By Lynn Venhaus

When is a sandwich not just our daily bread, but a symbol of an American Dream and the sustenance we need for nourishment? When it’s the specialty of the house at “Clyde’s.”

Lynn Nottage’s pungent work thrives as food for the soul – as in redemption, second chances and the power of food as community. It is surprising in its depth of flavors and the power in its connection.

Starting out as gray and bleak as the winter weather, “Clyde’s” combines zesty, peppery comedy and tough-as-nails drama led by an exceptionally sinewy, robust ensemble.

As they convincingly weave tales of dashed dreams and delayed hope, many layers reveal themselves slowly once we embrace this hub — a grungy truck stop diner in the struggling Rust Belt city of Reading, Penn.

The gritty location is important, because it ties into Nottage’s Pulitzer-Prize winning 2015 play “Sweat,” about what happens when the town’s economic center, Olstead’s Steel Tubing plant, goes on strike. Most of that play’s main characters work there, as have their families, for generations.

Ron Himes as Montrellous. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The town’s manufacturing industry decline, resulting in high unemployment and abandoned factories, is represented by the withdrawn character Jason, who is a part of both scenarios. In “Sweat,” he goes to prison for badly beating a Columbian busboy.  In “Clyde’s,” he is on parole and desperate to outrun his past. You feel Brendan D. Hickey’s anguish.

Clyde hires ex-cons, as she is one herself. But in her cruel tirades and harassment, she reminds them that she gave them a second chance when no one else would. As played by Phyllis Yvonne Stickney, Clyde is as fiery as her red-haired wig and mean in a nasty irredeemable way.

Despair is heavy in the air, for the ragtag staff seeking a glimmer of hope and a brighter day. They are between a rock and a hard place, trying to earn a living as they keep paying their debt to society. The stakes are high for them not to mess up again and return to prison.

They eventually become each other’s lifelines.

Rafael (Alfredo Antillion) wears his heart on his sleeve. The master of the grill and the fryer, he tries to be a cheery coworker. Now clean and sober, he served time for robbing a bank with a BB gun when he was high, to buy his girlfriend a pedigree dog.

Phyllis Yvonne Stickney as Clyde. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

He is sweet on his co-worker, Letitia (Essence Anisa Tyler), known as “Tish,” who has a disabled daughter and a worthless baby daddy.  She served time for stealing prescription drugs from a local pharmacy. She knows her options are limited. She likes to project a tough exterior, but she is not hardened – yet.

As Montrellous, Ron Himes is the heart and soul of this operation. As Rafael says “He’s like Buddha, if he grew up in the hood.” It’s a sturdy, grounding performance to marvel at, makes you believe in the goodness of people.

A wise sage whose selflessness is remarkable, Montrellous believes in the power we have in ourselves to create opportunities. He is an artist in the kitchen too, crafting delicious blends of bread, meats, cheeses, condiments and garnishes. He calls his creations “sublime,” and his belief wins the staff over.

They soon collaborate by describing various flavor combinations. If your mouth doesn’t water as they imagine appetizing versions, then you may have no taste buds.

His zeal is contagious, and soon his co-workers’ creativity is in overdrive. Their efforts get noticed by a local food writer, but Clyde doesn’t care. Through this invigorating endeavor, the staff feel worthy, and they display a renewed sense of purpose. They work together as a team, and in the motivational word of Ted Lasso: “Believe” – especially when their boss wants to beat them down.

Alfredo Antillion as Rafael and Brendan D. Hickey as Jason. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Even though Nottage wrote “Clyde’s” in 2021, before “The Bear” premiered as a television series, it shares that unmistakable sense of time and place, of found families, and what “family dinner” means — that food is love, food is community.

“Clyde’s” kitchen characters renew a faith in their contributions, that they could do something worthwhile. For people trying to make a fresh start, someone’s belief in them could be a catalyst, could make that difference.

With the guidance of Prison Performing Arts organization’s staff, they have brought insight and meaning to the difficulties of the former incarcerated trying to navigate re-entry with roadblocks in their way.

Josiah Davis directs with a full heart and a sharp eye for human comedy, and this vibrant cast comes together through rocky journeys and believable transformations. With Davis’ empathy and grace, they don’t make a false step.

The technical aspects are also first-rate, with a realistic restaurant kitchen by set designer Jean Kim, and working/casual attire that suits the characters’ personalities, designed by costumer Haydee Zelideth and wig designer Shevare Perry. Lighting designer Christina Watanabe uses a mystical approach and works in sync with sound designer Michael Costagliola.

At times, Nottage’s plot is shaggy, but the ensemble’s authenticity – in both the bitter and the sweet – pierces our hearts for an indelible impression.

Hickey, Essence Anisa Tyler, Antillion and Himes. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “Clyde’s” Feb. 5 – March 2 at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University. The runtime is 105 minutes without intermission. Tickets can be purchased online at www.repstl.org or by phone at 314-968-4925. The box office is also open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and two hours before the curtain.

Rush Tickets: Available for students, seniors, educators, and theatre professionals by calling the Box Office at 314-968-4925, 1 – 2 hours prior to curtain time.

Student Tickets: Students can purchase $20 tickets available by calling the Box Office at 314-986-4925

A RepresentSTL talkback following the performance on Feb.15 will further engage audiences in meaningful dialogue.

The Rep has also partnered with Laughing Bear Bakery, which supports re-entry opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, and will have their goods available at concessions during the run of the show.

Clyde’s. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

THE MUNY, WITH 30 NOMINATIONS, IS TOP CONTENDER FOR 12TH ANNUAL  ST. LOUIS THEATER CIRCLE AWARDS; “RAGTIME,” “AS YOU LIKE IT” LEAD INDIVIDUAL SHOWS WITH 10 NOMINATIONS EACH

Event March 24 Will Honor Outstanding Work in Local Professional Theater in 2024

The Muny, with 30 nominations covering all seven of the productions in its 2024 season, is the top contender at the 12th annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards. Individual shows “Ragtime” at Stages St. Louis, and “As You Like It” at St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, with 10 nominations apiece, lead the list of 53 productions to receive at least one nomination.

The annual gala will take place on Monday, March 24 at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road on the campus of Webster University, home of The Rep.

Tickets at $23 apiece ($20 plus a $3 processing fee) are available at The Rep’s web site www.repstl.org ticket link: https://repstl.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/events/a0SVI0000040h4J2AQ

The Rep’s box office number is 314-968-4925. Tickets will also be available at The Rep’s box office one hour before the ceremony, which will start at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for a one-hour ‘Happy Hour,’ with beverages and snacks available for purchase.

Nominees in 34 categories, including a new category “Outstanding Projections or Special Effects,” will vie for honors covering comedies, dramas, musicals and operas produced by local professional theater and opera companies in the calendar year 2024. Approximately 112 productions were considered for nominations for this year’s event.

Additionally, Joe Hanrahan, founder and artistic director of The Midnight Company, and Ron Himes, founder and producing director of the St. Louis Black Repertory (The Black Rep), will be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards.

The eighth annual award ceremony, which was to have been held at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University, was cancelled in February 2020 due to the escalating number of cases of COVID-19. Instead, that event, honoring outstanding local theater productions for the year 2019, was held virtually in a highly polished presentation produced by HEC Media and streamed on HEC’s YouTube channel and web site.

A ninth annual ceremony similarly was streamed on HEC Media for the combined years of 2020 and 2021, before the gala returned to the Loretto-Hilton in 2023 for the 10th annual awards.

The nominees for the 12th annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards are:

Jasmine Cheri Rush, Caroline Amos and Ricki Franklin, all nominees for “As You Like It.” Photo by Philip Hamer.

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Ricki Franklin, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Amy Loui, “Steel Magnolias,” Stages St. Louis
Jasmine Cheri Rush, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Zoe Vonder Haar, “Steel Magnolias,” Stages St. Louis
Susan Wylie, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Danny Brown, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre
Joseph Garner, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),”” Albion Theatre
Isaiah Di Lorenzo, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre
Joel Moses, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Spencer Sickmann, “Trayf,” New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Caroline Amos, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Emily Baker, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre
Claire Coffey, “Bell, Book and Candle,” Stray Dog Theatre
LaWanda Jackson, “Don’t Be a Hero, Thank You,” Prison Performing Arts
Kelley Weber, “The Roommate,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Spencer Sickmann, Jason Schmidt and Bryce Miller, all nominees for “Trayf.” Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Alan Knoll, “We All Fall Down,” New Jewish Theatre
Bryce A. Miller, “Trayf,” New Jewish Theatre
Ben Ritchie, “Red Jasper,” Michael Madden Productions
Jacob Schmidt, “Trayf,” New Jewish Theatre
Joel Wilper, “Bell, Book and Candle,” Stray Dog Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play 

Denisse Chavez, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
Denisse Chavez, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Minjoo Kim, “Dial ‘M’ for Murder,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
William C. Kirkham, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Sean Savoie, “Hold On!,” The Black Rep

Outstanding Sound Design 

Kareem Deanes, “The Roommate,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Chuck Harper, “Wolf Kings,” YoungLiars
Rick Sims, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Amanda Werre, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
Amanda Werre, “Dial ‘M’ for Murder,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Marcy Wiegert nominated for “Romanov Family Yard Sale” among ERA’s 6 nominations. Photo by Joey Rumpell.

Outstanding Costume Design in a Play 

Dorothy Marshall Englis, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Colleen Michelson, “The Mousetrap,” Stray Dog Theatre
Carolyn “Sully” Ratke, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Michele Friedman Siler, “Life Is a Dream,” Upstream Theater
Marcy Wiegert, “Romanov Family Yard Sale,” ERA Theatre

Outstanding Set Design in a Play 

Andrea Ball, “We All Fall Down,” New Jewish Theatre
Scott C. Neale, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Courtney O’Neill, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Margery and Peter Spack, “Dial ‘M’ for Murder,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Margery and Peter Spack, “Red,” New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Evann De-Bose, “Hold On!,” The Black Rep
Kari Ely, “Wedding Band,” The Black Rep
Margery Handy, “The Inheritance,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Nadja Kapetanovich, “The Whale,” St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Claire Karpen, “August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

“August: Osage County” received six nominations for The Rep, among its 19. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role 

J. Samuel Davis, “King Hedley II,” The Black Rep
Gary Glasgow, “Life Is a Dream,” Upstream Theater
Jayson Heil, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
Alan Knoll, “August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Peter Mayer, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Nicole Angeli, “Lungs,” Albion Theatre Company
Amy Loui, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
Ellen McLaughlin, “August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Jacqueline Thompson, “Wedding Band,” The Black Rep
Maggie Wininger, “Molly Sweeney,” Albion Theatre

Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Christopher Harris, “Red,” New Jewish Theatre
Greg Johnston, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
Joel Moses, “Lungs,” Albion Theatre
Gabriel Paul, “The Inheritance,” Tesseract Theatre Company
William Roth, “The Whale,” St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Kristen Joy Linvendt, and nominees Greg Johnston, Jayson Heil and Amy Loui in NJT’s” All My Sons.” Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Outstanding New Play 

“Am I Dangerous?,” by e.k. doolin, Contraband Theatre
“Longing,” by Lize Lewy
“Love in the Time of Nothing,” by Jayne Hannah, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
“Romanov Family Yard Sale,” by Courtney Bailey, ERA Theatre
“Tempest in a Teapot,” by Shualee Cook, SATE Ensemble

Outstanding Achievement in Opera 

Justin Austin, “The Barber of Seville,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Daniela Candillari, “Julius Caesar,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Sarah Mesko, “Julius Caesar,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Elise Quagliata, “Carmen,” Union Avenue Opera
Laura Skroska, “Into the Woods,” Union Avenue Opera

Outstanding Production of an Opera 

“Carmen,” Union Avenue Opera
“Galileo Galilei,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
“H.M.S. Pinafore,” Winter Opera St. Louis
“Julius Caesar,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
“The Barber of Seville,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

The company of the 2024 Muny production of “Les Misérables.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

Outstanding Musical Director 

E. Renee Gamez, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
Khalid McGee, “Blues in the Night,” The Black Rep
James Moore, “Les Miserables,” The Muny
Zach Newman, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Andra Velis Simon, “Waitress,” The Muny

Outstanding Choreographer 

William Carlos Angulo, “In the Heights,” The Muny
Jared Grimes, “Anything Goes,” The Muny
Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Mike Hodges, “Xanadu,” Stray Dog Theatre
Lindsay Joy Lancaster, “Disney’s Newsies,” Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Projections or Special Effects

Zach Cohn, “Hold On!,” The Black Rep
Zachary Grimm, “Longing,” Lize Lewy
Kylee Loera, “Anything Goes,” The Muny
Joe Taylor, “Romanov Family Yard Sale,” ERA Theatre
Mike Tutaj, “Waitress,” The Muny

Sarajane Clark and Sarah Gene Dowling are nominated for “Ruthless.” Photo by John Lamb.

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Rachel Bailey, “[title of show],” Prism Theatre Company
Sarajane Clark, “Ruthless,” Stray Dog Theatre
Lissa deGuzman, “Waitress,” The Muny
Kimmie Kidd, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Shereen Pimentel, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Will Bonfiglio, “First Date,” New Jewish Theatre
Kevin Chamberlin, “Anything Goes,” The Muny
Matthew Cox, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
Fergie L. Philippe, “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” The Muny
Lara Teeter, “Anything Goes,” The Muny

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical 

Tyler Duenow, “Nevermore,” Stray Dog Theatre
John Lasiter, “Fiddler on the Roof,” The Muny
Jason Lyons, “Les Miserables,” The Muny
Sean M. Savoie, “Disney’s Newsies,” Stages St. Louis
Sean M. Savoie, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical 

Ann Beyersdorfer, “Disney’s Newsies,” Stages St. Louis
Ann Beyersdorfer, “Les Miserables,” The Muny
Wilson Chin, “Waitress,” The Muny
Edward E. Haynes Jr., “Anything Goes,” The Muny
Arnie Sancianco, “In the Heights,” The Muny

Ann Beyersdorfer’s set design is one of her two nominations, and “Disney’s Newsies” received 5 nominations. Photo by Philip Hamer.

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical 

Leon Dobkowski, “Dreamgirls,” The Muny
Sarah Gene Dowling, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Sarah Gene Dowling, “Nevermore,” Stray Dog Theatre
Robin L. McGee, “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” The Muny
Brad Musgrove, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Sarah Gene Dowling, “Ruthless,” Stray Dog Theatre
Tiffany Mann, “Dreamgirls,” The Muny
Marissa McGowan, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
Jessica Vosk, “Waitress,” The Muny
Sarah Wilkinson, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company

Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Jordan Donica, “Les Miserables,” The Muny
Aaron Fischer, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Tamar Greene, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
Adam Heller, “Fiddler on the Roof,” The Muny
John Riddle, “Les Miserables,” The Muny

“Steel Magnolias” at Stages St. Louis. Photo by Philip Hamer.

Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy 

“As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
“Romanov Family Yard Sale,” ERA Theatre
“Spirits to Enforce,” The Midnight Company
“Steel Magnolias,” Stages St. Louis
“Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama 

“All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
“August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
“Hold On!,” The Black Rep
“Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
“The Inheritance,” Tesseract Theatre Company

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical 

“Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
“Anything Goes,” The Muny
“Disney’s Newsies,” Stages St. Louis
“Fiddler on the Roof,” The Muny
Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis

The company of the 2024 Muny production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

Outstanding Director of a Comedy 

Robert Ashton, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre
Nancy Bell, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Lucy Cashion, “Romanov Family Yard Sale,” ERA Theatre
Lucy Cashion, “Spirits to Enforce,” The Midnight Company
Aaron Sparks, “Trayf,” New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Director of a Drama 

Gary Wayne Barker, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
David Catlin, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Alan Knoll, “Red,” New Jewish Theatre
Stephen Peirick, “The Inheritance,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Amelia Acosta Powell, “August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Director of a Musical 

Lili-Anne Brown, “Waitress,” The Muny
Marcia Milgrim Dodge, “Anything Goes,” The Muny
Deidre Goodwin, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
Brittanie Gunn, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Rob Ruggiero, “Fiddler on the Roof,” The Muny

Outstanding Production of a Comedy 

“As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
“Romanov Family Yard Sale,” ERA Theatre
“Steel Magnolias,” Stages St. Louis
“Trayf,” New Jewish Theatre
“Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre

The cast of “Wedding Bank” at The Black Rep, which received 3 nominations.

Outstanding Production of a Drama 

“All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
“August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
“Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
“The Inheritance,” Tesseract Theatre Company
“Wedding Band,” The Black Rep

Outstanding Production of a Musical 

“Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
“Disney’s Newsies,” Stages St. Louis
“Fiddler on the Roof,” The Muny
“Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
“Waitress,” The Muny

Joe Hanrahan.

Special Award for Lifetime Achievement

Ron Himes.

Joe Hanrahan, founder and artistic director, The Midnight Company
Ron Himes, founder and producing director, The Black Rep

The mission of the St. Louis Theater Circle is simple: To honor outstanding achievement in St. Louis professional theater. Other cities around the country, such as Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., pay tribute to their own local theatrical productions with similar awards programs.

Active members of the St. Louis Theater Circle include Chas Adams (PopLifeSTL.com, STL Stage Snaps, St. Louis Arts Scene on Substack); Mark Bretz (Ladue News); Rosalind Early (St. Louis Post-Dispatch); Tina Farmer (Mound City Messenger); Michelle Kenyon (snoopstheatrethoughts.com, St. Louis Arts Scene on Substack); Gerry Kowarsky (Two on the Aisle, HEC Media); Chuck Lavazzi ( St. Louis Arts Scene on Substack, Stage Left blog, Chuck’s Culture Channel on YouTube); James Lindhorst (Broadwayworld.com, St. Louis Arts Scene on Substack); Lynn Venhaus (PopLifeSTL.com, KTRS); and Bob Wilcox (Two on the Aisle, HEC Media). Eric Kenyon, director of The Chapel venue, is group administrator.

For more information, visit www.stltheatercircle.org, contact stltheatercircle@gmail.com, or ‘like’ the St. Louis Theater Circle on Facebook.

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By Lynn Venhaus

If your family is prone to putting the ‘fun’ in dysfunctional, you’ll be able to relate to the crowd-pleasing hijinks of “Chicken and Biscuits,” an amiable comfort-food style comedy served with a salty side of sass by the Black Rep.

Wackiness ensues when three generations of an African American family gather for the funeral of their patriarch, Bernard, who was a beloved pastor at a popular church in New Haven, Conn.

The relationships are typically complicated, starting with his two bickering daughters, prim and bossy Baneatta (Denise Thimes) and raucous and unfiltered Beverly (Paulette Dawn). The night-and-day siblings are a surefire recipe for tussling, as Baneatta has an unmistakable air of superiority and disapproval when it comes to her more flamboyant colorful sister. Played by the elegant Denise Thimes, she says a lot with a withering look or a well-delivered quip.

Thimes, an internationally renowned jazz singer, is a welcome presence on the Edison Theatre stage, and was impressive in a dramatic role in “King Hedley II” last summer. She proves her comedic skills here, and has delightful chemistry with A.C. Smith, as her husband. Of course, she bosses him around when he’s trying to be in charge.

Smith, another Black Rep veteran whose crisp timing enlivens his interactions, is zesty as the well-meaning Reginald Mabry, who will be taking over as the church’s pastor, so he feels he has a lot to prove presiding over the funeral service.

But clearly, he can’t foresee the simmering resentments that will erupt when everyone gathers.

Kaylyn McCoy and Paulette Dawn as mother and daughter. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

Beverly, a bona fide drama queen, is played with cheeky bravado by Paulette Dawn, who makes her Black Rep debut but has portrayed the over-the-top character before, in her native Kansas City.

As she gripes about wearing traditional black, Beverly has decided to honor her daddy’s penchant for bright colors with a purple plunging neckline cocktail dress that she wears with a push-up bra to enhance her amble bosom. She has no qualms about showing off her attributes.

Beverly has brought along her Gen Z daughter La’Trice Franklin, played with expected attitude by Kaylyn McCoy. She doesn’t have as much history with her relatives and is written as more of an observer.

Baneatta also has a daughter, Simone, who has a big chip on her shoulder. Dumped by her fiancé for a white woman, and Alex Jay plays her as a grump, quick to argue with anyone.

She is at odds with her gay brother Kenny, who brings his boyfriend Logan Leibowitz with him. Their interracial and interfaith relationship adds a layer of complexity that isn’t explored more deeply, but Cameron Jamarr Davis and Jacob Schmidt are compelling enough actors that they give the roles more nuance than indicated (and it would have been nice for that to happen).

A few relatives are more accepting than others, which is an ongoing conflict, especially with Kenny’s mom Baneatta, who is rude and dismissive of Logan, second only to Simone’s exasperation. As written, these issues are stereotypical and not amusing, an outdated quick way to get cheap laughs.

At far right, Jacob Schmidt and Cameron Jamarr Davis. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

This Jenkins family feud follows a familiar format not unlike sitcoms and other broad comedies where secrets are revealed, characters express their concerns, and disagreements are neatly resolved in a light-hearted way.

Don’t expect anything more from actor-turned-playwright Doug Lyons’ 2020 effort, which is designed to be a sunny reminder of the ties that bind, and how we share more similarities than differences in troubling times.

(It did, after all, open on Broadway Feb. 28, 2020, right before the coronavirus pandemic hit, causing widespread shutdowns, and the run was short-lived. However, there was a reboot in 2021.)

Director Ron Himes has selected a cast that gels, who work together well, and flavor this exercise with feel-good vibes. You can tell how much fun they are having as an ensemble.

Also, part of the plot is a mysterious guest, Brianna, who shows up at the funeral to deliver a eulogy that others may not like to hear. The late second act addition is played by Delisa Richardson, who makes the most of her stage time.

Photo by Keshon Campbell.

Another running gag is church soloist Mother Jones, whose interpretation of “Amazing Grace” receives mixed reviews but is hilarious as a comedic bit. Jermaine Manor is the musician offstage, and sound designer Kareem Deanes has fun with this element.

The set is minimal, designed by Tim Jones, which moves action between a bedroom, hotel room, church, reception gathering spot and commercial kitchen, featuring efficient lighting design by Ethan Steimel.

Costume Designer Andre Harrington has gathered an attractive selection of tasteful black dresses and striking fancy hats for the women whose last names aren’t Franklin, and outfitted the men in suitable attire. Mikhail Lynn assembled the appropriate props.

If you’re seeking a pleasant piece in these precarious times and dismal winter, “Chicken and Biscuits” is a recipe that can hit the spot. This ensemble puts the ‘fun’ in funeral as they tickle funny bones.

The St. Louis Black Repertory Company presents “Chicken and Biscuits” from Jan. 8 to Jan. 26 at the Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. Tickets are available at theblackrep.org or through the Box Office at 314-534-3807. Reduced pricing is available for seniors, educators, museum staff, students, and groups of 12 or more.

Paulette Dawn and Alex Jay. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

By Lynn Venhaus

A saucy, sultry and soulful trio of supremely talented women take us on their rocky road of hard-fought life lessons in a stylishly framed musical “Blues in the Night.” They sure have earned the right to sing the blues, and the Black Rep’s polished gem of a show is evocative of divine romance and the light that breaks through after darkness.

The enchanting Adrianna Jones as “The Woman,” Amber Alexandria Rose as “The Girl,’ and De-Rance Blaylock as “The Lady” conjure up past lives of sorrows, heartbreak and triumphs as they take us through an appealing catalogue of 27 classic blues and jazz songs.

In their skilled delivery, while projecting attitude and emotion, they bring those experiences to life with a vitality that’s mesmerizing. These songs may have been written in days gone by, but there is a freshness because the numbers are presented with a vibrancy and good nature.

The time is the 1930s and the place is Chicago. And we are swept away to an era immortalized in music and movies. I can see/hear images of Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, Louie Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald.

The women get to shine in solos – think of their voices as the luxurious textures of silk, satin and velvet.

De-Rance Blaylock as “The Lady.” Photo by Keshon Campbell.

As the eldest woman “The Lady,” Blaylock, who won the St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Best Performance in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role, last year for “Caroline, or Change,” imbues Bessie Smith’s dramatic standards “New Orleans Hop Scop Blues,” “Dirty No-Gooder’s Blues” and “Wasted Life Blues” with grit, then is playful in “Take Me for a Buggy Ride” and “Kitchen Man.” She’s sorrowful in Billie Holiday’s “Lover Man.”

As “The Woman” in her prime, Jones makes a memorable Black Rep debut, swinging in the famous Benny Goodman song named after the famous Harlem nightspot, “Stompin’ at the Savoy,” and Billy Strayhorn’s jazz standard “Lush Life.” She’s longing – and assertive –in “Rough and Ready Man.”

As the youngest “The Girl,” Amber Alexandria Rose is already a veteran of multiple musicals produced at The Black Rep and was part of the noteworthy Fisk Jubilee Singers at the Tennessee university. She’s dynamic in the Big Band favorite “Taking a Chance on Love,” “Willow Weep for Me” and “Reckless Blues.” Jones and Rose duet in the great torch song “When Your Lover Is Gone.”

However, the women aren’t the only ones adding sass and class to the show. As “The Man,” J Samuel Davis displays a remarkable gift for singing – who knew? (I mean he’s one of our finest dramatic actors, but an accomplished vocalist? Heck, yeah! More, please).

J Samuel Davis as “The Man.” Photo by Keshon Campbell.

Well, he gets to play the cad, the guy who done them wrong, but also a fellow with considerable charm. He opens with a rousing “T-Bone Walker’s “The Blues Is a Woman” and has fun with Louie Armstrong’s “I’m Just a Lucky So-and-So” and “Wild Women Don’t Have No Blues.” Davis is a two-time St. Louis Theater Circle Award winner, for performances in “Bashir Lazhar” at Upstream Theater and “District Merchants” at New Jewish Theatre. He’s recently been seen in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” at the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis and in The Black Rep’s “King Hedley II.”

A tight quintet of superb musicians makes the magic happen, with music director Khalid McGee giving the piano a mighty fine workout, along with Willem von Hombracht on bass, Brady Lewis on trumpet, Stan Coleman on reeds and Bernard Long Jr. on drums smoothly jiving, wailing and scorching the compositions.

The original vocal arrangements were by Chapman Roberts, with orchestrations and additional vocal arrangements by Sy Johnson. It’s a satiny-smooth trip through the best representations of the genre.

Their second act opening jam session to “Wild Women Don’t Get the Blues” gets the joint a jumping, while their Exit Music at the show’s end is enough to keep you in your seats. What a delight they are to listen to all evening. And special shout-out to sound designer Justin Schmitz on his outstanding work.

The way the set is structured, with Davis often presiding over a bar, you feel like the musicians are masters of their destination nightclub, and you feel part of a very ‘inside’ cool experience.

Adrianna Jones as “The Girl.” Photo by Keshon Campbell

The women are placed in individual rooms that appear to be the same floor of a hotel — each of various ages and different reasons to be home alone.

Scenic designer Jamie Bullins’ attention to detail is admirable and sets a terrific nostalgic tone, which is carried through by prop designer Mikhail Lynn.

Travis Richardson’s lighting design enhances those spaces and adds so much to the shifting moods.  It feels elegant despite hearing tales of woe (but often resilience and strength, too).

Director Ron Himes has enlivened this show – part jukebox musical, part revue and totally entertaining with a breezy staging that also offers comfort, joy and inspiration.

Sheldon Epps, well-known for his work as artistic director at the Pasadena Playhouse, earned Tony nominations and much acclaim for his musical on Duke Ellington called “Play On!” He then conceived and put together “Blues in the Night,” which opened off-Broadway in 1980 before it moved to Broadway in 1982. It was nominated for a Tony as best musical but mostly (inexplicably) has had short runs.

 It deserves to be noticed, for its depth of material and sharp execution are worth seeing because of the band’s rhythms and the cast’s vocal power and emotional intensity. It results in a charming evening of good tunes, sumptuous vocals and a fun atmosphere.

Amber Alexandria Rose as “The Girl.” Photo by Keshon Campbell.

The company’s group numbers showcase their abilities to harmonize beautifully, with “It Makes My Love Come Down” and a feisty “Take It All Back” wrapping up the first act.

Decked out in shades of blue, the women coming out swinging in the second act with “Blues in the Night,” followed by stellar renditions of “When A Woman Loves a Man” and “Am I Blue?” and a wistful “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” with the entire company.

After baring their souls and singing their hearts out, the women present a moving “I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues,” the well-known Harold Arlen standard, before the “Four Walls Blues” encore/finale.

Heather Beal’s light touch on choreography is well-suited to this show, and the characters. For the most movements, the women sashay, the man struts, and any dance is attuned to the times.

Gregory J. Horton’s gorgeous selection of vintage formal attire, cocktail dresses, and loungewear provides a sumptuous assortment of fabrics and styles ideally representing time periods and happenings.

The Women. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

Tracy Holliway-Wiggins is the stage manager with Daija Jones as assistant stage manager.

The blues provide a universal language into the soul, and the Black Rep has splendidly guided us through a pleasurable excursion into the urban blues of Chicago and a post-Great Depression America.

Photo by Keshon Campbell.

The Black Rep presents the musical “Blues in the Night” Sept. 4 through Sept. 29 at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. Performances are at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. The show is recommended for mature audiences ages 14 and up. Tickets are available at theblackrep.org or through the Box Office at 314-534-3807. Reduced pricing is available for seniors, educators, museum staff, students, and groups of 12 or more. For more information: www.theblackrep.org.

The St. Louis Black Repertory Company announces the full cast and crew for Sheldon Epps’ BLUES IN THE NIGHT, directed by Founder and Producing Director Ron Himes, with musical director Khalid McGhee. The production opens the 48th Anniversary Season on Friday, September 6, 2024 (with previews September 4-5) through Sunday September 22, 2024  at The Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. It is presented with support from Washington University and the Mid- America Arts Alliance.

A dynamic Tony-nominated musical review showcases the universal language of The Blues. Set in 1930s Chicago, the audience is immersed in the stories of three women, told through the music of Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, and many more.

At The Black Rep, the ensemble cast features Adrianna Jones (TBR Debut), Amber Rose (CROSSING OVER, CROWNS, DON’T BOTHER ME I CAN’T COPE), De-Rance Blaylock (TBR Debut), J. Samuel Davis (KING HEDLEY II, CROSSING OVER, TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD, AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’, THE WIZ).

Directed by Ron Himes with Musical Director Khalid McGhee, Scenic Design by Jamie Bullins, Costume Design by Greg J. Horton, Sound Design by Justin Schmitz, Lighting Design by Travis Richardson, and Props Design by Mikhail Lynn. Tracy Holliway-Wiggins is the Stage Manager with Daija Jones as Assistant Stage Manager.

Tickets are available at theblackrep.org or through the Box Office at 314-534-3807. Reduced pricing is available for seniors, educators, museum staff, students, and groups of 12 or more. Recommended for mature audiences ages 14 and up.

Support for The Black Rep’s 48th Main Stage Season comes from The Berges Family Foundation, Caleres, Missouri Arts Council, the Regional Arts Commission, The Shubert Foundation, the Steward Family Foundation, and Washington University in St. Louis.

The season, announced in mid-July, includes an August Wilson classic, iconic musical and two world premieres.

The 48th Annual Mainstage Season

The St. Louis Black Repertory Company celebrates its 48th main stage season with five compelling works showcasing pivotal moments in the African American experience.

“We’re delighted to be producing the exceptional world premieres of “The Wash” and “Coconut Cake,” said Founder and Producing Director Ron Himes. “Audiences will be captivated by the music that unfolds in “Blues in the Night” and it feels truly timely to be closing out the season with August Wilson’s “Radio Golf,” marking the second time we have produced Wilson’s entire iconic American Century Cycle.“

Sept 4-22, 2024: Blues in the Night, by Sheldon Epps. In the Edison Theatre, Washington University in St. Louis.

This dynamite, dramatic Tony-nominated musical revue thrills audiences with the universal language of the Blues. With little spoken text, interweaving stories of three women are defined through songs that cover the range of the blues from Bessie Smith to Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Alberta Hunter, Jimmy Cox, Ida Cox, and more, telling of the pain and misery of life and love — and also of the dogged determination to get through it all — that is the essence of the Blues.

Jan 8-25, 2025: CHICKEN & BISCUITS, By Douglas Lyons. In the Edison Theatre, Washington University in St. Louis.

When the Jenkins family comes together to celebrate the life of their patriarch, rivaling sisters Baneatta and Beverly face a shocking family secret which will either bind them or break them. Who knew a funeral could spark so much laughter? A portrait of family love and commitment, the comedy opened in 2020 at the Queens Theatre in the Park and its 2021 Broadway run was cut short due to the pandemic.

ROLLING WORLD PREMIERE February 5-March 2, 2025: COCONUT CAKE By Melda Beaty. In the Hotchner Theatre, Washington University in St. Louis.

For some, there’s nothing better than retirement, but when Eddie Lee’s wife joins him in retirement, the truth about his “ladies’ man” ways resurface. Eddie retreats to the sanctuary of a McDonald’s where a game of chess teaches life lessons and the rest of his retired friends, with marital problems of their own, wait faithfully for him. The arrival of two mystery women, with daddy issues, medicine cabinet secrets, and melt-in-your-mouth coconut cake, tests their friendship and changes their lives forever. Presented with support from the National Black Theatre Festival’s Sylvia Sprinkle-Hamlin Rolling World Premiere Award.

A NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK ROLLING WORLD PREMIERE March 12-30, 2025: THE WASH, By Kelundra Smith. In The Berges Theatre, COCA-Center of Creative Arts.

Black laundresses took to the streets in 1881 Atlanta leading a strike just weeks before the International Cotton Exposition came to town. Demanding $1/week, the Atlanta Washerwoman’s Strike was the first successful interracial, organized labor strike of the post-Civil War era. Smith’s play offers an intimate and often humorous look at ordinary women who went from workers to fighters– and won. Presented as part of a National New Play Network Rolling World Premiere.

May 14-June 1, 2025, RADIO GOLF, By August Wilson. In the Edison Theatre, Washington University in St. Louis.

Set in Pittsburgh in the late 1990s, it’s the story of a successful entrepreneur who aspires to become the city’s first Black mayor. But when the past begins to catch up with him, secrets get revealed that could be his undoing. The most contemporary of all of August Wilson’s work, Radio Golf is the final play in his unprecedented ten-play American Century Cycle. This bittersweet drama of assimilation and alienation in 90s America traces the forces of change on a neighborhood and its people caught between history and the 21st century.

Each of The Black Rep’s main stage productions feature an Intergenerational Matinee Series that creates access to students from area schools and seniors from residential communities to offer the experience of live theatre at a subsidized ticket price. Select performances also include a post-show talk-back creating a forum for lively relevant discussions.

About The Black Rep

The Black Rep, a 48-year-old legacy Black arts organization, is committed to producing, re-imagining, and commissioning work written by Black playwrights and creating opportunities for new voices and youth. Founded by Producing Director Ron Himes, the vision for The Black Rep continues: a more equitable distribution of opportunities and resources for Black professionals and students in the theatre; improved representation on and back-stage in the theatre industry; and a fostered community culture of support and mentorship for those who will follow. For more information: www.theblackrep.org

By Lynn Venhaus

Let’s cut to the chase. Tiffany Mann’s electrifying rendition of the signature song, “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” is everything you want it to be and more, exceeding the highest expectations.

If The Muny had a roof, she would have smashed it to smithereens. She met her Muny moment by unleashing a torrent of fury, hurt, pain and devotion with such ferocity – and control – that the only one not breathless after listening was Ms. Mann. She was stunning in her range and vocal reservoirs.

It was truly one of the most spectacular powerhouse performances in my 60 years of attending Muny shows. She received thunderous ovations throughout, with some of us leaping to our feet as we applauded at the finish.

It’s no wonder she took us to church, for she’s been doing that for a long time. Her parents are nationally renowned gospel singers and actors David and Tamela Mann. You may recall Tiffany bringing the house down in “Smokey Joe’s Café” in the Muny’s first post-pandemic show in 2021.

Tiffany Mann in the 2024 Muny production of “Dreamgirls.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

That “Dreamgirls” showstopping first act closer has been thrilling audiences since its debut in 1981 and was ranked the no. 1 rhythm-and-blues song of 1982 on the Billboard chart. It’s an intimidating one to master, even for the most gifted vocalists.

Tony winner Jennifer Holliday’s career took off after originating the role of Effie White on Broadway, winning a separate Grammy for best vocal performance, and Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for the 2006 movie adaptation.

This rags-to-riches showbiz musical stands out because it delves into the complexities of gender and race at a time when pop music was going through a seismic cultural shift, with changing times and tastes.

Black singers were breaking down racial barriers with ‘crossover’ music, yet often compromised in a live music and recording business hierarchy.

These are subjects explored in such crowd-pleasing jukebox musicals as “Motown: The Musical,” “Memphis,” and “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical,” but “Dreamgirls” was among the first, marked by its style and sophistication.

The book and lyrics by Tom Eyen and music by Henry Krieger focuses on an all-girl singing group – think Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Shirelles, Martha and the Vandellas, and the Chiffons — as they rocket to superstardom in the 1960s and 1970s.

From left: Charl Brown, Courtnee Carter, Aramie Payton, Nick Rashad Burroughs, Tiffany Mann, Aisha Jackson and Ron Himes in the 2024 Muny production of “Dreamgirls.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

They must learn the ins and outs of a cutthroat system while not having much control over their contracts or lives. The soul sounds recall the Motown music trajectory of 1962-1976 in a peppy upbeat score, with meaningful emotional ballads to reflect character transitions.

It’s the kind of big splashy production that lends itself well to the glitz and glamour that the Muny can dazzle us with – and the creative team worked its customary magic to generate.

The look is super-sleek, with chic fashions from indomitable costume designer Leon Dobkowski, trendy wig designs from master stylist Kelley Jordan, ritzy set designs from ever-sharp Edward E. Haynes Jr., and perceptive bygone era video design from clever Elaine J. McCarthy.

Now in his 12th season, lighting designer extraordinaire Rob Denton enhances the in-vogue parade of fashions, glittery nightclub settings and mod TV appearances.

In 2012, the Muny staged a robust production featuring Holliday as Effie – and future “Hamilton” star Christopher Jackson as unscrupulous manager Curtis Taylor Jr.

Tiffany Mann and Ron Himes in the 2024 Muny production of “Dreamgirls.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

In this dynamic reprise, Mann makes Effie her own – and the high-spirited ensemble comes together seamlessly as a family along to an effervescent pulsating rhythm.

The principal characters are an impressive gathering of seasoned pros who’ve made a name for themselves on Broadway.

Immensely likable performers Aisha Jackson is classy Deena Jones and Courtnee Carter is flashy Lorrell Robinson, with the later addition of Effie’s replacement, Natalie Kaye Clater as charming Michelle Morris. They bring a lot of sparkle and pizzazz to the ambitious and naïve rising trio The Dreamettes.

They beautifully blend harmonies, and you root for them and their big dreams. Making their Muny debuts, Jackson was the first black woman to play the role of Anna in the Broadway production of “Frozen” and Carter was recently in the Tony-winning revival of “Parade.”

And the male leads are equally strong – silky-smooth Charl Brown is again impressive as the ethically challenged Curtis Taylor Jr., the Svengali manager-producer, after his memorable turn in the aforementioned “Smokey Joe’s Café” the summer of 2021. He was Tony nominated as pioneering Smokey Robinson in “Motown: The Musical.”

From left: Aisha Jackson, Nick Rashad Burroughs, Tiffany Mann, Courtnee Carter and the company of the 2024 Muny production of “Dreamgirls.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

With the theatricality and bluster of James Brown and Little Richard, Nick Rashad Burroughs is on fire as live-wire star Jimmy “Thunder” Early. He quickly won over the audience with his brash charm and high energy.

Burroughs originated the role of Ike Turner in “Tina – The Tina Turner Musical” on Broadway and was recently seen as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in the touring production of “Moulin Rouge” that came to the Fox this spring.

Aramie Payton is warm and personable as the talented songwriter C.C. White, Effie’s brother. He was the original Michael Jackson standby in “MJ – The Musical.”

Local treasure Ron Himes is a formidable Marty, an early mover and shaker who helps the group navigate the biz and tries to keep Curtis in check.

They are a tight-knit unit gliding through the ups and downs of fame.

Director Robert Clater makes sure we feel the heart along with the soul as a whirlwind rise marks Act One. His vivacious staging of the Apollo Amateur Night line-up opening and a supercool “Steppin’ to the Bad Side” gets us off to a rousing start.

The company of the 2024 Muny production of “Dreamgirls.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

The momentum keeps going with “Dreamgirls” and “Party Party,” followed by the serious “Heavy” and that soul-stirring rafter-shaking hit song.

Highlights also include the ironic white milquetoast rendition of “Cadillac Car” by Dave and the Sweethearts – really hammering a serious point with humor – and one of the most poignant numbers, “Family.” That is the enduring theme that ultimately saves some of them from themselves.

Choreographer Lesia Kaye keeps the dancers moving while music director/conductor Anne Shuttlesworth ensures everybody’s grooving, although I did feel at times the orchestra overpowered the vocals..

The late great legend Michael Bennett, fresh from the phenomenon that was “A Chorus Line,” directed and choreographed the original “Dreamgirls” 43 years ago, and Kaye honors that legacy with vigor.

Because of the heady mix of achieving their dreams in Act One, there is a believable joy throughout – until Effie’s heartbreaking personal and professional betrayal, although her erratic unprofessionalism and off-putting diva behavior precipitates her inevitable downfall.

Aisha Jackson and the company of the 2024 Muny production of “Dreamgirls.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

The cool and refined Deena becomes the more ‘presentable’ leader of the group, now known as Deena Jones and the Dreams, and is everything hot-headed Effie lacks, so Act Two interjects more of the pitfalls of fame and personal strife as fortunes run high and low.

While the cliched backstage drama also features Effie’s redemption, karma for Curtis, and Jimmy’s career tumbles, the girls’ can’t stop the detrimental cracks in their upward direction.

The consequences of single-minded success are obvious, and the book isn’t as strong in this snapshot, and the pacing sags midway.. You can see the strain of having everything tied up neatly on the page, yet the resolution feels earned for the principals, if rushed..

“And I Am Telling You…” isn’t Mann’s only slam dunk, for her contrite “I Am Changing” and her pensive “One Night Only” soar.

And darn if that long-time-coming reunion doesn’t produce a lump in the throat!

Among noteworthy elements to emphasize, Dobkowski’s elegant interpretations of retro fashions deserve their own standing ovation. His work always suits the characters perfectly, and he’s won two St. Louis Theater Circle Awards, for “Seussical” and “The Wiz.” He is in his 11th season, and brings out a shiny, happy vibe to everything he produces. Remember his jubilant “Sister Act” from last season?

From left: Courtnee Carter, Aisha Jackson, Natalie Kaye Clater and the company of the 2024 Muny production of “Dreamgirls.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

And Haynes’ scenic design is so fluid, one must salute his depth – briskly moving scenes in Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Miami, Las Vegas, and other cities with remarkable dexterity. Theater Circle winner for “Smokey Joe’s Café,” he created the landmark set for last season’s “Chess.”

One doesn’t achieve this slick sense of time and place with its distinctive sound and fury without prioritizing collaboration. That is what sets this show apart from a typical “Behind the Music” documentary, with a cast and crew determined to razzle dazzle us in a most exuberant triumph.

Come for THE SONG, stay for the teamwork.

From left: Courtnee Carter, Aisha Jackson and Natalie Kaye Clater in the 2024 Muny production of “Dreamgirls.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

The Muny presents “Dreamgirls” at 8:15 p.m. nightly June 27 – July 3 on the outdoor stage in Forest Park. The run time is nearly 2 hours and 30 minutes, including intermission. Tickets are available at muny.org, by calling MetroTix at (314) 534-1111 or in person at the Muny Box Office, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.

By Lynn Venhaus

Sins of the past collide with a volatile present in the intense gut-punch that is August Wilson’s “King Hedley II,” part of his American Century Cycle now in return rotation at The Black Rep.

One of the foremost interpreters of Wilson’s work, director Ron Himes superbly creates a powder keg of family secrets, desires for fresh starts, and hopes punctured by despair.

Shaping vivid portrayals, an outstanding ensemble conveys an abundance of passion in a heartbreaking and tragic tale.

The ninth of Wilson’s 10 plays set in the 20th Century, “King Hedley II,” written in 1999, takes place in Reagan’s America 1985, when class struggles were escalating.

This was a fraught time for black men and women trapped by circumstances – few opportunities and an alarming rise in gun violence, teen pregnancies and unemployment. Wilson hammers all those points home in poetic dialogue that spills out in blistering, breathtaking monologues that offer perspective.

Ka’ramuu Kush, J. Samuel Davis and Geovonday Jones. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

Himes understands the rhythms of these individual characters so that their story arcs are distinctive – and the six intertwining connections are convincing. It is masterful, moving work from Ka’ramuu Kush as rage-filled King and Alex Jay as his conflicted wife Tonya, local legends Denise Thimes as matriarch Ruby and J. Samuel Davis as ramblin’, gamblin’ Elmore, with strong support from A.C. Smith as evangelical neighbor Stool Pigeon and Geovonday Jones as King’s pal Mister.

With daily indignities chipping away at his self-respect, King is attempting to overcome a world of hurt to rebuild his life. He just spent seven years in prison for killing a man who disfigured his face. Now, he wants to provide for his family as he hustles stolen refrigerators and dreams of opening a video store with his best friend Mister.

Trouble seems to lurk everywhere, to pull him back, and his life could blow up at any moment because of all these small fires and volatile situations fanning the flames.

Such is the action in a backyard of Pittsburgh’s Hill District, fertile ground for Wilson’s dark, complex story about the widening gulf between the haves and have-nots. Some of the characters we met in his “Seven Guitars” reappear a generation later.

Alex Jay as Tonya. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

“Seven Guitars,” presented in 1995, confronted obstacles faced by a blues musician, Floyd “Schoolboy” Barton, who lived in a boarding house in 1948.  In that one, Ruby, visiting from Alabama, is pregnant with the son she names King Hedley II. Hedley is a prominent character, although the father’s paternity is not explained. Stool Pigeon appears as musician Canewell, one of Floyd’s best buds who is now collecting newspapers and trying to maintain historical records in “King Hedley II.” His friend, Red Carter, is Mister’s father.

Wilson’s 10 plays, each exploring the African American experience by decade over the course of 100 years, have been performed by the Black Rep before. During this second go-round for the anthology, I have seen them all since “The Piano Lesson” in 2013, with “Jitney” in 2022 and “Two Trains Running” in 2020 earning outstanding production awards from the St. Louis Theater Circle.

Next season, they will complete this recent cycle with “Radio Golf,” which takes place in the 1990s and was Wilson’s final work, presented in 2005.

All powerful in their own ways, these finely acted and impeccably produced shows illuminate black heritage and specific challenges.

Denise Thimes and J. Samuel Davis. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

This production’s gritty look immerses us into the neighboring row houses’ struggles through scenic designer Timothy Jones’s shabby stoop of Stool Pigeon’s and the grimy back porch of Miss Ruby’s delapidating family home while Travis Richardson’s lighting design, Alan Phillips’ sound design and Mikhail Lynn’s props create an authentic daily atmosphere.

Kush’s King gains our sympathies as he expresses his self-doubts and displays his vulnerabilities, detailing the reasons behind his noticeable facial scar, prison sentence, and his impoverished life to date.

He’s trying to grow flowers in a neighborhood of few success stories, an apt metaphor, but an unwavering sense of community is present, even as they lament the disrespectful thug environment encroaching on their turf they try so hard to protect.

The cast excels in fleshing out their characters’ colorful personalities and backstories so that you understand their motivations and philosophies on life. Stool Pigeon and Mister present some welcome humor, which both Smith and Jones are skilled at providing.

Stool Pigeon’s frequent quoting of the Bible often gives the play a spiritual angle that reveals more as it unfolds. “God got a plan. That medicine can’t go against God. God do what he want to do. He don’t have to ask nobody nothing,” Smith matter-of-factly states.

Denise Thimes, Alex Jay, Ka’ramuu Kush. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

Wilson’s views on disadvantaged lives hit hard as their truths tumble out – exemplified by a fiery outburst from Tonya on why she doesn’t want another child, and we feel all of Jay’s anguish.

Davis, a two-time St. Louis Theater Circle acting award winner, is silky-smooth as the charming Elmore, a rascal and former suitor that reconnects with Ruby. He’s trying to soothe his soul on some of the messes of his life.

Davis’s stellar track record with Wilson’s plays continues in one of his finest portrayals, deftly maneuvering the rapid-fire exchanges of a flashy con artist always trying to score.

Thimes, known as one of the best jazz singers in town, fully embodies Ruby, trying to find peace in her golden years, and looking back at regretful missteps.

Costume designer Kristie Chiyere Osi has outfitted the working-class characters specifically, with Elmore’s slick suits and snazzy hats an interesting contrast to everyone else’s casual attire.

Geovonday Jones, Ka’ramuu Kush, J. Samuel Davis. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

The cast is riveting as the action heats up, leading to an explosive climax that left me shaken. The tension is telegraphed all through Wilson’s exceptional prose, as past violence is recounted, but it still stuns.

Nominated for both the Pulitzer Prize and the 2001 Tony Award for Best Play, “King Hedley II” is impactful in its goal, to better understand behavior when people are robbed of dignity and humanity. That message resonates with The Black Rep’s insightful staging.

The Black Rep presents “King Hedley II” from June 19 to July 14 at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. An intergenerational matinee is June 26. It is 2 hours, 45 minutes, with an intermission, and contains mature language. For more information, www.theblackrep.org.

AC Smith as Stool Pigeon. Photo by Keshon Campbell.

By Lynn Venhaus
In 1965, the conflict between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and President Lyndon Johnson regarding voting rights came to a head because of escalating violence. On the streets of Selma, Alabama, the struggle to end racial discrimination was real. The drive for equality that resulted in the historic march from Selma to Montgomery and the hard-fought triumph that was the Voting Act Rights is depicted in a new historical drama written by British playwright Paul Webb.

The St. Louis Black Repertory Company hosted British playwright Webb for the world premiere of “Hold On!” that began with previews Jan. 10, opening night was Jan. 12, and the show ran Wednesday through Sunday until Jan. 28 in the Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University in St. Louis. It was the kickoff to their 47th mainstage season and directed by founder and producing director Ron Himes.

“We’re delighted to be producing this exceptional world premiere and we’ve pulled together an extraordinarily talented group of creatives to tell this story, It’s a great way to kick off our 47th Season,” Himes said.

Webb. who wrote the screenplay for the 2014 film “Selma,” was first inspired to write a play focused on the historic events in the Civil Rights Movement that led to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a year after the landmark Civil Rights Act was passed, and after King won the Nobel Peace Prize.

“What I came to realize was that the Selma voting rights campaign was the pinnacle of the careers for two extraordinary, although extraordinarily different, leaders,” Webb says.

Webb said he has been fascinated with American culture since childhood, and told a group of us at the opening night party about hitchhiking across America for six months. He saw how complicated race relations were in the South. He was intrigued by President Johnson’s efforts during the civil rights area, and his relationship with King. The importance of the demonstrations in Selma was a way to develop the story he wanted to pursue. .

Webb’s other works include “Four Knights in Knaresborough” about the assassination of Thomas Becket, and the BET mini-series “Madiba” about the life of Nelson Mandela.

Paul Webb, standing next to Ron Himes, says a few words about his play’s cast. Lynn Venhaus photo

Conversations with the Webb were included throughout the opening weekend, at the Jan. 11 preview performance at 7 p.m., followed by a post-show discussion, and after opening night Jan. 12, there was a post-show reception and a meet and greet. On Sunday, Jan. 14, there was a pre-show discussion at 2 p.m. before the 3 p.m. matinee performance.,

In 1957, King said: “So long as I do not firmly and irrevocably possess the right to vote, I do not possess myself. I cannot make up my mind; it is made up for me.”

In the 1960s, Americans debated what the “equal protection of the laws” in the 14th Amendment meant. Did the Constitution’s prohibition of denying equal protection always ban the use of racial, ethnic, or gender criteria in an attempt to bring social justice and social benefits?

In June 1963, President John Kennedy asked Congress for a comprehensive civil rights bill. This was after resistance to desegregation and the murder of Medgar Evans, a civil rights activist in Mississippi, who was fatally shot on June 12.

After Kennedy’s assassination in November, President Johnson took up pushing for it, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin, passed. That forbade using race and sex as reasons in hiring, promoting and firing, and strengthened the enforcement of voting rights and desegregation of schools.

Then, Johnson introduced the Voting Rights Act to Congress in March 1965, the same month that voter registration protests began in Selma.. The violence there added pressure on Congress to act, and the bill passed in four months.

To further learn about King’s journey, here are some resources:

https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-resources/major-king-events-chronology-1929-1968

Fifty-nine years ago, Selma became the battleground for Black suffrage, and. the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the site of the brutal Bloody Sunday beatings of civil rights marchers, is now a national historic landmark. Because the attacks were televised, public support for the activists grew, and marches continued for voting rights.

For more information about the landmarks in the historic civil rights efforts, visit the Civil Rights Trail: https://civilrightstrail.com/

The protections that King and his supporters fought for are under actual threat today, with attempts at voter suppression making the Voting Rights Act vulnerable. The Freedom to Vote Act addresses voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security, redistricting, and campaign finance. (Sources: https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/2747 and https://www.brennancenter.org/freedom-vote-act

Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls.

Next, the bill establishes Election Day as a federal holiday.

The bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence.

The bill establishes certain federal criminal offenses related to voting. In particular, the bill establishes a new criminal offense for conduct (or attempted conduct) to corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from registering to vote or helping someone register to vote.

Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including by requiring states to conduct post-election audits for federal elections.

The bill outlines criteria for congressional redistricting and generally prohibits mid-decade redistricting.

The bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices.

‘Hold On!’ at The Black Rep

The Black Rep’s 47th season will continue with “Fly” (Feb. 14 to March 10) in WashU’s A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre, followed by “Wedding Band” (March 13-31) at COCA, 6880 Washington Ave., and “Timbuktu!” (May 15 to June 9) in Edison. The season will conclude with “King Hedley II” (June 19-July 14), also in Edison.

Single tickets are now available through the Box Office, in person, or at (314) 534.3807. Reduced pricing is available for seniors, educators, students, and groups of 12 or more. Season 47 subscriptions remain on sale at TheBlackRep.org.

Support for The Black Rep’s 47th Main Stage Season comes from The Berges Family Foundation, The Black Seed Initiative, Caleres, Missouri Arts Council, the Regional Arts Commission, Rogers-Townsend, The Shubert Foundation, and the Steward Family Foundation.

Opening Night Meet and Greet: Lynn Venhaus, Playwright Paul Webb, Chas Adams

By Lynn Venhaus

The movement is a rhythm to us
Freedom is like religion to us
Justice is juxtapositionin’ us
Justice for all just ain’t specific enough

–“Glory” by Common and John Legend
2015 Oscar winner for Best Song, from the movie “Selma”

A remarkable history lesson more so than a lecture, “Hold On!” features a powerhouse ensemble recreating a pivotal period in 1965 that was a clarion call then and eerily an alarm bell now.

The Black Rep honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy with the timing of opening weekend to coincide with the federal holiday marking his Jan. 15 birthday, which has taken place on the third Monday of January every year since 1983.

King, the most prominent advocate for nonviolent activism to protest racial discrimination, helped get the Voting Rights Act signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on Aug. 6, 1965, after convincing the president a year earlier to sign the landmark Civil Rights Act (July 2, 1964), the same year he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (Dec. 2, 1964).

Their fascinating relationship was at times contentious but also collaborative, and those power battles royale are embodied by Enoch King as resolute MLK and Brian Dykstra as salty LBJ.

Dykstra easily slips into playing the master politician Johnson, for he has appeared twice before in the role – but in the drama “All the Way” that was produced at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis in fall 2015, which focuses on the civil rights endeavors in ’64, and as Brian Cox’s understudy in “The Great Society,” playwright Robert Schenkkan’s sequel, on Broadway in 2019

King is tenacious as the motivational visionary, remaining idealistic about moving people to action in divisive times. Both King and Johnson knew they couldn’t advance anything alone but needed supporters to be fervent about progress. The good reverend is a shrewd strategist in getting what he wants with the President, whose legendary battles with the “Dixiecrats” are well-documented.

While both were certainly flawed individuals, they were able to come together and change the course of America, pushing to outlaw discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.

On March 15, 1965, LBJ delivered a speech before Congress on voting rights — stating that the civil rights problems challenged the entire country, not one region. He asked for legislation that dictated clear, uniform guidelines for voting regardless of race or ethnicity, which would allow all citizens to register to vote free from harassment.

Through a turbulent lens, this sobering play looks back when blacks were being murdered in the South, just for daring to register to vote, use their voice to speak up and stand up, and the killers were not punished. These incidents still pack a gut-punch, and this drama, thriller-like, illuminates gathering storms, and as history prompts us, we must be vigilant.

In 1965, Selma represented the epicenter, and in Alabama, the struggle for justice and equality escalated. This well-researched historical work by Paul Webb depicts the drive for voting rights that resulted in the March 7 “Bloody Sunday” where protesters were beaten at the Edmund Pettus Bridge trying to march to Montgomery, the state capital.

Two weeks later, King, James Forman and John Lewis led marchers on that landmark trail after a U.S. District judge upheld the rights of demonstrators.

Webb, a British playwright and screenwriter who is credited with the screenplay for the 2014 film “Selma,” first began the project as a play, then moved forward instead with the film, but in the years since, has revised and finished his play. The Black Rep is the first company to produce it.

The Civil Rights Movement was a long and winding road, starting in 1954 and ending in 1968. Webb, fascinated by the motives of both Johnson and King during the 1964-65 period, has formatted the play as a series of vignettes, with 21 scenes, carried out by a cast of 14.

Ambitious, yes, and director Ron Himes deftly moves along characters and action, focusing on the urgency.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

This true story has a lot of moving parts to convey onstage, establishing characters who figure prominently in the tumultuous days highlighted. Scenes are mostly divided between Selma, Atlanta (King’s residence), Brown Chapel and Washington D.C., where Dunsi Dai’s evocative scenic design includes the Oval Office as a focal point, and Meg Brinkley’s prop design conveys.

Because of the nature of a stage play, the action offstage is chronicled through news clippings and video reports, which projections designer Zach Cohn has astutely put together.

The play is dense at first, takes a while to gain momentum, but when it does, it’s riveting and empowering.

Those unfamiliar with this period may need a primer to know who the key players are. People alive then or who remember it from the history books may recall who Alabama Gov. George Wallace and Dallas County Sheriff Jim Clark are, both masterfully played as hot-headed intolerant bigots by Eric Dean White.

The segregationists were firmly entrenched in the power grid during the Jim Crow era, and the selective timeline deepens the storytelling,

Making an impression as racist Al Lingo of the Alabama Highway Patrol and heroic activists Jimmie Lee Jackson and Annie Lee Cooper are Jeff Cummings, Jason Little and Tamara Thomas, who also play another role each.

Little and Thomas are strong in their characterizations of ordinary citizens who represent how despicably treated minorities were – and you’ll remember those names.

Isaiah Di Lorenzo smoothly plays a cruel county courthouse registrar and a redneck state trooper in addition to presidential speech writer Richard N. Goodwin. Thomas Patrick Riley tackles three unflattering roles – the ignorant courthouse worker Leverne, and an unenlightened deputy and state trooper. Tammie Holland is posh as King’s fling Della.

Other dedicated performers resemble the real people of King’s inner circle so we don’t forget their contributions:  Greg Carr Sr. as Ralph Abernathy, Olajuwon Davis as James Foreman, Greg Carr II as (future Congressman) John Lewis, Joel Antony as Hosiah Williams and Little doubling as Andrew Young (future Congressman, US Ambassador to the United Nations and Atlanta mayor).

These characters earned a place in history but perhaps are unknown to subsequent generations. (And if history is being rewritten in certain school districts…I digress).

Evann DeBose

For the play version, Webb laudably expanded the role of Coretta Scott King, and Evann DeBose is radiant –and assertive — as a woman working alongside her famous husband on the same goals, a strong force who won’t be diminished or treated callously.

Musically inclined, Coretta is shown singing and playing the piano (kudos to pianist Antonio Foster). DeBose’s soulful and heartfelt renditions of songs associated with the movement — Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” from 1964 and “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize,” a folk song referencing Biblical passages, also known as “Hold On,” popularized in 1963, remain indelible. The rallying anthem “We Shall Overcome” had to be prominently featured and it is.

One of the highlights of this production is sound designer Lamar Harris’ original music score. His compositions vividly capture the moods and punctuate the action in a notable way.

Some of the horrifying attacks are choreographed movements to represent the explosive violence and shrouded in blue lighting by expert designer Sean M. Savoie. Annie Lee Cooper’s front-page-news punch to the sheriff is well-staged for optimum effect.

Costume designer Marc W. Vital II has put together appropriate vintage looks for the women and standard business attire for the men. Special recognition goes to stage manager Tracy D. Holliway Wiggins and assistant Alan Phillips for maintaining the flow of all the comings and goings, no easy feat.

It’s important to keep this story at the forefront today because of its relevancy to equal rights.

The shock of brutal attacks with prejudice and without accountability reminds us that we are again living in tense times and protections are not absolute. As far as we have come in 59 years, scary to even think suppression is happening again.

It’s difficult to wrap one’s head around that more than 60 years ago, people died for the right to vote, and as I write this, voting rights are being threatened. However, a movement is underway supporting the Freedom to Vote Act of 2021 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023, which would modernize and revitalize the 1965 Voting Rights Act, strengthening legal protections against discriminatory voting policies and practices. Maybe “Hold On!” will be a timely nudge in the right direction.

“Hold On!” is a fine example of people keeping their eye on the prize, illustrating how many marched away from the darkness and into the light because of King’s special skills, and those he passed the torch to during his lifetime and beyond. It’s a refresher course on Selma not being a bridge too far.

Facin’ the league of justice, his power was the people
Enemy is lethal, a king became regal
Saw the face of Jim Crow under a bald eagle
The biggest weapon is to stay peaceful
We sing, our music is the cuts that we bleed through
Somewhere in the dream we had an epiphany
Now we right the wrongs in history
No one can win the war individually
It takes the wisdom of the elders and young people’s energy
One day when the glory comes

–“Glory”

The Black Rep presents the world premiere of “Hold On!” Jan. 10-Jan. 28 with performances Wednesday-Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday-Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Performances take place Jan. 10-28. Tickets are $50, or $45 for seniors and $20 for students (17+), with student rush tickets $15. No one aged 5 and under is admitted. Season 47 subscriptions are available. Tickets can be purchased at the Edison Theatre box office; the Black Rep’s box office, 813 N. Skinker Blvd.; or by calling 314-534-3810. For more information, visit: www.theblackrep.org

Cinema St. Louis is pleased to partner with the St. Louis Black Repertory Company for a special screening of the film, “Selma,” on Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Hi-Pointe Theatre at 1 pm. General Admission Tickets are $10, and a discounted ticket of $8 is available for current students and senior citizens aged 55+.” Visit site for tickets: https://www.cinemastlouis.org/selma-screening-black-rep

The St. Louis Black Repertory Company has named Brian McKinley as Director of Education and Community Programs. The actor, educator, and former intern assumes the role after serving 6 years in various positions at the Company.

“Brian is a talented emerging leader in our field,” said Ron Himes, Founder and Producing Director of The Black Rep. “I am very pleased that he has agreed to continue to bring his innovative and collaborative style to advancing our initiatives in the schools and community.”

Brian came to The Black Rep as an intern in 2017, directly after earning his BFA in Musical Theatre from Western Illinois University. Most recently he has served in the role of executive assistant to Producing Director Ron Himes, where he has coordinated the Black Rep’s Professional Fellow company, ensuring that thousands of local children gain access to quality theatre and engaging them in conversation and inquiry about the world around them. 

As an actor, Brian’s talents have taken him to stages across the country. Recent credits include: Skeleton Crew; Sweat (The St. Louis Black Repertory Company), King Lear (St. Louis Shakespeare Festival), The Wizard of Oz (Theatre League, Inc.), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Minot State University Summer Theatre), and The Wiz (COCA-Center of Creative Arts). He was recognized in 2021 with an award for Outstanding Supporting Performance from the St. Louis Theatre Circle for his role in Spell #7 (The St. Louis Black Repertory Co.) and was among the early-career professionals selected for the Fall 2021 Focus-St. Louis cohort of Emerging Leaders.

As education and community engagement director, McKinley will continue to manage the company’s professional fellow company as well as oversee the Touring Show Productions and growing portfolio of  programming for education and community partners. 

“I’m excited to continue to spread my wings as an arts leader and to continue to build awareness and partnerships with The Black Rep,” said McKinley. “Thanks to the support of generous donors we are able to bring the arts to more of the St. Louis community and most importantly, to our growing list of school partners.”

McKinley won a St. Louis Theater Circle Award for his performance in “Spell #7” at The Black Rep.

About the Black Rep

The Black Rep, a 46-year-old legacy Black arts organization, is committed to producing, re-imagining, and commissioning work written by Black playwrights and creating opportunities for new voices and youth. Founded by Producing Director Ron Himes, the vision for The Black Rep continues: a more equitable distribution of opportunities and resources for Black professionals and students in the theatre; improved representation on and back-stage in the theatre industry; and a fostered community culture of support and mentorship for those who will follow. For more information: www.theblackrep.org 

Brian McKinley