James Lindhorst - Page 7

Driver possesses a beautiful multi-octave vocal instrument with pleasing tone, pitch, and timbre. When she sings in her upper register, her head voice is as clear as a bell. This is a young lady with a stellar voice who has honed her vocal stylings with deliberate phrasing to create a polished presentation.

Eileen Engel will be starring in two new narrative driven cabaret shows, MOVIE MUSIC and JACEY'S JAZZ JOINT, written and directed by Joe Hanrahan. The productions, produced by Midnight Company, will play Blue Strawberry Showroom and Lounge in Midtown St. Louis. Fly North Theatricals Colin Healy and Bradley Rohlf will collaborate with Healy as music director for both productions and Rohlf will play drums for JACEY'S JAZZ JOINT.

Webb’s historical drama is spectacularly brought to life by Ron Himes’ direction. The Black Rep's production of HOLD ON is spellbinding storytelling. It is a first-rate production of the momentous events that shaped the civil rights movement and resulted in important legislation. Himes, his cast, and crew have produced an exceptional piece of theatre that honors the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King.

Fly North Theatrical production of THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE is an incredible success thanks to Healy’s phenomenal direction and the daring performances of the entire cast.

This past year was a spectacular season for theatre in St. Louis. Forbes magazine recognized St. Louis as having “America’s most exciting emerging arts district.” The article credits the The Kranzberg Foundation for buying and operating spaces where artists can create. Many of the smaller theatre companies in St. Louis rely on The Kranzberg Foundation venues for performance and rehearsal space. In addition to the smaller professional companies, the mid-size and larger companies including The Muny, STAGES St. Louis, and The Black Rep all presented stellar musicals and plays that were produced locally. Blue Strawberry and The St Louis Cabaret project advanced cabaret performing in St. Louis booking amazing shows with Tony nominated Broadway performers Adam Pascal, Beth Leavel, and Robin de Jesús. 

JESUS AND JOHNNY APPLEWEED’S HOLY ROLLIN’ FAMILY CHRISTMAS is an irreverent musical comedy chuck full of laughs. While most of the jokes are related to changing times 7-decades ago, you don’t have to be a baby boomer to understand and appreciate Miller’s hysterical script. If you’re looking for funny, adult-themed holiday entertainment that is a complete diversion from more traditional holiday fare, JESUS AND JOHNNY APPLEWEED’S HOLY ROLLING FAMILY CHRISTMAS will certainly add some laughs to your holiday entertainment.  

T.3’s performance at The Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis was an extremely enjoyable evening of unforgettable music. The well-rehearsed 90-minute show flew by in an instant. Fennecken, Hogan, and Smith’s electric stage presence and mellifluous voices combined to create a truly memorable experience. These three gentlemen are skilled performers and song writers who know how to put on a phenomenal show.  

BARRYMORE is an exquisitely written script that is exceptionally acted in this first-rate production at St. Louis Actor’s Studio. This fantastic production can be seen through December 10th at The Gaslight Theatre.

West End Player Guild's production of WALTER CRONKITE HAS DIED is an enjoyable piece of theatre thanks to the performances of its two leading ladies. Wobbe and Durbin’s on-stage chemistry takes a dated story, makes it interesting and funny, and delivers the playwright’s intended message. The funny and heartwarming WALTER CRONKITE IS DEAD plays at the Union Avenue Christian Church through December 10th.

Overall, the directorial effort and performances created a good production of a script that requires additional edits and work. Leannán Sidhe is a brave vision of the author’s obsession and the toll it took on her life. First Run Theatre’s selection of Deanne Strasse’s script boldly shines a light on the struggles that arise from parasocial relationships.

Cinderella sings “I wish” as the opening lyric in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s INTO THE WOODS. I wish that every performance of the current production of INTO THE WOODS at The New Jewish Theatre could be seen by a sold-out house, and that they’d be forced to extend the run due to audience demand. It is just that good.

Viral singing sensation T.3 is embarking on their first national tour following the release of their first original song “Dilly Dilly.” St. Louis and the Sheldon Music Hall have been selected to host the opening show of their tour on December 8th. The dazzling vocal trio has amassed over a half-million followers on social media and their TikTok videos have had over 50-million views.

Howe’s performance was spectacular from the first shows she performed, but as the show has aged, she has comfortably fallen into a vocal performance that is extraordinary. Her meticulous phrasing and body language has continued to mature with each performance. She comfortably inhabits Ronstadt’s voice and delivers the songs with self-assured ease and panache. As a Ronstadt superfan it is hard to pick a favorite song, but Howe delivers “You’re No Good,” “When Will I Be Loved,” “It’s So Easy,” “Tumbling Dice,” and “Just One Looks” like she herself is a rock goddess. The audience mouths the words of Ronstadt’s well-known classics, bob their heads with the beat, and responds with thunderous applause following each number. It is not until Howe takes on Ronstadt’s later in career work that the audience gains appreciation for Howe’s immense talent. Her version of “When You Wish Upon a Star” is out of this world. She confidently handles “Poor Wondering One” from Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta PIRATES OF PENZANCE, and skillfully sings “Por Un Amor” in Spanish from Ronstadt’s album “Los Canciones de Mi Padre.” Howe digs into every Ronstadt song she sings and delivers a memorable performance that allows the audience to reminisce in the music that defined female rockers for a generation.  

On Saturday night at Blue Strawberry Showroom and Lounge, Broadway’s Matthew Scott elevated solo cabaret performing to a new level. In his show, THE JESUS YEAR: A LETTER FROM MY DAD, Scott wove together a tapestry of songs to create the fabric of a story that had the audience hanging on every lyric. He turned a cabaret performance into the equivalent of a one-man operetta as he talked about the letters his father wrote to his four sons prior to his untimely passing when Scott was just 13-years old.  

The Cabaret Project of St. Louis opened their new season Thursday evening with a performance by three-time Tony nominee Robin de Jesús in their new space at The Sheldon Performing Arts Center Ballroom. De Jesús took the stage and sang an eclectic selection of songs peppered with banter about believing in yourself, living an authentic life, and healing coming out of the events of the past few years. His infectious charm and electric smile illuminated the ballroom as he shared his life experiences as a Latino actor trying to find representation on the stage.  

In January of 2023, Broadway World called JUST ONE LOOK, the theatrical cabaret show based on the music of Linda Ronstadt, the most anticipated theatrical event of the year. Just prior to the show opening, Linda Ronstadt's hit song “Long Long Time” was featured in an episode of MAX’s (formerly HBO) “This is Us,” and began screaming up the download charts. Interest in Ronstadt’s music was at a new high since her singing career had been cut short by illness. Now, following 12 sold-out performances at Blue Strawberry, JUST ONE LOOK will move to a much larger venue, City Winery St. Louis, to accommodate the demand for tickets. City Winery St. Louis will present JUST ONE LOOK on Wednesday, November 22nd at 7:30 pm.  

On Saturday, November 18th, The Blue Strawberry Showroom and Lounge welcomes Matthew Scott for an evening of music and stories with his cabaret show “The Jesus Year: A Letter From My Dad.” Critics have called Scott’s show “Miraculous musical storytelling.” A veteran of Broadway and Regional Theatre, Scott has worked alongside some of the biggest names in theatre and was hand-picked by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine for their production of SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM with Barbara Cook and Vanessa Williams. In addition, he was in the original Broadway company of Jersey Boys and performed in AN AMERICAN IN PARIS on Broadway and with the National Tour. 

In a recent interview, de Jesús told Broadway World how excited he was to return to St. Louis with a solo show that has been centered around St. Louis and specifically constructed for the local audience. He shared that St. Louis is a special place for him as an actor because he was given the opportunity to explore, stretch in range and play leading roles.

Tesseract’s THE MAD ONES connects with the audience to tell Sam’s moving coming of age story despite a few problems along the way. Corpuz direction and the cast’s acting performances are the reason this show succeeds. Each of the four actors create likeable and relatable characters that make this show worth seeing.

“Moments, A Muny Docuseries” is the brainchild of Colby Dezelick, The Muny’s Digital Communications Manager. He told Broadway World that this documentary series will focus on the century long history of The Muny. He shared that episode will examine specific moments in the timeline of The Muny and the blind courage it took to create an outdoor performance space that has now become a legendary theater. In fact, the first episode is titled “Blind Courage.” As part of the production process Dezelick hand selected St. Louis Actor Rich Pisarkiewicz to serve as the narrator for the series.