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

Updated Tuesday, February 22, 2011

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

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents the magical romantic comedy Almost, Maine Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through February 27. Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center, 130 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. Fore more information, call 314-968-7128. The West End Players Guild (where I'm a board member) did the local premiere of this charming and very funny script almost exactly two years ago. We apparently started a trend as there have been multiple productions locally since then.

KTK Productions presents Broadway Loves the Movies Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through February 27. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information, call 314-351-8984.

Strut and Fret Stage presents Brûler à Petit Feu (On Tenterhooks), a “dark comedy about PTSD, love, Walgreens, and making meth in America” written and directed by Jim Sala. Performances are Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, February 23 - 27, at Dressel's Pub, 419 N. Euclid in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-361-1885, email strutandfretstage at gmail.com or visit strutandfret.ticketleap.com/tenterhooks/

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 past time. Performances take place Saturdays through April 9 at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185 or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis

Carol Schmidt

The Presenters Dolan present St. Louis's own Carol Schmidt, along with Ric Vice on bass and special guest artists Robert Breig, Michele Isam, Dionna Raedeke and Deborah Sharn, on Friday and Saturday, February 25 and 26, at 8 PM at The Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. The show is directed by Tim Schall. For more information, call 314-725-4200 stn. 10 or visit presentersdolan.com. Full disclosure demands that I have worked with nearly everyone on this program. Carol and Robert, for example, were key players in the short-lived Cabaret at the Cafe series I produced last year. Tim directed my own cabaret show in 2010, and I've shared the stage with everyone except Michele at one time or another. That said, I wouldn't have been working with them if I hadn't already regarded them as immensely talented folks, so I can recommend this show without reservation.

Closer

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents Patrick Marber's Closer, which "follows four lives intertwine over the course of four and a half years in a densely plotted, stinging look at modern love and betrayal". Performances are Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through February 27 at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information, call 314-458-2978or visit stlas.org. The play is recommended for mature audiences only. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Florissant Fine Arts Council presents A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline on Saturday, February 16, at 8 PM at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker Road at Waterford Drive in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Theater Department presents George C. Wolfe's The Colored Museum Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM, February 23 through 27. Performances take place in the Dunham Hall Theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774.

Affton CenterStage Theatre Company presents Conventional Murder Weapons, a murder mystery dinner theater show, Thursday and Friday at 8 PM and Saturday at 4 and 8 PM, February 25 through March 5. Performances take place at 1719 Stemwood Way in Fenton, MO. For more information, call (314) 349-6880 or visit www.afftoncenterstage.org.

St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley Theater Department presents Doubt: A Parable through February 26. Performances take place in the Fisher Theatre on the campus at 3400 Pershall Road. For more information, call 314-644-5522.

Everydaycircus Inc. performs shows hourly from 11 AM to 4 PM each weekend at City Museum, 701 N. 15th St. Shows are FREE with regular museum admission. (645-4445 or 231-CITY).

The COCA Family Theatre Series presents Holy Cow! Friday through Sunday, February 25 through 27. COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Macbeth

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Shakespeare's Macbeth Tuesdays through Sundays through March 11. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. I know this play well (both as an actor and audience member) and was looking forward to this. Sadly, I was disappointed. Our little party found the direction heavy-handed and gimmicky, the pacing slow, and the overall result not terribly respectful of either the play or the audience. Your mileage may vary, of course, and others apparently have enjoyed it. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Brass Rail Players present the musical Mame. Performances take place through February 27 at the Lindenwood University Premier Center For The Arts In Belleville, Il. For more information, visit brassrailplayers.org.

A Midsummer Night's
Dream

Washington University Performing Arts Department presents Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, February 25 to March 6. Performances take place in the Edison Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Center on the Washington University campus. I love this play and still fondly remember my own performance as Oberon in St. Louis Shakespeare's production many years ago. A good performance of it will both amuse and charm you. For more information, call (314) 935-5858.

The St. Louis University Theatre Department presents Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing February 25 through March 6. Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call (314) 977-2998 or visit www.slu.edu/theatre.

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a Play Writing Workshop with C. J. Zander on Monday, February 21, at 6:30 PM at Big Daddy's, 1000 Sidney St. in Soulard. For more information, call 314-865-1296 or send email to farwemar at aol.com.

Black Cat Theatre presents Alan Ayckbourn's comedy Round and Round the Garden Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through February 26. Black Cat Theatre is located at 2810 Sutton in Maplewood. For more information, call 314-781-8300 or visit blackcattheatre.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Ruined

The Black Rep presents the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Ruined by Lynn Nottage through March 6. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, call 314-534-3810. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Sirens

New Jewish Theatre presents the St. Louis premiere of Deborah Zoe Laufer's Sirens, described as "an empty-nest story about a husband and wife and the hit love song he wrote for her ", Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 8 PM, and Sundays at 2 and 7:30 PM, through March 6. 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 Missouri History Museum presents The Tragical Comedy of the French, Spanish, French American Ville de Saint Louis Saturdays at 2 PM through February 26. The museum is at Lindell and De Baliviere in Forest Park. For more information, call 314-746-4599 or visit mohistory.org.

St. Louis Community College at Forest Park Theatre Department presents Tribute: Monologues From Black Heroes February 24 through 27. Performances take place in the Bastian Theatre on the campus at 5600 Oakland. For more information, call 314-644-9100.

Act II Community Theatre presents Kaufman and Hart's You Can't Take it With You Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, February 18 through 28. Performances take place at The St. Peters Community and Arts Center, 1035 St. Peters-Howell Road in St. Peters, MO. For more information, call 636-219-0150 or email info at act2theater.com.