Chris Gibson - Page 9

How many times have you heard someone say "my kid could have painted that" when referring to a particular piece of artwork. Art is something that has, and will always manage to, provoke different responses from different individuals. That's the true beauty and nature of it. Yasmina Reza's provocative script for her play ART (translation by Christopher Hampton) looks at those subjective perspectives, but it also examines relationships, and how they can become fractured when disagreements occur. It's equal parts amusing, thought provoking, and touching, and the St. Louis Actors' Studio has put together an excellent production of ART that is certainly worthy of your time and attention.

In the director's notes for Upstream Theater's recent production of THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER, Patrick Siler mentions the fact that he was first exposed to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's work when he was around ten years of age. Interestingly enough, I brought my nine year old along with me so that he could experience this wonderful classic for the first time. And, what he saw was an absolutely amazing production, adapted by Siler with original music composed and performed by Sleepy Kitty. What a great introduction to a timeless piece. From the excellent musical accompaniment, which was simply beyond cool, to the projected images of Gustave Dore's original wood-engraved illustrations, to the fabulous performance of the cast, this was a presentation that was truly special in every sense of the word.

When I was growing up, I Love Lucy was a morning television staple, even though it had been off the air for many years. Reality shows have since replaced pretty much all of the stuff I grew up on, at least on the major networks, but you can still find the re-runs on stations like Me TV, which cater to the boomer generation with their lineup of classic programs. If you were lucky enough to be at the Peabody Opera House this weekend (April 17-19, 2015), you had the opportunity to see a recreation of two episodes of this iconic show with their presentation of I LOVE LUCY LIVE ON STAGE. This touring production is one you should definitely check out if you're into nostalgia, or just need a good laugh.

One thing I really love about STOMP is that no matter how many times you've seen it, there are always a few new bits thrown in for you to enjoy. It's a constantly evolving show, although you can bet it will always begin with the troupe using their brooms to demonstrate how common items can be utilized to produce music and magic. Productions have been touring the world with various participants for so many years now that it's even become a touchstone for parents, who have already experienced it, to take their children to see it for the first time. My own son has seen it at least three times, but has grown to appreciate it even more as he's gotten older and more into music. The touring company that just passed through The Fabulous Fox Theatre (April 10-12, 2015) proved, once again, that the poly-rhythmic textures that reverberate in the venues they play overflow with a truly joyful noise that both amuses and delights.

If you're looking at the program for THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, see the name Rupert Holmes (book, music, and lyrics) and are instantly reminded of the fact he wrote and sang the number one hit 'Escape (The Pina Colada Song'), you'll probably be a bit surprised at the production that you're about to watch. But, I guarantee you it will be a very pleasant one, because Holmes takes the tradition of circa 1890's English Music Hall and uses it in delightfully imaginative fashion to craft a vehicle for the unfinished last work of classic author Charles Dickens. It's a kind of play within a play, and in the cozy confines of the Tower Grove Abbey, it's an absolutely perfect fit. It brings the performers right into your lap, and it's so much fun that you can't help but get completely caught up in the merriment. This lively production by Stray Dog Theatre is sure to please, so get your tickets while you can!

Nearly 400 people hooped, hollered and packed the auditorium at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) on Monday, March 23, 2015 for the third annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards ceremony. The event honors outstanding achievement in local professional theater by performers and behind-the-scenes artists. Awards were given in 31 different categories covering comedy, drama and musicals, along with two special awards bestowed on Donna Northcott, founder and artistic director of St. Louis Shakespeare, and Agnes Wilcox, founder and artistic director of Prison Performing Arts. Both women have retired this year and turned their companies over to new artistic directors, Suki Peters for St. Louis Shakespeare and Christopher Limber at Prison Performing Arts.

Although a handful of playwrights have used elements from Anton Chekhov's canon of classics (such as Neil Simon's The Good Doctor), I can't think of any other writer who's displayed such ingenuity in incorporating bits and pieces from his work the way that Christopher Durang has in his play VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE. Referencing Uncle Vanya, Three Sisters, The Seagull, and The Cherry Orchard, Durang has put together a show that's so absurdly funny it hurts! It's not a parody of Chekhov, but instead neatly walks a tightrope that utilizes these traces in enjoyable and amusing ways that act to provide an intelligent depth that engages while it entertains. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis closes their season on a gloriously high note that will make you wish their productions continued year round. Don't miss this hilarious show!

Playwright Jonathan Tolins uses Barbra Streisand's book My Passion for Design as a jumping off point for his hilarious one man show BUYER & CELLAR. It's a fun-filled romp that fans of the lady with the magnificent voice, and questionable temperament, will find absolutely delightful. Even if you're not a fan, you'll enjoy this peek inside the peculiarities that are a part of this showbiz icon's lifestyle. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has fashioned a very enjoyable production that has been so popular that the run has been extended twice. See it for yourself and you'll know why. It's an amusing and often belly laugh inducing work that you should make every effort to check out!

Art is something that can be entirely subjective. Everyone can have their own opinion, with different people viewing a particular work and coming away with distinctly unique perspectives on its merit, or lack thereof. That's part of what makes SIGHT UNSEEN, by playwright Donald Margulies so intriguing. We're presented with a modern artist whose pieces are often categorized as obscene or shocking, although we're only allowed to glimpse an early canvas, so it's up to us to envision in our mind's eye the kind of product he has been creating that has presented him with such fame and success. And, like all people who work in the cultural arts fields, a muse is often instrumental in providing inspiration. When that muse is gone, does the work continue, and does it change? These elements are all examined quite thoughtfully in this play, and with an excellent cast and expert direction they come together in truly compelling fashion in The New Jewish Theatre's current production.

Playwright Laurie Brooks examines the events that led to the infamous Salem Witch Trials from a different perspective with her intriguing and thought-provoking work, AFFLICTED Daughters of Salem. Unlike Arthur Miller's masterpiece, The Crucible, this play focuses our attention solely on the young girls who wound up making the accusations that started the wheels in motion. What we're privy to are the private thoughts and desires of a group of young girls who meet in the woods under the moonlight with the mystical slave Tituba. What comes through is their unhappiness with the way they feel their individuality is being repressed by their strict Puritan community. Since they can see nearby Quakers experiencing a great deal more freedom, they've come to resent the way of life they feel has been imposed upon them. Metro Theater Company's production at the Missouri History Museum (through March 22, 2015) is a taut and vivid presentation that ends with the audience being asked specific questions as to whether these young women should be held accountable for their acts. Their response may shock you. It will certainly provide food for thought.

If you're looking for thoughtful entertainment that's suitable for children and adults then you should definitely check out the COCA Theatre Company's current production of THE LITTLE PRINCE based on the classic book by Antoine de Saint Exupery (music by Rick Cummins with book and lyrics by John Scoullar). Even if you've never read the story, you'll still be captivated by the whimsical, yet decidedly philosophical, journey of a little boy who travels the stars seeking answers while delivering certain truths. An excellent cast combines professional and non-professional actors who carry this material well. Best of all, there are stunning visual elements and musical numbers that act to enhance the overall experience.

I always know to expect the unexpected when I attend a production by New Line Theatre. Artistic Director Scott Miller has a gift for choosing shows that are consistently engaging, entertaining, and smartly cast and directed. Whether it's a revival of a classic or something of a more recent vintage, each receives the same special care and attention that makes the old seem new again, and makes you wonder why some of the newer material wasn't more successful during their initial runs. With JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA, New Line brings us a St. Louis premier of a musical that has actually achieved a modicum of success (including a filmed staging in 2005), but it's not a choice that you're likely to find anywhere else in this region due to its adult nature and content. New Line is dedicated to taking those kind of risks. And, I'm so glad they are, because I love seeing presentations that push the envelope, especially when they're done so brilliantly. JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA (music by Richard Thomas with book and lyrics by Stewart Lee and Thomas) delivers a unique, funny, tuneful, and completely tasteless parade of humanity that will win you over immediately. Prepare yourself to see opera from an entirely different perspective, in way that manages to stay true to the very tropes that define the genre, while turning them on their head with delicious blasphemy.

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis announces SALUT D'AMOUR, a celebration at the Sheldon Concert Hall with David and Miran Halen to benefit the Chamber Society of St. Louis tonight, March 10, 2015.

While it is certainly a fact that on December 4, 1956, Sun Records was host to an incredible gathering of talent (Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis), a listen to the actual recordings made that day were more along the lines of favorite folk and gospel numbers that the four shared in common. And though some of that does come through, the stage musical, MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, utilizes this historic meeting as a jumping off point for an evening of truly classic rock and roll, with some other more reverent material sprinkled in for good measure. But honestly, a faithful recreation of the truth would be a bit of a letdown to most fans, so instead we're treated to a re-imagining that might bend the truth a bit (book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux), but only in the quest to give audiences a glimpse at what could have been.

St. Louis will celebrate ballet legend Miss Alexandra Zaharias this weekend, February 21-22 with A Sapphire Celebration and the masterpiece of the Romantic Era, GISELLE, at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. The Today, February 21st celebration will include cocktails and hors d'oeuvres with alumni followed by a World Premiere viewing of the documentary tribute: Miss A. The Gift of Grace: A Documentary before Alexandra Ballet Company's (ABC) endearing performance of GISELLE.

Most people are familiar with WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?, undoubtedly playwright Edward Albee's masterpiece, from the film that starred Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor (released in 1966). But, seeing the play in person is a completely different experience, and one that's incredibly worthwhile, if harrowing at times. The St. Louis Actors' Studio is currently presenting an excellent production of this work that features strong performances and insightful direction. You'll forget all about the movie once you experience this show in the flesh.

St. Louis will celebrate ballet legend Miss Alexandra Zaharias the weekend of February 21-22 with A Sapphire Celebration and the masterpiece of the Romantic Era, GISELLE, at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. The Saturday, February 21st celebration will include cocktails and hors d'oeuvres with alumni followed by a World Premiere viewing of the documentary tribute: Miss A. The Gift of Grace: A Documentary before Alexandra Ballet Company's (ABC) endearing performance of GISELLE.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis' artistic director, Steven Woolf, always has a knack for finding a classic, sometimes a neglected one, to present each season. This year it's Terence Rattigan's revered play THE WINSLOW BOY, which some will remember from various revivals and film versions (1948 & 1999), and which stands out as a dramatic piece fraught with injustice. It's a story, based on fact, that is still as relevant today as it was when it was written. A splendid cast and keenly sharpened direction combine to provide a very compelling piece of theatre.

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis announces SALUT D'AMOUR, a celebration at the Sheldon Concert Hall with David and Miran Halen to benefit the Chamber Society of St. Louis on March 10, 2015.

Rob Maesaka, a St. Louis playwright, receives the opportunity to have one of his works premiered with Mustard Seed Theatre's presentation of his play, WHITE TO GRAY. It's an engaging piece of theatre that tells an interesting story that's dramatic and even occasionally funny at times. Judging a new play can sometimes be a challenge because it's unique; there's never been a production for the viewer to gauge it against. But for viewers and critics alike, that's the fun part of seeing something fresh. We have no expectations going in, so we're being engaged by the actors and playwright for the first time. On the whole, I would say this is an entertaining show that features a number of good performances, and it covers a period of time that is ripe with dramatic possibilities that the writer explores. Maesaka's play, and Mustard Seed's production of it is definitely worthy of your time and attention.