and will they save anyone but themselves?

Debris flies, and people are flung like the Wicked Witch of the East. The visual effects and stunt work are impeccable, and a collapsing water tower, explosions at a massive oil refinery, and destruction of a movie theater exemplify the ‘go-big’ playbook.

The alarming sudden onset of extreme weather is emphasized in multiple scenes, such as a carnival atmosphere turning deadly with little warning. Interestingly though, the phrase “climate change” is never uttered but looms large in our minds.

Simply stated, no, this ‘sequel’ is not as good as the 1996 original, which endeared itself to countless millennials for its ground-breaking digital effects (a flying cow!) and its revered lightning-rod cast of Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, Cary Elwes, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Lois Smith, Jamie Gertz, Alan Ruck and other familiar ‘90s faces at a far more cinematically adventurous time.

In retrospect, the first one wasn’t anything more than a popcorn-type thrill ride, and cheesy at that, but there remains great affection for this ragtag group of adrenaline junkies because they were a fun bunch to watch – and were doing something different. Adding to the poignancy is that beloved Paxton and Hoffman are no longer alive.

The twist? The monster wasn’t a colossus like a T. Rex or Godzilla, but Mother Nature – and just as scary.

The original’s daredevil director was Jan de Bont, fresh from making the riveting action film “Speed” in 1994. Its tech-talk-rekindles-romantic-sparks screenplay was written by Michael Crichton and his then-wife Anne-Marie Martin. He was on a roll after his “Jurassic Park” novel was adapted by Steven Spielberg in 1993. (Spielberg is executive producer of both “Twister” and “Twisters,” by the way.)

While one can wonder why a sequel pops up 28 years later, this “Twisters” is similar because characters are based on fired-up storm chasers and Oklahoma is again the Tornado Alley center of dangerous activity. Oh, an apparatus named Dorothy is in both.

This time, the project is helmed by Lee Isaac Chung, a surprising choice after his 2020 gentle, intimate semi-autobiographical film “Minari,” but he does know how to tug heartstrings. He competently handles the powerful dustups on the Plains and the propulsive action but is saddled with a formulaic script.

After scoring big with the epic “The Revenant” screenplay, Mark L. Smith penned the George Clooney duds “The Boys on the Boat” and “The Midnight Sky.” He is unsurprising here, both in action and interpersonal relationships, from a story by Joseph Kosinski, director of “Top Gun: Maverick.”

(I mean, really, a skittish fish-out-of-water British journalist tagging along with a crew of quirky influencers? That’s a tired character.)

Wisely, though, the lead role is a whip-smart female scientist, who is introduced as a bright-eyed college student brimming with brilliant ideas, an uncanny knack at sizing up impending storm shifts, and a fearless save-the-world bravado. Yay for STEM girls!

The film’s best scene is a harrowing account of her spirited team’s encounter with an F5 tornado that she misread as an F1 earlier as they tried out her theory on dissipating its strength. That tragic result set the tone for the obstacles ahead.

Her life’s plans altered, it’s five years later, and she is a meteorologist- analyst for the National Weather Service in New York City, sad-eyed and deflated.

Old friend and fellow guilt-ridden survivor Javi (Anthony Ramos) pleads with her to join his corporate-funded team back home. It’s the height of a troubling storm season, and he’s trying to implement new radar hardware he devised.

With some trepidation and heavy emotional baggage, Kate returns, although she can’t forecast that this time she’ll renew her life’s purpose. You do root for her success.

Edgar-Jones, an appealing actress best known for “Where the Crawdads Sing,” and BAFTA-nominated for the TV show “Normal People” opposite Paul Mescal, shows off spunk and verve with a very obnoxious guy getting under her skin and in her way. That would be newly anointed heartthrob Powell.

Spoiler alert: They’ve met their match, but they don’t know it yet.

Charming It-guy Powell knows his lane, and fits the modern image of a smiling happy-go-lucky movie star. He doesn’t stray from the formula that got him to headline status. Cowboy scientist? Sure, why not? Throw in rodeo background and computer skills.

He is at his most annoying early on as a You Tube sensation, showboating as a “Tornado Wrangler” and leading a motley crew of fame-obsessed whooping and hollering trackers.

The real serious scientists ‘tsk-tsk’ the reckless hobbyists, and the city girl vs. the celebrity clown showdown is on, with lots of zingers being fired.

Turns out he isn’t what he appears to be, and neither is anyone else – although you might feel deja vu. Future “Superman” David Corenswet looks like a no-nonsense guy as Javi’s wingman Scott — and a lot like Elwes’ Dr. Jonas Miller. Brandon Perea is trying to be kookier as the videographer Boone than Hoffman’s Dusty. As Kate’s mom Cathy, Maura Tierney assumes the Aunt Meg role played by Smith.

As the competition intensifies between the groups, battle lines become blurred as the focus shifts to helping devastated victims. Sasha Lane is a kind drone operator, Lily. Katy O’Brian and Tunde Adebimpe are part of hotdoggers’ squad.

Powell’s cockiness conveniently melts away as a more compassionate do-gooder emerges. At this point, is anybody paying attention to the science theories or personal motives as trucks bearing heavy equipment speed through country roads while a who’s who of country music blares above the sirens?

Impressive artisans excel on an enormous canvas – cinematographer Dan Mischel, whose credits include the Star Wars’ reboots “The Force Awakens” and “The Rise of Skywalker,” editor Terilyn A. Shropshire, production designer Patrick M. Sullivan Jr. and composer Benjamin Wallfisch.

Noteworthy is a cameo by James Paxton, the late Bill Paxton’s son. His father will be forever remembered as TV weatherman Bill Harding and he plays an aggravated customer complaining just before cyclone chaos is about to erupt.

Early work by Daryl McCormack as Kate’s boyfriend Jeb, and Kiernan Shipka and Nik Dodani as pals Addy and Praveen is also memorable.

A special shout-out to Waterloo, Ill.’s own Alexandra Kay, a country singer who is featured on the Jelly Roll song “Leave the Light On,” which is a part of the soundtrack including such heavy hitters as Lainey Wilson, Zach Bryan, Luke Combs and others.

“Twisters” will satisfy audiences who want to be swept away like retro summer blockbusters once achieved, without the pesky environmental messages and science lessons. However, those looking for more than imitation, with some discernible gumption, will have to be content with a pleasant-enough engaging cast and fear-inducing stormy weather.

“Twisters” is a 2024 action-adventure directed by Lee Isaac Chung and starring Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos, Maura Tierney, David Corenswet, Brandon Perea, Sasha Lane, Tunde Adebimpe, Katy O’Brian and Harry Hadon-Patton. It is rated PG-13 for intense action and peril, some language and injury images, and run time is 2 hours and 2 minutes. It opened in theatres July 19. Lynn’s Grade: C+

Tesseract’s High-Spirited ‘My Heart Says Go’ Has Terrific Vocals, And A Few Challenges

Tesseract’s High-Spirited ‘My Heart Says Go’ Has Terrific Vocals, And A Few Challenges

By Lynn Venhaus

Supple vocal work stands out in Tesseract’s latest premiere, “My Heart Says Go,” a hip-hop-meets-pop musical well-suited for the company’s enthusiasm in mounting energetic ensembles.

But inconsistent sound quality, a louder-decibel pre-recorded music track overpowering the singers, and a cliché-riddled script hampered its impact.

Always dynamic Kevin Corpuz anchors this one-act musical as Indigo, a conflicted first-generation college student who quits to pursue his dream of making music. He is often a ball of fire on stage, i.e. “The Who’s Tommy,” “Godspell,” “Be More Chill,” “Urinetown,” “In the Heights,” and “Altar Boyz,” and this role is tailor-made to his strengths.

Indigo’s hard-working immigrant father (Kelvin Urday) thinks he’s made a grievous error. Despite that friction, Indigo moves to L.A., and meets a couple of people whom he thinks will help him reach his singer-songwriter goals.

Indigo quickly connects with Clara (Sarah Wilkinson), a struggling talented fashion designer who has a troubled relationship with her alcoholic mother (Loren Boudreau).

Sarah Wilkinson matches Corpuz in spirit and inner light. Their buoyancy, particularly in their emphatic movements, is tangible.

Clayton Humburg, Kevin Corpuz, Sarah Wilkinson. Photo by Florence Flick.

Bright spots are “What Does My Heart Say?” and “The Place Where Dreams Come True”; “Don’t Give Up” is a rousing finale.

Another vibrant portrayal is by Clayton Humburg as a lively rapper named Timmy, a guy brimming with positivity who assumes the role as Indigo’s biggest cheerleader.

While he doesn’t look that much older than Corpuz, Urday is touching as the concerned single father Eliseo, and the two bring out the emotions of a close dad-son bond in several heartfelt scenes and vocals (“Father vs. Son,” “Heat of the Moment” and “Foot Down”). Urday’s musical numbers are beautifully delivered, as is customary.

Victoria Pines is a soulful vocalist as a train conductor, and some sort of conduit to the characters. Her part, however, is underdeveloped and unclear how she connects to these people long after they rode the train. She shines in “Find Your Voice.”

The book is the weakest element of this show, and really drags down the overall experience. The characters are merely archetypes, and if the main characters weren’t live-wire performers, this would be painfully humdrum.

The book, written by Matthew Hawkins, overflows with triteness. How many times are aspiring artists used in hopes-and-dreams scenarios? This isn’t all that original, and nothing we haven’t seen before. Follow your passion, overcome obstacles, believe in yourself, blah blah blah. Must be compelling to sustain interest and empathy, and because of the cast’s talent, it is..

Dreams are such a theatrical staple that the brilliant satire “The Musical of Musicals” has a song called – what else? — “Follow Your Dream.”

Hey, having dreams fuels our fires, and any chance to remind people to persist following their heart is well-intentioned. But freshness is the key for endearment.

Wilkinson, Loren Goudreau. Photo by Florence Flick.

For an example, the addict mom is an unnecessary subplot, and you can predict her story arc the minute she enters. Both Pines’ conductor and Kevin Hester’s grungy recording studio engineer seem like they are characters in another show. Hester’s a fine vocalist, but he mumbled his speaking lines and barely spoke above a whisper, so his dialogue was hard to hear.

While everyone is earnest, the ensemble doesn’t seem to be well-defined either. They are a bouncy group, nevertheless – Khristian Duncan, David Gregory, Laura Schulze, and Goudreau are spry in song and dance.

Milo Garlich was out because of illness Sunday, so choreographer Maggie Nold stepped in, and didn’t miss a beat.

Grace Langford aces a brief role as a heart doctor supervising Indigo in med school.

The performers’ passion carries this show across the 90-minute finish line, as well as the music direction by Larry D. Pry and Nold’s choreography.

The sunny coupling of Wilkinson and Corpuz is natural, as they were last seen together as Rapunzel and Rapunzel’s Prince in New Jewish Theatre’s award-winning “Into the Woods” in November, and so was Pines as Jack’s Mom. Pry was the musical director of that show. Obviously, that’s a winning combination.

Other than the disappointing script, a major problem stemmed from the technical elements. The garbled sound was challenging, with echoes and reverbs marring vocals, and most of the time the recorded music overpowered the vocalists. Sound designer Ryan Day is familiar with The Marcelle, so I am not sure why there were so many issues.

The blocking where characters had scenes far back made it even harder to engage, because the sound was such a mixed bag. The lighting overall was inconsistent and shadowy, and again, another experienced Marcelle technician, Matt Stuckel, oversaw the design. The neon lights on the back wall, however, were a nifty touch.

Director Brittanie Gunn relied on simple staging to focus on the characters’ journeys. By using the entirety of The Marcelle stage, it seemed at times too cavernous for such a small musical. Nevertheless, she maintained a zippy pace, with smooth entrances and snappy group placings.

The score of this show is based on the personal experience of Jorge “Jay” Rivera-Herrans, who switched from pre-med to the film, television and theater department as a student at University of Notre Dame. After graduation, he received a fellowship, continued pursuing his ideas, and the school served as his incubator.

No one doubts his ardor or sincerity. The musical premiered in 2023 and has become a viral sensation. I imagine that’s largely on the strength of the musical being a celebratory anthem because the story should be further workshopped, and characters more fleshed out.

Kelvin Urday, Kevin Corpuz. Photo by Florence Flick.

One of the show’s highlights is the costume design by Abby Pastorello, who either found or made embroidered denim jackets and shirts to give a unique flair to Clara’s original designs. Those outfits were a bright addition to an otherwise scruffy group wearing band T-shirts and casual attire. In contrast were fashionista Clara’s well-put together looks, especially a bedazzled black leather ensemble that Wilkinson rocked.

This show has a shaggy charm, not unlike Lin-Manuel Miranda’s early one-act endeavor “21 Chump Street,” but on the off-the-charts inspiring meter, it lags behind “tick, tick…Boom!” “Dreamgirls,” “Beautiful: the Carole King Musical,” and many others as a whole package.

Of course, this is on a much smaller scale, and targeted to tug at your heart strings. It is a labor of love for all involved.

In recent years, Tesseract has taken more risks with musical premieres, such as “The Mad Ones,” “Ordinary Days,” and the upcoming original “Cascade’s Fire,” and tackled big shoes with “Kinky Boots” and “The Last Five Years.” Their ambitious drive is refreshing.

Hopefully, the technical director Kevin Sallwasser can get the glitches worked out this week before the show returns. The production already has a first-rate cast that it showcases fervently.

(As an aside, many a show presented in the smaller Grand Center venues has been known to have sound issues, aka at The .Zack and The Grandel. If these venues encourage stage productions, doesn’t it behoove the facilities’ powers-at-be to upgrade sound technology? We critics are beginning to sound like broken records.)

Victoria Pines as the Conductor, surrounded by the ensemble. Photo by Florence Flick.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents “My Heart Says Go” July 11 – July 21, as part of its Summer Festival of New Musicals at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. Performances are July 11-13 and July 20 at 8 p.m., and July 14-21 at 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.tesseracttheatre.com

Murky ‘Old Times’ Lacks Heat in Midnight Company’s Take on Pinter

By Lynn Venhaus

The playwright Harold Pinter made a long and distinguished career out of confounding people with odd plays featuring weird situations, convoluted dialogue, and peculiar characters. “Old Times,” written in 1971, is his freaky, flaky waltz down memory lane that never resolves anything but builds unnerving tension. It is one of his more divisive dramas.

When Roundabout Theatre Company was in rehearsals preparing for a revival in 1984, actor Anthony Hopkins asked Pinter to explain the play’s ending. He famously responded: “I don’t know. Just do it.”

OK, then. When the playwright intends to leave us hanging, it may be hard for a theatergoer to decipher, and there are plenty of theories about what really happened in this show. The point is caring enough to be satisfied with your highly personal observation.

This play is already a tall order for even the most accomplished artists, and unfortunately, is more frustrating than fulfilling in The Midnight Company’s latest presentation.

Director Sarah Lynne Holt has framed Pinter’s familiar enclosed space setting in a stripped-down theater-in-the-round style at The Chapel, where the audience is squished into a wedge of chairs where your view of the three actors may be limited.

That’s a detriment to absorbing the highly stylized delivery of the three actors where every non sequitur, riddle, pause and selected memory is supposedly fraught with meaning. And the sound isn’t consistent either, which makes it even harder to understand the disjointed patter.

The staging is clumsy, and while I realize it’s a low-budget production, the serving of tea is awkward, and the pouring of brandy into cordial glasses, not snifters, is puzzling.

Kelly Howe, Joe Hanrahan and Colleen Backer. Photo by Joey Rumpell.

Individually engaging performers — Colleen Backer as Kate, Kelly Howe as Anna, and Joe Hanrahan as Deeley, aren’t meant to be a cohesive trio, and their distance only raises more questions, as intended.

On the surface, it appears that a husband, Deeley, and a wife, Kate, are visited by her old friend and former roommate, Anna, from their carefree single days. They live remotely by the sea while she lives in Sicily but once lived in London. Kate and Anna haven’t seen each other in 20 years.

Well, that’s the story that they seem to be sticking with, and from the start, you can tell something is off kilter. Reality is blurred and recollections are tested in a most bizarre reconnection.

Vague on purpose, Howe hints that Anna has a swinger past and can still seduce, trying to be coquettish with both Kate and her husband.

The married couple don’t find that odd, nor do they appear to be what they seem. So, what kind of a charade is exactly going on?

While Backer and Howe are two evocative actresses — and it’s important to see their facial expressions if you can position yourself to do so, even their suggestive glances and knowing looks can’t convince us of any sexual heat between each other and Deeley.

And Deeley comes across as kind of pervy with his unfiltered accounts of sexual desire, conquests and previous hook-ups with these and other women. Is Hanrahan purposely playing him as creepy? We do discover his lounge lizard past.

The characters are all supposed to be in their 40s, and clearly, Hanrahan is not, even though he doesn’t look his age.

But one aspect that supposedly distinguishes other productions is sexual tension, as in the 2015 Broadway revival starring Clive Owen, Eve Best and Kelly Reilly, where critics repeatedly mentioned it. The heat is not evident here.

While that is an elusive quality, that addition could have been crucial to the audience buying into this scenario.

The women affect British accents while Hanrahan avoided it, so that’s another point that may bother you.

Pinter teases that there is something darker afoot. But the information is slim about their quirky characters the more the play goes on. Kate, who barely speaks, finally blurts out that she remembers her roommate being dead. Say what?

They may all be alive or dead, they all might be figments of someone’s imagination, and the way they reminisce about the past may be total fiction. Emotions are guarded and the characters don’t say what they mean. You wanted Pinteresque, and you got it.

If you are fascinated by his maddening style of doling out clues and pieces of information that may or may not wind up germane to the story, then you’ll invest the time to solve the puzzle.

If you are irritated by his overuse of pauses, or if you lack the patience to be convinced of anything not spelled out, then this material will let you down. It’s all in your perceptions.

Hailed as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, Pinter won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2005, and is famous for “The Birthday Party,” “The Homecoming,” “Betrayal” and “The Caretaker.” He died at age 78 in 2008.

He tended to concentrate on isolation, fear and troubled personal relationships, creating an elliptical dialogue. He also liked to confuse time and space. Frequent descriptions of his work – unpredictable, unspecific, and combative – are apt.

Another choice is that Holt does little to guide the audience in a certain way, preferring to keep everyone guessing and debating afterwards instead. But according to the press release, she didn’t want to make it easy for people to agree on what happened.

The Emperor’s New Clothes or brilliant 20th century mind at work? You say subtle, I say pretentious.

I don’t find this material a good fit for the strengths of the award-winning veteran performers. They can, and have done, so much better. I usually enjoy watching them on stage, but Pinter’s obtuseness can only carry a show so far, especially when you feel disengaged.

The clock is ticking, and the play lasts 1 hour and 35 minutes with one intermission. Fatigue sets in when you realize they aren’t really saying much – and won’t.

I am pretty sure no two people who see “Old Times” will agree on interpretations, and then again, there’s no one right answer.

The trick is caring. The murkiness is troubling, and if you are OK without a satisfactory resolution, that’s your prerogative.

The Midnight Company presents “Old Times” July 11-27 at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander, with performances Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sunday matinees July 14 and 21 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be reserved at MetroTix.com. For more information, visit www.midnightcompany.com

LaBute New Theater Festival Offers Clever One-Acts That Resonate

LaBute New Theater Festival Offers Clever One-Acts That Resonate

By Lynn Venhaus
A walrus and a manatee walk into a polar bear’s bar that’s a comical rant. There is trouble in paradise between Adam, Eve, God and Satan. A mother and a daughter square off, a coach and a parent exchange words, and a married couple share their rocky heart-tugging journey.

A range from savvy farce to poignant drama, this year’s 10th annual LaBute New Theater Festival’s line-up stresses shared humanity in five strong complete-thought one-act plays that press different emotional buttons.

Every year since 2013 – when live theater could be presented, St. Louis Actors’ Studio has collaborated with playwright, screenwriter and film and theater director Neil LaBute to support new works from across the country.

LaBute not only lends his name, but he is part of a 10-member panel that selects the plays from a vast number of submissions, often emerging voices. The company provides the resources for local presentations.

In years’ past, selections have included some edgier and esoteric works, but this current slate is as relatable as it is affecting – and still in a thought-provoking way.

However, typical topics like politics, the state of the world or a dystopian future are not on this roster.

It may not be intentional, but I detected a unifying theme between the five — wrestling with demons and doubts, and addressing elephants in the room, all in compelling contemporary presentations. After all, there is more commonality than differences among us, as the arts frequently point out.

Lorelei Frank, Greg Hunsaker and Tyler Crandall in “Grief & Woe.” Photo by Patrick Huber.

All five are particularly suited for The Gaslight Theatre’s black box stage intimacy, and in keeping with the festival’s rules, plays can only have up to four characters.

LaBute contributes a world premiere one-act every year. This year’s original presents a view askew of sports at young levels. Although not specified, I surmised it was a summer squad aka “Little Leagues” or those between school leagues, like American Legion and ‘select’ teams.

Called “Who’s on First?”, this uncomfortable exchange between a baseball coach and the parent of a player whose skills are lacking is entirely plausible.

A rueful commentary on how we got here, LaBute’s razor-sharp rhythmic dialogue is superbly delivered by Chuck Winning as the coach (Abbott!) and Anthony Wininger (Costello!) as the father.

As they painstakingly reveal motivations, they re-affirm the present-day stakes matter-of-factly. The scene, which opens the second act after a 15-minute intermission, takes place in a dugout, and is shrewdly directed by Kristi Gunther, the current production manager at St. Louis Actors’ Studio.

She and Spencer Sickmann, a veteran performer who took a couple years off for a personal-life break, has returned to tag-team directing this program.

Previously, he had acted in two earlier new theater festivals, and in leading roles in LaBute’s “Comfort,” St. Louis native Beau Willimon’s “Farragut North,” and St. Louisan Cory Finley’s “The Feast,” among others.

Hunsaker, Anthony Wininger and Crandall. Photo by Patrick Huber.

Gunther assuredly guided two conflict pieces – a wacky one that escalated, called “Walrus,” and a somber two-hander that came to a resolution, in “Cage.”

Sickmann perceptively helmed the opening kick-off, a bracing battle of the sexes featuring a fractured relationship between the first man and first wife, Adam and Eve. Quick-witted dialogue by playwright Paul Bowman of New Albany, Ind., makes “Grief & Woe” an interestingly observed relationship study, interrupted by God’s rules and Lucifer’s interference.

The Garden of Eden resembles a battleground like “Men are from Mars; Women are from Venus.” The not-so-happy bickering couple is tested by a seductive, slithery serpent, ‘just call me Lou,’ played slyly by Winning, affecting a devil-may-care attitude and dominating the stage.

A benevolent but exasperated “Mr. G” is humorously fleshed out by Greg Hunsaker as a cross between a Borscht Belt comedian – think “Your Show of Shows” sketch – and a ‘60s sitcom boss.

It’s a clever albeit lighthearted scenario, with impressive new-to-Gaslight-stage Tyler Crandall as an inattentive Adam and Lorelei Frank as a frustrated Eve

The festival is usually modestly presented, with simple, functional staging by set designer Patrick Huber, who also astutely augments each scene as lighting designer. With distinctive outfits and props, production values are elevated this year by costume designer Abby Pastorello’s outstanding choices and Emma Glose’s props.

Pastorello’s slick attire for Winning as “Lou” is a sensational assortment of pieces including a shiny carnival barker’s jacket, brocade vest, lime green shoes and a gold-plated leaf barrette for his deceptive wig.

To easily alter appearances of actors comically portraying North Pole wildlife in the act-one closer, “Walrus,” she chose whimsical noses, ears and ‘hands’ so that it’s obvious Wininger is an obnoxious blowhard walrus, Crandall is the more agreeable, timid manatee and Hunsaker is the no-nonsense proprietor of the drinking establishment where they regale each other with tales of life in arctic waters.

Gunther directed as if they could be super-fans knocking back a drink in a Chicago sports bar, and the trio has fun with the goofy premise. The cagey play was written by Brandt Adams of Brooklyn, N.Y.

A complicated relationship between a mother and daughter is depicted in an argumentative “Cage” by Barbara Blatner of New York. The pair, deftly played by Jane Paradise (Bobby) and Frank (George), must consider the other person’s pain and come to an understanding.

Using the miserable girl bringing home a wild snake as a pet, it’s a metaphor about the things that hold us back and move us forward, and the women strike the right tone.

Hunsaker and Jane Paradise. Photo by Patrick Huber.

In one of the saddest and hardest-hitting one-acts ever presented, “Love in the Time of Nothing” chronicles a marriage from courtship through loss, as a couple grapples with the husband’s early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease.

Playwright Jayne Hannah of North Providence, R.I., accurately reflects the rollercoaster life after a dementia diagnosis changes everything for a husband in his 50s and a wife in her 40s.

If you have family experience with this disease, you will recognize all the symptoms, treatments, roadblocks, and the heartbreaking decline of a once-vibrant mind and the unrelenting burden placed on caretakers.

Hunsaker, as David, and Paradise, as Julieanna, masterfully interpret Hannah’s literate and lyrical prose, conveying the ecstasy and agony of a serious commitment.

These parts are demanding of the actors, and their proficiency makes an impact. This one lingers, and it was a wise choice for the finale. Sickmann presents both the hope of good times and the tragic realization of never-ending sad times with inevitable anguish.

This year’s festival is smoothly executed, intellectually nourishing and engaging in unexpected ways. The best part, besides being a splendid showcase for high-caliber performers, is that it surprises with its empathy.

The needle drops are particularly affecting, so kudos to whoever selected the music. Pastorello also effectively managed wigs, hair and makeup.

Special shout-outs to stage manager Amy J. Paige and her assistant Collin Brinkley for their unflagging efforts to keeping the pace from sagging, and their ninja staff for quick set changes.

To celebrate a decade of this fruitful collaboration, STLAS has published a book, “Unlikely Japan and Other Plays: Ten One-Acts from Ten Years of the LaBute New Theater Festival,” that features ten pieces by LaBute that were created and staged exclusively by STLAS at The Gaslight, 59E59 Street and Davenport Theaters.

The book is currently available on Amazon and can be ordered directly from St. Louis Actors’ Studio. It is also available at the box office during this show’s run.

Frank and Paradise. Photo by Patrick Huber.

St. Louis Actors’ Studio presents the 10th annual LaBute New Theater Festival July 12 to 28, with performances at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sundays for July 18-21 and July 25-28, but only Friday-Sunday July 12-14 at The Gaslight Theater on North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.stlas.org

General admission tickets are available via Ticketmaster or at the theater box office one hour before show time. For more information, visit stlas.org or email help@stlas.org.

A playwright reception will be held on July 19 to celebrate the artists’ work, giving patrons an opportunity to learn and understand the stories they’ve just digested.

Muny’s Luminous, Splashy ‘The Little Mermaid’ Is Inspired Panorama

Muny’s Luminous, Splashy ‘The Little Mermaid’ Is Inspired Panorama

By Lynn Venhaus

When the Muny teams up with visionary director John Tartaglia, they create a magical world, and it always takes us to a happy place.

Enamored by only a few chords of “The Little Mermaid” score’s breezy calypso music, the luscious blue green turquoise palette of scenic designer Ann Beyersdorfer’s dazzling seascape and video designer Katherine Freer’s vibrant underwater kingdom teeming with marine life, and we’re eager to dive into this glistening fairy tale fantasia.

With his track record of infusing shows with whimsy and wonder, one expects Tartaglia to achieve new heights for the Muny’s third presentation of Disney’s cherished musical – and wow does he.

Imaginatively staged and seamlessly incorporating all the wizardry available – including innovative use of puppetry from revered Puppet Kitchen International, with designs by Eric Wright, and stunning aerials by ZFX, Hans Christian Andersen’s fish-out-of-water romance enchants in exciting new ways.

If you took away the bells and whistles, this Douglas Wright book adaptation of the Dane’s 1837 short story would still tug on your heartstrings, because stripped down, it is ultimately about families giving each other the greatest gifts –roots and wings.

Rich Pisarkiewicz (left) and Michael Maliakel in the 2024 Muny production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

Headstrong Ariel has an insatiable wanderlust, as does Prince Eric, whose zest for adventure pulls him away from his birthright. They disobey to chart their own course, and that comes with risks. She rescues him from drowning, and that remarkable visualization involving flying apparatus is thrilling.

All Disney princes and princesses yearn – and these restless royals must triumph. (And Michael Maliakel knows about being a hero — he played “Aladdin” for three years on Broadway.) The handsome heir is bewitched by the mermaid’s beautiful voice, and the spunky teen falls hard for a forbidden but enticing human world.

With their appealing ardor, Savy Brown and Maliakel are adorable as the made-for-each-other pair. Both have lush voices, and they convey their longing through his fervent renditions of “Her Voice” and “One Step Closer” and her luxe delivery of the iconic “Part of Your World” plus the engaging opener “The World Above.”

The classic true love’s kiss trope is significant because it will break dastardly Ursula the Sea Witch’s curse, so that Ariel can keep her voice and become human. And there isn’t a more intoxicating love song than “Kiss the Girl,” especially with the moonlit romantic mood achieved in the second act.

Ever since lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken wrote the game-changing music for the 1989 animated film, generally regarded as the property that resuscitated Disney’s reputation and ushered in the studio’s creative renaissance of the 1990s, “The Little Mermaid” has endured as a beloved pop culture fixture.

Books, videos, merchandise, the stage musical in 2007, and a live-action remake film in 2023 continue to entertain fans around the world.

From left: Adam Fane, Nicole Parker and Kennedy Kanagawa in the 2024 Muny production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

The Muny presented this wildly popular Disney title in 2011 and 2017, and costume designer Robin L. McGee is back from the latter’s creative team seven years later to put a fresh spin on a wide range of colorful outfits.

In a pivotal scene, an iridescent seafoam green dress makes Ariel even more radiant, and in a sixth-time collaboration with Puppet Kitchen International, Ursula’s octopus tentacles (real guys inside) remain a marvel in motion.

Tartaglia has opted for the villain to be more cartoonish rather than menacing, and newcomer Nicole Parker is campy, wears garish makeup, and alternates between exaggerated cackling and screeching as the slinky wicked witch.

Gearing it towards a younger audience, the director made it less dark, although “Poor Unfortunate Souls” makes her intentions clear, and “Daddy’s Little Girl,” alongside her henchmen, oozes spite.

Her electric eel minions, Flotsam and Jetsam, are also softened. Kennedy Kanagawa and Adam Fane are nimble in their slithery headdresses and eerie in their numbers, especially “Sweet Child.”

The three standout comical characters — confidante fish Flounder, silly seagull Scuttle and skittish sidekick Sebastian the crab – ingratiated themselves quickly with the audience.

From left: Leia Rhiannon Yogi, Jen Cody and Savy Jackson in the 2024 Muny production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

Leia Rhiannon Yogi is a cheerful Flounder, demonstrating her dexterity with the bright-hued puppet, while the sublime Fergie L. Philippe, so memorable as Emmett in “Legally Blonde” two summers ago, steals every scene he is in as the lovable calypso-singing crustacean.

He joyously leads the vivacious super-sized spectacle, “Under the Sea,” complete with swirling sea creatures including jellyfish, swimming turtles and Pufferfish. The Oscar-winning Best Song is arguably the show’s best number on the gigantic stage.

Muny fan favorites Jen Cody, Ben Davis and Christopher Sieber each bring their own distinct interpretation to their integral supporting roles.

A limber comedienne, Cody does backflips and handsprings as firecracker Scuttle, mangling English and denoting her crisp comic timing. She blithely leads a rollicking “Positoovity” and “Positaggity.” She has previously delighted audiences as the grandma in “The Addams Family,” Elizabeth in “Young Frankenstein” and stripper Tessie Tura in “Gypsy,” among other amusing roles.

Natural leading man Davis, last seen in his virtuoso St. Louis Theater Circle Award-winning performance as “Sweeney Todd,” is an imposing regal – and buff – King Triton, who must put aside his prejudices and doubts for his daughter’s happiness.

He brings necessary gravitas to the role, although the glow-in-the-dark scepter seems cumbersome at times. His rich baritone is such a pleasure, and he imbues his song “If Only (Triton’s Lament)” with real emotional heft. The reprise with the quartet of Ariel, Eric, Sebastian and Triton is quite lovely.

Christopher Sieber in the 2024 Muny production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Photo by Emily Santel

Christopher Sieber, who was a terrific Daddy Warbucks in the charming “Annie” directed by Tartaglia in 2018, has fun being over-the-top as the fussy French Chef Louis in his signature number “Les Poissons.”

The actor has been nominated for the Tony Award twice, as the original Lord Farquaad in “Shrek the Musical” (Fun fact: Tartaglia was Pinocchio) and Sir Dennis Galahad in “Spamalot” (More fun facts: Ben Davis played Galahad in the 2013 Muny production, and both Sieber and Davis were in the Muny’s 2017 “Jesus Christ Superstar,” with Sieber as King Herod and Davis Pontius Pilate).

Versatile veteran actor Rich Pisarkiewicz gets an opportunity to shine in a role well-suited to his talents – Prince Eric’s loyal guardian Grimsby. He is in his 44th season at the Muny, and this is his 87th show.

Some of the creative team worked with Tartaglia on last year’s extraordinary “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” including McGee, Beyersdorfer, lighting designer Jason Lyons, wig designer Ashley Rae Callahan, sound designers John Shivers and David Patridge, and ebullient choreographer Patrick O’Neill. His movements reflect people moving as if in water.

Tartaglia’s background includes puppetry with Jim Henson on “Sesame Street,” and is back working on “Fraggle Rock” on Disney Plus these days. His artistry is obvious, and this joins his other unique Muny productions “Mary Poppins,” “Matilda,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and “Tarzan” in recent years as examples of his unmistakable playfulness and indomitable spirit. He kept the tempo lively and brisk.

Savy Jackson and Ben Davis in the 2024 Muny production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

Music Director Michael Horsley’s elegance is noteworthy too. The hummable tunes and featured personalities keep us interested, easily earning smiles on a summer night from lots of families in attendance.

The creative artists’ inspired flourishes refreshed this chestnut, with the most striking aspect the constantly moving aquatic tableau – Beyersdorfer’s neon-splashed set, Freer’s mesmerizing video, Lyons’ sumptuous illuminations, McGee’s striking looks, Wright’s original puppets, O’Neill’s dance steps and the belief that the whole team could produce the impossible.

Everyone involved brought the best parts of themselves to this project, and its splendor shines brightly.

The Muny presents “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” July 8 through July 16 nightly at 8:15 p.m. on the outdoor stage in Forest Park. The runtime is nearly 2 hours and 20 minutes, including one 15-minute intermission. Tickets are available at muny.org, by calling MetroTix at (314) 534-1111 or in person at the Muny Box Office, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

Fergie L. Philippe and Jen Cody in the 2024 Muny production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Photo by Phillip Hamer