St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of February 4, 2013

[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.

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Winter Opera St. Louis presents Douglas Moore's The Ballad of Baby Doe Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, February 8 and 10. Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

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 Saturdays at 9 PM at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185, email stlouis at byebyeliver.com, or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

HotCity Theatre presents the world premiere of Connected by Lia Romero February 8 through 23. The play is designed to work in combination with Facebook, where profiles will be created for each of the characters as though they were real people. Audience members are invited to “friend” the characters in the weeks leading up to the show to find out more about their backstories. 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.

Piwacket Theatre for Children presents Duckugly on February 7-March 9 at the Regional Arts Commission on Delmar. For more information: www.piwacket.com.

Photo by John Lamb

The West End Players Guild continues their 102nd season with the comedy of Engaging Shaw by John Morogiello Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, February 8-17. There will also be a show on Thursday, February 14, at 8 PM. “The story follows the real-life courtship of George Bernard Shaw and Charlotte Payne-Townshend, the woman he pursued until she caught him. The play brims with the wit and ego of Shaw, creating what the New York Times called 'a charming romantic comedy featuring four razor-sharp tongues. If there's a minute of the play that's less than clever, you'll be hard-pressed to find it.'“ 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.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents soprano Christine Johnson in Fyne Ayres, an evening of 16th and 17th century songs, with Jeffrey Noonan on lute and theorbo, on Saturday, February 9, at 8 PM. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt at Waterman in the Central West End. There's free parking in the lot across the street. For more information, visit tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com or call 314-367-7549.

Act II Community Theater presents the musical Forever Plaid Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, February 8-17. Performances take place at 1 St Peters Centre Blvd, St. Peters, MO. For more information, visit www.act2theater.com, call 636-336-0034 or email info at act2theater.com.

The Duck Variations

Mustard Seed Theatre presents Christopher Durang's Mrs. Sorken and David Manet's The Duck Variations through February 10 at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. “These two one-act plays are comic explorations of the meaning of theatre, the challenges of aging, and the importance of friendship.” For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Murder in Mayberry through April 27. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Nursery Crimes through April 30th. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert through February 10. "This OUTRAGEOUSLY fun show tells the uplifting story of a trio of friends, on a road trip of a lifetime, who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship in the middle of the Australian outback and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed." The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Clinton County Showcase presents the musical The Producers February 8-17. Performances take place at the Avon Theater, 525 North 2nd Street Breese IL. For more information, visit ccshowcase.com.

Photo by John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Charles Busch's comedy Psycho Beach Party Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, February 7-23. There will be a matinee on the closing Saturday at 2 PM in addition to the evening show. “Comedy meets horror in this wacky, campy retro-fusion of teenage surfer flicks and slasher sagas. Set in 1962, teen tomboy Chicklet Forrest desperately wants to belong to the surfer crowd on Malibu Beach. Unfortunately her many split personalities get in the way, while her most dangerous alter ego has nothing less than world domination in mind.” Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

Summerstage presents the comedy The Red Velvet Cake War February 8 and 9. Performances take place at 1350 27th St. in Granite City, IL. For more information, call (618) 451-1032.

©Photo by Lon Brauer.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Sense and Sensibility, based on the Jane Austen novel, February 6 through March 3. “When their father's death leaves two sisters with uncertain prospects, they must navigate the unpredictable seas of courtship with only their hearts to guide them. The course of true love winds through flirtation, folly, scandals and secrets as reserved, sensible Elinor and romantic, impulsive Marianne attempt to find their way in the world. This lovely, intimate adaptation of Jane Austen's first novel is a charming journey through hope and heartbreak as two young ladies find that when sense and sensibility meet, love can't be far behind.” 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.

Photo by John Lamb

New Jewish Theater presents David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow February 7-24. “Revived on Broadway in 2008, this Tony nominated play by David Mamet (out nation's foremost master of the language of moral epilepsy) is a hilarious and chilling satire of Hollywood and a culture as corrupt as the society it claims to reflect. The acid-etched portrait of greedy, foul-mouthed Hollywood players follows Bobby Gould, the newly appointed Head of Production at a major studio as he struggles to understand the contest and morality of life.” Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

Dramatic License Productions presents A Valentine Cabaret Friday through Sunday, February 8-10. “Our popular annual tribute to romance opens the 2013 season with singer, impressionist and actor, Dean Christopher and his combo performing love songs from Broadway and beyond with a little "Rat Pack" thrown in.” Performances take place at Dramatic License Theatre located at the upper level of Chesterfield Mall (near Sears and across from Houlihan's Restaurant). For more information, call 636-220-7012 or visit dramaticlicenseproductions.com.

Lindenwood University presents Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge February 7-9. Performances take place in the Emerson Black Box Theatre at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information, call 636-949-4433 or visit lindenwood.edu/center.

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents Welfarewell by Cat Delaney February 8-17 in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618 939 7469.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.