“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” – “Beautiful Boy,” John Lennon, 1980
Grounded but teeming with uncertainty, an off-kilter sense that an alternate reality is emerging for a pair of lost women becomes clearer as we watch them grapple with their fate in Upstream Theater’s compelling, bravely acted two-hander “Meet Me at Dawn.”
As life partners Helen and Robyn, Michelle Hand and Lizi Watt are riveting after they wash up on a distant shore following a boating accident. Dazed and worried about each other, they attempt to get their bearings and find a way home.
But this sandy patch of seascape is not what it seems, nor are they who they appear to be, which will come into focus as their circumstances unfold. This may sound like a twisty sci-fi drama, but playwright Zinnie Harris wrote this as a lyrical meditation inspired by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.
This modern fable reveals its goal – tackling love, loss, and grief – during a 90-minute play without intermission. As time and space is disrupted, the performers recreate a mysterious sense of being “in between.”
Michelle Hand and Lizi Watt. Photo by ProPhotoSTL.
Through their distinctive raw and real characterizations, Hand and Watt lead us through the transitional state of “liminality.” This other world is jarring, but how they process fate is a remarkable feat.
We’re watching two actors being present and giving their all in convincing portraits, conveying a range of emotions in a profoundly moving way. The pair’s chemistry is palpable – in moments of tenderness, exasperation and fear. And they convey a dreamlike, surreal state in their body language and exchanges, not just intimacy.
Helen, a scientist who is more high-strung and very funny in mining situations for humor, complements Robyn, who is an academic and more deliberate and less impulsive when speaking, deftly handle the squabbles as well as the caring between longtime companions.
Can they figure out what is real and what is fantasy? Can they trust their memories? Their hope turns to despair, and paranoia mixes with the metaphysical. When the play comes together, you feel what they feel — pain, helpless, resignation, mourning.
Hand, an actor for 25 years whose name in a program means you will always be treated to a robust characterization and often in a thrillingly alive way, has met her match in intensity in Watt.
During the past couple of years, Watt has impressed with vivid characterizations in “The Whale,” “Copenhagen,” and “Pictures from a Revolution.” With their expressive work, they boost their reputation as being among the best theater artists of their generation.
Photo by ProPhotoSTL
Harris, who is known for specializing in modern interpretations of classic literature, debuted this play at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2017. The Scottish playwright’s work includes “Macbeth (An Undoing),” “The Scent of Roses,” “This Restless House” and “How to Hold Your Breath.”
Perceptively directed by Larissa Lury, she understands the allegorical nature and rhythms of the play, trauma, and appreciates the quality of her dynamic duo.
The show is enhanced by the technical team’s contributions. The simple sandbank set is meticulously detailed by scenic designer Patrick Huber, atmospherically lit by lighting designer Tony Anselmo and featuring added depth through sound designer Kristi Gunther’s inobtrusive work, with sounds of the sea and sky. The women are dressed in casual wear designed by costumer Lou Bird.
Note: Some reflections may trigger emotional feelings or upsetting memories for audience members.
Photo by ProPhotoSTL
Loss is a tough fact of life, but grief is a personal journey that rips your heart out in different degrees. As one who experienced three major family deaths in five years, understanding that grief affects everyone differently, but it’s never something you “get over,” helps as you learn acceptance.
As the play alludes, everything shifts, you learn to live with trauma. What is necessary is talking about grief, because our society tends to shy away from talking about letting go and the powerlies in talking about it to heal.
This play may spark conversation, and isn’t that a wonderful opportunity? Going through something that others experience too means we’re not alone, and we can learn and grow when material resonates.
Poignant and meaningful, “Meet Me at Dawn” showcases two extraordinary actresses fearlessly not holding back in showing us their humanity in a thoughtful drama produced by Upstream Theater.
Upstream Theater presents “Meet Me at Dawn” April 11 – April 27, with performances take place at The Marcelle in Grand Center. For more information: www.upstreamtheater.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.
Pretty people and sun-dappled scenery wind up being ineffective in a shallow head-scratcher, “On Swift Horses,” a stagnant 1950s melodrama heavy on turgid soap opera and light on authentic emotion.
Two card sharks, a freedom-yearning woman from Kansas, and a traditional breadwinner in the 1950s seek the suburban American Dream after the Korean War. While their lives intersect, they are actually very far apart in their wants, needs and desires.
Trying to imitate Douglas Sirk’s lush films from that era, director Daniel Minahan’s queer period piece addresses how homosexuals had to remain closeted during a very repressed and cookie-cutter time but fails to connect in any meaningful way.
An example of style over substance, this is the kind of film where chain-smoking cigarettes substitute for pensive thoughts and inner torment. And they all live in the shadows.
Sirk, who made “Magnificent Obsession,” “All That Heaven Allows,” “Written on the Wind,” and “Imitation of Life” from 1954 to 1959, captured attractive people who were trapped by social conditions, and his overwrought stories appealed because his filming featured splendid cinematic set pieces, and matinee idols like Rock Hudson and Lana Turner.
With such well-regarded performers as Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi and Will Poulter in what you may think is a seductive love triangle (trailer is a misdirect), one hoped they’d make us care about their journeys, but the story fails to provide reasons to be interested in what happens.
The trio is built up to appear “longing,” only they smolder and do not ignite. This disjointed adaptation of Shannon Pufahl’s 2019 novel by screenwriter Bryce Kass is overstuffed, not satisfying with basics. Neither did his lackluster “Lizzie” in 2018, which did not go far enough in fleshing out accused ax murderer Lizzie Borden.
Sure, they are a tempting pair, Elordi and Edgar-Jones, but do their character’s mutual connection benefit either? They spend most of their time in separate turmoil, with only a few scenes together.ccc
Oh, the trio try for big emotions, but it’s dialed down, as they speak in hushed tones and move around in scenes lit in such moody, murky atmospheres that it is almost too dark, so that is aggravating. Now, the stylish costumes designed by Jeriana San Juan, and distinct make-up and hairstyles are fabulous, but that can’t be the only selling point.
Muriel (Edgar-Jones) chafes at convention – doomed to be a typical wife in post-war America although she reluctantly attempts to fit in — while brothers Lee (Poulter) and Julius (Elordi) are Korean War veterans. The film starts in 1952 but it’s not clear how much time passes.
These young adults have different goals and desires, but fumble badly in their communication with each other. Lee talks in code about his wayward, secretive brother Julius who is always flirting with the wild side. “He has passions of his own. He’s just not like us,” he tells his wife.
The handsome Julius is a smooth gambler and gay hustler who falls in love with Henry (Diego Calva) while working in Las Vegas. Much of the interaction doesn’t feel genuine, and lack of convincing chemistry is an issue.
However, Elordi and Edgar-Jones have a spark when Julius and Muriel meet, becoming pen pals and share some, but not all, of their secrets. Don’t think this is going anywhere because it’s not.
At the diner she works at, Muriel overhears customers talking about their picks for the racetrack, so she starts playing the ponies with those tips. It’s a thrill for her to win and live a double life, stashing away the cash without her husband’s knowledge.
Lee, a total straight arrow who loves his wife and desperately wants the fantasy suburban life including a ranch house in a subdivision that signals middle-class prosperity. Developers are buying up farms and fields in San Diego for the “Baby Boom.”
One of the neighboring farms where Muriel purchases eggs and takes a shine to olives – and the woman selling them, Sandra (Sasha Calle). They become entangled in a clandestine affair.
Those hiding secrets are on a collision course for crash-and-burns, but whether you want to invest in their mess depends on how impatient you feel, for the pace is sluggish and resolutions are prolonged. And why does it take nearly 2 hours to tell this insipid story?
I fret that Elordi, promising as Elvis in “Priscilla” and as the rich golden-boy Felix in “Saltburn,” is a one-trick pony, destined to be the bad boy with the sad eyes. Let’s hope not, because he’s playing Heathcliff to Margot Robbie’s Catherine in Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Bronte’s classic gothic novel “Wuthering Heights,” due out next year.
Poulter, who seems to be everywhere these days, recently in “Warfare” and “Death of a Unicorn,” is saddled with an underdeveloped character and being boxed in as the cuckolded husband. And would you believe he and Elordi are brothers?
After taking risks, Edgar-Jones’ character is mired in blandness. The actress, feisty in last year’s “Twisters” and superb in “Where the Crawdads Sing,” makes Muriel sympathetic but needed to give her more dimension. It’s a letdown.
Tell us something we don’t know and would like to know and not foist half-baked performative junk at us and call it alluring. “On Swift Horses” goes in circles and limps to the finish line with a clumsy ending that doesn’t answer any questions raised. It’s a safe bet you can skip this gussied-up charade.
“On Swift Horses” is a 2025 drama directed by Daniel Minahan and starring Jacob Elordi, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Will Poulter, Diego Calva and Sasha Calle. Its run time is 1 hour, 57 minutes, and it’s rated R for sexual content, nudity and some language. It opens in theatres April 25. Lynn’s Grade: D+
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.
Accurately described as the most realistic war film ever made, “Warfare” is a harrowing and intense depiction of the Iraq War based on the recollections of a Navy SEALS platoon during the Battle of Ramadi in 2006.
“Warfare” embeds audiences on a surveillance mission gone wrong in insurgent territory as a boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare and brotherhood based on the memory of the people who lived it.
Filmmaker Alex Garland, known for “Civil War” and “Ex Machina,” has teamed up with military veteran Ray Mendoza to write and direct a daring and gripping account of one day’s work, all from first-hand accounts.
After his military discharge, Mendoza has served as a film consultant, including for Garland’s “Civil War,” “The Outpost” and “Lone Survivor.” His expertise is paramount to this film succeeding and its visceral storytelling is admirably efficient.
In its 96 minutes, we see the U.S. forces take on the al-Qaeda insurgents in the capital of Anbar province, and it unfolds as if in real time in a naturalistic style. The screenplay is written like a transcript, and the soldiers go through their methodical routines.
Yet, there is an emotional charge. Garland and Mendoza filmed this war drama with such meticulous detail that you feel the tension, the clock ticking, the exactness of surveillance evidence, the danger lurking, maneuver plans, and the aftermath of an ambush as if we’re peeking through a hole in the apartment they’ve taken over.
D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai plays Ray, the real-life soldier who co-wrote “Warfare.”
Like them, we wait for some movement or something to happen as they watch “military age men” in the street gather and look for signs of activity that would indicate an attack is imminent. As things developed, it makes a point: “Are we ever prepared to witness the graphic consequences of an explosion’s destruction?”
With their military training, the guys respond to their shifting minute-by-minute interactions with split-second compassion and quick-thinking remedies. This film focuses on teamwork, not individual character development, with the mindset that they are a band of brothers. But you feel everyone’s bravery and their fear.
Known as the “Gettysburg” of the conflict, the Ramadi battle was a key turning point, and it lasted from mid-March through mid-November. At least 75 American soldiers and Marines were killed, along with an unknown number of Iraqi soldiers and police.
The battle led to the formation of the Anbar Awakening, where Iraqi tribal groups rejected al-Qaeda and cooperated with U.S. forces.
Mendoza lived through the operation, and the actor playing him is the charismatic D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai, an Emmy nominee as Bear Smallhill in “Reservation Dogs.”
Will Poulter as platoon leader Erik.
Do not expect backstories – families, hometowns, why they enlisted – because that information does not factor into the team focus.
You won’t really get to know the individual guys that well, and it may be hard to discern these young actors in all their gear, but a few do stand out by virtue of their assigned role.
The cast of up-and-comers may look somewhat familiar, as you’ve likely seen some of their work, but they blend in as men in service to each other. Each plays a real person, with character actor Will Poulter, recently in “Death of a Unicorn” and Emmy nominated as a pastry chef on “The Bear,” as the platoon leader, Erik.
He has a funny moment with some other soldiers as they notice a young man’s enthusiasm, and he says “That’s that new guy energy” and they all chuckle.
He’s calling the shots until Charles Melton, an Oscar nominee for “May December,” leads a team to rescue the wounded soldiers from this targeted hot spot.
The actors trained in a three-week boot camp to mimic soldier’s duties, and they appear as authentic as possible.
Kit Connor, who was recently heard as the voice of Brightbill in “The Wild Robot,” is memorable as Tommy, whose injuries are swiftly dealt with by the guys.. Cosmo Jarvis, who plays Elliot, an injured sniper and medic, is one of the unforgettable guys in a frantic race for help. Michael Gandolfini, as Lt. MacDonald, is his wingman.
Joseph Quinn is Sam.
Joseph Quinn, whose recent credits include “Gladiator 2,” “A Quiet Place: Day One,” not to mention “Stranger Things,” is a more seasoned operative, Sam.
Noah Centineo, Owen in TV’s “The Recruit,” is Brian, Finn Bennett of “True Detective” and “Black Doves” is John, Evan Holtzman of “Hit Man” is Brock, Alex Brockdorff of “Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning” is Mikey, and Taylor John Smith of “Where the Crawdads Sing” is Frank, among others.
The credits will roll with the making of shots, and a side-by-side portrait of the soldier and the actor who played him. Because some of the men remain on active duty, their real-life photos are blurred images.
The technical craftsmanship stands out as first-rate, especially David J. Thompson’s cinematography, Fin Oates’ editing, Glenn Freemantle’s sound design and team of sound editors, and the visual and special effects crews.
One of the knocks about the post-9/11 attack Iraq and Afghanistan war movies is that they haven’t been successful with audiences. However, some are outstanding depictions of the conflicts, include Oscar winner “The Hurt Locker,” “American Sniper” (highest-grossing), “Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant” and “Lone Survivor.” “Warfare” deserves to be ranked among the best as well.
A heartfelt tribute to the men who serve, “Warfare” is a powerful reminder of the human cost of war.
Cosmo Jarvis is Elliot, the inspiration for the film.
“Warfare” is a 2025 war drama co-directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, and starring Will Poulter, Charles Melton, Joseph Quinn, D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Michael Gandolfini, and Noah Centineo. It is rated R for intense war violence and bloody/grisly images, and language throughout and the run time is 96 minutes. “Warfare” opens in theatres April 11. Lynn’s Grade: A-
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.
After a lifetime together, Minnie and Clifford Habberdeen prefer to go gentle into that good night. They’re tired of raging against the dying of the light – and with good reason.
Although as a long-time married couple, they have bickered with each other, and been exasperated by their son, who has masterminded an endgame for the infirmed pair. Clifford’s dementia is only progressing, as is Minnie’s cancer. They have decided to check out together. Thus, “With” takes us through their plan of action.
Celebrated St. Louis playwright Carter W. Lewis’ original play pokes your heart and prods your mind, with his intelligent insight into the human condition, and the very human comedy that unfolds in relationships.
“With,” so titled to refer to the preposition used in the phrase “Death with Dignity,” is about life, big decisions, loss and pesky aggravations, as realized by the exceptional duo of Donna Weinsting and Whit Reichert.
Widely known and regarded as local treasures, the enterprising pair – both genial, generous performers – present an endearing master class of acting at the Gaslight Theatre. They have appeared in other works presented by St. Louis Actors’ Studio, but these portrayals may be their finest to date on that intimate stage.
Donna Weinsting and Whit Reichert in “With.” Photo by Patrick Huber.
As the husband and wife, they are comfortable with each other, and so natural in their roles that you feel like you know them – they’re your next-door neighbors, smiling and waving, and asking if you need some tomatoes, or your aunt and uncle, always arriving at family gatherings with warm hugs, a covered dish, and jokes.
Minnie and Cliff can’t imagine living without the other one yet acknowledge their patience is often put to the test as they deal with the minutiae of everyday living. Their foibles and frailties are apparent, and the stage veterans skillfully convey their concern and care, along with their finely tuned comic timing.
Because of the subject matter, and the dramatic requirements, Reichert and Weinsting tug at your heart as they depict a gamut of emotions in a genuine, not forced, way.
Annamaria Pileggi, a director who smartly depicts relationships in all their messy glory, has two gems to work with here, and she polishes them to shine brightly.
Lewis, a retired playwright-in-residence at Washington University, has had two of his one-act plays previously featured at STLAS’ LaBute New Play Festival, including “Percentage America” in 2017, a political comedy that won Best New Play from the St. Louis Theater Circle and had an off-Broadway run.
Lewis is the author of over 30 plays, which have been staged in over 150 productions. He is a two-time nominee for the American Theatre Critics Award and is known for such works as “Evie’s Waltz,” “While We Were Bowling,” and “Golf with Alan Shepard.”
With his keen ear for dialogue and sharp instincts regarding human behavior, Carter perceptively matches fascinating characters with thought-provoking topics that reflect modern society.
Photo by Patrick Huber
With an aging population, and the realities of how dementia and terminal illness affect quality of life, the points he brings up through the Habberdeens’ situation are relatable. Through the compassion of all involved in this production, “With” is impactful, bittersweet and deeply felt.
Not to get too much in the weeds, but currently, euthanasia – active ending of life – remains illegal, but physician-assisted death, known as medical aid in dying or “death with dignity,” is legal in 10 states: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
In these states, terminally ill adults can request a prescription from their doctor to end their lives, but they must self-administer a lethal dose of medication. They must be considered mentally competent to have made the voluntary decision.
In 1997, Oregon became the first state to pass a ballot initiative, Death with Dignity Act. In this scenario, their adult son has travelled to Oregon to obtain a lethal cocktail of pills. When he came home around the holidays, wrote out specific instructions and separated the doses into labeled plastic bags.
However, in their current off-kilter state, the couple can’t locate the list, although they have the medication at the ready. Their arrangements have gone awry, for they have spent January trying to wrap up their affairs, and the best-laid plans…
But of course, there is a blizzard raging outside, a rodent darting around the kitchen, the Christmas tree is only partially taken down, and they are dealing with their son’s recent untimely death. Nerves are fraying, their tone becomes frantic and desperate, and they cling to each other for support.
Photo by Patrick Huber
The overall chaotic environment in a once orderly home, inhabited by two senior citizens whose health is slipping, is artfully rendered by scenic designer Patrick Huber. His sharp eye for details is evident, along with Minnie’s knickknacks, decorative kitchen pieces, and magnets on the refrigerator.
Propmaster Emma Glose has added to that look with the brick-a-brack of an advanced-age couple’s modest home to depict their cozy lifestyle.
Huber’s lighting design is customarily on point, as is the sound design. Costume designer Teresa Doggett has outfitted them in casual attire that seniors wear around the house in winter.
“With” is a one-act, 75-minute production that has meaningful things to say, but also feel. Through this uncomplicated staging, two absolute masters of their craft impart Lewis’ razor-sharp wit and uncanny understanding of a married couple’s end of the road with grace and dignity.
St. Louis Actors’ Studio presents “With” April 4 to 20, with performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle Avenue. Seating is general admission, and tickets are available via Ticketmaster or at the theater box office one hour before showtime. For more information, visit stlas.org or email help@stlas.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.
Get ready to rock! Fans of 1980s rock ‘n roll can rejoice – they’ll be able to hear the catchy melodies of head-banging heavy metal hair bands in the delightful jukebox musical “Rock of Ages” presented with brio by Stray Dog Theatre.
Go ahead, wave your phone and sing along to those earworm choruses. If you have as much fun as the exuberant cast does performing this high-spirited, energetic mega-mix tape bonanza, you will have nothing but a good time.
Without missing a beat, this cast of characters salutes the glory days of guitar-driven music in heavy rotation on MTV, set in a Sunset Strip music club that’s an epicenter of rock-star hipness.
The time and place are The Bourbon Room, 1987. You will soon be amused by the distinctive vintage fashions and hairstyles, from leather and acid-washed jeans to neon colors and aerobics wear, accessorized by mullets, perms, feathered bangs, teased hair and fluffy blow-outs, all volumized by many cans of hairspray.
The authentic big hair looks were crafted for each character, with many wearing wigs designed with a terrific eye by Sarah Gene Dowling. Rock god Stacee Jaxx’s bleached-blond mop even had dark roots showing from underneath his teeny rhinestone-bedazzled cowboy hat.
Dawn Schmid and Clayton Humburg. Photo by Stray Dog Theatre.
Costume designer Colleen Michelson found a treasure trove of retro looks, with the women looking like they were in Pat Benatar music videos and the guys emulating roadies backstage at Van Halen concerts. They stayed in the hard rock lane, not expanding to punk or new wave, to suit the music.
Everybody involved in the show just clicked – the cast, the band, the backstage crew, and the creatives, all unified by director Justin Been’s vision and light-hearted approach.
A surprise smash hit that ran on Broadway for six years, debuting in 2009 and closing in 2015 after 2,328 performances, “Rock of Ages” garnered five Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical.
On tour, it played to enthusiastic crowds at the Fox Theatre in 2012, 2013 and 2019, eager to indulge in a cheeky, cheesy and irreverent blast from the past. Its first two stops that I attended in St. Louis were raucous celebrations of that golden era that pumped up the crowd.
But Tower Grove Abbey’s stage allows for a more intimate feeling, an opportunity for sincere interactions while the house band on stage is shredding guitar licks and demonstrating their technical skills.
Led by music director Mallory Golden on keyboards, Jonathan Beck and Johnny Reitano play guitars, M. Joshua Ryan is on bass, and Jake Luebbert on percussion. The music fills the house but doesn’t overpower the singers.
Much like the clever way the songs of ABBA were woven through two acts of the global hit “Mamma Mia!”, some of classic rock’s biggest bands allowed their power ballads and rock anthems to be used as the soundtrack – including Bon Jovi, Foreigner, Journey, REO Speedwagon, Poison, Styx, and Twisted Sister, with arrangements and orchestrations by Ethan Popp. There are more than two dozen hits incorporated into the very slim plot.
Naturally, the show-stopping upbeat and joyous finale is none other than Journey’s 1981 “Don’t Stop Believin,’ the cultural phenomenon that is now officially the “biggest song of all time,” (so says Forbes because it’s an 18-time platinum-certified single and holds the record for the most digital downloads of the 20th century.)
But the show is no amateur karaoke night. It features some of the best vocals you’ll likely hear on local stages all year. As their scorching solos indicate, Drew Mizell and Dawn Schmid soar — especially his “Oh Sherrie” by Journey and “I Wanna Rock” by Twisted Sister, and her “Harden My Heart” by Quarterflash..
Their harmonies are well-integrated in their duets, especially supergroup Damn Yankees power ballad “High Enough” and Survivor’s “The Search is Over.”
It’s a testament to their talent and vocal prowess that you feel like you are hearing some of these songs in a new and meaningful way, and wow, can they belt. One of their heartfelt medleys is Warrant’s “Heaven,” Extreme’s “More Than Words” and Mr. Big’s “To Be with You.”
Dawn Schmid and Drew Mizell. Photo by Stray Dog Theatre.
The story by Chris D’Arienzo is silly, but it doesn’t matter if it’s as predictable as Axel Rose’s arrogance and a “Dynasty” catfight between Joan Collins and Linda Evans because of its nostalgic pull.
Throwing a wrench into this made-for-each-other couple is Stacee Jaxx, a caricature of the egomaniac rock star, whose moves on Sherrie will lead to all sorts of problems. Clayton Humburg, giving off major swagger and cool-guy wannabe vibes, knows how to play the role leaning into its absurdity. He is not the sharpest tool in the shed, particularly when under the influence.
The trio team up for enjoyable renditions of Foreigner’s “Waiting for a Girl Like You” and “I Want to Know What Love Is,” plus Bon Jovi’s “Wanted: Dead or Alive,” and a blend of Asia’s “Heat of the Moment” with Joan Jett and the Blackhearts’ “I Hate Myself for Loving You.”
Comic relief comes in the form of German developers Hertz (Jacob Wilkinson) and his son Franz (Luke A. Smith), who want to take over the block to redevelop the area and are met with fiery resistance by activist Regina and her cohorts.
Regina is a firecracker played by Sarah Polizzi, whose flair for broad over-the-top comedy fits well here. She’s a daffy disruptor with good intentions. She and Franz connect, and that is one funny coupling, especially when he sings Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me with Your Best Shot.” She also leads the ensemble in Twisted Sister’s spirited rebel yell “We’re Not Gonna Take It.”
Bradley Bliven and Jeffrey M. Wright. Photo by Stray Dog Theatre.
Jaded club owner Dennis Dupree, played by the ever-reliable Jeffrey Wright, is a street-smarts guy who has seen some things and knows some things, and rocks a sweet mullet. He’s a good match with his loyal sound guy, scene-stealer Lonny, who is portrayed by the breakout star in his Stray Dog debut, Bradley Bliven.
Bliven is charming and very funny in the dual role of narrator and secondary lead character, which features a bromance between Dennis and Lonny where they sing REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling” as a hilarious duet.
An appealing aspect of the show is that Lonny can mock the era with self-deprecating humor while offering a running commentary on what’s happening, breaking the fourth wall in a way that gets big laughs. And in today’s lingo, is very meta in its awareness.
He opens the show, with the ensemble’s lively take on Quiet Riot’s cover of “Cum on Feel the Noize” (oh, the misspellings of these titles!), then leads into David Lee Roth’s post-Van Halen “Just Like Paradise” and Poison’s “Nothin’ but a Good Time” with Dennis and Drew too.
The Velvet Room is an adjacent men’s club with Jade Anaiis as a soulful Mama Justice, the wise and benevolent earth mama to her girl workers. She sings Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me” with Sherrie and Lonny.
Sarah Polizzi and Ruben Medina-Perez. Photo by Stray Dog Theatre.
The versatile ensemble features Sara Rae Womack as Waitress #1, Corrinna Redford as Ja’Keith Gill, and Ruben Medina-Perez as Joey Primo.
The company kicks it up a notch for their vigorous group numbers, including the first act closer “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake and second act opening “The Final Countdown” by arena rockers Europe.
As he always does, choreographer Mike Hodges wonderfully captures the time-capsule dance moves and the theatrical poses of those popular aerobics’ videotapes.
Rob Lippert created a lived-in atmosphere in his effective scenic design, cleverly adding height where it was needed, and the staging was enhanced by lighting designer Tyler Duenow’s illumination.
Whether ‘80s music is your jam, you lived through the decade or just enjoy a party-like atmosphere with a non-stop hit parade of jukebox heroes, “Rock of Ages” is a whole lotta fun and packed with many performance highlights.
Few things in life are as mood-lifting as impromptu sing-alongs with a room full of strangers, all singing out with glee (and not realizing you know the lyrics already!), bobbing your heads and smiling with great joy. Rock on!
Stray Dog Theatre’s production of “Rock of Ages” is being presented April 3 to April 26, with performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and special matinees on Sundays, April 6 and 13 at 2 p.m. All performances take place at the Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Avenue, St. Louis. The show’s run-time is 2 hours and 15 minutes, with a 10-minute intermission, and is for mature audiences. For tickets or more information, visit www.straydogtheatre.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.
Mix the Marx Brothers, Monty Python and Mel Brooks in a blender, and you have the fizzy potion that is fueling a crackerjack ensemble in the rollicking “Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood” on the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’s mainstage.
Through merry mischief and dazzling derring-do, this jaunty, physically fit ensemble works very hard to entertain and summon their mighty skills to keep their pace zippy and their swashbuckling crowd-pleasing.
Staged with zesty agility by director Kate Bergstrom, some of the feats are astounding. How do they manage arrows hitting their targets without flying over the heads of the audience? It’s an incredible illusion involving sleight-of-hand, I imagine. (And they’re not divulging this magic trick).
The fight choreographers Rachel Lee Flesher and Zachariah Payne did extraordinary work to make it authentic – and whoever worked on archery, too.
With a nifty Sherwood Forest set framed as a folk tale, we’re immersed back to 1194 Nottingham, England. Scenic designers Lindsay Mummert and Courtney O’Neill have created a majestic oak tree as the focal point, and it serves the action well.
The set. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
Part history, part myth, the legend of Robin Hood, fighting for the common man, has endured for more than 700 years and been fictionalized in countless ways (even the Rat Pack, aka 1964’s “Robin and the Seven Hoods” starring Frank Sinatra as “Robbo,” set gangster-style in 1930s Chicago!).
With so many movie and TV adaptations, nearly everyone has seen a version – Douglas Fairbanks’ silent movie in 1922, Errol Flynn’s finest hour in 1938’s “The Adventures of Robin Hood,” Disney’s animated feature in 1971, miscast Kevin Costner’s “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” in 1991, Mel Brooks’ spoof “Robin Hood: Men in Tights” in 1993, and then millennial efforts from Ridley Scott in 2010 with Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, and another same-titled one “Robin Hood” in 2018, albeit younger performers, starring Taron Egerton, among them.
So, you likely know the story – maybe not beyond “stealing from the rich and giving it to the poor,” but playwright Ken Ludwig incorporates the 12th century history – in fact, the first act gets bogged down with the backstory.
However, the second act rebounds with vigorous swordplay as our heroes endure the slings and arrows of an outrageous ruler (greedy Prince John) and his henchman (including sycophants Sheriff of Nottingham and Sir Guy of Gisbourne). Like their rogue counterparts in France as embodied by “The Three Musketeers,” the rascals are “all for one, one for all.”
Ludwig, known for such farces as “Lend Me a Tenor,” “Moon in Buffalo,” and “Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery,” produced this play in 2017. He has infused some contemporary behavior so as not to have the action mired in the past (and off-putting to today’s sensibilities).
Jayne McLendon, DeAnté Bryant, Michael James Reed, Oriana Lada. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
As Robin grows up from playboy to a man with a conscience, he and his band of outlaws are committed to social justice, their eyes opened by seeing the monarch’s cruelty and corruption through several characters.
Delivering both the swagger and the rebel with a cause, Louis Reyes McWilliams reveals himself to be a noble lad after his aimless youth. Although he’s dashing in his romantic endeavors as well, he’s clearly met his match in his spunky childhood pal Maid Marian, for she is no push-over.
What’s refreshingly modern is that Marian is not a damsel in distress. Rather, Jayne McLendon plays her as just as fleet-footed and even more of a sharp-shooter than her male peers. It’s a delightful rendering, and she has terrific chemistry with McWilliams.
Costume Designer Dottie Marshall Englis, splendid at creating period pieces that offer ease of movement, has superbly outfitted this lively bunch so they can run, jump and fight without pesky restrictions.
The characters’ camaraderie is this play’s strong suit, and their stamina is impressive – they had to be athletic and graceful throughout to execute their game plans.
Louise Reyes McWilliams as Robin Hood and CB Brown as Little John. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
Ever-reliable Michael James Reed, always first-rate and masterful as Friar Tuck, ties everything together as a trustworthy confidante, acting as the narrator and breaking the fourth wall to alert the audience to what’s happening.
One of the show’s highlights is the audience involvement, as they’re encouraged to cheer and boo, some getting called into action. Bergstrom focused on the joy, the sense of fun, this story contains.
Other performance standouts include Fabiola Cabrera-Davila as Deorwynn, a feisty peasant avenging her farmer father’s unfortunate death due to the acting king’s tyranny. Her courage inspires others to be dedicated to their mission, especially Robin and a smitten Little John, robustly embodied by CB Brown. (They look imposing but are really a teddy bear).
Oriana Lada is a noteworthy supporting player, nimbly handling several roles, including as a paramour of Robin’s. Credited as Alize, she’s part of an ensemble who is adept at multiple parts, like monks, soldiers, foresters, archers and executioners.
The dastardly villains include David Weynand, amusing as the weaselly Sheriff of Nottingham; hardy Matt Lytle as the smug Sir Guy of Gisbourne; and iron-man Eric Dean White as the capricious, conniving Prince John. Usurping his brother Richard the Lionheart’s throne while he is away fighting in The Crusades, he is hoodwinking the masses. White oozes with unctuousness in this juicy role.
Matt Lytle and David Weynand as Sir Guy and Sheriff. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
(For a reference, “The Lion in Winter” is a good history lesson about John’s parents, Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and his relationship with his brothers.)
DeAnte Bryant, spry as the Troubadour, also smoothly played other roles and was the assistant fight director.
The Troubadour’s music and score were composed/arranged by St. Louisan Colin McLaughlin, who also was the music director. He went medieval on 21st century tunes, at times, reimagining pop hits by using old-fashioned instruments like lutes, harpsichords and recorders. The choice of Outkast’s Grammy-winning 2003 song “Hey Ya!” for curtain call was inspired.
Amanda Werre’s expert sound design and Christine Watanabe’s sterling lighting design add to the quality of The Rep show, as their efforts always do.
With its improvisations, goofy additions (yay, Monty Python’s “Spamalot” reference), and vibrant casting, this is not your 14th century ballad come to life. It’s a fresh take – script could have been sharper, though – on a classic story.
While it has commendable heart and humor, “Sherwood” also has a message that always stands the test of time – respect the dignity of the common man, and band together to resist tyranny, especially without fear of “the others” – no time for we vs. them when society is at a moral crisis. Enjoying this popular adventure and energetic effort by all involved is the cherry on top.
Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood” March 21 through April 13. The play is appropriate for ages 8 and up, with the use of mild innuendo throughout. The production may use strobe lighting, fog, and haze. It runs 2 hours and 5 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission. Performances are on the main stage of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: www.repstl.org.
On April 13 at 2 p.m., a special Sherwood Family Day will take place. Post-show festivities include costumed performers from the St. Louis Renaissance Festival and an interactive archery experience.
Jayne McLendon and Oriana Lada perform medieval music with aplomb. 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.
Whether he stands out in a challenging role or disappears into a classic character, Spencer Davis Milford is a familiar presence, having matured on local stages and now recognized nationally.
Fresh from the U.S. and New Zealand premieres of the epic fantasy tale “The Lord of the Rings” musical adaptation as hero Frodo Baggins, the St. Louis native has returned to tackle one of his “dream roles,” as the cunning Master of Ceremonies in New Jewish Theatre’s powerful interpretation of “Cabaret.”
“Getting the chance to tell this story with the passion and creative leadership that Rebekah Scallet, Ellen Isom, and Carter Haney are bringing is incredibly special. I’m grateful that they asked me to be a part of this amazing cast,” he said. “This had always been one of my dream roles when I was younger and became obsessed with musical theater, and I always was on the lookout for an opportunity and I couldn’t pass it up.”
Performances have been selling out (including this upcoming weekend), they’ve extended the run through April 13 for four more performances, and he’s been garnering rave reviews for his magnetic performance as the menacing Emcee with the salacious grin. It’s a departure from anything he’s done before.
“Cabaret.” Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
Director Rebekah Scallet, whom Milford said had a clear vision, was impressed with her cast’s work ethic.
“The entire ensemble of Cabaret, from top to bottom, was a dream to work with. Everyone was incredibly committed to this production and worked their tails off – this was no easy feat, given our short rehearsal schedule and small ensemble (we only had 11 and typically the show is done with more like 18), but this group was up for any challenge. We began the process with a tour of the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Museum, and I think that really cemented for everyone the important reasons for doing this show now at NJT. I am so grateful for all of their talents and their passion,” she said.
New Jewish Theatre’s production takes on an even greater relevance as rates of anti-Semitism in the United States are reaching all-time highs. The musical illustrates how the Nazis rose to power while the German citizens either ignored what was happening, refused to believe fascism possibly could happen, or chose to go along with it to ensure their own survival.
Milford, as Frodo Baggins, in the touring “The Lord of the Rings” musical. Photo provided.
“The themes of the show are just as prevalent in our society today as they were when the show was written, unfortunately,” he said.
The Wool Studio’s intimate and immersive setting brings the audience right into the Kit Kat Club as they enter the world of 1929 Germany.
Scallet described Milford as a ‘dream to work with’ on “Cabaret.”
“Not only is he a super talented actor, singer, and dancer, he is a thoughtful and sensitive human. The emcee is a challenging character to wrap your head around, both who he is and how he functions in the play, and Spencer and I had wonderful conversations, diving deep to discover his journey. And I absolutely love what he found,” she said.
A veteran of the Muny, Stages St. Louis and the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Milford spread his wings on the first national tours of “Billy Elliot” (as the “Tall Boy” and understudy to Michael) and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” (as Boo Hoo).
In 2013, he appeared on Broadway in the revival of the 1947 Terrance Rattigan play “The Winslow Boy” as the titular character, Ronnie. The drama, about a family’s fight to clear their son’s name after an unjust expulsion from naval college, is based on a real incident, and starred Tony winner Roger Rees and Oscar nominee Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as his parents.
Acting since he was a youngster, he played Michael Darling in The Muny’s “Peter Pan,” Winthrop in “The Music Man” at Stages St. Louis, Rudy in “Over the Tavern” and :”A Boy” (aka Peter) in “Peter and the Starcatcher,” both at The Rep.
Among his recent roles at the Muny, he was Gene Vincent, Dick Clark and part of the ensemble in 2023’s “Beautiful: the Carole King Musical,” Davey in 2017’s “Newsies,” the ensemble in 2016’s “42nd Street” and in the ensemble in 2022’s “Camelot.” He said performing at the Muny in the summer is one of his most favorite things to do in St. Louis.
Spencer Davis Milford, as Davey, Tessa Grady as Katherine, and Gabriel Cytron as Les dance rehearsal for The Muny’s Newsies in 2017. St Louis Post-Dispatch photo.
Michael Baxter, The Muny’s associate artistic director, has worked with Spencer for many years. first as a Muny Teen. Baxter, part of the Muny artistic team since 2012, spearheaded the teen program, revamping it and being director/choreographer, serving eight seasons. He became the resident choreographer in 2015 and promoted to his current position in 2018.
When asked for a comment, he said: “Spencer is an incredible talent, a true ‘song and dance’ man who comes alive in every role. He is valuable in an ensemble because he honors his essence but is a proper actor who is great with language. He lives in the ‘truth’ of the play and activates every role/line with specificity, rhythm and nuance. I trust him implicitly and he always delivers exceptional work.”
In my Aug. 11, 2017 review of “Newsies” for the Belleville News-Democrat, I wrote: “Other standouts include appealing Spencer Davis Milford as the smart go-getter Davey who handles setbacks with great aplomb, scene-stealing rookie sensation Gabriel Cytron as his adorable waif brother Les,,,.”
Photo below is from “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” at the Fulton Theatre in 2023, with Spencer as Nick.
He has performed at professional regional theatres, including in Chicago, as Barnaby in “Hello, Dolly!” in 2022, as Rusty Charlie in “Guys and Dolls” in 2024, and as Tony in “Billy Elliot: The Musical” a year ago.
The Chicago Shakespeare Theatre opened “The Lord of the Rings” musical last July before its New Zealand premiere in November 2024. The musical, originally written in 2006, is based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s 1954 novel about a humble hobbit who is asked to play the hero and undertake a treacherous mission to destroy an evil, magical ring. It’s set in the world of Middle-earth. The music is by A.R. Rahman, Vartina and Christopher Nightingale, with the lyrics and book by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus.
The reviews described it as a visual marvel, ambitious and featuring a hard-working cast. “This Lord of the Rings is a memorable piece of work. It is undeniably intense, exciting, and powerful,” wrote Chicago on Stage..
Varsha Anjali, a critic for The New Zealand Herald, said “The cast kicked ass,” describing Milford as “charming.” and the musical as “exhilarating.”
While he is in town, we asked him to answer our Take Ten questionnaire, and we interviewed him on the March 12 PopLifeSTL Presents podcast.
Here are his responses:
Take Ten with Spencer Davis Milford
1. What is special about your latest project?
“Cabaret” is widely considered one of the best musicals of all time. The themes of the show are just as prevalent in our society today as they were when the show was written, unfortunately.”
“Getting the chance to tell this story with the passion and creative leadership that Rebekah Scallet, Ellen Isom, and Carter Haney are bringing is incredibly special. I’m grateful that they asked me to be a part of this amazing cast.”
2. Why did you choose your profession/pursue the arts?
“The first time I was onstage in a musical was at five years old in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ at Shrewsbury Youth Theater and I’ve been obsessed with performing ever since. I knew very early on that I wanted to be a professional actor.”
3. How would your friends describe you?
“My friends would describe me as mostly laid back and fun, but when I’m passionate about something I am very committed and a little intense.”
4. How do you like to spend your spare time?
“I’m a pretty competitive person and I love sports, so I play a lot of golf and disc golf.”
5. What is your current obsession?
“The green liquidIV packets, electrolytes AND caffeine? Sign me up.”
6. What would people be surprised to find out about you?
“I think Farotto’s has the best t-ravs (toasted ravioli) in STL. Maybe that’s not a surprise.”
With Molly Hogg in “Peter and the Starcatcher” at The Rep in 2015.
7. Can you share one of your most defining moments in life?
“Playing Frodo in the US premiere of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ musical and also doing the show in New Zealand. It was the most challenging and rewarding experience of my life.”
8. Who do you admire most?
“My parents. They’re the hardest working people I know and they’re incredibly supportive of me and my three siblings. I don’t know where I’d be without them.”
9. What is at the top of your bucket list?
“Being in a show that tours all over Europe.”
10. What is your favorite thing to do in St. Louis?
“Performing at The Muny. Going to a Blues playoff game. Eating Imo’s pizza and t-ravs is pretty sweet too. I can’t pick a favorite.”
11. What’s next?
“Nothing I can announce yet but it’s going to be an exciting summer for sure!”
More About Spencer Davis Milford
Birthplace: St. Louis Education: Masters in Acting from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Favorite jobs/roles/plays or work in your medium? Lord of the Rings, Buzz directed by Carrie Preston, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Billy Elliot Dream job/opportunity: “Hamlet”
Photo at left is curtain call from “The Winslow Boy” on Broadway.
Milford, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Gabriel Cytron and Tessa Grady in the Muny’s “Newsies.” Photo by Phillip Hamer.
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.
“There was a cabaret, and there was a master of ceremonies, and there was a city called Berlin, in a country called Germany… and it was the end of the world” – “Cabaret” 1966
Eerily relevant now more than ever, the musical “Cabaret” has only grown in potency and insight over its 59-year history.
In New Jewish Theatre’s haunting production, director Rebekah Scallet has faithfully adapted Sam Mendes’ brilliant 1998 revival that emphasized the sinister motives as we witness the gathering storm that would lead to World War II and the Holocaust.
However, she has focused on making sure the parallels between then and now are clear, and she has strengthened the shattering epilogue even more than Mendes did. She puts a hard-hitting NJT stamp on it.
As impressive as her track record has been since becoming the artistic director in 2022, it’s noteworthy to mention that this is the first musical she has directed in Wool Studio.
Through the decadent setting of the seedy Kit Kat Club in 1929 Berlin, we witness the end of the Weimar Republic and the rise of the Nazis.
Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
This passionate cast resonates because of how committed they are to the bleak and shocking themes. In their telling of this story, the desperation is palpable. And their layered approach to the hummable John Kander-Fred Ebb score is commendable.
As the cunning Emcee welcomes patrons in “Wilkommen,” he seductively entices: “Leave your troubles outside! So—life is disappointing? Forget it! In here, life is beautiful. The girls are beautiful. Even the orchestra is beautiful!”
In a magnetic performance, Spencer Davis Milford embraces the tawdriness and makes sure the ominous feeling grows. He lurks in other scenes where he’s not the saucy showman, his menacing presence foreshadowing the horrors that are ahead.
Oh, he has doused his “I Don’t Care Much” and “If You Could See Her” in irony, making those numbers even more chilling. After such iconic actors as Joel Grey, Alan Cumming and Eddie Redmayne have created their indelible portraits, Milford makes the role his own.
Fresh from his starring role as Frodo Baggins in “The Lord of the Rings” national tour, he’s back home making his mark in yet another special show. His work has always captivated since he was a youngster, whether on stage at The Muny or The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, or a myriad of other companies. But this is quite a departure from anything he’s done.
When it was time for “Tomorrow Belongs to Me,” I braced myself, for its intensity remains affecting — and induces chills.
As conditions deteriorate in the polarizing landscape, those loyal to the “new Germany” face apathetic citizens and those who don’t understand the consequences.. In hindsight, how could they and why were people so unaware?
Soencer Davis Milford as the Master of Ceremonies. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
The innovative 1998 Tony winning Mendes collaboration with Rob Marshall deconstructed the heralded 1966 Hal Prince show in an earlier 1993 London re-imagining. While the original introduced social commentary in uncommon staging, this version heightens the present danger of ignoring anti-Semitism.
Mendes and Marshall would go on to helm Oscar-winning films in the early 2000s – “American Beauty” and “Chicago” respectively – but their impact has carried over for several vivid revivals in the past 27 years, notably 2014 and 2024, and in this striking, moving interpretation.
Scallet makes the most of the Wool Studio’s intimate setting, through an immersive experience placing some audience members in club configurations.
As the small but vibrant ensemble delivers high-energy precision in musical numbers, Scallet skillfully maintains fluidity throughout, with brisk staging, as one scene quickly melds into another.
Ellen Isom’s crisp and snappy choreography adds pizzazz to “Don’t Tell Mama,” “Mein Herr,” “Money,” and “Two Ladies,” and the robust kick line number in second act is an exceptional feat.
Otto Klemp, Hailey Medrano and Jayson Heil. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
Music Director Carter Haney conducts the band on stage – Brad Martin on drums, Alerica Anderson on a stand-up bass, and Kris Pineda on accordion and trombone, and their polished presentation is a highlight.
Scenic Designer David Blake’s visually interesting set has a grand balcony implying secretive dalliances behind closed doors while the downstairs doubles as the nightclub stage and both Sally’s and Fraulein Schneider’s shabby living quarters.
Denisse Chavez’s lighting design shrewdly draws us into the action, highlighting the moods, while Justin Smith’s sound design captures the atmosphere.
Hailey Medrano and Dustin Lane Petrillo are strong together as flighty, flirty nightclub singer Sally Bowles and broke American writer Clifford Bradshaw, brought together by fate, desire and living on the edge.
Separately, they are heart-tugging. Petrillo brings a discernable gravitas to every role he tackles, including virtuoso work in “Red,” The Immigrant,” “Hamlet” and “A Long Day’s Journey into Night” on local stages during the past two years.
Not as innocent as he first appears, and initially caught up in the whirlwind, Cliff eventually becomes the keen —-and appalled — observer whose conscience can no longer ignore the signs.
Dustin Petrillo, Medrano and Milford. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
His character is the fictionalized British writer Christopher Isherwood, who would go on to write the semi-autobiographical novel “Goodbye to Berlin.” The musical’s book by Joe Masteroff is based on the 1951 John Van Druten play “I Am a Camera,” which is adapted from Isherwood’s collection of short stories that he wrote between 1930 and 1933, published in 1939.
Medrano, who has returned to St. Louis with memorable turns in NJT’s “We All Fall Down” last year and work with Metro Theater Company, is at her most heart-wrenching when she refuses to leave her reckless livelihood for the safety and promise of a new life.
She makes drastic self-destructive decisions after spending much of the show flaunting her tough exterior that masks an emotional fragility.
In a smart change of pace, Medrano slows down several classic renditions, boosting their power – the raw, emotional “Maybe This Time” and the title song, aka “Life is a Cabaret” (old chum!) – infused with regret – are both knockouts.
The undercurrent of irony laced with a stinging gut-punch, her anguish seeping through as she breaks. It’s all the more tragic that she chooses to remain oblivious to what’s happening.
Medrano as Sally Bowles. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
Because Sally is such a confused mess, she is not always sympathetic, but Medrano is alluring when she’s “always on” as Sally Bowles, and tender, for a time, with new love interest Cliff.
In the show’s most devastating performance, Jane Paradise projects world-weariness but also a yearning she hides with pragmatism. The veteran character actress is known for lived-in portrayals and is often the MVP in any ensemble.
As Fraulein Schneider who discovers late-in-life love, her doomed romance with shy, kind fruit vendor Herr Schultz, played sweetly by Dave Cooperstein, is agonizing, for he is a Jew, and their shared dreams collapse under the weight of current events.
From their joyous duets “The Pineapple Song” and “Married,” to her melancholy “So What” and the tragic “What Would You Do?” are sad reminders of the choices we make and life’s turns, depriving them of even a shred of happiness.
Also standing out is Aaron Fischer as the calculating smuggler Ernst Ludwig, whose growing fervor for the Third Reich is alarming. With an impeccable German accent, Fischer slowly reveals his bigotry. Fischer, fairly new to the professional stage, and splendid in last fall’s “Anastasia: The Musical” at Tesseract Theatre Company, is one of the most exciting performers to keep your eye on.
Aaron Fischer and Petrillo. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
In fact, John Wilson’s dialect work is superb from all 11 performers. Besides doubling as soldiers and shady characters, the ensemble includes devil-may-care revelers celebrating their hedonistic culture before fear and chaos will grip their world. The nightclub’s naughty boys and girls, and their free-spirited customers live in the moment: Otto Klemp as Bobby, officer, ensemble and on clarinet; Jayson Heil as Victor, Max, ensemble and on violin; Amarachi Kalu as Lulu and on the flute; Caroline Pillow as Fritzie; and Lillian Cooper as Texas and the gorilla.
Costume Designer Michele Friedman Siler expertly incorporated luxurious shiny blacks and reds for the performers, often with torn fishnet stockings, and more middle-class attire for everyone else. Because of doubling characters, costume changes are remarkably smooth.
We won’t forget, we can’t forget the unflinching cautionary tale this enduring musical tells us.
Jane Paradise and Dave Cooperstein. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
The New Jewish Theatre presents “Cabaret” from March 20 to April 13. Please check for showtimes, as several Wednesday shows have been added as well as an extended run. For mature audiences, the show has adult content. The show runs 2 hours and 15 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission. Performances take place at the SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: jccstl.com. Tickets are available online at newjewishtheatre.org or by phone at 314.442.3283.
NJT’s 2025 Season is generously sponsored by Mary Strauss, with Cabaret receiving additional sponsorship from Stellie Siteman and the Siteman Family Foundation.
Alongside the production, NJT hosts special events that will give the audience a special understanding of the iconic musical:
Saturday, April 5 –The Weimar Republic the Rise of Hitler with Helen Turner
Have a conversation with Helen Turner, Education Director for the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, as she presents information about the Weimar Republic and the real-life historical events that provide the backdrop for Cabaret. This event will take place between the matinee and evening performances on Saturday, April 5. Doors will open at 4:30 with the presentation beginning at 5pm. Light refreshments will be provided. The presentation is free, but reservations are required at https://formstack.io/80312
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 crisp and snappy confection that has thoroughly modern moments wrapped in its old-fashioned big splashy musical format, “Some Like It Hot” bursts with bonhomie and good humor.
The first national tour is now playing at the Fox Theatre Feb. 26 – March 9, and the dynamic ensemble of polished triple threats is a jolt of joy.
The story features two musicians/dancers who quickly hatch a scheme to masquerade as women so they can escape from gangsters after fleeing a murder scene. They join an all-female band boarding a train to play at different stops across the western U.S., headed from Chicago to California.
Romance will complicate their plans, so will race and gender in this lively farce whose source material is much beloved.
Adapted from the iconic 1959 comedy starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe and directed by Billy Wilder, it was named the greatest comedy film of all time on American Film Institute’s list “100 Years…100 Laughs” in 2000.
That’s a daunting challenge, and that’s why an earlier version in 1972, “Sugar,” has been nearly forgotten, despite a score by Jules Styne with lyrics by Bob Merrill, book by Peter Stone, and direction and choreography by Gower Champion.
That Broadway production starred Elaine Joyce as Sugar, Robert Morse as Jerry/Daphne, and Tony Roberts as Joe/Josephine, and ran for 505 performances.
With a complete overhaul – including moving it to 1933 from the Roaring ‘20s plus a few other tweaks and twists — and granted the rights to use the film title, this energetic and clever stage show warms hearts and elicits much merriment.
The reworked musical comedy opened on Broadway on Dec. 11, 2022, with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman, and a book by Matthew López and Amber Ruffin.
However, this is not your grandmother’s “Some Like It Hot” nor does it simply dwell on guys in drag. Lopez, who won a Tony Award for his landmark “The Inheritance,” and Ruffin, who collaborated on “The Wiz” at the Muny in 2018 and is a staff writer for “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” bring their astute insight and modern sensibilities to this version.
They focus on themes of resilience, transformation, and finding your true self, which is represented well, especially in the character of Jerry/Daphne, slyly and wryly played by the winsome Tavis Kordell, whose joie de vivre is contagious. His “You Coulda Knocked Me Over with a Feather” is sublime.
(Another fun fact: Tavis was one of The Drifters in the Muny’s 2023 production of “Beautiful: the Carole King Musical,” and understudied Benny in Stages St. Louis’ “In the Heights” in 2022.)
The other half of the ebullient “Tip Tap Twins” is a slicker trickster – Joe/Josephine, played glibly by Matt Loehr. He’s the mastermind of scheme upon scheme just to keep them working and out of trouble. It is the Depression after all, and times are tough.
One of the brightest spots in the cast was scene-stealer Edward Juvier, who was a charming and delightful Osgood Fielding III, an eccentric millionaire who falls hard for Daphne. His ballad, “Fly, Mariposa, Fly!” was outstanding, as was leading the ensemble in a frisky “Let’s Be Bad,” and his fun “Poor Little Millionaire.”
(More fun facts: Juvier has been in 12 shows at Stages St. Louis, including “In the Heights” with Kordell).
Leandra Ellis-Gaston is a silky-voiced siren as Sugar Kane, a mezzo-soprano with impressive versatility – can belt or do up-tempo jazz. She’s confident – a dreamer, and not as needy as Monroe’s version, but vulnerable.
Nevertheless, her romance with a German film director that Joe is impersonating, as she becomes best friends with Joe, isn’t as interesting as the Daphne-Osgood pairing. It’s just the way it’s written
Also impressive in vocals is Tarra Conner Jones as blustery Sweet Sue, the bandleader of the 10-musician-singers Society Syncopators, who’s a catalyst for a good time. She can wail the blues, or she can do jazzy period pieces like “Zee Bap.”
Costume designer Gregg Barnes’ Tony-winning shimmering evening gowns and vintage daywear are divine.
The show was nominated for 13 Tony Awards, the most in 2023, and won four. J. Harrison Ghee won Best Actor for playing Jerry/Daphne and became one of the two first openly non-binary performers to win. (Fun fact: the multi-talented J. Harrison Ghee starred at the Muny in “Kinky Boots” and as Roxy in “Chicago” twice.)
Directed with gusto by Casey Nicholaw, who won a Tony for choreography for his dazzling dance numbers, ramped up the tap numbers to be standouts. His zippy style meant the staging is brisk and fluid.
For a touring show, Scott Pask’s scenic design is visually appealing in a fun and fluid way. With Art Deco hotel room sets, show venues, and assorted comings and goings, it’s fun to watch the zany chases, quick changes, and clever escapes. The wacky predicaments are so well-timed and executed that it feels like we’re watching a Marx Brothers movie at times, especially the daffy delight “Tip Tap Trouble.”
Nicholaw, who won a Tony for co-directing “The Book of Mormon” with Trey Parker, has an impressive list of crowd-pleasing hits to his credit, including “The Prom,” “Mean Girls,” “Aladdin,” “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Spamalot,” and “Something Rotten!”
This show closed on Broadway on Dec. 30, 2023, but has enjoyed a robust reception on the road since September 2024.
What seemed to be the biggest letdown is the musical score by the normally whip-smart and snarky Marc Shaiman and co-lyricist Scott Wittman, who won Tony Awards for “Hairspray.” These songs, more of a pastiche, are not as memorable. It’s not that peppy tunes don’t support the vigorous dance numbers, it’s that they sound alike.
This piece can be enjoyable for both the film’s fans and those new to the story because its modernization is subtle and worthwhile, and it’s a grand good time.
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.
Madness takes its toll, yes siree, so who needs fantasy to free you? If you are yearning for a time slip, step back into another dimension and do the Time Warp again!
After all, in 2025, many of us are craving an escape, especially after a very long dreary winter and escalating chaos in the world. What better way than to join like-minded theatregoers and be entertained in a feel-good another-world way? (At least, if you can’t afford a tropical vacation).
The enduring much-revered fan-favorite musical “The Rocky Horror Show” is being produced by New Line Theatre after the company first staged the daring cult smash hit 23 years ago.
But it’s not a rewind. This time, a playful cast interprets the original live stage show, which varies slightly from the raucous cult classic 1975 movie “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” and may provide a fresh perspective in this changing current climate (as in catch it now before Missouri legislators may outlaw it).
Fifty-two years ago, Richard O’Brien created “The Rocky Horror Show” as a satire for what was happening with the post-60s sexual revolution – that ye olde ‘sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll’ era and repurposing the Frankenstein legend.
Katie Orr as Magenta. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg.
He wrote the music, lyrics and book. O’Brien’s snarky cocktail of tongue-in-cheek, wink-wink behavior, a pre-punk glitter rock concert, and plenty of sexual innuendo were mixed with a homage to old horror and sci-fi B-movies (Think Ed Wood meets The New York Dolls). It caught fire as a London stage production in 1973.
The musical’s book is keen on comedy, so the suggestive one-liners are abundant and so are the flying freak flags in Transexual Transylvania. After all, it was always meant to be tawdry and tacky.
New Line’s production attempts to re-ignite the fervor for sassy and saucy iconic characters who proudly live their life out loud (but in a spooky setting that erupts into dance parties at will).
For the uninitiated, the story follows the transgressive space explorer Dr. Frank N. Furter, his fellow aliens, his Creature, and a few hapless humans.
Todd Schaefer as Frank. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg.
Todd Schaefer, who played Brad Majors in New Line’s 2002 endeavor, returns as the wickedly naughty, sexually ambiguous, mad scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter. He leans into the kitschy, campy vibe, confidently strutting in risqué leather and asserting that he is the master of his domain in “Sweet Transvestite.”
Schaefer, who has appeared in 14 shows with the company, grabs hold of the spotlight and delivers his audacious come-ons and comebacks with charming zest and perfect timing. In the second act, he brings the house down with the power ballad “I’m Going Home” after lamenting in “Don’t Dream It, Be It.”
Also standing out were Brittany Kohl and Rafael DaCosta, who earnestly play the lost, scared and confused newly engaged couple Janet Weiss and Brad Majors, a nubile ingenue and her nerdy preppy who are mocked for their naivete and later are energized by their sexual awakening (mostly in the dark, as told in narration).
Their strong voices blend beautifully, especially in “Super Heroes,” and while projecting their characters’ cluelessness in “Damn It, Janet” and “Over at the Frankenstein Place,” they display a sweet innocence together.
Many times, you see people over-exaggerating these roles, but Kohl and DaCosta offer endearing sincere portrayals. And then sure have fun in the second act. Brittany spryly handles “Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me” while Rafael offers a poignant “Once in a While” (cut from the movie).
Another actor having a blast from the past is Christopher Strawhun as doomed biker-greaser Eddie in his raucous solo “Whatever Happened to Saturday Night?” and in a dual role, playing serious expert Dr. Scott, who sings the peppy “Eddie’s Teddy.”
A blonde Zachary Thompson is a bold and brave boy-toy using his physicality as the freshly minted lab Creature, wearing only a skimpy gold lame G-string, and running all over the stage. He delivers a brisk “The Sword of Damocles.” In the second act, I was worried about his very hard fall landing, for he was giving 100% in his characterization.
Brittany Kohl and Rafael Da Costa as Janet and Brad. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg.
Katie Orr as Magenta and Tori Shea Cole as Columbia go full glam rock. Orr sets the mysterious mood with the opening “Science Fiction/Double Feature.” She joins her brother Riff-Raff and Columbia on the frisky “The Time Warp.”
I’ve seen the stage show where they have added ensemble characters, called “The Phantoms,” to provide more singers and dancers for the group numbers. But co-directors Scott Miller and Chris Moore have kept the original 9-person ensemble intact.
The butler/handyman Riff-Raff, who is loyal to but also resentful of Frank, usually has a sinister quality. Sporting an androgynous look, Bee Mercer’s interpretation varies from the typical characterization, and while sometimes menacing, acts less creepy and more bizarre.
In another departure, she didn’t develop a strange alien-like voice but uses one like the strange butler Lurch in “The Addams Family.” But everyone presents their own interpretation, as actors tend to do, and not be carbon copies of past performers.
The narrator is crisply played, in authoritative, somber fashion, by Chelsie Johnston, a multi-hyphenate who also choreographed and assisted directing the show.
Christopher Strawhun and Tori Shea Cole as Eddie and Columbia. Photo by Jill Ritter Lindbergh
Making sure the musical numbers keep a lively beat is music director Randon Lane. He superbly conducted a robust 5-man band – John Gerdes on bass, Adam Rugo on guitar, Brandon Thompson on saxophone, Clancy Newell on drums and Jason Eschhofen on second keyboard, while he is pounding away with the driving verve of Jerry Lee Lewis. I enjoyed the sax addition.
It helps that the sound design by Ryan Day is flawless, and use of the hand-held microphones stationed on stands lining the runway was a terrific idea. A new lighting designer, Jack Kalan, had to deal with a multitude of cues, blacking out the room on several occasions, and only highlighting specific people at times using the broader expanse of the Marcelle for entrances and exits.
“The Rocky Horror Show,” and by extension, the movie version, has always been a pop culture rite of passage, enticing with its spicy blend of Halloween Party, drag show, and midnight movie madness.
Those of us old enough to be part of the Varsity Theatre’s midnight screenings in the Delmar Loop during its 1977 and 1978 glory days can wax nostalgic on the experience. The former movie house, now Vintage Vinyl, was one of the first 30 theatres in the U.S. to show “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
The movie began showing as a regular feature in March 1976, then a midnight movie on occasional weekends for the rest of that year and through 1977. By May of 1978, it became the regular weekend midnight movie and played until the theatre closed in 1988.
People fondly recall those packed houses and how shenanigans ensued. It’s a touchstone akin to the Mississippi River Festival and the old Busch Stadium II nostalgia that Boomers love to wallow in (including me).
For a time, the Tivoli Theatre programmed the picture, especially during the Halloween season, and usually featured a shadow cast to mimic the action on the big screen. One could purchase a bag of the props, so you didn’t have to bring them from home.
Now, “Rocky Horror” has reached four generations! Its message of acceptance and acknowledging personal freedom continues to resonate.
It doesn’t matter if you are a first-timer or a super-fan, you’ll be able to ease into the festive party atmosphere because the audience always has as much fun as the performers on stage (although it varies from the midnight movie phenomenon’s interactive encouragement).
Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg.
A warning – this version is non-participatory, so no singing along, shouting out or tossing objects, so leave your toast, rice, toilet paper, noisemakers, and other props at home.
Signs placed around The Marcelle remind everyone to enjoy watching the two acts, which last about 1 hour, 45 minutes, and if opening night is an indication, with a spirited crowd. You can, however, dress in costume.
For New Line Theatre’s 99th show in 33 years, scenic designer Rob Lippert has created a modest set for maximum movement, with a runway allowing ample flexibility for the characters to cavort, and scaffolding acting like floors of the castle. An old-timey Coca-Cola cooler becomes a de facto lab.
Costume designer Erin Goodenough has outfitted everyone in what would be considered eccentric standard looks for Rocky Horror, including many pairs of fishnet stockings. A surprising number of sequins went into sparkly attire for character transformations in the finale.
These days, a rebel yell is good for the soul, as more conservative views sweep the land, wishing life were a ‘50s sitcom dream. Anyone not wanting to conform to outdated social mores and go back, those who can take a joke, could get fired up at “The Rocky Horror Show.” Just saying.
New Line Theatre presents “The Rocky Horror Show” from Feb. 27 to March 22, on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. at the Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand. The show has adult themes and is for mature audiences only.For more information: www.newlinetheatre.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.
