Marjorie Williamson

The Top 10 Theater Productions in St. Louis for 2024

This past season was the year of the drama in St. Louis Theater. Patrons returned to the theatre in droves and many of the regional companies experienced strong box office with sold-out or extended runs. Tesseract Theater Company had a breakout year, placing two productions on this top 10 list. The Black Rep, ERA, They Muny, New Jewish Theater, The Repertory Theater of St. Louis, and STAGES St. Louis all benefited from positive word of mouth and strong single ticket box office sales thanks to their marvelous seasons and well-reviewed productions.  

Review: ELEPHANTS’ GRAVEYARD Looks Death in the Eye and Laughs

ELEPHANTS' GRAVEYARD is a lovely piece of writing. It doesn’t wallow in sadness or pathos. It looks death in the eye and laughs. Corbett, Meyer, and Rausch have given the world premiere of ELEPHANTS' GRAVEYARD a beautiful staging. Williamson’s salubrious script proves that when facing even the gravest situations laughter is a pretty damn effective medicine.  

Review: THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE KEYS PART I: TIM WITHOUT THALIA and CASH FLOW at Kranzberg Black Box

First Run Theatre opened their mainstage season on Friday evening with the world premiere of two one act plays, THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE KEYS, PART I: TIM WITHOUT THALIA by Yu-Li Alice Shen and CASH FLOW by Marjorie Williamson. Both new plays were directed by Phil Wright and take a humorous look at relationships and interactions between women and men.

First Run Theatre Selects Two One Act Plays to Open Their Mainstage Season

First Run Artistic Director, Gwynneth Rausch and the Director of the two one act plays, Phil Wright, shared their excitement about Williamson and Shen’s comedies, CASH FLOW and THE CONVERSATION ABOUT THE KEYS, PART I: TIM WITHOUT THALIA. Both comedies are about the chaos in relationships between men and women. Having two equally strong one act plays submitted with similar themes gave First Run Theatre the opportunity to produce both as a double bill. Rausch called these plays, “Two clever and perceptive little gems about men and women.”

The Old Lady Project Presents Readings At Piven Theatre, Saturday, November 4

The Old Lady Project presents readings of 'The Matter with Family,' 'Women of a Certain Age,' and 'Elephants' Graveyard' on November 4th at Piven Theatre in Evanston. The project aims to develop plays and screenplays featuring female characters over 50. Submissions for the 2024 cycle open on November 5th.

Review: ABSENT FRIENDS at Kranzberg Black Box Theater

There are those rare instances when a director perfectly casts and directs a play. The actor in every role inhabits the playwright’s characters and delivers performances that transcend an exceptional script to further elevate the material. That is exactly what Robert Ashton has done with Albion Theatre’s second show of their inaugural season with his casting and direction of Alan Ayckbourn’s comical farce ABSENT FRIENDS.

Review: THE BIRTHDAY PARTY at Kranzberg Black Box Theater

Albion’s extraordinary production of Pinter’s work is grounded in Suki Peter’s sharp direction, brisk pacing and her collaboration with her actors. The performances she elicits from each of the cast members are balanced perfection. Her use of the space within Brad Slavik’s smartly appointed period set design conveys the confined intimacy one would feel in an overcrowded small rundown boarding house. Marjorie Williamson’s graphic & scenic design, Gwynneth Rausch’s props and Tracy Newcomb’s superb costume design all perfectly transport the audience back into the late 1950s.

Center For Performing Arts Bonita Springs' Staged Reading Series Conjures Ghosts, Monsters, Sci-Fi And Comedy

Center for Performing Arts Bonita Springs continues to grow its reputation as a platform for new plays and playwrights with its next iteration of their Staged Reading Series.

BWW Review: Lovely and Touching SUBLIME INTIMACY by Max and Louie Productions

In his director's notes Ken Page mentions that he had a conversation with a dear friend where they were trying to define 'the place that exists beyond ordinary relationships or sexual discovery.' That became the name of Page's latest play, SUBLIME INTIMACY. And, it's an apt title for this artistic endeavor that is lovingly crafted and executed. Page, a playwright, director, and an actor on stage and on screen, has produced another unusual and compelling work, much as he did with an earlier work, CAFE CHANSON. Both are decidedly different, but each turns a number of theatrical conventions on their heads with their mix of narrative, music, and in this case especially, dance. Max & Louie Productions have given us a rare treat that could only come from the mind of someone who is a genuine artist in the broadest sense. The result is a very engaging and magical show that features fine performances, some terrific paintings, and sharply honed direction that pulls together cherished memories to illustrate (sometimes literally) the emotional power that 'a poet of the body' can have on various individuals.

BWW Reviews: Chuck Lavazzi Delivers Informative and Amusing Show with JUST A SONG AT TWILIGHT

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.