The St. Louis Black Repertory Company revisits the opening production of its 45th Anniversary Season with Sweat by Lynn Nottage in a celebratory performance at the William Inge Theater Festival in Independence, Kansas. Addressing the complexities of race, class and friendship at a pivotal moment in America, the powerful work will be directed once again by Founder and Producing Director Ron Himes.
The William Inge Theater Festival will celebrate its 39th anniversary April 21-23, 2022 by honoring Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage with the Distinguished Achievement in the American Theater Award. Lynn Nottage is the first Black woman to receive the award.
Nottage is the only woman to date to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama two times. Her Pulitzer Prize-winning plays are Ruined and Sweat, and they are two among scores of award-winning stories written for theatre, film, and television.
“Playwright Nottage tensely captures the root of our current political and racial tension in society today,” said Himes. “Are we only looking out for ourselves or are we responsible for each other?”
Says William Inge Center for the Arts Producing Artistic Director, Hannah Joyce, “I believe audiences will be deeply moved by Nottage’s work which champions the everyman, the working class, and marginalized. She writes the struggle and humanity of her characters with enormous compassion and respect. There’s no finer playwright in our country than Lynn Nottage to represent true excellence in the American theatre. The William Inge Center for the Arts is long overdue in the presentation of this recognition. We are honored by her acceptance of the Distinguished Achievement in the American Theatre Award.”
The cast of Sweat for The Black Rep’s production features Velma Austin (Cynthia), Wali Jamal Abdullah (Brucie), Amy Loui (Tracey), Don McClendon (Evan), and Brian McKinley (Chris). Franklin Killian (Jason), Blake Anthony Edwards (Stan), Gregory Almanza (Oscar), and Kelly Howe (Jessie) will all be joining the cast once again, as well as Christina Yancy (U/S Cynthia).
The production will feature Scenic Design by Tim Jones, Lighting Design by Jonathan D. Alexander, Costume Design by Hali Liles, Sound Design by Kareem Deanes, and Properties Design by Meg Brinkley. Fight Choreography was done by Paul Steger who is certified by the Society of American Fight Directors and holds advanced certificates from the British Academy of Stage and Screen Combat & Fight Directors. Jim Anthony is the Stage Manager and Acting Fellow Taijha Silas is the Assistant Stage Manager.
Nottage will attend the Festival and accept the Award in person; she will join writers such as Wendy Wasserstein, August Wilson, Neil Simon, Paula Vogel, Stephen Sondheim, David Henry Hwang, and Arthur Miller—among many other theatre luminaries—who have traveled to Independence to accept the Festival’s Distinguished Achievement in the American Theatre Award.
The Black Rep’s “Sweat”
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About The Black Rep
The Black Rep, a 45-year-old legacy Black arts organization, is committed to producing, re-imagining, and commissioning work written by Black playwrights and creating opportunities for new voices and youth. Founded by Producing Director Ron Himes, the vision for The Black Rep continues: a more equitable distribution of opportunities and resources for Black professionals and students in the theatre; improved representation on and back-stage in the theatre industry; and a fostered community culture of support and mentorship for those who will follow.
Two words: Demented puppets. In this “Avenue Q” meets “Book of Mormon” pitch-black comedy, “Hand to God” builds audacity and unease in equal measure as the audience’s raucous laughter grows.
As edgy as St. Louis Actors’ Studio can get, this brazen work is unlike anything you have previously seen in the intimate Gaslight Theatre black box. The laugh-out-loud guffaws are as frequent as the jaw-dropping gasps.
How this crackerjack ensemble of three men and two women maintains straight faces throughout interactions over two acts is indeed admirable. Director Andrea Urice takes a bold approach with the characters and keeps a brisk pace as actions become darker and more disturbing.
Playwright Robert Askins bluntly presents an outrageous premise that involves Christian faith, sin, righteousness, demonic possession and dealing with teenage angst in a modest small-town church setting.
Those easily offended should be warned – not only is the language obscene, but so are the puppets Tyrone and Joleen, who engage in explicit sex acts in one scene.
During Christian Puppet Ministry rehearsals in a church basement, one mild-mannered but conflicted teen, Jason, has lost control of his puppet Tyrone, who seems to have taken on an alarming identity, hell-bent to harm others, including his puppeteer.
Jason, as played by Mitch Henry-Eagles, is a meek young man whose complicated relationships with his widowed mother Margery (Colleen Backer), the vulgar school bully Timmy (Josh Rotker), the assertive girl-next-door Jessica (Phoebe Richards), and the town pastor (Eric Dean White), fuel the dual personalities.
Normally, puppets are used in church programs to teach young children Bible lessons, but this scenario is an upside-down bizarro world. Jason’s mom takes charge of the puppet club that has only three teenagers in it.
As Jason’s behavior turns more unsettling as his homemade bad-boy Tyrone takes over, so does the exasperation and shock of the people around him, who have their own complex issues, which also leads to wildly inappropriate behavior in the polite Christian circle.
Tyrone, at first, acts like a philosopher who has little tolerance for fools and piety. Is it Jason expressing his true self? His profanity-laced tirades take aim at hypocrisy in complacent society. He acts like he’s telling tales around the campfire – but pours gasoline on with uncomfortable truths.
Much of what Tyrone says is funny, even when it is offensive. Conveying intensity and impertinence, Henry-Eagles handles the long-winded puppet rants skillfully – it doesn’t matter that there is little pretense as to which character is talking.
He affects an interesting vocal cadence as his alter-ego, part-infuriated and part-world-weary. With crisp comic-timing, he makes this dialogue crackle – and nimbly says the most outrageous things matter-of-factly, not unlike how the iconoclastic “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone present their young cartoon characters.
But these ingrained church-going characters in Cypress, Texas (the playwright’s hometown), are flesh and blood, with the operative word “blood” here – Tyrone has now developed razor-sharp teeth and blood-red devil eyes. Could he be Satan?
The demonic tone and chaos indicates the Prince of Darkness has taken hold of Tyrone, using hapless Jason as his evil conduit, and although plans to conduct an exorcism aren’t followed through, things take a sharp turn to the dark side. Sinful behavior is acted out, destruction of property takes place, and Tyrone expresses painful secrets that the horrified characters wanted to keep to themselves.
Henry-Eagles has excelled in challenging roles before – particularly in “Trash Macbeth,” “Oedipus Apparatus” and “Titus Androgynous,” but none as demanding as the anxious boy-rascal puppet combo.
Askins used the phrase, “hand to God,” which conjures up truth-telling, as the title to his no-holds-barred portrait of Fundamentalist Christian characters and his views on faith, morality and our community and family ties.
The irreverent play ran off-Broadway in 2011 and 2014, earned an Obie Award, then transferred to Broadway in 2015 – later featuring Bob Saget as Pastor Greg. Nominated for Best Play and four other Tony Awards, the satire capitalizes on embracing the full-throttle naughtiness while trashing society’s niceties.
The play’s construction is rather choppy, meant to shock and be subversive. While it is thought-provoking, especially on the concepts of saviors and demons, it is inconclusive on purpose, preferring to leave things open to interpretation. The stitched-together feeling – and what appears to be a rushed ending — is a minus while the performances are laudatory.
As the characters become sexually attracted to each other, upheaval ensues – and this cast demonstrates their fearlessness.
Colleen Backer, one of the St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s best regulars, is a gifted comedienne whose strength is appearing to be a normal woman with a sweet demeanor, but her characters are often down-and-dirty deviants – criminally or sexually. Here, she’s a repressed widow whose libido is unleashed by a much younger not-of-age kid. Her actions are as startling as what she blurts out unfiltered.
As the troublemaker Timmy, Josh Rotker is crass in an impish way, and Phoebe Richards’ Jessica is a typical bland teenage girl – until she’s not, using her risqué puppet to act out her urges.
As the well-meaning Pastor Greg, Eric Dean White smoothly handles the thankless role with aplomb. He’s trying to make sense of a spooky Christian Hell dream and is flummoxed on how to lead his congregation into the light without any collateral damage.
The cast moves well on stage, with both a fight choreographer – Cameron Ullrich, and an intimacy choreographer – Dominique “Nikki” Green enlisted to aid the cast.
Scenic Designer Patrick Huber again astounds – not because it’s an elaborate, intricate set like “The Little Foxes” or “August, Osage County,” but because he makes three different set pieces work in an imaginative way, moving a wall to facilitate. The church may be a drab place for spiritual activities, but Huber’s functional movement is impressive.
At the start of the second act, we see a distressing site in the worship space – crucified dolls, mutilated stuffed animals and graffiti. Jenny Smith’s efforts in props and puppet design are terrific – and eye-catching.
Lighting designers Patrick Huber and Steven J. Miller modulate the eeriness, the normal set demands, and a pesky overhead lightbulb that may have a mind of its own for noteworthy illumination.
Robin Weatherall’s sound design adds to the overall creepy vibe and Teresa Doggett’s costume design depicts small-town Texans (of course Pastor Greg is in a polo shirt and khakis).
The characters’ naivete takes a dive into the deep end of the pool, baptized by hellfire. They are changed forever, and it would have been interesting to see what happened next. The mischief was fun, and the cast good sports, but…nagging questions remain.
Still, the knives are sharp, the barbs are pointy and the humor acerbic. Whether you have fun or not will depend on how comfortable you are with boundary-pushing situations on stage.
The St. Louis Actors’ Studio presents “Hand to God” April 8-24, with Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. at the Gaslight Theatre, N. Boyle Ave., in the Central West End. The play contains adult themes and language – discretion is advised. For more information: www.stlas.org or call box office at 314-458-2978. Seating is limited.
Eric Dean White and Colleen Backer
Patrons must wear masks inside the building. The Gaslight is a fully vaccinated theater – please provide proof of vaccination in advance and it will be kept on file at the box office or bring it on the day of the show. There will be hand sanitizer and disposable masks available as well.
Two classic 1930s comedies and a World War II anti-fascist drama were multiple winners at the seventh annual Theatre Mask Awards presented by Arts For Life on April 9.
Award-winning theater companies included Act Two Theatre in St. Peters, Mo., Clayton Community Theatre, Kirkwood Theatre Guild, Monroe Actors Stage Company in Waterloo, Ill., O’Fallon Theatre Works in O’Fallon, Mo., and the Theatre Guild of Webster Groves.
Through the nonprofit organization AFL, the TMAs have honored drama and comedy plays in the St. Louis and metro-east Illinois metropolitan area since 2015.
Saturday was AFL’s first live and in-person awards event since 2019, although the TMAs were awarded virtually in 2020 and 2021.
Live theater returned at regional community theater companies in the St. Louis-metro-east metropolitan area last year, with nine productions eligible for TMAs.
Kirkwood Theatre Guild’s production of the 1939 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” won five awards, including acting honors for Ken Lopinot as Outstanding Leading Actor in a Comedy, for playing the insufferable house guest and NYC radio wit Sheridan Whiteside; Kent Coffel as Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy, for playing British actor/playwright Beverly Carlton; and Brittany Kohl Hester as Outstanding Leading Actress in a Comedy as Whiteside’s secretary Maggie Cutler. The play also won for Best Director Danny Brown and Costume Designer Abby Pastorello.
Company of “The Man Who Came to Dinner” at Kirkwood Theatre Company
The play features 38 parts. KTG led all groups with 13 nominations, and had tied the record for most acting nominations in a single show, with eight for “The Man Who Came to Dinner.” In 2019, Clayton Community Theatre garnered eight for Neil Simon’s “Biloxi Blues.”
Act Two Theatre in St. Peters, Mo., took home four awards for Noel Coward’s sophisticated ghost story “Blithe Spirit” — Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Ensemble of a Play, Jacki Goodall winning Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy for portraying flamboyant medium Madame Arcati and Chase Coates for Best Lighting Design. They had received 11 nominations, second only to KTG.
Monroe Actors Stage Company in Waterloo, Ill., had nine nominations for Lillian Helman’s 1941 drama “Watch on the Rhine,” with two women winning for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Drama, Julia L. Petraborg as Sara Mueller, the American wife of the German engineer protagonist, and Caitlin Bomberger for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama as Marthe de Brancovis, who is married to a Nazi sympathizer.
Shane Rudolph
Other winners included Shane Rudolph for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama as escaped convict and ruthless killer Glenn Griffin in “The Desperate Hours,” which was presented by the Theatre Guild of Webster Groves, and Jonathan Garland for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama as the philosophical pianist Toledo in August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” produced by Clayton Community Theatre.
Christopher Lanham and Ellie Lanham won Outstanding Set Design for their work on O’Fallon Theatre Work’s “Little Women.”
Seven award winners were first-time nominees. The 14 awards were presented during a brunch ceremony at The Christy in St. Louis.
This year’s TMAs were reduced from 19 to 14 awards, because of a smaller number of productions.
TMA Chairman Melissa Boyer was grateful to be celebrating theater again.
“2021 was a year of uncertainty, but I want to commend the passion and the bravery of our judges in venturing out to support our theaters. Congratulations to the many companies that were able to reopen this year with outstanding productions. And considering we only had a half a year – nine shows is outstanding,” Boyer said.
“So happy to see the enthusiasm among theater groups for recognizing excellence among their peers and cheering each other on. I heard many positive comments,” said AFL President Mary McCreight.
Mark Lull, a local actor, nine-time awards nominee, and member of the AFL board of directors, served as the emcee.
Presenters included Kelsey McCroskey, Jesse Resimius, Heather Sartin, Ellen Schroeder, Nathan Schroeder, Caitlin Souers and Keaton Treece. Stephen Anderson handed out the trophies.
Prior to the pandemic, 15 theater groups and 10 youth-only groups participated in the BPAs while 11 were involved in the TMAs. As the region’s mitigations efforts were ongoing the past two years, only four youth-only groups and nine community theater organizations produced BPA-eligible musicals while seven participated in TMAs in 2021.
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.
Caitlin Bomberger “Watch on the Rhine,” MASC
Best Performance Awards June 12
Next up is the Best Performance Awards, which has honored musical theater in community and youth productions since AFL’s founding in 1999.
Because of the public health crisis, AFL held its BPAs virtually in 2020, while BPAs were not held in 2021.
The 22nd Best Performance Awards will be at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 12, at the Frontenac Hilton, Clayton Ballroom, 1335 S Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis 63131.
Formal attire is requested, and the event will be general admission theater-style seating. A cash bar will be available.
This year’s BPAs include nominees from the shortened 2020 and 2021 theater seasons.
BPA tickets are either $20 as an early bird pricing before May 12, or $25 after that until June 12. They are available online with a service fee of $2 added: https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/.
Reservations can be arranged through the mail and tickets can be picked up at the venues on event day. Please make check payable to ARTS FOR LIFE and mail to PO Box 16426, St. Louis, MO 63125.
All BPA ticket orders will be held at the box office unless a self-addressed stamped envelope is included with ticket order. If ordering for a group, please attach a list of individual names for box office pick-up.
Please contact us at afltrg@artsforlife.org if you have any special seating needs or COVID-19 related concerns. Handicapped seating is available
Groups participating in this year’s BPAs include Christ Memorial Productions, Dayspring Arts and Education, Gateway Center for the Performing Arts, Goshen Theatre Project, Hawthorne Players, Kirkwood Theatre Guild, KTK Productions, Looking Glass Playhouse, Monroe Actors Stage Company, O’Fallon Theatre Works, Over Due Theatre, Spotlight Productions and Take Two Productions.
For more information, visit the website at www.artsforlife.org
By Lynn Venhaus An interminable wild and crazy car chase through the streets of Los Angeles all before evening rush hour, “Ambulance” is banking on viewers to throw logic out the window and be so eager for an explosion-filled action blockbuster that they will overlook the nonsense.
When a bank robbery goes horribly wrong, two brothers (Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) steal an ambulance with a wounded cop (Jackson White) and am EMT (Eiza Gonzalez) inside.
Even by director Michael Bay’s over-the-top standards, the frenetic pace turns tiresome. For two hours and 16 minutes, screenwriter Chris Fedak throws everything but the kitchen sink into the never-ending storyline. (But it’s not original – it’s based on a 2005 Danish movie, “Ambulancen,” written by Laurits Munch-Pedersen and Lars Andreas Pedersen).
As in the first “Bad Boys” that put Bay on the cinematic map in 1995 — after his lucrative award-winning advertising and music video endeavors, the two male leads are at odds with each other.
This time, its two brothers – one the unhinged bank robber Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is a chip off the old block, for dad was a psycho criminal mastermind, and the other, Will (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), adopted as a young boy, who has become a decorated war hero with a wife and baby. The family dynamic is key to their motivation.
Will’s wife Amy (luminous Moses Ingram) needs an experimental surgery that insurance won’t pay and they can’t afford, so he comes to his shady brother for a handout, but winds up as part of his hit squad to steal $32 million from a downtown bank.
Of course, it will go spectacularly awry, and we’re off on a harrowing journey where their brotherly bond will be tested while they argue and reminisce. And sing along to Christopher Cross’ “Sailing.”
Jake Gyllenhaal plays the unhinged brother, a bank robber, in “Ambulance.”
The intense Gyllenhaal and compelling Abdul-Mateen are fine actors, but they can’t even save this drivel (or save face). The supporting cast is engaging as well, despite their caricature roles – hey, people need paychecks in pandemic times.
Eiza Gonzalez grounds the movie as best she can as Bay’s customary long-haired brunette female protagonist (look it up — Liv Tyler, Megan Fox). She plays Cam Thompson, a highly skilled paramedic but flawed human whose cool detachment from cases shows that she has ice water running through her veins.
Her character is tasked with saving the life of a rookie beat cop (Jackson White) who has been shot while they are taken hostage by the bickering brothers. She will learn to operate on the fly, tutored by surgeons on smart phones – while they are at the golf course.
Oh, the head-scratching doesn’t stop there. Every L.A. public safety team will be dispatched — patrolmen, undercover cops, SWAT teams, special units. And let’s not forget the feds – the FBI bank division agents.
The police team leader Captain Monroe (Garret Dillahunt) has a gigantic dog named Nitro and eats Flaming Hot Cheetos while the reckless high-speed pursuit never slows down.
Newly promoted FBI division chief Anson (Keir O’Donnell) is in a marriage therapy session with his partner when he gets the call.
“Do they even rob banks anymore?” the therapist says. (This is what passes for humor).
Let’s now cue up the grizzled old-school Boomer chief vs. the uptight Millennial suit – who just happened to attend college with ruthless Danny.
How convenient! Every contrivance and every possible calamity will befall law enforcement while some will perish in explosions – all to save the young guy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Let the argument about rose wine commence. And bring in pink flamingoes, quote a Sean Connery movie for love advice, and intersperse the action with childhood flashbacks.
And keep it extremely loud. Not only is Lorne Balfe’s music score the most annoying, tedious one of the year – yeah, I know it’s early, but every decibel is ramped up to 11.
The accelerated speed heightens the anxiety – do we really need more now at this time in our lives? Questionable decisions will distract (Wouldn’t Officer Zach be having a raging infection from a hairclip turned surgical aid? Wouldn’t the LA traffic be gridlocked most of the day? What’s with Bay and sun atmosphere shots? And how many cars crash here?)
The ex-Marine brother will come up with military tactics to keep them on the run while the bad boy bro will use his Mexican cartel connections to stay alive. The tattooed and scary looking thugs operate in a bridal dress warehouse where young teens are shopping for Quinceanera dresses.
If you have issues with motion sickness, you may want to think twice before putting yourself through Bay’s swooping, swirling shots. Now that he uses drones, beware.
Bay makes action-packed crowd-pleasers with signature big explosions — “Armageddon,” “Transformers” and “The Rock,” — but does this movie have to be chaotic and confusing?
Dialing down some of the ridiculous occurrences could have kept a tighter focus. The leads are appealing, but even they stretch credibility. One of Bay’s best films, “13 Hours,” is reality-based.
But I guess that’s asking too much — to veer off the familiar beaten path. This movie needs an escape hatch sooner than later.
“Ambulance” is a 2022 action-crime drama, directed by Michael Bay and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Eiza Gonzalez, Jackson White, Keir O’Donnell and Garret Dillahunt. It runs 2 hours, 16 minutes, and is rated R for intense violence, bloody images, and language throughout. It opens in theaters on April 8. Lynn’s Grade: D.
The new North American tour of “Hairspray,” which opened at the Fox Theatre on Tuesday, April 5, and runs through Saturday, April 9, is a sly bit musical entertainment.
In its 20-year history, it’s been given eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, had national tours and foreign productions and been adapted as a 2007 musical film. And let’s not forget the source material: the 1988 film written and directed by the multi-talented, agent provocateur John Waters. It’s got, as they say, legs. They may not be the shapely gams of old, but they can still move – and move an audience.
Despite some naysayers on the “interwebs” who have quibbled that this touring production of “Hairspray” is a bit tired and hasn’t aged as gracefully as it might, the packed audience at the Fox would beg to differ. They came for an energetic, entertaining pop/rock musical and this production delivered two engaging, well-intentioned hours of clapping, tapping, and laughing.
Which brings us back to why “Hairspray” is a sly bit of entertainment. Waters’ story, which drives the book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, uses humor and a relatable, satisfying underdog plot with a happy ending to explore the issues of class, race, dreams deferred and body shaming. It’s got, as they say, heart, which it wears on its sequined sleeves.
As Waters has said, “I respect everything I make fun of.” That respect is still vitally apparent, even when wrapped in the delicious — in a cotton candy sort of way — 1960s-style R&B- and dance-infused music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
Musicians have long used the Trojan Horse approach and wrapped a catchy tune around a serious message. Think, “…a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” from “Mary Poppins.” Or think Marvin Gaye and “What’s Going On” or Tears For Fears and “Mad World.”
Hear the Bells. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.
So, in between the dance numbers and the sing-along songs, this show offered genuine moments for the audience to respond with consternation to the multiple ism’s and ists as well as with affirmations when the perpetrators receive their comeuppances.
In a stand-out moment, Link Larkin, played by the lanky, Elvis-y Will Savarese, refuses to follow his stuck-up girlfriend, Amber Von Tussle, played by Kaelee Albritton. The audience responded with a wave of affirmative applause that nearly stopped the show.
This level of audience engagement relies on the quality of the production’s elements. But it’s the performances by the entire cast that carry this show. A special call-out to local talent, Albritton, who hails from O’Fallon, Ill., where she was crowned Miss O’Fallon in 2014. Other props to:
• The indominable Niki Metcalf (that girl can move!) as the heroine Tracy Turnblad
• Andrew Levitt as Tracy’s plus-sized diva-in-a-housedress mother, Edna
• Brandon G. Stalling with his slinky-smooth dance moves as Seaweed J. Stubbs
• Sandie Lee for her mama-knows-best portrayal as Motormouth Maybelle
• Emmanuelle Zeesman for playing three roles with limber, Gumby-inspired physicality, and facial contortions worthy of Jim Carrey in his prime
“Hairspray” is 20 years old. Its setting is Baltimore in 1962, making it a sexagenarian! And its themes and messages still go down like that spoonful of sugar. Or maybe more appropriately, like Pop Rocks and soda pop.
Or, as Waters himself has said, “”Nobody likes a bore on a soapbox. Humor is always the best defense and weapon. If you can make an idiot laugh, they’ll at least pause and listen before they do something stupid . . . to you.”
Hair Clutch Commercial. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.
“Hairspray” is presented April 5 – 9 at the Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand Blvd., in St. Louis, Showtimes are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., with a 1 p.m. matinee on Thursday, April 7.
To purchase tickets, visit MetroTix.com or call MetroTix at 314-534-1111. Ticket prices start at $25. Learn more about the new touring production at www.hairspraytour.com or visit www.fabulousfox.com.
Live theater returned at local community theater companies last year, and Arts For Life will honor those efforts at this year’s Theatre Mask Awards on Saturday, April 9.
Three dramas and two comedies are vying for Outstanding Production at this year’s TMAs: the George S. Kaufman-Moss Hart comedy classic “The Man Who Came to Dinner.” by Kirkwood Theatre Guild in Kirkwood, Mo., which led all St. Louis area – metro-east Illinois community theater groups with 13 nominations; Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit” by Act Two Theatre in St. Peters, Mo.; which has 11 nominations; the Tony-winning play “The Desperate Hours” by The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves, which has five; Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” by O’Fallon Theatre Works in O’Fallon, Mo., which has seven; and August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” by Clayton Community Theatre, which has eight..
Monroe Actors Stage Company in Waterloo, Ill., has nine nominations for Lillian Helman’s drama “Watch on the Rhine.” Other productions that received nominations include “Lend Me a Tenor” by Looking Glass Playhouse in Lebanon, Ill., and “6 Rms Riv Vu” by the Theatre Guild of Webster Groves.
The Man Who Came to Dinner at Kirkwood.has 13 nominations.
Let’s celebrate the return and resilience of community theater dramas and comedies in the bi-state region. And you get a tasty brunch too! To purchase tickets, here is the link: https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/
“Blithe Spirit” at Act Two Theatre has 11 nominations. Photo by Lori Biehl.
Arts For Life is returning to live and in-person awards ceremonies this spring, and tickets are now available for both the Theater Mask Awards on April 9 and Best Performance Awards on June 12.
This year’s eighth annual TMAs will take place starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 9, at The Christy of St. Louis, 5856 Christy Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63116.
Talia Wright as Amy March in OTW’s “Little Women”
Cocktail attire is suggested. Seating will be eight per table, and seating assignments will be available at the entrance.
A brunch buffet featuring eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, hash browns, fruit salad and pasta con broccoli will be served. A cash bar will be available. TMA tickets are $28. Tickets will NOT be available for purchase at the event.
This year’s master of ceremonies for the TMAs will be Mark Lull, a nine-time AFL nominee, who won Best Performance by a Comedic Actor as Uncle Fester in Alfresco Productions’ “The Addams Family” in 2015.
The complete list of nominations can be found at: https://nebula.wsimg.com/9b9b1e3565835dd90498e28468ef7f1d?AccessKeyId=901C1079C3BABD637603&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at Clayton Community Theatre.
Through the nonprofit organization AFL, the TMAs have honored drama and comedy plays since 2015 while the BPAs have honored musical theater in community and youth productions since AFL’s founding in 1999.
Because of the public health crisis, AFL held its BPAs and TMAs ceremonies virtually in 2020, while BPAs were not held in 2021, but TMAs were virtually, and in a smaller capacity. This year’s BPAs include nominees from the shortened 2020 and 2021 theater seasons.
“Live and in person!” AFL President Mary McCreight exclaimed. “So happy to see the enthusiasm among theater groups for recognizing excellence among their peers and cheering each other on. It was a tough year to get out there, rehearse, and be among crowds. But through their diligence and willpower, the magic happened. Let’s celebrate!”
For more information, visit the website at www.artsforlife.org
“Watch on the Rhine” at MASC has nine nominations, including best ensemble.The Desperate Hours at the Theatre Guild of Webster Groves.
Stray Dog Theatre (SDT) will present Triassic Parq: The Musical at the Tower Grove Abbey, opening on Thursday, April 14 and running through Saturday, April 30, 2022. Trisassic Parq features music by Marshall Pailet, with book and lyrics by Marshall Pailet, Bruce Norbitz and Steve Wargo and is intended for mature audiences. Presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing.
Triassic Parq Synopsis: Religion, identity, sex… and raptors! Triassic Parq is a raucous retelling of that famous dinosaur-themed film, this time seen from the dino’s point of view. Chaos is unleashed on their not-so-prehistoric world when one dinosaur in a clan of females spontaneously turns male!
Directed by SDT Associate Artistic Director Justin Been, with music direction by Leah Schultz, and choreography by Michael Hodges. The cast includes: Tristan Davis, Michael Wells, Laurell Stevenson, Dawn Schmid, Rachel Bailey, and Bryce Miller.
April 14-30, 2022: Show times are Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m. Additional performances on Sunday, April 24 at 2 p.m., and Wednesday, April 27 at 8 p.m.
Venue: Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63104. Gated Parking.
Tickets: Adults $30 / Seniors (65+) & Students $25 (Cash/Checks/All Major Credit Cards)
Information and Ticket Reservations: Call (314) 865‐1995. Visit www.StrayDogTheatre.org. Secure online ticketing!
Community Outreach: In keeping with its mission of community outreach, non‐perishable food is collected at each performance and donated to Food Outreach, Inc. www.FoodOutreach.org
Students who plan to pursue a career in the arts are eligible for an annual Arts For Life scholarship. The deadline is May 25 for submission, and two winners of $500 each will be announced at the Best Performance Awards on June 12.
Every year since 2012, the AFL board of directors has selected two college-age recipients through an application process. Requirements include pursuing a career in the arts, participation in local community theater, essays, and letter(s) of recommendation.
AFL is a non-for-profit arts and service organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating community and youth theatre in the St. Louis metropolitan and metro-east Illinois region.
Those entering college after high school graduation or continuing their college education in an arts undergraduate program must submit a completed application and cannot have been the primary recipient of a previous AFL scholarship.
An arts program includes, but is not exclusive to performing arts (music, dance, theatre) and visual arts (painting, sculpture, architecture, film, photography). Arts programs not defined as fine arts, but related to the arts, may be considered if superior work has been demonstrated in this area.
“As we watch music education and theatre programs rapidly die in our schools, the need to keep community theatre alive is more important now than ever. AFL, with the goal of ‘Making A Dramatic Difference,’ is passionate about the healing power of the performing arts, and is proud to salute, support, and serve the theatre groups in the Metro-St. Louis-Illinois area,” said Mary McCreight, president of the AFL board of directors.
To download an application: https://nebula.wsimg.com/e109f1e7c375e49d7ce981a697135ecd?AccessKeyId=901C1079C3BABD637603&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
Besides a completed AFL Scholarship Application Form, which includes answers to essay questions and an information sheet that must be signed, the packet must include:
Resume of performing arts and/or visual arts experience.
List of metro St. Louis community theater involvement, either in the metro-east Illinois region or St. Louis city or county or St. Charles County.
List of any honors or awards received pertaining to involvement in the arts and/or scholastic achievement
One recommendation letter from a mentor in the arts: teacher, director, or board member.
Completed applications must be postmarked by May 25. Please mail completed applications to:
ARTS FOR LIFE Scholarship Application P.O. Box 16426 St. Louis, MO 63125
Recipients will be notified of the award prior to the 22nd AFL Best Performance Awards on June 12, 2022.
For more information, contact afltrg@artsforlife.com.
Last year’s winners were Audrey Neace of Alton, Ill., and Isaiah Henry of St. Peters, Mo., Neace, a 2020 graduate of Alton High School, will be a sophomore at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., majoring in choral and music education/voice and opera. Henry, a 2020 graduate of Francis Howell Central High School, will be a sophomore at Webster University Conservatory of Theatre Arts, majoring in acting.
Producer Jeffrey Seller and the Fabulous Fox Theatre announce a digital lottery for HAMILTONtickets willbegin in conjunction with the show’s first performance on April 12 in St. Louis at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. A limited number of tickets will be available for every performance for $10 each. The lottery will first open at 10:00 AM Friday, April 1 and will close at 12:00 PM Thursday, April 7 for tickets to performances April 12–17. Subsequent digital lotteries will begin on each Friday and close the following Thursday for the upcoming week’s performances.
HOW TO ENTER
· Use the official app for HAMILTON, now available for all iOS and Android devices in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store (http://hamiltonmusical.com/app).
· The lottery will open at 10:00 AM every Friday and will close for entry at 12:00 PM the next Thursday prior to the following week’s performances.
· Winner and non-winner notifications will be sent between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM every Thursday for the upcoming week’s performances via email and mobile push notification. Winners will have two hours to claim and pay for their ticket(s).
· No purchase or payment necessary to enter or participate.
· Each winning entrant may purchase up to two (2) tickets.
· Only one entry per person. Repeat entries and disposable email addresses will be discarded.
· Lottery tickets may be picked up at will call beginning 2 hours prior to the performance with a valid photo ID.
· Lottery tickets void if resold.
· All times listed are in the local time zone.
ADDITIONAL RULES
Patrons must be 18 years or older and have a valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the name used to enter. Tickets are non-transferable. Ticket limits and prices displayed are at the sole discretion of the show and are subject to change without notice.
Lottery prices are not valid on prior purchases. Lottery ticket offer cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. All sales final – no refunds or exchanges. Lottery may be revoked or modified at any time without notice. A purchase will not improve the chances of winning.
Tickets for HAMILTON are currently on sale. Patrons are advised to check the official HAMILTON channels and MetroTix for late release seats which may become available at short notice.
HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education.
With 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 is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.
The HAMILTON creative team previously collaborated on the Tony Award ® Winning Best Musical IN THE HEIGHTS.
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, casting by The Telsey Office, Bethany Knox, CSA, and General Management by Baseline Theatrical.
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. The HAMILTON recording received a 2016 Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.
The Muny, the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival and The Midnight Company, with nine, eight and six awards, respectively, led the way at the 2022 St. Louis Theater Circle Awards, which were held in a virtual, streaming ceremony on HEC Media on Monday, March 28, 2022.
The Muny’s 2021 production of “Chicago,” which returns to open its 2022 season, took top honors for an individual show with seven awards. Denis Jones, director and choreographer of “Chicago,” and Joe Hanrahan, artistic director of The Midnight Company, each was honored with two individual awards to lead all honorees.
Nominees in more than 30 categories vied for honors covering comedies, dramas, musicals and operas produced by local professional theater and opera companies in the combined calendar years of 2020 and 2021.
Because the coronavirus pandemic brought about the cancellation of so many productions by nearly all local professional theater companies, approximately 75 productions were considered for nominations for the combined years of 2020 and 2021. This compares to roughly 120 to 130 productions normally considered in one year alone.
The eighth annual award ceremony, which was to have been held ‘live’ at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University, was canceled in February 2020 due to the escalating number of cases of COVID-19. Instead, that event was held virtually in a highly polished presentation produced by HEC Media and streamed on HEC’s YouTube channel, Facebook page and web site, as was this ninth annual event. There was no ceremony of any type by the Theater Circle in 2021.
For the ninth annual ceremony, members of the St. Louis Theater Circle considered nominees from shows produced in the first three months of 2020 and the last eight months of 2021 combined. In addition, a few shows produced between April 2020 and May 2021 were included.
The winners for the ninth annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards are:
Michelle Hand and Nicole Angeli in “It Is Magic”
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role
Nicole Angeli, “It Is Magic,” The Midnight Company
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role (Tie)
Joe Hanrahan, “It Is Magic,” The Midnight Company
Carl Overly, Jr., “It Is Magic,” The Midnight Company
Outstanding Leading Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role
Ellie Schwetye, “Tinsel Town,” The Midnight Company
Outstanding Leading Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role
Adam Flores, “The Thanksgiving Play,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play
Seth Reiser, “A Christmas Carol,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Sound Design
David R. Molina, “King Lear,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
“Dress the Part”
Outstanding Costume Design in a Play
Christina Leinecke, “Dress the Part,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Set Design in a Play
Margery and Peter Spack, “The Ville: Avengeance,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role
Elizabeth Teeter, “The Glass Menagerie,” Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role
Brian McKinley, “Spell #7,” The Black Rep
Outstanding Leading Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role
Laurie McConnell, “Annapurna,” St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Outstanding Leading Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role
Andre De Shields, “King Lear,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding New Play
“Tinsel Town,” by Joe Hanrahan, The Midnight Company
“Tinsel Town” by Joe Hanrahan
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Patricia Racette, “La voix humaine,” Opera Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Production of an Opera
“Gianni Schicchi,” Opera Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Musical Director
Charlie Alterman, “Chicago,” The Muny
Outstanding Choreographer
Denis Jones,“Chicago,” The Muny
Smokey Joe’s Cafe
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role
Natascia Diaz, “On Your Feet!,” The Muny
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role
Adam Heller, “Chicago,” The Muny
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
Sean M. Savoie, “Jersey Boys,” Stages St. Louis
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical
Edward E. Haynes Jr. and Kevan Loney, “Smokey Joe’s Café,” The Muny
Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
Emily Rebholz, “Chicago,” The Muny
Diana DeGarmo “Always…Patsy Cline”
Outstanding Leading Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role
Diana DeGarmo, “Always…Patsy Cline,” Stages St. Louis
Outstanding Leading Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role
Christopher Kale Jones, “Jersey Boys,” Stages St. Louis
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy (Tie)
“Dress the Part,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
“It Is Magic,” The Midnight Company
Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama
“Two Trains Running,” The Black Rep
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
“Chicago,” The Muny
Outstanding Director of a Comedy
GQ and JQ, “Dress the Part,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Director of a Drama
Carl Cofield, “King Lear,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Two Trains Running
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Denis Jones, “Chicago,” The Muny
Outstanding Production of a Comedy
“Dress the Part,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Production of a Drama
“Two Trains Running,” The Black Rep
Outstanding Production of a Musical
“Chicago,” The Muny
In addition, arts philanthropists Nancy and Ken Kranzberg were honored with a special award which was originally presented at the 2020 in-person ceremony. Michael Hamilton and Jack Lane, co-founders of Stages St. Louis and the troupe’s recently retired artistic director and executive producer, respectively, were honored as well for their body of work. The Kranzbergs and Lane each gave a recorded acceptance speech during the virtual ceremony.
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.
Andre DeShields in “King Lear”
Members of the St. Louis Theater Circle include Steve Allen (stagedoorstl.com); Mark Bretz (LadueNews); Bob Cohn (St. Louis Jewish Light); Tina Farmer (KDHX); Michelle Kenyon (snoopstheatrethoughts.com); Gerry Kowarsky (Two on the Aisle, HEC Media); Chuck Lavazzi (KDHX); Rob Levy (Broadwayworld.com); Judith Newmark (judyacttwo.com); Ann Lemons Pollack (stlouiseats.typepad.com); Lynn Venhaus (PopLifeSTL.com); Bob Wilcox (Two on theAisle, HEC Media); and Calvin Wilson (St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Eleanor Mullin, local performer and arts supporter, is group administrator.
