Insight Theater Company

Through July 19, 2009
Reviewed by Missy Miller

As playwright Tina Howe attempts to reveal the dynamics and dark complexities of a Boston blue-blood family in her work, Painting Churches, her execution falls short; struggling to give her characters the focus and consistency needed in order for one to feel connected to the play.  In an effort to stay true to their mission, Insight Theatre Company's production of Painting Churches serves as a means of exploring the human condition; yet is unable to deliver when working with Howe's unbalanced, inflated material.

St. Louis Actors' Studio

Through June 21, 2009
Reviewed by Missy Miller

Commencing the St. Louis Actors' Studio 2008-2009 Season theme, Power and Politics; local playwright Gerry Mandell illustrates a microcosm of Americana where the prejudices and right-wing politics of a Midwest community raise barriers towards one Bosnian-American woman's opportunity to thrive and succeed.

HotCity Theater

Through Spetember 26, 2009
Reviewed by Missy Miller

Some of my earliest memories consist of playing Nintendo, during which time I spent countless hours in front of the television, throwing pellets at hammer brothers or fighting my way through perilous dungeons to rescue Princess Zelda. Eventually, I grew bored of my habit, mostly because I never managed to beat Super Mario Brothers or capture Zelda's golden Triforce triangles. Today, I witness grown men duke it out on virtual battle fields, playing against teams of eight year olds from who knows where, and I wonder...is this healthy? If I were to ask playwright Jennifer Haley this question, she would most likely refer me to her latest work, Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom, in which she cleverly uses cookie cutter suburbia to explore the effects of interactive video gaming on today's youth.

Gitana Productions, Inc.

Through June 7, 2009
Reviewed by Missy Miller

Written and directed by local playwright and educator Lee Patton Chiles, My Heart is Always Shaking serves as a cultural lens, thoughtfully exploring the depth of emotional anguish suffered by Afghani women living in and escaping from the violence and oppression that plagues Afghanistan.

Slightly Askew Theater Ensemble

Through August 1, 2009
Reviewed by Missy Miller

Shakespeare had a knack for creating identifiable characters, whether they be kings or queens, nymphs or noblemen- he was able to expose what fundamentally makes us human; our unquenchable thirst for power, our unyielding quest for love, and the deep rooted insecurities that cloud our vision and lead to impending disaster.  For some, Shakespeare was viewed as a misogynist; portraying women as unstable, manipulative creatures whose main function was to drive men toward ill-fated consequences.  It is for this very reason that Slightly Askew Theater Ensembles all female version of Macbeth is refreshingly risky and highly relevant.

St. Louis Actor's Studio

Through January 24, 2010
Reviewed by Missy Miller

Written by contemporary American playwright John Kolvenbach, Love Song poetically explores the life and mind of Bean, a man whose mental illness blurs the lines of reality in such a way that magnifies the most true and powerful element of the human condition; the desire to love and be loved.  Flowing lyrically, the exchange of dialogue between Kolvenbach's characters feels more like prose rather than straight theater.

Union Avenue Opera

Through August 29, 2009
Reviewed by Missy Miller

I will be the first to admit that I can be rather harsh when it comes to performing arts productions in St. Louis.  Although there is some great work being produced, there is an equal amount of low quality work that makes its way onto St. Louis stages.  This weekend, I had the pleasure of viewing performing arts at its finest, thanks to the brilliant work of Union Avenue Opera's Artistic Director Scott Schoonover, and the cast of his latest production, Leo Delibes' Lakme.

Echo Theater Company

Through November 15, 2009
Reviewed by Missy Miller

Throughout my generation I have watched film and stage writers broach the topic of self-discovery and escapism; illustrating and often validating the urge to run away from the past and present in order to reach a more fulfilled future.  While some authors make the case for starting anew, others squash their idealistic counterparts by showcasing the futileness of running to rebuild.  Exploring this growing desire among thirty-somethings, writers Chris Miller (music) and Nathan Tysen (lyrics) put together a grouping of songs with their original work, Fugitive Songs, where the pity-party keg is tapped but the servings are quite stale.

Theater Guild of Webster Groves

Through March 15, 2009
Reviewed by Missy Miller

Best known for his award winning screenplay, American Beauty, playwright turned screen writer Alan Ball attempts to capture the ceremonious drama, chaos, and humor attributed to weddings.  Using the perspective of five bridesmaids who share similar envy and loathing towards the bride, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress transforms from a cheeky, somewhat clever bitch fest into a passive aggressive commentary on women and their presumed desperation for companionship and marriage.

Metro Theater Company

November 7 and 8, 2009
Reviewed by Missy Miller

If you live in the St. Louis area, you'll find there's never a shortage of family friendly activities from which to choose.  Keeping up with this trend, Metro Theater Company hosts a series of children's plays focusing on themes that range from diversity to making friends.  Kicking off this series, Metro Theater Company brings to the stage Fables, written by Colleen Neuman.  Formatted in a series of mini-plays, Fables introduces audiences to a mouse, an owl, an elephant, and more; reinforcing positive social behaviors that parents strive to teach (if not pound into) children, including sharing and the importance of eating ones vegetables.