Fly North’s Updated ‘Madam’ Charms with its Female-Forward Focus

Fly North’s Updated ‘Madam’ Charms with its Female-Forward Focus

By Lynn VenhausSpotlighting attitude and intrigue, a still-vivacious “Madam” has been nipped, tucked, and excised into a promising female-forward musical focused on womanhood’s advancement in... Details
Muny’s Heart-Melting ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Is Beacon of Light in Dark Times

Muny’s Heart-Melting ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Is Beacon of Light in Dark Times

By Lynn Venhaus Deeply personal and profoundly moving, “Dear Evan Hansen” grabs our hearts and doesn’t let go. Sensitively presented by director Rob Ruggiero and... Details
Two Fine Actors Rumble And Grumble in NJT’s Comical, Thoughtful ‘Two Jews Walk Into a War’

Two Fine Actors Rumble And Grumble in NJT’s Comical, Thoughtful ‘Two Jews Walk Into a War’

By Lynn Venhaus Live, laugh, learn – and love. All of it is there in “Two Jews Walk into a War,” in which two last-standing... Details
Vocals Soar, Tangos Tantalize in The Muny’s Sumptuous ‘Evita’

Vocals Soar, Tangos Tantalize in The Muny’s Sumptuous ‘Evita’

By Lynn Venhaus Virtuoso vocals and transfixing tangos propel the Muny’s grand-scale stylized and dramatic "Evita," the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice classic. Featuring... Details
Strong Female-Forward Works Intrigue In This Year’s LaBute New Theater Festival

Strong Female-Forward Works Intrigue In This Year’s LaBute New Theater Festival

By Lynn VenhausNoteworthy for different perspectives and original approaches, a mostly female-forward selection of one-act plays are the highlights of this year’s LaBute New Theater... Details
‘Romeo and Zooliet’ Unites Nature and Art in Festive Family Frolic at Zoo

‘Romeo and Zooliet’ Unites Nature and Art in Festive Family Frolic at Zoo

By Lynn Venhaus A grizzly bear, crocodile, prairie dog, red panda, and tiger dance into a party in Zoorona, and we get a bouncy beat,... Details
The Messy Morans Merrily Roll Along in Original Comedy ‘Pride and Joy’

The Messy Morans Merrily Roll Along in Original Comedy ‘Pride and Joy’

By Lynn Venhaus If your family is friends of Bill W., you can relate to the messy Morans in Colin McLaughlin’s humorous original play, “Pride... Details
The Muny Visualizes Storytelling with Lasers, Projections in ‘Frozen’

The Muny Visualizes Storytelling with Lasers, Projections in ‘Frozen’

When Disney’s Frozen opened Sunday night on the James S. McDonnell Stage in Forest Park, the production debuted cutting-edge digital mapping projections, lasers and other technologies never... Details
Muny’s Majestic ‘Disney’s Frozen’ is a Sparkly Night of Wonderment

Muny’s Majestic ‘Disney’s Frozen’ is a Sparkly Night of Wonderment

By Lynn Venhaus With groundbreaking visual effects and enough eye-popping sparkle to elicit thunderous roars, the Muny premiere of Disney’s “Frozen” delivers a magical spectacle.... Details
‘The Last Five Years’ to Open at Bluff City Theater In Hannibal July 10

‘The Last Five Years’ to Open at Bluff City Theater In Hannibal July 10

Before it became a feature film starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan, The Last Five Years began as a stirring stage musical that was hailed... Details