St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 11, 2011

Updated Wednesday, April 13

[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.

The Ivory Theatre presents A.D.: The Musical Thursdays and Fridays at 8 PM, Saturdays at 2 and 8 PM, and Sundays at 2 PM through April 17. For more information, call 314-631-8330 or visit ivorytheatre.com.

The Edison Theatre at Washington University presents the performance art group Universes in their newest work Ameriville Unplugged, described as “a passionate, multimedia, 'State of the Union Address' fusing poetry, jazz, hip-hop, down home blues and Spanish boleros.” Performances take place on Friday and Saturday at 8 PM, April 15 and 16, at Edison Theater on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543.

The Presenters Dolan present Ralph Kalish as Branch Rickey, a one-act play directed by Milton Zoth Thursday through Saturday, April 14 through 16, at 8 PM at The Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-725-4200 stn. 10 or visit presentersdolan.com.

Kay Love

The Presenters Dolan present Kay Love in her cabaret show Confessions of a Pom Pom Reject Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16, at 8 PM at The Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. Steven Ray Watkins is pianist and music director for the show, which is directed by former St. Louisan Lennie Watts, who is also appearing as Kay's backup singer. I've known Kay for more years than either of us probably want to calculate and have always admired her work.  You can bet I'll be there. For more information, call 314-725-4200 stn. 10 or visit presentersdolan.com.

Cooking With Marge

Marble Stage Theatre presents Linda Spall's one-woman comedy Cooking With Marge Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, April 15 through 17 at Marble Stage Theater, 426 Crestwood Mall Art Space. “Marge can't cook. She can't even open a can of soup but you'll laugh your bundt off as she teaches her zany cooking class.” For more information, call 314-732-4003 or visit www.marblestage.org.

Upstream Theater presents The Death Of Atahualpa, directed and adapted by Philip Boehm from the traditional oral drama of the conquest of the Incas by Pizarro. Members of local Latin band Son de America will accompany the hour-long show, playing traditional Andean music. Performances are Thursdays through Sundays through April 17, at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand. All performances at 8 PM except Sundays: April 3 and 10 at 7 PM and April 17 at 3 PM. For more information, call (314) 863-4999 or visit www.upstreamtheater.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review.

Black Cat Theatre presents Jordan Herskowitz in his autobiographical one-man play Growing Up Jordy Pordy, about two brothers born with cystic fibrosis and the historic double-lung transplant of the younger sibling. The performance takes place on Saturday, April 16, at 8 PM at the Black Cat Theatre, 2810 Sutton in Maplewood, MO. For more information, visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/158226

Lost in Yonkers

The Hawthorne Players present Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sunday [April 17 only] at 2 PM through April 17. 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.

Next to Normal

The Fox Theatre presents the rock musical Next to Normal April 12 through 24. Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three 2009 Tony Awards, Next to Normal features music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, musical staging by Sergio Trujillo, and direction by Michael Greif. This is the first St. Louis appearance of a show that comes with substantial advance buzz; it will be interesting to see if it meets expectations.  My review for 88.1 KDHX will be on the station web site and on the air later in the week.  The Fox is at 527 North Grand. For more information, call 314-534-1111 or visit fabulousfox.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review.

Lindenwood University's J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts presents One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest April 15 through 19 and 21 through 23 at 7:30 PM in the Emerson Black Box Theatre. The Scheidegger Center is on the Lindenwood campus in St Charles MO. For more information, visit lindenwood.edu/center.

The Brass Rail Players present the comedy Over The River And Through The Woods. Performances take place through April 17 at the Lindenwood University Premier Center For The Arts In Belleville, Il. For more information, visit brassrailplayers.org.

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Rabbit Hole Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM through April 17, in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, call 618 939 7469.

St. Louis Community College at Meramec Theatre Department presents the comedy The Servant Of Two Masters April 13 through 17. Performances take place in the theatre on the campus at 11333 Big Bend Road. For more information, call 314-984-7500.

Soundstage Productions presents Soundstage Radio Hour 2011 Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 7 PM through April 17. Performances take place at Crestwood Plaza ArtSpace, #220 Crestwood Plaza on Watson Road in Crestwood, MO. For more information, send email to soundstange at msn.com.

Black Cat Theatre's Piwacket Theatre for Children presents The Three Little Pigs on April 14 and 16. Performances take place at Black Cat Theatre, 2810 Sutton in Maplewood. For more information, call (314) 781-8300 or visit www.blackcattheatre.org.

Till We Have Faces

Mustard Seed Theatre presents Till We Have Faces, directed and adapted by Deanna Jent from the book by C.S. Lewis. Performances take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, April 15 through May 1, 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.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Department of Theater and Dance presents Alfred Jarry's surrealist satire Ubu Roi Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM, April 13 through 17. Performances take place in the Dunham Hall theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774.