|
THE
BEST THEATRE IN ST. LOUIS
MOST PROVOCATIVE THEATRE
IN ST. LOUIS on pushing the envelope with alternative, politically and socially relevant productions. Whether staging world premieres (Johnny Appleweed), presenting lesser-known Broadway fare (Bat Boy) or reinterpreting mainstream work (Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd) to make it more provocative, New Line is anything but ordinary.” – Alive Magazine, The Hot List
“This is musical theatre for audiences who think that
musical theatre can't be hip.”
“One of
our area's most interesting theatre companies.”
–
Terry Perkins, St.
Louis Post Dispatch
“We're
fortunate to have a professional company in St. Louis
willing to take creative risks
and
facilitate the reshaping of audience tastes.” – Sheila
Schultz, KDHX-FM
“Yes, New Line Theatre produces musicals, but these have an edge, a swagger. They are fierce.” – The Beacon
“I make it a point to seek out productions by New Line Theatre because I know I’ll see something edgy and original.” – Chris Gibson, BroadwayWorld.com
|
|
|
“Perspective instead of self-indulgence, |
“The
sort of opportunity that musical theater |
|
Honors from the Press for New Line Theatre |
|
|
Most Provocative Theatre in St. Louis, 2009 – Alive Magazine's "The Hot List"
Best Musical, Return to the Forbidden Planet, 2009 Best Supporting Actor (Zachary Allen Farmer), 2008 Best Musical Direction (Chris Petersen), 2008 Best Musical, Urinetown, 2007
Best Musical, Bat Boy, 2006
Best Musical, Man of La Mancha, 2004
Best Supporting Actress
(Deborah Sharn), 2003
Top Ten Shows in STL, Spelling Bee, 2009
Top Ten Shows in STL,
Love Kills,
2009
–
Broadway World.com
Top 10 Shows in STL,
Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll, 2007
–
|
Best Theatre Company in St. Louis, 2004
Best of St. Louis List, Love Kills, 2009 Best of St. Louis List, Spelling Bee, 2009 Best of St. Louis List, Forbidden Planet, 2009 #1 Best Show in St. Louis, High Fidelity, 2008 Runner-Up, Top Ten Shows, Assassins, 2008 Best of St. Louis List, Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll, 2007
Top 5 Comedies in STL, Robber Bridegroom, 2005 Assassins, 2008 High Fidelity, 2008 Hair, 2008 Zachary Allen Farmer, High Fidelity, 2008 Best Director, High Fidelity, 2008
Urinetown, 2007
Matthew Korinko,
Urinetown, 2007
Sex, Drugs, and Rock &
Roll, 2007
– KDHX-FM "Radio Roses"
Best Musical,
Love Kills, 2009
Top 10 Shows in STL, Kiss of the Spider Woman, 2005 |
|
LOVE KILLS (2009) BEST MUSICAL OF 2009: “I'd like to congratulate both Stages and New Line Theatre for their amazing productions in 2009, especially New Line's Love Kills, one of the best musical versions of a dramatic (and real-life) story I've ever seen.” – Andrea Braun, Playback STL TOP TEN SHOWS OF 2009: “It would have been easy for Kyle Jarrow to score his tale of killer Charlie Starkweather and Caril Fugate’s incarceration, Love Kills, to a more conventional and period accurate 1950s flavored beat, but that would have softened his characters and weakened the emotional impact overall. Jarrow opts instead for a harder edge that suits the material much better, after all, Charlie isn’t Danny Zuko, he’s a murderer. New Line Theatre brings this dark vision to life under Scott Miller’s taut direction, but it’s the grounded performance of Alison Helmer along with Zachary Allen Farmer’s quiet intensity as Merle, the sheriff, that really makes this piece cook.” – Chris Gibson, BroadwayWorld.com “Love Kills is a gripping and fascinating evening in the hands of director Scott Miller and New Line Theatre. . . Love Kills is not a comforting evening, not by a long shot. Identify too much with one couple or the other and you're bound to feel bad about yourself. But Jarrow keeps feeding you moments in which you want the four of them to achieve everything they desire, even when the characters are at cross-purposes. The end result is much like navigating love – how do you give yourself to someone else and hold on to yourself at the same time? Life is long; if you're lucky, long enough to figure it out.” – Paul Friswold, The Riverfront Times “I make it a point to seek out productions by New Line Theatre because I know I’ll see something edgy and original, and with the regional premiere of Kyle Jarrow’s provocative work Love Kills they’ve, once again, fulfilled that desire. Jarrow’s musical meditation on the relationship between Charlie Starkweather and Caril Fugate, who embarked on a killing spree in Nebraska during the late 1950s, is an intriguing piece that succeeds in confounding expectations. The question as to whether or not Caril Fugate actually participated in the murders is one of the issues raised by Jarrow, and if there’s any truth to be gleaned from the facts presented in this dramatization, then New Line’s compelling production will provide you with the opportunity to judge for yourself. . . [Scott] Miller, who's also the artistic director of New Line, likes to color outside the lines, and his determination here reveals his passion for bringing fresh and challenging new musicals to the St. Louis region. This might be considered a risky choice, but I'm glad he and the company were willing to take it on, because I might not have gotten the chance to experience it otherwise. . . If you’re looking for something outside the norm, then you should definitely check out New Line’s production of Love Kills.” – Chris Gibson, BroadwayWorld.com “Watching their story unfold through a raw punk-flavored rock score and fine acting on the parts of all four cast members is sublime. The bad boy of musical theatre is gloriously back! . . . Composer Kyle Jarrow defines Love Kills as an ‘emo rock musical,’ and in the sense that it is highly charged and personal, that’s fair. Scott Miller directs with passionate intensity, and it’s among the finest work I’ve seen from this company, which is saying a lot. This isn’t the world’s best musical, but I defy anyone to leave it without much to ponder and plenty to talk about. I hope audiences will give it the attention it deserves.” – Andrea Braun, KDHX-FM “To open its 19th season New Line Theatre has the good fortune to host the world premiere of Jarrow’s rock musical Love Kills, which tells the grisly story of the multiple spree killings of Starkweather and Fugate in one act and a tidy 95 minutes. . . . New Line’s effort, under the expert guidance of artistic director Scott Miller, features a quartet of terrific performances by Miller’s carefully chosen cast and excellent singing . . . Miller keeps a tight focus on the gritty story throughout, demonstrating a precise ability to handle such sobering drama. . . Given the subject matter, Love Kills is surprisingly fresh and provocative material that immediately grabs audience interest . . . New Line’s world premiere offering of Love Kills provides a memorable evening of pathos and pulsating music that will give you reason to ponder the varying effects of love and violence in surprising fashion.” – Mark Bretz, Laude News “I had a wonderful surprise at New Line’s production of Love Kills, a world premiere. . . The show bowled me over. It has a very well-crafted story and a powerful score, with more variety than might be expected from a rock score.” – Gerry Kowarsky, Two on the Aisle, KDHX-TV “New Line Theatre's Love Kills is a strange but effective view of a killer and his paramour, and how they became who they are.” – Harry Hamm, KMOX-AM “Scott Miller directed effectively on what is almost a bare stage, and the trio of Mike Renard on guitar, Dave Hall on base and Mike Schurk on drums was first-rate. An interesting evening and a look at what came out from under a Nebraska rock.” – Joe Pollack, St. Louis Eats and Drinks “Love Kills, directed by Scott Miller, is performed without an intermission, but you won't even notice because the story is engaging and moves along at a quick pace. It will leave you with plenty to talk about: What would you do in the name of love?” – Gabe Hartwig, St. Louis Post-Dispatch THE 25th ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE (2009) TOP TEN SHOWS OF 2009: “Director Scott Miller crafted a hilarious production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee that had me rolling in the aisle. The cast, consisting of: Nicholas Kelly, Alexis Kinney, Katie Nestor, Deborah Sharn, Mike Dowdy, Aaron Allen, Emily Berry, John Rhine and Brian Claussen were all impeccable, and that's not an easy task given William Finn’s catchy, but challenging score.” – Chris Gibson, BroadwayWorld.com “Laughter rocked the house and spontaneous applause broke out often. A standing ovation ensued, and the audience left The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in great good humor.” – Andrea Braun, KDHX-FM “All of the stress and self-doubt of puberty are relived in delightfully meticulous and humorous detail in director Scott Miller’s uproariously magnificent production of this surprise Broadway hit from 2005. Miller has assembled a smart and energetic cast who throw themselves hilariously into their squirming roles, while also managing some poignant moments as well. Indeed, this version plays even better than did the touring show at The Fox a year ago, as Spelling Bee is a small musical that is most effective in a cozier venue. . . New Line’s Spelling Bee is what e-n-t-e-r-t-a-i-n-m-e-n-t is all about and a positive life lesson to boot.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News “This Spelling Bee radiates the goofy, familiar charm of a sketch comedy show that you try not to miss. You know the players; the fun lies in seeing what they'll do this time. . . It’s just a sweet, imaginative look at pressure and how we badly we sometimes handle it. The adults laughing in the audience may have more finesse than the kids portrayed on stage – but we wouldn't laugh if we didn't know exactly how they feel.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch “[Bookwriter] Rachel Sheinkin and [composer] William Finn celebrate the pariah in devastatingly funny songs. Scott Miller's production is exceptionally fine, exploiting the large laughs of the precociously confident William Barfée (Nicholas Kelly), a mucously enhanced young man who lauds his magic spelling foot in a Busby Berkeley-esque fantasia (courtesy of choreographer Robin Michelle Berger). Miller just as deftly develops the quieter moments, such as parolee-cum-rules enforcer Mitch Mahoney (John Rhine), who sings of wanting to beat the children to teach them real pain, but instead hugs and comforts them. Because that's all anyone can do: Say ‘good job,’ and hope the vulnerable are resilient enough to take the punches when they come.” – Paul Friswold, The Riverfront Times “A charming evening of song, wit and wisdom by New Line Theatre . . . The delightful production is more effective on the smaller stage, with its more intimate atmosphere, than it was when a touring company played the Fox a few years ago. Scott Miller’s direction is crisp and on the mark . . . Spelling Bee is a great deal of fun.” – Joe Pollack “Life may be pandemonium, as the lyrics goes, but Miller’s direction is quite disciplined, and his cast is top-notch.” – Peter Filichia, TheatreMania.com “An over the top delight. New Line Theatre's current production is a perfectly cast show filled with moments of high hilarity. . . I can't remember when I've laughed so hard and so long at a show. New Line's presentation of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is priceless entertainment.” – Chris Gibson, BroadwayWorld.com “Sabotage, the casting off of perfection, and the tender beginnings of love stir the emotional pot of act two. In the end, only one speller emerges victorious, but everyone who came to see the play also wins, in terms of money and time well spent for a night’s entertainment.” – Nancy Larson, St. Louis Woman RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (2009) “New Line Theatre presents a lot of intriguing work, but now and then it gets everything so right that you're ready to see the show again before you're out of the theater. Hair was like that; Bat Boy, too. And so is its new production, Return to the Forbidden Planet – a smart, giddy, musically ingenious spoof written by Bob Carlton and directed by Scott Miller.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Remember the halcyon days when we were terrified of the Russians, they were terrified of us, and Shakespeare wrote his first intergalactic R&B hit, "It's A Man's Man's Man's World?" Sweet fancy Moses, those were the days. Wait, that never happened. Or did it? Yup, looky here: Return to the Forbidden Planet. It's sweet Billy Shakes vs. Golden Oldies vs. Space Age Love Songs. Just what Dr. Tempest ordered.” – Calendar Pimp, The Riverfront Times “Bob Carlton's whimsical take on The Tempest as refracted through a 1950s sci-fi prism features a galaxy's worth of fantastic rock & roll songs, punning wordplays on snippets of Shakespearean monologues and intentionally ‘Pigs in Space’ costuming (courtesy of Betsy Krausnick). But this is no parlor trick of a musical; there's a rich vein of Shakespeare's favorite ingredient – the wondrous depths of the human heart – that elevates the show from cunning stunt to artful meditation on the destructive nature of power and the redemptive power of love. . . Smart show, smart cast, smart director with an understanding of what's going on under the notes and behind the dialogue – this is what audiences deserve.” – Paul Friswold, The Riverfront Times “New Line artistic director Scott Miller meticulously blends the comic sensibilities of his talented cast with the brisk, jaunty style of the New Line band to make this foray into outer space a campy and delightful journey. There are stars aplenty in this cosmos.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News “The most delightful musical to hit St. Louis in many years. . . a wondrous evening of musical theatre.” – Joe Pollack, KWMU-FM “Irresistible. Under the guidance of director Scott Miller, New Line Theatre is presenting a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable production . . . This is a fun show, and director Scott Miller has assembled a talented cast and crew that seems to be having a blast” – Chris Gibson, KDHX-FM “Forbidden Planet plays for laughs, which it receives in abundance. . . [Director] Miller takes chances, and they nearly always pay off.” – Andrea Braun, The Vital Voice “I'll tell you one show in 2009 that thrilled me and delighted me. I went back to see Return to the Forbidden Planet three times, and I've heard it said that when a theatre critic goes back for fun, that's a good sign. I thought it was absolutely brilliant. . . It was exhilarating, it was really was.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch on KDHX-FM NIGHT OF THE LIVING SHOW TUNES (2009) “Scott Miller and the ‘New Line All-Stars’ put together a really fun show last night. Yeah, it’s a musical theater revue – one with some really funny, smart material, a lot of it drawn from shows that New Line has staged in their entirety. . . The stately [Sheldon Concert Hall] and the offbeat material made a great combination, elegant but relaxed – you know, like you have style, but you’re used to it.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch“A special evening of song designed, in part, to raise funds for the New Line Theatre scholarship fund, took place over the course of two nights in the shimmering acoustic surroundings of the Sheldon Concert Hall. Artistic Director Scott Miller tickled the ivories in expert fashion as a parade of local talent favored the audience with an eclectic mix of tunes culled from a wide variety of shows. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, and it definitely piqued my curiosity about some of the more obscure material that was presented.” – Chris Gibson, KDHX-FM HAIR (2008) “This is New Line’s third production of Hair in less than ten years, and you know why from the moment you smell the incense. Director Scott Miller has a wonderful feeling for this material; his production delivers the hippie world with sensual precision. It comes through in the exotic aroma, in the eye-popping set designed by Todd Schaefer, in the era-exact costumes by Thom Crain and the dreamy sound of Chris Petersen’s six-man rock band. Most of all, it comes through in the cast, an ensemble known as the Tribe.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Hair at New Line Theatre is unexpectedly, beautifully, joyfully, mournfully, tragically relevant again. Gerome Ragni and James Rado have turned out to be poet-prophets and their book and lyrics are given life by Galt MacDermot's eclectic rock score. . . I'm happy that New Line chose to produce Hair because I'd never seen it live; I am sorry that it can't just be a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the show but that it still has so much relevance. See it to celebrate, to mourn, and finally to celebrate again for there is hope and light and no matter how hard 'they' try, they cannot ‘end this beauty’.” – Andrea Braun, PlaybackSTL “Here we are in a similar, but I would say even darker place – at least America still had Posse Comitaus and Glass-Steagall back in 1968. Hair shows us, forty years later, both where the hippies went wrong and where they were right on. And that to abandon the project of striving for equality and justice (even if it doesn't involve spliffs and paisley) would damn us to our own Greek tragedy. I can't tell you exactly what happened when the Osage Tribe gathered on stage to sing ‘Let The Sun Shine In,’ but it felt an awful lot like the Holy Ghost, or someone like him, was in the house.” – Stefene Russell, St. Louis Magazine “Hair is not so much a musical as it is an invocation, a sort of vision quest designed to shake you out of your torpor and make you think. Let's describe it as ‘a group of people with strange clothes and a shared faith in nebulous concepts who make strange proclamations about society's ills’ – are we describing hippies, the religious right, the secular left or the military's press conferences on the war in Iraq? Regardless of what you think you are, Hair challenges your perceptions. A kaleidoscopic, mandala-esque painting on the stage provides a locus for the characters to dance and sing and poke fun at the world outside the theater. And there is a lot of fun.” – Paul Friswold, The Riverfront Times “Much smoke is blown, and much adolescent naughtiness is waved like a banner. But just to see the glowing idealism on the faces of fine actors like Khnemu Menu-Ra, Aaron Lawson and others is somehow astonishing in this age of bitter disappointment and gloom, and to hear the folksy and dramatic songs of Gerome Ragni, James Rado and Galt MacDermot raised so beautifully is a great pleasure. . . . For the generation of psychedelic awakening and sexual revolution, this lock of Hair is a sentimental touchstone and a heart-warming bit of modern Americana.” – Richard Green, TalkinBroadway.com “Scott Miller knows this material well, and his skilled direction keeps the action flowing and the actors focused. The tribe is well cast, and seem completely comfortable with one another. And they make a marvelous sound harmonizing together on this catchy score. Thom Crain's costumes add a nice air of authenticity. Chris Peterson's work on piano and conducting the small ensemble is impeccable. The band provides a solid pulse to this electrified revival meeting.” – Chris Gibson, KDHX-FM HIGH FIDELITY (2008) BEST SHOW of 2008: “Based on a novel by Nick Hornby, this stylish musical didn’t last long on Broadway, but its first incarnation beyond the Great White Way was a smashing success under the inspired direction of Scott Miller. Superbly capturing the essence of Hornby’s characters, led by music-store-clerk-turned-owner Rob, the energy and passion of Miller’s cast was infectious and immensely appealing. Jeffrey Wright showed us Rob’s vulnerability and sweetness beyond the rock ‘n’ roll sass, and his easy-going musical style delightfully conveyed the show’s triumphant spirit.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News “Theater Year in Review” “New Line’s version is brimming with joy, the lyrics are sharp and funny, and the music is riddled with in-jokes and references to the actual pop songs that substitute for Rob’s emotional life. It's a very, very good show. . . New Line Theatre brings the show to a college campus black-box theatre, an ideal reflection of the show's youthful feel and self-absorbed hero. The tough little coming of age story is now allowed to shine, and it's very bright indeed. . . The music is sharp and clever, and the New Line Band performs it all quite rockingly. . .” – Paul Friswold, The Riverfront Times “A 5 on a scale of 1-to-5. Sweet and charming while also faithful to its raw rock roots, New Line’s rendition of High Fidelity soars on the energy of its solid music and consistent comedy. Highlights abound throughout, from the entertaining and pulsating opening number, “The Last Real Record Store on Earth,” to the poignant ballad, “Laura, Laura”. . . New Line’s High Fidelity can be cherished as fondly as Rob’s coveted collection of old 45s. What a rewarding sound it is.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News“In the spirit of author Nick Hornby, I'm presenting the top five reasons you should go see New Line Theatre's production of the musical High Fidelity, in reverse order. Number five, because it features catchy songs from composer Tom Kitt and lyricist Amanda Green. Number four, because David Lindsay-Abaire’s script captures the novel’s flavor better than the film adaptation did. Number three, because this is the midwest premiere, and you'll want to see this in it’s purest form before it gets de-fanged for mass consumption. Number two, because it features a terrific cast, and a crack band. And number one, because New Line has put together an incredibly entertaining show that deserves your attendance.” – Chris Gibson, KDHX-FM “The stars are in perfect alignment for the regional premiere of Tom Kitt and Amanda Green's musical, based on the novel by Nick Hornby. Director Scott Miller has put together a fine cast of actors and singers (in an interesting new venue), to stage the lives of young men in a used record shop, and the women who love them. Individually, and in delightful groups, they blaze through a series of power ballads, make-up songs, break-up songs and more, covering musical idioms from the soulful sixties to the acrid eighties. . . Critics of the recent movie and the subsequent Broadway musical seemed to seize upon the mere quirkiness of these slacker-esthetes, adrift in a sea of post-adolescent angst, as the main thrust of the evening. But the intimate confines of the Hotchner studio theater at Washington University serve them well, helping us focus on small tragedies and moderate evils, raising them to a grander scale. A bigger stage, or a more dazzling theater would merely wage war on an intimate story like this. Instead, in these pleasant, bare-bones surroundings, High Fidelity finds a perfect setting.” – Richard Green, TalkinBroadway.com “High Fidelity started out as a delightful novel by Nick Hornby, then turned into a cute movie starring John Cusack. But it's not an obvious candidate for the musical stage. That's because when we think of musicals, we tend to think of flashy extravaganzas. New Line Theatre, however, specializes in small, smart shows instead. Maybe that's why its production of High Fidelity pays off: The whole thing is built to scale. . . High Fidelity makes for appealing entertainment.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch ASSASSINS (2008) “[New Line Theatre’s] Assassins is essential theater for people who disdain musicals because they think they're too pretty, too silly or just dumb. This ugly, serious, very smart production adds up to one of the most challenging theater pieces to play here in ages. . . But underneath all the entertainment lurks a serious question: How did picking up a gun turn into a way to say, ‘Here I am’? And how do we make that change? We have no answers on this stage – just acute questions that deserve to be raised.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “[Director Scott] Miller's direction is subtle but tight. He moves his players around the stage, and even the auditorium, with grace and authenticity. Russell J. Bettlach’s costumes evoke the eras in which they lived. The assassins remain on stage when they aren't directly involved in the action. They sit quietly in nine chairs on a simple set surrounded by a few props, including an ominous package that Oswald believes are curtain rods until Booth reveals the rifle beneath the wrappings. The rest of David Carr and Jeffrey P. Breckel’s set is simple with an ingenious, large wooden piece to serve various purposes and three graphics hanging above. Stephen Moore’s lights deserve special mention because they are key to the various moods of madness, elation, fear, and sorrow that this roller coaster of a show evokes. On stage, excellent support is provided for the voices by the New Line Band.” – Andrea Braun, KDHX-FM “Seated like the sides of a parenthesis in the middle of the stage are nine dysfunctional figures. Collectively, they slump their shoulders, keep their eyes to the ground and convey the impression of the misfits that they are. All presidential assassins or would-be assassins, they come together here, in a breezy one-act musical, to tell us why they did what they did, not for forgiveness. With a book by John Weidman and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Assassins crackles with energy, comedy and sassy class.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News “If you're looking to add another notch to your Sondheim gun belt, here is an infrequent opportunity to see a cynical, unsettling entertainment by the defining theater composer of our generation.” – Dennis Brown, The Riverfront Times SEX, DRUGS, AND ROCK & ROLL (2007) “ New Line Theatre, whose fans followed the company around town for years, opens its 17th season in a new venue with a revue that stirred up controversy before the show even opened. The dustup, which centered on a clause in the contract to sell a church and turn it into a theater, died quickly. As it turns out, Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll makes a strong season opener. . . There's no plot. Still, Scott Miller, who conceived and directed the show, plays songs from different eras off each other, adding unexpected context and resonance. . . Overall, Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll makes for an entertaining evening that shows off New Line's sensibility, performers and new home.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch“The four final numbers in the first act, from Avenue Q, Naked Boys Singing, Tomfoolery and I Love My Wife, were a perfect blend and an ideal example of using satire to make a political – or sexual – statement. . . Good voices and ensemble work from all the performers; Matthew Korinko and Isabel Pastrana, plus pianist Chris Petersen, left fine impressions. Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll, fast-moving, tuneful entertainment at the Ivory Theatre.” – Joe Pollack, KWMU-FM “Miller keeps the two-act, two-hour show moving at a brisk and enjoyable pace for the most part, and he’s assembled a strong cast that is comfortable and engaging delivering tunes from myriad works. . . Miller’s energetic troupe delivered the goods with fun and flair.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News “After a little controversy about whether it was suitable fare for a theater built in a former church, the verdict is in. Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll is not obscene! (What a relief.) The good thing is that The New Line Theatre and its fearless Artistic Director, Scott Miller, received thousands of dollars worth of free publicity during the mini-squabble, and hopefully it will sell more tickets to this worthy musical review about three aspects of life in which most adults participate in at least 2 out of 3.” – Harry Hamm, KMOX-FM URINETOWN (2007) “An exhilarating, don’t-miss experience. . . Urinetown plays like a tale of class warfare as performed by the Marx Brothers, and [director Scott] Miller doesn't let politics get in the way of the laughs. The cast is first-rate, and Robin Michelle Berger’s choreography is gloriously in step with the story. So put your pennies together for the funniest, most tuneful show in town.” – Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post Dispatch “If you ever take a reviewer's advice, let this be it: GO SEE THIS PLAY. Seriously. . . I have enjoyed quite a bit of theatre over the years and this is in the top 10.” – Kirsten Wylder, KDHX-FM “New Line Theater's production of this biting satire of politics, capitalism, corporate greed, environmental crises and, most importantly, of musical theater itself, was first-rate, particularly the extremely talented cast.” – Amy Burger, PlaybackSTL GREASE (2007) “ Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey's Grease is one of my favorite shows, and I've seen several different versions over the last few years. Having seen the movie when I was a teenager, I'd always preferred productions that included songs from the film. But, ever since I saw New Line Theatre's raw, original take, I've become something of a purist.” – Chris Gibson, BroadwayWorld.com, reviewing the national tour in 2009“Witty entertainment with something to say about teen sexuality, peer pressure and the erotic power of pop music. It must have been there all along, hiding under layers of poodle skirts and Clearasil.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “New Line opts to go back to basics and present the play more as it was originally conceived complete with raw language and frank sexuality. This is a horny and vulgar Grease that flips the bird at convention. It's a daring approach that pays off... What New Line is presenting is more of an ensemble piece and, thankfully the cast delivers an entertaining night of theatre with attitude.” – Chris Gibson, KDHX-FM “The best thing about the current production of Grease by the New Line Theatre is the tight, driving band led by Chris Petersen. The night I was there, a good chunk of the audience stood around after the show to listen to Petersen channel Jerry Lee Lewis as the band wound things up. There is nothing dull on that bandstand.” – Bob Wilcox, West End Word JOHNNY APPLEWEED (2006) “This smart, engaging musical satire clearly intends to reclaim American mythology for folks whose political sentiments are proudly left of center. . . With book, music, lyrics and direction by Scott Miller, Johnny Appleweed has the energy and wit of the early Saturday Night Live. Indeed, there’s a gloriously irreverent sketch-comedy sensibility at work. . . Even if you don’t share its attitudes about marijuana, the state of American democracy or the current occupant of the Oval Office, Johnny Appleweed is likely to win you over. It’s a giddy delight.” – Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post Dispatch “It may just be that producer/director Scott Miller has wasted his greatest talents on highly authentic revivals of other people's shows these last sixteen years. It may be that all that time, he should have been writing musicals about other people just getting wasted. . . Johnny Appleweed is full of excellent melody and excellent humor carried through by highly proficient performers, in this latest entry in the St. Louis Political Theatre Festival. . . The physical direction sparkles, and the band led by Chris Petersen is agile and compelling. The songs are beautiful, and the jokes are nearly all sure-fire. . . It's quite stupendous.” – Richard Green, TalkinBroadway.com “It's hard to believe that Johnny Appleweed is a musical – thankfully, it doesn't resemble any of your typical Broadway fare. . . Without ruining the end, I'll just say that it's magical. In more ways than one. But the idea that was handed to me in the most obvious way during this musical was about popular culture. Too many people regard potheads as complete idiots, but this depiction of them was brilliantly intelligent. I really liked everything that they had to say. Maybe we should start listening to those potheads.” – Kaylen Hoffman, PlaybackSTL JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (2006) “Director Scott Miller has brilliantly reimagined the early Andrew Lloyd Webber triumph for the here and now. . . Lloyd Webber’s unforgettable music and Tim Rice’s witty lyrics benefit mightily from Miller’s chamber-musical approach. Without the customary bombast, it’s possible not only to hear the show, but to listen to it. . . [The two leads] bring superlative showmanship to the proceedings without forsaking emotional truth. And their singing is at once convincingly anguished and gloriously theatrical. . . Smart, engaging and ultimately poignant, this Superstar is a winner. ” – Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post Dispatch “A climax that was shocking both in terms of the action itself and in terms of what impact it brought to the production as a whole. . . Miller's modernization concept gives the production a thought-provoking aura. The production also avoids the tendency of the final scenes to feel interminable.” – Backstage “Director Scott Miller promised to bring something new and different to his New Line Theatre production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and he did. . . There is excellent work throughout the cast, and Miller’s casting choices are exemplary. . . A superior production. . .” – Joe Pollack, KWMU-FM “This production rocks the house. If your soul needs re-charging plug in to the Art Loft for some soul food. Be warned, as I said, it's apparently not for everyone, but then what is anymore? Take an open mind and a need to groove.” – Kirsten Wylder, KDHX-FM “New Line Theatre's minimalist approach focuses audience attention appropriately on the music, which is well-sung by the ensemble and backed up by a great band.” – Deanna Jent, The Riverfront Times BAT BOY (2006) “New Line's artistic director, Scott Miller, has brought Bat Boy back in all its screwball glory. It is a moment to savor… Bat Boy is just as much fun as it was the first time around… This is musical theater for audiences who think that musical theater can't be hip. They're in for a very smart surprise.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “New Line Theatre scores another hit this season with its wacky musical, Bat Boy: The Musical… Congratulations are in order for Miller and his amazing cast/crew for putting the fun back in musical theater. This production will definitely be in contention for my best show of 2006. Kudos to New Line Theatre!” – Jim Campbell, Playback STL “Part spoof, part fantasy, part plea for tolerance and understanding and love, part rowdy and raucous musical comedy, Bat Boy adds up to outstanding entertainment, and the New Line Theatre production brings the evening to exciting, high-powered life.” – Joe Pollack, KWMU-FM “Snatched directly from the headlines of your friendly neighborhood grocery-store tabloid, Bat Boy is raucous entertainment with a social message occasionally emerging from pun-strewn humor. The New Line Theatre production scores nicely, with Scott Miller's direction gathering up almost all the loose ends.” – Backstage “Some shows are just too much fun to let slip away. In that vein, nearly the entire cast of New Line’s 2003 Bat Boy has returned to sink their teeth into this show (and into American life) one more time. They do a spectacular job with a silly comedy full of deep meanings, under the highly organized direction of Scott Miller… as always, it comes down to great singing and great comedy. This show has more than enough of each to draw us out of our own mid-winter's bat cave, foraging for fun.” – Richard Green, KDHX-FM “You've read about him in the Weekly World News; now see the Bat Boy live in this energetic New Line Theatre production… Director Scott Miller's slick staging keeps the story in sharp focus, maintaining a difficult balance between the script's campy comedy and its genuine emotion.” – Deanna Jent, The Riverfront Times THE FANTASTICKS (2005) “ At New Line Theatre, the audience is used to surprises. . . this time, the surprise lies in the voices - the best that New Line has ever showcased. They make the familiar, unassuming musical sound, of all things, lush. ” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch“This was a night that I was glad to enjoy the simplicity of theater the old-fashioned way. In an age of spectacle, The Fantasticks is fantastic in its smallness. . . New Line's Fantasticks is not a musical to blow you out of your seat. Rather, it is an experience in the goodness of the human heart, and does in fact speak of timeless themes relevant to our selfish modern world. . . listeners should take some time next weekend to enjoy the simple bliss that is The Fantasticks courtesy of the New Line Theater. ” – Doug Storm, KDHX-FM “ Less is more with The Fantasticks, and that makes it an ideal show for artistic director Scott Miller's New Line Theatre. The Fantasticks accommodates just two musicians, harpist Sue Taylor and pianist Chris Petersen, whose soft, subtle renditions of the jazzy tunes of lyricist Tom Jones and composer Harvey Schmidt nicely complement the low-key action on stage. Under Miller's sure and steady direction, his ensemble delivers the wit and charm of this gentle show in a way that reminds us of why The Fantasticks was performed a staggering 17,162 times in a tiny theater in New York for 42 years (!) beginning in 1960.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News“New Line’s The Fantasticks is a good illustrator of why it’s sometimes okay to just let a piece be what it is, whether that be simple or grandiose, fluffy or deep, comedy or tragedy. It also shows why the best shows mix these labels up, or, rather, have a little of everything. Sometimes it’s worth just seeing a good play done well. You might get your thoughts provoked, or you might not, but the enjoyment makes it all worthwhile.” – John Shepard, Playback St. Louis KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN (2005) “Director Scott Miller has cleared the bases with a rousing grand slam of an interpretation of this fabulously rich musical. It's a gritty and glorious salute to the combined genius of Kander, Ebb and McNally, with appropriate respect to Puig, and his cast is clearly equal to the task.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News
“Over
the years, New Line has done well with other shows by John Kander and Fred Ebb (Cabaret,
Chicago). But this production demonstrates that New Line's artistic
director, Scott Miller, has an affinity for their viewpoint that transcends the
'greatest hits' approach. The story of Molina [Scott Tripp] and his revolutionary cellmate, Valentin (Nicholas Kelly), combines left-wing politics, imaginative musical
numbers and a seedy, ripped-stocking glamour. That's the New Line aesthetic in a
nutshell. It's a great fit.... It adds up to a fascinating evening of unusual
theater... the New Line production never relinquishes the play's central point.
That deals with questions of personal loyalty and overriding social good. It
won't make theater-goers feel comfortable. But Miller and his company can feel
proud to address a play so hard to take and make it pay off on its own terms.”
– Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Kiss of the Spider Woman is one of New Line's best productions.” – Bob Wilcox, KDHX-FM THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM (2005) “Scott Miller has a hit on his hands! The New Line Theatre has opened The Robber Bridegroom, and you definitely must see this show. Sweet and charming and outrageous and corny and violent and sexy and utterly engaging, this wonderfully imaginative piece is based on a novel by Eudora Welty... It's delightful, it's charming, and it's absolutely Edenically innocent.” – Steve Callahan, KDHX-FM “God
Bless New Line Theater and Artistic Director Scott Miller for having the sense
to put on a show as interesting as The Robber Bridegroom. New Line
Theatre, the self-proclaimed Bad Boy of Musical Theater, lives up to the title
yet again with their most recent production… By challenging the way we look at
musicals, [New Line] makes them more accessible to the common man, while giving
theater snobs something to love in the process. For those that fall somewhere
betwixt the two, you’re in luck, as New Line’s players will indeed
entertain.” – Tyson Blanquart, Playback St. Louis “The Robber Bridegroom suits Miller’s smart, no-frills aesthetic – and boasts the added advantage of unfamiliarity. It’s one show that nobody’s seen ‘too many times.’ Yet it’s a charmer. . . But The Robber Bridegroom is a fairy-tale for grown-ups. The four-man band serves up the blue-grass score (by composer Robert Waldman and lyricist Alfred Uhry) in likeable, familiar, laid-back style. But catch the lyrics to songs like ‘Two Heads’ or ‘Poor Tied Up Darlin.’ There’s no latent message here. Violent, sexual and avaricious impulses are right on surface of this story, in which civilization and self-control are as easy to rip off as Rosamund’s dainty frocks. ” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch "Director Scott Miller scores a triumph with his delightful production that smartly captures the free spirit and charming effervescence of this romp through the woods.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News “The indomitable Mr. Miller [as director] has taken what he's got and whipped his cast into a proper frenzy of comic cataclysm.” – Richard Green, Talkin’ Broadway.com “A bright, charming production by New Line Theatre. . . Highly entertaining.” – Joe Pollack, KWMU-FM
MAN OF LA MANCHA (2004)
“Director Scott Miller and a talented ensemble meaningfully reinterpret for today this stirring hymn to individualism from the experimental theatre movement of nearly forty years ago. . . The entire company's approach and embodiment of Wasserman's and Cervantes' quest for truth in illusion inspires admiration. With Miller's moving yet focused direction, each performer contributes talent and conviction throughout. . . New Line proves Don Quixote, the Man of La Mancha is not dead, but lives ‘a life worth living’.” – Nancy Crouse, KDHX-FM
“Man of La Mancha is in the pantheon of stellar shows in the Broadway musical canon. The New Line Theatre production, directed with keen intuition and appropriate reverence by Scott Miller, beautifully underscores the inherent nobility and passion of the work with a masterful presentation. . . a stunning triumph.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News
“The show is another hit from one of the most stylistic theater companies in St. Louis. For those out there that tend to shy away from musical theater, I highly recommend this production, as it will remove any ill-conceived notions you may have about the genre, and make you think twice about judging a book by its cover. ” – Tyson Blanquart, Playback St. Louis
“Once it begins to roll, it sweeps like an avalanche. . . a great show in every respect.” – Joe Pollack, KWMU-FM
“The layers encasing this performance keep the audience at a shrewd distance, though the intimate staging does not. Todd Schaefer [as Cervantes/Quixote] fiddles with the relationship between actor and role and between actor and audience. . . Miller's production is all about thinking hard... They keep it honest for two meaty, intermission-free hours.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch
HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (2004) “What's a girly boy to
do when his sex-change operation is botched? Form a rock & roll band! Todd
Schaefer shows off an amazing voice in this confessional concert piece, which
features a kick-ass band and great cross-gender supporting work from Stephanie
Brown.” – Deanna Jent, Riverfront Times
“Hedwig
and the Angry Inch is a challenging piece of theater, to audiences and to
the St. Louis theater community as well… the sort of theatre St. Louisans
should be exposed to.” – Joe Pollack, KWMU-FM
“Mr.
Schaefer's [Hedwig] gains the edge by having the stamp of a Scott Miller
production: clearly thought-out; artistically consistent; and faithful to
playwright Cameron Mitchell's intent.
The
New Line/WAPP version gives us a Hedwig whose gifts are indisputable –
and whose past, present, and future are even richer, thanks to greater artistic
virtuosity.” – Richard Green, KDHX-FM
“Hedwig
is genuinely worth seeing more than once from different points of view. In fact,
the book by John Cameron Mitchell and the music and lyrics by Stephen Trask are
so intellectually and musically compelling that a first viewing creates an
appetite for a second. One interpretation sparks interest in another.” –
Gerry Kowarsky, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Todd Schaefer projects a bittersweet and melancholy portrayal of Hedwig, describing the tragic tale of the unhappy and lonely soul, underplaying the anger and focusing instead on the character’s confusion and angst. He is nicely complemented by Stephanie Brown’s taciturn twist on Yitzak, both carping and retreating from Hedwig’s futility. Scott Miller’s direction wisely emphasizes the strengths of the musical score, which offers a number of superior rock anthems, from the pulsating opening number ‘Tear Me Down’ to the plaintive ‘Origin of Love’ and the lovely ballad ‘The Long Grift,’ which offers some sweet harmony by Schaefer and Brown.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News REEFER MADNESS (2004) “When it
comes to goofy fun, Reefer Madness has kilos to spare.” – Judith
Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Kevin Murphy's sly lyrics and Dan Studney's music are the highlights of New Line Theatre's mostly hilarious telling of this cautionary tale. . . Robin Berger's choreography is humorously snappy; combined with the fun songs, they happily critique the silly things Americans fear.” – Deanna Jent, The Riverfront Times
“New
Line Artistic Director Scott Miller has a reputation in St. Louis for taking
chances with unconventional shows. Witness New Line’s production of Batboy: The Musical last season. He comes up swinging again with Reefer
Madness, the rock musical based on the 1936 scare-film of the same name. . .
As with most New Line Theatre shows, Scott Miller has a point to make, and
Miller gets his point across wonderfully with this production.”
–
Tyson
Blanquart, Playback St. Louis “New Line Theatre’s production is an amusing, tongue-in-cheek treat under the clever, droll direction of Scott Miller. The music to Reefer Madness has an ingratiating and appealing quality, with clever lyrics by Kevin Murphy and plenty of upbeat music by Dan Studney, both of whom collaborated on the book.” – Mark Bretz, Ladue News THE NERVOUS SET (2004) “Many times, I've traveled thousands of miles and spent hundreds of dollars to see obscure musicals, but catching The Nervous Set at New Line turned out to be the most valuable theatrical pilgrimage I've ever made.” – Peter Filichia, TheaterMania.com
“God
bless Miller for letting us see this odd bit of history. And bless him for the
continuing adventure that is New Line Theatre.” –
Steve Callahan, KDHX-FM “It was a pleasure to hear Fran Landesman's glorious lyrics and Tommy Wolf's music.” – Joe Pollack, KWMU SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (2003)
“The
ArtLoft [Theatre] has the potential to change with every show. For New Line
Theatre's current production there, Sunday in the Park with George,
director Scott Miller and set designer Justin Barisonek exploit that potential
with elegance and wit. . . Rarely staged, Sunday is an odd work. Its
proportions are unfamiliar; it's slower and more cerebral than most musicals,
and its century-long story arc demands a little patience. But with their apt
design and distinctive staging, Miller and Barisonek set a welcoming pace, one
that's a pleasure to keep.” – Judith
Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Stephen Sondheim composed his gorgeous score from a palette containing colors of astonishing beauty and texture... New Line's four-piece band does a Herculean job of conveying the inherent artfulness in this lush score.... Todd Schaefer emanates assurance and authority. In Act II, as Seurat's great-grandson, he even finds the evening's underlying conscience.” – The Riverfront Times PARTY (Out of Line Productions, 2003) “The compelling thing about nudity onstage is that it erases the borders between character and actor – certainly the actors are still portraying people other than themselves, but there are no wigs and accents when the costumes come off – it's the real body of a real person in real time and space. It's this fascinating and unavoidable reality that is the strength of this production.... An audience member in front of me sighed happily as the play ended and said, 'Can we come again tomorrow night?' ” – Deanna Jent, The Riverfront Times “Party delivers exactly what is expected along with a genuinely sympathetic portrayal of gay men seeking, in [director Scott] Miller's words, 'the comfort of a collective culture'... The script has some outrageously funny lines that draw huge laughs.” – Gerry Kowarsky, St. Louis Post Dispatch THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (2003) “New Line Theatre's production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ultimately provides not only marvelous music and dance but substantial food for thought.” – Deanna Jent, The Riverfront Times “Director Scott] Miller, who loves musical comedy, chooses to emphasize the musical over the comic in this production. . . But, having made his decision, he executes it with care and intelligence, delivering a production with charms of its own.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch BAT BOY (2003) “Bat Boy: The Musical has everything anyone needs for a great night of theater: sex, laughs, music, drama and dead cows. . . New Line Theatre's production of Bat Boy The Musical is profoundly theatrical, asking audience members to imaginatively participate in an unexpected journey that's thrilling, scary, funny and thought-provoking.” – Deanna Jent, Riverfront Times “So weird. So smart. So shocking. So entertaining. Bat Boy, a hit off-Broadway, has found a worthy roost at New Line Theatre, where artistic director Scott Miller has spent 12 years honing a taste for musicals with just those characteristics. . . this show is in a class by itself – and New Line's confident production lets it stand on its own webbed feet.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Splendid fun. Todd Schaefer is dazzling in the title role, acting and singing and well, dominating the stage. April Lindsey, Jason Cannon and Deborah Sharn stand out as his 'family,' and the rest of the cast, in a wild variety of roles, costumes and genders, bring West Virginia to madcap life. ” – Joe Pollack, KWMU-FM“Even if you hate musicals, you will not be disappointed by this one. This is a "do not miss"; I was more satisfied by Bat Boy than by most of the productions I have seen at The Fox.” – Stanford Griffith, The Current “This production works on many levels thanks to the exuberant cast. Todd Schaefer is spectacular in the title role.” – Sheila Schultz, KDHX-FM “One of the best musical theatre scores I've heard recently. . . Miller and New Line never do shows that waste either their time or ours.” – Bob Wilcox, West End Word ATTACK OF THE SHOW TUNES (2003) “We're fortunate to have a professional company in St. Louis willing to take creative risks and facilitate the reshaping of audience tastes.” – Sheila Schultz, KDHX-FM THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW (2002) “Rocky reminds us vividly of the emotional power actors can exert when they're in the same room as their audience, even if they're kidding around.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “When it comes to
challenging St. Louis theater audiences, to stretching them, exposing them to
new stimuli, hardly anyone is in a class with Scott Miller. . . Rocky Horror
will bring much-needed light and laughter to downtown.” – Joe Pollack,
KWMU-FM CHICAGO (2002) "Smart, steamy and a heck of a lot of fun, marking one of New Line's strongest efforts" -- Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Extremely entertaining . . . Because the New Line production is stripped down to its essence, it reveals something that neither of the flashier, more expensive New York productions embodied: likeability. . . All in all, this is the most fully realized New Line production I've yet seen. . . This is the sort of opportunity that musical theater lovers pray for, and then travel great distances to indulge in.” – Dennis Brown, Riverfront Times "Chicago is highly enjoyable, with fine musicians and enough talent on the stage to keep things rolling from start to finish." -- Joe Pollack, KWMU-FM "If you want to see another New Line hit packed with great music, dancing, costumes, and actors, don't miss Chicago." -- Nicole Trueman, KDHX-FM "A rousing production . . . a capable cast is given license to gleefully cavort to the infectious, jazzy tone of the show, and New Line's performers are up to the challenge." -- Mark Bretz, Ladue News “A showy, brightly produced musical filled with extremely talented actors, singers and dancers, who give it their all.” – Cathy Cohn, The Vital Voice A NEW BRAIN (2002) "A
neurotic, quirky and profoundly life-affirming show" -- St. Louis Post
Dispatch "Scott Miller's New Line Theatre is all about presentations that are daring, different or deliciously skewering the conventional. . . There's enough to appreciate in Finn's inspired whimsy, and New Line's zestful interpretation by its capable cast under the judicious care of director Scott Miller, to make A New Brain a pleasing, if offbeat and quirky, selection." - Mark Bretz, Ladue News "[Composer
William] Finn . . . is known for stretching the boundaries of the genre. . .
Deborah Sharn is engaging and brings energy and depth to Rhoda, Schwinn's agent
. . . The always excellent Terry Meddows does a fine job as Gordon's boss, the
man-frog Mr. Bungee. The audience most enjoys the entertaining Nicholas Kelly as
the self-effacing 'nice nurse' Richard. . . I'm glad Finn recovered, and he
deserves credit for experimenting with the form." -- Brian Hohlfeld, Riverfront
Times THE CRADLE WILL ROCK (2001) "Most Ambitious Production of 2001" -- Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch, "The Year in Theatre"
“[New
Line's] Cradle
Will Rock is one of the most memorable shows I have ever seen. This joint
venture is not only brilliant in idea, but also in execution.” – Tony
Burnett, Talkin Broadway.com
“A
spirited, entertaining production . . . absurd and chilling at the same time,
the perfect blend of musical form and content.” – Brian Hohlfeld, The
Riverfront Times HAIR (2001) “New Line’s
production . . . forged an intense connection with its audience. . . The finale,
‘Let the Sun Shine In,’ was almost unbearably emotional. and brought the
audience onto the stage to tearfully hug and dance with the cast.” – Allison
Xantha Miller, American Theatre Magazine “When a director revives a play less than a year after he first staged it, he better have good reason – reasons like style, audience appeal and abundant energy. New Line artistic director Scott Miller has all the reason he needs for this summer's revival of last summer's hit, Hair. . . [It] is, above all, an ensemble piece. It emerged from a time when it seemed possible that group efforts to change society could succeed. This play, and New Line's production of it, succeed on exactly those same terms.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Director
Scott Miller’s Osage Tribe is an ensemble cast of frenzied and frolicking
psychedelic-perfection. . . The Osage shout, scream, wail, sing, point, dance,
laugh, plead, and rage to the audience that is intimately wrapped around the
stage like some morphed tribal council in trance. It is wondrous.. . But it is
the Osage ensemble that is the real star. Their unbridled energy and communal
vocals framed within Miller’s imaginative choreography provide a manic tale
that when finished finds you somewhere in between tears and euphoric joy.” –
Colin Murphy, The Vital Voice "Don't
let the language and the nude scene fool you – there's a lot of innocence and
idealism on the stage, and those are two things we need – any time – whether
with Hair or without.” – Joe Pollack, KWMU-FM “New Line
Theatre shows off its crowning glory in an open-ended run of Hair.” –
Byron Kerman, The Riverfront Times “Artistically, [Hair in June 2000] was one of the best productions New Line ever staged, and everybody seemed to know it.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch ANYONE CAN WHISTLE (2001) “Instead of bringing serious matters to the foreground, as he often does, director Scott Miller went all out for entertainment and let the issues emerge from a framework of farce. The resulting show offered much to enjoy on the surface without obscuring the depth.” – Gerry Kowarksy, The Sondheim Review “The best
reason to see Anyone Can Whistle, the appealing mess of a show that New
Line Theatre is staging at the ArtLoft is simple. You’re not likely to get
another chance. . . Still, anything by Stephen Sondheim has an element of
fascination, thanks to his enormous influence on modern musical theatre. New
Line’s artistic director Scott Miller, who has staged a number of Sondheim
shows, directs this one with verve and intelligence. . . Miller and
choreographer JT Ricroft make the most of the ArtLoft’s flexible space.” –
Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “[Director Scott] Miller and choreographer JT Ricroft stage the musical numbers with brio – nicely adapting to the ArtLoft’s shallow stage and making intriguing use of aisle space.” – Cliff Froehlich, The Riverfront Times CABARET (2001) “A small spotlight falls on a door, slightly ajar. A hand reaches out, showing off black-polished nails. The index finger beckons seductively. Then the middle finger signals. With that opening moment, director Scott Miller condenses his entire approach of Cabaret – tempting, vulgar, shrewdly theatrical and admirably economical. It's one of the most powerful productions that Miller's company, New Line Theatre, has ever staged. . . [The band’s] raw sound suits the mood that Miller and choreographer JT Ricroft evoke in steamy Klub numbers like ‘Money’ and ‘Two Ladies,’ visually exciting and metaphorically explicit. We're in a very sick world. . . Christopher Crivelli's venomous performance as the Kit Kat emcee sets the standard for this show – leering, cold, totally in control. Robin Kelso plays the English star of the club, Sally Bowles, with a lot of flair both in her ‘onstage’ scenes (more pose than talent) and her ‘offstage’ scenes (more pose than heart). Yet her winning, tiny smile, coupled with occasional bursts of warmth, complicates the character. You can't dismiss her, and you can't trust her. It's a provocative combination. . . But the cold heart of the play lies in the Kit Kat Klub ensemble, whose entertainments reveal a morally bereft world-view that still can frighten us. And should.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch "I'm sitting in the front row of the most remarkable production to hit St. Louis this season. . . We're close enough that this once familiar musical is transformed into something quite unlike any production of it you may have seen. It's Cabaret . . And it's one of the best things I've seen the New Line Theatre do. . . Director Scott Miller has made his New Line Theatre a St. Louis institution, and I'm happy to see that it has so vibrantly survived the loss of the St. Marcus. It is very much at home in the Art Loft Theatre on Washington. Besides his deep understanding of musical theatre, Miller's chief gift, I think, is for the gathering of outstanding talent.” – Steve Callahan, KDHX-FM “A must-see for anyone who is interested in theatre in St. Louis.” –Gerry Kowarsky, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Cabaret, at the New Line Theatre, is a flawed but noteworthy production of the groundbreaking musical, which is as fresh and provocative as it was when it was created in 1966. The production is at its strongest in the musical numbers, all staged deftly on the tiny clublike stage by director Scott Miller and choreographer JT Ricroft. Vocally, the cast is first-rate [and] the band excellent (the accordion is a nice touch). . . In the opening number, ‘Wilkommen,’ the over-rouged, zombielike Kit Kat girls and boys, and their Emcee (Christopher Crivelli) perform enough pelvic thrusts and simulated oral sex for several productions. We're supposed to be shocked, shocked, but the gestures are so mechanical and contrived that they become boring and meaningless. Perhaps that's what director Miller intended: Sex has become common currency, as devalued as the German mark.” – Brian Hohlfeld, The Riverfront Times HAIR (2000) “A gripping production from New Line Theatre. . . The in-the-round presentation, with actors running through the audience, suits director Scott Miller's intense style. His production moves with the studied emotional focus of a dream – or a memory. . . And this production perfectly captures the deep, genuine anger that the Vietnam War provoked at home. 'Three-Five-Zero-Zero,' a song in which the hallucinating Claude envisions his hippie friends falling in battle, is a stunning depiction of how immediate the threat felt to people a world away from the war.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch
“New
Line Theatre's production of Hair, which opened last weekend in the A.E.
Hotchner Drama Studio on the Washington University campus, may pull you into a
gallop down memory lane (if you're older) or (if you're younger) may cause an
attack of envy because your parents lived in much more interesting times than
you do. Whatever the effect, a strong, musical cast make the book, music and
lyrics seem as fresh and fun as they were in 1968.” – Harry Weber, The
Riverfront Times “At once historical and iconoclastic, this classic hippie postcard from the summer of love remains as brittle and quirky as ever, but the New Line production reveled in the shaggy spirit, and proved largely enjoyable.” – Brian McCary, KDHX-FM OUT ON BROADWAY 2000 “At least
the quirky little [St. Marcus] theater is going out in style. Scott Miller's
revue, which presents musical theater songs in a gay context, has graceful,
small-scale proportions, just right for this theater in terms of music, voice
and staging. Furthermore, the show's message – a plea for tolerance,
particularly in regard to sexual orientation – is a fair summation of the
point that many St. Marcus shows have made . . . Miller even works in “Danny
Boy.” But the ensemble rendition changes the terms so drastically that “Danny
Boy” gains fresh meaning, tender and powerful. The song underscores the value
of shows like this one: They reveal the familiar in a fresh light. Audiences
need places that offer us that perspective.” – Judith Newmark, St.
Louis Post Dispatch
“Out
on Broadway 2000, Scott Miller's beguiling assemblage of show tunes, looks
like a lot of fun to do. . . This show makes you want to dish about the wise and
witty performances of each singer.” – Sally Cragin, The Riverfront Times
“The
gimmick sometimes works too, culling surprises from familiar lyrics when placed
in a new context. I discovered I'd never really listened to the lyrics of ‘Far
From the Home I Love,’ from Fiddler on
the Roof, until I heard it in Out on
Broadway 2000.” – Bob Wilcox, KDHX-FM "New Line Theatre's Out on Broadway 2000 gender-reversed Broadway and cabaret standards and provided dreamy entertainment. All that was missing was the clink of ice cubes and a blue haze of cigarette smoke." -- The Riverfront Times, "Best of 2000"
FLOYD
COLLINS (1999) “New Line Theatre . . . continues the hot streak that began last season with Camelot and Into the Woods. Scott Miller's productions always are small in scale, but the imaginative scope of these recent shows has impressive depth. . . It offers perspective instead of self-indulgence, imagination instead of ego. It's a compelling musical and one that is well-suited to the New Line Theatre's stripped-down style.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Adam Guettel, the composer and lyricist, and Tina Landau have turned this dark, sad tale into a remarkable piece of musical theater that, although hardly flawless, is consistently interesting both in its music and it the way the story is told. . . New Line Theatre has fielded a strong cast whose vocal abilities are generally matches for Guettel's often demanding music. . . and what a pleasure it was to hear natural, unamplified voices.” – Harry Weber, The Riverfront Times “Scott Miller's New Line Theatre company, in the small cave of the St. Marcus Theatre, is shouting out a beautiful exploratory cave call: they have been delving into the subterranean recesses of musical theatre for some years, and now they've opened a fine production that epitomizes their own search. . . The cast abounds with strong performances.” – Steve Callahan, KDHX-FM HEAD GAMES (Out of Line Productions, 1999) “[Author Scott] Miller provides an intelligent and interesting context, genuinely witty and clever lines, and a wholesomeness and honesty both unexpected — under the circumstances — and exhilarating. . . This, besides the verbal brilliance, is where Miller takes Head Games well beyond the dick-play genre. His director's program note and the piece in last week's RFT tell the audience in advance what Miller is going to do, but it's like a magician's explaining a trick before he performs it and still amazing his spectators.” – Harry Weber, The Riverfront Times “The funniest moment in Head Games occurs when a character questions the artistic integrity of a director who plans to stage a play with gratuitous nudity. The irony is that the actor expressing these sentiments is gratuitously nude. . . Miller is an astute critic, and these questions are obviously important to him . . . The arguments about theater and sexuality are thought provoking, balanced and often amusing.” – Gerry Kowarsky, St. Louis Post Dispatch INTO THE WOODS (1999) “With Into the Woods, [director Scott Miller] continues his experiments in proportion. His intimate production of Stephen Sondheim’s sophisticated fairy tale reduces the Broadway hit to a nursery scale, befitting both its subject matter and its psychoanalytic viewpoint. The production . . . makes the most of the St. Marcus Theatre, turning its small size into an asset. . . Into the Woods brings together an exceptionally consistent cast.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “You can savor those words and music [of Into the Woods] in what may be New Line’s finest production yet. . . The cast plays with smart assurance, without a weak link in the chain. . . The whole production turns these old tales into adults versions rich in wit, music, and emotion – the most satisfying kind of entertainment.” – Bob Wilcox, The Riverfront Times CAMELOT (1999) “This show does not look, sound, or feel like any other Camelot [but] . . . this stripped down version has a lot going for it.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “It’s a longish evening, but so full of fine voices and serious, convincing performances, that its command of our attention is unfailing.” – Steve Callahan, KDHX-FM “The
musical’s dark ending doesn’t jar against too light and romantic a tone in
the earlier scenes. Elemental passions and their potential for trouble lurk in
the first moments, when even wise Merlin succumbs to the seductions of the
flesh.” – Bob Wilcox, The Riverfront
Times SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD (1998) “Songs for a New World is that very rare beast: an abstract musical. . . Here is a musical that doesn’t try to bombard or cajole you – it simply speaks honestly through fine music and proves that less can most certainly be more. . . Individually, the performers are fine, together they are fabulous, and the harmonies and group singing are uncommonly rich and vibrant. . . The mystical union of song and performance was simply profound at the St. Marcus. . . a true theatrical gem.” – Mike Isaacson, The Riverfront Times "I'm at a loss as to just what to call this production, except fascinating, engrossing and totally absorbing. Its the kind of performance that just cries out to be seen more than once, just to get all the nuances of the lyrics of the songs. Maybe one could call this a musical call to personal reflection, almost a contemporary worship service without dogmatics, but even that might be to limiting a description for such a freewheeling exploration into the human soul.. . The voices of the cast members are all outstanding and the emotion they put into each piece lifts the presentation from just a bunch of songs into something between poetry and worship. Most of the time the message is a powerful message of hope and faith in a God who knows the future, but sometimes it becomes a picture of the despair that comes when one looses that hope and faith. It is, as you can tell, a complex and fascinating evening you'll be thinking about for a long time to come. Come see the presentation with a friend whose opinion you value, then plan to spend many invigorating hours talking about what you heard on stage." -- Russ Thomas, KDHX-FM “Just as personally inspiring for me was watching five local actors pour their hearts and talents into Songs for a New World, another New Line production, featuring the fine songs of Jason Robert Brown. . . making for a truly cherished memory.” – Mike Isaacson, “1998: The Year in Theatre,” The Riverfront Times PARTY (Out of Line Productions, 1998) “Party is consistently amusing and frequently hilarious.” – Gerry Kowarsky, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Party is light, funny, and mildly shocking if you’re not scandalized by full frontal male nudity and lots of it. . . Party is also innocent – it means no harm and does no harm. It celebrates friendship, tolerance, acceptance of self and others, and freedom from unhealthy inhibition.” – Harry Weber, The Riverfront Times ASSASSINS (1998) “For the most part, 1998 was full of supreme performances in solid productions. Looking back, only New Line Theatre’s production of the Stephen Sondheim musical Assassins was, as a whole, a wild and gratifying surprise. Here, a talented group of locals inhabited Sondheim’s creepy vision of what lives under America’s political rocks. It was intense, entertaining, and terrifically ‘out there’.” – Mike Isaacson, “1998: The Year in Theater,” The Riverfront Times “Intriguing and surprisingly funny. . . The production – a bare-bones, in-the-round presentation – emphasizes the show’s gallows humor and clever lyrics.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “There is a rare, exhilarating thrill to be had for the next two weeks in St. Louis. New Line Theatre’s frequently thrilling Assassins sets a new standard for the St. Marcus Theatre, and it easily ranks as one of the finest works ever produced there. The evening is funny, disciplined, scary, intimate and strangely credible. . . The astounding intensity of the cast, and the admirable fact that they never once step ‘outside’ the material or comment on it, but fully dwell in this strange, murky netherworld, must be credited to the co-direction of Scott Miller and Alison Helmer.” – Mike Isaacson, The Riverfront Times
MARCH
OF THE FALSETTOS (1998)
“New
Line Theatre’s current production of Falsettos
may be the best work this company has done. . . Scott Miller and Alison Helmer
direct a tight, inventive show with imaginative use of expressionistic images.”
– Box Wilcox, The Riverfront Times
“Angry,
challenging work . . . the New Line performers point up the conflicts within the
characters as well as between them.” – Gerry Kowarsky, St.
Louis Post Dispatch
WOMAN WITH POCKETBOOK (1998)
“The
music by Jeff Blumenkrantz is pleasant, and the lyrics by Annie Kessler and
Libby Saines are often very clever. With appealing performances from the New
Line cast, Woman with Pocketbook adds
up to an engaging curtain-raiser [to March
of the Falsettos].” – Gerry Kowarsky, St.
Louis Post Dispatch
“The
cast treats this new material well, with really strong comic performances.”
– Bob Wilcox, The Riverfront Times EXTREME SONDHEIM (1997) “At New Line Theatre, where Extreme Sondheim is now playing, comedy carries the day. The show sparkles in an imaginative trio of comedy songs near the end of the first act. . . All these songs, with their dazzling lyrics and sophisticated musical style, capture Sondheim’s contemporary, New York attitude and are strong enough to work in a revue, stripped of their plot lines.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch "For those not familiar with his work this production will provide a marvelous overview of the work of a talented composer and lyricist. If you are a Sondheim fan you will relish in sitting back and enjoying an evening of wonderful music presented by a diverse and talented group of performers." - Norma West, KDHX-FM “What I
did realize, hearing the songs out of context this way, was not only how clever
and how lyrical Sondheim’s songs are, but how dramatic
they are.” – Bob Wilcox, The
Riverfront Times THE BALLAD OF LITTLE MIKEY (1997) “When you think you’ve seen it all, along comes something like The Ballad of Little Mikey, the only musical comedy ever to include a number about anonymous sex in a public bathroom. . . That willingness to poke fun is the sharpest thing about the play.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Though your jaw may drop, you’ll be hard pressed not to smile, for this number [“Tap”], and in fact most of Little Mikey, is offered with such a winning spirit that you can’t resist. . . Particularly in the first act, the show is smartly self-mocking, exploring the gay ethos with predictable romantic fawning and some sure, swift kicks.” – Mike Isaacson, The Riverfront Times “Scott Miller and his New Line Theatre continue to bring St. Louis challenging, refreshing musical theatre that you simply can’t see anywhere else. . . The Ballad of Little Mikey will make you think and it will teach you a thing or two.” – Steve Callahan, KDHX-FM JACQUES BREL (1997) “New Line Theatre . . . has taken on the challenge and acquits itself with an entertaining and thoughtful production. . . directors Scott Miller and Brian Tibbets have understood and captured Brel’s smoky, bittersweet flavor.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Jacques Brel himself may have died a few years ago, but his spirit and his unique songs are indeed alive and well and living at the St. Marcus Theatre. . .The New Line Theatre’s current production captures all the potent poetry of Brel, and it is surprisingly fresh and current, despite the sometimes strong political or social content.” – Steve Callahan, KDHX-FM PASSION (1996) “The New Line Theatre production of Passion is a triumph for director Scott Miller and his company. . . Miller’s cast and crew supply the fervor and understanding required to bring out the haunting melancholy of [James] Lapine’s book and [Stephen] Sondheim’s words and music.” – Gerry Kowarsky, St. Louis Post Dispatch “At once outrageous and courageous, Scott Miller’s production . . . has the audacity and insight to strip away the layers of pretension and seriousness that enveloped the original New York production. . . resulting in a wild, bold ride for the audience. Bring a friend, because you’ll have a lot to talk about. . . All involved deserve praise for attacking the difficult assignment with considerable intelligence, honesty, and of course, passion.” – Mike Isaacson, The Riverfront Time SWEENEY TODD (1996) “Under director Scott Miller, Sweeney appears in a completely different light, pared down and bitterly funny. . . Miller’s treatment makes sense and the tiny, peculiarly shaped St. Marcus Theatre is exactly the right setting for it. . . To be honest, I’ve seen Sweeney Todd before and never liked it. But this production made me consider it from a different perspective; I appreciate that.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Ultimately, it is the challenges that make Sweeney Todd, like so much Sondheim, a stimulating evening in the theatre.” – Box Wilcox, The Riverfront Times “I was
amazed at how beautifully the show fits in the tiny St. Marcus Theatre. . . I’m
now convinced that is how it is most effective.” – Steve Callahan, KDHX-FM OUT ON BROADWAY (1996) “A sweetly rewarding and happy surprise. . . Not since Tom Clear and Joan Lipkin’s Some of My Best Friends Are held court has a musical evening so expertly fused the intimacy, politics, and spirit of the St. Marcus. . . United in song and spirit, the cast and audience celebrate the fusion of a Broadway past into the home for a community’s political future.” – Mike Isaacson, The Riverfront Times “Entertaining and thought-provoking, Out on Broadway, the new revue from New Line Theatre, offers musical theatre with a decidedly different twist. . . It’s what theater, at its best, is for.” – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post Dispatch “A most thought-provoking, touching, and entertaining production.” – Christopher Jackson, News-Telegraph “Some of the evening’s best moments owe their power to flawless harmonizing.” – Harry Weber, The Riverfront Times IN THE BLOOD (1995) “Ideas
loom large in this work. The central one is ingenious. . . Two things do work
for me in In the Blood. One – and it
surprised me – was the vampire business. . . The other thing is the love story
between the vampire and the hematologist. . . Much of that emotional conviction
grows from [Author
and composer Scott] Miller’s music, which is, I think, the best score
he’s done for a show.” – Bob Wilcox, The Riverfront Times “Conflicts lead to high-voltage confrontations, but the verbal fireworks do not result in a choice or a resolution.” – Gerry Kowarsky, St. Louis Post Dispatch PIPPIN (1994) “If you
like musical theatre that goes for the guts, head for the St. Marcus Theatre . .
. where New Line’s Pippin runs.” – Bob Wilcox, The
Riverfront Times “Pippin seems to me to be New Line’s slickest production to date – skilled cast, excellent technical work, and polished vision. . . The pit band is nothing short of outstanding.” – Harry Weber, The Riverfront Times ASSASSINS (1994) “A surprisingly effective theater piece, in spite of, or perhaps because of, its unusual subject matter. The current production by the New Line Theatre brings out the best the show has to offer. . . The disparate elements of the show come together in large part because of the teamwork of the New Line cast. Individually, the performers all have fine moments, but they are at their best in what they do together.” – Gerry Kowarsky, St. Louis Post Dispatch “New Line Theatre’s current production at the St. Marcus Theatre shores up the unity of this analysis of presidential assassins. . . Assassins is ambitious, fascinating work.” – Bob Wilcox, The Riverfront Times “Anyone who tackles any Sondheim show and succeeds in entertaining without embarrassing themselves is a worthy force. But this group seems to go beyond that and strives for perfection in every aspect.” – Steve Allen, KFUO-FM BREAKING OUT IN HARMONY (1993) “There are a lot of truths – and a lot of questions – in Breaking Out in Harmony. . . [Author and composer Scott] Miller has dealt with a subject that continues to make news and cause controversy. . . Miller has written a musical that is ‘about something,’ and about something important too. It’s worth seeing, thinking about, and most important, acting on.” – Joe Pollack, St. Louis Post Dispatch “Some of Breaking Out’s songs are rousers.” – Harry Weber, The Riverfront Times ATTEMPTING THE ABSURD (1992) “[Author and composer Scott] Miller has a nice sense of the ridiculous. He also shows a good feeling for whimsy and, most important, he has a deep and abiding love for classic American musicals. I liked the show better than I thought I would; it’s collegiate, sometimes sophomoric, but there are moments of great charm.” – Joe Pollack, St. Louis Post Dispatch “About as good an evening of first-view musical comedy as I’ve seen for a while. . . Miller’s book, music, and lyrics range widely, intelligently, unsentimentally, and wittily over familiar and unfamiliar territory.” – Harry Weber, The Riverfront Times A TRIBUTE TO THE ROCK MUSICALS 2 (1992) “The impressively – sometimes overwhelmingly – enthusiastic, talented, skilled, and well-trained cast and band made A Tribute to the Rock Musicals 2 … a high-energy, highly entertaining evening.” – Bob Wilcox, The Riverfront Times |
Return to the New Line homepage
