New Jewish Theatre’s Hard-Hitting, Heart-Wrenching ‘Cabaret’ More Relevant Than Ever

New Jewish Theatre’s Hard-Hitting, Heart-Wrenching ‘Cabaret’ More Relevant Than Ever

By Lynn Venhaus

“There was a cabaret, and there was a master of ceremonies, and there was a city called Berlin, in a country called Germany… and it was the end of the world” – “Cabaret” 1966

Eerily relevant now more than ever, the musical “Cabaret” has only grown in potency and insight over its 59-year history.

In New Jewish Theatre’s haunting production, director Rebekah Scallet has faithfully adapted Sam Mendes’ brilliant 1998 revival that emphasized the sinister motives as we witness the gathering storm that would lead to World War II and the Holocaust.

However, she has focused on making sure the parallels between then and now are clear, and she has strengthened the shattering epilogue even more than Mendes did. She puts a hard-hitting NJT stamp on it.

As impressive as her track record has been since becoming the artistic director in 2022, it’s noteworthy to mention that this is the first musical she has directed in Wool Studio.

Through the decadent setting of the seedy Kit Kat Club in 1929 Berlin, we witness the end of the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Nazis.

Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

This passionate cast resonates because of how committed they are to the bleak and shocking themes. In their telling of this story, the desperation is palpable. And their layered approach to the hummable John Kander-Fred Ebb score is commendable.

As the cunning Emcee welcomes patrons in “Wilkommen,” he seductively entices: “Leave your troubles outside! So—life is disappointing? Forget it! In here, life is beautiful. The girls are beautiful. Even the orchestra is beautiful!”

In a magnetic performance, Spencer Davis Milford embraces the tawdriness and makes sure the ominous feeling grows. He lurks in other scenes where he’s not the saucy showman, his menacing presence foreshadowing the horrors that are ahead.

Oh, he has doused his “I Don’t Care Much” and “If You Could See Her” in irony, making those numbers even more chilling. After such iconic actors as Joel Grey, Alan Cumming and Eddie Redmayne have created their indelible portraits, Milford makes the role his own.

Fresh from his starring role as Frodo Baggins in “The Lord of the Rings” national tour, he’s back home making his mark in yet another special show. His work has always captivated since he was a youngster, whether on stage at The Muny or The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, or a myriad of other companies. But this is quite a departure from anything he’s done.

When it was time for “Tomorrow Belongs to Me,” I braced myself, for its intensity remains affecting — and induces chills.

As conditions deteriorate in the polarizing landscape, those loyal to the “new Germany” face apathetic citizens and those who don’t understand the consequences.. In hindsight, how could they and why were people so unaware?

Soencer Davis Milford as the Master of Ceremonies. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The innovative 1998 Tony winning Mendes collaboration with Rob Marshall deconstructed the heralded 1966 Hal Prince show in an earlier 1993 London re-imagining. While the original introduced social commentary in uncommon staging, this version heightens the present danger of ignoring anti-Semitism.

Mendes and Marshall would go on to helm Oscar-winning films in the early 2000s – “American Beauty” and “Chicago” respectively – but their impact has carried over for several vivid revivals in the past 27 years, notably 2014 and 2024, and in this striking, moving interpretation.

Scallet makes the most of the Wool Studio’s intimate setting, through an immersive experience placing some audience members in club configurations.

As the small but vibrant ensemble delivers high-energy precision in musical numbers, Scallet skillfully maintains fluidity throughout, with brisk staging, as one scene quickly melds into another.

Ellen Isom’s crisp and snappy choreography adds pizzazz to “Don’t Tell Mama,” “Mein Herr,” “Money,” and “Two Ladies,” and the robust kick line number in second act is an exceptional feat.

Otto Klemp, Hailey Medrano and Jayson Heil. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Music Director Carter Haney conducts the band on stage – Brad Martin on drums, Alerica Anderson on a stand-up bass, and Kris Pineda on accordion and trombone, and their polished presentation is a highlight.

Scenic Designer David Blake’s visually interesting set has a grand balcony implying secretive dalliances behind closed doors while the downstairs doubles as the nightclub stage and both Sally’s and Fraulein Schneider’s shabby living quarters.

Denisse Chavez’s lighting design shrewdly draws us into the action, highlighting the moods, while Justin Smith’s sound design captures the atmosphere.

Hailey Medrano and Dustin Lane Petrillo are strong together as flighty, flirty nightclub singer Sally Bowles and broke American writer Clifford Bradshaw, brought together by fate, desire and living on the edge.

Separately, they are heart-tugging. Petrillo brings a discernable gravitas to every role he tackles, including virtuoso work in “Red,” The Immigrant,” “Hamlet” and “A Long Day’s Journey into Night” on local stages during the past two years.

Not as innocent as he first appears, and initially caught up in the whirlwind, Cliff eventually becomes the keen —-and appalled — observer whose conscience can no longer ignore the signs.

Dustin Petrillo, Medrano and Milford. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

His character is the fictionalized British writer Christopher Isherwood, who would go on to write the semi-autobiographical novel “Goodbye to Berlin.” The musical’s book by Joe Masteroff is based on the 1951 John Van Druten play “I Am a Camera,” which is adapted from Isherwood’s collection of short stories that he wrote between 1930 and 1933, published in 1939.

Medrano, who has returned to St. Louis with memorable turns in NJT’s “We All Fall Down” last year and work with Metro Theater Company, is at her most heart-wrenching when she refuses to leave her reckless livelihood for the safety and promise of a new life.

She makes drastic self-destructive decisions after spending much of the show flaunting her tough exterior that masks an emotional fragility.

In a smart change of pace, Medrano slows down several classic renditions, boosting their power – the raw, emotional “Maybe This Time” and the title song, aka “Life is a Cabaret” (old chum!) – infused with regret – are both knockouts.

The undercurrent of irony laced with a stinging gut-punch, her anguish seeping through as she breaks. It’s all the more tragic that she chooses to remain oblivious to what’s happening.

Medrano as Sally Bowles. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Because Sally is such a confused mess, she is not always sympathetic, but Medrano is alluring when she’s “always on” as Sally Bowles, and tender, for a time, with new love interest Cliff.

In the show’s most devastating performance, Jane Paradise projects world-weariness but also a yearning she hides with pragmatism. The veteran character actress is known for lived-in portrayals and is often the MVP in any ensemble.

As Fraulein Schneider who discovers late-in-life love, her doomed romance with shy, kind fruit vendor Herr Schultz, played sweetly by Dave Cooperstein, is agonizing, for he is a Jew, and their shared dreams collapse under the weight of current events.

From their joyous duets “The Pineapple Song” and “Married,” to her melancholy “So What” and the tragic “What Would You Do?” are sad reminders of the choices we make and life’s turns, depriving them of even a shred of happiness.

Also standing out is Aaron Fischer as the calculating smuggler Ernst Ludwig, whose growing fervor for the Third Reich is alarming. With an impeccable German accent, Fischer slowly reveals his bigotry. Fischer, fairly new to the professional stage, and splendid in last fall’s “Anastasia: The Musical” at Tesseract Theatre Company, is one of the most exciting performers to keep your eye on.

Aaron Fischer and Petrillo. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

In fact, John Wilson’s dialect work is superb from all 11 performers. Besides doubling as soldiers and shady characters, the ensemble includes devil-may-care revelers celebrating their hedonistic culture before fear and chaos will grip their world. The nightclub’s naughty boys and girls, and their free-spirited customers live in the moment: Otto Klemp as Bobby, officer, ensemble and on clarinet; Jayson Heil as Victor, Max, ensemble and on violin; Amarachi Kalu as Lulu and on the flute; Caroline Pillow as Fritzie; and Lillian Cooper as Texas and the gorilla.

Costume Designer Michele Friedman Siler expertly incorporated luxurious shiny blacks and reds for the performers, often with torn fishnet stockings, and more middle-class attire for everyone else. Because of doubling characters, costume changes are remarkably smooth.

We won’t forget, we can’t forget the unflinching cautionary tale this enduring musical tells us.

Jane Paradise and Dave Cooperstein. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The New Jewish Theatre presents “Cabaret” from March 20 to April 13. Please check for showtimes, as several Wednesday shows have been added as well as an extended run. For mature audiences, the show has adult content. The show runs 2 hours and 15 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission. Performances take place at the SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: jccstl.com. Tickets are available online at newjewishtheatre.org or by phone at 314.442.3283.

NJT’s 2025 Season is generously sponsored by Mary Strauss, with Cabaret receiving additional sponsorship from Stellie Siteman and the Siteman Family Foundation.

Alongside the production, NJT hosts special events that will give the audience a special understanding of the iconic musical:

Saturday, April 5 –The Weimar Republic the Rise of Hitler with Helen Turner

Have a conversation with Helen Turner, Education Director for the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, as she presents information about the Weimar Republic and the real-life historical events that provide the backdrop for Cabaret. This event will take place between the matinee and evening performances on Saturday, April 5. Doors will open at 4:30 with the presentation beginning at 5pm. Light refreshments will be provided. The presentation is free, but reservations are required at https://formstack.io/80312

Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Searing, Sobering ‘All My Sons’ Explores Tangled Family Secrets

Searing, Sobering ‘All My Sons’ Explores Tangled Family Secrets

By Lynn Venhaus

Why does contemplating personal accountability and public responsibility remain a potent topic these days?

Questions to ask ourselves, and the debate is put under a microscope in an outstanding example — New Jewish Theatre’s piercing, emotionally devastating production of “All My Sons.”

The illusions we live with – about families, neighbors, and success – results in an acting master class and impeccable direction.

A fascinating drama that showcases one of playwright Arthur Miller’s most explosive commentaries on the American Dream, director Gary Wayne Barker carefully calibrates the intensity while slowly peeling back the layers of gripping moral dilemmas.

In an ensemble full of revelatory performances, each actor brings fresh interpretations to a family – and their friends – unraveling because of secrets and lies. As we have discovered throughout history, it’s the cover-up that is so damaging – and with ripple effects because of an egregious swindle.

Seventy-seven years ago, “All My Sons” debuted on Broadway, and in many ways, is still relevant today. It was Miller’s first commercial hit and paved the way for his other epic commentaries on capitalism, American ‘exceptionalism,’ tangled loyalties, and the price for self-delusion, appearances, and power: “Death of a Salesman” in 1949, “A View from the Bridge” in 1955 and “The Price” in 1961, among them.

Miller based this on a true story, after reading a newspaper article about a similar incident.

Lintvedt, Johnston, Heil and Loui. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

He has created vivid characters that live in an all-American neighborhood in an Ohio town in the late 1940s, where the locals would like you to believe that they’re living the high life in a setting not unlike a Norman Rockwell illustration.

And scenic designer C. Otis Sweezey was inspired by those popular Saturday Evening Post depictions of post-war prosperity.

The Kellers have been affected by World War II in several ways – their two sons, Chris and Larry served, but Chris (Jayson Heil) came home and works in the family-run munitions factory while Larry did not – he’s been missing in action for more than three years, and everyone but his mother Kate (Amy Loui) has given up on the likelihood that he is alive.

But more than that, military contracts were part of the family business, and selling defective parts has had serious repercussions.

Joe Keller (Greg Johnston) made a careless decision that came to light after faulty aircraft equipment was shipped overseas, resulting in 21 pilots’ deaths.

This misdeed, which he has rationalized and created an alternate reality about, sent his neighbor and partner Steve Deever to prison, while Joe was falsely exonerated, and his sentence commuted.

Still suppressing the secret that has upended their lives and torn apart the people around them, the Kellers are forced to deal with consequences. And a storm is coming, in that carefully cultivated backyard of theirs.

Rarely has a World War II story focused so harshly on disenchantment amidst the winning rah-rah attitude afterwards as incisive as Miller’s play.

Confronting their greed and delving into those expectations that wreak havoc in ordinary lives, supplies the actors with richly textured material.

Johnston, outstanding in last year’s “Uncle Vanya” at St. Louis Actors’ Studio and “The Nerd” at Moonstone Theatre Company (also directed by Barker), has never been better as the patriarch who rules with an iron fist.

In his big booming voice, Johnston, as Joe, boasts about reclaiming his life, thinking that nothing has changed, but everything has, and denial is his tragic flaw.

His son Chris is racked with guilt, and has invited his brother’s girlfriend, Ann Deever (Kristen Joy Lintvedt), to stay at their house. They’ve reconnected and fallen in love, keeping it hidden from his parents. Now, he’s ready to pop the question.

But it’s complicated. Not only was she Larry’s sweetheart, but Ann is the daughter of Joe’s business partner whom he blamed for shipping defective cylinder heads. Ann has not visited her father since he began his prison sentence and believes in his guilt.

Photo by Jon Gitchoff

While Joe was focused on making money and providing for his family, he basically put “America’s sons” in harm’s way through his dishonesty. What is that price worth and what communal responsibility do we have for the greater good?

Joe clings to his power, not believing he put freedom in jeopardy, but the fissures become significant. And this downfall, classic tragedy-style, is meticulously measured by a cast at the top of their game, directed with exceptional precision by Barker.

With a sure hand, Barker brings out the deceptions that everyone in this neighborhood lives with, flush with economic success. It is thoroughly compelling and thought-provoking as he shapes the momentum.

In his perceptive way, Miller delves into moral questions about protecting your family – even though others will be negatively affected, and the nature of being complicit in someone else’s crimes.

Kate, the grief-stricken mother, deludes herself that Larry will return, and finds solace in any reason to continue the fantasy – even astrology that a kind neighbor, Riley Capp as Frank Lubey, works on for her.

A razor-sharp Loui smoothly alternates a quick-silver range of emotions as she won’t admit the obvious and demonstrates how trauma has affected her – nervous and tormented by insomnia, headaches, nightmares. Loui goes beyond the dutiful wife and mother depiction to earn our sympathy – and pity.

Heil conveys Chris’ duty, honor and loyalty in a stunning, powerful performance that builds into an unavoidable catastrophe. Confused and uncertain, he shows both the internal and external struggles in a deeply felt, moving portrait that is a breakthrough role for him.

As the girl next door, Lintvedt is a standout as well. In a smaller but pivotal role, Joel Moses commands attention as Ann’s fuming brother George, a son desperately trying to exonerate his father as the fall guy.

He shows up, seething and full of rage, and stirs up a dark cloud, escalating Miller’s tightly constructed tension. The collateral damage will soon be extensive, and these performers deliver in gut-wrenching fashion.

Zahria Moore and Joshua Mayfield as the Baylisses. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The local doctor Jim Bayliss (Joshua Mayfield) is pleasant but growing more cynical in acclimating to social post-war life while his straight-shooting wife Sue (Zahria Moore), a nurse, has claws that come out in more contentious ways.

The cast also includes sunny Summer Baer as cheerful neighbor Lydia Lubey, who stayed there and has three kids, and 10-year-old Shane Rose in his debut as a local youngster, Bert.

 Michele Friedman Siler’s stellar vintage costume design captures the era in comfy casual attire, with George traveling more formally in suit, tie, and hat. Dennis Milam Bensie provided the wig design. Katie Orr’s props match the period as well. Amanda Werre’s sound design is exemplary, and Denisse Chavez’ lighting design provides interesting contrasts.

“All My Sons” grapples with split-second ethical decisions that are life-changing, and this latest New Jewish Theatre production is dramatically impactful and hard-hitting. It should not be missed.

New Jewish Theatre presents “All My Sons” from March 21 to April 7, with performances Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the J’s Wool Studio Theatre, 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146. Individual tickets are $27- $58 and are available by phone at 314.442.3283 or online at newjewishtheatre.org.

In line with the difficult themes of war and readjustment to civilian life, the New Jewish Theatre has decided to partner with the Veteran’s Community Project for an exclusive post-show discussion following the March 31 matinee show. After the curtain closes, audience members will have the chance to learn about the work they are doing to provides high quality and well-developed strategic services that enable Veterans to meet the challenges of day-to-day living, resolve immediate crises, and move towards permanent stability.

Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Stray Dog’s Engaging, Clever ‘The Mousetrap’ Warms A Winter’s Night

Stray Dog’s Engaging, Clever ‘The Mousetrap’ Warms A Winter’s Night

By Lynn Venhaus
A classic murder mystery always seems like a wise wintertime choice, and inside Tower Grove Abbey, a pair of novice innkeepers welcomes six strangers to their cozy Monkswell Manor guesthouse. Let the secrets unfold and the ear-piercing screams commence, for Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” is an absorbing time-tested whodunit that Stray Dog Theatre aims to polish until it’s gleaming.

As well it should. This well-cast and well-acted ensemble honors the Grand Dame of suspense’s longest-running play in the world by injecting some spry bits of humor, corralling the momentum of this cleverly constructed drama.  

In the remote English countryside, a snowstorm is raging while a young married couple, Mollie and Giles Ralston (Claire Coffey and Sean Seifert), nervously prepare for their first visitors, who are an eclectic and mostly eccentric group, with a few hiding sordid pasts that eventually will be revealed.

The colorful cast includes neurotic Christopher Wren (Jayson Heil), snooty Mrs. Boyle (Julie Healey), steadfast Major Metcalf (David Wassilak), reserved Miss Casewell (Shannon Campbell), and flamboyant Mr. Paravicini (Matt Anderson), who make grand entrances not unlike Halloween trick-or-treaters in their neon-colored outfits.

Matt Anderson, Shannon Campbell, Drew Mizell. Photo by John Lamb

It just so happens that news of a murder in London has spread, and with a killer on the loose – the prime suspect was wearing a dark overcoat (!), nerves start to fray. A determined police detective, Sergeant Trotter (Drew Mizell), unexpectedly shows up to interview the guests, and his interrogations are making everyone nervous.

Could there be a murderer in their midst? It doesn’t matter if you’ve seen this play before or it’s your first time, the intricate plot twists keep one invested.

Director Gary F Bell has astutely focused on the different characters while nimbly moving them around, so the action never dulls. As attention and suspicions shift, the actors crisply deliver their lines with admirable well-rehearsed accents (not all sounding the same either).

The performers memorably personalized their roles, so they each stood out. Heil is a bright spot as chatty Christopher Wren, all nervous energy and exuberance, while Healy purposely annoys as overcritical Mrs. Boyle, who finds fault with their hosts’ inexperience and complains constantly.

Wassilak and Campbell are solid as affable Major Metcalf, a retired Army officer, and stand-offish Miss Casewell, while Anderson is intentionally hammy as the peculiar Mr. Paravicini, exaggerating a strong Italian accent and having fun taunting by repeating “Three Blind Mice,” an ominous earworm.

Jayson Heil, Sean Seifert, Drew Mizell, David Wassilak, Matt Anderson. Photo by John Lamb

When Trotter enters the room, sniping begins as everyone becomes a suspect, and even the congenial Mollie is caught off-guard by her husband’s jealous behavior. Coffey and ever- reliable Seifert maintain an off-kilter rhythm, skillfully conveying their unease as things go bump in the night.

Mizell is tough as Trotter, his steely resolve evident as he probes the case, asking uncomfortable questions and keeping everyone on edge.

As misery escalates, cracks uncover backstories and highlight current actions, so that the crimes will be solved in what’s considered a brilliant surprise ending.

The program says the time is 1955 in Berkshire, 30 minutes outside of London, but the costumes don’t reflect the period. Instead, they feature a puzzling color scheme comparable to the comic mystery players in “Clue.” Wren could be Mr. Hot Pink and Paravicini as Signore Electric Grape.

It’s a perplexing bold statement costume design by Colleen Michelson. A few outfits are odd choices – Miss Casewell had extra-large wide-leg bright orange palazzo pants that distracted from the action (I was worried she’d be tripped up on the staircase), and Mollie had an unflattering yellow apron to match her too-spring-y yellow dress that looked like a pair of granny panties were attached instead of frilly pockets. .

Splendid technical elements added to the unsettling mood, with Justin Been’s impeccable sound design, complete with Bernard Herrmann-like music, and Tyler Duenow’s lighting design made the striking Great Hall set claustrophobic. Designed by Richard Brown and Dominic Emery, the stained-glass window and staircase were terrific additions to the old-fashioned lounge.

A foundation for many other mysteries, “The Mousetrap” premiered on Oct. 6, 1952, and after a brief tour, opened in London’s West End at the Ambassadors Theatre on Nov. 25, where it ran until March 23, 1974, when it transferred to the larger St. Martin’s Theatre, which was next door, and continues to this day. But on March 16, 2020, it was forced to shut down for 14 months because of the global coronavirus pandemic and resumed on May 17, 2021.

Christie based the now iconic play, originally written for radio as “Three Blind Mice” in 1947 and a short story, on the Dennis O’Neill case of foster child abuse — just like the kidnapping in “Murder on the Orient Express” (1934) resembled the Lindbergh baby case, for a reality-based starting off point.

This satisfying production is a fine example of how a 70-something air-tight structured detective fiction can be spruced up and entertain both longtime mystery fans and curious newcomers.

Claire Coffey, Drew Mizell, David Wassilak, Jayson Heil, Matt Anderson, Shannon Campbell and Sean Seifert. Photo by John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents “The Mousetrap” Feb. 1 through Feb. 17 at the Tower Grove Abbey, with performances Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. with a special Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. on Feb. 11 at the Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Avenue, St Louis 63104. Gated parking is available. For additional information and ticket reservations, call 314-865-1995 or visit www.straydogtheatre.org. Tickets for adults are $35, with seniors age 65+ and students $30.

ASL Interpretation: The 2/2, 2/9, and 2/16 performances will be presented with ASL interpretation by students from Southwestern Illinois College. ASL interpreted performances are suitable for audience members who are Deaf, deafened, or have hearing loss. They can also be valuable for people who are learning ASL.

Hanging at Monkswell Manor. Photo by John Lamb

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

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

By Lynn Venhaus

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

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

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

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

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

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

Drew Mizell as Tony Manero. Photo by John Lamb.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sara Rae Womack, Drew Mizell

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All photos by John Lamb