Bright Lights, Big City

Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
What: City Lights
Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis
When: December 29 and 30, 2010

Referring to the ambiguous final frames of Charlie Chaplin's romantic comedy City Lights (Will the Blind Girl still love The Tramp now that her sight has been restored and she can see he's not the gentleman she thought him to be?), film archivist Reg Hartt noted "roughly 20% of every audience I have ever shown the film to needs to be left alone for about fifteen minutes when the picture ends." The enthusiastic applause that followed the movie and the orchestra's flawless live performance of the score made that kind of contemplation impractical at the time, but on the drive home it was possible to reflect on just how anarchically funny and oddly touching Chaplin's masterpiece still is nearly 80 years after its premiere.

Although talkies were already the rage by 1931, Chaplin kept City Lights voice free, convinced that The Tramp would be more of a universal character if he didn't speak. There's a soundtrack with music and synchronized sound effects—including one brilliant scene involving a swallowed whistle and a pack of dogs—but dialogue is still shown with silent film intertitles. It was a smart choice; without extraneous chat, Chaplin's brilliantly choreographed physical comedy takes center stage. The famous boxing sequence, in which Chaplin dances around Eddie Baker's hapless Referee in an effort to avoid Hank Mann's formidable Prizefighter, is just one of a sequence of comic set pieces that are so hilarious because they are so precise.

In classic auteur fashion, Chaplin produced, wrote, directed, and (for the first time) composed the music for City Lights. By contemporary standards the score is a bit lightweight, repeating a relatively small set of themes with little elaboration, but it serves the film extraordinarily well. Ever the perfectionist, Chaplin labored long and hard over very page. The finished product, in a 2004 performing edition by Timothy Brock, integrates so seamlessly with the on-screen action that, as Brock observed, spoken dialogue "would not only be repetitive but it would be counterproductive".

Performing a live score in synch with a film requires a degree of precision and attention to detail that Chaplin would have understood and which David Robertson and the St. Louis Symphony possess in abundance. The comedic moments were appropriately rambunctious, while the sentimental scenes—usually accompanied by a string quartet—were utterly charming. The whole experience was, in short, an aural and visual delight.

There's something oddly comforting in the realization that a film made so many decades ago can still enchant and entertain an audience in the Internet Age. St. Louisans have one more chance to experience that enchantment on Thursday, December 30th, at 7:30 PM. As a late holiday treat, it's hard to beat. City Lights runs just under 90 minutes and it's family friendly in the best sense of the term in that both kids and adults will find it entertaining. You can even bring your popcorn and drinks into the hall. For more information, call the box office at 314-534-1700 or visit the web site at stlsymphony.org.

Car Talk

Recently on the local theatre email lists there came a pause in the day’s preoccupation with the Kevin Kline Awards to inquire about a bumper sticker seen on many cars at theatrical performances.

Now I don’t have much use for bumper stickers as a tool of persuasion. Do any of you good folks really believe, for example, that the driver doing the Creepy Crawl behind you on I-64 is going to vote yes or no on Proposition Whatever based on the one-line call to action on the rear end of your vehicle? If so, I’ve got the bridge in New York I’d love to sell you, along with several shares in the Beefsteak Mines.

For this bumper sticker, however, I’ll make an exception. It broadcasts a call to action that I can really get behind. It’s the work of local actor and independent businessman Greg Johnston and it consists of four simple words: “Go see a play”.

Now I’ll grant you that, as an actor and theatre/music critic, I’m not entirely a neutral party here. But the fact is that going to see a play – any play, by any company in any theatre – produces benefits that go far beyond simply making the performers feel that all their work was not in vain.

To begin with, the vast majority of the plays (musical or non) on St. Louis stages are entirely local productions. The actors, techies, and backstage support folks are mostly your neighbors and – considering how difficult it is to make a living from acting here in Mound City – probably your co-workers as well.

There’s also a significant economic “ripple effect”, as anyone who has ever tried to get a table at Cyrano’s after a Repertory Theater of St. Louis performance can attest. Restaurants and bars near a theatre almost always see a spike in attendance before and after the show. Add in the other stuff a theatre company has to buy locally – props, costumes, set building materials, office supplies and the like – and the impact can be significant.

Money matters aside, though, the best reason you should go see a play is that there’s nothing quite as compelling as seeing and hearing real, live, non-virtual people on stage. When it’s live and in person, comedy is more hilarious, drama is more gripping, and musical theatre has a visceral impact that the best multi-channel sound system can’t quite deliver. It’s in 3D and you don’t need special glasses.

It won’t cost you an arm, leg, or other bodily appendage, either. While a prime seat for the latest Broadway hit at the Fox might set you back a pretty (or even homely) penny, the prices at the vast majority of local live theatres are closer to those at the local googleplex cinema, and the sound is a heck of a lot better.

Of course, you don’t have to take my word for this. You can check it out yourself. Take a look at my St. Louis Theatre Calendar at calendar.stageleft.org or on this here blog to see what I mean. Or check out the Regional Arts Commission’s searchable calendar at artszipper.com. “Life upon the wicked stage” (to quote Mr. Kern’s Showboat) is alive and well in St. Louis.

So turn off your TV, shut down your PC, and go out and see a play. You’ll have a great time. And you might even be able to get one of those cool bumper stickers.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 27, 2010

[Updated Thursday, December 30, 2010]

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

Everydaycircus Inc. performs shows hourly from 11 AM to 4 PM each weekend at City Museum, 701 N. 15th St. Shows are FREE with regular museum admission. (645-4445 or 231-CITY).

First Night, Grand Center's annual New Year's Eve celebration of the performing and visual arts, starts at 6 PM on Friday, December 31. In keeping with this year's theme, Fasta-sea, Grand Boulevard will be illuminated and animated in a colorful display of blue and green "aquarium" lights and projections. More than 150 performing and visual artists will participate, including magician Justin Kredible, storyteller Bobby Norfolk, and performers from The Imaginary Theatre Company, The Improv Trick, Upstream Theater, as well as cabaret artists Joe Dreyer and Rosemary Watts. The evening concludes with a fireworks display at midnight.  For more information, visit www.grandcenter.org/firstnight/

David Robertson

The St. Louis Symphony, conducted by David Robertson presents a New Year's Eve Concert on Friday, December 31, at 7:30 PM at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1700.  This is usually a very festive event which, according to the SLSO web site, will be "full of musical surprises".   One item you won't want to be surprised by: Grand will be closed from Lindell  to Delmar for First Night  (see above). The Veterans Administration parking lot across Delmar and the lot accessible from Samuel Shepard Drive are reserved for SLSO concertgoers at $10 per vehicle.  You'll need to present your concert tickets for admission into the lot.  You might want to arrive early and check out some First Night events before and/or after the concert.

Deck Us All

'Tis the season for joy and foolishness.  In that spirit, here are all the known verses of Walt Kelly's famous holiday carol, "Deck Us All With Boston Charlie", as published at pogopossum.com. Merry cripsness to all!

The cover of
Deck Us All With Boston Charlie
Simon and Schuster, 1963

First verse:

Deck us all with Boston Charlie,
Walla Walla, Wash., an' Kalamazoo!
Nora's freezin' on the trolley,
Swaller dollar cauliflower alley-garoo!

Don't we know archaic barrel,
Lullaby Lilla boy, Louisville Lou?
Trolley Molly don't love Harold,
Boola boola Pensacoola hullabaloo!


Second verse:

Bark us all bow-wows of folly,
Polly wolly cracker n' too-da-loo!
Hunky Dory's pop is lolly gaggin' on the wagon,
Willy, folly go through!

Donkey Bonny brays a carol,
Antelope Cantaloup, 'lope with you!
Chollie's collie barks at Barrow,
Harum scarum five alarum bung-a-loo!


Third verse:

Duck us all in bowls of barley,
Hinky dinky dink an' Polly Voo!
Chilly Filly's name is Chollie,
Chollie Filly's jolly chilly view halloo!

Bark us all bow-wows of folly,
Double-bubble, toyland trouble! Woof, Woof, Woof!
Tizzy seas on melon collie!
Dibble-dabble, scribble-scrabble! Goof, Goof, Goof!


Third and on-half verse:

Tickle salty boss anchovie
Wash a wash a wall Anna Kangaroo
Ducky allus bows to Polly,
Prolly Wally would but har'ly do!

Dock us all a bowsprit, Solly --
Golly, Solly's cold and so's ol' Lou!

A Major Award

[Amidst the brouhaha over the Kevin Kline Awards discussed in my last post, some welcome jocularity from A Major Player in the local cabaret scene.  Tim Schall originally posted this to some local theatre email lists.  I'm publishing it here with his permission.]

New St. Louis Awards for Cabaret Performers Announced

A Major Award

St. Louis Area Cabaret Awards, a.k.a. “The SLACAs” (please don’t pronounce it “the slackers” - we will be offended), light up the St. Louis arts scene. New eligibility criteria for 2011:

• A performer must do at least one public performance of a minimum of 45 minutes in length, and not to exceed 2.5 hours. If performance exceeds 2.5 hours, for god sake, include an intermission so people can pee.
• Total audience attendance must be a minimum of 5 paying customers (not to include the comps you gave to your family, friends and some recent trick you picked up)
• Performer must sing at least 2 songs by Cole Porter, one of which must include the “lost lyrics” recently discovered in a trunk in a warehouse in Secaucus, New Jersey.
• You must say witty, enlightening facts about songs, composers and famous performers and make it look like you didn’t just lift them from a Michael Feinstein DVD.
• You must pay your light/sound person at least 4 times what you make in profit
• Eligible venues include The Kranzberg, The Bistro and any church basement that doesn’t smell too musty.
• Your “thank yous” at the end of the show, must be at least as long as your first two numbers and include the maintenance staff and ladies in the kitchen (if applicable).

Tim Schall, often accused of jump-starting the local cabaret movement, says, “I have been a SLACA all my life and maybe, just maybe, now I can be publicly recognized for the consummate (or is that ‘consummated?’) SLACA that I truly am! A great day has come to St. Louis!”

Dates for the first SLACA ceremony to be announced in 2011.

Please note: None of the above is true...well, mostly not true.

De-Kline and Fall

http://www.cafepress.com/dd/18488257

Those of you active in the St. Louis theatre scene are probably aware of a recent dustup with the Professional Theatre Award Council (PTAC), a local non-profit formed in 2004 “to promote and celebrate excellence in St. Louis professional theatre”. It has done this primarily by mounting a local theatre awards show, The Kevin Kline Awards, a fact reflected in the domain name of the PTAC web site, kevinklineawards.org.

The dustup is the result of new changes in PTAC membership requirements. You can find the details in what strikes me as a very fair-minded article on the subject at the St. Louis Post Dispatch web site, but the essence of the new requirements is that companies are expected to pay more - in some cases quite a bit more - to actors, designers, and (especially) directors if they wish to remain members.

The dollar amounts aren't large on an absolute scale, but for many small groups operating on shoestring budgets and without well-heeled board members and/or the institutional connections that bring large corps of volunteers and interns, they're prohibitive.

To me, the biggest problem with PTAC is that there appears to be a disconnect between its mission statement (as quoted above) and the actual administration of the organization. Over the years, the awards ceremony and the associated infrastructure of judging and voting have become the nearly exclusive focus of the group. Direct promotion of local theatre has rather fallen by the wayside.

This isn't unique to them, of course. Many non-profits, in my experience, tend to experience a kind of reverse mission creep (call it "mission drift", if you will) in which the organization slowly loses touch with its original goals.

That's not necessarily bad as long as the mission statement and the actual behavior are brought into congruence. Maybe PTAC just needs to rewrite that statement to redefine itself as an organization for the advancement of professional theatre as defined by pay scales and/or Equity membership.  Should they continue to exist the KK awards might then, with some tinkering, become a way to acknowledge the work of local union actors and designers.

None of that would raise awareness of theatre in St. Louis or attract audiences who aren't already regulars at local theatres, but maybe another organization could be formed (or an existing one expanded) to accomplish that. That organization could concentrate on ways to expand the audience for live theatre (Equity or otherwise) with media buys, community outreach programs, and the like. Companies could pool their expertise and look for ways to help each other and theatre in general.

It's worth a try, I would think.  Pretty much every live theatre company in town wants to put more butts in seats, and I think we stand a better chance of accomplishing that if we all work together.  This is one of those cases where a rising tide really would lift all boats.

The St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 20, 2010

[Updated Thursday, December 23, 2010]

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

Holidaze

The Fox Theatre presents Cirque Dreams Holidaze, a circus-based holiday musical, December 21 through 29. The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678. Don't be misled by the title, by the way. Florida-based franchise Cirque Dreams has no connection with Cirque de Soleil. Reviewing their Jungle Fantasy show last year, I described it as (to paraphrase J. Michael Straczynski) little more than Cirque du Soleil with the serial numbers filed off. Your mileage may vary.

Everydaycircus Inc. performs shows hourly from 11 AM to 4 PM each weekend at City Museum, 701 N. 15th St. Shows are FREE with regular museum admission. (645-4445 or 231-CITY).

"Last of the Red Hot Mamas";
photo by John Lamb

New Jewish Theatre presents The Last Of The Red Hot Mamas, based on the life of Sophie Tucker, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 8 PM, and Sundays at 2 and 7:30 PM through December 26. Performances take place at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the JCCA, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, call 314-442-3283. I just got back from seeing this and all I can say is: wow. Just wow. OK, I can also say congratulations to Christy Simmons for a spectacular performance in an incredibly demanding role as Sophie and also to every other member of this terrific cast. And what great songs! I thought I knew this period well but there were numbers here that were new to me. I love it when that happens.

"Over the Tavern"
© Photo by Jerry Naunheim Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy Over the Tavern Tuesdays through Sundays through December 26. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925. The show boats a terriffic cast. The script's darker corners reminded me of why the Catholic Church and I parted company decades ago, but given the excessive doses of sugar in most staged holiday treats, I find the twist of lemon in Dudzick's script to be welcome.

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

Ghost Writer

Say what you will about Facebook, there are times when it’s extraordinarily useful. If it weren’t for Mark Zuckerberg’s mammoth marketing machine, for example, I might never have found out about a recent Vanity Fair article by Teller (of Penn and…) about the late Harry Houdini. The piece made me sigh and wish that Harry Houdini had not died so young.

During his brief life – he died on Halloween, 1926, at the age of 52 – Houdini was many things: magician, historian, aviator and even (according to a recent biography by William Kalush and Larry Sloman), spy. Uncritical reports of hauntings, however, inevitably call to my mind the role that consumed most of his final decade: debunker of phony Spiritualist mediums.

An ostensibly Christian religious movement whose practitioners claimed the ability to communicate with the deceased and to act as living bridges between this world and The Other Side (usually for a price), Spiritualism included, by the 1920s, many of the rich and famous in its ranks. Séances, it was said, were even taking place in the Coolidge White House.

Against such formidable enemies, Houdini brought his legendary pugnacity, a fortune of his own, and an encyclopedic knowledge of all forms of illusion and deception. Try as they might, mediums generally discovered that when Houdini was in charge of the séance, the spirit voices, tapping tables, and ectoplasm were suddenly in short supply. Houdini relentlessly exposed their tricks on stage and, finally, in hearings before the US Congress.

Alas, it was a losing battle. The drain on his finances and health eventually became too much. Following assaults backstage at the Princess Theatre and again later in his hotel lobby by men who may or may not have been Spiritualist agents, Houdini suffered a ruptured appendix and died.

Today, Spiritualism is almost as dead as Houdini, but many its hustles and frauds have been picked up by mainstream culture. From the Psychic Friends Network to SciFi Channel’s Ghost Hunters to James Van Praagh and his fellow “ghost whisperers”, popular media seem chockablock with the same purveyors of the preternatural against whom Houdini fought so valiantly. The words may change, but the melody – or is that malady? – remains the same.

Really, you’d think we’d know better by now. It’s not like we don’t have contemporary hoax busters – the aforementioned Penn and Teller come immediately to mind, as does James Randi. Maybe the problem is that they’re just not as charismatic as Houdini was. Maybe we’re just not paying that much attention because having conversations with the loquacious deceased is no longer the idiocy of choice amongst the Rich and Infamous, its place having been taken by making pornographic videos or starting wars, as the case may be.

Or maybe our scientific illiteracy has reached the point where we can no longer tell fact from fiction or understand the difference between that which is strongly believed vs. that which can be empirically verified. If so, it does not bode well for our survival as a species. Many challenges await us, and we’ll need all the reason and real world knowledge we can summon to meet them.

Where’s Houdini when we really need him?

The St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 13, 2010

Updated Wednesday, December 15, 2010

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

"As Bees in Honey Drown";
photo by Johh Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the satirical As Bees In Honey Drown Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through December 18. There will be a matinee on the closing Saturday at 2 PM in addition to the evening show. Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, call 314-865-1995.

Echo Theatre Company presents the St. Louis premiere of the comedy Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake) Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM, through December 19. Performances take place in Theatre 134 in the ArtSpace at Crestwood Court, 134 Crestwood Plaza. For more information, call 314-225-4329.

Bobby Norfolk

Beverly Brennan

Jim Dolan and Beverly Brennan present A Double Header, a program of two one-person shows, on Sunday, December 19, at 3 PM. The shows are Shadowball: The Negro Baseball Leagues, starring Bobby Norfolk and St. Louie Woman, starring singer and pianist Beverly Brennan. The performances take place at The Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-968-2606 or 314-614-9880.  Beverly is a veteran of the theatre and cabaret scene locally, and as the daughter of famed baseball announcer Jack Buck I would think she has a natural affinity for the stories Mr. Norfolk will be telling.  Jim Dolan, as most of you will know, is the man behind The Presenters Dolan and a major force in the exploding cabaret scene here in St. Louis.

Everydaycircus Inc. performs shows hourly from 11 AM to 4 PM each weekend at City Museum, 701 N. 15th St. Shows are FREE with regular museum admission. (645-4445 or 231-CITY).

The Improv Trick presents A Festivus Carol: O Come All Ye Playful Friday and Saturday at 7:30 and 10 PM, December 17 and 18. Performances take place at the Ivory Theatre, 7620 Michigan. For more information, call 314-631-8330.

Black Cat Theatre presents A Holiday Cabaret Thursday through Sunday, December 16 through 19. Performers include The Dave Venn Quartet, Nancy Kranzberg, and Joe Dreyer and Rosemary Watts. For more information, visit blackcattheatre.org.

"Last of the Red Hot Mamas";
photo by John Lamb

New Jewish Theatre presents The Last Of The Red Hot Mamas, based on the life of Sophie Tucker, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 8 PM, and Sundays at 2 and 7:30 PM through December 26. Performances take place at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the JCCA, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, call 314-442-3283. I haven't seen the show yet (I have tickets for the final week - everything earlier is sold out), but this is right up my alley musically. Besides, I've done shows with both Christy Simmons and Johanna Elkana-Hale (who play two of the three incarnations of Tucker in the show) and I know they're darned talented ladies.

"The Nutcracker"
© Photo by Eric Woolsey

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis's Imaginary Theatre Company presents a new musical adaptation of The Nutcracker Saturday, Monday and Tuesday at 11 AM and 2 PM, December 18, 20, and 21. The show features music and lyrics by Neal Richardson of the Webster Conservatory faculty. Performances take place in the Heagney Theatre at_ Nerinx Hall High School, just behind the Rep in Webster Groves. For more information, call 314-968-4925. ITC has been a purveyor of quality children's theatre in St. Louis for many years and Neal's musical talent is protean.

The Young People's Theatre of St. Charles Community College presents The Nutcracker Friday at 7 PM, Saturday at 2 and 7 PM, and Sunday at 6:30 PM, December 17 through 19. Performances take place in the Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building theater on the campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO. For more information, call 636-922-8233, or visit www.stchas.edu/calendar.

"Over the Tavern"
© Photo by Jerry Naunheim Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy Over the Tavern Tuesdays through Sundays through December 26. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925. The show boats a terriffic cast. The script's darker corners reminded me of why the Catholic Church and I parted company decades ago, but given the excessive doses of sugar in most staged holiday treats, I find the twist of lemon in Dudzick's script to be welcome.

Upstream Theatre presents a staged reading of Coleridge's The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, December 18 and 19. Performances take place at 305 South Skinker. For more information call 314-863-4999. Admission is free.

"Slasher"

HotCity Theatre presents the satirical comedy Slasher Thursdays and Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 3 and 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM through December 18. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314.289.4060 or visit hotcitytheatre.org.

"The Sunshine Boys"

The St. Louis Actors' Studio presents the Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys through December 19 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org. I haven't seen the show, but it's got to be a delight to see a couple of old pros like Whit Richert and Joneal Joplin doing a surefire Simon script.

"This Wonderful Life"

Dramatic License Productions presents This Wonderful Life, the one-man show based on the classic film It's a Wonderful Life, starring Alan Knoll. Performances take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through December 19. For more information, call 636-220-7012.

The St. Louis area theatre calendar for the week of December 6, 2010

Updated Monday, December 6, 2010

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

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through December 12. Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium on the Webster University campus. Fore more information, call 314-968-7128.

Union Avenue Opera presents Menotti's Amahl And The Night Visitors Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 5 PM, and Sunday at 3 PM, December 10 through 12. Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-361-2881.

"As Bees in Honey Drown";
photo by Johh Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the satirical As Bees In Honey Drown Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through December 18. There will be a matinee on the closing Saturday at 2 PM in addition to the evening show. Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, call 314-865-1995.

Bistro Cabaret presents Ben Norstrom's solo cabaret show, with Neal Richardson as pianist and music director, December 9, at 8 PM. The performance takes place at The Bistro at Grand Center. For more information, call 314-954-7257 or visit bistrocabaret.com.

Carol Schmidt

The Garden of Life Spiritual Center presents A Christmas Cabaret featuring vocalists Deborah Sharn, Tim Schall and Robert Breig, on Sunday, December 12, at 4 PM. Carol Schmidt is pianist and music director for the show, which also features Ric Vice on bass. The Garden of Life Spiritual Center is at 9525 Eddie and Park Road. For more information, call 636-489-8472.

The Fox Theatre presents The Nebraska Theatre Caravan's musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol Thursday and Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 1 and 6 PM, December 9 through 12. The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1111.

Echo Theatre Company presents the St. Louis premiere of the comedy Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake) Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM, through December 19. Performances take place in Theatre 134 in the ArtSpace at Crestwood Court, 134 Crestwood Plaza. For more information, call 314-225-4329.

Everydaycircus Inc. performs shows hourly from 11 AM to 4 PM each weekend at City Museum, 701 N. 15th St. Shows are FREE with regular museum admission. (645-4445 or 231-CITY).

The Brass Rail Players present the holiday comedy Inspecting Carol. Performances take place through December 12 at the Lindenwood University Premier Center For The Arts In Belleville, Il. For more information, visit brassrailplayers.org.

"Last of the Red Hot Mamas";
photo by John Lamb

New Jewish Theatre presents The Last Of The Red Hot Mamas, based on the life of Sophie Tucker, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 8 PM, and Sundays at 2 and 7:30 PM through December 26. Performances take place at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the JCCA, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, call 314-442-3283.

The COCA Family Theatre Seriespresents the Ballet Eclectica production of The Little Dancer: An American Tour Friday at 7 PM, Saturday at 2 and 5 PM, and Sunday at 1:30 PM, December 10 through 12. COCA, The Center of Creative Arts, is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call 314-725-6555.

Lindenwood University's J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts presents the The Nick of Time Players Improv Show on Tuesday, December 7 at 7:30 PM, in the Emerson Black Box Theater. The Scheidegger Center is on the Lindenwood campus in St Charles MO. For more information, visit lindenwoodcenter.com.

"Over the Tavern"
© Photo by Jerry Naunheim Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy Over the Tavern Tuesdays through Sundays through December 26. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925.

The Washington Avenue Players Project and Black Cat Theatre present David Lindasy-Abaire's drama Rabbit Hole Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through December 11. Performances take place at the Black Cat Theatre, 2810 Sutton in Maplewood. For more information call 314-781-8300.

The NonProphet Theater Company presents Reckless by Craig Lucas Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 5 PM through December 12. Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. For more information, call 636-236-4831 or email nonprophetshows at yahoo.com.

"Slasher"

HotCity Theatre presents the satirical comedy Slasher Thursdays and Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 3 and 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM through December 18. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314.289.4060 or visit hotcitytheatre.org.

"The Sunshine Boys"

The St. Louis Actors' Studio presents the Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys through December 19 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

Dramatic License Productions presents This Wonderful Life, the one-man show based on the classic film It's a Wonderful Life, starring Alan Knoll. Performances take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through December 19. For more information, call 636-220-7012

Windsor Theatre Group presents Vaudeville Christmas, featuring magic, comedy, juggling and seasonal music, Fridays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 PM, and Sundays at 2 PM through December 10. Performances take place in the ArtSpace at Crestwood Court. For more information, call 314-632-2114 or visit windsortheatregroup.com.

The art of rock and roll

Who: Barb Jungr and Simon Wallace
What: The Men I Love: the New American Songbook
Where: Cabaret St. Louis at the Kranzberg Center
When: December 1 through 4, 2010

In cabaret's house (to paraphrase John 14:2) are many mansions. If the show British singer Barb Jungr and her gifted pianist and music director Simon Wallace chose for their first St. Louis appearance is any indication, one of those mansions bears a strong resemblance to Graceland. Ms. Jungr brings a classic rocker sensibility to the art of cabaret, complete with grand gestures, heart-on-the sleeve sentiment, and a sense of humor as earthy as it is genuine.

A multitalented performer and songwriter with a raft of CDs to her credit (including Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Nina Simone tributes), Ms. Jungr's approach to cabaret is miles away from that of more traditional artists. It is, however, no less appealing for all that. If her presence on the stage was an indication that Cabaret St. Louis is wiling to venture outside of the tried and true, that can only be a good thing in my book.

Speaking of books, Ms. Jungr's new American songbook picks up, chronologically, about where the Great American Songbook leaves off: in the 1960s. It includes hit makers like Todd Rundgren, Bruce Springsteen, and Neil Diamond, as well as lesser lights such as Felice and Boudleaux Bryant. The subject matter ranges from mournful country ballads like Hank Williams's "Lost on the River" to "Lust for Life", Iggy Pop's raunchy celebration of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. And it was all arranged and performed in a way that was often unexpected and even revelatory.

Dylan's "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere", for example, was given a bluesy boogie treatment. Rundgren's pop hit "The Light in Your Eyes" was turned into a ballad—as was Diamond's Monkees monster "I'm a Believer", with a bit of soul tossed into the mix for good measure. Ms. Jungr even managed to make the David Byrne/Brian Eno hit "Once in a Lifetime" sound like it was actually about something other than clever wordplay which, in my view, is more than Talking Heads ever did.

With its pop trappings removed and tempo slowed down, Paul Simon's "My Little Town" was revealed as a bleak little memento mori. Ditto Bruce Springsteen's "The River", particularly in Ms. Jungr's painfully and appropriately direct performance. Fortunately for everyone's mental health, she followed that up with an engaging sing-along version of the Andy Williams hit "Can't Get Used to Losing You" and a raucous rendition of another Neal Diamond classic, "Red Red Wine".

Throughout the evening, Mr. Wallace was a sympathetic and smart presence at the piano. A composer in his own right with many film and TV scores to his credit (to say nothing of over 350 songs written with St. Louis's own Fran Landesman), Mr. Wallace was not so much Ms. Jungr's accompanist as her partner. A good music director is always a collaborator, of course, but the collaboration is not always as apparent as it was here.

All that being said, I did have a few reservations about the show. The evening was a bit ballad heavy, for one thing – not surprising, given Ms. Jungr's admission early on that she's known as someone who sings sad songs slowly. Her genuinely funny patter acted as a mitigating factor, though, so there was no danger that we would weep into our wine. Her big rock star stage presence also took a bit of getting used to, as did the fact that she often needed to consult her notes. Still, when all was said and done, she made it work - and that's really the bottom line.

For information on upcoming cabaret shows at the Kranzberg Center, visit the Cabaret St. Louis site at cabaretstl.org and the Presenters Dolan site at presentersdolan.com. To find out where Ms. Jungr's travels will take her next, visit barbjungr.co.uk.

The St. Louis Theatre Calendar for the week of 29 November, 2010

Updated Thursday, December 2

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

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, December 1 through 12. Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium on the Webster University campus. Fore more information, call 314-968-7128.

"As Bees in Honey Drown";
photo by Johh Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the satirical As Bees In Honey Drown Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, December 2 through 18. There will be a matinee on the closing Saturday at 2 PM in addition to the evening show. Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, call 314-865-1995.

Barb Jungr

Cabaret St. Louis presents Barb Jungr in The Men I Love: The New American Songbook Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM, December 1 through 4. “With rave reviews internationally and two New York awards (2008 Nightlife Award for Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist and Best International Artist 2003 Backstage Award), Barb Jungr is renowned for her unique vocal style, approach to arrangements and interpretation of song.” Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1111 or visit cabaretstl.org.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents their holiday fundraiser The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Thursday through Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, December 2 through 5. Performances take place at 517 Theatre Lane, at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves. For more information, call 314-962-0876.

Lindenwood University's J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts presents A Christmas Carol Thursday through Saturday, December 2 through 4, at 7:30 PM in the Bezemes Family Theater. The Scheidegger Center is on the Lindenwood campus in St Charles MO. For more information, visit lindenwoodcenter.com.

Echo Theatre Company presents the St. Louis premiere of the comedy Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake) Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM, December 3 through December 19. Performances take place in Theatre 134 in the ArtSpace at Crestwood Court, 134 Crestwood Plaza. For more information, call 314-225-4329.

Everydaycircus Inc. performs shows hourly from 11 AM to 4 PM each weekend at City Museum, 701 N. 15th St. Shows are FREE with regular museum admission. (645-4445 or 231-CITY).

The Crestwood/Kirkwood Youth Theatre presents the musical Hairspray Thursday through Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, December 2 through 5. Performances take place at the Robert G. Reim Theater in Kirkwood Community Center. Call 314-822-5855 for more information.

The Brass Rail Players present the holiday comedy Inspecting Carol. Performances take place December 2 through 12 at the Lindenwood University Premier Center For The Arts In Belleville, Il. For more information, visit brassrailplayers.org.

"Last of the Red Hot Mamas";
photo by John Lamb

New Jewish Theatre presents The Last Of The Red Hot Mamas, based on the life of Sophie Tucker, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 8 PM, and Sundays at 2 and 7:30 PM, December 1 through 26. Performances take place at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the JCCA, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, call 314-442-3283.

Dance St. Louis presents The Joffrey Ballet production of the holiday classic The Nutcracker Thursday and Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 1 and 6 PM, December 2 through 5. Performances take place at the Fox Theatre, 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-6622.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy Over the Tavern Tuesdays through Sundays, December 1 through 26. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925.

The Washington Avenue Players Project and Black Cat Theatre present David Lindasy-Abaire's drama Rabbit Hole Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, December 2 through 11. Performances take place at the Black Cat Theatre, 2810 Sutton in Maplewood. For more information call 314-781-8300.

The NonProphet Theater Company presents Reckless by Craig Lucas Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 5 PM, December 3 through 12. Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. For more information, call 636-236-4831 or email nonprophetshows at yahoo.com.

"Slasher"

HotCity Theatre presents the satirical comedy Slasher Thursdays and Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 3 and 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM, December 3 through18. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314.289.4060 or visit hotcitytheatre.org.

Tim Schall

Cabaret artist and director Tim Schall presents Songbook Sundays: Gershwin, the first in a series of cabaret programs celebrating the composers and lyricists of the Great American Songbook, on December 5 at 7 PM. Joe Dreyer is pianist and music director for the show, which takes place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/138020.

The St. Louis Actors' Studio presents the Neil Simon's The Sunshine Boys December 3 through 19 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

Dramatic License Productions presents This Wonderful Life, the one-man show based on the classic film It's a Wonderful Life, starring Alan Knoll. Performances take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, December 2 through 19. For more information, call 636-220-7012

Windsor Theatre Group presents Vaudeville Christmas, featuring magic, comedy, juggling and seasonal music, Fridays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 PM, and Sundays at 2 PM through December 10. Performances take place in the ArtSpace at Crestwood Court. For more information, call 314-632-2114 or visit windsortheatregroup.com.

Isn't it romantic?

Who: Steve Ross
What: Rhythm and Romance
Where: The Kranzberg Center, St. Louis
When: November 26 and 27, 2010

Renowned cabaret artist Steve Ross has a long and happy relationship with St. Louis, going back to the early days of the Grandel Cabaret Series. He was one of the first performers to be featured by Jim Dolan's Presenters Dolan organization when it got off the ground several years ago, and he even made a special trip to Mound City this past February to participate in a tribute cabaret for the late Chris Jackson. It's only appropriate, then, that he chose our fair city for a trial run of his latest show, Rhythm and Romance, which opens a three-week run at the Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room in January. Judging from the audience response, it was a good choice.

If you've seen Mr. Ross before, you already know that he's the very personification of savoir faire: a graceful, elegant, and charming performer in the mold of Noel Coward, whose green velvet smoking jacket (or, as he refers to it, his "non-smoking jacket") he now wears, courtesy of the Noel Coward society. Even when Mr. Ross made the occasional musical misstep (perhaps inevitable with a new show), his love of the material and his ability to connect with the audience carried him through and earned him a standing ovation at the end.

The evening opened with a lively medley combining the title song with Jimmy McHugh and Ted Koehler's "Spreadin' Rhythm Around" (both introduced in 1935 by Ella Fitzgerald and "Fats" Waller, respectively) and bits of Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" and "Fascinatin' Rhythm". Mr. Ross followed that up with a set about seduction (Flanders and Swann's droll "Have Some Madeira, M'Dear") and marriage both sentimental (Kander and Ebb's "Married" and Kern and Hammerstein's "The Folks Who Live on the Hill") and sarcastic (Rodgers and Sondheim's "We're Gonna Be All Right", from Do I Hear a Waltz?).

The rest of the show continued in a similar vein, examining the varieties of romance, both comic and tragic. There was, as you might expect, plenty of Porter and Coward, but there was also Jacques Brel's dark "Fanette and I" and Ivor Novello's "And Her Mother Came Too", a comic look at a true "helicopter parent". There was even a set on the romance of travel, with Bob Merrill's rarely-heard "Mira" (from Carnival!) and a pair of Coward gems: "Sail Away" (from the 1960 flop of the same name) and, from 1955, the rudely hilarious "A Bar on the Piccola Marina", about the sexual awakening of the formerly staid Mrs. Wentworth Brewster.

As always, Mr. Ross intertwined the music with erudite and amusing commentary on the songs and their creators. Did you know, for example, that Noel Coward's wistful waltz ballad "Some Day I'll Find You" was the theme song for the long-running radio and early TV detective show Mr. Keene, Tracer of Lost Persons?* Or that Mr. Coward (who was a close friend of Cole Porter) responded to questions about a 1962 trip to a clinic for "rejuvenation shots" of sheep hormones by quipping "I've got ewe under my skin"?

Well, now you do.

If there's one lyricist who understood both the rhapsody and rue of romance, that would surely be the late Lorenz Hart, so it's only appropriate that Mr. Ross's show featured a generous helping of Rodgers and Hart numbers, including "My Romance" (from Jumbo, 1935) and "Glad to Be Unhappy" (On Your Toes, 1936). The set was punctuated by some dry-eyed looks at romance form Dorothy Parker – also very appropriate in a show destined for the Algonquin, where Ms. Parker was a regular guest at the fabled literary Round Table.

The show concluded with Mr. Ross's trademark Edith Piaf instrumental medley, followed by an encore that briefly recapped "Rhythm and Romance" and then segued into an affecting rendition of the 1934 classic "For All We Know". And a splendid time was had by all.

For more information on the peripatetic Mr. Ross, visit his web site at steveross.net. For more information on upcoming cabaret shows at the Kranzberg Center, visit The Presenters Dolan at presentersdolan.com and the Cabaret St. Louis site at cabaretstl.org.

*Or, for you Bob and Ray fans, Mr. Trace, Keener Than Most Persons.

The Homecoming

Leonard Slatkin

Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
What: Olga Kern plays Rachmaninov; Leonard Slatkin Conducts Arvo Pärt and Prokofiev
Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis
When: November 26 - 28, 2010

Former Music Director Leonard Slatkin, who led the St. Louis Symphony during what was possibly its period of highest international visibility, made a triumphant return visit to Powell Hall this weekend. He led the band he referred to as "my family" and glamorous virtuoso pianist Olga Kern in a highly satisfying program. There was a sublime Fratres by Arvo Pärt, starring the symphony strings; rapid-fire Rachmaninov with the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini; and a highly charged reading of Prokofiev's powerful Symphony No. 5. There was even a quirky encore at the end.

Originally composed in 1977 and revised several times since, Pärt's Fratres exists in 15 different orchestrations, the most popular of which – for claves, bass drum and strings – opened the concert. The piece unfolds in a series of nine iterations of a chant-like theme, rising in a slow crescendo, peaking at the seventh section, and then dying away to the drone maintained by the basses throughout.

Although supposedly based on a simple mathematical formula, the music suggested (to me, anyway) the Canonical prayer hours of a medieval monastery. Your mileage may vary, of course, but there's no denying that the overall effect is an uplifting and welcome cleansing of the aural detritus of the modern world. Mr. Slatkin conducted this deceptively simple-sounding music with great precision and sympathy.

At the other end of the musical spectrum from the contemplative Fratres is Rachmaninov's flashy Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini from 1934. The Russian expatriate was one of the previous century's great virtuoso pianists and the Rhapsody served him well as he toured America and Europe. The piece is a sort of mini-concerto, consisting of 24 variations on (appropriately) the twenty-fourth and last of Niccolò Paganini's Caprices for solo violin – a tune that has proved irresistible for composers from Liszt to Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Displaying formidable technique, a deep understanding of Russian romantic style and no small measure of what the production team on the old Avengers TV series called "M. appeal", Olga Kern is perhaps the ideal performer for the Rhapsody, with its irresistible mix of keyboard pyrotechnics and unabashed sentimentality, particularly in the famous 18th variation. She and Mr. Slatkin made the slow variations dreamy and took the fast ones at such a breakneck pace that the entire structure seemed ready collapse at times. It never did, of course, so the overall effect was rather like watching the Flying Wallendas' seven-person pyramid. It was, in short, breathtaking – so much so that the audience brought Ms. Kern back for a short bravura encore.

The evening concluded with Prokofiev's 1944 Symphony No. 5. Composed at the artists' colony of Ivanovo east of Moscow just as the war with Germany was turning in Russia's favor, the symphony was described by Prokofiev as "a hymn to free and happy Man, to his mighty powers, his pure and noble spirit" and while there is certainly an air of triumph, especially in the majestic opening theme, it has always seemed to me that the war was never far from the composer's mind. You can hear it in (among other places) the militant percussion of the first movement and the anguished climax of the third.

The aura of triumph is also leavened by Prokofiev's characteristic irony. The composer of the Sarcasms for piano always seems to have a raised eyebrow or cynical smile behind his most demonstrative music. In the 5th symphony sarcasm takes various forms, including caustic comments from the brass and percussion and the deliberate interruption of the boisterous Allegro giocoso finale by a short, dissonant passage for string quartet and trumpet.

Conducting without a score (as he had for the entire evening), Mr. Slatkin pulled these disparate elements together into a compelling whole that did full justice to Prokofiev's many moods. The big gestures where huge and the small details perfect. The ensemble sounded wonderful, in short. The 1985 recording Mr. Slatkin and the SLSO did for RCA is still available at arkivmusic.com. I'll confess that I haven't heard it, but if it's anything like Friday's performance, it's worth having.

As with the Rachmaninov, audience response was wildly enthusiastic, obliging Mr. Slatkin to perform an unexpected encore: "Carmen's Hoedown", an exuberantly silly arrangement by Mr. Slatkin's noted father Felix of "Votre toast, je peux vous le render" (a.k.a. "The Toreador Song") from Carmen. It was great fun and, I suppose, the logical conclusion to an evening marked by dramatic contrasts.

Performances of this program continue Saturday at 8 and Sunday at 3, November 27 and 28, 2010. Tickets are available at slso.org or by calling 314-534-1700. Next at Powell Hall, music of Albéniz, Falla and Brahms conducted by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos December 3 and 4, after which the regular concert series breaks for a collection of holiday programs.

St. Louis Symphony update, 26 November 2010

Olga Kern

Leonard Slatkin makes a triumphant return visit to Powell Hall this weekend, leading the St. Louis Symphony and glamorous virtuoso pianist Olga Kern in a highly satisfying program. The evening opens with a sublime Fratres by Arvo Pärt starring the symphony strings, moves on to rapid-fire Rachmaninov with Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, and closes with a highly charged reading of Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5. There are a couple of surprises along the way as well. Performances continue Saturday at 8 and Sunday at 3, November 27 and 28.  Get your tickets now at slso.org. Full review to follow here and at the KDHX site.

Darkness Visible

What: South Pacific
Where: The Fox Theatre, St. Louis
When: November 9 through 21, 2010

[David Pittsinger as Emile de Becque and Carmen Cusack as Nellie Forbush – photo by Craig Schwartz]

There's literal and literary darkness at the heart of the nearly flawless revival of South Pacific at the Fox. The former derives from Donald Holder's lighting design, which relies heavily on follow spots combined with dim general illumination. The latter derives from the Joshua Logan/Oscar Hammerstein book and the James Mitchener short stories on which it's based. Together, they remind us that this theatrical classic is not just a musical, but a drama as well. In South Pacific, boy gets girl, boy abandons girl, boy dies and everybody else goes off to war.

For audiences that know South Pacific largely as a high-gloss widescreen musical from 1958, the show's occasionally trenchant commentary on the folly and futility of war, issues of racism, and what Emile De Becque, in a moment of despair, refers to as "a mean little world / Of mean little men" might come as a surprise. We need to remember that when the show opened in 1949, the aftermath of the horror that was the war in the Pacific was still very much on everyone's minds.

We need to remember, as well, that less than a year before that opening, President Truman had issued Executive Order 9981 desegregating the armed forces – provoking a violent backlash that continues to this day. "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught", Lt. Cable's bitter commentary on racism, provoked anger and accusations of indecency and Communism when South Pacific arrived in the southern USA. Rodgers and Hammerstein, to their credit, refused to cut the song.

Based on the much-praised 2008 Lincoln Center revival, this tour of South Pacific is about as good as it gets, boasting a great cast, eye-catching period costumes by Catherine Zuber, intelligently designed sets by Michael Yeargan that make scene changes a breeze, and – a real rarity for a touring show – a 25-piece orchestra of mostly local musicians under the baton of Lawrence Goldberg doing full justice to the original orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett and Trude Rittmann.

Director Bartlett Sher has put it all together with great respect for the original, even going to far as to open and close the evening with Mitchener's own words, projected on a scrim. A couple of lines and one song – "My Girl Back Home" – that were cut from the 1949 production have been restored, but otherwise this is about as close as we can get today to the excitement that galvanized audiences and critics alike so many decades ago.

Carmen Cusak and David Pittsinger head this great cast as the "cockeyed optimist" Nellie Forbush and the world-weary Emile De Becque. Mr. Pittsinger, who took over the role of De Becque on Broadway from Paulo Szot, is an operatic bass-baritone in the mold of Ezio Pinza (who created the part), so his big numbers have all the power you'd expect. He is, perhaps, a few years older than the character's stated age of 44 but given the strength of his performance it hardly matters. Ms. Cusak, who matches him in vocal and dramatic power, cuts a striking figure as Nellie. She doesn't have the cutie pie look that often seems associated with the role which, of course, only makes her that much more watchable.

In the supporting roles, pride of place goes to Anderson Davis's doomed Lt. Cable. He is, perhaps, not quite as haunted as I'd like in the second act, but he has a sardonic edge that makes it work, so I can't complain. Jodi Kimura is a classically raucous Bloody Mary. It's a fine performance, marred only by a tendency to play too often at the top of the voice. Timothy Gulan's Luther Billis has all the conniving street smarts you could wish for.

Let me also not fail to praise Sumie Maeda as Liat, the island girl whom Cable beds but can't bring himself to wed until it's too late. Her graceful dance turn in "Happy Talk" speaks volumes, although her character hardly speaks at all.

There are many other fine performances in this 34-person cast. I can't list them all here, but you can find head shots and bios of every one of them at www.southpacificontour.com/cast. None of them are less than good, and most are outstanding.

The fact that, sixty years after its birth, South Pacific is still such a winning combination of compelling drama and uplifting entertainment that audiences will sit mesmerized by it for nearly three hours shows the genius of Rodgers, Hammerstein and Logan. The fact that the script's political commentary is still relevant shows how little progress we've made as a nation and as a species.

After the fall

(L to R): Colin Hanlon as Luke and Jeffrey Kuhn as Adam. © Photo by Keith Jochim

What: Next Fall
Where: The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
When: October 27 through November 14, 2010

Right now, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is featuring two plays in which questions of faith are paramount. The one on the main stage in Webster Groves – High – has the big star. But the one at the Grandel Theatre – Geoffrey Nauffts's funny, sad, and insightful Next Fall – has a stellar script and a uniformly fine cast to boot.

At the core of Next Fall is the five-year relationship between Luke, a thirtyish actor on the way up, and Adam, a fortyish candle salesman-turned-teacher who isn't sure which way he's going. Luke is a committed Christian who is out to everyone except his fundamentalist dad, Butch. Adam is a dedicated skeptic who is running out of patience with Luke's theology. When an accident sends Luke into a coma, his family and friends are forced to deal with their conflicting beliefs and feelings about Luke and each other.

A lesser playwright might turn this material into predictable soap opera or use it to score easy political points. Mr. Nauffts, however, avoids predictability at every turn. Luke's parents, the ideologically rigid Butch and motor-mouthed Arlene, for example, could have been one-dimensional cartoons; instead they are fully realized characters – flawed but completely believable. So, too, are Adam's ex-boss and friend Holly and Luke's fellow believer Brandon.

My wife commented that Next Fall presents a story that doesn't end with the curtain. The characters and their relationships are so credible that we found ourselves compelled to speculate what might happen next. Mr. Nauffts's script provides a resolution, but no pat answers.

It's impossible to heap too much praise on this consistently brilliant cast, but I'll give it a shot. Jeffrey Kuhn imbues Adam with a kinetic energy that mirrors the character's unsettled emotional state, making the contrast with Colin Hanlon's steady and rock-solid Luke that much more effective. Marnye Young's Holly is warm and funny, while Ben Nordstrom's Brandon is a study in the use of stillness as a way to reveal character. Susan Greenhill's Arlene is hilarious without ever descending into "Southern gal" cliché and Keith Jochim brings out the depths in Butch's persona that make him more than a standard-issue bigot.

Together, they constitute a flawless, perfectly timed ensemble. How much of that can be attributed their individual talent and how much to Seth Gordon's direction is anybody's guess, but there's no gainsaying the emotional impact of the final product. This is an evening that mixes laughter, tears, and thought-provoking dialog in an irresistible brew that seems far shorter than its nearly two and one-half hour running time.

Like so many recent plays, Next Fall seems to want to be a movie when it grows up, unfolding in a large number of small scenes, each of which requires a complete set change. Happily, Brian Sidney Bembridge has created a scenic design that transforms easily and quickly, aided by John Wylie's effective lighting and Rusty Wandall's evocative sound. Lou Bird's costumes are fine as well, nicely mirroring the internal lives of their characters.

If all of this leaves you with the impression that Next Fall is a first-rate presentation of script that fully deserved its 2009 Tony nomination then, to quote Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, this case is closed. Next Fall is this fall's hot ticket. For more information you may call 314-968-4925.