#90 - Plays, Act II

#Continuation of plays seen. These are all individual venues, arranged chronologically.

Steel Magnolias at Dramatic License - February 2010 - A three hanky play. The basis for the 1989 movie. Just 6 actresses in one setting (including my favorite Colleen Backer). Talky and sentimental but well-done. I thought the blocking was a little weird sometimes. This was also the first production of Dramatic License Productions (see Doubt in a previous post - Magnolias also had Kim Furlow) at Chesterfield Mall and sometimes you could catch noise from shoppers. Hopefully they get some heavier curtains for the shop front. But I'm looking forward to seeing more there.

Gutenberg! The Musical! at The Ivory Theatre- March 2010 - Comedy about two guys who are staging their new play about Johann Gutenberg for us - their potential "backers". With no cast and crew, they have to wear many hats (literally - quick changing hats with character names - including Anti-Semitic Flower Girl). Trading on all of the Broadway cliches, Bud & Doug do a great play-within-a-play. It is very funny and highly recommended.

This play also made me feel like an expert in St. Louis theater even after only a year of play watching. I injected myself into a conversation with some people wondering about the actors (if they were local, touring, etc.). I was able to be the knowledgeable outsider, and recount the many local productions I had seen with Ben Nordstrom (Bud).

A Doll's House at The Gaslight Theater - April 2010 - A really powerful play about transformation and growth. Well-staged and well-acted. I like the small intimate Gaslight as well.

The One Hour Star Wars Trilogy: Live! at Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre - April (May?) 2010 - Taking a page from the Reduced Shakespeare Company, Magic Smoking Monkey consolidates the epic saga of our time into 1 hour. Hitting the highlights of the first three films (Episodes 4,5,6 - the non Jar-Jar one), the play is obviously crafted by people with a) a deep appreciation of Star Wars and b) not so much they can't laugh at the foibles of the Holy Trilogy. I mean, "Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs", let's just admit Lucas screwed the physics pooch and move on. And, like Galileo, I will say on my deathbed, "Han offa primoris".

Young Frankenstein at The Fox - May 2010 - A lavish Broadway musical. Based on the hilarious 1974 Mel Brooks film with Gene Wilder. Since I loved the movie I liked the show, and it had some good if not memorable songs. I can see why some critics might not have liked it. And maybe I wouldn't see it again. Perhaps Brooks is trading on our love of the original. But then so is much of Broadway these days (Legally Blonde: The Musical - seriously?).

Now I Ask You at Muddy Waters Theatre - June 2010 - A lesser-known play by Eugene O'Neill. I suppose you could call it this a drawing room comedy, a farce. It is basically a 1916 sitcom. Allows us to laughs at characters dumber than we are. Enjoyable.