By Lynn Venhaus

An extraordinary work of vision, power and poetry, “The Brothers Size” is one of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’s finest achievements to date.

Because of a cohesive collaboration between some of the most talented artists in St. Louis, this spiritual exploration of brotherhood and the black male experience has a dramatic impact that may leave you emotionally spun and moved to tears.

Directed with grace and deep understanding by multi-hyphenate Jacqueline Thompson, Metro Theater Company’s artistic director and winner of multiple St. Louis Theater Circle Awards for acting and directing, this gritty tale is staged in a lean, deliberate manner.

This immersive triumph is enhanced by the muscular choreography of Kirven Douthit-Boyd, artistic director of Saint Louis Dance Theatre; the memorable music composition and sound design of Tre’von Griffin and David A. N. Jackson; and the atmospheric lighting of Jayson Lawshee.

Nic Few as Ogun and Christian Kitchens as Oshoosi. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Their artistic vision, along with other artisans behind-the-scenes and the dynamic performances of Nic Few, Christian Kitchens and Donald Jones Jr., make this an unforgettable presentation.

They strived to make this resonate emotionally and do so in waves, for it grows in intensity and richness. Artistic consultant LaWanda Jackson and dramaturg Taijha Silas helped make that happen.

In his signature lyrical style, playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney, who won an Oscar for the screenplay of “Moonlight,” unfolds a common man story, with heart and humor, in the Louisiana bayou, which he wrote 20 years ago.

He examines the complex bonds of family, how love and loyalty affect relationships, the ripple effects of crime and punishment, systemic racism, and the hard road to healing.

Christian Kitchens and Donald Jones Jr. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Nic Few is big brother Ogun, a responsible, hard-working auto mechanic whose younger brother Oshoosi (Christian Kitchens), has been released from prison. He’s restless, impulsive, trying to carve out a new life.

Can they reconnect or will the youngest return to his old habits when his ex-con friend Elegba (Donald Jones Jr.), his former cellmate, comes by for visits.

Ogun is tough on Oshoosi, annoyed by his swagger and aimlessness, and that chafes his little brother. It’s complicated when the oldest wants stability and the youngest is content to be carefree, tempted by a friend who’s a bad influence.

The brothers are eager to succeed, but they tussle often, like many siblings. Their temperaments are different – Few embodies fierce physicality and weighted down by the world and Kitchen imbues his part with musicality and a lightness of being.

Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The charming Elegba seems to want the same things but actually is a detriment to Oshoosi and Ogun’s goals. Ogun is suspicious but Oshoosi is faithful. Are we our brother’s keeper?

The effects of incarceration and the never-ending fight to be free, to make something better for their futures, shape this raw portrait. When danger lurks, they wrestle with decisions (Shades of “Nickel Boys.”)

Few, Kitchens and Jones corral an electrical charge to deliver honest characterizations that are physically and emotionally demanding. Their chemistry personifies their close ties. They are natural in their interactions – arguing, goofing off, trash talking, soul-singing, dancing and expressing their feelings.

Thompson was determined to find entry points for everyone watching, illuminating what could be considered abstract elements. The trust between everyone is obvious, their artistry elevated through her guidance.

Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The minimalist staging, with action taking place within a circle, is reflected in Kristie C. Osi’s costume design, Jayson Lawshee’s scenic design and Eric William Barnes’ props design.

A regional premiere, “The Brothers Size” is the first time one of McCraney’s plays are staged in St. Louis. Considered a modern-day fable, “the script includes stage directions in the dialogue to heighten the encounter between the actor and the audience.

McCraney was inspired by the Yoruba people of West Africa – their rituals and religion, so he incorporated symbolism. His stylistic choices are rhythmically distinctive, seamlessly blending verse and conversation. In his original way, he aims for a mythical quality, making it about something larger than our daily lives. That adds a potency and an urgency.

The first show this season in the Steve Woolf Studio Series, it’s a play that was made for the intimate space and the series, praised for its risk-taking. The former artistic director, who retired in 2019 after 33 years at The Rep and died during the pandemic in 2021, encouraged theatregoers to be adventurous with newer works and unknown playwrights. What a fine legacy.

Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Opening night bristled with electricity, the kind of buzz that marks a big deal event. After this profound, gut-wrenching experience, the audience leapt to their feet as soon as it ended, with an outpouring of love and thunderous applause. It was indeed a moment (well, several).

“The Brothers Size” boldly represents The Rep’s vision and demonstrates their commitment to produce works of daring imagination and transformative symmetry with exceptional casts and crews.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “The Brothers Size” from Oct. 22 to Nov. 16 as part of the Steve Woolf Studio Series in the Emerson Studio of the Loretto-Hilton Center, 130 Edgar Road, St. Louis.

The play is 90 minutes without intermission. A post-show discussion follows the performance on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 2 p.m.

To purchase tickets, visit www.repstl.org or call the box office Monday through Friday noon to 5 p.m. at 314-968-4925.

Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is proud to present the return of the Steve Woolf Studio Series – Adventurous Theatre for Adventurous Theateregoers for the 2024/25 Season in the Emerson Studio of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University. The two play series features a wickedly funny comedy, The Roommate by Jen Silverman running October 26 – November 17, 2024, and the fast-paced engaging play Athena by Gracie Gardner, January 15 – February 8, 2025.

The Steve Woolf Studio Series is in addition to the previously announced Mainstage Season featuring the suspense thriller Dial “M” for Murder September 18 – October 13, 2024; the holiday musical Million Dollar Quartet Christmas in partnership with STAGES St. Louis,  December 4 – 22, 2024; Lynn Nottage’s Tony-nominated comedy, Clyde’s, February 5 – March 2, 2025; and the uproarious retelling of Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood, March 19 – April 13, 2025 all performed at the Loretto-Hilton Center, in the Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre on the campus of Webster University. 

“Adventurous black-box theatre brimming with vital heart, humor and dramatic action flexes a different and exciting muscle of storytelling for our community to enjoy here again at The Rep. Bringing back that immersive, intimate communal experience with the Steve Woolf Studio Series thrills as I kick off my first season here as Artistic Director.” said Kate Bergstrom, Augustin Family Artistic Director.

“Our studio season demonstrates that coming of age can happen at any time in a person’s life-from 16 to 60, especially with a firecracker of a new “friend” in the mix. The Roommate and Athena feature strong female duos that must balance their own morals and survival instincts amidst the risk and reward of creating a human connection. These stories are funny and gut-wrenching all the while being ferocious and heartwarming. I can’t wait to welcome audiences back to the Studio as we go on this coming of age adventure together.”

Steven Woolf

“As The Rep continues to move forward, it’s important to look back to honor and celebrate the legacy of those before us,” said Danny Williams, Managing Director.  “Steve Woolf made an immeasurable impact on not only the theater, but the St. Louis community by encouraging theatergoers to take a risk with newer unknown plays and playwrights.  His risk was our reward as we continue his legacy with two contemporary and adventurous plays in our home at the LHC that will enrich our subscribers’ thirst for exceptional theatrical experiences.”

First in the series is The Roommate, directed by Rebekah Scallet, Artistic Director of New Jewish Theatre and features set design by Robert Mark Morgan a St. Louis-based multidisciplinary artist teaching stage design at Washington University, costume design by Lou Bird whose designs were featured in The Rep’s Clybourne Park and The Invisible Hand, lighting design by Jayson Lawshee whose recent work at COCA include Matilda and Billy Elliot, and sound design by Kareem Deanes who last worked on Gruesome Playground Injuries at The Rep.

In The Roommate, middle-aged Sharon, recently divorced and seeking a sensible roommate, opens her home to Robyn, a mysterious woman with a murky past. Entwining this unlikely duo’s lives in shared dish-duty and shady business, Jen Silverman takes us on an uproarious journey of self-discovery, secrets and revelations. Challenge societal norms, embrace the unexpected, and revel in the reinvention that only true friendship can spark in this dark comedy that proves coming of age can happen anytime, anywhere- even your own kitchen table!

Athena, directed by Kate Bergstrom in her studio directorial debut as Augustin Family Artistic Director, will feature competition and friendship going head to head with live fencing on the piste. In Gracie Gardner’s engaging new play, which was named a New York Times Critics’ Pick, characters Mary Wallace and Athena are brave, and seventeen, and fencers, and training for the Junior Olympics. They practice together, they compete against each other, they spend their lives together. They wish they were friends.

Cast and further creative team for both productions to be announced soon.

Leadership support for The 24-25 Steve Woolf Studio Series is generously provided by  Susan and Peter Tuteur, with additional production support  for Athena by Gwen and Paul Middeke and Ven and Cynthia Houts.

Subscriptions and single tickets are available online at repstl.org, over the phone 314-968-4925 or in person at the Loretto-Hilton Center Box Office  Tuesdays – Thursdays from 10:30-5pm.  Seating for the Studio Series is General Admission with subscribers given priority seating beginning 30 minutes prior to curtain. 

For more information, please visit repstl.org.

About the Playwrights:

Jen SilvermanThe Roommate
Jen is a New York-based playwright, novelist and screenwriter. Jen’s plays include Spain; Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties; The Moors; The Roommate; Witch and Highway Patrol. They have been produced off-Broadway, regionally across the US, and internationally in Australia, the UK, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Spain. Jen is the author of the debut novel We Play Ourselves and the story collection The Island Dwellers; Jen’s next novel is forthcoming from Random House in 2024. Jen wrote The Miranda Obsession as a narrative podcast for Audible, starring Rachel Brosnahan. Jen is a three-time MacDowell Fellow and a member of New Dramatists. Honors include the Yale Drama Series Award and fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim. Jen also writes for TV and film.

Gracie Gardner, Athena
Gracie is an American playwright. With other works selected for Theatertreffen Stückemarkt in Berlin, premiered at Munich Volkstheater, and honored with the Relentless Award; it was developed by Less Than Rent at HERE Arts Center, and The Old Vic in London. Her play Athena (New York Times Critics’ Pick) was presented by The Hearth at JACK. Gracie is the recipient of the McKnight National Residency and Commission, an Ensemble Studio Theater Sloan Foundation Commission, the James E. Michael Award and the James Stevenson Prize, and she is a Samuel French OOB Festival winner. She’s a proud member of New Dramatists, Ars Nova Play Group and Youngblood, and she has received commissions from Clubbed Thumb, Manhattan Theatre Club and the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music.

ABOUT THE REPERTORY THEATRE OF ST. LOUIS

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) is the region’s premiere theatre for compelling, award-winning theatrical experiences that entertain, engage, and illuminate audiences’ shared humanity. Founded in 1966, for more than five decades The Rep has sustained and built upon its commitment to artistic excellence by creating, developing, and curating adventurous new works and beloved classics from the most exciting emerging and established American voices. The Rep builds bridges within the St. Louis community and beyond by offering productions that allow audiences to see themselves and the stories that matter to them represented on stage, through the organization’s robust community engagement programs, and across its educational initiatives.

The Rep welcomes audiences with inspiring and expansive productions at several inviting stages across St. Louis including the Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts and other venues around the St. Louis area. A thought leader in the national theatre landscape, The Rep is a dedicated partner with arts organizations in St. Louis and across the country, expanding audiences’ appreciation and understanding of the world through theatre. In December 2023, The Rep was named a Missouri Historical Theatre, which is awarded to theaters that contribute to tourism in Missouri, promote arts in its community and throughout Missouri, and has been operational for a minimum of 50 years. Visit www.repstl.org for details and follow @repstl.

Emcees Alan Knoll and Laurie McConnell with producer Ron Stevens at The Repertory Theatre of St Louis for a program during the pandemic, “Keep Arts Alive in St. Louis.” Photo provided.

By Lynn Venhaus
Area theatergoers, you must see “Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” now playing at the recently renamed Florissant Performing Arts Center, presented by Hawthorne Players through Nov. 13.

Opening night Friday was a testament to a production fulfilling its promise and meeting the moment, truly raising the bar for the entire St. Louis theater scene.

Knowing what Ken Clark is capable of as a director and scenic designer, and recognizing members of the cast and creative team, I purchased tickets to see it as a patron, not as a professional critic (do not review community/school theater) or an AFL judge (which I did for 10 years, but no longer in that role). My schedule does not permit me to get to everything I’d like to see, but lo and behold, Nov. 4 opened up.

Winner of five Tony Awards in 2015 and seven Olivier Awards in London, this immersive drama is one of the most unique theatrical experiences you will ever see — and also one of the most moving. Simon Stephens adapted the book by Mark Haddon, which takes us on a journey inside the brilliant mind of Christopher, who struggles to process everyday information, and has sensory perception issues.

Recent upgrades to the theater — the auditorium is part of the Florissant Civic Center — have enabled next-level technical work. The ‘Curious Incident’ creative team is the first to use the new projectors, and it adds so much.

However, technological bells and whistles are only as good as the creative minds behind the set, sound and lighting designs — bravo to lighting designer Eric Wennlund (his “The Spitfire Grill” was sublime, an AFL award winner), sound designer Jacob Baxley, who also composed the music score (!), and scenic and projection designer Ken Clark. Remarkable work.

Mike De Pope, Daniel Wolfe. Photo by Wolfe Creative Media Services.

Delivering the show’s heart, getting the ‘mind’ of the material right, is a tight ensemble. Dan Wolfe is exceptional as Christopher, and you can’t get up to leave immediately after the curtain call (standing O Friday), or you’ll miss his terrific coda. The youngster, who won a Best Performance Award from AFL last summer for “Annie,” displays how much effort he put into making Christopher as authentic as possible. It’s a tour de force.

Mike De Pope and Jennelle Gilreath Owens are strong as the parents, Natalee Damron is the sympathetic and firm teacher Siobhan, and a fine group of local actors perform multiple roles, including Jeff Kargus, Marian Holtz, Elle Harlow, Patrick Brueggen, Hunter Fredrick and Jessica Kelly.

The dialect work is superb — and consistent, and the coaches, with UK roots, are Robert Ashton and Gwynneth Rausch. Special mention to assistant director and choreographer Stefanie Kluba for staging the crisp movements that add to this show’s tapestry, and to ace veteran costume designer Jean Heckmann.

Lobby photo.\ by Lynn Venhaus

It’s indeed a triumph for all involved, and especially for the Hawthorne board of directors, for greenlighting such a challenging work.

Now in its 75th season, the group has been celebrating throughout the year. Take time to look at all the historical items in the lobby — and you can take a chance on a stunning quilt Jean Heckmann made including some of their shows. The quilt drawing is set for after their final show of the year, “Cowboy Christmas,” on Dec. 10.

This show’s level of difficulty is high, and anyone who has seen it before — whether Broadway, London or locally, is aware of its demands. In 2017, The Repertory Theatre of St Louis’s production blew me away. Several months later, it was honored as Outstanding Drama Production by the St. Louis Theater Circle, of which I am a founding member.

Dan Wolfe. Photo by Wolfe Creative Media Services.

I remember talking to Steve Woolf, the late great artistic director of The Rep, who had seen the show in London , and felt he had ‘cracked the code’ on how to make it work at the Rep.

In a column after his untimely death in 2021, I wrote:

“During rehearsals for the stellar “All the Way” in 2015 (I was there to interview Brian Dykstra, playing LBJ, and Woolf, who was directing — https://www.bnd.com/living/magazine/article34672659.html), he told me about his experience seeing “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” in London.

He had been gobsmacked. He didn’t think The Rep could do it — very technical show, intricate — but the wheels were turning. He was so excited about trying to bring it to The Rep. “I think I’ve found a way we can do it,” he said to me later. (more of that article, https://www.poplifestl.com/sightlines-remembering-steve-woolf/

In 2019, Actors Attic, a youth-focused theater group in Columbia, Ill., won several Theatre Mask Awards, presented by Arts for Life, for its ambitious production directed by MaryBeth Scherr Babcock. As far as I know, they’ve been the only local group to tackle it until now.

Yes, this is high praise. And yes, it’s that good. This column isn’t intended to review the show, only to urge people to fill seats of Flo PAC. It takes a village to put on a show as risky and rewarding as this, and they pulled it off in spectacular fashion, so I wanted to honor their efforts. All that work was worth it — but they deserve an audience.

GO SEE IT and support live theater. We need the arts and how it connects people more than we ever have.

(Fun Fact: As a news reporter and feature writer at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, I told then-entertainment editor Frank Hunter that I had a theater background and would be available to review local theater if he needed a hand. One of my earliest assignments that I recall was “Carousel” at Hawthorne Players in 1984.)

‘Curious Incident’ is performed Nov 4, 5, 11 and 12 at 7:30 pm, with a matinee on Nov. 13 at 2 pm at the Florissant Performing Arts Center.
Tickets may be purchased online at https://florissantmo.thundertix.com/events/199113
For more information and sensitivity warnings, go to www.HawthornePlayers.com

Cover photo by Wolfe Creative Media Services

Ensemble on the train. Photo by Wolfe Creative Media Services.
Dan Wolfe, Jennelle Gilreath Owens. Photo by Wolfe Creative Media Services.

By Lynn Venhaus
We have been enriched by Steve Woolf as a titan in regional theater, and his loss will be deeply felt.

For 33 years, he guided The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, until his retirement in 2019. He died Monday at age 75.

I had the opportunity to interview and talk with him on several occasions, and I am very grateful to have been in his orbit for a bit. It was an honor. His immense love of theater was obvious from the moment you encountered him – his eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas.

I have been reviewing plays at The Repertory Theatre since 2005. Their “Take Me Out” I consider to be the gold standard for plays in St. Louis. As a founding member of the St. Louis Theater Circle in 2012, I have presented him with a lion’s share of awards. Every year, from 2013-2019, he was always gracious and sincere, no matter how many trips he took to the stage.

During the past decade, The Rep has earned more than 100 awards. They have led the way in innovation and excellence – in acting, direction, set design, lighting design, sound and much more.

As an Arts For Life board member, I helped facilitate his Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018, for his “vision, passion and excellence,” and he was so genuine about the honor. But that’s what he did — lived an authentic life. He never forgot that he was a kid from Milwaukee living out his dream.

And so, he could inspire — he talked about the magic of live theater, being in a dark room, sharing a special experience with other people that changes us and connects us.

His work spoke for itself: He directed “Red,” one of my favorites, and he brought the complex “Oslo” to the stage as one of his final — and most intense — works. He committed to making it relatable, no easy task with a large sprawling cast.

During rehearsals for the stellar “All the Way” in 2015 (I was there to interview Brian Dykstra, playing LBJ, and Woolf, who was directing — https://www.bnd.com/living/magazine/article34672659.html), he told me about his experience seeing “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” in London.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at The Rep

He had been gobsmacked. He didn’t think The Rep could do it — very technical show, intricate — but the wheels were turning. He was so excited about trying to bring it to The Rep. “I think I’ve found a way we can do it,” he said to me later. (And it would win the Theatre Circle’s Outstanding Production, which opened the 2017-2018 season, and Best Director, Marcia Milgrom Dodge, in 2018.)

The enthusiasm he had for the process and the collaboration of “putting it all together” were so obvious. I cherish a brief interchange I had with him — in a stairwell at The Rep — about “The Humans,” which was a thought-provoker, had many layers. I had made an observation, and he wanted to hear more of my thoughts. It had received a mixed reaction — but he was firm in his fervor. He was just so darn insightful.

During an interview before the 50th season, which opened with “Follies,” he recalled the first time he saw the show as a young man studying theater. We geeked out about our mutual love of Stephen Sondheim. “Follies” was brilliant, but his other major production at The Rep, in 2012, the magnificent “Sunday in the Park with George,” was breathtaking. Truly memorable.

Every year, he would go to New York to soak up multiple theater productions. And hearing about his experiences was always a treat. During intermission of yet another “Mamma Mia!” at the Fox, I went over to chat with Joe Pollack, and Steve Woolf also came over to talk to Joe, and he regaled us with tales from his recent Broadway adventures. How fortunate to hear his vision and just how he radiated joy about theater (I mean, he was at “Mamma Mia!”).

One of my favorite Steve Woolf remembrances was, in fact, at Joe Pollack’s memorial service on March 17, 2012, at The Rep, of course. His widow, Ann Lemons Pollack, had arranged for five main speakers — all from a different facet of Joe’s life/illustrious career. Steve was the representative for theater, only fitting. He said as a critic, Joe just wanted the theater groups to “get it right.” Oh, yes, what a perfect summation.

And yes, Steve, you “got it right” more often than not. You will be missed, for your wit, your wisdom, your humanity, your desire for theater to spark conversations — and how you appreciated St. Louis audiences.

May God rest your soul. Your memory is already a blessing to me. And I hope you and Joe can continue to have some great conversations.

Mark Bernstein, retired managing director at The Rep, summed it up perfectly in a statement: “Steve always had his finger on the pulse of the St. Louis community, programming plays that resonated in the here and now, and showcasing the work of outstanding directors, designers and actors. St. Louis audiences responded by filling the seats, night after night, week after week, year after year.”

Standing O, Steve!

”Here is an article I wrote for the Webster-Kirkwood Times when he was getting multiple awards before retiring:

https://www.timesnewspapers.com/webster-kirkwoodtimes/curtain-call/article_ee301692-61dc-11e9-bcf0-1b566b2e37e4.html?fbclid=IwAR3drHmQpZXanye8Tvo9OH-cdSItTeegAOBC9WfeJ0CSmlemUlWlUpSPJ9U

Follies

My review of “All the Way,” in the Belleville News-Democrat on Sept. 17, 2015: https://www.bnd.com/entertainment/article35666526.html

My review of “Follies,” in the Belleville News-Democrat on Sept. 21, 2016: https://www.bnd.com/entertainment/article103265847.html

Photos provided by The Rep

 
More than one dozen St. Louis-area theatre companies will unite to showcase the very best in local performance art at Making a Scene: A St. Louis Theatre Expo, presented by PNC Arts Alive, hosted Saturday, Sept. 29 at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.
The free event will run from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts (130 Edgar Road, on the campus of Webster University), and feature talks, demonstrations, pop-up performances, backstage tours, children’s craft activities and more. With numerous events happening throughout the building at any given time, visitors can create their own schedule as they explore the art of theatre. (See a schedule of events on the Expo’s online event page).
Featured speakers include local artistic directors, such as Michael Isaacson of The Muny, Steven Woolf of The Rep and Christina Rios of R-S Theatrics, as well as St. Louis-based actors and behind-the-scenes talents who make magic happen onstage.
Companies that will be on-hand to highlight their seasons include The Rep, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, STAGES St. Louis, Stray Dog Theatre, St. Lou Fringe Festival, New Jewish Theatre and Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble.
This is the second St. Louis Theatre Expo, following the inaugural edition in September 2016.
Support comes from PNC Foundation through the PNC Arts Alive initiative. A $20,000 grant will allow The Rep to hire videographers to film several of the Expo’s sessions, and then post those videos online as an educational resource for area students. Learn more about that grant here.