By Stephe Raven Writer’s block. Hmm. Many of us have experienced this when under a deadline. And our heroine Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) starts off with it. She writes a popular espionage series whose main character is secret agent Argylle (Henry Cavill), who manages to solve mysteries and not get a hair out of place. He is the perfect James Bond type, always suave and gentlemanly.
The action thriller begins with Argylle and his trusty sidekick, goofily played by John Cena, trying to take down a sinister underground syndicate. Annnd cut! In reality, Elly has read a passage at a bookstore. She has a legion of fans who adore her four novels, and she seems taken aback by that. A recluse, she spends her evenings with her fluffy cat Alfie, and seems content with her very simple life, living through her books.
After completing her fifth in the series, she sends the manuscript to her mom (Catherine O’Hara) who advises that it needs to be punched up, and why not come for the weekend so they can brainstorm. Headed there on a train, Elly is disturbed by a scruffy ruffian (Sam Rockwell) who shocks her by saying her books are actually setting off real-life events. Despite her disbelief, he saves her from would-be assassins, and whisks her out of the country. Thus begins her real-life wild ride.
The twists and turns keep coming as Elly discovers that her fictional world is not so make-believe after all.. When she’s in a precarious situation, she calls on Argylle, who gives her sage advice. Some of it is so corny, you have to laugh.
This turn of events introduces more colorful characters, and it’s an all-star list of actors. Bryan Cranston plays Director Ritter, the head of a covert agency called the Division; singer Dua Lipa plays a seductive femme fatale named LaGrange, and Ariana DeBose is a tech-savvy ally, Agent Keira. Also in support are Samuel L. Jackson, Richard E. Grant and Sofia Boutella.
British director Matthew Vaughn, whose credits include “Kingsman: The Secret Service” in 2014, its sequel “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” in 2017, and its prequel, “The King’s Man” in 2021. He also helmed “X-Men: First Class” and “Kick-Ass,” so he knows how to imaginatively stage action scenes and uses humor effectively. The choreography for the smoke fight scene is especially impressive.
Screenwriter Jason Fuchs (“Wonder Woman”) pokes fun at the spy genre and its tropes, therefore the movie doesn’t take itself too seriously. The cast appears to be having fun with their roles, deftly delivering witty and memorable lines.
Come for the fun, stay for its unpredictability. And do not miss the extra scene at the end, for it nicely sets up a sequel, which I hope happens. This is the kind of enjoyable mainstream movie that engages for a few hours on a winter’s day, providing a few good laughs along the way!
“Argylle” is a 2024 action-thriller directed by Matthew Vaughn and starring Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Bryan Cranston, John Cena, Ariana DeBose, Dua Lipa, Samuel L. Jackson, Sofia Boutella, Richard E. Grant, Rob Delaney and Catherine O’Hara. It is Rated PG-13 for strong violence and action and some strong language and the run-time is 2 hours, 19 minutes. It opens Feb. 2 in local theatres. Stephe’s Grade: C+
It’s that down-to-the-wire time where I write about the year that was in local theater. It’s my annual opportunity to celebrate theater, to encourage artists to be artful, and to give some virtual bouquets to people doing outstanding work.
When media folks publish lists at year’s end of their favorite things in arts and entertainment, I admire the succinct way they make their cases. Good, quick reads. And I do that for my best films of the year lists for KTRS (Dec. 29) and Webster-Kirkwood Times (Jan. 5). But when it comes to regional theater, that’s not how I roll.
Call me fastidious, but I prefer to be thorough. Hence, the Lotties (Lynn’s Love of Theatre Awards), which usually arrive sometime in January, and get really specific (some call it ‘give everyone a trophy,’ I refer to it as “these are my opinions, and I’d like to recognize these people.”) Besides “Lotties” implies “a lot,” as in largesse.
I do start assembling this in December – and on my lovely train trip home from the holidays in the west, I mulled over my choices while observing the beautiful topography of New Mexico from Amtrak’s Southwest Chief. As relaxing as that was, it was short-lived, because 2024 was not on pause.
The Lehman Trilogy at The Rep
But looking back is necessary. It’s time for the victory lap on a truly outstanding 2023, which started strong, morphed into an exciting summer, and finished with some of the companies’ best works. I know there are struggles post-pandemic — the world is not the same, and neither are we, nor the arts. Yet, if I had to describe the year in two words, I’d use “moving” and “meaningful.”
To put awards timing in perspective, the Grammys and Screen Actors Guild are in February and Oscars wind up film awards in March. As a grateful longtime local reviewer, I consider awards seasons a way to get through a dreary winter, a time to shed light on people doing good work, and a terrific reason to get together.
The St. Louis Theater Circle’s annual awards will be March 25 at the Loretto-Hilton Center at Webster University. More details will be forthcoming Friday (including ticket link) because that’s when my colleagues in the Circle will announce our awards nominations in 33 categories. Jim Lindhorst and Michelle Kenyon will be on KWMU (90.7 FM) at 12:30 p.m., and our group releases our press release at 1 p.m. (stay tuned here, on social media, and the Circle’s Facebook page). We’re working hard on the show, as a collective we founded in 2012.
So, what were the takeaways of 2023 on local stages? For me, in these dark times, theater continues to be a beacon of light.
Spencer Kruse and Jacob Flekier in “Broadway Bound”
When I’m focused on live theater, I forget about the soul-crushing Twilight Zone episode that’s on an endless loop when I wake up – that bad people are not accountable, facts are dismissed so cavalierly and belligerently, manners have disappeared, science is mocked in favor of personal agendas, while outrage and cultural wars spread, and uncertainty, anxiety, isolation and fear– aaarrrrggghh.
I learned last year, because of two serious sudden life-threatening emergencies, that if you don’t pay attention to your health, consequences are dire. (Much gratitude for the tremendous selfless health care professionals in this town, city ambulance EMTs, and those who donate blood.)
Live theater has always been a source of salvation, of rejoicing, of awe and wonder, of communal laughter, and ultimately, feeling something. And when it clicks, connection. I hear from professional movers and shakers that people want escape, especially after the tough several-year slog through a global pandemic and ongoing political chaos.
Obviously, elevated endorphins are a good thing. But for emotional wallops, those hard-hitting, thought-provoking works that stick with you, and the performers who impress because they rise to the occasion, are unforgettable. Hooray for the fearless and adventurous artists who try new things, raise the bar, and collaborate in the best way possible. Oh, how I admire the many talents and supremely gifted people in this regional theater community.
Sometimes, by virtue of writing for several different publications from home, as an independent contractor, I get stuck, for it is easy to sink into despair when it is cold and gray outside, when a chill goes right through your bones, and daylight dims.
There is nothing better than sharing an experience, re-affirming that we’re not alone, understanding that human decency is noble, and realizing that even though we may be broken, we can still find solace in beautiful small moments.
Like soaring vocals, funny people showing off their quippy comic timing, and the artisans crafting stunning costumes, sets, lighting, and moods. Seeing what people can create and the inspirations behind it – always enriching.
The 145s
Theater helps us discover the good in people, reflect on our common and unique human condition, shows triumph over adversity, and offers more understanding. With hope, maybe we can somehow make a difference in the smallest of ways.
The last five years have been exhausting and overwhelming. In December, I officially became a published author. I wrote a chapter about my journey in a woman’s anthology book, “Ageless Glamour Girls: Reflections on Aging,” that is currently a bestseller on Amazon. I joined 13 women over age 50 in sharing lessons we’ve learned. My chapter: “You Are Not Alone: Dealing with Grief and Loss.”
I am grateful to all the angels sent my way to remind me that a sense of purpose is the very best reason to live. And that spring is six weeks away. I look forward to humming happy tunes. And so we beat on…
If you are out and about, say hey. Few things I like better than talking about theater and seeing people do something they love to do.
Warning: This article is long. It might be comparable to William Goldman’s book assessing the 1967-68 Broadway season, “The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway,” which was published in 1969 (an example of my drama geek youth if I was reading that book when I was 14).
And if you feel like celebrating, join us for the St Louis Theater Circle Awards on March 25. It has always been a great night to enjoy everyone’s company, celebrate the past year’s accomplishments, and look ahead to ’24 – and spring will have arrived!
Into the Woods at New Jewish Theatre
This Year’s Awards
Clearly, there is a big hole here in that I did not see “Death of a Salesman” at the Black Rep because I was in the hospital (that pesky internal bleeding incident from outpatient surgery), twice, and then at home recovering. I know I missed a great one.
Because of scheduling issues in my busiest periods as a working journalist, I’ve missed a few, but overall, I attended at least 72 eligible shows, not including one-acts at festivals (was at some of Fringe, and all of Tesseract and LaBute), touring and school productions. Hope to get to as much as possible this new year (but it’s hard when they’re all lumped together opening same weekend). Here’s my assessments on 2023 output. Gushing will ensue.
Production of the Year:“It’s a Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play” at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
The Rep gets the honor, rebounding in spectacular fashion after what I considered their worst show “Side by Side by Sondheim,” last February, to end the year on a glorious high note, with the “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play.”
Overflowing with cheer and kindness, the crisp and polished production was more than a performance – it was a change in direction and a celebration of community.
It’s A Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play at The Rep
Everything about this show gleamed – the company of all local performers and the nostalgic setting of KSTL’s studio harkened back to the Golden Age of Radio.
This play-within-a-play was a savvy adaptation by Joe Landry, reworking his play that modified the movie that’s now a holiday staple. The twist to the timeless tale is that it’s being performed by characters who work at the radio station.
Opening night Dec. 3 also was a statement, and people eagerly responded with enthusiastic applause.
After The Rep went public with their financial woes in mid-October, starting a “Rally for the Rep!” campaign to raise $2.5 million to continue the 57-year-old regional professional theater in the new year, handwringing and finger-pointing occurred. But goodwill flourished too.
A Dec. 17 benefit, an online auction, and other fundraising efforts helped. This production was the first opportunity for The Rep to welcome patrons back to the Loretto-Hilton Center since the news broke, and a merry mood was evident.
It warmed the heart. And perhaps was an omen for the future.
“The Birthday Party” at Albion Theatre
Companies of the Year: The Muny (large) and Albion Theatre (small)
I have professionally reviewed Muny shows since 2009, first for the Belleville News-Democrat, until 2017 when the parent company went in a different direction, and now continue on my website, www.PopLifeSTL.com in addition to mentions on KTRS with Jennifer Blome and Wendy Wiese, and our PopLifeSTL podcast. But I’ve been attending since my grandmother took me to “Flower Drum Song” in 1965, when I was 10. Life-changing.
The 105th season was the best one yet. Each sterling production was technically outstanding, enormously entertaining, and the audience leaned into the premieres with gusto (“Beautiful,” “Chess,” “Rent” and “Sister Act.”). In addition, the enduring “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” “West Side Story,” and “Little Shop of Horrors” really did deliver all the feels. I was impressed with the sheer magnitude and artistic daring of each show.
Believe. Longing. Belonging. Overcoming. Those were the themes. It was a seven-show arc of uncommon grace – a genuine depth of feeling in each well-executed one. In every performance, there was a palpable sense of yearning – a future Hall of Fame talent finding her voice, outsiders opening their hearts in a timeless fairy tale classic, of high-stakes gamesmanship and personal cost in a political arena, star-crossed lovers clinging to a dream, unearthing your worth and wish fulfillment in a flower shop, discovering love and nurturing friendship in a bleak place, and using your gifts to foster community.
That big sprawling Muny family made it look effortless when it wasn’t at all – a massive team of creatives, performers and technicians crafting the magic we demand from our musical theater under the stars. Nobody does what they do, and that “alone in its greatness” tagline from my teenage years still stands. We expect a lot from this cultural institution – and they delivered at a very high level.
“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” at The Muny
Albion Theatre was in its second season last year, and produced superb works: “The Birthday Party,” “Absent Friends” and “Mindgame,” all very clever, all home runs.
You never know what awaits you in the Kranzberg Black Box when Albion is putting on a show, but British-born founder and artistic director Robert Ashton guarantees an intriguing premise, a dandy ensemble and a thoughtfully put-together play. The company’s niche is exploring the long and rich history of playwriting in Britain — with forays into Ireland, and even with UK ancestors (maternal great-grandfather from Manchester, England, and great-grandmother from Glasgow, Scotland), I am continually fascinated by the culture and how much detail he puts into each production.
Joe Hanrahan of The Midnight Company
Artist of the Year: Joe Hanrahan
Playwright, actor, producer, director – a man of many hats who is constantly pushing himself and his The Midnight Company with new endeavors. He started a hybrid of cabaret and theater with Jim Dolan at the Blue Strawberry, and Kelly Howe, as Linda Ronstadt, sold out multiple shows of “Just One Look,” a career retrospective, with the 13th show at the City Winery last November.
He continues to explore those new avenues, produced a fun reading of “The Humans of St. Louis” at last summer’s Fringe Festival (which I hope they develop further). He mounted an impressive full-scale “The Lion in Winter” with some of the best actors in town, revived a past production, “The Years,” with a fresh ensemble, and starred in a one-man show, the heartfelt and gut-punching “The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey.”
A true original is the best compliment I can give, whether he’s working on one of his own scripts, or collaborating with another company. He’s so prolific that I think people take his output for granted. Standing O.
Producers of the Year: Taylor Gruenloh and Rebekah Scallet
Taylor Gruenloh, along with his right-hand team of Brittanie Gunn and Kevin Corpuz, expanded Tesseract Theatre Company’s reach this year, producing such bold musicals as “The Last Five Years,” “The Mad Ones,” and “Kinky Boots,” along with a contemporary hybrid, “Welcome to Arroyo’s.”
His pivot a couple years ago to a new play festival was very engaging this summer, with “In Bloom” by Gwyneth Strope and “Red Curtain Rivalry” by Amy Lytle, who was in attendance.
Whatever he chooses to do, you know it will be different and enlightening, and he’s unafraid to tackle difficult subjects. I can’t wait to see the complex Tony winner “The Inheritance” this spring.
Taylor has decided to step down as artistic director after founding the company in 2010, but Gunn and Corpuz will continue to manage the company and take it in new directions. He is a playwright, and currently an assistant professor at Missouri University of Science and Technology, and teaching at Webster University. He won’t be fading away any time soon.
Rebekah Scallet. The woman’s got game. In her first full season as artistic director of the New Jewish Theatre, she wowed us with her confident and eclectic picks last year: “Broadway Bound,” “Every Brilliant Thing,” “Gloria: A Life,” “The Immigrant” and “Into the Woods.” Each one was a crown jewel in her cap. Strong casts, excellent material, and superb technical acumen combined for thrilling theater. She perceptively directed a magnificent “The Immigrant,” which was so very timely.
“To Kill a Mockingbird” on national tour with Richard Thomas and Yaegel T. Welch
Touring Production of the Year: “To Kill a Mockingbird,” The Fox.
I was fortunate to see the riveting Aaron Sorkin-scripted production starring Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch at a sold-out Shubert Theatre on Broadway in May 2019. The audience’s thunderous ovation was one of the loudest and longest that I ever took part in, and I consider that production one of the best plays I’ve ever seen. Could the touring show headed by Richard Thomas even come close? Yes, it did, and was just as powerful and emotional. Bravo.
(Runner-Up: “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.” They raised the roof and we responded. This is based on new touring shows, but I would be remiss if I didn’t include the “Come From Away” tour that stopped here for a weekend last fall. It was a profound experience, like God walking through the room. Vibrant, moving, relatable. Tears streamed down my face. I don’t think I was alone.)
My Ten Favorite A&E Things of 2023 (Most of these took place in the summer. Hmmm…)
Barbenheimer at the movie theaters
The delightful 145s Musical Improv Troupe — see them at The Improv Shop. One of the best Saturday nights you can ever have.
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra playing “The Princess Bride” score with the movie at Stifel, and the audience anticipating and cheering for their favorite lines.
The outstanding youth productions I saw last summer: “Grease” by Ignite Theatre Company “Sweeney Todd” by Debut Theatre Company “Bare: A Pop Opera” by Gateway Center for the Performing Arts
Inventively staged, tight ensembles, imaginative touches, strong music direction. Very impressive. Those kids seemed so poised and polished! Keep an eye out for Jordan Thompson, who played both Danny Zuko and Sweeney Todd. Wow, just wow.
Amneris’ wedding gown designed by Brad Musgrove for “Aida” at Stages St Louis
5. St Louis Shakespeare Festival’s touring production of “Merry Wives.” Sitting in Tower Grove Park with my peeps Carl “The Intern” Middleman (poplifestl podcast co-host) and Chas Adams (poplifestl.com reviewer) on a pleasant August night (!) to see those sparks fly with the intrepid traveling troupe of Michelle Hand, Joel Moses, Carl Overly Jr., Rae Davis, Mitchell Henry-Eagles, and Christina Yancy, directed by Suki Peters.
6. “Ragtime” at Union Avenue Opera. Those voices! Talk about a wall of sound! 49 people were part of that endeavor. This event was as hard-hitting as ever.
7. Costume Designer Brad Musgrove’s wedding gown for Amneris (Diana DeGarmo) in “Aida” at Stages St. Louis.
8. Sarah Gene Dowling’s wig design in “Into the Woods” at Stray Dog Theatre
9. Remarkable rigged sets to collapse dramatically: Rob Lippert for “Godspell” at Stray Dog Theatre and Jim Robert, for “Grand Horizons” at Moonstone Theatre Company.
10. Puppet Designer John Ortiz for Audrey II in “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Muny, and Nicholas Ward as The Voice and Travis Patton as the Manipulator.
TJ Staten Jr. in “It’s a Wonderful Life’
THE MVPs (must have been in two or more shows this year, not a rookie, and whose presence made a difference)
Bridgette Bassa Sarajane Clark Kevin Corpuz Rae Davis Ricki Franklin Joseph Garner Marshall Jennings Ryan Lawson-Maeske Debby Lennon Kevin O’Brien Jane Paradise Reginald Pierre Michael James Reed Sean Seifert Ron Strawbridge
ONES TO WATCH
DeAnte Bryant Hannah de Oliveira Evann DeBose Joey File Nick Freed Lindsey Grojean Alexander Huber Drew Mizell Kenya Nash TJ Staten Jr. James Stevens Claire Wenzel (now Coffey)
J’Kobe Wallace and DeAnte Bryant in “Eubie!” at The Black Rep
DYNAMIC DUOS and TERRIFIC TRIOS
Brian Slaten and Jessika D. Williams in “Gruesome Playground Injuries” Alicia Reve Like and Eric J. Conners in “The Light,” The Black Rep Chuck Winning and Nick Freed in “The Birthday Party” and “Mindgame,” Albion Theatre J’Kobe Wallace and DeAnte Bryant in “Eubie!” The Black Rep Jason Meyers and Colleen Backer in “Outside Mullingar,” West End Players Guild Jacob Flekier and Spencer Kruse in “Broadway Bound,” New Jewish Theatre Joel Moses and John Wolbers in “The Lion in Winter,” The Midnight Company John Contini and Alexander Huber in “Barrymore,” St. Louis Actors’ Studio Joneal Joplin and Jared Joplin in “Grand Horizons,” Moonstone Theatre Company Leslie Wobbe and Kate Durbin in “Walter Cronkite Is Dead,” West End Players Guild Kevin Corpuz and Grace Langford in “The Last Five Years,” Tesseract Theatre Company Kelvin Moon Loh and Eric Jordan Young in “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” The Muny Vincent Klemski and Lincoln Clauss in “Rent,” The Muny Terrance Johnson (replacement for Evan Tyron Martin in early performances) and Adrian Vallegas in “Rent,” The Muny Kimmie Kidd, Ebony Easter and Adrienne Spann as The Radio, “Caroline, or Change,” Fly North Theatricals Kennedy Holmes, Taylor Marie Daniel, and Stephanie Gomerez as The Urchins in “Little Shop of Horrors,” The Muny Rob Colletti, Brandon Espinoza and Darron Hayes as the goons in “Sister Act,” The Muny
De-Rance Blaylock in “Caroline, or Change” at Fly North Theatricals
BRINGING THE HOUSE DOWN
(Best Musical Numbers)
De-Rance Blaylock singing “Lot’s Wife” in “Caroline, or Change” at Fly North Theatricals
John Riddle singing “Anthem” in “Chess” at The Muny
Ben Crawford singing “If I Can’t Love Her” in “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” at The Muny
John Battagliese and Mike Schwitter as The Righteous Brothers singing “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” at The Muny
Lindsey Grojean singing “If I Can’t Have You” in “Saturday Night Fever” at Stray Dog Theatre
The cast of “Rent” in “Seasons of Love,” especially Anastacia McKleskey, at The Muny
Kevin O’Brien and Phil Leveling in “No More” in “Into the Woods” at New Jewish Theatre
Meredith Aleigha Wells as Sister Mary Robert singing “The Life I Never Led,” Sister Act, The Muny
Christian Douglas singing “Maria” in “West Side Story” at The Muny
The extended curtain call for “Million Dollar Quartet” at Stages St. Louis with Scott Moreau (Johnny Cash), Jeremy Sevelovitz (Carl Perkins), Brady Wease (Jerry Lee Lewis), and Edward La Cardo (Elvis).
Meredith Aleigha Wells in “Sister Act” at The Muny
BEST YOUTH PERFORMERS
Zoe Klevorn “Caroline, or Change,” Fly North Theatricals
Rosario Rios-Kelly “In Bloom,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Michael Hobin “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” The Muny
Cameron Hadley, “Caroline or Change,” Fly North Theatricals
Malachi Borum, “Caroline or Change,” Fly North Theatricals
Riley Carter Adams “What the Constitution Means to Me,” Max & Louie Productions
Jada Little “The Piano Lesson,” Encore! Theatre Group
Vaida Gruenloh “In Bloom,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Tommy Pepper “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You,” Stray Dog Theatre
“Feminine Energy” by Myra L. Gary at Mustard Seed Theatre
BEST NEW PLAYS
“One Night in the Many Deaths of Sonny Liston,” LaBute New Theatre Festival, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
“Safe Space,” LaBute New Theatre Festival, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
“This Palpable Gross Play,” SATE
“See You in a Minute,” Contraband Theatre
“In Bloom,” New Play Festival, Tesseract Theater Company
“The Game’s Afoot,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Shake in the Streets
“Feminine Energy,” Mustard Seed Theatre
“From the Garden,” Wee Laddie Theatrics
“Clue” at Stages St Louis
BEST COMEDY PRODUCTIONS
Clue – Stages St. Louis
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Stray Dog Theatre
The Birthday Party – Albion Theatre
Gruesome Playground Injuries – The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Broadway Bound – New Jewish Theatre
Merry Wives – St. Louis Shakespeare Festival Touring Company
This Palpable Gross Play – SATE
Outside Mullingar – West End Players Guild
A Midsummer Night’s Dream – St Louis Shakespeare
Murder on the Orient Express – The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
“The Immigrant” at New Jewish Theatare
BEST DRAMA PRODUCTIONS
It’s A Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play – The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
The Immigrant – New Jewish Theatre
The Lion in Winter – The Midnight Company
Uncle Vanya – St Louis Actors’ Studio
The Lehman Trilogy – The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Skeleton Crew – The Black Repertory Theatre of St Louis
What the Constitution Means to Me – Max and Louie Productions
Mindgame – Albion Theatre
Doubt: A Parable – Prism Theatre Company
Gloria: A Life – New Jewish Theatre
“Million Dollar Quartet” at Stages St Louis
BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTIONS
Caroline, or Change – Fly North Theatricals
West Side Story – The Muny
Into the Woods – New Jewish Theatre
Eubie! – The Black Rep
Million Dollar Quartet – Stages St. Louis
Disney’s The Beauty and the Beast – The Muny
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical– The Muny
Chess – The Muny
Q Brothers A Christmas Carol – St Louis Shakespeare Festival
Kinky Boots – Tesseract Theatre Company
Ricki Franklin and Cassidy Flynn in “Twelfth Night” at St Louis Shakespeare Festival
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Ricki Franklin, Twelfth Night, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Claire Wenzel, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Stray Dog Theatre
Zoe Vonder Haar, Clue, Stages St. Louis
Annalise Webb, Absent Friends, Albion Theatre
Rae Davis, “Merry Wives,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Anna Langdon, Absent Friends, Albion Theatre
Bridgette Bassa, “The Nerd” and “Grand Horizons,” Moonstone Theatre Company
Diana DeGarmo, “Clue,” Stages St. Louis
Alexander Huber, in two roles – as girl and Madeleine, in “Vampire Lesbians of Sodom,” Stray Dog Theatre (the roles are female but gender-fluid)
Kristen Strom, “This Palpable Gross Play,” SATE
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” at Stray Dog Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Chuck Winning, The Birthday Party, Albion Theatre
Nick Freed, The Birthday Party, Albion Theatre
Stephen Henley, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Stray Dog Theatre
Bryce A Miller, The Nerd, Moonstone Theatre Company
Chuck Brinkley, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
Cassidy Flynn, Twelfth Night, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, and Grand Horizons, Moonstone
Charlie Franklin, Clue, Stages St. Louis
Bob Harvey, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
Colleen Backer and Jason Meyers in “Outside Mullingar” at West End Players Guild
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Mara Bollini, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Stray Dog Theatre
Colleen Backer, Outside Mullingar, West End Players Guild
Jessika D. Williams, Gruesome Playground Injuries, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Teresa Doggett, The Birthday Party, Albion Theatre
Leslie Wobbe, Walter Cronkite Is Dead, West End Players Guild
Sarajane Clark, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Stray Dog Theatre
Sarajane Clark, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You, Stray Dog Theatre
Nicole Angeli, Absent Friends, Albion Theatre
Jane Paradise, Safe Space, LaBute New Theatre Festival, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Mark Price, Clue, Stages St. Louis
Ryan Lawson-Maeske, The Nerd, Moonstone Theatre Company
Stephen Peirick, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Stray Dog Theatre
Brian Slaten, Gruesome Playground Injuries, The Rep
Jacob Flekier, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
Jason Meyers, Outside Mullingar, West End Players Guild
Armando Duran, Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
Joneal Joplin, Grand Horizons, Moonstone Theatre Company
Ted Drury, The Birthday Party, Albion Theatre
Reginald Pierre, Safe Space, LaBute New Theatre Festival, St Louis Actors’ Studio
Michelle Hand and Riley Carter Adams in “What the Constitution Means to Me” at Max & Louie Productions
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Bryn McLaughlin, Uncle Vanya, St Louis Actors’ Studio
Rae Davis, Feminine Energy, Mustard Seed Theatre
Mindy Shaw, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
Rhiannon Creighton, Doubt, Prism Theatre Company
Ashley Bauman, The Years, The Midnight Company
Nicole Angeli, Mindgame, Albion Theatre Company
Kelly Howe, See You in a Minute, Contraband Theatre Company
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Michael James Reed, Uncle Vanya, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
David Wassilak, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
Bradley Tejada, Suddenly Last Summer, Tennessee Williams Festival
Joey File, The Years, Midnight Company
John Wolbers, The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
Joel Moses, The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
Joseph Garner, See You in a Minute, Contraband Theatre
Brian McKinley, Skeleton Crew, The Black Rep
Alicia Reve Like and Eric J. Conners in “The Light” at The Black Rep
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Alicia Reve Like, The Light, The Black Rep
Michelle Hand, What the Constitution Means to Me, Max & Louie Productions
Lavonne Byers, The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
Naima Randolph, Suddenly Last Summer, Tennessee Williams Festival
Kate Durbin, Doubt, Prism Theatre Company
Ricki Franklin, See You in a Minute, Contraband Theatre Company
Will Bonfiglio in “Every Brilliant Thing” at New Jewish Theatre
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Dustin Lane Petrillo, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
John Contini, Barrymore, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
John Pierson, Uncle Vanya, St Louis Actors’ Studio
Will Bonfiglio, Every Brilliant Thing, New Jewish Theatre
Reginald Pierre, One Night in the Many Deaths of Sonny Liston, LaBute New Theatre Festival, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Nick Freed, Mindgame, Albion Theatre
Chuck Winning, Mindgame, Albion Theatre
Kelvin Roston Jr, Twisted Melodies, The Rep
Olajuwon Davis, Skeleton Crew, The Black Rep
Xavier Scott Evans, Confederates, The Rep
Kimmie Kidd-Booker in “9” at New Line Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Diana DeGarmo, Aida, Stages St. Louis
Taylor Louderman, Chess, The Muny
Kimmie Kidd-Booker, 9, New Line Theatre
Jenelle Gilreath Owens, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
Jerusha Cavazos, West Side Story, The Muny
Katie Geraghty, Sister Act, The Muny
Jackie Burns, Beautiful The Carole King Musical, The Muny
Sarah Gene Dowling, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
Kristen Joy Lintvedt, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
Jenny Mollet, Aida, Stages St. Louis
Marlee Wenski, Jesus and Johnny Appleweed’s Holy Rollin’ Family Christmas, New Line Theatre
Grace Langford, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Jarrod Spector, Beautiful The Carole King Musical, The Muny
Phil Leveling, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
Duane Foster, Caroline or Change, Fly North Theatricals
Ken Page, West Side Story, The Muny
Jon Hey, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
Ryan Vasquez, Little Shop of Horrors, The Muny
Albert Jennings, Aida, Stages St Louis
Jeremy Sevelovitz, Million Dollar Quartet, Stages St Louis
Adrian Villegas, Rent, The Muny
Drew Mizell, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
James T. Lane, Sister Act, The Muny
Claybourne Elder, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
De-Rance Blaylock, Caroline or Change, Fly North Theatricals
Sara Sheperd, Beautiful The Carole King Musical, The Muny
Molly Wennstrom, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
Bryonha Marie, Sister Act, The Muny
Melissa Felps, The Mad Ones, Tesseract Theatre Company
Ashley Blanchet, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
Guinevere Govea, Spells of the Sea, Metro Theatre Company
Jessica Vosk, Chess, The Muny
Jane Paradise and Reginald Pierre in “Safe Space” at LaBute New Theatre Festival, St Louis Actors’ Studio
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL (Male or NonBinary)
John Riddle, Chess, The Muny
Tielere Cheatem, in the role of Lola, Kinky Boots, Tesseract Theatre Company
Ben Crawford, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
Robin De Jesus, Little Shop of Horrors, The Muny
Drew Mizell, Saturday Night Fever, Stray Dog Theatre
Kevin O’Brien, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
Christian Douglas, West Side Story, The Muny
Garrett Young, Q Brothers Christmas Carol, St Louis Shakespeare Festival
Cole Guttman, 9, New Line Theatre
Joe Hanrahan and Lavonne Byers in “The Lion in Winter”
BEST ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY
Clue, Stages St. Louis
The Birthday Party, Albion Theatre
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Stray Dog Theatre
Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
The Brechtfast Club, ERA
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, St Louis Shakespeare
This Palpable Gross Play, SATE
Absent Friends, Albion
Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Stray Dog Theatre
The Brechtfast Club at ERA
BEST ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA
It’s A Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play, The Rep
The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
Uncle Vanya, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
The Lehman Trilogy, The Rep
Skeleton Crew, The Black Rep
Wrens, Prism Theatre Company
Doubt: A Parable, Prism Theatre Company
Feminine Energy, Mustard Seed Theatre
BEST ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL
Caroline, or Change, Fly North Theatricals
Eubie! The Black Rep
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
Million Dollar Quartet, Stages St Louis
Q Brothers Christmas Carol, St Louis Shakespeare Festival
West Side Story, The Muny
Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
Spells of the Sea, Metro Theatre Company
Rent, The Muny (tie) Sister Act, The Muny
Jessika D. Williams and Brian Slaten in “Gruesome Playground Injuries” at The Rep
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN IN A COMEDY
Sean M. Savoie, Clue, Stages St. Louis
Anshuman Bhatia, Gruesome Playground Injuries, The Rep
Jason Lynch, Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
John Wylie, Twelfth Night, St Louis Shakespeare Festival
Erik Kuhn, This Palpable Gross Play, SATE
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN IN A DRAMA
Christina Watanabe, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Rep
Xavier Pierce, Twisted Melodies, The Rep
Matthew McCarthy, Suddenly Last Summer, Tennessee Williams Festival
Jayson M. Lawshee, Skeleton Crew, The Black Rep
Eric Wennlund, Mindgame, Albion Theatre
“Chess” at The Muny
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN IN A MUSICAL
Rob Denton, Chess, The Muny
Sean M Savoie, Million Dollar Quartet, Stages St. Louis
Herrick Goldman, Aida, Stages St. Louis
Jesse Klug, Q Brothers Christmas Carol, St Louis Shakespeare Festival
Jayson M Lawshee, Spells of the Sea, Metro Theatre Company
Jasmine Williams, Eubie!, The Black Rep
Heather Gilbert, Rent, The Muny
BEST VISUAL PROJECTIONS
Alex Bosco Koch, Chess, The Muny
Michael Salvatore Commendatore, Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
Kylee Loera, Beautiful The Carol King Musical, The Muny
“Murder on the Orient Express” at The Rep
BEST SOUND DESIGN IN A COMEDY
Beef Gratz, Clue, Stages St. Louis
Kareem Deames, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
BEST SOUND DESIGN IN A DRAMA
Michael Costagliola, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Rep
Kareem Deames, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
G Glausen, Twisted Melodies, The Rep
Jacob Baxley, Mindgame, Albion Theatre
SPECIAL MENTIONS Amanda Werre, Sound Design, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre Erik Kuhn, Fight Coordinator, Mind Game, Albion Theatre Terrance Johnson, who filled in for Evan Tyron Martin as Tom Collins in the early performances of “Rent” at The Muny when Martin had COVID Fleur de Noise, a special segment in “The Game’s Afoot,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s Shake in the Streets
“Eubie!” at The Black Rep
BEST COSTUME DESIGN IN A COMEDY
Brad Musgrove, Clue, Stages St. Louis
Olivia Radle, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, St Louis Shakespeare
Fabio Toblini, Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
Michelle Friedman Siler, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
Colleen Michelson and Sarah Gene Dowling (wigs), Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Stray Dog Theatre
BEST COSTUME DESIGN IN A DRAMA
Liz Henning, The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
Michelle Friedman Siler, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
An-Lin Dauber, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Rep
Sam Hayes, Wrens, Prism Theatre Company
Teresa Doggett, Uncle Vanya, St Louis Actors’ Studio
“Kinky Boots” at Tesseract Theatre Company
BEST COSTUME DESIGN IN A MUSICAL
Robin McGee, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
Eileen Engel and Sarah Gene Dowling (wigs), Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
Brad Musgrove, Aida, Stages St Louis
Marc W. Vital III, Eubie!, The Black Rep
Michelle Friedman Siler, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
Zachary Phelps, Kinky Boots, Tesseract Theatre
Leon Dobkowski, Sister Act, The Muny
“Skeleton Crew” at The Black Rep
BEST SCENIC DESIGN IN A DRAMA
An-Lin Dauber, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Rep
Sara Brown, The Lehman Trilogy, The Rep
Nina Ball, Confederates, The Rep
Margery and Peter Spack, Skeleton Crew, The Black Rep
Matt Stuckel, Doubt, Prism Theatre Company
(tie) James Wolk, Suddenly Last Summer
BEST SCENIC DESIGN IN A COMEDY
Tim Macabee, Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
Lee Savage, Clue, Stages St Louis
Dunsi Dai, Grand Horizons, Moonstone Theatre Company
Margery and Peter Spack, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
Ellie Schwetye and Lucy Cashion, This Palpable Gross Play, SATE
Scott Neale, “The Game’s Afoot, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
BEST SCENIC DESIGN IN A MUSICAL
Edward E Haynes Jr., Chess, The Muny
Rob Lippert, Godspell, Stray Dog Theatre
Ann Beyersdorfer, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
C. Otis Sweezey, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
Adam Koch, Million Dollar Quartet, Stages St Louis
Kristen Robinson, Little Shop of Horrors, The Muny
Tim Jones, Eubie! The Black Rep
Margery and Peter Spack, Spells of the Sea, Metro Theatre Company
Ryan Douglass, Beautiful The Carole King Musical, The Muny
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Patrick O’Neill, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
Heather Beal, Robert Crenshaw and Vivian Watt, Eubie! The Black Rep
Mike Hodges, Saturday Night Fever, Stray Dog Theatre
Steph Paul, Q Brothers Christmas Carol, St Louis Shakespeare Festival
Maggie Nold, Kinky Boots, Tesseract Theatre Company
Parker Esse, West Side Story, The Muny (original choreography reproduced)
Denis Jones, Sister Act, The Muny
Luis Salgado, Aida, Stages St. Louis
Patricia Wilcox, Beautiful, The Muny
Tyler White, Go, Dog, Go!, Metro Theater Company
“Saturday Night Fever” at Stray Dog Theatre
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Colin Healy, Caroline or Change, Fly North Theatricals
James Moore, West Side Story, The Muny
Larry D. Pry, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
Charlie Alterman, Beautiful the Carole King Musical, The Muny
Leah Schultz, Saturday Night Fever, Stray Dog Theatre
David Sonneborn, Million Dollar Quartet, Stages St. Louis
Jason DeBord and Michael Horsley, Chess, The Muny
Leah Schultz, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
BEST DIRECTOR OF A COMEDY
Steve Bebout, Clue. Stages
Alan Knoll, Broadway Bound, New Jewish
Suki Peters, The Birthday Party, Albion
Christina Rios, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, St Lous Shakespeare
Lucy Cashion, The Brechtfast Club, ERA
Becks Redman, Gruesome Playground Injuries, The Rep
Gary Wayne Barker, The Nerd, Moonstone Theatre Company
“Uncle Vanya” at St Louis Actors’ Studio
BEST DIRECTOR OF A DRAMA
Kate Bergstrom, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Rep
Carey Perloff, The Lehman Trilogy, The Rep
Rebeka Scallet, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
Annamaria Pileggi, Uncle Vanya, St Louis Actors’ Studio
Tom Kopp, The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
Gary F. Bell, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Stray Dog Theatre
BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
John Tartaglia, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. The Muny
Robert Quinlan, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
Josh Rhodes, Chess, The Muny
Brian McKinley, Caroline or Change, Fly North Theatricals
Justin Been, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
Rob Ruggiero, West Side Story, The Muny
Photos by Jon Gitchoff, Philip Hamer, Julia Merkle, Patrick Huber, Joey Rumpell.
“Little Shop of Horrors” at The Muny“West Side Story” at The Muny
Giacomo Puccini’s first outstanding success was “Manon Lescaut,” the musical setting of Abbé Prévost’s renowned (and banned in France) novel’s tale of love, desire and betrayal set against the backdrop of 18th-century France and Louisiana. Premiering in 1893, this opera marked Puccini’s initial triumph and remains a timeless testament to his melodic mastery.
Winter Opera, under the direction of Gina Galati, continued to enchant audiences in its 17th season with its own captivating rendition of “Manon Lescaut” on January 19 and 21. I have it on good authority this is the first staging of “Manon Lescaut” in St. Louis, though I can’t confirm that. But, even if it has been stage in St. Louis, it’s been a long, long time.
Puccini’s daring adaptation of the story underscores his commitment to infusing the narrative with genuine Italian passion. Despite the familiar theme of a classic love triangle, the richness of Puccini’s musical language elevates the emotional depth of the plot.
This production boasts exceptional vocal performances, notably Zoya Gramagin and Taylor Comstock, who breathe life into the titular characters of Manon Lescaut and Chevalier des Grieux, respectively. Gramagin’s soprano effortlessly commanded attention, imbuing Manon with a poignant blend of vulnerability and strength. Comstock’s powerful tenor captured the fervor of des Grieux’s ardor, soaring to majestic heights in moments of impassioned pleading.
Photo by Peter Wochniak, ProPhotoSTL
Joseph Park’s portrayal of Geronte, the wealthy older suitor, exuded a commanding presence complemented by a rich bass that added depth to the ensemble. Jonathan Stinson’s rendition of Manon’s brother, Lescaut, provided robust support to the narrative, while the ensemble cast delivered a varied tapestry of emotions—from merriment to despair—with finesse.
Under the baton of Edward Benyas, the orchestra delivered a seamless fusion of music and drama, guided by Geovonday Jones’s meticulous stage direction. Scott Loebl’s scenic design evoked the opulence and desolation of 18th-century settings, complemented by Michael Sullivan’s evocative lighting. This achievement was especially noteworthy considering the company’s modest budget for two performances (three if you count the dress rehearsal).
Jen Blum-Tatara’s costumes and Laura Skroska’s props enhance the production’s authenticity, transporting audiences to a bygone era.
Despite occasional inconsistencies in the libretto, Winter Opera’s production shines through its musical performance and cohesive direction. The company’s commitment to staging lesser-known works should be commended because it offers audiences a chance to discover/rediscover operatic gems like “Manon Lescaut.”
Winter Opera’s rendition of “Manon Lescaut” is a testament to the enduring allure of Puccini’s music. With satisfying performances, meticulous direction and lean-yet-evocative production values, this production should make a lasting impression on audiences and continue to warm local opera-goes in during the colder months.
By Lynn Venhaus In 1965, the conflict between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Lyndon Johnson regarding voting rights came to a head because of escalating violence. On the streets of Selma, Alabama, the struggle to end racial discrimination was real. The drive for equality that resulted in the historic march from Selma to Montgomery and the hard-fought triumph that was the Voting Act Rights is depicted in a new historical drama written by British playwright Paul Webb.
The St. Louis Black Repertory Company hosted British playwright Webb for the world premiere of “Hold On!” that began with previews Jan. 10, opening night was Jan. 12, and the show ran Wednesday through Sunday until Jan. 28 in the Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. It was the kickoff to their 47th mainstage season and directed by founder and producing director Ron Himes.
“We’re delighted to be producing this exceptional world premiere and we’ve pulled together an extraordinarily talented group of creatives to tell this story, It’s a great way to kick off our 47th Season,” Himes said.
Webb. who wrote the screenplay for the 2014 film “Selma,” was first inspired to write a play focused on the historic events in the Civil Rights Movement that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a year after the landmark Civil Rights Act was passed, and after King won the Nobel Peace Prize.
“What I came to realize was that the Selma voting rights campaign was the pinnacle of the careers for two extraordinary, although extraordinarily different, leaders,” Webb says.
Webb said he has been fascinated with American culture since childhood, and told a group of us at the opening night party about hitchhiking across America for six months. He saw how complicated race relations were in the South. He was intrigued by President Johnson’s efforts during the civil rights area, and his relationship with King. The importance of the demonstrations in Selma was a way to develop the story he wanted to pursue. .
Webb’s other works include “Four Knights in Knaresborough” about the assassination of Thomas Becket, and the BET mini-series “Madiba” about the life of Nelson Mandela.
Paul Webb, standing next to Ron Himes, says a few words about his play’s cast. Lynn Venhaus photo
Conversations with the Webb were included throughout the opening weekend, at the Jan. 11 preview performance at 7 p.m., followed by a post-show discussion, and after opening night Jan. 12, there was a post-show reception and a meet and greet. On Sunday, Jan. 14, there was a pre-show discussion at 2 p.m. before the 3 p.m. matinee performance.,
In 1957, King said: “So long as I do not firmly and irrevocably possess the right to vote, I do not possess myself. I cannot make up my mind; it is made up for me.”
In the 1960s, Americans debated what the “equal protection of the laws” in the 14th Amendment meant. Did the Constitution’s prohibition of denying equal protection always ban the use of racial, ethnic, or gender criteria in an attempt to bring social justice and social benefits?
In June 1963, President John Kennedy asked Congress for a comprehensive civil rights bill. This was after resistance to desegregation and the murder of Medgar Evans, a civil rights activist in Mississippi, who was fatally shot on June 12.
After Kennedy’s assassination in November, President Johnson took up pushing for it, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, passed. That forbade using race and sex as reasons in hiring, promoting and firing, and strengthened the enforcement of voting rights and desegregation of schools.
Then, Johnson introduced the Voting Rights Act to Congress in March 1965, the same month that voter registration protests began in Selma.. The violence there added pressure on Congress to act, and the bill passed in four months.
To further learn about King’s journey, here are some resources:
Fifty-nine years ago, Selma became the battleground for Black suffrage, and. the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of the brutal Bloody Sunday beatings of civil rights marchers, is now a national historic landmark. Because the attacks were televised, public support for the activists grew, and marches continued for voting rights.
For more information about the landmarks in the historic civil rights efforts, visit the Civil Rights Trail: https://civilrightstrail.com/
The protections that King and his supporters fought for are under actual threat today, with attempts at voter suppression making the Voting Rights Act vulnerable. The Freedom to Vote Act addresses voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security, redistricting, and campaign finance. (Sources: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2747 and https://www.brennancenter.org/freedom-vote-act
Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls.
Next, the bill establishes Election Day as a federal holiday.
The bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence.
The bill establishes certain federal criminal offenses related to voting. In particular, the bill establishes a new criminal offense for conduct (or attempted conduct) to corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from registering to vote or helping someone register to vote.
Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including by requiring states to conduct post-election audits for federal elections.
The bill outlines criteria for congressional redistricting and generally prohibits mid-decade redistricting.
The bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices.
‘Hold On!’ at The Black Rep
The Black Rep’s 47th season will continue with “Fly” (Feb. 14 to March 10) in WashU’s A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre, followed by “Wedding Band” (March 13-31) at COCA, 6880 Washington Ave., and “Timbuktu!” (May 15 to June 9) in Edison. The season will conclude with “King Hedley II” (June 19-July 14), also in Edison.
Single tickets are now available through the Box Office, in person, or at (314) 534.3807. Reduced pricing is available for seniors, educators, students, and groups of 12 or more. Season 47 subscriptions remain on sale at TheBlackRep.org.
Support for The Black Rep’s 47th Main Stage Season comes from The Berges Family Foundation, The Black Seed Initiative, Caleres, Missouri Arts Council, the Regional Arts Commission, Rogers-Townsend, The Shubert Foundation, and the Steward Family Foundation.
Opening Night Meet and Greet: Lynn Venhaus, Playwright Paul Webb, Chas Adams
By Lynn Venhaus A film as necessary for this time and throughout the ages, “The Zone of Interest” is a chilling look back at how Germans normalized their extermination of Jews during the Holocaust.
SS Officer Rudolph Hoess, who served the longest as the head commandant of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland (1940-43 and 1944-45), lived in a villa next door with his wife and children.
In the shadow of atrocities, his family enjoyed their dream home, and director Jonathan Glazer depicts their daily life in the most mundane ways possible. Cinematographer Lukasz Zal chiefly observes to underline the horrors taking place a few feet away, using distance instead of close-ups to speak volumes.
This makes the scenario even more unsettling as the Third Reich masterminds meet to discuss carrying out Hitler’s orders for the “Final Solution.”
Several acclaimed films have shown us the brutality of the Holocaust, in various degrees of harrowing, including Oscar winner for Best Picture “Schindler’s List” (1993) and “Son of Saul” (2015), which won the Academy Award for Best International Feature. While “The Zone of Interest” is just as haunting, the horror lies in the obvious apathy of the bystanders.
Hoess was instrumental in implementing pesticide into gas chambers that killed more than a million European Jews. (Later, at his trial, he claimed responsibility for 2.5 million deaths, the rest caused by “starvation and disease.”)
Christian Freidel plays Hoess as a dutiful Nazi, a company man who is pleased with his advancement – the undetected monster in our midst. Sandra Huller, who is having a moment with her other acclaimed performance in “Anatomy of a Fall,” Cannes Palme d’Or winner, portrays his complacent wife, Hedwig. She takes care of the children and runs the household with a desire for order.
In conversations with other wives, she is matter of fact. Her mother, Linna Hensel, played by Imogen Kogge, comes to live with them, and is impressed with their spacious digs and comfortable lifestyle, with servants at the ready and absconded goods delivered to them.
Their insensitivity and lack of empathy is revealed when interacting with others. The women guests covet what’s been pilfered from those rounded up and imprisoned or killed.
Glazer loosely adapted Martin Amis’ 2014 novel but he used real, not fictional, characters as his framework. He has constructed this historical drama to disturb because of what you don’t see and can only imagine based on details we know now.
The idyllic yard, featuring a pool and a garden, is separated by a large concrete fence, but you can hear occasional screams, gunshots, and the incinerator’s fire from a distance, and see ash floating from the crematorium.
The technical audio-visual elements, particularly the sharp editing by Paul Watts, effective sound design by Johnnie Burn and ominous music score by Mica Levi are disquieting in a slow-burn way, building on the dichotomy of the situation.
Glazer, known for “Sexy Beast” starring Ben Kingsley and “Under the Skin” starring Scarlett Johansson, has put a distinctive stamp on this cautionary tale. The end scene is one of the most powerful images in a 2023 film.
Although the film doesn’t add the real details of what happened to Hoess after Germany lost the war, it indicates that he knew their lives were doomed. Convicted of his war crimes against humanity, he was hanged at age 45 in 1947 – at Auschwitz.
“The Zone of Interest,” in subtitles, is an unforgettable work that speaks volumes by what it doesn’t say in its 1 hour, 45-minutes runtime. It is the United Kingdom’s official entry into the Academy Awards’ international feature category and was recently nominated for five Oscars. It won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.
This one will linger because it unnerves, reminding us of how quickly freedoms can be taken away and how evil flourishes when people are systematically dehumanized.
“The Zone of Interest” is a 2023 historical drama written and directed by Jonathan Glazer. It stars Christian Friedel, Sandra Huller, Imogen Kogge and Max Beck. An international feature, it is in German and has English subtitles. Rated PG-13 for thematic material, some suggestive material and smoking, the film runs 1 hour, 45 minutes. It opens in St. Louis area theaters on Jan. 26. Lynn’s Grade: A.
By Alex McPherson A lean, claustrophobic thrill ride, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s “I.S.S.” can’t quite make the most of its premise, but satisfies as an enjoyably paranoid B-movie.
Cowperthwaite’s film unfolds aboard the International Space Station in the near future: a bastion of human cooperation and scientific advancement, at least until now. Scientist Kira (Ariana DeBose) — a newcomer to space travel, whose perspective viewers largely see the film through — and Christian (John Gallagher Jr.), who tells everyone, repeatedly, that he has two daughters back home, journey via the Soyuz spacecraft to the I.S.S. They are welcomed by their charismatic commander Gordon (Chris Messina), as well as Russian cosmonauts Weronika (Masha Mashkova), Alexey (Pilou Asbaek), and leader Nicholai (Costa Ronin).
Everything seems to be going well enough, despite the Station’s cramped workspaces, lack of privacy, and the group’s language barriers. Politics are off limits, a romance is obviously aflame between Gordon and Weronika, and the guarded, straight-laced Kira is able to go about her work (the effects of low-gravity regenerative medicine on mice) sans dealing with personal drama on Earth. Politics, as Kira soon learns during a tense exchange about the song “Wind of Change,” is taboo.
That is, until it’s unavoidable. While looking out the window, Kira notices large flashes of light on Earth’s surface. She initially thinks they’re erupting volcanoes — they are actually nuclear bombs dropped in a war between America and Russia. Before long, Gordon and Nicholai receive orders from their respective countries to take the I.S.S. by any means necessary. The I.S.S. will also burn up upon re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere if nobody in mission control assists.
Kira and company are certainly in a predicament. Chaos ensues as nationalism, selfishness, impulsiveness, and shifting allegiances reign supreme. Who will survive? Can these scientists avoid mutually assured destruction?
Cowperthwaite (perhaps best known for the documentary “Blackfish”) presents a cruel, occasionally clunky look at how easily peace can be shattered when the unprecedented occurs. With a capable cast and immersive cinematography, “I.S.S.” is a cynically entertaining descent into chaos. Simplistic characters and formulaic plot beats hold it back, though, rendering the film more a lightweight piece of popcorn entertainment than a disquieting thriller.
“I.S.S.” is most effective in its first half, as Kira and viewers quickly get acquainted with the space station and its inhabitants, observing the confined corridors and amiable-yet-cautious interactions. Everyone is aware of cultural tensions and doing their best to push them to the side. Geoffrey Wallace’s production design feels authentic and lived-in, and stellar visual effects believably simulate low-gravity, presenting stunning views of space and, later, the smoldering Earth below.
This is a smart location to set a thriller, plus a plausible near-future scenario, and cinematographer Nick Remy Matthews makes the most of it. The camera drifts through hallways, untethered like the scientists to their prior bonds and routines. Nowhere is safe on the I.S.S.. Cowperthwaite keeps viewers on their toes as eavesdroppers lurk behind corners and conversations are suddenly interrupted.
When the bombs drop and the orders come in, for example, Cowperthwaite effectively captures the awkwardness and simmering suspense within the group; Anne Nikitin’s jittery, ominous, slightly overused score cranks the dial even further. These quieter though no less impactful sequences — including a pulse-pounding outdoor repair — are gripping, largely thanks to Cowperthwaite’s direction and solid performances that elevate Nick Shafir’s screenplay.
DeBose gets a chance to show her range as the reserved, guileless Kira — a character wounded by a tragic and disappointing past throwing her all into her work. She’s more passive compared to the other crewmates, unsure who to believe and what to do once the situation spirals out of control. DeBose lends nuance to the role — letting the cracks shine through Kira’s façade early on that reflect her damaged past. Her performance is particularly effective in the first half, before Cowperthwaite reverts to narrative extremes that take precedence over character depth.
Messina lends charm and charisma to Gordon — the astronaut doing his best to keep everything under control — and Mashkova lends warmth, authority, and heartache as Weronika. Asbaek reveals hidden layers to the gruff Alexey, while Gallagher Jr. and Ronin are given less to work with and veer into cartoonish territory; paranoid, prideful characters who might or might not go off the deep end.
Indeed, notwithstanding a couple exceptions, the film doesn’t devote much time to developing these characters beyond who they are in their worst, most desperate moments. This could be due to the 95-minute runtime, but in its lack of cultural specificity (Cowperthwaite avoids delving too much into politics herself) and willingness to buck tradition, they’re reduced more to feelings than three-dimensional beings. They illuminate various elements of the human experience without giving us time or reason to get fully invested. As a result, they only rarely transcend archetypes.
Combined with some late-movie plot twists that take proceedings to preposterous levels, it’s difficult to become all that involved in the film’s drama. Nationalism and survival can certainly push people to act rashly, but “I.S.S.” ultimately feels too schematic for its own good. Some late-movie scuffles shift from harrowing to goofy, as Nikitin’s score blares and every actor tries to look as shocked as possible.
Still, so long as viewers don’t think too much about the carnage on display, “I.S.S.” remains engaging. As typical January movie fare goes, it soars high above the competition.
“I.S.S.” is a 2024 science fiction-thriller directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and stars Ariana DeBose, Chris Messina, John Gallagher Jr., Masha Mashkova, Costa Ronin and Pilou Asbaek. It runs 1 hour, 35 minutes and is rated R for some language and violence. It opens in theatres Jan. 19. Alex’s Grade: B
The movement is a rhythm to us Freedom is like religion to us Justice is juxtapositionin’ us Justice for all just ain’t specific enough
–“Glory” by Common and John Legend 2015 Oscar winner for Best Song, from the movie “Selma”
A remarkable history lesson more so than a lecture, “Hold On!” features a powerhouse ensemble recreating a pivotal period in 1965 that was a clarion call then and eerily an alarm bell now.
The Black Rep honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with the timing of opening weekend to coincide with the federal holiday marking his Jan. 15 birthday, which has taken place on the third Monday of January every year since 1983.
King, the most prominent advocate for nonviolent activism to protest racial discrimination, helped get the Voting Rights Act signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on Aug. 6, 1965, after convincing the president a year earlier to sign the landmark Civil Rights Act (July 2, 1964), the same year he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (Dec. 2, 1964).
Their fascinating relationship was at times contentious but also collaborative, and those power battles royale are embodied by Enoch King as resolute MLK and Brian Dykstra as salty LBJ.
Dykstra easily slips into playing the master politician Johnson, for he has appeared twice before in the role – but in the drama “All the Way” that was produced at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis in fall 2015, which focuses on the civil rights endeavors in ’64, and as Brian Cox’s understudy in “The Great Society,” playwright Robert Schenkkan’s sequel, on Broadway in 2019
King is tenacious as the motivational visionary, remaining idealistic about moving people to action in divisive times. Both King and Johnson knew they couldn’t advance anything alone but needed supporters to be fervent about progress. The good reverend is a shrewd strategist in getting what he wants with the President, whose legendary battles with the “Dixiecrats” are well-documented.
While both were certainly flawed individuals, they were able to come together and change the course of America, pushing to outlaw discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.
On March 15, 1965, LBJ delivered a speech before Congress on voting rights — stating that the civil rights problems challenged the entire country, not one region. He asked for legislation that dictated clear, uniform guidelines for voting regardless of race or ethnicity, which would allow all citizens to register to vote free from harassment.
Through a turbulent lens, this sobering play looks back when blacks were being murdered in the South, just for daring to register to vote, use their voice to speak up and stand up, and the killers were not punished. These incidents still pack a gut-punch, and this drama, thriller-like, illuminates gathering storms, and as history prompts us, we must be vigilant.
In 1965, Selma represented the epicenter, and in Alabama, the struggle for justice and equality escalated. This well-researched historical work by Paul Webb depicts the drive for voting rights that resulted in the March 7 “Bloody Sunday” where protesters were beaten at the Edmund Pettus Bridge trying to march to Montgomery, the state capital.
Two weeks later, King, James Forman and John Lewis led marchers on that landmark trail after a U.S. District judge upheld the rights of demonstrators.
Webb, a British playwright and screenwriter who is credited with the screenplay for the 2014 film “Selma,” first began the project as a play, then moved forward instead with the film, but in the years since, has revised and finished his play. The Black Rep is the first company to produce it.
The Civil Rights Movement was a long and winding road, starting in 1954 and ending in 1968. Webb, fascinated by the motives of both Johnson and King during the 1964-65 period, has formatted the play as a series of vignettes, with 21 scenes, carried out by a cast of 14.
Ambitious, yes, and director Ron Himes deftly moves along characters and action, focusing on the urgency.
This true story has a lot of moving parts to convey onstage, establishing characters who figure prominently in the tumultuous days highlighted. Scenes are mostly divided between Selma, Atlanta (King’s residence), Brown Chapel and Washington D.C., where Dunsi Dai’s evocative scenic design includes the Oval Office as a focal point, and Meg Brinkley’s prop design conveys.
Because of the nature of a stage play, the action offstage is chronicled through news clippings and video reports, which projections designer Zach Cohn has astutely put together.
The play is dense at first, takes a while to gain momentum, but when it does, it’s riveting and empowering.
Those unfamiliar with this period may need a primer to know who the key players are. People alive then or who remember it from the history books may recall who Alabama Gov. George Wallace and Dallas County Sheriff Jim Clark are, both masterfully played as hot-headed intolerant bigots by Eric Dean White.
The segregationists were firmly entrenched in the power grid during the Jim Crow era, and the selective timeline deepens the storytelling,
Making an impression as racist Al Lingo of the Alabama Highway Patrol and heroic activists Jimmie Lee Jackson and Annie Lee Cooper are Jeff Cummings, Jason Little and Tamara Thomas, who also play another role each.
Little and Thomas are strong in their characterizations of ordinary citizens who represent how despicably treated minorities were – and you’ll remember those names.
Isaiah Di Lorenzo smoothly plays a cruel county courthouse registrar and a redneck state trooper in addition to presidential speech writer Richard N. Goodwin. Thomas Patrick Riley tackles three unflattering roles – the ignorant courthouse worker Leverne, and an unenlightened deputy and state trooper. Tammie Holland is posh as King’s fling Della.
Other dedicated performers resemble the real people of King’s inner circle so we don’t forget their contributions: Greg Carr Sr. as Ralph Abernathy, Olajuwon Davis as James Foreman, Greg Carr II as (future Congressman) John Lewis, Joel Antony as Hosiah Williams and Little doubling as Andrew Young (future Congressman, US Ambassador to the United Nations and Atlanta mayor).
These characters earned a place in history but perhaps are unknown to subsequent generations. (And if history is being rewritten in certain school districts…I digress).
Evann DeBose
For the play version, Webb laudably expanded the role of Coretta Scott King, and Evann DeBose is radiant –and assertive — as a woman working alongside her famous husband on the same goals, a strong force who won’t be diminished or treated callously.
Musically inclined, Coretta is shown singing and playing the piano (kudos to pianist Antonio Foster). DeBose’s soulful and heartfelt renditions of songs associated with the movement — Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” from 1964 and “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize,” a folk song referencing Biblical passages, also known as “Hold On,” popularized in 1963, remain indelible. The rallying anthem “We Shall Overcome” had to be prominently featured and it is.
One of the highlights of this production is sound designer Lamar Harris’ original music score. His compositions vividly capture the moods and punctuate the action in a notable way.
Some of the horrifying attacks are choreographed movements to represent the explosive violence and shrouded in blue lighting by expert designer Sean M. Savoie. Annie Lee Cooper’s front-page-news punch to the sheriff is well-staged for optimum effect.
Costume designer Marc W. Vital II has put together appropriate vintage looks for the women and standard business attire for the men. Special recognition goes to stage manager Tracy D. Holliway Wiggins and assistant Alan Phillips for maintaining the flow of all the comings and goings, no easy feat.
It’s important to keep this story at the forefront today because of its relevancy to equal rights.
The shock of brutal attacks with prejudice and without accountability reminds us that we are again living in tense times and protections are not absolute. As far as we have come in 59 years, scary to even think suppression is happening again.
It’s difficult to wrap one’s head around that more than 60 years ago, people died for the right to vote, and as I write this, voting rights are being threatened. However, a movement is underway supporting the Freedom to Vote Act of 2021 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023, which would modernize and revitalize the 1965 Voting Rights Act, strengthening legal protections against discriminatory voting policies and practices. Maybe “Hold On!” will be a timely nudge in the right direction.
“Hold On!” is a fine example of people keeping their eye on the prize, illustrating how many marched away from the darkness and into the light because of King’s special skills, and those he passed the torch to during his lifetime and beyond. It’s a refresher course on Selma not being a bridge too far.
Facin’ the league of justice, his power was the people Enemy is lethal, a king became regal Saw the face of Jim Crow under a bald eagle The biggest weapon is to stay peaceful We sing, our music is the cuts that we bleed through Somewhere in the dream we had an epiphany Now we right the wrongs in history No one can win the war individually It takes the wisdom of the elders and young people’s energy One day when the glory comes
–“Glory”
The Black Rep presents the world premiere of “Hold On!” Jan. 10-Jan. 28 with performances Wednesday-Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Performances take place Jan. 10-28. Tickets are $50, or $45 for seniors and $20 for students (17+), with student rush tickets $15. No one aged 5 and under is admitted. Season 47 subscriptions are available. Tickets can be purchased at the Edison Theatre box office; the Black Rep’s box office, 813 N. Skinker Blvd.; or by calling 314-534-3810. For more information, visit: www.theblackrep.org
Cinema St. Louis is pleased to partner with the St. Louis Black Repertory Company for a special screening of the film, “Selma,” on Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Hi-Pointe Theatre at 1 pm. General Admission Tickets are $10, and a discounted ticket of $8 is available for current students and senior citizens aged 55+.” Visit site for tickets: https://www.cinemastlouis.org/selma-screening-black-rep
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced the winners of the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards live on The CW. Hosted by Chelsea Handler, the star-studded gala was held at The Barker Hangar in Los Angeles.
“Oppenheimer” led the winners in the film categories, earning eight awards including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr., Best Acting Ensemble, Best Director for Christopher Nolan, Best Cinematography for Hoyte van Hoytema, Best Editing for Jennifer Lame, Best Visual Effects, and Best Score for Ludwig Göransson.
In the series categories, “The Bear” and “Beef” each took home four trophies, while “Succession” earned three. “The Bear” won Best Comedy Series, Best Actor in a Comedy Series for Jeremy Allen White, Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Ayo Edebiri, and Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Ebon Moss-Bachrach. “Beef” won for Best Limited Series, Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Steven Yeun, Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Ali Wong, and Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Maria Bello. “Succession” won Best Drama Series, Best Actor in a Drama Series for Kieran Culkin, and Best Actress in a Drama Series for Sarah Snook.
James Mangold presented the Career Achievement Award to Harrison Ford in a very special highlight of the evening, while Margot Robbie presented this year’s SeeHer Award to America Ferrera. The SeeHer Award honors a woman who advocates for gender equality, portrays characters with authenticity, defies stereotypes and pushes boundaries.
The 29th annual Critics Choice Awards show was executive-produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment. The Critics Choice Awards are represented by Dan Black at Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Sponsors of the Awards included Verizon, Delta Air Lines, FIJI Water, Cold Stone Creamery, Milagro Tequila, Champagne Collet, d’Arenberg and Maison L’Envoyé wines.
Follow the 29th annual Critics Choice Awards on Twitter and Instagram @CriticsChoice and on Facebook/CriticsChoiceAwards. Join the conversation using #CriticsChoiceAwards.
INNERS OF THE 29TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS
FILM CATEGORIES
BEST PICTURE Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST ACTOR Paul Giamatti – The Holdovers (Focus)
BEST ACTRESS Emma Stone – Poor Things (Searchlight)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Robert Downey Jr. – Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Da’Vine Joy Randolph – The Holdovers (Focus)
BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS Dominic Sessa – The Holdovers (Focus)
BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST DIRECTOR Christopher Nolan – Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach – Barbie (WB)
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Cord Jefferson – American Fiction (Amazon)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Hoyte van Hoytema – Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Sarah Greenwood, Katie Spencer – Barbie (WB)
BEST EDITING Jennifer Lame – Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN Jacqueline Durran – Barbie (WB)
BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP Barbie (WB)
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Oppenheimer (Universal)
BEST COMEDY Barbie (WB)
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Anatomy of a Fall (Neon)
BEST SONG “I’m Just Ken” – Barbie (WB)
BEST SCORE Ludwig Göransson – Oppenheimer (Universal)
SERIES CATEGORIES
BEST DRAMA SERIES Succession (HBO | Max)
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Kieran Culkin – Succession (HBO | Max)
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Sarah Snook – Succession (HBO | Max)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Billy Crudup – The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown (Netflix)
BEST COMEDY SERIES The Bear (FX)
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Jeremy Allen White – The Bear (FX)
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Ayo Edebiri – The Bear (FX)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear (FX)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Meryl Streep – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
BEST LIMITED SERIES Beef (Netflix)
BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Quiz Lady (Hulu)
BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Steven Yeun – Beef (Netflix)
BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Ali Wong – Beef (Netflix)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Jonathan Bailey – Fellow Travelers (Showtime)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION Maria Bello – Beef (FX)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES Lupin (Netflix)
BEST ANIMATED SERIES Scott Pilgrim Takes Off (Netflix)
BEST TALK SHOW Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO | Max)
BEST COMEDY SPECIAL John Mulaney: Baby J (Netflix)
ABOUT THE CRITICS CHOICE ASSOCIATION (CCA)
The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 600 media critics and entertainment journalists. It was established in 2019 with the formal merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, recognizing the intersection between film, television, and streaming content. For more information, visit:
Award-winning local performers Kimmie Kidd-Booker and Chris Moore will be the emcees for Arts For Life’s annual Trivia Night on Saturday, Jan. 27. Tables are still available.
The event will take place at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Road, St. Louis, with doors open at 6:30 p.m. and 10 rounds of general-knowledge questions to begin at 7 p.m.
Cash prizes will be awarded to first and second place teams. There will be a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, mulligans available, and a costume contest.
This year’s theme is Ticket to Paris, as the city will host the Summer Olympics, mark the 135th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower and the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Feel free to dress up as any French character in entertainment or real life. Vive la France!
Nominations will be announced for the annual Theatre Mask Awards (plays) and Best Performance Awards (musicals) honoring excellence in community theater and youth productions during 2023.
“Don’t miss the most fun time in metropolitan St. Louis’ community theater!” said AFL President Mary McCreight.
Tables of 8 players are available, at $160 per table. Soft drinks are provided. To make a reservation, visit https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/ or www.artsforlife.org. You can also email: afltrg@artsforlife.org for more information. Mulligans will be available, at 5 for $10 or 10 for $20.
For the past 24 years, AFL has honored musical theater with the Best Performance Awards and introduced the Theatre Mask Awards to honor comedy and drama productions in 2015.
This year’s TMA ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 20, at the Royale Orleans in South County and the Best Performance Awards will be held on Sunday, June 30, in the Keating Theatre at Kirkwood High School. More information will be forthcoming.
“These events recognize the incredible talent we have in St. Louis community theater and honor the passion and dedication of those who build this amazing and unique theatrical community,” McCreight said.
Chris Moore
Arts For Life is a local not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the healing power of the arts through its work with youth, the underserved and the community, with its goal of “Making a Dramatic Difference.”
AFL is dedicated to promoting public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
For more information, email afltrg@artsforlife.org. or visit the website.
The national tour of the Broadway musical HAMILTON will return to the Fabulous Fox Theatre as part of the 2024-2025 Broadway season, as announced Jan. 11 in celebration of Alexander Hamilton’s birthday by producer Jeffrey Seller and the Fabulous Fox Theatre.
The best way to guarantee tickets to HAMILTON is to purchase a season subscription for the Fabulous Fox Theatre’s 2024-2025 Broadway season. Season ticket holders who renew their subscription for the 2024-2025 season will get priority access to purchase tickets for the return engagement of HAMILTON before tickets become available to the general public. The 2024-2025 Broadway season will be announced at a later date.
HAMILTON will be playing the Fabulous Fox Theatre for two weeks only August 28 – September 8, 2024. Information on how to purchase groups and single tickets will be announced at a later time.
A revolutionary story of passion, unstoppable ambition, and the dawn of a new nation. HAMILTON is the epic saga that follows the rise of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton as he fights for honor, love, and a legacy that would shape the course of a nation.
Based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography and set to a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. In addition to its 11 Tony Awards, it has won Grammy®, Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.
HAMILTON features book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire.
HAMILTON features scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, and casting by Telsey + Company, Bethany Knox, CSA.
The musical is produced by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman and The Public Theater.
The HAMILTON Original Broadway Cast Recording is available everywhere nationwide.
For information on HAMILTON, visit: HamiltonMusical.com. Follow HAMILTON on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X & TikTok @HamiltonMusical.
