The Rep’s Comical Throwback ‘The Cottage’ Is A Dandy, Daffy Delight

The Rep’s Comical Throwback ‘The Cottage’ Is A Dandy, Daffy Delight

By Lynn Venhaus

Sidesplitting hijinks ensue as a marital merry-go-round farce, “The Cottage,” spills the tea and twists a Noel Coward-esque comedy of manners for a female-forward finish.

Now playing through Sept. 28 on the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’ mainstage, a splendid sextet puts the roar in this Roaring Twenties romp as they gamely carry on in a sophisticated upper-crust British setting.

They deftly deliver standard King’s English dialect – all those ‘darlings,’ ‘indeeds’ and ‘rathers’ – in crisp witty, and a tad cynical, manner (special shout-out to dialect coach Lauren Roth).

Sandy Rustin’s jaunty play effectively depicts complicated relationships among polite society, and the cast’s Swiss-watch timing and nimble silliness combine for a sparkling collaboration that shows off their verbal and physical dexterity. Their flair for slapstick is impressive, as is their limber body language.

The company of “The Cottage.” Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

It all begins one sunny Monday morning in June 1923 at the Van Kipness matriarch’s tony countryside cottage, about 90 minutes outside of London. For seven years, Sylvia and Beau have enjoyed an annual tryst there.

Sylvia happens to be married to Beau’s stuffed-shirt brother Clarke. A hopeless romantic, she has impulsively told Clarke and Beau’s wife Marjorie of their affair so she can get her happily ever after.

That sets off a chain reaction where shocking truths are revealed, more characters are introduced, and doors lead to unexpected entrances and exits. These denizens of the smart set find their private lives upended, along with their carefully cultivated identities.

With this fashionable group, let’s just say love and marriage don’t go together like a horse and carriage, and things are not what they seem. As Coward famously said: “It’s discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.”

Jihan Haddad and Jack Dryden get frisky as Marjorie and Clarke. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The remarkable ease with which this cast achieves synergy is a credit to the talents of Andrea San Miguel as the spirited and stylish Sylvia; Jordan Coughtry as the handsome but caddish Beau; Jihan Haddad as the ladylike Marjorie; St. Louis native Jack Dryden as buffoonish Clarke; Isa Venere as ditzy Dierdre; and Andres Enriquez as Richard, best described as a loose cannon.

Rustin, who wrote the hilarious play adaptation of the murder-mystery-comedy “Clue” based on the 1985 movie, is faithful to the British style of drawing-room comedies that skewered the manners and morals of high society – but only up to a point.

In a refreshing move, she has flipped the script on women only being in service to men in these throwback shows. You see the women emerge, speaking about their wants and desires, ultimately taking charge of their own lives.

It has more of a modern sense and sensibility – and most importantly, they get the last laugh. A charming live wire, San Miguel is the perfect embodiment for an awakening, a transformative journey for Sylvia, an intelligent woman stuck in stereotypes of the time.

However, besides her own stamp on Coward’s celebrated writing, Rustin injected the story with more than a month’s worth of soap opera confessions – and those juicy tidbits keep on coming. Must not forget Sam Matthews’ brief appearance as the gardener.

San Miguel and Coughtry as a passionate couple. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

It’s best not to spoil more of the twisty turns the plot took as it unraveled, all at a swift pace. As details unfolded, anxiety ramped up, and rarely was anyone calm, cool and collected – all the better for zaniness.

Director Risa Brainin fluidly directed the chaos, making sure the action had a rhythm, and the well-cast ensemble maintained a pleasing tempo throughout. (Notable nod to casting director Delaney Piggins for assembling this finely tuned machine).

To emphasize their eccentric personalities, Brainin breezily blended them into the well-appointed set and ensured they each stood out when they were the focus.

One inspired segment involved Venere’s exaggerated acrobatic moves as an unconscious Dierdre is awkwardly handled by the others, reminiscent of classic Carol Burnett and Molly Shannon’s zesty physicality.

And this piggybacks on good-sport Haddad handling classy 8-months-pregnant Marjorie’s untimely gas-passing for more goofiness, which she managed with terrific finesse. (And loud guffaws and shrieks from the audience.)

Coughtry, San Miguel, Verare, Dryden and Haddad. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Brainin and scenic designer Robert Mark Morgan, ever mindful of architectural harmony, worked out a floor plan for maximum effect, as characters moved back and forth from the kitchen, the stairs leading to the bedrooms, and the guest room that was offstage, for the main action is in the elegant drawing room.

A focal point is a grand-scale front door with faux stained glass to complement the luxurious setting. Morgan’s exquisitely detailed set is the bee’s knees with its bespoke touches. Michael Klaers’ lighting design illuminates the bright space, with special attention to spotlighting Mama Van Kipness’ stern portrait hung in a prominent place.

Renee Garcia’s posh period costume designs are the cat’s pajamas, with sumptuous fabrics, fancy bathrobes, chic graceful designs, flattering colors, and tasteful tailored menswear and overcoats.  

The wig and makeup design by Dennis Milam Bensie is attractive in vogue styles, well-suited to the characters.

Coughtry, Verare. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Amanda Werre’s exemplary sound design is a necessary mix of victrola music, shower sounds, a weapon discharge – and loud flatulence.

Noteworthy nods to fight director Paul Steger and intimacy director Jamie McKittrick, and to production stage manager Evangeline Rose Whitlock for their astute contributions

As delightful as the performers are and the production’s flawless execution, the running time could be shaved, at least 10 minutes in each act, so that Rustin’s points don’t seem as repetitive. It would help maintain the bubbly mood as the urbane story gets increasingly absurd.

The play is 2 hours, 15 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.

Andres Enriquez as Richard. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

First produced in 2013 before regional productions, the play had a 2023 debut on Broadway directed by Jason Alexander that starred Eric McCormack, Laura Bell Bundy, Alex Moffat, Lilli Cooper, Dana Steingold and Nehal Joshi in a limited engagement for 111 performances.

The current cast appeared to be having a blast, so it’s easy to imagine how difficult it was to not crack up and keep their composure on stage and during rehearsal, let alone acquire the fleet moves and effortlessly deliver acerbic dialogue in a highly theatrical manner that reflected that era.

If madcap mischief and light-hearted entertainment are your cup of tea, you should plan a getaway to the Loretto-Hilton Center. Scandals are usually never this fun.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “The Cottage” Sept. 3-Sept. 28 at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University, 130 Edgar Road. For tickets or more information, visit www.repstl.org. The box office is available by calling 314-968-4925 and opens two hours prior to curtain time.

Post-show discussions follow the Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Sept. 14 and the Wednesday matinee Sept. 18.

San Miguel, Coughtry, Haddad, Dryden and Enriquez. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Searing, Sobering ‘All My Sons’ Explores Tangled Family Secrets

Searing, Sobering ‘All My Sons’ Explores Tangled Family Secrets

By Lynn Venhaus

Why does contemplating personal accountability and public responsibility remain a potent topic these days?

Questions to ask ourselves, and the debate is put under a microscope in an outstanding example — New Jewish Theatre’s piercing, emotionally devastating production of “All My Sons.”

The illusions we live with – about families, neighbors, and success – results in an acting master class and impeccable direction.

A fascinating drama that showcases one of playwright Arthur Miller’s most explosive commentaries on the American Dream, director Gary Wayne Barker carefully calibrates the intensity while slowly peeling back the layers of gripping moral dilemmas.

In an ensemble full of revelatory performances, each actor brings fresh interpretations to a family – and their friends – unraveling because of secrets and lies. As we have discovered throughout history, it’s the cover-up that is so damaging – and with ripple effects because of an egregious swindle.

Seventy-seven years ago, “All My Sons” debuted on Broadway, and in many ways, is still relevant today. It was Miller’s first commercial hit and paved the way for his other epic commentaries on capitalism, American ‘exceptionalism,’ tangled loyalties, and the price for self-delusion, appearances, and power: “Death of a Salesman” in 1949, “A View from the Bridge” in 1955 and “The Price” in 1961, among them.

Miller based this on a true story, after reading a newspaper article about a similar incident.

Lintvedt, Johnston, Heil and Loui. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

He has created vivid characters that live in an all-American neighborhood in an Ohio town in the late 1940s, where the locals would like you to believe that they’re living the high life in a setting not unlike a Norman Rockwell illustration.

And scenic designer C. Otis Sweezey was inspired by those popular Saturday Evening Post depictions of post-war prosperity.

The Kellers have been affected by World War II in several ways – their two sons, Chris and Larry served, but Chris (Jayson Heil) came home and works in the family-run munitions factory while Larry did not – he’s been missing in action for more than three years, and everyone but his mother Kate (Amy Loui) has given up on the likelihood that he is alive.

But more than that, military contracts were part of the family business, and selling defective parts has had serious repercussions.

Joe Keller (Greg Johnston) made a careless decision that came to light after faulty aircraft equipment was shipped overseas, resulting in 21 pilots’ deaths.

This misdeed, which he has rationalized and created an alternate reality about, sent his neighbor and partner Steve Deever to prison, while Joe was falsely exonerated, and his sentence commuted.

Still suppressing the secret that has upended their lives and torn apart the people around them, the Kellers are forced to deal with consequences. And a storm is coming, in that carefully cultivated backyard of theirs.

Rarely has a World War II story focused so harshly on disenchantment amidst the winning rah-rah attitude afterwards as incisive as Miller’s play.

Confronting their greed and delving into those expectations that wreak havoc in ordinary lives, supplies the actors with richly textured material.

Johnston, outstanding in last year’s “Uncle Vanya” at St. Louis Actors’ Studio and “The Nerd” at Moonstone Theatre Company (also directed by Barker), has never been better as the patriarch who rules with an iron fist.

In his big booming voice, Johnston, as Joe, boasts about reclaiming his life, thinking that nothing has changed, but everything has, and denial is his tragic flaw.

His son Chris is racked with guilt, and has invited his brother’s girlfriend, Ann Deever (Kristen Joy Lintvedt), to stay at their house. They’ve reconnected and fallen in love, keeping it hidden from his parents. Now, he’s ready to pop the question.

But it’s complicated. Not only was she Larry’s sweetheart, but Ann is the daughter of Joe’s business partner whom he blamed for shipping defective cylinder heads. Ann has not visited her father since he began his prison sentence and believes in his guilt.

Photo by Jon Gitchoff

While Joe was focused on making money and providing for his family, he basically put “America’s sons” in harm’s way through his dishonesty. What is that price worth and what communal responsibility do we have for the greater good?

Joe clings to his power, not believing he put freedom in jeopardy, but the fissures become significant. And this downfall, classic tragedy-style, is meticulously measured by a cast at the top of their game, directed with exceptional precision by Barker.

With a sure hand, Barker brings out the deceptions that everyone in this neighborhood lives with, flush with economic success. It is thoroughly compelling and thought-provoking as he shapes the momentum.

In his perceptive way, Miller delves into moral questions about protecting your family – even though others will be negatively affected, and the nature of being complicit in someone else’s crimes.

Kate, the grief-stricken mother, deludes herself that Larry will return, and finds solace in any reason to continue the fantasy – even astrology that a kind neighbor, Riley Capp as Frank Lubey, works on for her.

A razor-sharp Loui smoothly alternates a quick-silver range of emotions as she won’t admit the obvious and demonstrates how trauma has affected her – nervous and tormented by insomnia, headaches, nightmares. Loui goes beyond the dutiful wife and mother depiction to earn our sympathy – and pity.

Heil conveys Chris’ duty, honor and loyalty in a stunning, powerful performance that builds into an unavoidable catastrophe. Confused and uncertain, he shows both the internal and external struggles in a deeply felt, moving portrait that is a breakthrough role for him.

As the girl next door, Lintvedt is a standout as well. In a smaller but pivotal role, Joel Moses commands attention as Ann’s fuming brother George, a son desperately trying to exonerate his father as the fall guy.

He shows up, seething and full of rage, and stirs up a dark cloud, escalating Miller’s tightly constructed tension. The collateral damage will soon be extensive, and these performers deliver in gut-wrenching fashion.

Zahria Moore and Joshua Mayfield as the Baylisses. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The local doctor Jim Bayliss (Joshua Mayfield) is pleasant but growing more cynical in acclimating to social post-war life while his straight-shooting wife Sue (Zahria Moore), a nurse, has claws that come out in more contentious ways.

The cast also includes sunny Summer Baer as cheerful neighbor Lydia Lubey, who stayed there and has three kids, and 10-year-old Shane Rose in his debut as a local youngster, Bert.

 Michele Friedman Siler’s stellar vintage costume design captures the era in comfy casual attire, with George traveling more formally in suit, tie, and hat. Dennis Milam Bensie provided the wig design. Katie Orr’s props match the period as well. Amanda Werre’s sound design is exemplary, and Denisse Chavez’ lighting design provides interesting contrasts.

“All My Sons” grapples with split-second ethical decisions that are life-changing, and this latest New Jewish Theatre production is dramatically impactful and hard-hitting. It should not be missed.

New Jewish Theatre presents “All My Sons” from March 21 to April 7, with performances Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. at the J’s Wool Studio Theatre, 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146. Individual tickets are $27- $58 and are available by phone at 314.442.3283 or online at newjewishtheatre.org.

In line with the difficult themes of war and readjustment to civilian life, the New Jewish Theatre has decided to partner with the Veteran’s Community Project for an exclusive post-show discussion following the March 31 matinee show. After the curtain closes, audience members will have the chance to learn about the work they are doing to provides high quality and well-developed strategic services that enable Veterans to meet the challenges of day-to-day living, resolve immediate crises, and move towards permanent stability.

Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

The Rep’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play’ Is Big-Hearted Celebration

The Rep’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play’ Is Big-Hearted Celebration

By Lynn Venhaus

Overflowing with cheer and kindness, “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” is as comforting as a mug of hot cocoa and as heartwarming as the cherished 1946 film.

Festively decorated inside and out for the holidays, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is the bearer of glad tidings with this crisp and polished production, an announced substitution for the previously scheduled “A Christmas Carol,” which had been presented in 2021 and 2022.

But this was more than a performance – it was a change in direction and a celebration of community. The Rep went public with their financial woes in mid-October, starting a “Rally for the Rep!” campaign to raise $2.5 million by year’s end to continue the 57-year-old regional professional theater in the new year.

A Dec. 17 benefit, an online auction, and other fundraising efforts are being promoted, and this production is the first opportunity for The Rep to welcome patrons back to the Loretto-Hilton Center since the news broke.

They have added some ‘zhuzh’ to the welcoming atmosphere. Company Manager Michael D. Ward donated for the decoration, design and setup of the interior and exterior, and collaborated with the front of house staff to set those charming scenes.

Besides the merry mood, opening night also was a statement. You could feel the goodwill from the audience, and in the lobby afterwards, where trays of chocolate chip cookies were placed, and people snapped photos near the John Goodman cardboard cut-out. Goodman, the world-renowned actor who is a hometown treasure, will headline the Dec. 17 benefit.

Photo by Jon Gitchoff

Everything about this show gleamed – the company of all local performers’ glee was palpable and the nostalgic setting of KSTL’s studio harkened back to the Golden Age of Radio.

This play-within-a-play is a savvy adaptation by Joe Landry, reworking his play that modified the movie that’s now a holiday staple. The twist to the timeless tale is that it’s being performed by characters who work at the radio station.

This version was first produced last year by the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, whose artistic director Rick Dildine was previously affiliated with the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. And The Rep is producing this show in association with ASF and is made possible in part by the support of The Berges Family Foundation. 

Kate Bergstrom has directed both, displaying a deft touch for staging the action for optimum viewing and maximum ‘feels.’ Stage Managers Emilee Buchheit and Anna Baranski energetically stage-managed the show to keep the 2-hour show running smooth.

The ensemble shines – in individual roles and as a collective in the workplace. Anchoring the show is Michael James Reed, playing actor Jake Laurents, who is also a military officer serving in World War II. He’s a terrific George Bailey, conveying the distress of a man whose faith and hope has been eroded, but also a caring neighbor and friend in his daily interactions.

Melissa Harlow, Michael James Reed. Photo by Jon Gitchoff

Laurents/Reed plays a family man and banker whose life in Bedford Falls is not what he had imagined for himself, but circumstances led to him to bloom where he was planted.

As problems mount up, and he wishes he had never been born, it’s up to his guardian angel, Clarence, to show him what the town would have been like without him — and the many good deeds he has accomplished.

Upon closer observation, the source material is quite dark — a man is desperate, ready to throw in the towel, feeling as if he’s failed. But looking back at the impact his life has made is a beautiful observation about connection. And we can all relate.

For the screenplay, movie director Frank Capra, three-time Oscar winner (“It Happened One Night,” “Mr. Deeds Goes to Town,” and “You Can’t Take It with You”) collaborated with married screenwriting duo Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, Oscar-nominated for “The Thin Man” and “Father of the Bride,” among their filmographies.

Their source was a 1943 short story, “The Greatest Gift,” written by Philip Van Doren Stern, which was inspired by Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”

Daisy Held as a Sound Engineer. Photo by Jon Gitchoff

The movie, while earning five Oscar nominations in 1947, including Best Picture (lost to “The Best Years of Our Lives”) and another for Capra and James Stewart, was a box office flop and critics were lukewarm. It wasn’t until 1977, when its copyright lapsed and broadcasters were able to show it royalty-free, that it gained a following. Now it’s a perennial.

Today, no matter how many Christmas movies Hallmark churns out, “It’s a Wonderful Life” continues to top lists of favorite holiday movies. The Rep’s production reinforces why everyone loves it. Besides, who doesn’t want to believe in guardian angels?

The talent-rich 10-person ensemble is dialed in, seamlessly working together as radio employees and actors conveying the Bedford Falls denizens. Three are St. Louis Theater Circle winners (Michael James Reed, Eric Dean White and double-winner J Samuel Davis).

It’s fun to experience that part of America’s past, when a physical radio was an essential part of everyday life and the dominant home entertainment during the 1930s and 1940s. You’ve seen these settings in old-time movies and TV, and scenic designer An-Lin Dauber has recreated a vibrant studio where you can see — and hear — the sound engineers make the magic.

Eric Dean White, J Samuel Davis. Photo by Jon Gitchoff

With his mellifluous voice, Eric Dean White strikes a pleasant tone as a seasoned radio announcer. He’s amusing when he delivers commercials for Schnucks, Crown Candy Kitchen, Ted Drewes, and others – delighting the audience.

DeAnte Bryant is a charmer as Harry Heywood, who is humorous, caring and concerned as the lovable Clarence, who has waited 200 years to get his wings. The brilliant local actor J. Samuel Davis is Dr. Richard Ross, doubling roles — compassionate as St. Joseph and conniving as greedy Mr. Potter, the corrupt power-hungry kingpin often stopped in his chicanery by George.

Melissa Harlow is actress Sally Applewhite who plays good-natured Mary, who eventually marries George and raises a family. Carmen Garcia is the sweet Rosa Ramos, who is playing both George’s kind mother and Mary’s busybody mom. Their fashionable frocks are part of Dauber’s vintage costume design, with Jordan Fell associate costume designer.

Smartly dressed in tailored attire as ‘career girls’ are Aria Maholchic who plays spirited actress Lana Sherwood, Jailyn Genese as the efficient Stage Manager and Daisy Held as the Sound Engineer.

The biggest crowd-pleaser was winsome TJ Staten Jr., stealing scenes as Lead Songbird and Sound Engineer. Making his debut at The Rep, the McCluer High School graduate, as Troy Staten, won the 2021 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition sponsored by the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation.  

TJ Staten Jr. Photo by Jon Gitchoff

Lighting designer Christina Watanabe bathed the production in a poignant glow that enhanced the emotional depth, particularly when snowflakes fell. Moving from the cozy studio to the wintry town setting was an impressive transition.

The sound work was particularly noteworthy, because creating the sound effects to go across the airwaves isn’t as easy as it sounds. Special mention to Michael Costagliola as sound/foley designer and Andrew Ronver, the associate sound designer.

Another artisan helping establish the period was wig designer Dennis Milam Bensie.

It wouldn’t be a holiday radio show without singing, and music director Ron McGowan helped make the season bright, leading the ensemble in snappy seasonal favorites. When it was time for “Auld Lang Syne,” the audience joyfully chimed in with the ensemble. (Was anyone else misty-eyed?)

A sincere effort to inspire, touch, and engage, “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” was a dandy celebration of what should be important this time of year.

Storytelling is vital to bringing us together, and this opportunity to remind us to believe in our purpose, be mindful of what’s around us, and never lose faith in humanity is evergreen.

It is a wonderful life – and I hope you leave this show with the promise of better days ahead, even if a happy holiday is elusive.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” Dec. 1-23 at the Loretto-Hilton Center, Webster University, 130 Edgar Road, Webster Groves. For tickets or more information, visit www.repstl.org or call the box office at 314-968-4925.
For more information about Phase One of the fundraising campaign, visit www.rallyfortherep.org

Rush Tickets: Available for students, seniors, educators, and theatre professionals by calling  the Box Office at 314-968-4925, 1 – 2 hours prior to curtain time.
Audio-Described Performance: Thursday, December 21 at 7pm – the show will be described for patrons who are blind or have low vision.
ASL Performance: Saturday, December 23 at 2pm –  the show will be signed for the deaf or hard of hearing.
Open-Captioned Performance: Sunday, December 17  at 2pm – an electronic text ticker displays words being spoke or sung onstage

(And if you are hankering to watch the movie, NBC will show it Christmas Eve, the E! Entertainment Channel will show it at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Dec. 20. Bravo will show it at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 15. It is also streaming on Amazon Prime with a subscription.)

Photo by Jon Gitchoff

Heart-Tugging Portrayals in NJT’s Awe-Inspiring ‘The Immigrant’

Heart-Tugging Portrayals in NJT’s Awe-Inspiring ‘The Immigrant’

By Lynn Venhaus
When Haskell Harelik, born Chatzkell Garehlik in Belarus, first steps off the boat in the port of Galveston, Texas, in 1909, actor Dustin Lane Petrillo beams with both joy and wonder.

That sense of liberty, breathing free on our teeming American shore, is palpable, and brings to mind how many other journeys of generations we know about, making “The Immigrant” a universal story that couldn’t be timelier.

This one is specific to Texas following the Russian Revolution. Pograms during those events spurred Haskell to emigrate as part of the Galveston Movement, as one of about 10,000 Eastern European Jews who arrived there 1907-14, arranged by a businessman to alleviate the overcrowding and poor living conditions on the lower east side of New York City.

This fresh New Jewish Theatre production, for the third time in its 25-year history, offers a warm, intimate connection that says as much about our common ground as humans as it does about hope and dreams.

Perceptively directed by Rebekah Scallet, this moving true story is awe-inspiring in its simplicity and eloquence, heart-tugging in its splendid character portrayals by an outstanding quartet, and masterly in its technical achievements.

Playwright Mark Harelik’s richly textured family drama, first produced in 1985, has an absorbing ebb and flow over eight decades, but mainly concentrates on his tempest-tossed grandfather’s early struggles to survive in a foreign land and then eventually succeed in living his American Dream.

Petrillo’s exceptional range as Haskell – and exemplary command of Yiddish — is first shown as a poor, tired, and parched peddler, selling bananas for a penny apiece when he nearly collapses from the heat in front of the Perry’s home in Hamilton, Texas. Wary of the stranger, banker Milton Perry lets him get water from their well, while his tender-hearted wife Ima wants to offer more help to the lost soul in their midst, and their paths will cross again.

David Wassilak, Dustin Lane Petrillo. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

As the Perrys, David Wassilak and Mindy Shaw mirror the mindsets of the day, suspicious and fearful of “the other,” but are won over by Haskell’s charm and work ethic. When Milton sees Haskell’s papers and discovers he’s a Russian Jew, his prejudice flares up, but the young man is so earnest, he wins over the locals.

Because of Milton’s position, he’s willing to help set up Haskell in a more stable enterprise – a horse-drawn fruit and vegetable cart. That leads to a store in downtown Hamilton that lasted 78 years, until it closed in 1989.

Being a practicing Jew in a primarily Christian enclave, with many Southern Baptists, takes some adjustment, especially for Haskell’s wife Leah, who reunites here with reluctance. Bryn McLaughlin conveys her challenges as she desperately misses her community, but eventually assimilates to a good life as thriving, trustworthy merchants. They raise three boys, with the Perrys being a major part of their lives.

Wassilak and Shaw deliver finely tuned performances, with subtle rural central Texas accents, and together, in sync like an old married couple through the years, for full-bodied realism. Their chemistry is matched by Petrillo and McLaughlin so that you truly feel the couple’s bonds.

Bryn McLaughlin, Dustin Lane Petrillo. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Differences about the growing European storm with Hitler in Germany and the reluctance of the U.S. to get involved in 1939 will cause friction between Milton and Haskell. There may be some artistic license, but it’s a wonderful story well-told. The minutia of daily living is superbly captured, all those little things that add up to making a life, no matter what era or what region. (I particularly enjoyed references to rabbit’s foot keychains, anklets and first time seeing an artichoke).

The creative team’s skills are first-rate, with stellar work from Kareem Deanes on sound –organically integrated with birds chirping, and retro background music – as well as his projections design. Each side of the theater has a screen where the audience can view information on Haskell’s journey and portraits of the Harelik family through the years that adds real sentimental moments to this deeply felt tale.

Scenic designer Rob Lippert’s meticulously detailed work on two home facades and landcaped trees and greenery creates a terrific setting to tell this story, placing the audience on each side for seamless action.

Stage Manager Nathan Wright, and Assistant Stage Manager Journee Carter keep the staging crisp and fluid.

Lighting designer Michael Sullivan’s warm illumination creates the feeling of home for both families.

Costume designer Michele Friedman Siler has astutely outfitted the women in changing skirt lengths and vintage styles while dressing the men in their appropriate professional attire, Haskell changing in stature through the years.

The play, co-conceived by Harelik, a professional actor, and Randal Myler, a writer, director, and producer, resonates beautifully with today’s audience.

New Jewish produced this play before, in 1999 and 2011, before I became part of the St. Louis Theater Circle as a founding member in 2012. This was a wise choice to mount it again.

Mindy Shaw, Dustin Lane Petrillo. Photo by Jon Gitchoff

This is Scallet’s directorial debut, and it’s impressive. She is in her second season as artistic director of New Jewish, having moved here in 2020.

The dialect coaching by John Wright deserves mention, and so does the aesthetically pleasing natural wig designs by Dennis Milam Bensie.

“The Immigrant” is a compassionate example of shining our lamps on the golden door for those yearning for better lives. Indirectly, it also is infused with an urgency to not be passive about the current state of turmoil in the world.

The fact that local groups are hosting information sessions on how to help refugees in the Israel-HAMAS War during this play’s run, creates even more meaning. For more information, visit https://jccstl.com/resources-on-the-israel-hamas-war/.

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” – bronze plaque on The Statue of Liberty, 1883

David Wassilak, Dustin Petrillo. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.


The New Jewish Theatre presents “The Immigrant” Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 4 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Oct. 12 through Oct. 29. Performances take place at the Wool Studio Theatre in the SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. The two-act play runs 2 hours, 21 minutes, and has a 15-minute intermission. For more information: newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

The New Jewish Theatre has coordinated with multiple local organizations who help immigrants to plan outreach events at or in coordination with this production to bring awareness to current issues facing immigrants and refugees in St. Louis. They include:

  • A “needed item” drive in collaboration with The International Institute will take place throughout the showings.
  • On October 21, following the 4 pm performance, there will be a discussion panel featuring members of the Central Reform Congregation Resettlement Chavurah.
  • On October 22, following the 2 pm performance, there will be a discussion featuring members of the Shaare Emeth Congregation Resettlement Group.
  • Finally, a Welcome Neighbor dinner will take place at the J between the 4pm and 8pm performances on October 28.