Lynn Venhaus

Total Post: 1298

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.

Union Avenue Opera Announces Summer Line-Up and Spring Garden Concert Series

Union Avenue Opera Announces Summer Line-Up and Spring Garden Concert Series

This July, Union Avenue Opera (UAO) will make its return to presenting live, in-person opera following a summer of cancellations due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. For the 2021Season, UAO will move its performances to The Big Top, in St Louis’ Grand Center district, for three exciting, socially distanced performances of both Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann and Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia.

“I am beyond thrilled that we have found a way to safely bring opera back to the city of St. Louis this summer. It is an incredible opportunity for us to be creative and offer audiences something different for this one unique season,” said UAO founding Artistic Director and conductor Scott Schoonover.

This summer, audiences will have the opportunity to see two classic, beloved operas in one week – even on the same day, as UAO will offer two matinee performances for the first time in eight years.

“The operas will unfold, acted in front of our wonderful orchestra on The Big Top stage with costumes and lights, to delight socially distanced crowds in the large open-air tent. I can’t wait to see our patrons again and hope that new audience members will come out as well, in support of this effort to put St. Louis artists, orchestra members and technicians back to work after this difficult year,” said Schoonover.

Operated by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, The Big Top is Missouri ArtSafe Certified and will employ rigorous COVID-19 mitigation policies for the benefit of all guests, staff, and artists in its 1,200-person tent which will have reduced capacity for 2021. The Big Top will also employ a contact-less ticketing and concession experience for opera goers and masks will be required.

“I know those who attend will be moved in a special way by hearing live singing and orchestra again, and by seeing wonderful portrayals of these complex and sometimes hilarious characters in person. It certainly gives us all something which we can look forward to in the upcoming months. Finally, I would like to assure our loyal supporters that UAO fully intends to be back in its home venue next season with a full, 3-opera lineup.”

Single tickets range from $25 to $55 and will be available exclusively through MetroTix beginning June 1, for members of the public. All tickets must be purchased in advance either online at www.metrotix.com or by calling 314-534-1111 or 800-293-5949. UAO will utilize tiered on-sale dates for past subscribers and donors prior to the public on-sale date – more information regarding tiered ticket on-sale dates can be found online at www.unionavenueopera.org.

Brooklyn Snow

Offenbach’s: LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN
Three Performances: July 21 and 24 at 7:30PM and July 23 at 2:00PM
Presented in French with projected English supertitles
Conducted by Scott Schoonover
Staging by Mark Freiman

Offenbach’s grand French opera follows the poet Hoffmann as he searches for true love in a magical tale
of thwarted love, art, and revenge! Best known for the Barcarolle “Belle nuit, ô nuit d’amour,” “Chanson
de Kleinzach,” and the ultimate showcase of coloratura soprano singing, Olympia’s “Doll aria.” Les
contes d’Hoffmann is a haunting tale of one man’s desire for the perfect woman. Hounded by his other-worldly nemesis and accompanied by Nicklausse, his ever-faithful friend, Hoffmann seems forever unlucky in love. Darkly playful and set against fantastical backdrops and stirring chorus formations, the opera renders the story of Hoffmann’s descent into madness and intoxication in faithful detail

Under the baton of Artistic Director Scott Schoonover, lyric tenor William Davenport will make his UAO debut in the title role. Soprano Brooklyn Snow, who received high praise for her portrayal of Cunegonde in 2019’s Candide returns to sing the three heroines as Jeremiah Sanders makes his UAO debut as the opera’s four villains. Anthony Webb (Enoch Snow, Carousel) returns to sing the roles of the four servants and Emma Sorenson (Hänsel, Hänsel und Gretel) as Hoffmann’s faithful companion, Nicklausse.

Hoffmann – William Davenport*
Lindorf / Coppélius / Dappertutto / Dr. Miracle – Jeremiah Sanders*
Andrès / Spalanzani / Pittichinaccio / Frantz – Anthony Webb
Olympia / Giulietta / Antonia – Brooklyn Snow
Nicklausse – Emma Sorenson
Luther / Crespel – Joel Rogier
Hermann / Schlemil – Randell McGee
Nathanael / Cochenille – Anthony Heinemann
Voice of Antonia’s Mother – Liya Khaimova


Rossini’s: IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA
Three Performances: July 22 and 23 at 7:30PM and July 24 at 2:00PM
Presented in Italian with projected English supertitles
Conducted by Stephen Hargreaves
Staged by Jon Truitt

Figaro! Figaro! Figaro! Only the clever barber Figaro can help the fair Rosina outwit her guardian, the aging Dr. Bartolo and live out her days in the arms of her true love, Count Almaviva. A grand plan is hatched, full of mischievous escapades and inventive antics sure to delight audiences of all ages. This Rossini Italian classic features one of the most well-known pieces of music in history, Figaro’s “Largo al factotum” along with Rosina’s dazzling “Una voce poco fa.” Full of laughter and beautiful music, see why Il barbiere di Siviglia has been an audience favorite for more than two centuries.

No stranger to his role, Pedro Barbosa will make his UAO debut as Conte d’ Almaviva as Robert Mellon makes his UAO and role debut as the barber Figaro, and Janara Kellerman (Mrs. Herring, Albert Herring) makes her role debut as Rosina. Also returning are Andy Papas (Ko-Ko, H.M.S. Pinafore) as Dr. Bartolo, Erin Haupt (Hebe, H.M.S. Pinafore) as Berta, Isaiah Musik-Ayala (Colline, La bohème) as Basilio, as Stephen Hargreaves (Nabucco) conducts.

Conte d’ Almaviva – Pedro Barbosa*
Figaro – Robert Mellon*
Rosina – Janara Kellerman
Dr. Bartolo – Andy Papas
Basilio – Isaiah Musik-Ayala
Berta – Erin Haupt
Fiorello – Ben Worley

In anticipation of its season, UAO will bring classic opera front and center in its 2021 Opera in the Garden – Garden Concert Series this spring featuring thrilling operatic performances. Launched in 2018, as a House Concert Series, UAO moved the concerts outdoor last fall for the safety of its artists and patrons and were some of the first, live, operatic performances held in St. Louis during the pandemic.

Sunday, May 16 at 6:00PM
Our series starts in the Ladue garden of Margaret Gilleo and Charles Guenther with performances by UAO artists Leann Schuering, Anthony Heinemann, and Randell McGee with Nancy Mayo on piano. The concert will feature operatic favorites including “Je veux vivre” Roméo et Juliette, “Kuda, kuda” Eugene Onegin, “Caro nome” Rigoletto, “Cosa sento!” Trio from Le nozze di Figaro, “Refrain, audacious tar” – Duet from H.M.S. Pinafore.

Saturday, June 5 at 7:00PM
Join us as we return to the Compton Heights garden of Dr. Kenneth and Marjorie Smith and welcome back Metropolitan Opera soprano Mary Dunleavy for a special Saturday night concert. Ms. Dunleavy will present a selection of arias from opera’s favorite courtesans (such as Violetta, Manon, Madama Butterfly) as well as art songs by American composer Amy Beach with pianist Gail Hintz.

Sunday, June 27 at 6:00PM
We conclude our series in the in Webster Groves garden of Jack and Mary LaBarge as we introduce our very own Figaro, Robert Mellon alongside 2021 season artists Erin Haupt and Liya Khaimova with Nancy Mayo on piano. Concert highlights include “Largo al factotum” Il barbiere di Siviglia, “Elle a fui, la tourterelle” Les Contes d’Hoffmann, “Che faro senza Euridice” Orfeo, “Evening Prayer” duet from Hansel
and Gretel, and “Soave il vento” trio from Così fan tutte.

Tickets are $50 for individuals or $100 for Patron Seating which includes the best reserved seats and a $50 tax-deductible donation to UAO. Tickets are on sale now at www.unionavenueopera.org and must be ordered in advance (no door sales)

About Union Avenue Opera – UAO was founded in 1994 to bring affordable, professional, originallanguage opera to St. Louis, a mission the company continues to pursue to this day. UAO is committed to hiring the most talented artists, directors, designers and technicians both locally and from across the United States. UAO provides promising singers the first steppingstone of their professional career. The
company celebrated its 25th Anniversary Season in 2019 and offers vibrant and affordable opera experiences in original languages to audiences who reflect the breadth and diversity of the St. Louis region. UAO is a publicly supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered in Missouri. In 2018 UAO became an OPERA American Professional Company Member. OPERA America is the national
membership organization for artists, administrators and audiences, dedicated to support the creation, presentation and enjoyment of opera.

Financial assistance has been provided by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency, and with support
from the Regional Arts Commission, and funded in part by the Arts and Education Council.

Stray Dog Theatre Announces Plans to Return to the Stage In August

Stray Dog Theatre Announces Plans to Return to the Stage In August

Artistic Director Gary F. Bell has announced that Stray Dog Theatre plans to return to live performances in late summer and get back to a full season in 2022.

“It has been so very long since we’ve been able to see you in person at the Tower Grove Abbey. I want to start off by thanking you all for supporting SDT’s Digital Series during this unusual time. Today, I am so happy to announce that Stray Dog Theatre has an exciting and vibrant plan for returning to live theatre! We have missed you all so much, and are beyond thrilled to share with you all of our wonderful upcoming offerings,” he said.

Stray Dog is starting with a 2021 Limited Series, which includes three plays in the last half of the year: ‘ART’ by Yasmina Reza, with adaptation by Christopher Hampton, premiering in August 2021; “Blue/Orange” by Joe Penhall in October 2021; “Who’s Holiday” by Matthew Lombardo in December 2021.

“A whole new season will premiere in 2022 and will offer a complete season of 6 plays and musicals just like in the past. We’re excited to announce more about this soon,” Bell said.

A new website will go live on July 1. Prior to July, you can purchase tickets for any of the 2021 Limited Series by calling the box office at (314) 865-1995.

“As always, all of us at Stray Dog Theatre are thinking of you and your safety as we plan our 2021 Limited Series and the brand new 2022 Season. We’re ready when you are!” Bell said.

TICKETS & SHOW GUIDELINES FOR THE 2021 LIMITED SERIES



As a return celebration, the 2021 Limited Series tickets will be $25 per person/per show* and are available by calling the box office at (314) 865-1995. Starting July 1, 2021, you may also purchase tickets by visiting www.straydogtheatre.org.

During the 2021 Limited Series, seating may be limited and offered in “pods” of 2 or 4 which will be physically distanced for maximum safety. If you have any questions please contact us at the box office at (314) 865-1995.

For your safety and ours, all actors, tech crew, and Stray Dog Theatre employees have been vaccinated.

We will be following all local and federal safety guidelines during each production.

*Season Subscriptions are not available for the 2021 Limited Series but will return for our 2022 Season. Ticket prices will return to normal for the 2022 Season.

ART

by Yasmina Rezawith adaptation by Christopher Hampton

Marc, Serge, and Yvan have been the best of friends for years. When Serge buys a very expensive piece of art, the intellectual and emotional arguments that ensue become less theoretical and more personal and threaten to destroy their friendships.

‘ART‘ will be presented under the stars on our gorgeous Tower Grove Abbey lawn.

8PM Thursdays thru Saturdays August 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21.Additional performance Sunday, August 15 at 8PM. 

Blue/Orange

Blue/Orange
by Joe Penhall
The day before Christopher is due to be discharged from a psychiatric ward, his doctor has reservations and raises his concerns with a senior colleague. Blue/Orange is an incendiary tale of race, madness, and a Darwinian power struggle at the heart of a dying National Health Service.
BLUE/ORANGE will be presented inside the historic Tower Grove Abbey.
8PM Thursdays thru Saturdays October 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23.Additional performance Sunday, October 17 at 2 PM.

Who’s Holiday

by Matthew Lombardo
You saw her last when she was just two
Celebrate the holidays with Cindy Lou Who
Pull up a seat and fill up your cup
‘Cause your favorite little Who is all grown up
A wildly funny and heartfelt adults-only comedy that explores the twisted tales after that fateful night when a certain Grinch tried to steal Christmas. For Mature Audiences.
WHO’S HOLIDAY will be presented inside the historic Tower Grove Abbey.
8PM Thursdays thru Saturdays December 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18.Additional performance Sunday, December 12 at 2 PM.

‘The Human Factor’ Looks at Personalities Involved in Mid-East Peace Negotiations

‘The Human Factor’ Looks at Personalities Involved in Mid-East Peace Negotiations

By Lynn Venhaus
The complicated history of the Israel-Arab conflicts is explored in this thorough and engrossing documentary.

“The Human Factor” takes a deeper dive into the personalities involved and how that affected the persuasive efforts to change hearts and minds.

After the Cold War ended in 1991, the U.S. stayed the biggest global superpower and turned attention to negotiating peace in the Middle East. Director Dror Moreh takes a behind-the-scenes look at three decades of negotiations between Israel and its Arab neighbors by interviewing six mediators and uses archival footage for the historical details.

By interviewing go-between Dennis Ross – who worked under four presidential administrations, Gamal Helal, Martin Indyk, Daniel Kurtzer, Robert Malley and Aaron Miller, we get different perspectives that add depth to the historical records. All accomplished diplomats, they shed light on the process that helps us to understand where and why things go wrong.

Moreh, an Oscar nominated Israeli film director for “The Gatekeepers” (2012), co-wrote the script with Oron Adar. They start out with Secretary of State James Baker, under President George H. W. Bush, and mainly concentrate on the impact of the Bill Clinton years. After the botched deal at Camp David in 2000, they wrap up the next 20 years in a montage rundown.

The U.S. has been so close, but today, it seems like peace between the countries seems more impossible than ever. And the former diplomats candidly share their frustrations.

What we thought was a breakthrough turned out not be what everyone assumed at the Oslo Accords in 1993.That agreement between Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization from 1969 to 2004, and Israel Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (’74-’77 and ’92-95), lead to a Nobel Peace Prize in 1994, and then signed in 1995. But it did not result in peace. Rabin was assassinated two months later on Nov. 4, 1995.

Since then, five different men have served as prime minister of Israel: Shimon Peres, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Ariel Sharon and Ehud Olmert. and attempts to reach peace have failed.

The men in the rooms where it happened point out the missed opportunities, what happened with Syria and the PLO, and the complexities involved because of the region’s intricate history.

They could still be talking now, but the film smartly ends at 1 hour, 48 minutes, and is a story well-told. Moreh has gathered copious amounts of archival footage for the historical details.

A history, geography, political science and psychology class all at once, “The Human Factor” shows why there is no easy solution for sustainable peace in the Middle East.

FILE – President Bill Clinton, center, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, left, and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat walk on the grounds of Camp David, Md., at the start of the Mideast summit on July 11, 2000. The documentary “The Human Factor” shows the behind-the-scenes story of the U.S.’s effort to secure peace in the Middle East. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds, File)

“The Human Factor” is a 2019 documentary directed by Dror Moreh starring Dennis Ross, Gamal Helal, Martin Indyk, Daniel Kurtzer, Robert Malley and Aaron Miller. It is rated PG-13 for some violence/bloody images and has a run time of 1 hour, 48 minutes. In opened in theaters May 7. Lynn’s Grade: B+

‘The Unthinkable’ Bleak Doomsday Thriller

‘The Unthinkable’ Bleak Doomsday Thriller

By Lynn Venhaus
A dysfunctional family relationship drama starts out this bleak doomsday terror attack that keeps everybody guessing about the bad guys and what’s at stake.

It’s the Midsummer national holiday that celebrates the summer solstice and Sweden wakes up to a state of emergency. They are under attack, but no one knows who is behind it or why. Internet, TV and phone networks are down – and the chaos keeps coming.

A shy, lonely teenager, Alex (Christoffer Nordenrot) has an abusive father that propels him to leave one day, and eventually becomes a heralded professional pianist. He returns home for his mother’s funeral when he runs into his childhood crush Anna (Lisa Henni), whom he has been pining away for, and his conspiracy theorist dad Bjorn (Jesper Barkeslius), who remains unapologetic.

They reunite when they need each other most, so of course that brings up flashbacks amid the central theme of trying to survive. It’s an easy crutch for plot purposes while chemical rain falls from the sky.

The low budget film must have spent most of its Kickstarter money on explosions and fiery crashes. The danger is real, even if we don’t know what is happening, just like the confused citizenry, thus keeping us off-guard.

The movie starts off glum, then proceeds to get grimmer. Time is running out while they sprint across country roads and fields in their village as bullets are sprayed at the innocent.

The thinly drawn characters aren’t specific enough to get invested in their plight. The unapologetic dad is such a miserable man that we don’t care whether he makes it.

 And the platonic reuniting of Alex and Anna is through a contrived circumstance, which is awkward, no matter how much we want to root for them.

By virtue of its basic construction, the plot is too manipulative and the characters lack sincerity because of it.

The lead actor, Christoffer Nordenrot, is also a co-writer, along with director Victor Danell. Their collective, Crazy Pictures, is used to making short films. Perhaps elongating this tale was too big of a task.

By combining a mediocre soap-opera family drama with a murky suspense-thriller, we do not get a satisfying result for either. “The Unthinkable” lacked a spark that could have gone a long way in building up suspense.

If you do sit through all 2 hours and 9 minutes of the film, stay for the credits – they post photos that indicate what might have happened, leading to 800,000 deaths.

“The Unthinkable” is a suspense sci-fi thriller, directed by Victor Danell, and stars Christoffer Nordenrot, Lisa Henni and Jesper Barkselius. It is in Swedish, with English subtitles and is not rated. The run time is 2 hours, 9 minutes, and it is in theaters and video on demand May 7. Lynn’s Grade: C.

Warm-Hearted ‘The Paper Tigers’ Recalls ’90s-era Martial Arts Movies

Warm-Hearted ‘The Paper Tigers’ Recalls ’90s-era Martial Arts Movies

By Lynn Venhaus
A crisp throwback to the ‘90s era of martial arts movies, “The Paper Tigers” is a warm-hearted exercise in reconnecting friendships and rekindling your purpose.

Once known as the Kung Fu prodigies “The Three Tigers,” the trio of martial artists are now middle-aged men one kick away from a pulled muscle. Their master teacher, Sifu Cheung (Roger Yuan), is murdered, which springs them into action. The childhood friends reunite to avenge him, as they juggle dead-end jobs, dad duties and old grudges.

First-time director Quoc Bao Tran, who also wrote the screenplay, has assembled a trio of likable actors whose chemistry is palpable for this action comedy: Alain Uy as Danny, a divorced dad who works in insurance; Ron Yuan as Hing, out-of-shape trash talker who used to work in hotel security; and Mykel Shannon Jenkins as Jim, who has been estranged from Danny.

Tran benefits from first-rate work by the fight choreographer Ken Quitugua in this low-budget labor of love.

He is banking on the nostalgic appeal of this story to genre fans and those who grew up in the 1990s watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, along martial arts action movies from Jackie Chan, Jean- Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal,

The resurgence of “The Karate Kid” variations and the Netflix hit series “Cobra Kai” will no doubt boost the interest too. One of the actors in those series, Yuji Okumoto, has a small role in this 2020 film.

This movie is best at emphasizing those time-honored traditional themes: Discipline, Honor, Focus, Purpose.

Like the three heroes, the movie takes awhile to find its rhythm. Of course, the old guys will gain the respect of the punk kids they face. Naturally, their childhood rival Carter (Matthew Page of “Enter the Dojo”), even though he’s running Sifu’s school, is still a jerk.

The story is a standard whodunit with little suspense, so all the energy is focused on the three pals gaining strength through their 30-year-old bond. The movie effectively uses flashbacks to show how eager they were as pupils to defend the weak, be loyal and righteous.

The men keep taking lickings and their quips keep ticking. The sound mixing is good at capturing the aches, pains and pummeling.

The film, shot in Seattle, has a resourceful team and their desire to tell this story is obvious. The amiable small film aims for the heart and succeeds.

“The Paper Tigers” is a 2020 action-comedy directed by Quoc Bao Tran and starring Alain Uy, Ron Yuan, Mykel Shannon Jenkins and Matt Page. Rated PG-13 for some strong language, offensive slurs, and violence, the movie run time is 1 hour, 48 minutes. It is in theaters and on digital May 7. Lynn’s Grade: B

Max & Louie Productions Announces 2021 Season

Max & Louie Productions Announces 2021 Season

‘Tiny Beautiful Things’ and an Encore of ‘Songs for Nobodies’ to be Staged

Max & Louie Productions joyfully announces its “Comeback” with the St. Louis premiere of “Tiny Beautiful Things” based on the New York Times bestseller, “Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar” by Cheryl Strayed and adapted for the stage by Oscar nominee, Nia Vardalos, playing at The Grandel Theatre July 29-August 8,2021.

“We are so pleased to reopen safely, and welcome back St. Louis audiences with a powerful, dynamic, and empathetic play about words and the power of words to connect with one another. It’s the kind of connection that we have had to be extremely grateful for this past year,” said Stellie Siteman, Producing Artistic Director of Max & Louie Productions.

When life is hard, turn to Sugar.  “Tiny Beautiful Things” follows Sugar, an online advice columnist who uses her personal experiences to help the real-life readers who pour their hearts out to her. Rich with humor, insight, compassion and absolute honesty, “Tiny Beautiful Things” is a play about reaching when you’re stuck, healing when you’re broken, and finding the courage to take on the questions that have no answers.

The cast includes Michelle Hand as “Sugar”, Greg Johnston as Letter Writer #1, Wendy Renee Greenwood as Letter Writer#2, and Abraham Shaw as Letter Writer #3.  Sydnie Grosberg Ronga directs.

Critic’s Pick! “Tiny Beautiful Things” is about the endangered art of listening to-and really hearing and responding to-other people… it works beautifully as a sustained theatrical exercise in empathy.”

The New York Times

“…a show that aims to open our eyes to the tiny moments when the world surprises us with care.”

New York Magazine 

“Heart-tugging and emotionally rewarding.”

The Huffington Post

“… a theatrical hug in turbulent times”

Variety

“Tiny Beautiful Things” will run at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, St. Louis, Missouri 63108. The dates of the production are July 29-August 8,2021. Tickets will go on sale Monday, June 14th 2021 at metrotix.com or by phone at (314) 534-1111. Online Socially Distanced Reserved Seating will be restricted to groups of 2 and 4 consecutive seats. Booth seating is available for a group of 4 or 6 persons. Tickets are priced from $35-$55.

**Max & Louie Productions has received its Missouri ArtSafe certification. To ensure that we may create safely, present safely, and attend safely we pledge to Covid-19 safe protocols which patrons are encouraged to view at Max & Louie Productions’ website at www.maxandlouie.com.

The 2021 season concludes with the Max & Louie Productions’ hit revival of “Songs for Nobodies” written by Joanna Murray-Smith and presented at the Grandel Theatre December 2-12th 2021.

This one-woman powerhouse performance, starring Debby Lennon, weaves the music of legendary divas Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf, and Maria Callas throughout a mosaic of stories told by the everyday women who had unexpected life-changing encounters with these musical icons.

Featuring such favorites as “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “Crazy,” “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien,” “Lady Sings the Blues,” and “Vissi d’ arte,” “Songs for Nobodies” illuminates the power of song to share a story, heal a heartbreak, and inspire a dream.

“It’s a perfectly marvelous show to kick off the holidays”, exclaimed Stellie Siteman, Artistic Director.

Critic’s Pick! “Max & Louie’s ‘Songs for Nobodies’ is an intimate triumph.”

-Calvin Wilson St. Louis Post Dispatch

“Dazzling work from Debby Lennon and lots of bang for the audiences buck in this little jewel from Max & Louie Productions.”

-Ann Pollack St. Louis Eats and Drinks

“… Lennon’s range is astonishing. Her performance as an actor who portrays five, ordinary, utterly individual women is at least as impressive as her singing.”

-Judy Newmark Judy Act Two

Ten women, all played by one extraordinary actress, in “Songs for Nobodies” is directed by Pamela Hunt and runs at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, St. Louis, Missouri 63108. The dates of the production are December 2-12th,2021. Tickets go on sale at metrotix.com or by phone (314) 534-1111 on October 11th,2021. Tickets are priced from $35-$60 Booth seating is available for a group of 4-6 persons.

Offbeat Refugee Drama ‘Limbo’ Tinged with Dry British Humor

Offbeat Refugee Drama ‘Limbo’ Tinged with Dry British Humor

By Lynn Venhaus
An offbeat refugee drama with bits of dry British humor, “Limbo” is another look at the “stranger in a strange land” theme.

A young Syrian musician is stuck on a remote Scottish island where he and other refugees wait to find out if they have been approved for asylum.

Set in a desolate landscape with drab sparsely furnished living quarters adding to the dreariness, the four migrants sharing the place must make do. They are single men without financial means and given a bare-minimum allowance, for they can’t work yet.

They are trying to survive the waiting game in harsh weather conditions, learning English by watching “Friends” and picking up cast-off items at a community thrift center to help their lives.

Omar (Amir El-Masry) has sad eyes and a glum expression. He talks to his Mom on an outside pay phone, homesick for Syria but knows he can’t return, or he’ll be killed like so many others in the civil uprising. His brother’s fighting in the Army but his parents are in Istanbul. You can feel his fear, anger and desperation.

His roommate, Farhad, played by Vikash Bhai, is a talkative, cheerful Afghan who shares his dreams and goals. The other two staying there are bickering brothers from Africa – one dreams of playing professional soccer while the other has more modest aspirations. Kwabena Ansah is Abedi and Ola Orebiyir is Wasef, both delivering heartfelt performances.

The wintry winds are cruel and melancholy settles over these young men as they await their fate. Omar plays the oud, a heritage string instrument in the manner of a guitar and carries it everywhere.

The storyline gets very bleak, so this shouldn’t be classified as a comedy. However, there are a few funny bits. The guys attend a group assimilation session where two locals, Boris (Kenneth Collard) and Helga (Sidse Babett Knudsen), teach them the best practices in social situations. These lessons are a hoot.

Farhad, a Freddy Mercury fan, bonds with a barnyard chicken. Frustrated by the system but resigned to his plight, Omar has little patience for lighter moments.

In his feature film debut, writer-director Ben Sharrock brings out genuine observational moments. An eye for the quirky, he is particularly good at staging shots for optimum effectiveness, although he is very deliberate in pacing.

Sharrock was nominated for two BAFTA awards – Outstanding British Film of the Year and Best Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.

Sharrock was inspired by the personal stories of people he met while working for refugee camps in southern Algeria and living in Damascus before the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2009.

This is a thoughtful piece on homelands and borders. The best part is how the humanity ultimately shows through, and there is a glimmer of hope to sustain us.


“Limbo” is a 2020 drama written and directed by Ben Sharrock. It starts Amir El-Masry, Vikash Bhai, Kwabena Ansah, Ola Orebiyir, Kenneth Collard and Sidse Babett Knudsen. Rated R for language, it runs 1 hour, 44 minutes. In theaters. Lynn’s Grade: B

‘The Mitchells vs The Machines’ Funny, Clever Romp That’s Surprisingly Warm-Hearted

‘The Mitchells vs The Machines’ Funny, Clever Romp That’s Surprisingly Warm-Hearted

By Lynn Venhaus
Zippy and clever, “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” is a cross between a fun family adventure with the Griswolds and a fast-paced sci-fi thriller in the mold of “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.”

With Phil Lord and Christopher Miller the producers, Oscar winners for the innovative “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and creators of “The LEGO Movie,” you expect good humor, creative animation and funny people voicing the characters, and they raise the bar once again. Writer-director Mike Rianda delivers a work that is not only entertaining but surprisingly warm-hearted.

An ordinary family finds themselves challenged to save the world from a robot apocalypse. Creative daughter Katie (Abbi Jacobson) has been accepted into the film school of her dreams, so her nature-loving dad (Danny McBride) insists on a family road trip to get her there. Upbeat Mom (Maya Rudolph) and quirky younger brother Aaron (Mike Rianda) are along for the ride when the machine uprising begins – oh, and their squishy pug Monchi too. They connect with two simple-minded robots to save humanity, combating smart phones, roombas, evil Furbys and renegade appliances.

Families can recognize themselves in the characters, which Rianda and co-writer Jeff Rowe have lovingly crafted, while its cautionary tale about unchecked technology, over-reliance on social media and losing connections with those you love the most is a valid one.

The contrast between the Mitchells – throwbacks to ‘60s and ‘70s sitcoms, complete with beat-up station wagon and roly-poly dog – with the high-tech modern world is well-drawn and thought-provoking.

The colorful animation is, of course, next level, in its action sequences and visual effects. Its vibrancy and sight gags are worth a second viewing. An Easter egg for St. Louisans, the Arch is one of the landmark attractions seen across the U.S.

The voice actors ideally suit their characters, with the well-meaning but dorky dad voiced by Danny McBride an excellent foil for exasperated Katie, ready to try her wings at college, played by comic actress-writer Abbi Jacobson of “Broad City” fame and a veteran of Upright Citizens Brigade. SNL’s Beck Bennett, Fred Armisen and Conan O’Brien are funny as tech voices, with the biggest surprise Oscar winner Olivia Colman as the mad mastermind PAL. The actress, best known as Queen Elizabeth in “The Crown,” is a terrific villain.

The charming and delightful “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” is a welcome vehicle to gather the whole family to watch – and all too rare these days for such a broad shared experience.

THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES – Mike Rianda as “Aaron Mitchell”. Cr: ©2021 SPAI. All Rights Reserved.

“The Mitchells vs. The Machines” is an action comedy animated feature, directed by Mike Rianda. Voice actors are Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Mike Rianda, Eric Andre, Olivia Colman, Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett, Chrissy Teigen, John Legend, Conan O’Brien and Charlie Yi.
The film is 1 hour, 53 minutes and is rated PG for action and some language. Streaming on Netflix beginning April 30.

Lynn’s Take: A

Lynn Venhaus: Oscar 2020 Picks, Predictions

Lynn Venhaus: Oscar 2020 Picks, Predictions

By Lynn Venhaus

After the longest awards season ever and the weirdest movie year of all-time, we reach the finish line with the Oscars Sunday night.

People may gripe about the 93rd Academy Awards for several reasons, but you can’t say it is not going to be memorable. It might even be historic – there are a few records certain to be broken.

With 70 women nominated — the most ever – and a record two women in the directing category, we may see only the second woman win Best Director – and the first woman of color nominated. In 93 years! More on this in the category sections.

The show starts at 7 p.m. CST on ABC, coming to us live from the Los Angeles Union Station – and trains will be coming and going – and the Dolby Theatre. The previous award shows this season have involved taped segments and some Zooming, and ratings have tanked.

But producers claim this show will be different.

“The Oscars are not a webinar,” stated producer Steven Soderbergh, a filmmaker and Oscar winner for “Traffic.”

The Oscars, usually in February since 2004, pushed film eligibility to Feb. 28 and the awards for April 25, with some other groups doing the same, pandemic and all. What has shifted is the Big Mo, because movies like “Judas and the Black Messiah” came out later and Daniel Kaluuya went to the top of the list for Best Supporting Actor (even though he is a lead, but this isn’t the first example of category fraud and won’t be the last). I call this the second round, because many critics’ groups announced earlier.

After all the other awards – I am not counting the Golden Globes because we need to have a serious reckoning with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association – frontrunners have definitely emerged.

What has transpired with the Screen Actors Guild, other guilds (DGA, WGA, PGA), BAFTA (British awards), Independent Spirit Awards and the critics groups – I belong to the Critics Choice Association, Alliance of Women Film Journalists and St. Louis Film Critics Association – is either shoo-ins, like Kaluuya, “Soul” for Original Score and “Sound of Metal” for Best Sound, or tight nail-biters, such as Best Actress and Best Song.

It is easy to get cynical about the year that was, with movie theaters struggling and few blockbusters enticing folks out of their homes during a global pandemic, but I have seen many good movies streamed into my living room. I am OK with independent films and small-scale storytelling. I have seen nearly 170 films since the public health emergency forced a shutdown. I

After months of staying at home, I saw “Tenet” at the IMAX but have not returned to a movie theatre since then. Now that I am vaccinated and a COVID-19 survivor, I intend to go back. I miss that whole experience of “going to the movies.” It will be so satisfying when we can all watch a movie with an audience. I will never take it for granted again, and has been such a big part of my life since my youth.

The eight movies nominated for Best Picture are worthy and would be praised in any year: “The Father,” “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Mank” (more for technical brilliance), “Minari,” “Nomadland,” “Promising Young Woman,” “Sound of Metal” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” “Da 5 Bloods” should be there.

My top 6 of the year were “Nomadland,” “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” “Da 5 Bloods,” “Minari,” “Promising Young Woman” and “Soul.” “Sound of Metal” was no. 11.

Now, every year, when I predict the Oscars, I overthink it. Some years are better guesses than others. And really, until that envelope is opened, one never knows (except for Price Waterhouse Coopers, the accounting firm that tabulates.

Currently, there are 10,000 members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Best Picture ballot is the only one where voting is different – it is a preferential ballot, where voters rank 1 through up to 10 (this year, 8). The winner must receive 50 percent of the vote plus 1. That is why we’ve had several upsets in recent years (“Moonlight” over “La La Land,” “Green Book” in 2019 and “Parasite” in 2020.

Without further ado, here are my predictions in all 23 categories, based on personal preferences and gut feelings, along with or the ‘conventional wisdom” of prognosticators and Oscar-metrics (yes, that is a thing).

BEST PICTURE
Will Win: Nomadland
Should Win: Nomadland
Could Win: Minari

BEST DIRECTOR
Will Win: Chloe Zhao “Nomadland”
Should Win: Chloe Zhao
Could Win: She’s won 40+ awards; it really is hers to lose

BEST ACTOR
Will Win: Chadwick Boseman “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Should Win: Chadwick Boseman
Could Win: Anthony Hopkins, “The Father”

BEST ACTRESS:
Will Win: Tough call but I am going with Carey Mulligan “Promising Young Woman”
Should Win: Carey Mulligan
Could Win: Frances McDormand “Nomadland” or Andra Day “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Will Win: Yun-Jung Youn “Minari”
Should Win: Yun-Jung Youn
Could Win: Maria Bakalova “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Will Win: Daniel Kaluuya “Judas and the Black Messiah”
Should Win: Daniel Kaluuya (but it’s not a lead)
Could win: Paul Raci “Sound of Metal”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Will Win: Emerald Fennell “Promising Young Woman”
Should Win: Emerald Fennell
Could Win: Aaron Sorkin “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Will Win: Floran Zeller “The Father”
Should Win: Floran Zeller “The Father”
Could Win: Chloe Zhao “Nomadland”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Will Win: Joshua James Richardson “Nomadland”
Should Win: Nomadland
Could Win: “Mank”

BEST EDITING
Will Win: The Trial of the Chicago 7”
Should Win: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Could Win: “Sound of Metal” or “The Father”

BEST MUSIC SCORE
Will Win: Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “Soul”
Should Win: “Soul”
Could Win: “Mank”

BEST SONG
Will Win: “Speak Now” One Night in Miami
Should Win: “Fight for You” Judas and the Black Messiah
Could Win: “Lo Si” The Life Ahead

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Will Win: Mank
Should Win: Mank
Could Win: The Father

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Will Win: Tenet
Should Win: Tenet
Could Win: Mulan

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Will Win: Soul
Should Win: Soul
Could Win: Wolfwalkers

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Will Win: My Octopus Teacher
Should Win: Crip Camp
Could Win: Time

BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
Will Win: Another Round
Should Win: Quo Vadis, Aida
Could Win: Collective

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Will Win: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Should Win: Mank
Could Win: Pinocchio

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Will Win: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Should Win: Emma
Could Win: Mank

BEST SOUND
Will Win: Sound of Metal
Should Win: Sound of Metal
Could Win: Mank

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT
Will Win: A Concerto is a Conversation
Should Win: Love Song for Latasha
Could Win: Colette

LIVE ACTION SHORT SUBJECT
Will Win: Two Distant Strangers
Should Win: Two Distant Strangers
Could Win: The Letter Room

ANIMATED SHORT SUBJECT
Will Win: If Anything Happens I Love You
Should Win: If Anything Happens I Love You
Could Win: Opera

St Louis Shakespeare Festival Announces Cast of ‘King Lear’

St Louis Shakespeare Festival Announces Cast of ‘King Lear’

The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival is pleased to welcome back audiences for a new season of free Shakespeare productions in 2021, beginning with the return to Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park with King Lear. 

The Festival is committed to preserving the health of our staff, actors, and audience and will share complete safety precautions closer to performance dates in compliance with the guidelines of health officials.

The 21st season of outdoor performances starting with KING LEAR starring André De Shields in Shakespeare Glen, a new 24-stop touring production of OTHELLO and the return of Shakespeare in the Streets in the historic North St. Louis neighborhood of THE VILLE.

On May 3, the company of 18 talented (and fully vaccinated) actors will come together in St. Louis for the first rehearsal of King Lear under Director Carl Cofield. Get to know their names and faces. 

This is the 2021 Shakespeare in the Park cast: 

André De Shields (King Lear), Rayme Cornell (Goneril), J. Samuel Davis (Kent), Leland Fowler (Edmund) Allen Gilmore (Fool), Nicole King (Cordelia), Jason Little (Albany), Daniel Molina  (Edgar), Carl Overly, Jr. (Cornwall), Michael Tran (Oswald/France), Jacqueline Thompson (Regan) and Brian Anthony Wilson (Gloucester). With support from Atum Jones and the St. Louis Black Rep Intern Company: Kentrell Jamison, Theorri London, Brian McKinley, Tyler White and Christina Yancy.   

Reservations for King Lear will open on May 2!  Stay tuned for more information on how to attend. The opening show of the 21st season will run June 2 – June 27.

KING LEAR

Shakespeare Glen, Forest Park June 2-27
Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award-winner André De Shields (Broadway: Hadestown, The Wiz) stars in Shakespeare’s greatest — and most modern — masterpiece.

Carl Cofield (Associate Artistic Director, Classical Theatre of Harlem) directs an all-BIPOC cast from New York, Chicago and St. Louis.


OTHELLO Aug. 3 -29

TourCo presents 24 performances in Missouri & Illinois
Our new outdoor touring troupe visits public parks across the bi-state region. A Living Study Guide before each performance explores the themes and modern impact of Othello — Shakespeare’s gripping tragedy of jealousy, race and resentment.


SHAKESPEARE IN THE STREETS: THE VILLE Sept. 9-11

Annie Malone Children’s Home, 63133

After an extended storytelling residency, Shakespeare in the Streets returns with a new play based on Shakespeare and inspired by the Ville neighborhood, one of the most historically significant Black communities in America.