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| Celebration Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg |
My take: Everybody knows Fantasticks, but other Jones/Schmidt shows like I Do, I Do and 110 in the Shade get less attention than they deserve, so it's good to see New Line take on this adventurous 1960s period piece. "Part fable, part love triangle, and part 1960s hippie/Brechtian/Fantasticks-style love-in," writes Richard Green at Talking Broadway, "this seldom-seen show succeeds brilliantly thanks to its post-Vietnam urgency, its post-Civil Rights egalitarianism, and perhaps even a soupçon of pre-Watergate naiveté—along with excellent leads and the sheer wit and exuberance of the whole ensemble."
My take: Well, do doesn't like Dean Martin? Sammy Davis Jr. was undoubtedly the most talented member of the Rat Pack, but Martin, in my view, was the most charming. Mr. Christopher knows and loves the songs his idol made famous, so I don't think you can go wrong either with this show or with the Emerald Room's cool ambience and great drinks.
Held Over:
Alpha Players present the musical 1776 through October 9. "It's the summer of 1776, and the nation is ready to declare independence... if only our founding fathers can agree to do it! 1776 follows John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia as they attempt to convince the members of the Second Continental Congress to vote for independence from the shackles of the British monarchy by signing the Declaration of Independence." Performances take place at The Florissant Civic Center Theater, Parker Rd. at Waterford Dr. in Florissant, MO. For more information: alphaplayers.org, call 314-921-5678.
My take: This is one of my favorite musicals. The book by Peter Stone (one of the small number of writers to earn an Oscar, Tony, and Emmy during his career) sticks fairly close to historical events, portraying the shifting alliances and political deals that eventually led to the break with Great Britain. Sherman Edwards's score supports that book and illuminates character brilliantly. I haven't seen this production, of course, but there's no question that they've got really strong material to work with.
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| Arcadia Photo: John Lamb |
My take: This is another case of a recommendation based on the strength of the material. Stoppard's play is a brilliant piece of work, combining comedy, drama, and a centuries-spanning mystery with crackling, intellectually rich dialog. But don't take my word for it; here's Richard Green at Talking Broadway: "The fictionalized 13-year-old girl who first theorizes the blossoming (and, perhaps, terrifying) mechanical mechanisms that are algorithms, Thomasina Coverly (Kristin Rion) is quite adorable: Arcadia follows her up to the riveting eve of her first romance and ... well, you'll see. But it's definitely worth the wait. As everything finally comes together in the end, your mind will feel like it's a deck of cards being shuffled by an expert blackjack dealer." Director Ellie Schwetye, by the way, is well known locally for her impressive work with Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble. I'm on the board of West End Players Guild, but have not been involved in this production.
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| Three Tall Women Photo: Patrick Huber |
My take: It has been a long time since I have seen a production of Albee's autobiographical play (the principal character is modeled on his mother) and I don't recall finding it very engaging. But reviews of the Actors' Studio production have been very positive (article by Steve Allen and Ann Lemmons Pollack are typical) so I'm giving it a tip of the virtual topper here. It's not a script that gets produced very often, probably because it's not necessarily easy to cast, so it's hard to say when you'll get another opportunity to see it.
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| Voices of Valhalla Photo: Ken Clark |
My take: I had a chance to both see and appear in this annual event for the first time in 2014 (missed last year's because of travel commitments), and I must say that I was impressed by the professionalism of both the script (assembled by director Larry Marsh from historical sources) and the quality of the performances. Here's how it works: you pile on a hay wagon and are driven through historic Valhalla Cemetery. At various points during the ride, the wagon stops and an actor portraying a historical figure buried at Valhalla steps out of the darkness and delivers a monolog on his or her life. They can be comic, tragic, or a combination of the two, but they're always well researched and informative. I'm acting in it again this year, playing the "oldest dead person" in Valhalla. Come on out and find out the details.
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