PopLifeSTL Picks Weekly: Sept. 1 – 7

PopLifeSTL Picks Weekly: Sept. 1 – 7

Dateline: Sept. 1
By Lynn Venhaus, Alex McPherson, C.B. Adams and Carl “The Intern” Middleman

Are we ready to cross into the spooky season? And no, I don’t mean the pumpkin-spice aisle at the grocery store. (And besides, aren’t you stockpiling Halloween candy like sensible adults?). In the pop culture universe, we’re buzzing about film festivals, new television season, live theatre coming our way, and outdoor fall activities.

Here’s Round 3 of our new endeavor — our curated weekly round-up guaranteed fresh every Monday on our website and in your inbox. (Or in case of holidays, Tuesday. We hope you not only enjoy but spread the word – we’d like to reach as many fellow Popsters as we can.

This newsletter features links to our recent online works, in other publications, and heads’ up tips on what’s ahead, is meant to serve as a guide for you navigating an extensive ‘what to watch, go, see, do” that the universe is beckoning us to check out.

Now Showing:
Our timely film reviews so you can decide what’s worth your time and money.

Caught Stealing: Austin Butler’s star charisma enlivens a scruffy, grungy, brutal chase through late 90s New York. Mayhem ensues in a bloody treasure hunt.

Zoomer and Boomer Takes:

Alex review: https://poplifestl.com/darren-aronofsky-takes-a-detour-in-hyperviolent-crime-thriller-caught-stealing/
Lynn review: https://poplifestl.com/austin-butler-drives-dark-comedy-action-thriller-caught-stealing/

Hamilton: To celebrate its 10th anniversary on Broadway, the filmed version of the musical, which premiered on Disney + during the pandemic on July 1, 2020, will be available in local theatres, and will feature a cast reunion special feature.

I consider :“Hamilton,” which I’ve now seen three times, to be the greatest live theatrical experience of my lifetime. Here is my review of the 2020 movie: https://poplifestl.com/hamilton-the-movie-meets-the-moment/

“This view has new opportunities for discovery, to marvel at Miranda’s attention to detail and his nimble storytelling. The recurring themes and repetitive nature of the score add texture to the rhythms and harmonies, and the cast’s enunciation and verbal dexterity is remarkable.” – Lynn

New to Streaming:

“The Thursday Murder Club” — charming -2-hour comedy-mystery with an all-star British cast on Netflix, including Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, Celia Imrie, Jonathan Pryce, David Tennant, Naomi Ackie and Think “Knives Out” meets “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.”

Here’s Lynn’s review on KTRS Aug. 29: (My segment starts at 34:30 and ends at 49:30)

The mystery may be by the book,  but the team in the retirement home solving cases is a delight to watch — Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie (you know her from The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movies and Bridget Jones).

The great Jonathan Pryce plays Helen Mirren’s husband who has dementia and Naomi Ackie plays a local police officer who is investigating a real murder.

I had fun watching them all play together on the playground (in this case, a grand old senior living center).

Also on streaming beginning Sept. 5 on Apple TV+:– “Highest 2 Lowest,” the latest collaboration between Spike Lee and Denzel Washington, filmed energetically in the streets of New York. Here’s Lynn’s review in the Webster-Kirkwood TImes.
https://www.timesnewspapers.com/webster-kirkwoodtimes/arts_and_entertainment/reel_world/highest-2-lowest/article_44478a18-0e77-4ec4-b13d-92c76833c4b5.html

On Stage:Sublime voices, staging so-so. CB Adams review of Union Avenue Opera’s “Salome.” https://poplifestl.com/union-avenue-operas-salome-delivers-power-and-uneven-spectacle/

PopLifeSTL Presents Podcast: Chas Adams joined Lynn this week as Carl the Intern Middleman is on an epic hero’s journey on the Mother Road with his family, and we had a swell time talking with promoter Greg Hagglund of Steve Litman Productions about a Napoleon Dynamite Bash at the District in Chesterfield on Sept. 3.The Napoleon Dynamite Bash is a teaser in preparation for showing the movie on Oct. 9 at The Factory, with cast members Jon Heder (title character), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) and Efren Ramirez (Pedro) in attendance for a Q&A.

We also enjoyed talking with Eric Dundon from the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and talk about an epic journey! Their upcoming events this month — unveiling Powell Hall’s additions, the free community concert in Forest Park Sept. 17, and release of their new album with composer in residence Kevin Puts. They have many things going on!

Here’s our jam-packed podcast! https://soundcloud.com/lynn-zipfel-venhaus/august-31st-2025-with-greg-hagglund-slsos-eric-dundon?si=beac0cb47d034e3b9f66ec74673b0eee&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharin

Our Playlist:
We recommend —
Chas: My playlist has been a continuous shuffle of my 200+ song playlist called The Road — tunes with traveling, driving and getting away as the theme or vibe.

Alex: The soundtrack/score for “Inglourious Basterds.”

Carl: Part 2 of the “WKRP in Cincinnati” double feature – this time with Venus Flytrap  https://www.awphooey.com/venus

Lynn: After certifiable musical genius Jon Batiste rocked the Muny Thursday, exuding goodness and light, I’ve been listening to different cuts from several albums. I love the vast scope of his music, but I’ll share his Grammy-nominated song “Butterfly” from his 2024 “World Music” album, live from “Late Show with Stephen Colbert”: https://youtu.be/CR115pxSjWM?si=czO2tsGn51myAWjg

And if you haven’t seen the heart-tugging documentary about Jon and his wife, writer Suleika Jaouad, “American Symphony,” it’s streaming on Netflix. Here is my review: https://poplifestl.com/american-symphony-triumphs-as-tender-look-at-art-life-and-love/

Good Eats and Fun Treats: Fans of “Napoleon Dynamite” can try “Tot Dogs” at Steve’s Hot Dogs in The District at Chesterfield, plus take their photo with a llama on site, enter a look-a-like contest, play trivia and win tickets to the upcoming movie event, and more to celebrate the 2004 cult classic film on Wednesday, Sept. 3, from 5 to 7 p.m.
The Napoleon Dynamite Bash is a teaser in preparation for showing the movie on Oct. 9 at The Factory, with cast members Jon Heder (title character), Jon Gries (Uncle Rico) and Efren Ramirez (Pedro) in attendance for a Q&A.

Rear Window with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly.

The Vault:
Special anniversaries this week –

Sept. 1, 1984: Tina Turner’s single “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” shot to no. 1, his first as a solo artist. Turner, who attended Sumner High School in St. Louis, launched her music career here, singing with Ike Turner’s band.

Sept. 2, 1954: Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller Rear Window was released in American theaters. Often imitated. A luminous Grace Kelly takes your breath away.

Sept. 3, 1972: Everybody, sing along! “It was the 3rd of September, that day I’ll always remember.” That’s the first line of The Temptations’ iconic cover “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” which won a Grammy and went to no. 1 on the Billboard Top 100.

Sept. 4, 2002: Kelly Clarkson was crowned winner of the first “American Idol” singing competition show.

Sept. 5, 1976: Jim Henson’s “The Muppet Show” premiered on TV and Mia Farrow was the first guest star.

Sept. 6, 1997: The funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, was watched by an estimated 2.5 billion people globally. She had died a week earlier, at age 36, in a car accident in Paris on Aug. 31.

Sept. 7, 2008: Jonathan Larson’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning musical “Rent” closed after 12 years on Broadway, and 5,123 performances.

The company of ‘The Cottage.’ Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

On Our Radar: What we’re excited about this week.

Chas: I’m looking forward to this week’s return of the Two Reps – The Black Rep and St. Louis Repertory Theatre!

On my radar is the upcoming “Art Work: On the Creative Life” by Sally Mann, one of my top five photographers. Not only is she a stellar artist, but she can also write beautifully. I’ve pre-ordered a hardcover on its Sept. 9 release.

Alex: “Sanatorium Under the Sign of the Hourglass” at the Webster Film Series next weekend (Sept. 5-7).

Carl the Intern: Finishing the last 302 miles of the Route 66 trip from Santa Monica to Chicago.

Lynn: The fall theatrical season kicks off with the farce “The Cottage” at The Rep and the musical “Raisin” at the Black Rep, and I’m excited to see both productions.

“The Paper” starts Thursday on Peacock, and it may become my new favorite show. It’s the new spin-off of “The Office,” and it’s the same documentary crew now at a struggling small-town newspaper in Ohio – the Toledo Truth-Teller. Domhnall Gleeson, plays the new editor-in-chief. After 50 years in news, I may either laugh or cry, or both.Chas:

Where Can You Find Us?

Chas: St. Louis Arts Scene, PopLifeSTL.com, STL Stage Snaps on YouTube and IG, and the socials.

Alex: https://bsky.app/profile/gdogmcp.bsky.social and https://letterboxd.com/gdogmcp/

Carl the Intern: Find me@_CarlTheIntern on IG, X & Threads and on the Big 550 KTRS M-F 5a-10a.

Lynn: KTRS, “The Frank and Jill Show,” every Friday at 11:08 a.m., PopLifeSTL.com, Webster-Kirkwood Times, Alliance of Women Film Journalists (awfj.org), plus Belleville News-Democrat for news and features, St. Louis Magazine for dining contributions, and all the socials.

Union Avenue Opera’s ‘Salome’ Delivers Power and Uneven Spectacle

Union Avenue Opera’s ‘Salome’ Delivers Power and Uneven Spectacle

By CB Adams
It is a rare pleasure to encounter “Salome,” Richard Strauss’s 1905 masterpiece (after Oscar Wilde’s scandalous play), on a St. Louis stage. Union Avenue Opera’s production reminds us that even in a modest house, this one-act psychodrama retains its power to disturb.

The evening offered superlative singing across the board, a moody if sometimes murky staging and Strauss’s extraordinary score rendered with clarity and bite by a chamber-sized orchestra that, under Scott Schoonover, sounded far larger than its 23 players.

The vocal achievement was formidable. St. Louis’s own Kelly Slawson brought fearlessness and stamina to the punishing title role, her dramatic soprano slicing cleanly through Strauss’s post-Wagnerian textures. The part notoriously demands everything from flights of coloratura to plunges into the contralto register along with sheer brute endurance.

Slawson met those challenges with assurance, shaping a Salome who was as predatory as she was magnetic. She infused the role with a heavy-metal intensity — thrilling, unsettling and never bland.

Opposite her, baritone Daniel Scofield supplied a commanding Jochanaan, his resonant timbre and prophetic fire holding the line against Salome’s obsessive advances.

Daniel Scofield, Kelly Slawson. Photo by Dan Donovan.

Will Upham’s Herod was appropriately febrile, a portrait of jittery decadence, while Joanna Ehlers’s Herodias offered caustic bite and a Wildean cynicism delivered with relish.

Brian Skoog (Narraboth) brought pathos to his brief trajectory, Emily Geller (the Page) added androgynous ambiguity and the quintet of Jews (Zachary Devin, Thomas M. Taylor IV, David Morgans, James Stevens, Fitzgerald St Louis) bickered with crisp ensemble precision. It was a cast without weak voices.

For all its musical strengths, the staging stumbled at two moments of dramatic consequence. The first misstep came early in the opera with Narraboth’s suicide. Poorly blocked, the scene left the audience’s eye on Salome rather than the lovesick captain.

His awkward, almost perfunctory thrust of the sword could have been missed entirely, thereby diluting Herod’s subsequent questions about the bloodied corpse. What should resonate as the opera’s first shocking rupture barely registered.

Will Upham and Joanna Ehlers. Photo by Dan Donovan.

The Dance of the Seven Veils, the opera’s centerpiece, likewise faltered. Slawson committed herself wholly, but the choreography lurched from abrupt pivots to ground- wriggling, from a parody of Norma Desmond to burlesque flourishes, all without discernible logic. A needless ascent and descent of the steps only deepened the sense of randomness.

At one point she barked toward the chorus; at another, the sequence spun into manic incoherence. The result brought to mind Brad Pitt’s turn in “12 Monkeys” — all nervous tics, sudden lunges and wide-eyed mania, as though every acting exercise had been flung on stage at once.

In a film, that kind of method-to-madness can be riveting; in this opera, it scattered the focus of a moment that should be singularly hypnotic. As a seduction meant to clinch the opera’s fatal bargain, the dance distracted rather than compelled — a pity, given the strength of the surrounding production.

Kelly Slawson as Salome. Photo by Dan Donovan.

Schoonover drew exceptional results from the orchestra. Strauss scored “Salome” for more than a hundred musicians, but Union Avenue performed it using Francis Griffin’s reduced orchestration for 23 players. In Schoonover’s hands, the ensemble produced a luminous, incisive sound that never swamped the singers while still carrying the music’s unsettling erotic charge.

Union Avenue’s “Salome” deserves praise as a rare and rewarding opportunity (despite its missteps) to encounter Strauss’s modernist milestone. Vocally and musically, it was a triumph; dramatically, it remained absorbing despite missteps. For audiences willing to face opera at its most decadent and disturbing, this production more than justified the journey.

Union Avenue Opera’s production of “Salome” was performed Aug. 15, 16, 22 and 23 at the Union Avenue Christian Church

The cast of “Salome.” Photo by Dan Donovan.
Daniel Scofield. Photo by Dan Donovan.

Emily Geller, Brian Skoog. Photo by Dan Donovan

A Classic Reimagined: Union Avenue Opera’s Vocally Rich ‘My Fair Lady’

A Classic Reimagined: Union Avenue Opera’s Vocally Rich ‘My Fair Lady’

By CB Adams

Once considered the sacred domain of soaring arias and tragic finales, the modern opera house has become an increasingly hospitable venue for the American musical. As audiences diversify and box offices face familiar headwinds, opera companies on both sides of the Atlantic are redrawing the boundary lines between Puccini and Porter, Mozart and Lerner & Loewe. These incursions into Broadway territory are not merely pragmatic gestures toward sustainability — though the allure of fresh demographics and fuller houses certainly plays its part. They also reflect a shift in artistic priorities: a recalibration of high and low, serious and popular, in which mid-century musicals once dismissed as cultural confections are now approached with curatorial seriousness and full orchestral forces.

The result is a kind of genre détente, one that invites reconsideration of works like “Carousel,” “West Side Story” and “My Fair Lady” for their melodic richness as well as for their dramatic substance. Yet this recontextualization brings with it inevitable tensions. Operatic grandeur can deepen a musical’s emotional resonance, but it can just as easily flatten the vernacular texture that gives it heart. When the scale tilts too far toward vocal opulence, the quicksilver wit of a lyric or the intimacy of a book scene can dissipate into the rafters.

Dress rehearsal on July 2, 2025 for Union Avenue Opera’s production of My Fair Lady.

Union Avenue Opera’s “My Fair Lady” steps confidently into this evolving conversation — not as novelty or gimmick but as a fully realized statement of intent. Directed with restraint and elegance by Annamaria Pileggi, the production embraces the vocal and orchestral might of the opera house without losing sight of the musical’s theatrical spine. Unlike the heavily amplified Broadway revivals of recent decades, this staging offers an unamplified vocal experience, restoring a kind of sonic intimacy that harkens back to the musical’s 1956 premiere.

In the resonant acoustics of the opera house, spoken scenes and sung lines alike are given a natural immediacy — less glossy perhaps but more present, more human. The staging honors the show’s Edwardian polish while allowing its class-conscious undercurrents to simmer beneath the surface, even though some of the lines are lost (thank goodness for the supertitles!).

Much depends, of course, on the cast’s ability to navigate the delicate terrain between speech and song, between character and caricature. Here, the company largely succeeds, with performers who favor nuance over bombast and clarity over excess. The result is a “My Fair Lady” that reads not as a nostalgic nod to a bygone era but as a reclamation — of the work’s musical sophistication, certainly, but also of its enduring cultural bite, the proof of which may be the capacity audience at the July 6 matinee that I attended.

Dress rehearsal on July 2, 2025 for Union Avenue Opera’s production of My Fair Lady.

Musically, this “My Fair Lady” rests on a solid and sensitive orchestral foundation, conducted with finesse by Scott Schoonover, who also serves as UAO’s artistic director. Under his baton, the orchestra delivers Loewe’s lush, deceptively intricate score with clarity and warmth, never overwhelming the singers but instead supporting them with a rhythmic and emotional pliancy that elevates each number. It’s in the music — and in the vocal performances — that this production finds its center of gravity.

Freed from amplification, the voices bloom naturally in the hall, allowing phrasing, diction and dynamic shading to emerge with expressive immediacy. The decision to emphasize vocal and musical integrity over spectacle and fashion show proves a wise one. Though the scenic and visual design elements — Patrice J. Nelms’s versatile set, Teresa Doggett’s handsome period costumes, Patrick Huber’s unobtrusively evocative lighting and Melissa Wohlwend’s hats for Eliza — are all executed with polish, they serve as framing devices rather than focal points. This is a “My Fair Lady” that trusts the power of the human voice and live orchestra to carry the story — and earns that trust measure by measure.

At the heart of the production is Brooklyn Snow’s Eliza Doolittle, sung with a bright, ringing soprano and acted with a keen sense of Eliza’s evolving dignity. Snow navigates the character’s transformation with nuance, never sacrificing vocal precision for theatrical flourish. Her Eliza is neither overly precious nor overly hardened — a young woman who claims her own space in both Covent Garden and Embassy ballroom with equal conviction.

As Freddy Eynsford-Hill, Charles Calotta brings a youthful sincerity and a lyric tenor well-suited to “On the Street Where You Live,” which he delivers with a blend of open-hearted charm and vocal finesse. Calotta’s performance of this signature song is one of the highlights in this production.

Dress rehearsal on July 2, 2025 for Union Avenue Opera’s production of My Fair Lady.

Both Calotta and Trevor Martin, as the irascibly brilliant Henry Higgins, make impressive UAO debuts, as does veteran performer Steve Isom as the affably genteel Colonel Pickering. Martin’s Higgins is crisply articulated and appropriately cantankerous, yet avoids caricature. He finds flashes of vulnerability without softening the character’s harder edges. Isom brings warmth and ease to Pickering, serving as a steady counterbalance to Higgins’ intellectual bluster.

The supporting cast adds welcome texture and levity to the production, with several notable debuts. Paul Houghtaling makes a robust UAO entrance as Alfred P. Doolittle, Eliza’s roguish father. His affable bluster and rhythmic command enliven both of his big numbers — “With a Little Bit of Luck” and “Get Me to the Church on Time” — infusing them with energy and comic timing without tipping into excess.

Jennifer Theby-Quinn brings a crisp, clear-eyed presence to Mrs. Pearce, Higgins’ housekeeper, offering gentle authority that grounds the increasingly absurd domestic dynamics. And in scene-stealing turn, Donna Weinsting makes her company debut as Mrs. Higgins, Henry’s long-suffering mother. With pitch-perfect timing and a dry delivery that cuts like a well-honed butter knife, Weinsting elicits some of the evening’s most well-earned laughs. Together, these performers enhance the production’s character-driven approach, ensuring that even the secondary roles feel finely drawn and fully inhabited.

Dress rehearsal on July 2, 2025 for Union Avenue Opera’s production of My Fair Lady.

With “My Fair Lady,” Union Avenue Opera continues to demonstrate how a company rooted in traditional opera can expand its artistic reach without diluting its core identity. This production doesn’t chase Broadway spectacle or attempt to reinvent the musical; instead, it honors the integrity of the score and text while allowing the company’s operatic strengths — vocal rigor, live orchestration and musical detail — to illuminate the work anew. In doing so, UAO joins a growing chorus of opera houses exploring how canonical musicals can thrive in an acoustic, classically inflected setting.

If this “My Fair Lady” is any indication, such ventures are viable additions to the repertoire and not mere programming novelties. At a time when both opera and musical theater are searching for sustainable futures, productions like this one remind us that the border between genres is not a line to be guarded but a threshold to be crossed.

Union Avenue Opera’s “My Fair Lady” runs July 6-7 and 11-12 at the Union Avenue Christian Church. For more information: https://unionavenueopera.org.

Dress rehearsal on July 2, 2025 for Union Avenue Opera’s production of My Fair Lady.

Photos by Dan Donovan

The Muny, Stages’ ‘Ragtime,’ and STL Shakespeare Fest Lead Theater Circle Awards Nominations

The Muny, Stages’ ‘Ragtime,’ and STL Shakespeare Fest Lead Theater Circle Awards Nominations

THE MUNY, WITH 30 NOMINATIONS, IS TOP CONTENDER FOR 12TH ANNUAL  ST. LOUIS THEATER CIRCLE AWARDS; “RAGTIME,” “AS YOU LIKE IT” LEAD INDIVIDUAL SHOWS WITH 10 NOMINATIONS EACH

Event March 24 Will Honor Outstanding Work in Local Professional Theater in 2024

The Muny, with 30 nominations covering all seven of the productions in its 2024 season, is the top contender at the 12th annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards. Individual shows “Ragtime” at Stages St. Louis, and “As You Like It” at St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, with 10 nominations apiece, lead the list of 53 productions to receive at least one nomination.

The annual gala will take place on Monday, March 24 at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts, 130 Edgar Road on the campus of Webster University, home of The Rep.

Tickets at $23 apiece ($20 plus a $3 processing fee) are available at The Rep’s web site www.repstl.org ticket link: https://repstl.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/events/a0SVI0000040h4J2AQ

The Rep’s box office number is 314-968-4925. Tickets will also be available at The Rep’s box office one hour before the ceremony, which will start at 7:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for a one-hour ‘Happy Hour,’ with beverages and snacks available for purchase.

Nominees in 34 categories, including a new category “Outstanding Projections or Special Effects,” will vie for honors covering comedies, dramas, musicals and operas produced by local professional theater and opera companies in the calendar year 2024. Approximately 112 productions were considered for nominations for this year’s event.

Additionally, Joe Hanrahan, founder and artistic director of The Midnight Company, and Ron Himes, founder and producing director of the St. Louis Black Repertory (The Black Rep), will be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards.

The eighth annual award ceremony, which was to have been held at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University, was cancelled in February 2020 due to the escalating number of cases of COVID-19. Instead, that event, honoring outstanding local theater productions for the year 2019, was held virtually in a highly polished presentation produced by HEC Media and streamed on HEC’s YouTube channel and web site.

A ninth annual ceremony similarly was streamed on HEC Media for the combined years of 2020 and 2021, before the gala returned to the Loretto-Hilton in 2023 for the 10th annual awards.

The nominees for the 12th annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards are:

Jasmine Cheri Rush, Caroline Amos and Ricki Franklin, all nominees for “As You Like It.” Photo by Philip Hamer.

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Ricki Franklin, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Amy Loui, “Steel Magnolias,” Stages St. Louis
Jasmine Cheri Rush, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Zoe Vonder Haar, “Steel Magnolias,” Stages St. Louis
Susan Wylie, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Danny Brown, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre
Joseph Garner, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),”” Albion Theatre
Isaiah Di Lorenzo, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre
Joel Moses, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Spencer Sickmann, “Trayf,” New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Caroline Amos, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Emily Baker, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre
Claire Coffey, “Bell, Book and Candle,” Stray Dog Theatre
LaWanda Jackson, “Don’t Be a Hero, Thank You,” Prison Performing Arts
Kelley Weber, “The Roommate,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Spencer Sickmann, Jason Schmidt and Bryce Miller, all nominees for “Trayf.” Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Alan Knoll, “We All Fall Down,” New Jewish Theatre
Bryce A. Miller, “Trayf,” New Jewish Theatre
Ben Ritchie, “Red Jasper,” Michael Madden Productions
Jacob Schmidt, “Trayf,” New Jewish Theatre
Joel Wilper, “Bell, Book and Candle,” Stray Dog Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play 

Denisse Chavez, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
Denisse Chavez, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Minjoo Kim, “Dial ‘M’ for Murder,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
William C. Kirkham, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Sean Savoie, “Hold On!,” The Black Rep

Outstanding Sound Design 

Kareem Deanes, “The Roommate,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Chuck Harper, “Wolf Kings,” YoungLiars
Rick Sims, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Amanda Werre, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
Amanda Werre, “Dial ‘M’ for Murder,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Marcy Wiegert nominated for “Romanov Family Yard Sale” among ERA’s 6 nominations. Photo by Joey Rumpell.

Outstanding Costume Design in a Play 

Dorothy Marshall Englis, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Colleen Michelson, “The Mousetrap,” Stray Dog Theatre
Carolyn “Sully” Ratke, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Michele Friedman Siler, “Life Is a Dream,” Upstream Theater
Marcy Wiegert, “Romanov Family Yard Sale,” ERA Theatre

Outstanding Set Design in a Play 

Andrea Ball, “We All Fall Down,” New Jewish Theatre
Scott C. Neale, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Courtney O’Neill, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Margery and Peter Spack, “Dial ‘M’ for Murder,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Margery and Peter Spack, “Red,” New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Evann De-Bose, “Hold On!,” The Black Rep
Kari Ely, “Wedding Band,” The Black Rep
Margery Handy, “The Inheritance,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Nadja Kapetanovich, “The Whale,” St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Claire Karpen, “August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

“August: Osage County” received six nominations for The Rep, among its 19. Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role 

J. Samuel Davis, “King Hedley II,” The Black Rep
Gary Glasgow, “Life Is a Dream,” Upstream Theater
Jayson Heil, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
Alan Knoll, “August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Peter Mayer, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Nicole Angeli, “Lungs,” Albion Theatre Company
Amy Loui, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
Ellen McLaughlin, “August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Jacqueline Thompson, “Wedding Band,” The Black Rep
Maggie Wininger, “Molly Sweeney,” Albion Theatre

Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Christopher Harris, “Red,” New Jewish Theatre
Greg Johnston, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
Joel Moses, “Lungs,” Albion Theatre
Gabriel Paul, “The Inheritance,” Tesseract Theatre Company
William Roth, “The Whale,” St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Kristen Joy Linvendt, and nominees Greg Johnston, Jayson Heil and Amy Loui in NJT’s” All My Sons.” Photo by Jon Gitchoff.

Outstanding New Play 

“Am I Dangerous?,” by e.k. doolin, Contraband Theatre
“Longing,” by Lize Lewy
“Love in the Time of Nothing,” by Jayne Hannah, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
“Romanov Family Yard Sale,” by Courtney Bailey, ERA Theatre
“Tempest in a Teapot,” by Shualee Cook, SATE Ensemble

Outstanding Achievement in Opera 

Justin Austin, “The Barber of Seville,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Daniela Candillari, “Julius Caesar,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Sarah Mesko, “Julius Caesar,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Elise Quagliata, “Carmen,” Union Avenue Opera
Laura Skroska, “Into the Woods,” Union Avenue Opera

Outstanding Production of an Opera 

“Carmen,” Union Avenue Opera
“Galileo Galilei,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
“H.M.S. Pinafore,” Winter Opera St. Louis
“Julius Caesar,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
“The Barber of Seville,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

The company of the 2024 Muny production of “Les Misérables.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

Outstanding Musical Director 

E. Renee Gamez, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
Khalid McGee, “Blues in the Night,” The Black Rep
James Moore, “Les Miserables,” The Muny
Zach Newman, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Andra Velis Simon, “Waitress,” The Muny

Outstanding Choreographer 

William Carlos Angulo, “In the Heights,” The Muny
Jared Grimes, “Anything Goes,” The Muny
Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Mike Hodges, “Xanadu,” Stray Dog Theatre
Lindsay Joy Lancaster, “Disney’s Newsies,” Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Projections or Special Effects

Zach Cohn, “Hold On!,” The Black Rep
Zachary Grimm, “Longing,” Lize Lewy
Kylee Loera, “Anything Goes,” The Muny
Joe Taylor, “Romanov Family Yard Sale,” ERA Theatre
Mike Tutaj, “Waitress,” The Muny

Sarajane Clark and Sarah Gene Dowling are nominated for “Ruthless.” Photo by John Lamb.

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Rachel Bailey, “[title of show],” Prism Theatre Company
Sarajane Clark, “Ruthless,” Stray Dog Theatre
Lissa deGuzman, “Waitress,” The Muny
Kimmie Kidd, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Shereen Pimentel, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Will Bonfiglio, “First Date,” New Jewish Theatre
Kevin Chamberlin, “Anything Goes,” The Muny
Matthew Cox, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
Fergie L. Philippe, “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” The Muny
Lara Teeter, “Anything Goes,” The Muny

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical 

Tyler Duenow, “Nevermore,” Stray Dog Theatre
John Lasiter, “Fiddler on the Roof,” The Muny
Jason Lyons, “Les Miserables,” The Muny
Sean M. Savoie, “Disney’s Newsies,” Stages St. Louis
Sean M. Savoie, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical 

Ann Beyersdorfer, “Disney’s Newsies,” Stages St. Louis
Ann Beyersdorfer, “Les Miserables,” The Muny
Wilson Chin, “Waitress,” The Muny
Edward E. Haynes Jr., “Anything Goes,” The Muny
Arnie Sancianco, “In the Heights,” The Muny

Ann Beyersdorfer’s set design is one of her two nominations, and “Disney’s Newsies” received 5 nominations. Photo by Philip Hamer.

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical 

Leon Dobkowski, “Dreamgirls,” The Muny
Sarah Gene Dowling, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Sarah Gene Dowling, “Nevermore,” Stray Dog Theatre
Robin L. McGee, “Disney’s The Little Mermaid,” The Muny
Brad Musgrove, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Sarah Gene Dowling, “Ruthless,” Stray Dog Theatre
Tiffany Mann, “Dreamgirls,” The Muny
Marissa McGowan, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
Jessica Vosk, “Waitress,” The Muny
Sarah Wilkinson, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company

Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Jordan Donica, “Les Miserables,” The Muny
Aaron Fischer, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Tamar Greene, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
Adam Heller, “Fiddler on the Roof,” The Muny
John Riddle, “Les Miserables,” The Muny

“Steel Magnolias” at Stages St. Louis. Photo by Philip Hamer.

Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy 

“As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
“Romanov Family Yard Sale,” ERA Theatre
“Spirits to Enforce,” The Midnight Company
“Steel Magnolias,” Stages St. Louis
“Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama 

“All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
“August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
“Hold On!,” The Black Rep
“Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
“The Inheritance,” Tesseract Theatre Company

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical 

“Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
“Anything Goes,” The Muny
“Disney’s Newsies,” Stages St. Louis
“Fiddler on the Roof,” The Muny
Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis

The company of the 2024 Muny production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Photo by Phillip Hamer

Outstanding Director of a Comedy 

Robert Ashton, “Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre
Nancy Bell, “As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Lucy Cashion, “Romanov Family Yard Sale,” ERA Theatre
Lucy Cashion, “Spirits to Enforce,” The Midnight Company
Aaron Sparks, “Trayf,” New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Director of a Drama 

Gary Wayne Barker, “All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
David Catlin, “Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Alan Knoll, “Red,” New Jewish Theatre
Stephen Peirick, “The Inheritance,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Amelia Acosta Powell, “August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Director of a Musical 

Lili-Anne Brown, “Waitress,” The Muny
Marcia Milgrim Dodge, “Anything Goes,” The Muny
Deidre Goodwin, “Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
Brittanie Gunn, “Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Rob Ruggiero, “Fiddler on the Roof,” The Muny

Outstanding Production of a Comedy 

“As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
“Romanov Family Yard Sale,” ERA Theatre
“Steel Magnolias,” Stages St. Louis
“Trayf,” New Jewish Theatre
“Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre

The cast of “Wedding Bank” at The Black Rep, which received 3 nominations.

Outstanding Production of a Drama 

“All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre
“August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
“Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
“The Inheritance,” Tesseract Theatre Company
“Wedding Band,” The Black Rep

Outstanding Production of a Musical 

“Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company
“Disney’s Newsies,” Stages St. Louis
“Fiddler on the Roof,” The Muny
“Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis
“Waitress,” The Muny

Joe Hanrahan.

Special Award for Lifetime Achievement

Ron Himes.

Joe Hanrahan, founder and artistic director, The Midnight Company
Ron Himes, founder and producing director, The Black Rep

The mission of the St. Louis Theater Circle is simple: To honor outstanding achievement in St. Louis professional theater. Other cities around the country, such as Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., pay tribute to their own local theatrical productions with similar awards programs.

Active members of the St. Louis Theater Circle include Chas Adams (PopLifeSTL.com, STL Stage Snaps, St. Louis Arts Scene on Substack); Mark Bretz (Ladue News); Rosalind Early (St. Louis Post-Dispatch); Tina Farmer (Mound City Messenger); Michelle Kenyon (snoopstheatrethoughts.com, St. Louis Arts Scene on Substack); Gerry Kowarsky (Two on the Aisle, HEC Media); Chuck Lavazzi ( St. Louis Arts Scene on Substack, Stage Left blog, Chuck’s Culture Channel on YouTube); James Lindhorst (Broadwayworld.com, St. Louis Arts Scene on Substack); Lynn Venhaus (PopLifeSTL.com, KTRS); and Bob Wilcox (Two on the Aisle, HEC Media). Eric Kenyon, director of The Chapel venue, is group administrator.

For more information, visit www.stltheatercircle.org, contact stltheatercircle@gmail.com, or ‘like’ the St. Louis Theater Circle on Facebook.

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The Beauty of Union Avenue Opera’s ‘Into the Woods’ Is No Fairytale

The Beauty of Union Avenue Opera’s ‘Into the Woods’ Is No Fairytale

By CB Adams
Union Avenue Opera’s production of “Into The Woods,” stage directed by Jennifer Wintzer, is a rich tapestry. From the set design through the final song, you (figuratively) want to run your hands over the texture and enjoy its quality.

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine are the weft and weave, but it’s way UAO finely stitches the musical’s balance of humor and humanity with death and disillusionment that delivers a sumptuous and reassuring tapestry – like a Bayreux or Unicorn come to life.

UAO earns these accolades for its season-ending production of “Into the Woods” with excellence in all the theatrical components: direction, staging and set design, costumes and cast performance. If you’re a Sondheim fan but have never attended a UAO performance, don’t let the word opera scare you off. They deliver a traditional interpretation of this classic without any elaborate or ornamental operatic embellishments.

If you’re an opera fan, UAO always ends its season with an operetta or musical. Last year, they concluded the season with a fine production of “Ragtime.” Many opera companies do this, such as the storied New York City Opera, and it’s a way to demonstrate how opera set the stage for subsequent musical theater iterations. It’s also a way to fill the seats.

 Stephanie Tennill as Jack’s Mother and Matthew Greenblatt as Cinderella’s Prince, Photo by Dan Donovan.

The first – and one of the most impressive – aspects of this “Into The Woods” is the stage design by Laura Skroska, whose work on UAO’s production of the moody, atmospheric “Turn of the Screw” set was one of last year’s best. For “Into The Woods,” Skroska’s vision evoked the magical and eerie atmosphere of this fairytale world.

She, along with scenic artist Lacey Meschede and set decorator Cameron Tesson,  maximized the use of the Union Avenue Church’s modest stage by filling it with mossy tree trunks that serve as posts to multiple, rising platforms. The set extended into the sanctuary with the balcony festooned with moss and other elements from the main stage. The balcony also served as Rapunzel’s tower and the home of the heard-but-not-seen giants of Jack and Beanstalk fame.

Before the show began, the set created the ideal visual preparation for the rest of the performance. Skroska’s design elements  — expertly and effectively illuminated by Patrick Huber – underscore the timeless and complex nature of Sondheim’s work, ensuring that the woods felt both enchanting and foreboding, perfectly complementing the story’s themes.

Further enhancing the production are the outstanding costumes by Teresa Doggett. Appropriately tatty and fairytail-ish, Doggett’s costumes play a pivotal role in elevating “Into The Woods” by enhancing the visual storytelling and deepening the understanding of each character’s journey through the intertwined storylines. They reflect the dark, whimsical aspects of the show while paying homage to the traditional fairytale origins.

The movie adaptation of “Into the Woods” could use Disney magic to conjure the special effects. On stage, it’s a bit more challenging. UAO’s production makes fine use of the talents of puppeteer Jacob Kujath to portray Milky White, the emaciated cow, and a flock of birds. The use of these puppets adds a whimsical and imaginative element to the production. Kujath brings them to life through expressive manipulation and playful interactions that seamlessly integrate with the live action.

Rebecca Hatlelid as Lucinda, Gina Malone as Florinda, Debra Hillabrand as Cinderella’s Stepmother. Photo by Dan Donovan.

The cast of 21 showcases the depth and versatility across the roles with performances that rise from solidly good to exceptional. That latter response is earned by mezzo-soprano Taylor-Alexis Dupont for her Witch. Clad in a wickedly good mask, which is almost a character unto itself, Dupont intensely inhabits the character of the Witch and delivers an impressive performance.

It is a sheer delight witnessing Dupont – through powerful song and acting – deliver a full transformation of the Witch, exemplifying the duality of her character. Her believable duality turns “Children Will Listen” into an emotional, cautionary swan song delivered by a once-menacing – but now tragic – figure.

“Into The Woods” isn’t all serious and dark. At the other end of the spectrum from the Witch are Rapunzel’s and Cinderella’s respective, rather vacuous princes, played by tenors James Stevens and Matthew Greenblatt. Their duet “Agony” is usually one of the top-three most favorited songs, and Stevens and Greenblatt do not disappoint in their delivery of this biting, satirical tune.

Sidenote: “Into the Woods” debuted in 1986, and Cinderella’s dum-dum prince with his “I was raised to be charming, not sincere” attitude is definitely a precursor, if not the model, for the Ken character in the recent “Barbie” movie.

Soprano Brooklyn Snow’s portrayal of Cinderella her vulnerability with a growing strength, effectively conveying her journey from innocence to self-awareness through both subtle acting and dynamic vocals. Likewise, soprano Leann Schuering’s Baker’s Wife successfully merges the character’s fairy-tale origins with the weight of her decisions.

Lauren Nash Silberstein as Rapunzel and Taylor-Alexis DuPont as the Witch. Photo by Dan Donovan.

Schuering’s performance is marked by its depth and emotional resonance. Soprano Laura Corina Sanders performance of Little Red Ridinghood [sic] captures the character’s innocence and curiosity and skillfully transforms from naive cheerfulness to a deeper understanding of the dangers and complexities of the world.

Baritone Brandon Bell bakes into his performance as the Baker a balance of warmth with emotional complexity. Like the Witch, he too undergoes a transformation. Bell’s expressive acting and strong vocals make transition from reluctant hero to a more self-assured character both relatable and compelling.

Another baritone – a base baritone – Eric McConnell, delivers another highlight performance as the Wolf, with a blend of seductive charm and menacing undertones. McConnell’s deep voice projects exceptionally well into the sanctuary and masterfully balances the Wolf’s allure and danger with “Hello Little Girls” – a song that could come off as “pervey” with a less skilled performance.

Christopher Hickey plays both the Narrator and the Mysterious Man. Perhaps because the demands of each character are different, the Mysterious Man is the better of Hickey’s performances because there is more opportunity for him to inhabit the character, which he does by subtly weaving together intrigue and depth to create a profound and haunting presence.

Cameron Tyler as Jack. Photo by Dan Donovan.

On opening night, the weakest element of this otherwise satisfying performance was the imbalance of the sound, especially during the first half. The unamplified voices, especially those of the female performers, were repeatedly overwhelmed by the orchestra.

This performance includes supertitles, but with a musical in English, they shouldn’t be necessary to hear what’s going on. This made for a frustrating experience, leaving one wishing to “turn up” their volume a click or two to better enjoy the quality of the singing and dialogue.

This feeling was further exacerbated because the orchestra, under the direction Scott Schoonover, superbly performed the score. It would have been a shame to miss a single note. Perhaps because adjustments were made during the intermission, the sound issue was almost eliminated in the second half.

Another side note: From Greek myths to Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero’s Journey,” Carl Jung’s psychology and the fairytales of the Brothers Grimm, the “dark woods” are often inhabited by archetypal patters and are a place of confusion, danger or the unknown where the hero or heroes confront trials and their shadow selves.

Sondheim and Lapine created a masterful musical that hews closely to the cautionary purpose that fairytales were designed to convey. This cannot be a musical with an empty, happily-ever-after ending. UAO’s production effectively – and accurately – delivers an ending that should leave the audience feeling reflective, with a palpable poignancy that underscores the idea that while fairy tales may end, the journey of growth and understanding continues. It takes two acts and a lot of songs to reach that point.

Union Avenue Opera’s “Into The Woods” plays August 16-24. Visit unionavenueopera.org for more information.

Christopher-Hickey-as-the-Narrator-and-Brandon-Bell-as-the-Baker. Photo by Dan Donovan.

Union Avenue Opera’s Pared Down ‘Aida’ Soars on Vocal Performances

Union Avenue Opera’s Pared Down ‘Aida’ Soars on Vocal Performances

By CB Adams

Union Avenue Opera’s concert version of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Aida” seems to have taken its cue from George Bernard Shaw when he wrote: “An opera may be allowed to be extravagantly expensive in its ornament, but its foundation must be plain and simple.” The key words are foundation, plain and simple –  and that’s where this “Aida” shines.

Instead of the traditional fully staged production – replete with costumes, props and lighting effects – the concert format puts the singers. voices and the orchestra in the spotlight. With minimal staging, the singers focus more on their vocal delivery, leading to stronger vocal performance from the chorus to the leading characters. It’s all about the voices, and this production delivers a satisfying, intimate and powerful hybrid rendition of Verdi’s masterpiece.

And with fewer distractions from sets and costumes, the audience is freer to concentrate on the orchestration and musical nuances – both of which conductor Scott Schoonover delivers exquisitely. This concert format relies on vocal performances, and this production delivers the best in the cast and the orchestra.

“Aida” is work of great musical sophistication and this production elevates Verdi’s innovative instrumentation, such as his use of the oboe d’amore and the bass trumpet to add distinctive tonal colors that are unique to this opera.

Principals Limmie Pulliam, Todd Payne, Melody Wilson. Photo by Dan Donovan.

It also highlights his complex orchestration that blends instruments in unexpected ways to create rich textures, including the delicate string passages and the interplay between woodwinds and brass in the Prelude that set the tone for the opera’s dramatic narrative.

The pared down concert also reveals Verdi’s dynamic and rhythmic variations such as the sudden changes from pianissimo to fortissimo that transition from dramatic moments, such as the transitions between Aida’s introspective arias and the bombastic public scenes.

The role of the chorus is often overlooked or mentioned late in a review, but the chorus for this “Aida”  deserves first mention. The large ensemble is on stage throughout the performance and serves as both an imposing physical and vocal backdrop to the goings on of the main tragic love triangle between Aida, an Ethiopian princess enslaved in Egypt, Radamès, the Egyptian military commander she loves, and Amneris, the Egyptian princess who is in love with Radamès.

The chorus often punctuates the performance with a full-throated, impressive punch with an impressive contrast to the solos and quieter moments.

Impressive, too, are the secondary parts of Ramfis, the High Priest, Amonasro, King of Ethiopia and father of Aida, and Gran Sacerdotessa, sung by Jacob Lassetter, Lloyd Reshard and Danielle Yilmaz, respectively. Among these excellent performances, Yilmaz’s is especially noteworthy for the relatively small role that plays a crucial part in setting the scene for the opera’s grand ceremonial moments.

Marsha Thompson and Melody Wilson. Photo by Dan Donovan.

Yilmaz’s vocal purity and clarity, her expressive delivery and vibrant stage presence all combine to enhance the spiritual and mystical dimensions of the production. She intones her lines with a crystalline quality, providing a contrasting texture to the more robust voices of the principal characters. Her delivery of lines like “Immenso Fthà” felt otherworldly and imbued with a sense of ritualistic importance.

Bass-baritone Reshard commands the stage as Amonasro, with a powerful and still soft-edged voice that effectively conveys his anger. As Ramfis,  Lassetter delivers his character with resonant vocal authority and depth, strong dramatic presence and gravitas.

For instance, in the Act 1 temple scene, he delivered Ramfis’s invocations and blessings with solemnity and a sense of ritualistic importance, which set the spiritual tone of the scene. In the final judgment scene, his calm, authoritative demeanor contrasted with the emotional turmoil of the other characters.

In the title role, soprano Marsha Thompson delivers a rich and satisfying performance of Aida with a powerful-yet-lyrical voice that conveys the character’s deep emotional turmoil, torn between love for Radamès and loyalty to her homeland. Her nuanced portrayal (including some theatrical hand and eye movements) captures Aida’s inner strength and vulnerability, delivering her arias with tenderness and intensity, particularly in the poignant “O patria mia.”

Tenor Lemmie Pulliam displays an impressive range as Radamès. Wearing a dramatic sash, he has a commanding stage presence and vocal power that delivers a profound depth to the role. His ability to convey Radamès’s inner conflict and heroic stature with both emotional intensity and technical precision, makes his performance a standout with an effective blend of dramatic prowess and lyrical beauty.

Lloyd Reshard and Marsha Thompson/ Dan Donovan Photography.

Amneris is the archetypal jealous diva with a heart of ice, and Melody Wilson weaves that personification seamlessly with the other characters. Wilson invites the audience to love to hate her as a royal drama queen whose idea of a fun includes thwarting her rivals and flaunting her power.

Wilson brings emotional complexity to Amneris, capturing her conflicted feelings of jealousy, power, and vulnerability. This adds layers to the character, making her more than just a scheming antagonist.

Beneath these characters – physically and aurally – is the orchestra, which shines with Schoonover’s adept and subtle directing. The orchestral accompaniment often provides a subtle underscoring that enhances the emotional context without overpowering the singers.

Although there are moments when the orchestra sonically overshadowed the singers (it must be difficult not to become overly enthusiastic when performing Verdi’s music), mostly it supports and enriches the vocal lines and confidently delivers Verdi’s score.

This can be particularly noted in the quieter, more introspective moments of the opera, where the orchestra’s role is to support and enrich the vocal lines.

The opera concert format was a good choice for Union Avenue. The modestly sized venue at Union Avenue Christian Church would have been challenging to put on a full production of “Aida.” The concert format is a nice change of pace that placed a premium on the singers. performances.

The result is an intimate and powerful interpretation of the opera that is distinguished by  vocal artistry and dramatic expression with just the right amount of costuming and theatrically.

Union Avenue Opera’s “Aida” runs July 26, 28, and through Aug. 3 at Union Avenue Christian Church. Visit  https://unionavenueopera.org for ticket information.

The company of “Aida in Concert.” Photo by Dan Donovan.

Union Avenue Opera’s ‘Carmen’ Delivers Compelling Moments Tempered by Contemporary Issues

Union Avenue Opera’s ‘Carmen’ Delivers Compelling Moments Tempered by Contemporary Issues

By CB Adams

Poor Carmen. As the protagonist in George Bizet’s 1875 opera, she’s sometimes reduced to being the poster person for critical analysis of gender dynamics and relationships.

Carmen’s character is often presented as some mixture of her as a free-spirited and independent woman who is simultaneously objectified and demonized (and ultimately murdered) for her sexuality. Then there are the issues related to Romani cultural representation and exoticism.

As a result, poor “Carmen.” As long as opera companies continue to mount productions of “Carmen,” they are going to beg these issues, including the normalization of toxic relationships like the one between Carmen and Don José that is marked by possessiveness, obsession and violence.

Oh, and add to these issues the way Bizet’s vibrant tapestry of unforgettable melodies and rich orchestration has been the victim of its own success. The drama and passion of Bizet’s dynamic and emotionally resonant soundscape, with evocative themes like the “Habanera” and the “Toreador Song” and their fusion of Spanish folk influences with classical operatic elements, have been hijacked by countless films, cartoons, commercials and television shows from “Looney Tunes” to “Bad Santa,” “The Simpsons” and “Gilligan’s Island.”

A lot has happened since 1875, and Carmen’s dual portrayal can be problematic in a contemporary context that seeks to dismantle harmful stereotypes and promote respect for women’s autonomy. Yet “Carmen” continues to be one of the most popular and frequently performed operas worldwide.

Elise Quagliata as Carmen and Brendan Tuohy as Don Jose. Photo by Dan Donovan.

Its enduring appeal is reflected in the regular inclusion of “Carmen” in the repertoires of major opera houses and festivals, consistently drawing large audiences and receiving critical acclaim for its compelling music and dramatic storyline.

As someone who generally accepts John Ruskin’s notion that “art is in the expression, not the subject matter,” I can’t discount “Carmen” solely on the basis of some of its problematic attributes. Its emotional and imaginative qualities are part of opera’s DNA in particular and Western cultural heritage in general, and I believe that most opera-goers can see that the opera was of its time.

Modern productions of “Carmen” often attempt to address these issues through reinterpretation and modern settings. Directors and performers may emphasize Carmen’s agency and critique Don José’s behavior more explicitly. Some productions have even changed the ending to subvert the narrative of female victimization.

Not so with Union Avenue’s production, directed by Mark Freiman, and sung in the original French with English super-titles. This “Carmen” is a traditional interpretation that encourages a critical approach to understanding  how the characters navigate a narrative fraught with jealousy, cultural clashes and fatal consequence.

Freiman, whose previous productions of “Carmen”  have infused modern elements with fresh and contemporary elements, provides Union Avenue Opera with a more classic interpretation that remains true to the Bizet’s work and offers a restrained yet still poignant commentary on love, passion and the societal pressures that shape the characters’ destinies.

It achieves this by placing a bit more emphasis on the downfall of a straightforward Don José, torn between the sincere affection of his mother and his hometown sweetheart, Micaëla, and the seductive temptation of the morally unconventional Carmen.

Joel Balzun as Escamillo. Photo by Dan Donovan.

Elise Quagliata in the role of Carmen brings a compelling and nuanced portrayal to Bizet’s iconic character. Known for her powerful mezzo-soprano voice, Quagliata’s interpretation of Carmen emphasizes her character’s boldness and independence and captures the character’s magnetic allure and defiance against societal norms.

Quagliata has tremendous stage presence filled with charisma and restrained dramatic flair. The same could be said for Brendan Tuohy as Don José, Joel Balzun as Escamillo, Joel Rogier as Moralés and Jacob Lassetter as Zuniga, but their individual performances do not cohere into a palpable chemistry, which is too bad.  

This is one of this production’s significant weaknesses despite Freiman’s direction that explores the complexities of the characters’ interactions while attempting to clarify the psychological and emotional underpinnings of their actions. This is difficult to achieve when the main characters remain self-contained in their individual performances, not matter how well sung.

Quagliata is also this production’s choreographer. A good production of “Carmen” should enhance the storytelling and atmosphere of the opera. Quagliata’s choreography effectively conveys, with a light Spanish flair, the personalities and emotions of the characters, particularly Carmen.

In one moment, she confidently plants her leg on a chair. This is small but potent gesture. I haven’t seen a leg used to such great effect since the leg lamp scene in “A Christmas Story.” Another delightfully staged moment is the “cigarette girl” scene (played to great effect by the women of the chorus) as the factory workers puff and prance.

Marc Schapman, Jacob Lassetter, Xavier Joseph, and Elise Quaglata. Photo by Dan Donovan.

Quagliata’s choreography effectively synchronizes with Bizet’s music (performed vivaciously by the orchestra conducted by the always-excellent Scott Schoonover) and the stage design. Patrick Huber’s stage design provides an appropriate (if somewhat generic) backdrop that complements the characters’ movements across Union Avenue’s modestly sized stage.

Huber is also the lighting designer. During one of the two intermissions, the set’s two doorways were modified for the smugglers’ scene with what appeared (in the bright lights) to be vagina-like pelts. As the scene began, Huber’s atmospheric low light effectively created a subdued atmosphere – and the furry openings transformed into cave entrances. Oooh, what a little light design can do!

Tuohy presents a compelling Don José that highlights the character’s transformation from a dutiful soldier to a man consumed by obsessive love and jealousy. Tuhoy is strong but not brutish and presents his emotionally conflicted character with a palpable sense of longing and desperation.

Tuohy’s portrayal is characterized by a powerful tenor voice that effectively conveys Don José’s emotional turmoil and ultimately unacceptable violence. His stage presence and dramatic intensity bring depth to the character, even if not to the ensemble as a whole.

Meroe Khalia Adeeb as Micaela. Photo by Dan Donovan.

One of the standout performances is provided by Meroë Khalia Adeeb as Micaëla. Adeeb delivers a character that embodies innocence and fidelity while navigating the opera’s moral landscape with her steadfast love for Don José. Adeeb’s rich and resonant voice captures the character’s gentle nature and inner strength, and the rest of performance hits all the right notes: flexibility and emotional range, expressiveness and technical skill that is precise and controlled.

Her performance of Micaëla’s most famous aria, “Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante” (I say that nothing frightens me), was heartfelt, determined and poignant.

Also commendable is the performance by Xavier Joseph as the smuggler Le Dancaïre. The role is a secondary character, but Joseph delivers his character with physicality, wit and bonhomie.

And while on the topic of fun, this production includes two scenes with controlled mayhem and exuberance provided by a delightful children’s chorus.

Lassetter presents his Zuniga with a big-throated blend of authority and moral ambiguity and a performance that captures the character’s commanding presence and underlying conflict. Rogier’s Moralés is equally strong. Rogier exudes a robust and confident demeanor that emphasizes his steady, grounded nature and his role of Moralés’ as a foil to Don José.

Balzun provides an acceptable Escamillo, the bullfighter. The role of Escamillo demands a charismatic singer who embodies traditional masculinity through physicality and social admiration and serves as a foil to Don José. Balzun delivers a Escamillo who is a pompous yet effete man.

“Carmen” continues at Union Avenue Opera through July 13. For more information, visit: www.unionavenueopera.org


Youth Ensemble : Lucca Badino *, Bryce Cleveland *, Blaise Magparangalan *, Chloe Melton, Nora Moss *, Lila Treuiller *, Louis Wang *, Tristan Williams * (not in order). Photo by Dan Donovan.

Cover photo: Holly Janz, Marc Schapman, Elise Quagliata, Xavier Joseph, and Gina Galati/ Photo by Dan Donovan.

Lynn’s Love of Theatre Annual Awards (LOTTIES) for A Meaningful 2023

Lynn’s Love of Theatre Annual Awards (LOTTIES) for A Meaningful 2023

By Lynn Venhaus

It’s that down-to-the-wire time where I write about the year that was in local theater. It’s my annual opportunity to celebrate theater, to encourage artists to be artful, and to give some virtual bouquets to people doing outstanding work.

When media folks publish lists at year’s end of their favorite things in arts and entertainment, I admire the succinct way they make their cases. Good, quick reads. And I do that for my best films of the year lists for KTRS (Dec. 29) and Webster-Kirkwood Times (Jan. 5). But when it comes to regional theater, that’s not how I roll.

Call me fastidious, but I prefer to be thorough. Hence, the Lotties (Lynn’s Love of Theatre Awards), which usually arrive sometime in January, and get really specific (some call it ‘give everyone a trophy,’ I refer to it as “these are my opinions, and I’d like to recognize these people.”) Besides “Lotties” implies “a lot,” as in largesse.

I do start assembling this in December – and on my lovely train trip home from the holidays in the west, I mulled over my choices while observing the beautiful topography of New Mexico from Amtrak’s Southwest Chief. As relaxing as that was, it was short-lived, because 2024 was not on pause.

The Lehman Trilogy at The Rep

But looking back is necessary. It’s time for the victory lap on a truly outstanding 2023, which started strong, morphed into an exciting summer, and finished with some of the companies’ best works. I know there are struggles post-pandemic — the world is not the same, and neither are we, nor the arts. Yet, if I had to describe the year in two words, I’d use “moving” and “meaningful.”

To put awards timing in perspective, the Grammys and Screen Actors Guild are in February and Oscars wind up film awards in March. As a grateful longtime local reviewer, I consider awards seasons a way to get through a dreary winter, a time to shed light on people doing good work, and a terrific reason to get together.

The St. Louis Theater Circle’s annual awards will be March 25 at the Loretto-Hilton Center at Webster University. More details will be forthcoming Friday (including ticket link) because that’s when my colleagues in the Circle will announce our awards nominations in 33 categories. Jim Lindhorst and Michelle Kenyon will be on KWMU (90.7 FM) at 12:30 p.m., and our group releases our press release at 1 p.m. (stay tuned here, on social media, and the Circle’s Facebook page). We’re working hard on the show, as a collective we founded in 2012.

So, what were the takeaways of 2023 on local stages? For me, in these dark times, theater continues to be a beacon of light.

Spencer Kruse and Jacob Flekier in “Broadway Bound”

When I’m focused on live theater, I forget about the soul-crushing Twilight Zone episode that’s on an endless loop when I wake up – that bad people are not accountable, facts are dismissed so cavalierly and belligerently, manners have disappeared, science is mocked in favor of personal agendas, while outrage and cultural wars spread, and uncertainty, anxiety, isolation and fear– aaarrrrggghh.

I learned last year, because of two serious sudden life-threatening emergencies, that if you don’t pay attention to your health, consequences are dire. (Much gratitude for the tremendous selfless health care professionals in this town, city ambulance EMTs, and those who donate blood.)

Live theater has always been a source of salvation, of rejoicing, of awe and wonder, of communal laughter, and ultimately, feeling something. And when it clicks, connection. I hear from professional movers and shakers that people want escape, especially after the tough several-year slog through a global pandemic and ongoing political chaos.

Obviously, elevated endorphins are a good thing. But for emotional wallops, those hard-hitting, thought-provoking works that stick with you, and the performers who impress because they rise to the occasion, are unforgettable. Hooray for the fearless and adventurous artists who try new things, raise the bar, and collaborate in the best way possible. Oh, how I admire the many talents and supremely gifted people in this regional theater community.

Sometimes, by virtue of writing for several different publications from home, as an independent contractor, I get stuck, for it is easy to sink into despair when it is cold and gray outside, when a chill goes right through your bones, and daylight dims.

There is nothing better than sharing an experience, re-affirming that we’re not alone, understanding that human decency is noble, and realizing that even though we may be broken, we can still find solace in beautiful small moments.

Like soaring vocals, funny people showing off their quippy comic timing, and the artisans crafting stunning costumes, sets, lighting, and moods. Seeing what people can create and the inspirations behind it – always enriching.

The 145s

Theater helps us discover the good in people, reflect on our common and unique human condition, shows triumph over adversity, and offers more understanding. With hope, maybe we can somehow make a difference in the smallest of ways.

The last five years have been exhausting and overwhelming. In December, I officially became a published author. I wrote a chapter about my journey in a woman’s anthology book, “Ageless Glamour Girls: Reflections on Aging,” that is currently a bestseller on Amazon. I joined 13 women over age 50 in sharing lessons we’ve learned. My chapter: “You Are Not Alone: Dealing with Grief and Loss.”

I am grateful to all the angels sent my way to remind me that a sense of purpose is the very best reason to live. And that spring is six weeks away. I look forward to humming happy tunes. And so we beat on…

If you are out and about, say hey. Few things I like better than talking about theater and seeing people do something they love to do.

Warning: This article is long. It might be comparable to William Goldman’s book assessing the 1967-68 Broadway season, “The Season: A Candid Look at Broadway,” which was published in 1969 (an example of my drama geek youth if I was reading that book when I was 14).

And if you feel like celebrating, join us for the St Louis Theater Circle Awards on March 25. It has always been a great night to enjoy everyone’s company, celebrate the past year’s accomplishments, and look ahead to ’24 – and spring will have arrived!

Into the Woods at New Jewish Theatre

This Year’s Awards

Clearly, there is a big hole here in that I did not see “Death of a Salesman” at the Black Rep because I was in the hospital (that pesky internal bleeding incident from outpatient surgery), twice, and then at home recovering. I know I missed a great one.

Because of scheduling issues in my busiest periods as a working journalist, I’ve missed a few, but overall, I attended at least 72 eligible shows, not including one-acts at festivals (was at some of Fringe, and all of Tesseract and LaBute), touring and school productions. Hope to get to as much as possible this new year (but it’s hard when they’re all lumped together opening same weekend).
Here’s my assessments on 2023 output. Gushing will ensue.

Production of the Year: “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play” at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Rep gets the honor, rebounding in spectacular fashion after what I considered their worst show “Side by Side by Sondheim,” last February, to end the year on a glorious high note, with the “It’s a Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play.”

Overflowing with cheer and kindness, the crisp and polished production was more than a performance – it was a change in direction and a celebration of community.

It’s A Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play at The Rep

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

This play-within-a-play was 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.

Opening night Dec. 3 also was a statement, and people eagerly responded with enthusiastic applause.

After The Rep went public with their financial woes in mid-October, starting a “Rally for the Rep!” campaign to raise $2.5 million to continue the 57-year-old regional professional theater in the new year, handwringing and finger-pointing occurred. But goodwill flourished too.

A Dec. 17 benefit, an online auction, and other fundraising efforts helped. This production was the first opportunity for The Rep to welcome patrons back to the Loretto-Hilton Center since the news broke, and a merry mood was evident.

It warmed the heart. And perhaps was an omen for the future.

“The Birthday Party” at Albion Theatre

Companies of the Year: The Muny (large) and Albion Theatre (small)

I have professionally reviewed Muny shows since 2009, first for the Belleville News-Democrat, until 2017 when the parent company went in a different direction, and now continue on my website, www.PopLifeSTL.com in addition to mentions on KTRS with Jennifer Blome and Wendy Wiese, and our PopLifeSTL podcast. But I’ve been attending since my grandmother took me to “Flower Drum Song” in 1965, when I was 10. Life-changing.

The 105th season was the best one yet. Each sterling production was technically outstanding, enormously entertaining, and the audience leaned into the premieres with gusto (“Beautiful,” “Chess,” “Rent” and “Sister Act.”). In addition, the enduring “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” “West Side Story,” and “Little Shop of Horrors” really did deliver all the feels. I was impressed with the sheer magnitude and artistic daring of each show.

Believe. Longing. Belonging. Overcoming. Those were the themes. It was a seven-show arc of uncommon grace – a genuine depth of feeling in each well-executed one. In every performance, there was a palpable sense of yearning – a future Hall of Fame talent finding her voice, outsiders opening their hearts in a timeless fairy tale classic, of high-stakes gamesmanship and personal cost in a political arena, star-crossed lovers clinging to a dream, unearthing your worth and wish fulfillment in a flower shop, discovering love and nurturing friendship in a bleak place, and using your gifts to foster community.

That big sprawling Muny family made it look effortless when it wasn’t at all – a massive team of creatives, performers and technicians crafting the magic we demand from our musical theater under the stars. Nobody does what they do, and that “alone in its greatness” tagline from my teenage years still stands. We expect a lot from this cultural institution – and they delivered at a very high level.

“Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” at The Muny

Albion Theatre was in its second season last year, and produced superb works: “The Birthday Party,” “Absent Friends” and “Mindgame,” all very clever, all home runs.

You never know what awaits you in the Kranzberg Black Box when Albion is putting on a show, but British-born founder and artistic director Robert Ashton guarantees an intriguing premise, a dandy ensemble and a thoughtfully put-together play. The company’s niche is exploring the long and rich history of playwriting in Britain — with forays into Ireland, and even with UK ancestors (maternal great-grandfather from Manchester, England, and great-grandmother from Glasgow, Scotland), I am continually fascinated by the culture and how much detail he puts into each production.

Joe Hanrahan of The Midnight Company

Artist of the Year: Joe Hanrahan

Playwright, actor, producer, director – a man of many hats who is constantly pushing himself and his The Midnight Company with new endeavors. He started a hybrid of cabaret and theater with Jim Dolan at the Blue Strawberry, and Kelly Howe, as Linda Ronstadt, sold out multiple shows of “Just One Look,” a career retrospective, with the 13th show at the City Winery last November.

He continues to explore those new avenues, produced a fun reading of “The Humans of St. Louis” at last summer’s Fringe Festival (which I hope they develop further). He mounted an impressive full-scale “The Lion in Winter” with some of the best actors in town, revived a past production, “The Years,” with a fresh ensemble, and starred in a one-man show, the heartfelt and gut-punching “The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey.”

A true original is the best compliment I can give, whether he’s working on one of his own scripts, or collaborating with another company. He’s so prolific that I think people take his output for granted. Standing O.

Producers of the Year: Taylor Gruenloh and Rebekah Scallet

Taylor Gruenloh, along with his right-hand team of Brittanie Gunn and Kevin Corpuz, expanded Tesseract Theatre Company’s reach this year, producing such bold musicals as “The Last Five Years,” “The Mad Ones,” and “Kinky Boots,” along with a contemporary hybrid, “Welcome to Arroyo’s.”

His pivot a couple years ago to a new play festival was very engaging this summer, with “In Bloom” by Gwyneth Strope and “Red Curtain Rivalry” by Amy Lytle, who was in attendance.

Whatever he chooses to do, you know it will be different and enlightening, and he’s unafraid to tackle difficult subjects. I can’t wait to see the complex Tony winner “The Inheritance” this spring.

Taylor has decided to step down as artistic director after founding the company in 2010, but Gunn and Corpuz will continue to manage the company and take it in new directions. He is a playwright, and currently an assistant professor at Missouri University of Science and Technology, and teaching at Webster University. He won’t be fading away any time soon.

Rebekah Scallet. The woman’s got game. In her first full season as artistic director of the New Jewish Theatre, she wowed us with her confident and eclectic picks last year: “Broadway Bound,” “Every Brilliant Thing,” “Gloria: A Life,” “The Immigrant” and “Into the Woods.” Each one was a crown jewel in her cap. Strong casts, excellent material, and superb technical acumen combined for thrilling theater. She perceptively directed a magnificent “The Immigrant,” which was so very timely.

“To Kill a Mockingbird” on national tour with Richard Thomas and Yaegel T. Welch

Touring Production of the Year: “To Kill a Mockingbird,” The Fox.

I was fortunate to see the riveting Aaron Sorkin-scripted production starring Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch at a sold-out Shubert Theatre on Broadway in May 2019. The audience’s thunderous ovation was one of the loudest and longest that I ever took part in, and I consider that production one of the best plays I’ve ever seen. Could the touring show headed by Richard Thomas even come close? Yes, it did, and was just as powerful and emotional. Bravo.

(Runner-Up: “Tina: The Tina Turner Musical.” They raised the roof and we responded. This is based on new touring shows, but I would be remiss if I didn’t include the “Come From Away” tour that stopped here for a weekend last fall. It was a profound experience, like God walking through the room. Vibrant, moving, relatable. Tears streamed down my face. I don’t think I was alone.)

My Ten Favorite A&E Things of 2023
(Most of these took place in the summer. Hmmm…)

  1. Barbenheimer at the movie theaters
  2. The delightful 145s Musical Improv Troupe — see them at The Improv Shop. One of the best Saturday nights you can ever have.
  3. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra playing “The Princess Bride” score with the movie at Stifel, and the audience anticipating and cheering for their favorite lines.
  4. The outstanding youth productions I saw last summer:
    “Grease” by Ignite Theatre Company
    “Sweeney Todd” by Debut Theatre Company
    “Bare: A Pop Opera” by Gateway Center for the Performing Arts

Inventively staged, tight ensembles, imaginative touches, strong music direction. Very impressive. Those kids seemed so poised and polished! Keep an eye out for Jordan Thompson, who played both Danny Zuko and Sweeney Todd. Wow, just wow.

Amneris’ wedding gown designed by Brad Musgrove for “Aida” at Stages St Louis

5. St Louis Shakespeare Festival’s touring production of “Merry Wives.” Sitting in Tower Grove Park with my peeps Carl “The Intern” Middleman (poplifestl podcast co-host) and Chas Adams (poplifestl.com reviewer) on a pleasant August night (!) to see those sparks fly with the intrepid traveling troupe of Michelle Hand, Joel Moses, Carl Overly Jr., Rae Davis, Mitchell Henry-Eagles, and Christina Yancy, directed by Suki Peters.

6. “Ragtime” at Union Avenue Opera. Those voices! Talk about a wall of sound! 49 people were part of that endeavor. This event was as hard-hitting as ever.

7. Costume Designer Brad Musgrove’s wedding gown for Amneris (Diana DeGarmo) in “Aida” at Stages St. Louis.

8. Sarah Gene Dowling’s wig design in “Into the Woods” at Stray Dog Theatre

9. Remarkable rigged sets to collapse dramatically: Rob Lippert for “Godspell” at Stray Dog Theatre and Jim Robert, for “Grand Horizons” at Moonstone Theatre Company.

10. Puppet Designer John Ortiz for Audrey II in “Little Shop of Horrors” at the Muny, and Nicholas Ward as The Voice and Travis Patton as the Manipulator.

TJ Staten Jr. in “It’s a Wonderful Life’

THE MVPs
(must have been in two or more shows this year, not a rookie, and whose presence made a difference)

Bridgette Bassa
Sarajane Clark
Kevin Corpuz
Rae Davis
Ricki Franklin
Joseph Garner
Marshall Jennings
Ryan Lawson-Maeske
Debby Lennon
Kevin O’Brien
Jane Paradise
Reginald Pierre
Michael James Reed
Sean Seifert
Ron Strawbridge

ONES TO WATCH

DeAnte Bryant
Hannah de Oliveira
Evann DeBose
Joey File
Nick Freed
Lindsey Grojean
Alexander Huber
Drew Mizell
Kenya Nash
TJ Staten Jr.
James Stevens
Claire Wenzel (now Coffey)

J’Kobe Wallace and DeAnte Bryant in “Eubie!” at The Black Rep

DYNAMIC DUOS and TERRIFIC TRIOS

Brian Slaten and Jessika D. Williams in “Gruesome Playground Injuries”
Alicia Reve Like and Eric J. Conners in “The Light,” The Black Rep
Chuck Winning and Nick Freed in “The Birthday Party” and “Mindgame,” Albion Theatre
J’Kobe Wallace and DeAnte Bryant in “Eubie!” The Black Rep
Jason Meyers and Colleen Backer in “Outside Mullingar,” West End Players Guild
Jacob Flekier and Spencer Kruse in “Broadway Bound,” New Jewish Theatre
Joel Moses and John Wolbers in “The Lion in Winter,” The Midnight Company
John Contini and Alexander Huber in “Barrymore,” St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Joneal Joplin and Jared Joplin in “Grand Horizons,” Moonstone Theatre Company
Leslie Wobbe and Kate Durbin in “Walter Cronkite Is Dead,” West End Players Guild
Kevin Corpuz and Grace Langford in “The Last Five Years,” Tesseract Theatre Company
Kelvin Moon Loh and Eric Jordan Young in “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” The Muny
Vincent Klemski and Lincoln Clauss in “Rent,” The Muny
Terrance Johnson (replacement for Evan Tyron Martin in early performances) and Adrian Vallegas in “Rent,” The Muny
Kimmie Kidd, Ebony Easter and Adrienne Spann as The Radio, “Caroline, or Change,” Fly North Theatricals
Kennedy Holmes, Taylor Marie Daniel, and Stephanie Gomerez as The Urchins in “Little Shop of Horrors,” The Muny
Rob Colletti, Brandon Espinoza and Darron Hayes as the goons in “Sister Act,” The Muny

De-Rance Blaylock in “Caroline, or Change” at Fly North Theatricals

BRINGING THE HOUSE DOWN

(Best Musical Numbers)

  1. De-Rance Blaylock singing “Lot’s Wife” in “Caroline, or Change” at Fly North Theatricals
  2. John Riddle singing “Anthem” in “Chess” at The Muny
  3. Ben Crawford singing “If I Can’t Love Her” in “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast” at The Muny
  4. John Battagliese and Mike Schwitter as The Righteous Brothers singing “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” at The Muny
  5. Lindsey Grojean singing “If I Can’t Have You” in “Saturday Night Fever” at Stray Dog Theatre
  6. The cast of “Rent” in “Seasons of Love,” especially Anastacia McKleskey, at The Muny
  7. Kevin O’Brien and Phil Leveling in “No More” in “Into the Woods” at New Jewish Theatre
  8. Meredith Aleigha Wells as Sister Mary Robert singing “The Life I Never Led,” Sister Act, The Muny
  9. Christian Douglas singing “Maria” in “West Side Story” at The Muny
  10. The extended curtain call for “Million Dollar Quartet” at Stages St. Louis with Scott Moreau (Johnny Cash), Jeremy Sevelovitz (Carl Perkins), Brady Wease (Jerry Lee Lewis), and Edward La Cardo (Elvis).
Meredith Aleigha Wells in “Sister Act” at The Muny


BEST YOUTH PERFORMERS

  1. Zoe Klevorn “Caroline, or Change,” Fly North Theatricals
  2. Rosario Rios-Kelly “In Bloom,” Tesseract Theatre Company
  3. Michael Hobin “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” The Muny
  4. Cameron Hadley, “Caroline or Change,” Fly North Theatricals
  5. Malachi Borum, “Caroline or Change,” Fly North Theatricals
  6. Riley Carter Adams “What the Constitution Means to Me,” Max & Louie Productions
  7. Jada Little “The Piano Lesson,” Encore! Theatre Group
  8. Vaida Gruenloh “In Bloom,” Tesseract Theatre Company
  9. Tommy Pepper “Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You,” Stray Dog Theatre
“Feminine Energy” by Myra L. Gary at Mustard Seed Theatre

BEST NEW PLAYS

  1. “One Night in the Many Deaths of Sonny Liston,” LaBute New Theatre Festival, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
  2. “Safe Space,” LaBute New Theatre Festival, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
  3. “This Palpable Gross Play,” SATE
  4. “See You in a Minute,” Contraband Theatre
  5. “In Bloom,” New Play Festival, Tesseract Theater Company
  6. “The Game’s Afoot,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Shake in the Streets
  7. “Feminine Energy,” Mustard Seed Theatre
  8. “From the Garden,” Wee Laddie Theatrics

“Clue” at Stages St Louis

BEST COMEDY PRODUCTIONS

  1. Clue – Stages St. Louis
  2. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Stray Dog Theatre
  3. The Birthday Party – Albion Theatre
  4. Gruesome Playground Injuries – The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
  5. Broadway Bound – New Jewish Theatre
  6. Merry Wives – St. Louis Shakespeare Festival Touring Company
  7. This Palpable Gross Play – SATE
  8. Outside Mullingar – West End Players Guild
  9. A Midsummer Night’s Dream – St Louis Shakespeare
  10. Murder on the Orient Express – The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
“The Immigrant” at New Jewish Theatare

BEST DRAMA PRODUCTIONS

  1. It’s A Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play – The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
  2. The Immigrant – New Jewish Theatre
  3. The Lion in Winter – The Midnight Company
  4. Uncle Vanya – St Louis Actors’ Studio
  5. The Lehman Trilogy – The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
  6. Skeleton Crew – The Black Repertory Theatre of St Louis
  7. What the Constitution Means to Me – Max and Louie Productions
  8. Mindgame – Albion Theatre
  9. Doubt: A Parable – Prism Theatre Company
  10. Gloria: A Life – New Jewish Theatre
“Million Dollar Quartet” at Stages St Louis

BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTIONS

  1. Caroline, or Change – Fly North Theatricals
  2. West Side Story – The Muny
  3. Into the Woods – New Jewish Theatre
  4. Eubie! – The Black Rep
  5. Million Dollar Quartet – Stages St. Louis
  6. Disney’s The Beauty and the Beast – The Muny
  7. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical– The Muny
  8. Chess – The Muny
  9. Q Brothers A Christmas Carol – St Louis Shakespeare Festival
  10. Kinky Boots – Tesseract Theatre Company
Ricki Franklin and Cassidy Flynn in “Twelfth Night” at St Louis Shakespeare Festival

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

  1. Ricki Franklin, Twelfth Night, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
  2. Claire Wenzel, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Stray Dog Theatre
  3. Zoe Vonder Haar, Clue, Stages St. Louis
  4. Annalise Webb, Absent Friends, Albion Theatre
  5. Rae Davis, “Merry Wives,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
  6. Anna Langdon, Absent Friends, Albion Theatre
  7. Bridgette Bassa, “The Nerd” and “Grand Horizons,” Moonstone Theatre Company
  8. Diana DeGarmo, “Clue,” Stages St. Louis
  9. Alexander Huber, in two roles – as girl and Madeleine, in “Vampire Lesbians of Sodom,” Stray Dog Theatre (the roles are female but gender-fluid)
  10. Kristen Strom, “This Palpable Gross Play,” SATE
“Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” at Stray Dog Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY

  1. Chuck Winning, The Birthday Party, Albion Theatre
  2. Nick Freed, The Birthday Party, Albion Theatre
  3. Stephen Henley, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Stray Dog Theatre
  4. Bryce A Miller, The Nerd, Moonstone Theatre Company
  5. Chuck Brinkley, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
  6. Cassidy Flynn, Twelfth Night, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, and Grand Horizons, Moonstone
  7. Charlie Franklin, Clue, Stages St. Louis
  8. Bob Harvey, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
Colleen Backer and Jason Meyers in “Outside Mullingar” at West End Players Guild

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

  1. Mara Bollini, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Stray Dog Theatre
  2. Colleen Backer, Outside Mullingar, West End Players Guild
  3. Jessika D. Williams, Gruesome Playground Injuries, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
  4. Teresa Doggett, The Birthday Party, Albion Theatre
  5. Leslie Wobbe, Walter Cronkite Is Dead, West End Players Guild
  6. Sarajane Clark, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Stray Dog Theatre
  7. Sarajane Clark, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You, Stray Dog Theatre
  8. Nicole Angeli, Absent Friends, Albion Theatre
  9. Jane Paradise, Safe Space, LaBute New Theatre Festival, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY

  1. Mark Price, Clue, Stages St. Louis
  2. Ryan Lawson-Maeske, The Nerd, Moonstone Theatre Company
  3. Stephen Peirick, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Stray Dog Theatre
  4. Brian Slaten, Gruesome Playground Injuries, The Rep
  5. Jacob Flekier, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
  6. Jason Meyers, Outside Mullingar, West End Players Guild
  7. Armando Duran, Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
  8. Joneal Joplin, Grand Horizons, Moonstone Theatre Company
  9. Ted Drury, The Birthday Party, Albion Theatre
  10. Reginald Pierre, Safe Space, LaBute New Theatre Festival, St Louis Actors’ Studio
Michelle Hand and Riley Carter Adams in “What the Constitution Means to Me” at Max & Louie Productions

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

  1. Bryn McLaughlin, Uncle Vanya, St Louis Actors’ Studio
  2. Rae Davis, Feminine Energy, Mustard Seed Theatre
  3. Mindy Shaw, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
  4. Rhiannon Creighton, Doubt, Prism Theatre Company
  5. Ashley Bauman, The Years, The Midnight Company
  6. Nicole Angeli, Mindgame, Albion Theatre Company
  7. Kelly Howe, See You in a Minute, Contraband Theatre Company

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA

  1. Michael James Reed, Uncle Vanya, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
  2. David Wassilak, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
  3. Bradley Tejada, Suddenly Last Summer, Tennessee Williams Festival
  4. Joey File, The Years, Midnight Company
  5. John Wolbers, The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
  6. Joel Moses, The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
  7. Joseph Garner, See You in a Minute, Contraband Theatre
  8. Brian McKinley, Skeleton Crew, The Black Rep
Alicia Reve Like and Eric J. Conners in “The Light” at The Black Rep

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

  1. Alicia Reve Like, The Light, The Black Rep
  2. Michelle Hand, What the Constitution Means to Me, Max & Louie Productions
  3. Lavonne Byers, The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
  4. Naima Randolph, Suddenly Last Summer, Tennessee Williams Festival
  5. Kate Durbin, Doubt, Prism Theatre Company
  6. Ricki Franklin, See You in a Minute, Contraband Theatre Company
  7. Velma Austin, Skeleton Crew, The Black Rep
  8. Jenni Ryan, Gloria: A Life, New Jewish Theatre
  9. Tiffany Oglesby, Confederates, The Rep
  10. Erin Rene Roberts, Feminine Energy, Mustard Seed Theatre
Will Bonfiglio in “Every Brilliant Thing” at New Jewish Theatre

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA

  1. Dustin Lane Petrillo, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
  2. John Contini, Barrymore, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
  3. John Pierson, Uncle Vanya, St Louis Actors’ Studio
  4. Will Bonfiglio, Every Brilliant Thing, New Jewish Theatre
  5. Reginald Pierre, One Night in the Many Deaths of Sonny Liston, LaBute New Theatre Festival, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
  6. Nick Freed, Mindgame, Albion Theatre
  7. Chuck Winning, Mindgame, Albion Theatre
  8. Kelvin Roston Jr, Twisted Melodies, The Rep
  9. Olajuwon Davis, Skeleton Crew, The Black Rep
  10. Xavier Scott Evans, Confederates, The Rep
Kimmie Kidd-Booker in “9” at New Line Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

  1. Diana DeGarmo, Aida, Stages St. Louis
  2. Taylor Louderman, Chess, The Muny
  3. Kimmie Kidd-Booker, 9, New Line Theatre
  4. Jenelle Gilreath Owens, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
  5. Jerusha Cavazos, West Side Story, The Muny
  6. Katie Geraghty, Sister Act, The Muny
  7. Jackie Burns, Beautiful The Carole King Musical, The Muny
  8. Sarah Gene Dowling, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
  9. Kristen Joy Lintvedt, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
  10. Jenny Mollet, Aida, Stages St. Louis
  11. Marlee Wenski, Jesus and Johnny Appleweed’s Holy Rollin’ Family Christmas, New Line Theatre
  12. Grace Langford, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

  1. Jarrod Spector, Beautiful The Carole King Musical, The Muny
  2. Phil Leveling, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
  3. Duane Foster, Caroline or Change, Fly North Theatricals
  4. Ken Page, West Side Story, The Muny
  5. Jon Hey, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
  6. Ryan Vasquez, Little Shop of Horrors, The Muny
  7. Albert Jennings, Aida, Stages St Louis
  8. Jeremy Sevelovitz, Million Dollar Quartet, Stages St Louis
  9. Adrian Villegas, Rent, The Muny
  10. Drew Mizell, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
  11. James T. Lane, Sister Act, The Muny
  12. Claybourne Elder, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny

BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

  1. De-Rance Blaylock, Caroline or Change, Fly North Theatricals
  2. Sara Sheperd, Beautiful The Carole King Musical, The Muny
  3. Molly Wennstrom, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
  4. Bryonha Marie, Sister Act, The Muny
  5. Melissa Felps, The Mad Ones, Tesseract Theatre Company
  6. Ashley Blanchet, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
  7. Guinevere Govea, Spells of the Sea, Metro Theatre Company
  8. Jessica Vosk, Chess, The Muny
Jane Paradise and Reginald Pierre in “Safe Space” at LaBute New Theatre Festival, St Louis Actors’ Studio

BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL (Male or NonBinary)

  1. John Riddle, Chess, The Muny
  2. Tielere Cheatem, in the role of Lola, Kinky Boots, Tesseract Theatre Company
  3. Ben Crawford, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
  4. Robin De Jesus, Little Shop of Horrors, The Muny
  5. Drew Mizell, Saturday Night Fever, Stray Dog Theatre
  6. Kevin O’Brien, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
  7. Christian Douglas, West Side Story, The Muny
  8. Garrett Young, Q Brothers Christmas Carol, St Louis Shakespeare Festival
  9. Cole Guttman, 9, New Line Theatre
Joe Hanrahan and Lavonne Byers in “The Lion in Winter”

BEST ENSEMBLE IN A COMEDY

  1. Clue, Stages St. Louis
  2. The Birthday Party, Albion Theatre
  3. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Stray Dog Theatre
  4. Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
  5. The Brechtfast Club, ERA
  6. A Midsummer Night’s Dream, St Louis Shakespeare
  7. This Palpable Gross Play, SATE
  8. Absent Friends, Albion
  9. Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
  10. Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Stray Dog Theatre
The Brechtfast Club at ERA

BEST ENSEMBLE IN A DRAMA

  1. It’s A Wonderful Life: Live Radio Play, The Rep
  2. The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
  3. Uncle Vanya, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
  4. The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
  5. The Lehman Trilogy, The Rep
  6. Skeleton Crew, The Black Rep
  7. Wrens, Prism Theatre Company
  8. Doubt: A Parable, Prism Theatre Company
  9. Feminine Energy, Mustard Seed Theatre

BEST ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL

  1. Caroline, or Change, Fly North Theatricals
  2. Eubie! The Black Rep
  3. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
  4. Million Dollar Quartet, Stages St Louis
  5. Q Brothers Christmas Carol, St Louis Shakespeare Festival
  6. West Side Story, The Muny
  7. Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
  8. Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
  9. Spells of the Sea, Metro Theatre Company
  10. Rent, The Muny
    (tie) Sister Act, The Muny
Jessika D. Williams and Brian Slaten in “Gruesome Playground Injuries” at The Rep

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN IN A COMEDY

  1. Sean M. Savoie, Clue, Stages St. Louis
  2. Anshuman Bhatia, Gruesome Playground Injuries, The Rep
  3. Jason Lynch, Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
  4. John Wylie, Twelfth Night, St Louis Shakespeare Festival
  5. Erik Kuhn, This Palpable Gross Play, SATE

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN IN A DRAMA

  1. Christina Watanabe, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Rep
  2. Xavier Pierce, Twisted Melodies, The Rep
  3. Matthew McCarthy, Suddenly Last Summer, Tennessee Williams Festival
  4. Jayson M. Lawshee, Skeleton Crew, The Black Rep
  5. Eric Wennlund, Mindgame, Albion Theatre
“Chess” at The Muny

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN IN A MUSICAL

  1. Rob Denton, Chess, The Muny
  2. Sean M Savoie, Million Dollar Quartet, Stages St. Louis
  3. Herrick Goldman, Aida, Stages St. Louis
  4. Jesse Klug, Q Brothers Christmas Carol, St Louis Shakespeare Festival
  5. Jayson M Lawshee, Spells of the Sea, Metro Theatre Company
  6. Jasmine Williams, Eubie!, The Black Rep
  7. Heather Gilbert, Rent, The Muny

BEST VISUAL PROJECTIONS

  1. Alex Bosco Koch, Chess, The Muny
  2. Michael Salvatore Commendatore, Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
  3. Kylee Loera, Beautiful The Carol King Musical, The Muny
“Murder on the Orient Express” at The Rep


BEST SOUND DESIGN IN A COMEDY

  1. Beef Gratz, Clue, Stages St. Louis
  2. Kareem Deames, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre

BEST SOUND DESIGN IN A DRAMA

  1. Michael Costagliola, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Rep
  2. Kareem Deames, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
  3. G Glausen, Twisted Melodies, The Rep
  4. Jacob Baxley, Mindgame, Albion Theatre

SPECIAL MENTIONS
Amanda Werre, Sound Design, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
Erik Kuhn, Fight Coordinator, Mind Game, Albion Theatre
Terrance Johnson, who filled in for Evan Tyron Martin as Tom Collins in the early performances of “Rent” at The Muny when Martin had COVID
Fleur de Noise, a special segment in “The Game’s Afoot,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s Shake in the Streets

“Eubie!” at The Black Rep

BEST COSTUME DESIGN IN A COMEDY

  1. Brad Musgrove, Clue, Stages St. Louis
  2. Olivia Radle, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, St Louis Shakespeare
  3. Fabio Toblini, Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
  4. Michelle Friedman Siler, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
  5. Colleen Michelson and Sarah Gene Dowling (wigs), Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Stray Dog Theatre

BEST COSTUME DESIGN IN A DRAMA

  1. Liz Henning, The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
  2. Michelle Friedman Siler, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
  3. An-Lin Dauber, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Rep
  4. Sam Hayes, Wrens, Prism Theatre Company
  5. Teresa Doggett, Uncle Vanya, St Louis Actors’ Studio
“Kinky Boots” at Tesseract Theatre Company

BEST COSTUME DESIGN IN A MUSICAL

  1. Robin McGee, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
  2. Eileen Engel and Sarah Gene Dowling (wigs), Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
  3. Brad Musgrove, Aida, Stages St Louis
  4. Marc W. Vital III, Eubie!, The Black Rep
  5. Michelle Friedman Siler, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
  6. Zachary Phelps, Kinky Boots, Tesseract Theatre
  7. Leon Dobkowski, Sister Act, The Muny
“Skeleton Crew” at The Black Rep

BEST SCENIC DESIGN IN A DRAMA

  1. An-Lin Dauber, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Rep
  2. Sara Brown, The Lehman Trilogy, The Rep
  3. Nina Ball, Confederates, The Rep
  4. Margery and Peter Spack, Skeleton Crew, The Black Rep
  5. Matt Stuckel, Doubt, Prism Theatre Company
  6. (tie) James Wolk, Suddenly Last Summer

BEST SCENIC DESIGN IN A COMEDY

  1. Tim Macabee, Murder on the Orient Express, The Rep
  2. Lee Savage, Clue, Stages St Louis
  3. Dunsi Dai, Grand Horizons, Moonstone Theatre Company
  4. Margery and Peter Spack, Broadway Bound, New Jewish Theatre
  5. Ellie Schwetye and Lucy Cashion, This Palpable Gross Play, SATE
  6. Scott Neale, “The Game’s Afoot, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

BEST SCENIC DESIGN IN A MUSICAL

  1. Edward E Haynes Jr., Chess, The Muny
  2. Rob Lippert, Godspell, Stray Dog Theatre
  3. Ann Beyersdorfer, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
  4. C. Otis Sweezey, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
  5. Adam Koch, Million Dollar Quartet, Stages St Louis
  6. Kristen Robinson, Little Shop of Horrors, The Muny
  7. Tim Jones, Eubie! The Black Rep
  8. Margery and Peter Spack, Spells of the Sea, Metro Theatre Company
  9. Ryan Douglass, Beautiful The Carole King Musical, The Muny

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

  1. Patrick O’Neill, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
  2. Heather Beal, Robert Crenshaw and Vivian Watt, Eubie! The Black Rep
  3. Mike Hodges, Saturday Night Fever, Stray Dog Theatre
  4. Steph Paul, Q Brothers Christmas Carol, St Louis Shakespeare Festival
  5. Maggie Nold, Kinky Boots, Tesseract Theatre Company
  6. Parker Esse, West Side Story, The Muny (original choreography reproduced)
  7. Denis Jones, Sister Act, The Muny
  8. Luis Salgado, Aida, Stages St. Louis
  9. Patricia Wilcox, Beautiful, The Muny
  10. Tyler White, Go, Dog, Go!, Metro Theater Company
“Saturday Night Fever” at Stray Dog Theatre

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR

  1. Colin Healy, Caroline or Change, Fly North Theatricals
  2. James Moore, West Side Story, The Muny
  3. Larry D. Pry, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
  4. Charlie Alterman, Beautiful the Carole King Musical, The Muny
  5. Leah Schultz, Saturday Night Fever, Stray Dog Theatre
  6. David Sonneborn, Million Dollar Quartet, Stages St. Louis
  7. Jason DeBord and Michael Horsley, Chess, The Muny
  8. Leah Schultz, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre

BEST DIRECTOR OF A COMEDY

  1. Steve Bebout, Clue. Stages
  2. Alan Knoll, Broadway Bound, New Jewish
  3. Suki Peters, The Birthday Party, Albion
  4. Christina Rios, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, St Lous Shakespeare
  5. Lucy Cashion, The Brechtfast Club, ERA
  6. Becks Redman, Gruesome Playground Injuries, The Rep
  7. Gary Wayne Barker, The Nerd, Moonstone Theatre Company
“Uncle Vanya” at St Louis Actors’ Studio

BEST DIRECTOR OF A DRAMA

  1. Kate Bergstrom, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Rep
  2. Carey Perloff, The Lehman Trilogy, The Rep
  3. Rebeka Scallet, The Immigrant, New Jewish Theatre
  4. Annamaria Pileggi, Uncle Vanya, St Louis Actors’ Studio
  5. Tom Kopp, The Lion in Winter, The Midnight Company
  6. Gary F. Bell, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Stray Dog Theatre

BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL

  1. John Tartaglia, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. The Muny
  2. Robert Quinlan, Into the Woods, New Jewish Theatre
  3. Josh Rhodes, Chess, The Muny
  4. Brian McKinley, Caroline or Change, Fly North Theatricals
  5. Justin Been, Into the Woods, Stray Dog Theatre
  6. Rob Ruggiero, West Side Story, The Muny

Photos by Jon Gitchoff, Philip Hamer, Julia Merkle, Patrick Huber, Joey Rumpell.

“Little Shop of Horrors” at The Muny
“West Side Story” at The Muny

Union Avenue Opera’s ‘Don Pasquale’ Is a Frothy, Summery Treat

Union Avenue Opera’s ‘Don Pasquale’ Is a Frothy, Summery Treat

By CB Adams

As if to serve as a counterpoint to Union Avenue Opera’s (UAO) festival-opening but decidedly heavy “Turn Of the Screw,” the company offers up a light summer treat with Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale” – as welcome as a  heaping scoop of granita during the current heat wave.

It’s perfect time for a classic comic opera (libretto by Giovanni Ruffini, after Angelo Anelli) whose silly plot plays distant second fiddle to the vocal performances provided by the well-cast singers in this production.

With only four main characters, this production of “Don Pasquale” benefits from the modest stage at Union Avenue Christian Church, UAO’s home for its festival. The tight scale allows ample opportunity for the singers to strut their stuff – including the excellent ensemble. It’s a good thing the emphasis is on the performance of the singers because the set is flimsy and plain, the lighting is serviceable and unremarkable, and the costumes are seemed in need of a good tailor.

These shortcomings are more than compensated for by the performances of Andy Papas as Don Pasquale, Peter Kendall Clark as Dr. Malatesta, Namarea Randolph-Yosea as Ernesto and Christine Lyons as Norina. In fact, this would have been just as satisfying an experience if these four had performed on an empty stage.

Christina Lyons in Don Pasquale, Photo by Dan Donovan.

This production puts it money where its mouths are. Sung in Italian with English subtitles, the subtitles are often not necessary thanks to the emotive – sometimes comedic and rollicking, other times romantically heartfelt – performances of the cast members.

Bass baritone Papas as the opera’s namesake is the sort of portly presence we expect from a Don Pasquale – much like we expect from a Falstaff. Papas gives his Pasquale a depth that ranges from likeable, to lightly tyrannical, to even pitiable. Throughout, Papas is confidently in charge of the material and provides a masterful balance of antics, pathos and bluster.

Clark’s puppet-master Dr. Malatesta towers over Papas (and the rest of the cast) physically, while providing a well-modulated performance that makes the most of his big, rich, robust voice.

One of the highlights of this production is his Act III duet with Papas that breaks the fourth wall as the two solicit applause from the audience – something they heartily received, and which didn’t feel out of place or break the flow of the jaunty story.

With a male-to-female ratio of three to one, soprano Christine Lyons, making her UAO debut, more than held her own as the opera’s love interest. Lyons provides a fully realized Norina that relies as much on small gestures like the demure tilt of her head or the brazen lift of her skirt as on her high notes and sprightly coloratura. The show may be named for Don Pasquale, but it many ways, this was Lyons’s show.

As Don Pasquale’s nephew, Ernesto, Randolf-Yosea, also making his UAO debut, sometimes lacks the confidence and power of the other singers, but more than makes up for that during his solo moments. He provides a captivating love lament in Act II that is one of the highlights of this production, as was his deeply affectionate duet with Lyons, “Tornami a dir che m’ami.’

Union Avenue Opera’s production of Don Pasquale on July 26. Photo by Dan Donovan

Beautifully percolating beneath the action on stage is the chamber-size orchestra under the direction of conductor Stephen Hargreaves. The orchestra provides a satisfying and masterful account of the score, though sometimes the singers phrases were lost beneath a swell of music.

UAO’s “Don Pasquale” is a frothy, delightful take on this comic opera classic. Yes, there is some agism and sexism that makes the plot seem dated, but the incredible cast and Donizetti’s entrancing score keep the pace moving so quickly that those are easy to overlook.

The ensemble in Union Avenue Opera’s production of Don Pasquale. Photo by Dan Donovan,

“Don Pasquale” runs at 8 p.m. on July 28 and 29 and August 4 and 5 at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union Boulevard. For more information, visit www.unionavenueopera.org.

Peter Kendall Clark as Dr. Malatesta. Photo by Dan Donovan.