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| Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr. |
My take: After multiple revivals and substantial script and score revisions, does this dramatic portrait of a nation on the eve of destruction still have the power to shock and move an audience? Judging by the standing ovation that greeted Cabaret when we saw it, I'd say the answer is "yes, in spades." There were occasional missteps and the amplified voices were not always as clear as they might have been, but those are minor flaws in an otherwise fine production distinguished by smart direction and solid acting; see my capsule review for more details.
My take: This is the second solo outing for Ms. Brennan, a St. Louis native (and daughter of sportscasting legend Jack Buck) who grew up on The Hill. Her first, St. Louie Woman, played to sold-out houses both here and in Chicago in 2010. This time around she has teamed up with another legend: New York-based singer, songwriter, and music director Rick Jensen, recipient of six Manhattan Association of Cabaret and Clubs (MAC) Awards and frequent faculty member at the St. Louis Cabaret Conference. It should be a good show. See my interview with Ms. Brennan for more background.
Held Over:
My take: Orton's dark comedy/sex farce/satire is now something of a classic (it was written in 1964), if that's not too much of a contradiction. It's been a while since we've had a professional production of it locally and this appears to be a good one. "The entire cast does splendid work in this vinegar-chiffon-pie of a play," writes Steve Callahan in his review for 88.1 KDHX. "Director Bill Whitaker keeps the comedy rolling at a brisk pace, and it's much fun."
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| Photo: Peter Wochniak |
My take: I have always loved this show, a feeling that only increased after I had the pleasure of playing Alfred P. Doolittle in Stray Dog Theatre's production a few years ago. Unlike some musical adaptations of classic plays, My Fair Lady retains the spirit and a fair amount of dialog from its original (Shaw's Pygmalion). The combination of Lerner and Loewe's score and Shaw's bit is unbeatable. "You should see this absolutely fabulous My Fair Lady if you have the chance," writes Andrea Braun in her review for 88.1 KDHX. "I don’t see how it could have been done any better, and overall, it is just a “loverly” production of an American musical theatre treasure.
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| Photo: John Lamb |
My take: The type of small town life depicted in Wilder's play (the action place between 1901 and 1913) was already passing from the scene when it premiered in 1938. By rights it should be a museum piece by now. But the writing touches so effectively on the universal human experiences of birth, life, and death that it never seems dated. "This is a very, very important play in the history of American theatre," writes Steve Callahan in his review for 88.1 KDHX, "and its stylistic influence has been enormous. I commend Insight for bringing it to us again, and I encourage all of you to see it."
