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New This Week:
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| Voices of Valhalla (2016) Photo by Ken Clark |
My take: I had a chance to both see and appear in the outdoor version of this annual event in 2014 and 2016, and I must say that I was impressed by the professionalism of both the script (assembled by director Larry Marsh from historical sources) and the quality of the performances. In the outdoor version, you pile on a hay wagon and are driven through historic Valhalla Cemetery. At various points during the ride, the wagon stops and an actor portraying a historical figure buried at Valhalla steps out of the darkness and delivers a monolog on his or her life. They can be comic, tragic, or a combination of the two, but they're always well researched and informative. And in this special encore performance, you can sit in a theater in air-conditioned comfort.
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| End of the Rainbow Photo by John Lamb |
My take: This season, Max and Louis have been concentrating on shows about extraordinary real-life women singers in even more extraordinary situations. That has included Billie Holiday, the eccentric Florence Foster Jenkins and, finally, the great Judy Garland in a decline of operatic proportions. At Ladue News, Mark Bretz says "Ingersoll, who dazzled patrons in April at the Playhouse at Westport Plaza in her tribute concert, Judy Garland: Come Rain or Come Shine, is both brilliant and extraordinary in her portrayal of the doomed star in the current production being staged by Max & Louie Productions. It’s a performance which any local fan of Garland should not miss." I plan to be there this Friday.
St. Louis Public Radio presents the Grand Center Theatre Crawl on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 1 and 6 pm, June 29 and 30, at various locations in the Grand Center Arts District. Join St. Louis Public Radio for the finest offerings of the bustling St. Louis theatre scene at the Grand Center Theatre Crawl. Rotate through venues in Grand Center to get free access to 24 local theatre groups in short performances." Featured theatre companies Equally Represented Arts, Insight Theatre Company, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble, Prison Performing Arts, R-S Theatrics, The Midnight Company, and West End Players Guild. For more information: stlpublicradio.org
My take: Here's a chance to get sneak previews of some of what's coming up on local stages. Think of it as a kind of theatrical tasting menu. And for free, no less.
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| Madagascar: A Musical Adventure Photo by Peter Wochniak |
My take: Looking for something the whole family can enjoy? Stages has your ticket(s). "Stages St. Louis," writes Mark Bretz at Ladue News, "brings the musical version of the popular 2005 animated feature across the state from Kansas City, where it had its world premiere in 2016, to the Reim Theatre for a rousing, rambunctious good time for kids and adults alike."
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| Singin' in the Rain |
My take: As I write in my review for KDHX, nobody would mistake Singin' in the Rain for the Great American Musical, but it's great fun nevertheless, especially when performed by such an outstanding cast. Corbin Bleu lights up the stage as Don Lockwood, and co-stars Berklea Going, Jeffrey Schecter, and Megan Sikora are shining up there with him. It's fun for the whole family, so go and enjoy.
The Black Tulip Chorale presents You Come Too Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 1 pm, June 30 and July 1. The Black Tulip Chorale is "St. Louis' only LGBTQIA-friendly mixed voice ensemble welcoming all genders and orientations. In its inaugural season, the Black Tulip Chorale promotes social consciousness through the finest in choral repertoire." Performances take place at the Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Road, on Saturday and at the St. Paul United Church of Christ, 3510 Giles, on Sunday. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com
My take: This is the first outing (you shold pardon the expression) by a spinoff group of the much-admired Gateway Men's Chorus. Dr. Ken Haller, who is also much admired for his work as a cabaret singer, actor, and (most recently) cabaret director is a force majeure here, which is reason enough to recommend this concert.
Held Over:
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| Corinne Melançon and Steve Isom in I Do! I Do! Photo by Peter Wochniak |
My take: Originally staged on Broadway back in 1966 and revised for a revival 30 years later, this charming if slight show will strike some familiar chords for anyone who has been married for any length of time. Despite a coupe of emotional crises that are resolved with implausible ease, the emotional stakes in this script are not high, but the appealing score (including the "My Cup Runneth Over," a lovely number that was inescapable back in the late 1960s) and polished production still make this well worth your time. Because, really, not everything has to be fraught with dramatic weight. I saw the "purple" cast, consisting of Stages regular Steve Isom and Corinne Melançon (who is also the production's dance captain). Their work is impeccable, but I don't think you can go wrong with the "red" cast of David Schmittou and Kari Ely either.
