Charming and delightful, “That Christmas” is an animated comedy that will give you the warm-and -fuzzies without the too-sweet and unrealistic situations that derail many of these holiday-themed movies.
And that’s because of the pedigree involved. Based on a trio of children’s books written by Richard Curtis and illustrated by Rebecca Cobb, his screenplay is not your typical fluff but features relatable characters and believable human interactions – and his trademark wit. (The other books are “Snow Day” and “The Empty Stocking.”)
Rom-com legend Curtis is known for writing “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Love Actually,” “Notting Hill” and “Yesterday.” Along with co-screenwriter Peter Souter, they tickle the funny bone through his imperfect adult characters and an endearing cast of quirky children. (And for Curtis fans, several in-jokes about his other films are clever references).
Now streaming on Netflix, the story centers on an unforgettable Christmas for the townsfolk of Wellington-on-Sea when the worst snowstorm in history alters everyone’s plans, including Santa’s.
The film touches on community, friendship and the bonds between families, especially siblings – all rendered in amusing and heartwarming ways throughout the breezy 91-minute film.
The seasonal adventure focuses on three families – and nobody’s having a picture-perfect holiday. In fact, calamities ensue, not to mention a whole flock of turkeys liberated before they become dinner entrees.
Simon Otto makes his feature film directorial debut — he was responsible for the character animation and story art in the superb “How to Train Your Dragon” trilogy. The animation is by Locksmith Animation (“Ron’s Gone Wrong,” and it’s bright, cheery and sufficiently wintry.
There is more to love – music is by the renowned film composer John Powell – recent credit “Wicked” — and Ed Sheeran wrote an original song “Under the Tree” for the film.
Brian Cox lent his distinguished voice as Santa, Bill Nighy has a small but impactful role as the lighthouse keeper Bill, and Fiona Shaw is the stern teacher Ms. Trapper.
The kids reflect modern views, especially Bernadette (India Brown), who rewrote the school’s traditional Christmas pageant (“The Three Wisewomen”!) and went too ‘woke’ to the horror of those in attendance. But to be fair, it had more to do with the messy watermelon splatter.
Sam (Zazie Hayhurst) is the ‘good sister’ who is exasperated by her rowdy, messy twin Charlie (Sienna Sayer), for a naughty-or-nice subplot, and Danny (Jack Wisniewski) is the sweet, sincere kid with a crush on Sam. His parents are going through a divorce. Jodie Whittaker voices his hard-working mom.
The entwined tales don’t shy aways from the realities of loneliness at holiday time, but there is plenty of merriment because of the parents’ more colorful personalities. Rhys Darby and Lolly Adefope’s
Wellington-on-Sea is fictional, but Curtis drew inspiration from the coastal towns of Walberswick and Southwold, which are in the English county of Suffolk.
It’s just a fun ride, with a pesky blizzard, Santa’s woes, and a sassy reindeer, Dasher (Guz Khan), plus the kids go through ‘learning experiences.’
The old-fashioned emotional touches in the story and contemporary cozy look are both appealing, making this Christmas one to remember. Watching “That Christmas” is as comforting as a cup of hot cocoa with a plate of Christmas cookies. In fact, that may be the best way to see it, along with snuggling up with a throw.
“That Christmas” is a 2024 animated comedy directed by Simon Otto and starring (voice-over work) Brian Cox, Bill Nighy, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Jack Wisniewski, Sienna Sayer, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Rhys Darby, Lolly Adefope, Guz Khan, and Bronte Smith. It is rated: PG for thematic elements, some language and rude humor. It began streaming on Netflix Dec. 4. Lynn’s Grade: B+
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
Without skipping a beat, four iconic music legends continue a sentimental reunion in the cheery holiday show “Million Dollar Quartet Christmas,” which has been gift-wrapped with star power and delightful musicality.
On Dec. 4, 1956, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, and newcomer Jerry Lee Lewis gathered at the Sun Records studio in Memphis, all at different stages of their careers, and jammed the night away – for the first and only time.
That twist of fate was captured in an enchanting jukebox musical “Million Dollar Quartet” that highlighted the enduring rhythm of roots rock. It was first produced in Florida in 2006, then Chicago in 2008, and eventually on Broadway in 2010, and the nostalgic charmer was nominated for three Tony Awards
This 2021 sequel version is a festive and fun presentation that builds on the original premise, which were both smash hits at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis in 2017 and at Stages St. Louis in 2023.
In a savvy move, the two companies have collaborated to bring this crowd-pleasing show to life with many of the same artists involved in the Stages production but presented on The Rep’s mainstage. This is the first partnership, but hopefully not the last.
Brady Wease and Jeff Cummings as Jerry Lee Lewis and Sam Phillips. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
The memorable trio of Scott Moreau duplicating Johnny Cash’s deep bass-baritone, Jeremy Sevelovitz as fast-playing honky-tonk specialist Carl Perkins and Brady Wease as sparkplug Jerry Lee Lewis easily blend with suave newcomer Sean Buckley, whose graceful moves capture Elvis Presley’s vitality.
What a jolly time it is to see this cast perform together. Crackling with electricity, these other fabulous, fantastic four guys create a warmth onstage, even if they needle each other.
Their energy is limitless, and their showmanship stellar. While it is a blissful blast from the past, it’s not just the Christmas songbook’s greatest hits. They dip into their rockabilly classics – those fusions of country and rhythm and blues they became known for – but present fresh takes on holiday classics like “Jingle Bell Rock,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen.”
Everyone expects “Blue Christmas,” of course, and Buckley delivers a dandy one. Upbeat highlights include Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run,” the Bing Crosby cover “Mele Kalikimaka” and “Boogie Woogie Santa Claus.”
The statuesque Shelby Ringdahl is back as Elvis’ girlfriend Dyanne, and so is Jeff Cummings as impresario Sam Phillips. The dynamic duo of music director Dave Sonneborn as W.S. “Fluke” Holland on drums and Chuck Zayas as Jay Perkins on bass, one of the original cast members, have returned.
Scott Moreau as Johnny Cash. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
It’s obvious this entire group of seasoned professionals are a tight team that enjoys spending time together – and wow, can they rock around the Christmas tree. With their slick musicianship, there is a whole lotta shakin’ going on.
Colin Escott’s script, while formulaic, focuses on the heart and the humor, and because the group feels so familiar with each other, they smooth over the rough edges.
As the guys reminisce about their humble beginnings, they tell Christmas tales tied to their Southern roots. They admit struggling to fit into a cutthroat show business when people don’t understand their blue-collar cultural upbringing.
The men are at a crossroads, some having tasted more success than the others. They got their start through Phillips, aka “The Father of Rock ‘n Roll,” whose personal feelings are hurt because of the professional transactions. He’s too much of a country boy to be considered a main player by the big-city record companies.
After putting Sun Records on the map, Elvis received a huge record contract with RCA Records, while Johnny and Carl recently moved on to Columbia. The brash Jerry Lee is pegged as Phillips’ next big thing.
As played by the high-spirited Wease, swaggering Lewis is full of braggadocio, easily getting on everyone’s nerves. Yet, his pounding of the piano keys is always a high point.
Jeremy Sevelovitz as Carl Perkins. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
There is a wistfulness that you sense among the three older ones. Elvis expresses a homesick blues, though, while Cash and Perkins are making wishful new plans. That adds a relatable poignancy as people tend to reflect on the year past at holiday time and look ahead to a more promising future.
Dyanne’s role is stronger this go-round, and Ringdahl dances merrily while joining the guys. At the real session, Elvis brought Marilyn Evans, now Riehl, who was a dancer. Ringdahl delivers a playful “Santa Baby.”
Director Keith Andrews focuses on the opportunity for magical moments – because it is the most wonderful time of the year. He has previously directed the original six times, so he is quite familiar with this material.
The precise craftsmanship of scenic designer Adam Koch is noteworthy for decking the halls with bright lights, mistletoe, tinsel and a tree, all bathed in a beautiful glow by lighting designer Sean M. Savoie. And sound designer Beef Gratz’ work is crisp and clear.
Costume designer Brad Musgrove has outfitted everyone in 1950s winter garb, plus woven in sequins for another killer grand finale. He selected a knockout red cocktail dress for Dyanne, while wig designer Dennis Milam Bensie coiffed her chicly.
Shelby Ringdahl and Chuck Zayas as Jay Perkins. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
A special shout-out to those who dressed the theater in style, transforming the lobby and outside into a breathtaking winter wonderland.
The stars shined brightly, and the cast’s harmony embossed this celebration of comfort and joy with wonderful verve. “Million Dollar Quartet” is a two-hour sentimental journey that sparks warm memories, reaffirms music’s deep connection in our lives, and allows our hearts to be light.
In partnership with Stages St. Louis, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the musical “Million Dollar Quartet Christmas” Dec. 4 – 22. Performances take place on the main stage of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: www.repstl.org.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
Will Bonfiglio, long a fixture in both ensemble pieces and one-man shows in the regional professional theater community, is back on stage in familiar territory: Making people laugh.
Post-pandemic, he hasn’t been on St. Louis stages as frequently as he was before COVID, so when he is, it’s a pleasant reminder of what a local treasure he is.
He’s currently appearing as a zany waiter in “First Date” (Nov. 21-Dec. 8) at New Jewish Theatre, singing, dancing and wisecracking. It’s a perfect part for his skillset.
Winner of three St. Louis Theater Circle Awards for Best Performance in a Comedy in a Male or Nonbinary Role, the Wool Studio Theatre is where he has performed some of his best work – the solo shows “Fully Committed” and “Every Brilliant Thing,” plus a two-hander with Jerry Vogel in “Old Wicked Songs,” and ensemble work in “I Now Pronounce,” “Never the Sinner” and “Yentl.”
This production is a homecoming of sorts for him, and he’s thrilled to work with this cast and creative crew.
“It’s a rare and wonderful experience to work on a show where the cast and crew are all such kind and lovely people,” he said.
Mitch Henry-Eagles, Will Bonfiglio and Molly Wennstrom in “First Date.” Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Bonfiglio’s versatility is key to his appeal, for he can blend in when performing with his respected pals in the more experimental groups ERA (“Make Hamlet”) and SATE, and in other small companies — “Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play” by R-S Theatrics, “Photograph 51” and “Oedipus Aparatus” at West End Players Guild, and in the former Insight Theater Company’s “Moon Over Buffalo” and “The Importance of Being Earnest.”
But then he’ll venture into musicals. In “Grey Gardens,” which Max & Louie Productions mounted in 2016, he played both young Joseph Kennedy Jr. in the first act and Jerry a delivery boy in the second act.
He was an integral part of the Variety Club Theatre’s productions “The Little Mermaid,” “The Beauty and the Beast,” and “Mary Poppins.”
Two shows in the Wool Studio Theatre were among the four roles in 2016 that earned him four nominations for St. Louis Theater Circle Awards in 2017. Four! To date, he holds the record for performers most-nominated in a single season.
Will Bonfiglio and Madeline Purches in Max & Louie’s “:Grey Gardens.’
He was nominated for outstanding actor in a comedy for “Buyer & Cellar” at Stray Dog Theatre, which he won; for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy for “As You Like It” at Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble, for outstanding supporting actor in a drama for “Old Wicked Songs” at New Jewish Theatre, and for outstanding supporting actor in a musical for “Grey Gardens” at Max & Louie Productions.
He received his second Circle Award for “Red Scare on Sunset” in 2018 at Stray Dog Theatre, for which he played Mary Dale, and had to dress in drag and do slapstick wearing high heels.
Not only does he have a background in acting, but also in directing, playwrighting, and producing. At COCA (Center of Creative Arts), he serves on the theater faculty, and recently directed “SIX: Teen Edition.”
In his professional career in the arts, he previously served as COCA’s Director of COCAbiz, where he developed and facilitated professional development workshops using the arts to a variety of corporate and nonprofit partners, including Bayer, BJC HealthCare, Comcast, Commerce Bank, Delta Dental, Edward Jones, and TEDxStLouis.
Will Bonfiglio and Shanara Gabrielle in “Red Scare on Sunset.”
Under his leadership, the program saw an expansion of partnerships to increase access for nonprofit and community organizations as well as the launch of a new equity-centered curriculum around social justice and belonging for all communities.
In 2020, he became one of the youngest people selected for FOCUS Leadership St. Louis. He is currently the artistic director of theatre at COCA.
Will earned a master’s degree in theatre and performance studies and a master’s in nonprofit management from Washington University in St Louis. His undergraduate degree is from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn.
An alumnus of the Fulbright Program, he often teaches courses on theatre and performance studies at several area universities.
“The Importance of Being Earnest” at Insight Theatre with Will, Julia Crump, Gwen Wotowa and Pete Winfrey.
In the meantime, he and the cast of “First Date” are entertaining audiences
The story unfolds in real time as two young adults meet for a blind date at a local restaurant. Aaron, a nervous newbie to blind dates, has been set up with Casey, a more experienced dater by her brother-in-law, who works with Aaron.
Casey and Aaron’s inner critics take on a life of their own when they become supportive best friends, manipulative exes and protective parents, who sing and dance through icebreakers, appetizers and potential conversational land mines. His musical solo “I’d Order Love” is done with a wink and a smile. He also doubles as Casey’s therapist
First Date at the J’s Wool Studio Theatre (2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146), running November 21 to December 8. Performances are on Thursdays at 7:30pm, Saturdays at 4pm and 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm, except for Thanksgiving weekend where there will be no Thursday show, but a special “Black Friday Getaway Matinee” at 2pm on November 29. Individual tickets are $27- $58. Tickets are available by phone at 314.442.3283 or online at newjewishtheatre.org.
ERA’s “Moscow,” a Zoom play aka “Zheatre,” from 2020during pandemic shutdown. Screenshot by Lynn Venhaus.
Take Ten Q&A with Will Bonfiglio
1. What is special about your latest project?
The team. It really feels like a community I want to be a part of, and I feel lucky we get to spend so much time together throughout the process.
2. Why did you choose your profession/pursue the arts?
I’ve always loved theatre, and St. Louis has so much of it! For a city of our size, we are truly blessed with an abundance of opportunities to perform and produce work.
3. How would your friends describe you?
Oh, this is so tricky! I honestly don’t know — overscheduled?
4. How do you like to spend your spare time?
As my friends and family know– and are regularly annoyed about (see answer to question 3) — I am often in school, taking or teaching classes in my spare time. But when it’s not the school year, I love to travel when my schedule allows.
5. What is your current obsession?
Not necessarily current, but my always-obsession is Dolly Parton. I’m currently teaching a class on her at WashU this semester. “It’s hard to be a diamond in a rhinestone world!”
6. What would people be surprised to find out about you?
Perhaps that, although I do love performing and being onstage, I’m actually quite introverted.
7. Can you share one of your most defining moments in life?
Probably living abroad after college for a year. It taught me resilience and provided me with many rich friendships that still remain today.
8. Who do you admire most?
My family.
9. What is at the top of your bucket list?
Walk the Camino de Santiago.
10. How were you affected by the pandemic years, and anything you would like to share about what got you through and any lesson learned during the isolation periods? Any reflections on how the arts were affected? And what it means to move forward?
Community. While I applaud and appreciate how everyone tried to continue making work virtually during that time, I am so happy that Zheatre (Zoom theatre) didn’t stick. There’s nothing like a live performance.
11. What is your favorite thing to do in St. Louis?
I enjoy visiting our many wonderful arts and cultural institutions and also trying new restaurants and coffee shops. Love exploring all our great city has to offer!
Day job: Artistic Director of Theatre, COCA-Center of Creative Arts
First job: St. Louis Bread Company.
First play or movie you were involved in or made: I did a few plays here and there growing up, but my first big thing was “Guys and Dolls” in high school
Awards/Honors/Achievements: 3 St. Louis Theatre Circle Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy
Will Bonfiglio in “Every Brilliant Thing” at New Jewish Theatre in 2023. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
Remembering the beautiful soul that was Tim Venhaus, and the joy he brought into our lives as a bright star lighting the darkness. Today, we are remembering his laugh, and how he made us laugh. And how much we loved him, and he loved us.But then again, not a day goes by where we don’t think of him and smile — and also miss him, achingly so. Thanks for the memories.We will never forget the unforgettable you.
By Lynn Venhaus When Tim was 13, he was excited to show me his latest movie poster that he hung on his bedroom wall, along with his favorites “Pulp Fiction,” “A Clockwork Orange” and “South Park.” Mind you, he was going into the eighth grade.
(I know, I know, but you tell that movie fanatic that he couldn’t watch something because it wasn’t age-appropriate, and he’d find a way to do so, little rebel with a cause that he was.)
It was sometime in the summer of 1998, and he had been shopping at a local mall with his brother and grandmother. He came home with a giant poster of “Reservoir Dogs,” a film by Quentin Tarantino. It took up a lot of space on the wall.
I walked in the door, was working at University of Missouri-St. Louis then, and he shouts: “Mom, mom! Come here!” He pointed to his latest acquisition. He grinned, laughing: “See, it really ties the room together!”
That line is from “The Big Lebowski,” about a rug the Dude had. We had seen the movie that spring and were early champions of how goofy it was. That phrase has been often repeated since then, after the film became a Coen Brothers’ cult classic. Tim became a fan of theirs when he was 11. (Again, no stopping him. And if you knew him, you’d understand).
Charlie Venhaus, Tim Venhaus, Tommy Davis.Summer of 1998.
That phrase is really a great way to describe my late son, Timothy Robert Venhaus, who came into the world around 11 p.m. on a snowy Sunday, Dec. 2, 1984. He would be 40 today. The year he turned 34, he died a week later.
Tim tied every room together that he walked into, because he was the sort of guy who took over that room. He had that affect on people – made people feel better by being in his orbit.
In a way, Jon Bernthal’s character Mikey on “The Bear” reminds me of Tim. He wasn’t as angry, or as tortured, but when Tim was in his element, he had everyone’s attention, and most of the time it was to make people laugh.
Tim loved to make people laugh. He liked to win people over. Truth be told, he projected hip and cool, but he was a big softie. He cried watching “Forrest Gump.” He felt losses deeply — relatives, friends, relationships. I could share many examples of his compassion, really cared for the unseen and the unheard.
That’s why I think he was so good with the young people he taught, at Nature’s Classroom, at Summer Fenn in Concord, Mass., and all those budding filmmakers he came in contact with – and who knows how much effect he could have had at the performing arts school where he was hired to teach an after-school filmmaking class in Chicago (he titled it “Friday Night Lights, Camera, Action!”) once he got back to grad school after the holidays. Well…
They say the best way to remember loved ones you’ve lost is to remember them laughing. So today, and whenever you want to think about Tim, remember his hearty belly laughs, his silly Letterman-type laugh “he-he-he,” his spontaneous giggles, or his exaggerated sarcastic laughs for effect – he had a bunch of different ones.
First ‘cousin brothers’ Tommy and Patrick Davis, Tim and Charlie Venhaus.Circa 2004.
I miss that laugh ever since his light was extinguished on Dec. 9, 2018. It’s an unfathomable sorrow, the unimaginable. It never gets better, in fact, the hole in the heart just grows wider because we know what we are missing. But in a way, I believe he is watching over his loved ones. Strange sixth sense…it’s a feeling.
How I’d love to hear his laugh again.
Those texts, those calls, those visits home, those random thoughts he’d express, those anecdotes he’d share about his colorful travels, his plans, hopes, dreams and ideas. That holiday break home from DePaul University, where he was making a name for himself in his classes working towards an MFA in Screenwriting, would be his final days, and that’s what we have to cling to — how do you ever know that’s the last hug?
He would come home from his busy seasonal holiday work as a restaurant server – which he picked up at Thanksgiving, so he could make ‘bank’ for the next semester, and he was working many events – and we’d watch awards-season screeners I had for my film organizations voting.
Since 2008, that had been a holiday tradition, the first year I was in St. Louis Film Critics Association (and so was he, for a short time, doing movie reviews weekly on a local radio station). I miss talking about movies every awards season with him. And now that I am in Alliance of Women Film Journalists, Critics Choice Association, and in the tomato-meter on Rotten Tomatoes, we could be having some dandy ‘inside baseball’ discussions.
While unwinding, he’d tell me all about his professors, feedback about his latest screenplay, and so forth. It was such a delight to see him so happy. He felt at home at DePaul, it was a good fit. They had a long break between Thanksgiving and New Year’s because they were on a trimester schedule.
During that time home, he was waiting to learn his grades (A’s, I would find out), and on fire, talking about what classes he was taking the next semester, which started Jan. 5, 2019, and recalling everything he had learned that fall semester, the people he met who made an impact.
The last time he’d walk in the door was Saturday night, Dec. 8, after working a double-shift, announcing he was exhausted, and going to his room because he had to wake up early for the brunch shift. Only he never woke up.
Thanksgiving 2018 at Uncle Matt’s living place.
He was finally living his dream. After he passed away, I read his recent journal posts: “Having a good time watching movies with Mom.”
I miss seeing the world through his eyes. He had a view askew, and wasn’t afraid to express it. I found out from his close circle of friends that he was their ‘thought leader’ — he recommended music, movies and TV shows for them. They miss his texts advising them on what to go, see, do.
I miss him calling or texting after he saw a movie, no matter where he was – whether working at Nature’s Classroom in Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut or upstate New York teaching filmmaking, the year he lived in New York City with Charlie while doing his college internship at “Sesame Street,” or working here at home in ’17-’18 before grad school – and talking about it “Tim-style.”
I miss many things about his visits home. And knowing that he’ll never make plans to be here at Christmas is hard. Even if he was working elsewhere or at school, he’d be home for the holidays. It was always comforting. Fresh memories were made. Now we don’t have new ones, we have what was. And while they are still fun to remember, it’s farther in the rearview mirror.
Getting ready for a gathering, mid-80s.
The Grief Train
The only thing that we have is precious memories, some of his personal effects, and wonderful people who help us through the void in our lives, that ever-present darkness.
Last year, I wrote a chapter, “You Are Not Alone: Dealing with Grief and Loss,” in a women’s anthology book published by my media colleague and friend Marqueeta Curtis-Haynes, “Ageless Glamour Girls: Reflections on Aging.” All of us 14 contributors – fierce, funny women – shared segments of our lives post-50. (It’s currently available on Amazon — a bestseller! — and soon, we’re working on an audio version).
I’m trying to turn pain into purpose, and if I can help another person through this awful grief journey together, I will be grateful. I’ve had so many family members, friends, colleagues and acquaintances help, that I truly could not have gotten through this without these people raising me up. We can’t do the ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda,” and thinking “What Might Have Been” is fruitless.
I used to kid him because the goal was to be a paid working screenwriter, so if he had to write “Air Bud 6,” then so be it.
Life goes on. His friends are marrying, having children, moving to other cities, trying out new careers and new dreams. I am thrilled to hear from them, and glad they have fond memories of their times spent with Tim. He made an impression on so many people, it makes my heart happy about the lives he touched.
Ocean Park, Maine. Nature’s Classroom, 2017.
But enough about death. Today, we celebrate his life, one that burned bright for 34 years.
An Unforgettable Person
Forty years ago, he made me a mom. I was three weeks before turning 30, and working at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat as a news reporter. It was a special time. While I dearly love my work, motherhood has been the greatest journey of my life. To see both my sons grow and blossom has been a joy. That can’t ever be extinguished.
When you become a mom, your life changes in such a way that you are never not a mom first. I cherished being the mother of these two boys — I wanted to make sure they had roots and wings. Motherhood has defined more than half of my life. Now I’m in a club no one wants to join. Love to all the moms –there is not a harder, more challenging, more rewarding job in life.
I want to remember how much these two boys put into living. Charlie, now 36, and I move forward, learning a new normal. Tim dearly loved his little brother, they were quite a dynamic duo. Tim was incredibly supportive during Charlie’s cancer battle with a rare aggressive lymphoma in 2013, had been an integral part of his care and recovery.
A few months ago, I finally opened a box of his junior high/ high school stuff – papers, daffy keepsakes, and more ‘Beavis and Butthead’ collectable cards than you ever knew existed. Half-finished scripts involving his friends, funny notes, lists of his favorite songs, movies, TV shows, and more, plus magazines and comic books of that time. Old “Mad” ones, remember “Movieline”?
I found a notebook of essays written in pencil for a senior year English class at Belleville East High School (2002-2003). Apparently, his teacher would give them prompts, such as “character profile of a family member,” “worst Christmas gift,” and “a personal national holiday.”
His teacher wrote on the final page: “Excellent Thought Process! You’re one of a kind, Tim. Keep journaling, your writing is great.”
Here’s a few snippets of his work: “When I’m 50 years old, it will be the year 2035. I’m pretty sure I’ll have four kids. I’m gonna have all boys because I don’t want to deal with raising girls at all. Their names will be Leroy, Quentin, Spike and Shoe. I’m gonna start having kids at the age of 40. So, the kids will be relatively young so that will keep me young…By this time, I’ll be a producer of movies after getting so much money writing and directing movies. I will have revolutionized Hollywood and made something completely different from the movies of today.”
Tim Venhaus and Lynn Venhaus, Sundance Film Festival 2011, Park City, Utah.
“My Mom” by Tim Venhaus
Here’s the essay he wrote about me, verbatim.
“My mom is by far the nicest person I have ever known. She’s so nice it makes me mad. But she’s the reason I’m here, obviously. But she is also a contributor to the biggest part of my life. She is the one that got me hooked on movies. From day one, we have been watching movies together.
She is also nutty as squirrel turds. She’s so goofy, it’s ridiculous. She has told me some funny stories about her childhood, like how she fell off a cliff at Camp Ondessonk, and a bunch of other fumbles and uncoordinated accidents.
She’s the best person that I can think of. She talks for hours and hours. You can’t end a conversation with her on the phone. It’s too hard. She always has something to say.
She also has good taste in music. I can ask her who sang what song, and she’ll tell me. But my fondest memories are going to the Tivoli with her and seeing movies like “Fargo” and other great indie movies. But everyone can say that.”
Charlie and Tim, Christmas. maybe 1990-91.
His Version of Heaven
“Heaven would be 72 degrees and it would always be. I think Heaven would be individuals separated for certain likes and dislikes. Like if you like baseball, you’ll go into the Mickey Mantle center of heaven and hang out with players like Babe Ruth.
My personal heaven would be like a mall, but instead of stores they would be filled with bands and movies playing. There would be the recliner section …’’
They were a delight to discover, and to read. It’s like he’s here, but he’s not.
Today, and the rest of this tough, tough month, we celebrate the one and only Tim, and mourn what might have been. That empty chair, empty table at the holidays always reminds us.
In Tim’s honor, do something you have been meaning to try or visit, or make plans to do so. Watch something that will make you smile. Or think. Something genuine – with ‘feels.’.
Even though it’s not currently streaming, and only available as a rental on various platforms, I recommend “About Time,” a warm and heartfelt Richard Curtis film that I suggested Tim watch one wintry night about 10 years ago – he was not inclined, and I convinced him he’d be surprised at how much he’d relate to it. Before I knew it, he was asking me for a box of Kleenexes.
Tim filming his comedy short, “Lunchbreak,” with Kyle Eversgerd and Tory Dahlhoff.2007.
In closing, I want to share an exchange between Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson in the movie “Lost in Translation.” I re-watched it a few months back, had forgotten how much I liked it (Tim liked it way more). These words really grabbed me – so very true.
Bob: It gets a whole lot more complicated when you have kids.
Charlotte: It’s scary.
Bob: The most terrifying day of your life is the day the first one is born.
Charlotte: Nobody ever tells you that.
Bob: Your life, as you know it… is gone. Never to return. But they learn how to walk, and they learn how to talk… and you want to be with them. And they turn out to be the most delightful people you will ever meet in your life.
Charlotte: That’s nice.
Nephews Patrick and Tommy Davis, far left and far right. Tim and Charlie in the middle. One of my favorite photos. Oscar Night at the Tivoli 2012.
And Tim, because of you, I have been changed for good. And so have many others. (You’ve influenced more people than you realize.) We love you.
Note: Six Degrees of Tim seems to be through music and movies, so we asked everyone in his orbit to contribute songs to a Tim Venhaus 40th Birthday Mixtape that is now curated on Spotify by his brother, Charlie Venhaus. It’s so Tim, perfectly perfect waltz down memory lane.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
Laugh-out-loud funny, “First Date” is a refreshing tonic that we didn’t know we needed, a balm to sooth our jangled nerves, a palate cleanser for these times.
Nothing can top communal laughter to make our days merry and bright, and this sharp-witted script and finely tuned ensemble delivers a frisky romantic comedy that charms in welcome and unexpected ways.
New Jewish Theatre’s latest polished gem is a St. Louis premiere and runs from Nov. 21 through Dec. 8. Because of Thanksgiving, there isn’t a show Nov. 28, but a special “Black Friday Getaway Matinee” is set for 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29 (before Shabbat starts at sunset).
The relatable contemporary story unfolds in real time as two young adults meet for a blind date at a St. Louis restaurant. Aaron, a nervous newbie to blind dates, has been set up with Casey, a more experienced dater, by her brother-in-law, who works with Aaron. He has an ex-fiancé, she’s unattached, and they both come with apprehensions and hesitations, but also with a desire to get back in the game.
For anyone who has dipped into the dating pool, or after a few disastrous results, has sworn ‘never again’ on dating apps, this musical is aimed at you. If you know, you know – the opening number is called “The One.”
Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
Everyone else’s misery is common ground – and amusing in how it resonates. Ah, human nature – and hope springs eternal.
A spot-on Mitch Henry-Eagles is the hapless, skittish, buttoned-up Aaron and sublime Molly Wennstrom shows new facets as the edgy chic freewheeling Casey. They’re expressive in the delightful “First Impressions.”
The appealing duo are well-suited as opposite-types whose conversations are awkward, revealing, sometimes cringy and often genuine, full of zingers, gasps, and insight. They poignantly deliver their solos – “Things I Never Said” (Aaron) and “Safer” (Casey) with aplomb.
In a daffy high-concept twist, the couple discovers that they are not alone — their inner voices take on a life of their own. Actors who have been sitting at dining tables transform into either supportive or exasperated friends who offer blunt advice and harsh critiques. They turn into parents and ex-lovers too.
Jayson Heil, Drew Mizell, Greta Rosenstock and Grace Seidel slip into various roles with ease.
The dos and don’ts of dating are mentioned with hilarious results, and hijinks ensue – especially in the company musical numbers “The Awkward Pause,” “The Girl for You,” Total Loser” (about what embarrassments you can find out on Google), and “The Check!” (who pays).
Henry-Eagles, Bonfiglio, Wennstrom.Photo by Jon Gitchoff
The ringleader keeping everything spinning is the server/maître ‘d/host/snob/busybody/ Broadway wannabe simply known as “Waiter,” who is played with great zest and Swiss-watch comic timing by the inimitable Will Bonfiglio (three-time St. Louis Theater Circle Award winner for lead performances in comedy). He also doubles as Casey’s therapist.
This high-spirited, intimate production was crafted by a trio of friends – book writer Austin Winsberg, with music and lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner, and opened on Broadway in 2013, with Zachary Levi and Krysta Rodriguez as the couple. They employ up-to-date lingo and prefer to walk on the wild side.
Agile quip-meister Winsberg, who has written for “Gossip Girl” among other television series and films, adapted the live “The Sound of Music” event on NBC in 2013, so he knows his way around a musical format.
Clever tunesmiths Zachary and Weiner have cowritten other songs and shows, including the upcoming “Trading Places” musical, and take risks here with brutal honesty – and earn big laughs. An ode to bad boys, “That’s Why You Love Me,” and a cheerful “Something That Will Last” show their versatility.
Director Lee Anne Mathews, who is adept at breezy, light-hearted fare, keeps everything percolating, and choreographed the numbers, too. For NJT, she directed “Raging Skillet” and “Imagining Madoff,” and previously directed “Avenue Q” at Westport Playhouse.
She has skillfully staged this show so that everyone comfortably meshes like a longtime comedy improvisation team, capitalizing on all their strengths.
Henry-Eagles, Seidel. Photo by Jon Gitchoff
The cast not only is in sync for the entire brisk 95-minute show, but also confidently displays different sides of themselves as performers, some of them revelatory.
During the past three years, Heil, Mizell and Wennstrom have been stand-out stars rising in the local theater community. Here, they get to have fun stretching themselves in roles playing against type.
Heil, who has delivered dramatic interpretations in classics like “All My Sons” (New Jewish Theatre), “Dial M for Murder” (the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis), and “The Mousetrap” (Stray Dog Theatre), is stunning as this loud, obnoxious bro Gabe, Aaron’s best friend who fancies himself a ladies’ man and speaks in naughty, not nice, terms. He is intense and unfiltered.
Mizell, a gifted singer and dancer who headlined Stray Dog’s “Saturday Night Fever” as Tony Manero and played the tortured Edgar Allan Poe in the company’s recent “Nevermore,” is campy as the flamboyant bestie Reggie serving as Casey’s bail-out call if needed, and as a sexy deadbeat ex.
They join Greta Rosenstock, who appeared in the musical revue “Jerry’s Girls” two years ago. She has comical turns as the demanding, controlling ex-fiancé Allison and Aaron’s Jewish grandmother Ida.
Heil, Rosenstock. Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Bonfiglio, whose triumphs include the one-man shows “Fully Committed,” “Buyer & Cellar,” and “Every Brilliant Thing,” has dived into quirky ensemble work in “Red Scare on Sunset,” “Grey Gardens,” and “Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play.” He has a blast as the snarky waiter who nimbly switches into a showbiz lounge act. “I’d Order Love” is silly fun.
Seidel is an established veteran, playing integral roles in such musicals as “The Last Five Years,” “Be More Chill,” “Head Over Heels,” “Avenue Q,” “The Mad Ones,” “Ride the Cyclone” and “25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” Here, she’s spry as Casey’s judgy married older sister Lauren.
Along with Heil and Mizell, Wennstrom is in the new class of triple threats creating memorable performances. Already a St. Louis Theater Circle Award winner for NJT’s comedy “Dear Jack, Dear Louise,” she has appeared at the J in the award-winning “Into the Woods” and in St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s lively “As You Like It” this past summer.
Henry-Eagles has stood out in such quirky ensemble shows as “Trash Macbeth,” “Oedipus Apparatus,” “Hand to God,” and most recently, “Life Is a Dream.”
This tight ensemble is an abundance of riches, for they each distinguish themselves in their individual roles, but also work cohesively in group numbers, making this material seem fresh – and a cut above theme-park song-and-dance acts.
Mizell and Wennstrom. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
Musical Director Larry D. Pry, who won the St. Louis Circle Award for Best Music Direction for “Into the Woods” last year, knows how to bring out the best in his singers. Playing keyboards, he’s joined by Mathew Coble on guitar, Brandon Thompson on woodwinds, and Joseph Winters on drums.
The crackerjack design team included John Stark, who has expertly crafted a functional and attractive restaurant, and Denisse Chavez gives it a cozy glow as lighting designer. As always, Amanda Werre’s sound design is superb and costume designer Michele Friedman Siler has splendidly defined each character sartorially with the right amount of sass and class.
With the cast’s considerable and extensive talents, anchored in vivid characterizations by Wennstrom and Henry-Eagles. and the creative minds raising the bar, “First Date” is an engaging rip-roaring romp that had us at hello, celebrating the flirty fun and foibles involved in personal connection.
New Jewish Theatre presents the musical “First Date” Nov. 21 through Dec. 8, with performances Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., without a show on Thanksgiving Day, and an added 2 p.m. matinee on Nov. 29. Performances take place in the Wool Studio Theatre at the SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For tickets, visit: showpass.com/first-date-3 or call 314-442-3283. For more information: jccstl.com/arts-ideas/new-jewish-theatre/current-productions.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
A dazzling spectacle based on the 2003 Broadway musical fantasy, “Wicked” is overproduced and padded with unnecessarily stretched out musical numbers and extended scenes to present the popular culture phenomenon as only the first act in a 2 hour, 30-minute film.
After years in development, this long-awaited adaptation surely could have been pruned without affecting the story arc. The second act, “Wicked: Part II,” is set for a Nov. 21, 2025, release. Did it need to be this long? No. Is it worth your time? Yes.
With ‘wow factor’ production values and sensational performances, this vivid re-imagining of the Land of Oz is a must-see event best-suited for the big screen.
After opening Oct. 30, 2003, on Broadway, the beloved musical captured theatregoers’ fancy with its imaginative and sharp-witted story about the unlikely friendship between the Glinda the Good Witch of the North and Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West. It draws from the familiar mythology based on the classic 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” and L. Frank Baum’s series of 14 novels written between 1901-1917.
However, it is a prequel to those events, and takes place, for the most part, before farmgirl Dorothy Gale arrives from Kansas. But ‘Wicked,’ you see, is only a perception, and a misunderstood one at that. This inspired take fascinates with the green-skinned outcast Elphaba attending Shiz University, where she is taken on an unusual path, which leads to discovering her magical powers, and develops a bond with her mean-girl opportunist roommate Glinda, first known as “Galinda.”
As college students, the pair are exact opposite in looks, temperament, personality and values. Loosely based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel, the screenplay is adapted by Winnie Holzman, the original musical book writer, who smartly gave us so much to ponder, and and Dana Fox, whose most recent credit is “Cruella.” Holzman created the TV series “My So-Called Life” and wrote for the landmark TV series “thirtysomething” and “Once and Again.”
The centerpiece is the glorious songs – those heartfelt, soaring, beautifully crafted numbers from virtuoso composer-lyricist Stephen Schwartz. He started his acclaimed five-decade career with “Godspell” in 1970, and has gone on to create “Pippin,” “Children of Eden,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “The Prince of Egypt,” and win an Oscar for “Colors of the Wind” from “Pocahontas.” This is arguably his masterpiece.
The film’s biggest strength is its perfectly cast triple-threat performers – Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba Thropp, Ariana Grande-Butera as Glinda Upland and Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero Tigelaar, a handsome prince whose subplot is best not spoiled.
Erivo’s knockout voice is her superpower. She won a Tony Award in 2016 as Celie in “The Color Purple” revival, the only non “Hamilton” cast member to win a musical acting trophy that year. She proves herself to be a gifted actress, as she leans into sympathetic Elphaba’s differences as a proud badge of honor, especially in her newfound activism against injustice.
Grande has sold more than 90 million records as a pop star and appeared on Nickelodeon and Broadway. If you’ve seen Grande host “Saturday Night Live,” you know she has terrific comic timing and unforced charm. As a singer, she has a four-octave vocal range and in this role, she inhabits the spoiled rich girl with a self-deprecating humor. She looks dainty, but there’s an intriguing power and intelligence behind the bubbly façade.
The charismatic Bailey, Emmy-nominated for “Fellow Travelers,” is known as the oldest son Anthony in the “Bridgerton” TV series, but in England, he is also an accomplished musical theater performer. He won an Olivier Award as Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for playing Jamie in the revival of “Company” in 2018. Fleet-footed and a nimble vocalist, he gives Fiyero an allure that wasn’t initially apparent on stage. (Fun fact: St. Louis’ own Norbert Leo Butz, two-time Tony winner, originated the role in its San Francisco tryout and on Broadway).
Outstanding in supporting roles are Jeff Goldblum as the morally compromised Wizard of Oz, who handles “A Sentimental Man” quite nicely, Michelle Yeoh as no-nonsense Shiz headmistress Madame Morrible, and Peter Dinklage, in a voice-over, as an animal professor, Dr. Dillamond, who’s frightened in “Something Bad,” tipping us off to sinister political forces (shades of authoritarianism and fascism ahead).
There are more-to-develop turns by Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman, a Munchkin in love with Glinda, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Elphaba’s paraplegic younger sister. Slater was Tony-nominated and won a Drama Desk Award for his role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the 2017 Broadway musical. Stay tuned for some interesting twists with these two in Act 2.
New roles include Glinda’s fawning sycophants — Bowen Yang of SNL fame is Pfannee and Bronwyn James of CBS’ “Ghosts” is ShenShen.
As one who has seen the stage musical seven times, with an inaugural voyage to Chicago for the first national tour in May 2005 and the remainder at the Fabulous Fox in St. Louis, the film is faithful to the source material. (BTW, “Wicked” is considered “St. Louis’ favorite musical” after record-breaking runs here).
“One Short Day” is a grand introduction to the breathtaking art-deco Emerald City, Erivo’s emotional gravitas is displayed in “I’m Not That Girl,” and her humorous duet with Grande on a crisply delivered “What Is This Feeling?” is a highlight. Grande also shines in the peppy “Popular,” her signature song.
But the dramatic opener “No One Mourns the Wicked,” a too-heavy CGI-enhanced “The Wizard and I,” and an acrobatic “Dancing Through Life” set on library staircases are overstuffed. The choreography is in the contemporary style of elaborate and athletic dance moves with distinctive razzle-dazzle that is mega-staged for maximum effect.
That said, the defining showstopper, “Defying Gravity,” is everything you want it to be, an enthralling way to end, just before the curtain comes down on stage, but here with a “To be continued” card stunning the audience who doesn’t realize it’s only half.
Now the fourth longest-running musical of all-time, “Wicked” continues to draw packed houses in theaters around the world. While plans for a film adaptation started in 2012, the project did not kick off in earnest until 2021.
Jonathan M. Chu was hired to direct, after his successes with “Step Up 2 In the Streets,” “Step Up 3D,” “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights.” That was when it was decided to split the film into two parts to “meet the demands of the story’s epic scope and to expand upon the journeys of and relationships between the characters, without cutting any songs and major plot points” (I quote press here).
The second half is when more dark secrets and identities will be revealed, and features the moving “For Good” number. (No spoiler alert here, nor will I reveal cameos).
Highlights of Part 1 include the magnificent costume designs by Paul Tazewell, Tony Award winner for “Hamilton.” He must be the frontrunner for year-end awards, for each intricate outfit is stunning in detail.
The visual effects, while often over-the-top, are eye-popping. With today’s audiences conditioned for blockbuster franchise films, such as the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Harry Potter series, and new “Star Wars” chapters, these are the flamboyant excesses people expect, but I find them overdone.
The everlasting appeal of “Wicked” will always be as a timeless tale of love and friendship, and its brilliant way of presenting the proverbial “two sides to every story.” Those who cherish the musical can find moments to savor.
“Wicked” is a 2024 musical fantasy directed by Jon Chu and starring Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande-Butera, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang and Bronwyn James. It is rated PG for some scary action, thematic material and brief suggestive material, and its runtime is 2 hours, 40 minutes. It opens in theatres Nov. 22. Lynn’s Grade: B+
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
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.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
Two life-affirming original one-acts grab the heart through humor and genuine emotion for a moving night of original stories in “As Told By Us” presented by Prison Performing Arts’ Alumni Theatre Company.
Featuring works by two Missouri playwrights who have written from their heart about home, both strike universal chords with their observations on life, love, loss and surviving despair, heartaches and regrets. These are characters that feel real.
“Go Before I Do,” written by Hazel McIntire, features Katherine Leemon as a world-weary mixologist working at a craft cocktail bar. In walks a daughter who is meeting her father for a drink.
Jocelyn Padilla plays a sophisticated, well-traveled woman, and her dad, played by David Nonemaker is a typical Midwest good guy who likes simple things, and simple pleasures. They are dealing with the loss of their mother and wife – in different ways.
Under Eric Satterfield’s direction, it’s a lived-in portrait, warm with humor from quoting “The Golden Girls” but also expressing the aches of loss, and the daunting task of moving forward.
Jocelyn Padilla and David Nonemaker. Photo by RayBayCreates.
The characters explore grief and loss as they grow and learn to understand. Its emotional impact sneaks up on you when you least expect it. “Go Before I Do” was first presented by SATE at their Aphra Behn Festival in 2022.
It’s a good start to this two-act program, setting the table for “Don’t Be a Hero, Thank You.”
Leemon, who played the bartender in the first one-act, is the playwright of the exceptional “Don’t Be a Hero, Thank You.” Be prepared for its emotional wallop as force of nature LaWanda Jackson is raw and vulnerable in a remarkably honest performance.
Jackson mesmerizes in a hard-fought journey to make sense of her incarceration and moving beyond those years with self-acceptance, and a desire to be everything she can become.
Directed by Rachel Tibbetts, the play unfolds with warmth, humor, sweetness, light, interesting observations and outlooks on life. When everything is taken from you, how do you bounce back and re-enter society?
Kristen Strom and LaWanda Jackson. Photo by RayBayCreates.
This tale also tackles friendship, with Kristen Strom in several supporting roles. When Jackson talks about what it means to be a contemporary woman, she is as funny as a stand-up comedian delivering a monologue. Sarcasm with a smile, delivered sincerely. But she always keeps it real, and her ability to express a full range of emotions in that one-act is impressive..
Jackson’s work is one of my favorite performances of the year, and the play one of the candidates for Best New Play.
The tech work is crisp, with Bess Moynihan’s astute lighting design and a set design that’s reveal is best not spoiled (misty-eyed memories!), Brian Dooley’s expert sound design – and deft needle drops, and Tyler White’s modern casual costume design. Eric Satterfield’s project designs are also noteworthy.
In the intimate confines of the Greenfinch performance space, Prison Performing Arts presented a cozy, comforting environment to share beautiful stories about going through the hard knocks of life and coming through the other side. Poignant and powerful, they resonated deeply because two pieces were a sample of joy that can be found in the unlikeliest of places and with unexpected connections.
PPA presents “As Told By Us” Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 14-17, at the Greenfinch Theatre & Dive 2525 S. Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, Mo 63104. Sunday matinee at 2 p.m., evenings Thursday – Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through Purple Pass. For more information, please visit www.prisonperformingarts.org. Content warning/Trigger warning:Be advised that this production contains mature content and references to suicide.
LaWanda Jackson as Kate spills her life story. Photo by RayBayCreates.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
A movable feast of tumbling ideas and kernels of wit, “Wolf Kings” is an inspired piece of inter-disciplinary performance by indomitable producing partners Maggie Conroy and Chuck Harper of YoungLiars.
The producers say they like to set hearts and minds on fire with bold theatricality, and this one has plenty of sparks to ignite. Written and directed by Harper, it’s a one-act fusion of original thought, critical thinking and re-imagined classics that are mysterious puzzle pieces in a larger picture designed to provoke and engage.
Back after a five-year hiatus, the avant-garde troupe was known for interpreting works in a lyrical and collage-like way, comparable to the like-minded experimental theater companies SATE and ERA.
They all draw from a close-knit collective that understands their assignments in interpreting these works. These performers don’t do dull – they bend, stretch and draw from literature to make statements and explore possibilities of live theater.
In “Wolf Kings,” a lionhearted quintet of women and that one-man band Cassidy Flynn take us in multiple directions, and the enigmatic journey appears to start in a Parisian literary salon.
With clever nods to fairy tales, Victorian theatricals, and French writers, Conroy and Harper adapted text and were inspired by the writings of Angela Carter, Alphonse Daudet, Marie de Rabutin-Chantal Sevigne, and Benjamin Walker.
Maggie Conroy and Kay Ailee Bush.
The ensemble had input as well as to shaping what their weekly gathering to ‘divert, distract and delight each other’ would be. Conroy role plays, as does Ashwini Arora, Frankie Ferrari, Keating and Kay Ailee Bush, who show up as if they are visiting Gertrude Stein’s studio at 27 Rue de Fleurus.
Their similar attire suggests a performance within a performance, setting the stage for quick changes – and revolving around a red cape. Marcy Wiegert designed the costumes to reflect a cabaret quality, then transforming into characters.
Flynn arrives, insistent to crash the clandestine soiree. But this eclectic mix – one arrives carrying a hatchet – isn’t exactly a book club although they are smart and could be hobnobbing with Zelda and Scott Fitzgerald, and other intellectuals and philosophers.
Balancing comedy and drama, the players are modern Bohemians who enjoy each other’s company. They demonstrate their verbal dexterity with a fun parlor game called “Compliments,” and quick-witted conversations ensue.
They play vinyl records, offering interesting needle drops for a dance party where they execute precise movements, choreographed by Mikey Thomas. Sound board operator Morgan Schindler, following Harper’s sound design, keeps us on our toes.
Eventually, they land on cloak-and-dagger storytelling, where they probe issues related to the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “Little Red Riding Hood,” but also 17th century folk tale versions. Converging in that proverbial cabin in the woods appears to be somehow connected to Angela Carter’s feminist short stories “The Company of Wolves,” “Wolf-Alice,” and “The Werewolf.”
Cassidy Flynn and Keating.
Who exactly is in danger and how straying from the path can be interpreted are given different options. Some characters go through metamorphosis, and there’s a sharp menacing turn as lines are blurred between those oppressed and who is oppressing in the forest. The actors display a passion and a purpose.
Lighting designer Morgan Brennan enhances the paradoxical elements.
While viewers may not understand where the playwrights are taking us, one constant is unpredictability. The group’s keen observational skills are intriguing to watch unfold through a tight-rope edge.
Because of the perceptive performers and their finely tuned interplay, the evening’s theatrical “Wolf Kings” challenges us as it entertains – taking us in bold directions as we try to find our way.
YoungLiars presents “Wolf Kings” Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. from Nov. 7 to Nov. 23 at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton, Mo. For more information: www.youngliarstheatre.org.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
Whatever the imaginary magical Christmas feeling we crave to experience every year at this time, we seek it out in holiday traditions, seasonal foods, songs and movies – whether fantasy or funny.
Granted, most holiday movies are a license to print money. A certain greeting card company’s cable television channel churns out cheery Christmas fare for days on end starting when leaves are still on the trees.
Make no mistake, commerce-driven craftsmanship is manufacturing all the warm and fuzzy, and none of the emotions “Red One” is trying to elicit are earned. This poorly executed family fare will live on eventually streaming on Amazon Prime video. Its clash of tones is irritating, but nevertheless, there are elements that can make either the naughty or nice list.
When a villain kidnaps Santa Claus (JK Simmons) from the North Pole, an E.L.F. (Extremely Large and Formidable) operative (Dwayne Johnson) joins forces with the world’s most accomplished tracker (Chris Evans) to find him and save Christmas.
With an abundance of twinkly tinsel, the slickly made fast-paced fantasy action comedy is the latest attempt to please both adults and children alike – and it is likely to be a major crowd-pleasing hit, if the preview audience’s reaction is any indication.
However, upon critical analysis, it’s an overstuffed stocking too big for hanging on the mantel because it sags with extra weight.
“Red One” is altogether too much – aggravating over-the-top computer-generated images (CGI), big beefy actors going through the motions imitating standard characters, derivative storylines from better films, and an overload of shiny distractions. The film cost $250 million to make. And it’s 2 hours and 3 minutes’ long.
The goal is to thwart gigantic gnarly shape-shifting evildoers to save Christmas. Sure, let’s scare the little kids in between the holly and jolly.
With parts both dark and light, weird and wonderful (who wouldn’t want to live and work in Santa’s extravagant futuristic village?), and an occasional sliver of charm and good humor, “Red One” tries to be all things to everyday people, like an all-you-can-eat buffet pre-global pandemic where the budget cuts of meat are over-sauced.
You might have seen the bounteous plot strands before: derelict dad learns the meaning of Christmas after bonding with the son he chose to neglect—reminiscent of “The Santa Clause” from 1994 starring Tim Allen; a Santa Claus kidnap plot in “The Christmas Chronicles” from 2018 starring Kurt Russell; a wintry North Pole wonderland looking like “The Polar Express” with touches of “Elf”; animals out of “Narnia,” and an assortment of ne’er-do-wells, cretins and bad behavior a la “Bad Santa,” “A Christmas Story” and “Jingle All the Way.”
And that’s only the tip of this iceberg. “A miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer”? Ha! Santa’s sleigh is souped-up, a marvel of technology that could have been crafted by NASA scientists. The “eight tiny reindeer” that Clement C. Moore wrote about in his “Twas the Night Before Christmas” poem are huge hulking beasts.
JK Simmons created a fine Father Christmas, a good ol’ sincere Nick, who doesn’t have a round belly that shakes like a bowlful of jelly because he’s fit as a fiddle. He works out so he can visit every single home around the world in one night – and sample the cookies left for him. But because he is being held hostage for most of the film, we only experience his delightful performance as bookends.
In a crazy conflict, his adopted brother is Krampus (Kristofer Hivju). This subplot is where it turns nasty and gross, for the mythology surrounding the horned figure is as a punisher of the bad kids.
The mastermind of the nefarious plot is Gryla, a witch who’s got a bee in her bonnet about how the naughty kids don’t really receive the consequences they deserve. She is played, with a lot of CGI enhancement, by Kiernan Shipka, best known as Sally Draper on “Mad Men.” Here she wears glossy dark lipstick and has an ominous magnified voice.
It’s a ridiculous premise, written by Chris Morgan, who is responsible for three “Fast and Furious” franchise scripts that I thought were written by chimps, and Hiram Garcia, who wrote one episode of “Young Rock” and produced two “Jumanji” movies directed by Jake Kasdan, who was at the helm here.
Kasdan is known for broad satire and has missed the mark before in the raunchy “Bad Teacher” and goofy “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.” This mash-up is just bizarre, devoid of any genuine sentiment, like a chase-based videogame being played while a fake fireplace is on the television screen. Let’s go to a tropical island with babes in bikinis and attacking snowmen — and Nick Kroll as a bad guy!
Among the vacuous thinly developed characters is Jack O’Malley played by Chris Evans, in selfish cad “Knives Out” mode. A revered hacker and tracker who is supposed to be a legend in the high-tech espionage world despite being a scoundrel in real life. He does have a few earnest moments with Wesley Kimmel, who plays his son Dylan (and is a nephew of Jimmy Kimmel).
He’s enlisted to help the very serious Callum Drift, who is Santa’s head of security – of course, it’s Dwayne Johnson in a role he could do sleepwalking. Do not expect a bromance.
Totally wasted is Lucy Liu as a director who oversees the elaborate Santa compound, and the marvelous Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. Claus. Their screen time is as miniscule as a funny bit with real trolls working the cyber-security detail.
Naturally, filmmakers pepper the soundtrack with some snappy Motown-type versions of Christmas classics, distracting from the movie’s flaws with jingly bells.
Everything is wrapped up in a big red bow. For some viewers, “Red One” is a pleasant holiday movie. For others, it’s time to let out a cranky ‘Bah, Humbug” and turn to a comforting old favorite.
“Red One” is a 2024 action-comedy-fantasy movie directed by Jake Kasdan and starring Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, JK Simmons, Kiernan Shipka, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Lucy Liu, Bonnie Hunt and Wesley Kimmel. It is rated PG-13 for action, some violence, and language, and its runtime is 2 hours, 3 minutes. It opened in theaters Nov. 15. Lynn’s Grade: C-.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.
