St Louis Symphony Orchestra’s March Concerts

St Louis Symphony Orchestra’s March Concerts

ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA’S MARCH CONCERTS INCLUDE THREE SLSO PREMIERES, CHORAL PERFORMANCES, GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING ARTISTS, AND A BON VOYAGE CONCERT FOR THE ORCHESTRA’S EUROPEAN TOUR

March 3-4: Assistant Conductor Stephanie Childress leads the orchestra in two SLSO premieres: Oswald Huỳnh’s Gia Đình (Family) and Joseph Haydn’s Keyboard Concerto No. 11 with frequent SLSO guest Peter Henderson; concerts conclude with Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 3, “Rhenish”

March 10-11: Conductor Nicholas McGegan leads the SLSO in selection from Ludwig van Beethoven’s Egmont and the first SLSO performances of Felix Mendelssohn’s The First Walpurgis Night with the St. Louis Symphony Chorus

March 12: Grammy Award-winning duo, Indigo Girls, shares the stage with the SLSO

March 16: Music Director Stéphane Denève and acclaimed pianist Víkingur Ólafsson team up for a one-night-only bon voyage concert with the SLSO prior to the orchestra’s European tour; concert includes Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto, Sergei Prokofiev’s The Love for Three Oranges Suite, and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances

March 19: Childress leads the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra in a free community concert featuring Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 and a movement from Johannes Brahms’ Violin Concerto with YO co-concertmaster Ayman Amerin

March 31: Folk and bluegrass pioneer Béla Fleck performs his latest album, My Bluegrass Heart

(February 2, 2023, St. Louis, MO) – Today, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra announced details for its concerts at Powell Hall throughout the month of March. Concerts include a one-night-only bon voyage concert for the orchestra prior to its five-city European tour with acclaimed pianist Víkingur Ólafsson; programs with Assistant Conductor Stephanie Childress and longtime collaborator Nicholas McGegan; a performance with the Grammy Award-winning duo Indigo Girls, and a presentation of celebrated folk and bluegrass music by artist Béla Fleck.

Tickets start at $15 for classical concerts, $10 for Youth Orchestra concerts, and start as low as $40 for other concerts. Tickets may be purchased at slso.org or by calling the Box Office at 314-534-1700. A full concert calendar is available at slso.org or on the SLSO’s mobile app available for iOS or Android. Both Saturday night classical concerts will be broadcast live on 90.7 FM KWMU St. Louis Public Radio, Classic 107.3, or online (stlpr.org). Audiences can attend a Pre-Concert Conversation, an engaging discussion about the music and artists on the program, one hour prior to each classical concert in the auditorium. 

The SLSO’s 143rd season runs through June 2023. For more information, visit slso.org. 

Schumann’s “Rhenish” Symphony

Friday, March 3, 2023, 7:30pm

Saturday, March 4, 2023, 10:30am*

Stephanie Childress, conductor

Peter Henderson, piano

Oswald HUỲNH                                      Gia Đình (First SLSO performances)

Joseph HAYDN                                       Keyboard Concerto No. 11, Hob. XVIII (First SLSO performances)

Robert SCHUMANN                              Symphony No. 3, “Rhenish”

*Refreshments courtesy of Kaldi’s Coffee and Eddie’s Southtown Donuts. Shuttle service available from Plaza Frontenac.

SLSO Assistant Conductor Stephanie Childress returns to lead the orchestra in classical concerts, following her April 2022 classical season debut. The March 3-4 concerts open with two pieces new to the SLSO but composed more than 230 years apart. The SLSO first performed Oswald Huỳnh’s Gia Đình (Family) as part of a yearly collaboration with the Mizzou New Music Initiative at the University of Missouri, in which the orchestra workshops scores by student composers. Childress asked Huỳnh—an initiative participant—to expand on his original work for full orchestra. Next, frequent SLSO collaborator and Maryville University professor Peter Henderson joins the orchestra for Joseph Haydn’s Keyboard Concerto No. 11, composed in 1784 and marked by a lively, gallant style. The concerts close with Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 3, “Rhenish.” Written during a happy time in Schumann’s life, the symphony draws inspiration from Ludwig van Beethoven’s groundbreaking Symphony No. 3, as well as Schumann’s trip to the German Rhineland with his wife, pianist Clara Schumann.

Beethoven and Mendelssohn

Friday, March 10, 2023, 7:30pm

Saturday, March 11, 2023, 8:00pm

Nicholas McGegan, conductor

Sarah Price, soprano

Danielle Yilmaz, soprano

Victoria Carmichael, alto

Thomas Cooley, tenor

Enrico Lagasca, bass-baritone (SLSO debut)

St. Louis Symphony Chorus | Trent Patterson, guest director

Ludwig van BEETHOVEN                     Selections from Egmont

Felix MENDELSSOHN                            The First Walpurgis Night (First SLSO performances)

Frequent SLSO collaborator Nicholas McGegan returns for a dramatic musical pairing of works by Ludwig van Beethoven and Felix Mendelssohn inspired by famed author Goethe. Both feature calls for liberty—heroically in Beethoven’s Egmont, playfully in Mendelssohn’s The First Walpurgis Night. The St. Louis Symphony Chorus joins McGegan and the orchestra for the first SLSO performances of The First Walpurgis Night. A fixture at the SLSO for more than 30, this will be McGegan’s 37th classical program with the SLSO.

Indigo Girls

Indigo Girls with the SLSO

Sunday, March 12, 2023, 7:00pm

Stephanie Childress, conductor

Indigo Girls, vocals and guitar

Repertoire announced from the stage. This concert was rescheduled from May 2022.

On Sunday, March 12, Amy Ray and Emily Saliers—better known as the Indigo Girls—return to Powell Hall for a third collaboration with the SLSO. The power of unity, both in music and in life, has been an Indigo Girls calling card ever since they burst into the spotlight with their 1989 self-titled breakout album. Since then, the band has racked up Gold and Platinum records, taken home a coveted GRAMMY® Award, and earned the respect of high-profile peers. This performance was rescheduled from May 2022. The SLSO will honor tickets for the original concert date.

Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances

Thursday, March 16, 2023, 7:30pm

Stéphane Denève, conductor

Vikingur Ólafsson, piano

Sergei PROKOFIEV                                 The Love for Three Oranges Suite

Edvard GRIEG                                         Piano Concerto

Sergei RACHMANINOFF                      Symphonic Dances

For one night, the SLSO invites St. Louisans to hear a program with Music Director Stéphane Denève and acclaimed pianist Víkingur Ólafsson at its home in Powell Hall on Thursday, March 16, 2023—a bon voyage concert celebrating the SLSO’s return to international touring for the first time since 2017. Ólafsson will play Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto, the same piece he made his SLSO debut with in November 2021. The concert also includes music by two composers Denève greatly admires: music from Sergei Prokofiev’s satirical opera—the rarely-performed The Love for Three Oranges Suite; and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances, an orchestral showpiece and a “desert island” work for Denève. On March 21, the SLSO embarks on a five-city tour that will see the same program performed at some of the world’s most-celebrated concert halls, including the Vienna Konzerthaus (Vienna, Austria); Centre for Fine Arts (Brussels, Belgium, as part of the Klara Festival); Muzikgebouw Eindhoven (Eindhoven, the Netherlands); Concertgebouw (Amsterdam, the Netherlands); and Auditorio Nacional de Música (Madrid, Spain).   

Stephen Childress

St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra

Sunday, March 19, 2023, 3:00pm

Stephanie Childress, conductor

Ayman Amerin, violin

Johannes BRAHMS                               Allegro non troppo from Violin Concerto

Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH                        Symphony No. 5

The St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra continues its three-concert season by featuring the winner of the annual YO Concerto competition. Ayman Ishmael Amerin, the YO co-concertmaster and junior at Fort Zumwalt West High School, will perform a movement from Johannes Brahms’ Violin Concerto. Then, the orchestra performs Dmitri Shostakovich’s most provocative work—his Symphony No. 5, noted for its over-the-top musical depiction of Soviet patriotism in response to official criticism of his earlier musical output. YO Music Director and SLSO Assistant Conductor Stephanie Childress leads this concert.

Béla Fleck’s My Bluegrass Heart

Friday, March 31, 2022, 7:30pm

Béla Fleck, banjo and vocals

Repertoire announced from the stage. This performance does not feature the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Folk and bluegrass pioneer Béla Fleck returns to Powell Hall to perform his latest work, My Bluegrass Heart, a 19-track album that took the 2021 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album. Over the long and lauded course of his unique creative run, Fleck – the world’s premier banjo virtuoso and a celebrated musical adventurer – has both dug deep into his instrument’s complex global history and unlocked the breadth of its possibilities.

Bela Fleck

About the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

Celebrated as a leading American orchestra, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country, marking its 143rd year with the 2022/2023 season and its fourth with Music Director Stéphane Denève. The SLSO maintains its commitment to artistic excellence, educational impact, and community collaborations, honoring its mission of enriching lives through the power of music.

The SLSO serves as a convener of individuals, creators, and ideas, and is committed to building community through compelling and inclusive musical experiences. As it continues its longstanding focus on equity, diversity, inclusion, and access, the SLSO embraces its strengths as a responsive, nimble organization, while investing in partnerships locally and elevating its presence globally. For more information, visit slso.org.

Top photo is SLSO guest Peter Henderson

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Shayamalan Builds Tension in ‘Knock at the Cabin’ Thriller Adaptation

Shayamalan Builds Tension in ‘Knock at the Cabin’ Thriller Adaptation

By Lynn Venhaus
A taut and tense thriller that taps into our anxieties and fears during the past three years of the pandemic, “Knock at the Cabin” keeps one off-guard and on the edge.

While vacationing in a remote area, a girl, Wen (Kristen Cui) and her parents (Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge) are taken hostage by armed strangers who demand that the family make a choice to avert the apocalypse.

Its alarming scenario – sacrifice to avert the world’s end – grows tedious as the minutes tick by (1 hour, 40-minute runtime), but the viewer isn’t sure if we’re being played or is it convincing enough to think about doing the unthinkable. Therefore, it’s fraught with danger until the conclusion.

Supernatural specialist M. Night Shyamalan remains streaky as a director, but this is one of his more grounded works, on par with “The Visit” (2015) and “Split” (2016), if not his masterpieces “The Sixth Sense” and “Unbreakable.”

Based on the book, “The Cabin at the End of the World” by Paul Tremblay, co-screenwriters Shyamalan, Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman keep the focus tightly controlled. The cabin becomes a claustrophobic setting instead of its relaxing get-away-from-the-city intentions.

Shyamalan, who is a master at simmering tensions, has a strong cast to work with here.

Playing against type, Dave Bautista is gentle-giant Leonard, who says he is a school teacher but is a hulking, menacing presence leading a team of nervous enforcers who mean what they say.

These are not idle threats they speak, but what they say is so preposterous, it’s hard to believe that humanity rests on one family’s decision. However, they follow through with the gruesome details – and thankfully, we are spared most of the horrific visuals.

The four have intruded on a same-sex couple’s vacation with their adopted daughter. Daddy Eric (Groff) and Daddy Andrew (Aldridge) are used to being targeted, but they are fierce warriors regarding their family. They are not going to give up easily, no matter how many pleas from Leonard’s team.

Rupert Grint is Redmond, a hothead whose temper hurts their mission more than helps. Abby Quinn is Adriene, a nurturing type, and Nikki Amuka-Bird is Sabrina, a nurse, trying to be compassionate but firm.

Their words fall on deaf ears, as news reports visualize the grim reality of the outside world. Who do we believe?

Showing flashbacks of their relationship and their setbacks, Andrew and Eric are given a backstory that ties a few things together. The pair dote on their charming daughter, which makes the choices even more gut-wrenching.

The authentic performances, especially by Groff, best known as a Tony nominee in musical theater (“Spring Awakening,” “Hamilton”), but who also starred in David Fincher’s TV series “Mindhunter,” and Aldridge, a veterans of several television shows, help stick the landing.

Shayamalan uses his beloved Philadelphia again, and appears briefly in an air fryer infomercial, as he likes to pop into his own films.

It’s a satisfactory thriller for our times, and ramped up those uneasy feelings we’ve all had since the lockdown three years ago.

“Knock at the Cabin” is a 2023 horror, mystery thriller directed by M. Night Shyamalan and stars Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge and Kristen Cui. It is rated R for violence and language, and runs 1 hour, 40 minutes. It opened in theaters on Feb. 3. Lynn’s Grade: B.

Knock at the Cabin Trailer; Credit: Universal Pictures/YouTube; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv_QhoUy-xc
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Another Look: ‘Groundhog Day’ at 30

Another Look: ‘Groundhog Day’ at 30

By Lynn Venhaus
Maybe it was the wake-up call – the clock radio hitting 6 a.m. and Sonny and Cher’s “I Got You Babe” blaring bedside at the quaint B &B. And then again the next day, at precisely the same time.

From the get-go, you knew “Groundhog Day” wasn’t your usual comedy when it premiered on Feb. 12, 1993. It could have been a one-joke movie, but in the hands of an appealing cast led by Bill Murray, director Harold Ramis and screenwriter Danny Rubin, “Groundhog Day” turned out to be fresh, original and enormously entertaining.

Today it stands as not only one of the best comedies of the 1990s, but a romantic comedy for the ages.

The movie’s ingenious hook was taking a classic American winter custom and turning it into a personal hell, then salvation, for an arrogant Pittsburgh TV weatherman. In a perverse twist of fate, Phil Connors must repeat the same day over and over and over again. It happens when he’s covering the most famous groundhog in the U.S., Punxsutawney Phil, in a nearby Pennsylvania hamlet, to witness the annual ritual of whether or not he saw his shadow on Feb. 2. It’s the fourth year for the assignment, and he’s beyond amused, with frustration seething from every pore. Oh, the irony — he gets stuck in the small town when a blizzard that he forecast as going elsewhere heads his way.

Murray was a natural for the role of the condescending and vain weather guy, with his deadpan delivery style well-suited for such lines as “I am a god, not THE God.”

By the early 1990s, Murray was working infrequently, and his previous films, “What About Bob?” in 1991, “Ghostbusters II” in 1989 and ‘Scrooged” in 1988 had received mixed reviews. His ’80s glory days of ‘Stripes,” “Caddyshack,” “Ghostbusters” and “Tootsie” were behind him, but he proved he could still carry a movie and was a comic force to be reckoned with, but also charming in a romantic part, too.

When he’s testing his immortal powers, that’s when he really draws laughs, but he becomes downright cuddly when he decides to use his powers for good, not evil. Murray’s expert comic timing makes everyone around him better, too.

Andie MacDowell is radiant as the sweet producer wooed by the weatherman and wacky Chris Elliott is just plain funny as the cameraman Larry.

And then of course there’s Stephen Tobolowsky, a character actor so memorable as Ned Ryerson. Who can forget Ned’s nerdy ways? His talent show act in high school? Bing!



“Groundhog Day” has aged well. It’s a movie whose elements will make you smile whenever you think of them, and will still make you laugh after repeat viewings.

For example, here is the snappy repartee between the morning radio show personalities:
First D.J.: Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don’t forget your booties ’cause it’s cooooold out there today.
Second D.J.: It’s coooold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach?
First D.J.: Not hardly. And you know, you can expect hazardous travel later today with that, you know, that, uh, that blizzard thing.
Second D.J.: [mockingly] That blizzard – thing. That blizzard – thing. Oh, well, here’s the report! The National Weather Service is calling for a “big blizzard thing!”
First D.J.: Yessss, they are. But you know, there’s another reason why today is especially exciting.
Second D.J.: Especially cold!
First D.J.: Especially cold, okay, but the big question on everybody’s lips…
Second D.J.: – On their chapped lips…
First D.J.: – On their chapped lips, right: Do ya think Phil is gonna come out and see his shadow?
Second D.J.: Punxsutawney Phil!
First D.J.: That’s right, woodchuck-chuckers – it’s
[in unison]
First D.J.: GROUNDHOG DAY!
Second D.J.: GROUNDHOG DAY!
So come along to Gobbler’s Knob! Watch “Groundhog Day” and you won’t need a chill pill!

The movie’s authentic winter look got me to thinking about other movies set in massive amounts of snow. Here are nine others that make the most of their frosty settings, if you want to go that direction.



Doctor Zhivago (1965) – If you have never seen this David Lean epic love story set during the Russian Revolution, put it at the top of your list — and clear some time, for it’s 3 hours and 17 minutes. Omar Sharif plays the hunky lead opposite gorgeous Julie Christie while Geraldine Chaplin is his dumped wife. Rod Steiger, Alec Guinness and a cast of thousands. “Somewhere My Love” is the haunting “Lara’s Theme” of the Maurice Jarre soundtrack.

Fargo (1996) – The frozen landscape of the twin cities, Minneapolis-St. Paul, is really the setting of the Coen Brothers’ finest film, and it becomes as memorable a character as William H. Macy’s hapless car salesman Jerry Lundegaard and Oscar winner Frances McDormand’s very pregnant police chief Marge Gunderson. The murder-for-hire scheme is dark, as far as black comedies go, but what a terrific twisted plot, and both Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare play two of life’s biggest losers on the wrong side of the law. You feel Jerry’s pain as he tries to scrape ice off his car when his plans begin to unravel.

Miracle (2004) – Every four years, February means Olympic stars are born. And who can forget the 1980 USA Hockey Team’s quest for the gold? Even if you already know the story, “Miracle” is one terrific sports movie. Kurt Russell gives one of his best performances ever as Coach Herb Brooks, and the backstory of how they assembled this team is compelling human drama. And these players are kids who spent their childhoods skating on frozen ponds, so of course there’s plenty of snow and ice to qualify this movie as a winter wonder.

A Simple Plan (1998) – Director Sam Raimi’s excellent adaptation of Scott Smith’s novel features a wintry Minnesota backdrop for a hot potato story. A never-better Bill Paxton plays Hank, who along with his ‘slow’ brother Jacob (Oscar nominee Billy Bob Thornton in a heart-breaking performance) and friend Lou (Brent Briscoe) discovers $4 million in a plane wreck. They decide to keep quiet and divvy up the money — which they reckon is from a drug deal — but naturally greed takes over, and very bad things start happening. It’s very Shakespearean in a relatable small-town way.

Cliffhanger (1993) – Sylvester Stallone does what he does best in this taut thriller set in the Italian Alps — superbly playing an action hero with some serious dilemmas. Director Renny Harlin’s visual style is dazzling here, and the adventure has a sense of urgency that keeps you on the edge of your seat. John Lithgow is notable as the villain, one of his better roles.

Jeremiah Johnson (1972) – Robert Redford is a mountain man who learns new ways to survive in the wilderness, circa 1830. Sydney Pollack directed this picture-postcard of a movie filmed in Utah. Will Geer, aka Grandpa Walton, is memorable as a trapper who teaches Jeremiah a thing or two.

Alive (1993) – If you think the plane crash on “Lost” was something else, you haven’t seen this amazing recreation of the horrific real-life accident stranding Uruguayan rugby players for 10 weeks in the remote Andes Mountains in 1972. Perhaps you recall what they had to do to survive. The movie, directed by Frank Marshall and written by John Patrick Shanley, focuses on the human drama. The cast features young stars Ethan Hawke, Josh Hamilton, Vincent Spano and in a small role, Josh Lucas.

Ice Age (2003) – OK, it’s animated, but it’s a clever and well-done family movie, featuring excellent voice work from comic actors as a motley crew trekking across the frozen tundras. Ray Romano is Manfred the Mammoth while John Leguizamo is Sid the Sloth and Denis Leary Diego the Sabertooth Tiger. It’s a fun prehistoric romp.

The Gold Rush (1925) – Charlie Chaplin is a prospector seeking gold in Alaska. Comic gems abound in this silent classic, most notable for eating the shoe.

Fargo

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Tesseract Theatre Changes Leadership Structures with New Team

Tesseract Theatre Changes Leadership Structures with New Team

 The Tesseract Theatre Company has changed leadership structures and announced its new team of Creative Directors.

Tesseract Theatre has followed the more traditional model of theatre administration for over a decade now, with an Artistic Director choosing production material, a Managing Director overseeing production operations, and an Executive Director tackling the administrative identity of the company.

The company is now switching to a more ‘open forum’ type of management structure with the addition of Kevin Corpuz. ”It opens up for more collaboration,” says Corpuz, “and allows us to work more in tandem to help shape the new direction of the company.”

The new direction of the company involving the addition of musicals, like last November’s production of Adam Gwon’s Ordinary Days, something Tesseract never did in its first twelve years in St. Louis. “I found myself wishing the play would never end,” wrote Richard Green of Talkin’ Broadway of the production.


”We’ve always celebrated having a lot of voices in the room,” says Taylor Gruenloh, the founding Artistic Director of the company, now turned Creative Director alongside Corpuz, “but this feels more responsible. And guarantees a ‘check and balance’ system to everything. And not just to make sure that duties are being done and everything is done fairly in production, but that leadership can look out for one another, make sure everyone is still taking a breath and is reminded why we want to sacrifice our time to produce theatre in this community.”

Along with Gruenloh and Corpuz is Brittanie Gunn, a founding partner of the company. “We celebrate ensembles on our stage,” Gunn says, “and I think mirroring our management structure in a more ensemble-like fashion should allow us to find new experimental ways to take on production management and company administration.”

”I’m excited to help Tesseract do what it’s always done,” says Corpuz. “Which has been producing exciting shows in St. Louis. And I’m glad to help usher in the exploration of musical theatre inside this company.”

Corpuz will be featured in the musical The Last Five Years by Jason Robert Brown at Tesseract Feb. 17-26, directed by Gruenloh. And Gunn will be directing the hip-hop romance Welcome to Arroyo’s by Kristoffer Diaz this upcoming April. Both shows at the .Zack Theatre in Midtown on Locust.

Ordinary Days
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Kelly Howe Will Sing Linda Ronstadt in Midnight Company’s Cabaret

Kelly Howe Will Sing Linda Ronstadt in Midnight Company’s Cabaret

The Midnight Company will feature two original cabaret shows as part of their 2023 season, and the first – JUST ONE LOOK, the story of the legendary singer Linda Ronstadt – will play at The Blue Strawberry on Wednesdays March 1, 8 and 15 at 7:30pm.  The show stars Kelly Howe as Ronstadt, and it’s written and directed by Midnight Creative Director Joe Hanrahan, and tickets, at $25, are on sale now at BlueStrawberrySTL.com or by calling 314-256-1745.  (In July, Midnight will present YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU, a very personal tribute to Judy Garland, at The Blue Strawberry.)

Hanrahan said “Jim Dolan of The Blue Strawberry and I have discussed incorporating a theatrical element into classic cabaret, and with the Linda Ronstadt show, we’re aiming to create that.”  Dolan said “Blue Strawberry is excited to be working with Joe Hanrahan and Midnight to present this show. As a longtime fan of Joe and Midnight’s work, we are honored to be a part of this production.”

After Linda Ronstadt’s long success on the pop music charts, she went on to triumphs on Broadway with Gilbert and Sullivan, 3 albums of the Great American Songbook with Nelson Riddle, Mariachi and lullaby albums, and much more.  She had 3 number 1 hit albums, and 10 albums in the top ten.  She recorded over 30 albums, and appeared as a guest on 120 albums by other artists – from Philip Glass to a duet with Homer Simpson.  There was a number 1 single,  3 number 2s, 10 top ten singles, 21 reaching the top 40, and two number 1 hits on the Country charts.  Ronstadt’s hits included Different Drum, Blue Bayou, Desperado, It’s So Easy, the title song of this show and many more.  Her worldwide album sales totaled more than fifty million, she won ten Grammy Awards, she’s a recipient of the National Medal of Arts, and she’s a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Hanrahan said “Both Kelly and I have a deep appreciation for the great music Linda Ronstadt delivered.  Both her rockers and her ballads are among our favorite songs.  We aim to remind people who she was, and to honor her work and her life.”

Her songbook featured collaborations with some of the biggest names in music, and her personal life included longterm relationships with, among others, Governor Jerry Brown of California when he was running for president, and George Lucas of STAR WARS.

In JUST ONE LOOK, Hanrahan will portray a veteran rock ’n roll journalist who finally gets to interview his unrequited love, Ronstadt, though she’s now retired to her hometown of Tucson, suffering from Parkinson’s disease.   In the course of the show, they remember her debut in Los Angeles, and Howe becomes the younger Linda, recalling her storybook career and singing her great songs.

Kelly Howe was nominated for Best Supporting Actress by the St. Louis Critics Circle for her role in The Black Rep’s SWEAT.  In St. Louis, she’s also been seen in TOMMY (Stray Dog), THE APHRA BEHN FESTIVAL (SATE) and RODNEY’S WIFE (Midnight.)

Joe Hanrahan, Midnight’s Artistic Director, directed Midnight productions of RODNEY’S WIFE and ST. LOUIS WOMAN in 2022.  For the Company, recent Hanrahan scripts have been ST. LOUIS WOMAN and ANOMALOUS EXPERIENCE in 2022, and NOW PLAYING THIRD BASE FOR THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS…BOND, JAMES BOND and TINSEL TOWN in 2021.  Both of those scripts were nominated for Best New Play by the Critics Circle, with TINSEL TOWN receiving the award.  Previously Joe has also directed for The Black Rep (THE BROWNSVILLE RAID and NO CHILD), SATE (CUDDLES) and R-S (THE FLICK).  

Miranda Jagels Felix will Assistant Direct.  She directed Kelly Howe for THE APHRA BEHN FESTIVAL (SATE),  assistant directed and performed for THE GOOD SHIP ST. LOUIS (Upstream), performed in HAG-SEED (Prison Performing Arts) and will assistant direct UNCLE VANYA (The Actors Studio) in February.

The JUST ONE LOOK Band will be led by Music Director/Pianist Curt Landes. Curt has played with Chuck Berry, Albert King, Glenn Campbell, John Hartford and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and has appeared at numerous national and local music festivals.  Tom Maloney will be on guitar and bass.  Tom was the Music Director the an international Johnnie Johnson tour.  He’s played with everybody from Jerry Vale to Homesick James, and recently co-wrote and produced Jeremiah Johnson’s #1 song on the Billboard Blues Chart, HiFi Drive.  And Mark Rogers will handle percussion and provide backup vocals.  Mark co-founded many local bands, including Street Corner Symphony, Walnut Park Athletic Club and The Heaters.  He proudly claims that he’s used the same drum set since 1968, and and the same milk can as a drum stool since 1973.

After JUST ONE LOOK, Midnight’s 2023 season will continue with THE ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS OF LEONARD PELKEY (May 4-20 at the Kranzberg Black Box), THE YEARS (July 13-29 at The Chapel), YOU MADE ME LOVE YOU (July 26, August 2 & 9 at The Blue Strawberry) and THE LION IN WINTER (October 5-21 at the .ZACK.)
For more information, visit midnightcompany.com.

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‘Six’ Offers Snappy Take on the Not-So-Merry Wives of Tudor

‘Six’ Offers Snappy Take on the Not-So-Merry Wives of Tudor

By CB Adams

“The past is never dead,” observed the novelist William Faulkner. “It’s not even past.” That sentiment was certainly on extravagant view at the Fox Theatre during the opening of “Six” the musical, running through Feb. 5.

“Six” is a music-forward revue – a glammy, poppy, hip-hoppy, “Schoolhouse Rock” treatment of King Henry VIII’s gaggle of significant others. Think of it as a “First Wives Club” with a killer soundtrack, sick beats, explosive light show, and a bevy of Queen Beys who put a ring, a stiletto and a defiant stomp on their heretofore musty-dusty place in the past. Or think of it as reimagined Tudor history for the TikTokkers.

If you’re expecting an historical costume drama, “Six” may surprise you because it’s heavy on the costumes and light, to the point of nonexistence, of the drama. But, oh those Tudor-inspired costumes. With all their studs, spikes, sequins, fishnets, bangles, baubles and bedazzlings, the black-pleathered costumes are enough to distract you from the history and entice you to just enjoy the swish, swagger and swirl of the performers.

This puts a new spin on the term historical “figures.” As bedecked, any of the queen-wives would have been Henry’s one and only – thanks to costume design by Gabriella Slade.

Historians, most of them of the male persuasion, have not been kind to the stories and legacies of Henry’s wives and lovers – rendering them with more histrionics than history.  That’s one of the main injustices that writers Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss apparently hoped to rectify during this musical’s snappy 80 minutes.

Marlow and Moss, who have written for Australian drag queen, singer and television personality Courtney Act, reclaim the fates of Henry’s wives into a shiny, knives-out revenge fantasy. They relish poking fun at Henry’s rotundity, his miniscule man-parts and his peccadillos big and small.

Under the direction of Moss and Jamie Armitage, “Six” puts all its jewels (actors, band, Eurovision-inspired set with more flashes than a Princess Di press conference) on stage, all at once and for the duration of the musical. What you see is what you get – from the get go – crowned by a more-is-more aesthetic.

The premise of “Six” is simple and simply stated at the outset. In a sort of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” by way of “Zoolander”-style walk-off, the queens compete to see who was dealt the worst hand by history and Henry to “be the one to lead the band.” Each queen gets a song and a dance and a chance to garner the most support (applause, applause) from the audience. This pageant-like format is really just an audience-engagement device and succeeds as such – the audience opening night came primed to hoot, holler and clap after each queen’s signature song.

In between are chorus numbers by The Queens in toto. When performing as The Queens, Cecilia Snow (Catherine of Aragon), Zan Berube (Anne Boleyn), Amina Faye (Jane Seymour), Terica Marie (Anna of Cleves), Aline Mayagoitia (Katherine Howard) and Sydney Farra (Catherine Parr), are impressive in voice and coordinated dances. Of the show’s nine songs, the ones owned by The Queens – “Ex-Wives,” “Haus of Holbein” and “Six” – are the best in the show, perhaps because of the combination of tight harmonization and the flash-dance choreography that takes full advantage of the confined stage.

The six solo songs wear their song-diva influences proudly and deliver catchy, if repetitive, lyrics bolstered by sonic-boom baselines. Snow’s “No Way” is an anti-divorce anthem, Faye’s “Heart of Stone” is an edgy torch song, and Mayagoitia’s “All You Wanna Do” is fruity piece of bubble gum pop.

The other “character” on stage is the all-female band called The Ladies in Waiting – Katie Coleman (conductor/keyboard), Sterlyn Termine (bass),  Liz Faure (Guitars) and Caroline Moore (drums), as well as Paul Gatehouse (sound design). The band is bespoke for this musical theater’s young fanbase and ferociously spews forth the spunky score’s zesty, sometimes winkingly naughty fun – all with the tight fury of a Prince guitar solo.  

Enhancing the concert-like experience of “Six” is the lighting design by Tim Deiling. According to LiveDesign website, “Beyoncé’s narrative pop concerts, where she tells you parts of her story, is what inspired the authors of “Six,” said Deiling. “Each of our six Queens are actually influenced heavily from contemporary pop divas (Aragon = Beyoncé, Boleyn = Katy Perry, Seymour = Adele, Cleves = Rihanna, and Parr = Alicia Keys) and I needed to differentiate between each Queen, so we drew on reference material from each of them.” In Deiling’s stated goals, the lighting design checks all those boxes, although it sometimes with all the flashing lights it might have been prudent to provide seizure warning.

In the first scene in “Six,” the Queens are lined up and Mayagoitia as Katherine Howard states, “…we’ve got a serious score to settle.” And like a spoonful of sugar helping the medicine go down, they spend the next rollicking hour and half making their cases. “Six” is as brightly appealing as a Twinkie and about as nutritious (historically speaking), but it is a fulfilling bon-bon of pure escapism. Take that, Henry!

Performances of “Six” at the Fabulous Fox run January 24-February 5. Tickets on sale now at MetroTix.com or by calling 314-534-1111. For more information, visit www.fabulousfox.com

Six Photos by Joan Marcus
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‘MISSING’ is an Immersive Thriller That Misses The Mark

‘MISSING’ is an Immersive Thriller That Misses The Mark

By Alex McPherson

Inventively constructed yet saddled with an unwieldy plot, Nicholas D. Johnson and Will Merrick’s screenlife thriller “Missing” undercuts its strengths by appealing to brash, exaggerated storytelling.

A standalone sequel to 2018’s “Searching,” which uses a similar format of taking place entirely via screens, “Missing” follows the 18-year-old June (Storm Reid), a rebellious, always-online teenager living in Los Angeles with her mother, Grace (Nia Long).

June’s father, James (Tim Griffin), passed away over a decade prior, and June continues to grieve — often lashing out at Grace’s protectiveness and constant need to check in with her. Grace and her boyfriend, Kevin (Ken Leung), are about to leave for a week-long vacation in Colombia, giving June free time to party it up at their security-cam-riddled suburban home.

When June arrives at the airport to pick them up, though, they’re not there. After being unable to reach either Grace or Kevin on their phones, June grows increasingly worried that they’re in danger. She takes the investigation into her own hands when authorities don’t act promptly. Time is of the essence, and June — a tech-savvy teen proficient at digital sleuthing— is on the case. 

With the help of their lawyer neighbor, Heather (Amy Landecker), a freelance worker June hires named Javi (Joaquim de Almeida), and June’s pal Veena (Megan Suri), June embarks down a labyrinthine rabbit hole of password hacking and web surfing. She makes discoveries that turn her reality upside-down.

By restricting the action to screens — the majority of the film unfolds on June’s computer, where she’s often video-chatting with someone and navigating an insane number of tabs — “Missing” effectively taps into the enormous digital footprints we leave behind, along with the ways in which technology can conceal, and illuminate, different sides of us.

Unfortunately, Johnson and Merrick, who edited “Searching,” neither fully play by the genre’s rules nor craft a compelling yarn to support the gimmick. By layering so many twists upon each other, especially in the third act, “Missing” obscures its most sobering aspects — leaning into schlocky developments that annoy, rather than thrill.

That’s not to say the central concept isn’t engaging, however, even though films like “Searching” and the (far superior) “Profile” have done it before. The format lends an immediacy and tangibility that ramps up suspense, as we observe June using familiar tools to uncover secrets supposedly hidden from view.

Johnson and Merrick aren’t fully confident in the idea — flashbacks, added camerawork, and shifting perspectives attempt to add cinematic flair, ironically breaking immersion — but it’s always nice to watch filmmakers buck tradition.

“Missing” is most successful when it shows how much personal information is accessible if we have the know-how to access it — from one’s immediate location to their online dating messages. The devices that “connect” us are themselves connected, able to communicate with each other like an omnipresent observer.

Although June’s Gen-Z detective skills lead to several satisfying “aha” moments, there’s no shaking the fact that these gadgets and services are violating, and a vessel for manipulation. They’re both helpful for June’s purposes and an extreme invasion of privacy. 

Additionally, when the public latches onto the case, and it becomes a viral obsession, we see how truth can be warped beyond recognition, as people capitalize on scandal for their own gain. Johnson and Merrick are obviously critical of true-crime entertainment, too — turning the events of “Searching” into an over-the-top Netflix show — which further complements this idea of corrupted reality. 

Reid makes the most of the somewhat cookie-cutter June, who doesn’t have many compelling traits besides her technical smarts. Her strained relationship with Grace provides some emotional grounding, but the script’s melodramatic beats are far from subtle.

Even so, Reid conveys her growing anxiety, fear, epiphanies, and anger convincingly — it’s fun to watch the mystery unfold, for a while, and feel like we’re solving it with her.

Long makes the most of a half-baked role — believable as a mother who, above all, wants the best for her child.

Almeida is the standout as Javi. He provides the bulk of comedic relief, and the film could have used more of his eccentric presence — especially when the story jumps the shark in the final act.

Indeed, despite its limited presentation, “Missing” shows little restraint in its narrative. Red herrings abound, and the film is constantly trying to one-up itself with bonkers reveals that require an absurd suspension of disbelief.

The constant attempts at subverting expectations distract from the most meaningful takeaways involving tech’s hold on modern life. “Missing” sacrifices the “human” element of its story for shock factor — sliding into unintentional comedy with threads that feel ripped straight from a soap opera. By the last “surprise,” the film ends up resembling the scandalous content the filmmakers critique elsewhere.

It’s a shame that “Missing” fumbles so egregiously in the end, since there’s much to praise about this paranoid thriller. At the very least, if you’re not too irritated when it’s all over, you might set up two-factor authentication on all your accounts.

“Missing” is a 2023 mystery thriller co-written and co-directed by Nick D. Johnson and Will Merrick. It stars Nia Long, Storm Reid, Ken Leung, Megan Suri and Amy Landecker. It is rated PG-13 for some strong violence, language, teen drinking, and thematic material and run time is 1 hour, 51 minutes. It opened in theaters on Jan. 20. Alex’s Grade: C+.

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Winter Opera Brews Up a Bewitching ‘Macbeth’

Winter Opera Brews Up a Bewitching ‘Macbeth’

By CB Adams

In his recent review in New York magazine of the Metropolitan Opera’s production of “Fedora,” Justin Davidson snarked, “’Fedora is an opera about décor.” The headline read, “At Least the Sofa Looks Fabulous.” That’s the kind of pronouncement relished by critics and reviewers, myself included (I do love a good snark, when well-deserved.)

In a backdoor sort of way, Davidson’s sentiment evoked an opposite reaction when assessing Winter Opera’s production of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Macbeth” at the Kirkwood Community Center. One of the major strengths of this production, stage directed by John Stephens, is precisely due to the minimal “décor” and sets. This approach, which was definitely not stagy nonchalance, enabled the production to focus on the essential moments in Shakespeare’s tale of power and corruption, Verdi’s score and the performances of the fine cast. The storyline is the thing, and the result was a solidly satisfying experience that served as a potent post-holiday palate cleanser – we all need a little opera, not a little more Christmas.

Calling the setting simple is not to belittle the work of scenic designer Scott Loebl. It’s to  his credit, as well as lighting designer Michael Sullivan’s and technical director Jacob Cange’s, that the mood is so effectively set with appeared at times as a wall of blood, emphasizing the Macbeths’ descent into depravity. The cast members moved through the playing area as though a walk upon Shakespeare’s atmospheric heath.

Photo by Rebecca Haas

One of the risks of production of “Macbeth” in either its theatrical or opera forms, is overplaying the witchiness of the witches. This is not “Wicked” after all. Verdi makes this risk higher turning the play’s three witches into a chorus of witches. But this production makes great, prudent use of this gaggly coven, which sometimes offers comic relief and other times stirring up their portentous predictions. One of the witches contorted her face so dramatically it seemed like an effect that could only be achieve with a mask. Jim Carrey would have been jealous.

The leading roles were performed with uniform excellence by singing actors, several of whom have been in previous Winter Opera productions. The Macbeths, sung by Michael Nansel and Whitney Myers were convincing both singly and as a couple. Myers’ performance as Lady Macbeth offered many insightful moments, marred only by her line “Out, damned spot” through no fault of her own. The line elicited more than few chuckles because its meaning has been ruined after being reduced to an American advertising slogan. Pity.

Nansel as Macbeth also jelled with Nathan Whitson as Banquo. Both used their big, expressive voices to reveal the thoughts and tribulations of their characters. Equally impressive was Jonathan Kaufman as Macduff, especially when confronting (shall I say, laying on) Macbeth.

As with the chorus of witches, the supporting cast was seamless performed and put effective use. The supporting cast included  Willard Moseley as Duncan, Damian Ziarko as Fleanzio, Angel Azzarra as a lady in waiting and Kevin Thomas Smith as Malcolm.

Verdi’s score received a well-balanced, thoughtful and atmospheric performance by the orchestra, directed by Edward Benyas. This was noticeable from the start, during the brooding, foreboding overture.

In the play, Lady Macbeth says, “What’s done cannot be undone.” In the case of Winter Opera’s “Macbeth,” what can’t be undone is a fine production of this Verdi-Shakespeare classic.

Winter Opera presented Verdi’s “Macbeth” on January 20 and 22, at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center.

Photos by Rebecca Haas

Macbeth by Winter Opera. Photo by Rebecca Haas
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‘M3GAN’ Is A Ridiculous Gem of Sci-Fi Horror

‘M3GAN’ Is A Ridiculous Gem of Sci-Fi Horror

By Alex McPherson

Silly, messy, yet filled with provocative ideas and starring an already classic antagonist, director Gerard Johnstone’s “M3GAN” is one of 2023’s first great films.

Set in near-future Seattle, “M3GAN” centers around Gemma (Allison Williams), a robotics engineer working for a toy company called Funki developing flatulent, Furby-esque “Perpetual Petz.” Gemma, a workaholic bordering on a mad scientist, has higher aspirations — creating a lifelike artificial intelligence that can serve as a child’s loyal companion, assisting with parental duties for guardians unwilling or unable to put the effort in themselves.

After a prototype demonstration goes haywire, her brash, overeager boss, David (Ronny Chieng), demands Gemma and her team construct a less complex version of Perpetual Petz to fight the competition. All hope for Gemma’s obviously flawed passion project goes out the window… until a fateful circumstance gives her the opportunity to pursue her dreams.

Her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw), is orphaned in a car accident involving a snow plow that kills both her parents. Gemma is called upon to assume guardianship of Cady, but she has absolutely no idea or willingness to interact with her on a meaningful level. Fortunately, or, rather, unfortunately, she finally has an excuse to build her Frankenstein once again — creating the titular M3GAN (Model 3 Generative Android), a wry and viciously programmed android with the body of young girl, a mean side-eye, off-kilter movements, and a propensity to sing pop songs — to provide for Cady and give Gemma the freedom to go about her own, separate life.

Cady’s attachment to M3GAN grows quite extreme, however, as does M3GAN’s directive to protect her at all costs, definitely not above killing anything that inconveniences her. The bodycount builds, Gemma faces increasing pressure from David to show M3GAN off to the world, and she must learn to take responsibility for her creation and, potentially, for her own life.

Despite relevant commentary on humankind’s dependence on technology, companies’ ruthless exploitation of our personal lives to sell goods, and how mistreatment of a near-sentient AI can heinously backfire, “M3GAN” is, at its core, a batshit insane slice of PG-13 horror that never takes itself too seriously. This is a satirical comedy above all else, eschewing nuance in favor of putting its Mean Girl to savage work.

M3GAN, voiced with cheerfully malevolent gusto by Jenna Davis and physically performed by Amie Donald, mixing stiltedness with bursts of animalistic energy, is quite the character. She’s both creepy and hilarious, eliciting nervous laughter with practically every one of her sardonic quips. Johnstone, screenwriter Akela Cooper (who also wrote 2021’s off-the-rails “Malignant”), and story co-creator James Wan aren’t here to necessarily humanize M3GAN, but they emphasize the poor ways she’s treated in this morally bankrupt world. M3GAN’s merely following her programming — serving Cady to the best of her reductive, frightening abilities — and gradually developing self-awareness of her own, fighting for her independence and a misguided desire to control, rather than be controlled. M3GAN is often discarded as an “other” to reside among other toys, or literally powered down whenever push comes to shove. 

M3GAN, the viral dancing sensation.

Peter McCaffrey’s cinematography mines this idea to darkly comedic effect; one memorable shot at a school field day features M3GAN seated in the middle of a pile of stuffed animals, glaring at the camera as if to say how could you treat me this way? When she’s unleashed to wreak her (largely bloodless) havoc, you might almost root for her as she disposes of those who disrespect and use her for their own selfish advancement.

The more (traditionally) human characters aren’t nearly as engaging, but Williams and McGraw lend pathos even in the most ludicrous stretches. Williams excels at delivering the film’s deadpan dialogue — Gemma’s awkwardness and impulsivity almost feel robotic at certain points, as she struggles to navigate her newfound maternal role and care for the grief-stricken Cady. Her arc later on in the film seems rushed (gotta get back to M3GAN dancing, after all), but Gemma’s learned empathy hits home with surprising, albeit not exactly poignant, force.

McGraw shines as Cady, conveying ample dramatic range as proceedings unfold. M3GAN seemingly fills the void left by the loss of her parents, and Cady refuses to be separated from her. She can have any question answered, a playmate always by her side, and someone to protect her from harm. Despite M3GAN’s increasingly violent actions, Cady remains strongly loyal, addicted to a “solution” that, despite how it’s promoted, is a dangerous rabbit hole.

Side characters — with the exception of David, who gives Chieng plenty of opportunities to ham it up as a shameless executive who wouldn’t feel out-of-place in a “Saturday Night Live” sketch — are mainly there as fodder for M3GAN, but that’s exactly what the film calls for. Although the PG-13 rating prevents Johnstone from fully cutting loose, there’s still a couple of wince-inducing moments (one involving not-quite-surgical ear removal) that won’t leave my mind anytime soon. Indeed, “M3GAN” pulls no punches when it counts.

The bombastic finale reverts to familiar tropes, and the combination of thoughtful commentary with goofiness doesn’t click together “smoothly,” but that adds to the charm. “M3GAN” remains an unabashedly fun watch, comfort food for those willing to update to its zany wavelength.

“M3GAN” is a 2023 science-fiction horror comedy directed by Gerard Johnstone and written by Akela Cooper. It stars Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Ronny Chieng, Amie Donald, and Jenna Davis. It is rated PG-13 for violent content and terror, some strong language, and a suggestive reference, and the runtime is 1 hour, 42 minutes. It opened in theaters January 6. Alex’s Grade: B+

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Tom Hanks Is Classic Grump in Sentimental ‘A Man Called Otto’

Tom Hanks Is Classic Grump in Sentimental ‘A Man Called Otto’

By Lynn Venhaus

A heart-tugging story about love, loss, life, and friendship, “A Man Called Otto” has much to say about seeing the world differently through other people’s eyes, and what your ‘found’ family means in your life.

Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks) is a grump who’s given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all. When a young family moves in nearby, he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol (Mariana Trevino), leading to a friendship that will turn his world around.

The film is based on the bestselling 2012 novel “A Man Called Ove,” written by Fredrik Backman, which was made into a 2015 Swedish of the same name by Hannes Holm.

Tom Hanks is a handful here. The neighborhood crank that can’t be bothered by social graces. He’s downright glacier. But there is more to his story here, and thankfully, we go along for the ride.

With a terrific supporting cast – Mariana Trevino is the MVP of this journey, and she’s a force of nature as the kind neighbor Marisol. Without her as a counterpart, this would be a difficult, one-note story, for the story centers on a man who wants to end his life.

His soul mate, Sonya (a lovely Rachel Keller in flashback) has passed on after a tough setback, and numerous sorrows, and he’s retired from his engineering job of 40 years. But, with divine intervention, his attempts are interrupted by people who care.

People needing people – what is wrong with a theme like that? I’ll take sentimental over harshness any day.

Without giving too much away, Otto relents. He thaws, he helps people, and he’s the better for it.

With some much-needed humor, the film rewards us. So, it may not be ground-breaking, but it’s a crowd-pleasing, feel-good movie. And I’d say we need this right about now.

“A Man Called Otto” is a 2022 drama directed by Marc Forster and starring Tom Hanks, Truman Hanks, Mariana Trevino, Rachel Keller and Mike Birbiglia. Rated: PG-13 for mature thematic material involving suicide attempts, and language, it runs 2 hours, 6 minutes. It opened in local theatres Jan. 6. Lynn’s Grade: B+

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