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Featured Movies Reviews
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7 min read

Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Is Bold, Breathtaking and Brilliant

By Lynn Venhaus

A voyage for the ages. Writer-director Christopher Nolan has made the ultimate heroic action-adventure epic in “The Odyssey” — as bold, breathtaking and brilliant as only he could, aided by his virtuoso technical masters.

Nolan has thoughtfully adapted Homer’s epic poem to be both colossal in scope and intimate, mythical and human. This enthralling ancient Greek journey, from some 2,700 years ago, emphasized the cost of a barbaric war, the chaos that ensued, breaking Zeus’ law, bad decisions, and reconciling with your failures to move forward and get back home.

After ten years of the Trojan War, King Odysseus (Matt Damon) faces a dangerous voyage back home to Ithaca, including deadly monsters and vengeful gods. Along the way, he meets mythical creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Calypso (Charlize Theron). In the meantime, his loyal wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) waits at home, and his son Telemachus (Tom Holland) tries to find out if he’s still alive.

The way Nolan cinematically unfolded the story, in a non-linear style, in 2 hours and 52 minutes, feels just right, sweeping us away on the journey he wanted to tell. Basically, it’s a man trying to get home. The war took 10 years, and his way back took another 10.

*Anne Hathaway as Penelope and Tom Holland as Telemachus.*

In a career-best performance, Matt Damon leads an exceptional megawatt cast in the physically grueling, demanding portrayal of Odysseus. The bench is so deep that some familiar faces get minimal screen time, but their characters are part of this rich tapestry that Nolan has precisely threaded to convey one of western literature’s greatest sagas. They are part of a massive theatrical event that eventually will be considered a pinnacle.

Nolan has smartly showcased these grand themes – love, honor, war, greed, gods and monsters — and the cast immerses us in its emotional depth to make us care, particularly Tom Holland as Telemachus, heir to the throne, who is trying to find his way in the shadow of his father, and wants to honor him by not giving up. Holland’s heart shines through in his character’s nobility.

Meanwhile, Ithaca has become a cesspool of hangers-on and posers, as suitors crowd the palace to curry favor with Penelope. It’s exactly what Odysseus did not want to happen.

Four outstanding actresses, three Oscar winners and one two-time Emmy winner, are mesmerizing on screen in their iconic roles: Anne Hathaway is Penelope, Odysseus’ loyal queen and great love; Charlize Theron is Calypso, a sea nymph who falls in love with him, holding him hostage on the island of Ogygia; and Zendaya is Athena, the goddess of wisdom and his protector. In very brief roles, Lupita Nyong’o is Helen of Troy, and her twin sister, Clytemnestra.

Standouts include John Leguizamo as his faithful servant Eumaeus, now blind; Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, a Greek king who fights alongside Odysseus, and the husband of Helen; Elliot Page as loyal servant Sinon, who is sacrificed for the war victory; Samantha Morton as the witch Circe; Himesh Patel as Eurylochus, Odysseus’ right-hand man; and Robert Pattinson as the weaselly villain, arrogant Antinous, one of Penelope’s most manipulative and power-hungry suitors.

The sprawling cast also includes Benny Safdie as the imposing Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and commander of the Greek army, Travis Scott as a bard, Mia Goth as the queen’s servant Melantho, and both Corey Hawkins and Logan Marshall-Green are bad guys teaming up with Antinous.

The master filmmaker, Oscar winner for his magnum opus “Oppenheimer,” seems to be hitting his stride tailoring stunning vistas in six countries and composing visual spectacles on IMAX cameras, the first feature film to do so. His practical effects, rather than computer-generated images, are magnificent here. The man-eating Cyclops. a massive 60-foot puppet, is terrifying, and the underworld scene, where the dead rise out of the black sand, is stunning.

Along with visionary cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, the world-building by production designer Ruth DeJong and costume designer Ellen Mirojnick, is grand and splendid, impeccable in details.

Oscar winning editor Jennifer Lame (“Oppenheimer”) had a gargantuan task, and she made the film a lucid, thrilling watch. Swedish composer Ludwig Goransson, three-time Oscar winner (“Black Panther,” “Oppenheimer,” “Sinners”), has written an urgent, industrial score that heightens the action.

One must experience this tsunami of an epic in a theater, in full big screen glory. “The Odyssey” is to be savored and celebrated, for this is movie making at its absolute finest.

(NOTE: It doesn’t matter whether you’ve read The Odyssey — or like me, forgotten most of what you learned about it in high school, but it helps to get a refresher beforehand, and there are plenty of sources around to get you up to speed.)

“The Odyssey” is a 2026 action-adventure-fantasy epic written and directed by Christopher Nolan, and starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, John Leguizamo, Jon Bernthal, Elliot Page, Hamish Patel, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Benny Safdie, Mia Goth, Travis Scott, Corey Hawkins and Logan Marshall-Green. It is rated R for violence and some language and runtime is 2 hours, 52 minutes. It opens in theaters July 17. Lynn’s Grade: A+

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Featured Festivals Reviews St Louis Actors' Studio Theatre
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10 min read

Fresh Voices Stir, Amuse, Engage in STLAS’ LaBute New Theater Festival

By Lynn Venhaus
Five original voices made their auspicious LaBute New Theater Festival debut this year, along with the fest’s esteemed namesake with another intriguing new one-act.

The festival, established in 2013, is an active collaboration between St. Louis Actors’ Studio and Neil LaBute, the renowned playwright, screenwriter, and director of theater and film.

In its 12^th year, the festival’s quality, in terms of performers and writing, remains top-notch. Six nimble actors – returning Anthony Wininger, Tyler Crandall and Xander Huber join newcomers Nick Barrows, Jade Cash and Caitlin Mickey – for an engaging exploration into the comedy and drama of being.

Presented in The Gaslight Theatre’s intimate black box as one of the company’s signature offerings every season, the line-up features authentically drawn characters by writers who have some thought-provoking points to make.

*“Junk Drawer.” Photo by Patrick Huber.*

This year’s assortment are delivered with aplomb by veteran directors Eric Dean White and Wendy Renee Greenwood, who helmed three apiece, and their keen perceptions are crystal clear.

The evening of one-acts’ six titles include suspense, mystery, pitch-black comedy, whimsy, an interesting family dynamic, childhood trauma, a missing spouse, and grave diggers with a grisly task. All but one are in present day.

The well-rehearsed performers establish a comfortable rhythm in their interactions that draw us into each new world and are paired well in four two-handers and two trios.

In the clever “Junk Drawer,” playwright Erin Fitzgerald of Kentucky started on a lighthearted note. It sounds as fun as it is. White directed Cash as a penny, Huber as a poker chip, Crandall as a dried out magic marker, and Wininger as a boot strap. He leaned into the witty wordplay that made this assured piece work well and the actors joyfully gave the objects personalities like Pixar does in the “Toy Story” movies.

Switching the mood to contentious, a slow-burn “Go Fish” followed from Cameron Michles, a New York-based playwright who doled out dollops of information as a guarded interaction occurs between Caitlin Mickey as Chloe and Nick Barrows as Whittaker, in an impressive St. Louis theater debut.

The pair meet after considerable time has passed in their lives, but has it really for these two? It’s awkward, apologetic – and icky-awful. A few of the flashback techniques aren’t clear until the final gut-punch.

When we finally realize what happened, it’s chilling. Greenwood skillfully directed so that the present encounter builds in tension, hurt, anger and regret, and the actors carefully modulated their feelings so as not to get ahead. The program gives a content warning for “depiction of violence, sexual violence, and molestation.”

In “Resurrection Men,” playwright Nicholas Dunn revived an underground and illegal body-snatching enterprise that occurred in the United Kingdom in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, before Parliament passed the Anatomy Act of 1832, which made grave-robbing illegal for medical schools.

This was at a time when cadavers were necessary for medical qualifications. (After that, these med schools were allowed to use unclaimed bodies at workhouses, prisons and hospitals).

Dunn, from Salt Lake City, created a time crunch for Hatt (Wininger) and newbie Fitz (Huber), while a doctor, Knox (Jade Cash), anxiously waited for them to deliver. White kept the action moving, as the two men, looking to make a buck and on the lookout for cops or nosy tattletales, keep their shovels busy. Fitz is nervous, Hatt is the seasoned veteran, and interaction escalated until there is a surprising turn.

Huber and Wininger work well together, committed to the characters, but the play lacked the heft that other offerings possessed.

*“Little Johnny Knows Things.” Photo by Patrick Huber.*

After intermission, LaBute’s dandy dialogue-driven “Brunch” involved two friends – Candice (Mickey) is dealing with a cold criminal case, while Shasta (Cash) listens, feigning interest and sympathy. She asks questions, but it is what she doesn’t say that implies otherwise.

As Mickey revealed the backstory – her husband has been gone without a trace, the spotlight shifted to Shasta’s reactions. Slyly directed by Greenwood, Cash’s body language is priceless.

LaBute, a master at ambiguity, knows how to layer dark and light material, and this contemporary piece is sharply constructed with a delicious undercurrent of uncomfortable.

John Pierson’s novel entry, “Little Johnny Knows Things,” threw a cringy curve when Ryan, astutely played by Barrows, is interrupted while reading a book on a park bench. An odd Brett, coyly played by Huber, arrived with a suitcase, grinning.

Against his better judgment, Ryan engaged the peculiar young man, who pulled out a ventriloquist dummy. No doubt, this development was not on his bingo card for the day. Huber clearly relished this role, and deftly handled Little Johnny, who was meticulously crafted by Erin Knadler. This one is funny, a labor of laughs for both playwright and Greenwood.

Pierson is familiar at STLAS as a performer, director and in other roles, but playwright is a new endeavor for him. He wrote this one-act while he was a theater fellow at The Bogliasco Foundation in Bogliasco, Italy, earlier this year.

In the final segment, Domenick Scudera concocted a strong sense of time, place and characterization in “The Rules.” Scudera, who works in the greater Philadelphia area, immersed us in a family dynamic between brothers who grew up in Long Island that appears typical but is not. They are together after years apart because their father has died.

In their best performances of the night, Crandall and Wininger pull off the complex relationship between these two very different siblings in a sincere and meaningful way. Crandall is Mario, openly gay, whose sexuality was not embraced by his family. Wininger, in a consistent New York accent, established the older brother Leo as a dominant alpha male. Both have chips on their shoulders.

While Mario is more candid and expressive, tough-nut Leo started, ever so slowly, to crack. There appeared to be an opening as he tentatively confided to Mario some of his confusion, hesitancy, and fears.

White poignantly delivered the authentic interaction while the actors had the crisp timing down pat. It’s the kind of rumination on human connection where you want them all to hug it out.

This year, hundreds of submissions arrived for an 8-member panel to curate, including LaBute, who doesn’t just lend his name to this fest. Supporting new work is a noble endeavor, and the crew is as dedicated as the creatives involved year in and year out.

Stage manager Amy J. Paige demonstrated her prowess in this integral role, assisted this year by Nadya Nabulsi. As is his custom, Patrick Huber smoothly handled set and lighting designs while costume designer Amanda Brasher contributed appropriate casual looks for each scene.

One of STLAS’ most enjoyable aspects in these captivating collections is their needle drops. Their sound design is always well-suited to each one-act.

A notable harmonious team effort, the LaBute Festival accomplished this summer what it does best: Probe, question, wonder, worry, stir, inspire, enlighten, amuse and entertain in a very natural way.

St. Louis Actors’ Studio presents the 12th annual LaBute New Theater Festival July 10 to 26, with performances at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sundays at The Gaslight Theater on North Boyle in the Central West End. General admission tickets are available via Ticketmaster or at the theater box office one hour before show time. For more information, visit www.stlas.org.

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Featured Opera Reviews Union Avenue Opera
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3 min read

Union Avenue Opera Finds the Operatic Voice of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’

By CB Adams

Union Avenue Opera’s “Fiddler on the Roof” returns to the artistic conversation from which the musical emerged. Stage director Kasey Cox reunites the humanity of Sholem Aleichem’s original Tevye stories, Marc Chagall’s symbolic visual imagination, Joseph Stein’s theatrical adaptation and Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick’s beloved score in a production that speaks confidently in the company’s own operatic voice.

Judged on those terms, it succeeds as a cohesive interpretation that lets each artistic voice strengthen the others.

Tevye is one of those rare roles that every audience has already cast before the actor walks onstage. E. Scott Levin wisely avoids competing with the ghosts of Zero Mostel, Topol and others who have shaped the character’s legacy.

*Arielle Pedersen as Chava, Brianna Murray as Tzeitel. Vianca Alejandra as Hodel. Fiddler on the Roof at Union Avenue Opera/ Dan Donovan Photography.*

Instead, his resonant bass-baritone opens another path into Tevye, revealing the milkman’s negotiations with God, his family and himself through the expressive power of the voice.

Kate Tombaugh’s Golde finds her greatest authority in song, while Brianna Murray and Eric Botto as Tzeitel and Motel, Vianca Alejandra and John Tibbetts as Hodel and Perchik, and Arielle Pedersen and James Stevens as Chava and Fyedka allow the musical’s three courtships to unfold with steadily increasing emotional weight.

Amy Maude Helfer gives Yente warmth beyond comic obligation, and Spencer Reichman brings both strength and vulnerability to Lazar Wolf.

Conductor Scott Schoonover draws warmth, clarity and balance from orchestra and cast, allowing Bock’s score to bloom without overwhelming the unamplified voices. The great ensemble numbers—especially “Tradition,” “Sabbath Prayer” and the wedding sequence—rise, swell and wash over the audience like a warm, powerful wave.

They become the sound of Anatevka itself, voices rising from individual characters into a shared expression of faith, celebration and endurance.

Patrick Huber’s scenic design speaks Chagall’s symbolic visual language rather than literal realism, its fragmented imagery gaining meaning as the evening unfolds before culminating in a quietly moving final image.

Andrea Reed adapts Jerome Robbins’ iconic choreography with intelligence and economy to Union Avenue Opera’s intimate stage, while Teresa Doggett’s costumes and Zak Metalsky’s lighting complete a visual world rooted in memory, tradition and community.

Cox directs with confidence in the material itself, trusting the performances, voices and score to carry the storytelling. The result is a thoughtful, integrated production that honors the musical’s deepest artistic roots while making full use of Union Avenue Opera’s greatest strength: the expressive power of the human voice.

Union Avenue Opera presented “Fiddler On the Roof” on July 3, 5, 10 and 11 2026 at Union Avenue Christian Church.

*E Scott Levin as Tevye. Kate Tombaugh as Golde.Fiddler on the Roof at Union Avenue Opera. Dan Donovan Photography.*

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The Muny’s Lush, Lithe ‘South Pacific’ Is An Unforgettable Experience

By Lynn Venhaus

Big personalities and bigger voices fill the Muny’s expansive stage for an enthralling excursion into an exotic place that remains a timeless touchstone of American musical theatre.

In their 11^th staging of “South Pacific” – a stunning tour de force in every element, the Muny meets a significant cultural moment through the vision of director William Carlos Angulo. Using the gutsier 2008 revival script, the show expands on the heightened love, intolerance and war themes.

Angulo emphasizes the two intercultural romances where couples grappled with acceptance and overcoming prejudice some eight decades ago, which resonates today. Suave Emile de Becque is a French plantation owner with a mysterious past who falls for spunky nurse Nellie Forbush, from Little Rock, Ark.

The time is 1943 when the Allies fought the Axis – the coalition of Nazi Germany, fascist Italy and Imperial Japan in World War II. The unworldly Nellie is stationed on an unnamed island where the U.S. Navy and Marines are keeping tabs on the enemy.

*Taylor Louderman (center) with members of the company of the 2026 Muny production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.” Photo by Phillip Hamer*

These characters populated James Michener’s short stories in “Tales from the South Pacific,” which was adapted by Joshua Logan and Oscar Hammerstein for the wartime musical, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Hammerstein. It opened on April 7, 1949, when war memories were fresh in people’s minds.

The work won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950, the first (and only musical until “Hamilton” in 2016) and 10 Tony Awards. It ran for nearly five years on Broadway until 1954, a record album was a huge hit, and a popular movie adaptation was released in 1958. The show had never been revived on Broadway until Bartlett Sher’s acclaimed 2008 Lincoln Center run, which tackled the darker themes realistically.

After Marine officer Lt. Joseph Cable arrives for a dangerous espionage mission, he is smitten by Liat, a Tonkinese woman who lives on the mystical island Bali Ha’i. As the young lovers, Michael Canu and Michaela Marfori are mesmerizing in dance sequences that Angulo has incorporated for richer storytelling. Choreographer Karla Puno Garcia has added a tender tableau that sets this production apart, a ravishing debut.

*Michaela Marfori and Michael Canu in the 2026 Muny production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.” Photo by MaryKatherine Patteson, The Muny*

That glorious music! Music Director Roberto Sinha conducts 29 musicians for those iconic sweeping ballads and fun ensemble numbers, so very sumptuous, starting with that fabulous overture.. Sinha returns after marvelous maestro turns in Angulo’s “In the Heights” and “Dear Evan Hansen” and is currently the music director of Broadway’s “Hamilton.”

To experience Brazilian bass-baritone Paulo Szot recreate his Tony-winning role as Emile is wondrous and breathtaking live. This is the kind of powerful operatic performance that people will still be talking about for years.

They’ll single out his magnetic renditions of “Some Enchanting Evening” and “This Nearly Was Mine” with the kind of reverence that is spoken about Yul Brynner in “The King and I,” Robert Preston in “The Music Man,” and Zero Mostel in “Fiddler on the Roof.”

Sarah Fenske, St. Louis Magazine executive editor, declared it “The Summer of Szot” after seeing him at both Opera Theatre of St. Louis as charming Signor Naccarelli in “The Light in the Piazza” and now the Muny. I’m jumping on this bandwagon too. (He’s returning to Broadway to play Lance in “& Juliet” later this month, a role he originated.)

*Paulo Szot in the 2026 Muny production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.” Photo by Phillip Hamer*

While a charismatic presence, he’s not the only reason to see this cherished classic. Taylor Louderman is enthusiastically welcomed back to where it all started for the Tony nominee as a teenager, combining a sunny disposition with her physicality and lovely lilting vocals as the spirited, unsophisticated Nellie. Showing genuine emotional depth, she brings out the turmoil that Nellie faces because of ingrained attitudes that affect her relationship with Emile.

Now playing a very grown-up role, she’s the epitome of exuberance in “A Cockeyed Optimist,” “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair,” “I’m In Love with a Wonderful Guy,” and “Honey Bun.” Together, Louderman and Szot have a sweet chemistry., and their “Twin Soliloquys” is silky smooth.

Not only can Canu dance ballet, but his strong tenor soars in “Younger Than Springtime” and “My Girl Back Home.” Being brought up in Philadelphia society, when he’s disgusted by his own ingrained bigotry, he erupts into the pivotal “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught.”

*Paulo Szot and Michael Canu in the 2026 Muny production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.” Photo by Phillip Hamer*

This decades-old social commentary remains impactful today, which sets “South Pacific” apart from other golden-age chestnuts. When she meets Emile’s Polynesian children, Louderman must say “colored,” which has been restored in the script. The understanding comes later. It’s a scrupulously constructed show that wants to say something.

The rest of the ensemble is flawless, with Joan Almedilla a knockout as Bloody Mary, avoiding making her a caricature, and transporting us in “Bali Ha’i.” After playing a conniving prince in “Frozen” last year, Bobby Conte returns as an animated Luther Billis, the lovable schemer who provides much needed comic relief.

It’s a pleasure to see three St. Louisans make their mark on the Muny stage, with veteran Michael James Reed as Captain George Brackett, Jeff Cummings in his debut as Commander William Harbison, and former Muny Kid Robert Crenshaw in his debut as Stewpot. Crenshaw, who lit up stages on national tours of “Ain’t Too Proud” and “The Wiz,” is fun to watch as the goofy Seabee.

*Jeff Cummings (left) and Michael James Reed in the 2026 Muny production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.” Photo by MaryKatherine Patteson, The Mun*y

The lavish atmosphere, in contrast to the gritty war mission, is beautifully rendered in Arnel Sancianco’s lush scenic design, with the tropical touches carried through in John Lasiter’s sun-drenched lighting design and Yee Eun Nam’s video designs of breezy foliage and ocean waves. Josh Hummel crafted the sound design.

Costume designer Raquel Adorno’s lovely flowing evening gowns set an enchanting mood, with a gorgeous palette of seafoam greens and blues as well as flowery prints. The elegant party clothes contrast with the military attire of the sailors and nurses. Ashley Rae Callahan was the wig designer.

The robust singers and dancers have fun with “Bloody Mary,” “There Is Nothin’ Like a Dame,” and the Thanksgiving Follies. As Emil’s children Ngana and Jerome, Grace Moore and Josiah Paik are delightful in “Dites-Moi.”

*Bobby Conte (center) and members of the company of the 2026 Muny production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.” Photo by Phillip Hamer*

The cast includes Julia Aguinaldo, Tre’ Booker, Jessica Carmona, Chloe Chamberlin, Aaron Patrick Craven, Arielle Ploy Dettmer, Alex Benetiz Evans, Rachel Fairbanks, Hannah Florence, Garrick Goce Macatangay, Jake Mendes, Caylie Rose Newcom, Julian Ramos, John Ray Jr., Hayden Rivas, David Rowen, Connor Schwantes, Gordon Semeatu, Francisco Thurston, and Nicholas A. Wilkinson.

The Muny’s “South Pacific” is a snapshot of how we once were, with hope for the future. It’s a grand glimpse of the best of times, the worst of times, and how people connect dramatically on the world arena. This exceptional cast and crew of artisans have created an unforgettable night of theater that deeply resonates and carries us away in song.

“The Muny” presents “South Pacific” on the outdoor stage from July 6 – 12. Visit muny.org for more information on The Muny’s 108th season.

*From left: Grace Moore, Taylor Louderman and Josiah Paik in the 2026 Muny production of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific.” Photo by Phillip Hamer*

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Featured Prism Theatre Company Reviews Theatre
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7 min read

Prism Theatre Co. ‘Progress’ Royally Entertains with a Cozy Inside Look

By Lynn Venhaus

With a modern sense and sensibility, local playwright John Wolbers created a warm, welcoming and wild woman’s world of the 16^th century in the private chambers of Queen Elizabeth I.

In Prism Theatre Company’s world premiere of the comedy-drama “Progress,” this is an uninhibited Bess – presented informally and not on official duty, although she prepares to meet dignitaries, ambassadors and advisors.

In discussions with his life partner Liz in 2020, he discovered an aspect of Bess’s untold story he needed to tell – that she had a savvy squad of advisors uplifting her so that her regal image would be impressive and dignified every day.

With an uncanny ability to write multi-dimensional roles for women, Wolbers has peeled back the curtain, creating a chummy workplace environment that feels lived-in and nurturing. Straight talk is how conversations are played – even if it would be TMI or NSFW in today’s parlance.

Featuring an all-star cast, these six crafty servants surround the queen in her inner sanctum. They manage her daily routine – dressing her, checking personal care, taking care of correspondence, schedule, budgets, sweet snacks and liquid refreshments.

Local treasure Michelle Hand assuredly plays the swearing sweet-and-sour “Virgin Queen” whose 45-year reign from 1558 to 1603 was viewed favorably as “Progress” and called a “Golden Age” because it brought stability, a cultural Renaissance and the rise of England as a world power.

Prone to emotional outbursts, Bess flies into a rage but then switches to warm and witty. Hand conveys the royal’s intellect, charm, and energy – and dishes dirt with glee. She’s also pragmatic when dealing with world leaders, not making hasty decisions.

The play begins on Christmas Day in 1562, in London, at the Palace of Whitehall. Sarah Lantsberger excels as an earnest and eager newcomer, Mary, who is nervously introduced to the key ladies.

These colorful characters, all properly prepped and styled by virtuoso costume designer Liz Henning, include Nicole Angeli as right-hand Blanche, a rather stern taskmaster who is also a mother hen. Rachel Tibbetts is the pregnant Dorothy who prides herself on a good job.

Carly Uding is Sidney, who has a complex relationship with her majesty because she is the sister of childhood friend and suitor Robert Dudley.

Margeau Steinau is spicy as Kat, a crusty and blunt attendant whose husband is also on staff. She knows what’s what and who’s who and freely shares locker room talk.

The women are also given other duties to carry out and keep themselves busy when they’re not fussing and fretting. The queen delivers news of an impending bubonic plague in London, and in the second act, the women are relocated to Windsor Castle in late summer 1863, to evade the spreading infection.

They’re hot, tired, cranky and restless. Tempers flare and then cool down. The plague has everyone on high alert, and they all must learn to trust – and soothe each other.

The experienced ensemble is adept at the verbal jousting the dialogue demands, and as smart, intuitive actors, they shade their characters with personality. Wolbers laid out conflicts in those challenging times, and the women rose to their best selves when they’re with each other.

In Act II, there is an amusing dream sequence where Bess is visited by past and future queens – Steinau is Queen Elizabeth II, Lantsberger is Lady Jane Grey, Uding is Queen Boudica, Tibbetts is Queen Anne and Angeli is Queen Victoria. They were all in that elite birthright club and know some things.

The final scene jumps ahead 25 years to Christmas 1589, in London’s Richmond Palace. The queen defeated the Spanish Armada a year earlier and is more comfortable ruling. Hand demonstrates Bess’s growth, for she has marched through the fire, with the help of her loyal ladies – and they’ve changed too.

Director Trish Brown has trusted these talented performers to play well with others in a sister showcase, designed by women artisans, who convinced us of the period trappings and their predicaments. Zayana Brown is the ensemble swing, if needed.

Katherine Stepanek, scenic and lighting designer, immersed us in a cozy period piece, intimately illuminated, with aid from assistant lighting director Brianna Shipley. Leo Young was the technical director, Delaney Plank production intern, and stage manager Joy Addler (and co-producer), along with assistant stage manager Avery Harrison.

Sound designer Bryn McLaughlin also composed nicely textured music, including a lively folk song that the women often broke into, and fight choreographer Riley Capp designed moves for when things weren’t so collegial. Jenni Ryan served as dramaturg and assistant director.

This community breathed life into an engaging piece of very funny, thoughtfully executed theater that showed us how strong women can be when difficulties must be overcome, a timely message no matter from what century.

Prism Theatre Company presents “Progress” July 3-5 and July 9-12 at the Kranzberg Black Box Thearre, 501 N. Grand, St. Louis, Mo. For more information, visit www.prismtheatrecompany.org

This production contains adult language and discussion of adult content.

KODAK Digital Still Camera *Nicole Angeli, Sarah Lantsberger, Liz Henning, Michelle Hand, Rachel Tibbetts, Margeau Steinau, Carly Uding, and John Wolbers.*

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Virtuoso Performances Give Albion Theatre’s Twisty ‘The Wasp’ Bite

By Lynn Venhaus

Albion Theatre’s masterful interpretation of Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s “The Wasp,” a contemporary twisty and twisted psychological thriller, leaves the gasping audience deeply unsettled and finally able to breathe after a dramatic 90-minute rollercoaster.

Because of its many layers of secrets, lies and manipulation, Robert Ashton has directed this dark two-hander by carefully building suspense and never allowing the actors to get ahead of the material. The element of surprise is always present as Heather (Ricki Franklin) and Carla (Macia Noorman) awkwardly engage in three tense-filled scenes.

Shades of high-stakes Hitchcock abound, as conversations include tea and revelations between the two former classmates, 20 years after they’ve seen each other. At first, one assumes this uneasy encounter is because there has been no contact during these ‘grown-up’ years, and the obvious class distinctions.

But it goes so much deeper than an affluent Heather approaching blue-collar Carla, pregnant with her fifth child, with a shocking request. Malcolm’s intense and intimate 2015 play becomes an exploration of female friendships and childhood trauma.

Malcolm cleverly weaves female-centric issues with occasional humor, easily establishing characters’ personalities and motivations – but maybe our perceptions aren’t as clear-cut. Hmmm… the plot thickens.

As disturbing facts are disclosed, and a proposition gets more complicated, the chemistry between the two characters is crucial. Franklin and Noorman, both making their Albion debuts, haven’t worked together before, but that isn’t apparent in their assured portrayals and compelling interactions.

They both are riveting, expertly showing vulnerability and strength, hurt and fear, rage and worry, cruelty and mercy. At times, you can see their old schoolgirl selves re-appear in their adult shadows. With a hint of where this is going, an overwhelming feeling of dread escalates — and some surprises are still ahead.

*Macia Noorman as Carla and Ricki Franklin as Heather in “The Wasp.” Photo by John Lamb.*

Franklin’s refined Heather seems to have the upper hand, and appearances indicate she has a thriving career and ‘married well,’ but divulges that she is miserable in the union, ticking off her husband’s alleged infidelities and despicable qualities. Franklin, two-time St. Louis Theater Circle Award winner as supporting actress in Shakespeare comedies, has an opportunity to show her dramatic chops here.

Noorman’s streetwise Carla, obviously wary but much more complex than a stereotype, has had a rougher life, struggling financially but seemingly happy as a mother, if not as a wife. Heather is childless. Noorman, a St. Louis Theater Circle Award nominee in 2019, shows an impressive range in this challenging role.

Although narrative twists have been exposed throughout the years (the play’s been around for 11 years, but this is the St. Louis premiere), I hesitate to mention too many details in case someone unfamiliar with this show would ever see it. Let’s just say your allegiance may shift as more comes to light, as we attempt to determine who you can trust or believe. Who are you feeling sorry for as grisly details emerge?

Were they once friends, enemies or frenemies? Can you ever forgive childhood slights and mean-girl behavior, and what about unreliable memories?

The play gives off the same cunning vibes as “Sleuth,” Anthony Shaffer’s brilliant 1970 cat-and-mouse mystery that featured class warfare and toxic masculinity, but Malcolm’s modern work is distinctively feminine.

Ashton astutely sets each exchange through scenic designer Rob Lippert’s well-appointed set in the intimate black box theatre. From a small coffee shop to Heather’s posh home, Lippert’s keen eye has created a vivid world, complete with a well-manicured backyard glimpsed through a glass door.

Lighting designer Kara Grimm-Denholm added to the classy atmosphere, and Tracy Newcomb’s costume designs effectively established the socio-economic status of each woman.

*Ricki Franklin and Macia Noorman in a twisted cat-and-mouse game. Photo by John Lamb.*

A sly reference to the titular stinger is included in Heather’s husband Simon’s framed collection of insect prints. The description is creepy, and when told, you may have an inkling of what’s ahead, but really, the script is so well-crafted and the actresses so intuitive, they keep us guessing. As both dig into a past that is far messier than first hinted at, it’s gripping and perturbing – get ready for stomach knots.

As is customary in Albion productions, the dialect is crisp and neither Franklin’s educated Brit nor Noorman’s cockney accents ever drop. Thanks to sound designer Leonard Marshell, Ashton’s tutelage and the actors’ efforts, understanding is not a problem.

Noteworthy contributions include Mo Moellering as fight choreographer, C. J. Langdon as assistant director, Rachel Klinck as board operator, Susan Wylie as stage manager and Denise Mandle as assistant stage manager, for the scene transitions are smooth and the anxious mood is never broken.

Perhaps some of the situations are contrived, but the performers are totally committed to making these characters believable and are convincing as they dredge up the distressing backstories of childhood bullying and harsh conditions.

The relationship, never solid, eventually fractures in unexpected ways. Do they go there? The performers dug deep, re-opening their characters’ wounds and showing their emotional depth in intricate, disquieting monologues.

Franklin and Noorman’s honest dynamic is key to immersing oneself in this chilling experience. Do childhood scars ever heal, and what does that say about the cyclical nature of violence? Oh, those blurred lines of life are the reason “The Wasp” has such staying power – and you’ll remember the sting.

Albion Theatre presented “The Wasp” from June 12 to 28 at the Kranzberg Black Box Theatre. This production was reviewed on June 28. The play has mature themes and adult language and runs 90 minutes without an intermission. For more information, visit www.albiontheatre.org

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4 min read

Center Stage Delivers a Winning Showcase for OTSL’s Young Artists

By CB Adams

Concert presenters have a name for performers and composers who reliably fill seats: bankers. Beethoven is a banker. Wagner is a banker. Debussy is a banker. Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ annual Center Stage concert has become a banker of a different sort.

The evidence could be heard in the departing crowd following Tuesday’s performance. Audience members traded variations on the same thought: Center Stage just keeps getting better. The buoyancy was palpable.

This year’s concert featured 28 Richard Gaddes Festival Artists and Gerdine Young Artists, selected from more than 1,100 applicants. Accompanied onstage by select musicians of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the singers performed a thoughtfully curated program of opera and Broadway selections, all sung in their original languages.

Artistic Director Patricia Racette has shaped Center Stage into an evening of theater. Semi-staged scenes and ensembles dominate, with minimal props and plenty of dramatic intensity. Heavy on the Italian seasoning this year, the program moved confidently through the operatic repertoire before folding in selections from “Chicago,” “West Side Story” and “Carousel.” The arc gave individual singers their moments while sustaining the momentum of a complete evening.

*Vinicius Costa as Mephistopheles and Landry Allen as Faust performing “A mois les plaisirs” from Faust. Photo © Eric Woolsey, 2026*

The performers attacked their opportunities with the unmistakable energy of young artists who know a few minutes onstage can make an impression. One of the evening’s pleasures came in watching the instant transformation after a scene ended: the final note, a flicker of silence, then the character disappeared and the young artist emerged to receive the applause.

That dramatic commitment surfaced throughout the program. Gaddes Festival Artist Vinicius Costa showed impressive range, bringing swagger and menace to Mephistopheles in Gounod’s “Faust,” then pivoting to deft comic timing as Don Basilio in Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville.” The six “merry murderesses” of “Cell Block Tango” from “Chicago,” meanwhile, attacked Kander and Ebb’s number with individually etched characters and a collective ferocity that made the stage feel suddenly crowded with dangerous women.

*Shiyu Zhuo as Sophie and Ashlyn Brown as Octavian performing “Mir ist die ehre widerfahren” from Der Rosenkavalier. Photo © Eric Woolsey, 2026*

In previous years, Center Stage often produced a handful of performances that left one thinking, “That one’s going somewhere.” This year, the remarkable depth of the roster became the story. Memorable individual performances emerged across a field operating at a strikingly high level. The growing strength of the applicant pool — and the precious few who earn places in these programs — has raised the level of the entire enterprise.

That consistency explains why Center Stage has become such a reliable draw. Racette and her team have created an evening built around discovery, theatrical immediacy and the infectious intensity of artists eager to show what they can do. That’s a banker worth betting on.

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis presented Center Stage on June 23 at the Loretto-Hilton Center.

(L to R) Rosaria Armas, Cristina Escobedo, Kim Stanish, Shyheim Selvan Hinnant, Julia Maria Johnson, Joel Clemens, Paige Michels, Lazuli Bruno Clark, Edmond Rodriguez, and Anthony Voiers in the Act IV finale from Le nozze di Figaro. Photo © Eric Woolsey, 2026

*Emily Kondrat, Audrianna Hughes, Kaya Giroux, Julia Maria Johnson, Veronica Siebert, and Imara Ashton as the Six Merry Murderesses in “Cell Block Tango” from Chicago. Photo © Eric Woolsey, 2026*

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Funky, Fun ‘Shrek the Musical’ Flips and Fractures Fairy Tales at The Muny

By Lynn Venhaus

It’s hard to say who had a better time at “Shrek the Musical” – the parents or the children, often green-clad and gleefully giggling at the daffy antics. The Muny’s annual family favorite ‘Kids Show’ delighted across generations with its irreverent humor, impressive pop vocals, and infectious energy in a funky, funny, fluffy un-Disneyized fairy tale musical.

It’s not your classic prince-rescues-princess tradition, and that’s the fun of it, what sets this storytelling apart. In the comical land of Far, Far Away, the unlikely hero is a smelly, grumpy ogre, accompanied by his chatty sidekick Donkey, his feisty true-love Princess Fiona and his merry band of misfits.

The ensemble opens with the catchy “Big Bright Beautiful World” and you’re off on an unusual adventure. Lord Farquaad demands Shrek rescue Princess Fiona from a dragon-protected tower in exchange for the deed to his swamp, for the despicable despot wants to marry her. Once upon a time wasn’t ever this raucous.

First released as an animated film in 2001, “Shrek” fractured happily-ever-after fairy tales in this DreamWorks Animation smash hit that won the first-ever Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film. Breaking industry rules and becoming a cultural phenomenon, the film adaptation of William Steig’s slight 1990 children’s picture book “Shrek!” has earned $500 million globally. It has four sequels (a fifth is due out next year), two Puss ‘n Boots spin-offs, and just announced is an Eddie Murphy-led “Donkey” spinoff for 2028.

*Nik Walker (left) and Marcus M. Martin in the 2026 Muny production of “Shrek The Musical.” Photo by Phillip Hamer*

Of course, Broadway beckoned. “Shrek the Musical” took off in 2008, with Tony-nominated book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire, whose wicked wit is apparent in this adaptation, adding more backstory and mischief. With his absurdist, blunt humor paired with Jeanine Tesori’s clever and upbeat songs, they pulled apart musical theater tropes.

Lindsay-Abaire has incorporated elements of the movie sequels, too – “Shrek 2” and “Shrek Forever After.” After the Broadway run of 441 performances, they have since revised the musical several times.

With a large fun-loving ensemble, the Muny presents a jolly good road trip to the swamp, Duloc, and beyond. In its second staging here, the first since 2013, the casting is impeccable, their performances vigorous and the whimsical world-building is dazzling by director John Tartaglia and his unconventional team of dreamers and doers, celebrating the ‘different.’

The Tony-nominated and Emmy-winning Tartaglia, who directed “Shrek” thirteen years ago – and originated the role of Pinocchio on Broadway, has infused this playful version with bigger and bolder choices but keeping his trademark heart at the center. It’s the 10^th show he’s directed, and he’s very comfortable incorporating puppetry into all his visionary productions.

*Tyler Joseph Ellis in the 2026 Muny production of “Shrek The Musical.” Photo by Phillip Hamer*

After all, he was promoted several weeks ago to be the vice president of development and production at The Jim Henson Company, focusing on television and live theatrical projects. He serves as the primary creative supervisor for the Fraggle Rock brand (and started his career at “Sesame Street.”)

The magnificent giant pink fire-breathing Dragon is a stunning addition. Designed by James W. Wojtal Jr. and his team, with Eric Wright of Puppet Kitchen the puppet director, five puppeteers create magic on stage. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop designed and built Gingy, the dancing rats and the exploding bird.

Maintaining the Disney departure feel, Tartaglia followed through by envisioning a grungier, not gleaming, kingdom, but also favored a lively, captivating 90s glam-rock concert look, with a nod to punk rock, too.

It reminded me of late ‘60s and early ‘70s television variety shows like “The Sonny and Cher Show” and “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” with sparkly high-energy performers and cheeky humor.

*Marcus M. Martin and Salome Smith in the 2026 Muny production of “Shrek The Musical.” Photo by The Muny | Emily Santel*

The well-integrated designs add to the showbizzy and make-believe worlds, including musical Easter eggs that subvert the usual tropes (Can you spot “Les Miserables,” “A Chorus Line,” “Gypsy,” “The Lion King,” “Wicked” and “Chicago”?). Nothing’s going to bring him down, Lord Farquaad sings!

Adam Koch’s vivid set design incorporated a new-to-the-Muny technique, using a screen to great effect, especially when Donkey and Fiona have a heart-to-heart in a ‘cave.’ His grid-and-forest design took us immediately into an interesting new world.

The exceptional trio of Nik Walker, Marcus M. Martin and Kara Lindsay headline as Shrek, Donkey and Fiona, and corralled us into their corner from their entrance, with deeply expressive voices, crisp comic timing and tangible chemistry.

Delightful Troy Iwata once again raises the bar on comical scene-stealing performances. Previously the guffaw-inducing housekeeper Jacob in last year’s “La Cage Aux Folles” and adorably amusing as beat-to-a-different drummer Ogie in “Waitress,” he makes the most of tyrannical narcissist Lord Farquaad and his shortcomings.

*Troy Iwata (as Lord Farquaad) and the company of the 2026 Muny production of “Shrek The Musical.” Photo by Phillip Hamer*

His sheer physicality is mind-boggling, cavorting by wearing a special costume with tiny legs attached and primarily walking on his knees. His “What’s Up, Duloc!” and “Ballad of Farquaad” are hilarious, as are his farcical movements.

Add a zany Aymee Garcia as outspoken Gingerbread Man, aka Gingy, and a spry Tyler Joseph Ellis, who hits the right falsetto notes as rabble-rouser Pinocchio, to the ‘social outcast’ mix. Mighty Salome Smith is a showstopper as the booming voice of the Dragon, belting out “Forever” like a Dreamgirl.

All the principals, except for Iwata, are making their Muny debut. The peppy ensemble, a mix of vets and newbies, is very strong – and busy. They’re up to the rigorous routines that dynamic choreographer Patrick O’Neill, associate choreographer Bryan Thomas Hunt and assistant choreographer Kelly Sheehan challenge them with, and it shows in the major dance numbers: “Story of My Life,” my favorite “Freak Flag” with its winking at “Les Miz,” “What’s Up, Duloc!” and the glorious tap routine “Morning Person.”

*Kara Lindsay in the 2026 Muny production of “Shrek The Musical.” Photo by The Muny | Emily Santel*

Martin has fun leading the spirited divas Three Blind Mice (Monique Churchill, Kylie Edwards and Abby Linderman) in the R&B “Make a Move.” Inserting “I’m A Believer” from the movie for the wedding reception dance-party finale is as jubilant a curtain call as can be. Another catchy visual by inventive video designer Kylee Loera includes photo booth snapshots.

In his 18^th show as music director/conductor, master maestro Ben Whiteley leads 24 musicians, and keeps the joyous tempo on track, with fluid orchestrations throughout.

For her 14^th show, costume designer Robin L. McGee, a Highland, Ill., native, created an eye-popping assortment of outfits, based on original costume design by Tim Hatley. Just look at the close-up detail in production photos, making the fairy tale characters recognizable, but also able to easily move.

Jeff Knaggs’ wig designs completed the look, and those who helped with padding and prosthetics deserve shout-outs too. Lighting designer Jason Lyons and sound designer Joshua Hummel worked in tandem to capture the atmosphere, and the human noises had to be perfectly timed, as did the swamp sounds.

*Salome Smith (above), Marcus M. Martin and the company of the 2026 Muny production of “Shrek The Musical.” Photo by Phillip Hamer*

Now, there is frequent use of potty humor, so you are warned – particularly fart jokes. “I Think I Got You Beat” is an outrageously silly flatulence and burping contest between Shrek and Fiona.

Skilled at physical comedy, the ensemble also included Mathew Blasio, DeShawn Bowens, Matthew Davies, Ryan Fitzgerald, Matt Gibson, Jack Gimpel, Shelby Griswold, Michael Harp, Gwen Hollander, Sean McManus, Shelby Ringdahl, Trevor Michael Schmidt, Kelly Sheehan, Caitlin Stebelman and Jonah D. Winston.

They appeared as such familiar childhood characters in forests and fauna – Pied Piper, Fairy Godmother, Peter Pan, Wicked Witch, Tweedledum, Mama Bear, Ugly Duckling, Big Bad Wolf and others.

The company was joined by the adorably costumed Muny Kids and Teens youth ensembles. Fine young performers Solomon Rosenthal and Lake Schultz play Young Shrek and Young Fiona, while Amelie Lock was Teen Fiona. The trio of Fionas combine for the poignant “I Know It’s Today,” yearning for their escape.

*Amelie Lock, Kara Lindsey, Lake Schultz. Photo by_Phillip Hamer*

In such duets as “Don’t Let Me Go” and “Travel Song,” Walker and Martin show their mapcap skills, and when paired with Fiona in “This Is How a Dream Comes True” and the anthem “Who I’d Be,” it calls for heightened emotions.

The most important takeaway is the show’s message about self-acceptance. Some songs focus on inner beauty, self-worth and being comfortable in your own skin. Shrek’s a-ha moments include “When Worlds Fail,” “Build a Wall” and “Beautiful Ain’t Always Pretty.”

While the songs are melodious and superbly delivered, some of the numbers seem repetitive, stretching out the inevitable, and these ballads, while heartfelt and moving, created some restlessness from the little ones around me. The musical’s structure has some pacing issues, but this cast kept it as breezy as possible.(Special mention to stage manager Larry Smiglewski). It is a 2.5-hour experience with intermission.

In “Shrek the Musical,” we can still BELIEVE in the comforting magic of fairy tales, and that everyone is worthy of love and friendship. With “biggish” ideas, the Muny has crafted a refreshing show that’s suitable for all – on two different levels. For adults, the parodies and un-cutesy theme land while the kids can revel in the slapstick and goofy characters.

*Aymee Garcia (Gingy puppeteer), Troy Iwata (as Lord Farquaad) and the company of the 2026 Muny production of “Shrek The Musical.” Photo by Phillip Hamer*

The Muny presents “Shrek the Musical” from June 25 through July 2 nightly at 8:15 p.m. at its outdoor theatre in Forest Park. For more information, visit www.muny.org

*THe company of the 2026 Muny production of “Shrek The Musical.” Photo by Phillip Hamer*

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3 min read

OTSL’s ‘The Pirates of Penzance’ Sails On Music, Wit and Comic Precision

By CB Adams

The performing arts do love a new label, especially for an old idea. Take “poperetta,” a recent coinage for musical theater that mixes high and low, sophistication and popular appeal. Gilbert and Sullivan might reasonably ask what took us so long. Nearly 150 years after “The Pirates of Penzance” first set sail, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ exuberant revival finds this Victorian confection still afloat, still tuneful and still very funny. Apparently, nobody told it that it was old.

Director and choreographer Seán Curran knows precisely what keeps this gloriously improbable work moving. His production, first staged at OTSL in 2013, has since been mounted by opera companies across the country. Back where it began, the production remains fresh and remarkably sure of itself. The stage is rarely still. Gesture, rhythm and split-second timing accumulate into comedy, grounded by characters who treat every ridiculous circumstance with complete seriousness.

James Schuette’s sets and costumes announce the game before Sullivan’s score gets underway. A grand gilt Victorian proscenium, crowned by a skull and crossed swords, frames the thrust stage. Red curtains, vivid painted backdrops and a pirate ship cheerfully wheeled into place suggest a pop-up book sprung to life. The machinery shows. That’s part of the point.

Daniel Luis Espinal gives Frederic a bright, ardent tenor and a winning innocence. Jana McIntyre’s Mabel brings character and wit to the role’s coloratura demands. Their romantic sincerity gives the surrounding lunacy something firm to bounce against.

*Jana McIntyre and Daniel Luis Espinal, Photo by Eric Woolsey.*

The production has comic talent to spare. William Socolof’s Pirate King swaggers and blusters with comic authority, while Meredith Arwady brings a formidable contralto and deft comic timing to Ruth. Robert Mellon makes Major-General Stanley a beaming monument to cheerful foolishness, dispatching the famous patter song with impressive clarity. Shyheim Selvan Hinnant makes the Sergeant of Police one of the evening’s comic highlights, leading his hapless constables through some of Curran’s funniest physical comedy.

George Manahan conducts members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with equal attention to Sullivan’s melodic beauty and the propulsion that keeps Curran’s production moving. The chorus, prepared by Andrew Whitfield, contributes power, verbal clarity and distinct comic character.

After nearly 150 years, “The Pirates of Penzance” has nothing to prove. Curran and company trust the music, sharpen the comedy and keep the whole improbable contraption moving. The old thing sails beautifully.

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ production of “The Pirates of Penzance” was performed May 23 through June 27 as part of the company’s 2026 Festival Season.

*Robert Mellon as the Major General. Photo by Eric Woolsey.*

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“Supergirl’ Milly Alcock Impresses in Standard Superhero Story

By Alex McPherson

Representing less a defiant step forward into a new era of the DC Cinematic Universe than a retread of the by-the-books superhero fare of the past decade, director Craig Gillespie’s “Supergirl” flies along well enough but shoots out of memory soon afterwards.

We first meet Kara Zor-El a.k.a. Supergirl (Milly Alcock) as she boozily zips from planet to wacky planet in celebration of her 23rd birthday. With the lovably destructive CGI dog Krypto in tow, Kara has a laissez-faire attitude toward life, clearly preferring to party than confront the trauma of her tragic backstory. She also avoids Earth at all costs — much to the frustration of Superman (David Corenswet), who’s increasingly worried she won’t ever “find her people.”

Things take a turn for the explosive when Kara encounters Ruthye (Eve Ridley), a young woman seeking revenge after her family was murdered by Brigand leader Krem of the Yellow Hills (Matthias Schoenaerts). Kara saves Rutheye from a squelchy brute straight out of the “Star Wars” Mos Eisley Cantina, but refuses to help her track down the bloodthirsty trafficker.

Krem has other plans, though, when he hijacks Kara’s ship and shoots poor Krypto with a poisonous dart that gives the pup only three days to live. This motivates Kara to track him down to retrieve the antidote, and reluctantly take on Ruthye as her novice (but underestimated) sidekick.

*Kara is greeted by Superman when she comes to Earth with her puppy Krypto.*

As the pair rush to track down Krem, they develop a friendship (wow!), each teaching the other about the power of community and reckoning with grief. They deal with bouts of punchtastic action and formulaic villainy along the way. Plus, an unhinged, motorcycle-riding Jason Momoa appears as the intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo!

If one expects “Supergirl” to break the mold of what’s come before, get ready for disappointment. Gillespie’s film starts out strongly enough, decidedly wackier and more committed to showing a colorful galaxy than other recent outings, as well as establishing Alcock as a perfect fit for the role of Kara.

Alcock’s dry comedic timing is spot-on, with Ana Nogueira’s screenplay leaning into her cynicism and dry wit in a way that never becomes tiresome, building a character far less “polished” than Corenswet’s Superman, and one that’s all the more enjoyable to watch for it.

Sadly, before long, the film slides back into the template we’ve seen time and time again, awkwardly sandwiching humor between “sobering” backstory that’s clunkily assembled and largely bereft of earned poignancy.

Gillespie ultimately trades the energetic personality of the opening for something far drearier and, crucially, blander, as the PG-13, green-screened violence kicks into high gear and we realize that, no, none of the heroes are truly in danger amid the swirl of crowd-pleasing clichés.

Kara and Ruthye’s bond is believable, to an extent. Kara’s bond with Ruthye and seeing her hunger for revenge leads her to reflect on her own past, gradually understanding herself and her deep-seated anger at the world as she eventually transforms into the “Supergirl” that she’s destined to become.

This is a passable arc — it’s just that Gillespie’s storytelling lets Kara down, awkwardly jumping into flashbacks that are rushed through without letting us sit and feel the sadness and disorientation that Kara experiences. Gillespie and Nogueira opt for a barebones outline instead of fleshing out her past in more detail, perhaps assuming that viewers already get the gist from the comics.

Fortunately, “Supergirl” moves along at a brisk enough clip. We’ve got the monstrous, albeit extremely one-note baddie Krem, the goofily out-there Lobo (Momoa understands the assignment), and plenty of quip-filled set-pieces complete with peppy needle drops.

It’s just that, with such an excellent actor as Alcock in the starring role, doesn’t she deserve something more substantial to work with from a narrative standpoint? She’s even let down from an action perspective.

Rob Hardy’s cinematography is often eye-catching and keeps the fighting coherent, but these sequences are unwilling to fully let Kara off the chain, too often kneecapping her powers just when she starts using them. They fall into a frustrating stop-start pattern that persists all the way through the final battle.

“Supergirl” is still an entertaining enough watch despite its numerous issues — the template is functional, after all, although the pointed social commentary of James Gunn’s “Superman” is definitely missed here.

There’s nothing offensively off-putting about Kara’s debut. It’s just an affirmation that, at their core, these films might never truly change.

“Supergirl” is a 2026 sci-fi action-adventure directed by Craig Gillespie and starring Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Corenswet, Jason Momoa, Emily Beecham and David Krumholtz. It’s runtime is 1 hour, 47 minutes, and is rated PG-13 for sequences of strong violence, action, language, and smoking. It opens in theatres June 26. Alex’s Grade: C+

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