Chuck's Choices for the weekend of September 13, 2019

This week's list features both parts of a theatrical epic from 1991 and two dramatic musicals from the 1960s and 1970s.

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New This Week:

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Angels in America, Part 1
Photo by ProPhotoSTL

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Angels in America, Part 1: Millennium Approaches and Angels in America, Part 2: Perestroika running in alternating repertory with through October 4. "A towering epic that unveils new depths with each passing year, Tony Kushner's Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece arrives on The Rep's stage for the first time. The AIDS epidemic is the flashpoint in Kushner's swirling tapestry of American culture, myths and spirituality. Navigating this maelstrom are Prior Walter, whose prophetic visions lead him toward an uncertain destiny, Joe Pitt, a devout and painfully closeted Mormon, and Roy Cohn, a lawyer whose AIDS diagnosis forces him to face a lifetime of misdeeds. These twin plays' vision of a wounded and chaotic nation struggling toward redemption is more urgent than ever." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org

My take: Angels in America: Gay Fantasia on National Themes (to quote its full title) is, effectively, an opera with no singing. It's a sweeping, unapologetically theatrical examination of some of the most basic of human ideas: love, death, loyalty, commitment, community and lots of other things that are usually capitalized when we discuss them. It's an epic tale told, as the best epics are, through the lives of a collection of flawed and fascinating characters. I saw Part 1 last weekend was sufficiently blown away by the quality of the Rep's production to recommend both parts without reservation. Yes, they're very long shows--Part 1 clocks in at around 3:15 with two intermissions and Part 2 usually runs well over four hours. Trust me, you'll never notice the length. Kushner's writing is so deft and this production so brilliantly acted and directed that the time flies like, well, an angel. I'd put this version of Angels right up there with the stunning production Stray Dog did in 2012, and that's high praise indeed.

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Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope
Photo by Phillip Hamer

The Black Rep presents the musical Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope running through September 22. "Garnering a Grammy and Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope was the first musical revue in the history of Broadway to be written and directed by African American women, namely Micki Grant and Vinette Caroll which ran over 1,000 performances. With little dialogue between performances, its poignant social commentary is woven into an unbroken cycle of high-energy, feel-good song and dance numbers." Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: theblackrep.org.

My take: As Tina Farmer writes in her review for KDHX, Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope tells "a unique yet universally relatable story of the struggle to not just survive but to find hope and reason to celebrate in the face of adversity. The authors and company pay tribute to the many cultural contributions of people of color and the talented ensemble adroitly delivers the message for audiences from every background to acknowledge and readily appreciate. The engaging musical is built on African American roots and traditions, but resonates in ways that might help us all keep on keeping on." "'Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope' proves that it's possible to be uplifting while acknowledging the turbulence of the times." writes Calvin Wilson at STLToday.com. It's an auspicious beginning to the Black Rep's 43rd season--and a must-see."

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Man of La Mancha
Photo by ProPhotoSTL

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Man of La Mancha through October 6. "A romantic and inspiring musical adventure, MAN OF LA MANCHA tells the epic story of seventeenth-century author Miguel de Cervantes and his immortal literary creation Don Quixote." Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information: stagesstlouis.org.

My take: Winner of five Tony awards and four Variety Poll of Drama Critics awards and with an impressive track record of 2,329 performances on Broadway, Man of La Mancha has remained enduringly popular since its first performance on the Great White Way in 1965. The Stages production demonstrates forcefully what that is the case. The drama, comedy, and (above all) the inspiring message about the importance of "achieving the impossible" by "attempting the absurd" (to cite the Miguel Unamuno quote that inspired Dale Wasserman to write the show in the first place) come through loud and clear. If you're a fan of this play, you won't want to miss this one. It's a polished and moving way to close their current season. And it's even performed in its original one act format, running right at two hours and feeling much shorter.