Lynn Venhaus

Total Post: 1141

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.

New Places and Faces for Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

New Places and Faces for Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis has announced a move to The High Low in the Grand Center Arts District.

Helene Estes

The High Low is a new venue from the Kranzberg Arts Foundation which focuses on the spoken and written word.

“We are thrilled to house the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis in such a creative establishment and cannot wait for the partnerships that will come from this relocation,” said Carrie Houk, executive artistic director.

Helene Estes has been hired as the new Director of Operations. A St. Louis native, Helene holds a B.F.A in Drama from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She has maintained a varied artistic career that includes theatre and screen acting, film producing, and new play development in New York City and the St. Louis area.

“She is extremely honored to to be joining this amazing team of creatives and eager to support such an incredible organization,” Houk said.

“We are excited to announce more new faces with the addition of several members to our TWStL board. We’re pleased to have Jane Robert, Rayme Cornell, Peter Shank, Carlos Zamora, Melodee DuBois, Donna Beck, KC Carroll, and Kyle Crocker join our governance,” she said.

The 5th annual festival will be held May 7-17, located in the Grand Center Arts District. 2020 programming will be announced in the weeks to come.

Alex Prakken Added to Muny Magic with Mikaela Bennett

Alex Prakken Added to Muny Magic with Mikaela Bennett

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor

A longtime Muny performer, Alex Prakken left his native St. Louis to grow his musical theater aspirations, but his heart is at home on the local stages that have meant so much to him.

Prakken will star alongside Mikaela Bennett in the eighth
installment of its off-season concert series, Muny Magic at The Sheldon, on
Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 5 and 6, at 7:30 p.m.

“The Muny is such a special place, not just for me, but for
many,” he said. “I always wanted to go to New York. And The Muny definitely
helped me to get to where I needed to be in singing, acting and dancing. And I
got to watch these phenomenal actors on that stage, work with them, and learn
from them.”
Prakken replaces Jason Gotay, who was cast as Che in the upcoming New York City
Encores! Production of “Evita” and had to withdraw. Gotay appeared as Prince
Topher in “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” as Prince Eric in “Disney’s
The Little Mermaid” and Jack in “Into the Woods” at The Muny.

“We’re so grateful to Alex for joining this always
joyous and magical night,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive
Producer Mike Isaacson. “Alex thrilled audiences last season in 1776 and
his performance as Marius in Les Misérables remains a Muny favorite. I’m sure
he and Mikaela will make serious magic.”  

A former Muny Kid and Muny Teen, Prakken said he was
thrilled to return to the Muny as the Courier in “1776,” singing the signature
solo “Momma Look Sharp,” after an absence of six years.

“It was nice to be back for ‘1776,’” he said. “It’s such a
special song, such a special show. It really sticks with you.”

Alex Prakken as The Courier in “1776” at The Muny last season. Photo by Phillip Hamer. He had participated as the Courier in a concert version at
54 Below in New York City, which takes place every Fourth of July.

Prakken, a graduate of The John Burroughs School and
University of Michigan, was previously in a much heralded “Les Miserables” as
Maurius at the Muny in 2013.

“I’ll never forget that. I had never seen an audience so enamored
with a show,” he said. The audience leapt to its feet after “One Day More.”

“It was the perfect show for the Muny – on that big stage
with a big cast,” he said.

After that, he went on to the first national tour of
“Newsies” as Oscar Delancey and as Jack Kelly’s understudy as well as Davey’s,  stopping at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis.

“Playing the Fox was crazy. We spent a year playing in
really big houses, 2500-3000, but the Fox is practically double in size. It’s
the biggest one we played,” he said.

While growing up, The Fox was where he saw his first
touring shows.

“It was a shining beacon of theater, but I took it for
granted. It is a stunning theater, so freaking beautiful, big and cavernous.
Performing there, it really did feel majestic, very special,” he said.

He played Jack Kelly at La Mirada Playhouse in California,
and at the Paramount Theatre in Chicago. He has toured as Jesus in “Jesus
Christ Superstar” and as Roger in “Grease.”

Alex Prakken as Jack Kelly in “Newsies” at La Mirada PlayhouseNow living in New York City, Prakken said he’s been
fortunate to be working steadily, but enjoys returning home for a break around
the holidays. Since early May, “I’ve been going non-stop.”

His agent sends him out on auditions for things he may be
right for – “it’s about who they happen to be looking for,” he said. “It’s
often being at the right place at the right time. I’m starting to get noticed
by casting directors. It’s about knowing who they can trust.”

He and Bennett, who had never met before, were rehearsing
the week before the shows.

“She has a lovely voice, it gave me chills – really
spectacular,” he said.

Bennett played the title character in Rodger and
Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” last summer and is a graduate of The Juilliard
School, known for her work on stage and concert halls. She won a Lincoln Center
Award for Emerging Artists this year.

Her credits include Maria in “West Side Story” at the Lyric
Opera of Chicago and in concert performances at the BBC Proms, New York
Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Orchestra. She has appeared at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall.

She originated both the role of Norma in the off-Broadway
production of “Renascence” and the title role of Acquanetta at the Prototype
Festival.

Michael Baxter is directing the show and frequent Muny
music director Charlie Alterman is directing the music.
Prakken said they have come up with solos and duets to reflect their strengths,
the new season, Muny classics and shows they have been in around the country.

“What felt best for us,” he said. The timeless music of Leonard Bernstein, Harold Arlen, Jason Robert Brown and Rodgers and Hammerstein is among the selections. Bennett and Prakken will be accompanied by a trio: Charlie Alterman (music director and piano), Nick Savage (drums) and Vince Clark (bass).

The concert will feature Broadway hits including “If I Loved You” (“Carousel”), “How Could I Ever Know” (“The Secret Garden”), “One Second and A Million Miles” (“The Bridges of Madison County”) and a medley from “West Side Story.”

In addition to the performances, Isaacson will reveal the
line-up for the much-anticipated 2020 summer season, its 102nd.

“It’s a very exciting season next year,” Prakken said — while
not revealing anything.

“Mike is so supportive. There is a whole other level of
care at the Muny,” he said, noting that Isaacson comes to rehearsals, making
sure people have what they need to put on a good show.

“It’s just such a great place,” he said. “In St. Louis, it’s a cultural event. People come two and a half hours early to listen to music, watch the young people perform. I hope we can make a little bit of Muny Magic at the Sheldon. It’s really a knockout place.”

He has sung at the Sheldon before, too, for a senior recital.

“It was an awesome night,” he said. Muny Magic at The Sheldon is sponsored by The Kranzberg Arts Foundation.  The Sheldon is located at 3648 Washington Boulevard in St. Louis.

Tickets are available now and range from $25 to $50. For
more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.muny.org/munymagic or call
314-534-1111.

For more information about The Muny, visit muny.org

Take Ten with Dixie Longate, the Tupperware Lady on Stage

Take Ten with Dixie Longate, the Tupperware Lady on Stage

Dixie Longate, the fast-talking Tupperware Lady, packed up her catalogues, left her children in an Alabama trailer park and took Broadway, the UK & Australia by storm!  

Emery Entertainment welcomes her back to the Playhouse @ Westport Plaza for a multi-week engagement filled with outrageously funny tales, heartfelt accounts, free giveaways, audience participation and the most fabulous assortment of Tupperware ever sold on a theater stage.

The show opened Oct. 29 and runs through Nov. 24. Tickets are $50 for performances on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Tickets are $60 for performances on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

All seats are on sale now and may be purchased through MetroTix at www.metrotix.com or by calling 314/534-1111. Additionally, tickets will be available at the Playhouse @ Westport Plaza box office one hour prior to show time. Groups of ten or more should call 314/402-2430 for special rates. Please note this show contains adult content.

The performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Loaded with the most up-to-date products available for purchase, audience members will learn how Dixie became a member of the illustrious #1 Tupperware Seller in the World Club, as she educates her guests on the many alternative uses she has discovered for her plastic products.

 “Not your grandmother’s Tupperware Party!” said NBC’s Today Show. The LA Times raved, “I was laughing too hard to breathe!” and NYTheatre.com called her show “Pure theatrical bliss!”

Audiences howl with laughter from her outrageously funny tales, homespun wisdom, audience participation and uses for Tupperware that you never thought possible.  The vivacious gum-chewing, ginger-haired Alabama gal will leave your heart a little bigger and your food a little fresher. For more information about Dixie Longate, visit www.dixiestupperwareparty.com.

Playhouse @ Westport Plaza is located at 635 Westport Plaza in Maryland Heights. For more information, please visit www.playhouseatwestport.com.

Here is our Q&A with Dixie.

1. Why did you choose your profession? “I got out of prison and my parole officer said I needed a job to get my kids back.  So it was sort of thrust upon me. I have had quite a few things thrust upon me in my day and a fair amount of them have been worth it but this was definitely the best by far.”

2. How would your friends describe you? “Kind, funny, good at holding my liquor and one heck of a Mechanical bull rider.”

3. How do you like to spend your spare time? “Either at my best friend’s honky tonk or sipping sweet tea on the back porch at dusk looking at fireflies. “

4. What is your current obsession?  “I am a huge knitter and I have started making lots of sweaters for Fall.  I am also determined to make myself a 70’s Farrah Fawcett-Inspired poncho.”

5. What would people be surprised to find out about you?  “I’m double jointed but only on even-numbers months.”

6. Can you share one of your most defining moments in life?  “Making 2,500 people in a theater in Melbourne, Australia burst into fits of laughter while it was being televised all over the country.  Also when a lady recently gave me the biggest hug I’ve ever gotten, while telling me she had laughed during my show and it had been the first time laughing since her husband had passed away eight months prior.”

7. Who do you admire most?  “Brownie Wise. She created the Tupperware party.  If it wasn’t for her, millions of women would never have realized their potential, myself included.”

8. What is at the top of on your bucket list?  “I’d love to be making people chuckle on TV. Hopefully someday. “

9. What is your favorite thing to do in St. Louis?” Going to the Fuzzy Taco because they always make a drink in my honor!”

10. What’s next for Dixie? ” I have so many irons in the fire.  I’m working on a funny book with a bunch of stories about my life and friends in my trailer park in Mobile, Alabama.  I’ve started to write another show that I hope to be performing at some point early next year.  And I hope by Christmas that I can do the front splits!”

More about Dixie:

Name: Dixie LongateAge: (optional) Late 20’s to mid-30’s to early 40’sBirthplace: Mobile, AlabamaCurrent location: As I’m scribbling this down, I’m in Palm Springs, CaliforniaFamily: I have three kids that I know about: Wynona, Dwayne and little Absorbine Jr.  He’s sweeter than poop.  He can’t talk or walk or open a bottle of wine, but he’s young still, so I’ll let it go this time. Education: Grade 1-4: Book Smart, The rest of the grades: Street Smart!Day job: Tupperware ladyFirst job: Legally, it was working at the Golden Corral.  I was in charge of the chocolate fountain.  It set me up for all sort things later in life. Awards/Honors/Achievements: Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance (I lost to Laurence Fishburne. Really.)  The Michigan State Theater Award (Wilde Award – Best Actress.)  Highest Fund Raiser at my church’s Christmas Strip car wash. (I Dressed as Mrs Klaus.)Favorite quote/words to live by: “Stop picking at it.  You’ll only make it worse.”

1. Why did you choose your profession? I got out of prison and my parole officer said I needed a job to get my kids back.  So it was sort of thrust upon me. I have had quite a few things thrust upon me in my day and a fair amount of them have been worth it but this was definitely the best by far. 2. How would your friends describe you? Kind, funny, good at holding my liquor and one heck of a Mechanical bull rider. 3. How do you like to spend your spare time? Either at my best friend’s honky tonk or sipping sweet tea on the back porch at dusk looking at fireflies. 4. What is your current obsession?  I am a huge knitter and I have started making lots of sweaters for Fall.  I am also determined to make myself a 70’s Farrah Fawcett-Inspired poncho. 5. What would people be surprised to find out about you?  I’m double jointed but only on even-numbers months.6. Can you share one of your most defining moments in life?  Making 2,500 people in a theater in Melbourne, Australia burst into fits of laughter while it was being televised all over the country.  Also when a lady recently gave me the biggest hug I’ve ever gotten, while telling me she had laughed during my show and it had been the first time laughing since her husband had passed away eight months prior.7. Who do you admire most?  Brownie Wise.  She created the Tupperware party.  If it wasn’t for her, millions of women would never have realized their potential, myself included. 8. What is at the top of on your bucket list?  I’d love to be making people chuckle on TV. Hopefully someday. 9. What is your favorite thing to do in St. Louis? Going to the Fuzzy Taco because they always make a drink in my honor!10. What’s next for Dixie?  I have so many irons in the fire.  I’m working on a funny book with a bunch of stories about my life and friends in my trailer park in Mobile, Alabama.  I’ve started to write another show that I hope to be performing at some point early next year.  And I hope by Christmas that I can do the front splits!HERE ARE THE THINGS WE WANT TO KNOW FOR THE INFORMATION GRID:(More About — Dixie)Name: Dixie LongateAge: (optional) Late 20’s to mid-30’s to early 40’sBirthplace: Mobile, AlabamaCurrent location: As I’m scribbling this down, I’m in Palm Springs, CaliforniaFamily: I have three kids that I know about: Wynona, Dwayne and little Absorbine Jr.  He’s sweeter than poop.  He can’t talk or walk or open a bottle of wine, but he’s young still, so I’ll let it go this time. Education: Grade 1-4: Book Smart, The rest of the grades: Street Smart!Day job: Tupperware ladyFirst job: Legally, it was working at the Golden Corral.  I was in charge of the chocolate fountain.  It set me up for all sort things later in life. Awards/Honors/Achievements: Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance (I lost to Laurence Fishburne. Really.)  The Michigan State Theater Award (Wilde Award – Best Actress.)  Highest Fund Raiser at my church’s Christmas Strip car wash. (I Dressed as Mrs Klaus.)Favorite quote/words to live by: “Stop picking at it.  You’ll only make it worse.”

‘Escape from Margaritaville’ Washes Ashore and Wastes Away

‘Escape from Margaritaville’ Washes Ashore and Wastes Away

Escape From Margaritaville Washes Ashore and Wastes
Away

By CB AdamsContributing Writer

Escape From Margaritaville is not your typical musical theater experience. In fact, one deigns to even dub it a “musical.” It’s more party than performance.

That’s because to receive the full benefit of buying a ticket – and for the show to reach its limited potential – requires the audience to fully engage – that is to actually participate – in its Parrot-headed premise.

Escape From Margaritaville hails from the Jimmy Buffet industrial complex and is an island-flavored entertainment with as much realism as a cheesy travel brochure. The show snorkeled into town at The Fabulous Fox on October 18-20.

Riding in the wake of other successful, so-called jukebox musicals, Margartaville is conspicuously designed to ride in on the high tide of box office success of other productions of this ilk, namely Mama Mia! and Rock of Ages.

These successful shows provided the recipe-cum-template for
Margaritaville, which tosses Buffet’s beguiling country-western-in-a-Hawaiian-shirt
tunage and Will Rogers-ish, aw-shucks humor into a blender with a tropish,
silly “boy meets then loses girl” plot, trying to render a frozen concoction
that hopes to help the audience hang onto their ticket stubs for a breezy couple
of hours.

But instead of landing an expected sharknado of sing-along
shenanigans, Friday night’s performance reeled in gasping guppies. The reason
why was not the bait. Who doesn’t love Buffet’s easy, languid, catchy,
comfortable-as-your-favorite flip-flops songs such as “Volcano,” “Fins,” “Come
Monday,” “Son of a Son of a Sailor” and the title song? It’s nearly impossible
not to like these fan faves, just ask thousands – if not millions – of Parrot
Heads the world over.

Nor was the show’s failure to launch due to the
aforementioned plot, which surely does not require one to suspend very much
disbelief. After all, the show’s tagline says it all: “Set Your Mind on Island
Time.” That should be easy to do, given Buffet promotion of a fiddle-dee-dee,
“Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw?” mindset.

But the dialogue was predictable, flavorless and seemed like it was borrowed from a second-rate sitcom, which is a shame since it came from Emmy-winner Greg Garcia (My Name is Earl, Family Matters and Family Guy) and Mike O’Malley (the award-winning Survivor’s Remorse).

The plot tortuously bends to accommodate the story of two
women from Cincinnati on a bachelorette binge. Rachel, the lead, played by
Sarah Hinrichsen, is a type A scientist whose friend, Rachel, played by Shelly
Lynn Walsh, is soon to be married to the bro-y, doltish Chadd, broadly played
by Noah Bridgestock with thankfully short stage time.

The women predictably become entwined with islanders Tully,
the other lead played by Chris Clark, and Brick, played by Peter Michael
Jordan. Of all the performances on Friday night, Jordan’s was the only lively
stand-out – and that’s not damning the performance with faint praise. He
practically carried the show, especially during the campy tap number in the
second act. Even the horny ole codger, J.D., played by Patrick Cogan, needed an
extra shot of Ron Rico (or another “little blue pill”) at this performance.

All of the shortcomings of Escape From Margaritaville
could have been overcome with a more enthusiastic and fully engaged audience.
The producers tried to turn the show into an event with free leis at the
entrance, a precious few moments when the actors broke the fourth wall, and a
boatload of beachballs released during the final number. But the audience
response was lackluster. It needed more die-hard, fully plumed Parrot Heads or
at least more attendees who were willing to abandon their self-reserve in favor
of the show’s charms for a couple of hours.

That, and unlike Rock of Ages, which packed a
decade’s worth of 80s big-haired rockers, Escape to Margaritaville
needed more – much more – of Buffet’s appealing, easy-on-the-ears-and-mind
tunes. Good times need good tunes, and these felt in short supply in this show,
leaving some at the exits, escaping from Margartaville.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presented “Escape from Margaritaville” October 18-20.

Singing! Dancing! Paper! Off-Broadway Sensation ‘The Office! A Musical Parody’ Coming to St. Louis

Singing! Dancing! Paper! Off-Broadway Sensation ‘The Office! A Musical Parody’ Coming to St. Louis

Dunder Mifflin is opening an office near you! Producers of the sold-out, unauthorized Off-Broadway sensation The Office! A Musical Parody and Emery Entertainment has announced the North American tour will make a stop in St. Louis at The Grandel Theatre March 4-8, 2020.

Show times are Wednesday-Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. & 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.  Tickets range from $39-$69 and go on sale Wednesday, October 16 at 9 a.m., just in time for National Bosses Day! Tickets can be purchased via MetroTix.com or by calling MetroTix at 314-534-1111. Tickets will also be available at The Grandel Theatre box office one hour prior to show time.

It’s a typical morning at Scranton’s third largest paper company until, for no logical reason, a documentary crew begins filming the lives of the employees of Dunder Mifflin. Don’t miss this hilarious, unauthorized parody of your favorite TV show, now coming to a city near you. Mashable calls the show “the world’s most elaborate inside joke, created with a whole lot of love, just for fans.” Original Off-Broadway cast member, Madeline Glenn Thomas, joins the tour cast as everyone’s favorite receptionist, Pam. 

Writers Bob and Tobly McSmith are ecstatic about their third national tour. “The Office! A Musical Parody is on track to be our most successful New York production in 10 years,” says Tobly McSmith. “The Office! A Musical Parody is now one of the most successful Off-Broadway shows in history. As Michael might say, ‘It’s been a dream come thru.’” 

For more information, visit theofficemusicalparody.com/tour. In addition to the national tour,     The Office! A Musical Parody is currently running at the Jerry Orbach Theatre at 210 West 50th Street in New York City. For more information about the show, visit the website at theofficemusicalparody.com or follow the show on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for exclusive behind-the-scenes content. 

The Office! A Musical Parody is produced by Right Angle Entertainment, written by Bob and Tobly McSmith and composed by Assaf Gleizner.

Bob and Tobly McSmith (Writers) are distinguished gentlemen who met while applying for jobs at the Dippin’ Dots in the mall. They did not get the job but went on to create the following masterpieces: FRIENDS! The Musical Parody, Bayside! The Saved by the Bell Musical, Full! House! The Musical (Starring Perez Hilton), Katdashians! The Musical, Showgirls! The Musical and JonBenet! Murder Mystery Theater. They are hard at work on their next musical: The Passion of the Teletubbies. 

Right Angle Entertainment (Producer) specializes in the production, marketing, management and distribution of live theatrical, digital and concert events. RAE’s proud roster includes: The Office! A Musical Parody (New York City and National Tour), FRIENDS! The Musical Parody North American Tour, Love Actually!? The Unauthorized Musical Parody (NYC), One Woman Sex and the City, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (Nashville and National Tour), Heather McMahan: The Farewell Tour, Cat & Nat #MomTruths Tour, Sasha Velour’s Smoke & Mirrors Tour, Elvis and Me: An Evening with Priscilla Presley, Family Feud: Celebrity Edition Tour, and The Price is Right LIVE! among others.  Emery Entertainment, Inc.St. Louis-based Emery Entertainment, Inc. has produced and promoted thousands of events around the globe, including superstar attractions such as Blue Man Group, Bono, David Copperfield, James Taylor and Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus – LIVE!  With a proven track record for venues of various sizes – from intimate 200-seat theaters to 20,000-seat arenas – Emery Entertainment, Inc. took over the management, programming and marketing of the 240-seat Playhouse @ Westport Plaza in the Fall of 2016.  The venue is filling a niche for a variety of Broadway and Off-Broadway entertainment that would otherwise not find its way to the St. Louis area.  Emery Entertainment, Inc. is pleased to bring additional Off-Broadway programming to The Grandel.

The Grandel TheatreLocated at 3610 Grandel Square, in the heart of the Grand Center Arts District, the historic Grandel Theatre hosts a multitude of artistic endeavors, including main stage productions, visual art exhibits, educational programs, and live jazz as the home of The Dark Room. In cooperation with Grand Center Inc., the Kranzberg Arts Foundation operates and manages The Grandel Theatre, creating significant partnerships to bring exciting new theatre, dance, and concert programming to The Grandel Theatre’s stage

New Moonstone Theatre Company Announces First Show

New Moonstone Theatre Company Announces First Show

St. Louis’ vibrant theater community just got a little brighter with the addition of new performing arts organization Moonstone Theatre Company.

Moonstone was founded by St. Louis native Sharon Hunter, who serves as the company’s artistic director and producer. Hunter has made a name for herself nationally as a professional actor, singer, director and producer. Most recently Hunter was performing and producing in New York City, but decided to move back home to start Moonstone.  St. Louisans may recognize her as the original host and producer of KEZK’s “Pillow Talk” or her time hosting at Y98.

“Moonstone Theatre Company was founded in response to my vision for creating a cultural theatrical environment in St. Louis to inspire actors and artists to do their best work,” Hunter says. “St. Louis is a great theatre city and I think it’s wonderful to be a part of that cultural conversation. It is essential for the arts to contribute to this conversation particularly during challenging times.”

Hunter says the name Moonstone combines two things close to her heart.

“I have always loved the moon. I gain energy, clarity and inspiration from the moonlight. I knew I wanted the word moon somewhere in the company title,” she says. “I was also committed to finding a way to incorporate my former NYC acting coach, the late Peter Flint, and his name in there as well.  He was like a true father figure to me, and I thought that since “flint” is a stone then I could put that together and create Moonstone.”

Hunter says Moonstone will focus on producing works that challenge and enlighten audiences on important and socially relevant topics including equality, diversity, mental illness, addiction and sexual harassment and assault.

“Theatre truly is a reflection of life,” says Hunter. “I’m happy to be back in my hometown where I began and collaborate with so many talented artists and actors. There is something very special about returning to St. Louis and having the opportunity to bring new ideas and experiences to an art form I dearly love.”

“How exciting for St. Louis that another wonderful Theatre Artist with great entrepreneurial chutzpah is broadening our vibrant theatre community,” enthused Edward Coffield, the artistic director and producer at New Jewish Theatre.  “There is such great legacy here in St. Louis when savvy theatre practitioners are willing to plant roots and continue the tradition of great theatre in St. Louis.”

Moonstone’s debut production, “The House of Blue Leaves” by John Guare, will open at the Wool Studio Theatre at the Jewish Community Center (2 Millstone Campus Drive, Creve Coeur, 63146) on Thursday, July 16, 2020, directed by Annamaria Pileggi. Auditions for the show will be held Saturday, October 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the JCC, and callbacks will be held at the theater on Monday, October 28. Those wanting more information about the audition process can register online here or email moonstonetheatrestl@gmail.com.

Moonstone Theatre Company’s Mission Statement

Moonstone Theatre Company is a new professional performing arts organization which will offer the community a wide range of quality theatrical productions while supporting local arts and education. Moonstone Theatre looks to inspire, entertain and challenge audiences with productions that range from the classics to new works. Moonstone Theatre Company celebrates the power of the theatre to illuminate our diversity and enlighten our shared humanity.

Fox Announces Digital Lottery for ‘Dear Evan Hansen’

Fox Announces Digital Lottery for ‘Dear Evan Hansen’

Described by the Los Angeles Times as a “cultural phenomenon,” Dear Evan Hansen comes to St. Louis’s Fabulous Fox Theatre Oct. 22 – Nov. 3. In advance of the start of performances, the production announced today that it will host a digital ticket lottery offering fans the chance to purchase a limited number of $25 tickets available per performance.

The digital lottery will begin accepting entries 48 hours prior to the first performance in St. Louis and will be accepted until 9 a.m. local time the day before the performance. Fans who have been selected will be notified daily via email and can then purchase up to two (2) tickets at $25 each. The ticket lottery will continue on a rolling basis for every performance in the engagement. All entrants are encouraged to follow Dear Evan Hansen on Instagram (@dearevanhansen), Twitter (@dearevanhansen) and Facebook (@DearEvanHansen) for additional lottery news and information. 

Entrants must be 18 years or older. A valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the name used to enter is required for pickup. Seat locations awarded by the lottery are subject to availability. Additional details and times will be announced in each tour city by the local theatre box office prior to the engagement. Additional lottery requirements can be found at www.luckyseat.com/dearevanhansen. 

The winner of six 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Dear Evan Hansen features a book by Tony Award-winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy®, Tony® and Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal).

Declared “One of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history” by the Washington Post’s Peter Marks, Dear Evan Hansen opened at the Music Box Theatre to rave reviews on December 4, 2016. There, it has broken all box office records and struck a chord with audiences and critics alike, including New York Times critic Jesse Green, who, in his May 2019 re-review of the show, declared it “more and more ingenious with each viewing. It is more hopeful than ever.”

The Broadway production recently celebrated its two-year anniversary with a special donation to the Smithsonian, where the show’s iconic blue polo and arm cast will now be part of the permanent collection of the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. A record-breaking US national tour launched in October 2018 and is currently playing across North America, and a limited engagement recently opened at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre, where it runs through July 21, 2019.  The show’s second international production will open in the West End on November 19, 2019 at London’s Noel Coward Theatre.

The Grammy Award-winning Original Broadway Cast Recording of Dear Evan Hansenproduced by Atlantic Records, was released in February 2017, making an extraordinary debut on the Billboard 200 and entering the chart at #8 – the highest charting debut position for an original cast album since 1961 – and went on to win the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album. A deluxe version of the cast recording, including six bonus tracks and a pop cover from Katy Perry of “Waving through a Window” is now available digitally.

A special edition coffee table book authored by Levenson, Pasek and Paul, Dear Evan Hansen: through the window (Grand Central Publishing / Melcher) is now available, offering an in-depth, all-access look at the musical, including never-before-seen production photos and cast portraits, behind-the-scenes stories, and a fully annotated script by the authors.

In addition to winning six 2017 Tony awards and a 2018 Grammy Award, Dear Evan Hansen has won numerous other awards, including the 2017 Drama League Award for Outstanding Musical Production and for the off-Broadway production, two Obie Awards, a Drama Desk Award, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards and two Helen Hayes Awards. Dear Evan Hansenis also the winner of the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards three years running, and was just proclaimed the Best Long-Running Show and the Best Touring Production in the 2019 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards.

Dear Evan Hansen, produced by Stacey Mindich, features scenic design by David Korins, projection design by Peter Nigrini, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, and hair design by David Brian Brown.  Music supervision, orchestrations and additional arrangements are by Alex Lacamoire.  Ben Cohn is the Associate Music Supervisor.  Vocal arrangements and additional arrangements are by Justin Paul. Danny Mefford is the choreographer. Casting by Tara Rubin Casting/Xavier Rubiano. Sash Bischoff, Adam Quinn and Danny Sharron are the Associate Directors. Judith Schoenfeld is the Production Supervisor. US General Management 101 Productions.

For more information, please visit DearEvanHansen.com

When Frederick Met Susan: ‘The Agitators’ at Upstream

When Frederick Met Susan: ‘The Agitators’ at Upstream

By Andrea BraunContributing Writer

The title of the play is based on Frederick Douglass’ exhorting his followers to “Agitate. Agitate. Agitate.” This was later in his life, long after he met and became friends with Susan B. Anthony who was already doing just that in her late 20s.

Their friendship would last 45 years and their goals remain the same, though there are bumps in the road: both supported abolition and women’s rights. But it wasn’t all sweetness and light between them because while their causes meshed, their priorities didn’t always do the same. The Agitators now playing at Upstream Theater is an examination of their near-lifelong connection, allowing both of them time to make their points. Perhaps a bit too much time, however, because much of the play seems rather like a lecture. This is is certainly not to say it isn’t mostly well-done, disturbingly timely, and certainly worth a couple of hours of your time.

Douglass (J. Samuel Davis) is close to Anthony’s (Erin Kelley) father, an outspoken abolitionist, and a Quaker. Because of her religion, she tells Douglass early on, even if she could vote, she wouldn’t because Quakers are supposed to be apolitical. Later, she would leave the Society of Friends and change her mind about voting, but when we meet her, the women’s rights question is her priority, along with abolition. Act I begins at the Anthony residence and covers 1849-1869. Act II picks up in 1870 and takes us through 1895.

Playwright Mat Smart has a tough job here: The time
period covered is so long that even though projections help us with what year
it is and where we are, we still get the impression that these two spend a
great deal of time together expressing their views on civil rights. The fact
is, often they would go years without seeing each other, sometimes because they
were busy, other times, because they were angry.

Their longest disagreement was about Douglass’ support
of the 15th Amendments to the Constitution which proposed enfranchisement
of black men but not any women. Unsurprisingly, Anthony takes umbrage at his
support of what she considers a half-measure. She is also angry that Douglass
is accepting financial support from a man she considers a misogynist. This
quarrel leads to their longest period of non-communication.

 He spoke at her
conferences and she appeared at his. Both of them were among the best known
figures of their time. Anthony was the only leader in the 19th
century women’s movement culminating in the meeting in Seneca Falls, NY in
1848. And one should not think that Douglass didn’t support Anthony fully in
her drive for equality; rather, he thought it was too soon and would come when
the time was right. Of course, women got the vote in 1920, long after these
icons were gone.

Photo by ProPhotoSTLAs for any sense of a love story, the affection between the two is palpable, but Douglass was happily married to his wife, Anna (a free black woman who helped him attain his freedom) and after she died, a much younger woman. He also was attractive to women and there is speculation that he had others, but one of them was NOT Susan B. Anthony.

They both wrote books—he a four-volume autobiography; she, in collaboration with other leaders of the movement, a multi-volume treatise on her own beliefs and the causes the women held dear. One good joke is that neither reads the other’s work.

There are more moments of humor that leaven the
proceedings, my favorite being Douglass explaining baseball to Anthony at his
son’s game. It is amusing, until due to a racist incident, it isn’t. They tell
each other bad jokes and engage in teasing banter. At one point, when he is 76
years old, Anthony gives Douglas a pair of ice skates. He is, of course,
nonplussed. But she was a great believer in physical exercise and the moment
demonstrates both their similarities and their differences.

The atmosphere of the play is enhanced by the musical  compositions of and performance by Syrhea
Conaway, a well-known and versatile St. Louis artist. When we first see
Douglass, he is carrying a violin. At several points in the show, he appears to
play his instrument in duets with her that can run the gamut from ethereal to
anger. She uses percussion to round out the sound, and it works beautifully.
The set itself is simple—beams, planks and boxes which get shifted around
often—perhaps rather too often, as it can become distracting. There is a
connection to the story, however, when Anthony tells a story involving a suitor
who wooed her with a warmed plank.

Stage Manager Patrick Huber is responsible for the
lights, as well is the set, and they provide a proper atmosphere, if too dark
at times. Michele Friedman Siler’s costumes are historically accurate except
for the anachronistic zippers on Anthony’s boots. Lisa Tejero directs, assisted
by Patience Davis. They keep things moving to the extent that it is possible
when there are so very many words for the actors to say, but despite their
efforts, the production still seems static some of the time. The fact that it’s
a running trope that Anthony cannot sit down is, I assume, supposed to give us
the illusion of motion.

If there are better actors than Kelley and Davis to
play these parts, I don’t know who they are. There were a few stumbles at the
beginning, but when the two hit their stride, all was well from a performance
standpoint. I believed them and more important, I think THEY believed them too.

The last public statement Douglass made was at Seneca Falls saying “When I ran away from slavery, it was for myself; when I advocated emancipation, it was for my people, but when I took up for the rights of women, self was out of the question, and I found a little nobility in the act.”

He and Anthony are buried in the same cemetery in Rochester, NY, her home town. Together in death, as in life, one wonders what they might have to say about racism and misogyny in 2019.

“The Agitators” is at Upstream Theater through Oct. 13 at the Kranzberg Arts Center. You may contact upstreamtheater.org

The Black Rep Announces ‘Ain’t Misbehavin” Concert Version as Gala Production Oct. 12

The Black Rep Announces ‘Ain’t Misbehavin” Concert Version as Gala Production Oct. 12

The Black Rep will present a concert version of the
Broadway hit musical “Ain’t Misbehavin’” at the 560 Music Center on Saturday,
Oct, 12, for One Night Only.

“Ain’t Misbehavin’” is a musical revue with a book by
Murray Horwitz and Richard Maltby, Jr., and music by various composers and
lyricists as arranged and orchestrated by Luther Henderson. It is named after
the song by Fats Waller (with Harry Brooks and Andy Razaf), “Ain’t Misbehavin’”.

The musical is a tribute to the black musicians of the
1920s and 1930s who were part of the Harlem Renaissance, an era of growing
creativity, cultural awareness, and ethnic pride. It was a time when Manhattan
nightclubs like the Cotton Club and the Savoy Ballroom were the playgrounds of
high society and Lenox Avenue dives were filled with piano players banging out
the new beat known as swing.
An ensemble of performers present an evening of rowdy, raunchy, and humorous
songs that encapsulate the various moods of the era and reflect Waller’s view
of life as a journey meant for pleasure and play.

The Chicago Sun Times said: “Fun and off-the-charts
galvanic energy are the main orders of the day in this show… Talk about
“Spreadin’ the Rhythm Around.” Pure joy.”

The Huffington Post said: “This is a boozy, after hours
party, and we’re all invited.”

The cast of Ain’t Misbehavin’ in concert features cast
members from the Season 43 opening hit production of “Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t
Cope” led by Drummond Crenshaw, Amber Rose, Tyler White, Robert Crenshaw, and
Sieglinda Fox.

It is directed by Producing Director Ron Himes, with
musical direction by Charles Creath, choreography by Kirven Douthit-Boyd and
Heather Beal.

Proceeds from the 2019 Gala go to support The Black Rep’s
Community and Education programs such as: 
Summer Performing Arts (SPA), Teen Tech Program, The Professional Intern
Program and many others.

Other highlights of the evening will also feature a
presentation of the Frankie Muse Freeman Spirit Awards to Anne Marie Clark and
Wesley Bell as well as the Woodie King Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award to Dr.
Glory Van Scott and George Faison.

“Ain’t Misbehavin’” is sponsored in part by Centene
Corporation, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Edward Jones, Webster University, McCormack
Baron Salazar Inc., Keith Williamson, Gisele Marcus, Tom and Barbara Feiner,
Loren and Marcia Grossman, Lionel Phillip, Hank Webber and Chris Jacobs.

For tickets or more information, contact the box office at
314-534-3807 or go online to theblackrep.org.

Go See a Play! What’s Happening Aug. 23 – 28

Go See a Play! What’s Happening Aug. 23 – 28

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor
As the month winds down and students are back at school, local theater is
offering several shows that you can learn from, no matter what your interest.
The only new show this weekend is “Wit” by Alpha Players of Florissant, and
there are only three performances.
The classic American musical “Guys and Dolls” wraps up its run at Stray Dog
Theatre, so does the little-known “A Man of No Importance” by R-S Theatrics and
the local premiere of ‘Glory Denied” at Union Avenue Opera, concluding their 25th
season. The original musical “Madam” by Colin Healy has two more performances
in Hannibal, Mo., and then will be presented in St. Louis in January.
The new all-female spin on the ancient Greek tragedy “Antigone: Requiem per
Patriachus” continues at The Chapel, so if you like seeing something different,
check it out.

Whatever you do during summer’s swan song, go see a play!

“Antigone: Requiem per Patriarchus” SATE and ERA Aug. 14 – 31 (Wednesday – Saturday) at 8 p.m. The Chapel 6238 Alexander Drive, St Louis Tickets: Brown Paper or box office www.slightlyoff.org

What
It’s About: For the third production of its Season of Ritual, SATE is
collaborating with ERA to co-produce Antigone: requiem per Patriarchus; a fresh
perspective on the Sophocles classic workshopped in a collaboration between
Saint Louis University Theatre and Prison Performing Arts. Antigone explores
themes of fidelity, citizenship, civil disobedience, and the struggles and
consequences the characters within the world of the play encounter as a result
of their choices

Director:
Lucy Cashion

Starring:
Alicen Moser, Ellie Schwetye, Laura Hulsey, Miranda Jagels Félix, Natasha Toro,
Taleesha Caturah and Victoria Thomas, with Marcy Ann Wiegert providing live
percussion accompaniment.

In
2017, Prison Performing Arts began a collaboration with St. Louis University
Department of Fine and Performing Arts. Lucy Cashion, Assistant Professor of
Theatre and ERA Artistic Director, and PPA Director of Youth Programs and SATE
Artistic Director Rachel Tibbetts, taught weekly poetry, playwriting, and
development workshops with PPA participants at Women’s Eastern Reception,
Diagnostic, and Correctional Center in Vandalia, Mo.

The
group studied, explored, and wrote about the Ancient Greek Princess Antigone.
Antigone’s story of fighting civic law to obey divine law became famous in the
Classical Greek tragedy “Antigone,” which premiered in Athens in 441 B.C. Since
then, scholars, poets, and playwrights have written their own translations,
adaptations, and critiques of the Antigone story, each from a different point
of view. The continuation of this tradition resulted in a new version of
“Antigone,” which was performed in October 2017 by SLU theatre majors in St.
Louis and then with a performance by PPA participants at WERDCC in March 2018.
The collaboration now continues with this ERA/SATE co-production in St. Louis.

 photography by Joey Rumpell

Please
call (314) 827-5760, email rachel@slightlyoff.org

Union Avenue Opera’s Glory Denied dress rehearsal on August 13, 2019.

“Glory Denied” Union Avenue Opera Aug. 16-17 and Aug. 23-24 at 8 p.m. Union Avenue Christian Church 733 Union at Enright 314-361-2881 www.unionavenueopera.org

What It’s About: America’s longest-held prisoner of war
dreams of coming home. But home is a place he will not recognize. Follow the
gut-wrenching saga of Col. Jim Thompson as he transitions from the jungles of
Southeast Asia to the tree-lined streets of suburban America. This true story
explores the unimaginable bravery asked of soldiers and the nature of home
itself. It is a story of a nation divided and a country that changed
significantly in the decade of his imprisonment.

Of Note: The opera is sung in English with projected
English text.

Each night following the performance, UAO will host an
intimate talk-back session with members of the artistic team and cast,
including special guest, Tom Cipullo, the composer and director Dean Anthony
following the opening night performance (Aug. 16).

Photo by John Lamb “Guys and Dolls” Stray Dog Theatre Aug. 8 – 24 Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., with additional performances at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18, and 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24. Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennesseewww.straydogtheatre.org 314-865-1995

What It’s About: “Guys & Dolls” takes us from the heart
of Depression-era Times Square, to the cafés of Havana, and into the sewers of
New York City to give us what some have called the perfect musical comedy. This
timeless tale follows ruthless gamblers, sexy nightclub performers, and the
hot-tempered law enforcers who keep them all in line.

Director: Gary F. Bell

Starring: Jayde Mitchell, Kevin O’Brien, Sarah Rae Womack,
Angela Bubash, Mike Wells

“Madam!” Bluff City Theatre Aug. 15 – 24 Bluff City Theater, 212 Broadway, Hannibal, Mo www.eventshannibal.com

What It’s About: Eliza Haycraft is dying and hates men. She
is owner of five brothels and the richest woman in the city of St. Louis who
once empowered her employees by giving them the right to refuse service to
anyone, but while the passage of The Social Evils Act of 1870 made her business
legitimate, it also took away her right to say “no.”

“Madam!” is a new musical based loosely on real events that
tells the story of her search for an heir to her sex empire while also taking a
romp through first-wave feminism and sexism in America during Reconstruction
told through the lens of Eliza’s courtesans. The music, lyrics and book are by
Colin Healy.

Director: Sydnie Grosberg-Ronga

Starring: Rosemary Watts, Kimmie Kidd, Eileen Engel,
Larissa White, Gracie Sartin, Camerone Pille and Brett Ambler.

Jodi Stockton “A Man of No Importance” R-S Theatrics Aug. 9 – 25 Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 7 p.m. The Marcelle 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive in Grand Center www.r-stheatrics.com

What It’s About: The show has music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics
by Lynn Ahrens and a book by Terrence McNally, based on the 1994 Albert Finney
film, of the same title. It tells the story of an amateur theatre group in
Dublin and their leader, who is determined to stage a version of “Salome” at
his church, despite the objections of church authorities.

Director: Christina Rios

Starring: Mark Kelley, Kellen Green, Kent Coffel, Stephanie
Merritt, Marshall Jennings, Jennifer Theby-Quinn, Jodi Stockton, Dustin
Allison, Michael B. Perkins, Lindy Elliott, Nancy Nigh, Kay Love and Curtis
Moeller

Photo by Danny Brown“Wit” Alpha Players of Florissant Aug. 23-24, Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Florissant Civic Center Box Office: 314-921-5678 https://florissantmo.thundertx.com

What It’s About: Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, “Wit”
is a play that simply needs to be experienced. 
The journey taken in Wit is one of beauty, pain, humor, poetry, and
above all, what it is to be human. Vivian Bearing is a genius level intellect
who has gotten very far using only her search for knowledge and her sheer force
of will.  She is a wonderfully complex
and beautifully stubborn character.  When
Vivian is diagnosed with ovarian cancer she must learn the value of kindness
and compassion, that sometimes knowledge is not enough, and that there are more
things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in her philosophy. “Wit” is a
show that will stay with you long after the final curtain.”

Director: Danny Brown
Starring: Susan Volkan, Gabriel Beckerle, Tim Callahan, Kathy Fugate, Joel
Brown, Kate Weber, Lisa Hinrichs, Kyliah Thompson.
Of Note: Donations will be accepted for St. Louis Ovarian Cancer Awareness