Chuck's Choices for the weekend of March 8, 2013

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

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Photo credit: Zachary Stefaniak

Dramatic License Productions presents the comedy Boeing, Boeing through March 17. “1960s Paris. American playboy Bernard is engaged to three beautiful flight attendants: a feisty German, a lusty Italian, and a take-charge Texan, each oblivious to the other. When flight schedules collide and an old college chum shows up for an unexpected visit, comedy and turbulence ensue in this "non-stop" comedy.” Performances take place at Dramatic License Theatre located at the upper level of Chesterfield Mall (near Sears and across from Houlihan's Restaurant). In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Missy Heinemann says this production "offers a high-energy, laugh-out-loud evening of theater." For more information, call 636-220-7012 or visit dramaticlicenseproductions.org.

Dance St. Louis presents New York City Ballet MOVES Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, March 9 and 10. “New York City Ballet MOVES is a new performance group showcasing a dynamic selection of the company's vast and varied repertoire. Performed by a rotating selection of NYCB dancers, including principals, soloists, and members of the corps de ballet, each program will feature live music played by musicians from the NYCB Orchestra. This is a rare opportunity outside of New York City to see works by the greatest choreographers of our time performed by dancers from the greatest ballet company of our time.” Performances take place at the Fox Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: dancestlouis.org.

Winter Opera St. Louis presents Puccini's Tosca Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, March 8 and 10. Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. The opera is sung in Italian with project English supertitles. I haven't seen this yet, of course, but I've been very impressed with Winter Opera's work in the past and the Skip Viragh Center is an excellent house for opera. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

Held over:

The Black Rep presents The Mountaintop by Katori Hall through March 9. "April 3, 1968, Memphis. The Lorraine Motel, Room 306. where Martin Luther King Jr. spends his last night on earth." I haven't seen this yet, of course, but the topic is provocative and timely. Besides, the author is the winner of the Blackburn Prize for outstanding women playwrights and the play has earned England's Olivier Award for best play. In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Megan McEnery describes the production as "intriguing, honest and totally worthwhile."  Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, visit theblackrep.org or call 314-534-3810.

Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical Next to Normal Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, February 28 through March 23. "From the composer of High Fidelity comes the most adult, most mature rock musical to hit Broadway in decades, an unrelentingly intense, brutally honest – and often, darkly funny – story about a bipolar woman and the family that grapples with her illness, all set to a hard driving rock and roll score that explodes with raw, searing emotion. Rolling Stone called it 'the best new musical of the season – by a mile.'” I saw the national tour of this show at the Fox in April of 2011 and was very much taken with it. In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Laura Kyro praises "the amazing acting and singing by all members of the cast." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. For more information, call 314-534-1111.