Stage Left

Sunday, November 13, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 14, 2011

Anatol

Washington University Performing Arts Department presents Anatol, “Arthur Schnitzler's strikingly modern deconstruction of a dapper but self-deluding would-be Don Juan”, Thursday and Friday and Saturday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 and 8 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM, November 17 through 20. 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.

Citilites Theatre presents Maltby and Shire's musical Baby Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 20. Performances take place at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-773-1879. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents the comedy Blithe Spirit through November 20 in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618 939 7469.

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

Topper Productions presents Cabaret and Cabernet, a cabaret showcase featuring seven local singers with Don Kellembach on piano, on Wednesday, November 16. Dinner begins at 7 and the show at 8; admission price includes dinner and a glass of wine as well as the show. The performance takes place at The Wine Press, 4436 Olive. For more information, call 314-965-2526.

Cannibal! The Musical!

Crestwood Booth Theatre presents Trey Parker's Cannibal! The Musical -- Live!!! through November 19. Performances take place at Crestwood ArtSpace, 109 Crestwood Plaza, Suite 134 - near the southeast mall entrance. For more information, visit www.Cannibal-STL.com or call the Cannibal! Hotline 314-662-0097. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents the musical Carousel Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, November 16 through 20. Performances take place on the Browning Mainstage Theatre of the Loretto-Hilton Center 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. For more information, call 314-968-7128.

The Alton Little Theater presents the drama Children of a Lesser God through November 20 at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618-462-6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the musical Godspell November 18 through December 11. “This musical salute to the Gospel of Matthew will be set in the streets of downtown St. Louis.” Performances take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM 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.

HotCity Theatre presents the Greenhouse New Play Festival Friday and Saturday at at 7 PM and Sunday at 4 PM, November 18 through 20. The plays are Release Point by Gino Dilorio (Friday), Goodbye Ruby Tuesday by EM Lewis (Saturday), and Shake and Be Saved! by Christopher Wall (Sunday). Performances are free and take place at the Centene Center, 3547 Olive in Grand Center. For more information, call 314.289.4060 or visit hotcitytheatre.org.

OnSite Productions presents Hit-Story by Carter Lewis through November 20. The production is “set in Clayton's high-performance fitness center”, Sweat, at 8011 Maryland Avenue. For more information, visit onsitetheatre.org or call 314-686-0062. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

Muddy Waters Theatre Company presents Paula Vogel's How I Learned to Drive Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 20. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand at Olive in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-799-8399. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

The Edison Theatre at Washington University Presents the “live-action graphic novel” Intergalactic Nemesis Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19, at 8 PM. Performances take place in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information, call (314) 935-6543, e-mail edison@wustl.edu or visit edison.wustl.edu.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Joshua's Boots, an opera for young people by Adolphus Hailstork and Susan Kander, on Friday, November 18, at 7 PM at the Touhill Performaing Arts Center on the University of Missouri St. Louis campus. For more information, visit touhill.org or call 314-516-4949.

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

Metro Theatre Company presents Tomato Plant Girl Saturday and Sunday at 3 PM, November 19 and 20. Performances take place in the Mainstage Auditorium at Clayton High School. For more information visit metrotheatercompany.org.

The COCA Family Theatre Series presents Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters Friday through Sunday, November 18 through 20. COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Murdering Marlowe

The West End Players Guild presents Charles Marowitz's Murdering Marlowe, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 20. “William Shakespeare is an aspiring playwright desperate to make his mark in London. The greatest obstacle to his success is the prominence of Christopher Marlowe, the 'superstar' of the Elizabethan theatre. This intriguing thriller explores the high price of envy, love and blind ambition, all played out among the familiar names of Shakespeare's day.” Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-367-0025 or visit westendplayers.org. The play is directed by 88.1 KDHX theatre critic Robert A. Mitchell. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

The Missouri History Museum presents The Black Rep and The St. Louis Actors' Studio production of Palmer Park Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 3 PM through November 20. The performances take place in the Lee Auditorium at the History Museum at Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park. For more information, you may visit mohistory.org or call (314) 361-9017. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

Clayton Community Theatre presents the drama A Piece of My Heart Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 8 PM through November 20. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents Ramona Quimby, based on the books of Newberry Medal-winning writer Beverly Clearly, Sunday, November 20, at 2 PM and again on Friday and Saturday, November 25 and 26, at 2 PM. Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.florissantmo.com.

KTK Productions presents the comedy Same Time Next Year Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 20. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information, call 314-351-8984.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the comedy Social Security through November 20. Performances take place in the Guild theatre at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, visit theaterguildwg.org or call 314-962-0876.

Family Musical Theatre presents A Song for Christmas November 10 through 20 at the Ivory Theatre, 7622 Michigan. For more information, visit familymusical.org or call 314-448-1436.

The Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble presents Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen Of Verona Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through November 19, at The Black Cat Theater, 2810 Sutton Boulevard. For more information, visit slightlyoff.org or call (314) 827-5760.

St. Louis Community College at Meramec Theatre Department presents the Samm-Art Williams comedy The Waiting Room November 16 through 20. Performances take place in the theatre on the campus at 11333 Big Bend Road. For more information, call 314-984-7500.

The waltz of folly

Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jun Märkl with pianist Horacio Gutiérrez
What: Music of Beethoven, Richard Strauss, and Ravel
Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis
When: November 11 through 13, 2011

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The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra marked Veteran's Day with a heroic performance by pianist Horacio Gutiérrez and conductor Jun Märkl of Beethoven's Concerto No. 5 ("Emperor")—a work written under the cloud of war and occupation. Conflict and triumph of a different sort were featured in a deeply moving reading of Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration, and the circle was closed with Ravel's essay on Armageddon in 3/4 time, La Valse. Quite an evening.

When Beethoven was writing his concerto in 1809, Vienna was not so much the fabled “City of Dreams” as a metropolis of nightmares. The French laid siege to it with shelling so fierce that at one point the composer took refuge in his brother’s house and covered his head with pillows to escape the din. “[L]ife around me”, he wrote, “is wild and disturbing, nothing but drums, cannons, soldiers, misery of every sort.” The royal family—including Beethoven’s friend and patron Archduke Rudolf—fled, along with many of the notable families with whom the composer had become close.

Left alone and, once the French occupation began, in difficult financial circumstances due to rapid inflation, Beethoven had little else to do but compose. The Fifth Concerto is probably the most famous work to emerge from this difficult period, although the Op. 81a piano sonata (“Les Adieux”) is probably a close second. Both were dedicated to Rudolph.

Much has been written about the Concerto No. 5, so I won’t presume to waste your time with my own analysis, especially when there are concise and informative articles on Wikipedia and at the Classy Classical blog . The magisterial first movement, the wistful second, and, after that famous descending figure in the bassoon, the jolly concluding rondo all show Beethoven at his best. They offer a wealth of opportunities to shine for soloist and conductor.

And shine is what Mr. Gutiérrez and Mr. Märkl did. Like Eric Le Sage, who was so impressive last week in the Schumann concerto, Mr. Gutiérrez eschewed flash and theatricality at the keyboard, opting instead for a straightforward, no-nonsense approach. An entrance, a nod to the conductor, and he was off. Physically, he’s a great bear of a performer, but at the keyboard he did delicate and lyrical as well as forceful and heroic. That famous fortissimo-to-diminuendo barrage of octaves in the first movement was a good case in point. He and Mr. Märkl went, in short, where Beethoven took them, and compelled us to come along.

Richard Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration (Tod und Verklärung), which opened the second half of the concert, deals with war of a different sort—the struggle of an artist’s soul to shuffle off a dying mortal coil and find the ideals he strove for in (to quote from the composer’s detailed narrative) “everlasting Time and Space”. Although Strauss, on his deathbed, remarked that “dying is exactly like I composed it 60 years ago”, there’s no getting around the fact that this is a young man’s view of the transition from here to eternity. It’s filled with great, cinematic torrents of sound, passages of nostalgic longing, and, finally, one of the most sublime finales to be found anywhere.

The dramatic stakes, then, are high, and a good performance should be both exhilarating and touching. Conducting without a score—and therefore free adopt a far more freewheeling style on the podium than he did in the Beethoven—Mr. Märkl delivered all that and more. The dramatic moments were powerful. The passages when the protagonist “recollects his childhood, and then his youthful days of passionate striving” brought a lump to my throat, anyway. And the final apotheosis was translucent.

The evening concluded with Ravel’s La Valse, a work that began in 1911 as “a piece in the style of the earlier Strauss, not Richard” entitled simply Wein (Vienna). And, in fact, a bit of it shows up in the Valses nobles et sentimentales from that same year. Before it could be completed, however, World War I (in which the composer served as an ambulance driver) intervened, and by the time La Valse was submitted to (and foolishly rejected by) Diaghilev for the Ballets Russes in 1919, it had become something far more profound. Ravel described it as “an impression of a fantastic whirl of destiny leading to death”. I can’t hear it without envisioning a huge, ornate machine spinning faster and faster until it hurls itself to pieces—as the complex structure of 19th-century Europe did in the so-called “war to end all wars”.

Once again, Mr. Märkl conducted without a score, this time giving full vent to the Viennese waltz that inspired the piece, complete with the Luftpausen (those minute hesitations between the first and second beat) that are characteristic of the genre. As in last week’s Daphnis et Chloé, La Valse is filled with brilliant orchestral writing that offers nearly everyone a chance to show off, including infrequently heard instruments such as the bass clarinet and contrabassoon. The symphony musicians rose to the challenge, as they nearly always do, and the results were exemplary—as, indeed, they were all night.

Next at Powell Hall: David Robertson is back on the podium with Bruckner’s titanic Symphony No. 7, along with Purcell’s Chacony in G minor and Luciano Berio’s Chorale (on Sequenza VIII) on Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19, 2011. Erin Schreiber is the violin soloist in the Berio. For more information you may call 314-534-1700, visit stlsymphony.org, like the Saint Louis Symphony Facebook page, or follow @slso on Twitter.

Sunday, November 06, 2011

Et in Arcadia Ego

Stèphane Denève

Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Stèphane Denève with pianist Eric Le Sage
What: Music of Schumann and Ravel
Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis
When: November 4 and 5, 2011

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If I had a plethora of laurel wreathes (is that the right collective noun?) to throw around I’d crown the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, guest conductor Stèphane Denève, and every member of Amy Kaiser's chorus with them for their joyous performance of Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé Friday night. The composer called it a "symphonie choréographique"; the choreographer Michael Folkine of the Ballets Russes, for whom it was written 100 years ago, called it a ballet; and nearly everyone since has called it Ravel’s greatest work. As performed by Mr. Denève and the orchestra, I call it a great success, with flawless solos, precise ensembles, and gorgeous sound overall.

Like Ravel, Mr. Denève has studied at the Paris Conservatoire. Unlike the composer (who was expelled), Mr. Denève graduated with honors and has gone on to make a name for himself as an exponent of French music. He certainly seemed to be right at home with Daphnis et Chloé, conducting with passion and, perhaps more importantly, impressive precision.

Precision matters because, for all its lush harmonies and brilliant orchestration (when was the last time you heard an alto flute solo?), the ballet is nevertheless very logically organized. The composer himself noted that it was "constructed symphonically according to a strict tonal play by the method of a few motifs, the development of which achieves a symphonic homogeneity of style." It’s a reminder the Ravel was, as Eric Salzman has noted, a classicist at heart.

With a running time of nearly an hour, Daphnis et Chloé is Ravel’s longest work and follows a very detailed scenario describing the courtship of the shepherdess Chloé by the goatherd Daphnis. A band of pirates kidnaps Chloé, but she’s rescued by Pan and all ends happily with an exuberant "Danse generale". The music is vividly descriptive of the stage action, so the decision to project a translation of the scenario on a screen in synch with the music added considerably to the experience. With very little effort, I could reconstruct the entire ballet “in my mind’s eye” (as Hamlet says). Pictures of what I assume to be sketches of Leon Bakst’s original Ballet Russes costumes were shown before the music started, which also helped to set the mood. The Symphony is making very creative use of their projection capabilities these days and doing so in ways that always enhance the music.

The concert opened with another Ravel ballet score, a far more modest orchestration of four movements from Schumann’s magnum opus Carnaval. The arrangement was made for a 1914 London performance by Ballets Russes star Vaslav Najinsky, who was attempting to form his own ballet company. Najinsky came down with the flu, the performance never happened, and the Carnaval arrangements had to wait until 1975 for a public performance. This weekend marked the first appearance in St. Louis.

I’d like to say the Schumann/Ravel Carnaval is an undiscovered gem, but in fact it felt more like “Ravel Lite”. The orchestration is modest and, aside from some witty moments in which the melody is tossed back and forth between sections in the final march, not terribly interesting. It got a first-class performance, though, and it did help set the musical stage for the big work of the first half, Schumann’s popular Piano Concerto in A Minor.

Eric Le Sage was the soloist for the Schumann. Making his local debut, the young French pianist has been hailed as something of Schumann expert, having recorded all of the composer’s piano output in a prize-winning series for the French Alpha label. His program bio notes that critics have praised “his very subtle sound and his real sense of structure and poetic phrasing”. If his performance of the concerto Friday night is any indication, the critics couldn’t be more accurate.

If your piano preferences run toward the flashy, this would not be the interpretation for you, but it might be one that Schumann would have admired. His intent was always to create a kind of symphony for piano and orchestra rather than the sort of virtuoso showpiece that he and his fellow contributors to the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik disdained, so I think he would have appreciated the way in which Mr. Le Sage’s pianism seamlessly integrated with the orchestra under Mr. Denève. This was an A Minor Concerto of chamber music–style intimacy and the kind of close, cooperative give and take that goes with it. I’m not completely persuaded by it, but there’s no denying that Mr. Le Sage and Mr. Denève made an awfully strong case for it.

All this fine work was done for a disappointingly small house on Friday. I realize that everyone (justifiably) loves it when Mr. Robertson in on the podium, but Mr. Denève is a very charismatic conductor who takes an obvious joy in his work. He’s part of long list of distinguished guest conductors that have appeared at Powell Hall over the years. They all deserve our support, as does the orchestra as a whole.

Next at Powell Hall: Jun Märkl is on the podium for more Ravel (La Valse), Strauss’s Death and Transfiguration, and Beethoven’s Concerto No. 5 (“Emperor”) with Horacio Gutiérrez at the keyboard. For more information you may call 314-534-1700, visit stlsymphony.org, like the Saint Louis Symphony Facebook page, or follow @slso on Twitter.

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

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 7, 2011

Updated Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Billy Elliot

The Fox Theatre presents Billy Elliot - the Musical through November 13. The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents the comedy Blithe Spirit November 11 through 20 in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618 939 7469.

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

Cannibal! The Musical!

Circle Mirror Transformation
©Photo by Lon Brauer

Muddy Waters Theatre Company presents Paula Vogel's How I Learned to Drive Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 20. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand at Olive in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-799-8399. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

The Hawthorne Players present the comedy I'm Not Rappaport Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 13. 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 Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

Murdering Marlowe

The West End Players Guild presents Charles Marowitz's Murdering Marlowe, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, November 11 through 20. “William Shakespeare is an aspiring playwright desperate to make his mark in London. The greatest obstacle to his success is the prominence of Christopher Marlowe, the 'superstar' of the Elizabethan theatre. This intriguing thriller explores the high price of envy, love and blind ambition, all played out among the familiar names of Shakespeare's day.” Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-367-0025 or visit westendplayers.org. The play is directed by 88.1 KDHX theatre critic Robert A. Mitchell.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the comedy Noises Off Thursday through Saturday at 8 PM, November 10 through 13. Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre of the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. For more information, call 314-821-9956 or visit ktg-onstage.org.

Act II Community Theater presents the musical Nunsense Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 13. Performances take place at The St. Peters Community and Arts Center, 1035 St. Peters-Howell Road in St. Peters, MO. For more information, call 636-219-0150 or email info at act2theater.com.

The Missouri History Museum presents The Black Rep and The St. Louis Actors' Studio production of Palmer Park Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 3 PM through November 20. The performances take place in the Lee Auditorium at the History Museum at Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park. For more information, you may visit mohistory.org or call (314) 361-9017. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

Clayton Community Theatre presents the drama A Piece of My Heart Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 8 PM, November 11 through 20. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

The Avalon Theatre Company presents Portrait Of My People Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM, November 12 and 13 and December 3 and 4. Performances take place in the ArtSpace at Crestwood Court. For more information, visit avalontheatre.org.

KTK Productions presents the comedy Same Time Next Year Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, November 11 through 20. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information, call 314-351-8984.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the comedy Social Security November 11 through 20. Performances take place in the Guild theatre at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, visit theaterguildwg.org or call 314-962-0876.

Family Musical Theatre presents A Song for Christmas November 10 through 20 at the Ivory Theatre, 7622 Michigan. For more information, visit familymusical.org or call 314-448-1436.

The Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble presents Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen Of Verona Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, November 10 through19, at The Black Cat Theater, 2810 Sutton Boulevard. For more information, visit slightlyoff.org or call (314) 827-5760.

Friday, November 04, 2011

Deep Thought

J.P. Viernes as Billy Elliot
Photo by Joan Marcus

What: Billy Elliot – the Musical
When: November 1–13, 2011
Where: The Fox Theatre, St. Louis

I’ve never seen Billy Elliot, the 1990 film on which Billy Elliot – the Musical is based, so I can’t say how effective lyricist and playwright Lee Hall has been in adapting his own screenplay to the stage. What I can say is that while the show has much to recommend it, including spectacular choreography and an attractive and often memorable score by Elton John, it ultimately fails to deliver on its dramatic promise. The story of Billy’s struggle to pursue his dream without betraying his family ought to be gripping but, at least on opening night, it was merely interesting.

It’s not as if there isn’t plenty of powerful material here. Set against the backdrop of the tragically failed 1984 Durham miners’ strike, the plot revolves around Billy’s discovery of his gift for dancing and his dream of auditioning for the Royal Ballet. Encouraged by Mrs. Wilkinson, the local dance teacher, Billy must overcome not only his father’s prejudices about the perceived lack of masculinity of his art but also the crippling economic barriers erected by the strike and the brutal campaign by Margaret Thatcher’s corporatist regime to crush both the strike and the union. Billy eventually gets his audition and much more, but not without paying a financial and moral price.

I think Mr. Hall’s book is at least partly responsible. It raises interesting questions about the conflict between the needs of the lucky gifted individual and those of the community as a whole and then sidesteps them, opting for what struck me as a somewhat shallow “feel-good” ending complete with a flashy company dance number and interminable curtain calls.

When, on the day of his departure for ballet school, Mrs. Wilkinson tells Billy to leave and never look back, wouldn’t this have been a good time for Billy to acknowledge the debt he owed to the community that raised him? When a “scab” miner donates hundreds of pounds to the fund for Billy’s audition trip to London, wouldn’t this have been an opportunity for the strikebreaker to acknowledge that it was compensation for his betrayal? The script’s great strength is that it raises provocative political and moral issues. Its great weakness is that it effectively punts them. Yes, the story can’t have the same resonance for an American audience that it had for a British one, but even so I feel it should have had more impact that it did.

The often-sluggish pace of the production was also an issue, at least on opening night. Some comic scenes were drawn out and milked for laughs, while other moments were sometimes prolonged past the point where dramatic tension had dissipated. The potential was there for both comedy and tragedy, but not enough of it was realized to prevent “Billy Elliot” from descending into tedium by the end of its three-hour running time

That’s a shame, since there are some truly exceptional performances in this Second National Tour production, starting with the ensemble. I know that protocol says I should start with the leading actors, but “Billy Elliot” is a show in which the ensemble does a lot of the heavy lifting. Peter Darling’s choreography is as inventive as it is complex, and the polished execution of his dances is a thing of beauty.

Perhaps the best example of this is “Solidarity”, which pits striking miners against police while juxtaposing their violent confrontation with the gentle dancing of the girls in Mrs. Wilkinson’s class. The intricate mingling of all three groups emphasizes the intrusion of violent conflict into the community’s daily life, while a bit in which the cops and miners exchange hats points out the way in which the strike divides the community. You could wind up wearing either hat; it’s just the luck of the draw. The dance demands precision timing and gets it.

Among the principals, J.P. Viernes shines in the title role. Despite his youth, he’s already something of a veteran in the part, having played it in Chicago, Toronto, and San Francisco. His assured work here is no surprise, therefore, but it’s still quite impressive. He alternates in the role with Ty Forhan, Kylend Hetherington, and Lex Ishimoto.

Leah Hocking shows both the “sod off” attitude and heart of gold of Mrs. Wilkinson, and matches both with fluid dance moves. Her big “Born to Boogie” number, in which she reminds Billy how fundamentally human the desire to dance really is, was a highlight. Patrick Wetzel is a hoot as her surprisingly agile dogsbody, Mr. Braithewaite.

Substituting for Patty Perkins on opening night, ensemble member Jillian Rees-Brown turned in a touching performance as Billy’s grandmother. “We’d Go Dancin’”, the song in which she remembers her late, unlamented husband,” was a fine solo turn. “I hated the sod – for thirty-three year,” she recalls, “but we’d go dancing, he was me own Brando / And for a moment there my heart was a’glow”. The accompanying choreography, with the entire male ensemble taking on the role of the young Grandpa, is simple but highly effective.

Rich Hebert’s Dad was clearly carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. His lament for his lost past and dim future, “Deep Into the Ground”, was moving. He was equally convincing in the character’s comic moments during the “backstage” sequence at Billy’s London audition. At the other end of the timeline, Jacob Zelonky was a comic dynamo as Billy’s friend Michael, cheerfully comfortable with both his love of cross-dressing and his emerging gayness. The entire subplot with Michael struck me as an irrelevant distraction, though.

Cullen R. Titmas was a powerful presence as Billy’s older brother Tony. Tony is the character who fully articulates the terrible cost of the failed strike, so Mr. Titmas’s strong performance was essential. It’s Tony, after all, who reminds us that while the realization of Billy’s dream is a cause for celebration, there are still 200,000 men who will soon be out of work and “they can’t all be dancers”. The question of whether it’s better to help one boy achieve greatness than to help many more lead average but fulfilling lives is one of many left on the table at the end of the evening.

The visual design elements of the show are first rate. Nicky Gillibrand’s costumes neatly highlight time, place, and character, while Ian MacNeil’s sets are models of efficiency, strongly delineating the different scenes while allowing for fluid shifts among them.

The traveling pit band sounded great. It was augmented by five local musicians: Mike Buerk and Rob Hughes in woodwinds, Nancy Schick on French horn, Andy Tichenor on trumpet, and Jay Hungerford on bass. The wind section is especially welcome, given the strong influence of the classic British brass band on Elton John’s score.

The quality of the amplified sound was, sadly, not up to the quality of either the instrumental or vocal performances. It was muddy at best and, when combined with the very realistic-sounding northern English accents of the cast, rendered much of the spoken and sung dialog incomprehensible. If you haven’t already familiarized yourself with the original cast recording, you’d be advised to do so before seeing this show.

Sight lines are also an issue. The false proscenium the tour uses is probably an unavoidable necessity given how many different spaces it has to play, but it greatly reduces visibility on either side of house center. You’ll want to bear that in mind when purchasing tickets.

That said, I think Billy Elliot – the Musical is worth seeing. Yes, it doesn’t always succeed, but when it fails, it does so in a way that’s interesting and thought provoking. Sometimes an ambitious failure is more compelling than a modest success. My wife and I were thinking and talking about the issues raised in Billy Elliot long after the show was over, which is more than I can say about some far more coherent plays in recent memory.

Billy Elliot – the Musical runs through November 13 at the Fox Theatre in Grand Center. Be aware that the show’s language is sometimes realistically frank, as its treatment of sexuality, so you’ll want to take that into account when deciding whether to bring your offspring. I’d say that by the time they’re Billy’s age (he’s 11 at the beginning of the show) they’re probably up for it, but your mileage may vary. In any case, you may visit fabulousfox.com or call 314-534-1678 for more information.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 31, 2001

Updated Friday, November 4, 2011

Billy Elliot

The Fox Theatre presents Billy Elliot - the Musical through November 13. The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678. 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 “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

Crestwood Booth Theatre presents Trey Parker's Cannibal! The Musical -- Live!!! through November 19. Performances take place at Crestwood ArtSpace, 109 Crestwood Plaza, Suite 134 - near the southeast mall entrance. For more information, visit www.Cannibal-STL.com or call the Cannibal! Hotline 314-662-0097.

Circle Mirror Transformation
©Photo by Lon Brauer

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Anne Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation Tuesdays through Sundays through November 13. Performances take place in the studio theatre 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!

The Regional Arts Commission presents Roberta Miles in her one-woman show An Evening With Roberta Miles Friday at 7:30 PM and Saturday at 8 PM, November 4 and 5. The Regional Arts Commission is at 6128 Delmar. For more information, visit www.miles-stl.com.

St. Louis Community College at Forest Park Theatre Department presents Freaks of the Cosmic Circus through Sunday, November 6. Performances take place in the Bastian Theatre on the campus at 5600 Oakland. For more information, call 314-644-9100.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage Tuesdays through Sundays through November 6. Performances take place on the main stage 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!

Winter Opera St. Louis presents Rogers and Hammerstein's A Grand Night for Singing Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 4 PM, November 4 and 6. Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

Gruesome Playground
Injuries

R-S Theatrics, an offshoot of Soundstage Productions, presents a fully staged production of Pulitzer Prize Finalist Rajiv Joseph's Gruesome Playground Injuries at 8 PM Fridays and Saturdays, and 7 PM Sundays through November 6. Performances take place in their art space at 214 Crestwood Court. For more information, you may email RSTheatrics at yahoo.com or call 314-968-8070. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

The Guru of Chai

Edison Theatre Ovations! presents The Guru Of Chai Friday and Saturday, November 4 and 5, at 8 PM. “In The Guru of Chai Jacob Rajan, co-founder of New Zealand's India Ink Theatre Company, gives voice to the world's largest democracy through a series of indelible characters - the mercurial chaiwallah (tea seller), the lovelorn policeman, the protection racketeers, the abandoned girl whose singing stops crowds in their tracks.” Performances take place in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information, call (314) 935-6543, e-mail edison at wustl.edu or visit edison.wustl.edu.

Missouri Baptist University presents the musical Guys And Dolls through Sunday, November 6. Missouri Baptist University is at One College Park Drive. For more information , visit mobap.edu or call 314-434-1115.

OnSite Productions presents Hit-Story by Carter Lewis November 4 through 20. The production is “set in Clayton's high-performance fitness center”, Sweat, at 8011 Maryland Avenue. For more information, visit onsitetheatre.org or call 314-686-0062.

Muddy Waters Theatre Company presents Paula Vogel's How I Learned to Drive Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, November 4 through 20. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand at Olive in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-799-8399.

The Hawthorne Players present the comedy I'm Not Rappaport Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sunday [November 13 only] at 2 PM, November 4 through 13. 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 Touhill Performing Arts Center presents The Improvised Shakespeare Company on Saturday, November 5. The Touhill Performing Arts Center is on the campus of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. For more information, visit touhill.org.

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

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the comedy Noises Off Thursday [November 10 only] through Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday [November 6 only] at 2 PM, November 4 through 13. Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre of the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. For more information, call 314-821-9956 or visit ktg-onstage.org.

Act II Community Theater presents the musical Nunsense Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, November 4 through 13. Performances take place at The St. Peters Community and Arts Center, 1035 St. Peters-Howell Road in St. Peters, MO. For more information, call 636-219-0150 or email info at act2theater.com.

Friday, October 28, 2011

The Old Ball Game

Amidst all the celebration of the St. Louis Cardinals 2011 World Series victory (our home team’s 11th), I’d like to pause to recognize a somewhat obscure theatrical connection.

The team the redbirds beat, the Texas Rangers, turned 50 this year. This was also their first World Series, so even though they lost, Rangers fans can take some joy in simply getting the pennant for the first time. What’s interesting from a theatrical perspective, though, is that the Rangers began life in 1961 under a different name: the Washington Senators.

That name should ring a bell for you fans of musical theatre. The Senators are the team that beats the “Damn Yankees” in the 1955 musical of the same. The show was the second hit for the songwriting team of Richard Adler and Jerry Ross (their first was The Pajama Game). It was also, sadly, their last as Ross died of chronic bronchiectasis before the show’s opening.

“But wait,” I hear you cry, “how could the Senators appear in a 1955 show if the team has only been around since 1961?” The answer is that there was an earlier Washington Senators team that started out life in Kansas City in 1894, moved to Washington D.C. in 1901 and then, in 1960, pulled up stakes and moved to Minneapolis, where they became the Twins. The revised Senators were set up as an expansion team in 1961 and stayed in our nation’s capital until they, too, up and left for Texas ten years later.

So while I’m happy that our home team copped yet another trophy, I have to admit it would have been somewhat fitting if the name of the hard luck team from Damn Yankees would finally, however indirectly, have been associated with a World Series victory. But, hey: that’s show biz.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 24, 2011

Updated Thursday, October 27, 2011

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

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

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

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The COCA Family Theatre Series presents Alice in Wonderland Friday through Sunday, October 28 - 30. COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Lindenwood University presents the musical Bat Boy: The Musical October 27 through November 4. Performances take place in the Emerson Black Box Theatre at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information, call 636-949-4433 or visit lindenwood.edu/center.

Unity Theatre Ensemble presents their “encore musical revue” The Best Of The Best Friday at 7:30 PM and Saturday at 3 and 7:30 PM, October 28 and 29. Performances take place at the Ivory Theatre, 7620 Michigan. For more information, call 314-355-3586.

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

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Anne Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation Tuesdays through Sundays, October 26 through November 13. Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage Tuesdays through Sundays through November 6. Performances take place on the main stage 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!

R-S Theatrics, an offshoot of Soundstage Productions, presents a fully staged production of Pulitzer Prize Finalist Rajiv Joseph's Gruesome Playground Injuries at 8 PM Fridays and Saturdays, and 7 PM Sundays, October 28 through November 6. Performances take place in their art space at 214 Crestwood Court. For more information, you may email RSTheatrics at yahoo.com or call 314-968-8070.

Hairspray

The Black Rep and Washington University Performing Arts Department present the musical Hairspray through October 30 in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information you may visit theblackrep.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

Marble Stage Theatre presents The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Saturdays at noon through October 29 at Marble Stage Theater, 426 Crestwood Mall Art Space. For more information, call 314-437-0846 or visit www.marblestage.org.

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

Marble Stage presents Night of the Living Dead Thursday through Sunday, October 27 through 30. Performances take place at Marble Stage's Crestwood Court Art Space. For more information, call 314-732-4003 or visit marblestage.org.

Topper Productions presents Christy Simmons in The Secret Life of Song, introducing the music of Don Kallembach, on Saturday, October 29, at 8 PM. Joining Christy on stage are Chloe Feoranzo (clarinet and saxophone), Dave Troncoso (bass), Clancy Newell (drums), and Christy's longtime friend and collaborator, Don Kallembach (piano). "The show introduces some extraordinary music, written by Kallembach, especially for this event." The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit brownpapertickets.com.

Love and Death

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Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Vasily Petrenko with piano soloist Olga Kern

What: Rachmaninoff, Chopin, and Elgar
Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis
When: October 21 - 23, 2011

Every artist has his or her “greatest hit” – a work with which he or she is uniquely identified. Think of Bogart’s Sam Spade, Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, or Rachmaninoff’s “Prelude in C-Sharp Minor”. The Russian composer’s “Isle of the Dead” – an impassioned performance of which opened this weekend’s St. Louis Symphony concerts - never made it to “greatest hit” status (the Symphony hasn’t performed it since 1976), but the painting that inspired it almost certainly was the most popular thing created by the Swiss Symbolist artist Arnold Böcklin. The stark landscape of an island necropolis towards which a white-robed figure is being rowed apparently struck a sympathetic chord over a century ago and is still compelling today. Böcklin painted five different versions of it (one of which was destroyed in World War II) in the 1880s, and reproductions were apparently common in an early 20th century Europe still reeling from war and influenza.

Dominated by the “Dies Irae” theme that shows up in so much of Rachmaninoff’s work, “Isle of the Dead” captures the ominous and majestic feel of the painting remarkably well, considering that the composer had seen only a black and white print of the original. A rocking 5/8 theme, suggestive of the sea and the boat, begins in the low strings and gradually takes over the orchestra. A more lyrical second theme (intended to represent the life force) rises in the strings about half way through, only to be beaten down by a series of relentless brass-and-percussion hammer blows. The piece ends with a return to the eternal sea.

Guest conductor Vasily Petrenko clearly knows this music inside out. He conducted a wonderfully evocative performance and was expressive but not indulgent, never losing the rhythmic pulse and sense of motion that keep the music (you should pardon the word) afloat. The orchestra always plays with great skill these days, of course, and they did so here as well.

Coming after the Romantic gloom of the Rachmaninoff, the crystalline beauty of Chopin’s “Piano Concerto No. 1” was a welcome contrast, especially when performed with such skill and feeling by soloist Olga Kern. I had cause to admire Ms. Kern’s technical proficiency when she did the Rachmaninoff “Paganini” Variations last year. This time around I was able to admire how that virtuosity is wedded to a keen musical sensibility. This was especially evident in the “Romanze” second movement, in which Ms. Kern’s nuanced and deeply felt performance brought out the sense of smiling through tears that is so characteristic of Chopin at his most lyrical.

Ms. Kern is a striking figure on the stage, particularly when decked out (as she was Saturday night) in a flowing “Cardinal red” strapless gown with black accents and, briefly, matching baseball cap for a brief “pre encore” of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”. Her actual encore was “Spinning Wheel”, a bit of virtuoso flash by Charles Lisberg, a Swiss composer unknown to me. Ms. Kern said that she found the work in a library some years ago. Her son fell in love with it, and she has been apparently using it as an encore on a regular basis ever since. Both the piece and the story behind it were charming.

The evening concluded with a rousing performance of a work that could probably be classed as one of Edward Elgar’s greatest hits, the “Enigma Variations”. Effectively a musical family album, the fourteen variations are vivid little sound portraits of Elgar, his wife, and his friends. Even a pet bulldog puts in an appearance.

The “Enigma” of the title, according to Elgar, refers to “another and larger theme” which is “not played”. The composer never revealed what that theme might be and speculation has been lively, but I’m inclined to go along with the school of thought that the “theme” to which Elgar referred wasn’t musical at all but rather the common thread of friendship and good humor that pervades the music.

Certainly that sense of joy and affection was apparent in Mr. Petrenko’s conducting the musicians’ playing. Choice solo passages abound in the “Enigma Variations” and the symphony players made the most of all of them. Mr. Petrenko’s interpretation was full-blooded and overflowing with that life force that gets beaten down so ruthlessly in “Isle of the Dead”, making it a perfect way to end the program.

Next at Powell Hall: the orchestra celebrates Halloween with the 1925 film Phantom of the Opera featuring an original score written and performed live by Rick Friend October 28 and 29, 2011. For more information you may call 314-534-1700, visit stlsymphony.org, like the Saint Louis Symphony Facebook page, or follow @slso on Twitter.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Casey at the Bat

Jack Norworth
Insert your own joke about
being married to Norah Bayes.

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As I’m writing this, everybody here in St. Louis has gotten World Series fever, the more acute version of the Pennant Fever everyone had while Just a Song at Twilight was enjoying a two-week run at the Missouri History Museum. Had I but known that was going to happen, I would have included that hymn to the National Pastime, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” in the show. Yes, it would have been pandering, but it would also have been a good fit. Here’s why.

To begin with, it’s a perfect example of one type of song that was central to the show: the old favorite for which everyone knows the chorus but almost nobody knows the verses. “Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis” is a prime example (not only are there verses, there are a total of six of them – possibly more that were never published), but “Take Me Out” is a close second.

There are two verses to “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” and while the chorus is the same both times, the verses pretty much completely change the intent of the song. Here they are, from an original copy of the 1908 sheet music gleaned from Indiana University’s IN Harmony collection:

Katie Casey was baseball mad,
Had the fever and had it bad;
Just to root for the home town crew, every sou Katie blew.
On a Saturday her young beau
Called to see if she'd like to go,
To see a show but Miss Kate said "no, I'll tell you what you can do:"

[Chorus]

Katie Casey saw all the games,
Knew the players by their first names;
Told the umpire he was wrong, all along good and strong.
When the score was just two to go,
Katie Casey knew what to do,
Just to cheer up the boys she knew,
She made the gang sing this song.

[Chorus]

Yep. In its original context it's a story song (as so many songs were a century ago) about a woman who is a die-hard baseball fan. And, like so many characters in songs of the Vaudeville era, she’s obviously Irish – a testament to how prominent Irish Americans had become in show business by then.

The other reason it would have been a good fit? Well, the music is by Albert von Tilzer. He and brother Harry (whom I reference in my opening monolog) were veritable hit song machines one hundred years ago. Albert’s list includes "(I'll Be With You) In Apple Blossom Time", "Oh By Jingo!", and "Put Your Arms Around Me Honey". His brother lays claim to "A Bird in a Gilded Cage", "Wait 'Til The Sun Shines Nellie", "I Want A Girl (Just Like The Girl That Married Dear Old Dad)", and a raft of others.

Even more interesting is that the lyrics are by Jack Norworth. That would be the same Jack Norworth who (as you’ll recall if you’ve seen the show) was the second of the five husbands of Vaudeville star Norah Bayes. He was definitely Second Banana to her when they were performing together, but after their divorce he went on to enjoy great success as both a performer and lyricist, eventually becoming an inductee in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Amusingly, “Take Me Out” was written the same year he married Bayes.

And, of course, it would have been a natural (if you’ll pardon the word) in the segment of the show that included “Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis” and “Under the Anheuser Bush”.

Anyway: go, Cards! Here’s a 1908 recording of “Take Me Out” by Edward Meeker, whose voice shows up on a large number of Edison cylinders. Grab some Buds, a Ballpark Frank, and enjoy.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

After the Ball is Over

Photo by Gerry Love

When somebody says goodbye to me
I’m sad as I can be.
Not so with this loving Romeo
He seemed to take a lot of pleasure saying bye-bye to his treasure.
- Gus Kahn, “Toot, Toot, Tootsie! (Goo’ Bye)”

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I wouldn’t say that it was a lot of pleasure saying good-bye to my one-man show Just a Song at Twilight, which just concluded an immensely satisfying two-week run at the Missouri History Museum on October 16, 2011 under the aegis of the West End Players Guild. The show was actually a great joy to perform and, judging from audience response, to watch. So while I’m glad to have my evenings back again, it’s hard not to feel a bit of a let down knowing that I won’t be putting on that top hat, white tie, and tails any time again in the foreseeable future.

But then, if you read the excellent blog post by West End’s indispensible president Renee Sevier-Monsey on the ephemeral nature of theatre, you won’t be surprised to learn that. No matter how strong the sense of accomplishment that goes along with a good show, all of us followers of Thespis know that, sooner or later, the ball will be over and it will be time to move on.

Before the dancers leave and the stars are gone, though, I’d like to offer a little background and some tips of the top hat to many of the folks who made Just a Song at Twilight possible. Because if there’s one thing that’s true about a one-man show, it’s this: it takes way more than one person to make it work.

First, thanks to my graphics designer Marjorie Williamson. She’s responsible not only for that classy poster (which also graced the cover of our program) but also for assembling the “lantern slides” (actually a PowerPoint deck) that I used within the body of the show to illustrate the songs and stories. We both spent hours combing the Internet for images, but the final product wouldn’t have looked as good as it did without her expertise.

Thanks to Renee Sevier-Monsey for wearing multiple bonnets as my house manager, lighting designer, and set designer. The lights nicely delineated the playing area without spilling on to the projections and the set was simple but inspired. There wasn’t much to it – just an art deco floor lamp (a “practical”, which means it could be turned on and off like a real lamp) in front of which was a nightclub table and two chairs set with two glasses of wine, a period-looking shawl, and a cigarette case. The idea was that the couple had just stepped out to the dance floor and might come back at any moment. It set the tone perfectly.

Thanks to my director Tim Schall for the cool tweaks he made to the show in tech week. Tim worked closely with me to develop the original cabaret version of Just a Song at Twilight. This time around he was only able to be on hand for one rehearsal, but his input at that rehearsal had a great impact on the final look of the show. The little “framing sequence” that began and ended the show to the tune of “Love’s Old Sweet Song” was his idea (and it was Renee’s set that inspired it).

Thanks to actor, singer, dancer and choreographer and long time friend Cindy Duggan for my dance moves. I’m not a dancer (unless you count all those years of aerobics and Zumba at the “Y”), but Cindy came up with some stuff that made me look good.

Thanks to my old friend Lynn Rathbone – a gifted actress and smart director – for her input and also to my fellow West End Board member Sean Ruprecht-Belt for his notes at our dress rehearsal.

Thanks to Neal Richardson of the Webster Conservatory for the great arrangements and charts. Neal (who is also a fan of the songs of the Vaudeville era) was deeply involved in the creation of the original version of the show and played piano for both the March and July 2010, performances at the Kranzberg Center. This time around his commitments to the Conservatory made that impossible (he’s the music director for their November production of Carousel), but his spirit was still very much in evidence.

And last but by no means least, thanks to my music director and pianist Carol Schmidt. When Tim learned that Neal wasn’t available, his first suggestion was to ask Carol to step in. It was a suggestion with which I heartily concurred. I had worked with Carol on the now-defunct Moonglow and Cabaret at the Café series, so I already knew she was not only a technically proficient music director but a lively and inventive performer as well. Her imagination kept the show fresh right up to the final performance. We always found something new and interesting to do with the show during our nightly sound checks.

I could go on at great length about the process of turning a small-scale cabaret act into something more like a staged Ken Burn documentary and my actually do so in a future post, but for now I’ll just say that the warmth and enthusiasm with which you, our audience, received our show each night made all of that effort worthwhile. Feel free to stay in touch with me here and on the West End Players Guild blog. Share your thoughts on the music and the performers of the Vaudeville era.

The ball may be over and dawn may be breaking, but the dance goes on.