St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of June 9, 2014

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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The Gateway Men's Chorus presents The 80's Show Friday and Saturday, June 13 and 14, at 8 PM at The Edison Theatre on the Washington University Campus. "In a decade where the fashions and culture changed with each passing minute, the music was electric, eclectic, and every bit as eccentric and unpredictable. GMC revisits several of our favorite tune from the decade of our founding, including favorites from such artists as Cyndi Lauper, John Cougar Mellencamp, Wham!, and Michael Jackson. For more information: gmcstl.org.

Photo: Peter Wochniak

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Always..Patsy Cline through August 31. "Jacqueline Petroccia and Zoe Vonder Haar star in the return engagement of the show critics called 'exceptional, must see entertainment.' The touching and true story of Country music legend Patsy Cline and her friendship with Texas housewife Louise Seger returns to STAGES this spring. Combining down home country humor, heartache and 27 of Patsy Cline's unforgettable hits such as 'Crazy,' 'Walkin' After Midnight,' and 'Sweet Dreams,' Always... Patsy Cline endures as a piece of genuine Americana." Performances take place at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents The Dapper Flappers through July 27. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Donizetti's comedy The Elixir of Love in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 25. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. The Elixir of Love is the story of Nemorino, a humble peasant smitten with the wealthy and beautiful landowner Adina. She, though, is more taken with the macho Sergeant Belcore. In desperation, Nemorino buys a love potion (actually just some cheap wine) from the traveling quack Dr. Dulcamara. Complications, as they say, ensue.  All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Black Mirror Theatre Company presents Gonne/Yeats: A Literary Cabaret by local playwright and director Denis Corcoran on Friday and Saturday, June 13 and 14, at 7:30 PM. ÄúHe, William Butlter Yeats, perhaps the world's greatest poet. She, Maud Gonne (McBride), an Irish patriot, feminist, ardent defender of Ireland's poor and homeless, said, in her day, to be the most beautiful woman in Ireland. He feel deeply in love with at their first meeting, a love which was the driving force behind so much of his poetry. Yet she preferred pike, pistol and politics to sweet words. In dialogue, verse and song, this is one of the most moving love stories, seldom told.Äù Performances take place The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information, email blackmirrortheatre at gmail.com or call 314-740-6514.

Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the St. Louis premiere of the musical Hands on a Hardbody Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through June 21. "This unique new musical is based on the acclaimed 1997 documentary of the same name, about an annual contest at a Texas truck dealership, where ten hard-luck Texans compete for a new hardbody truck. A new lease on life is so close each of them can touch it, and now for once, their fate is in their hands. Under a scorching sun, over the next 144 hours they will laugh, cry and push their bodies and minds to the limits, as they fight to keep at least one hand on a brand new truck. The contestant with the most nerve and endurance will drive away with the American Dream." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. For more information: newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Henry IV nightly except for Tuesdays through June 14. Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, written as two separate plays, have been edited to fit into one evening. The production alternates with performances of Henry V. "Audience members can expect a once-in-a-lifetime theatrical experience this season," says Rick Dildine, Artistic and Executive Director of Shakespeare Festival St.Louis. "Many theaters around the world have performed these plays in consecutive seasons; however, we are performing them at the same time with the same cast on the same set." Performances take place in Shakespeare Glen next to the Art Museum in Forest Park. Curtain time is 8 PM. For more information, visit shakespearefestivalstlouis.org and don't forget to check out my interview with the directors. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Henry V nightly except for Tuesdays through June 15. Beginning May 26, the production alternates with performances of Henry IV. Henry V continues the story of the former Prince Hal, now King Henry V, and his fight to keep his crown.  Performances take place in Shakespeare Glen next to the Art Museum in Forest Park. Curtain time is 8 PM. For more information, visit shakespearefestivalstlouis.org and don't forget to check out my interview with the directors. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Act Inc presents Ken Ludwig's comedy Lend Me a Tenor June 12-29. "The Cleveland Grand Opera Company has hired world famous tenor, Tito Morelli, to star for one night in Otello. He arrives late, accidentally overdoses on tranquilizers, collapses on the bed and obviously can't perform. Saunders, the company's manager and his assistant Max, actually fear Tito is dead! Max decides to seize the day--he can sing, and has always hoped to perform. Saunders in desparation agrees. But is Tito really down for the count? And will each man's fiancee recognize her hero in his costume? Will the show ever go on?" 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, visit actincstl.com.

Stray Dog Theatre presents Terrence McNally's Love! Valour! Compassion! Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM June 12-28, with a 2 PM matinee on Saturday, June 28, in addition to the evening performance. " Eight gay men gather at a summer vacation home in upstate New York over three holiday weekends. Flirtations, infidelity, love, death, and the nature of friendship are explored against the idyllic country lakeside setting where the drama of the real world is never far from mind. A beautifully haunting comedy that unfolds like a dream." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents A Little Lunch Music, a free concert with Elizabeth Zharoff (Pamina, The Magic Flute), Corrie Stallings (Gerdine Young Artist Festival Artist), Matthew Anchel (Sarastro, The Magic Flute), and pianist Adam Burnette, on Monday, June 9 at 12:30 PM. The concert takes place at The Jewel Box in Forest Park. For more information, visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Mozart's The Magic Flute in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 28. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. A singspiel with spoken dialog instead of recitatives and a text in German instead of the fashionable Italian, the work is the fantastic tale of heroic prince Tamino and princess Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night, who must undergo a series of magical trials at the court of Sarastro, High Priest of the Sun, before they can attain enlightenment and be united in marriage. Accompanying Tamino in his quest is the comic bird catcher Papageno. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read my preview article! Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Insight Theatre Company presents the 1960 Lionel Bart musical Oliver!, based on Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, through June 22. Performances take place in the Heagney Theatre, 530 East Lockwood on the campus of Nerinx Hall High School in Webster Groves. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

Jugler/clown Adam Kuchler

Circus Flora presents its new show, The Pawn, through June 22 under the air-conditioned, red-and-white, big top tent in Grand Center next to Powell Hall. "Drawing from the history of chess, this mythic tale is steeped in the rich sights, sounds and mystique of ancient Persia and India. The audience will journey to an exotic world where myth and intellect collide, and the stone city surrenders to the desert's ever shifting sands. Follow the Pawn on his journey through curious creatures and intrigues: knights mounted on steed, bishops zigzagging across colored squares, chess pieces flying through the air. In this world, the chess pieces do not wait to be moved. They have their own adventures to play out under the big top. For more information, visit circusflora.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents Phil's Broadway Cabaret on Thursday, June 12, at 7:30 PM. "Phil Touchette and Jon Garrett are back together again for a cabaret of Phil's favorite musical theater works by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Kander and Ebb, and Stephen Sondheim. You'll hear tunes from South Pacific, Cabaret, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods just to name a few! The collaborative duo is also excited to reprise a popular fixture of Phil's Liederabend back in October: Gabriel Kahane's Craigslistlieder, a witty song cycle taken from (and inspired by) a variety of ads on Craigslist.org." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com .

Stages St. Louis presents the musical They're Playing Our Song through June 29. "Meet Vernon, a neurotic, witty composer and Sonia, a wacky, free spirited lyricist who form an unlikely partnership to write the next great love song. A rocky and hilarious start leaves them struggling to find their creative harmony - and romance was definitely not what they were expecting! But a series of unlikely events lead to a match made in musical comedy heaven. They're Playing Our Song is inspired by the real life love story of Academy Award-winning composer, Marvin Hamlisch (The Way We Were, The Sting) and Grammy Award-winning lyricist Carole Bayer Sager (“That's What Friends Are For”, “Nobody Does It Better” ). Topping off the jazzy score is a laugh-a-minute book by America's leading funny man, Tony Award Winner Neil Simon (Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple). A sweet and sophisticated musical romp, They're Playing Our Song will have you singing along from curtain up to curtain down!" Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon and Royce Vavrek's Twenty-Seven in rotating repertory with three other operas June 14-29. "Paris roared in the 1920s, inspiring the art and literature of a Lost Generation of expatriates. At the epicenter of this creative explosion was Gertrude Stein, whose salon at 27 Rue de Fleurus became a second home for such luminaries as Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Picasso. International sensation Stephanie Blythe makes her OTSL debut as Stein, with Elizabeth Futral joining her as Alice B. Toklas, in this next chapter in Opera Theatre's New Works, Bold Voices series." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Theatre Guild of Webster Groves Youth Theatre presents A Very Tardy Party Friday through Sunday, June 13-15. Performances take place in the Guild theatre at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves, MO. For more information: theatreguildwg.org or call 314-962-0876.

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.