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

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

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New this week:

Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble presents Lee Blessing's Eleemosynary through Saturday . Performances take place at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive. I've always liked this script and apparently this is a solid production. In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Andrea Braun says that this is "a beautiful piece, well-played and insightful." For more information: slightlyoff.org.

Peabody Opera House presents The Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes through Saturday. I saw this a few years back at the Fox and found it, for the most part, great fun. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Robert Mitchell describes the show as "a gaily-wrapped, fun-filled, family-friendly Christmas present."For more information, visit peabodyoperahouse.com or call 314-622-5420.

St. Louis University Theatre presents Radium Girls through Sunday. Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Bob Wilcox has praise for everyone involved in this production. For more information, call (314) 977-2998 or visit www.slu.edu/theatre. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Held over:

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Clybourne Park through Sunday. “Winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize and 2012 Tony Award for Best Play, Clybourne Park is a wickedly funny and provocative new play about the volatile intersection of race and real estate.” As I write in my review for 88.1 KDHX, "I just can't praise this script and the Rep's splendid production of it highly enough. It's entertaining, thought provoking, and complex enough to encourage repeated viewing". Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

The West End Players Guild continues their 102nd season with the St. Louis premiere of This Wide Night by Chloë Moss Thursday through Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM. "As the play begins, Lorraine arrives at the squalid flat that is now home to Marie. Lorraine is in her fifties and newly-released from 12 years in prison. Her cell mate and prison best friend Marie is a younger woman who served a shorter sentence and has been out for some time. As their tense and tentative reunion quickly makes clear, much more has changed in their lives than simply being able to look out an unbarred window. This Wide Night is the story of Lorraine and Marie’s struggle to determine whether the friendship they treasured in prison is even possible in the outside world, and if so to learn how to trust each other again." Here's another St. Louis premiere by a company that is starting to specialize in them. And, yes, I am on the board of West End, but I think this is an important production regardless. Reviews have been very good across the board. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Bob Wilcox notes that "a lot of terrific acting happens" during this short (80 minute) play. Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 North Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-367-0025 or visit www.westendplayers.org.