Stray Dog’s Silly ‘Xanadu’ Captures the Show’s Campy Kitschy Fun

Stray Dog’s Silly ‘Xanadu’ Captures the Show’s Campy Kitschy Fun

By Lynn Venhaus

“Xanadu” is a silly bunch of nonsense – and that is its intention. A spoof of the ridiculous 1980 romantic musical fantasy movie must be playful, and Stray Dog Theatre leans into the stage musical comedy sendup with full-bodied camp.

The theater company’s affinity for broad comedy romps is well-known, and they’ve presented these types of crowd-pleasers for years, from “Evil Dead: The Musical” and “Triassic Parq” to Charles Busch’s oeuvre “Red Scare at Sunset,” “Vampire Lesbians of Sodom” and “Psycho Beach Party,” among them.

And they gleefully double-down on this show’s cheesiness. Director Justin Been takes great delight in skewering the movie’s premise as a turgid soap opera that’s part “Saturday Night Live” sketch (think of the deliberate exaggerated acting in “The Californians”) and part old-timey Hollywood studio system dream factory, sprinkled with fairy dust.

To fully understand the surprising transformation from movie to Broadway, here’s a little backstory. Somehow, after the film was totally trashed upon its release, it developed a cult audience, and then in 2007, a stage adaptation was Tony-nominated for Best Musical. Stranger things.

The comical book was written by Douglas Carter Beane, who won a Drama Desk Award for it and is known for his musical adaptations of “Cinderella” and “Sister Act.” He wrote the 1995 movie “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar.” Stray Dog Theatre produced his Tony-nominated play, “The Little Dog Laughed,” in 2014.

Being familiar with the movie “Xanadu” is not a prerequisite to enjoy this farcical show, but it helps if you have some knowledge of ancient Greek mythology, for Beane incorporates the shlocky epic “Clash of the Titans” into his themes, including the Immortals.

Photo by John Lamb

The wackadoodle screenplay by Richard Danus and Marc Rubel was already inspired by the 1947 Rita Hayworth movie “Down to Earth,” which features muses showing up to teach Earthlings a lesson. Fun fact: Xanadu is the exotic name of Mongolian emperor Kublai Khan’s summer palace.

This far-fetched plot doesn’t take itself seriously – or shouldn’t. Set in Los Angeles, the 44-year-old movie focused on a beautiful muse (pop star Olivia Newton-John riding the ‘Grease’ wave) who inspires a young hunky artist (Michael Beck, fresh from “The Warriors”) and his older friend (Gene Kelly! Yes, the ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ icon) to convert a dilapidated auditorium into a hip roller-skating club, all set to the beat of Yacht Rock songs.

She is forbidden to fall in love with a mortal, but two mean-spirited sisters (Calliope and Melpomene) concoct a curse, and chaos ensues. Is it surprising that it was nominated for six Razzie Awards?

At the first Golden Raspberry Awards in 1981, the movie lost the worst picture award to another truly awful musical, “Can’t Stop the Music,” which was a pseudo-autobiography of the Village People and starred then-Bruce Jenner (now Kaitlyn), Oscar nominee Valerie Perrine and Steve Guttenberg (Gotta love the ‘80s!). But the “Xanadu” director Robert Greenwald did take a Razzie home.

See if this makes any kind of sense: Artist Sonny Malone – Phil Leveling having a blast doing ‘beach’ dressed like Malibu Ken and talking like a righteous dude – has completed a mural at Venice Beach that he’s not satisfied with, so he wants to end it all.

He has a chance encounter with Clio, a muse masquerading as a fetching Aussie named Kira who roller skates and wears leg warmers. She sprang eternally from the Mount Olympus artwork, and her effect has made him change his mind. She is played with a wink and a smile by Shannon Lampkin Campbell.

They pair well on their duets “Suddenly” and “Suspended in Time.”

Shannon Lampkin Campbell and Phil Leveling. Photo by John Lamb

However, she didn’t arrive alone. Because Sonny envisioned the Immortals, her six sisters (Zeus’ daughters) magically appear, cavorting in their goddess cosplay – two are guys in drag.

Eight are part of the ensemble in multiple roles: Mateo Bluemel, Sarah Gene Dowling, Lindsey Grojean, Chelsie Johnston, Madison Mesiti, Drew Mizell, Katie Orr, and Lauren Tenenbaum.

Dowling, as Calliope, and Johnston, as Melpomene, inject much humor in “Evil Woman” and “Strange Magic,” two of Electric Light Orchestra’s power-pop songs added to the stage musical.

Sonny’s new dream is to turn an old theater into a roller disco. He tries to convince a wealthy real estate magnet Danny McGuire, a former Big Band musician, to give him the property, and eventually they become partners. But the road to success is rocky.

Kira’s presence re-awakens part of Danny’s past where he had a memorable fling with a look-alike named Kitty. This is all played for laughs, as well it should. That leads to a snazzy ‘40s-style song-and-dance because Gene Kelly played the film role, so of course (“When You’re Away from Me”).

Scott Degitz-Fries, a lithe dancer whose smooth moves on local stages are always admirable, is effortless in these dancing sequences. He has mad roller-skating skills and is a former competitive figure skater (made it to the national finals in high school), so he also served as roller-skating consultant.

Everyone else is trying very hard, and skills vary, but you can’t knock people doing their best given such a demanding challenge.

Photo by John Lamb.

Choreographer Mike Hodges worked the moves out with Degitz-Fries, and he created the bouncy musical group numbers so that it accurately resembles late ‘70s, early ‘80s dance-floor action: “I’m Alive,” “Magic,” and “All Over the World,” with a grand “Xanadu” are bright spots.

A mash-up scene that attempts to duplicate the movie’s “Battle of the Bands” between The Tubes, which was a rock band then (you may recall their 1983 “She’s a Beauty”), and an Andrews Sisters type girl-group circa World War II. Called “Dancin’,” it is a tad messy, and the ill-fitting costumes hamper the girl duo in their movements because of the clingy fabric. Cute little hats, nevertheless.

Costume designer Colleen Michelson’s dresses are mostly distracting and unflattering. Overall, the muses’ cheap-looking chiffon outfits don’t seem suitable, with tacky designs and shoddy material – unless it’s done on purpose? Are they meant to be versions of flimsy Johnny Brock Halloween costumes for quirky ‘80s looks? Costumers must adhere to budgets, but to me, the styles are a disconnect for the female characters. Now the Mount Olympus white gowns are fine, and the guys’ attire is, too.

Music director Leah Schultz and her zesty band keep the beat peppy – Adam Rugo on guitar, Randon Lane on second keyboard, and Joe Winters on percussion. They have added some amusing riffs, too.

Leveling is strong leading the power ballad “Don’t Walk Away” that ends Act I on a good note, while the finale “Xanadu” gets the crowd on their feet.

Campbell set the right tone for Newton-John’s signature 1975 hit “Have You Never Been Mellow” that was added to the stage musical and winds up a memorable ensemble piece.

Photo by John Lamb.

ELO’s Jeff Lynne is credited with music numbers, as is John Farrar, Newton-John’s longtime producer. Their work propelled the soundtrack to skyrocketing sales that ended that year with twice-platinum numbers.

Director Been also simply constructed the set so that movement could flow on the small stage, and it was illuminated well by lighting designer Tyler Duenow.

Because of its lightweight goofy premise that can only be stretched so far, one’s relieved when the wrap-up comes around 2 hours (with an intermission). Pacing is uneven at times, and the show can get a little shaggy. The meaning of this falderal? “Xanadu” is “true love and the ability to create and share art.”

The film came out at a time when everyone had been trying to duplicate the magic of “Saturday Night Fever” and disco, so hot for a brief time, was waning. And the stage musical came out at a time that jukebox musicals were emerging as a trend, such as “Mamma Mia!” and the retro “Hairspray.” Ah, that elusive “Next Big Thing.”

This production of “Xanadu” is well-meaning fluff, with entertaining tongue-in-cheek performances, so don’t expect more – just go with the good vibes coming from kitschy pop culture.

“Xanadu” is going to hit people differently, depending on when and how this tale came into their lives – whether they were young listening to the soundtrack on their Walkman, or today, enjoying a sentimental walk down memory lane.

Photo by John Lamb.

Stray Dog Theatre presents “Xanadu” from April 4 to April 27, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. April 14 and April 21 at the Tower Grove Abbey, 2348 Tennessee Ave, St. Louis, MO 63104/ For tickets or more information, visit www.straydogtheatre.org

New Line’s Irreverent ‘Jesus and Johnny Appleweed’s Holy Rollin’ Family Christmas’ Offers Vintage Vibes, Brazen Bits

New Line’s Irreverent ‘Jesus and Johnny Appleweed’s Holy Rollin’ Family Christmas’ Offers Vintage Vibes, Brazen Bits

By Lynn Venhaus
At first glance, the daffy “Jesus & Johnny Appleweed’s Holy Rollin’ Family Christmas” takes us back to the fuddy duddy ‘50s, with the on-stage stylings of TV sitcom land when dads ruled the roost and moms vacuumed wearing pearls.

But it’s far more subversive than that, and with the book, music and lyrics crafted by New Line Theatre’s Artistic Director and provocateur Scott Miller, would you expect anything different in an original stoner musical comedy with that ripe-for-parody title?

For New Line fans, this is rooted in previous shows — the world premiere of “Johnny Appleweed” in 2006, so it is a 17-years-in-the-making sequel, and the regional premiere of “Reefer Madness the Musical” in 2004.

Only now cannabis is legal in Missouri, and there are dispensaries on many corners of our fair city. Yet, we can recall a time when it wasn’t mainstream – and Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong made a fortune. So, this show is more impish than shocking.

(Although we do live in Missouri, and ‘family values’ legislators have significant agendas, so that leads to a forever “Twilight Zone” feeling. But back to our jolly neighborhood cul-de-sac with shiny, happy people).

Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

As a tongue-in-cheek response to the War on Drugs and the Culture Wars, Miller uses clever cultural references to make it clear how the bygone era, complete with hearty laugh-track type guffaws, was a white-bread wonderland where a middle-class suburban family has blinders on regarding diversity, inclusion, and sexual orientation.

For laughs, he’s mashed together the 1936 film “Reefer Madness” that was intended to scare straight those who may be tempted by the evil weed, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” and 1950s musical comedies (with intentional references).

This flip side of “The Donna Reed Show,” “Father Knows Best” and “Leave It to Beaver” has a cardigan-wearing curmudgeon of a dad named Harry Goodson whose family secrets revealed on Christmas Eve 1959 will rock his world – and he’ll be visited by ghosts overnight in the second act.

The family establishes how “Heteronormative” they are in their opening number, setting up the spoof of what passed for a normal, average family 60 years ago.

Terrell Thompson plays Harry as a cross between Archie Bunker, George Jefferson, and Ebeneezer Scrooge. He finds fault with everything, and his dialogue is a series of rants. It’s a hefty, albeit one-note, role for Thompson, a veteran of local musical theater. Musically, he is well-suited for ensemble work, but as the anchor, line delivery wasn’t as polished on opening night. (However, after more performances, I am hoping the cast is just zipping along by now).

Presumably, the brazen material demands an improv troupe feel to the ensemble, with nimble performers who have an affinity for Kids in the Hall and Second City-type sketches necessary to puncture holiday traditions and ramp up the laughs. Daughter Tammy discloses she is pregnant by her black boyfriend Miles, son Chip’s secret is that he’s gay and has a boyfriend named Dick, and brother, Uncle Hugh, is a cross-dresser with an infinity for a blow-up doll.

Kay Love. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

Whew! A National Enquirer panoply of scandalous behavior that could be a laugh riot if everyone’s all-in on an over-the-top satire — but not as effective if the tone is lopsided depending on performer’s slickness. Because the lyrics and lines have enough zingers to elicit plenty of snickers.

It could be that the actor who played Chip was replaced on opening night by Tony L. Marr Jr., the assistant director and choreographer. Marr assumed the role with noteworthy aplomb.

Because this resembles the audacious dark comedy material that John Waters and Charles Busch specialize in, it should not be startling that longtime theatrical sweetheart Kay Love plays typical housewife Bess Goodson as more naughty than nice. She’s infused the Christmas cookies with pot, and lets loose in a defiant, liberating solo.

You know you’re in a bizarro world when you hear Love sing “Hoo-Hoo of Steel” without flinching or blushing. She can shimmy better than your aunt’s Jell-O salad slipping out of a decorative mold.

Love’s poise and classically trained voice, and vivacious Marlee Wenski’s silky, sultry vocals stand out in their numbers. Wenski doubles as teen movie icon Sandra Dee (the original “Gidget”), having a bawdy time in the number “Don’t Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee,” and parodies a rebellious version of a good saddle-shoe-wearing daughter in “Miles and Miles.”

An unfazed Tawaine Noah leans in as Uncle Hugh, who leads a not-so-secret life, singing “Mary Jane and Mary Jane,” and as unborn twin Jerry, who returns as a ghost.

Can they live in comfort and joy or will their variations from the norm tear apart the family? I was reminded of the classic 1990 “Saturday Night Live” sketch called “Dysfunctional Family Christmas” about a compilation album of songs mocking less than ideal family gatherings.

Cheeky song titles include “Love Doesn’t Suck with My D**k,” “Daddy’s Talking S**t,” and “That Stick Up Your Ass.”

Here, dear old dad might need a comeuppance – his deceased twin brother, Jesus Christ, Sandra Dee and explorer and pot enthusiast Johnny Appleweed are the ghosts who visit. They force him to come to terms with recreational drug use: “Have Another Toke and Have a Merry Christmas.”

The family drama is offset by a quartet of cheery carolers who deliver “The Elves Get Stoned,” “Better Living Through Chemistry” and “Man in the Gray Flannel Life.” Stephanie Merritt, Robert Doyle, Matt Hill, and Lauren Tenenbaum merrily roll along with setting the mid-century tableau.

Mallory Golden’s music direction is breezy, with a fine-tuned machine of John Gerdes on bass, Joseph Hendricks and Alex Macke on reeds, Brad Martin on percussion, and Adam Rugo on guitar (and she’s on keyboard).

Lauren Smith Beardon has outfitted the carolers in festive attire, and the Goodsons in typical suburban family looks, complete with housewife aprons for Love. Lighting designer (and technical director) Matt Stuckel has fun inserting cannabis plant imagery in shadows – I haven’t revisited “Reefer Madness” since my college days, but I believe there was a lot of shadows to signify danger – so touché.

Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

As is customary, Rob Lippert’s scenic design is appropriate to the Mid-Century Modern décor of the period – and the height of sophistication with a retro artificial aluminum silver Christmas tree and the reflective color wheel, so tres chic back in the day. He has captured the tone and tenor of the show.

The vintage vibe is one of the most attractive qualities of the production. Miller has managed to include an impressive litany of every pop culture reference significant to the era – and even obscure little nuggets to prod recognition. Commendable wordplay, indeed.

Since founding New Line Theatre in 1991, he has written 11 musicals and two plays, including a rollicking “The Zombies of Penzance” in 2018. His penchant for irreverent theater and socially relevant material has served him well.

This show is basically a fun romp with some jabs on social mores, featuring stand-out performances by several spirited women. In days of yore, when Ladies’ Home Journal arrived in the mail, “The Ed Sullivan Show” was tuned in to every Sunday, and you might have had to make do with a TV dinner if mom was hosting her Bridge Club, everyone would have made a fuss over the “sassy lassies.”

A few nips and tucks, and more collaborative run-throughs, and “Jesus and Johnny Appleweed’s Holy Rollin’ Family Christmas” may be just the antidote to Hallmark movie marathons and wholesome holiday setlists on repeat. With Bess’s special-recipe brownies, it could be one of the hap-hap-happiest Christmas’ since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny Kaye.

New Line Theatre presents the world premiere musical “Jesus and Johnny Appleweed’s Holy Rollin’ Family Christmas” from Dec. 1 to Dec. 16, with performances Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 8 p.m. at The Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For other information, visit New Line Theatre’s full-service website at www.newlinetheatre.com.

Tickets are $35 for adults and $30 for students/seniors/To charge tickets by phone, call MetroTix at 314-534-1111 or visit the Fox Theatre box office or the MetroTix website.

Discounts are available. Any high school student with a valid school ID can get a $10 ticket for any performance, with the code word, posted only on New Line’s Facebook page.

Ten free seats for every performance, open to any college student with a valid student ID.

New Line offers all currently employed educators half-price tickets on any Thursday night, with work ID or other proof of employment.

New Line offers all active-duty military personnel half-price tickets on any Thursday night, with ID or other proof of active-duty status.

All offers not valid in connection with other discounts or offers, available only at the door, and subject to availability.

Movement All Around in Stray Dog’s Spry ‘Saturday Night Fever’

Movement All Around in Stray Dog’s Spry ‘Saturday Night Fever’

By Lynn Venhaus

Ah, the rose-colored glasses that we view our youth through can differ, depending on what generation, but one thing we have in common: the nostalgia for the music we came of age listening to, whether it was the Boy Bands of the late ‘90s, the MTV New Wave in the ‘80s, the British Invasion of the ‘60s or the short-lived disco-dance craze of the 1970s.

Today’s electronic dance music has roots in those syncopated rhythms that topped the charts some 45 years ago. If you were ever grooving to up-tempo hits at a nightclub, then the stage musical version of the 1977 cultural phenomenon film, “Saturday Night Fever,” is for you.

The jukebox musical, adapted in 1998 for London’s West End, which made it to Broadway the next year, features the legendary hits from the Bee Gees, plus other classic disco tracks – who can forget The Trammps’ “Disco Inferno” — “burn that mother down.” Most of the time the actors sing the chart-toppers.

Providing many funky sounds of the day is live-wire Chris Moore as the Afro-coiffed DJ Monty, rocking gold platform shoes and a shiny silver shirt, with Jade Anaiis Hillery belting out a few tunes like she was Chaka Khan. As Candy, she leads on the aforementioned “Disco Inferno,” plus sings “Night Fever” and “Nights on Broadway.” The pair duet on “More Than a Woman.”

Side note: I heard Yvonne Elliman’s “If I Can’t Have You” at the grocery store the other evening! To emphasize how this music has endured – have you been to a wedding reception recently? The soundtrack spawned four No. 1 singles, won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, still ranks among the best-selling soundtrack albums worldwide, and to date, has sales figures of over 40 million copies.

This Stray Dog Theatre production is marked by a larger-than-usual band to bring the sounds alive, inspired choreography by Michael Hodges, and a star-making performance by Drew Mizell as Tony Manero. The man can strut.

Drew Mizell as Tony Manero. Photo by John Lamb.

While the 19-year-old character is forever stamped as the role that earned John Travolta his first of two Oscar nominations and dancing reputation, Mizell has the moves to pull off such an iconic part. His ease on the dance floor is admirable, and his extensive dance training is evident.

Mizell, whose first show at Stray Dog was an impressive performance as both Cinderella’s Prince and Florinda in “Into the Woods,” also nails the Brooklyn accent and the attitude to make the character likable.

Tony, anxious about life after high school and what his future will look like, is not content just to hang out with his goon-like pals, who seem locked in dead ends. He wants more than working at a paint store. At night, at the Odyssey 2001 discotheque, he is king of the dance floor. But at home, yeesh. His mother and father are yellers, and he can’t ever measure up to his older brother, Frank Jr., a priest.

But Frank Jr. has a crisis of faith and returns home. Another standout is Sean Seifert, a natural at portraying the brother as a good man who doesn’t have all the answers. (He also pulls off a dual role as Gus, one of Tony’s inner circle who creates other issues).

When Tony meets Stephanie Mangano, he is taken by her physicality, refinement and her desire to cross that bridge for a better life in Manhattan. With a shot to win $1,000 at a dance contest, Tony and Stephanie team up, their eyes on the prize — and eventually each other.

With sophisticated airs and ambition, Stephanie is more Uptown Girl than the kind Tony hangs out with, including his needy ex Annette, who has fallen hard for him, but it’s unrequited.

Sara Rae Womack brings out the humor in Stephanie’s images of the glamorous world, name-dropping at her entry level job, and has a solo ballad, “What Kind of Fool,” while Lindsey Grojean conveys the desperation of Annette’s lonely and confused young woman in a powerful “If I Can’t Have You,” delivering the show’s best vocals.

Triple-threat Maggie Nold is sympathetic as Pauline, who is caught up in a familiar teen pregnancy scenario. She demonstrates the realities of her situation well – but as the ensemble is handling multiple roles, it’s a tad odd to see her happily dancing and smiling soon after a funeral scene.

Ella Drake as Doreen and Kayla Dressman as Connie get their moment as dancing queens in their spirited competition number,.while Mizell and Womack hit the sweet spot with their “More Than a Woman” big dance number.

Using heavily exaggerated Brooklyn accents, the Manero family, and Tony’s peers, adhere to the stereotypes of that era, staying in those lanes. Oh, those gender caricatures — ‘hoochie mama’s and swinging playboys – were cringy then and certainly now.

Think of it as a period piece – because the best buddies are not that likable, total losers with their off-putting macho bravado, which is why the flimsy broadly-drawn book remains the show’s weakest element. Because their crude talk and bully swagger are mostly foreign in today’s ‘polite’ society, overall, this cast doesn’t seem entirely comfortable playing these roles. Now, dancing is first-rate, clearly polished and well-rehearsed.

The guys playing the deadbeat friends — Justin Bouckaert as the conflicted and struggling Bobby, Jayson Heil as Double-J and Michael Cox as Joey — are caught between a rock and a hard place because they are so immature and misguided, their idea of what manhood is, while not uncommon then, is far from what it should be. But that’s the point – to show how trouble-prone Tony is separating from the pack.

This version has cleaned up some of the more problematic “R-rated” portions of the script, as in gang-rape, violence, and intense sexuality, which is not necessary for this story. The movie’s darker and grittier aspects have been removed, for the most part, just hinted at or briefly alluded to for conflicts.

What director Justin Been does effectively is capture that malaise of the late ‘70s, when economic issues affected blue-collar laborers, and social unrest simmered in “the summer of Sam” (serial killer Son of Sam terrorized the city). The disaffected youth escaped to the discos. (“Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin'” — “Stayin’ Alive”).

As the one-note parents Flo and Frank Manero, pros Kay Love and Matt Anderson display their lung power shouting at their family. Nadja Kapetanovich is sincere in the brief role of Linda, the dutiful daughter put in the middle between her cranky parents and defiant brothers.

Sara Rae Womack, Drew Mizell

The home scenes reflect on the misery of marginalized people while the disco and dance studio are where the energy flows. But the story is really secondary to the song-and-dance appeal of the musical.

Scenic Designer Josh Smith crafted a dance floor with colored lights for the stage, with help of lighting designer Tyler Duenow, which may not be visible to all the audience members. He also expanded the Tower Grove Abbey stage with stairs and a bridge doubling for the DJ booth at the club and the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, a suspension bridge that connects Brooklyn to Staten Island.

They’ve made room for a large band, led by music director/conductor Leah Schultz on piano, with Marie Brown, Tai Davis, and Beau Lewis on cello for select performances, Mo Carr on trumpet, Steve Frisbee on violin, John Gerdes and Xander Gerdes on bass for select performances, Lea Gerdes and Mary Wiley on reeds for select performances, Adam Levin on trombone, Adam Rugo on guitar and Joe Winters on percussion.

Among their instrumental numbers are the classic Sounds of Philadelphia “A Fifth of Beethoven,” plus “After the Fall,” and “Salsation.”

The costumes collected by Colleen Michelson are a mixed bag – some duplicated the gaudy polyester trends of the ‘70s, while others are ‘kinda, sorta’ representative of the period. The dance floor attire, for working-class kids on weekends, needs to be faux-chic instead of Sunday church dress best. Some of the outfits were more flattering than others, and dresses had nice swirling effects. And the iconic white suit has its moment in the spotlight – always big sentimental crowd reaction.

Those infectious, danceable beats will get you on your feet every time. After all, as the Bee Gees told us – “You should be dancing” — and of course you came for the good beats that you could dance to, and don’t forget your boogie shoes. There is a Disco Mix curtain call. Dance 10, Story 3.

Stray Dog Theatre presents the musical “Saturday Night Fever” Oct. 5-Oct. 28, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., with additional performances 2 p.m. Sundays, Oct. 15 and 22, at the Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee in Tower Grove East. For more information or tickets, visit: www.straydogtheatre.org. Seating is general admission.

All photos by John Lamb

Splendid ‘The Last Five Years’ from Tesseract Theatre Company

Splendid ‘The Last Five Years’ from Tesseract Theatre Company

By Lynn Venhaus

Jason Robert Brown’s musical compositions are strenuous and so are two-character pieces, therefore, “The Last Five Years” was a daunting choice for the enterprising Tesseract Theatre Company as they dive into musical theater endeavors.

However, the group pulled off this marriage chronicle with aplomb when I saw it Feb. 19.. With spirited performers, exemplary musicians, accomplished direction, and smart creative choices, “The Last Five Years” is splendid.

With its all-sung framework and an unconventional structure, Brown’s unforgettable score and emotionally powerful lyrics tug at the heartstrings, for in 85 minutes, they go from meeting to break-up (Jamie Wellerstein) and from break-up to meeting (Cathy Hiatt), intersecting at their wedding.

High praise must be bestowed on an exceptional five-piece orchestra lead by veteran maestro Leah Schultz, who is on piano, with Adam Rugo on guitar, John Gerdes on bass, Chuck Evans on violin, and Marie Brown on cello. (The strings are the cherry on top here, lovely and lush.)

The music is beautiful to get lost in, and highlights are “The Next Ten Minutes,” “Still Hurting,” and “Goodbye Until Tomorrow.”

While this might sound like a simple endeavor, it is not. Brown has incorporated many genres, including jazz, blues, folk, and Latin besides his usual pop-rock fusion with musical theatre. His distinctive melodies are notoriously difficult, and his atypical harmonies require a broad vocal range.

The two leads, Kevin Corpuz as Jamie and Grace Langford as Cathy, as dynamic as they are, struggle a wee bit on a few demanding notes.  Nevertheless, with the high wire singing for nearly an hour and a half, it’s a dandy achievement – especially the stamina required.

With their pizzazzy personalities on display, Corpuz and Langford are engaging as two New Yorkers – he’s a writer and she’s an actress. They convincingly convey a couple from start to finish over five years — exhilaration at falling in love to crestfallen going through a difficult break-up.

You can’t not be moved by the ebbs and flows as the storytelling weaves the doubts that 20-somethings fret about with careers and commitment.

The aching-yearning-worried songs include “Moving Too Fast” and “A Miracle Could Happen” (Jamie) and “I’m a Part of That” and “Climbing Uphill” (Cathy), which they deliver sincerely.

Langford, a strong vocalist who is well-trained, and Corpuz, who moves with great ease, have worked together multiple times in local regional professional theater, so their comfort level with each other is obvious. This is their first time paired as a romantic couple, and they are believable.

Director Taylor Gruenloh has given the piece some needed vitality, for I’ve seen this musical a couple of times where the pair just basically stand there. No, not a move you’d likely see from inventive Gruenloh, nor Corpuz or Langford. Gruenloh’s tweaked it in a good way, making it more heartfelt.

Lankford is particularly fetching in the clever ditty “A Summer in Ohio,” about her experience in summer stock away from her husband, and the humorous “I Can Do Better Than That,” about her hopes and dreams.

And Corpuz’s energy isn’t containable, so he must move. His “Shiksa Goddess” is amusing in a brazen way, a song detailing his character’s Jewish heritage.

The songs that are raw and tinged with sadness — “If I Didn’t Believe in You,” “I Could Never Rescue You,” and “Nobody Needs to Know,” have forceful solos.

Brown has won three Tony Awards – for his original score to “Parade” in 1999 (currently revived on Broadway) and for original score and orchestrations for “The Bridges of Madison County” in 2014. He was nominated for Billy Crystal’s “Mr. Saturday Night” score last year (with Amanda Green lyrics).

This musical, his third, was inspired by his first marriage, and premiered in Chicago in 2001. It moved to off-Broadway in 2002. St. Louis native Norbert Leo Butz originated the role of Jamie in Chicago and played opposite Sherie Renee Scott off-Broadway, and they recorded the cast album.

That production won the 2002 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics, as well as receiving Drama Desk nominations for musical, actor, actress, orchestrations and set design. It also received Lucille Lortel Award nominations for musical and actor, and the Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Off-Broadway musical.

An enduring and popular musical with regional, colleges and community theaters, it has been revived on Broadway, turned into a 2015 movie with Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan, had an acclaimed London run, a 20th anniversary concert with Butz and original Cathy Lauren Kennedy, and directed by Brown, among other presentations.

The music remains hummable and memorable, and add Tesseract to the list of companies that do it right. Sound designer Phillip Evans has figured out .Zack’s finicky acoustics for flawless work, Brittanie Gunn’s lighting design is striking, and Gruenloh did fine projection work. Actress Josie Schnelten shows up for a cameo.

After their triumphant “Ordinary Days” last fall, and now this 2-hander, Tesseract’s prowess on staging musicals must be highly regarded. “Kinky Boots” is next up at the Grandel Theatre Aug. 17-27, one that will be a must-see.

And you don’t want to miss “The Last Five Years” – a show about love, produced with great affection, and another opportunity to hear those glorious songs.

The Tesseract Theatre Company presents “The Last Five Years” from Feb. 17 to Feb. 26, with performances Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 4 p.m. at the .ZACK, 3224 Locust, in the Grand Center. For more information or tickets, visit: www.tesseracttheatre.com.

Oh What Fun A Wild and Weird Cult Musical Can Be This Time of Year

Oh What Fun A Wild and Weird Cult Musical Can Be This Time of Year

By Lynn Venhaus

A little bit of horror and a lot of hilarity ensues in the madcap cult musical “Ride the Cyclone: The Musical,” now playing in a festive amusement park-like atmosphere at the Tower Grove Abbey.

For those unfamiliar with this musical comedy by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, six peppy performers portray teenagers from a Canadian parochial school chamber choir whose lives are cut short in a freak accident aboard a roller coaster.

And that’s not the only thing freaky in this zany production that has a distinct viewpoint about the universal mysteries of life, death, and the afterlife – mostly funny, but sometimes sad, and surprisingly touching.

After they wind up in Limbo, a mechanical fortune teller, The Amazing Karnak, offers the dead kids a chance to return to life – but only one will be selected in this strange game of survivor. So, each tells their stories of living in Uranium City, Saskatchewan, and of their experiences at St. Cassian High School.

Five are kooky variations of John Hughes-like characters while the sixth, Jane Doe, was decapitated in the calamity and her body wasn’t claimed. Dawn Schmid plays the mysterious and ethereal outlier, showcasing her elegant voice in the opening number “Dream of Life” and later, “The Ballad of Jane Doe,” in which she talks about not knowing her identity.

The other five try to set themselves apart, and they accomplish that. This is a merry band of accomplished performers who make each character their own.

Photo by John Lamb

Eileen Engel, channeling Reese Witherspoon’s Tracy Flick character in “Election,” is the classic annoying over-achiever who is so certain she should be spared – and is snide in her comments to others, her entitlement front and center. Her name Ocean O’Connell Rosenberg. Seriously. Her catch phrase is “Democracy rocks!”

Her number, “What the World Needs,” brings out her personality traits and she leads the ensemble on “Every Story’s Got a Lesson.”

Riley Dunn may be having the most fun on stage as a very angry adopted young man, Mischa Bachinski, from the Ukraine. He’s an aspiring rapper, so of course, he must show off in “This Song is Awesome” and then display his softer side when recalling his internet girlfriend “Talia.”

In death, Stephen Henley’s earnest Ricky Potts, mute with a degenerative disease — catch phrase “Level Up!” — apparently has a new lease on life, as he is no longer disabled, and thrives with his discovered abilities. Part mensch, and pure team player with an overactive imagination, he sure has fun in his fantasies with “Space Age Bachelor Man.”

Grace Langford is eager-to-please Constance Blackwood, who is upset that she’s always labeled “nice,” has a love-hate relationship with her hometown and has a secret to later share. (And it’s a doozy). She belts out “Jawbreaker” and then after she changes her mind, “Sugarcloud.”

Mike Hodges has done double-duty as choreography and performer, and he gets to be outrageous as a gay kid in a small town who has never encountered anyone in his tribe. His saucy “Noel’s Lament” is the bawdiest number.

 “The Other Side” is a spirited introduction.

The choreography is a delightful mix of “High School Musical,” “Cabaret,” “La Cage aux Folles,” even shades of “Cats,” and contemporary music videos.

The kids take a break from their “Look at Me!”attitudes to sing the tender “The New Birthday Song” to Jane Doe.

Engel also does double duty, as costume designer, with looks that run the gamut from the drab Catholic school jumpers to Hodges’ more risqué outfits

A well-known local actor voices Karnak, and his narration is superb. The program doesn’t reveal who he is, so I’ll keep that quiet until we’re allowed to share, no spoiler from me.

The musical was first performed in 2008, but did not have its American premiere, in Chicago, until 2015, and then mounted off-Broadway the next year.

It has developed a cult following, somewhat like “The Rocky Horror Show,” and audience members came from several different states, whooping it up, their enthusiasm contagious.

This is a fast-paced show – 90 minutes without an intermission. While it flows smoothly, a tremendous amount of difficulty is apparent because of the level of stage craft, but it’s all handled with aplomb.

Photo by John Lamb

Director Justin Been has cleverly staged the intricate movements, with timing a crucial element, and skillfully coordinated the moving parts – as there are many cues for sound, lights, and special effects. Many video projections are used, too, snapshots from their lives.

Longtime tech creative Tyler Duenow has masterfully taken the lighting design to new heights — a terrific mix of spooky, strange and status quo, while sound designer Jacob Baxley’s crisp work is noteworthy too.

Scenic designer Josh Smith has appointed the small space well, with the Karnak a creepy standout (not confined to a glass case like in “Big.”)

The witty script leans towards the sarcastic, with some laugh-out-loud observations, Been, along with his cast, has enlivened the show with up-to-date references (script allows it)

The band is onstage and appears to be having fun. Led by music director Leah Schultz, who also plays piano and recorder, musicians include Michaela Kuba on bass and cello, Adam Rugo on guitar and Joe Winters on percussion.

A macabre and mirthful show might not evoke the spirit of Christmas, but it sure spread joy to the world in Tower Grove Abbey – a cheering audience, exuberant cast and top-of-their game creative team made it a pleasant holiday-time diversion.

Stray Dog Theatre presents “Ride the Cyclone: The Musical” Thursdays through Saturdays December 1-17, with additional performances on Sunday, Dec. 11, and Wednesday, Dec. 14, both at 8 p.m., at the Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee, in Tower Grove East. This show contains mature language, smoke effects, strobing lights, and sudden loud noises. Masks are not required but encouraged. For more information or for tickets, visit www.straydogtheatre.org.

Photo by John Lamb

Love Is Love: Passion and Art Make for Potent ‘ A Man of No Importance’ by R-S Theatrics

Love Is Love: Passion and Art Make for Potent ‘ A Man of No Importance’ by R-S Theatrics

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor
Passion drives the characters and the R-S Theatrics production of a miraculous
little musical that has something to say. The title “A Man of No Importance” is
a misnomer, for Alfie Byrne is a remarkable human being whose significance is mirrored
in the faces of his fellow Dubliners.
In a blockbuster musical theater climate that regularly serves feel-good fluff and
spectacle, Broadway heavyweights Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty wrote pensive
Irish-inflected music and lyrics and four-time Tony-winning playwright Terrence
McNally penned the book for a heartfelt rumination on friendship, acceptance,
creative expression and social mores for a 2002 Lincoln Center production.
This unconventional off-Broadway diamond in the rough feels like a pot o’ gold
discovery today. McNally, whose bold work on gay themes has been heralded
worldwide, adapted the 1994 film “A Man of No Importance” starring Albert
Finney into an introspective work of substance, a fanfare for the common man with
wry humor and touching moments.

Unlike the grand ambition of their masterpiece “Ragtime,” McNally,
and Ahrens and Flaherty, through their songs, give meaning to modest people and
their small-scale dreams and desires. And it’s in a specific setting – a working-class
Dublin parish in 1964, with quaint characters, during a time of innocence as
the world is changing.
With grace and laser-focus, director Christina Rios has created a cozy setting
that feels like the earnest characters are in your living room, that they are
part of your daily life and live next door.

“A Man of No Importance” at R-S TheatricsThe snug space gives the top-flight cast an opportunity to
gel like a community – the way an amateur theater group does, how church parishes
do, and why co-workers, pub mates and newcomers connect. You feel their moods,
temperaments.

Good-natured Alfie Byrne (Mark Kelley) is a bus conductor
by day, with a poet’s soul, and a creative force at night. Inspired by his
mentor Oscar Wilde, he fervently directs the St. Imelda’s Players, coming alive
fired up by art.

While kind and outgoing, he is also forlorn, a square peg
trying to fit into a round hole, as Alfie is a closeted homosexual when it was
still a crime in Ireland.

At home, he lives with his surly sister Lily (Stephanie
Merritt), who finds his hobbies peculiar, particularly his penchant for making
foreign dishes for dinner distasteful – Bolognese sauce, curry? She has decided
not to marry until he does, which adds to her exasperation. Merritt’s strong vocal
prowess is displayed in “The Burden of Life” and the touching ‘Tell Me Why” in
second act.

Stephanie Merritt and Michael B. PerkinsHer blustery steady beau, Carney (Michael B. Perkins), is the neighborhood butcher. Quite a ham on stage, he leads his enthusiastic castmates in the upbeat “Going Up!” – a fun song any thespian can identify with, setting the stage for the rehearsals to come.

But in an ugly character development, Carney also thinks it
is his moral duty to make the local church aware they are putting on “pornography,”
for he is appalled at Alfie’s choice for the next production – Wilde’s controversial
“Salome,” based on the tragic Biblical characters.

Miffed that he’s not the lead, Carney riles up the ladies’
sodality while the rest of the troupe are trying to find a way to costume the
seven veils and paint a realistic dummy head of John the Baptist. He wraps his
thoughts around it in “Confusing Times.”

Perkins has several stand-out songs, including the dandy comical
duet with Merritt, expressing outrage about Alfie’s proclivities “Books.”

Perkins also doubles as the flamboyant Wilde in dream
sequences, handling both with aplomb.
While Father Kenny (Dustin Allison) is shutting down the program, the church
hall teems with cast members, and we are introduced to a quirky assortment of folks
in this interesting patchwork quilt of a show.

Alfie loves these people. They’re home. They’re his “other”
family.

Lindy Elliott as AdeleThere are the housewife diva-wannabes who flutter about him
– Miss Crowe (Kay Love), Mrs. Curtin (Nancy Nigh), Mrs. Grace (Jodi Stockton)
and Mrs. Patrick (Jennifer Theby-Quinn). Besides Carney, on the men’s side is
widowed Baldy (Kent Coffel), Rasher Flynn (Marshall Jennings) and Ernie Lally
(Dustin Allison).

All gifted singers, they are outstanding in the ensemble
numbers “A Man of No Importance,” “Our Father,” “Art” and several reprises. Nigh
has fun carrying out Naomi Walsby’s tap choreography in “First Rehearsal.”

Alfie has a secret crush on his co-worker, bus driver Robbie Fay (Kellen Green). He’d like to cast him as John the Baptist but Robbie’s not convinced. A lovely young woman, Adele Rice (Lindy Elliott), is new to town, and Alfie’s inspiration to tackle his mentor’s masterwork. Could she be his “Salome”?

Elliott, very impressive in this key role, sweetly sings a
reprise of “Love Who You Love,” and she and Kelley have a touching song
together, “Princess.”

Kellen Green as Robbie

As the handsome, conflicted Robbie, Green is terrific, trying
to find his way — and has a secret too. He robustly delivers “The Streets of
Dublin,” one of the show’s best numbers, and has a moving duet, “Confession” with
Kelley. He shows his prowess on the violin and in a reprise of “Love Who You
Love” as well.

Another highlight is Kent Coffel’s tender rendition of “The
Cuddles Mary Gave,” as the character Baldy mourns his late wife.

Anchoring the whole shebang is Mark Kelley, a revelation as
Alfie. He understands this sensitive soul and his pain. He imbues Alfie with so
much conviction that his bittersweet songs, “Love’s Never Lost” and “Love Who
You Love” are affecting and the triumph of “Welcome to the World” is
well-earned.

As the dialect coach, sound designer and fight
choreographer in addition to the lead, Kelley has galvanized this production.
The fight is realistic thanks to assistant fight choreographer Rhiannon Skye
Creighton and Perkins as fight captain.

The Irish accents are spot-on and never waiver – kudos to
the cast’s commitment on getting it right. It makes a difference setting the
proper tone, and the lived-in quality of the production is noteworthy.

Kent Coffel and Mark KelleyThe orchestra is very much a key part of the production,
and not just because conductor Curtis Moeller doubles as a character, Carson.
The cast interacts with them and vice versa, and they excel at giving an authentic
Celtic sound to the score. Moeller is on keyboard, with Benjamin Ash on bass,
Twinda Murry and Hanna Kroeger playing violins, Emily T. Lane on cello, Adam
Rugo on guitars and Marc Strathman on flutes. They achieve a lush sound that piquantly
flavors the show.

Amanda Brasher’s costume designs are a treat. She nailed the characters perfectly, from vintage frocks to the nubby knit sweaters to the assortment of hats defining personalities. Stockton’s Mrs. Grace wears a stunning ballet-slipper pink lace two-piece suit straight out of Jackie Kennedy’s closet.

The musical is a slow simmer but worth the investment as the sympathetic characters ripen. While the story spotlights a different time in another country, it illustrates the universal social awakening that “Love is Love is Love.” And being accepted for who you are is a worthy topic no matter when or where.

R-S Theatrics’ “A Man of No Importance” is to be admired
for its wholehearted mounting of a little-known show, illuminated by a talented
group of performers who feel like family at the finale.

Jodi StocktonR-S Theatrics presents “A Man of No Importance”
Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Sundays at 7 p.m., Aug. 9 – 25, at the Marcelle
Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive in Grand Center For more information or for
tickets, visit www.r-stheatrics.com
or call 314-252-8812.