BWW Reviews: Chris Gibson's Best of 2012 in St. Louis
I'm lucky enough to see over a hundred shows every year, and I'm happy to report that 2012 was an excellent year for theatre in St. Louis. So, here I am again, offering up my lists for the best productions of 2012. While I'm not going to include the touring companies that came through town this year in my listings, I'd like to give them a shout out just the same.
BWW Reviews: Stray Dog Theatre's Hauntingly Beautiful SPRING AWAKENING
The original cast album of Spring Awakening (music by Duncan Sheik with book and lyrics by Steven Sater) is still in heavy rotation in my iPod, not only because it's a terrifically catchy score, but because of its dramatic power as well. And though some may try to draw comparisons to the touring company that came to the Fox in 2009, there's really nothing to be gained by doing that. Stray Dog Theatre's current presentation is a much more intimate and "in your face" production that may well carry more impact. It certainly affected me deeply, in fact, I could hardly sleep after seeing the show, with the songs and performances spinning around my brain in continual motion. This is a beautiful and haunting rendering that provides must-see entertainment for any theatre-goer.
