Brendan Ochs

Apparently, due to legal issues with rights that had to be worked out, this version of YENTL, based on the short story "Yentl, the Yeshiva Boy" written by Isaac Bashevis Singer (book by Leah Napolin and Singer), cannot be referred to in its title as a musical. It all has to do with Barbra Streisand's dreary and dreadful (although some people adore it) 1983 musical film version. But, there's no confusing the two once you see this utterly charming adaptation. It adheres closely to Singer's work, while the film veers off into a direction which not only makes little sense, but also butchers the author's intent. That's a shame, but when you're writing, directing, starring, etc, you can tend to lose sight of the actual story, turning it instead into a nothing more than a self-serving star vehicle. Jill Sobule's music (she composed "I Kissed a Girl", oddly enough) provides a genre-hopping mix of styles that may, at times, seem anachronistic, but which serve the tale very well. The New Jewish Theatre's current production is a delight, and I heartily recommend it.

I saw the touring production of AMERICAN IDIOT when it played at The Peabody Opera House a while back. I was eager to see it, being a fan of Green Day's music, and this rock opera, in particular. It was a great show, but the one thing that stuck in my mind afterward wasn't the performers, or even the great songs, but instead it was the scenic design. Which brings me to New Line Theatre's intimate production of this extremely tuneful and highly politicized show; a natural for this company to tackle, since they consistently provide fuel-injected presentations of a wide range of material that covers the gamut from neglected newer shows to classics that need some new life pumped into them. It's what they do so extraordinarily well. The disconnect I felt with the touring production vanished in the cozy confines of The Marcelle, and the scenic design wasn't a distraction, instead it became a complement to the anger, frustration, and call to arms that informs this period of terrorism and paranoia in our nation's history. This is a real hit, that genuinely rocks the house! So, get your tickets now.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' continues its 25th anniversary season of adult, alternative musical theatre, with the first local production of the searing rock fable AMERICAN IDIOT, running now through March 26, 2016, at the company's new home, the Marcelle Theater, the new blackbox theatre space in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' continues its 25th anniversary season of adult, alternative musical theatre, with the first local production of the searing rock fable AMERICAN IDIOT, running now through March 26, 2016, at the company's new home, the Marcelle Theater, the new blackbox theatre space in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," now in its 25th anniversary season of adult, alternative musical theatre, announces casting for the American regional premiere of the new rock musical ATOMIC by Danny Ginges and Philip Foxman, running June 2-25, 2016, in the company's new home, the Marcelle Theater, the new blackbox theatre space in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district.

I remember when the film version of DOGFIGHT was release, and how I was initially repelled by the very concept, but then I saw the film, and I understood. You'll understand even more when you take in Stray Dog Theatre's local premiere presentation of the musical version of DOGFIGHT, and it's and absolute must see! This is truly a revelatory experience, with a smart book by Peter Duchan, and wonderfully arranged music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. It's a cool score that lifts the action in an even more affecting manner than the movie does. It's the intimacy we experience when we see something live unfold before our eyes. This is a truly wondrous production that will move you, and that's what theatre is all about.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," celebrates its 25th anniversary season of adult, alternative musical theatre, with a new, expanded line-up, a brand new theatre, and a very special thank-you to the St. Louis community -- '25 for 25.' At the Thursday preview performance for each show this season, New Line will set aside 25 tickets, and the first 25 people in line at the box office at 7:00 pm will each get a ticket for 25 cents (one ticket per person).

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' celebrates its 25th anniversary season of adult, alternative musical theatre, with a new, expanded line-up and a brand new theatre.

With the complete commercialization (a score of TV commercials, a new movie coming out, etc.) of Charles Schulz's creation, Peanuts, it seems only fitting that there should be some kind of satirical look at these classic characters. I'm not convinced that Bert V. Royal's script for DOG SEES GOD: CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BLOCKHEAD is completely successful at offering us a look at the teenage version of them, but it does tell a very poignant and moving story amidst a barrage of debauchery and unexpected behavior. I'm just not sure this story couldn't have been told just as effectively without them as reference points, but it does make the proceedings more interesting, to say the least. Stray Dog Theatre's current production makes the most of this uneven work by giving us committed performances that overcome their shallow stereotypes to actually make us feel true emotion. It's a surprising response that I was not prepared for. Go see this show and experience something much more thoughtful than what was, perhaps, intended.

Stray Dog Theatre presents DOG SEES GOD: CONFESSIONS OF A TEENAGE BLOCKHEAD A New York Fringe Festival hit which satirizes the Peanuts comic strip by aging its cast of characters into their teenage years. Consumed with teenage angst, experimentation and sexual identity, CB and his friends face questions of morality, the existence of an afterlife, and true friendship.

I'm constantly amazed at the way New Line Theatre is able to find so many hidden gems among the countless shows that play on or off Broadway, exposing all of their true beauty and charms in newly imagined stagings. You begin to wonder how critics could be so misguided in their initial assessments, but then you begin to realize that artistic director Scott Miller truly understands, and takes the time to dissect, the reasons behind a good show's commercial failure. And then he fixes it. If you want to see a prime example of this skill, and believe me - you do, then you have to check out New Line's current production of BONNIE & CLYDE. You'll be blown away by how engaging the story and characters are, and you'll be humming the score as you walk out the doors because it's just so incredibly and infectiously catchy.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," opens its 24th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the St. Louis premiere of the new musical BONNIE & CLYDE, running now through October 25, 2014. BroadwayWorld has photos of the cast onstage below!

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' opens its 24th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the St. Louis premiere of the new musical BONNIE & CLYDE, running tonight, Oct. 2-25, 2014.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," opens its 24th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the St. Louis premiere of the new musical BONNIE & CLYDE, running Oct. 2-25, 2014. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast below!

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," opens its 24th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the St. Louis premiere of the new musical BONNIE & CLYDE, running Oct. 2-25, 2014. Tickets are available in advance through Metrotix,314-534-1111 or Metrotix.com.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," announces its 24th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the St. Louis premiere of the new musical BONNIE & CLYDE, running Oct. 2-25, 2014; the St. Louis premiere of the outrageous JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA, running March 5-28, 2015; and one of the masterpieces of the art form, the darkly satiric THREEPENNY OPERA (which isn't really an opera), running May 28-June 20, 2015.

Stray Dog Theatre tackles another classic musical, bringing Kander and Ebb's CABARET to the stage at the Tower Grove Abbey on this occasion. and It's a splendid rendition that combines a strong cast with incisive direction. Some bench seats have even also been removed to allow for a group of smaller club tables to surround an extended stage that puts the show right in your lap. I like that. I'm always a fan of any presentation where the audience can actually feel the intensity that the actors are putting forth. This production is definitely worth seeing, and judging by the large crowds, tickets will go fast.