Chuck's Choices for the weekend of November 22, 2013

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:

Mariposa Artists presents Liz Murphy's cabaret debut The Best is Yet to Come, Friday and Saturday, November 22 and 23, at 8 PM. The show is directed by Lina Koutrakos with music direction by Rick Jensen. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/470878

My take: As the PR says, ."Liz shares the incredible opportunities of her life, the people that have influenced her, and her eagerness for self-discovery. This show celebrates the joy of new-found possibilities: the spirit, energy, sparkle, and exuberance of a colorful life. With her musical partner, Rick Jensen, the evening of song will take us from Cy Coleman to Christopher Cross, Stephen Schwartz to Stephen Sondheim, Martina McBride to Julie Gold....just to mention a few." If that's not reason enough, consider that music director Rick Jensen and director Lina Koutrakos are major names in the cabaret world. Besides, Liz gave us a preview of her stuff at The Cabaret Project open mic nigh on Wednesday and if that's any indication, this will be a great show. For more information, check out my interview with Ms. Murphy from earlier this week.

St. Louis University Theatre presents the musical A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum through November 24. Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call (314) 977-2998 or visit www.slu.edu/theatre.

My take: This Sondheim classic never fails to generate plenty of laughs when it's done well. "St. Louis University Theatre," writes Tina Farmer in her review for 88.1 KDHX, "embraces the light-hearted theme of "Comedy Tonight" in a spirited and youthful production that, while decidedly amateur, mostly succeeds in hitting the right note."

Sip Salon presents a staged reading of Robert Patrick's play Kennedy's Children on Friday, November 22, at 7:30 PM as a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President Kennedy. Sip Salon is at 7818 Forsyth in Clayton. Seating is limited; call 314-644-0014 for ticket information.

My take: In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I'm acting in this one. That said, Robert Patrick's remarkably literate script perfectly captures the disillusionment and near-apocalyptic disappointment that followed the disintegration of the idealism that fueled the 1960s. This is great material and rarely staged, at least locally.

Ron Himes

Washington University Performing Arts Department presents Athol Fugard's My Children! My Africa! Thursday and Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 and 8 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM, November 21-24. Performances take place in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543.

My take: Fugard's work is always worth seeing, and we don't get to see Ron Himes on stage as often as we should, due to his responsibilities as artistic director of the Black Rep. Those are a couple of pretty powerful reasons to see this show.

Held Over:

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a capella musical All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through December 1 "Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this a capella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets." Performances take place 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.

My take: The play is based on a remarkable true story of a spontaneous truce between Allied and German forces in No Man's Land during Christmas of 1914. In some areas it lasted only one night while elsewhere it lasted until New Year's Day. While it was in effect, soldiers laid down their arms, shared Christmas carols (as well as food and drink), buried each others' dead, and even played soccer. Playwright Peter Rothstein, artistic director of Theater Latté Da where the play was developed, wanted to tell the story in the words of the real soldiers who experienced it. "I created the drama," he relates, "primarily through found text including letters, official war documents, autobiographies, World War I poetry, grave stone inscriptions and even an old radio broadcast." In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Dennis Corcoran says "this complex piece of musical theatre comes off as a beautifully, simply performed tribute to a poignant moment in the horrors of war."