Chuck's Choices for the weekend of October 18, 2013

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

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New this week:

Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Evil Dead: The Musical Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through November 1. Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

My take: Honestly, this is not my particular thing, but the reviews have been so good and I'm so favorably inclined towards Stray Dog shows anyway that I have to include it. "If you like your scary stories served with a generous helping of ribald and slapstick humor," writes Tina Farmer in her review for 88.1 KDHX, "you'll want to put Evil Dead The Musical at the top of your must see list. Stray Dog Theatre kicks off its eleventh season with a show that takes the company's tagline "Come out and play" and ratchets it up to new levels in an energetic, yet playful, spoof on the teen horror movie genre." Besides, how can you not like a show that includes a dance number titled "Do the Necronomicon"?

Photo: Jill
Ritter Lindbergh

New Line Theatre presents the musical version of the film Night of the Living Dead Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through November 2. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. For more information, newlinetheatre.com.

My take: This is not, as you might think, another horror send-up along the lines of Evil Dead the Musical. "This is no spoof," writes Steve Callahan in his review for 88.1 KDHX, "nor is it merely an homage; if you let it, it will lead you to think...By approaching these rather two-dimensional characters with such deep seriousness the cast leads us to consider some thoughts that make this show more than just a zombie thriller: How fragile is peace. How fragile is happiness. Death, despair, catastrophe can come suddenly, with no warning. War, a tornado, an economic crash—they can destroy us in a moment, just like a horde of zombies." So, no, not a lot of laughs, but rather a serious musical about what's out there in the dark—very appropriate to open the current season by "the bad boy of musical theatre." Before you go, check out my interview with director Scott Miller.

Held Over:

Photo: Peter Wochniak

Upstream Theater the St. Louis premiere of Nicolai Gogol's Diary of a Madman, as adapted by David Holman, with Neil Armfield and Geoffrey Rush, through October 20. The production features live music by Joe Dreyer. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

My take: Once again, Upstream is taking on unusual material, apparently with great success.  "The script," writes Tina Farmer in her review for 88.1 KDHX, "mixes metaphor, language and wordplay with ease, and is clearly understood and delivered with a deft touch by both actors. Director Philip Boehm and Scenic Designer Michael Heil deliver a briskly paced, visually memorable show that does justice to Gogol's original story, considered by many to be a masterpiece of the era."  Joe Dreyer performs his original music live on the keyboard.

Photo: Richard Termine

The Fox Theatre presents the tour of the new Broadway revival of Adrew Lloyd Webber's Evita through October 20. The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

My take: As I note in my review for 88.1 KDHX, this creatively re-invented revival of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's unlikely 1976 concept album-turned-musical is innovative, exciting, and worth seeing whether you're familiar with the show or not.  New musical arrangements, lots of new choreography, and an interpretation of Che that goes back to the show's roots all make this unlike any Evita you've probably seen before.

Photo: John Lamb

New Jewish Theater presents Neil Simon's The Good Doctor through October 20. Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

My take: this series of eight short plays—sketches, really—based on the work of Chekov is great fun when done well.  In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Andrea Braun praises the work of the four actors as well as Bobby Miller's "masterful" direction.

Valhalla Cemetery and The Hawthorne Players present Voices Of Valhalla: A Hayride Through Time through October 19. "Don’t miss out this year when haywagons take you to locations in historic Valhalla Cemetery where actors from Hawthorne Players bring to life the stories of some of the cemetery’s permanent residents.  You’ll hear stories of remarkable triumph over adversity, heroism and intrigue, sacrifice and greed. Not recommended for children.  The hayrides leave every 15 minutes, beginning at 6:30 p.m." Valhalla Cemetery is located at 7600 St. Charles Rock Road. For more information, visit hawthorneplayers.com.

My take: This is one of the most interesting examples of "site specific" theatre that I can think of, and couldn't be more appropriate for the weeks approaching Hallowe'en.  We Americans have a very bad tendency to forget our past, often endangering our future in the process.  Shows like this serve to remind us of who we were and, therefore, who we are.

Chuck's choices for the weekend of October 11, 2013

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

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The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents Alice in Wonderland Wednesdays through Sundays, October 2-13. Performances take place on the Emerson Studio Theater at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information, call 314-968-7128.

My take: "Dare you dive head-first down a rabbit hole," asks Steve Callahan in his review for 88.1 KDHX.  "Wonders await you if you'll only close your eyes and jump!  No, no, don't close your eyes—keep them wide open lest you miss a morsel of this delightful Alice in Wonderland that the Webster Conservatory now offers you."  This musical version of the classic story has an all student cast and it appears that they're all very accomplished.

Photo: Peter Wochniak

Upstream Theater the St. Louis premiere of Nicolai Gogol's Diary of a Madman, as adapted by David Holman, with Neil Armfield and Geoffrey Rush, through October 20. The production features live music by Joe Dreyer. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

My take: Once again, Upstream is taking on unusual material, apparently with great success.  "The script," writes Tina Farmer in her review for 88.1 KDHX, "mixes metaphor, language and wordplay with ease, and is clearly understood and delivered with a deft touch by both actors. Director Philip Boehm and Scenic Designer Michael Heil deliver a briskly paced, visually memorable show that does justice to Gogol's original story, considered by many to be a masterpiece of the era."  Joe Dreyer performs his original music live on the keyboard.

Photo: Richard Termine

The Fox Theatre presents the tour of the new Broadway revival of Adrew Lloyd Webber's Evita October 8-20. The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

My take: As I note in my review for 88.1 KDHX, this creatively re-invented revival of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's unlikely 1976 concept album-turned-musical is innovative, exciting, and worth seeing whether you're familiar with the show or not.  New musical arrangements, lots of new choreography, and an interpretation of Che that goes back to the show's roots all make this unlike any Evita you've probably seen before.

Photo: John Lamb

New Jewish Theater presents Neil Simon's The Good Doctor through October 20. Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

My take: this series of eight short plays—sketches, really—based on the work of Chekov is great fun when done well.  In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Andrea Braun praises the work of the four actors as well as Bobby Miller's "masterful" direction.

Valhalla Cemetery and The Hawthorne Players present Voices Of Valhalla: A Hayride Through Time October 11-19. "Don’t miss out this year when haywagons take you to locations in historic Valhalla Cemetery where actors from Hawthorne Players bring to life the stories of some of the cemetery’s permanent residents.  You’ll hear stories of remarkable triumph over adversity, heroism and intrigue, sacrifice and greed. Not recommended for children.  The hayrides leave every 15 minutes, beginning at 6:30 p.m." Valhalla Cemetery is located at 7600 St. Charles Rock Road. For more information, visit hawthorneplayers.com.

My take: This is one of the most interesting examples of "site specific" theatre that I can think of, and couldn't be more appropriate for the weeks approaching Hallowe'en.  We Americans have a very bad tendency to forget our past, often endangering our future in the process.  Shows like this serve to remind us of who we were and, therefore, who we are.

A new Argentina

Photo: Richard Termine

What: The tour of the Broadway revival of Evita
Where: The Fox Theatre, St. Louis
When: October 8-20, 2013

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"The truth is she never left you,” proclaims the billboard for the tour of the smartly re-invented new revival of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's unlikely 1976 concept album-turned-musical Evita. For once, there's truth in advertising; Evita has been continually in the repertory since Hal Prince first staged it in London's West End in 1978.

Most of those productions, though, have taken that 1978 version as their starting point. This tour is based on 2006 London and subsequent Broadway revivals that threw all that out and went back to, among other things, the original two-LP set for inspiration.

[Note to younger readers: the LP is a primitive sound reproduction device invented by the ancient Mayans.]

The most obvious change is in the character of Che, who is no longer the revolutionary Che Guevara but rather the Argentinian everyman Lloyd Webber and Rice originally created ("che," in Argentinian slang, translates as "guy" or "pal"). Fortunately they didn’t go all the way and restore the subplot in which Che is a chemist trying to sell his new insecticide. Some of the changes made for the stage were real improvements.

The other obvious change is that this Evita is a dancer's show. Original choreographer Rob Ashford and tour choreographer Chris Bailey have the small ensemble cast in almost constant movement, using steps heavily influenced by tango and other Latin dance styles. This not only solves the problem posed by the static nature of some scenes, it also make the transitions between them that much more fluid. Combine that with Neil Austin’s sharp lighting design and Christopher Oram’s quickly shifting sets, and you have an Evita that moves along briskly (it comes in at around two-and-one-half hours, including intermission) without ever feeling rushed.

The arrangements have changed as well. The new orchestrations by Lloyd Webber and David Cullen use Latin percussion more than the rock-flavored original did and the accordion—an instrument strongly associated with the sound of the Argentinian tango—is very much in evidence.

Photo: Richard Termine

This is, in short, a new and improved Evita with a strong cast headed by Caroline Bowman in the title role (alternating with Desi Oakley in some performances), Josh Young as Che, Sean MacLaughlin as Peron, and Christopher Johnstone as Magaldi.

On opening night, Ms. Bowman fell just a trifle short of the necessary vocal power in spots (mostly the ones that drove her down to the bottom of her range) but overall she came across as a dynamic and forceful Eva Peron—rather like the young Barbara Stanwyck but with great dance moves. Her “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” was powerfully focused and her portrayal of the character’s physical decline towards the end felt tragically real; as good a piece of physical acting as I’ve seen in some time.

Mr. Young’s Che was acted beautifully acted and sung. The range of the part is absurdly wide but Mr. Young was only rarely forced up into his falsetto. His voice sounded uniformly strong throughout and made the character instantly likeable—very important in a role that is a combination Greek chorus and narrator.

Mr. MacLaughlin’s Peron was also immensely impressive. There was a genuine warmth to the character that I haven’t always seen, which made his relationship with Evita that much more believable and his anguish at her final collapse that much more real. Mr. Johnstone’s Magaldi was also nicely nuanced.

In fact, there seems to be more depth of character throughout this “Evita” than I recall in earlier versions of this show. Some of that can be attributed to the fine work by the cast, but I expect much of the credit also goes to Michael Grandage and Seth Sklar-Heyn (the original and tour directors, respectively).

Bottom line, this Evita looks and sounds like a million dollars. The brilliantly theatrical staging of the opening “Requiem”—which combines Lloyd Webber’s daringly bitonal and polyrhythmic music with newsreel footage of Eva Peron’s funeral—is almost worth the price of admission itself. And it’s only one of several coups de theatre in this canny re-thinking of the show. I would have liked to see a somewhat larger ensemble than the one they’re using for this tour—numbers like “A New Argentina” really do call for lots of bodies on stage—but that’s a minor complaint.

If you've never seen Evita before—or even if you have and think there's nothing new this show has to offer—you owe it to yourself to check this production out. It's at the Fox in Grand Center through October 20th. For more information: fabulousfox.com.