Need to Vent? St. Louis' Most Entertaining Therapy Session Returns
By Grayling Holmes
In a time when everyone seems to have something to say—about politics, traffic, social media, cicadas, or simply the pace of modern life—one St. Louis theater company is offering a unique opportunity to get it all off your chest.
The catch? A talented ensemble of actors will immediately turn your thoughts into live theater.
Playback Now! St. Louis returns on Wednesday, June 17, with its popular interactive performance, Rant and Rave!, an evening of improvisational theater that transforms audience stories, frustrations, observations, and celebrations into spontaneous scenes, music, movement, and laughter.
Held at The Chapel in Clayton, the event has been described as an entertaining cross between "What's My Line?" and group therapy—a fitting description for a theatrical experience that is equal parts cathartic, insightful, and delightfully unpredictable.
Founded in 1975 by Jonathan Fox and Jo Salas, Playback Theatre is a highly specialized form of improvisation practiced on six continents. Unlike traditional improv comedy, Playback focuses on honoring the authentic experiences and emotions shared by audience members. Each story becomes the inspiration for an immediate theatrical response, created in real time by a skilled ensemble of performers.
At the heart of the St. Louis company is director and certified Playback conductor Joan Lipkin, founder of Playback Now! St. Louis and the region's only professional Playback troupe.
"People can actively participate and share what's on their minds or simply watch," Lipkin said. "Either way, it's engaging and often very funny."
Last year's event proved so popular that the company decided to bring it back, inviting audiences once again to share both what is troubling them and what is bringing them joy.
"We had a wonderful time at rehearsal last week," Lipkin said. "Some of us are tired of cicadas, so one of our improvs was about that. No theme is too small or too big. You feel what you feel, and we do our best to honor that."
The performances can take many forms. Actors may create living sculptures inspired by audience stories, invent songs on the spot, or perform fully improvised scenes, often accompanied by live music that underscores the emotional tone of the moment.
This is an example of Playback Theatre.
The cast for this year's performance includes Amity Haugk, Bob Baker, Jonathan Garland, Joan Lipkin, Nancy Nigh, Theresa Masters, and Tony DiPietri. Live accompaniment adds another dimension to an evening that thrives on spontaneity and connection.
While the subject matter often reflects the concerns of daily life, the atmosphere remains uplifting. Audience members frequently find themselves laughing at shared experiences while discovering unexpected common ground with complete strangers.
Lipkin intentionally keeps the performance to just one hour, creating what she describes as a theatrical reset button for busy lives.
"This is our gift to the community," she said. "It is a stressful time, and our many experiences doing Playback tell us that people usually leave with a smile on their face and feeling better."
Over the years, Playback Now! St. Louis has brought its unique form of interactive theater to organizations and venues including Webster University, Boeing, Monsanto, the Grand Center Theatre Crawl, Diversity Awareness Partnership, and the Missouri History Museum.
For those seeking an evening that is part performance, part conversation, and entirely unlike anything else on the St. Louis cultural calendar, Rant and Rave! offers a refreshing reminder of the power of storytelling—and the healing value of laughter.
Rant and Rave!
Wednesday, June 17
7:30–8:30 p.m.
The Chapel
6238 Alexander Drive
St. Louis, MO 63105
Admission is free. Guests are encouraged to make a suggested donation of $10 or more if able. No reservations are required.
Whether you choose to share your latest frustration, celebrate a recent triumph, or simply sit back and enjoy the creativity unfolding around you, one thing is guaranteed: no two performances will ever be the same.