St. Lou Fringe Report 3: A full house

Khnemu Menu-Ra

Thursday, June 25th, turned out to be my best Fringe experience yet, with two fine one-person shows and a powerful cabaret act.

Things got off to a strong start with “Origins of Love”, a smartly theatrical cabaret starring a pair of actors well known on the local theatre scene, Khnemu Menu-Ra and Antonio Rodriguez. With a narrative thread assembled from the works of Shakespeare and a song list that ranges from Stephen Sondheim to Trent Reznor to the Lebanese-British singer-songwriter Mika, “Origins of Love” rings an impressive variety of changes on the theme of love and its discontents.

A well-designed cabaret show will often feel like a one-act play, with a dramatic through line and possibly the sense, by the end, that you have gone on a journey with the performers. “Origins of Love" is exactly that kind of show. It opens with Mr. Menu-Ra (who carries the majority of the show) performing the “Bottom's dream” speech (from “A Midsummer Night's Dream”), the moves smoothly and logically to Sondheim's "Invocation" (cut from "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum") and finally "High Flying, Adored" from "Evita." That last song is performed as a duet with pianist and music director Leah Luciano, whose skill as a singer and musician is also essential to the success of the evening.

From there, the selections from Shakespeare—performed, I'm happy to report, with an excellent feel for both the meter and the meaning—are used to segue among segments on various aspects of love, from juvenile sexual conquest to dark obsession, and finally to light-hearted acceptance. The show is filled with impressive moments, including Mr. Menu-Ra's performance of the title song (from Stephen Trask's score for "Hedwig and the Angry Inch") and Mr. Rodriguez's hilarious "Stumble Along" (from "The Drowsy Chaperone"). Ms. Luciano also has a nice solo on "I'd Rather Watch You," a clever 1920's pastiche from Joshua Schmidt's score for the 2008 musical adaptation of Elmer Rice's "The Adding Machine."

stlfringe.com

Kimberly Lawson is credited as the director of "Origins of Love." I don't know how much of this show is hers and how much is Mr. Mr. Menu-Ra's, but between them they have come up with one of the stronger cabaret productions I've seen recently. And I've seen some pretty darned good ones.

Next, I hiked down the street to the CEL Center for Architecture and Design for The Midnight Company's presentation of Joe Hanrahan's latest one-man play, David MacIvor's "House." Described as a stand-up-sit-down comedy nightmare," "House" is the story of Victor who is, as he puts it, "fucked up, but not weird. You're born weird, but you get fucked up." It starts out as a comic, no-fourth-wall complaint about Victor's therapy group and soon moves on to an equally funny but increasingly bizarre series of complaints about his life. His wife Mary Ann doesn't love him, to begin with, and his father ran off to the circus to become The Saddest Man in the World.

OK. Odd, but possible. But then: his sister hosts parties for dogs who, according to Victor, behave eerily like humans. And when he tells his mother that he is planning to leave Mary Ann, she turns into a demon, levitates to the ceiling, and begins slashing up the house with a razor-sharp tongue.

Maybe not so possible. Mr. MacIvor's script and Mr. Hanrahan's charmingly believable performance combine to lure you into this story. Victor's disconnect from reality doesn't become obvious until he has already become ingratiating, and by then there's no turning back. "House" is a perfect combination of virtuoso acting and compelling story telling.

Blair Godshall
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Finally, it was off to TheStage @ KDHX for "ODDyssey," actress Blair Godshall's comic monolog about her "10-year journey of odd jobs, odd skills and odd people." Fresh out of college with a theatre degree, Ms. Godshall realized that the odd jobs she had taken to help finance her education were going to have to continue while she tried to find a way to make a living on stage. That meant lots of work in various service industries involving "screaming children, dangerous heights, sexist midterm papers, even more sexist bosses, extra hot coffee, expensive glass and reasonably priced sausages".

She tells her stories with a sure sense of comic timing and a slightly caustic attitude that often reminded me of another skilled comic and actress, Sandra Berhnard. She changes from her own persona to that of other characters quickly and credibly, and it's not surprising to discover, towards the end of her show, that she is finally working as an actress on a regular basis.

"ODDyssey" is obviously a work in progress. Ms. Godshall was still working from a script and sometimes had to vamp while she got back on track, and her one-act play doesn't really have much of an end yet, but that's minor stuff. "ODDyssey" is still great fun, and a reminder of the mundane stuff your WTFs (Weird Theatre Friends) have to do in order to grab some creative freedom.

The St. Lou Fringe Festival continues through Saturday, June 27, at various venues in Grand Center. For more information, check the festival web site.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 16th, 2013

[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.

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Act Two Theatre presents An Act Two Family Christmas, featuring familiar favorites from Forever Plaid, 9 to 5: The Musical, and more. This night will include Christmas themed skits, Christmas songs and a Christmas carol sing-along. The performance takes place on Thursday, December 19, at 7 PM in the St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre at 1 St Peters Centre Blvd, St. Peters, MO 63376. For more information: act2theater.com.

The Black Rep presents Black Nativity: A Holiday Celebration through December 22. "Conceived and directed by Ron Himes, the first act tells a moving and traditional African Nativity story, while the second act swings into the season with joy and reverence." Performances take place at the Emerson Performance Center on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University. For more information: theblackrep.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents William Gibson's The Butterfingers Angel, Mary and Joseph, Herod The Nut And The Slaughter Of 12 Hit Carols In A Pear Tree Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through December 1, with an extra 2 PM matinee on the 21st. “A touching, funny, and highly imaginative retelling of the Christmas story complete with talking animals, a feminist-leaning Mary, a jealous Joseph, a fast-talking sheep, and one loud-mouthed overbearing tree. Created by one of America's major dramatists, this Christmas cartoon mixed with psychological realism brings new relevance to its timeless subject.” Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

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 Saturdays at 9 PM at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185, email stlouis at byebyeliver.com, or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

Carol Schmidt

The Cabaret Project and 88.1 KDHX present the special holiday edition of the monthly Cabaret Open Stage Night on Wednesday, December 18, from 7 to 10 PM at the Tavern of Fine Arts. The master of ceremonies is 88.1 KDHX senior performing arts critic Chuck Lavazzi and the music director is Carol Schmidt. Bring your favorite seasonal songs and be prepared for the big sing-along! If you're planning to sing, be prepared to do one or two songs and bring music, preferably in your key. It's also recommend that you have your song memorized. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt at Waterman in the Central West End. There's free parking in the lot right across the street. For more information, visit tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com or call 314-367-7549.

The Hawthorne Players present A Christmas Carol Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, December 20-22. The performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 921-5678 or visit hawthorneplayers.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents A Christmas Killing through December 31. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents its Christmas Show through December 31. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents Elf the Musical December 17-29. “Based on the beloved 2003 New Line Cinema hit, Elf is the hilarious tale of Buddy, a young orphan child who mistakenly crawls into Santa's bag of gifts and is transported back to the North Pole. Unaware that he is actually human, Buddy's enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth. With Santa's permission, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father, discover his true identity, and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas. This modern day Christmas classic is sure to make everyone embrace their inner Elf.” The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

The St. Lou Fringe Festival presents Habdash, a fund-raising evening featuring performances by Leverage Dance Theatre and Brothers Lazaroff, on Thursday, December 19, beginning at 8 PM. The events takes place at The Barnett on Washington, 3207 Washington in midtown. For more information: habdash4.bpt.me

New Jewish Theater presents the one-woman show Hannah Shenesh through December 22. The play is based on the dairies of Senesh, who worked with a British para-military group to rescue Hungarian Jews during World War II. Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Mariposa Artists and Mid-Town Artists present John McDaniel: Home for the Holidays, on Friday, December 20th, at 7 PM. A St. Louis native, McDaniel is a Grammy and Emmy Award-winning music director, composer, arranger, orchestrator, and theatrical and record producer. The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/513952.

HotCity Theatre presents Kosher Lutherans by William Missouri Downs through December 21. “Hanna and Franklyn, childless Jews in L.A., find themselves in a STICKY situation on the first night of Hanukah - for this is when they first meet the innocent young woman whose baby they will be adopting, who hails from the Bible Belt and doesn't realize they're Jewish! The couple hastily pose as Lutherans to appeal to the girl's 'Christian' sensibilities ... with hysterical and touching results!” 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. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

©Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap through December 29. “The Grande Dame of suspense weaves a clever mystery that will keep you guessing till the very end. The guests at Monkswell Manor are snowed in with a murderer in their midst. Whodunit? Sergeant Trotter is determined to find out, and his investigation turns up more shocking secrets than anyone could have anticipated. Full of intricate plot twists and shuddering suspense, it is no wonder The Mousetrap has become the world's longest-running stage production.” 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. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

©Photo by Eric Woolsey

The Rep's Imaginary Theatre Company presents The Velveteen Rabbit by Kim Esop Wylie with music and lyrics by Joe Dreyer through December 23. “ Based on Margery Williams' famed literary classic, The Velveteen Rabbit tells the story of a little boy and his stuffed bunny who wonders what it means to be “real.” After years of adventure and devotion, the bunny becomes a truly beloved friend and is magically transformed into a real woodland rabbit. Join us this holiday season and share in a heartwarming musical tale that celebrates the rewards of loyalty and the wonderful, surprising power of love.” Performances take place at Heagney Theatre at Nerinx Hall High School, 530 East Lockwood Avenue in Webster Groves. For more information: repst.org or call (314) 968-4925.

St. Charles Community College presents White Christmas Friday through Sunday, December 20-22. Performances take place in the Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building on the campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO. For more information, call 636-922-8050 or visit stchas.edu.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

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As I’m writing this (Sunday, June 23, 2013) the second St. Lou Fringe Festival is drawing to a close, with final performances 9 PM tonight. I saw eight shows this year and reviewed six of them for 88.1 KDHX. Rather than re-purpose all of them here, I thought I’d just give you a summary of each one with a link to the KDHX review.

“Underneath the Lintel” (Pat O’Brien Vanity Theatrics) – Absolutely the the best thing I saw, with an intelligent script by Glen Berger and a bravura performance by TV and film veteran O’Brien.

“Hey Minnie the Moocher: a Musical Tribute to Cotton Club Swing Jazz Legends” (Rajpa Productions) – Hep to the jive Carr Mel Brown (John “Br. John” Anderson) tells the lively story of the famed Harlem nightspot.

“Christy Strickland: Live at Satori” – A solid set of Great American Songbook classics that would not be out of place at the Jazz Bistro, especially given the solid backing of the Randy Holmes Quartet.

“Fairyland” (The Heather Dale Band with S. J. Tucker) – Straight-ahead Celtic folk rock in the tradition of Steeleye Span about the hazards of dealing with the Wee Folk.

“Caila’s Music Show” (Caila Lipovsky) – The sort of thing people are probably thinking of when they say they don’t like performance art.

“The Golden Goose” (Gateway City Opera) – A new opera company is a good thing, but the new opera they produced is pretty thin stuff.

I also saw the St. Louis Osuwa Taiko troupe, who provided their usual high energy and high volume show (once again, I forgot ear protection). Also as usual, it was highly entertaining and well worth seeing.

Finally, I caught the NonProphet Theatre Company’s “Montana: a Shakespearean Scarface.” I was originally cast in this but had to drop out because of early June travel plans, so I’m not a neutral observer, but even so I thought this fast and furious mix of gangland violence and iambic pentameter worked pretty well. I’ve never seen the film on which it’s based but a fellow critic who has seen it opined that they had really nailed it.

So there you have it. For more information about the St. Lou Fringe, visit stlfringe.com. The closing party is Monday, June 24, at the Schlafly Tap Room, starting at 5:30.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of June 21st

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

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Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Smetana's comedy The Kiss in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 28. “Brimming with joyful music, sly romance, and delightful comedy, The Kiss is a bright and buoyant escape. Experience this rarely produced folk masterpiece by the composer of The Bartered Bride in its first American staging in over two decades. Co-produced with Ireland's Wexford Festival Opera, this production of The Kiss premiered to rave reviews there as “the runaway success of the 2010 festival” (Financial Times, London).” This opera isn't performed often, at least on this side of the Atlantic, so it's apperance here is a welcome one 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.

The Muny presents the Muny premiere of Monty Python's Spamalot Monday through Sunday at 8:15 PM, June 17-23, in the outdoor theatre in Forest Park. I was somewhat underwhelmed by the tour of this show when I reviewed it for KDHX in 2006, but Bob Wilcox has seen this production and had good things to say about it, so maybe I didn't see it under the best of circumstances. Or maybe they've trimmed it a bit in the interim. For more information, visit muny.org or call 314-361-1900.

The St. Lou Fringe Festival takes place Thursday through Sunday, June 20-23, at several venues in the Grand Center area including the Kranzberg Arts Center (501 N. Grand), the rock club Fubar (3108 Locust), and ANNONYarts at Satori (3003 Locust.) Performances include traditional theater, dance, music, comedy, circus arts, performance art, cabaret, and burlesque, with acts from St. Louis and around the country. Last year's Fringe offered an impressive array of performing arts events and this one promises to be even larger and more varied. Some of the performances that look especially interesting to me (in no particular order) are:

• Joel Doty's I Am My Own Militia or Mea’s Unique Garage Sale at Fubar
• Daniel MacIvor’s one-act comedy This Is a Play, by R-S Theatrics at Fubar
• Christy Strickland Live, a program of big band and cabaret standards at Satori
• Montana: The Shakespearean Scarface by the NonProphet Theater Company (the folks that brought you Corleone: The Shakespearean Godfather, in which I played the title role) at Satori
• Underneath the Lintel by Pat O'Brien's Vanity Theatrics. "Veteran TV and Film actor Pat O’Brien plays an obsessive compulsive librarian who finds a book 123 years overdue and embarks on a worldwide quest to apprehend the borrower."
• Hey Minnie the Moocher: A Musical Tribute to Cotton Club Swing Jazz Legends by Rajpa Productions at Fubar

For a complete schedule, visit the festival calendar site.

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New Line Theatre presents the St. Louis premier of the musical Bukowsical Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through June 22. "With book and lyrics by Spencer Green and Gary Stockdale, and music by Stockdale, Bukowsical is a wacky, high-energy – and gleefully adult – musical comedy, an ironic and insightful 21st-century reboot of the classic American musical comedy, exploring the intersection between sex, drugs, booze, and art, all through the life story of the great American novelist and poet Charles Bukowski." I haven't seen this, but the idea is so much in line with the mission of the Church of the SubGenius that it demands attention. "The show is, I think, ephemera," writes Steve Callahan in his review for 88.1 KDHX, "But it’s the sort of ephemera that a company like New Line should be doing. And they do it so very, very well!" Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. For more information, call 314-534-1111.

Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents the world premiere of Champion in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 30. “Audiences across the country are already anticipating the world premiere of this compelling new opera in jazz. With music by five-time Grammy Award-winning composer Terence Blanchard and libretto by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Michael Cristofer, Champion is inspired by the true story of Emile Griffith. An immigrant from the Virgin Islands, Emile claimed the title of World Welterweight Champion in a fatal 1962 fight which transformed him into a tragic hero and left the two-year old son of his opponent, Benny “The Kid” Paret, without a father.” 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. The combination of composer, librettist, and subject matter make this an easy call. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Photo: John Lamb

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents King Lear through June 23 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. "The St. Louis Actors Studio has opened a fine production of King Lear, writes Steve Callahan in his review for 88.1 KDHX, "and it's an excellent opportunity for you to make your little temporal tithe." For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 29. 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. As I note in my review for 88.1 KDHX, this may not be a perfect production, but it's pretty darned good and well worth seeing. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Puccini's Il Tabarro and Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 29. 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. As I note in my review for 88.1 KDHX, this is "a dramatically powerful and musically impeccable combination of two classics of verismo opera." For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Circus Flora presents its new show, A Trip to the Moon through June 23 under the air-conditioned, red-and-white, big top tent in Grand Center next to Powell Hall. "Inspired by Georges Méliès' groundbreaking 1902 film, A Trip to the Moon, Circus Flora's creative team captures the film's imaginative spirit ...A Trip to the Moon borrows this iconic piece of cinematic history and Méliès' artistic instruments to construct the visual styling, costuming and narrative elements." "Circus Flora continues to amaze us," writes Sheila Schultz in her review for 88.1 KDHX. "Unflinching, its artists perform mind-boggling feats of daring." For more inforamtion, visit circusflora.org.

The Black Rep presents the musical The Wiz through June 29. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Sheila Schultz says "I had a blast." For more information, visit theblackrep.org or call 314-534-3810.

St. Lou Fringe Report: The Amazing Barry

Who: The Amazing Barry
What: Almost Reality
When: June 21-24, 2012
Where: The Kranzberg Center black box at the St. Lou Fringe Festival

As some of you may know, I got my start in show biz in my teen years as a magician. I performed with a local variety troupe, joined the Society of American Magicians, and even got a trophy at an SAM convention for my comedy card act. Most of that has fallen by the wayside over the years, but I have never lost my fascination with stage magic in general and sleight of hand in particular.

I point all this out so you’ll understand that when I say that The Amazing Barry is not only an entertaining performer but a solid technician as well, y’all know I’m not just setting off flash paper.

The Amazing Barry is an informal comedy magician in the Harry Anderson mode. His entire act fits into a small brief case which doubles as a table and relies heavily on card tricks, spiked with classics like the razor–blade swallowing effect made famous by Houdini—an illusion which continues to creep me out, even though I know it’s not as dangerous as it looks.

There are also a couple of stunts. One of them—inserting himself into a giant balloon and then doing a card trick—is apparently an Amazing Barry trademark. The other—walking on broken glass in bare feet—is an old carnival standby, but still as effective as hell. Sometimes you just can’t beat the classics.

The Amazing Barry’s “Almost Reality” is an all-ages show, which means you can bring the kids and know a fine time will be had by all. If you sit in the front two rows you might end up as an on-stage volunteer and get a kiss (Hershey’s variety) from Barry as a reward.

For more information on the St. Lou Fringe Festival, including a complete performance schedule, visit stlfringe.com.

St. Lou Fringe Report: St. Louis Osuwa Taiko

Who: St. Louis Osuwa Taiko
What: Osuwa taiko drumming
When: June 21-24, 2012
Where: Nash Motor Company at the St. Lou Fringe Festival

The origins of the Japanese taiko tradition can be found in outdoor and large-space ceremonies as well as on the battlefield, where the massive drums were used to motivate troops. That means taiko is nothing if not loud, so when the energetic young performers of St. Louis Osuwa cut loose in the relatively intimate performance space at the Nash Motor Company, it’s enough to make your sinuses vibrate.

The troupe isn’t just about volume, of course. Their performance is a lively mix of drumming, chant, and choreographed movement. Add in the colorful costumes and you have a show with a strong visual appeal to go along with the auditory and visceral impact of those drums.

Most important of all, though, is obvious joy St. Louis Osuwa Taiko’s members take in the entire process. You might come out of the Nash with a bit of temporary high frequency hearing loss, but if you don’t also come out with a smile on your face you’re a bigger curmudgeon than I am. You might even want to consider buying one of their CDs.

You’ll definitely want to see St. Louis Osuwa Taiko at the Fringe, but take my advice: stop by your local drug store and pick up a pair of earplugs. Your eardrums will thank you for it.

For more information on the St. Lou Fringe Festival, including a complete performance schedule, visit stlfringe.com.

St. Lou Fringe Report: The Artist's Art

Who: Ω Productions
What: The Artist’s Art
Where: The St. Lou Fringe Festival
When: Friday, June 22, 10 PM; Saturday, June 23, 7 PM; Sunday, June 24, 2:30 PM

The Artist’s Art is really two experiences in one. For the first twenty minutes, you’re invited to create some art of your own. You can draw on the paper tablecloths covering the tales in the Kranzberg Center’s cabaret space, you can make something with modeling clay in the construction area in the center of the room, or you can use the water-soluble paint provided to paint a picture on one of the easels on the stage.

In the second half of the show, three fine actors (unnamed, I’m sorry to say; there was no program) perform a one-act play that asks some provocative questions about art and our relationship to it, using the works the audience has just created as props. The play is pretty smart stuff, playing with the balance between artist and audience with snappy dialog. It also plays literal head games: when the characters swap hats, they also partly swap identities. A classic bit of physical comedy with a painting leads to the punch line and a blackout. Entertaining stuff, and just long enough to make some points without belaboring them.

If you’re curious as to what medium I chose to work in, the answer is: modeling clay. I’m including a picture of my magnum opus here. It’s supposed to be Fred Astaire.

Well, I never said I was an artist.

The Artist’s Art is being presented in the Kranzberg Center’s cabaret space as part of the St. Lou Fringe Festival. For a complete schedule, you may visit stlfringe.com

St. Lou Fringe Report: Osgood Rex

Who: Project Wonder Meant
What: Osgood Rex
Where: The St. Lou Fringe Festival
When: Saturday, June 23, 8:30 PM; Sunday, June 24, 2:30 PM

Joshua Cook’s comedy Osgood Rex takes the classic tale of Oedipus Rex—or at least its outline—and drops it into the two-dimensional world of a classic black and white cartoon.

Osgood the Scrappy Squirrel is the king of Toonland until the rights to draw him are stolen from his creator, Eckhart Unger, and hack writers dull his comic edge. From Osgood’s point of view, the gods have abandoned him. With the help of his girl friend Mitzi Minx, the embittered former star Eggs the Cat, and the inebriated prophecies of Tipsy Toucan, he sets out to find out why—or get erased in the process.

The dialog neatly punctures the high-falutin’ English of translated ancient Greek while taking satirical pot shots at both theatrical and cartoon conventions. There are even mock-1920s musical numbers (hey, this is a cartoon, after all), including a "Minnie the Moocher" pastiche for the Chorus's big lamentation scene, to appropriately scratchy record-sounding ukulele accompaniment. There’s no composer credited, so I’m going to assume those neat little touches came from music director Kristin McGuire.

The performance I saw on the first day of the Festival was a bit scrappy in spots and the unison mock Greek chorus wasn’t as unison as it could have been, but that’s minor stuff. This was an entertaining production of a clever and inventive script by a strong cast. I especially liked Nicole Angeli’s liberated Mitzi Minx, Alan C. David’s Dean Martin-ish Tipsy Toucan, Christine Johnson’s Osgood (he’s a cartoon character, so naturally he has to have a high voice), and Chad Little’s sympathetic Eckhart, but they’re all fine actors.

Project Wonder Meant’s Osgood Rex is being presented in the Kranzberg Center’s black box theatre as part of the St. Lou Fringe Festival. For a complete schedule, you may visit stlfringe.com

Chuck's choices for the weekend of June 22, 2012

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

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OnSite Productions presents Bowling Epiphany - The Revival! by Carter Lewis through June 30. Performances take place at Epiphany Lanes, 3164 Ivanhoe Avenue. OnSite's mission—unique in St. Louis as far as I know—is to present site-specific theatre pieces. This set of one-acts with bowling themes is a classic example of their unusal approach to theatre. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Robert Mitchell describes the show as "fast, funny, fluffy fun, perfect for a summer's night spent in a bowling alley!" For more information, visit onsitetheatre.org or call 314-686-0062.

"The Fringe is Near!"

The St. Lou Fringe Festival takes place Thursday through Sunday, June 21-24, at several venues in the Grand Center area including the Kranzberg Arts Center, the rock club Fubar, and the Nash Motor Building. Performances include traditional theater, dance, music, comedy, circus arts, performance art, magic and burlesque, with acts from St. Louis and around the country. I'll be one of a group of critics covering the festival and I have to say the variety of performers and groups is pretty impressive. All of us critical types will be naming our favorites at the Monday, June 25th, wrap-up party at Plush on Locust a block west of Compton; come on over and sit in. Fringeland opens at 3 PM on Thursday at Friday and at 10 AM on Saturday and Sunday; performances start an hour after opening and continue until around 11 PM, followed by after parties.  For a complete schedule, visit stlfringe.com.

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Kendall Gladen

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Bizet's Carmen in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 23. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. The production is set in the 1940s, with the look of classic film noir, all the way down to the black and white costume and set designs and an opening cinematic credit sequence. The concept doesn't always work, but it succeeds often enough to be worth seeing.  Besides, you won't want to miss St. Louis's own Kendall Gladen's smoky performance in the title role and the great work by conductor Carlos Izcaray and the St. Louis Symphony musicians. For more details, check out my review for 88.1 KDHX. All performances are sung in English with projected English text, although the chorus enunciates so clearly it's rarely necessary. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 22. 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. As I noted in my review for 88.1 KDHX, I don't think director Michael Shell has completely solved the problems posed for modern audiences by Da Ponte's casually misogynistic libretto, but at least he tries, and the cast, chorus, and orchestra are just splendid.  For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644

New Line Theatre presents the rock musical High Fidelity Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through June 21. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Robert Mitchell says "if rockin’ music with a good story is your idea of great entertainment, plan on seeing New Line’s High Fidelity." I'd add that you could hardly ask for a better cast than this one. For more information, call 314-534-1111.

Sweeney prepares Judge Turpin
for a close shave

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Sondheim's Sweeney Todd 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. I've been waiting for many years for Opera Theatre to take a crack at this most operatic of all Sondheim's musical theatre works. Director Ron Daniels and set designer Riccardo Hernandez have made of couple of missteps (see my review for 88.1 KDHX for details) but on the whole this is the Sweeney Todd many of us have been waiting for. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Nino and Yo-Yo

Circus Flora presents its brand new show, The Wizard: Merlin and the Legends of King Arthur, through June 24 under the air-conditioned, red-and-white, big top tent in Grand Center next to Powell Hall. Sadly, I'm going to miss Circus Flora this year but it past seasons (and Connie Bollinger's review for 88.1 KDHX) are any indication, there will be fun for all. For more information, visit circusflora.org.