Chuck's Choices for the weekend of June 15, 2012

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

Share on Google+:

New this week:

The Gateway Men's Chorus presents ExtraABBAganza, a tribute to the music of ABBA, on Friday and Saturday, June 15 and 16, at 8 PM. Al Fischer is pianist and music director for the evening. The performance takes place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. Personally, I can take ABBA's music or leave it along, but the guys of the GMC can always be counted on for an exuberant and theatrical evening, and Al Fischer is one our most sought-after music directors. For more information, visit gatewaymenschorus.org.

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Othello nightly except for Tuesday. Performances take place in Shakespeare Glen next to the Art Museum in Forest Park. Curtain time is 8 PM, with the Green Show starting at 6:30 PM. In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Andrea Braun notes that thisis "the first production I’ve seen where I believed that Othello’s actions weren’t both precipitous and preposterous, and I think we have Longworth’s pacing and Justin Blanchard’s (Iago) and Billy Eugene Jones’ (Othello) performances to thank for that." For more information, visit sfstl.com.

ACT Inc. presents Travels With My Aunt, based on the novel by Graham Greene, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, June 14 through 17. Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre and the campus at 6800 Wydown. In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Connie Bollinger says she has "never seen anything quite like this wonderful adaption of the Graham Greene novel." For more information, call 314-725-9108 or visit actinc.biz.

Held over:

Kendall Gladen

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Bizet's Carmen in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 23. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. The production is set in the 1940s, with the look of classic film noir, all the way down to the black and white costume and set designs and an opening cinematic credit sequence. The concept doesn't always work, but it succeeds often enough to be worth seeing.  Besides, you won't want to miss St. Louis's own Kendall Gladen's smoky performance in the title role and the great work by conductor Carlos Izcaray and the St. Louis Symphony musicians. For more details, check out my review for 88.1 KDHX. All performances are sung in English with projected English text, although the chorus enunciates so clearly it's rarely necessary. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Mozart's Cosi fan Tutte in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 22. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. As I noted in my review for 88.1 KDHX, I don't think director Michael Shell has completely solved the problems posed for modern audiences by Da Ponte's casually misogynistic libretto, but at least he tries, and the cast, chorus, and orchestra are just splendid.  For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644

New Line Theatre presents the rock musical High Fidelity Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through June 21. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Robert Mitchell says "if rockin’ music with a good story is your idea of great entertainment, plan on seeing New Line’s High Fidelity." I'd add that you could hardly ask for a better cast than this one. For more information, call 314-534-1111.

Sweeney prepares Judge Turpin
for a close shave

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Sondheim's Sweeney Todd in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 24. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. I've been waiting for many years for Opera Theatre to take a crack at this most operatic of all Sondheim's musical theatre works. Director Ron Daniels and set designer Riccardo Hernandez have made of couple of missteps (see my review for 88.1 KDHX for details) but on the whole this is the Sweeney Todd many of us have been waiting for. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Nino and Yo-Yo

Circus Flora presents its brand new show, The Wizard: Merlin and the Legends of King Arthur, through June 24 under the air-conditioned, red-and-white, big top tent in Grand Center next to Powell Hall. Sadly, I'm going to miss Circus Flora this year but it past seasons (and Connie Bollinger's review for 88.1 KDHX) are any indication, there will be fun for all. For more information, visit circusflora.org.