Fox Associates, L.L.C. and Foxland, Inc. are pleased to announce that they have reached a mutually satisfactory settlement in resolution of their dispute over the Fox Theatre. Fox Associates has operated the Theatre for 40 years after undertaking its restoration in the 1980s.

Since April 2021, the parties have been involved in a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis over which party will have the right to own and operate the Theatre once the current lease expires in 2025.

Under the parties’ settlement agreement, Fox Associates will purchase Foxland’s interest in the land underlying the Theatre, thereby consolidating ownership in one party. The parties worked together to achieve this resolution and share the belief that this is the right result for the St. Louis community, as it will ensure uninterrupted Theatre operations.

“On behalf of myself and partners Lisa Baudendistel Suntrup and Julie Baudendistel Noonan, we are thrilled that the Fabulous Fox Theatre will continue to bring world class entertainment to St. Louis for generations to come,” said Mary Strauss, Fox Associates partner. “It has been a labor of love for our Strauss and Baudendistel families to be the custodians of this St. Louis treasure and national landmark for the past four decades and we look forward to a fabulous future.”

Charles Modlin of Foxland, Inc. stated, “While our family had been looking forward to operating the Theatre for many years, we are happy with the result and believe the Theatre remains in good hands with Fox Associates, who we are confident will continue its important legacy of successfully operating one of the most magnificent historic Theatres in the world.”

The Fabulous Fox Theatre has announced the return of guided tours of the historic landmark. Limited tours of the Fabulous Fox will resume on Saturday, June 5, 2021. Tours will be conducted on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and include a presentation on the Wurlitzer organ.

Tour tickets are $10 each and advance purchase is required at Metrotix.com or by calling MetroTix at 314-534-1111. Tickets will be delivered to guests’ mobile devices or emailed for print at home.  The Fox Box office is currently closed and tickets will not be available for purchase on the day of the tour. Ticket sales will close at 5 p.m. the Friday prior to each Saturday tour. 

In order to assure the safety of our guests and guides the following protocols will be followed: 

·         All guests are required to wear masks and will have their temperature taken with no-touch devices before entering the theatre. 

·         Fox tour guides and personnel will wear masks and will have their temperature taken when they check in for duty. 

·         Social distancing will be practiced and monitored during the entire tour experience.  Each tour’s capacity is limited to 20 guests.

·         The theatre will be thoroughly cleaned with emphasis on high touch areas prior to each tour.

·         Hand sanitizing stations are available throughout the theatre.

Tour guests should visit FabulousFox.com throughout the summer for possible updates to the tour schedule and safety protocols.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre is thrilled to announce the return of the U.S. Bank Broadway Series to the Fox stage.  “After our long intermission that began in March 2020, we can’t wait for this new season to begin on November 16, 2021” said Director of Programming John O’Brien.  The six-show season will include two of the shows that were postponed at the end of the 2019-2020 season, HAMILTON and CATSand four postponed shows from the 2020-2021 season, PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL, THE PROM, MEAN GIRLS and MY FAIR LADY.  “We are thrilled to fit most of our missed shows in the coming season,” said O’Brien.  “Although Disney’s Frozen will need to wait until a future season, we will have the return of Disney’s THE LION KING in the summer of 2022.”  Subscribers will have the option to purchase the six-show package or add THE LION KING for a seven -show package.

“The Fabulous Fox is working with government and health officials to create and implement health and safety protocols that will ensure the safe return of audiences at full capacity so subscribers can enjoy their same great seats.  This does include improvements to the Theatre’s air handling system. More information along with a detailed outline of protocols will be made available prior to our reopening,” said O’Brien.  

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL | November 16-28, 2021

After an incredible run on Broadway, Audience Choice Award winner PRETTY WOMAN: The Musical will begin its national tour this fall. PRETTY WOMAN: The Musical is brought to life by a powerhouse creative team representing the best of music, Hollywood, and Broadway. Featuring direction and choreography by two-time Tony Award® winner Jerry Mitchell (HairsprayKinky BootsLegally Blonde), an original score by Grammy® winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (“Summer of ’69”, “Heaven”), and a book by the movie’s legendary director Garry Marshall and screenwriter J.F. Lawton, PRETTY WOMAN: The Musical will lift your spirits and light up your heart. “If you love the movie, you’ll love the musical!” (BuzzFeed News).


CATS | December 21, 2021-January 2, 2022

CATS, the record-breaking musical spectacular by Andrew Lloyd Webber that has captivated audiences in over 30 countries and 15 languages, will resume its tour across North America!  Audiences and critics alike are rediscovering this beloved musical with breathtaking music, including one of the most treasured songs in musical theater—”Memory”. Winner of 7 Tony Awards® including Best Musical, CATS tells the story of one magical night when an extraordinary tribe of cats gathers for its annual ball to rejoice and decide which cat will be reborn. The original score by Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Phantom of the OperaSchool of RockSunset Boulevard), original scenic and costume design by John Napier (Les Misérables), all-new lighting design by Natasha Katz (Aladdin), all-new sound design by Mick Potter, new choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton) based on the original choreography by Gillian Lynne (Phantom) and direction by Trevor Nunn (Les Misérables) make this production a new CATS for a new generation!

The Prom

THE PROM | January 25-February 6, 2022

Everyone’s invited to the joyous Broadway hit that New York Magazine calls “smart and big-hearted” and The New York Times declares it “makes you believe in musical comedy again!” THE PROM is a new musical comedy about big Broadway stars on a mission to change the world and the love they discover that unites them all.  Variety raves, “It’s so full of happiness that you think your heart is about to burst.” And The Hollywood Reporter cheers, “It’s comic gold!” You belong at THE PROM!

MEAN GIRLS | February 15-27, 2022

Direct from Broadway, MEAN GIRLS is the hilarious hit musical from book writer Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), composer Jeff Richmond (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and director Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung. New York Magazine cheers, “MEAN GIRLS delivers with immense energy, a wicked sense of humor and joyful inside-jokery.” USA Today says, “We’ll let you in on a little secret, because we’re such good friends: Get Your Tickets Now!”

MY FAIR LADY | March 22-April 3, 2022

From Lincoln Center Theater and director Bartlett Sher comes “a sumptuous new production of the most perfect musical of all time” (Entertainment Weekly), Lerner & Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY.  Boasting such classic songs as “I Could Have Danced All Night,” “The Rain in Spain,” and “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly,” MY FAIR LADY tells the story of Eliza Doolittle, a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins, a linguistics professor who is determined to transform her into his idea of a “proper lady.”  But who is really being transformed?

HAMILTON | April 12-May 15, 2022

HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony ® , Grammy ® , and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors. This “theatrical landmark has transformed theater and the way we think about history” (The New York Times)

THE LION KING | June 1-18, 2022

More than 100 million people around the world have experienced the phenomenon of Disney’s THE LION KING, and now you can, too, when St. Louis’ best-loved musical returns to the Fabulous Fox Theatre.  Winner of six Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, this landmark musical event brings together one of the most imaginative creative teams on Broadway.  Tony Award®-winning director Julie Taymor brings to life a story filled with hope and adventure set against an amazing backdrop of stunning visuals.  THE LION KING also features some of Broadway’s most recognizable music, crafted by Tony Award®-winning artists Elton John and Tim Rice.  There is simply nothing else like THE LION KING.

Series Specials

Four additional Broadway shows will be offered as specials to 2021–2022 season ticket holders for priority seating before their public on-sale dates.

The splendor of the holiday season at the Fox will return in 2021.   One of the world’s most beloved and timeless stories is a holiday tradition at the Fox: the Nebraska Theatre Caravan production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL will play December 2-5.  A MAGICAL CIRQUE CHRISTMAS brings dazzling performers and breathtaking cirque artists to the Fox stage for a spell-binding holiday production December 9.  The most famous reindeer of all will soar into the Fox December 17-18 when RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER the Musical takes the Fox stage.  

The 25thAnniversary production of RIVERDANCE returns March 11-13. This tour is a powerful and stirring reinvention of this beloved favorite, celebrated the world over for its Grammy award-winning score and the thrilling energy and passion of its Irish and international dance. Disney’s THE LION KING will also be available as a special for those who choose the six-show season.

Current season ticket holders will receive their specific account information with their options for the six or seven show package in late April.

New season ticket packages will go on sale June 7.  On-sale dates for individual shows will be announced later. For more information, visit www.FabulousFox.com.  The Broadway Series at the Fabulous Fox Theatre is presented by U.S. Bank.  The Fox Box office is currently closed.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre has announced holiday tours of the beloved landmark to begin following Thanksgiving and continuing through December.  Inspired by CharlesDickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” this delightful tour is titled “A Dickens of a Tour” and depicts several of that tale’s characters including the ghosts of Christmas Past and Present, Jacob Marley, Victorian dancers and more! 

This unique hour-long tour includes some of the history of the Fox Theatre while it is beautifully decorated for the holiday season.  Guest will visit five stations with access to backstage and the Fabulous Fox stage.  The tours are under the direction of Lara Teeter, Creative Director and Larry Pry, Music Director.

Tours will take place on the dates and times as follows and will be limited to 16 people per departure.

Tour times for Friday, November 27; Saturdays, November 28 and December 5 and 26; Sundays, November 29 and December 6, 13, 20 and 27 are:  1 p.m., 1:10 p.m., 1:20 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 1:40 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 2:40 p.m., 2:50 p.m., 3 p.m., 3:10 p.m., 4 p.m., 4:10 p.m.. 4:20 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 4:40 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 5:40 p.m., 5:50 p.m., 6 p.m. and 6:10 p.m.

Tour times for Friday, December 4 are 7:50 p.m., 8 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 9 p.m., 9:10 p.m., 9:20 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 9:40 p.m.

Tour times for Friday, December 18 are:  6 p.m., 6:10 p.m., 6:20 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 6:40 p.m., 7:30 p.m., 7:40 p.m., 7:50 p.m., 8 p.m., 8:10 p.m., 9 p.m., 9:10 p.m., 9:20 p.m., 9:30 p.m. and 9:40 p.m.

In order to provide the best possible safety measures for Fox guests and to comply with the city health department requirements, the following protocols will be in place.  Tours will have a maximum of 16 people and will have timed entries every 10 minutes.  Tours will cover 3 levels of the auditorium and the stage, but will not include the narrow underground tunnels. Tours will move in one direction and not cross paths with other tour groups.  Tour participants will be required to wear a mask and observe social distancing. 

Each tour will be accompanied by a Fox tour guide and a monitor to assure adherence to mask-wearing and social distancing.  Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the tour. 

Tour tickets are $40 each for adults and $25 for children 12 and under. Parking is included. Season Ticket holders and Fox Club Members will receive their priority purchase opportunity by email this week.  Remaining tickets will go on sale to the public Friday, November 13 at noon.  All tickets much be purchased in advance as the Fox Box Office is not currently open.  Tickets will be delivered to guests by mobile device or for printing at home.  Food and beverage service will not be available during the tours. 


The Fabulous Fox Theatre has announced the cancellation of the remaining shows on its 2020 calendar:  A Christmas Carol and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer the Musical.  Both shows were December specials on the U. S. Bank Broadway Season and neither had been put on sale.  “We look forward to resuming a full holiday schedule in 2021” said John O-Brien, director of programming for the Fabulous Fox.

Limited Tours of the Fabulous Fox Theatre have resumed. Tours will be conducted on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and include a presentation on the Wurlitzer organ.  Advance purchase is required at FabulousFox.com or by calling MetroTix at 314-534-1111. Tickets will be delivered to guests’ mobile devices.  In order to avoid contact, paper tickets will not be issued.   Ticket sales will close at 5 p.m. the Friday prior to each tour.  The Fox Box office is currently closed and tickets will not be available for purchase on the Saturday of the tour.

In order to assure the safety of our guests and guides, in addition to touch-less ticketing, the following protocols will be followed.  All guests are required to wear masks and will have their temperature taken with no-touch devices before entering the theatre.  Fox tour guides and personnel will wear masks and will have their temperature taken when they check in for duty. Social distancing will be practiced and monitored during the entire tour experience.  Each tour’s capacity is limited to 15 guests.  The theatre will be thoroughly cleaned with emphasis on high touch areas prior to each tour.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre has announced the postponement of three fall shows that were to open the 2020-2021 U.S. Bank Broadway Season Ticket package and one season special. “In light of the current status of the COVID-19 virus, the Fox and our producing partners have agreed that tour dates for fall of 2020 must be re-scheduled for the safety and well-being of our guests, staff, casts and crew” said John O-Brien, director of programming for the Fabulous Fox.   The seven-show season ticket package will now open with Disney’s FROZEN February 10-21. 

The postponed musicals are:  MEAN GIRLS scheduled for September; MY FAIR LADY scheduled for October; JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR scheduled for November and CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY scheduled for December.

“As a presenter of national tours, we are in ongoing conversations with producers and agents each and every week.  The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the touring industry as theatres and booking agents across America reinvent calendars that were two to three years in the making” said O’Brien.  “In addition to the four shows mentioned above, we are also finding new dates for CATS and HAMILTON which were postponed in the spring.”

Ain’t Too Proud The Temptations musical

THE CURRENT SEVEN-SHOW SEASON TICKET PACKAGE IS:

FROZEN * February 5-21, 2021

AIN’T TOO PROUD * March 2-14, 2021

THE PROM * April 6-18, 2021

PRETTY WOMAN * April 27-May 9, 2021

Plus 3 additional musicals to be announced later.

Tony nominees Beth Leavel and Brooks Ashmanskas in “The Prom”

THE SCHEDULE OF SPECIALS IS:

A CHRISTMAS CAROL * December 3-6, 2020

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER * December 18-19, 2020

BLUE MAN GROUP * March 19-21, 2021

HAIRSPRAY * June 4-6, 2021

Additional information about the Season Ticket package and specials will be released when the pandemic eases and shows confirm their re-routing plans.

Phil Stanton (from left) Chris Wink and Matt Goldman are the founders of Blue Man Group.

By CB Adams
Contributing Writer

In the beginning was New Jersey, which begat Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, which in various incarnations begat pop record sales of more than 175 million, which begat the jukebox musical Jersey Boys, which begat four Tony Awards that included Best Musical and a trunk-load of other accolades, which begat a film directed and produced by none other than “Dirty” Harry Callahan (okay, Clint Eastwood), which begat a return engagement of the ensemble musical at The Fabulous Fox Theatre on January 30-Febrary 2.

According to the press kit for Jersey Boys, this musical is not recommended for children under 12 due in part because it is peppered with “authentic Jersey language,” But, bada bing bada boom, other than the youngsters, Jersey Boys could just as well be known as the Authentic Jersey Musical, not to mention an authentically satisfying experience. And the show has been to St. Louis so many times that may have earned the nickname “St. Louis Boys.”

Nothing succeeds like success, and such is the case with Jersey Boys, which wouldn’t keep pounding the boards at venues like the Fox and The Muny if it weren’t so darned enjoyable. Jersey Boys is a show that entices men to come for the swagger and women to stay for the swoon – a winning combination not shared by many of musicals. Directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Des McAnuff and written by Academy Award-winner Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, it reliably fills seats.

The behind-the-scenes, bio-pic show, with music by Bob Gaudio and lyrics by Bob Crewe, hits the high and low notes of the evolution and more-or-less dissolution of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the years before, during and after the so-called British Invasion. This was an impressively long run of success for core bandmates – Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi  — that earned them a well-deserved place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The musical version of their story is a straight shot through the band’s history, with each member given a portion of the story to tell. Unlike some jukebox musicals that rely on a contrived plot to underpin the hit songs, Jersey Boys leverages the compelling story of the band’s history. The story has become as ubiquitous as the sing of hits the band produced. Jersey Boys is an ensemble effort with Jon Hacker as Valli, Eric Chambliss as Gaudio, Corey Geenan as DeVito and Michael Milton at Massi. These actors individually and collectively delivered at solid performance in acting and singing. Although there were no stand-out performances, Chambliss and Hacker delivered with the most heart and pathos – thanks in no small part to the show’s script.

But let’s face it: You come for the music and you stay for the music. Jersey Boys delivers with plenty of music – 33 songs, including five number-ones. And even though it doesn’t include 19 of the band’s other hits, including four other top-10 hits, the show drops the needle on a well-paced, nostalgically steady steam of the music that is the heart and soul of this show.

The strength of the show really rested on the vocal shoulders of Hacker as Franki. Hacker’s performance was, like all other aspects of the production, solid. Hacker is no Valli hologram and his evocation of the style, personality and vocal style of Valli did justice to the spirit and talents of the man himself. Hacker’s voice and acting were up to the material, especially with the support of the rest of the cast.

Hacker as Frankie delivered one of the musical’s most poignant lines about the group: “Like that bunny on TV, it just keeps going and going and going. Chasing the music. Trying to find our way home.”

Jersey Boys certainly has a found a regular place to call home on St. Louis stages.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presented “Jersey Boys” January 30-February 2.

Described by the Los Angeles Times as a “cultural phenomenon,” Dear Evan Hansen comes to St. Louis’s Fabulous Fox Theatre Oct. 22 – Nov. 3. In advance of the start of performances, the production announced today that it will host a digital ticket lottery offering fans the chance to purchase a limited number of $25 tickets available per performance.

The digital lottery will begin accepting entries 48 hours prior to the first performance in St. Louis and will be accepted until 9 a.m. local time the day before the performance. Fans who have been selected will be notified daily via email and can then purchase up to two (2) tickets at $25 each. The ticket lottery will continue on a rolling basis for every performance in the engagement. All entrants are encouraged to follow Dear Evan Hansen on Instagram (@dearevanhansen), Twitter (@dearevanhansen) and Facebook (@DearEvanHansen) for additional lottery news and information. 

Entrants must be 18 years or older. A valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the name used to enter is required for pickup. Seat locations awarded by the lottery are subject to availability. Additional details and times will be announced in each tour city by the local theatre box office prior to the engagement. Additional lottery requirements can be found at www.luckyseat.com/dearevanhansen. 

The winner of six 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Dear Evan Hansen features a book by Tony Award-winner Steven Levenson, a score by Grammy®, Tony® and Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land, The Greatest Showman), and direction by four-time Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Next to Normal).

Declared “One of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history” by the Washington Post’s Peter Marks, Dear Evan Hansen opened at the Music Box Theatre to rave reviews on December 4, 2016. There, it has broken all box office records and struck a chord with audiences and critics alike, including New York Times critic Jesse Green, who, in his May 2019 re-review of the show, declared it “more and more ingenious with each viewing. It is more hopeful than ever.”

The Broadway production recently celebrated its two-year anniversary with a special donation to the Smithsonian, where the show’s iconic blue polo and arm cast will now be part of the permanent collection of the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC. A record-breaking US national tour launched in October 2018 and is currently playing across North America, and a limited engagement recently opened at Toronto’s Royal Alexandra Theatre, where it runs through July 21, 2019.  The show’s second international production will open in the West End on November 19, 2019 at London’s Noel Coward Theatre.

The Grammy Award-winning Original Broadway Cast Recording of Dear Evan Hansenproduced by Atlantic Records, was released in February 2017, making an extraordinary debut on the Billboard 200 and entering the chart at #8 – the highest charting debut position for an original cast album since 1961 – and went on to win the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album. A deluxe version of the cast recording, including six bonus tracks and a pop cover from Katy Perry of “Waving through a Window” is now available digitally.

A special edition coffee table book authored by Levenson, Pasek and Paul, Dear Evan Hansen: through the window (Grand Central Publishing / Melcher) is now available, offering an in-depth, all-access look at the musical, including never-before-seen production photos and cast portraits, behind-the-scenes stories, and a fully annotated script by the authors.

In addition to winning six 2017 Tony awards and a 2018 Grammy Award, Dear Evan Hansen has won numerous other awards, including the 2017 Drama League Award for Outstanding Musical Production and for the off-Broadway production, two Obie Awards, a Drama Desk Award, and two Outer Critics Circle Awards and two Helen Hayes Awards. Dear Evan Hansenis also the winner of the Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards three years running, and was just proclaimed the Best Long-Running Show and the Best Touring Production in the 2019 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards.

Dear Evan Hansen, produced by Stacey Mindich, features scenic design by David Korins, projection design by Peter Nigrini, costume design by Emily Rebholz, lighting design by Japhy Weideman, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, and hair design by David Brian Brown.  Music supervision, orchestrations and additional arrangements are by Alex Lacamoire.  Ben Cohn is the Associate Music Supervisor.  Vocal arrangements and additional arrangements are by Justin Paul. Danny Mefford is the choreographer. Casting by Tara Rubin Casting/Xavier Rubiano. Sash Bischoff, Adam Quinn and Danny Sharron are the Associate Directors. Judith Schoenfeld is the Production Supervisor. US General Management 101 Productions.

For more information, please visit DearEvanHansen.com

New production on national tour now at the Fox Theatre

By Joe GfallerContributing Writer“Miss Saigon” holds a powerful mirror up both to its own complicated history and to the dangers of the American Dream in a newly resonant production, the current national tour now playing at the Fox Theatre through May 5. It’s been 30 years since this musical by Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (best known for “Les Misérables”) first opened in the West End in London.

Based on Puccini’s iconic opera “Madame Butterfly,” it played for nearly ten years on Broadway, creating the very definition of the “mega-musical.” That reputation of success looms large for anyone seeing it today, as does the musical’s deeply problematic reputation around race, identity, and victimization.

The current tour, based on the show’s recent West End and Broadway revivals, faces many of the story’s complex and devastating issues head on. Even with its powerful, nuanced performances and dazzling effects, it cannot fully escape the problems inherent in the story itself. However, in the many moments when it does, it is both breathtaking and heartbreaking.

In this new version, one message is clear: the myth of the
American dream is toxic. It damns each of the characters it touches.

For the Engineer, played with equal parts giddy enthusiasm and depraved desperation by Red Concepción, it is a canker that only grows more obsessive and pathetic as the musical unfolds. By the time he reaches his show-stopping reflection on his American dream, his obsession with America has transformed into sinister self-hatred.

Emily Bautista and Anthony Festa as Kim and ChrisKim, given a heartfelt performance from Emily Bautista, is first surrounded by the promise of America in the aptly-named Dreamland club. There, each of her fellow dancers hope that the G.I.s who bed them will ultimately free them from what looks to be an unending cycle of human trafficking and violence.

However, from the moment Gigi is slapped by a G.I. for even speaking of marriage, it is clear that these dreams are nothing more than an unattainable fairy tale, told to give the women a reason to continue selling their bodies to the highest bidder.

Chris, an American G.I., thinks he embodies the American dream, and watching that “white savior” belief system crumble throughout Anthony Festa’s performance is devastating.

Unlike Madame Butterfly’s B.F. Pinkerton (upon whom Chris’s character is based), this is a man who starts off as neither callous nor selfish. In sharp contrast to the other men at Dreamland, he isn’t a leering, oversexed predator. He only takes Kim — still virginal and visibly uncomfortable on her first night there after escaping the destruction of her village — because his friend John has paid for her already.

He reflects later in the show, “I wanted to save and protect her. Christ, I’m an American, how could I fail to do good?” In Festa’s performance, the man we see years later in America is haunted by his PTSD, by the memories of what he saw, and by all the good he failed to do. It is a transformation that is chilling and deeply humane.

Discovering the lethal consequences of his own fear, internalized bias, and white fragility, Festa echoes a cry of anguish to close this production that cuts like a knife through the audience – severing us, for a moment, from the myth of the American dream as well.

Part of the reason that Bautista and Festa’s final reunion has such an impact is the electric sincerity of their initial love. In “Sun and Moon,” the two fall from full-throated harmony directly into a passionate embrace with a palpable chemistry.

As Saigon falls to the Communists and Kim and Chris desperately search for one another in a sequence of stunning cinematic scope, that chemistry seems to draw them inexorably together – making us believe against all reason that, yes, they will find one another.

It is in Kim’s journey which follows without Chris, however, that Bautista truly shines. Whereas the shadow of Vietnam seems to have slowly emasculated Chris after Saigon falls, for Kim, living with the consequences of those days together only makes her stronger. Her transformation from a vulnerable girl in a whirlwind romance to a steadfast mother is sensitive, nuanced, and riveting.

In the moment when Bautista pulls the trigger to prevent a man from killing her son for not being pure-blooded Vietnamese, we see a drive and iron will that is as tangible as the longing we feel in hearing her sing Miss Saigon’s signature anthem “I Still Believe.” By the time she has become a refugee in Thailand, there is not a choice she makes that does not feel deeply grounded in that drive, that love, and that longing.

The rest of the cast shines throughout. As John, J. Daughtry transforms wartime cynicism into peacetime sincerity. He pleads for the children left behind in “Bui Doi” with a simple clarion tone that stands apart from the otherwise intense and ballad-heavy score.

As Thuy, the man Kim had been promised to in her village, Jimwoo Jung is a powerful force – both in the flesh and as a ghost – with the strident moral rectitude of the post-war “re-educated” that reminds one of Les Misérables’s Javert. One imagines he would give an extraordinary turn in that role as well.

If Kim is Miss Saigon’s Fantine, Gigi is the show’s Eponine. (Les Misérables comparisons are rife and unfortunately unavoidable). Christine Bunuan gives Gigi a veneer of earthy stoicism, which buries most glimmers of hope, which is beautifully articulated in “The Movie in My Mind.” Given her performance, it’s hard not to wish Gigi’s story continued after the first few scenes.

In one of this production’s most engaging surprises, thanks to Stacie Bono’s controlled performance, Ellen, the woman Chris married in America, truly comes into her own.

Thanks to Bono’s confrontation with Bautista’s Kim in a Bangkok hotel room — and the addition of her new song “Maybe” in this revival, we see a complex portrait of a woman who can be at times harsh or vulnerable, but who is open to discovering her own capacity to love and forgive.

Whether in sharply choreographed sequences or more intentionally chaotic crowd scenes, the entire ensemble creates a dynamic world against which this deeply personal story plays out.

Bob Avian (musical staging) and Geoffrey Garratt (additional choreography) should both be applauded for one of the production’s most stunning numbers, “The Morning of the Dragon,” in which the three-year anniversary of Vietnamese unification under Ho Chi Minh is celebrated. The back flips, tumbles, and other high flying acrobatics of Daniel Gold, Noah Gouldsmith, McKinley Knuckle, and Kevin Murakami are simply stellar.

The design elements knit together coherently as well. Bruno Poet’s lighting design jumps from garish neon to narrow slivers peeking through broken wooden slats in a shanty town, all to create an atmosphere that transports us. Andreane Neofitou’s costumes do not shy from the grime of Kim’s poverty but also explode in lush opulence for The Engineer’s fantasy production number. The set, designed presumably by production designers Totie Driver and Matt Kinley, uses several of the same simple units that are almost unrecognizable scene-by-scene as the action moves across time and space.

And yes, there is a helicopter. From sound (by Mick Potter), to projections (by Luke Halls), to lighting, to moving set elements, this production handles Miss Saigon’s defining moment in a way that is surprising and riveting, leaving Wednesday night’s audience in a state of on-going rolling applause. 

The creators of the musical are also to be applauded for the work they’ve done to update the material from the original version millions have seen since 1989. I am not expert in that version, but it is clear efforts have been made to address some of the script’s most problematic elements.

Purists may be troubled by the alterations, but at least no longer is a night with a Vietnamese woman compared to the price of a Big Mac – a lyric that was unarguably degrading.

Just as the recent “South Pacific” revival was revised to examine Nellie Forbush’s received racism in a more honest way and the current “Kiss Me, Kate” revival replaces some of its period misogyny and sexism with a more complex look at power in human relationships, so too does “Miss Saigon” need these revisions for the 21st century. One could argue that it could benefit from even more.

So, yes, this production deserves a great deal of justified praise. However, the material still suffers from the very orientalism that created its predecessor opera, “Madame Butterfly.”

However noble Miss Saigon’s Kim is (and however much agency she attempts to stake for herself), she still spends most of the show suffering the consequences of decisions made by men: be it the Engineer, Chris, or Thuy. As much as one can blame the canker of self-hatred infecting the Engineer when he sings “Why was I born of a race that thinks only of rice,” destructive stereotypes still fill the show.

This production earnestly attempts to address those stereotypes when it can, but to eliminate them completely would require starting from scratch with a new musical. One could only imagine that this same material could have been written with a higher level of nuance had the writing and producing team consisted entirely, or even partly, of Asian artists back in 1989.

The cast itself features an ensemble that balances artists who are of Asian descent with those who are Latinx, African-American, and white. To produce the show without two entirely separate ensembles (one Asian, to play ensemble characters from Vietnam and Thailand, and one largely non-Asian for the American ensemble), white actors and dancers appear in the Vietnamese army after the fall of Saigon. No “complexion enhancing make up” (the polite term now for “yellowface”) is applied to these white performers for those scenes. However, make up or not, white performers in Asian roles is still considered yellowface to many. Absent exploding the cost of producing the musical by hiring an even larger cast, there may be few practical ways to address this issue.

Nonetheless, I can appreciate the discomfort that many may feel when looking at representation in casting in the production. (These and other questions recently became a flashpoint for controversy when this tour of Miss Saigon played in Madison, Wisc.)

That said, the “Miss Saigon” that exists is the “Miss Saigon” we have.

As this production begins, we see Saigon’s streets through the haze of a scrim. That hazy vision becomes a metaphor for the very nature of the musical’s storytelling. The people who wrote “Miss Saigon” could only see it through their own, perhaps biased, lens. They did their best to create a powerful evening of theater despite the limitations of their own experience. This production has clearly worked hard to mitigate those limitations.

We can embrace director Laurence Connor’s storytelling for allowing
the staging and nuanced characterizations to help us sympathize with all of the characters, even when they
are far from likeable people. We can applaud music director Will Curry’s strong
work with the orchestra and his cast to let the music soar and transport us.
And we can look to the talents of this remarkable ensemble and appreciate the
power, beauty, and heartbreak of the journey they take us on.

At the top of the second act, the production shows documentary footage of the half-Vietnamese, half-American children left behind after the war. When it is at its best, the production gives us moments like these that do not rely on the musical’s lyrics to point to the musical’s underlying story. For despite the fantasy and romance at the surface of “Miss Saigon,” it remains grounded in the harsh reality of our very recent history.

As refugees continue to cross borders to find a better life for their children, as sex trafficking continues among the most vulnerable of us, and as toxic masculinity threatens the welfare of women worldwide, that history continues today – sometimes in our own backyards. Despite its flaws, for that reason (and for the talents of the artists involved), I say that this “Miss Saigon” is a production that should be seen – and discussed for a long time to come.

The Fox Theatre in St. Louis is presenting “Miss Saigon” now through May 5. For tickets or more information, visit www.fabulousfox.com or call MetroTix at 314-534-1111.

The Tony nominated musical “Waitress,” which opens March 26, has cast two young area actresses to take on the role of “Lulu” during the St. Louis engagement.

Penelope Garcia, 5, of St. Louis, and Norah Morley, 5, of St. Louis will alternate the role of “Lulu,” the daughter of the production’s main character, Jenna.

WAITRESS tells the story of “Jenna”, an expert pie baker working at a local diner and stuck in a loveless marriage.  Her salvation comes in the form of her daughter, “Lulu.”

Both girls were chosen via an audition process held at The Fabulous Fox Theatre on February 11. Over 40 girls participated in the auditions, which were presided over by members of the WAITRESS company. The character of “Lulu” is cast locally in each tour market and two girls are chosen to share the role.  Each five-year-old girl chosen will perform in 8 performances each during the engagement.

Penelope attends Hope Montessori preschool, is involved in gymnastics and has always loved to create and perform by singing, dancing and drawing! She loves playing with her big brother Charlie and little sister Ruby, and taking care of her dog, Piney and pet chickens. Her role in WAITRESS will be her very first experience with acting. Penelope dreams of being a ballerina when she grows up.

Norah is a preschooler at St. Lucas Preschool in Sunset Hills. She loves to draw, dance, sing, and play. She and her two sisters dance at the Charmette Academy of Dance & Acrobatics. She has performed in the Lindbergh All-District Musical for the past two years. Norah said about the audition process, “It was really fun. I tried my hardest and the people I auditioned for were funny and nice.”

Brought to life by a groundbreaking all-female creative team, WAITRESS is an irresistible new hit featuring original music and lyrics by 6-time Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles (“Brave,” “Love Song”), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (“I Am Sam”) and direction by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Finding Neverland, Pippin, Hair).

Inspired by Adrienne Shelley’s beloved film, the musical tells the story of Jenna – a waitress and expert pie maker, Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage.  A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness.  But Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life.

“It’s an empowering musical of the highest order!” raves the Chicago Tribune.  “WAITRESS is a little slice of heaven!” says Entertainment Weekly and “a monumental contribution to Broadway!” according to Marie Claire.  Don’t miss this uplifting musical celebrating friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.

Tickets for WAITRESS at the Fabulous Fox are on sale now at MetroTix.com, by calling 314-534-1111 or in person at the Fabulous Fox Box Office. Ticket prices start at $29. Prices are subject to change; please refer to FabulousFox.com for current pricing. WAITRESS is part of the U.S. Bank Broadway series.

Performances of WAITRESS at the Fabulous Fox run March 26-April 7. Show times are Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturday afternoons at 2 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 1p.m. There will also be a 6:30 p.m. evening performance on Sunday, March 31 and a matinee performance on Thursday, April 4 at 1 p.m.