Chris Gibson - Page 15

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is presenting a modern masterpiece with their soaring production of FLY. The acting is excellent, the direction is sharply focused, and the technical achievements are spectacular. I'm probably going to run out of superlatives before I finish this review, so bear with me as I gush on about one of the most amazing examples of 'action' theatre that I've had the privilege to witness. FLY is a theatrical experience that pays tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II in a most remarkable way, and it's an absolute must-see event.

I decided to take in one of the Sheldon's coffee concerts earlier this week, and though some snarled traffic kept me from enjoying the coffee portion of the bill, I arrived in time for the concert. I was rewarded for my efforts by witnessing the performance of a tremendously talented group of musicians collectively known as Miss Jubilee and the Humdingers. This was, indeed, time well spent.

In keeping with the Halloween season, and in distinct contrast to the serious tone of New Line's brilliant Night of the Living Dead, we have Stray Dog Theatre's lively production of EVIL DEAD: THE MUSICAL, a campy gorefest based on filmmaker Sam Raimi's Evil Dead trilogy. The first two films are audacious and nutty 'cabin in the woods' tales spiced with bravura camera work and copious amounts of blood and guts. The third movie sends our hero, Ash, back to medieval times to fight an Army of Darkness. This musical version combines elements taken from all three flicks, emphasizes the 'splat-stick' aspects of all of them, and adds a fairly catchy rock and roll score (book writer and lyricist George Reinblatt with a number of composers) to the mix. It's a dizzying, but enjoyable ride that, thankfully, never lets the foot off the gas.

I'm a horror film fan, and I saw NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD for the first time at a midnight show when I was a teenager. Like the movie, the musical version (music by Matt Conner, lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith and Conner) focuses our attention on the victims of a sudden outbreak of zombies. Sure, there are plenty of scenes of zombie mayhem in the original work, but the bulk of the film is really about a group of disparate people struggling to survive in an abandoned farmhouse. This is why I particularly enjoyed New Line's St. Louis premiere of this surprisingly tuneful adaptation. It's a serious-minded production that doesn't take a campy approach or attempt to spoof its subject, and I can appreciate that tact. This is an engaging and well acted presentation that takes a look at how humans behave in the direst of circumstances, and it's a must-see for fans of daring musical theatre.

I have to confess that other than the misguided movie that was made out of EVITA, the only other presentation I'd seen was New Line Theatre's wonderfully intimate version a couple of years ago. So, I was curious as to how this show would play on a bigger venue's stage. I wasn't disappointed and you won't be either. The current production playing the Fox Theatre is a dazzling mixture of song (score by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics and book by Tim Rice) and dance that's both engaging and thoroughly entertaining.

When you're a critic and you witness a magical evening of theatre it's hard not to be overly enthused and gush about it, but Upstream Theater's current production of Nikolai Gogol's (adaptation by David Holman) DIARY OF A MADMAN is simply brilliant and truly deserving of such praise. Upstream consistently brings quality presentation of plays both old and new, and oft times they're adaptations of classic literature. A pair of splendid performers are guided by an expert hand to create a night of must-see entertainment, as engaging and thought-provoking as any show you've ever seen.

THE GOOD DOCTOR, Neil Simon's take on the short stories of Anton Chekhov, is a decidedly mixed bag. At the time he was writing this work he was dealing with his first wife's illness and busying himself with changes to the screenplay of The Prisoner of Second Avenue. Although it has become a much performed play now, it wasn't a huge success when it was first staged, however several members of the cast were nominated for awards. The New Jewish Theatre's current staging contains some fine performances and sharp direction, but it remains a hit and miss production that's only fitfully funny.

Playwright Lee Blessing's LONESOME HOLLOW paints a cynical and slightly contrived portrait of our country's future. Blessing's dystopian look at America imagines a place where sex offenders are housed by a corporation in small towns that have been taken over and converted for this very purpose. There are some interesting and haunting ideas at work here, and the West End Players Guild has fashioned a nicely mounted production of the play that features a strong cast.

Playwright/novelist/screenwriter/songwriter Suzan-Lori Parks has crafted an intriguing work with Topdog/Underdog, which is currently playing at The Gaslight Theater in a marvelously acted production by the St. Louis Actors' Studio. The theme for their seventh season is 'Sins of the Father', and as they have in the past, it's an eclectic and cool mix of older classic works, and newer plays. This current production is distinguished by a pair of exceptional performances which really make it worthy of your time and attention.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis kicks off their season with a lively and captivating production of CABARET, Kander and Ebb's dark and cynical examination of life in Berlin prior to Hitler's ascension. This sleek, sexy, abrasive and poignant musical is solidly performed by both the cast, and the musicians portraying the Kit Kat Club house band. There's a lot of fine theatre taking place in St. Louis at the moment, but you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't take the time to check out this decadent delight.

MY FAIR LADY is a venerable warhorse of the stage, and though it used to be performed with a frightening degree of regularity, it's been a while since I've seen it, other than catching the film version on TCM recently. I must say I'm impressed with the current production by Stages St. Louis. It manages to maintain an intimacy that's lost in some of the larger stagings the work has received. In the cozy confines of the Robert G. Reim Auditorium we're able to appreciate the story as well as the staging, and being based on G.B. Shaw's superb play Pygmalion, it's important that that actually come through. It does. Marvelously so. Couple that with the insanely memorable score (book & lyrics Alan Jay Lerner, music by Frederick Lowe) and you have an full evening of wit and charm ahead of you. This is an elegant must-see!

Playwright Joe Orton's writing career was brief, ending abruptly when he was bludgeoned to death in 1967. In a very short span he wrote a handful of plays that are still being performed to this day, and one wonders what he would have created if he'd lived longer. You can catch one of his early plays at HotCity Theatre as they are currently presenting his darkly cynical work ENTERTAINING MR. SLOANE. A fine cast does a splendid job of bringing these peculiar characters to life.

St. Louis is home to dozens of theatre companies, most of which have the same problem; finding a venue in which to perform. The Black Rep, which utilized the Grandel Theatre for many years, is now faced with this same issue. But, thankfully, they were able to find space at Washington University, using the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre for their latest presentation, playwright Danel Beaty's one-man show, EMERGENCY. For this particular show they've found a perfect fit. In fact, this must-see performance from actor Ron Conner is required viewing.

Elizabeth Van Meter's The Purpose Project: Thao's Library is a true story that genuinely touches the heart. Utilizing a multimedia presentation, Van Meter details the events that occurred that convinced her to attempt and reach out to a person who was born with disabilities due to the spraying of the toxic defoliant agent orange during the Vietnam war. A poignant picture of a young woman in a wheel chair, named Thao, made an impression on Van Meter and, when she found out this person was attempting to amass a library for her village, she decided to help her with her dream. This is a powerful story that changed both of their lives for the better, and it's receiving a wonderful production by Mustard Seed Theatre.

Playwright Nicky Silver's Broadway-break through, THE LYONS, is a black comedy that focuses our attention on the titular dysfunctional family. Although it's characters may be a bit one dimensional at times, this play has a lot of amusing twists and turns, and there are also several moments that occur that we can all identify with for better or worse. Max & Louis Productions has put together a smartly acted and directed presentation that showcases the intimate and humorous nature of this show.

Playwright Cormac McCarthy has crafted an intriguing work with THE SUNSET LIMITED, and even though he skimps on fully developing his characters, there is still plenty to chew on here. It's also the inaugural production of Theatre Lab, and I'm always happy to welcome a new company to the local theatre scene. This particular piece may be especially light on action and heavy on dialogue, but Cormac's use of wit keeps things humming along without becoming too static. The Theatre Lab has put together a strong production powered by two excellent performances.

The current production of MARY POPPINS that's playing at The Muny is 'practically perfect', featuring some nice special effects, a wonderful set, and terrific performances that manage to capture the spirit of the 1964 Disney film, as well as the P.L. Travers books that inspired it. The original and familiar tunes of Richard and Robert Sherman mesh seamlessly with the new material created by composers George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, and it's all lushly orchestrated and performed. Additionally, Julian Fellowes has crafted a book that incorporates bits plucked from the movie as well as from Travers' original stories. This intermingling of the old with the new is surprisingly refreshing. This is a spectacular show that appeals to both children and adults.

Stages St. Louis continues their 2013 season with the musical adaptation of the 2001 Reese Witherspoon vehicle, LEGALLY BLONDE. It's a pleasant romantic comedy that, like a lot of modern musicals, pokes fun at itself, but it also features a positive message about believing in oneself. The clever compositions of Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin are a nice complement to Heather Hach's reworking of the screenplay (based on the novel by Amanda Brown). Together, they create a bubbly and enjoyable atmosphere that's as light and fluffy as a cloud, and Stages St. Louis follows that lead with a perfectly charming and delightful production.

I love horror movies, especially the kind of cheesy stuff from the 1950's and 1960's that director Roger Corman was famous for. It's been said that he shot the cult favorite, The LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, in four days, and it certainly has a look that would suggest as much. But, underneath its filthy veneer is a bizarre black comedy that deserved a far better fate than the faded copies that clog up discount DVD bins. So, Howard Ashman (book and lyrics) and Alan Menken (music) dusted off the basic premise of this crazy little film, and crafted a clever and funny off-Broadway musical which, in turn, spawned a motion picture. Stray Dog Theatre closes their tenth season on a high note with a very imaginative and well cast production of this creepy classic.

Victor Hugo's novel, LES MISERABLES, was re-imagined in the early 1980's as a very successful musical (lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer (adapted from the French text by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel) and score by Claude-Michel Schonberg)) that has continued to captivate audiences. Although I wasn't especially fond of the touring show that passed through last year, The Muny's current production is a revelation. The scope of this work is an ideal match for The Muny's expansive stage, and I highly recommend this terrific presentation.