Friday, December 30, 2011

Dear John

John Williams receiving the
2009 National Medal of Arts
Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Chorus, and Children’s Chorus conducted by David Robertson
What: Movie Music of John Williams
Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis
When: December 29 and 30, 2011

The St. Louis Symphony is revving up for its annual New Year’s Eve gala with a two-night celebration of the film music of John Williams, conducted with loving abandon by maestro David Robertson. With the Chorus and Children’s Chorus thrown into the mix, it all adds up to a joyful noise — and isn’t that largely what the season is all about?

John Williams, who will turn 80 next month, is probably the best-known and most frequently recorded film music composer of the last 100 years. He’s certainly one of the most honored, with five Oscars, four Golden Globes, twenty-one Grammys, seven BAFTA awards, and, for all I know, a partridge in a pear tree. His most visible work has been for blockbusters like Jurassic Park, the first Harry Potter film, and the Star Wars series, but (as Mr. Robertson pointed out in his entertaining commentary) Mr. Williams’s involvement with the film music business extends all the way back to his days as a jazz keyboardist and film and TV studio pianist. Remember piano riff for Peter Gunn? That’s him.

The audience probably expected an evening of Williams’s Monster Hits, and in this respect the program certainly did not disappoint, with familiar themes from Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Arc, and the Star Wars and Harry Potter movies. There were also selections that probably owe their popularity more to their prevalence on classical music radio than anything else. I’ve never seen Empire of the Sun, Saving Private Ryan, or Amistad, for example, but the uplifting “Exculpate Justi”, the solemn “Hymn to the Fallen”, and the moving “Dry Your Tears, Afrika” (adapted from a 1967 poem by Bernard Dadie) are as familiar to me as anything by Beethoven.

Throughout the evening, Mr. Roberson regaled the audience with cheery anecdotes and factual tidbits about John Williams and his music. Some conductors of Mr. Robertson’s stature might turn their noses up at this sort of thing, but he clearly loves it dearly and threw himself into his direction with the same passion he devotes to far more substantial fare. Put that together with the usual fine performances from the symphony musicians and the adult and children’s choruses, and the result was a holiday treat that was hard to resist, lightweight though it might have been.

Mr. Roberston even recorded the entire Friday night audience singing "Happy Birthday" to Mr. Williams for his 80th on February 8th.  How cool is that?

Yes, I had a couple of quibbles. I’d lose my Critic’s Secret Decoder Ring if I didn’t. The sound from our seats in the second row of the dress circle was rather brass heavy, for one thing, even allowing for Williams’s fondness for winds. And at two and one half hours, including two encores, the evening was perhaps just a bit too long, although it was nice to finally hear something I’d never heard before as the first encore — “Call of the Champions”, an elaborate fanfare for chorus and orchestra written for the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Still, I’m not complaining. The microtonal opening sequence from Close Encounters of the Third Kind can only be fully appreciated in a live performance, I think, and it was fun to hear the “Double Trouble” song from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (with lyrics by that Bill Shakespeare dude) performed by the Children’s Chorus.

As Eddie Silva points out in his program notes, the SLSO has had quite a public affair lately with movies and movie music, from live accompaniment for screenings of classic silents like Phantom of the Opera and City Lights to packaged extravaganzas like Bugs Bunny at the Symphony and Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Granted, it’s a match born out of financial necessity more than love, as these programs nearly always sell out and are probably quite profitable. But if they attract audiences who have never experienced the heady cocktail of a live orchestral performance then I, for one, am all for it. Now if only first-time concertgoers could get it through their heads that you don’t walk out during the curtain calls we’d all be happy.

Next at Powell Hall: December 31st brings the annual New Year’s Eve blowout, and the regular season resumes on January 13 and 14 with what appears to be a twilight-themed program of music by Richard Strauss (Four Last Songs, with Christine Brewer), George Crumb (A Haunted Landscape), and Antonin Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7. Program notes are available here.  David Robertson conducts. For more information you may call 314-534-1700, visit stlsymphony.org, like the Saint Louis Symphony Facebook page, or follow @slso on Twitter.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 26, 2011

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.  If I have left your show out, please leave a comment with all the details.

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The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

The Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

The Sheldon and The St. Louis Beacon present a concert version of The Mikado “sung by extraordinary young American singers and narrated by Michael Shapiro” on Sunday, January 1, at 7 PM at the Sheldon. The evening includes a champagne reception at 5:30 PM and a buffet supper at 8:15 PM followed by Cabaret Katisha, starring Christine Brewer and Craig Terry. The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington. For more information, visit stlbeacon.org/gala.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 19, 2011

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.  If I have left your show out, please leave a comment with all the details.

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The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer Tuesdays through Sundays through December 23. Performances take place on the main stage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

Beauty and the Beast
The Fox Theatre presents Disney's Beauty and the Beast Tuesday through Saturday, December 20 through 24. The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis's Imaginary Theatre Company presents a musical adaptation of The Elves And The Shoemaker through December 23. The show features music and lyrics by Neal Richardson of the Webster Conservatory faculty. Performances take place in the Heagney Theatre at_ Nerinx Hall High School, just behind the Rep in Webster Groves. For more information, visit repstl.org/itc or call 314-968-4925.

The Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

Friday, December 16, 2011

The Play's the Thing

Lillian Hellman
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True confessions time: I’m a slacker. Although I’ve been on the board and the play reading committee at the West End Players Guild for years, I haven’t really been reading my fair share of scripts.

Of course, the combination of a full-time career at AT&T and a part-time (albeit unpaid) career at 88.1 KDHX tended to diminish my enthusiasm for other pursuits, but that’s about to change. Because effective December 31st, I will have retired from that first career and as I’m on vacation until then, today is basically the first day of this new phase of my life.

I started it by reading a number of the plays we’re considering for the next season. It’s amazing the number of new plays and playwrights there are out there. Some of their work is really quite fine (Michael Hollinger’s “Opus”, for example), some very disturbing (David Harrower’s “Blackbird”), and some just deranged (Mark Schultz’s ”The Gingerbread House”. Oy.) but nearly all of it shows real creativity.

And then there are the older plays that haven’t been seen in many years and which may be due for resurrection. When was the last time you saw Lillian Hellman’s “Toys in the Attic” or “The Little Foxes” (as scathing an indictment of empty materialism as you will find anywhere)? And isn’t Arthur Miller’s portrayal of the personal cost of war profiteering in “All My Sons” as relevant now as it was when the piece was written? I think it is.

I don’t know what the 2012 – 2013 season will look like, but based on what I’ve been reading, it’s going to be a strong one. Stay tuned.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Sleigh bells ring-a-ding-ding

What: Christmas with the Rat Pack – Live at the Sands
When: December 7 – 18, 2011
Where: The Fox Theatre

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This is the season for guilty pleasures, and one of mine is that Lexus of celebrity impersonation shows, “The Rat Pack Live at the Sands”. The Christmas version is at the Fox, and if the Frank Sinatra I saw on opening night was not all that convincing, the spot-on Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. more than made up for it. The ghost of Christmas past never looked or sounded so good.

For those of you missed “The Rat Pack” when it came through town back in 2007, the show — originally produced in Great Britain as “The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas” — cranks the Celebrity Tribute knob up to 11 by reproducing a typical mid-1960s Las Vegas appearance by the ruling triumvirate of the Rat Pack: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. The package includes a genuine twelve-piece big band of local musicians led from the piano by tour music director Dominic Barlow and a trio of powerfully talented backup performers billed as The Burelli Sisters. It’s all wrapped up with flashy period sets and lighting that evoke pre–theme park Vegas, complete with wired microphones and a fully-stocked liquor cart.

The Christmas-themed version downplays the appropriately raunchy humor of the regular “Rat Pack” show (presumably on the assumption that there will be children in the audience) and adds a raft of seasonal hits to the song list, but otherwise the glossy, retro-hipster spirit is the same.

In order for the show to work, of course, all three impersonations have to get over the disbelief-suspension threshold and let us fool ourselves into reacting as we would to the original performers. The clear leader in that regard is Mark Adams as Dean Martin — not surprising, given that he’s an Olivier Award–nominated member of the original West End cast. He sounds, moves, and even looks so much like Martin in his prime that suspension of disbelief is no longer willing — it’s inevitable.

It’s easy to dismiss celebrity impersonation, of course, but when it gets this accurate you’ve got to acknowledge that it’s just plain old good acting. The applause for Mr. Adams’s performances of Martin hits like “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head”, “Everybody Loves Somebody”, and “Volare” was hearty and deserved.

Giles Terera’s Sammy Davis Jr. is just as impressive. Another veteran of the British “Rat Pack”, he has Davis’s voice and cocky style down pat. He also moves with that experienced dancer’s grace that typified Davis — which makes it a pity that director/choreographer Mitch Sebastian hasn’t given him a solo dance number. He sings Davis classics like “Once in a Lifetime” with authority and his Christmas carol medley in the second act was truly impressive. Beginning with only a drum solo as accompaniment and building to a rousing big band finish, the number requires a performer with an ironclad sense of pitch and rhythm. The late Mr. Davis had it, and it would appear that Mr. Terera does as well.

The official Frank Sinatra for this tour is Stephen Triffitt, another West End alumnus, but difficulties with his visa have delayed his arrival in St. Louis. On opening night his place was taken by the alternate, Alex Banks. An experienced voice-over artist with his own Sinatra tribute show, Mr. Banks should have been persuasive in the role, but while he had some of Sinatra’s basic style down, he neither looked nor sounded very much like the real thing. Mr. Banks is clearly a solid performer in his own right, but I was left with the impression that he simply hadn’t yet managed to fully inhabit his role.

In the saving-the-best-for-last department, allow me to lavish some praise on Soophia Foroughi, Grace Holdstock, and Frankie Jenna, a.k.a. The Burelli Sisters. Decked out in a dazzling and constantly changing array of slinky outfits, the trio combines precisely timed showgirl dance moves with Andrews Sisters–style close vocal harmony. They’re on stage for much of the evening, sometimes on their own but more often backing up the stars. Their work so perfectly captures the style of the era, though, that “backup” hardly begins to describe it. It might be more accurate to say they’re the backbone of the show. Certainly it would be less impressive without them.

Accompanying everything was that classic big band I mentioned earlier, playing both original arrangements by music supervisor Matthew Freeman and classic charts by Nelson Riddle and Don Costa. This is the kind of group you rarely get to hear these days, with a full complement of trombones, trumpets, and saxes. The players had, I’m told, no real rehearsal with the cast, but you wouldn’t have known it from the tight, solid sound they produced.

So, dig: for a cool Yule, check out “Christmas with the Rat Pack — Live at the Sands” at The Fox through December 18. Yeah, the Chairman of the Board might not be all there, but you still get Deano, Sammy, the fabulous Burelli babes, and those swingin’ cats in the band. For more information, you may surf over to fabulousfox.com or give ‘em a ring-a-ding-ding at 314-534-1678.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 12, 2011

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.  If I have left your show out, please leave a comment with all the details.

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The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer Tuesdays through Sundays through December 23. Performances take place on the main stage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Black Nativity
The Black Rep presents Black Nativity: A Holiday Celebration through December 18. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, visit theblackrep.org or call 314-534-3810. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

Feed My People presents a Christmas Cabaret starring Tim Schall and 88.1 KDHX's own Deborah Sharn with Carol Schmidt on piano and Rick Vice on bass, on Sunday, December 18, at 2 PM. The show takes place at the Garden of Life Spiritual Center, 9525 Eddie and Park Road (near Grant's Farm). All proceeds from this fund-raising event will benefit Feed My People. For more information, call 636-489-8472.

The Hawthorne Players present A Christmas Carol December 16 through 18. Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 921-5678 or visit hawthorneplayers.com.

Christmas with the Rat Pack
The Fox Theatre presents Christmas with the Rat Pack - Live at the Sands Tuesdays through Sundays through December 18. The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Peabody Opera House presents Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas - The Musical December 7 through 18. For more information, visit peabodyoperahouse.com or call 314-622-5420. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis's Imaginary Theatre Company presents a musical adaptation of The Elves And The Shoemaker December 17 through 23. The show features music and lyrics by Neal Richardson of the Webster Conservatory faculty. Performances take place in the Heagney Theatre at_ Nerinx Hall High School, just behind the Rep in Webster Groves. For more information, visit repstl.org/itc or call 314-968-4925.

The Black Rep presents a staged reading of Facing the Shadow by Sheila Payton on Monday, December 12, at 7 PM, as part of their New Play Readings series. The reading takes place at The Black Rep administrative offices, 1717 Olive. For more information, call 314-534-3810 or visit theblackrep.org/

Black Cat Theatre presents A Holiday Cabaret Friday and Saturday, December 16 and 17, at 8 PM. Performances take place at Black Cat Theatre, 2810 Sutton in Maplewood. For more information, call (314) 781-8300 or visit www.blackcattheatre.org.

Dramatic License Productions presents A Holiday Cabaret through December 18. Featured performers are Ron Biggs, Zoe Vonder Haar, April Strelinger, and Brian Kim. For more information, call 636-220-7012 or visit www.dramaticlicenseproductions.com.

The Black Mirror Theatre Company presents Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett through December 17. Performances take place at Firecracker Press, 2838 Cherokee. Tickets are available at the door. For more information, call 314-740-6514 or visit www.blackmirrortheatre.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Last Night of Ballyhoo
New Jewish Theatre presents Alfred Uhry's The Last Night Of Ballyhoo through December 18. Performances take place at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the JCCA, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, call 314-442-3283 or visit www.newjewishtheatre.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The West County YMCA Y-Rep Kids present The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe December 16 through 18. The West County YMCA is at 16464 Burkhardt Place in Chesterfield, MO. For more information, call 636-532-6515 ext. 227.

The Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

Topper Productions presents St. Louis native Craig Pomranz in his new holiday show Love and the Clock on Saturday, December 17, at 7 and 9 PM. The Kranzberg Center is at 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.topperproductionsllc.com

The St. Louis Actors' Studio presents the comedy My Three Angels through December 18 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Santaland Diaries
Stray Dog Theatre presents The Santaland Diaries Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through December 17. Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

The Presenters Dolan presents The Webster University Cabaret Student Showcase on Tuesday, December 13, at 7 and 9:30 PM at The Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. Seven students from Webster University will each be doing their own 15-minute cabaret shows under the direction of Neal Richardson and Lara Teeter of the Musical Theatre program at Webster. For more information, call 314-725-4200 stn. 10 or visit licketytix.com.

Monday, December 05, 2011

Songs for all the seasons of your mind

Osvaldo Golijov
Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ward Stare with violinist Jennifer Koh
What: Music of Schubert, Vivaldi, and Osvaldo Golijov
Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis
When: December 2 through 4, 2011

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Friday night St. Louis Symphony Resident Conductor Ward Stare had neither score nor baton but lots of panache when he stepped up to the podium to conduct an utterly captivating Schubert “Symphony No 5”. And the best was yet to come: the local premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s fascinating Sidereus and a wonderfully dramatic approach to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, with irresistible solo work by Jennifer Koh. It was a night of big music for (mostly) small orchestra.

This was only my second opportunity to see Mr. Stare conduct an entire program on his own and he was, once again, impressive. With or without a baton, his communication with the orchestra was always clear and his concentration obviously intense. I have noted before that Mr. Stare is a conductor whose star is in the ascendant, and his work here did nothing to contradict that assessment.

Mr. Stare’s Schubert was a nice balance of classical discipline and romantic lyricism. Tempi were brisk but never felt rushed. The joy, drama, and sense of unfolding song were all there. The Fifth is a symphony that, while clearly in the Classical style, contains elements (particularly in the Andante con moto and Menuetto) that look forward to the more overtly Romantic sensibilities of later Schubert and his successors. Mr. Stare’s interpretation honored both worlds.

The orchestral playing was at its usual high level, with fine work from everyone — and a particular tip of the topper is due to principal flautist Mark Sparks. If you want to take the true measure of an orchestra, note the quality of the sound when they’re playing chamber music. The Schubert Fifth is essentially a chamber symphony and the musicians gave it the fine playing it demanded.

The second half of the program promised (and delivered) some first-rate Vivaldi, but first there was the local premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s 2010 mini tone poem, Sidereus. Inspired by the expanded view of the heavens that Galileo experienced with his telescope and described in his 1610 treatise Sidereus Nuncius, the work employs an interesting variety of compositional techniques and canny orchestration (including some wonderful solo and soli passages for the winds) to conjure up a sense of vast, celestial space. The language is clearly modern while still being entirely approachable.

Whenever I hear a new work, I always ask myself whether or not I’d like to hear it again. In this case, not only would I like to hear Sidereus again, I’d very much like to find out what Mr. Golijov’s other compositions sound like. If Sidereus is any indication, he has managed to synthesize academic, theatrical, and popular music elements, especially those of his native Argentina, into a unique personal style. It makes me intensely curious about his larger scale works.

Jennifer Koh
The program concluded with a very theatrical and highly entertaining Four Seasons with Jennifer Koh as the violin soloist. Ms. Koh is a veritable dynamo of a performer, shaking her head and tearing into the fast movements with ferocity and singing the slow ones. Her tone was appropriately dry overall and her ornamentation (those little melodic embellishments that are part of Baroque performance practice) sounded right to my non-expert ears.

She also worked well with the ensemble. Her exchange of birdcalls with Concertmaster David Halen in the first movement of the “Spring” concerto was particularly captivating, calling to mind the way traditional Appalachian fiddlers trade licks. There were also memorable moments with Principal Cellist Daniel Lee and harpsichordist Maryse Carlin.

Ms. Koh and Mr. Stare gave us a Four Seasons filled with dramatic contrasts. The winter ice was brittle (with fittingly chilling harmonics in the strings), the summer storms violent, and the autumnal folk dances jolly. It’s a reminder of how effective Vivaldi was in evoking strong visual images without any of the instrumental technology that contemporary composers can employ. It’s a reminder, as well, of how much room for invention there is in performing this music while staying true to the composer’s intent.

The remainder of December at Powell Hall will be taken up with special holiday events, including A Gospel Christmas with the IN UNISON chorus, a John Williams movie music program, and the annual New Year’s Eve gala. The regular subscription season resumes January 13 and 14, 2012, with Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7, George Crumb’s 1984 A Haunted Landscape, and Strauss’s Four Last Songs with St. Louis’s own Christine Brewer. David Robertson conducts. For more information you may call 314-534-1700, visit stlsymphony.org, like the Saint Louis Symphony Facebook page, or follow @slso on Twitter.

Sunday, December 04, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 5, 2011

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.  If I have left your show out, please leave a comment with all the details.

Share on Google+

The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer Tuesdays through Sundays through December 23. Performances take place on the main stage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Union Avenue Opera presents Menotti's Amahl And The Night Visitors Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 5 PM, and Sunday at 3 PM, December 9 through 11. Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-361-2881.

Black Nativity
The Black Rep presents Black Nativity: A Holiday Celebration through December 18. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, visit theblackrep.org or call 314-534-3810. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

St. Louis Cabaret presents Christmas Cabaret on Friday, December 9, at 7:30 PM. The evening features nine local cabaret artists with Ronald Bryant at the piano. The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.stlcabaret.com.

The Fox Theatre presents Christmas with the Rat Pack - Live at the Sands Tuesdays through Sundays, December 6 through 18. The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

O'Fallon TheatreWorks presents A Dickens of a Christmas Carol: A Traveling Travesty through Two Tumultous Acts at the O'Fallon Municipal Centre auditorium through December 11. Curtain is 8:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays and 2:00 PM on Sundays. The O'Fallon Municipal Centre is located at 100 North Main Street in O'Fallon, MO. For more information, visit www.ofallon.mo.us or call 636-379-5606.

Peabody Opera House presents Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas - The Musical December 7 through 18. For more information, visit peabodyoperahouse.com or call 314-622-5420.

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the musical Godspell through December 11. “This musical salute to the Gospel of Matthew will be set in the streets of downtown St. Louis.” Performances take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Dramatic License Productions presents A Holiday Cabaret through December 18. Featured performers are Ron Biggs, Zoe Vonder Haar, April Strelinger, and Brian Kim. For more information, call 636-220-7012 or visit www.dramaticlicenseproductions.com.

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents Lanford Wilson's The Hot L Baltimore Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through December 11. Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium on the Webster University campus. Fore more information, call 314-968-7128. For more information, call 314-968-7128. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

It's a Wonderful Life - Live!
The St. Louis Shakespeare Company's Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre presents It's A Wonderful Life: Live! Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, December 2 through 10, at the Emerson Black Box Theatre on the campus of Lindenwood University. For more information, visit stlshakespeare.org, call 314-361-5664, or email: info at stlshakespeare.org.

Jesus Hopped the A Train
R-S Theatrics, an offshoot of Soundstage Productions, presents the drama Jesus Hopped The A Train at 8 PM through December 10. Performances take place in The ArtSpace at 214 Crestwood Court. For more information, you may email RSTheatrics at yahoo.com or call 314-968-8070. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Black Mirror Theatre Company presents Krapp's Last Tape by Samuel Beckett December 9 through 17. Performances take place at Firecracker Press, 2838 Cherokee. Tickets are available at the door. For more information, call 314-740-6514 or visit www.blackmirrortheatre.com.

The Last Night of Ballyhoo
New Jewish Theatre presents Alfred Uhry's The Last Night Of Ballyhoo through December 18. Performances take place at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the JCCA, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, call 314-442-3283 or visit www.newjewishtheatre.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Department of Theater and Dance presents A Mato Mosaic by Jose Tojo Wednesday and Thursday, November 30 and December 1, at 7:30 PM; and Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through December 11. Performances take place in the Metcalf Theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774.

The St. Louis Actors' Studio presents the comedy My Three Angels through December 18 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Santaland Diaries
Stray Dog Theatre presents The Santaland Diaries Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, December 1 through 17. Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

HotCity Theatre presents the satirical Whammy! The Seven Secrets to a Sane Self, conceived by HotCity's Chuck Harper in collaboration with the SIU Edwardsville Department of Theatre and Dance, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM, through December 10. The show explores "what would happen if you took the idea of 'self-help' and the industry that surrounds it, smashed it together with Stanley Kramer's 1964 comic film It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, and then looked at this smashup through the lens of a dream." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.hotcitytheatre.org or call 314-289-4063.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Rhythm and hues

Celeste Golden Boyer
Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Robertson with violinist Celeste Golden Boyer and the Juan Carmona ensemble
What: Music of Chabrier, Saint-Saëns, Ravel, and Juan Carmona
Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis
When: November 25 and 26, 2011

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A longer than usual Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra concert Friday night was also long on excitement. We had impressive violin technique by Second Associate Concertmaster Celeste Golden Boyer in Saint-Saëns’s Introduction and Rondo capriccioso, brilliant orchestral writing by Chabrier (España) and Ravel (Rhapsodie espagnole, Bolero), and visceral thrills from guitarist/composer Juan Carmona and his troupe in the North American premiere of Carmona’s Sinfonia Flamenca. The piece itself is a bit of a mixed bag, but there was no denying the vitality of the performance.

Originally composed in 2006, the Sinfonia incorporates a variety of different melodic and rhythmic flamenco traditions into a three-movement work for orchestra and solo ensemble. It is, as the composer himself acknowledges, “a risky undertaking because we’re mixing two different philosophies: the flamenco one, which is oral tradition from the grass roots, and the classical world, which is more intellectual and is written.” It also makes for a dicey acoustic mix since, at least in these performances, the flamenco musicians are amplified.

Melding such radically different approaches requires, to my way of thinking, the kind of deep knowledge of the traditional orchestra and its instruments that would allow the larger group to be integrated with the soloists. I would think that Mr. Carmona, with his Paris Conservatory training would have that knowledge, but if so he has not seen fit to employ here. As it is, the Sinfonia Flamenca uses the orchestra largely as a homogenous back-up band for Mr. Carmona and his fellow performers.

Juan Carmona
But then, it’s Mr. Carmona and his fellow performers who generated the most excitement Friday night. Yes, the orchestra did their usual fine work and Mr. Robertson was so caught up in the music that he did almost as much dancing on the podium as Carmona ensemble member Nino de los Reyes did on the plywood platform set up for that purpose downstage. Ultimately, though, it was the energy, virtuosity, and intimate, chamber music-style give and take of the guest artists that won over me and (judging from the thunderous applause) the rest of the audience.

The official program lists the Carmona ensemble as follows: Juan Carmona, guitar; Paco Carmona, guitar; Domingo Patricio, flute; El Kiki, vocals; Nino de los Reyes, dancer; and Sergio Martinez, percussion. In reality, though, nearly all of them acted as percussionists at some point, given the importance of hand clapping, finger snapping, and (of course) the athletic, staccato dancing that codifies “flamenco” in the popular imagination. Mr. de los Reyes’s flashy footwork drew the most attention, but each of the six was striking in his own way. Given how hard it often was to hear Mr. Carmona and his players clearly (despite the amplification) it would have been nice to hear them perform by themselves as an encore instead of what we got, which was a repeat of a movement from the Sinfonia.

The remainder of the program was devoted to French music with a Spanish connection, opening with Emmanuel Chabrier’s infectiously cheerful España from 1883. The product of an Iberian vacation in 1882 (during which Chabrier was apparently obsessed with both Spanish music and Spanish women), España was an immense hit and a big boost for the composer’s career. Watching it performed live, I was reminded of what a skilled orchestrator Chabrier was. The music is filled with charming and witty touches as its irresistible melodies are tossed back and forth between sections. Mr. Robertson gave it a brisk but never rushed reading that allowed all the composer’s little touches to come through.

Up next was Saint-Saëns’s Introduction and Rondo capriccioso for violin and orchestra. Originally written for the legendary Spanish violinist and composer Pablo de Sarasate in 1863, the work’s attractive tunes and flashy writing have made it a hit with violinists and audiences ever since. As was the case last week, Mr. Robertson gave a symphony member the opportunity to step into a solo role. Second Associate Concertmaster Celeste Golden Boyer played with fierce concentration and great facility, earning a well-deserved standing ovation. As much as audiences love to see big-name soloists in front of the orchestra, it’s good to be reminded that we have world-class players in the home-town band.

Concluding both the first and second halves of the program were works by Maurice Ravel, who was born in the Basque region of France and spent much of his youth in Spain. His Rhapsodie espagnole, written in 1907 and 1908, was his first major orchestral work and, with its evocation of sultry nights, sensuous dances, and fiery festivals, demonstrates the ingenious use of instrumental color that would mark the rest of his career. The attention to detail and flexible interpretation of tempi that have served Mr. Robertson so well in the past did so here as well, delivering a performance that did full justice to the many moods of the appealing music and brought the first part of the evening to an impressive close.

Ravel’s ever-popular Bolero was the finale of the program and, really what is there to be said about it? Ravel himself apparently began to view it in somewhat the same way that Rachmaninoff came to view his equally popular “Prelude in C-sharp minor”: as a career milestone that eventually became a millstone. At least Ravel wasn’t obliged to perform it everywhere he went. It is, in any case, music that never fails to entertain, especially when the many solo passages are performed with the kind of consummate skill we got on Friday night. It generated the usually visceral excitement and sent us all home with smiles on our faces. And for that, we were all thankful.

Next at Powell Hall: December 2 through 4, Ward Stare is on the podium for Schubert’s Symphony No. 5 and the St. Louis premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s Sidereus, with Jennifer Koh as the violin soloist for Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. For more information you may call 314-534-1700, visit stlsymphony.org, like the Saint Louis Symphony Facebook page, or follow @slso on Twitter.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 28, 2011

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.  If I have left your show out, please leave a comment with all the details.

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The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents The Adventures Of Tom Sawyer Tuesdays through Sundays, November 30 through December 23. Performances take place on the main stage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

Black Nativity
The Black Rep presents Black Nativity: A Holiday Celebration through December 18. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, visit theblackrep.org or call 314-534-3810.

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

A Christmas Carol
at the Fox
The Fox Theatre presents the Nebraska Theatre Caravan's musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol Thursday through Sunday, December 1 through 4. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

Lindenwood University's J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts presents A Christmas Carol Thursday through Saturday, December 1 through 3, at 7:30 PM. The Scheidegger Center is on the Lindenwood campus in St Charles MO. For more information, visit lindenwood.edu/center.

Curtain's Up Theatre Company presents A Christmas Story, based on stories of Jean Shepherd, Thursday through Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, December 1 through 4. Performances take place at the Webster School Auditorium in Collinsville, IL. For more information, visit curtainsuptheater.com.

O'Fallon TheatreWorks presents A Dickens of a Christmas Carol: A Traveling Travesty through Two Tumultous Acts at the O'Fallon Municipal Centre auditorium December 2 through 11. Curtain is 8:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays and 2:00 PM on Sundays. The O'Fallon Municipal Centre is located at 100 North Main Street in O'Fallon, MO. For more information, visit www.ofallon.mo.us or call 636-379-5606.

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the musical Godspell through December 11. “This musical salute to the Gospel of Matthew will be set in the streets of downtown St. Louis.” Performances take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Dramatic License Productions presents A Holiday Cabaret December 1 through 18. Featured performers are Ron Biggs, Zoe Vonder Haar, April Strelinger, and Brian Kim. For more information, call 636-220-7012 or visit www.dramaticlicenseproductions.com.

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents Lanford Wilson's The Hot L Baltimore Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, November 30 through December 11. Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium on the Webster University campus. Fore more information, call 314-968-7128. For more information, call 314-968-7128.

It's a Wonderful Life - Live!
The St. Louis Shakespeare Company's Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre presents It's A Wonderful Life: Live! Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, December 2 through 10, at the Emerson Black Box Theatre on the campus of Lindenwood University. For more information, visit stlshakespeare.org, call 314-361-5664, or email: info at stlshakespeare.org.

R-S Theatrics, an offshoot of Soundstage Productions, presents the drama Jesus Hopped The A Train at 8 PM December 1 through 10. Performances take place in The ArtSpace at 214 Crestwood Court. For more information, you may email RSTheatrics at yahoo.com or call 314-968-8070.

The Crestwood/Kirkwood Youth Theatre presents the musical The Jungle Book Kids Thursday through Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, December 1 through 4. Performances take place at the Robert G. Reim Theater in Kirkwood Community Center. Call 314-822-5855 for more information.

Shooting Star Productions presents Just In The Nick Of Time Thursday through Sunday, December 1 through 4. “Santa has been Kidnapped... will Christmas happen this year?” Performances take place at Visitation Academy, 3020 N Ballas Road. For more information, visit shootingstarproductions.org.

The Last Night
of Ballyhoo
New Jewish Theatre presents Alfred Uhry's The Last Night Of Ballyhoo December 1 through 18. Performances take place at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the JCCA, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, call 314-442-3283 or visit www.newjewishtheatre.org.

The Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Department of Theater and Dance presents A Mato Mosaic by Jose Tojo Wednesday and Thursday, November 30 and December 1, at 7:30 PM; and Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, December 2 through 11. Performances take place in the Metcalf Theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774.

The St. Louis Actors' Studio presents the comedy My Three Angels December 2 through 18 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

The Avalon Theatre Company presents Portrait Of My People Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM, December 3 and 4. Performances take place in the ArtSpace at Crestwood Court. For more information, visit avalontheatre.org.

The Santaland Diaries
Stray Dog Theatre presents The Santaland Diaries Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, December 1 through 17. Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

HotCity Theatre presents the satirical Whammy! The Seven Secrets to a Sane Self, conceived by HotCity's Chuck Harper in collaboration with the SIU Edwardsville Department of Theatre and Dance, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM, December 1 through 10. The show explores "what would happen if you took the idea of 'self-help' and the industry that surrounds it, smashed it together with Stanley Kramer's 1964 comic film It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, and then looked at this smashup through the lens of a dream." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.hotcitytheatre.org or call 314-289-4063.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Sound and fury

Erin Schreiber
Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Robertson with violinist Erin Schreiber
What: Music of Purcell, Berio, and Bruckner
Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis
When: November 18 and 19, 2011

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Writers of music criticism seem unable to discuss the symphonies of Anton Bruckner without invoking the imagery of the Gothic cathedral. Perhaps that’s because they so strongly suggest a connection between the material and ethereal planes – great blocks of sound alternating with moments of otherworldly beauty. The St. Louis Symphony erected a particularly fine Bruckner 7th cathedral on the Powell Hall stage this weekend, preceded by some flashy (if superficial) Berio and sublime Purcell.

It was, as you might imagine, an evening of strong contrasts. This was most apparent in the brief first part of the program, consisting of two radically different works based on the chaconne – a musical form in which a short, repeated melody (usually in the bass line) forms the basis for a series of variations.

The opening work, Henry Purcell’s sublime Chacony in G minor, is a classic example. Originally composed for a viol consort in the 1680s, the composer later expanded the Chacony into an elaborate five-minute fantasia for string orchestra that rings elaborate changes on a deceptively simple-sounding tune. The Symphony strings were truly in their element here, with beautiful tone and perfect intonation.

Beauty, on the other hand, seems to have been the last thing on Luciano Berio’s mind when he wrote the 1981 Corale (on Sequenza VIII) for violin, two horns, and strings. Although the program annotator attempts to make a case for the notion that the work’s focus on two notes – A and B – makes it a kind of chaconne, this strikes me a stretching the definition of the term past the breaking point. To my ears, the Corale is mini concerto that pays indirect homage to the Baroque concerto grosso. A few truly sublime moments for the solo violin aside, the sound is, for the most part, raucously dissonant (often reminiscent of a beehive on full alert) with alarmingly difficult writing for soloist and orchestra alike.

Barefoot and dressed in a flowing black gown, symphony Assistant Concertmaster Erin Schreiber took the solo role and seriously rocked the house. She attacked the aggressive passages (which take up most of the work’s 15-minute length) with athletic vigor, stamping her foot to keep time, but was equally at home the in the occasional flights of lyric beauty. Mr. Robertson and the orchestra were with her all the way, with especially impressive work from the horns, to whom Berio assigns some solo passages that are every bit as startling as the violin line.

Symphony audiences are sometimes overly generous with their standing ovations, but in this case it was well earned. The Corale”may ultimately be a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing, but it certainly does give a virtuoso ensemble like ours a chance to shine.

The major event of the evening, of course, was the Symphony No. 7 by Anton Bruckner. First performed in 1884 and not heard locally since Hans Vonk conducted it back in 1997 (an excellent recording of which is available at the Symphony Boutique), the 7th is in some ways the quintessential Bruckner symphony. The opening movement alternates moments of great, heaven-storming power and quiet mystery, the Adagio builds to a rapturous climax, the Scherzo swings back and forth between the demonic and the bucolic, and the Finale builds inexorably to sheer, brass-heavy exultation. If you only want one Bruckner symphony in your collection, this would be it.

Each movement of the 7th is a kind of world unto itself, and not just because of the sheer length of each ("In the first movement alone,” Sir Thomas Beecham once remarked, “I took note of six pregnancies and at least four miscarriages."). Time seems to act differently here, with each movement incorporating so much emotional depth that it can feel both shorter and longer than the clock indicates. The challenge for the conductor is to fully realize each of those musical environments without losing a sense of what Mr. Robertson refers to as the work’s “insistent pulse”.

Not surprisingly, Mr. Robertson and his forces were fully up to that challenge. Every decision he made felt right to me, and they all contributed to the cumulative power of the music. Tempi were well chosen, and even when (as in the Adagio) they didn’t quite suit my taste, they nonetheless made sense in the context of his overall view of the symphony. The orchestral sound was delicious, some minor intonation issues in the brasses not withstanding, and balances were very good.

That’s no small task given the expanded brass contingent, which includes four “Wagner tubas” – instruments in the euphonium range but with smaller bells and French horn mouthpieces. Mr. Robertson’s decision to divide the brass into two groups on opposite sides of the stage and place the basses at the very back on a raised platform probably helped in that regard. When dealing with forces of this size, some creative staging can’t hurt.

The complexity and length of Bruckner’s symphonies and the number of musicians required make them relative rarities on concert programs. Let’s hope the Symphony builds on the success of this weekend’s 7th by programming more Bruckner in the future. I’d love to hear a good live performance of the apocalyptic 8th or the more concise 4th myself.

Next at Powell Hall: On November 25 and 26, David Robertson returns with a program more oriented towards the tried and true with Saint-Saëns ‘s Introduction and Rondo capriccioso, Ravel’s Rhapsodie espagnole and Bolero, and the premiere of Juan Carmona’s Sinfonia Flamenca. Second Associate Concertmaster Celeste Golden Boyer has solo honors in the Saint-Saëns. Perhaps this will pull back some regulars who were apparently put off by Berio and/or Bruckner. For more information you may call 314-534-1700, visit stlsymphony.org, like the Saint Louis Symphony Facebook page, or follow @slso on Twitter.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 21, 2011

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.  If I have left your show out, please leave a comment with all the details.

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Windsor Theatre Group presents The 1930s: Its Music and Its Stars Fridays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 3 and 7:30 PM, and Sundays at 3 PM through November 27. Performances take place in the ArtSpace at 220 Crestwood Court. For more information, call 314-832-2114 or visit windsortheatregroup.com.

Black Nativity
The Black Rep presents Black Nativity: A Holiday Celebration November 26 through December 18. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, visit theblackrep.org or call 314-534-3810.

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the musical Godspell through December 11. “This musical salute to the Gospel of Matthew will be set in the streets of downtown St. Louis.” Performances take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

The Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

Mamma Mia!
The Fox Theatre presents musical Mamma Mia!, based on the songs of ABBA, November 22 through 27. The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

The Tesseract Theatre Company presents a free reading of Parabolis by local playwrights David and Jules Crespy on Wednesday, November 23, at 7:00 PM at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar (across the street from The Pageant). Visit www.tesseracttheatre.org for more info or email contact at tesseracttheatre.org.

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents Ramona Quimby, based on the books of Newberry Medal-winning writer Beverly Clearly, on Friday and Saturday, November 25 and 26, at 2 PM. Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.florissantmo.com.

Sunday, November 13, 2011

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 14, 2011

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.  If I have left your show out, please leave a comment with all the details.

Share on Google+

Windsor Theatre Group presents The 1930s: Its Music and Its Stars Fridays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 3 and 7:30 PM, and Sundays at 3 PM through November 27. Performances take place in the ArtSpace at 220 Crestwood Court. For more information, call 314-832-2114 or visit windsortheatregroup.com.

Center Stage Theatre at St. Charles Community College presents The 39 Steps Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, November 16 through 20. Performances take place in the Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building on the campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO. For more information, call 636-922-8050 or visit stchas.edu.

Anatol
Washington University Performing Arts Department presents Anatol, “Arthur Schnitzler's strikingly modern deconstruction of a dapper but self-deluding would-be Don Juan”, Thursday and Friday and Saturday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 and 8 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM, November 17 through 20. Performances take place in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543.

Citilites Theatre presents Maltby and Shire's musical Baby Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 20. Performances take place at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-773-1879. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents the comedy Blithe Spirit through November 20 in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618 939 7469.

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on “select Saturdays” at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street, and on the first and third Friday of each month at The Fox Hole at The Atomic Cowboy, 4140 Manchester in The Grove. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

Topper Productions presents Cabaret and Cabernet, a cabaret showcase featuring seven local singers with Don Kellembach on piano, on Wednesday, November 16. Dinner begins at 7 and the show at 8; admission price includes dinner and a glass of wine as well as the show. The performance takes place at The Wine Press, 4436 Olive. For more information, call 314-965-2526.

Cannibal! The Musical!
Crestwood Booth Theatre presents Trey Parker's Cannibal! The Musical -- Live!!! through November 19. Performances take place at Crestwood ArtSpace, 109 Crestwood Plaza, Suite 134 - near the southeast mall entrance. For more information, visit www.Cannibal-STL.com or call the Cannibal! Hotline 314-662-0097. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents the musical Carousel Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, November 16 through 20. Performances take place on the Browning Mainstage Theatre of the Loretto-Hilton Center 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. For more information, call 314-968-7128.

The Alton Little Theater presents the drama Children of a Lesser God through November 20 at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618-462-6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the musical Godspell November 18 through December 11. “This musical salute to the Gospel of Matthew will be set in the streets of downtown St. Louis.” Performances take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

HotCity Theatre presents the Greenhouse New Play Festival Friday and Saturday at at 7 PM and Sunday at 4 PM, November 18 through 20. The plays are Release Point by Gino Dilorio (Friday), Goodbye Ruby Tuesday by EM Lewis (Saturday), and Shake and Be Saved! by Christopher Wall (Sunday). Performances are free and take place at the Centene Center, 3547 Olive in Grand Center. For more information, call 314.289.4060 or visit hotcitytheatre.org.

OnSite Productions presents Hit-Story by Carter Lewis through November 20. The production is “set in Clayton's high-performance fitness center”, Sweat, at 8011 Maryland Avenue. For more information, visit onsitetheatre.org or call 314-686-0062. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

Muddy Waters Theatre Company presents Paula Vogel's How I Learned to Drive Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 20. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand at Olive in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-799-8399. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

The Edison Theatre at Washington University Presents the “live-action graphic novel” Intergalactic Nemesis Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19, at 8 PM. Performances take place in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information, call (314) 935-6543, e-mail edison@wustl.edu or visit edison.wustl.edu.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Joshua's Boots, an opera for young people by Adolphus Hailstork and Susan Kander, on Friday, November 18, at 7 PM at the Touhill Performaing Arts Center on the University of Missouri St. Louis campus. For more information, visit touhill.org or call 314-516-4949.

The Improv Trick hosts weekly Long Form Improv performances every Tuesday at 7:30 PM at Lemmons Restaurant, 5800 Gravois. Long form improv features 15 to 20 minute sketches based entirely on audience suggestions, with audience participation strongly encouraged. For more information, visit theimprovtrick.com.

Metro Theatre Company presents Tomato Plant Girl Saturday and Sunday at 3 PM, November 19 and 20. Performances take place in the Mainstage Auditorium at Clayton High School. For more information visit metrotheatercompany.org.

The COCA Family Theatre Series presents Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters Friday through Sunday, November 18 through 20. COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Murdering Marlowe
The West End Players Guild presents Charles Marowitz's Murdering Marlowe, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 20. “William Shakespeare is an aspiring playwright desperate to make his mark in London. The greatest obstacle to his success is the prominence of Christopher Marlowe, the 'superstar' of the Elizabethan theatre. This intriguing thriller explores the high price of envy, love and blind ambition, all played out among the familiar names of Shakespeare's day.” Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-367-0025 or visit westendplayers.org. The play is directed by 88.1 KDHX theatre critic Robert A. Mitchell. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

The Missouri History Museum presents The Black Rep and The St. Louis Actors' Studio production of Palmer Park Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 3 PM through November 20. The performances take place in the Lee Auditorium at the History Museum at Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park. For more information, you may visit mohistory.org or call (314) 361-9017. Read the 88.1 KDHX Review!

Clayton Community Theatre presents the drama A Piece of My Heart Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 8 PM through November 20. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents Ramona Quimby, based on the books of Newberry Medal-winning writer Beverly Clearly, Sunday, November 20, at 2 PM and again on Friday and Saturday, November 25 and 26, at 2 PM. Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.florissantmo.com.

KTK Productions presents the comedy Same Time Next Year Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through November 20. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information, call 314-351-8984.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the comedy Social Security through November 20. Performances take place in the Guild theatre at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, visit theaterguildwg.org or call 314-962-0876.

Family Musical Theatre presents A Song for Christmas November 10 through 20 at the Ivory Theatre, 7622 Michigan. For more information, visit familymusical.org or call 314-448-1436.

The Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble presents Shakespeare's The Two Gentlemen Of Verona Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through November 19, at The Black Cat Theater, 2810 Sutton Boulevard. For more information, visit slightlyoff.org or call (314) 827-5760.

St. Louis Community College at Meramec Theatre Department presents the Samm-Art Williams comedy The Waiting Room November 16 through 20. Performances take place in the theatre on the campus at 11333 Big Bend Road. For more information, call 314-984-7500.