Review: Robert Breig makes every moment count in his Peter Allen tribute

Let me make a confession here. Pretty much everything I know about the late Australian singer/songwriter Peter Allen comes from listening to the original Broadway cast recording of The Boy From Oz, the 1998 musical bio of Allen that used his own songs to tell his story. So Making Every Moment Count, Robert Breig's Allen tribute show at the Blue Strawberry last Saturday (January 4th), wasn't just a satisfying cabaret evening, it was educational as well.

Robert Breig
Photo:  Chuck Lavazzi

That's because Mr. Breig, whose work I have admired for many years, put together an intelligent and well-crafted script. The result, combined with Rick Jensen's artfully constructed medleys and solid arrangements, was a compelling hybrid of "tribute" cabaret and theatrical biography that gave a vivid sense of the dramatic arc of Allen's life.

Peter Allen's songs, as Mr. Breig noted, tend to be autobiographical, often very specifically so. That was most apparent in the opening number "Tenterfield Saddler," which is essentially the story of Allen's early life and family origins. Mr. Breig sang it simply and quietly, under a pin spot stage left. Then: a bump in the lights, a switch to a dynamic performance of the up-tempo "Not the Boy Next Door," and the story of Allen's metamorphosis from small-town boy to international celebrity began in earnest.

Every song choice in Making Every Moment Count highlighted a different aspect of Allen's life and work and did so in a way that made it easier to appreciate both the frenzied, show biz public figure-portrayed so well in Mr. Breig's focused and energetic "Continental American"-and the emotionally troubled young man behind it. The darker side of Allen was captured vividly in the "Night Life Medley," which combined "I Could Really Show You Around," "I've Been Taught by Experts," "Six-Thirty Sunday Morning," and "New York I Don't Know About You." That last song also featured an ingenious bit of staging in which Mr. Jensen sang the number with a credible sense of world-weary regret while Mr. Breig simply listened and reacted as though he were a customer at a late-night bar-or maybe Allen's other self, reacting to his disillusionment. Either way, it was theatrically apt and probably one of the many signs of director Lina Koutrakos's sure hand.

Rick Jensen and Robert Breig
Photo: Chuck Lavazzi

In fact, many of the most powerful moments in the evening came from songs that spoke of Allen's inability to make the human connections he needed. A medley of "Back Doors Crying" and "I Honestly Love You" addressed that most directly, as did the big, heartfelt rendition of "You and Me (We Wanted It All)." Placing that one right after a forceful performance of the snarky "break up" song "More Than I Like You" was a particularly effective way of highlighting Allen's emotionally contradictory nature.

Making Every Moment Count was largely a ballad-driven production, but even so, there were plenty of upbeat moments like "I Go to Rio"-part of a "Hits Medley" that included "Arthur's Theme" (from the 1981 Dudley Moore comedy film Arthur)-and "Everything Old is New Again." The show's title number was particularly inspiring, sung as a duet with local singer/actress Deborah Sharn.

Deborah Sharn and Robert Breig
Photo: Chuck Lavazzi

Perhaps the biggest factor in the success of Making Every Moment Count, though, was Mr. Breig's clear and consistent emotional commitment to the lyrics of his songs. If a performer knows what a particular lyric means to them, that conviction will come across to the audience and make the song truly live on stage.

That's an essential component of cabaret. Sure, Mr. Breig is a strong singer, but it's more important that he knows what the songs mean to him. This was most apparent in the closing number, "I Could Have Been a Sailor," which Mr. Breig introduced by noting where his life had both overlapped and differed from Allen's. With its speculation on the road not taken, this song was the point at which the lines blurred between Peter Allen and Robert Breig-or anyone else who has ever wondered how his or her life might have been something other than what it was, no matter how gratifying that life has been. That gave the moment serious emotional impact.

There was also a non-musical reason to love Making Every Moment Count: Mr. Breig donated all the proceeds from the show to kangaroosanctuary.com, an organization in Alice Springs, Australia, whose mission is "to educate and encourage people to rescue and care for kangaroos and other wildlife and animals." With Australia suffering through an unprecedented fire season, their work is more vital now than ever.

Shows continue at The Blue Strawberry, St. Louis's only dedicated bar/restaurant/cabaret showroom. Check their web site for details.

Review: Embracable Rick

"No city has embraced me like St. Louis," observed singer/songwriter Rick Jensen at the beginning of his new show, "With a Little Help From My Friends," at the Blue Strawberry Thursday night (January 2nd). Maybe that's mostly because he embraced us first.

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Rick Jensen
Photo: Chuck Lavazzi

As a frequent teacher in the early days of the St. Louis Cabaret Conference (where I was one of his students), Mr. Jensen quickly became a familiar figure on the local cabaret scene. His subsequent appearances as a music director for many local singers and, most recently, as a solo performer have only cemented his relationship with us here in Mound City. Indeed, this was clearly demonstrated by the fact that his latest visit included serving as music director for shows by Katie McGrath (December 28th), Beverly Brennan (January 3rd), and Robert Breig (January 4th)

I began to truly appreciate Mr. Jensen's protean skill as a solo artist when he appeared here in 2015 at the Gaslight Theatre with his frequent collaborator (and cabaret Big Name in her own right) Lina Koutrakos. That appreciation increased considerably when I saw his 60th birthday celebration, "60 Years in 60 Minutes," at the Kranzberg Center in 2018. His latest show brought back most of the songs from last year, but with a large and important difference. This time, nearly half of the selections involved the participation of five local singers--Dionna Raedeke, Angie Nicholson, and Kelsey Bearman, along with Mr. Breig and Ms. Brennan--with whom he has been closely associated over the years. That turned what could have been simply an encore gig into a tribute showcase that allowed us to hear some of his work in a new light.

It all began with one of my favorite Jensen originals, "In Passing Years." I have performed this meditation on the enduring value of friendship myself (once with Mr. Jensen at the piano), but nobody brings quite the same level of personal commitment to it that he does.

From there, memories of his literal and musical coming of age in New York City led into a song I hadn't heard before, "Miss Manhattan." A jazzy number with a bit of stride piano feel, it was (in Mr. Jensen's words) his youthful "proposal to Lady Liberty."

The song that followed hard upon it, "Coney Island," stood in sharp contrast, with its notes of bittersweet regret. "Its the kind of song I write when I feel all alone in this world," he confessed. That melancholy feel was sustained in the next number, "The Long Cold Fall," which muses poetically on autumn as both a meteorological and personal season. Mr. Jensen said it was heavily influenced by James Taylor, but I have always heard a hint of Randy Newman in the piano part.

Rick Jensen and Dionna Raedeke
Photo: Chuck Lavazzi

Mr. Jensen's friends took the stage next, starting with Ms. Raedeke (a fine singer as well as a visual artist), who joined him in "New Age of Love," a number he wrote with the late New York cabaret legend Nancy LaMott. A tongue in cheek endorsement of young love ("I do promise and solemnly swear / To stay home every other weekend") inspired by Las Vegas wedding chapels, it got a precise close harmony performance that was a joy to hear.

Angie Nicholson's powerful voice gave depth to "Unlearn Me," a song inspired by the love for our canine companions she shares with Mr. Jensen. Beverly Brennan's career as a teacher gave added resonance to the inspiring "Go Ahead And Dream" (from the 2011 film "That's What I Am"). And Robert Breig's reflections on his love for his three children made "Happy Birthday Boy" all the more moving.

Next, Mr. Jensen took back the stage for a pair of sharply contrasting pieces: the hilarious "Hi Ho, That's the Jensen Way," about how his small home town could become an alcohol-fueled Peyton Place in the dead of winter, and "I Have Come From Love," a touching tribute to the sacrifices his mother made to raise her family.

Next, "Amanda Sang," a story song about a talented woman who chooses to stay in her small town and bring joy to her friends and neighbors instead of moving on to the Big City, got a beautifully lyrical treatment from Kelsey Berman, who actually did come back to her home town after deciding the Big Apple was not for her. The song is a favorite of mine because of a lyric that could serve as a mini-lesson for cabaret singers: "She could never go wrong / Because her heart was in her song."

Rick Jensen and Angie Nicolson
Photo: Chuck Lavazzi

Mr. Jensen took over the solo spotlight again for "Tonight New York City," a poetic tribute to his adopted hometown that draws on images from his rural Minnesota past. Mr. Jensen had earlier cited Bruce Springsteen as one of his influences, and I could certainly hear that in the power chords of this big ballad. But it was still uniquely Rick Jensen.

Ms. Raedeke then returned for another duet, the nostalgic and romance-weary "After All Those Love Songs." Like Nancy LaMott, who sang the number with Mr. Jensen on his "Spring Harvest" CD [https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/rickjensen], she began the song a cappella--a impressive thing, since it's a melody that does not make its key obvious in the first few notes.

One last power ballad, "Time," brought us to the end of a nearly 90 minute journey. For a solo cabaret, that would have been a bit long, but for a showcase like this one it was fine, and got the standing ovation you might expect. Yes, Mr. Jensen's anecdotes were sometimes a bit discursive and star-studded ("be careful not to trip and hurt yourself on all the names I'm dropping," he wryly noted) but he's such a charmingly genuine raconteur that it ultimately didn't matter much. I think he can rely on St. Louis to embrace him again on his next visit.

Shows continue well into the New Year at The Blue Strawberry, St. Louis's only dedicated bar/restaurant/cabaret showroom. Check their web site for details.

Review: Hi Ho, that's the Jensen way

Rick Jensen

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Although he's based in New York City, singer/songwriter/teacher Rick Jensen has been a frequent visitor to St. Louis, both as a performer and as a music director and pianist for a number of local singers. So it only seems right that he came to St. Louis to celebrate his 60th birthday on Saturday, October 6th, with a special show at the Kranzberg Center.

For the audience of cabaret lovers (including several members of the Jensen clan) it was a festive occasion indeed.

Titled "60 Years in 60 Minutes," the show is a mini-biography liberally illustrated with 14 original songs that demonstrate Mr. Jensen's wide range as both a songwriter and performer, as well as his virtuosity at the piano. "Long Cold Fall" (with its Randy Newmanesque harmonies), for example, muses poetically on autumn as both a meteorological and personal season. "Coney Island" and "Tonight New York City" are lyrical tributes to his adopted hometown that echo Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen while still being uniquely Rick Jensen. And "Amanda Sang," the more straightforward story song of the evening, includes a lyric that could serve as a mini-lesson for cabaret singers: "She could never go wrong / Because her heart was in her song".

Singer/artist Dionna Raedeke
Photo courtesy of Mariposa Artists

"Happy Birthday Boy" is a loving tribute to his mother who "didn't have a musical bone in her body" and "After All Those Love Songs" is a powerful ballad that was made even more so by the voice of St. Louis's own Dionna Raedeke (a fine singer as well as a visual artist). There were also many lighter moments in the show and one outright comedy number inspired by "certain events that took place in the Jensen household" in Minnesota, "Hi Ho, That's the Jensen Way."

That one, by the way, started out life as "Hi Ho, That's the German Way." Mr. Jensen gave it a re-write for this show, presumably because he knew he'd have family members in the audience. That could have been the musical equivalent of home movies, but Mr. Jensen is too good a songwriter for that. It was a hoot.

Linking all of them were anecdotes about his childhood in rural Minnesota and his coming of age--literally and musically--in New York City, delivered with self-deprecating wit and wisdom. Mr. Jensen is a performer who engages quickly and easily with his audience, so that his show soon felt like friendly chat.

Lina Koutrakos

The show was expertly directed by Mr. Jensen's long-time collaborator (and cabaret legend in her own right) Lina Koutrakos. Like Mr. Jensen, she has taught cabaret master classes and done many solo shows of her own, and her expertise was clearly visible in the pacing and dramatic shape of the show.

"60 Years in 60 Minutes" concluded with one of my favorite Jensen originals, "In Passing Years." I liked this meditation on the enduring value of friendship so much I learned it and performed it with him two years ago during the master class he and Ms. Koutrakos offer every fall on the island of Mykonos. But nobody does it quite like him.

Rick Jensen's show was presented by Mariposa Artists, a wholly owned subsidiary of St. Louis cabaret artist Robert Breig, who has brought many local and national artists to St. Louis stages. Upcoming Mariposa shows include "An Evening With Nina Gabinelli" on Saturday, October 20 and "Merry Keller: It's Personal" on Friday, October 26. Tickets are available via MetroTix.

Review: Old friends, new cabaret

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Bob Wetzel and Craig Becker

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"What do you say, old friend, are we or are we unique?" So runs the lyric of Sondheim's "Old Friend," the song that, in combination with Simon and Garfunkel's "Old Friends," served as the opening number in "A Fine Bromance," the new show by Bob Wetzel and Craig Becker presented by Mariposa Artists July 13th.

It was a perfect choice because, while their decades-long friendship may not be unique it is, at least, rare. And it informed every minute of this unfailingly charming evening.

That opening number was just a bit deceptive in that it began with the two singers seated with their backs to each other, dimly lit, as they wistfully sang Simon and Garfunkel's melancholy lines ("Old friends, winter companions, the old men / Lost in their overcoats, waiting for the sun"). But then they turned face to face, the lights brightened and the tempo quickened. They smiled as if reconnecting for the first time in years and launched into a breezy run through the Sondheim.

That set a celebratory tone the show maintained to the end, with just the right number of ballads for contrast.

Indeed, under the knowing direction of Lina Koutrakos, a cabaret legend in her own right, Mr. Wetzel and Mr. Becker assembled an exceptionally well-balanced mix of show tunes old and new, some Great American Songbook standards, and even pop classics like James Taylor's "The Secret of Life," a thoughtful performance of which brought the show to a close. Each selection was carefully tailored to the strengths of its respective performer by the evening's music director and pianist, the infallibly creative Rick Jensen. The result was an example of what a well-turned-out cabaret evening should be.

Messers Wetzel and Becker provided a nice balance of performing styles as well. Mr. Wetzel was the "old smoothie" of the duo, delivering standards like "Moonlight in Vermont" with suave assurance. Mr. Becker, in contrast, proved a dab hand at lyric-heavy comedy numbers like Kander and Ebb's "Coffee in a Cardboard Cup" and Maltby and Shire's trenchant commentary on breaking up, "You Want to be My Friend?" When they sang together, whether on self-deprecatingly funny numbers like Jerry Herman' s "Elegance" or on easy-going standards like Simon and Garfunkel's "59th Street Bridge Song," they had the cozy camaraderie that comes from long acquaintance.

L-R: Rick Jensen, Bob Wetzel, Craig Becker
Photo by Gerry Love

In fact that lifelong friendship, during which Mr. Wetzel and Mr. Becker have managed to combine successful careers in the business world with after-hours lives as actors and singers, was the main theme of "A Fine Bromance." The biographical details sprinkled throughout the show were just substantial enough to provide a narrative thread without ever deteriorating into the cabaret equivalent of home movies.

Their stories also allowed them to personalize their songs and make the lyrics their own. Mr. Becker preceded his high-wattage performance of Sondheim's "Everybody Says Don't," for example, by talking about how, as a young man, he decided to take a life path different than the one he was expected to follow. It turned a song about challenging authority into a kind of personal declaration of independence. In the same vein, Mr. Wetzel put a personal spin on his rendition of "Luck Be a Lady" by talking about how important luck has been in his life.

"A Fine Bromance" had only one performance at the Kranzberg Center here in St. Louis, but New York cabaret lovers will be able to see it at Don't Tell Mama on September 30th; visit their web site for more information. For upcoming Mariposa Artists shows, visit their Facebook page.

Review: Katie McGrath does cabaret to perfection in 'Significant Others' at the Gaslight Theatre

This review originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Rick Jensen and Katie McGrath

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If you wanted to write a "How to Do Cabaret" textbook, you could easily start with Significant Others, the latest show by former St. Louisan Katie McGrath, which had its local premiere at The Gaslight Cabaret Festival on Friday, November 10.

With a great song list ranging from Bon Jovi to Cole Porter, perfectly tailored arrangements by Rick Jensen, ideally paced direction by Lina Koutrakos, and Ms. McGrath's powerfully genuine stage presence, this was a show that hit all the right notes, literal and figurative.

From the moment Ms. McGrath stepped on stage in a sleek basic black outfit that nicely set off her striking blonde hair and silver earrings, she grabbed the audience's attention with the haunting lyrics Steve Porcaro wrote for the Michael Jackson hit "Human Nature": "Looking out / Across the nighttime / The city winks a sleepless eye." By the time she got to "If this town / Is just an apple / Then let me take a bite" there was little doubt that she was singing not just about her new home town of New York City, but about her entire approach to life as well -- a view confirmed by the next song, a giddy run through Frank Loesser's "If I Were a Bell" from Guys and Dolls. As we say over at the Church of the SubGenius, she's not just going to eat that apple, she's gong to eat the hell out of it.

I should pause here to point out that I have known Ms. McGrath for over a decade, going back to when we both attended an early edition of the St. Louis Cabaret Conference. Even then, before experience and training had allowed her to polish her craft, it was obvious that her singing had the immediacy and emotional truth that is at the heart of cabaret performance. No wonder that Gerry Geddes, in a review of the NYC debut of this show, wrote that Ms. McGrath has now "pursued, captured, and pretty much perfected cabaret performance."

The "significant others" of the title, as Ms. McGrath points out, goes back to the original psychological definition of the term as anyone who had a strong influence on one's self-concept. For her that includes not only her current partner Chet (the subject of a charming original song by Ms. McGrath and Alex Rybeck near the end of the show) but also her parents, her many siblings, her favorite babysitter, and even Sen. Kamala Harris, whose pointed questioning of Jeff Sessions she praised with Frank Loesser's "I Believe in You" (from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying).

Memories of how her babysitter introduced her and her siblings to the joys of Motown in the 1960s led to an ingenious bit in which Ms. McGrath and Mr. Jensen sang only the backup parts of "Heat Wave" and "Come See About Me" (because only her babysitter could be Diana Ross or Martha Reeves) while she channeled her inner child trying (and failing) to execute the dance moves. That child stayed with us in the next song, Dar Williams's poignant "The Babysitter's Here," which views a failing relationship through the eyes of someone young enough to understand pain, but not yet old enough to understand its source.

Ms. McGrath touched on her family's struggle with alcoholism early on, but did so in a way that not only completely avoided self-pity, but also turned the pain into art with a wistful version of Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies." That led to a story about encountering Irving Berlin himself during a youthful trip to New York City, which in turn served as the basis for Rupert Holmes's "People That You Never Get to Love." It was an example of the solid dramatic structure of Significant Others, in which the experienced hand of Ms. Koutrakos was evident.

The show closed with a little something they didn't get in the Big Apple: James Taylor's "Sweet Baby James" sung in harmony with St. Louis singers Jeff Wright and Dionna Raedeke as a tribute to the late Neal Richardson, whose work as an arranger, music director, and educator enriched the lives of so many here in St. Louis before his own life was tragically cut short by illness earlier this year. It was a moment of true beauty.

Significant Others was, in short, a perfect blend of laughter and tears delivered by a singer who is now a master of her art, riding on Mr. Jensen's impeccably tailored arrangements. Our loss has been New York City's gain, and it was nice to see Ms. McGrath once again holding forth on her home turf. Let us hope she returns soon.

Significant Others was produced by The Presenters Dolan as part of the fall edition of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival, which concluded on November 11.

Cabaret Review: The dyanmic duo of Rick Jensen and Lina Koutrakos entertain at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival October 25, 2015

Rick Jensen
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Lina Koutrakos and Rick Jensen have become familiar figures on the local cabaret scene over the years, first as regular faculty members in the St. Louis Cabaret Conference, and then as directors and advisers for many local performers. So their "Two for the Road" show last Sunday as part of the fall edition of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival was something of a homecoming.

And what a joyous homecoming it was! Ms. Koutrakos and Mr. Jensen have been performing as creative partners for decades, giving their work on stage the kind of easy camaraderie that comes only with experience. It makes for an evening that easily draws the audience into their musical conversation and quickly dissolves the fabled fourth wall. Together, they unfailingly deliver a mix of passion, wit, and polished musicianship that's just unbeatable.

The evening opened with a set of Mr. Jensen's original material that showed his versatility as a songwriter. Straightforward patter songs like "Hi Ho, That's the German Way" rubbed shoulders with introspective ballads like "Long Cold Fall" (with its Randy Newmanesque harmonies) and the inspiring "Go Ahead and Dream," from the 2011 film "That's What I Am."

I found "Amanda Sang," a little character study inspired by Mr. Jensen's youth in Minneapolis, particularly noteworthy, in part because of a lyric that could serve as a mini-lesson for cabaret singers: "She could never go wrong / Because her heart was in her song." And the ballad "In Passing Years" (part of the encore set), with its ruminations on the enduring value of friendship, remains one of my favorites.

Lina Koutrakos

Having worked with Mr. Jensen in St. Louis Cabaret Conference sessions in the past, I already knew about his skills as a songwriter and pianist. What I didn't realize was what an engaging and funny storyteller he was. The between-songs patter in his set was consistently entertaining and often hilarious.

Ms. Koutrakos brought her share of humor to the show as well, most notably with the Cy Coleman and Carolyn Leigh classic "When in Rome (I Do as the Romans Do)." But as anyone who has seen her perform would know, she was at her most formidable in torch songs like "What Are You Doing New Year's" and power ballads like "Life is What You Do" from Kander and Ebb's "Zorba."

Her medley of Billy Joel's "New York State of Mind" and Mr. Jensen's "New York City is My Home" was a remarkable combination of poignancy and affirmation. And her dark, smoky voice was an ideal match for the elusive tragedy that lurks just beneath the surface of Bobbie Gentry's "Ode to Billy Joe." When Ms. Koutrakos unleashes the smoldering passion that is her musical forte, she is without equal.

Lina Koutrakos and Rick Jensen will have moved on to their next projects by the time you read this, but their strong local connections pretty much guarantee that they'll come to St. Louis again. Don't miss them when they do.

The Gaslight Cabaret Festival continues through November 21 at the Gaslight Theater on North Boyle in midtown. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of January 10, 2014

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New this week:

James Joseph O'Neil as Elliot and
Rachael Jenison as Grace
©Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Michael Hollinger's Opus through February 2. "With only four days to rehearse for their most important performance ever, a world-class string quartet takes a chance by hiring a gifted but inexperienced young woman. Onstage the Lazara Quartet is pitch perfect but behind the scenes they're coming unstrung as the four artists battle the sweat, tears and pain that go into making extraordinary music seem effortless. This fascinating play is a passionate look at the delicate and complex relationships between artists' lives and their art." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

My take: I'm on the board of West End Players Guild, the group that did the St. Louis premiere of this play last April. I was a big backer of Opus in the WEPG play reading committee and remain a fan of this funny, literate, dramatic, and informed look at the often less than beautiful reality behind the performance of so much beautiful music. It's easy to be transported by (say) a late Beethoven quartet and lose sight of the fact that the performers are doing their jobs as well as creating art. Opus explores what happens when the worlds of commerce and art collide.

Mariposa Artists presents Shades of Blue—Lina Koutrakos, on Saturday, January 11th, at 8 PM. "Mixing pop, standards, originals and more with Rick Jensen at the piano and on arrangements, Lina Koutrakos's bluesy-hued voice lends itself to stories, melodies and feelings in Shades Of Blue." The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/530853.

My take: As someone who attended the St. Louis Cabaret Conference for (if I recall correctly) all of the years when Ms. Koutrakos was on the faculty, I'm clearly not a disinterested party here. That said, it was impossible not to be impressed by the depth of her emotional connection with the music she performs as well as her understanding of how to make that connection click with an audience. Her music director, Rick Jensen, is a powerful performer and songwriter as well as a gifted arranger. Although New York based, he has helped shape the cabaret shows on several local singers.

First Run Theatre presents Whatever Remains, a new Sherlock Holmes mystery by Jason Slavik, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, January 10-19. Performances take place at First Run Theatre at De Smet Jesuit High School Theatre, 233 N. New Ballas Rd. For more information, call (314) 352-5114 or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

My take: I admit it; I'm a Sherlock Holmes fan (a Sherlockian, as we call ourselves) and have been for a long time. You'll even find some Sherlockian papers that I've written over the years at my old personal home page (now mostly abandoned). I don't know whether I'm gong to be able to see this or not (the next two weekends are pretty heavily booked for me), but I look forward to at least finding out what it's about. For those of you curious about the title, it comes from something Holmes says in "The Sign of Four": "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?" He repeats that point in "The Beryl Coronet," "The Bruce-Partington Plans," and "The Blanched Solider" (and says something very similar in "Silver Blaze") so it's a safe bet he meant it. The dictum even inspired one of my own Sherlockian essays.  What does Jason Slavik mean by it? We'll just have to see, won't we?

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of November 22, 2013

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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Mariposa Artists presents Liz Murphy's cabaret debut The Best is Yet to Come, Friday and Saturday, November 22 and 23, at 8 PM. The show is directed by Lina Koutrakos with music direction by Rick Jensen. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/470878

My take: As the PR says, ."Liz shares the incredible opportunities of her life, the people that have influenced her, and her eagerness for self-discovery. This show celebrates the joy of new-found possibilities: the spirit, energy, sparkle, and exuberance of a colorful life. With her musical partner, Rick Jensen, the evening of song will take us from Cy Coleman to Christopher Cross, Stephen Schwartz to Stephen Sondheim, Martina McBride to Julie Gold....just to mention a few." If that's not reason enough, consider that music director Rick Jensen and director Lina Koutrakos are major names in the cabaret world. Besides, Liz gave us a preview of her stuff at The Cabaret Project open mic nigh on Wednesday and if that's any indication, this will be a great show. For more information, check out my interview with Ms. Murphy from earlier this week.

St. Louis University Theatre presents the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum through November 24. Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call (314) 977-2998 or visit www.slu.edu/theatre.

My take: This Sondheim classic never fails to generate plenty of laughs when it's done well. "St. Louis University Theatre," writes Tina Farmer in her review for 88.1 KDHX, "embraces the light-hearted theme of "Comedy Tonight" in a spirited and youthful production that, while decidedly amateur, mostly succeeds in hitting the right note."

Sip Salon presents a staged reading of Robert Patrick's play Kennedy's Children on Friday, November 22, at 7:30 PM as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. Sip Salon is at 7818 Forsyth in Clayton. Seating is limited; call 314-644-0014 for ticket information.

My take: In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I'm acting in this one. That said, Robert Patrick's remarkably literate script perfectly captures the disillusionment and near-apocalyptic disappointment that followed the disintegration of the idealism that fueled the 1960s. This is great material and rarely staged, at least locally.

Ron Himes

Washington University Performing Arts Department presents Athol Fugard's My Children! My Africa! Thursday and Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 and 8 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM, November 21-24. Performances take place in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543.

My take: Fugard's work is always worth seeing, and we don't get to see Ron Himes on stage as often as we should, due to his responsibilities as artistic director of the Black Rep. Those are a couple of pretty powerful reasons to see this show.

Held Over:

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a capella musical All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through December 1 "Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this a capella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets." Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: The play is based on a remarkable true story of a spontaneous truce between Allied and German forces in No Man's Land during Christmas of 1914. In some areas it lasted only one night while elsewhere it lasted until New Year's Day. While it was in effect, soldiers laid down their arms, shared Christmas carols (as well as food and drink), buried each others' dead, and even played soccer. Playwright Peter Rothstein, artistic director of Theater Latté Da where the play was developed, wanted to tell the story in the words of the real soldiers who experienced it. "I created the drama," he relates, "primarily through found text including letters, official war documents, autobiographies, World War I poetry, grave stone inscriptions and even an old radio broadcast." In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Dennis Corcoran says "this complex piece of musical theatre comes off as a beautifully, simply performed tribute to a poignant moment in the horrors of war."

Minterview: Liz Murphy

Minterview = Mini interview

This Friday and Saturday (November 22 and 23) at 8 PM, Mariposa Artists presents The Best is Yet to Come, the first solo cabaret show by St. Louis singer and actress Liz Murphy, at the Kranzberg Center in Grand Center.  The show is directed by cabaret luminary Lina Koutrakos, with music direction by MAC Award-winning singer, songwriter, arranger Rick Jensen.  I asked her a few questions about the show and how her life experiences had influenced its development.

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Q: I think of a cabaret show as a plant that grows from a small seed.  What was the seed that started The Best Is Yet to Come?  What inspired this show?

A: We have such a wonderful cabaret community here in St. Louis, and my friends actually encouraged me to plan a show.  I always thought I could do it but that personal enthusiasm for the project really began when I started making new and healthier life-style choices.  I suddenly has the enthusiasm and energy to want to try new things and gained that new "the best is yet to come" attitude!

Lina Koutrakos

Q: How do feel your experience as a middle school teacher has influenced your cabaret and musical theatre work, and vice-versa?

A: My classroom experience has helped immensely.  I entertain a captive audience every day!  My students are also very curious about the projects I work on and encourage me as well.  They even frequently ask me to sing. (...of course that may be to get out of doing work but I appreciate their vote of confidence!)

Q: Your music director Rick Jensen and your director Lina Koutrakos are both New York-based.  How did the three of you manage to get together for rehearsals?

A: I was so lucky to be able to work out a plan to have Lina and Rick as my directors!  I was able to have time with them here in St. Louis when they were in town doing other shows.  I also was fortunate enough to go to NYC last Easter and had a couple of great and very intense sessions with both of them. I also participated in the Chicago Conference in June and had time with them there as well.  In addition to that, I had phone meetings and music tracks from Rick so that I could practice my songs with his amazing arrangements.

Q: You've been performing with the Community Gospel Choir in St. Louis for the past seven years.  How do you feel that background influences what you do on stage?

A: My gospel choir experience has had a HUGE impact on my stage work.  I am a rehearsed singer and rely on the music to "read" my part. In gospel choir I was asked to begin to improvise and do solos where I had to put my music down and "let the spirit move me."  It was terrifying!  But through the support and encouragement of my fabulous director/vocal coach, Cecelia Stearman, and the members of the amazing choir, I found the ability to take chances and gain confidence.  I think that confidence is the key!

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Mariposa Artists is an independent cabaret production company founded by St. Louis cabaret singer Robert Breig.  For ticket information on Mariposa's The Best is Yet to Come, visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/470878

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of September 20, 2013

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New this week:

Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the Kander and Ebb musical Cabaret through October 6. “In this multi award-winning musical, a young, naïve American writer arrives in 1930s Berlin and is swept away by the decadent pleasures of the sexy, seedy world that is the Cabaret. At the center of it all is the beguiling Sally Bowles, who takes the stage every night. Inside the Kit Kat Klub life is beautiful, but outside the world is about to change.” Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.


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.

Mariposa Artists presents A Night With Day, a cabaret tribute to Doris Day with singer Beverly Brennan and pianist and music director Rick Jensen. The show features songs from Doris Day's big band days, her movies and musicals, and her recording career. As Day was a lifelong animal welfare activist, profits from the show will be donated to The Humane Society of Missouri. Performances take place Friday and Saturday, September 20 and 21, at 8 PM at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton, MO. For more information: brownpapertickets.com/event/422428.

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:

HotCity Theatre presents Joe Orton's Entertaining Mr. Sloane through September 21. “Young Mr. Sloane thought he already had a SORDID life as a hustler until he became the erotic target of his lewd landlady and her bottled-up brother! Repressed desires, power plays and an unsolved murder all make for one twisted tale!” Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.hotcitytheatre.org or call 314-289-4063.

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."

Photo: Peter Wochniak

Stages St. Louis presents My Fair Lady September 6 through October 6. 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.

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.

Photo: John Lamb

Insight Theatre Company presents Thornton Wilder's Our Town through September 29. 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.

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."

The Lives of our Day

Beverly Brennan

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Operating under the Mariposa Artists banner, local cabaret singer and actor Robert Breig has brought a number of top-flight acts to The Chapel Venue recently, including the lyrical and highly personal Ebb and Flow with St. Louis singer Dionna Raedeke and guitarist Mike Krysl and a visit from Palm Springs cabaret star Jerome Elliot. His latest project is Beverly Brennan's Doris Day tribute show A Night With Day, which plays The Chapel Venue Friday and Saturday, September 20 and 21 at 8 PM.

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.

I managed to get Ms. Brennan to take a few minutes from her final week of rehearsals to field a few questions about the show.

Q: What made you decide to do a Doris Day tribute show?  Were there things about her life, career, or some choices that really spoke to you?  If so, what were they?

A: Doris Day was always in the background when I was a little girl in the 1950s. I love that she is so multitalented and that she has always had the power to reinvent herself. She is a survivor.

Q: Most people probably remember Day's "squeaky clean" image from the romantic comedies she did with actors like Rock Hudson, Gig Young, and Jack Lemmon in the 1960s, but she had a somewhat rocky off-screen life.  Does the show reflect that?

A: I share the dark side and tell the truth with my tribute: four marriages, affairs and an unfulfilled personal life, including her only son's death from cancer.  She was in many ways, the opposite of what people think! Happy endings in movies, not life, a Midwestern gal in Hollywood, never did Broadway, wanted to be a dancer, not singer, great judge of leading men but not lovers or husbands.

Rick Jensen

Q: What would you like audiences to take away from "A Night With Day"?

A: I want my audience to take away more love for an American icon who is underrated and a complicated woman. Also that Rick Jensen is a frigging genius!

Performances of A Night With Day take place Friday and Saturday, September 20 and 21, at 8 PM at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive at Wydown and Skinker.  The Chapel is a not-for-profit music venue, performance space and art gallery.  Two complimentary drinks (beer, wine, soda) are included with the show. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the door or on line at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/422428.

Chuck's Choices for Thanksgiving weekend, 2012

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New this week:

Orli Shaham with the Tessera Quartet
photo by Ali Winberry)

The Centene Charitable Foundation presents Baby Got Bach on Saturday, November 24, at 10:30 am. “The acclaimed interactive concert series for children age 3 to 6 returns to town with a free show at Centene Plaza, 7700 Forsyth, at the corner of Forsyth and Hanley Roads in Clayton. Hometown musician and internationally renowned concert pianist, Orli Shaham, is the founder and artistic director of this innovative program. Ms. Shaham will be joined by St. Louis Symphony percussionist Thomas Stubbs and friends. This community event is free of charge and reservations are required, and can be made online at www.BabyGotBach.org.”

Mustard Seed Theatre presents Imaginary Jesus through December 2 at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. "This hilarious, faced-paced show follows Matt on his journey to discover the true face of Jesus. Along the way he makes friends with St. Peter, a talking donkey and a modern Magadalen; while facing down 'Magic Eight-Ball Jesus,' 'Social Justice Jesus,' 'Legalist Jesus,' and 'King James Jesus' just to name a few." I don't know whether the Church of the SubGenius's "Fightin' Jesus" shows up or not, but even without him still still looks sufficiently demented to merit your attention. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

Mariposa Artists presents Love Grows Here, an eveing of songs by cabaret star Lina Koutrakos performed by local cabaret artists Shauna Sconce, Robert Breig, Dionna Raedeke, and Katie McGrath, on Saturday, November 24, at 8 PM. Rick Jenses in pianist and music director. Koutrakos's music is powerful stuff and Jensen is one of the best in the business. The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/285124 or email mariposa.artists at gmail.com.