St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of July 7, 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 events web site.

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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!

Whitecliffe Summer Playhouse presents the musical Bye Bye Birdie July 10-13 on the outdoor stage in Whitecliff Park. For more information: www.playhouseproductions.org

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

Clinton County Showcase presents the musical Disney's Peter Pan Jr. July 10 - 13 Performances take place at the Avon Theater, 525 North 2nd Street Breese IL. For more information, visit ccshowcase.com.

Hard Road Theatre Productions presents the musical Fame Jr. Thursday through Sunday, July 10 - 13. Performances will be held at Highland High School in Highland, IL. For more information: www.hardroad.org.

The Missouri History Museum Theatre in the Museum Series presents Flappers to Smashers: Women, Prohibition, and the 1920s Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 PM through August 5. "A look at how the 18th Amendment changed women's lives." Performances take place at the Missouri History Museum at Lindell and De Baliviere in Forest Park. For more information, visit mohistory.org.

Photo: Michael J. Lutch

The Muny presents the national tour of the musical The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess nightly at 8:15 PM throuh July 13 in the outdoor theatre in Forest Park. "Winner of the 2012 Tony® Award for Best Revival of a Musical, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess arrives at The Muny with award-winning members of the Broadway cast in this stunning and stirring new staging. Set in Charleston's fabled Catfish Row, it tells the story of the beautiful Bess as she struggles to break free from her scandalous past, and the only one who can rescue her is the courageous Porgy." For more information, visit muny.org or call 314-361-1900. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Missouri History Museum Theatre in the Museum Series presents Glory the Gargoyle Finds a Home Saturdays at 11:30 AM through August 2. "A play for our youngest visitors. Glory is a gargoyle with big dreams, but she has trouble fitting in. Join her in her search to find a home." Performances take place at the Missouri History Museum at Lindell and De Baliviere in Forest Park. For more information, visit mohistory.org.

St. Louis Shakespeare presents Hamlet July 11 - 20. Performances take place in the Thomas Hunter Theatre at the 560 Music Center in University City. For more information, call 314-361-5664 or visit stlshakespeare.org.

YB Theatre Company presents Josh and Shawn, an original one-act play written and directed by Paul Hibbard, Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, July 11 - 13. "A couple who love each other as much as they hate each other. And when an affair comes into play, "Josh and Shawn" shows how perception trumps truth and reality become as subjective as love. A play that is both challenging and funny, “Josh and Shawn” attempts to capture the roller coaster ride that is married life and show how marriage is a beautiful war and love is a blissful prison." Performances take place at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information: www.facebook.com/joshandshawn.

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents the Neil LaBute New Theater Festival, Part 1 July 11 - 20 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. The festival features professional, new and previously unproduced one-act plays 45 minutes or less in length, chosen from submissions to the festival over the previous year. The plays in Part 1 are Aleks Merilo 's Little Moscow, Steve Karp's Rubbas, Thomas Pierce's Blue Lagoon and Jan Henson Dow's I Want to Show You Something. For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

Insight Theatre Company presents the comedy Over the River and Through the Woods July 10 - 20. "This comic-drama hit, which ran Off-Broadway for more than two years, introduces the audience to a tight-knit, Italian-American family who share Sunday dinners in New Jersey. When one family member announces he's moving to Seattle to accept a promotion, he sends his grandparents into a tailspin - and they pull out all the stops to convince him to stay." 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.

Spotlight Productions presents Peter Pan. Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, July 11-20. Performances take place at the Marquette High School Theater, 2351 Clarkson Road, Chesterfield, MO. For more information, visit www.rockwood.k12.mo.us/spotlightproductions.

First Run Theatre presents the comedy Scutter Murphy's Wake by Patrick Conroy Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, July 11-20. "Scutter Murphy's Wake is the social occasion of the winter in a small Irish village. Mourners from all over the village converge on the home of Scutter's widow to pay their respects, socialize, explore their own fears and finally, get a free drink at Scutter's expense. As drink flows freely, the craic is mighty; music, song, ritual and conversation all lead to mishap. With superstition and alcohol, a strange combination, can this crowd safely get Scutter under the sod?" Performances take place at De Smet Jesuit High School Theatre, 233 N. New Ballas Rd. For more information, call (314) 352-5114 or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

Photo: Ron Lindsey

Union Avenue Opera presents Verdi's La Traviata Friday and Saturday at 8 PM, July 11-18. "La traviata, one of the most beloved tragedies in opera, tells the story of a worldly courtesan, Violetta, who decides to leave her life of glamour and frivolity behind for the love of one man, Alfredo. Returning to UAO after twelve years, La traviata depicts the ultimate operatic life, one filled with grand parties, grander sacrifices, and some of Verdi's most memorable music, including the drinking song “Libiamo” and Violetta's virtuosic “Sempre libera.” Both longtime opera lovers and first-timers will be captivated by this irresistible classic. La traviata will be directed by Tim Ocel, who received rave review for his direction of 2011's Dead Man Walking at UAO. " Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. The opera is sung in Italian with projected English text. For more information, visit unionavenueopera.org or call 314-361-2881. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

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.