Theatre Review: A disappointing "Les Misérables" opens the 2024 Muny season

First things first: I love the 1985 French opera/musical “Les Misérables.” Based on Victor Hugo’s justifiably popular 1862 novel of the same name (Upton Sinclair is said to have described it as "one of the half-dozen greatest novels of the world"), “Les Misérables” (usually translated as "The Outsiders" or "The Dispossessed") is, in my view, one of the most effective pieces of musical theatre of the late 20th century.

L-R: John Riddle, Ken Page, Cecilia Snow
Photo: Philip Hamer

From the opening prisoners' chorus through the sublime finale three hours later, the show's canny combination of a conventional but memorable score (music by Claude-Michel Schönberg and English lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer) with compelling characters and situations grabs and holds your attention and emotions. Plus, its cry for social justice (which it shares with the novel) and presentation of two sharply contrasting versions of Christianity make it a work that appeals to the head as well as the heart.

Or at least it should. Certainly every one of the four previous productions I have seen since the first tour came through town in the late 1980s has done so. I had hoped the new Muny production, which runs through Sunday June 23rd, would as well.

But, as the Stones song says, “you can’t always get what you want.” On the Muny’s massive stage “Les Misérables” felt diminished. Even in a large house like the Fabulous Fox (capacity around 5,000) the show has an immediacy and emotional power that felt dissipated in the open-air theatre with over twice the seating capacity of that theatre, not counting the 1500 free seats at the back. The big ensemble scenes such as the Act I finale “One More Day” and the normally harrowing battle at the barricades lacked their usual punch, and the intimate moments (the deaths of Fantine and Éponine come to mind) felt lost.

L-R: Jordan Donica, John Riddle
Photo: Philip Hamer

Ann Beyersdorfer’s scenic design doesn’t improve matters. The main set pieces, including the usual rotating structure on the turntable, are all bare-bones ladders and stairs. Everything looks unfinished and everything looks the same. That could have been ameliorated by making more use of the Muny’s projection capabilities, especially in scenes like the Paris sewers sequence and Javert’s suicide. The latter was especially bizarre, with Javert turning and walking upstage into a bright light instead of throwing himself into the Seine.

But apparently Beyersdorfer and director Seth Sklar-Heyn wanted a stripped down minimal look, so that’s what we got. In fact, some of the more intimate scenes take place on a bare stage, robbing them of much of their power.

But enough of that.  Let’s talk about what works: Jesse Robb’s choreography and the cast. The former perfectly matched the emotional content of every scene and the latter was uniformly great.

Teal Wicks
Photo: Philip Hamer

John Riddle, a St. Louis Theater Circle award winner from last season’s “Chess,” is Jean Valjean, the ex-convict serving time for stealing bread for his starving family. He eloquently captures the character’s pain at the persecution he suffers after his parole, his change of heart after being shown mercy by the Bishop of Digne (a warmly sympathetic Ken Page), and his fierce determination to fight injustice. His voice is powerful almost to the top of its range and his acting is always convincing.

Jordan Donica is Valjean’s nemesis Javert—inflexible, fixated on sin, and convinced he’s doing God's duty by punishing the wicked. Donica’s “Stars,” Javert’s declaration of that belief, is powerful and a bit frightening, as it should be. He and Riddle are a good match, vocally and physically.

Emily Baustista
Photo: Philip Hamer

Teal Wicks is a vulnerable and moving Fantine, for whose early death Valjean is an unwitting catalyst. Emily Bautista is Éponine, dying of unrequited love for the student Marius and, eventually, from a National Guard bullet. Her “On My Own” was a true star turn, enthusiastically applauded by the audience.

Peter Neureuther’s Marius is a bit on the monochromatic side, but his Act II “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables,” in which he laments the deaths of this fellow radicals at the barricades, was quite well done. As his true love Cosette, adopted by Valjean as a deathbed promise to her mother Fantine, Gracie Annabelle Parker is a model of the clear-voiced, winsome heroine.

L-R: Noah Van Ess, Dan Klimko,
Peter Neureuther
Photo: Philip Hamer

Red Concepción and Jade Jones are the comically reprehensible Thénardier and Madame Thénardier, shameless champions of enlightened self-interest. They’re played just broadly enough to be funny, and they do it consistently. Alas, some of their best lines were garbled by the Muny’s sound system—a problem for much of the evening.

There are two important children’s roles in “Les Misérables”: Little Cosette and the streetwise Gavroche. As Little Cosette, Kate Appel is utterly charming in her solo “Castle on a Cloud.” As Gavroche, Will Schulte is astonishingly good. He steals every scene he’s in with his strong stage presence and fine voice.

Will Schulte and the company
Photo: Philip Hamer

The decision to add members of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus to the big ensemble numbers gives those moments impressive power, but even their famously clear enunciation can’t get past that sound system. I’m beginning to think the Muny (and possibly the Fox) should consider following Opera Theatre’s lead by using projected text.

Under the baton of Music Director James Moore, the orchestra sounded polished and powerful. And while I don’t think much of director Sklar-Heyn’s design choices, he certainly keeps the show moving and creates fine stage pictures.

John Riddle, Gracie Annabelle Parker
Photo: Phlilip Hamer

If you have never seen “Les Misérables” I doubt that this production will make you a fan. And if you’re already a fan, I suspect you might feel as disappointed as I did. Still, the message is one we all need to hear.

“The Christian ideal,” wrote G.K. Chesterton in 1910, “has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult and left untried.” Certainly both Victor Hugo’s novel and the musical based on it are testaments to how difficult it is, while our current political culture seems to demonstrate what happens when it’s left untried. I’d like to believe that a show like “Les Misérables” can change hearts and minds, but given the infinite human capacity for compartmentalization and denial, I’m not sanguine about that notion.

“Les Misérables” continues at the Muny in Forest Park nightly at 8:15 through Sunday. For information on this and upcoming productions, visit the Muny web site.

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

Symphony Review: The SLSO and the Muny collaborate on a Sondheim celebration

In a 2008 New York Times interview, the late Stephen Sondheim was asked what he’d like his legacy to be. His answer: “I would just like the shows to keep getting done. Whether on Broadway or in regional theatres or schools or communities, I would just like the stuff to be done… You know, that would be the fun.”

Clockwise from top left: Ken Page, Emily Skinner,
Ben Davis, Bryonha Marie, Matthew Scott,
and Elizabeth Stanley. Photo courtesy of the SLSO.

If Sondheim looked down on the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s “A Little Sondheim Music” program yesterday (Sunday, October 2), I think he would have found this co-production with The Muny to be a great deal of fun indeed. I certainly did, and the large audience seemed to concur.

With Muny veteran Ben Whiteley at the podium and a killer cast of musical theatre stars, all of whom have Muny appearances in their resumes, “A Little Sondheim Music” was a Golden Ticket for musical theatre lovers in general and fans of Sondheim in particular. With over two dozen numbers culled from ten different Sondheim shows spanning over three decades of the composer’s career, it was a good representation of what I’m going to call the “PG-rated” aspects of his output.

That means darker or complex shows like “Passion,” “Sunday in the Park with George,” and “Assassins” were left out. “Sweeney Todd” was represented only by “My Friends” which, while not one of the strongest numbers in the score, is one of the less creepy. That’s not a complaint so much as an observation. When you’re preparing an openly celebratory show, you probably don’t want to hit folks with (say) “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” or “The Gun Song.”

“But I digress.” – Tom Lehrer

The important point is that we got some of Sondheim’s best stuff performed, either singly or in ensembles, by a first-rate cast. There were so many highlights I can’t possibly list them all, but here are a few that will also allow me to say something about each one of those fine singers.

The title number from Sondheim’s first show, “Saturday Night” (1957) was a great showcase for the five principal singers: Ben Davis, Bryonha Marie, Matthew Scott, Emily Skinner, and Elizabeth Stanley. Each one played a different character, so they all got a chance to shine individually, and the canonical final moments demonstrated how well they blended as an ensemble. They didn’t perform as a quintet again until the very end, when their powerful rendition of “Our Time” (from “Merrily We Roll Along,” 1981) sent everyone out on an inspired musical high.

Stand-out solo turns included (but were absolutely not limited to) Marie’s warmly compassionate “Children Will Listen” (“Into the Woods,” 1987), Stanley’s “In Buddy’s Eyes” (“Follies,” 1971) with its unspoken tragic subtext, Skinner’s big, bold “I’m Still Here” (also “Follies”), Davis’s crystal-clear delivery of “Everyone Says Don’t” (“Anyone Can Whistle,” 1964), and Scott’s wide-eyed “Giants in the Sky” (“Into the Woods”).

And let’s not neglect St. Louis’s own Ken Page, one of the few actors to whom Sondheim actually wrote a fan letter. In his special guest appearance, he delivered a deeply felt and intensely personal performance of the title song from “Anyone Can Whistle.” Accompanied only by Nicholas Valdez on piano, it was a true cabaret moment. Nicely done, Mr. Page.

Whiteley and the orchestra got a few opportunities to strut their stuff, as well, with the overtures to “Merrily We Roll Along” and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962),” but for me their best moment was the “Night Waltz” from “A Little Night Music (1971).” Individual members of the orchestra had some spotlight time as well, including Associate Concertmaster Celeste Golden’s duet with Marie in “Broadway Baby,” Tzuying Huang’s limpid bass clarinet solo in “Send in the Clowns,” and Andrea Kaplan’s flutes (standard concert and alto) in “Too Many Mornings.”

Michael Baxter’s staging of the musical numbers often made good use of the limited space available in front on the orchestra. An example that stands out in my mind was “It Takes Two” (“Into the Woods”) in which Davis and Stanley, as the baker and his wife, respectively, start out singing different melodies on opposite sides of the stage. As they begin to come together musically, they do so physically as well, until they’re in a clinch center stage in a happy duet.

As he did in the last SLSO/Muny collaboration in 2018, Muny Artistic Director Mike Isaacson acted as narrator, introducing each set of songs with interesting and sometimes surprising historical tidbits on both Sondheim and his connections with St. Louis and The Muny. There were just enough of these, and they were of just the right length, to provide context without getting in the way of the music.

Were there aspects of the program that didn’t work so well for me? Absolutely. How important were they overall? Well, I left them until the end of this review, so that should give you some idea. Most of the issues were technical, involving popping wireless body mics and the difficulty of balancing amplified sound (the singers and some of the softer instruments like the celesta) with an acoustic orchestra. Some of Sondheim’s rapid-fire lyrics got swamped by the band at times, but not often enough to be truly annoying.

Mostly, though, “Sing a Song of Sondheim” was a delightful afternoon’s entertainment and a fitting tribute to perhaps the greatest musical theatre composer of the 20th century. Thanks to the SLSO and The Muny for the experience. I hope there are more of these collaborations in the future.

Next at Powell Hall: Guest conductor Jonathon Heyward leads the orchestra and violinist Hannah Ji in a program of Kaija Saariaho's "Ciel d'hiver" ("Winter Sky"), Joseph Bologne's Violin Concerto No 2 (both local premieres), and Ravel's orchestration of Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition." Performances are Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm, October 7 and 8. The Saturday concert will be broadcast live, as usual, on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3.

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

Review: The Muny's YouTube Variety Hour is just the thing mourning Muny fans

If you’re a fan of The Muny and have not yet had a chance to see an episode of “The Muny 2020 Summer Variety Hour” on their YouTube channel, then, to paraphrase John Adams in “1776”: “Good God, what in the hell are you waiting for?”

Laura Michelle Kelly and the cast of
South Pacific (2013)
Photo by Phillip Hamer

Presented live every Monday and Thursday night at 8:15, the “Variety Hour” (which aired its first episode the week of July 20) isn’t so much a substitute for the postponed 2020 season as it is a logical extension and expansion of the Muny’s commitment to musical theatre. Running around 75 to 90 minutes (including a seven-minute intermission), each episode features archived video clips from previous Muny shows along with a wealth of new material, both live and recorded, by The Muny Kids, Muny Teens, and performers who have made previous appearances on the big Forest Park stage.

It is, in short, a kind of re-invention of the classic Vaudeville show for the digital age, with the additional wrinkle that all the performers are physically distanced—often by many miles. Technically, it’s impressive as hell, and consistently entertaining.

Les Misérables (2013)
Photo by Phillip Hamer

The quality of the archived video clips, while variable, is generally quite good. The sound, which was apparently pulled straight from the mixing board, is excellent, and the single camera often zooms in to give you a view of the performers normally available from only the closest box seats. The August 3rd show, for example, included a performance of “I’m in Love With a Wonderful Guy” (from “South Pacific,” 2013) that brought us right up on stage with Laura Michelle Kelly’s irresistibly charming and fleet-footed Nellie Forbush, while still providing a good view of the ensemble. “One More Day,” the Act I finale of “Les Misérables” from that same year, captured the sweep and grandeur of the 81-member cast while allowing the complex counterpoint of the music to come through with a clarity that is difficult to achieve in a live performance.

And you’re guaranteed a comfortable seat with no rain or oppressive humidity or planes flying overhead. Also no crowds of people walking to the exits during the curtain call. What’s not to like?

Dancer/choreographer
Chloe O. Davis

The best parts of the “Variety Hour,” though, have been the new pieces staged specifically for the show. I have been most impressed with the dance numbers by Muny cast members.

In the first episode, St. Louis native and Muny regular Lara Teeter danced with athletic grace and perky humor through a deserted Muny to “Take Me Away.” The second episode brought us dancer/choreographer Chloe O. Davis (another St. Louis native and Muny veteran) performing a tribute to Black dance legends like Katherine  Dunham, George Faison, Debbie Allen, Hope Clarke, Gregory Hines, Donald Byrd,  Bill T. Jones and Camille A. Brown. Titled “My Tribute to Black Broadway and Black Choreography: I Thrive Now Because You Dared Then,” this bravura piece mixed audio and video clips from the original stars with Ms. Davis’s flawless recreations of their signature moves. I found it totally compelling and was sorry it wasn’t twice as long.

The August 3rd edition, though, brought us the most idiosyncratic and beautifully ambiguous work to date: “undefeat,” by dancer and choreographer Jon Rua (also a Muny vet, but probably best known for his work on the original production of "Hamilton"). Performed to the “Prelude” of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1, it alternated video of Mr. Rua dancing on the roof of his apartment building with close-ups of him fighting off depression while “sheltering in place” from the pandemic. It was touching and brilliantly conceived.

Beth Leavel and Adam Heller in Gypsy (2018)
Photo by Phillip Hamer

There have been many other highlights over the last few weeks—far too many for a complete list. My favorite moments have included:

• The Muny Kids singing and signing “Happiness” from “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown”; totally adorable.
• The Muny Teens in a high-energy mashup of “Not While I’m Around” and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” from “Sweeney Todd” and “The Sound of Music,” respectively
• Ken Page’s powerful live performance, from the Culver Pavillion just outside the east entrance, of “Memory” from “Cats”
• The cast of 2019's rewritten version of "Paint Your Wagon" singing the rousing "How Can I Wait?"
• Muny artists and real-life couple Beth Leavel and Adam Heller in their home with a thoroughly heartwarming version of “You’ll Never Get Away From Me” from “Gypsy,” which they did together at The Muny in 2018.

As this is being written, you can still see the third episode of “The Muny 2020 Summer Variety Hour” Thursday, August 6, at 8:15 pm on the Muny YouTube channel. It and other Thursday webcasts will include closed captioning as well as descriptive audio.

Mark Ballas and company in Jersey Boys (2018)
Photo by Phillip Hamer

The fourth installment, which airs August 10 and 13, includes archive video clips from “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway,” “Jersey Boys,” and “The Unsinkable Molly Brown”; Muny artists and real-life couple Jason Gotay and Michael Hartung performing “Song on the Sand” from “La Cage aux Folles”; members of The Muny’s 2018 cast of “Meet Me In St. Louis reuniting via the Internet to sing the famous title song; and "Do-Re-Mi," a special, filmed-at-The-Muny song and dance performance featuring members of The Muny Kids and Teens. If it’s anything like the first three, it should be a must see for musical theatre fans in general and lovers of The Muny in particular.

For more information on the “The Muny 2020 Summer Variety Hour,” visit The Muny’s web site.

Go digital or go extinct: A conversation with The Muny's Kwofe Coleman

On Monday, June 8th, The Muny, in response to the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic, announced the postponement of their entire 2020 season to the summer of 2021. I talked with Muny Managing Director Kwofe Coleman about what that means for Muny staff and audiences this year.

Chuck Lavazzi (CL): So, this is the first time in the Muny's 102-year history that it has had to postpone an entire season.

Kwofe Coleman (KC): Yes. It's a postponement and not a cancellation since we will do the same shows we had already announced for 2020 next year.

Matilda at The Muny 2019
Photo courtesy of The Muny

CL: I can't say I was surprised to hear this, since it's basically what every other performing arts organization in the area is doing as well.

KC: Right. I think we all face similar if not the same sets of obstacles.

CL: Because a large public space presents a heightened risk no matter what kind of space it is.

KC: Yeah. And when you add in the model, there just is not a feasible way to present musical theatre in a socially distant setting, or with masks or some of the very necessary precautions that we're seeing that everyone is participating in. We looked at all of them, every opportunity. We've been looking at this very seriously and closely since the last day we stopped working in the office on March 13th. The reality is that after several months, even though there seem to be some glimmers of hope and improvement, the public health landscape has just not improved enough for us to do this successfully--not in 2020.

Cinderella, 2019
Photo courtesy of The Muny

CL: And there's so much uncertainty also.

KC: Yeah, there's a significant amount of uncertainty. And we're not the only ones facing this. This is a global pandemic, so everyone is facing a whole set of uncertainties. We looked at the ones that are most closely related to us and there were not enough definite answers or safe ways to really proceed. There's so much to look at, from all the professions that work in and support musical theatre, including our audiences, the community, and staff, cast, and crews.

CL: This is something that maybe a lot of audience members might not think about, the way the pandemic raises serious challenges for performers as well as for the audiences--especially in musical theatre.

Jerome Robbins' Broadway, 2018
Photo courtesy of The Muny

KC: Yeah, and if you follow musical theatre you know that Broadway has announced that they won't reopen before Labor Day. The performers, the stage managers, the crew, and the musicians--there are so many people that are in close proximity. The emotion you convey in a scene in musical theatre is impossible without human touch or close face-to-face contact. For an orchestra to play together in a pit is challenging. So the simple reality is that, do you create a space where the public is gathering in large amounts at a time when that is not the guidance given, at a time when you can't guarantee safety? When you look at it that way the answer becomes pretty simple and clear.

CL: Yes, it's pretty much impossible under the current circumstances. And, of course, you're not the only performing arts organization facing these issues. I'm on the board of a couple of them locally and we're in the same boat. And I noticed that the Muny is dealing with this the way many other performing arts groups are by offering digital material online.

Newsies, 2017
Photo courtesy of The Munhy

KC: Yes, if digital was not a part of your strategy before it certainly is now. We're fortunate in that many of our internal teams, starting with our marketing team in March, have been able to offer glimpses behind the scenes, lookbacks, different new, fun, and engaging content digitally. And now as we look toward the summer season, we're going to air some of the "Muny Magic" shows that we did over the past several years while we continue with some of the smaller pieces. And then when we hit July, we're going to offer this variety show series of new content we're producing now that will feature some of the youth performers, local performers who are part of the Muny family, and performers from across the world who have been here and will send in video. It's a different world, and we're all learning how to do this very quickly. We're learning on our feet. It's fun to see our staff engage with this and it's fun to see our peers in other institutions do the same. And to see how audiences take this all in through this new and hopefully temporary "normal."

CL: Yes. I saw the Sondheim 90th Birthday Tribute recently and I thought that was a good example.

KC: Yeah, and the Regional Arts Commission did the "Arts United" special a couple weekends ago that gave all these institutions a chance to showcase their work and help raise funds to support artists across the country.

CL: Everybody has had to face the reality of going digital or going extinct, at least for the foreseeable future.

KC: Yes, we all have to shift a little bit.

The Music Man, 2016
Photo courtesy of The Muny

CL: I want to talk more about the "Muny Magic at the Sheldon" series. I managed to miss every one of those so I'm so happy to see that some of them are going to be available now.

KC: Yeah, those have been a fun way we've had in the past few years to stay connected in our normal off season. And it's a smaller venue so not everybody has had a chance to see those. So, they can expect to see the faces and hear the stories of actors they have come to know and love and think of as family. We're bringing back Beth Leavel [most recently seen at the Muny as Rose in "Gypsy" in 2018] and the boys from the Buddy Holly show ["Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story," 2015]. We had magnificent a performance from the star of our "Cinderella" this past year [Mikela Bennett]. All of those are chances to look back not only at "Muny Magic" performances but at the shows those people were in previously and re-imagine that magic. So while we're all spending more time indoors for sake of public safety and public health, we're excited to have some contact with people to enjoy.

CL: And these will be on five consecutive Mondays beginning on June 15th.

My Fair Lady, 2015
Photo courtesy of The Muny

KC: That's right, because June 15th was our originally scheduled opening. They will be broadcast at our web site and we'll do a follow-up announcement with more details.

CL: Can you talk more about the original content that coming up, or is that still in the formative stages?

KC: It's still in the formative stages, so we'll have follow-up announcements on that as well. The basis of it will be a variety show format with some video clips, conversations, interviews, and new performances by people from their homes. So, again, it's everyone learning how to exist in the digital sphere and putting a show together for our audience in that way.

CL: How does all this affect people who have already bought tickets for the 2020 season?

KC: We'll be contacting ticket holders individually to give them the options about what to do with the value of those tickets. We are a non-profit organization and currently looking at a $4 million deficit, so subscribers will have the opportunity to maintain their investment by turning it into a donation, get a refund, or apply it as a credit for next year. Everyone who has a ticket will have options.

CL: And since you guys, like a lot of other performing arts organizations, are operating at a deficit right now, I guess this would be a good time to make a donation to the Muny as well.

KC: it would. I know people are going through difficult times, but the reason we're 102 years old is because of the support and loyalty of this community. So we hope to rely on some of that support in the coming weeks and months as we all work towards being back and ready to go in 2021.

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

Review: You say you want a revolution

The 1969 American Revolution musical "1776," a splendid production of which is at the Muny through July 3rd, is not so much a traditional Broadway show as it is a play with musical interludes. Fortunately that play, by veteran screenwriter Peter Stone (his film credits include "Charade" and "Father Goose"), is a damn fine one.

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

Jenny Powers, Robert Petkoff
Photo courtesy of The Muny

Although it plays fast and loose with some historical facts, the book for "1776" is remarkably faithful to the personal and political conflicts that nearly sunk American independence. It is, for example, true that the Continental Congress demanded 86 changes in Jefferson's original Declaration of Independence--including, infamously, the deletion of an anti-slavery clause. But it's fictional that approval of the actual independence by the Congress was dependent on those changes.

Still, that fiction is based on the reality of the compromises that were necessary to achieve independence. When, towards the end of the play, Benjamin Franklin notes that "revolutions come into this world like bastard children...half improvised and half compromised" it provokes the laughter of recognition.

Robert Petkoff, Ali Ewoldt, Adam Heller
Photo courtesy of The Muny

The score for "1776" is by songwriter Sherman Edwards, whose previous credits consisted mostly of pop tunes like "Wonderful, Wonderful" and "See You In September." There are only 15 songs--not a lot for a show that runs around three hours, including intermission--but they all illuminate character and advance the story line brilliantly. Indeed, they're so closely integrated into the show that they have never had a life outside of it, but that's hardly a knock on their quality.

In any case, a production of "1776" is going to stand or fall on the strength of its cast, and the Muny has assembled a darn near perfect one here. Robert Petkoff anchors it as John Adams, with a commanding voice and an appealing combination of passion and spiky combativeness in the opening number "Sit Down, John." He also captures the character's sentimental side in "Yours, Yours, Yours," the touching duet with his wife Abigail, winningly played by Jenny Powers.

Harry Bouvy, Alex Prakken, Benjamin Love
Photo courtesy of The Muny

Adam Heller is an appealing rogue as Benjamin Franklin and Keith Hines's Thomas Jefferson is a classic example of the iron fist in a deceptively genteel velvet glove. Ali Ewoldt shines in her cameo appearance as Martha Jefferson, describing her husband's musical courtship in the charming waltz "He Plays the Violin."

In fact, anyone seeing "1776" for the first time would probably be surprised to see how many of the best musical moments go to relatively minor characters. The most notable is likely "Molasses to Rum," in which North Carolina delegate Edward Rutledge mounts a cynical defense of slavery by pointing out the way New England maritime interests profited from it indirectly as part of the "triangular trade" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangular_trade#Atlantic_triangular_slave_trade. Bobby Conte Thornton delivers it with a serpentine smirk and a powerful voice that makes the song as fascinating as it is morally appalling. Equally memorable is the moving "Momma Look Sharp" in which the Courier (Alex Prakken), Congressional Custodian Andrew McNair (Harry Bouvy), and the nameless Leather Apron (Benjamin Love) lament the deaths of young soldiers in the war.

Bobby Conte Thornton and the company
Photo courtesy of The Muny

There are many other fine performances here, including great work by local actors like Ben Nordstrom (Dr. Josiah Bartlett), Jerry Vogel (Rev. John Witherspoon), Larry Mabrey (Lewis Morris), and Joneal Joplin (Stephen Hopkin, never without his rum). There's not a weak link anywhere. Given that there are 27 named roles, that's pretty impressive.

Luke Cantarella's unit set has enough levels to create a variety of playing areas, especially when combined with John Lassiter's lights and the massive Muny turntable. Greg Emetaz's video projections add visual interest and even some fireworks for Adams's big final number "Is Anybody There?" There's not much choreography in "1776," but the steps Enrique Brown has given his cast or singing actors work well for them.

Adam Heller, Robert Petkoff, Keith Hines
Photo courtesy of The Muny

James Moore conducts a fine account of the score and Rob Ruggiero's expert direction pulls everything together into an immensely satisfying whole. Yes, it's a long show, but it's so compelling that you'll probably be astonished by how late it has gotten by the time the cast takes their curtain call at around 11:15.

That said, it can be hard to watch "1776" now. That's because it reminds us that we are a nation founded by well-read, educated men who could (and usually did) speak and write in coherent English sentences. At a time when the executive branch is dominated by puerile illiteracy, it's difficult to contemplate how far we have fallen.

Performances of "1776" continue through July 3rd on the Muny's outdoor stage in Forest Park. Come early to get a good parking spot, and then grab a drink and a snack and settle in to watch the preshow Americana-themed cabaret starring St. Louis's own Omega D. Jones and Berklea Going on the small stage east of the main entrance. You'll be glad you did.

Review: Reveling in the joy of operetta with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

L-R: Elizabeth Stanley, Justin Michael Austin, Cree Carrico,
Daniel Berryman
Photo courtesy of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

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When I saw that the title of the special St. Louis Symphony Orchestra concert on Sunday, October 7, was "A Celebration of the Muny at 100," I assumed it would be a survey of nearly a century of Broadway with maybe a few nods to operetta and an emphasis on newer shows.

Then I saw the program (which wasn't available until the day of the concert) and found I could hardly have been more wrong. And I could hardly have been happier.

"A Celebration of the Muny at 100: Its Opening Act in Song and Symphony" (the full title) was, in fact, a delightful tribute to operetta, that bridge between opera and the Broadway musical that formed the mainstay of Muny seasons for most of the company's first half-century. Yes, there were some selections by Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, and Irving Berlin, but for the most part Sunday's program was dedicated to Sigmund Romberg, Victor Herbert, Jerome Kern, and even Gilbert and Sullivan and John Phillip Sousa.

It's rare to see operetta performed here at all, let alone with a full symphony orchestra, chorus, and top-notch singers from the worlds of musical theatre and opera. As someone who loves this music, I found the concert to be a real treat. And judging from the audience response, I wasn't alone.

The show was assembled and conducted by Ben Whiteley, who in addition to his many other credits, has been the music director for many Muny shows--most recently this year's excellent "Singin' in the Rain." His selection was impeccable, ranging from favorites like "The Italian Street Song" from Herbert's "Naughty Marietta" and "Stouthearted Men" from Romberg's "New Moon" to rarities like "Some Girl is On Your Mind" from Kern's "Sweet Adeline" (a follow-up to the hit "Show Boat" that had the misfortune to open on the eve of the 1929 stock market crash).

Better yet, the entire affair was narrated by Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson, who introduced each number with fascinating bits of Muny and SLSO history, illustrated with images of classic Muny programs and press materials projected on Powell Hall's big screen. Did you know, for example, that George Gershwin actually conducted the SLSO in a benefit concert on March 1st, 1936, the year before he died? The program included Gershwin's "Concerto in F" and selections from "Porgy and Bess," as you might expect, but it concluded with Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 6." I wish I had Dr. Who's T.A.R.D.I.S. for that one.

The four singers on the program represented a perfect balance of styles. Soprano Cree Carrico and baritone Justin Michael Austin have substantial operatic backgrounds. Ms. Carrico showed off her prowess in "coloratura lite" classics like "The Italian Street Song" and "Poor Wand'ring One" (from Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance"), soaring through the elaborate vocal lines with apparent ease and good humor. Mr. Austin's big, robust voice was an ideal match for the lyrical "Gypsy Love Song" from Herbert's "The Fortune Teller" as well as for the martial "Stouthearted Men."

From the world of musical theatre, we had soprano Elizabeth Stanley and tenor Daniel Berryman. Ms. Stanley sang a touching "Bill" (from "Show Boat") and a bravura "Johnny One-Note" (from Rodgers and Hart's "Babes in Arms"). Mr. Berryman gave us a beautiful "Serenade" (from Romberg's "The Student Prince") along with some great duets with Ms. Stanley and Ms. Carrico, including one of my favorites: "You're Just in Love" from Irving Berlin's "Call Me Madam."

All four singers were strong actors as well, bringing the songs to rich theatrical life. That was apparent throughout the concert, but most notably when they joined forces for the three selections from the Gershwins' 1931 operetta/political satire "Of Thee I Sing," the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. St. Louis's own Keith Boyer, Debby Lennon, and Phil Touchette also joined Mr. Austin and Mr. Berryman to create the solo quintet for "Some Girl in On Your Mind."

I'm not convinced that the singers really needed their wireless body mics, though. All four were very strong vocalists who would probably have been able to project effectively without them, and the resulting sound mix seemed to me to be distorted in a way that it never is for the orchestra's regular amplification-free concerts.

The St. Louis Symphony Chorus sounded fine as always and the orchestra had a chance to shine in the overtures to "Eileen" with its evocation of 19th-century Ireland, and Gershwin's "Girl Crazy," as well as the "El Capitan" march from the Sousa operetta of the same name.

Next at Powell Hall, Gustavo Gimeno conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and piano soloist Javier Perianes Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, October 12 and 13 in Ligeti's "Concerto Românesc," Bartok's Piano Concerto No. 3, and Rimski-Korsakov's "Scheherazade." Then Lee Mills conducts orchestra and narrator Omega D. Jones in a Family Series concert featuring "Lemony Snicket's The Composer is Dead" by Nathaniel Stookey on Sunday, October 14, at 3 pm. The concerts take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

Symphony Preview: A weekend in the country

"Beethoven's Walk in Nature" by Julius Schmid
By Michael Martin Sypniewski [Public domain]
via Wikimedia Commons

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It's a big musical weekend with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra October 5-7, with two separate concerts. Friday and Saturday the orchestra performs Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 (the "Pastoral," composed in stages between 1802 and 1808) and Berlioz's dramatic "Harold in Italy" (1834), Op. 16, for solo viola and orchestra. Then Sunday the SLSO Chorus and vocal soloists join the orchestra for a 100th birthday tribute to the Muny.

There's probably not much I can tell you about the "Pastoral" that you don't already know, but I'll give it a try with a few possibly Fun Facts.

FF #1: The first performance of the Symphony No. 6 took place at a concert on December 22nd 1807 at Vienna's Theater an der Wien, with the composer as both soloist and conductor. It wasn't a huge success. The hall was freezing cold, the musicians poorly prepared, and the program was a four-hour monster, including the premieres of not only the Symphony No. 6 but also the Piano Concerto No. 4, the "Choral Fantasy" for piano, chorus, and orchestra (a work often seen as a kind of "first draft" for the finale of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9), and the Symphony No. 5. No record survives of what the lines at the toilets were like.

FF #2: As the program annotator for the City of London Philharmonia reminds us, Beethoven used the third movement to poke fun at inept rural musicians (something Mozart also does in his "Musical Joke"). "Beethoven knew the efforts of amateur country bands well and was rather amused at the way they played. In the third movement, entitled 'peasants' merrymaking', he makes the oboe come in on the wrong beat and the bassoonists contributions comically mechanical."

FF #3: Many of Beethoven's compositions have subtitles, and nearly all of them were tacked on after the fact by other people. Not so the Symphony No. 6. The full title Beethoven gave the work translates as "Pastoral Symphony, or Recollections of Country Life."

There's more background on the 6th in a symphony preview article I wrote for the SLSO's last performance of it back in 2015. Rather than repeat it all here, you can just check out the original post.

Berlioz in 1832
Painting by Émile Signol

Nature plays a big part in Berlioz's "Harold in Italy" as well. The "Harold" of the title is the protagonist in Lord Byron's "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage," an epic narrative poem published between 1812 and 1818. Harold is, as Thomas May points out in his program notes for the SLSO, "a melancholy young man who wanders through the Mediterranean seeking escape from his disillusionment with life," so it's not surprising that the highly romantic Berlioz found himself attracted to the character. As Peter Gutmann writes in an article for classicalnotes.net:

Berlioz must have closely identified with Byron's title character, a melancholy dreamer who visits and comments upon sites of classical antiquity in search of meaning to counter his own world-weary disillusionment. Although Berlioz desperately had sought the Prix de Rome, once he got to Rome he wrote in his Mémoires that his life there was "a continual martyrdom"...His boredom soon turned to wanderlust, as he fled his residency to wander the Italian countryside, gathering impressions, dreams and inspirations that would infuse his new work.

The structure of "Harold in Italy" is fairly straightforward, with four movements that correspond to those of the traditional 19th-century symphony. Berlioz described the work as "Symphonie en quatre parties avec un alto principal" ("Symphony in Four Parts with Viola Obbligato") rather than a concerto and, in fact, the viola isn't so much a standout soloist as a partner with the orchestra. That's why the great virtuoso Niccolò Paganini, who originally asked Berlioz to write the work for him, rejected it when he got a look at a first draft and realized how often the violist wasn't playing.

Like his more popular "Symphonie Fantastique," Berlioz's "Harold in Italy" has an idée fixe--a recurring theme that's associated with Harold and which pops up repeatedly throughout the piece. In the "Symphonie Fantastique" the theme changes with the character of each movement. In "Harold," though, the theme remains (to quote Mr. Gutmann) "a fixed point of reference for the changing scenes through which the hero passes, coloring them with his poetic awareness, exuberance, introspection and anxiety."

Here's what Harold's theme looks like when we first hear it, after a long orchestral introduction:

Image from classicalnotes.net

Trivia point: yes, that's neither the familiar bass nor treble clef but rather the alto clef. Unless you have played the viola at some point in your life (which I once attempted, without much success), you've probably never seen it before. And probably never will again.

Playing that alto clef music will be SLSO Principal Viola Beth Guterman Chu. When the symphony's board polled the musicians about works they'd like to see on the 2018/2019 season, a number of them suggested both "Harold in Italy" and Ms. Chu as the soloist. I'm told she was very pleased and touched by the tribute from her fellow musicians.

Conducting Ms. Chu and the orchestra will be Bramwell Tovey, last seen here back in February when he conducted a highly theatrical version of Orff's "Carmina Burana" and a moving "Chichester Psalms" (Leonard Bernstein). A composer as well as a conductor, Mr. Tovey is the Principal Conductor of the B.B.C. Concert Orchestra and Music Director Emeritus of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra where he was formerly music director from 2000 to 2018. As of last month, he is also Artistic Advisor of the Rhode Island Philharmonic.

Image credit: St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

The final program for Sunday's Muny birthday party will be announced from the stage on Sunday afternoon. The SLSO press release, however, promises selections from "Annie Get Your Gun" (Irving Berlin), "Girl Crazy" (George and Ira Gershwin), "Show Boat" (Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II), and "The Pirates of Penzance" (Gilbert and Sullivan; huzzah!) as well as tunes from lesser-known musicals like "Eileen" (Victor Herbert), "The Desert Song" (Sigmund Romberg), "Of Thee I Sing" (George and Ira Gershwin; the first American musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama) "The Student Prince" (Romberg again), and "Sweet Adeline" (Kern and Hammerstein).

Yes, I know: some of these are actually operettas rather than musicals, but let's not be picky.

Joining the orchestra and chorus will be vocal soloists Justin Michael Austin, Daniel Berryman, Keith Boyer, Cree Carrico, Debby Lennon, Elizabeth Stanley, and Phil Touchette, who will perform favorites by Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Victor Herbert, and others. Ben Whiteley conducts.

The Essentials: Bramwell Tovey conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and viola soloist Beth Guterman Chu Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm, October 5 and 6. The program consists of Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 ("Pastoral") and Berlioz's "Harold in Italy." Then Ben Whiteley conducts the orchestra, chorus, and vocal soloists in "A Celebration of Muny at 100" on Sunday, October 7, at 3 pm. The concerts take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

Review: Light rain

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

L-R: Corbin Bleu, Berklea Going, Jeffrey Schecter

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"Singin' in the Rain," the 1983 stage adaptation of the beloved 1952 movie musical, will probably never make anyone's list of Best Musicals of All Time. But the Muny's production of the 2012 London revival is, to paraphrase the Bard, entertaining enough and 'twill suffice.

Set in the late 1920s, the story of both the original movie and the stage version by Broadway veterans Betty Comden and Adolph Green concerns matinee idol Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly in the film), pianist/sidekick Cosmo Brown (Donald O'Connor), and aspiring actress and singer Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds). When Lockwood's movie studio decides to make the change to talking pictures, the grating voice of Lockwood's co-star Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) threatens to end both their careers even as her unwelcome interference threatens the budding romance between Lockwood and Selden.

When I last saw this show at the Muny back in 1995, I suggested that the acting opportunities available to the leads in this show were somewhat limited by the fact their characters aren't fictional creations so much as distillations of the public personas of three legendary performers who appeared in the original film. What was called for, I thought, were skilled impersonations rather re-interpretations.

L-R: Corbin Bleu, Megan Sikora, George Merrick

Well, we all make mistakes.

Viewed over two decades later, I'm now obliged to admit that a talented musical theatre actor can capture the essence of the film's original stars without ever coming close to celebrity impersonation. That's certainly what's happening this week in Forest Park.

As Don Lockwood, Corbin Bleu lights up the Muny stage with his own version of Kelly's famous Blitzkrieg charm and blinding smile, along with strong, graceful dance moves and an impeccable voice. Whether he's shuffling, tapping, or soft-shoeing through classics like "Fit as a Fiddle", "Good Morning", or the title song (complete with on-stage rain), or crooning to Berklea Going's Kathy Selden, he's always in character and in the moment. Besides, you've got to admire any hoofer who can look that good on a rain-slicked stage.

Ms. Going is also treasure as the iron-willed and golden-voiced singer who is only willing to keep her light hidden under a basket for so long. Her performance of "You Are My Lucky Star" is a high point of the first act, as is her song and dance number with the ensemble women in "All I Do Is Dream of You." She's also a more than capable dancer, holding her own with her co-stars in the lively "Good Morning."

Debby Lennon

Jeffrey Schecter is Cosmo Brown. The role calls for a combination of precise comic timing, athletic dancing, and the ability to be endearing without becoming sappy. Mr. Schecter does it all, and splendidly. The audience took to him immediately on opening night, applauding enthusiastically at his big comic dance number "Make 'Em Laugh."

Megan Sikora hits all the right notes--along with some deliberately hilarious wrong ones--as Lina Lamont, the woman with a voice that could peel paint. The part offers less room for interpretation than the three leads since it's mostly a matter of reproducing Ms. Hagen's brassy bombshell shtick from the film, but even so Ms. Sikora puts her own comic spin on it. That's most apparent in her second act showstopper "What's Wrong With Me," a song that never appeared in the original film but probably should have.

The supporting cast is strong as well, with fine performances from Jeff McCarthy as studio boss R.F. Simpson, Debby Lennon as both gassy gossip columnist Dora Bailey and Lamont's long-suffering elocution coach, George Merrick as film director Roscoe Dexter, and Halle Morse as Lina's co-conspirator Zelda Zanders. A special tip of the critical hat is also due dancer Lizz Picini for her slinky and sexy turn as The Girl in the Green Dress in the "Broadway Rhythm" number.

Corbin Bleu

Under the direction of Ben Whiteley the Muny orchestra sounded at the top of their game on opening night, the humidity not withstanding. Director Marc Bruni keeps everything moving briskly and looking polished, while Rommy Sandhu's choreography is a neat mix of classical dance moves and vintage styles of the 20s and 30s. Sets by Paul Tate dePoo III, video projections by Greg Emetaz, and lighting by Nathan W. Scheuer all help to create a properly glitzy Hollywood ambience, as do Tristan Raines's period costumes.

So, yeah, "Singin' in the Rain" is great fun, although on opening night the show was not without its issues. There were some ragged spots, a missed entrance, and everything looked just a bit under-rehearsed. That's because, as fate would have it, the final dress on Tuesday night was disrupted by a massive thunderstorm. On-stage rain is essential for "Singin' in the Rain," but only when it's under the control of the stage manager.

I expect those issues to be resolved by the time you read this, though, so I have no hesitation about recommending it to fans of the original movie or anyone who is looking for a light, entertaining musical evening. And unlike the version of the show I saw back in 1995, this more streamlined revival never wears out its welcome. If the weather permits, go and enjoy. Performances continue through Tuesday, July 3rd, and tickets are available at the Muny web site.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of May 18, 2018

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

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The Muny has a couple of high-profile events this weekend in anticipation of its upcoming 100th anniversary season. Friday night, May 18, at 9:15 pm there's An Evening With the Stars, featuring a cast of 100 with special performances by show business legends Chita Rivera and Tommy Tune, along with Broadway and Muny stars Patrick Cassidy, Ken Page, Jenny Powers, Lara Teeter and Graham Rowat. There will also be an ensemble of 32 singers and dancers, the Muny Kids and Muny Teens troupes, and (of course) Muny Orchestra. On Saturday, May 20, from 1 to 5 pm you're invited to a free Centennial Birthday Bash. Events include a Chorus Line headshot mosaic, Follies reunion photos, the "Mile of Muny Memories" and No Business Like Show Business Karaoke. The event will culminate with a grand finale inside the theatre. It all happens at the Muny in Forest Park. For more information: muny.org.

My take: No matter how you feel about The Muny, it's centennial is certainly worth celebrating. It looks like the weather might even cooperate, with lows in the low 60s Friday night and highs in the upper 80s Saturday with only at 20% chance of rain.

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Phantom of the Opera

The Fox Theatre presents the hit Broadway musical Phantom of the Opera through May 20th. "With newly reinvented staging and stunning scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM is performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America." The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

My take: It's easy and popular in some quarters to sneer at ALWs absurdly popular mega-musicals, but the fact is that Phantom of the Opera is an entertaining and well-crafted diversion. It doesn't raise any important social issues and there's no subtext - what you see is what you get - but it does have the same the mix of humor and melodrama that characterized Leroux's original novel. The lyrical, dramatic, and intelligent score is, in many ways, one of Lloyd Webber's best, managing to both make fun of and pay homage to 18th and 19th-century opera conventions. The "Prima Donna" septet, for example, could pass as a set piece by Meyerbeer or Massenet, both of whom are deftly parodied in the opening number from the fictitious opera Hannibal. And yet, the score has also produced popular songs such as "Music of the Night" and "All I Ask of You". The latter is probably one of the most ecstatic love duets to emerge from the theatre since Rogers and Hammerstein's "If I Loved You." Reviews have been good, and I say go out and enjoy the spectacle.

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A Streetcar Named Desire
Photo by Ride Hamilton

The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis presents A Streetcar Named Desire through May 19. "A Streetcar Named Desire, one of the most critically acclaimed and beloved plays in the history of American theater, is the story of a troubled former schoolteacher, Blanche DuBois, after she leaves a small town in Mississippi and moves in with her sister (Stella) and her sister's husband (Stanley) in New Orleans. With her flirtatious Southern-belle attitude, Blanche upends the precarious relationship between her sister and brother-in-law, leading to even greater conflict during her brief stay. The Dark Room at the Grandel will feature late night jazz following each evening performance. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: twstl.org.

My take: You don't need me to tell you that A Streetcar Named Desire is one of the best things Tennessee Williams ever wrote - right up there with The Glass Menagerie - or that it's generally regarded as an American classic. Maybe you don't even need me to point out that Stanley Kowalski's toxic concept of masculinity and attendant moral hypocrisy are trying desperately to make a comeback these days, with active encouragement from our nation's capitol, which makes the script relevant all over again. So I'll just point our that this production has gotten splendid reviews from folks like Tina Farmer at KDHX and Ann Lemmons Pollack at St. Louis Eats and Drinks, among others. And this weekend is your last chance to see it.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of July 8, 2016

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

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The Mikado
Photo: John Lamb

Union Avenue Opera presents Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, July 8 - 16. "Oh how complicated love can be! Nanki-Poo is desperately in love with Yum-Yum who happens to be betrothed to the new Lord High Executioner. Ko-Ko must find someone to execute or it will be his neck on the line. Will a case of mistaken identity save the day as these two conspire - or will heads roll? Witty lyrics and a topsy-turvy plot make this light-hearted tale of forbidden love and trickery a story that reaches beyond traditional interpretations. Widely regarded as the finest Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, The Mikado will captivate and delight at every turn." Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. The opera is sung in English with projected English text. For more information, visit unionavenueopera.org or call 314-361-2881.

My take: I have a friend who says he loves directing Shakespeare because it’s so easy to do. Just don’t get in the playwright’s way and you can’t lose. I think the same could be said of the better Gilbert and Sullivan operettas as well. Don’t mess with G&S and you’re golden. So while I haven't seen this production yet, I'm going to say that, based on Union Avenue's track record to date, it's reasonable to assume they won't get in Gilbert and Sullivan's way. Which should make this great fun all the way around.

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The Music Man

The Muny presents Meredith Willson's The Music Man opening on Tuesday, July 5, and running nightly at 8:15 pm through July 11 in the outdoor theatre in Forest Park. "Buyer beware! Professor Harold Hill, the slickest, slyest con man on the Iowa circuit is headed our way, eager to make mischief and steal your heart. Set on the 4th of July, every note in Meredith Willson's iconic score is as delectable as a slice of Mom's apple pie. And by the way, if you think The Muny will settle for just “76 Trombones” onstage - you don't want to miss this parade!." For more information, visit muny.org or call 314-361-1900.

My take: This show has been a favorite of audiences and critics alike since its 1957 premiere. It beat out West Side Story for the New York Critics' Circle Best Musical award that year, ran for 1,375 performances, and made a star out of Robert Preston. Playwright William Saroyan declared it "one of the great pieces of Americana", and audiences apparently agree with him. It's a family-friendly crowd pleaser that also gets in som sharp digs at small -town small mindedness and anti-intellectualism—a neat trick. Mark Bretz's review for Ladue News is typical of the praise this production has received: "The Muny’s spacious outdoor theater and expansive stage are an ideal combination for Meredith Willson’s memorably tuneful musical," he writes. "Director Rob Ruggiero moves this version of The Music Man like one of those trains that adheres strictly to its schedule, sending the audience happily home after two acts played out in two and a half snappy hours".

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Ben Watts

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present Ben Watts in Wonderful Enough on Saturday, July 9, at 8 p.m. "Ben Watts is a throwback to the Golden Age of Hollywood. He brings charm and class to jazz standards, long-forgotten show tunes, 80s power rock ballads, and everything in between. Wry, witty, and darkly funny, his stories and songs will leave you laughing and wanting more. With sings Cole Porter, Noël Coward, Kurt Weill, Peggy Lee andJerry Herman." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: www.themonoclestl.com/events-page.

My take: As I said in my preview article, for this show's first appearance a little over a year ago, a well-constructed cabaret act is ultimately a kind of one-act play, which is why actors—who have the advantage of understanding dramatic form—often create some of the best cabaret. Mr. Watts has shown that he can do both comedy and drama, and his appearances at The Cabaret Project's open mic nights (which I host) have been very impressive. And, of course, Tim Schall and Carol Schmidt are cabaret pros of considerable standing themselves.