Thank you Chris for your assistance.
Verna Kerans
Letter from the Editor – Spring Wrap-U
During semester break I went to Chicago. At the time Ruined was playing at the Goodman Theatre. It has now transferred to Broadway and has won a Pulitzer Prize.
The production was brutal in its veracity. We live in our little American cocoons and have no idea of the hardships under which people live.
In order to survive In the Congo, Mama Nadi has a bar seemingly in the middle of the jungle. A great parrot in a cage sits stage right and a jazz combo also plays stage right.
Hers is a swinging place with quite a few “ladies” to entertain the cu stomers. Christian arrives and persuades hers to take on a young girl who has been brutally raped and physically “ruined”. The exact nature of the crime is never spelled out for us – the nature of the brutality is left to our imagination but given Sophie’s walk we can only imagine the worst.
The play devotes itself to the horror of the different regimes that fight in the Congo. Darfur, Sudan, Somalia all comes to mind. Gang rapes, murders, kidnapping: What do we know of any of these?
After you see this play you will at least have a faint idea of the horror under which some women live.
You can read a number of reviews about this play now that it is playing on Broadway. There are some funny lines and a faint bit of redemption at the end. Life goes on - doesn’t it?
My visit to the Washington D.C area led me to the temporary digs of Arena Stage. For the time being they have a nice little theatre in Crystal City. The space was once for meeting and films and Arena will use it until their new theatre is completed. The new Theatre is being built due to the kindness and financial assistance of Dr. Jaylee Mead. Over the years, Dr. Mead and her husband, who passed away recently, have given generously to many theatres in the D.C. area.
As it was explained to me by Allen Lee Hughes, resident lighting designer at Arena, the new theatre will be in addition to the original Arena and the Kreeger. Allen and I looked at a small set-like rendition which showed that the Arena and Kreeger remain as is but all the connecting spaces that linked the two theatres have been removed and there will be a third added with an enormous lobby from which pa trons will branch off to their respective theatres to see the shows. What an undertaking!
At the small theatre in Crystal City I saw “Next to Normal” and I really enjoyed it. ALSO this show20has transferred to Broadway as well. Seems like I chose the best two shows to attend.
Evidently this show began in New York and Arena polished it up so that it could return for a longer run in New York. The reviews have all been positive.
The show deals with being bi-polar. A disease I am very familiar with and I can tell you unless you stay on your meds life can be very difficult. The story of Diana and her husband and family, a boy and a girl, will grip you like no play has done before. Even though this is a musical it is not one of those happy-go-lucky shows.
Be prepared to think and feel along with a wonderful cast. I won’t tell you about the plot because I have a feeling that this show may play here at=2 0The Repertory Theatre and I want you to be fully involved for some surprises.
The last few weeks have been full of music.
The Touhill Performing Arts Center always have great music. This time we heard the Duke Ellington Orchestra playing all the great favorites including Mood Indigo, Take the A Train and Satin Doll just to mention a few. Almost every performer had a solo and then finally the Bass player, who was a woman, got a star turn. The bass is my favorite and I was delighted she had a chance to strut her”stuff".
Next on my agenda was BeBe Neuwirth. Right here let me say “hats off to the newest Cabaret Series “. It was wonderful to s ee St. Louis get 3 top names to entertain us .
Neuwirth sang non-stop for an hour and a half. As she mentioned all her songs were “stories”. Many of them were familiar to20her audience but she also included some Kurt Weill who was a very interesting composer. She sang Surabaya Johnnie and The Bilbao Song – two that I especially love.
BeBe, made her name in Sweet Charity and Chicago, and also became familiar to the TV audience in the character of Lilith on Cheers and then on Fraser. May people are surprised to discover when they find out what a fantastic singing voice she has. And her voice is unusual – it has a quirky depth and quality that is engaging.
She entered in a perky little black dress that was above the knees and showed off her legs to great advantage. She then proceeded to prepare her drink with an enormous straw. She has a great sense of humor and is completely at ease with her audience. We were lucky to have been able to listen to her for 90 minutes. This was a fund raiser for the Cabaret Series and was follow ed by a dinner in the Sheldon. I didn’t go to the dinner but I bet it was wonderful.
Following this fantastic show we were treated to the enormous talent of Patti Lupone and Mandy Patinkin who, though great friends, have not performed together since appearing in Evita in 1980.
They have a warm relationship that comes right across the footlights to wrap itself around the audience. They were especially good during the excerpts from South Pacific and Carousel. Ms. LuPone was especially touching and visibly touched in her portrayal of Julie in the scene from Carousel. As she wiped away the errant tears, one could see how the songs had moved her.
These two performers have been in many shows on Broadway and Television. She has an Ethel Merman quality and when the no tes to Gypsy were struck Lupone got a hand before she even sang a note.
I was sorry that Patinkin did not sing anything from Sunday in the Park with George. He was great in this show with Bernadette Peters. The video of that show i s wonderful to see.
Watching the LuPone and Patinkin duo was a great treat – they had a real vibe going on –they had fun and we had fun watching them.
Thank you Cabaret St. Louis bringing these 3 such great performers in such a short time. We look forward to next season with Maude Maggart, Steve Ross, Nellie McKay, Bill Charlap and Sandy Stewart. Look at the web on: cabaretstl.org for more information.
FOOD FIGHT
West Port Playhouse
Verna Kerans
The newest frothy musical at West Port Playhouse will enterta in both men and women , but mostly women.
It’s a tale being told across the world in all the gyms where women seek to tone their bodies and fight their hunger pangs. Good Luck!!
After these 4 actresses, Annie Cook, Tafee Patterson, Missy McArdle and Amanda Shae Wilborn finish the show, they have, I’m sure, burned of hundreds of calories. They are in perpetual motion.
The slim story covers relationships, face lifts and Viagra (sung to the familiar “Maria” from West Side Story) The authors had a plethora of well-knows music to choose from. All they had to do was change the lyrics and they are all catchy and funny.
This is a show that has come to us from Atlanta and is headed for a national tour after St. Louis so catch it now!
KANSAS CITY FILMFEST
VERNA KERAN
Yes, Everything is up to date in Kansas City! The Film Fest combined two festivals this year. One was the Jubilee Film Fest and the other was the FilmFest that for the last few years has been held in October. I usually attended this FilmFest which was held at Screenland. I always enjoy going to see many new films by up and coming filmmakers from Kansas City and other places.
However this year with two festivals combined there were more films to choose from and many different kinds of offerings from documentaries to short films, animations, foreign films and comedies.
A real plus this year was the opening of AMC’s newest theatre. Totally redecorated – the theatre is beautiful. It has an energy that will appeal to anyone who wants a great evening. In the lobby of the theatre is a cozy full service restaurant and bar with comfortable couches and t ables. Many tasty meals can be ordered before or after the movie and you can really make a special evening out of it.
At the refreshment stand if you buy a drink you can get free refills all evening and you can add chocolate syrup, lemon and lime flavors! Popcorn comes with an assortment of toppings that you add yourself: butter, cheddar cheese and a new cinnamon sugar that was delicious. Coffee, cappuccino, and ready to eat meals are boxed and ready to go. The ladies rooms have mirrors with photos of lots of Hollywood actresses. You will love this new theatre.
I stayed at the Hilton President Hotel, just one block up from the new AMC.
This historic beautiful hotel is a delight. The hotel was closed and redecorated and has recently reopened. Over the years this has been the hotel of choice for many Presidents and famous entertainers. You can't go wrong choing this hotel as your home base.have a restaurant and after the show you can visit The Drum Room for a late drink.
There are dozens of restaurants in the immediate vicinity in the Power and Light district (as it is called) as well as new lofts. It’s worth a tr ip just to take a look-see.
