Chris Gibson - Page 24

Even though three couples are the focus of Richard Maltby (lyrics), David Shire (music) and Sybille Pearson's (book) musical called BABY, there's a very good reason the title is singular and not plural. I mention that only to let you know that the play, as charming and engaging as it is, has some moments of drama present as well. This production by Citilites Theatre is nicely done, with a well cast group of couples, and splendid direction by Nick Moramarco, who also did the musical direction and accompanies the group on piano.

If you're looking for a book on contemporary musicals that's as entertaining as it is informative, you can't go wrong with Scott Miller's new book, SEX, DRUGS, ROCK & ROLL, AND MUSICALS. Miller examines the post modern musical with a depth of knowledge that's astounding. His theatre company, New Line, has produced the majority of the shows mentioned in this work (with the exception of a few from the last chapter), and his understanding of their themes and underlying motivations will have you aching to see those shows again, or at the very least, you'll want to refer back to any original cast albums you may have in your collection.

The late 1960's were a time of great social upheaval, and race riots broke out in a number of major cities, leading to what has been termed 'white flight', as the Caucasians abandoned the urban areas for the suburbs. The latest production at the Missouri History Museum, PALMER PARK, written by playwright Joanna McClelland, is a joint effort between the Black Rep and the St. Louis Actors' Studio that examines this time in our history. But, it focuses specifically on an integrated neighborhood known as Palmer Park, where huge beautiful homes could be purchased relatively cheaply because of their proximity to downtown Detroit. Here, middle class African Americans could mix (in a strict 65% white, 35% black ratio) and mingle in an idyllic setting where many long held myths were shattered.

Muddy Waters Theatre end their season dedicated to playwright Paula Vogel with her award-winning work, HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, and it's easily the most accomplished and straightforward of her plays. It lacks the humor of the others that were presented this season, but it replaces the laughs with something deeper that disturbs and stays with the viewer long after the play has ended. This is a very successful staging of this haunting work powered by sharp direction and stellar performances.

Before there was South Park, Team America, Orgazmo, or even The Book of Mormon, Trey Parker completed a film that's become a cult favorite; CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL. This hilarious, low rent production, features all the elements that would crop up in the aforementioned works, combining gore, sophomoric humor and a knack for writing catchy little tunes that stick like glue in your memory. Happily, Morning Star Productions has decided to mount a live production, and it's every bit as funny as the original. This is a must-see event for audience members who have an offbeat sense of taste and humor.

The stage continues to mine the movies for product, and sometimes it strikes gold (High Fidelity-although not hugely successful was, for me a better musical than a movie) and sometimes it strikes tin. The hugely acclaimed and multi-awarded BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL falls into the latter category, taking a gloriously fine and moving film and turning it into a bloated, tuneless production that's only saved by the winning performance of its lead (which rotates between four young lads) and some dazzling choreography Unfortunately, it tries too hard to cram into far too many plot elements, clocking in at almost three hours. And, it features a legendary pop tunesmith's worst work to date, leaving its audience with nary a hummable song in its score. It's a real shame because there are absolutely electric moments to be found here and there. But, too often, what worked on the big screen doesn't make the transition to the stage in smooth fashion.

I'm a completely unabashed fan of George Romero's 1968 classic film NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. I first saw it a midnight screening and was floored by it's raw cinematic energy and black and white gore. It was one of the first films I owned on video tape during the video revolution, and it was widely available since the title had slipped into the public domain. When the official Romero-approved version hit DVD I picked that up as well, and I even have a copy of the film on my iPod. So, I was pleased that a group actually did the smart thing and decided to stage a presentation during the Halloween season. It's too bad that Marble Stage had to battle the surging St. Louis Cardinals and their phenomenal and improbable World Series run for an audience. It's also too bad that their production wasn't more tightly executed.

There's something very funny, yet very sad about the two characters in Rajiv Joseph's bittersweet work GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES. They're both damaged goods in one way or another, and we desperately want them to make a real love connection since they truly seem oddly suited for one another. And yet, there's a poignancy to the fact that won't ever progress past the point where they began at age 8. R-S Theatrics is presenting this unusual play, and it's made even more interesting by the fact that a real life husband and wife play the two characters that keep our attention for about an hour and a half.

I don't know if playwright Annie Baker ever attended a six week community summer drama class like the one depicted in her wonderful work, CIRCLE MIRROR TRANSFORMATION, but it has the painful ring of truth that makes you think she may have at one time. Whether or not that really occurred though is immaterial, this is a remarkably funny, and at times painful, play that marks the opening of the Repertory of St. Louis' Studio series, and I think it's a near-classic. So, whether you attend the production playing upstairs on the mainstage (God of Carnage) or downstairs in the studio, you can't go wrong; both have more than their fair share of laughs.

How would you react as a parent if your ten year old son was smacked in the face with a stick with resulted in a fat lip and a couple of lost teeth? Would you be able to keep you cool? Would you just immediately contact the police or a lawyer and deal with it from that perspective? Well, I'm not sure how I would handle that type of situation, but playwright Yasmina Reza's GOD OF CARNAGE (with a witty and intelligent adaptation by Christopher Hampton) provides a cautionary tale for any parent faced with just such a dilemma. The Repertory of St. Louis' current production is simply brilliant, showcasing incredible performances and smartly conceived direction. This is heady stuff that makes you laugh and think. I've written it a lot lately, but this is one that should not missed at any cost.

The Missouri History Museum is a perfect venue for Chuck Lavazzi's retooled cabaret show JUST A SONG AT TWILIGHT, since it allows a number of slides to be projected (courtesy of Marjorie Williamson) which give life to Lavazzi's recollections of the golden age of vaudeville. There is also a very personal element to this presentation since Lavazzi explains that these classic, and largely forgotten tunes, were sung to him and his brother by his mother as lullabies. This combined with the informative nature of the show make for a uniquely pleasant, at times melancholy, and often amusing production by the West End Players Guild.

Federico Garcia Lorca's tragic play, BLOOD WEDDING, which Upstream Theater is currently presenting, is given a lyrical translation by Langston Hughes and a stunningly dark adaption by Melia Bensussen. From the opening moments until the final blackout, there's an intensity rarely found in theatrical productions, and only the coldest of souls will not be moved by the expected, but still deeply disturbing, ending. Superb work is culled from all the actors by Philip Boehm who has a real talent for delivering exceptionally atmospheric mood pieces such as this.

Pete Townshend and the Who's seminal rock opera classic TOMMY comes to the stage of the Tower Grove Abbey courtesy of Stray Dog Theatre adorned in steam punk fashion and scenic design. It's an exhilarating show powered by solid performances, a tight band, and engaging direction that never lets the pace slow for a moment. This is one of the few evenings of theatre that left me feeling goosebumps up my spine as the cast took their bows. A definite must see experience!

Playwright Neil Labute's REASONS TO BE PRETTY is the third in a trilogy of plays focusing on the modern day obsession with the way people look, following Shape of Things and Fat Pig. It's the least gimmicky of the three, relying on more honest sounding dialog delivered by four working class friends whose relationships taking interesting turns over the course of the work. NonProphet Theatre Company is presenting a sharp, straight-forward production that's clear and focused in execution.

HENRY V may well be the only one of Shakespeare's histories where no one is trying to oust the king of England. Instead, it's all about a plan to overthrow France, and thus we encounter one of my pet peeves; the outrageous french accent. St. Louis Shakespeare has mounted a handsome and rugged production of the play, but a number of Pythonesque accents have slipped in, marring an otherwise decent presentation. The first act is all politicking, but the second act more than makes up for it, helping us to understand why this play had been a rallying point for the British troops during World War II, with it's rousing battle at Agincourt, and the wooing of Princess Katherine.

A lot the single panel cartoons of Charles Addams appeared in The New Yorker, and a lot them didn't feature the particular characters we know and fondly remember as the Addams Family, they just had an offbeat sense of the bizarre, and often featured completely different characters. Some are even more than one panel in length, but those are rare. I own a couple of paperbacks (Homebodies and Drawn and Quartered) that collect these memorable and macabre masterpieces, and really, only a handful have the characters we've come to know and love. And, if turning 'Peanuts', a three panel strip, into a Broadway musical was a daunting task, you can imagine the dilemma faced by writers Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. Thankfully, after much revising (a friend saw a preview in Chicago that ran over 3 hours), they seem to have got THE ADDAMS FAMILY right, or as close to the original lunacy as one can expect.

Just about every artist or creative type struggles with their home situation. It's truly a rare thing when your family actually nurtures your abilities rather than points you toward something more practical, or rather, something you can supposedly make a living doing ( I know mine didn't exactly support my acting aspirations). So, it's not uncommon for them to want to leave the nest and seek out like minded individuals who also possess their creative drive and spark. In PASSING STRANGE, playwright, composer and lyricist Stew (aka Mark Stewart, who shares composing credit with Heidi Rodewald) narrates a fictionalized account of his own experiences searching for some kind of reality he could identify with, and while it may be necessary to take the journey, sometimes the answers are really inside of you the whole time. This production by New Line Theatre provides a passionate experience, emboldened by excellent performances and top notch direction, and driven by superb work from the musicians playing the tuneful score.

MARK NIZER is a juggler extraordinaire, and there's simply no denying that fact once you're able to watch him work his artistry up close and personal. Whether he's doing something relatively simplistic such as your basic three balls gliding through the air, he manages to add a twist, like catching one on his neck, or on the back of his foot, and flipping it right back into succession with the rest. He's one of the best, if not the best, at what he does, and this past Saturday morning (September 17, 2011), he took to the stage of Washington University as part of their Ovations for Young People series to show why he's considered such. He managed to dazzle my entire family, including my 5-year old son, so you know the guy is all he's cracked up to be. And he adds a wrinkle to his act by doing some of his stunt work in 3-D.

Playwright Claudia Shear (with an assist in conception from James Lapine) has constructed an interesting take on your typical showbiz biography. DIRTY BLONDE combines elements and events taken from the life of Mae West, and plays them off of a romantic coupling. It's an odd combination that works charmingly, and provides some insight into what made that particular 'dirty blonde' click as a person and as a a performer.

Written, directed, and musical score composed by three mothers of children with autism THE VIOLINIST also stars a child with autism in a lead role. This play combines intrigue with inspiration, bringing to life a tale of deception and murder...of love, friendship and courage. Accompanied by a live musical ensemble, THE VIOLINIST will capture your heart and mind, as a 12-year-old boy finds in himself the capacity to do something extraordinary.