Theatre creates new production of a holiday classic, cancels two productions, amid $2.5M budget shortfall
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis today announced that it needs significant support from the St. Louis community by the end of 2023 to continue its programming in the second half of the 2023-2024 season, which kicked off last month with a widely-acclaimed production of “The Lehman Trilogy.”
In response to a projected $2.5M budget shortfall facing the theatre, similar to financial challenges facing theatres across the country, The Rep has streamlined its season, replacing its annual holiday spectacular, “A Christmas Carol,” with an adaptation of the beloved holiday film “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” and canceling the previously announced productions of “The Lion” and “The Greatest Love for Whitney: A Tribute to Whitney Houston.”
“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” will feature local actors and crew members who were originally scheduled to perform and work on A Christmas Carol. To address the budget shortfall, The Rep is also launching a “Rally for The Rep” campaign to encourage the St. Louis community to support the theatre.
“The theatre is at an inflection point, and we need to raise $2.5M through ticket sales and philanthropy by the end of 2023 to continue to produce works in the second half of our season. The St. Louis community has sustained us for nearly six decades, and now more than ever, we need them to invest in our future. Although we are calling on the community for support as we are cutting back this season, The Rep is dedicated to honor our longstanding commitment to bringing St. Louis audiences world-class theatrical experiences from the most exciting emerging and established voices in American theatre,” said Danny Williams, Managing Director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.
“The slower-than-hoped-for return of audiences following the pandemic exacerbated financial challenges and necessitated that we make these significant and difficult changes. We need patrons to bring friends and family and show support in any way that they can to help us ensure that the productions we have planned in 2024 can happen.”
In the past decade, theater companies across the country have seen major shifts in their business models, and The Rep was no longer able to respond to these shifts in an effective manner. The Rep’s decision to update the 2023-2024 season comes at a time when theaters across the country are facing financial hardships, due in part to the Coronavirus pandemic. Since 2020, audience attendance at theaters has significantly declined, and the number of shows produced nationwide has decreased by 41%, according to a study conducted by Jacobson Consulting Applications, Inc.
The Lehman Trilogy. Photo by Phillip Hamer
While The Rep’s critically acclaimed productions of “The Lehman Trilogy” and “Twisted Melodies” far exceeded the national trends for attendance, the gaps still remain, and crucial community investment is needed to fully mount the 2023-2024 Season. The Rep plans to bring world-class, adventurous new works and beloved classics to its stages at the Loretto-Hilton Center in the second half of its 2024 season but needs to raise $2.5M throughits “Rally for The Rep” campaign to do so.
Currently scheduled for 2024 is Lookingglass Theatre Company’s adaptation of Moby Dick in February and Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County, which begins performances in March 2024.
The Rep is reaching out directly to season subscribers and current ticket holders regarding all changes.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.repstl.org or call the Box Office, Monday – Friday from 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at (314) 968-4925. The Rep Box Office will also be available for in-person support at the Loretto-Hilton Center, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
NEW: HOLIDAY PRESENTATION “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play“ The beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast! December 1 – December 23 Loretto-Hilton Center Made possible with support by The Berges Family Foundation Adapted by Joe Landry
It’s a Wonderful Life is based on the story The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern Engage your imagination in the world of vintage radio broadcasting as you rediscover the magic of the holiday season with It’s A Wonderful Life – A Live Radio Play. Experience the Golden Age of Radio through this classic holiday film reimaged as a live radio performance. Bear witness to this timeliness holiday story that explores the life of George Bailey, a compassionate and selfless man, standing on the brink of despair, when an angel named Clarence is sent down to Earth to teach George the power of kindness, the importance of family and friends, and the realization that each life, no matter how ordinary it may seem, is truly wonderful.
“Evita” at the Rep
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. For more information, please visit repstl.org and follow @repstl.
The Loretto-Hilton Center at Webster University is The Rep’s home.
Lynn Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents, and writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to other publications. She is a member of CCA, AWFJ and St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
Singer-actor Kelvin Roston Jr. is a man on a mission, and he pours his heart and soul into a revealing portrait of soul singer Donny Hathaway.
However, his haunting one-man show “Twisted Melodies” is more than a bravura performance – he shines the spotlight on complicated mental health issues to lead us to further understanding.
Sure, you’ve heard Hathaway’s music – at least every holiday season “This Christmas” is playing in stores, on car radios, and at home. His signature cover of Leon Russell’s “A Song for You” is considered one of his finest, as is John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy,” and his duet with Roberta Flack on “Where Is the Love?” won a Grammy Award in 1973.
The audience acknowledged familiarity with his first hit, “The Ghetto,” from his album debut “Everything Is Everything” in 1970 as soon as it played. After all, Hathaway was born in St. Louis on Oct. 1, 1945, and has a deep fan base here.
Hathaway was raised by his grandmother Martha Pitts, a professional gospel singer, in the Carr Square housing project. He graduated from Vashon High School in 1963, and earned a fine arts scholarship to Howard University, where he majored in music theory.
Because of his illustrious career and enduring impact, he was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame in 2013. His star is located at 6165 Delmar Blvd. in University City.
But what was happening behind the music is a tragic story that silenced his expressive voice. The gifted musician and songwriter suffered from mental illness. At age 33, he plunged to his death from an Essex Hotel window in Chicago on Jan. 13, 1979.
Kelvin Roston. Photo by Jon Gitchoff
This captivating, mournful story takes place on that fateful day inside Hathaway’s hotel room — and inside his head – as he battled demons his adult life. A paranoid schizophrenic, he wasn’t keen on keeping up with a rigorous prescription medicine route, and therefore, his behavior became increasingly erratic.
In a devastating scene, he described all the unpleasant side effects of the pills he was prescribed. Those who loved him could not help.
Roston conveys both Hathaway’s talent and his torment in a heartfelt and heartbreaking performance, displaying his expert musicianship and his powerful voice. He deeply feels the music.
Roston, who is also from St. Louis but currently based in Chicago, began shaping the play when he was an intern at the Black Rep. Caring so passionately about this man and his music, he brought this personal story to the Black Rep in 2016 – and was nominated for a St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama. Since the world premiere in 2015 in Chicago, he has taken his show across the country.
Roston, who attended Cardinal Ritter High School, recently won a Joseph Jefferson Award in Chicago for Best Actor for his performance as “King Hedley II,” August Wilson’s play staged at The Court Theatre.
In his courageous portrayal, Roston brings out Hathaway’s caring, vulnerable personality by reminiscing about his childhood, college years, collaboration with Flack, meeting his wife, and the love for his daughter.
He also flips quickly to indicate a darker force, an all-consuming inner turmoil, as he is convinced someone is stealing his music by hooking up his brain to a machine.
As he struggles to maintain sanity, we hear discordant sounds, the lights become harsher, and visuals distort. Projection designer Mike Tutaj provides different images on the hotel room walls. Xavier Pierce’s lighting and G Clausen’s sound design add to the heightened emotions.
Set designer Tim Mackabee’s accurate depiction of a tastefully appointed hotel room 44 years ago can appear spacious, then claustrophobic, almost like a prison, while Roston is presenting composing at his keyboard normally, then switching to the terror of Hathaway’s reality.
Roston as Donny Hathaway. Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Throughout the 90 minutes, while music was integrated into the script, Roston’s focus on the disease’s effects is hard-hitting, robbing Hathaway of everything he valued.
This show speaks volumes in a sincere, direct way, and illuminates a crippling disease and urgent health care crisis. It is a public service announcement as much as an entertaining, thoughtful show.
Director Reggie D. White has emphasized both in this presentation, and he has seamlessly incorporated the technical elements so we could be moved not only by Hathaway’s brilliance as a major R&B talent, but also his hellish psychological state.
On opening night Oct. 6, Hathaway’s youngest daughter, Donnita, came on stage afterwards to talk about her father, and commend Roston’s work. She was 2 years old when her father died.
The Rep is partnering with Donnita’s Donny Hathaway Legacy Project that advocates for holistic mental health and emotional health-related education and resources. The Rep has pledged to partner its onstage work with a necessary offstage issue.
She had said earlier: “I’m in awe of how much care and delicacy the brilliant Kelvin Roston takes in his role as my father while staying true to highlighting mental health issues during this fateful night and balancing the scales by taking us down memory lane by infusing the classic musical catalog that Donny Hathaway left us. I am thrilled that Twisted Melodies is coming to The Rep, a place that both Kelvin Roston and the late Donny Hathaway could call home.”
Post-show discussions are set for Saturday, Oct. 14 at 4 p.m. and Wednesday, Oct. 18 at 2 p. m.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “Twisted Melodies” Oct. 4 -22 at the Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA, 6880 Washington Avenue. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: www.repstl.org
The Rep Box Office is available for in-person support at the Loretto-Hilton Center, 130 Edgar Rd., Webster Groves, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. – 5 p.m, and 2 hours before curtain.
Lynn Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents, and writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to other publications. She is a member of CCA, AWFJ and St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
Sharif Ends Five Year Tenure at The Rep After Shepherding the Theatre Through the Pandemic
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) has announced that Hana Sharif is stepping down as its Augustin Family Artistic Director after a five-year tenure leading the top regional theatre and advancing its legacy of artistic excellence to become Artistic Director of Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. Danny Williams, Managing Director, who has worked closely with Sharif since being appointed to his position last year, will work in partnership with The Rep’s Board of Directors and Associate Artistic Directors Becks Redman and Reggie D. White, to oversee the success of the highly anticipated 2023–24 season and put in place a search for the theatre’s next artistic director.
Arena Stage is a Tony Award-winning national center that helped launch the regional theater movement and continues to produce and present diverse and ground-breaking work from some of the best artists in the country. It is committed to commissioning and developing new plays and impacting the lives of students through its work in the community. Sharif will leave her role at The Rep in June 2023.
“Under Hana’s leadership The Rep has made significant strides to ensure that we remain a vital, twenty-first century arts organization that serves all St. Louisans by increasing access to the best emerging and established voices in the American theatre and building bridges across the region,” said Danny Williams, Managing Director. “We thank Hana for moving The Rep forward with her innovative vision that meets the needs of our community and upholds the high standards of artistic excellence which are a hallmark of our productions. Building upon the strong foundation she put in place, we are excited for the reimagined upcoming season that Hana curated, which will continue to offer the full spectrum of St. Louis audiences opportunities to connect, engage, and be thoroughly entertained at The Rep.”
The Rep’s 2023–24 season, led by titles such as Ben Power’s adaptation of Stefano Massini’s The Lehman Trilogy; Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County, and The Greatest Love for Whitney: A Tribute to Whitney Houston created by Mark Clements, includes a mix of world-class
self-produced productions alongside co-produced and presented theater works, reimagining the theatre’s programming in order to create a sustainable model on which to build towards the future.
“Over the past five years Hana has brought forth a strong vision for The Rep that showed us what a top regional theatre’s role could and should be within the community, producing and directing critically-acclaimed new works and classics; reaffirming the organization’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; and boldly navigating us through the challenges of the pandemic,” said Gwen Middeke, President of the Board of Directors of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. “We are so grateful to Hana for the immense contributions she has made to The Rep and feel confident that her close collaborator and our brilliant Managing Director Danny Williams will continue to expertly steer the organization forward during this time of transition while we undertake a national search for a new creative partner who will enrich and inspire our community.”
Pride and Prejudice
As Augustin Family Artistic Director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Sharif shepherded the organization through a cultural transformation following the retirement of long-time Artistic Director Steven Woolf. Her directorial debut at The Rep was with an adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, which was the highest grossing show in the company’s history. She expanded the theatre’s commitment to producing world premieres each season, including Somi Kakoma’s Dreaming Zenzile, Kirsten Greenidge’s Feeding Beatrice, Steph Del Rosso’s The Gradient, and Madhuri Shekar’s House of Joy. Each of the shows she directed are top grossing shows in The Rep’s history including her production of Ken Ludwig’s stage adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express which recently finished The Rep’s 2022/23 season to rave reviews.
Among other firsts to her credit, Sharif diversified The Rep’s programming to reflect the region’s spectrum of genre, thought, form, and culture, including its first all-Femme design team for Steph Del Rosso’s The Gradient. She introduced a new annual tradition to the St. Louis community in 2021 with a magical version of the beloved holiday spectacular A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and adapted by Michael Wilson, which will continue, now in its third year, as part of the theatre’s next season.
She piloted a range of new programming during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a drive-through illuminated puppet experience (The Snowy Day: A Glowy Snowy Experience based on the book The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats, in partnership with StoneLion Puppet Theatre)and a virtual theatrical series that brought together famous local chefs, mixologists, local bands, and media personalities (Cooking, Carols, and Cocktails). In service of the civic life of the community, she launched REPresent STL, a conversation series focused on highlighting and unpacking the issues that matter most to the residents of the Greater St. Louis region. Sharif also created cultural and civic partnerships connected to themes in the performance season, including collaborations with Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis for AIDS and HIV awareness and with the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition to creatively share new voter regulations with St. Louisans.
Additionally, while at The Rep and at the height of the pandemic, Sharif partnered with other regional arts administrators at Baltimore Center Stage, Long Wharf Theater, Woolly Mammoth Theater Company, and the Public Theater in New York to commission short plays from writers struggling financially during the global shutdown. The coalition created Play at Home, a website that offered theatres new plays of 10-minutes in length or less, intended to be performed at home, over video conferencing platforms.
“It has been one of the great honors of my life to lead The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and to build upon the incredible legacy of artistic excellence over the last five years,” said Hana Sharif, Augustin Family Artistic Director. “I have forged deeply meaningful friendships, collaborations, and artistic partnerships in this beautiful community, and will miss the indomitable spirit of St. Louis. This move is not a decision that I took lightly, but it is a once in a lifetime opportunity that I could not pass up. I believe in the transformative power of the arts to uplift our shared humanity and I cherish the opportunity I’ve had to bring The Rep’s new and existing audiences theatrical experiences that have forged and deepened connections across the region. Advancing this work that we embarked on together, I am confident that the future of The Rep is in strong, capable hands with Danny Williams, my longtime friend and a trusted colleague, who will continue to move forward initiatives that reinforce The Rep’s role as an industry thought leader and a home to the most exciting American voices.”
The Rep is beginning to assemble a Transition and Search Committee that will plan next steps to find and hire a new artistic director and will announce additional details in the coming months.
A Christmas Carol Photo Credit: T Charles Erickson
ABOUT THE REPERTORY THEATRE OF ST. LOUIS
The Rep is the St. Louis region’s most honored live professional theatre company. Founded in 1966, The Rep presents innovative and compelling productions with something for everyone on its stages. The Rep delivers creative and thought-provoking theatrical experiences at two adaptable and intimate stages across St. Louis: the Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts and the Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA. With creative and thought-provoking performances, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is a fully professional theatrical operation belonging to the League of Resident Theatres, The League of St. Louis Theatres, and is a constituent member of Theatre Communications Group, Inc., the national service organization for the not-for-profit professional theatre. For more information, please visit repstl.org.
Lynn Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents, and writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to other publications. She is a member of CCA, AWFJ and St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
Funny, sad, poignant and personal, “Gruesome Playground Injuries” is the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ impressive return to the Steve Woolf Studio series, renowned for its adventurous programming for years.
It’s an accomplished production of Rajiv Joseph’s 2009 two-character drama featuring raw and affecting performances from Brian Slaten and Jessika D. Williams, who will break your heart as damaged souls Doug and Kayleen.
The year is 1983 and they meet as eight-year-olds in their parochial school infirmary. He’s a daredevil prone to accidents that get more series as time goes by and she’s waylaid by a sensitive stomach – her mother blames it on “bad thoughts” – and her internal wounds progress to self-harm and substance abuse.
Both outsiders, their lives intersect for the next 30 years, while they wrestle with their feelings.
With his keen wit and sharp emotional insight into the human condition, Joseph brings the friends back together – even with long stretches apart. It’s complicated – and compelling. They may be a lifeline, but they exasperate each other, push people away in a cruel world, and from their perspective, connecting isn’t so easy.
Adulting is hard, we know. Life happens. Friends move, get different jobs, start and end other relationships, raise families. But the ones we maintain ties with become a special part of the fabric of our lives. And the ones we reconnect with, after drifting part, that opportunity is a great tonic – and we know that feeling. It’s universal.
“Gruesome Playground Injuries” evokes those friendship memories. It’s obviously more complex with Doug and Kayleen, who learn they can’t heal each other, but they can provide sustenance.
A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his outstanding 2009 play “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo,” Joseph crafts fully dimensional characters, flaws and all.
Jessika D Williams, Brian Slaten Photo by Philip Hamer
In this nonlinear narrative, the pals’ encounters are rather unusual, through early teens, 20s and 30s, with the actors revealing more emotional depth each time. Every rueful scene deals with pain, both physical and psychological. They ask each other: “Does it hurt?”
Slaten inhabits the hyper and impulsive Doug with an appealing goofball energy while Williams unmasks a guarded person concealing internal scars but can’t hide the darkness within. Director Becks Redman emphasizes the characters’ vulnerability.
The pair is on stage the entire time, never out of sight, and they change clothes on opposite sides. The simple outfits selected by costume designer Carolyn Mazuca reflect the various time periods in their lives.
The production’s technical design work is also superb, with an interesting monochromatic set of multi-purpose shapes by scenic designer Diggle. The actors move pieces around to create their settings – efficient and functional spaces doubling for interiors and outside. Lighting designer Anshuman Bhatia also gives the characters a sense of place and enhances the mood.
David Gomez’ soulful instrumental composition adds a mournful tone, reflecting on missed opportunities and regrets. Sound designer Kareem Deanes’ crisp work excels in the black box space.
Post-pandemic, this play resonates even more than in the before times. We have acutely felt the isolation of social distancing and loss of human connection through time and distance. We have fought similar battles separately and together the past three years.
With mesmerizing performances and a director desiring to bring out parallel lines we can relate to, this production aims straight for the heart and achieves a bulls-eye. It makes us think and feel about how people make their marks on our lives.
Photo by Philip Hamer.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting “Gruesome Playground Injuries” in the return of Steve Woolf Studio series from April 14 through May 13 at the Strauss Black Box Theatre in the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, 210 E Monroe Ave, Kirkwood, Mo.
The show runs 80 minutes without intermission.House doors will open 30 minutes before the show starts to begin seating. Please plan to arrive accordingly as this show is general admission.Concessions will be available to purchase before the show. They are only able to accept debit/credit cards.There is a free lot for parking directly behind the theatre on W Monroe Ave. and S Fillmore Ave. Additional free parking is available on adjacent streets.
For tickets or for more information, visit www.repstl.org
Lynn Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents, and writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to other publications. She is a member of CCA, AWFJ and St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
New season reimagines the theatre’s production model with a mix of self-produced and co-produced productions, special limited engagements, family friendly performances, and the return of the acclaimed holiday spectacular, A Christmas Carol
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has announced its 2023-2024 season, which includes a mix of world-class self-produced productions that have made The Rep one of the premier regional theaters in the country, alongside co-produced and presented theater works from the most exciting emerging and established voices in American theater across a wide range of genre, thought, and lived experience.
The Rep’s new shape for its season offers four mainstage shows, a returning holiday classic, two limited engagements, two family-friendly shows, and a continuation of its community and educational programming to provide different experiences for the full spectrum of the St. Louis community.
Beginning in fall 2023, The Rep will bring award-winning, critically acclaimed plays to its mainstages at the Loretto-Hilton Center and Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA (Center of Creative Arts) including Ben Power’s adaptation of Stefano Massini’s TheLehman Trilogy; Twisted Melodies, written and performed by Kelvin Roston, Jr.; the Lookingglass Theatre Company’s adaptation of Moby Dick; and Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County.
The theatre will also host limited engagement presentations of The Greatest Love for Whitney: A Tribute to Whitney Houston created by Mark Clements, and The Lion, created by Benjamin Scheuer.
“The new season will build upon The Rep’s decades-long tradition of artistic excellence as a leading voice in the region by spotlighting a myriad of the best and most exciting voices in theater to tell the 21st-century American story, and by pioneering an arts model which can be replicated to meet the challenges that face the industry at-large,” said Hana S. Sharif, Augustin Family Artistic Director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.
Sharif added, “The pandemic and its aftermath have radically reshaped our industry. In order to create a sustainable model on which to build towards the future, we took an innovative approach to this new season that has opened a new world of exciting opportunities for The Rep and our audiences. We are building bridges and collaborating more than ever before with our peers across the country and deepening connections with our community to give everyone a stronger curatorial hand in their experience at The Rep. We look forward to embarking on this next phase of The Rep that will give us the flexibility to continue to meet the needs of St. Louisans and anchor our position as a cornerstone arts organization in the region.”
Additional season highlights include the return of the spectacular and much lauded holiday show A Christmas Carol, the Charles Dickens classic that has quickly become a festive holiday tradition for St. Louis area families. Support for A Christmas Carol is provided by The Berges Family Foundation.
The Rep will also continue to create touring productions for young audiences and families as part of its Imaginary Theatre Company, with an adaptation of Pat Mora’s book Tomás and The Library Lady by José Cruz González, based on the life of Mexican-American author and educator Tomás Rivera, and Puss in Boots, a musical version of the popular fairytale.
The Rep’s new season builds on its previous three under the leadership of Hana S. Sharif and Danny Williams, Managing Director, who have worked closely together to bring well-crafted theatrical experiences and impactful learning initiatives to the community.
“The Rep offers our community a creative hub where everyone feels welcomed and valued through programming and performances that represent diverse audiences and their lived experiences,” said Danny Williams, Managing Director. “This past season we were delighted to see a wide array of patrons from across different generations and cultures join us at the theatre, and we look forward to continuing to reach new audiences while welcoming back those who have supported us over the years and decades, with a wide array of world-class theatrical experiences that will captivate and challenge audiences.”
The Rep will stage its productions across two theaters this coming year—the Loretto-Hilton Center and the Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA—providing a variety of opportunities for audiences from across the city and the region to experience theater on different scales from large, show-stopping productions to more intimate experiences.
The Rep will also continue to offer its Learning and Community Engagement (LACE) programs that provide people of all ages opportunities to deeply engage with the art they see on stage through immersive in-classroom and extracurricular learning opportunities, public forums for civic discourse, and opportunities to participate in the artmaking process. The Rep will announce its community and educational programming over the course of the coming year.
Find a full schedule of the 2023-2024 season programs below. Subscriber renewals begin May 8, 2023 and new subscription purchases will be available starting June 1, 2023.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.repstl.orgor call the Box Office, Monday – Friday from 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at (314) 968-4925. The Rep Box Office will also be available for in-person support at the Loretto-Hilton Center, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis 2023-2024 Season
For tickets, accessibility, and visitor information, visitrepstl.org.
Tony winner for Best Play 2022, “The Lehman Trilogy”
MAINSTAGE
The Lehman Trilogy Winner of five Tony Awards, including best play!
September 5 – September 24 Loretto-Hilton Center By Stefano Massini Adapted by Ben Power
Experience this epic tale of one family’s passionate pursuit of the American Dream and the piercing cost of greed, excess, and unbridled power. In 1844, a young man from Bavaria, along with his two brothers, arrived in New York City, full of hope and ambition. Over the course of two centuries, their family business grew to unimaginable heights and ultimately collapsed into bankruptcy. A can’t miss masterpiece that The Guardian calls “a kaleidoscopic social and political metaphor.”
Twisted Melodies Based on the life of St. Louis soul music icon Donny Hathaway.
October 3 – October 22 Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA Written and Performed by Kelvin Roston, Jr.
This powerful one-man show is based on the life of St. Louis soul music icon Donny Hathaway. Twisted Melodies is an immersive and crushing play about the brilliant singer and composer’s compelling inner struggle. Torn between the muses that inspire him and the mental illness that torments him, Hathaway evaluates his life in a gripping performance by St. Louis native Kelvin Roston, Jr.
Moby Dick Soar to new heights in this acrobatic and theatrical spectacle! February 6 – February 25 Loretto-Hilton Center Adapted & Directed by David Catlin From the book by Herman Melville
Madness, obsession, and bloodlust take harrowing flight in a thrilling revision of Melville’s masterpiece. Captain Ahab’s hunt for the great White Whale soars to new heights through an exhilarating acrobatic and theatrical spectacle that invites audiences into the heart of the action. This adaptation from Lookingglass Theatre Company brings a literary legend to life in an experience that’s both visceral and evocative.
August: Osage County A Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning family drama.
March 19 – April 14 Loretto-Hilton Center By Tracy Letts
This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning family drama paints a stark and often unflattering picture of the Midwestern family. In this tableau: the pill-popping and manipulative matriarch, a vanished patriarch, and three daughters with secrets of their own. Familial tensions rise when all are called back to the family home in Oklahoma. Equal parts heartfelt and heart-wrenching, this story gives an in-depth look at what it takes to keep a family together.
LIMITED ENGAGEMENTS
Special two-week performances with extraordinary talents that everyone will be talking about!
The Greatest Love for Whitney: A Tribute to Whitney Houston Inspired by the phenomenal voice that changed music forever.
January 18 – January 28 Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA Created by Mark Clements
Whitney Houston’s breathtaking voice skyrocketed her to stardom. From her powerful anthems to her glamorous elegance on the silver screen, she became an unparalleled icon. The Greatest Love for Whitney celebrates her amazing career and legacy by taking audiences on an unforgettable journey through her record-setting hits. Featuring songs like “I Will Always Love You,” “Saving All My Love for You,” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” experience the magic of the woman who changed music forever.
The Lion One man, six guitars, and a transformative story.
February 8 – February 18 Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA Created by Benjamin Scheuer
One man, six guitars and a transformative story. Benjamin Scheuer brilliantly weaves together heartfelt monologues and original songs to take audiences on his own true coming-of-age story. Hailed by critics as a “wondrous” and “spellbinding” experience, The Lion is a story about courage and the music it takes to find it.
HOLIDAY PRESENTATION A Spectacular Holiday Tradition Your Family Won’t Want To Miss!
A Christmas Carol A St. Louis tradition returning for its third season at The Rep!
November 25 – December 24 Loretto-Hilton Center By Charles Dickens Adapted by Michael Wilson
The Rep’s third annual holiday presentation of A Christmas Carol promises to be a joyous and heartwarming experience for audiences of all ages. Join Ebenezer Scrooge on the adventure of a lifetime as three spirits take him on a transformative journey through time. This is a St. Louis tradition unlike any other, that Ladue News calls “a technical marvel of artistry.”
IMAGINARY THEATRE COMPANY Theatre for young people and their families!
Tomás and The Library Lady Based on the true story of Mexican-American author and educator Tomás Rivera.
Dates TBA Adapted By José Cruz González From the book by Pat Mora
Dive into a fantastical world of books in this celebratory true story. As Tomás’ family heads north to Iowa for work, they find fewer and fewer people who speak their native Spanish language. Looking for a place to fit in, Tomás finds a new passion when he befriends a librarian who introduces him to the magical world of books. This enchanting story adventures through the pages of towering dinosaurs and ferocious tigers, igniting Tomás’ imagination and bringing the audience along for the ride.
Puss in Boots Everyone’s favorite feline fable is here to charm and entertain!
Dates TBA By Jennifer Roberts Music and lyrics by Nathan A. Roberts
Everyone’s favorite feline fable is here to charm and beguile! The miller’s son is not finding life easy, with barely a penny to his name and no inheritance from his father, save for a useless cat and a pair of too-small boots. But this cat hides a secret: She can talk! And sing! And she has a plan to take them from the poor house to a princely castle. But how long can this extraordinary kitty keep up the ruse before the cat is out of the bag? Bring the whole family and share the legend of Puss in Boots.
ABOUT THE REPERTORY THEATRE OF ST. LOUIS
The Rep is the St. Louis region’s most honored live professional theatre company. Founded in 1966, The Rep presents innovative and compelling productions with something for everyone on its stages. The Rep delivers creative and thought-provoking theatrical experiences at two adaptable and intimate stages across St. Louis: the Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre and the Berges Theatre at COCA at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts. With creative and thought-provoking performances, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is a fully professional theatrical operation belonging to the League of Resident Theatres, The League of St. Louis Theatres and is a constituent member of Theatre Communications Group, Inc., the national service organization for the not-for-profit professional theatre. For more information, please visit repstl.org.
Cover photo of Kelvin Rolston Jr. as Donny Hathaway in “Twisted Melodies” at The Black Rep in 2016. Photo by Sam Roberson
Lynn Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents, and writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to other publications. She is a member of CCA, AWFJ and St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
ST. LOUIS THEATER CIRCLE AWARDS RETURN FOR IN-PERSON GALA APRIL 3, 2023
TO HONOR OUTSTANDING WORK IN LOCAL PROFESSIONAL THEATER IN 2022
The Muny leads with 21 nominations, Stages St Louis has 19, The Black Rep 17 and Stray Dog Theatre 15
First In-Person Gala Since 2019 Due to Coronavirus Pandemic
ST. LOUIS, February 6, 2023 – After a four-year hiatus of not holding an in-person ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 through 2022, the St. Louis Theater Circle Awards will return April 3, 2023 in a ‘live’ ceremony beginning at 7 p.m. at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University. The previous two events were streamed online by HEC Media.
Tickets at $23 apiece will soon be available at the box office of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis at www.repstl.org or 314-968-4925, and also at the box office one hour before the ceremony.
Nominees in more than 30 categories will vie for honors covering comedies, dramas, musicals and operas produced by local professional theater and opera companies in the calendar years 2022. Approximately 90 productions have been considered for nominations for this year’s event. This compares to roughly 120 productions normally considered in one year alone prior to the pandemic.
Three productions – “Chicago” at The Muny, “A Christmas Carol” at The Rep, and “Head Over Heels” at New Line Theatre – were ineligible because the same production was presented within the last three years at the respective venues.
Nationally recognized playwright, theater producer, and long-time advocate for the arts Joan Lipkin will be honored with a special award for lifetime achievement.
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.
The nominees for the 10th annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards are:
Bronte Sister House Party, SATE. Photo by Joey Rumpell
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role
Cassidy Flynn, “Brontë Sister House Party,” SATE Hannah Geisz, “The Lonesome West,” West End Players Guild Jilanne Klaus, “Barefoot in the Park,” Moonstone Theatre Company Bess Moynihan, “Brontë Sister House Party,” SATE Valentina Silva, “The Rose Tattoo,” Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role
Ted Drury, “The Lonesome West,” West End Players Guild Joel Moses, “Brontë Sister House Party,” SATE Bradley Tejeda, “The Rose Tattoo,” Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis Chauncy Thomas, “Much Ado About Nothing,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival Eric Dean White, “Hand to God,” St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Molly Burris, Dear Jack Dear Louise
Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role
Colleen Backer, “Hand to God,” St. Louis Actors’ Studio Molly Burris, “Dear Jack, Dear Louise,” New Jewish Theatre Rayme Cornell, “The Rose Tattoo,” Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis Claire Karpen, “Much Ado About Nothing,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival Rachel Tibbetts, “Brontë Sister House Party,” SATE
Jeff Kargus, Jason Meyers, “The Lonesome West” Photo by John Lamb
Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role
Mitchell Henry-Eagles, “Hand to God,” St. Louis Actors’ Studio Jeff Kargus, “The Lonesome West,” West End Players Guild Ryan Lawson-Maeske, “Dear Jack, Dear Louise,” New Jewish Theatre Jason Meyers, “The Lonesome West,” West End Players Guild Stanton Nash, “Much Ado About Nothing,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Joe Clapper, Behind the Sheet, Photo by Philip Hamer
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play
Amina Alexander, “Stick Fly,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Jesse Alford, “The Rose Tattoo,” Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis Joe Clapper, “Behind the Sheet,” The Black Rep Jasmine Williams, “Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea,” The Black Rep John Wylie, “Much Ado About Nothing,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Sound Design
Lamar Harris, “Behind the Sheet,” The Black Rep Pornchanok (Nok) Kanchanabanca, “House of Joy,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Jackie Sharp, “Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea,” The Black Rep Rusty Wandall, Kareem Deanes, “Much Ado About Nothing,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival Amanda Werre, “Dear Jack, Dear Louise,” New Jewish Theatre
Joel Moses in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” New Jewish Theatre, Photo by Jon Gitchoff
Outstanding Costume Design in a Play
Dorothy Marshall Englis, “Much Ado About Nothing,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival Liz Henning, “Brontë Sister House Party,” SATE Liz Henning, “Rodney’s Wife,” The Midnight Company Oona Natesan, “House of Joy,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Michele Friedman Siler, “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Set Design in a Play
Dahlia Al-Habieli, “House of Joy,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Dunsi Dai, “Dear Jack, Dear Louise,” New Jewish Theatre Bess Moynihan, “Rodney’s Wife,” The Midnight Company Kyu Shin, “Stick Fly,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Josh Smith, “Much Ado About Nothing,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Riley Carter Adams, right, The Bee Play, New Jewish Theatre. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role
Riley Carter Adams, “The Bee Play,” New Jewish Theatre Sarajane Alverson, “The Normal Heart,” Stray Dog Theatre Rachel Hanks, “The Christians,” West End Players Guild Rachel Tibbetts, “Rodney’s Wife,” The Midnight Company Sumi Yu, “House of Joy,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role
Cameron Jamarr Davis, “The African Company Presents Richard III,” The Black Rep Joseph Garner, “The Christians,” West End Players Guild Michael James Reed, “Proof,” Moonstone Theatre Company Joey Saunders, “The Normal Heart,” Stray Dog Theatre Jeffrey Wright, “The Normal Heart,” Stray Dog Theatre
Summer Baer, Michael James Reed “Proof,” Moonstone Theatre Company.
Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role
Summer Baer, “Proof,” Moonstone Theatre Company Lavonne Byers, “Good People,” Stray Dog Theatre Kelly Howe, “Rodney’s Wife,” The Midnight Company Chinna Palmer, “Behind the Sheet,” The Black Rep Jennifer Theby-Quinn, “Iphigenia in Splott,” Upstream Theater
Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role
Kevin Brown, “Jitney,” The Black Rep Jeff Cummings, “Behind the Sheet,” The Black Rep Olajuwon Davis, “Jitney,” The Black Rep Joel Moses, “The Christians,” West End Players Guild Stephen Peirick, “The Normal Heart,” Stray Dog Theatre
“Jitney,” The Black Rep, Phillip Hamer photo
Outstanding New Play
“Bandera, Texas,” by Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend, Prism Theatre Company “Brontë Sister House Party,” by Courtney Bailey, SATE “The Good Ship St. Louis,” by Philip Boehm, Upstream Theater “Roll With It!” by Katie Rodriguez Banister and Michelle Zielinski, The Black Mirror Theatre Company “Winds of Change,” by Deanna Jent, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Daniela Candillari, “Carmen,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Thomas Glass, “Harvey Milk,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Karen Kanakis, “La Rondine,” Winter Opera Saint Louis Robert Mellon, “Falstaff,” Union Avenue Opera Sarah Mesko, “Carmen,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Union Avenue Opera’s production of A Little Night Music on August 17, 2022.
Outstanding Production of an Opera
“Awakenings,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis “Falstaff,” Union Avenue Opera “The Gondoliers,” Winter Opera Saint Louis “Harvey Milk,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis “A Little Night Music,” Union Avenue Opera
Outstanding Musical Director
Cullen Curth, “Jerry’s Girls,” New Jewish Theatre Jermaine Hill, “The Color Purple,” The Muny Walter “Bobby” McCoy, “In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis James Moore, “Sweeney Todd,” The Muny Andrew Resnick, “The Karate Kid – The Musical,” Stages St. Louis
The Karate Kid – The Musical, Phillip Hamer photo.
Outstanding Choreographer
Dena DiGiacinto, “A Chorus Line,” Stages St. Louis Keone and Mari Madrid, “The Karate Kid – The Musical,” Stages St. Louis Patrick O’Neill, “Mary Poppins,” The Muny Josh Rhodes, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” The Muny Luis Salgado, “In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role
Tami Dahbura, “In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis Melissa Felps, “Something Rotten!” New Line Theatre Nicole Michelle Haskins, “The Color Purple,” The Muny Grace Langford, “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” Stray Dog Theatre Dawn Schmid, “Ride the Cyclone,” Stray Dog Theatre
Marshall Jennings, Melissa Felps “Something Rotten!” New Line Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role
Luis-Pablo Garcia, “In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis Clayton Humburg, “Something Rotten!” New Line Theatre Jeffrey Izquierdo-Malon, “Something Rotten!” New Line Theatre Marshall Jennings, “Something Rotten!” New Line Theatre Jordan Wolk, “Assassins,” Fly North Theatricals
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
Tyler Duenow, “Ride the Cyclone,” Stray Dog Theatre Bradley King, “The Karate Kid – The Musical,” Stages St. Louis John Lasiter, “Sweeney Todd,” The Muny Sean M. Savoie, “A Chorus Line,” Stages St. Louis Sean M. Savoie, “In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis
“In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis, Photo by Phillip Hamer.
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical
Edward E. Hayes, Jr. and Greg Emetaz, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” The Muny Anna Louizos, “In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis Derek McLane, “The Karate Kid – The Musical,” Stages St. Louis Michael Schweikardt, “Sweeney Todd,” The Muny Josh Smith, “Ride the Cyclone,” Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
Eileen Engel, “A Little Night Music,” Stray Dog Theatre Eileen Engel, “Assassins,” Fly North Theatricals Samantha C. Jones, “The Color Purple,” The Muny Brad Musgrove, “In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis Alejo Vietti, “Sweeney Todd,” The Muny
Anastacia McCleskey, “The Color Purple,” Phillip Hamer photo.
Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role
Carmen Cusack, “Sweeney Todd,” The Muny Jeanna De Waal, “Mary Poppins,” The Muny Eileen Engel, “Ride the Cyclone,” Stray Dog Theatre Melissa Felps, “Urinetown,” New Line Theatre Anastacia McCleskey, “The Color Purple,” The Muny
Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role
Ryan Alvarado, “In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis Corbin Bleu, “Mary Poppins,” The Muny Ben Davis, “Sweeney Todd,” The Muny Stephen Henley, “Assassins,” Fly North Theatricals Jovanni Sy, “The Karate Kid – The Musical,” Stages St. Louis
Stephen Henley, The Balladeer, Fly North Theatricals.
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy
“Brontë Sister House Party,” SATE “Heroes,” Albion Theatre “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” New Jewish Theatre “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival “Much Ado About Nothing,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama
“The African Company Presents Richard III,” The Black Rep “Behind the Sheet,” The Black Rep “The Christians,” West End Players Guild “Jitney,” The Black Rep “The Normal Heart,” Stray Dog Theatre
The Christians, West End Players Guild, Photo by John Lamb
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” Stray Dog Theatre “A Chorus Line,” Stages St. Louis “The Color Purple,” The Muny “In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis “Sweeney Todd,” The Muny
Outstanding Director of a Comedy
Robert Ashton, “The Lonesome West,” West End Players Guild Eddie Coffield, “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” New Jewish Theatre David Kaplan, “The Rose Tattoo,” Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis Keating, “Brontë Sister House Party,” SATE Bruce Longworth, “Much Ado About Nothing,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
“Rodney’s Wife,” The Midnight Company, Photo by Joey Rumpell
Outstanding Director of a Drama
Gary F. Bell, “The Normal Heart,” Stray Dog Theatre Joe Hanrahan, “Rodney’s Wife,” The Midnight Company Ron Himes, “The African Company Presents Richard III,” The Black Rep Ron Himes, “Behind the Sheet,” The Black Rep Ellie Schwetye, “The Christians,” West End Players Guild
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Lili-Anne Brown, “The Color Purple,” The Muny Scott Miller, “Something Rotten!” New Line Theatre Bradley Rohlf, “Assassins,” Fly North Theatricals Rob Ruggiero, “Sweeney Todd,” The Muny Luis Salgado, “In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis
“Much Ado About Nothing,” St Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Production of a Comedy
“Brontë Sister House Party,” SATE “Dear Jack, Dear Louise,” New Jewish Theatre “The Lonesome West,” West End Players Guild “Much Ado About Nothing,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival “The Rose Tattoo,” Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
“The African Company Presents Richard III,” The Black Rep, Photo by Phillip Hamer
Outstanding Production of a Drama
“The African Company Presents Richard III,” The Black Rep “Behind the Sheet,” The Black Rep “Good People,” Stray Dog Theatre “Jitney,” The Black Rep “The Normal Heart,” Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding Production of a Musical
“Assassins,” Fly North Theatricals “The Color Purple,” The Muny “In the Heights,” Stages St. Louis “Ride the Cyclone,” Stray Dog Theatre “Sweeney Todd,” The Muny
“Ride the Cyclone,” Stray Dog Theatre, Photo by John Lamb
Special Award
Joan Lipkin, for lifetime achievement
Joan Lipkin
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.
Members of the St. Louis Theater Circle include Steve Allen (stagedoorstl.com); Mark Bretz (LadueNews); Bob Cohn (St. Louis Jewish Light); Tina Farmer (The Riverfront Times); Michelle Kenyon (snoopstheatrethoughts.com and KDHX); Gerry Kowarsky (Two on the Aisle, HEC Media); Chuck Lavazzi (KDHX); Rob Levy (Broadwayworld.com); Judith Newmark (judyacttwo.com); Lynn Venhaus (PopLifeSTL.com); Bob Wilcox (Two on theAisle, HEC Media); and Calvin Wilson (St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Eleanor Mullin, local performer and arts supporter, is group administrator.
Lynn Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents, and writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to other publications. She is a member of CCA, AWFJ and St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
By Lynn Venhaus A poorly executed musical revue, “Side by Side by Sondheim” is miscast and misguided.
The Repertory Theatre of St Louis’ production hasn’t jelled yet, and on Feb. 3, the result was a tepid tribute to one of the greatest composers and lyricists in Broadway history.
That’s particularly disappointing because of The Rep’s previous presentation of its Sondheim masterpieces “Follies,” in 2016 and “Sunday in the Park with George” in 2012.
Phoenix Best, Paul HeeSang Miller, Saidu Sinlah and Amy Spanger are the quartet of singers that rarely appear as a cohesive unit. Think of it less as side by side and more as standing by themselves and not in sync with the others.
Their ‘70s-style Vegas dance moves, designed by Heather Beal, are at different stages and they often appear lazy and repetitive as they ‘do their own thing.’
Not sure where the disconnect began, especially when you have 28 songs spanning Sondheim’s landmark canon. Perhaps the addition of an older, seasoned vocalist or two would have helped ground it – the revue cast has shifted over the years, and once had a female trio, not duo. And the two here are not up to any kind of heavy lifting together for the vocal demands of Sondheim.
Given Sondheim’s penchant for games and puzzles (the film “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” is dedicated to him, and he makes a brief appearance), the mystery is thus: Have these singers ever been in a Sondheim show? Seen one?
Was there a vision for the production other than let’s slap-some-Sondheim tunes together? Reggie D. White, the new associate artistic director, took charge of this runaway train, which seems like an afterthought, and it never felt polished or had much pizzazz the entire runtime.
The range of unprepared musical numbers is the most blatant misstep. Occasionally, the harmony works, but mostly, we have singers not able to stick the landing, which is criminal with Sondheim.
Yes, his music is challenging and complicated. You need singers at the top of their game, but you also need singers who feel the emotional level of his work. He’s all about the feels. You can’t fake it. Finish the hat, dammit!
The man reinvented the modern musical, and we’re reducing his music to punch lines? That seems the focus here — let’s milk as much for laughs as possible, the bawdier, the better.
This revue is two hours and 15 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission. The sections are tied together by a narrator, who explains a common theme or background about a song. Or nuggets like how Oscar Hammerstein was a mentor.
Veteran pro Alan Knoll is charming and witty as the narrator, knowing how to work a crowd. He provided interesting tidbits about Sondheim’s recurring themes, particularly marriage. He was a late addition to the cast, hence, the notecards. (The program originally listed Miller as the narrator).
Sondheim’s collaborations with other composers – Jule Styne, Leonard Bernstein, Mary Rodgers, and Richard Rodgers among them – are an important part of the narrative here. And Knoll points out his lesser-known works, for laughs.
But it shouldn’t be all Shecky Greene-yucks without the perspective of the man’s greatness. This cast seems incapable of grasping his lyrical complexities and the level of sophisticated music, especially when they are in sequined and gaudy outfits going through awkward motions. (White satin hot pants, really?)
Costume Designer Oona Nateson has found a theatrical grab bag of ubiquitous black apparel augmented by shiny fabrics, leather pants and unnecessary sequins, some of it ill-fitting for their frames. The junior high talent show called and needs their hot pink satin disco shirt back.
After Sondheim’s death at age 91 on Nov. 26, 2021, the world put his loss in perspective and the tributes haven’t stopped.
His work should never be a museum piece – it should be as vibrant as ever – witness “Company” winning a Tony last year for Best Revival of a Musical and an acclaimed version of “Into the Woods” that kept being extended until recently, with plans of it touring (I saw this sublime stunner at the St. James Oct. 1, with Patina Miller, Joshua Henry, and Gavin Creel. It’s a must-see for the ages.). Locally, we had two superb “A Little Night Music” presentations last year, at Union Avenue Opera and Stray Dog Theatre, and the Muny’s resplendent “Sweeney Todd,” which we will be talking about for years to come. A brilliantly interpreted “Assassins” was staged by Fly North Theatricals last summer.
So, the lack of nuance in favor of a good-time variety hour reminiscent of one of those summer replacement shows networks were fond of back in the 1960s and 1970s, is perplexing.
Could we not be entertained merely by exquisite vocals transporting us to various times and places? The sense of wonder and human connection that often arises when a Sondheim show delivers a moment is nowhere to be found here.
To my surprise, Tre’von Griffith is listed as the music director, and I had more faith in his ability to interpret Sondheim’s genius. Did the creatives underestimate the time necessary to put it all together?
Sadly, the songs from “Company” and “West Side Story” seem the most adversely affected, like when those singing “Tonight” can’t hit the upper notes, and it is painful. The women’s duet, “A Boy Like That” is OK until it veers into a wobbly rendition of “I Have a Love.”
The women forgot lyrics to “Getting Married Today,” which is performed slower in tempo than usual, lacking the punch of the original.
Amy Spanger is entrusted with singing “Another Hundred People,” and several other big numbers that she is incapable of nailing, and it’s a travesty. The weakest link of the four, she has difficulty staying on key and enunciating, and instead, often goes for broader dance moves – and tugging at her too-tight sequined mini-dress.
During “Broadway Baby,” the LED screen shows some of her Broadway roles behind her, including Roxie Hart in “Chicago,” as if to remind us she’s been on a big stage before. Her list of credits is extensive, that’s why it’s so hard to believe she can’t hit notes. Her casting is a head-scratcher as she is clearly out of her depth.
Paul HeeSang Miller started strong, with Company’s restored gem “Marry Me a Little,” and so did Saidu Sinlah with “I Remember,” from “Evening Primrose,” but he faded fast, incapable of rising to the occasion the rest of the show.
The four don’t seem to have much chemistry and relied on the vaudeville-type schtick for laughs.
Because of these lackluster renditions, you find yourself thinking of better versions that you’ve heard before. I’m just grateful this is an earlier revue, so they don’t ruin “Into the Woods,” “Assassins,” “Sunday in the Park with George,” “Sweeney Todd” and “Merrily We Roll Along” in any way.
Phoenix Best, who benefits from a comedic approach to some numbers, delivers an effective “I’m Still Here” and “Send in the Clowns,” but tended to go louder when unsure during other numbers. Her solos were often introduced with her making an entrance to build up the drama.
The women often relied on ‘kittenish,’ playing up the double entendres in “Can That Boy Foxtrot,” which was cut from “Follies.”
In a slinky leotard, Best stretched out “I Never Do Anything Twice” from the film, “The Seven-Percent -Solution,” using a chaise lounge to drape herself over.
And the crowd-pleaser, “You Gotta Get a Gimmick” by the strippers in “Gypsy,” draws laughs over the women’s well-placed percussion.
Those unfamiliar with “Follies” get a lesson on different musical styles, especially vaudeville, but then Spanger attempts “Losing My Mind,” and it was my clench-fist time. I may have blurted out “Please don’t let her sing this” instead of just thinking it to myself. (Sorry to my neighbors).
The guys singing “Bring on the Girls” is nearly laughable.
Paul HeeSang Miller, Amy Spanger. Photo by Philip Hamer
When the show delves into the lesser-known works, expectations are lowered, but the butchering of “Pretty Lady” from “Pacific Overtures” by all four was excruciating. Was anyone on key?
The production design by Camilla Tassi consists of slides showing Sondheim at various stages of his life, and the New York milieu, which is so important to his work.
If you are a Sondheim fan, one can appreciate accompanists Stephen A. Eros and Kris Pineda, whose piano work is stellar.
The sound, designed by Sharath Patel, however, has some rough moments.
But the whole affair smacks less of collaboration and more self-preservation than any serious performance piece. When they move four chairs around on the set, I was reminded of the deck of the Titanic, where the band played as doom closed in around them.
This production should not be considered an introduction to Sondheim, for you can find multiple tributes online that celebrate his artistry in better ways.
The outstanding documentary, “Six by Sondheim,” is currently streaming on HBOMax, and can be rented on various video on demand platforms. This is a sensational piece that tells you all you need to know, and is time much better spent than at COCA.
One wonders why this show replaced another Sondheim revue, “Putting It Together,” from 1992, which had been on The Rep’s schedule.
But this is a colossal waste of resources – there needed to be an assistant costume designer, assistant sound designer and two assistant directors?
The man who won eight Tony Awards, an Academy Award, eight Grammy Awards, a Olivier Award, a Pulitzer Prize, a Kennedy Center Honor, and a Presidential Medal of Freedom deserved better.
If you are not going to give Sondheim his proper due, then what’s the point? Maybe start by hiring singers who have the compatible vocal range for the songs?
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “Side by Side by Sondheim” from Jan. 29 through Feb. 19 at the Catherine Berges Theatre at the Center for the Creative Arts (COCA). For more information or tickets, visit www.repstl.org.
Phoenix Best, Saidu Sinlah, Amy Spanger, Paul HeeSang Miller. Photo by Philip Hamer.
Lynn Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents, and writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to other publications. She is a member of CCA, AWFJ and St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
Side by Side by Sondheim will awe audiences with a night of Stephen Sondheim’s best
ST. LOUIS (January 5, 2023) – The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep)- the leading regional performing arts theatre in the Midwest- will start the new year with Side by Side by Sondheim, a Sondheim revue (replacing Putting it Together: A Sondheim Review). The intimate and nostalgic production will begin previews on January 29 and will run from February 3 to February 19 at the Catherine Berges Theatre at the Center for the Creative Arts (COCA).
Celebrate legendary composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim in a cabaret-style revue revisiting some of his most poignant, powerful and witty songs in the American musical theatre canon. This Tony-award-winning production features a variety of Sondheim’s most notable works, including rarely performed numbers straight from the cutting-room floor. Side by Side by Sondheim explores the breadth of Sondheim’s acclaimed career, including numbers from Follies, West Side Story,Company, Anyone Can Whistle, Pacific Overtures, Gypsy and more.
Side by Side by Sondheim will mark the St. Louis directorial debut of Reggie D. White, The Rep’s recently hired Associate Artistic Director. White joins The Rep from New York City and brings with him more than two decades of theatre experience, including over 10 years of expertise as an award-winning artist, educator and arts advocate.
“Musical theatre is how I began my career and I have loved Sondheim’s work for decades,” said White. “Side By Side is an especially wonderful piece because it introduces new listeners to his music, gives the most ardent lovers of his work a taste of his greatest hits and it reminds us all of the boundary smashing genius with which he created some of the most iconic musical theatre songs of the 20th Century. He gave us so many gifts over his career and this is such a beautiful way to keep his songs in our hearts.”
Side by Side by Sondheim features four cast members. The role of Narrator will be played by Paul HeeSang Miller, whose Broadway experience includes Mamma Mia!, the first revival of Miss Saigon and the Tony award winning The King and I. The role of Man will be played by Saidu Sinlah. This will be Sinlah’s debut at The Rep, but St. Louisans may recognize him from the Muny’s performances of Aida and The Wizard of Oz. The role of Woman 1 will be played by Phoenix Best. Best’s Broadway credits include Dear Evan Hansen and The Color Purple Revival. The role of Woman 2 will be played by Amy Spanger. Spanger created the role of Susan in Jonathan Larson’s tick, tick… Boom and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her role of Holly in The Wedding Singer.
Sound design for this production is by Sharath Patel, who boasts previous experience at The Rep with his sound design of The Mystery of Irma Vep in 2020. Heather Beal serves as the choreographer. Audience members may remember her work as choreographer of Feeding Beatrice at The Rep in 2019. The Projection Designer will be Camilla Tassi. Tassi’s design experience includes working at Carnegie Hall and the Berlin Opera Academy. Oona Natesan will return to provide Costume Design after designing costumes for House of Joy at The Rep earlier this season. The Lighting Designer will be Xavier Pierce, who was recently the Lighting Designer for Confederates at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival- a show that The Rep is producing this season. Tre’von Griffith returns to The Rep as the Music Director. Rep audiences may remember him as the Music Director for A Christmas Carol. Alerica L. Anderson will serve as the Music Coordinator and St. Louis audiences may recognize his work from the Pre-Broadway Premiere of The Karate Kid-the Musical at STAGES.
Side by Side by Sondheim will also mark the first mainstage production of the new year performed at the Catherine Berges Theatre at the Center for the Creative Arts (COCA). This performance space is a state-of-the-art theatre built in 2020, and is part of The Rep’s initiative to bring theatre into the St. Louis Community.
The Rep is pleased to offer several special offerings and accessible performances throughout the run of Side by Side by Sondheim. These include:
Post Show Talkbacks, Feb. 9, 7 p.m & 15, 2 p.m. – Following the performance stick around for an informal discussion with members of the cast and creative team of the show.
Audio Described Performance, Feb. 16, 2 p.m. – The Rep partners with MindsEye to offer live audio description for the final Thursday performance of all productions.
American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreted, Feb. 18, 2 p.m. – An ASL interpreted performance will be offered on the final Saturday matinee. Interpreters will be inside the theater and sign along with what the actors are saying and expressing for the audience.
Open-Captioned Performance, Feb. 19, 2 p.m. – The Rep offers open captioning, an electronic text display that shows what the actors are saying or singing, at the last Sunday show for all Mainstage performances.
About The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
The Rep is the St. Louis region’s most honored live professional theatre company. Founded in 1966, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is a fully professional theatrical operation belonging to the League of Resident Theatres, The League of St. Louis Theatres and is a constituent member of Theatre Communications Group, Inc., the national service organization for the not-for-profit professional theatre. Visit www.repstl.org for more, and find The Rep on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Lynn Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents, and writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to other publications. She is a member of CCA, AWFJ and St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
ST. LOUIS (December 16, 2022) – The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep)- the leading regional arts theatre in the Midwest- welcomes Reggie D. White as Associate Artistic Director.
White brings more than two decades of theatre experience, including over 10 years of expertise as an award-winning artist, educator and arts advocate. He made his Broadway debut in Matthew López’s Tony Award-winning epic, The Inheritance. With an extensive background acting in New York, Off-Broadway, in regional theatre and internationally, White showcases his plethora of experiences both on and off the stage through his writing and directing work.
White’s play, In Case You Hadn’t Heard: A Conversation Between America’s Past and Its Promise premiered last spring at Bay Street Theatre, and he is currently co-writing a play with Lauren Gunderson (America’s Most-Produced Living Playwright). His directing credits include work at the Atlantic Theater Company, The Public, Bay Street Theater, The Williams Project, and PlayGroundSF.
Most recently he has served as the Artistic Director and faculty member at the Atlantic Acting School in New York, NY.
White is a resident artist at Vineyard Theatre, a founding member of the multi-generational theatre collective- The Commissary- and a founding company member with The Williams Project, a living-wage theatre company. He is also a recipient of the Colman Domingo Award, The TCG Fox Fellowship, the TBA Titan Award, the RHE Artistic Fellowship and an NCAAP Theatre Award nominee.
“Reggie D. White is a transformative emerging thought leader in our field. He brings a joyful, innovative, and imaginative spirit of collaboration in his wide-ranging experience as a creative, producer, educator, and community connector,” said Hana S. Sharif, Augustin Family Artistic Director. “I could not be more excited to welcome Reggie’s talents to St. Louis and his strategic insight to The Rep as we enter this great new era of artistry.”
White will make his directorial debut in St. Louis helming a Stephen Sondheim review at The Rep in early 2023 and will join an Artistic Department that includes fellow Associate Artistic Director/Director of New Work, Becks Redman, and is led by accomplished artistic leader, director, playwright and producer, Hana S. Sharif.
“I’m so excited to spread my wings as an arts leader at an institution as well loved by its community as The Rep is,” said White. “I’ve been finding myself pulled in this direction quite a bit over the last 5 years and have always felt a tension with my own art-making. But with this role, I’ll have the opportunity to keep making the kind of theatre I’ve always dreamed of making, while also being able to shape and mold the why and how it gets made.”
Within his role as Associate Artistic Director, White will will support line producing mainstage, site-specific, and community arts programming, artistic strategic planning, and creative community engagement.
About The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
The Rep is the St. Louis region’s most honored live professional theatre company. Founded in 1966, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is a fully professional theatrical operation belonging to the League of Resident Theatres, The League of St. Louis Theatres and is a constituent member of Theatre Communications Group, Inc., the national service organization for the not-for-profit professional theatre. Visit www.repstl.org for more, and find The Rep on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
Lynn Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents, and writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to other publications. She is a member of CCA, AWFJ and St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
Remember that commercial from the late 80s with the tagline, “This is not your father’s Oldsmobile?” The Repertory Theatre of St Louis’s production of “A Christmas Carol” is kinda like that. This is not your father’s, or grandmother’s (or your crazy Aunt Millie’s) adaptation of this Dickensian tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s war on Christmas. As you survey St. Louis’s rich assortment of holiday offerings (and there truly is a cornucopia that runneth over), this production entices with a shiny, progressive reboot of this Christmas chestnut.
It’s a new spin on “A Christmas Carol” that’s perfect for those with short attention spans. This adaptation treats the story of Scrooge’s transformation as the plain evergreen upon which the shiny baubles of scenic design (Tim Mackabee), lighting and projections (Seth Reiser and Hana S. Kim), costumes (Dede Ayite), choreography (Kirven Douthit-Boyd) and hip hop choreography (Robert Crenshaw) are hung. Bringing youthful energy to the production are the Webster University conservatory cast, the Big Muddy Dance Company dancers, whose ghost dancers add much to certain key scenes, and a youth ensemble from the Center of Creative Arts.
By flattening the well-known story line whose lead character has been represented by everyone and everything from Alastair Sim and Michael Caine to Bill Murray and Mr. Magoo, this adaptation by Michael Wilson (the same as last year’s) embellishes the story of Scrooge’s transformation with new characters and scenes not in the Dickens novel.
Upon each of the story’s key moments – Marley’s appearance, visits by the three Spirits, the Cratchit family’s penury, etc. – director Hana S. Sharif hangs contemporary dance numbers, special effects and humorous asides among all the dark, dank Victoriana. The dance is an especially effective component of this adaptation; the inconsistent use of modern colloquialisms – not so much.
The result is a Whitman’s Sampler of a production that tries too hard to provide a little something for every taste. And like that holiday box, there’s all sorts of chocolates, including a rap-infused “O Come All Ye Faithful,” a Marley who flies up from beneath the stage like a spectral Peter Pan, a dance number that includes The Worm, and a Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come that’s part-Mad Max, part-Blade and part-Gimp from “Pulp Fiction.”
The latter makes his NFL-inspired entrance complete with hoverboard and ravers glasses. This ghost’s entrance is certainly impressive but calls too much attention to itself and pulls you out of the story. It also undercuts the emotional impact of Scrooge recognizing his tombstone – the climax of the story.
The same holds true for the final scene (not in Dickens’s original) with Scrooge hosting a party. This is a well-intentioned addition that hopes to highlight the new, improved Scrooge, but which borrows too much from the final scene in the “White Christmas” movie. It also weakens the intent of Dickens to use this story to examine the plight of the disadvantaged. As Scrooge promises the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, “I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!”
Sharif adds another complexity to this production by double casting of most of the key roles. It was fun (and impressive) to see the way Laakan McHardy played both a doll seller and the Ghost of Christmas Past (the best of the portrayals of the spirits) and Paul Aguirre went from a refreshments vendor to a vampy, over-the-top Christmas Present. Michael James Reed also played double duty as Mrs. Dilber (Scrooge’s housekeeper with shades of “Mrs. Doubtfire”) and the spectral Jacob Marley – how’s that for range!
The roles of Scrooge and Bob Cratchit are played by Guiesseppe Jones and Armando McClain, respectively. McClain provides one of this production’s best and most consistent and balanced portrayals as the long-suffering Cratchit. Ultimately, “A Christmas Carol” hinges on the portrayal of Scrooge. Jones displays an impressive range, which he definitely needs in this adaptation that pivots (sometimes to distraction) from lightheartedly humorous to full-on King Lear-level theatricality. As impressive as Jones was in all his scenes, his performance was often too self-contained and lacked chemistry with the other actors.
Overall, this production is designed with lots of wow-factors to defy you to call it anything but bah-humbug. The success of this approach depends on how you like your Scrooge served up. If you’re seeking the more traditional, ye merry ole England version (I remember one from my youth that included real basset hounds on stage), this isn’t that. To its credit, this adaptation avoids the saccharin Timmy-fell-down-the-well savior sub-narrative of so many other productions. And, it brings a modern sensibility to this timeless, still all-too-relevant story.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “A Christmas Carol” November 19–December 30 at the Loretto-Hilton Center, 130 Edgar Road, St. Louis. For tickets or more information, visit: www.repstl.org.
CB Adams is an award-winning fiction writer and photographer based in the Greater St. Louis area. A former music/arts editor and feature writer for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, his non-fiction has been published in local, regional and national publications. His literary short stories have been published in more than a dozen literary journals and his fine art photography has been exhibited in more than 40 galley shows nationwide. Adams is the recipient of the Missouri Arts Council’s highest writing awards: the Writers’ Biennial and Missouri Writing!. The Riverfront Times named him, “St. Louis’ Most Under-Appreciated Writer” in 1996.
