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Review: The St Louis Premiere of COCONUT CAKE at The Black Rep is a Sweet Slice of Theater
COCONUT CAKE is a character driven play that examines how the choices we make in the short term impacts our long-term wellbeing. It is a superbly constructed play with surprising reveals that are neither illogical nor unexpected. Beaty’s play is packed with immense honesty. Jones and his talented well-rehearsed cast give Beaty’s exceptional script the eloquent staging it deserves.
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Review: LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT at St Louis Actors’ Studio
This is an elegant production of LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT with a touch of surrealism. The creative team have taken O’Neill’s story and leaned into quaint imagery to enhance the story telling. Doggett’s period costumes designs are elevated by her tailoring and sumptuous fabric choices. Patrick Huber’s minimalist, but highly effective scenery and lighting design were complimented by Kristi Gunther’s oceanfront inspired sound design. The serenity created by the technical elements added to Pendelton’s directorial vision to counterbalance O’Neill’s scripted brutality. A LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, regarded as the masterpiece of Eugene O’Neill’s career, shows his family’s excruciating addiction, faultfinding, hopelessness, depression, and inhumanity. Pendelton captures O’Neill’s agonizing story in a well-acted and sophisticated production.
