An Elegant, Exuberant ‘Anastasia’ Is a Knockout for Tesseract Theatre Co.

An Elegant, Exuberant ‘Anastasia’ Is a Knockout for Tesseract Theatre Co.

By Lynn Venhaus

A zestful and exuberant “Anastasia: The Musical” is a crowning achievement for the Tesseract Theatre Company, which has crafted a big, bold production where every element is in harmony together.

Elegantly produced and seamlessly performed, this intriguing story centering on the legend of a Russian grand duchess is executed with remarkable skill by innovative creatives and a first-rate cast.

Impeccably staged as a swirling mix of constant motion, this adventurous blend of history, mystery and romance engaged from the jump. While this 2017 musical is not a flawlessly constructed show, the company’s determination and their lively interpretation propels it forward.

Using an abstract, intimate stage design at The Marcelle, director Brittanie Gunn, a Tesseract co-founder and creative director along with Kevin Corpuz, has focused sharply on the storytelling. The charming and well-cast 17-person ensemble’s hard work is obvious throughout this emotional journey that leads to a bittersweet finale.

The Press Conference. Photo by FF.

This ultimately is a tale of self-discovery. Gunn wanted Anya to be seen as a strong woman, and Sarah Wilkinson is believable as she works on herself – who is she and who will she become? But other characters find their purpose and their way, too.

Tesseract has been dipping its toe into musical productions for the past two years, with small-scale shows “Ordinary Days” in November 2022, “The Last Five Years” in February 2023, and “The Mad Ones” in November 2023, with its first large-cast splashy musical “Kinky Boots” in August 2023. This year, an original musical “Cascade’s Fire,” and another small-scale effort “My Heart Says Go” were previously performed.

With the ambitious “Anastasia,” they are taking a huge leap forward, and each component is impressive — Gunn’s thoughtful depiction, Zach Neumann’s vigorous music direction, choreographer Michelle Sauer’s graceful ballet and vibrant period dance numbers, and the superb technical team’s designs.

This all-ages show, which has been performed by schools, youth and community theaters in recent years but not yet by regional professional companies, features lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty, whose best-known works are “Ragtime” and “Seussical.”

This grand-scale musical is adapted from the well-liked 1997 animated movie, which in turn was inspired by the 1956 “what if” dramatic film “Anastasia” that starred Ingrid Bergman in her second of three Oscar-winning roles.

The Czar’s Family Pre-Revolution. Photo by FF.

Fun fact: The animated musical’s music, composed by Ahrens and Flaherty, also featured music by David Newman, whose father, Alfred, was Oscar-nominated for the original 1956 film. This team earned two Oscar nominations for the film – musical score, and “Journey to the Past” for best song.

That power ballad is reprised in this stage musical, with a dynamic rendition by Sarah Wilkinson ending Act 1. There are five other songs from the movie, including the poignant “Once Upon a December,” and 16 new songs.

Playwright Terence McNally wrote the book, from the play by Marcelle Maurette, as adapted by Guy Bolton. While the late McNally is among the greatest, winning five Tony Awards, this result isn’t among his best. However, he shaped what could have been a too-sprawling complex narrative into several subplots that mesh well.

He has omitted the villain Rasputin and dropped the magic realism that were a major part of the animated tale, replacing the shady wizard with a formidable Bolshevik general Gleb, who seems as obsessed as Javert in “Les Miserables.” In fact, this show may remind you somewhat of “Les Miz,” only not as epic in scope.

Photo by FF.

The character Anastasia has always been enigmatic because she may or may not be who she thinks she is. The story arc begins at the twilight of the Russian Empire and moves to Paris in the 1920s, as this young woman tries to fit the puzzle together of her life.

The real story is that the royal family Czar Nicholas II, his wife, Alexandra; son, Alexis; and four daughters, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia, were taken captive after he abdicated the throne on March 15, 1917. They were executed by a firing squad of Communist Bolsheviks on July 17, 1918, along with four of their servants, but no bodies were immediately found. Reports were so unclear that the dowager empress, then in Crimea, doubted the news of her family’s death.

The musical begins nine years after the Russian Revolution in 1918. Legend has it that Anastasia escaped her family’s murder, but hit her head while running away, causing her to lose all her memories.

Can she reclaim the magic of her childhood? In an interesting contrast, the show flashes back to Anya as a child, and 12-year-old Devynn Phoenix is luminous in her dance sequences as both the young Anastasia and Alexia. Ella Drake demonstrates superb dancing skills in ballet sequences, also.

Ella Drake. Photo by FF.

As the grown-up Anya, she meets two conmen, Dmitry and Vlad, who are looking for a girl to pretend she is the lost princess. Wilkinson easily slips into Anya’s skin, while new-to-professional theatre Aaron Fischer is revelatory as Dmitry, and Kent Coffel, an MVP when it comes to playing comedic sidekicks, works well with both.

The men hatch their imposter plan in “A Rumor in St. Petersburg.” They tutor her, a la “My Fair Lady,” in “Learn to Do It,” then take her to Paris and plan to meet with her grandmother, because they think the Dowager Empress will give them a substantial reward for recovering this long-lost member of the royal family.

Through this process, she slowly starts to regain her memory and believes she is indeed the real Anastasia. Wilkinson’s transformation is palpable, and you see her become more radiant.

Wilkinson, who has been memorable on local stages in “Nine” and “Into the Woods,” is an accomplished singer and dancer. With an opportunity to anchor this production, she grabs it with gusto.

She shines on her solo numbers. “Once Upon a December” is wistfully delivered, as is “A Secret She Kept,” and “In My Dreams” is a touching tribute to starting over. She also possesses considerable poise and carries herself regally on stage.

Danielle Feinstein, Kimmie Kidd-Booker and Lindsey Grojean. Photo by FF.

Act 2 opens with an ebullient “Paris Holds the Key (to Your Heart)” and the chorus also has fun with “Land of Yesterday” led by the intrepid Kimmie Kidd-Booker as the lady-in-waiting Countess Lily.

Anya and Dimitry are in a budding romance that’s straight out of a Hallmark movie template, but Wilkinson and Fischer have a genuine connection. He soars in his strong vocals, especially “Everything to Win” and with Anya in “My Petersburg” and “In a Crowd of Thousands.”

Vlad reminisces about hobnobbing with the aristocracy, and his wit comes through – as does his physical comedy.

In his role as Gleb, Donald Kidd stuns with his sturdy vocals and layered characterization. “The Neva Flows,” along with Anya, showcases his vocal command, and when he realizes he has feelings for Anya, “Still.”

As the Dowager Empress, dauntless Margery A. Handy is imposing, and has a terrific song, “Close the Door.” She is as stately as Lily is goofy. Kidd-Booker is hilarious hamming it up as Vlad’s former mistress, and she and Coffel know how to create an effective chemistry in “The Countess and the Common Man,” ramping up the physical comedy.

Aaron Fischer, as Dmitry, revs up the crowd. Photo by FF.

The ensemble is quite strong, with distinctive characterizations developed by each supporting player. Tielere Cheatem, Scott Degitz-Fries, Ella Drake, Danielle Feinstein, Julia Gilbert Gaglio, Lindsey Grojean, Jaelyn Hawkins, Stephanie Merritt, Jacob Schmidt and Kelvin Urday all blend well, but also stand out as different characters.

They harmonize beautifully, and the orchestra’s vitality is noticeable. Besides conducting, Neumann is on keyboards, joining Chuck Evans on violin, John Gerdes on brass, Lea Gerdes and Joseph Hendricks on reeds, Brad Martin on percussion, and Paul Rueschhoff on cello.

The musical’s costumes are an opulent showcase, with costume designer Sarah Gene Dowling assembling a bevy of beautiful gowns, flashy vintage party dresses, textured ethereal whites, working-class garments and heavy wintry outerwear. She collected over 100 looks for this show alone.

The craftsmen meet the moment, with noteworthy sound design by Phillip Evans, lighting design by Kevin Bowman, properties design by Rachel Puleo, and scenic design by Todd Schaefer.

Kevin “Kevlar” Sallwasser was the technical director, Sarah Baucom production manager, and Marisa Daddazio the stage manager, with Bella Lucero assistant stage manager and Hannah Lohmeyer the intimacy coordinator.

Donald Kidd as Gleb. Photo by FF.

The show’s lush qualities combine with the venue’s cozy ambience to create an enchanting experience. “Anastasia: The Musical” will linger for a while. Tesseract’s mission accomplished, and it was refreshing to see how well it all came together.


Tesseract Theatre presents the musical Anastasia Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., Nov. 14 – 24. Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: www.tesseracttheatre.com.

Fly North’s Original Musical ‘Big Machine’ Displays Captivating Music, Crowded Narrative

Fly North’s Original Musical ‘Big Machine’ Displays Captivating Music, Crowded Narrative

By Lynn Venhaus

‘Sticking it to the man’ is a familiar theme in narrative and nonfiction works, but the Fly North Theatricals’ original musical “Big Machine” is not ordinary in any way.

With its multiple moving parts, this is a dense historical story based on true events in the 1920s, and by their own findings, largely forgotten.

This tale of two “Ethyls” – Ethyl alcohol fuel and Ethyl leaded gasoline, which were touted as anti-knock fuels in the 1920s, may need a tutorial about its rise and fall, and the harm inflicted. (By all means, Google it.)

Part “Mad Men,” part revisit of the first ‘Red Scare’ of communism (not to be confused with the later hysteria fanned in the 1940s and 1950s), and overall, a shocking news-making corporate scandal of putting profits above the public’s safety.

This controversy requires utmost attention, and while trying to connect the dots, it is easy to be distracted by workplace issues that don’t seem to be a necessary component.

Fly North has been working on this project for a long time, first commissioned by COCA in 2022. With revisions over the past two years, and a staged reading this April, the company finally mounted this ambitious, mature work that is clearly a labor of love. The effort is there, but the outcome can’t surmount the overstuffed narrative issues.

Al Bastin with the Ethylettes. Photo by Ian Gilbert.

It is the star headline event in the St. Louis Fringe Festival, with performances Aug. 2-18.

Colin Healy wrote the music and lyrics, which display an intricate and intelligent knowledge of music storytelling. A devotee of Stephen Sondheim, his flair for rhyming is admirable, and his orchestrations give the score a rich, layered sound.

He has directed an impressive band: Fiona Brickey and Mo Carr on violins, Christopher Bachmann on cello (Aug. 2-4) and Marie Brown on cello (Aug. 8-18), Josh Baumgartner and Joseph Hendricks on reeds, Jacob Mreen on bass, Joe Pastor on percussion and Healy on keyboard and guitar besides conducting.

His colleague and business partner Bradley Rohlf deftly directed the deeply committed cast, which has devoted much time to this production, and it’s staged on a broad canvas.

Healy, who has written three other original musicals, including “Gringo,” “Madam,” and “Forgottonia,” founded his company in 2019, and has worked both as a musician and educator. He and Rohlf are fearless in tackling challenges and inspire a creative collaboration with new and veteran artists.

In this show, the loyalty to what Fly North is attempting is tangible, and the performers exude concern for the material they are presenting. Yet, Healy’s libretto has confusing multiple storylines that complicate the subplots, especially if viewers are unfamiliar with the historical content.

The action mostly takes place at an oil refinery in Bay of Fortune, Indiana, a division of the General Motors Chemical Company. Caleb Long’s efficient set design includes multiple parts that double as the workplace, backroom shelves, and the Olsen home.

Commanding attention is Al Bastin as an animated villain, aka “The Man Who Harmed the World the Most,” and their talents are considerable. They play Thomas Midgely Jr., who was vice president of General Motors Chemical Company and a chemical engineer who introduced a new “miracle product” that they hoped would boost declining auto sales.

A powerful vocalist, they seize control of this ethically challenged executive in an opening number, “It Works,” giving off a carnival barker vibe. Their expert salesmanship is on display in a very funny production number, “The Miracle of Corn,” in the second act, and his desperate attempt to prove the naysayers wrong in “Another Miracle.”

Photo by Ian Gilbert.

Midgely winds up a sad, pathetic figure by the time his number “Alone” closes the show. Bastin has poured their heart and soul into this role, a star-making turn.

It is unusual for a pegged ‘bad boy’ to be the lead, but not unheard of – think “Sweet Smell of Success,” “Jekyll & Hyde,” the psychotic boyfriend in “Heathers the Musical,” and even the obsessed “The Phantom of the Opera.”

But the odious character isn’t balanced by other decent characters that resonate. A widowed father, Ernest (Parker Miller), is flawed – bad employee, bad dad, alcoholic and unstable. It’s difficult to connect to him and the neglect of his sweet genius daughter, Grace (Maliah Strawbridge), is reason enough not to care.

Father and daughter sing “Can You Imagine” as an introduction to their characters. Grace, a child prodigy, has fiddled with an engine – but even that is hard to figure out.

They seem to be making excuses in his musical numbers, such as “I Never Imagined…” and “Alone, Together.” Miller’s singing voice is much stronger than his acting, for it’s hard to generate sympathy for the character because of all his bad decisions.

A romance with “Ethyl” is murky, and Mack Holtman, coyly playing this mysterious character, is clothed in black (Angel of Death?).

Parker Miller as Ernest Olsen. Photo by Ian Gilbert.

The timeline is wobbly, but here goes: Workers at the oil factory are shown as disgruntled laborers trying to get by, with Rosie (Lili Sheley) and Gilda (Corinna Redford, a spunky standout) the disrupters. They sing “The Communist Manifesto.”

A corporate ‘yes’ middleman, Methuselah (Christopher Plotts) is assured he’ll get a promotion if he rats out Communists in the work force. After the Russian Revolution of 1917, fear of anarchy and leftist radicals spread, and labor strikes were on the rise. This was framed as immigrants trying to bring down the American way of life, so corporations tried to identify workers who criticized the government.

Plotts, another character whose ‘woe is me’ attitude is ineffective, displays a soulful voice in the number “Pity the Middleman’ that further prolongs the inevitable corporate crash.

Disgruntled workers, plus labor unrest, plus corporate greed are the bulk of the action – and Ernest wasting time not working. We go back five years to a couple GM board room scenes. And a strange number “Crazy (A Brief History)” involves a bizarre Greek-chorus of a centurion (Marcus Agrippa), Queen Elizabeth I, her courtiers and reporters that add another layer of tedium.

The ensemble plays various characters – refinery workers, GM board members, dancing corn, and chorus girls: Michael Reitano, Langston Casey, Carly Fock, Dereis Lambert, Jordan Woods, Chelsie Johnston and Emma Giltner. Fight choreographer Morgan Clark handles a workers’ brawl.

Act 1 culminates in an energetic dance number, “Big Machine,” which is skillfully choreographed by Jordan Woods.

Christopher Plotts as Methuselah. Photo by Ian Gilbert.

If the first act raises many questions, the second act has too many loose ends to adequately tie everything together. In resolving how Midgely’s ambitions crashed, a parallel story is how a workplace accident involving Ernest’s daughter settles to his advantage. While we root for Midgely’s comeuppance, Ernest’s resolution is not earned.

Eileen Engel’s costume design fits the period and the characters, Kel Rohlf’s prop design includes a bathtub, and Tony Anselmo’s lighting design effectively sets the atmosphere.

Phillip Evans’ sound design is blaring, with characters trying to be louder than the performers they are interacting with, or next to on stage. This may be overcompensation because of recent issues Tesseract Theatre Company had at the Marcelle last month.

While the music score has promise, the story is unsatisfying and far too complicated to invest in, despite performers trying very hard to sell it.

Fly North Theatricals presents “Big Machine” in two acts with one 15-minute intermission, and the run time is 2 hours and 15 minutes. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9-11 and Aug. 13-17, with 2 p.m. matinees on Aug. 17-18, at the Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, St. Louis, in the Grand Center. For more information or tickets, visit www.flynorthmusic.com

The ensemble. Photo by Ian Gilbert.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kay Love. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A ‘Guys and Dolls’ with Gusto and Gumption at Stray Dog Theatre

A ‘Guys and Dolls’ with Gusto and Gumption at Stray Dog Theatre

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor
Stray Dog Theatre’s “Guys and Dolls” has gusto from the guys and gumption from
the dolls, giving it an extra shot of pizzazz.

This snazzy ensemble puts oomph in every song and every
scene, and the young cast provides a freshness to the material that makes this
delightful confection very charming.

One of Broadway’s most beloved golden-age classics, the 1950
Frank Loesser musical comedy is such a fixture in school and community theater
that you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t seen it, been on a crew
or acted in it.

Nearly everyone who has a connection to the play looks back
on it fondly, as you just can’t find fault with those peppy numbers, no matter
how times have changed. The colorful characters are based on Damon Runyon’s
short stories, included in Jo Swerling’s book and polished by the renowned late
comedy writer Abe Burrows.

“Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” – Photo by John LambGary F. Bell’s tight direction, along with Jennifer
Buchheit’s effervescent musical direction and Mike Hodges’ dynamic choreography,
has created a high-spirited production that pops with personality.

The show is not merely a blast from the past but a peppery,
spry and amusing tale of high rollers and holy rollers finding common ground in
the hustle and bustle of Times Square.

This production is distinguished by Sara Rae Womack’s bubbly Adelaide, Kevin O’Brien’s conflicted and goofy Nathan Detroit and Mike Wells’ happy-go-lucky Nicely-Nicely Johnson, whose warm tenor propels “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” to be the showstopper it should be.

Womack, employing a Betty Boop voice, delivers one of her
strongest performances to date as the optimistic entertainer Miss Adelaide, who
has been engaged to Nathan for 14 years. It’s complicated. Womack hits the
sweet spot giving long-suffering Adelaide sass but a genuine sincerity too. She
and the sunny O’Brien are terrific together, especially in “Sue Me.” And she is
a born showgirl leading the Hot Box Girls in “A Bushel and a Peck” and “Take
Back Your Mink.”

The Hot Box Girls. Photo by John LambWomack, O’Brien and Wells have energy to spare, and their
enthusiasm playing these roles is contagious, as are the wise-guys and Hot Box Girls
who all appear to be having fun.

The animated players Cory Frank as Benny Southstreet, Stephen Henley as Harry the Horse, Yianni Perahoritis as Angie the Ox, Bryce Miller as Rusty Charlie and Jordan Wolk as Liver Lips Louie shake the dust from dodgier versions and deliver that unique slang-antiquated dialogue splendidly. Then, there is comical Zachary Stefaniak just killing it as the imposing hustler Big Jule. He makes the most of his crap-game moments and doesn’t have to say much to elicit laughs.

The endearing guys have us at “Fugue for Tinhorns” and then
it’s crisply-staged jaunty song and dance, and joyful interactions after that –
especially a robust “The Oldest Established” and the title song, “Luck Be a
Lady.”

“Fugue for Tinhorns” Photo by John LambOn the other hand, Jayde Mitchell has a beautiful, well-trained
voice and croons his numbers with skill as cool Sky Masterson – especially “I’ll
Know” and “My Time of Day,” but doesn’t exhibit enough swagger as the debonair mobster.
 

Perky Angela Bubash, who smiles broadly on stage in every Stray
Dog Theatre musical she’s been in, appears to be playing against type as the
uptight Sarah Brown, a prim and proper spiritually-guided woman who questions
her ability to convert sinners to saints and then gets mixed up falling in love
with Sky. It’s a tough character to warm up to anyway – stiff and unyielding
until she drinks rum in Havana and softens to the charismatic bad boy, but Bubash’s
vocal range doesn’t always suit the demanding role, as displayed in “I’ve Never
Been in Love Before.”
It doesn’t help the romantic storyline that Bubash and Mitchell have zilch
chemistry on stage. She fares better with Womack in “Marry the Man Today.” And
they blend well with their groups. The Save-a-Soul Mission force is led gracefully
by Howard S. Bell as kind and warm-hearted Arvide Abernathy, Sarah’s
grandfather, whose added Irish accent is a plus. His superb rendition of “More
I Cannot Wish You” is touching and one of the highlights.

Jennifer Brown is a confident General Cartwright while Kaitlin Gant as Martha and Alyssa Durbin as Agatha are earnest Mission ‘dolls.’ However, Brown’s blocking in “Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat” obscures others from view.

Elizabeth Semko, Alyssa Wolf, Molly Marie Meyer and Kayla
Dressman are in sync and sparkle as the fizzy Hot Box Girls. Chris Moore is the
agitated Lt. Brannigan.

“Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat” showstopper. Photo by John LambThe entire ensemble hits it out of the park with “Sit Down,
You’re Rockin’ the Boat,” so that “The Happy Ending” seems just a perfunctory wrap-up,
but the musical is a jolly good time.

The large band of 11 talented musicians executed the grand
score in style and kept a lively tempo throughout, with fine work by music
director Jennifer Buchheit on piano; Joe Akers and Ron Foster on trumpet; Lea
Gerdes, Joseph Hendricks and Ian Hayden on reeds; Mallory Golden on violin, P.
Tom Hanson on trombone, Michaela Kuba on cello, M. Joshua Ryan on bass and Joe
Winters on percussion.

While it’s a space crunch because of logistics, Josh Smith’s scenic design made the cityscape tall in re-imagining Times Square on that small stage while lighting designer Tyler Duenow focused on bright lights for the city that never sleeps. Costume designer Lauren Smith captured the era well. Audio Engineer Jane Wilson’s sound was smooth.

This upbeat musical stands the test of time, and SDT has made it a refreshing summer punch. Sit back, let the world go by, and enjoy!

Stray Dog Theatre presents “Guys and Dolls” Aug. 8 – 24, with performances Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Avenue, St. Louis 63104. Special matinee at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18 and added evening performance on Wednesday, Aug. 21 at 8 p.m. Many shows are sold out or near sell-out, so visit the website at www.straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995 for tickets or more information.

Full disclosure: the reviewer has directed two community theater productions of “Guys and Dolls,” in 1992 and 2011.

Photo by John Lamb

Living Dead Enliven a New Line Original – ‘The Zombies of Penzance’

Living Dead Enliven a New Line Original – ‘The Zombies of Penzance’

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor
Science Fiction, meet Musical Comedy, New Line Theatre-style, with a touch of Midnight Movie Madness.
Artistic Director Scott Miller co-directs musicals with Mike Dowdy-Windsor, and has certainly proven over the years that he beats to a different drummer. Hence, this calling card — an original and clever “The Zombies of Penzance,” where he makes the walking dead kick in a chorus line and put moves on sheltered single ladies.
These silly components make this quirky world premiere a dip into Monty Python territory. Miller has substituted singing and dancing zombies for musical comedy pirate characters, using the same structure of Gilbert and Sullivan’s famous comic opera, which makes it funnier. It may be one-joke, but it’s laugh-out-loud fun.

Turns out zombies have personalities in sync with pirates! Stranger things have happened, so just go with it, and enjoy the playful spirit. I mean, songs have titles like “Eat Their Flesh,” “Poor Walking Dead,” and “Hail, Zombies!” We can’t be serious, no matter how straight the characters play their predicaments.
The 1879 comic opera “The Pirates of Penzance,” by the British team of librettist W.S. Gilbert and composer Arthur Sullivan, was given new life in a Joseph Papp 1981 revival that won Kevin Kline the Tony as the swashbuckling Pirate King. It spawned many imitations and parodies, and a 1983 feature film. Here, you think of both those cartoonish roles and the roaming zombies that rule movie and TV screens, particularly this time of year.
The flimsy 19th century plot should be played for laughs – Frederic, 21, is released from his apprenticeship from tender-hearted pirates, but a technicality – he is a Leap Day baby — means he must serve another 63 years, but his true-love Mabel agrees to wait. We’re not talking “The Great Gatsby” level tragic romance.
Now, New Line has rewired the “Slave of Duty” to be a fresh zombie! Frederic is a new flesh eater, a pawn in the other zombie maneuvers as they aim their mark on Major-General Stanley and his nubile brood.
Let the wackiness ensue with Miller’s smart book and quick-witted lyrics, using Gilbert’s template. Listen carefully for laugh-out-loud humor, utilizing contemporary snarkiness.
St. Louis composer and orchestrator John Gerdes reconstructed Sullivan’s music, and it’s a mighty fine re-working. In music director Nicolas Valdez’s capable hands, he conducts a snazzy nine-piece band, including Gerdes on French horn, Lea Gerdes on reeds, Joseph Hendricks on bassoon, Emily Trista Lane on cello, Twinda Murry on violin and Kely Austermann/Hope Walker on reeds. Valdez is on keyboards. Their efforts are exquisite – love those strings!
Dowdy-Windsor, an oft-nominated director with Miller for St. Louis Theater Circle Awards (and winner for “Bonnie & Clyde”), also has a keen eye and sharp attention to detail.
The pair has moved the cast around – you hear the flesh-eaters before the heavily made-up zombies shamble through the audience to the Stanley home. Yet, this is not intended to be slick staging, but a motley crew invasion with a rag-tag feel.
Those dastardly decaying dudes have their eyes on Stanley’s bevy of beauties. However, Major-General Stanley, who professes to be a zombie, is actually a great zombie hunter.
Zak Farmer is as sharp as ever as the fearless father, but what stands out is his impeccable delivery of the difficult songs, particularly the often parodied “Major-General’s Song,” which is now “Modern Era Zombie Killer,” and “When the World Went Bad.” His impressive performance indicates how deceptively hard farcical fun is.
The charade will be up soon enough, but in the meantime, romantic entanglements are on the minds of those frisky young ones, who wish they were not at a disadvantage.
Dominic Dowdy-WindsorWith his strong voice, Dominic Dowdy-Windsor delivers superb vocals as the Zombie King, including the solo “Oh Better Far, to Live as Dead,” and his many duets and company numbers. Given the confines of the part, he can’t swashbuckle like the role model Pirate King, and I wish he could have more swagger.
Sean Michael and Melissa FelpsSean Michael, as the dullard Frederic, and Melissa Felps, as a rather colorless Mabel, are saddled with a drippy romance that’s the show’s centerpiece. Voices are fine and so is their earnestness, but those roles remain insipid. Their lack of chemistry doesn’t help either. (The 1981 revival starred Rex Smith and Linda Ronstadt).
So, the supporting cast’s efforts enliven the puffy piece.
The ladies play the giggly girly magnets up to a point, then reveal they’re no helpless ingenues. That’s a nice twist.
With Lindsay Jones as Kate, Christina Rios as Edith, Kimi Short as Isabel and Mara Bollini, Melanie Kozak and Sarah Porter as other daughters, you knew they weren’t going to be powder puffs, but amp up their grrrl power. Armed already with gorgeous voices, they are demure to a point, but then turn into warrior princesses.
Kent Coffel goes all in as Zombie Sam, playing everything for laughs – and he’s a delight. Other goofy zombies Robert Doyle, Matt Hill, Tim Kaniecki and Kyle Kelesoma physically turn into animated creatures.
Scenic designer Rob Lippert paid homage to George A. Romero, director of the 1968 cult classic, “The Night of the Living Dead,” the granddaddy of zombie lore,  in his ornate home interior, a cool touch. The set has the period look, but also a show within a show accents.
Costume designer Sarah Porter has outfitted everyone in appropriate garb for the tonal shifts — the frilly feminine dresses and petticoats for the girls and the natty Zombie attire for the guys. Kenneth Zinkl’s lighting design emphasizes the bewitching tone while Ryan Day’s sound work makes all those fast-paced lyrics easily understood.
These zombies might not terrify, after all, but they certainly provide a fun, frothy look in a lighter vein — at both vintage opera and the horror archetypes who proliferate this time of year. Barbara, they are coming — only armed with songs, dances and feelings.
One can’t resist the pull of brainy and talented people who set out for a road not taken before.
“The Zombies of Penzance” is presented by New Line Theatre Sept. 27 – Oct. 20, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. at The Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive in Grand Arts Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com and for tickets, call 314-534-1111 or go to MetroTix.com
Photos by Jill Ritter Lindberg