Take Ten with Stephen Peirick

Take Ten with Stephen Peirick


By Lynn Venhaus

A longtime multi-hyphenate in St. Louis, actor, director and playwright Stephen Peirick’s latest challenge is a very personal and special experience for him, what he describes as a “dream opportunity.”

As director of the regional theater premiere of the Tony-winning “The Inheritance,” he said it’s not only an honor and privilege to be a part of the work, but described the production as an “embarrassment of riches” because of his “hands-down brilliant” cast.

Tesseract Theatre Company will present “The Inheritance, Parts 1 and 2” by Matthew Lopez April 26 to May 5 at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. There is one day, May 4, where both parts will be presented. For more information, visit www.tesseracttheatre.com and tickets are available at MetroTix.

Peirick is working with Tesseract for the first time. Taylor Gruenloh, former founder and artistic director, said he first thought of Stephen while reading the play, and locked him in to make it happen.

“As soon as I read that play, it reminded me of all the work Stephen was doing in town. And knowing how passionate he is about this kind of subject matter made it important to know he was at the helm before the rights were secured,” Gruenloh said.

The Daily Telegraph said it was “perhaps the most important American play of this century.” The play is based on “Howard’s End” by E.M. Forster and takes place in New York City decades after the AIDS epidemic, as three generations of gay men attempt to forge a future for themselves amid turbulent and changing America.

“This play doesn’t deny the pain of our experience.. it allows people to remember how we have gotten this far, what it’s like to fight, and who we have lost along the way. That sometimes our best weapon is our sense of humor, is our wit, is our intelligence, and is the love we have for each other,” said playwright Matthew Lopez.

Gabriel Paul and Chris Kernan. Photo by Tesseract Theatre Company.

Eric Glass (Chris Kernan) is a political activist engaged to his writer boyfriend, Toby Darling (Gabriel Paul). When two strangers enter their lives — an older man and a younger one — their futures suddenly become uncertain as they begin to chart divergent paths. This is an epic examination of survival, healing, class divide, and what it means to call a place home.

Besides Kernan and Paul, “The Inheritance” cast includes Tyson Cole, Stephen Henley, Jon Hey, Donald Kidd, Alex Moore, Kevin O’Brien, Jacob Schmidt, Sean Seifert, Nic Tayborn, Kelvin Urday, and Margery Handy. Assistant Director is Dani Mann.

Among its accolades, “The Inheritance” won the 2020 Tony Award for Best Play., the 2020 Drama Desk Award for Best Play and the 2019 Olivier Award for Best Play.

​This production is for mature audiences. May contain mature themes, language, nudity, sexuality, violence, satire and/or progressive ideas.

Peirick has been working with Stray Dog Theatre for years, and has performed and directed at West End Players Guild and performed with Union Avenue Opera in “Lost in the Stars.” He also works with Take Two Productions, a community theatre.

He is known for writing original plays as well, and has received nominations for Best New Play from the St. Louis Theater Circle for “Wake Up, Cameron Dobbs” and “Four Sugars.”

Last year, the Circle nominated him for his performance as Ned Weeks in “The Normal Heart” and several years ago for “The Doll’s House.”

He has also been nominated for the local community theatre Arts for Life awards for directing, lighting design, choreography and scenic design — winning the latter for Fun Home with Take Two Productions.

Next up is directing “Merrily We Roll Along” for Take Two Productions, which will be presented in September and October.

Stephen as Ned Weeks in “The Normal Heart,” with Joey Saunders, at Stray Dog Theatre in 2022. Photo by John Lamb.

Take Ten Questionnaire with Stephen Peirick

1. What is special about your latest project?

Larry Kramer masterfully wrote the brilliant play The Normal Heart, which detailed his experiences fighting for the gay community during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. When I first saw Kramer’s play in 2011, it amplified a history I had been almost entirely ignorant of. It was a humbling moment as a gay man: an embarrassing privilege of my age. Kramer’s play inspired me to want to share this history with the world, and in particularly with the next generation of queer youth.

Our history is important. We are important. Matthew Lopez’s first-rate epic The Inheritance goes one step further, by asking audiences to ponder not only what we owe the generation who came before us, but what will we leave behind for the generation to come?

It’s not often that you get asked about your interest in directing a two-part epic – this has been a dream opportunity. It has been my incredible honor and privilege to direct the St. Louis premiere of this Tony-Award winning play.

And then, on top of it, to get to work with a hands-down brilliant local cast (Tyson Cole, Nic Tayborn, Sean Seifert, Jacob Schmidt, Stephen Henley, Donald Kidd, Kevin O’Brien, Kelvin Urday, Chris Kernan, Gabriel Paul, Alex C. Moore, Jon Hey, and Margery Handy) and an exceptional behind the scenes team (Dani Mann, Rachel Downing, Amanda Brasher, Abby Pastorello, Tony Anselmo, Jacob Baxley, Sarah Baucom, Kent Coffel, Kevin Sallwasser, as well as Tesseract’s Creative Directors Brittanie Gunn and Kevin Corpuz): this show has been an embarrassment of riches for a director. A special experience, for sure.

2. Why did you choose your profession/pursue the arts?

Because I can’t NOT pursue it. (I would be so much more well-rested if I just stay away!) At the end of the day, I’m a storyteller trying to get better at this craft. Whether I’m directing, acting, or writing…I have a passion for creating, and no matter how tired I get, I keep going back for more.

As George in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” at Stray Dog Theatre in 2023, with Stephen Henley and Claire Wenzel. John Lamb Photo.

3. How would your friends describe you?

First and foremost, I think they’d say I was hot. And also, probably…hilarious. Okay; maybe they wouldn’t say either of those things unprovoked…or at all. But in my mind, those are the two compliments they are always ABOUT to share with me…before they get distracted by something else and forget .

4. How do you like to spend your spare time?

What is that? Spare time? Alas…should I ever find it again, I’d love to get back to writing.

5. What is your current obsession?

The Inheritance. I literally have no time for anything else. But once the show has come and gone, I love to spend summers outside…I love lounging in a pool, and enjoying R & R time. I love to find and read new plays, and I’m always on the lookout for some good Halloween décor. I track what’s playing in NYC, both on Broadway and Off…and I love reality television, or binding scripted shows.

6. What would people be surprised to find out about you?

If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.

7. Can you share one of your most defining moments in life?

Seeing my sister’s high school production of The Diary of Anne Frank when I was six or seven. It ignited in me my love for live theatre. When I look back on my life, I think it was the very beginning moment of this whole journey.

8. Who do you admire most?

My mom was, no doubt, the most influential person on me. She passed away nearly 10 years ago, and I miss her everyday, and I can’t help but wonder what she would think of the work I’ve done over these years.

Lavonne Byers, Stephen Peirick and Laurell Stevenson in “Good People” at Stray Dog Theatre in 2022. Photo by John Lamb.

9. How were you affected by the pandemic years, and anything you would like to share about what got you through and any lesson learned during the isolation periods? Any reflections on how the arts were affected? And what it means to move forward?

I was just getting ready to return to the stage as an actor (after having taken a year off) when the pandemic hit. Like for everyone else, it caused so much disruption to projects I had in the pipeline. Most of them still got to happen, although after a long delay, including directing Fun Home with Take Two Productions, and playing Mike in Good People and Ned in The Normal Heart for Stay Dog Theatre.

The Normal Heart was my dream project, and had been since 2011, so the fear that it would never get to happen, and that the arts might never recover was real.

I think it’s important to go see and support live theatre as one’s schedule (and wallet) allows. Volunteer to usher, and post to the socials when you go see work. Help your friends and family see that it is safe to return to the theatre, and that good things are happening. (And masks are still welcome in any theatre you might want that added layer of protection.)


10. What is your favorite thing to do in St. Louis? (Or your hometown)

I love to be immersed in our local arts scene as much as possible. This month alone, I saw productions with Stray Dog Theatre, The Rep, Clayton Community Theatre, and St. Louis Shakespeare. I love hitting up restaurants (The Tavern is a favorite for special occasions), and spending time with friends and family.

12. What’s next?

Next up, I am directing the musical Merrily We Roll Along for Take Two Players. This dynamic and rarely produced musical is currently having an incredible run on Broadway. Running for two weekends in September and October, our cast features an incredible group of local talent, including Ryan Farmer, Grace Langford, and Michael Baird in the central roles of Frank, Mary and Charlie. www.taketwoproductions.org

Stephen Peirick and husband Jon Hey. Photo by Lynn Venhaus

More Information on Stephen Peirick
Birthplace: Franklin County, MO
Current location: St. Louis
Family: I am married to the incredible Jon Hey, and we have three cats: Kona, Poppy and George. I have four older sisters, three nephews, two nieces, two great nephews and two great nieces.
Education: BA in Communications/Theatre with a minor in Education
Day job: I have spent the last 15+ years working for a state association. I create our online newsletters, content for our socials, etc., and appreciate working for an organization that understands and supports my passion for the arts.
First job: I was a Ticket Taker at Six Flags when I was 15 years old.
First play or movie you were involved in or made: The first real, non-grade school Christmas play I did was a courtroom drama called The Night of January 16 when I was a freshman in high school.
Favorite jobs/roles/plays or work in your medium? Playing Ned Weeks in The Normal Heart at Stray Dog Theatre was such a dream; and seeing the premiere of my first, full-length play (in 2012 at West End Players Guild) Wake Up, Cameron Dobbs is something that I will never forget.
Dream job/opportunity: Taking Wake Up, Cameron Dobbs to New York maybe?
Awards/Honors/Achievements: I have been nominated for four St. Louis Theatre Circle Awards; two for acting (The Normal Heart and A Doll’s House) and two for writing (Wake Up, Cameron Dobbs and Four Sugars). I have also been nominated for our local, community theatre Arts for Life awards for directing, lighting design, choreography and scenic design (winning the latter for Fun Home with Take Two Productions).
Favorite quote/words to live by: Tell your story bravely. It’s a story worth telling.” – Morgan, The Inheritance
A song that makes you happy: I love 80s music. Here I Go Again by Whitesnake is a fave.

Stephen Peirick and Nicole Angeli in Stray Dog’s “Hedda Gabler” in 2017. Photo by John Lamb.
“Art” outdoors at Stray Dog, with Ben Ritchie and Jeremy Goldmeier in 2021. Photo by John Lamb

Spry Cast Goes For Laughs in Outdated ‘A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum’

Spry Cast Goes For Laughs in Outdated ‘A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum’

By Lynn Venhaus

Once upon a time, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” was the gold standard of a playful musical comedy, crafted by skilled vaudevillians with the early musicality of Stephen Sondheim, who would mature into a bona fide theatrical titan. But 61 years since its debut, as seen through a modern lens, it doesn’t have the same pop it once did.

Nevertheless, New Line Theatre’s latest interpretation has several main performers nimble at slapstick and well-versed in comic timing, and the ensemble is spirited in its farcical delivery.

They try mightily to earn laughs, and it mostly succeeds – except for some problematic “frozen in time” dialogue and lyrics. Case in point – “Bring Me My Bride,” with the line: “I have no time to lose, there are towns to plunder, temples to burn and women to abuse.”

OK, I know, it’s supposed to be jokey and satirical, but…And yes, “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid” is cringy, no matter how many clever rhymes.

This 1962 smash hit was Sondheim’s first show as composer and lyricist, after breaking through as lyricist to Leonard Bernstein on “West Side Story” in 1957 and Jule Styne on “Gypsy” in 1959.

Sarah Wilkinson, Ian McCreary, Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

Patterned after Borscht Belt schtick and burlesque back in the day, plus a nod to its centuries-old comic roots, the bawdy material doesn’t bother some folks while others find sexual innuendo offensive.

The book, written by Burt Schevelove (“No, No Nanette”) and Larry Gelbart, creator of “M*A*S*H” who wrote for “Caesar’s Hour” (1954-57), the successor to legendary Sid Caesar’s writing stable on “Your Show of Shows,” “Forum” recalls variety show sketches du jour, often centering on nubile women as sex objects and other stereotypes.

The basic premise is taken from playwright Plautus (251 – 183 B.C.) In ancient Rome, a wily slave, desperate to earn his freedom, wants to hook up a virgin courtesan with his young master, but she has been sold to warrior Miles Gloriosus, who will arrive soon. In the meantime, another neighbor, Erronius, returns after searching for his two children, who were kidnapped by pirates.

Even with changing comedic tastes, people who have enjoyed this musical before, either in the audience or as players, look back at it fondly, because it does need a cohesive team to convey the zaniness, and that’s where the fun can be found.

Lively performers Kent Coffel, as crafty Pseudolus, and Chris Moore, as worrywart Hysterium, hatch schemes that get sillier and stickier, and mistaken identities are a key element to the humor, so is crossdressing.

Kent Coffel, Danny Brown. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

The principal singers are all gifted vocalists, especially Ann Hier Brown, who plays the shrew Domina, Hero’s mom. She does effectively turn the tables on “That Dirty Old Man.”

The score’s highlight is the vigorous opening “Comedy Tonight,” a can’t miss showy number. Tragedy can wait, are you ready for some fluff?

Sarah Wilkinson, memorable in New Line’s “Nine” last March, is a sweet Philia and Ian McCreary is an earnest Hero, as the young lovers everyone is rooting for, despite all the wacky complications that ensue. Their duet of “Lovely,” is well, lovely.

A standout is Danny Brown as the swaggering brute Miles Gloriosus, surprising in his robust delivery and rugged appearance.

Without firmly landing punchlines, Robert Doyle seems miscast as the lecherous Senex and Gary Cox is the befuddled Erronius, who has returned after searching for his two children, who were kidnapped by pirates.

Lending support are Jason Blackburn as Marcus Lycus and Nathan Hakenewerth, Brittany Kohl Hester, and Aarin Kamphoefner as the Proteans.

Ann Hier Brown, Chris Moore. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

Co-directors Scott Miller and Chris Kernan have fluidly staged the performers to maximize the madcap movements required, especially in frantic chase scenes.

And Rob Lippert has designed a three-house set that makes entrances and exits breezy, with lighting design by Matt Stuckel and sound design by Ryan Day.

Eileen Engel’s costume design may appear simple, with widespread togas and sandals on hand, but considering the character disguises, she had to duplicate outfits in various sizes so that the apparel would elicit laughs, too.

The conductor/keyboard player is Matthew Kauzlarich, with Kelly Austermann on reeds, Tyler Davis on cello, Ron Foster on trumpet, John Gerdes on brass, Adam Levin on trombone and Clancy Newell on percussion. Joe Simpson is music director.

“Forum” closes out New Line’s 31st season, and they have tackled demanding Stephen Sondheim works before (“Anyone Can Whistle,” “Assassins,” “Company,” “Into the Woods,” “Passion,” “Sunday in the Park with George,” and “Sweeney Todd”),

The original 1962 production of “Forum” was nominated for eight Tony Awards and won six, including best musical, producer, book, and director. Multiple Broadway revivals were well-received, in 1972 with Phil Silvers and in 1996 with Nathan Lane (and later in the run, with Whoopi Goldberg. All three actors who have opened in the role of Pseudolus on Broadway have won Best Actor Tony Awards (Zero Mostel, Silvers and Lane).

This throwback has a cast merrily cavorting on stage, zipping along to keep it from sagging, that helps carry it across the finish line. I just wish the material was fresher. This only works as a period piece, recreating an outdated style.

In recent years, New Line’s impressive choices have moved the needle on local musical offerings – especially “Something Rotten!” “Urinetown,” “Be More Chill,” “Lizzie,” “Head Over Heels,” “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Heathers,”  and others.

Proteans and Miles. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg.

New Line Theatre’s production of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” is from June 1 to June 24, on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m. at the Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, St. Louis, in the Grand Center Arts District.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students/seniors on the first Thursday; and $30 for adults and $25 for students/seniors for all other performances. 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 for high school students (check Facebook page for code), educators and military personnel, and college students are offered the chance to get a free seat (10 per performance) They are available only at the door, and subject to availability.

Cover Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre’s Crisp ‘Something Rotten!’ is Fresh, Fun and Frisky

New Line Theatre’s Crisp ‘Something Rotten!’ is Fresh, Fun and Frisky

By Lynn Venhaus

“I believe it’s called ‘Miser-ahh-bluh’!”

Brimming with references to many modern musicals, the spoofy, goofy “Something Rotten!” is a humdinger of a regional professional theater premiere from New Line Theatre. After all, it has an exclamation point in the title, so it must be special!

It is!

Fresh, funny, and frisky, the cast accepts their mission to have fun with the fluff, and the tight-knit ensemble is downright giddy frolicking in some of the most original show tunes in the past decade.

Besides the peppy song-and-dance numbers, the crowd-pleasing show provokes oodles of laughter and features an expertly tuned high-energy ensemble all-in with the snappy repartee and fun hijinks.

With its scaled-down setting and a smaller cast, this upbeat show flows smoothly on the Marcelle Theatre’s intimate stage. Scenic designer Rob Lippert used Shakespeare’s famous Globe Theatre as his guide, and director Scott Miller builds the action on two levels.

“Something Rotten!” opened on Broadway in 2015 and received 10 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, with Christian Borle winning the only one, as Best Featured Actor in a Musical as William Shakespeare. This is the regional professional premiere.

Written by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell as both a love letter to literature and a send-up of musical comedy, it never takes itself too seriously.

Karey and brother Wayne Kirkpatrick penned a clever music score and lyrics that the New Liners deliver in a zippy and zany style that has the audience engaged at “Welcome to the Renaissance,” the opening number.

The time is 1595, and William Shakespeare is an idol-like bard. Meanwhile, brothers and playwrights Nick (Chris Kernan) and Nigel (Marshall Jennings) Bottom crave the same rock-star celebrity and fame. They are desperately in need of a hit but disaster plagues their endeavors.

Then one day, Nick listens to a soothsayer, Thomas Nostradamus (not THE Nostradamus, but his neophyte nephew), who predicts that musicals will be the next big thing.

When Nostradamus guesses Shakespeare’s next hit will be “Omelette,” wackiness then ensues.

The book’s cheeky wit comes through when principals engage in wordplay and display their sterling comic timing. It’s as if everyone is winking while they are smiling.

As the downtrodden Nick, Kernan confidently leads the ensemble. A versatile performer, he delivers “God, I Hate Shakespeare” and “Bottom’s Gonna Be on Top” with aplomb and “Make an Omelette!” showcases his character’s despair and stubbornness.

An ebullient Jennings, as the talented but shy brother Nigel, works well with Kernan, and they deftly land the theater-insider quips. When conflicts arise, their clash is believable.

Jennings and Melissa Felps are a charming romantic pair. As the Puritan lass Portia, Felps is radiant, and their strong voices soar in the ballads, blending beautifully in “I Love the Way” and are bouncy in “We See the Light.”

Jason Blackburn is comical, delivering double-entendres as Portia’s overbearing, religious zealot father Brother Jeremiah, who does not approve of his daughter’s relationship.

In one of his best performances, Clayton Humburg swaggers like a rock star as the egomaniac Shakespeare, encapsulating all the preening cliches in his “Will Power” introduction and has fun with the sly references. He’s amusing in his lament, “Hard to Be the Bard.”

Carrie Wenos uses both her comedic and vocal skills as Nick’s supportive wife Bea, a burgeoning feminist, and has fun with “Right Hand Man.”

And as Nostradamus – not “THE” soothsayer but his nephew Thomas – Jeffrey Izquierdo-Malon has a daffy debut that’s part Monty Python, part Marx Brothers.

The merry ensemble – Robert Doyle as Shylock and Lord Clapham, Chris Moore as a Minstrel and Peter Quince, Mara Bollini as Francis Flute, Kent Coffel as Robin Starveling, Brittany Kohl Hester as John Snug, Ian McCreary as Tom Snout, Maggie Nold as Helena and a psychic, and Alyssa Wolf as Miranda and an astrologer — are plugged into presenting the low-brow Mel Brooks’ type humor as well as the ‘higher brow’ theatrical and Shakespearean jokes.

Music Director Mallory Golden capably conducts band members Joe Akers on trumpet, Jack Catalanotto on guitar, John Gerdes on bass, Joe Hendricks on reeds and Des Jones on percussion while she plays keyboards. The band is strategically placed under the balcony.

Sarah Porter’s playful costume design allows the performers to move while wearing such period attire as puffy pants and petticoats.

Ryan Day’s sound design and Matt Stuckel’s lighting design seamlessly enhance the action.

Choreographer Alyssa Wolf’s crisp and snappy dance routines really shine, but the standout is “A Musical,” a hilarious pastiche of Broadway hits. “It’s Eggs!” is a rib-tickler too.

By the time the show wraps up with a reprise of “To Thine Own Self” and “Welcome to America,” your sides may ache from laughing and you may notice you have been grinning for over two hours.

“Something Rotten!” is a must-see comedic gem, a well-cast, well-staged show that’s a bright spot in local theater this fall.

New Line Theatre presents “Something Rotten!” from Sept. 23 through Oct. 15, at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, at The Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, in the Grand Arts District. For more information, visit www.newlinetheatre.com

Nostradamus. Photos by Jill Ritter Lindberg.

Jolly Fun and Zippy Improv at Stray Dog’s Delightful ‘Spelling Bee’

Jolly Fun and Zippy Improv at Stray Dog’s Delightful ‘Spelling Bee’

By Lynn Venhaus
How do you define J-O-C-U-L-A-R-I-T-Y? The literal translation is “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” now playing at Stray Dog Theatre.

A splendid summer sojourn, the jaunty musical comedy celebrates American traditions and meritocracy, our inherent competitive spirt, and freak-flag waving.

At a nondescript middle school, a sextet of smarty-pants sixth graders competes for a $200 savings bond and a towering trophy at the annual big-deal event. Three adults handle the proceedings, and four audience members are selected to participate, too.

And the blithe spirits on stage and in the audience instinctually know this is far more pleasurable than Mensa members getting together for Scrabble, especially with its clever audience-participation cachet.

However, those who didn’t make the honor roll need not worry, for SAT scores aren’t required at the door, and it’s a very accessible and inclusive work. The catchy music and savvy lyrics by William Finn (“Falsettos,” “A New Brain”) and the whip-smart Tony-winning book by Rachel Sheinkin offer something for everyone.

In this enjoyable production, adroitly directed by Justin Been, the dexterous cast has mastered the nimble word play and spit-take worthy improvisations for a rollicking good time. They got game.

The in-sync ensemble expertly colors outside the lines, shading their idiosyncratic characters with humor and humanity. Unlike “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” where grown-ups also play kids, this is a show with mature content.

Kevin Corpuz is returning champ Charlito “Chip” Tolentino, a strident Boy Scout who is struggling with puberty and distracted by a female in audience; Grace Langford is resolute newcomer Olive Ostrosky, whose mom is in India and dad is always working; and Sara Rae Womack is fervid Marcy Park, an over-achieving transfer student.

Clayton Humburg is mellow Leaf Coneybear, home-schooled son of hippies; Dawn Schmid is high-strung Logainne “Schwartzy” SchwartzandGrubenierre, politically aware and pushed by her two dads to win at all costs; and Kevin O’Brien is last year’s egghead finalist William Morris Barfee, whose name is really pronounced Bar-Fay, because of an accent aigu, and not Bar-Fee, like the announcer repeats.

Photo by John Lamb

While everyone’s comic timing is admirable, O’Brien elicits many laughs as he embodies a know-it-all misfit unfortunately hampered by one working nostril. Hunching his shoulders, rolling his eyes, and sighing in exasperation, O’Brien is in his element. He has the most peculiar way of spelling out the words – with his “Magic Foot.”

Barfee is one of those supporting roles that is an awards nomination magnet, like Adolfo in “The Drowsy Chaperone” and the UPS guy in “Legally Blonde – The Musical.” Dan Fogler, now of “Fantastic Beasts” who recently played Francis Ford Coppola in “The Offer,” won a Tony Award for originating the role.

The middle-school spellers are joined by four individuals that have volunteered for the gig – signing up in the lobby beforehand.  Good sports, they are called on to spell, without any special treatment, which is a key element to the fun. They might have to spell Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, or cow.

The three adults in the room include ‘comfort counselor’ Mitch Mahoney (Chris Kernan), an ex-con who gives the eliminated contestants a juice box and a hug; former champ and returning moderator Rona Lisa Peretti (Stephanie Merritt), a successful realtor who enjoys reliving her glory days; and Vice Principal Douglas Panch (Jason Meyers), who has returned as a judge after personal time off to work out some ‘things.’

Their perspicacity is evident – and the three veterans are oh-so-smooth with the innuendos and deadpan humor. Merritt is guileful as the supremely assured and unflappable announcer – think Patty Simcox from “Grease” as an adult.

She glibly describes the contestants with seemingly innocent comments and a few double-entendres. You don’t want to miss a word, for you might do a double-take (Wait – what?).

Hilarity ensues whenever the puckish Meyers wryly uses a word in a sentence or describes his feelings. He elevates the script’s wit (those inappropriate comments!) with his crackerjack delivery. Just don’t get him started on Klondike’s decision to drop the Choco Taco! He’s a tad jittery.

Photo by John Lamb

Several performers double as ancillary characters, such as parents – for instance, Kernan and Humburg are Logainne’s importunate fathers. Corpuz shows up as Jesus Christ. (You’ll just have to see).

The convivial show, workshopped into an off-Broadway hit, transferred to Broadway in 2005 – and was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two. It was originally conceived by Rebecca Feldman and based upon “C-R-E-P-U-S-C-U-L-E,” a play by her improv collective, The Farm. Additional material was supplied by Jay Reiss.

The ingenious construction has managed to keep it fresh 17 years later by relying on the actors to be on the ball with au courant references.

Been astutely uses the state of play as an advantage, maintaining a balance of friskiness and sweetness that makes sure everyone is in on the jokes. No mean-spirited sarcasm here.

The cast’s exemplary improv skills make this a very funny, free-wheeling show. But let’s not forget the music is an integral part, too, and each character nails a signature song. Besides Barfee’s “Magic Foot,” there is — Leaf: “I’m Not That Smart.” Olive: “My Friend, The Dictionary.” Marcy: “I Speak Six Languages.” Logainne: “Woe Is Me.” Chip: “Chip’s Lament.”

Rona’s “My Favorite Moment of the Bee” is a running theme throughout, Mitch serenades the last audience speller with “Prayer of the Comfort Counselor,” and Panch is in “Spelling Montage.”

The troupe’s strong voices harmonize well in the group numbers, too.

Photo by John Lamb

Music Director Leah Schultz smoothly keeps the tempo on track, and is on piano, joined by Kelly Austermann on reeds and Joe Winters on percussion. Choreographer Mike Hodges keeps the moves light-hearted and breezy.

Jacob Baxley’s sound design enhances Rona’s championship spotlight, as does Tyler Duenow’s lighting design.

Eileen Engel’s costume designs distinctly outfit the personalities – and allow them to move easily, whether in the minimal dancing or walking through the aisles.

The Tower Grove Abbey’s small stage is well-suited for the show’s sparse set design, put together by Been.

For logophiles, the principal contestants are relatable. — perhaps a bit more eccentric, but these quirky characters have all learned an early invaluable life lesson: Knowledge is power.

My fellow nerds will feel at one with their tribe. For we know that summer vacation fun isn’t defined by theme park rides, water slides, and sports camps, but by summer reading lists – whether it’s for a library club, school enrichment class or a free personal pan pizza in the Pizza Hut Book It! Program.

It’s still the only musical where the cool kids are here for the orthography. Revenge of the nerds, indeed. So, Wordle can wait – and this show cannot, for there are 8 performances remaining.

Stray Dog Theatre presents the musical “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Thursdays through Saturdays from Aug. 4 to Aug. 20 at 8 p.m., with additional performances at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 14 and 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17 at the Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Avenue in Tower Grove East. For more information, visit www.straydogtheatre.org

Note: Tickets are only offered in physically distanced groups of two or four.

Photo by John Lamb.

New Line’s Fine Singers Aim Zingers in a Spirited ‘Urinetown’ That’s As Timely As Ever

New Line’s Fine Singers Aim Zingers in a Spirited ‘Urinetown’ That’s As Timely As Ever

By Lynn Venhaus

Zeitgiest, meet “Urinetown.”

In this Twilight Zone reality we seem to live in now in the 21st century, the subversive “Urinetown” the musical has never seemed timelier. Or funnier. Or scarier.

What once was merely laugh-out-loud outrageous 20 years ago has morphed into a gasp-filled hit-nail-on-head satire where sleazebag politicians are even slimier, greedy corporate bastards are more cruel, ecological disaster seems more imminent and cries of revolution are not far-fetched but absolutely necessary.

This wicked musical comedy composed by Fairview Heights, Ill., native Mark Hollmann, with co-lyricist and book writer Greg Kotis, appears to grow more relevant as the gap continues to widen between the haves and have nots.

Resurrecting one of its past triumphs, from 2007, for the cross-your-fingers 30th season, New Line Theatre’s savvy choice allows a confident, polished ensemble to have fun romping through the ripe-for-parody American legal system, ridiculous bureaucracy, corrupt municipal politics, and foolish mismanagement of natural resources.

The time is 2027 and the focus is urination. Yes, that indispensable body function. But, because we’re in a near dystopian future, there is no such thing as a free pee – and we can’t squander flushes and there is a limited water supply.

If you gotta go, it will cost you. A severe 20-year drought has resulted in the government banning private toilets. Citizens must use public amenities that are regulated by a single evil company that profits from charging a fee to conduct one of humanity’s basic needs.

So, what happens if you disobey? You are punished by a trip to Urinetown, never to return. Egads!

A rabble-rouser emerges – Bobby Strong, and he launches a People’s Revolution for the right to pee. Let’s hear it for urinary freedom! As he does with every role, energetic Kevin Corpuz is passionate in his hero’s journey.

This cast has the vocal chops to entertain in lively fashion, and with nimble comic timing, hits the sweet spot between exaggerated naivete and cheeky irreverence. Jennelle Gilreath, effectively using a Betty Boop-Shirley Temple voice, is the child-like street urchin Little Sally.

Bobby leads the poor rebels – performed by local live wires Grace Langford as pregnant Little Becky Two Shoes, Ian McCreary as Tiny Tom, Chris Moore ss Billy Boy Bill, Christopher Strawhun as Robbie the Stockfish and Jessica Winningham as Soupy Sue.

They are part of a first-rate ensemble in such crisply staged musical numbers as “It’s a Privilege to Pee,” “Snuff That Girl,” “Run Freedom Run,” and “We’re Not Sorry.”

Not only do Hollmann and Kotis take on capitalism, social injustice and climate crisis, but also cleverly twist the great American musical art form itself, with resemblance to Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill’s “The Threepenny Opera” and the populist champ “Les Miserables.”

With silly characters modeled after old-timely melodramas, Kent Coffel is Officer Lockstock, Marshall Jennings is Officer Barrel, and Sarah Gene Dowling is tough urinal warden Penelope Pennywise, all having fun with their goofy over-the-top roles.

Kent Coffel, Marshall Jennings as Officers Lockstock and Barrel. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

Bobby’s downtrodden parents, Joseph and Josephine Strong, are played by solid veterans Mara Bollini and Zachary Allen Farmer, also doubling as rebels, while fellow New Line regulars Todd Schaefer is the dastardly profiteer Caldwell P. Cladwell and Melissa Felps his darling daughter, Hope, who falls in love with Bobby. Both Schaefer and Felps play it straight, although they are winking to the audience the whole time as the heads of Urine Good Company, aka UGC.

Corpuz and Felps soar in “Follow Your Heart” while Bobby’s “Look to the Sky” and Hope’s finale “I See a River” showcase their skills.

Playing a caricature of an oily grifter and elected official Senator Fipp is Colin Dowd, doing his best Matt Gaetz impersonation, and Clayton Humburg is weaselly as Cladwell’s assistant Mr. McQueen. The “Rich” folk have fun with “Don’t Be the Bunny,”

Co-directors Scott Miller and Chris Kernan’s fresh take goes darker, which suits the capricious winds of an ever-evolving global pandemic that we have lived through for 27 months. Not to mention clinging to a democracy with fascist and authoritarian threats very much present. And hello, global warming.

Kernan’s choreography is a highlight, and music director Tim Clark keeps the tempo brisk. He conducts a tight band of Kelly Austermann on reeds, Tom Hanson on trombone, Clancy Newell on percussion and John Gerdes on bass while he plays keyboard.

The upside-down world we’re in is enhanced by Todd Schaefer’s grimy set, Sarah Porter’s astute costume design, Ryan Day’s sound design Kimi Short’s props,  and Kenneth Zinkl’s lighting design.

After an off-Broadway run, “Urinetown” opened on Broadway in 2001 and was nominated for nine Tony Awards, winning for best book, best music score and best direction. The fact that it’s stature has grown over the years is a reflection of our current time – and while that is rather frightening, this show continues to say something worth saying through its devilish use of heightened reality.

It’s holding up a mirror, even though it’s presented in a funhouse way, and that is indeed admirable.

In that spirit, leave your paranoia behind and get ready to laugh at the zingers launched with glee. New Line Theatre’s “Urinetown” is worth a sojourn as time keeps on slipping into the future.

New Line Theatre presents “Urinetown” June 2-25, with performances Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Marcelle Theatre. For tickets or more information, visit ww.newlinetheatre.com

Photos by Jill Ritter Lindberg

Profound and Poignant ‘The Story of My Life’ is New Line’s Latest Work

Profound and Poignant ‘The Story of My Life’ is New Line’s Latest Work

By Lynn Venhaus

Friendship is indeed one of life’s blessings, especially those lasting ones through the ebb and flows of the years. The French novelist Francois Mauriac once wrote that “No love, no friendship, can cross the path of our destiny without leaving some mark on it forever.” And this little musical theater gem, “The Story of My Life,” illustrates that theme beautifully.

New Line Theatre kicks off its 30th season with this deceptively simple yet poignant and profound work, an intimate and thoughtful reflection on the special people who change our lives. It runs Sept. 30 through Oct. 23, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. at the Marcelle Theater.

It particularly strikes a chord after what we’ve been through during the past 18 months, dealing with a coronavirus pandemic and periods of lockdown and quarantine during the public health crisis. The appreciation of and craving for connection has become an exclamation point.

“The Story of My Life” opened on Broadway in 2009 after earlier productions in Toronto and the Goodspeed Opera House. It was nominated for four Drama Desk Awards, including best musical.

With a keenly observed book written by Brian Hill and heartfelt music and lyrics by Neil Bartram, “The Story of My Life” follows the friendship of Alvin Kelby and Thomas Weaver, two lifelong friends since age 6 who grew up in a small town. Once inseparable, they are reunited after Alvin’s mysterious death.

Jeffrey M Wright as Thomas, Chris Kernan as Alvin. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

While Thomas, a successful author, struggles to write Alvin’s eulogy, his deceased pal appears from the afterlife, and they take a sentimental journey, revealing moments big and small from their intertwined lives.

Alvin goes through the manuscripts and short stories in Thomas’ mind, some which found their way to being published and receiving acclaim.

The adage “write what you know” is what guides Thomas as he sums up his best friend. During the process, he finds his own story and comes to terms with his past.

New Line veterans Chris Kernan as Alvin and Jeffrey M. Wright as Thomas make for an appealing pair, ardently portraying the lifetime friends who chronicle their journey in vignettes – their story is told through stories.

And the two actors punctuate each other’s remembrances. Pouring their hearts and souls into the demanding roles, Kernan and Wright are passionate about making these two guys memorable.

With a deft touch, Scott Miller accompanies the pair on keyboard. He also directed the show with a smart no-frills approach that never feels static.

The score finds the magic in special moments that friends share during lengthy relationships – and addresses rough patches, too. There are four parts to “Saying Goodbye,” and each one is real.

Kernan and Wright meet the challenge of being on stage the entire 70 minutes, without an intermission, breathing life into these roles with insight and charm  

Tom’s book report, “1876” and a song after something Alvin said, “The Butterfly,” are just two highlights.

These parts are unlike anything else they have ever done, with Wright known for classic leading men roles like Nathan Detroit in “Guys and Dolls” and Nicky Arnstein in “Funny Girl,” and Kernan often supporting and humorous roles, like one of the dads in “Heathers” and St. Jimmy in “American Idiot,” and his award-winning Snoopy in “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

As the likable kids, who bond over their annual Christmas movie tradition “It’s a Wonderful Life,” they resonate at every turn in their lives.

Alvin, a cheerful sort despite being dealt a few George Bailey-like blows during his life, lost his mom at an early age. When his father begins ailing, he takes over running the bookstore instead of going off to college and adventures.

Thomas, a driven guy who communicates better on paper, is the one who grabs the opportunities afforded him and leaves town, rarely returning.

Alvin stays rooted in their town, running the treasure trove that is his father’s bookstore, “The Writers Block,” and misses his buddy, who is off to other crossroads. Nobody “gets” him like Thomas did. “You’re Amazing, Tom” Alvin sings.

As Thomas is off living a life he imagined, does he feel the same about how special their friendship has been?

Redolent with tender and touching moments, “The Story of My Life” includes many warm humorous bits too – starting with Alvin’s reminisce about their teacher, “Mrs. Remington.”

The show’s rich emotional depth effectively builds to a heart-tugging conclusion, ending with “Angels in the Snow.” Moist-eye alert – bring a tissue.

Scenic designer Rob Lippert’s minimalist set – full of books and the written word – and Kenneth Zinkl’s modest lighting design are impressive accents for a show that stands out without any bells and whistles.

An outstanding collaboration by all involved, “The Story of My Life” has a lot to say, and you’ll be glad you spent time getting to know Alvin and Thomas. Maybe you will recognize your own friends and your experiences along the way, like I did.

After all, George Bailey wisely learned: “Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.”

Holiday time or not, this show is a gift to theatergoers eager to feel “the feels” that only live theater can provide. And a reminder about humanity in a time of great uncertainty and division. It could not be more timely – and timeless.

Jeffrey M Wright, Chris Kernan. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg.

“The Story of My Life” runs through Oct. 23, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in the Grand Center Arts District. For more information, visit www.newlinetheatre.com.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students/seniors on Thursdays; and $30 for adults and $25 for students/seniors on Fridays and Saturdays. To charge tickets by phone, call MetroTix at 314-534-1111 or visit the Fox Theatre box office or the MetroTix website.

COVID-19 POLICY

All patrons will be required to wear masks in the lobby and theatre. The stage area will be safely distanced from the audience. In addition, the Kranzberg Arts Foundation now requires all patrons 12 years or older to show proof of their full COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID-19 test upon entry for all ticketed events at all KAF indoor performance venues, including the Marcelle Theater.  

Photos by Jill Ritter Lindberg.

New Line Theatre Opens with St. Louis Premiere of ‘The Story of My Life’

New Line Theatre Opens with St. Louis Premiere of ‘The Story of My Life’

New Line Theatre is proud to present a Very Special Event to open the company’s 30th Anniversary Season, with just two New Line actors, Chris Kernan and Jeffrey M. Wright, along with artistic director Scott Miller on keyboard, in one of the most intimate evenings of musical theatre in the company’s 30 year history, telling a story all about stories, and the effect we have on other lives, usually without realizing it.

Neil Bartram and Brian Hill’s THE STORY OF MY LIFE follows the friendship of Alvin and Thomas, two lifelong friends from a small town who are reunited after Alvin’s mysterious death. Thomas struggles to write Alvin’s eulogy, so Alvin shows up to help the two of them take an amazing journey back through the story of their friendship, as Alvin searches through the manuscripts and stories in Thomas’ mind. And though Thomas is trying to write about his best friend, he ends up finding his own story in the process and coming to terms with the past.

The show opened on Broadway in 2009, after productions in Toronto and the Goodspeed Opera House, and it was nominated for four 2009 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical. Since its Broadway run, the show has had regional productions throughout the U.S., and in South Korea, Belgium, Austria, and Denmark.

New Line’s THE STORY OF MY LIFE will be directed by Scott Miller, with scenic design by Rob Lippert and lighting design by Kenneth Zinkl.

All patrons will be required to wear masks in the lobby and theatre. The stage area will be safely distanced from the audience. In addition, the Kranzberg Arts Foundation now requires all patrons 12 years or older to show proof of their full COVID-19 vaccination or negative COVID-19 test upon entry for all ticketed events at all KAF indoor performance venues, including the Marcelle Theater.

THE STORY OF MY LIFE runs Sept. 30-Oct. 23, 2021, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, all at 8:00 p.m., at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in the Grand Center Arts District. Sept. 30 is a preview.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students/seniors on Thursdays; and $30 for adults and $25 for students/seniors on Fridays and Saturdays. To charge tickets by phone, call MetroTix at 314-534-1111 or visit the Fox Theatre box office or the MetroTix website.

DISCOUNTS: HIGH SCHOOL DISCOUNT: 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. COLLEGE FREE SEATS: Ten free seats for every performance, open to any college student with a valid student ID. EDUCATORS DISCOUNT: New Line offers all currently employed educators half price tickets on any Thursday night, with work ID or other proof of employment. MILITARY DISCOUNT: 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.

All programs subject to change. New Line Theatre receives funding from the Regional Arts Commission and the Missouri Arts Council.

Coming Up in New Line’s 30th Season

HEAD OVER HEELS
Marcelle Theater
Mar. 3-26, 2022
Click Here for Tickets!
Head Over Heels may be the weirdest mashup Broadway has ever seen, a crazy, joyful celebration of the full variety of human experience, a bold, sexy new comedy from the stage visionaries that rocked Broadway with American Idiot, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Avenue Q, and Spring Awakening. This wild, subversive love story follows a royal family on a journey to save their kingdom from extinction, only to discover the key to their survival lies in their own willingness to change with the times. New Line opened this show in 2020 to rave reviews, but it was shut down halfway through the run due to the pandemic. So we’ll be back to finish what we started.

URINETOWN
Marcelle Theater,3310 Samuel Shepherd Drive, St. Louis, 63103
June 2-25, 2022
Click Here for Tickets!
Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis’ Urinetown is an outrageous musical fable of greed, corruption, love, revolution, and urination, set in a time when water is worth its weight in gold and there’s no such thing as a free pee. In this near-future dystopian Gotham, a severe 20-year drought has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. Citizens are forced to use public “amenities” now, regulated by a single malevolent corporation that profits from one of humanity’s most basic needs. But from the ruins of Democracy and courtesy flushes, an unlikely hero floats to the top, who decides he’s held it long enough, and he launches a People’s Revolution to lead them all to urinary freedom! New Line produced the show in 2007 to rave reviews.

New Line to Premiere Go-Gos Musical Comedy ‘Head Over Heels’ March 6

New Line to Premiere Go-Gos Musical Comedy ‘Head Over Heels’ March 6

“Head Over Heels” will open at New Line Theatre March 6. It is the regional premiere of the wild, sexy, modern musical fairy tale where Once Upon a Time is now.

“Head Over Heels” is the bold new musical comedy from the visionaries that rocked Broadway with Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Avenue Q and Spring Awakening.

Conceived by Jeff Whitty, with an original book by Whitty, adapted by James Magruder, originally directed by Michael Mayer, and set to the music of the iconic 1980s all-girl rock band The Go-Go’s, this high-octane, laugh-out-loud love story includes hit songs like, “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” “Heaven is a Place on Earth” and “Mad About You.”

The wild story follows the escapades of a royal family who set out on a journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction, only to discover the key to their realm’s survival lies within each of their own hearts — though not always in the way they expect — and in their willingness to let go of rigid tradition and change with the times.

With band and vocal arrangements by Broadway composer Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, If/Then, High Fidelity), and eleven amazing dance numbers, choreographed by New Liners Michelle Sauer and Sara Rae Womack, this is the heaviest dance show New Line has produced since Chicago in 2002.

Head Over Heels originally premiered at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2015, then opened on Broadway in 2018. The show was nominated for Best Musical by the Drama League and the Outer Critics Circle Awards.

The New Line cast includes Grace Langford (Princess Pamela), Melissa Felps (Princess Philoclea), Clayton Humburg (Musidorus), Jaclyn Amber (Mopsa), Zachary Allen Farmer (King Basilius), Carrie Priesmeyer (Queen Gynecia), Aaron Allen (Dametas), Tiélere Cheatem (Pythio), Kevin Corpuz, Evan Fornachon, Chris Kernan, Chris Moore, Maggie Nold, Michelle Sauer, Alyssa Wolf, and Sara Rae Womack.

The New Line production will be directed by Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy-Windsor, with music direction by Nicolas Valdez, choreography by Michelle Sauer and Sara Rae Womack, scenic design by Rob Lippert, costume design by Sarah Porter, lighting design by Kenneth Zinkl, and sound design by Ryan Day.

The Daily Beast said, “Head Over Heels is a raucously choreographed joy — intelligent, winningly comic, and surprisingly-for-Broadway radical when it comes to its presentation of gender and sexuality.” Entertainment Weekly said, “The show is an ode to female independence with the winking spirit of a Shakespearean fairy and the neon edge of a rebellious ‘80s teenager, teaming up to beckon people into the woods. Forty years after The Go-Go’s’ formation, Head Over Heels does more than preserve the band’s iconic hits in amber. For two hours and 15 minutes, it’s enough to pull the world back into sync.”

TimeOut NY said, “It grafts a 2010s sensibility onto songs from the 1980s — by the all-girl pop-punk quintet the Go-Go’s (plus two hits from lead singer Belinda Carlisle’s solo career) — and fits them into a 16th-century story that is set in ancient Greece. . . Head Over Heels is a fantasy and celebration of nonconformity, and it puts its casting where its mouth is with an ensemble that is diverse in race, gender and size. Honoring the beat, in this merry Arcadia, means making room for different drummers.”

Head Over Heels contains adult content. Produced by arrangement with Broadway Licensing, New York.

Tickets

HEAD OVER HEELS runs March 5-28, 2020, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, all at 8:00 p.m., at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in the Grand Center Arts District. March 5 is a preview.

Tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for students/seniors on Thursdays; and $30 for adults and $25 for students/seniors on Fridays and Saturdays. To charge tickets by phone, call MetroTix at 314-534-1111 or visit the Fox Theatre box office or the MetroTix website. 

DISCOUNTS

HIGH SCHOOL DISCOUNT: 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.

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

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

MILITARY DISCOUNT: 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.

The New Line Film Series

Have a Little Rock & Roll Fable with your Rock & Roll Fable…

The New Line Film Series presents the movie musical ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS on Weds, March 18 at 7:00 p.m. at the Marcelle Theater, during the run of New Line’s Head Over Heels.

Click Here for more info.

About New Line Theatre

New Line Theatre is a professional company dedicated to involving the people of the St. Louis region in the exploration and creation of daring, provocative, socially and politically relevant works of musical theatre. New Line was created back in 1991 at the vanguard of a new wave of nonprofit musical theatre just starting to take hold across the country.

New Line has given birth to several world premiere musicals over the years and has brought back to life several shows that were not well served by their original New York productions.

Altogether, New Line has produced 89 musicals since 1991, and the company has been given its own entry in the Cambridge Guide to American Theatre and the annual Theater World. New Line receives funding from the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency, and the Regional Arts Commission.

For other information, visit New Line Theatre’s full-service website at www.newlinetheatre.com. All programs are subject to change. New Line’s 29th season closes in June with Urinetown.

R-S Theatrics’ Stunning ‘The Light in the Piazza’ Glows

R-S Theatrics’ Stunning ‘The Light in the Piazza’ Glows

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor
With its lush, unusual score and seductive setting, “The Light in the Piazza” is swoon-worthy in many aspects.
Regarded as demanding to present because of its music and dramatic complexities, this intricate musical heightens realism and challenges the most confident vocalist.
Its Tony-winning neoromantic score and orchestrations by Adam Guettel, grandson of icon Richard Rodgers, have more in common with opera and classical music than traditional showtunes, without any pop references.
Nevertheless, the cast of R-S Theatrics’ production rises to master the harmonies and embrace la dolce vita. Guided by music director Sarah Nelson, whose work is exceptional, with assured stage direction from Christine Rios, they project a confident grasp of the material.

Some of the lyrics are in Italian, and silky-smooth voiced Tielere Cheatem, as Fabrizio, is impressive, particularly in his fluid renditions of “Il Mondo Era Vuoto” and “Passeggiata.” His family, the Naccarellis, speak impeccable Italian and deliver richly textured vocals – Kent Coffel as Signor, Jodi Stockton as Signora, Stephanie Merritt as Franca and Micheal Lowe as Giuseppe.
Special mention must go to Italian language coach Myriam Columbo, for it feels organic.
It’s the summer of 1953, and the well-to-do Southern matron Margaret (Kay Love) returns to Florence, Italy, where she spent her honeymoon. With her innocent 26-year-old daughter in tow, her joy is tempered by the special needs of the developmentally delayed Clara (Macia Noorman), who was hit in the head by a Shetland pony at age 10. She matured physically but not emotionally/mentally. It is more subtle than obvious, but when Clara gets upset, she behaves like a petulant child.
The melodramatic story is adapted from a novella by Elizabeth Spencer, which became a turgid 1962 movie starring Olivia de Havilland, Rossano Brazzi, Yvette Mimieux and George Hamilton (?!? as Fabrizio). The 2005 Broadway show was nominated for 11 Tony Awards and won five. It had both fans and detractors, and I was one of its sharpest critics, particularly of the book by Craig Lucas.
Not a fan of the 2007 touring production, which was swallowed in the Fox, was devoid of sympathy for the mother and did not have an ounce of nuance in what I considered a duplicitous transaction.
Not so here – surprise! – because of the performances and the interpretation, although they can’t help that the book has some issues.
Several key elements soothed my misgivings, but mainly it was because of Kay Love’s splendid performance as the Southern matron Margaret, which is the lynchpin to the whole show.
Love earns our sympathy right away – it is a virtuoso performance that highlights her outstanding vocal talent while giving her a juicy role in which to shine. You feel her dilemma, and the emotional rollercoaster she endures. Her North Carolina accent is refreshingly soft and does not overpower her character,  thanks to dialect coach Mark Kelley.
All that guilt Margaret carries is shown on Love’s face, along with the regrets of a lackluster marriage, and a life, though comfortable, spent in service to others. She’s exasperated keeping tabs on an excited Clara, who encounters a young Florentine, Fabrizio. It’s love at first sight for both.
As Clara, Macia Noorman’s accent weaves in and out. Noorman and Cheatem work well together, but she seems more tentative in the duets and went sharp or flat more often in her vocals, particularly when paired with someone. However, her “Clara’s Interlude” is quite lovely.
Rios does not make this entanglement of two star-crossed families overwrought, rather keeps focus on the complicated romance and culture clash. As Margaret wrestles with the couple’s wedding plans, she must decide if she believes in love and her daughter’s happiness. Her husband Roy (Robert Doyle) is of no help, or empathy.
In addition to their superb vocals, the actors playing the Naccarelli family stand out. Kent Coffel plays the haberdasher father with such authority that you believe he is a Florentine of stature while a winsome Jodi Stockton has a nice motherly moment explaining the proceedings to the audience.
Stephanie Merritt gives considerable oomph to the tempestuous Franca so that she is not just a caricature, and soars in her number, “The Joy You Feel.”
While Love imbues her numbers with emotion, her rendition of the finale “Fable” is stunning, all the more remarkable because it follows a fabulous “Love to Me” sung by Cheatem. Love has a sweet duet with Coffel, “Let’s Walk,” before two families join together.
The power of the cast’s voices match the character demands, and Nelson’s musical work must be recognized, for the level of difficulty is understood.
The expressive orchestra adds so much, with Terri Langerak playing a glorious harp, Emily Lane on cello, Kelly LaRussa on violin, Jacob Stergos on bass and Nelson on piano. Their expert skill provided a luxurious sound that elevated this show.
The location also prominently figures into the presentation. Florence is an alluring city of Renaissance masterpieces in the Tuscany region of Italy, with its postcard Mediterranean landscapes, ancient history, and extraordinary art, culture and cuisine. It’s also a character.
The look and feel of this show combines tantalizing adventure with a traveler’s awestruck sense of wonder, providing atmosphere along with sense of time and place.
The piazza, a town square, is where we meet a very tight ensemble, crisp in purposeful movements and welcoming in demeanor. Chris Kernan, Jason Meyers, Louisa Wimmer, Robert Doyle, Melissa Christine, Lindy Elliot, Ann Hier and Anthony Randle are a compelling chorus.
Keller Ryan’s scenic design allows for this tableau to come alive with a captivating vibrancy while Nathan Schroeder’s lighting design provides a burnished glow.
They all look marvelous, too — chic fashion choices by costume designer by Ashley Bauman enhanced the characters’ personalities.
Margaret can’t help but be swept away by the scenic views and the teeming crowd, and neither could I. The intimate staging, the strong creative aspects and the level of talent add up to a must-see production.
R-S Theatrics opens its eighth season – The Season of the Not-so-Perfect Past — with the St. Louis premiere of “The Light in the Piazza” Aug. 10 – 26, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m., at the Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, St. Louis, 63103. Tickets can be purchased through Metrotix.com. For more information, visit r-stheatrics.org.