By Lynn Venhaus
“The Mystery of Irma Vep” is the play that went wrong — and not in a funny way. Its once-red hot reputation for absurdity and daring has dimmed as the overwhelming digital world of content has surpassed its satiric mix of genres three decades later.

Mashing up B-movie mysteries is no longer novel and spoofing Victorian melodrama is too creaky, even in drag. And despite its look-hard-to-read-between-the-lines allegory for monsters and terminal illness, none of it registers with this 21st century audience. Sadly, the show never catches fire and the material lands with a loud thud.

Playwright Charles Ludlam’s campy farce is a specific scenario that may make clever interactive dinner-theater but somehow seems saggy and dated in 2020, especially as a major production. Artistic Director Hana S. Sharif described it as one of the all-time great comedies, the 1984 original won Drama Desk and Obie Awards, and in 1991, it was the most produced play in America.

Thirty-six years later, no matter how they focused on the ‘monsters in society’ during the AIDS epidemic, its message is lost in translation because this script is not engaging.

Think the goofy merriment of Monty Python, or even Tim Conway and Harvey Korman on the old “The Carol Burnett Show.” They are timeless but this show is not. Why doesn’t it work? Are the dark-and-stormy-night manor gimmicks no longer effective? It’s old Abbott and Costello hijinks set in an outdated supernatural world.

When the dense pop culture landscape has given us vampires next door, the walking dead roaming our cities and ghost hunters flourishing in recent years, “Irma Vep” doesn’t even have quaint going for it.

Esteban Andres Cruz, photo by Jon Gitchoff

Out of touch and out of tune, the show is in sorely need of a trim, as its construct fails to engage in two too-long acts on The Rep’s mainstage. Clearly, a 90-minute running time would have helped, instead of prolonging viewers’ misery, and the pace could have picked up.

Unlike the 2005 parody adaptation of Hitchcock’s 1935 movie “The 39 Steps,” which turned into a surprising amusing romp, this jumble of ancient family curse, mummy and howling werewolf is not interesting. When they went to Egypt, they lost me and it went downhill from there.

A “Penny Dreadful” is a psychological thriller that features dark mystery and suspense, but when this show is intended for laughs, neither the comedy nor the horror ignites. That’s a shame because the odd day-glo weird angles set by scenic designer Michael Locher looks terrific – although some sight line issues and what is with the giant skull? — and the lighting by designer Marie Yokoyama is spooky and effective.

This play was produced years ago in The Studio, and that intimate space seems to be a better fit than the larger auditorium. It could have benefited the two actors who try very hard to keep a momentum that involves playing eight characters and a few dozen costume changes and wigs. Bless those dressers, who get a herculean work out.

Nimble Esteban Andres Cruz and Tommy Everett Russell are obviously accomplished actors and look fabulous in the bold, elaborate costume designs by Sara Ryung Clement. They are trying hard to entertain, especially in the colorful drag outfits, and play off each other well.

But the frolic seems forced. This is a show that sorely needed a fresh interpretation, but director Nelson T. Eusebio III didn’t hit the refresh button to deconstruct what didn’t age well, but went big visually with the souped-up focus on outrageous drag looks and gender politics. That’s unfortunate because the production is an epic letdown.

Is it trying to do too much? To be more things to more people? To have hidden meaning when people aren’t looking for it? To create magic, you need a spark, and why isn’t it there?

And by the number of audience members who left at intermission, it’s not connecting with core subscribers. I was hoping it would find it’s “legs,” but there is obviously something that’s preventing people from getting into the story. The adventure isn’t all that adventurous.

Photo by Jon Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “The Mystery of Irma Vep” Feb. 14 – March 8 on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information, visit repstl.org. For the box office, call 314-968-4925.

On this President’s Day, let’s look back at the films centered around an American President, and what actors were best at portraying the Commander-in-Chief – be it fact or fiction. Here are some of my favorite dramas, comedies and even romances that included the most powerful leader of the free world. We are only listing theatrical films and the HBO film adaptation of “All the Way.”

If we included television, we’d have a wider pool, and that’s for another list. What are your favorites that spotlight our U.S. leader?

1. Lincoln (2012) — Daniel Day-Lewis not only delivers the best presidential portrayal ever on screen, but also one of the best male performances of all-time. Day-Lewis won his third Oscar, and it was never in doubt. Just a remarkable portrayal of Abe as a man struggling to hold the country together and lead them to higher ground. Director Steven Spielberg brought a humanity to the story rarely seen in historical portraits.

Kevin Kline in “Dave”

2. Dave (1993) — Kevin Kline is Dave Kovic, who is hired to impersonate the commander-in-chief when President Bill Mitchell suffers a stroke during an illicit affair.

A comedic take on an everyman winning over government wonks with his common sense, solidly directed by Ivan Reitman. Sigourney Weaver is a formidable First Lady.

Bruce Greenwood as “Thirteen Days”

3. Thirteen Days (2000) – President John F. Kennedy saved the day when we were on the brink of nuclear war with Russia, known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. This is a historical look back at this tense political time in 1962, through the perspective of White House assistant Kenneth P. O’Donnell (Kevin Costner), with Bruce Greenwood strong as JFK.

Michael Douglas as President Andrew Shepherd in “The American President”

4. The American President (1995) – This is Aaron Sorkin’s idealism front and center before “The West Wing.”

Michael Douglas shines as a widowed president running for re-election who starts a romance with an environmental lobbyist played by Annette Bening, but the political fallout affects their relationship.

Savvy script, smart casting (especially Martin Sheen and Michael J. Fox as chief of staff and press secretary) make this Rob Reiner-helmed comedy-drama a memorable one.

Harrison Ford in “Air Force One”

5. Air Force One (1997) – Harrison Ford as kick-butt President James Marshall. Love it! The fit commander-in-chief is a Vietnam vet in this political action-thriller directed by Wolfgang Petersen. A group of terrorists hijack the president’s plane and threaten the U.S. but our hero won’t let that happen on his watch. Glenn Close is the vice president and Gary Oldman the Russian bad guy, but it is Ford, in all his star power, as the take-charge head of state that made this movie one of the most successful of the ‘90s.

Anthony Hopkins as “Nixon”

6. Nixon (1995) – Anthony Hopkins embodied the beleaguered president during his tumultuous White House years, with Joan Allen riveting as his long-suffering wife Pat. Oliver Stone directed, so the agenda is clear.

Michael Sheen as David Frost and Frank Langella as Richard Nixon in “Frost/Nixon”

7. Frost/Nixon (2008) – Frank Langella was Oscar-nominated as the disgraced Nixon seeking redemption in his four-part interviews with Britain’s David Frost in 1977. Ron Howard sharply directed the adaptation of Peter Morgan’s 2006 play, with whip-smart movie script by the playwright.

8. Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) – Director John Ford teamed up with actor Henry Fonda for this look at honest Abe during his early years. Fonda embodies the heroic ideals of the lawyer and statesman who would become the 16th president of the United States.

Brian Cranston as LBJ

9. All the Way (2016) — Bryan Cranston won a well-deserved Tony Award for his masterful portrayal of Lyndon Baines Johnson during the early days of the Civil Rights movement in the 2014 play by Robert Schenkkan.

This is the Emmy-nominated HBO adaptation, written by the playwright and directed by Jay Roach. Cranston is again uncanny as political animal LBJ, and the all-star cast includes Anthony Mackie as Martin Luther King Jr., Stephen Root as J. Edgar Hoover, Bradley Whitford as Sen. Hubert Humphrey and Melissa Leo as Lady Bird Johnson.

Jeff Bridges as the President and Christian Slater as a reporter in “The Contender”

10. The Contender (2000) — The wonderful Jeff Bridges is a likeable two-term Democratic President, Jackson Evans, who decides to break the glass ceiling and appoint a woman Vice-President after the current one dies.

However, his nominee, Ohio Senator Laine Hanson (Joan Allen) gets entangled in vicious hearings with a bullseye on her back. This political thriller is written and directed by Rod Lurie, a former newspaper guy. Both Bridges and Allen were nominated for Oscars.

Emma Thompson and John Travolta as thinly veiled Hillary and Bill Clinton in “Primary Colors”

11. Primary Colors (1998) – John Travolta was at the top of his game portraying Jack Stanton, a charismatic Southern governor running for president. Recognize anyone? Based on the 1996  “Primary Colors: A Novel of Politics” by Newsweek’s Joe Klein, this fictionalized account of Clinton’s 1992 campaign had a crackerjack supporting cast (Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton, Oscar nominee Kathy Bates), sharply directed by Mike Nichols and written by his former comedy partner Elaine May.

Tiki Sumpter and Parker Sawyer in “Southside with You”

12. Southside with You (2016) – A ‘what if’ movie that works, quirks and all, with its imagining of what Michelle Robinson and Barack Obama’s first date was like back when they were lawyers in Chicago. Written and directed by Richard Tanner, this little charmer comes alive when the nervous future two-term president shows off his oratory skills at a community meeting. Parker Sawyer is a genuinely believable Obama but Tika Sumpter really shines as the life force who would become First Lady Michelle Obama.

Michael Shannon as Elvis and Kevin Spacey as Nixon in “Elvis and Nixon”

14. Elvis and Nixon (2016) – You may think this is preposterous, but this really did happen. And it’s one goofy movie. On Dec. 21, 1970, rock ‘n’ roll icon Elvis Presley went to the White House for a meeting with President Richard Nixon – and that historical photograph is the most requested one at the National Archives. Talk about offbeat casting — Michael Shannon is a different kind of Elvis while Kevin Spacey impersonates Nixon.

16. Independence Day (1996) – Bill Pullman is memorable President Thomas J. Whitmore facing an alien invasion, and his rallyng-all-Americans speech is one of the best-known in films.
Here is the transcript of that great speech:

President Whitmore:
Good morning. Good morning. In less than an hour aircrafts from here will join others from around the world and you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind.
Mankind, that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can’t be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests. Perhaps it’s fate that today is the 4th of July and you will once again be fighting for our freedom not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution but from annihilation.

We’re fighting for our right to live, to exist, and should we win today the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American President holiday but is the day when the world declared in one voice,

“We will not go quietly into the night. We will not vanish without a fight. We’re going to live on. We’re going to survive. Today we celebrate our Independence Day!”

This epic sci-fi disaster film made $817.4 million and won the Oscar for Best VIsual Effects.

17. Lee Daniels’ “The Butler” (2013) and 18. “White House Down” (2013) These aren’t films of particularly lasting impact but the casting of the presidents is genius.

In “The Butler,” Forest Whitaker plays a White House employee who serves multiple presidents  – and this casting is certainly eyebrow-raising:

Robin Williams as Dwight D. Eisenhower, James Marsden as JFK, Liev Shreiber as LBJ, John Cusack as Nixon, and the most brilliant turn by Alan Rickman as Ronald Reagan (with Jane Fonda as Nancy!).

Jamie Foxx

Jamie Foxx is the kick-ass president in the action thriller “White House Down,” which came out at the same time as the inferior “Olympus Has Fallen,” all about a terrorist group creating chaos at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He’s terrific and a good match-up with Channing Tatum as a heroic Secret Serviceman.

Honorable Mentions: Oscar nominee Sam Rockwell is pitch-perfect as George W. Bush in “Vice” (2018), but he’s barely a supporting character. In Natalie Portman’s tour de force “Jackie,” Caspar Phillipson and John Carroll Lynch are effective portraying John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Baines Johnson.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre announced today that seats in the first rows of the orchestra section will be available for $24 for every performance of RENT, the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical.   The $24 tickets are available for in-person cash only purchases at the Fox Box Office, located at 531 N. Grand Blvd, on the day of each performance only, two hours prior to the show. The $24 tickets are limited to two tickets per person. 

The tradition of these tickets began in 1996 in New York when the show moved to Broadway after a sold-out run in a small downtown theatre. The producers of the show are committed to continuing the tradition of offering these orchestra seats in each city the show will play.

RENT performs at the February 21-23. Performance times are Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 p.m., and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

For general ticket information, visit MetroTix.com or by calling 314-534-1111.

Visit RentOnTour.netfor more information.

By Lynn Venhaus

A quiet film whose topic speaks volumes, “The Assistant” is a dramatic recreation of something that goes on in countless offices across the U.S. – systemic oppression of women by male bosses.

Written and directed by Kitty Green, the film captures the nuanced points made by the #metoo movement.

Hired by a film production company in New York, Jane (Julia Garner), a recent college graduate and aspiring film producer, is eager to please in her junior assistant job. However, she begins to see shady behaviors and practices in use, learning how sexual predator behavior is accepted as others look the other way.

Julia Garner, who won an Emmy Award for “Ozark,” has a perfectly expressive face for young Jane as she goes through a very long day. It shows the daily drudgery and routine —making coffee, changing paper in the copy machine, ordering lunch, making travel arrangements and getting work shoved on them by colleagues.

The boss is heard but not seen. Jay O. Sanders is the voice actor playing the powerful entertainment mogul on the phone, and he calls her in verbally abusive tirades that chastise her for decisions she has made.

We begin to see how these degradations affect Jane in every aspect of her workday. When she finally decides to take a stand, we discover that the corporate culture is too insidious to do any good for her. 

The movie provides an inside look at what is happening, but doesn’t grab the headlines. It’s slow, subtle and chilling.

The languid pacing is an issue because the film makes its points silently, and the office is a rather bland location, so there are those detriments. But if you look at it as an everyday scenario, that’s part of the reason it’s so effective.

And Garner keeps our focus in a mesmerizing less-is-more performance.

Julia Garner as Jane in “The Assistant”

“The Assistant” is a drama written and directed by Kitty Green, starring Julia Garner, Matthew MacFadyen, Kristine Froseth and Jay O. Sanders. It’s rated R for language and is 87 minutes long. Lynn’s Grade: B
A version of this review was published in The Times newspapers and discussed on KTRS (The Big 550).

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By Lynn Venhaus

Where do I begin
To tell the story of how great a love can be
Carl Sigman and Francis Lai, “(Where Do I Begin?) The theme from ‘Love Story’”

We all wanted to be Ali MacGraw.

She was the ‘It’ girl of the late ‘60s, early ‘70s, a model-turned-actress appearing in TV commercials – among them the Polaroid Swinger instant camera. In 1969, she won the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer after the movie “Goodbye, Columbus,” an adaptation of a National Book Award-winning Philip Roth novella.

Ali MacGraw as Jenny

Then she was cast in the role of a lifetime in the movie “Love Story.” As Jenny Cavilleri, the sassy working-class music major who falls head over heels for a rich Harvard hunk, Oliver Barrett IV, she and handsome lead Ryan O’Neal had instant chemistry.

Teenage girls were swept away by this Radcliffe college girl and her “Preppie.” O’Neal was best known for playing the popular kid Rodney Harrington on the scandalous nighttime soap opera “Peyton Place” from 1964 to 1969.

The movie, set for a Dec. 16, 1970 premiere, was destined to be a box office smash because a book version had come out first and whetted appetites for the doomed romance.

At Paramount’s suggestion, author Erich Segal had turned his screenplay into a novel, which came out on Valentine’s Day, 1970, and became the top book of the year, spending 41 weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List. A portion of it had been published in the Ladies’ Home Journal, gaining even more interest.

“What can you say about a 25-year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant? That she loved Mozart and Bach? The Beatles? And me?”

The book opened with those memorable words, setting the stage for the tragic tearjerker. Wintry New England never looked so good — on Ivy League campuses and New York City, the romance about a couple from two different worlds falling in love just struck a nerve. Director Arthur Hiller gave us good-looking people in cutesy situations. Oh we fell hard.

At a time when you had to stand in line for tickets, the movie showtimes sold out, girlfriends had event outings, and many tears were shed. I was a junior in high school. You can bet we were in line at the Stadium Cinema 1 downtown St. Louis more than once. Locally, we Belleville kids had to come to St. Louis for the first-run movie because that’s the way cinema was back then.

Ali MacGraw

This film was a template for future “chick flicks.” It was also at a time there was a wave of fresh young talent — “The Graduate,” “Easy Rider,” “Five Easy Pieces,” “Summer of ’42.” Baby Boomers were making their presence known.

MacGraw’s timeless fashions created multiple trends, and this classic preppie style is still popular – cashmere coats, chunky knits and those hats! We all had a version of her knit hat those subsequent winters.

For this romantic phenomenon, MacGraw won the Golden Globe the following year and was nominated for an Academy Award as the dying heroine. She also launched thousands of baby namesakes in the 1970s and 1980s – for 14 years, Jennifer was the no. 1 female name.

Music major Jenny Cavilleri

The movie eventually earned $136.4 million at the box office, garnered seven Academy Award nominations – winning for music score, and take its place as the defining romance of its era.

It is #9 on the AFI’s 100 Years…100 Passions list.

That pea coat!

When it made its network television debut on a Sunday night Oct. 1, 1972, two floors of my all-female dormitory at Illinois State University crammed into a lounge to watch the mounted TV set, and the sniffles echoed through the crowd as Jenny succumbed to leukemia.

It became the most watched film on television, surpassing Hitchcock’s “The Birds,” with a Nielsen rating of 42.3 and an audience share of 62 percent.

In the ensuing years, it would be mocked and parodied relentlessly.

Ali MacGraw and Ryan O’Neal

Fifty years later, the movie hasn’t exactly aged well.Today it’s sappy, with such iconic lines as “Love means never having to say you’re sorry” a head-scratcher.

But O’Neal and MacGraw’s chemistry is still there.

If you remember what a cultural touchstone it was, and how they made you feel about doomed but intense and true young love, you can see it on the big screen again.

Fathom Events is hosting two screenings of the film on Sunday, Feb. 9 at 1 p.m. and on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. at various local theatres (check listings).

Ali would divorce second husband, producer Robert Evans, with whom she had a son, Josh Evans, and go on to marry macho action superstar Steve McQueen, her co-star in 1972’s “The Getaway,” and take a hiatus from film during her five-year marriage. Her 2003 yoga exercise video is credited with a surge in yoga popularity, Ali MacGraw – Yoga Mind and Body, now available on DVD. She wrote an autobiography, “Moving Pictures.”

O’Neal would have a tempestuous romance and a son, Redmond, with actress Farrah Fawcett, who died in 2009.

His daughter, Tatum O’Neal, still holds the record for youngest Oscar winner, Best Supporting Actress in “Paper Moon,” which she starred in with her dad, directed by Peter Bogdanovich, who had a hot streak in the 1970s with movies often starring O’Neal in comedic roles.

Elizabeth Alice MacGraw is now 80, lives in New Mexico, and hasn’t made a movie since 1999. Charles Patrick Ryan O’Neal is 78 and had a recurring role on the TV show “Bones” in 2016-2017. Long estranged for over 25 years, he and Tatum attempted to reconcile on a docu-drama on the Oprah Winfrey Network in 2011, “Ryan and Tatum: The O’Neals,” which lasted nine episodes.


Forever linked to their iconic roles, MacGraw and O’Neal reunited on state in 2016 in A.R. Gurney’s play, “Love Letters.”

Neither would surpass this all-American romance.But they earned their place in pop culture history.

For more information on the Fathom event, visit this website:

https://www.fathomevents.com/events/tcm2020-love-story-1970-50th-anniversary?gclid=CjwKCAiA4Y7yBRB8EiwADV1habW4E0z3bQDtCYAEjSxhVnAaa4h3sQdNgQkAU_N3sxh_7e2L2oTB4hoCri0QAvD_BwE

Here is the “Love Story” trailer for the Fathom Event:
https://youtu.be/LuvjGvn23Uk

By Lynn Venhaus
We still have a race for Best Picture and Director, as we try to gauge the momentum going into Sunday. Will it be “Parasite” or “1917,” or will fading frontrunner “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood regain its luster? After all, Hollywood loves movies about Hollywood.

The 92nd Academy Awards take place Feb. 9, with ABC broadcasting red carpet live coverage at 5:30 p.m. and the ceremony underway at 7 p.m. CST. This year is the second in a row where there is no host, and it seemed to speed up the proceedings last year. We shall see.

The acting Oscars were apparently sown up weeks ago, as awards season began. If there is any movement, it may be in Supporting Actress, where newcomer Florence Pugh is coming on strong.

The shoo-ins this year? You can safely bet on “Parasite” as Best International Feature, Brad Pitt as Best Supporting Actor in “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood,” his fourth performance nomination (and he’ll likely give the best speech of the night) and Roger Deakins as cinematographer for “1917.”

Will there be surprises and upsets? Or will it be as the pundits predict? Only time will tell. Let’s just hope it’s a fun watch and deserving wins to put the finishing touches on 2019 in film.

And afterwards, we’ll have memes, fashion debates and acceptance speeches to remember.

Here are my picks for the 24 awards:

Best Picture

1917

1917, Ford v Ferrari, The Irishman, JoJo Rabbit, Joker, Little Women, Marriage Story, Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood and Parasite

My original frontrunner, “Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood” has faded, and the big momentum is with either “1917” or “Parasite.” I think Oscar voters, with the older voting block, will go with the heart-wrenching World War I epic and be content for “Parasite” to win Best International Feature. While there is always the possibility of an upset, I think the massive endeavor “1917” is deserving.

Best Director

Sam Mendes, (Photo by Richard Goldschmidt)

Sam Mendes, “1917”; Martin Scorsese, “The Irishman”; Todd Phillips, “Joker”; Quentin Tarantino “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood” and Bong Joon-Ho, “Parasite”

I am in the “Sam Mendes is a genius” camp but Bong Joon-Ho’s work in “Parasite” is worthy too. Both are innovative, visual artists. I’d like a tie, like Critics Choice Association. I’m going with Mendes, as he won Directors Guild of America, the big prognosticator.

Joker

Best Actor

Antonio Banderas, “Pain and Glory”; Leonardo DiCaprio “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood”; Adam Driver, “Marriage Story”; Joaquin Phoenix “Joker”; Jonathan Pryce “The Two Popes.”

Hands down, Joaquin Phoenix. He gave us pathos as he showed Joker’s pain behind the façade and made his descent into madness frightening. Nobody is more fearless working in film today. Adam Driver would be a close second for his acting showcase in “Marriage Story.”

Judy

Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo, “Harriet”; Scarlett Johansson, “Marriage Story”: Saoirse Ronan, “Little Women”; Charlize Theron, “Bombshell”; Renee Zellweger’s “Judy.”

Not a fan of Renee Zellweger’s “Judy” but she has won all earlier awards, and I see no reason why she wouldn’t. However, my pick would be the radiant Saoirse Ronan for “Little Women.” If there is an upset, Scarlett Johansson – finally nominated – would be a worthy winner for her tour de force in “Marriage Story.”

Best Supporting Actor

Ozark’s own Brad Pitt

 Tom Hanks, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”; Anthony Hopkins, “The Two Popes”; Al Pacino “The Irishman”; Joe Pesci “The Irishman”; Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.”

Perhaps the only sure thing Oscar night, Brad Pitt is a lock as stuntman Cliff Booth. He’s not just deserving but overdue. Besides, he’s certain to give the best speech of the night, given his track record this awards season.

Best Supporting Actress

Kathy Bates “Richard Jewell”; Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”; Scarlett Johansson, “JoJo Rabbit”; Florence Pugh, “Little Women”; Margot Robbie “Bombshell.”

While I think the acting Oscars have already been nailed down, this might be the upset category. Laura Dern as the shark lawyer in “Marriage Story,” obsessed with winning at all costs, is my pick, and she was also terrific in “Little Women,” but Margot Robbie’s ambitious Fox News staffer could edge her out or first-time nominee Scarlett Johansson could finally get Oscar love as the mom in “JoJo Rabbit.”

Best Adapted Screenplay

Greta Gerwig, “Little Women”;  Andrew McLaren, “The Two Popes”; Todd Phillips, “Joker”; Taika Waititi, “JoJo Rabbit”; Steve Zaillian “The Irishman.”

My favorite is Taika Waititi for the sharp social satire “JoJo Rabbit,” but the revered Steve Zaillian’s adaptation of “The Irishman” could be the film’s only win for its masterful storytelling.

Parasite

Best Original Screenplay

Sam Mendes and Krysty Wilson-Cairns, “1917”; Noah Baumbach, “Marriage Story”; Rian Johnson, “Knives Out”; Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood”; Bong Joon-Ho and Han Jin Wan, “Parasite.”

Best Cinematography

1917, The Irishman, Joker, The Lighthouse, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.

What Roger Deakins did with “1917” is remarkable and propels him to his second win in three years. He had been snubbed for decades for his tremendous work in Coen Brothers’ films, then started working with director Denis Villeneuve a few years back – and finally won in 2018 for “Blade Runner 2049.” What he achieved with making “1917” appear to have been shot in two takes is incredible.

Best Editing

Ford v Ferrari

Ford v Ferrari, The Irishman, JoJo Rabbit, Joker, Parasite.

How can “1917” be omitted here? I think a bone should be thrown to crowd-pleasing “Ford v. Ferrari.” This film was a challenging shot, and the editors captured both the thrill and danger of endurance racing.

Best Production Design

1917, The Irishman, JoJo Rabbit, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Parasite.

For its meticulous research and replica of 1969 Hollywood, it must be “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” However, the house in “Parasite” and all the trenches and realistic war landscape in “1917” make the case for those films.

Best Music Score

1917, Joker, Little Women, Marriage Story, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.


Previously, I thought it was a battle between the Newman generations – Randy for “Marriage Story” and Thomas for ‘1917.” But now I’m in support of Hildur Gudnadottir winning for “Joker.’ From Iceland, Gudnadottir won the Emmy and Grammy for HBO’s “Chernobyl” and the Golden Globe and BAFTA for “Joker.” She’d be the first solo woman to win this Oscar, and I can get behind that.

Best Song

“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away Again,” Toy Story 4; “I’m Going to Stand with You,” Breakthrough; “Into the Unknown,” Frozen II; “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” Rocketman; “Stand Up,” Harriet.

After much debate — and enjoying the Panic! At the Disco version of “Into the Unknown” a lot, I’m now resigned to Elton John winning for “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” his fourth nominated song but his first with longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin.

Best Costume Design

Little Women

The Irishman, JoJo Rabbit, Joker, Little Women, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.

“Little Women,” of course.

Bombshell

Best Hair and Makeup

1917, Bombshell, Joker, Judy, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil.
 
“Bombshell” for making the actresses look uncannily like the Fox women they portray, and for turning John Lithgow into a convincing Roger Ailes.

Best Sound Mixing

 1917, Ad Astra, Ford v Ferrari, Joker, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.

“1917” is the likely winner but “Ford v Ferrari” would be a justifiable winner.

Best Sound Editing

1917, Ford v Ferrari, Joker, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.

Ditto as to what I said about sound mixing.

Best Visual Effects

The Avengers Endgame

1917, The Avengers; Endgame,” “The Irishman,” “The Lion King” and “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker.”

“The Avengers: Endgame” was so smooth and seamless, and the CGI not overdone, that I can’t imagine another movie winning. But there is that ninth little movie in a galaxy far, far away.

Toy Story 4

Best Animated Feature

The Hidden Link, How to Drain Your Dragon, I Lost My Body, Klaus, Toy Story 4.

The fitting and grand finale to one of my all-time favorite franchises, Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” should win, especially since “Frozen II” was snubbed. But Laika’s “The Missing Link” is adorable and the final chapter of “Dragon” is its most captivating.

Best International Feature

Corpus Christi, Honeyland, Les Miserables, Pain and Glory, Parasite.

The safest bet is South Korean’s “Parasite.” What a genre-bending masterpiece – its mix of comedy, drama, thriller and horror is one that will linger in your head for days.


Best Documentary Feature

American Factory, The Cave, The Edge of Democracy, For Sama, Honeyland,

Without the magnificent “Apollo 11” even nominated, I’ll give “American Factory” the edge, although “Honeyland,” about ancient beekeeping traditions in has a lot of love (which I don’t share).  Netflix’s “American Factory” is about a re-opened plant in Ohio now owned by Chinese businessmen, and the culture clash that develops. It is produced by Michelle and Barack Obama’s company Higher Ground.

Best Documentary Short

In the Absence, , Learning to Skateboard in a War Zone if You’re a Girl, Life Overtakes Me, St. Louis Superman, Walk Run Cha Cha.

As much as we’d love to see “St. Louis Superman” get national attention, it does have a questionable ending – and really, “Learning to Skateboard in a War Zone If You’re a Girl” appears to be headed for the win.

Best Live-Action Short

Brotherhood, Nefta Football Club, The Neighbors’ Window, Saria, A Sister.

This is one of those Oscar pool contest busters –usually the wild card. Although I’ve read “Saria” is gaining traction, I’m going with “The Neighbor’s Window” because, while its less of a gut-punch than the others, it seems the most unconventional. Overall, it’s a really depressing bunch.

Best Animated Short

Dcera, Hair Love, Kitbull, Memorable, Sister.

Often whatever Pixar short is before Disney’s blockbuster is the safe choice, but the studio didn’t put anything before “Toy Story IV” or “Frozen II.” Pixar’s “Kitbull” is hand-drawn and about the friendship of a kitten and an abused pitbull. Adorable, right? But “Hair Love,” about a dad’s effort to braid his daughter’s hair, which was shown before “Angry Birds 2,” is my choice for the gold.


By CB Adams
Contributing Writer

In the beginning was New Jersey, which begat Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, which in various incarnations begat pop record sales of more than 175 million, which begat the jukebox musical Jersey Boys, which begat four Tony Awards that included Best Musical and a trunk-load of other accolades, which begat a film directed and produced by none other than “Dirty” Harry Callahan (okay, Clint Eastwood), which begat a return engagement of the ensemble musical at The Fabulous Fox Theatre on January 30-Febrary 2.

According to the press kit for Jersey Boys, this musical is not recommended for children under 12 due in part because it is peppered with “authentic Jersey language,” But, bada bing bada boom, other than the youngsters, Jersey Boys could just as well be known as the Authentic Jersey Musical, not to mention an authentically satisfying experience. And the show has been to St. Louis so many times that may have earned the nickname “St. Louis Boys.”

Nothing succeeds like success, and such is the case with Jersey Boys, which wouldn’t keep pounding the boards at venues like the Fox and The Muny if it weren’t so darned enjoyable. Jersey Boys is a show that entices men to come for the swagger and women to stay for the swoon – a winning combination not shared by many of musicals. Directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Des McAnuff and written by Academy Award-winner Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, it reliably fills seats.

The behind-the-scenes, bio-pic show, with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe, hits the high and low notes of the evolution and more-or-less dissolution of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the years before, during and after the so-called British Invasion. This was an impressively long run of success for core bandmates – Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi  — that earned them a well-deserved place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The musical version of their story is a straight shot through the band’s history, with each member given a portion of the story to tell. Unlike some jukebox musicals that rely on a contrived plot to underpin the hit songs, Jersey Boys leverages the compelling story of the band’s history. The story has become as ubiquitous as the sing of hits the band produced. Jersey Boys is an ensemble effort with Jon Hacker as Valli, Eric Chambliss as Gaudio, Corey Geenan as DeVito and Michael Milton at Massi. These actors individually and collectively delivered at solid performance in acting and singing. Although there were no stand-out performances, Chambliss and Hacker delivered with the most heart and pathos – thanks in no small part to the show’s script.

But let’s face it: You come for the music and you stay for the music. Jersey Boys delivers with plenty of music – 33 songs, including five number-ones. And even though it doesn’t include 19 of the band’s other hits, including four other top-10 hits, the show drops the needle on a well-paced, nostalgically steady steam of the music that is the heart and soul of this show.

The strength of the show really rested on the vocal shoulders of Hacker as Franki. Hacker’s performance was, like all other aspects of the production, solid. Hacker is no Valli hologram and his evocation of the style, personality and vocal style of Valli did justice to the spirit and talents of the man himself. Hacker’s voice and acting were up to the material, especially with the support of the rest of the cast.

Hacker as Frankie delivered one of the musical’s most poignant lines about the group: “Like that bunny on TV, it just keeps going and going and going. Chasing the music. Trying to find our way home.”

Jersey Boys certainly has a found a regular place to call home on St. Louis stages.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presented “Jersey Boys” January 30-February 2.

Ceremony to Be Held Monday, March 30 at Loretto-Hilton Center, Webster University Campus

ST. LOUIS, February 7, 2019  — New Jewish Theatre’s production of Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Muny’s first presentation of the Broadway hit Kinky Boots and Stages St. Louis’ stirring reprise of the venerable musical Man of La Mancha lead the way with nine nominations apiece for the eighth annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards.

Twelve other locally produced shows garnered at least five nominations each for this year’s awards, making it perhaps the most competitive field in the eight years the annual awards have been bestowed by the St. Louis Theater Circle.

Winners in 31 different categories covering comedies, dramas and musicals will be announced at the awards ceremony on Monday, March 30 at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University, home of The Rep.  In addition, nominations also have been announced for two categories in opera.

In addition, Ken and Nancy Kranzberg will be honored with a special award for their tireless efforts in making the area in and around Grand Center St. Louis’ geographic center for theater.

Tickets once again will be $15 apiece and can be obtained through Brown Paper Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com until March 15, 2020. After that, tickets may be purchased for $20 through Brown Paper Tickets or at the Loretto-Hilton Center box office (plus ticket fees) on the night of the event. Llywelyn’s Catering will once offer a selection of snack boxes, desserts and drinks available on a pay-as-you-go basis at the event.

The Muny, now in its second century of performances at its outdoor amphitheater in Forest Park, leads the way with a total of 25 nominations, followed by 24 for The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) and 21 for New Jewish Theatre.  Stages St. Louis follows with 13 nominations, West End Players Guild with 10 and Stray Dog Theatre with a total of eight nominees.

In all, 25 local professional companies received nominations for 51 different shows.  Lighting designer Sean M. Savoie leads all nominees with three different nominations out of a total of 125 nominated artists, including six who received two nominations apiece. The awards honor outstanding achievement in locally produced professional theater for the calendar year 2019.

The mission of the St. Louis Theater Circle is simple: To honor outstanding achievement in St. Louis professional theater. Other cities around the country, such as Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington D.C., pay tribute to their own local theatrical productions with similar awards programs.

Nominations for the St. Louis Theater Circle Awards are divided into categories for musicals, dramas, comedies and opera.  More than 120 locally produced professional theatrical productions were presented in the St. Louis area in 2019.

The nominees for the eighth annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards are:

Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy

Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

It’s a Wonderful Life, Metro Theater Company

A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Love’s Labors Lost, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

The Play That Goes Wrong, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Ka-Ling Cheung, The Play That Goes Wrong, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Michelle Hand, Pride and Prejudice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Julie Layton, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Laurie McConnell, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Kelley Weber, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Patrick Blindauer, Love’s Labors Lost, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Chuck Brinkley, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Aaron Dodd, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, R-S Theatrics

Michael James Reed, Pride and Prejudice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Shane Signorino, Popcorn Falls, The Midnight Company

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy

Katie Kleiger, Pride and Prejudice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Sofia Lidia, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, R-S Theatrics

Jane Paradise, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Rachel Tibbetts, Never Let Go, Equally Represented Arts

Maggie Wininger, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy

Will Bonfiglio, Fully Committed, New Jewish Theatre

Jacob Flekier, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Adam Flores, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, R-S Theatrics

Michael Cassidy Flynn, Classic Mystery Game, SATE

Steve Isom, Wittenberg, Upstream Theater

Outstanding Director of a Comedy

Melissa Rain Anderson, The Play That Goes Wrong, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Kari Ely, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Alan Knoll, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Tom Ridgely, Love’s Labors Lost, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Ellie Schwetye, Fully Committed, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Production of a Comedy

Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Fully Committed, New Jewish Theatre

Love’s Labors Lost, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

The Play That Goes Wrong, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Pride and Prejudice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama

Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Equivocation, West End Players Guild

Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Photograph 51, West End Players Guild

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama

Sophia Brown, Fefu and Her Friends, Theatre Nuevo

Michelle Dillard, Milk Like Sugar, The Black Rep

Alicen Moser, Equivocation, West End Players Guild

Carly Uding, Translations, Black Mirror Theatre

Donna Weinsting, Nonsense and Beauty, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama

Eric Conners, Canfield Drive, The Black Rep

J. Samuel Davis, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Ryan Lawson-Maeske, Photograph 51, West End Players Guild

Reginald Pierre, Equivocation, West End Players Guild

David Ryan Smith, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Actress in a Drama

Nicole Angeli, Photograph 51, West End Players Guild

Zoe Farmingdale, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Rachel Hanks, A Model for Matisse, The Midnight Company

Jeanne Paulsen, Alabama Story, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Donna Weinsting, Salt, Root and Roe, Upstream Theater

Outstanding Actor in a Drama

Gary Wayne Barker, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

James Andrew Butz, The Night of the Iguana, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Roger Erb, Equivocation, West End Players Guild

Barrett Foa, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Spencer Sickmann, Farragut North, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Outstanding Director of a Drama

Joanne Gordon, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Pamela Reckamp, The Women of Lockerbie, SATE

Ellie Schwetye, Photograph 51, West End Players Guild

Tony Speciale, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Jacqueline Thompson, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Production of a Drama

Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Equivocation, West End Players Guild

Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Photograph 51, West End Players Guild

Outstanding Set Design in a Play

David Blake, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Dunsi Dai, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Tim Mackabee, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Margery and Peter Spack, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Margery and Peter Spack, The Play That Goes Wrong, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Costume Design in a Play

Felia Davenport, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Dorothy Marshall Englis, Pride and Prejudice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Laura Hanson, Wittenberg, Upstream Theater

Michele Friedman Siler, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Melissa Trn, Love’s Labors Lost, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play

Patrick Huber, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Jason Lynch, Feeding Beatrice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Bess Moynihan, The Women of Lockerbie, SATE

Xavier Pierce, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Sean M. Savoie, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play

Broken Chord, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Kareem Deanes, Fully Committed, New Jewish Theatre

Kareem Deanes, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Phillip Evans, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

David Kelepha Samba, Feeding Beatrice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical

Mary Engelbreit and Paige Hathaway, Matilda, The Muny

Paige Hathaway, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, The Muny

Michael Schweikardt, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Josh Smith, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

James Wolk, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical

Gregg Barnes and Lindsay McWilliams, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Leon Dobkowski and Mary Engelbreit, Matilda, The Muny

Eileen Engel, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

Brad Musgrove, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Sarah Porter, La Cage aux Folles, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical

Rob Denton, Matilda, The Muny

Tyler Duenow, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

Sean M. Savoie, The Boy from Oz, Stages St. Louis

Sean M. Savoie, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Nathan W. Scheuer, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Outstanding Musical Director

Jennifer Buchheit, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

Charles Creath, Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, The Black Rep

Ryan Fielding Garrett, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Brad Haak, Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Nicolas Valdez, Be More Chill, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Choreographer

Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, The Black Rep

Jessica Hartman, Footloose, The Muny

Lorin Latarro and Patrick O’Neill, Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Dexandro Montalvo, Such Sweet Thunder, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis et al

Rusty Mowery, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, The Black Rep

Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Kinky Boots, The Muny

Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Matilda, The Muny

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

Eleanor Humphrey, Dreamgirls, Stray Dog Theatre

Laura Michelle Kelly, Matilda, The Muny

Taylor Louderman, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Corinne Melancon, The Boy from Oz, Stages St. Louis

Michele Ragusa, The Boy from Oz, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

Tielere Cheatem, La Cage aux Folles, New Line Theatre

Kevin Corpuz, Be More Chill, New Line Theatre

Tristan Davis, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

Eli Mayer, Footloose, The Muny

Patrick John Moran, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Mattea Conforti, Matilda, The Muny

Ebony Easter, Dreamgirls, Stray Dog Theatre

Kendra Kassebaum, Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Amanda Robles, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Jennifer Theby-Quinn, Daddy Long Legs, Insight Theatre Company

Outstanding Actor in a Musical

David Elder, The Boy from Oz, Stages St. Louis

Zachary Allen Farmer, La Cage aux Folles, New Line Theatre

J. Harrison Ghee, Kinky Boots, The Muny

James Patterson, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Luke Steingruby, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Q Collective

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Justin Been, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

Mike Dowdy-Windsor & Scott Miller, Be More Chill, New Line Theatre

Gordon Greenberg, Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Michael Hamilton, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

John Tartaglia, Matilda, The Muny

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, The Black Rep

Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Kinky Boots, The Muny

Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Such Sweet Thunder, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis et al

Outstanding New Play

Canfield Drive, by Kristen Adele Calhoun & Michael Thomas Walker, The Black Rep

Feeding Beatrice, by Kristen Greenidge, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

It’s a Wonderful Life, by John Wolbers, Metro Theater Company

A Model for Matisse, by Barbara F. Freed and Joe Hanrahan, The Midnight Company

Nonsense and Beauty, by Scott C. Sickles, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

Terence Blanchard and Kasi Lemmons, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Mark Freiman, La Boheme, Union Avenue Opera

Christine Lyons, Norma, Winter Opera Saint Louis

Brooklyn Snow, Candide, Union Avenue Opera

Roland Wood, Rigoletto, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Outstanding Production of an Opera

La Boheme, Union Avenue Opera

Candide, Union Avenue Opera

The Coronation of Poppea, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

The Marriage of Figaro, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Special Award

Ken and Nancy Kranzberg

Members of the St. Louis Theater Circle include Steve Allen, stagedoorstl.com; Mark Bretz, Ladue News; Bob Cohn, St. Louis Jewish Light; Tina Farmer, KDHX; Michelle Kenyon, snoopstheatrethoughts.com; Gerry Kowarsky, Two on the Aisle (HEC-TV); Chuck Lavazzi, KDHX; Sarah Bryan Miller (opera only), St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Judith Newmark, judyacttwo.com; Ann Lemons Pollack, stlouiseats.typepad.com; Tanya Seale, Broadwayworld.com; Lynn Venhaus, St. Louis Limelight Magazine; Bob Wilcox, Two on the Aisle (HEC-TV); and Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Eleanor Mullin, local actress and arts supporter, is group administrator. 

For more information, contact stltheatercircle@sbcglobal.net or ‘like’ The St. Louis Theater Circle on Facebook.

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