Tuesday, June 28, 2011

This showed up in my inbox today.  Masterworks Broadway has been releasing a lot of material that disappeared from the catalogs when everything went digital many years ago.  Here's the latest set, including some very obscure goodies.  It's interesting that arkivmusic.com in involved as they are primarily a classical music label (they're owned by Steinway - not to be confused, apparently, with Deutsche Grammophon's Archiv Produktion label).
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MASTERWORKS BROADWAY

ANNOUNCES SUMMER 2011 RELEASES


Three Forgotten Gems Available For The First Time As Disc-On-Demand and Digital Download

More Original Master Recordings Make Their Digital Premiere 

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY, recently praised by the Wall Street Journal for its ongoing reissue campaign, continues to make good on its promise to open its vaults with three classic cast recordings previously unavailable in the CD era. The Saint of Bleecker Street (1955 Original Broadway Cast), Half-Past Wednesday (1962 Off-Broadway Cast) and Divine Hair/Mass in F (1971) will be available as downloads through all major digital service providers and as disc-on-demand, with the original cover art and liner notes, via Arkivmusic.com and Amazon.com.  Also coming this summer are ten recordings available digitally for the first time utilizing the approved master tapes, including Say, Darling, and two live recordings from Noël Coward.  All releases will be accompanied by new album pages and photos on MasterworksBroadway.com.

The July 19 reissue of the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Saint of Bleecker Street by composer/librettist Gian Carlo Menotti (Amahl and the Night Visitors) is one of only two operas ever to win the “Best Musical” citation of the New York Drama Critics Circle.  Sung in English, this powerfully original, melodic musical drama is set in New York’s Little Italy.  It is about a young girl who suffers the stigmata and hears voices, and her brother – an atheist who seeks a more conventional answer to her problems - who can do nothing to keep his neighbors from believing his sister is a saint. Featuring riveting performances from soprano Gabriele Ruggiero and tenor David Poleri, this forgotten gem was recorded under Menotti’s supervision, and conducted by Thomas Schippers, who won a Tony Award for his work.

Half-Past Wednesday, the Off-Broadway musical from 1962, is a true curiosity from the vault.  A modern take on the classic fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin, it starred Dom DeLuise, who was hailed by The New York Times as “a comic genius,” for his performance as the King.  In a 2009 interview, the late DeLuise recognized this show as the catalyst for finding his first agent.  Featuring music by Robert Colby and lyrics by Robert Colby and Nita Jonas, Half-Past Wednesday was re-titled Rumpelstiltskin, for the recording, which will be available August 23.

In April of 1971, as Hair was celebrating the show’s third anniversary on Broadway, the Bishop of New York invited Hair to participate in a celebration of the Holy Eucharist with a Mass performed in the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.  The Mass included selections from the Broadway musical as well as a new work by its composer Galt MacDermot titled Mass in F.  It was performed by The Choir of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, St. Martin’s Choir, St. Mary’s Choir, Delores Hall, J. Faulton Hodge, Jack W. Jones, Reverend Richard R. Kirk, Reverend Richard Ragni, Reverend Howard Stone & the Broadway Cast of Hair.  Divine Hair/Mass in F, available September 20, is the live recording of that extraordinary event.

Beginning August 9, MASTERWORKS BROADWAY will also release authorized master recordings as digital downloads for the first time:

August 9 – Original Broadway Cast Recording of Say, Darling plus Original Off-Broadway Cast Recordings of The Mad Show, Ernest in Love, Now Is the Time for All Good Men, The Nervous Set and the studio concept album of archy and mehitabel: a back-alley opera (later retitled Shinbone Alley for Broadway).

September 20 – Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording of By Jupiter, Original Cast Recording of Paris ’90 plus Noël Coward at Las Vegas and Noël Coward in New York

Masterworks Broadway is a label of Sony Masterworks.  For email updates and information on Masterworks Broadway please visit www.masterworksbroadway.com.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of Jun 27, 2011

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.  If I have left your show out, please leave a comment with all the details.

Stages St. Louis presents the Disney musical 101 Dalmatians Thursday through Saturday at 11 AM, June 30 through July 3. Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407.

First Run Theatre presents Behind the Chair by Jason Slavik Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, through July 3. Performances take place in the Thomas Hunter Theatre at De Smet High School, 233 North New Ballas Road in Creve Coeur. For more information, call (314) 352-5114 or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

The Lindenwood University presents the musical Chess through July 2 at the Lindenwood University Premier Center For The Arts, 2600 West Main Street in Belleville, IL. For more information, call (618) 239-6000 or visit belleville.lindenwood.edu.

A Chorus Line
Stages St. Louis presents the Broadway musical A Chorus Line through July 3. Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The NonProphet Theater Company presents Danny and the Deep Blue Sea by John Patrick Shanley Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 5 PM through July 3. For more information, call 636-236-4831 or visit nptco.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Muny presents the classic musical Kiss Me, Kate Monday through Sunday at 8:15 PM, June 27 through July 3, in the outdoor theatre in Forest Park. For more information, visit muny.org or call 314-361-1900

The Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

Marble Stage Fairy Tale Theatre presents Robin Hood Saturdays through July 30 at Marble Stage Theater, 426 Crestwood Mall Art Space. For more information, call 314-437-0846 or visit www.marblestage.org.

Insight Theatre Company presents A Year With Frog and Toad, based on the Frog and Toad story series by Arnold Loebel, Thursday and Friday at 8 PM, with matinee performances on Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM, June 30 through July 3. Performances take place in the Heagney Theatre, 530 East Lockwood on the campus of Nerinx Hall High School in Webster Groves. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

The Kids Are All Right

Just got the following press release from Opera Theatre of St. Louis.  This confirms my own observation that younger audience members are starting to show up at local opera and classical music performances.  It's an encouraging trend.

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OPERA THEATRE YOUNG FRIENDS PROGRAM SEES MARKED GROWTH DURING 2011 SEASON

Final 2011 Young Friends Event is June 23 at The Death of Klinghoffer

St. Louis, MO -- With two of three Young Friends Nights complete in the Wells Fargo Advisors 2011 Festival Season, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OTSL) can already report a 16% growth in attendance and a 27% growth in revenue for its Young Friends program during the 2011 season. These numbers will climb further after the final Young Friends night of the season, which is scheduled for June 23 in conjunction with John Adams's contemporary masterpiece The Death of Klinghoffer. Led by a Steering Committee that is chaired by Mary Ann Srenco, Opera Theatre's 2011 Young Friends events are chaired by Macy's.

With the national median age of an opera attendee at 48 years old, OTSL's Young Friends program focuses on introducing younger patrons to opera in a setting that encourages networking, socializing, and community development. One strong source of growth for the program has been among recently transplanted young professionals. Young Friends Nights at Opera Theatre give them immediate access to other culturally-minded peers as they acclimate to their new home, a valuable resource for employers seeking to court out-of-town talent to St. Louis.

"My wife, Ciara, and I have met many good friends through Young Friends. Our first Opera Theatre experience was at The Marriage of Figaro last year, and we've been hooked ever since," said Sameer Samana, who recently relocated to St. Louis from Richmond, Virginia for a new position with Wells Fargo Advisors. "Having the operas sung in English was a pleasant surprise and makes it really easy to become a part of what's going on. I would highly recommend attendees stick around for the after party since you get to meet and greet the performers -- I can't think of any experience elsewhere that even comes close. Knowing that Wells Fargo Advisors is such a big supporter of Opera Theatre makes me proud to be a part of the firm." Wells Fargo Advisors is the presenting sponsor for Opera Theatre's 2011 festival season.

Other growth has stemmed from increased partnerships between Young Friends groups throughout the city. OTSL's June 11th Young Friends event, in conjunction with Pelléas and Mélisande, was co-hosted by the Young Friends of the Saint Louis Art Museum. This unique collaboration was Opera Theatre's single highest attended Young Friends event at the opera. "We were thrilled to partner with OTSL. The Museum's Young Friends group not only works to promote the Museum's collection and exhibitions to our Members, but also to expose them to the amazing array of cultural activities throughout the community," said Jennifer Thomas, Membership Director at the Saint Louis Art Museum. OTSL and SLAM will collaborate on a second event November 3 at the museum, in conjunction with SLAM's Monet's Water Lilies exhibit.

"Opera speaks powerfully to all ages," said Opera Theatre General Director Timothy O'Leary, who is 36. "It is thrilling to witness younger audiences discover how much they love opera when they attend a performance for the first time. Opera Theatre is famous for a warm atmosphere, intimate performances, and innovative programming -- I applaud our Young Friends Steering Committee for helping make sure that this season's first time opera-goers become the next generation of St. Louis opera lovers."

Opera Theatre's final Young Friends night of the 2011 season is June 23rd at The Death of Klinghoffer, the powerful contemporary opera by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Adams. Tickets for this event are available at $45, a price that includes reserved seating at the opera and a pre-show dinner reception. Cocktail service begins at 6:30 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m., and the performance at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased by calling (314) 963-4223. Patrons must be 45 or younger to purchase a Young Friends ticket.

About Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is one of the leading American opera companies, known for a spring festival of inventive new productions featuring the finest American singers, sung in English and accompanied by members of the St. Louis Symphony. As of 2011, Opera Theatre has presented 22 world premieres and 22 American premieres -- which is perhaps the highest percentage of new work in the repertory of any U.S. company. Described by The Sunday Times of London as "one of the few American companies worth the transatlantic fare," and by Opera Today as "the leading summer opera destination in the United States," Opera Theatre of Saint Louis welcomed visitors from 47 states and 10 foreign countries in 2010. Although the size of the theater limits box office income to 26% of the budget, the company has consistently produced work of the highest quality while never accumulating a deficit.

Opera Theatre gratefully acknowledges season presenting sponsor Wells Fargo Advisors.

Opera Theatre is a sustaining member of the Arts & Education Council of Greater Saint Louis, and receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Regional Arts Commission, and the Missouri Arts Council.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of June 20, 2011

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.  If I have left your show out, please leave a comment with all the details.

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents the comedy Arsenic and Old Lace Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM through June 26, in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, call 618-939-7469.

Bare: A Pop Opera
New Line Theatre presents the St. Louis premiere of the rock musical Bare: A Pop Opera Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through June 25. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. For more information, call 314-534-1111. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

First Run Theatre presents Behind the Chair by Jason Slavik Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, June 24 through July 3. Performances take place in the Thomas Hunter Theatre at De Smet High School, 233 North New Ballas Road in Creve Coeur. For more information, call (314) 352-5114 or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

The Lindenwood University presents the musical Chess June 23 through July 2 at the Lindenwood University Premier Center For The Arts, 2600 West Main Street in Belleville, IL. For more information, call (618) 239-6000 or visit belleville.lindenwood.edu.

A Chorus Line
Stages St. Louis presents the Broadway musical A Chorus Line through July 3. Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The NonProphet Theater Company presents Danny and the Deep Blue Sea by John Patrick Shanley Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 5 PM, June 23 through July 3. For more information, call 636-236-4831 or visit nptco.org.

The Daughter of the
Regiment
Copyright: Ken Howard, 2011
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Donizetti's comedy The Daughter Of The Regiment in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 26. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents John Adams's drama The Death of Klinghoffer in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 25. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Don Giovanni
Copyright: Ken Howard, 2011
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Mozart's Don Giovanni in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 25. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Family Musical Theater presents the classic musical Guys And Dolls through June 26 at the Ivory Theatre, 7622 Michigan. For more information, visit familymusical.org or call 314-448-1436.

Ozark Actors Theatre presents Ken Ludwig's farce Lend Me a Tenor through June 26 at the Cedar Street Playhouse, 701 North Cedar in Rolla, MO. For more information, visit ozartactorstheatre.org or call (573) 364-9523.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Department of Theater and Dance presents the comedy Lend Me a Tenor Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM, June 23 through 26. Performances take place in the Dunham Hall Theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774.

The Muny presents the Broadway musical Legally Blonde Monday through Sunday at 8:15 PM, June 20 through 26, in the outdoor theatre in Forest Park. For more information, visit muny.org or call 314-361-1900

The Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

The Mineola Twins
Muddy Waters Theatre Company presents Paula Vogel's The Mineola Twins Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through June 26. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand at Olive in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-799-8399. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Montford Point Marine
The Black Rep presents The Montford Point Marine through June 26. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, call 314-534-3810 or visit theblackrep.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Riverside Shakespeare Theatre Company presents Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing in Frontier Park in St. Charles through June 26, with performances at 7:00 PM except for the final matinee at 5 PM. For more information, you may visit riversidetheatreco.org.

Pelléas and Mélisande
Copyright: Ken Howard, 2011
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Debussy's drama Pelléas and Mélisande in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 24. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!


The Royal Family
ACT Inc. presents George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's comedy The Royal Family Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM June 24 through 26. Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre and the campus at 6800 Wydown. For more information, call 314-725-9108 or visit actinc.biz. The show is directed by 88.1 KDHX theatre critic Steve Callahan and the cast includes KDHX theatre critic Laura Kyro and yours truly. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The NonProphet Theater Company presents Sketch Comedy Sunday, featuring The Militant Propaganda Bingo Machine, Sunday, June 26, at 8 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. For more information, visit npcto.org.

Soundstage Productions presents Snoopy!!! - The Musical Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM through June 26. Performances take place at Crestwood Plaza ArtSpace, #214 Crestwood Plaza on Watson Road in Crestwood, MO. For more information, send email to soundstange at msn.com.

Circus Flora
Circus Flora presents its 25th anniversary production Vagabond Adventures through June 26. The show “is set on the Floating Palace, an actual circus venue that traveled up and down the Mississippi River before the Civil War.” Shows take place under the air-conditioned big top in Grand Center, next to Powell Hall. For more information, visit circusflora.org or call 314-289-4040. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Visit
Stray Dog Theatre presents Friedrich Duerrenmatt's The Visit Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through June 25. There will be a matinee on the closing Saturday at 2 PM in addition to the evening show. Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, call 314-865-1995. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

A death in the family

Who: Opera Theatre of St. Louis
What: The Death of Klinghoffer
When: June 15 through June 25, 2011
Where: The Loretto-Hilton Center

If you want to know why The Death of Klinghoffer, the 1991 opera by John Adams and Alice Goodman, poses such a challenge for audiences, you need look no further than the title. The murder of wheelchair-bound Leon Klinghoffer by the hijackers of the cruise ship Achille Lauro in 1985 is the key incident of the work, yet it takes place offstage. As with most of the dramatic moments in the story, we encounter it only at a remove, retold by others and commented upon in often obscure language by the chorus. The fact that the current Opera Theatre production is still often compelling and fascinating is an indicator of just how strong all the performances are. With material like this, nothing less than the best will suffice – and “the best” is what we got on opening night.

Mr. Adams and Ms. Goodman were apparently aware of the work’s challenging structure. They originally regarded it as more akin to the dramatic oratorios of Bach or Handel than a conventional opera. Not surprisingly, therefore, most performances of it have been concert versions.

For this first fully staged American production since 1991, director James Robinson has added on-stage action that mostly amplifies and clarifies the text, helping to create some moments that have an undeniable impact. Examples that come immediately to mind include the opening choruses of exiled Palestinians and Jews, the hijacker Mamoud’s soliloquies on the romance of distant radio stations and the freedom of birds (beautifully realized by bass-baritone Aubrey Allicock), and the hallucinatory “Night Chorus” that concludes the first act. But the result is still, at least for me, a work that lacks any real dramatic impact, appealing more to the head than the heart.

A detailed and highly recommended synopsis of the opera is available on Wikipedia, but the basics will be familiar to those who remember the events of 1985: four hijackers take over the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro and demand the release of fifty Palestinians held in Israeli jails. When their demands are met with silence, they murder Leon Klinghoffer, a disabled Jewish American, throw his body overboard, and threaten to kill others. Once negotiations begin, the remaining passengers are set free and the captain and Klinghoffer’s wife are left to deal with their grief and anger.

Some events, including a fictional confrontation between Klinghoffer and the hijackers, are played out in real time, but for the most part characters either give us their own spin on events or reveal their inner lives in soliloquies. There are even a couple of roles – the Austrian Woman and the British Dancer, both played brilliantly by mezzo Lucy Schaufer – whose superficial blather would work as comic relief, were the overall background not so grim.

Individual scenes are separated by choruses that comment on the action, usually in oblique and poetically complex language that contrasts sharply with the more prosaic text assigned to individual characters. The music for these chorales is, to my ears, the most powerful and complex in the opera (which may explain Mr. Adams’s Choruses from The Death of Klinghoffer, composed in the same year as the opera), presenting a considerable challenge to Chorus Master R. Robert Ainley and his forces. It’s a challenge they meet brilliantly, producing ensemble singing of the highest order. Even when the words seem deliberately opaque, the vocal sound is beyond reproach.

The strong choral singing is matched by impressive performances in the named roles. I have already commented on the fine work of Mr. Allicock and Ms. Schaufer. There are also impressive interpretations from baritone Christopher Magiera as The Captain, baritone Brian Mulligan as Klinghoffer, and mezzo Laura Wilde (a Gerdine Young Artist) in the “pants” role of the hijacker Omar. Mezzo Nancy Maultsby is appropriately and believably tragic as Marilyn Klinghoffer (a performance rendered even more remarkable by the fact that the role is actually intended for a contralto) and baritone Paul La Rosa is an impressive figure in every sense of the term as both the First Officer and the brutal hijacker “Rambo”. Tenor Matthew DiBattista isn’t given much to work with as the lead hijacker Molqi, but his powerful, ringing voice makes the most of it.

Conductor Michael Christie leads the orchestra of St. Louis Symphony musicians (augmented by keyboardists Adam Burnette and Andrea Grant) through Adams’s demanding music with consummate skill. The composer himself was in attendance on opening night and I think he couldn’t have asked for a better reading of this score.

Allen Moyer’s set is dramatic and attention grabbing in its simplicity. Massive flats painted to look like a riveted steel hull shift quickly and easily to change scenes, assisted by a wide scrim that descends as needed to project still and moving images. It all enables the large chorus to appear and disappear quickly and helps compensate for the often-static nature of the drama.

If all this leaves you with the impression that I’m feeling somewhat ambivalent about The Death of Klinghoffer, you’d be spot on. It seems to me that I should like the piece much more than I do. Its heart and head are in the right place, it doesn’t take cheap political shots, and it aims high. But ultimately the work suffers from the same theatrical inertia that sank the first Adams-Goodman collaboration, Nixon in China. I think it’s worth seeing – especially given how rare a staged performance is – but you should be prepared for the possibility of a less than satisfying experience.

Performances of The Death of Klinghoffer continue at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus through June 25th. For more information, visit experienceopera.org or the company’s Facebook page, call 314-961-0644 or follow them on Twitter @OTSL.

Saturday, June 11, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of June 13, 2011

Updated Thursday, June 16, 2011

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.  If I have left your show out, please leave a comment with all the details.

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents the comedy Arsenic and Old Lace Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM, June 17 through 26, in the Historic Capitol Theatre _in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, call 618-939-7469.

Bare: A Pop Opera
New Line Theatre presents the St. Louis premiere of the rock musical Bare: A Pop Opera Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, through June 25. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. For more information, call 314-534-1111.

Insight Theatre Company presents the St. Louis premiere of Steven Dietz's Becky's New Car Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through June 19. Performances take place in the Heagney Theatre, 530 East Lockwood on the campus of Nerinx Hall High School in Webster Groves. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

St. Louis's own Christine Brewer returns to the stage in St. Louis with the Gateway Men's Chorus on Friday and Saturday, June 17 and 18, at 8 PM as they present Boys Don't Cry. The performance takes place at 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City, MO. For more information, call 314-289-4169 or visit gatewaymenschorus.org

Broadway Fantasies presents its 22nd season production, Broadway Fantasies Goes to the Movies, a St. Louis original song and dance revue featuring volunteer entertainers. Proceeds are donated to the County Older Resident Programs (CORP). Performances are Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through June 19 at the John F. Kennedy Community Center in Florissant, MO. For more information, visit broadwayfantasies.com.

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

A Chorus Line
Stages St. Louis presents the Broadway musical A Chorus Line through July 3. Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Daughter of the
Regiment
Copyright: Ken Howard, 2011
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Donizetti's comedy The Daughter Of The Regiment in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 26. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents John Adams's drama The Death of Klinghoffer in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 25. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Don Giovanni
Copyright: Ken Howard, 2011
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Mozart's Don Giovanni in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 25. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Family Musical Theater presents the classic musical Guys And Dolls June 17 through 26 at the Ivory Theatre, 7622 Michigan. For more information, visit familymusical.org or call 314-448-1436.

The Immigrant
New Jewish Theatre presents Mark Harelik's drama The Immigrant through June 19. Performances take place at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the JCCA, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, call 314-442-3283 or visit www.newjewishtheatre.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents the world premiere of Neil Labute's Just Desserts, an evening of four one-acts plays and two monologues created in collaboration with the playwright and St. Louis Actors' Studio. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through June 19, at The Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. For more information, visit stlas.org or call 1-800-982-2787. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Kind Sir
ACT Inc. presents Norman Krasna's romantic comedy Kind Sir Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, June 17 through 19. Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre and the campus at 6800 Wydown. For more information, call 314-725-9108 or visit actinc.biz. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Ozark Actors Theatre presents Ken Ludwig's farce Lend Me a Tenor June 16 through June 26 at the Cedar Street Playhouse, 701 North Cedar in Rolla, MO. For more information, visit ozartactorstheatre.org or call (573) 364-9523.

The Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

Summerstage presents the Broadway musical Mame June 16 through 19. Performances take place at 1350 27th St. in Granite City, IL. For more information, call (618) 451-1032.

The Mineola Twins
Muddy Waters Theatre Company presents Paula Vogel's The Mineola Twins Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, June 10 through 26. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand at Olive in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-799-8399. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Montford Point Marine
The Black Rep presents The Montford Point Marine through June 26. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, call 314-534-3810 or visit theblackrep.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Riverside Shakespeare Theatre Company presents Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing in Frontier Park in St. Charles from June 16 - 26, with performances at 7:00 PM except for the final matinee at 5 PM. For more information, you may visit riversidetheatreco.org.

Pelléas and Mélisande
Copyright: Ken Howard, 2011
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Debussy's drama Pelléas and Mélisande in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 24. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!


The Lindenwood University Theatre Department presents the dark comedy The Pillow Man. The play, by Martin McDonagh, is a master's thesis project of Jason Puff, who will portray the lead role. Performances take place Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 PM at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts, 2300 West Clay in St. Charles, MO. For more information, visit www.lindenwood.edu/center or call 636-949-4433.

The Royal Family
ACT Inc. presents George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's comedy The Royal Family Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM June 24 through 26. Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre and the campus at 6800 Wydown. For more information, call 314-725-9108 or visit actinc.biz. The show is directed by 88.1 KDHX theatre critic Steve Callahan and the cast includes KDHX theatre critics Laura Kyro and Chuck Lavazzi.

Soundstage Productions presents Snoopy!!! - The Musical Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM, June 17 through 26. Performances take place at Crestwood Plaza ArtSpace, #214 Crestwood Plaza on Watson Road in Crestwood, MO. For more information, send email to soundstange at msn.com.

The Taming on the Shrew
Photo by David Levy
Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents The Taming Of The Shrew nightly except for Tuesdays through June 19. Performances take place in Shakespeare Glen next to the Art Museum in Forest Park. Curtain time is 8 PM, with the Green Show starting at 6:30 PM. For more information, visit shakespearefestivalstlouis.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Circus Flora
Circus Flora presents its 25th anniversary production Vagabond Adventures through June 26. The show “is set on the Floating Palace, an actual circus venue that traveled up and down the Mississippi River before the Civil War.” Shows take place under the air-conditioned big top in Grand Center, next to Powell Hall. For more information, visit circusflora.org or call 314-289-4040. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Visit
Stray Dog Theatre presents Friedrich Duerrenmatt's The Visit Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through June 25. There will be a matinee on the closing Saturday at 2 PM in addition to the evening show. Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, call 314-865-1995. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

The Bad and the Beautiful

Copyright: Ken Howard, 2011
Who: Opera Theatre of St. Louis
What: Pelléas and Mélisande
Where: The Loretto-Hilton Center
When: June 5 through June 24, 2011

Opening night for Pelléas and Mélisande was an evening of notable firsts. It was the first local performance of Debussy and Maeterlinck’s elusive and compelling drama, the first OTSL appearance by noted bass John Cheek, and the first time (at least in my memory) that a director was loudly booed by some members of an audience that had just given a standing ovation to the conductor and singers.

And, brother, did he ever deserve it. Stage Director David Alden (making his first and, with any luck, last appearance with the company) has taken a subtle work in which nearly everything of importance is implied rather than stated outright and turned it into a heavy-handed catalog of psychosexual dysfunction that would not be out of place in a cable movie of the week. Imagine a play by Harold Pinter done in the style of (say) Charles Busch’s Die Mommie Die! and you’ll have some idea of the crashing dissonance involved.

The story of the opera is a classic romantic triangle. Here’s the Reader’s Digest version, adapted from Wikipedia. Prince Golaud finds a mysterious young woman, Mélisande, lost in a forest. He marries her and brings her back to the castle of his grandfather, King Arkel of Allemonde. There, Mélisande becomes attracted to Golaud’s younger half-brother Pelléas, arousing Golaud’s jealousy and driving him to bizarre lengths to learn “the truth”. At one point Golaud forces his own child, Yniold, to spy on the couple. Pelléas prepares leave forever but arranges to meet Mélisande one last time. As the two finally confess their love, Golaud rushes out and kills Pelléas. Mélisande dies shortly after, having given birth to a daughter, with Golaud still begging her to tell him “the truth”.

Pelléas was Debussy’s only opera, and he seems to have poured his heart into it. Seeking a refuge from the long and ponderous shadow of Wagner, he was drawn to the consciously anti-naturalistic work of the poet and dramatist Maurice Maeterlinck who, like other artists in the early 20th century Symbolist movement, believed that dramatic truth should be suggested rather than shown. His setting follows the original play closely, mirroring the playwright’s subtlety with an evocative score that unfolds in a series of tableaux rather than in conventional solos and choruses. It is, in short, a nearly perfect match of music and text.

Or it was before Mr. Alden got his hands on it. Again and again throughout the production, he imposes interpretations on scenes that are entirely unjustified by any plausible reading of the text or music and often actively contradict both. This nonsense reaches its peak (or its nadir) in Maeterlinck’s Act IV Scene 3, in which an elliptical little scene involving Yniold and a shepherd is played out as a hallucination that ends with the shepherd (who is actually a sinister doctor in this version) injecting Yniold with a sedative. I would have laughed had I not already been so annoyed by the incredible arrogance all of this implied. Does Mr. Alden really think his neo-Freudian clichés are more interesting than the repressed sexual tension implied by but never stated in the music and libretto? It would seem so.

But enough of this. Let us consign the director’s concept to the ash-heap of history and concentrate on the musical performances, which are as consistently right as the stage direction is wrong.

And let us begin with the orchestra. Led by OTSL Music Director Stephen Lord, they deliver a luminous and compelling reading of Debussy’s hypnotic and consistently fascinating score. This is a work in which the orchestra is as essential to the drama as the characters, and Mr. Lord integrates everything seamlessly.

The singers, despite being saddled with absurd and demeaning blocking, all deliver performances that are beautifully sung and acted. Yes, their characters largely contradict the libretto, but that’s hardly their fault. The important thing is that they all sound terrific.

Baritone Gregory Dahl, who was such a commanding presence in OTSL's Salome, proves to be equally impressive as the conflicted Golaud. He has a dark, powerful voice – almost more of a bass-baritone – that contrasts nicely with the clear and ringing tones of his fellow baritone Liam Bonner, who makes a striking OTSL debut as Pelléas.

Former Gerdine Young Artist Corinne Winters has a radiant soprano that’s ideally suited to the role of the inexplicably troubled Mélisande. She also seems to understand the repressed sensuality that is part of the core of this character.

A familiar figure in many of the world’s most celebrated opera houses, bass John Cheek, brings authority and yet another great voice to the role of King Arkel. It is, happily, an understated performance in an evening otherwise given over to heaving bosoms and rolling about on the floor. As Yniold, boy soprano Michael Kepler Meo (who made such a strong impression as Charlie in The Golden Ticket last season) once again displays a remarkably clear and well-developed voice along with acting skills well beyond his years.

Adam Silverman’s lighting and Paul Steinberg’s set are so strikingly ugly that I’m forced to conclude that they are exactly what the director wants. The former is all harsh glare and deep shadows, while the latter looks like an art deco living room complete with chandelier. For outdoor scenes, a stiff curtain covered in what looks like cheap wood grain contact paper is lowered to suggest the forest. To me, it mostly suggested a 1950s suburban rec room.

As you have no doubt gathered by now, my bottom line is that (to paraphrase an old Monty Python sketch) this is not a production for seeing; this is an production for running away from and avoiding. If you’ve never seen Pelléas and Mélisande, this is not the way to make its acquaintance. You’d be better off with one of the many audio recordings, especially those by some of the opera’s champions such as Ansermet, Boulez, or von Karajan. I’d suggest one of the video versions available on Netflix, but it seems that taking this lovely work rife with musical and verbal depictions of nature (Debussy’s love of the sea is especially apparent here) and stuffing it into claustrophobic interiors has become in vogue recently.

Performances of Pelléas and Mélisande continue at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus through June 24th. For more information, visit experienceopera.org or the company’s Facebook page, call 314-961-0644 or follow them on Twitter @OTSL.

Monday, June 06, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of June 6, 2011

Updated Wednesday, June 8, 2011

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.  If I have left your show out, please leave a comment with all the details.

Bare: A Pop Opera
New Line Theatre presents the St. Louis premiere of the rock musical Bare: A Pop Opera Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, through June 25. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. For more information, call 314-534-1111.

Insight Theatre Company presents the St. Louis premiere of Steven Dietz's Becky's New Car Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 Pm and Sundays at 2 PM, June 9 through 19. Performances take place in the Heagney Theatre, 530 East Lockwood on the campus of Nerinx Hall High School in Webster Groves. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

Broadway Fantasies presents its 22nd season production, Broadway Fantasies Goes to the Movies, a St. Louis original song and dance revue featuring volunteer entertainers. Proceeds are donated to the County Older Resident Programs (CORP). Performances are Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, June 11 through 19, at the John F. Kennedy Community Center in Florissant, MO. For more information, visit broadwayfantasies.com.

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

Stages St. Louis presents the Broadway musical A Chorus Line through July 3. Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407.

The Daughter of the
Regiment
Copyright: Ken Howard, 2011
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Donizetti's comedy The Daughter Of The Regiment in rotating repertory with three other operas May 28 through June 26. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Don Giovanni
Copyright: Ken Howard, 2011
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Mozart's Don Giovanni in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 25. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

New Jewish Theatre presents Mark Harelik's drama The Immigrant through June 19. Performances take place at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the JCCA, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, call 314-442-3283 or visit www.newjewishtheatre.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents the world premiere of Neil Labute's Just Desserts, an evening of four one-acts plays and two monologues created in collaboration with the playwright and St. Louis Actors' Studio. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, through June 19, at The Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. For more information, visit stlas.org or call 1-800-982-2787.

Kind Sir
ACT Inc. presents Norman Krasna's romantic comedy Kind Sir Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, June 17 through 19. Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre and the campus at 6800 Wydown. For more information, call 314-725-9108 or visit actinc.biz. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

Mass Appeal
Dramatic License Productions presents the drama Mass Appeal Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through June 12. For more information, call 636-220-7012 or visit dramaticlicenseproductions.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Muddy Waters Theatre Company presents Paula Vogel's The Mineola Twins Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, June 10 through 26. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand at Olive in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-799-8399.

The Black Rep presents The Montford Point Marine through June 26. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, call 314-534-3810 or visit theblackrep.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Pelléas and Mélisande
Copyright: Ken Howard, 2011
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Debussy's drama Pelléas and Mélisande in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 24. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!


The Royal Family
ACT Inc. presents George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's comedy The Royal Family Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, June 10 through 12 and 24 through 26. Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre and the campus at 6800 Wydown. For more information, call 314-725-9108 or visit actinc.biz. The show is directed by 88.1 KDHX theatre critic Steve Callahan and the cast includes KDHX theatre critics Laura Kyro and Chuck Lavazzi.

The Taming on the Shrew
Photo by David Levy
Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents The Taming Of The Shrew nightly except for Tuesdays through June 19. Performances take place in Shakespeare Glen next to the Art Museum in Forest Park. Curtain time is 8 PM, with the Green Show starting at 6:30 PM. For more information, visit shakespearefestivalstlouis.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Circus Flora
Circus Flora presents its 25th anniversary production Vagabond Adventures through June 26. The show “is set on the Floating Palace, an actual circus venue that traveled up and down the Mississippi River before the Civil War.” Shows take place under the air-conditioned big top in Grand Center, next to Powell Hall. For more information, visit circusflora.org or call 314-289-4040. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Visit
Stray Dog Theatre presents Friedrich Duerrenmatt's The Visit Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, June 9 through 25. There will be a matinee on the closing Saturday at 2 PM in addition to the evening show. Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, call 314-865-1995.