Theatre Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN at The Fabulous Fox Theatre
Many people at one time or another have felt like they go unseen, or perhaps they don’t matter. It’s the premise of Frank Capra’s 1946 Christmas staple, It’s a Wonderful Life. At the beginning of ACT I of Dear Evan Hansen, the title character sings in “Waving Through a Window,” Waving through a window I try […]
Theatre Review: THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
In 2003, author John D’Agata submitted his essay “What Happens There” to Harper’s Magazine. After a disagreement between D’Agata and his editors, the essay would eventually make it to The Believer in 2005. But it wasn’t until 2010 that the edited version would be published. So why such a long road for one essay to make its […]
A Renovated Kemper Art Museum Presents a Landmark Exhibition from Ai Weiwei
Photo credit: Josh White The newly renovated Mildred Lane Kemper Museum has punctuated the arrival of its new home on the campus of Washington University with Ai Weiwei: Bare Life, a dynamic and emotionally powerful show from one of the most important artists and activists in contemporary art. Known for his provocative work in several […]
Theatre Review: New Line’s CRY-BABY Brings Tears of Laughter
My only experience going into Cry-Baby at The Marcelle was the 1990 film, directed by John Waters and starring Johnny Depp as the titular heartthrob. New Line Theatre produced the musical back in 2013, the show right before my introduction to “The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre” – High Fidelity (still one of my favorites […]
Theatre Review: HELLO, DOLLY! Gives Warm Welcome to Audiences for Latest Broadway Series
Fresh off a Tony Award-winning revival on Broadway, Hello, Dolly! opens the 2019-2020 Broadway Series at the Fabulous Fox. Carolee Carmello is sensational as Dolly, a widowed matchmaker who is known for making everyone’s business her own. There’s nothing she can’t do as she earns a living by taking on as many side-jobs as possible. But […]
Review: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Dazzles in Stéphane Denève’s Debut
It is an exciting time of new beginnings for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Like all new starts there is energy and anxiety, both of which signify that magic is in the air. In addition to unveiling a new logo and special pricing the orchestra enthusiastically began its 140th season with the debut of their […]
Theatre Review: ANGELS IN AMERICA PART TWO Brings Kushner’s Masterpiece to Life
You don’t see many plays produced in two parts, back to back – or concurrently as The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is currently doing with Angels in America Parts One and Two. Doing so is not only a huge commitment from the theatre, but also the audience – asking them to buy two tickets, and […]
Theatre Review: Powerful Performances Lead ANGELS IN AMERICA PART 1 at Rep
What a show to kick off the 2019-2020 season at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, welcoming new artistic director Hana S. Sharif as she takes over duties from Steven Woolf after more than three decades. Considered by many to be one of the most important works about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in America during the […]
Theatre Review: ‘Matilda’ Delights With Magical Finish to Muny 101
All good things must come to an end. So is the case with the first season of The Muny’s second century. It certainly has been a terrific summer in Forrest Park – but it’s not quite over just yet. Matilda, based on the 1988 Roald Dahl novel, was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company to […]
Theatre Review: The Muny Strikes Gold With a ‘Paint Your Wagon’ Update You Should Rush To See
Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe never reached the heights of Rodgers and Hammerstein, but they managed to crank out quite a few classics – like Brigadoon (1947), My Fair Lady (1956), and Camelot (1960). Their followup to Brigadoon (considered to be their first hit) was Paint Your Wagon in 1951. Set in the 1850s against […]