Chuck's Choices for the weekend of February 14, 2014

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:

Mustard Seed Theatre presents Gee's Bend through February 23. The play “explores the affect of the Civil Rights Movement on a remote island in Alabama.” 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 story of the community of Gee's Bend, Alabama, its origins and struggles, is an interesting and important square in the American quilt," writes Tina Farmer in her review for 88.1 KDHX. "That this small community also contributed to the American folk art movement in significant ways with their own quilts adds an amazing layer of beauty and warmth." She calls the production "thoughtful and affecting" and notes that "the show is grounded with memorable performances and dramatic tension." Mustard Seed often takes on unusual and challenging scripts, always with the focus on "issues of faith and social justice," so this is right up their alley.

Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Douglas Carter Beane's The Little Dog Laughed Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through February 22, with an extra 2 PM matinee on the 22nd. “A devilishly hilarious Hollywood agent, a movie star with a recurring case of homosexuality, and a hustler and his ambitious girlfriend struggle to uncover the truth about what they really want. In the process, they trigger a non-stop stream of laughs in this Tony-award winning comedy. For MATURE AUDIENCES: In an effort to keep the selection of shows engaging and dynamic, this production may not be appropriate for all ages.” Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

My take: I've done a number of shows with Stray Dog over the years and have been consistently impressed with their professionalism and with the care they take to make sure their actors get the best support possible. That shows in the quality of what they put on stage. Reviews for this show have been good. In his review for talkingbroadway.com, for example, Richard Green says "it's very funny, and you should definitely go see it." "Bell keeps the action moving between the twin levels of the set in parry-and-thrust fashion," writes Mark Bretz at Ladue News, "ensuring that pacing never lags. The Little Dog Laughed is written mostly for laughs, with a dollop of rueful rumination. Stray Dog’s rendition is faithful to that mixture, a tasty tonic on a cold winter’s night."

The Ivory Theatre presents singer Christy Simmons and pianist Paul Westcott in Valentunes: A Cabaret About Love and Stuff on Sunday, February 16 at 2 PM. The Ivory Theatre is at 7620 Michigan. For more information: brownpapertickets.com.

My take: I've known Christy both personally and professionally for a number of years now. She's got a big, powerful voice and a fine musical and theatrical sensibility. She always delivers the goods.

Held Over:

Upstream Theater presents Forget Me Not by Tom Holloway through February 16. "Forget Me Not is the story of a man who was told his mother had died and was shipped to Australia when he was three years old. And of his mother, who never stopped celebrating her little boy's birthday. And of his learning about himself-and about what it means to love." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

My take: Upstream has, once again, taken on a tought-provoking play about difficult subject. In this case, it's non-humanitarian child migration. "The policy of child migration for non-humanitarian reasons is disturbing," writes Tina Farmer in her review for 88.1 KDHX. "The fact that some of these children were, literally, stolen from their families is tragic and appalling. Director Philip Boehm steadily guides this fascinating and compelling production, keeping the focus clearly on the story and actors."

Photo: John Lamb

New Jewish Theatre presents The Whipping Man by Matthew Lopez through February 16. "A seriously injured Confederate soldier returns to the ruins of his once grand Richmond home at the end of the Civil War to find only two former slaves and no one else - creating an unlikely trio - a Jewish Confederate soldier and former slave owner and his two former slaves who were raised as Jews. As the three gather for a makeshift Passover Seder, they come to terms with their shared past and secrets as they ask the age-old question "Why is this night different from all other nights?"" 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.

My take: This is the second time around for this piece in the last year. The local premiere by the Black Rep got plenty of critical acclaim but, as Andrea Braun writes in her review for 88.1 KDHX, this production "matches that level of excellence, and due primarily to directorial choices, occasionally surpasses it...The South was a more cordial place than the North for Jews in that era, and many thrived there until after the Civil War, even though this is a people who understood the horror of enslavement. That irony and all that is revealed on this stage will certainly intrigue you and provoke some interesting discussion."