Chas Adams

Total Post: 45

CB Adams is an award-winning fiction writer and photographer based in the Greater St. Louis area. A former music/arts editor and feature writer for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, his non-fiction has been published in local, regional and national publications. His literary short stories have been published in more than a dozen literary journals and his fine art photography has been exhibited in more than 40 galley shows nationwide. Adams is the recipient of the Missouri Arts Council’s highest writing awards: the Writers’ Biennial and Missouri Writing!. The Riverfront Times named him, “St. Louis’ Most Under-Appreciated Writer” in 1996.

Cirque Du Soleil Swirls Through a Holiday Classic with ‘Twas the Night Before…’

Cirque Du Soleil Swirls Through a Holiday Classic with ‘Twas the Night Before…’

By CB Adams

The holiday zeitgeist feels different this year. Maybe it’s because we need some relief from the unrelenting news cycles filled with war, strife and discord. Or maybe we’re still emerging – chrysalis-like – from the lingering fog of the COVID pandemic. Or maybe it’s due to that fabulously fun new Christmas album that Cher just dropped.

No matter the reason, the feeling in the air is that “…we need a little music, need a little laughter / need a little singing ringing through the rafter / and we need a little snappy, happy ever after,” to quote Jerry Herman’s “We Need A Little Christmas.” Delivering more than “a little” Christmas is Cirque Du Soleil’s supersized, supercharged and super-athletic “’Twas the Night Before…,” running at the Fabulous Fox through December 10.

“Twas the Night Before…,” which debuted several years ago, is the first holiday show – make that spectacle – by Cirque du Soleil. It’s loosely based on Clement Clarke Moore’s chestnut, “A Visit from Saint Nicholas.” The show follows the poem’s storyline using Cirque’s creative interpretation of circus arts – aerobatics, gymnastics, tumbling, juggling, diabolo yo-yos, clown bike and the like. Of course, Cirque being Cirque (under the direction of senior artistic director, James Hadley), the show envelopes the performers with over-the-top staging that includes a stunning amount of tinsel, props and fake snow that creates an immersive, richly saturated experience.

The show’s recorded soundtrack is equally creative and pulse-pounding without being overwhelming. According to Jean-Phi Goncalves, the show’s musical composer, “My goal in creating this music was to introduce a little holiday surprise in every track. By taking the essence of these Christmas classics…and adding a modern twist with electronics, big drums and fat basses, we were able to reveal them in a completely new light. I like to think that the reconstructed pieces speak to Christmas music lovers as well as those who have yet to embrace the genre.”

The percussive soundtrack achieves all that – and more. It’s a major contributor to the propulsive nature of “Twas the Night Before…” The show is one the “fastest” ways to spent 90 minutes as it presents Cirque’s story about a jaded young girl who rediscovers the magic of the holidays.

The spectacular staging, lighting design (some of quite high-tech), shimmering costumes and music all serve the acrobatic athleticism of the performers.

Adorability-wise, the reindeer are the hands-down winners. In golden jockey costumes with satiny underbellies, they have their names emblazoned on their backs. Diving through hoops at increasing heights, they’re comical and impressive — and it’s charming somehow that Prancer (Jinge Wang), never the starriest member of Santa’s team, is the best of all.

“A Visit From St. Nicholas,”  introduced the world to Santa’s reindeers. You know, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and the rest of the team? “Twas the Night Before…” transforms the reindeers into comic characters with jockey-inspired golden costumes and mannerisms like jockeys. Their big number, which involves diving through ever-higher hoops, occurs near the climax of the show.

There are no weak acts in this show, whether it’s the opening aerial pas de deux with two male performers, the tumbling antics of a bunch of mice or a mash up of ballet and contortion within a hotel cart. There’s even a roller disco act that is so good that it’s easy to forget to question what it has to do with the story.

“’Twas the Night Before…” is advertised as something for the whole family. Usually when I see that phrase, it means that it dumbs-down things to a child’s level. Not so with this show. Everyone, from the kiddos to their elders, can become enchanted by the performance. It’s diverting in all the best ways and delivers a big little Christmas, “right this very minute.”

“’Twas the Night Before…” at The Fabulous Fox runs through Dec.10. For tickets and information go to The Fabulous Fox website.

Winter Opera Heats Up the Season with a Solid ‘Don Giovanni’

Winter Opera Heats Up the Season with a Solid ‘Don Giovanni’

By CB Adams

Waiting for Winter Opera’s production of “Don Giovanni,” I was reminded of the forward to Milton Cross’ “Complete Stories of the Great Operas,” in which he begins, “This is a book of stories – the stories of the great and enduring operas…Some of them have become so familiar that I return to them each year, almost as one returns each season to the Christmas story.” Just a week or so before Thanksgiving and the holiday season, Winter Opera’s timing for a production of “Don Giovanni” seemed perfect for a return – Christmas-like – to one of opera’s (and Mozart’s) great and (and greatly rendered) stories.

Before the opening notes of the overture, it was clear that this production would hew closely to a traditional interpretation (kudos to stage director John Stephens) of this work with an understated, yet architecturally appropriate, set (kudos to Scott Loebl, scenic designer). There were the requisite Corinthian columns, graceful arches and stone fountain – providing the neutral setting for the intricate, sublime story to follow.

As the orchestra began the overture to the three-hour performance to come (under the confident and sure baton of conductor Scott Schoonover), I was reminded of how these early, foreboding chords – repeated in the last act – symbolize the fate that awaits Don Giovanni.

Photo by ProPhotoSTL

I was reminded, too, of that Mozart’s original title was “Il Dissoluto Punito, Ossia il Don Giovanni” (“The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni”). From the opening, this production faithfully unfurls the looping story of Don Giovanni as well as explores the dynamics of power, control and fate – with its major events presented at the beginning and searing conclusion. 

The dynamic, muscular-voiced Robert Mellon was a winning Leporello, the Don’s youthful, sometimes blustery servant. Mellon brought his character’s famous register aria – “Madamino, il catalogo è questo” – confidently and humorously to life.

One of the strengths of Winter Opera’s production is its treatment of women in the story. Gina Galati’s portrayal of Donna Elvira was exceptional, especially her affecting, poignant phrasing in “Mi tradì quell’alma ingrata.”

Raphaella Medina provided a sweet-voiced and beguiling Zerlina, especially during “Batti, batti o bel Masetto,” a love song-aria (with Mark Hosseini as Masetto) beloved for its teasing trills. Medina also paired very well with the strong performance of Jacob Lassetter as Don Giovanni, for a hugely satisfying performance of the duet “La si darem la mano.” Throughout, Lassette’s portrayal demonstrated tremendous range as well as nuance demanded by Mozart’s composition.  

Nathan Whitson’s strong bass more than met the imposing demands of the character Commendatore. His performance was equal parts stentorian, imperious and stone-like (as the singing statue).

The singers were well-adorned, thanks to the costume design by Jen Blum-Tatara and wigs/makeup by Jessica Dana.

Winter Opera’s “Don Giovanni” played at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center on November 17 and 19. The season continues with Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” January 19 and 21, 2024. More information is available at the Winter Opera website.

PhotoProSTL photo

Trinity Irish Dance Company Impresses with Footwork, Music and Boundary-Pushing Artistry

Trinity Irish Dance Company Impresses with Footwork, Music and Boundary-Pushing Artistry

By CB Adams

In a culturally enriching evening that seamlessly melded tradition and innovation, Trinity Irish Dance Company delivered a performance of depth and resonance in St. Louis at the Touhill, presented by Dance St. Louis under the guidance of Michael Uthoff, its artistic director and unerring cultural curator.

Let’s dispense, from the get-go, the obvious association that, if you’re anything like me, you might make when you see the words “Irish dance.” You immediately think of That Other, perhaps more well-known, dance company. No need to drop that name.

Having attended both, I much prefer Trinity. That’s to throw no shade on that other group. Both draw inspiration from traditional Irish step dancing that has been performed for hundreds of years. Choosing one over the other would be to provide short shrift to the genre and would ignore the fact that some of the same dancers have performed in both.

It would be like choosing a favorite among your children, or comparing The Pogues with The Chieftains (or U2 with the Joanie Madden or the Boomtown Rats, for that matter) or “The Commitments” with “My Left Foot.” So choose your vibe.

Abi Graham-Luke, Ali Doughty, Anna Gorman, Kelsey Parry, Michael Fleck; Trinity Irish Dance Company, 2020

Given the option, I would choose Trinity, even though both present Irish dance at its most skilled – agile footwork, stiffened with formality from the waist up with synchronized precision while transitioning from lines to circles to  diamonds. And for the record, I own albums from all of the musicians listed above and love both of those movies.

Trinity distinguishes itself in several ways. The performance is modernized with theatrical lighting effects and features an onstage band that accompanies the dancers with wonderful musical selections and music-only interludes.

The band was composed of Brendan O’Shea, the composer on guitar and vocals, Jake James on fiddle and bodhran, Christopher Devlin on guitar and vocals and Steven Rutledge on percussion. One of the musical highlights was a folk-based “Listen,” by O’Shea is delightful. Another was the fiddle work of James, who performed an intriguing “duet” with a fairy-like dancer (not identified in the program).

Trinity’s contemporary approach results in dance pieces that are awe-inspiring. Helmed by founding artistic director and choreographer Mark Howard, collaborating with associate artistic director and co-choreographer, Chelsea Hoy, this pioneering company has been innovating for more than 30 years. The company celebrates individuals, especially the women in the mostly female company that are bringing dynamic works to life with incomparable style.

The program of 13 pieces included a diverse repertoire that showcased the evolution of Irish dance. The performance, choreographed by artistic director Mark Howard, artfully blended traditional elements with contemporary influences. The audience was keyed into Trinity’s unique approach at the beginning of the evening as a spectral voice-over expresses a desire to break free from the constraints of rules, conformity and over-produced formulas.

Trinity’s dancers demonstrated remarkable technical skill and emotional depth throughout the evening, from the rhythmic intensity of “Soles” to the poignant storytelling of “Thank You for Hearing Me,” and from the hopeful optimism of “A New Dawn” to the mysterious allure of “Black Rose.” Each piece offered a unique perspective on the beauty and complexity of Irish dance.

The dynamic energy of “Sparks” and the meditative grace of “Communion” were complemented by the introspective exploration of “Listen” and the nostalgic resonance of “Johnny.” The spirited vitality of “Push” and the modern reinterpretation of “American Traffic” added layers of depth and dimension to the evening’s program. The performance culminated with the triumphant finale of “An Sorcas,” aka “The Circus” – an effective bookend to the opening piece, “Tokyo.”

It’s hard to choose among the 13 pieces to highlight one that stood out among the others. One of my personal favorites was “Johnny,” a piece Howard created for “The Tonight Show” in 1991. I also marveled at “Communion,” a piece created by Howard with Sandy Silva in 2014.

The dancers perform barefoot, blending Irish dance with body percussion reminiscent of African American stepping. In “Push,” an exhilarating series of solos, they demonstrate their ability to push the boundaries of technique, multiplying heel clicks in the air to create a sound reminiscent of the break at the start of a pool game.

Dance St. Louis is one of the oldest and one of only four nonprofit dance presenters in the country and is focused on fostering a vibrant dance community. Reflecting on the organization’s mission, Uthoff has said, “At Dance St. Louis, we strive to bring diverse and innovative dance experiences to St. Louis, enriching our community with a range of perspectives and styles.”

Mission accomplished – again – with the presentation of Trinity Irish Dance Company. Through their artistry and innovation, they brought the richness and vibrancy of Irish dance to life in a way that resonated deeply with all who were fortunate enough to witness it. Next up is Ailey II on March 1-2, also at the Touhill.

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.

Union Avenue Delivers a Powerfully Haunting ‘Turn of the Screw’

Union Avenue Delivers a Powerfully Haunting ‘Turn of the Screw’

By CB Adams

Benjamin Britten said that “Composing is like driving down a foggy road.” He could just as easily been describing the experience of attending Union Avenue Opera’s production of his “Turn of the Screw.” Many know the story from junior high school English lit or from one of the 12 – 12! – films that have adapted the Henry James ambiguous novella about ghosts (or not) and innocents (maybe).

Union Avenue Opera’s (UAO) production of “Screw” keys off of the story’s enigmatic opacity of the goings-on at Bly, a country house in Essex and augments the story’s ambiguities with an immersive cerebral-ness. The experience begins with the two-level set (designed by Laura Skroska and lighted by Patrick Huber) that is part Hill House and part Rose Red – Shirley Jackson and Stephen King, respectively. The set has the perfect amount of goth to visually augment Britten’s tautly composed opera with libretto by Myfanwy Piper and is perfectly scaled for Union Avenue Christian Church’s compact stage.

Much has been written about the duality of Britten’s use of musical characterizations for “Screw” since its debut in 1954. This duality concerns those characters who can be interpreted as moral (the Governess, Miles, Flora and Mrs. Grose) and those that could be considered of the more ghostly or spiritual persuasion (Peter Quint and Miss Jessel). The former are surrounded by uncomplicated music and the latter with music that is amorphous and other-worldly. As the opera progresses the two styles become ever more entwined and intense – and ending with a profound feeling of disquiet.

Dress rehearsal for Union Avenue Opera’s production of The Turn of the Screw on July 5, 2023

UAO’s production of “Screw” is richly nuanced, compelling and emotionally powerful, and that’s thanks mostly to the direction of Nancy Bell and the strong cast, including Meroë Khalia Adeeb as the Governess, Sophie Yilmaz as Miles, Cecilia Hickey as Flora, Christine Brewer as Mrs. Grose, James Stevens as Peter Quint and Alexandra Martinez-Turano as Miss Jessel. Adeeb, Yilmaz and Martinez-Turano are making their UAO stage debuts in this production.

As the opera begins, a “character” named Prologue, played by James Stevens (Peter Quint later on), provides the background to the plot and sets the action in motion. On stage are blindfolded characters, and Prologue (or is he Quint?) removes the blindfolds.

As the opera “unfolds” in this moment, it seems Prologue’s removal is a visual metaphor for what is about to be revealed. Yet, the opera’s climactic, mysterious final scene lends itself to multiple interpretations, not a clear revealing. This brilliant effect is thanks to Bell’s direction.

This production’s performers are well balanced and well cast, top to bottom. Stevens in his dual roles delivers a riveting performance in both as he slithers from taunt to seduction to malevolence.  As the Governess, Adeeb’s performance stands out among the others.

She provides an impressive range of technical voice control and realistic acting during her transformation from the poised servant we meet at the beginning to the unraveled, emotionally undone  protector in the final scene.

Christine Brewer as Mrs. Grose embodied her character fully through her effective acting and her rather authoritative singing with impressive dynamic control and proper diction. Yilmaz provides a Miles with an unsettling dissonance. Her voice offers the higher pitch of the boy she portrays – a sort of reverse castrati.

Britten’s score receives a beautifully haunting rendition by the UAO orchestra, led by conductor Scott Schoonover.

Dress rehearsal for Union Avenue Opera’s production of The Turn of the Screw on July 5, 2023

Union Avenue Opera presents “Turn of the Screw” at 8 p.m. on July 7, 8, 14 and 15 at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union Boulevard. For more information, visit www.unionavenueopera.org

James Stevens as Quint

Opera Theatre’s ‘Treemonisha’ Is A Transformative Triumph

Opera Theatre’s ‘Treemonisha’ Is A Transformative Triumph

By CB Adams

Opera Theatre of St. Louis’ season opener of a reimagined-yet-respectful version of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha by composer Damien Sneed and librettist Karen Chilton is a transformative experience that beautifully balances theatrical spirit with artistic integrity.

It is an example of the power of art in general and opera in particular to serve as a  “moral instrument” (borrowing from Constantin Stanislavski) that ennobles the mind and spirit. My top take-away: It deserves sold-out status audiences for its entire run – no seat left behind.

This production of Treemonisha, occurs at a pitch-perfect moment in the St. Louis zeitgeist. The citywide triennial exhibit, Counterpublic, is weaving contemporary art into the life of St. Louis for three months to “reimagine civic infrastructures towards generational change.” In his introduction to the 285-page Counterpublic catalog, James McAnally (executive and artistic director and founder of St. Louis-based artist space The Luminary) explains that he envisions an exhibit that allies “itself with generational, cultural, economic, and civic change; a post-pandemic, post-uprising exhibition demanding that we, as arts workers and artists, do more to repair our broken world.”

Justin Austin as Scott Joplin in “Treemonisha.” Photo © Eric Woolsey

Counterpublic seeks to help initiate “concrete change” of the sort that Joplin was exploring more than a century ago in his original Treemonisha, a hybridized classical/ragtime opera that reveals a Wagnerian influence while also presaging  George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess.” But Treemonisha, especially with this new version, proves the old Latin phrase true: “Art is long, life is short.” Joplin died too young at age 48 in 1917.

Treemonisha did not receive a real premiere until a 1972 production by the Afro-American Music Workshop of Morehouse College (though a New York Times piece states that it was performed at a theater in Bayonne, N.J. in 1913. Either way, it was a tragedy that Joplin didn’t get to see his magnum opus, his hoped-for recognition of ragtime as a new, American form of classical music.

Opera Theatre staged a successful production of this opera  23 years ago. I didn’t see that production, but this current iteration of Treemonisha stands as an engaging, exuberant example of what opera can achieve when all of its elements – direction, staging, casting, acting, singing passion – align. Such alignment is a rarity.

It’s the bane of my reviewing existence: why can’t it all be this good?  The obvious answer makes this production all the sweeter. It brings to mind something the novelist Julian Barnes wrote in “Levels of Life,” his memoir: “Opera cuts to the chase—as death does . . . [it is] an art which seeks, more obviously than any other form, to break your heart.”

KS. Tichina Vaughn as Monisha in “Treemonisha” Photo © Eric Woolsey

 My heart was broken, especially during Act V, during which the aging Scott Joplin character, sung with naked, wrenching emotion by baritone Justin Austin (who also plays Remus), reveals his frustration about his artistic legacy. Austin’s inspired performance proves how difficult it is to both sing with perfection while acting with authenticity – and how marvelous when achieved. To best describe Austin’s artistic feat, I rely on a quote by Marina Abramović in “Last Days of the Opera” by the Viennese critic Karl Kraus: “You can go so deep into a performance that you become one with the character and create a charismatic state of unity with the public.”

Austin’s so-deep achievement is matched nearly across the board by the rest of the cast, and especially by soprano Brandie Inez Sutton (making her Opera Theatre debut) as both Freddie Alexander Joplin and Tremonisha (look for the moment when the origin of her name is revealed). As Act II (and the original opera itself) begins, it’s clear that this is really the eponymous Treemonisha’s story about an educated Black woman who guides her fellow small-town citizens, (persecuted by endemic racism and poverty) away from ignorance and superstition and toward an enlightened self-worth and self-reliance. With considerable stage presence, Sutton reveals her heroic character as sweet but strong, simple but literate, and humble but exalted – all while proving she can sing!

Balancing the deep characters of Remus and Treemonisha, are the conjurer Zodzetrick, played imposingly and malevolently by Phillip Bullock (making his OTSL debut), and Parson Alltalk, played by entertainingly by Markel Reed. Zodzetrick and Alltalk are not as three-dimensional (they can’t all be) as Remus and Treemonisha, but as performed with the adroitness of Bullock and Reed, they are nonetheless essential to Joplin’s story and his use of many musical styles.

Deserving equal bill are the performances by Amani Cole-Felder as Lovie Alexander and Lucy, KS. Tichina Vaughn as Monisha and Normal Garrett as Ned – the latter two also making their OTSL debuts.

Maestro George Manahan directs the orchestra, composed of members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, and delivers a deft, lively musical underpinning that adheres to the spirit of Joplin’s unique, profoundly expressive score. As serious as Treemonisha may seem in terms of story and subject matter, it beautifully and seamlessly integrates an appealing group of influences ranging from ragtime to spirituals, fiddle tunes and hymns, among others. The appeal of these influences is like what comedian Steve Martin has observed about banjo playing: “The banjo is such a happy instrument–you can’t play a sad song on the banjo – it always comes out so cheerful.” The same can be said for ragtime, and Treemonisha is the better for it.

The set design by Marsha Ginsberg is also noteworthy. It’s common for an opera to begin with a musical overture, but this production improves upon that with a visual overture. Against a gauzy scrim backdrop, there’s a shadow play that’s a visual highlight reel for the upcoming performance – and it’s brilliant. It established the right tone while setting a high bar for the rest of the performance.

Justin Austin as Remus and Brandie Inez Sutton as Treemonisha (center) and Jeremiah Tyson as Andy and Amani Cole-Felder as Lucy (right) in “Treemonisha.” Photo © Eric Woolsey

I also admired the Ginsberg’s use of black-painted barren tree trunks that bookend the performance, suspended above the stage. During intermission, the trees are lowered onto the stage. This “black forest” of trunks serves as a clever, subtle and effective scorched-earth metaphor for the post-Civil War, Reconstruction-era South in which this opera is set (and as written by an African American man who lived through it). 

There’s so much going for Treemonisha, and that includes the choreography (blending traditional and modern dance) by Maleek Washington. The dance elements are woven into the scenes and, though noteworthy, never overtly call attention to themselves, with the exception of a perplexing, show-offy “frolic of the bears” in Act II , which pulled me out of the scene.

An opera, no matter how passionately conceived, is like a discarded memory, an empty platform, merely marks on a manuscript. To bring it to life – or to give it continued life – requires production. With a commission by OTSL, Sneed, Chilton, stage director Rajendra Ramoon-Maharaj, the cast and all the other talents have taken Joplin’s platform (wrapping ragtime’s irresistible catchiness around his rage against time), extended it beyond a fine performance and ascended to theatrical art. 

Can an opera change the world? Let this production of Treemonisha inspire you to walk out of the Loretto Hilton Theater and begin to try, even if only in the “backyard” of St. Louis.

Opera Theatre’s Treemonisha continues at the Loretto-Hilton Center through June 24. For ticket information, visit opera-stl.org. For more information about Counterpublic 2023 civic exhibition, visit counterpublic.org

This review also appears on the KDHX website by mutual agreement.

Photo by Eric Woolsey

Fox Presents Supercharged 50th Anniversary ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’

Fox Presents Supercharged 50th Anniversary ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’

By CB Adams

There’s a button on my podcast player that allows me to listen at normal speed or an accelerated 1 ½ speed. The purpose of that button ostensibly is to allow me to ingest more content in less time. But there’s a difference between the ability to ingest content and the desire to digest it. That’s the conundrum presented by Jesus Christ Superstar at the Fabulous Fox Theater through May 21.

This 50th-anniversay Superstar seeks to reboot the popular musical-by-way-of bestselling album into a production that is louder, faster and flashier. Make that, tick-tick-boomier. But there’s a sizable aspiration-to-reality gap with this show that’s often hyperactive, frenetic and screechy.

In the past half century, Superstar has attracted its ardent adherents and super-fan believers in the works of Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winners Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. I, too, have a soft spot for Superstar as I remember the thrill the original double vinyl album and feeling the transgressive power of a rockstar treatment of the last days of Jesus. The movie was a disappointment for me, failing to replicate on the big screen the feeling I had for the performances blaring through my friend’s big speakers.

Based perhaps on my own nostalgic remembrance of listening to the original album, this production feels rushed, akin to filling a ’68 VW Beetle with jet fuel. It’s fast and furious and constantly in danger of burning itself out. It left me feeling as though director Timothy Sheader’s goal was see if he could pack a two-hour show into approximately 90 minutes without intermission. If you like your Superstar staged like a stadium concert with actors using handheld microphones like hyperventilating rock stars, then this production will not disappoint you.

Elvie Ellis as Judas. Photo by Evan Zimmerman

This show’s use of microphones and stands (some incorporated into the staffs of Caiaphas and his entourage) would make Jim Morrison, Steven Tyler, David Lee Roth and Prince envious. In a later scene, the corded microphone stands in for the suicide of Judas, and the color of the cords of Jesus’ adversaries change from black to red.

For much of the show, that approach has its successes transitioning from song to song, scene to scene. If you know the score by heart, the songs, scenes and characters are tightly and creatively interwoven and delivered with little opportunity for boredom – or the head space to contemplate the way they resonate with the source material. From the “Overture” through to “The Temple,” this production succinctly sets up the story to follow. But the momentum and accelerated delivery of those songs overruns the beautiful moment and sentiments presented in “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” a song that deserves a pause and respite from the pedal-to-the-metal, just-push-play pacing.

The set, designed by Tom Scutt, is dominated by an industrial metal crucifix angled across the stage, is well-suited to the quick transitions of the lead characters, the ensemble and back-up soul singers. However, almost all of the action takes place on the crucifix and stage right. This makes for lopsided viewing.

The onstage band is stacked stage left on two levels. Choreographer Drew McOnie makes ingenious use of the set but adds to the production’s overall freneticism. Mostly, the music video moves complement the songs, but they can occasionally seem plastic, unemotional and even downright silly.

Faith Jones as Mary Magdalene. Photo by Evan Zimmerman

Among this show’s weaknesses, the cast is not among them. Regardless of the weaknesses in some of the choreography and direction, this cast tries. God knows they try as they sang and danced and acted to make the most of the material.

From the leads to the ensemble and soul singers, this show delivers impressive vocal power, even if the lyrics are sometimes lost in all the rockstar caterwauling . There are no stand-outs among the cast because each member is so well-matched to the material and the other singers. Jack Hopewell as Jesus is a bantam in stature and a giant in voice, whereas Nicholas Hambruch is Falstaffian in stature and Meatloaf-ed in voice. Elvie Ellis delivers a powerfully nuanced Judas. The moment when he accepts the bribe money to betray Jesus and pulls his silvered hands from a chest is one of the show’s best details. Faith Jones, as the only female lead, excels as Mary.

Erich W. Schleck provides Superstar’s only humous moment during a glam-rock interpretation of “Herod’s Song.” This is an oddly singular moment in Superstar. Schleck milks the moment for all its worth, and may be the most memorable of all the performances. Bowie would be proud.

Like the story of the Titanic, we all know how Jesus Christ Superstar ends. Before this production concludes with a crucified Jesus and Judas sitting ambiguously together on the crucifix, there are two less nuanced, and therefore less effective moments. One is the use of bursts of glitter during the lashing of Jesus – all 39 of them. The other is the use of a nail gun (that looked more like a cordless drill) as Jesus is put to the cross. In this production’s neediness to be modern, this was needless overkill – shades of Final Destination 3, Casino Royale and Lethal Weapon 2.

These moments exemplified the best and not-the-best parts of this production. They left me not knowing how to love this Superstar.

North American Tour cast of “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Photo by Evan Zimmerman

Performances of “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the Fabulous Fox run May 9 through 21. Show times vary. Tickets on sale now at MetroTix.com or by calling 314-534-1111. For more information, visit www.fabulousfox.com   

‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ at the Fox Turns Essential Reading into Must-See Performance

‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ at the Fox Turns Essential Reading into Must-See Performance

By CB Adams

Even if you forgot most of the 1960 novel that you read in way back in middle school and most of what you loved about the 1962 film (Gregory Peck! Mary Badham! Robert Duvall!), the Aaron Sorkin-scripted staged production of “To Kill A Mockingbird” at the Fox Theatre will powerfully remind you of why this beautifully wrought story remains essential to America’s self-narrative.

And, spoiler alert, this excellent touring production, headlined by Richard Thomas, may forever elevate your expectations of what theater can – and should – achieve. It will be hard to accept anything less – or less relevant.

“Mockingbird,” like its classmate “Catcher In the Rye,” is one of those stories that runs the risk of having its potency diminished by required reading in our formative years. Both could be relegated to the “been there, read that” shelf. The beloved film adaptation of “Mockingbird” further exacerbates this risk with a “been there, saw that” ubiquity.

In the spirit of transparency, I’m a bit of an Aaron Sorkin fanboy who appreciates his talky style of dialogue. I also count myself in the minority of folks who continue to mourn the cancellation of his HBO show “Newsroom” and who believes that the soliloquy-ish  “America is not the greatest country in the world anymore” scene, delivered by Jeff Daniels, is some of the best dialogue in the history of television. 

Sorkin’s “Mockingbird” is impressive for its ability to remain true to the heart of Harper Lee’s slowly unwinding examination of racism and injustice while resequencing and re-pacing the story to appeal to current sensibilities. It may have a small-town setting but it confronts an all-towns topic.

“Mockingbird,” given its status as an American classic, doesn’t need saving, but it certainly benefits from a modern stage treatment. Sorkin introduces the trial of Tom Robinson, the African-American man accused of the rape of a white woman, Mayella Ewell, at the start of the play, rather than build up to it as Lee does halfway through her novel. This places the play’s central conflict and theme front and center. The trial scenes are briskly and effectively toggled with scenes set mostly on the porch of Atticus Finch, the small-town lawyer defending Robinson. Tying these two strands together is a triumvirate of chatty-cathy narrators: Scout, Jem and Dill.

Sorkin’s rejiggering would go for naught if it weren’t supported by the excellent, tight direction of Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher, evocative set design by Miriam Buether and, of course, the performances of the entire cast, top to bottom. Thomas as Atticus Finch brings his own type of ubiquity earned from his early-career success as John Boy on “The Waltons” television series. He’s shown considerable range and depth as an actor since then. I’ve especially like him more recently as Walter Gaskell in the film “Wonder Boys” and Nathan Davis in the Netflix series “Ozark.” Thomas delivers a nuanced Atticus whose story runs parallel to – but doesn’t usurp – that of Tom Robinson, played by Yaegel T. Welch with an impressive coiled anger shackled by powerlessness, imposed deference and unfair accusation.

Melanie Moore as Scout, Justin Mark as Jem and Steven Lee Johnson as Dill delivered their adults-as-children characters with effective interplay of voice-over narration, wild-rumpus physicality and tomfoolery. This ensemble within an ensemble is evenly balanced is they each experience the transition from youthful innocence to a more mature, darker moral awareness.

As Calpurnia, Jacqueline Williams confidently portrays the Finch family’s wise African-American housekeeper who assuredly balances her role as surrogate mother to Jem and Scout and a certain Jiminy Cricket to Atticus. It’s hard to like the character of Mayella, but Ariana Gayle Stucki’s performance of the sexually and emotionally abused young woman was more than easy to admire. Stucki fully inhabited and revealed Mayella through a clinched (at times near-contorted) body, bitter tears and puffy red face.

The production deserves a couple of quibbles. One is the Southern accent that I know and loathe from countless movies and television shows. Although not off-putting, it’s nonetheless disappointing that the characters’ diction wasn’t more specific to Alabama instead of the generic, non-specific Southern patois.

Another is the unexplained “fire curtain” that covered the stage between acts. Again, not off-putting, but it raised more questions than it answered because it could refer to the fire in the novel (not in this play). It could also refer to the heat of the subject matter. It might even be making some sort of statement about the protective capabilities of live theater.

To call this production of “To Kill A Mockingbird” a must-see might not be strong enough as a recommendation. Like The Black Repertory’s recent production of “Death of a Salesman,” another deeply familiar American story, this interpretation of “Mockingbird” renews and invigorates a story that deserves retelling. It also more than deserves our continued attention and support.

Performances of “To Kill A Mockingbird” at the Fabulous Fox run February 28 – March 12. . Show times vary. Tickets on sale now at MetroTix.com or by calling 314-534-1111. For more information, visit www.fabulousfox.com    

Mary Badham, who played Scout in the 1962 film, plays Mrs. Dubose in the national tour

Photos by Julieta Cervantes

‘Six’ Offers Snappy Take on the Not-So-Merry Wives of Tudor

‘Six’ Offers Snappy Take on the Not-So-Merry Wives of Tudor

By CB Adams

“The past is never dead,” observed the novelist William Faulkner. “It’s not even past.” That sentiment was certainly on extravagant view at the Fox Theatre during the opening of “Six” the musical, running through Feb. 5.

“Six” is a music-forward revue – a glammy, poppy, hip-hoppy, “Schoolhouse Rock” treatment of King Henry VIII’s gaggle of significant others. Think of it as a “First Wives Club” with a killer soundtrack, sick beats, explosive light show, and a bevy of Queen Beys who put a ring, a stiletto and a defiant stomp on their heretofore musty-dusty place in the past. Or think of it as reimagined Tudor history for the TikTokkers.

If you’re expecting an historical costume drama, “Six” may surprise you because it’s heavy on the costumes and light, to the point of nonexistence, of the drama. But, oh those Tudor-inspired costumes. With all their studs, spikes, sequins, fishnets, bangles, baubles and bedazzlings, the black-pleathered costumes are enough to distract you from the history and entice you to just enjoy the swish, swagger and swirl of the performers.

This puts a new spin on the term historical “figures.” As bedecked, any of the queen-wives would have been Henry’s one and only – thanks to costume design by Gabriella Slade.

Historians, most of them of the male persuasion, have not been kind to the stories and legacies of Henry’s wives and lovers – rendering them with more histrionics than history.  That’s one of the main injustices that writers Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss apparently hoped to rectify during this musical’s snappy 80 minutes.

Marlow and Moss, who have written for Australian drag queen, singer and television personality Courtney Act, reclaim the fates of Henry’s wives into a shiny, knives-out revenge fantasy. They relish poking fun at Henry’s rotundity, his miniscule man-parts and his peccadillos big and small.

Under the direction of Moss and Jamie Armitage, “Six” puts all its jewels (actors, band, Eurovision-inspired set with more flashes than a Princess Di press conference) on stage, all at once and for the duration of the musical. What you see is what you get – from the get go – crowned by a more-is-more aesthetic.

The premise of “Six” is simple and simply stated at the outset. In a sort of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” by way of “Zoolander”-style walk-off, the queens compete to see who was dealt the worst hand by history and Henry to “be the one to lead the band.” Each queen gets a song and a dance and a chance to garner the most support (applause, applause) from the audience. This pageant-like format is really just an audience-engagement device and succeeds as such – the audience opening night came primed to hoot, holler and clap after each queen’s signature song.

In between are chorus numbers by The Queens in toto. When performing as The Queens, Cecilia Snow (Catherine of Aragon), Zan Berube (Anne Boleyn), Amina Faye (Jane Seymour), Terica Marie (Anna of Cleves), Aline Mayagoitia (Katherine Howard) and Sydney Farra (Catherine Parr), are impressive in voice and coordinated dances. Of the show’s nine songs, the ones owned by The Queens – “Ex-Wives,” “Haus of Holbein” and “Six” – are the best in the show, perhaps because of the combination of tight harmonization and the flash-dance choreography that takes full advantage of the confined stage.

The six solo songs wear their song-diva influences proudly and deliver catchy, if repetitive, lyrics bolstered by sonic-boom baselines. Snow’s “No Way” is an anti-divorce anthem, Faye’s “Heart of Stone” is an edgy torch song, and Mayagoitia’s “All You Wanna Do” is fruity piece of bubble gum pop.

The other “character” on stage is the all-female band called The Ladies in Waiting – Katie Coleman (conductor/keyboard), Sterlyn Termine (bass),  Liz Faure (Guitars) and Caroline Moore (drums), as well as Paul Gatehouse (sound design). The band is bespoke for this musical theater’s young fanbase and ferociously spews forth the spunky score’s zesty, sometimes winkingly naughty fun – all with the tight fury of a Prince guitar solo.  

Enhancing the concert-like experience of “Six” is the lighting design by Tim Deiling. According to LiveDesign website, “Beyoncé’s narrative pop concerts, where she tells you parts of her story, is what inspired the authors of “Six,” said Deiling. “Each of our six Queens are actually influenced heavily from contemporary pop divas (Aragon = Beyoncé, Boleyn = Katy Perry, Seymour = Adele, Cleves = Rihanna, and Parr = Alicia Keys) and I needed to differentiate between each Queen, so we drew on reference material from each of them.” In Deiling’s stated goals, the lighting design checks all those boxes, although it sometimes with all the flashing lights it might have been prudent to provide seizure warning.

In the first scene in “Six,” the Queens are lined up and Mayagoitia as Katherine Howard states, “…we’ve got a serious score to settle.” And like a spoonful of sugar helping the medicine go down, they spend the next rollicking hour and half making their cases. “Six” is as brightly appealing as a Twinkie and about as nutritious (historically speaking), but it is a fulfilling bon-bon of pure escapism. Take that, Henry!

Performances of “Six” at the Fabulous Fox run January 24-February 5. Tickets on sale now at MetroTix.com or by calling 314-534-1111. For more information, visit www.fabulousfox.com

Six Photos by Joan Marcus

Winter Opera Brews Up a Bewitching ‘Macbeth’

Winter Opera Brews Up a Bewitching ‘Macbeth’

By CB Adams

In his recent review in New York magazine of the Metropolitan Opera’s production of “Fedora,” Justin Davidson snarked, “’Fedora is an opera about décor.” The headline read, “At Least the Sofa Looks Fabulous.” That’s the kind of pronouncement relished by critics and reviewers, myself included (I do love a good snark, when well-deserved.)

In a backdoor sort of way, Davidson’s sentiment evoked an opposite reaction when assessing Winter Opera’s production of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Macbeth” at the Kirkwood Community Center. One of the major strengths of this production, stage directed by John Stephens, is precisely due to the minimal “décor” and sets. This approach, which was definitely not stagy nonchalance, enabled the production to focus on the essential moments in Shakespeare’s tale of power and corruption, Verdi’s score and the performances of the fine cast. The storyline is the thing, and the result was a solidly satisfying experience that served as a potent post-holiday palate cleanser – we all need a little opera, not a little more Christmas.

Calling the setting simple is not to belittle the work of scenic designer Scott Loebl. It’s to  his credit, as well as lighting designer Michael Sullivan’s and technical director Jacob Cange’s, that the mood is so effectively set with appeared at times as a wall of blood, emphasizing the Macbeths’ descent into depravity. The cast members moved through the playing area as though a walk upon Shakespeare’s atmospheric heath.

Photo by Rebecca Haas

One of the risks of production of “Macbeth” in either its theatrical or opera forms, is overplaying the witchiness of the witches. This is not “Wicked” after all. Verdi makes this risk higher turning the play’s three witches into a chorus of witches. But this production makes great, prudent use of this gaggly coven, which sometimes offers comic relief and other times stirring up their portentous predictions. One of the witches contorted her face so dramatically it seemed like an effect that could only be achieve with a mask. Jim Carrey would have been jealous.

The leading roles were performed with uniform excellence by singing actors, several of whom have been in previous Winter Opera productions. The Macbeths, sung by Michael Nansel and Whitney Myers were convincing both singly and as a couple. Myers’ performance as Lady Macbeth offered many insightful moments, marred only by her line “Out, damned spot” through no fault of her own. The line elicited more than few chuckles because its meaning has been ruined after being reduced to an American advertising slogan. Pity.

Nansel as Macbeth also jelled with Nathan Whitson as Banquo. Both used their big, expressive voices to reveal the thoughts and tribulations of their characters. Equally impressive was Jonathan Kaufman as Macduff, especially when confronting (shall I say, laying on) Macbeth.

As with the chorus of witches, the supporting cast was seamless performed and put effective use. The supporting cast included  Willard Moseley as Duncan, Damian Ziarko as Fleanzio, Angel Azzarra as a lady in waiting and Kevin Thomas Smith as Malcolm.

Verdi’s score received a well-balanced, thoughtful and atmospheric performance by the orchestra, directed by Edward Benyas. This was noticeable from the start, during the brooding, foreboding overture.

In the play, Lady Macbeth says, “What’s done cannot be undone.” In the case of Winter Opera’s “Macbeth,” what can’t be undone is a fine production of this Verdi-Shakespeare classic.

Winter Opera presented Verdi’s “Macbeth” on January 20 and 22, at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center.

Photos by Rebecca Haas

Macbeth by Winter Opera. Photo by Rebecca Haas