Monday, September 12, 2016

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of September 12, 2016

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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 Calendar.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents Am I Black Enough Yet?, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. through September 18. "Presented in skit comedy form, with titles of vignettes ranging from "Honorary Black Folk" to "Two Black Girls, One of Them White" to "International Slang Council", this play will get you laughing, but will also get you to thinking. Through the power of theatre the audience is transformed into an "all black" audience. The non-black audience members are now regular black audience members, while regular black audience members are now über-black, 'Shaft level black'. And with an all black audience anything can be talked about, mixed in to the conversation. Right?" Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

Carol Schmidt
The Cabaret Project and The Monocle present cabaret open mic night every Wednesday from 7 to 10 PM. "Drop by and enjoy a night of great music from St. Louis cabaret artists, backed up by the guest music director Carol Schmidt on the baby grand." The master of ceremonies is Tim Schall, along with Chuck Lavazzi, senior performing arts critic at 88.1 KDHX, and special guests. If you're planning to sing, be prepared to do one or two songs and bring music, preferably in your key. At least one of your two songs should be a medium-or up-tempo number. It's also recommend that you have your song memorized. The Monocle is at 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Fridays through Sundays through September 18. "In a plantation house, a family celebrates the sixty-fifth birthday of Big Daddy, as they sentimentally dub him. The mood is somber, despite the festivities, because a number of evils poison the gaiety: greed, sins of the past and desperate, clawing hopes for the future spar with one another as the knowledge that Big Daddy is dying slowly makes the rounds." 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.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents CSI: Bissell through October 30. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents The Coldharts performing Edgar Allan at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 15, as part of Xfest: 4 Days of Experimental Theater. "Eleven year old Edgar Allan has only one goal: to be the most remarkable boy at boarding school. He has only one obstacle: Edgar Allan. A manic lullaby inspired by the childhood and short stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Edgar Allan is a two¬-person musical created and performed by Katie Hartman and Nick Ryan. It follows eleven year old Edgar Allan in his first year at Manor House School (the finest boarding school in all of England,) as he seeks to gain academic ascendancy over the student body. All goes to plan, until another boy named Edgar Allan arrives in class... which complicates his schemes of dominance. Edgar Allan is a dark, comedic riff on the childhood, the mania, and the insanity that haunted the life and work of America's first professional writer." The performance takes place in the Metcalf Theater on the campus in Edwardsvile, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siuexfest.com.

The Presenters Dolan and the Emerald Room Cabaret present singer Tammy McCann in Ella Loves Gershwin on Saturday, September 17, at 8 p.m. "Nelson Riddle was at the peak of his arranging powers matched only by the exquisite, lilting voice of Ella Fitzgerald and together they created a masterful tribute to George and Ira Gershwin. Ella brought sophistication, taste and sheer musicality to the standards that she made her own. Come hear how Tammy McCann, one of today's premiere jazz stylists, brings her one of a kind voice to these classic love songs. Firmly rooted in the tradition of the great singers of the past, but with her own modern flair. Tammy McCann's sensitivity and her artistry are brilliantly on display as she conjures up a time when great singing was in the service of romance." The performance takes place in The Emerald Room at The Monocle Bar, 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents the Chicago Dance Crash presentation of Evil and Good at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, September 16, as part of Xfest: 4 Days of Experimental Theater. "Inspired by a growing demand for Chicago Dance Crash's street dance aesthetic, Evil & Good utilizes the company's signature blend of concert dance and hip-hop, offering a boiled down alternative to its summer annual movement play: sheer, pulse-raising dance. Evil & Good is choreographed and directed by Deahr with additional choreography by CDC Senior Company Kaitlin Webster and Culture Shock Chicago Artistic Director Christopher Courtney. Throwing CDC's movement capacity into overdrive, Deahr, Webster and Courtney team up to choreograph this explosive full-length conceptual piece featuring a hip-hop blend and is inspired by the world's constant struggle between its angels and demons." The performance takes place in the Dunham Hall Theatre on the campus in Edwardsvile, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siuexfest.com.

Follies
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Stephen Sondheim's musical Follies through October 2. “Featuring an all-star cast that includes three Tony nominees, Broadway stars and local favorites, Follies is the biggest Rep production in more than a decade. Join us for our 50th anniversary season opener as we present a breathtaking rendition of this Stephen Sondheim classic!” Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents the Stephen Sondheim musical A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., September 16 - 25, in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618-939-7469.

The Fox Theatre presents the musical A Gentleman's Guide To Love And Murder opening Tuesday, September 13, and running through September 25. "Coming direct from New York, where a most gentlemanly NPR critic said he'd “Never laughed so hard at a Broadway musical," Gentleman's Guide tells the uproarious story of Monty Navarro, a distant heir to a family fortune who sets out to jump the line of succession by - you guessed it - eliminating the eight pesky relatives (all played by one fearless man) who stand in his way. All the while, Monty has to juggle his mistress (she's after more than just love), his fiancée (she's his cousin but who's keeping track?), and the constant threat of landing behind bars! Of course, it will all be worth it if he can slay his way to his inheritance... and be done in time for tea." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

KTK Productions presents the musical Gypsy September 16 - 25. "Gypsy tells the story of the dreams and efforts of one hungry, powerhouse of a woman to get her two daughters into show business. Gypsy is loosely based on the 1957 memoir of famous striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee, entitled Gypsy: Memoirs of America's Most Celebrated Stripper. The memoir and the musical focus on the story of Gypsy Rose Lee's mother, Rose, and earned Rose a place in the theatrical and literary canon as the quintessential, archetypal 'Stage Mother.'" Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information: kurtainkall.org or call 314-351-8984.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents the contemporary chamber ensemble Alarm Will Sound performing Donnacha Dennehy's opera The Hunger on Saturday, September 17, at 8 PM. “Underdog history comes to life through new music and old Irish songs in composer Donnacha Dennehy's opera about the Great Famine of 1845-52, rooted in Asenath Nicholson's harrowing first-person account in Annals of the Famine in Ireland. Featuring acclaimed ensemble Alarm Will Sound and celebrated Irish folk singer Iarla Lionáird, The Hunger imagines soprano Katherine Manley as Nicholson and Lionáird as the voice of the voiceless, with instrumentalists integrated into the staging.” The performance takes place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri at St. Louis campus. For more information: touhill.org.

Love? Actually...
Photo: Michael Young
R-S Theatrics presents Love? Actually..., an evening of three one-act musicals, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. through September 18. Performances take place at The Westport Playhouse, 635 Westport Plaza. For more information: r-stheatrics.com.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents Miriam Makeba: Mama Africa The Musical Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m., September 15 - 18. "The North American premiere of Miriam Makeba: Mama Africa the Musical will open September 15th at the Touhill Performing Arts Center in St. Louis. The production tells the story of activist and Grammy award-winning musician Miriam Makeba, outlining her role in bringing down apartheid, her varied musical career, betrayals, failed marriages and death of her only daughter while in exile. Set in Africa, the USA and Belgium, this musical is an inspirational and universal story that will appeal to multi-generational audiences worldwide. The story is set to tapestry of Miriam Makeba's solo penned works, lending and rendering a spiritual experience as the story unfolds and concludes, a rare and uncommon listening opportunity for those who know and love the work of Miriam Makeba. For those discovering Miriam Makeba an inspiring journey to the soul of this great woman is to be found forever touching one." The Touhill Performing Arts Center is on the University of Missouri St. Louis campus. For more information: touhill.org.

The Black Rep presents the drama Miss Julie, Clarissa And John through September 25. "Inspired by August Strindberg's groundbreaking 1888 naturalistic drama Miss Julie, Mark Clayton Southers relocates the action from Sweden to a Reconstruction-era Virginia plantation.The dangerous attraction between the landowner's daughter and his top servant takes on new shades as its taboo nature expands from crossing boundaries of social class to also encompass racial lines. The situation is heightened further by Southers' extensive development of the third onstage character from Strindberg's play, who in this searing version becomes central to the conflict through her identity as the mulatto daughter of a slave woman. The result of the Midwest premiere production is an intense struggle that illuminates cultural dynamics of two key moments in U.S. history: then and now." Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: theblackrep.org

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents the Equally Represented Arts presentation of R+J: A Telephone Play - or - Don't Drink the Milk at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 13, as part of Xfest: 4 Days of Experimental Theater. "R + J: A Telephone Play is the performance of six new plays created through the context of a game of telephone. Telephone (also known as “don't drink the milk”) is a game in which one person whispers a message to another person. The message is passed through a line of people until the last player announces the message to the entire group. The original message for this particular game of telephone is the last scene of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. We created an audio recording of this scene and sent it to the first playwright in the line. The playwright listened to the recording and wrote what he/she heard in the form of a play. Then, we sent an audio recording of this new play to the next playwright in the line, and so on..." The performance takes place in the Metcalf Theater on the campus in Edwardsvile, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siuexfest.com.

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Remember Me as its Shakespeare in the Streets 2016 production nightly at 8 PM, Friday through Sunday, September 16 - 18. "Local beer, donuts, bowling and the Bard will all come together as Shakespeare in the Streets heads to Maplewood. This year's production, Remember Me, will feature a mash-up of Hamlet, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Macbeth, with a little Romeo & Juliet thrown in." The production will feature the combined talents of professional actors performing alongside local residents and students. Performances take place in the streets of Mapelwood, MO. For more information: sfstl.com

Christ Memorial Productions presents Seussical the Musical Fridasy and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM, September 16 - 25. "Seussical is a fun and popular musical that combines elements of several of the most popular works of Dr. Seuss with focus on the central theme: 'A person's a person no matter how small'." Performances take place at Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, 5252 South Lindbergh. For more information, visit CMPShows.org or call 314-631-0304.

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Sister Act through October 9. "There's a real reason to rejoice this season for everybody's favorite nun, Deloris Van Cartier, is coming to STAGES to stir up her special brand of habit-forming fun! Join the happy multitudes who have made SISTER ACT one of Hollywood's favorite film comedies and enjoy all the fun, laughter, and irresistible music that packed pews all over America in this STAGES premiere event. Blessed with a rollicking new musical score from Alan Menken - the composer who brought us BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE LITTLE MERMAID, NEWSIES, and ALADDIN - this divine comedy about a sassy, low-rent lounge singer forced to hide out from the mob in the last place anyone would ever look for her - a convent - recently became one of Broadway's smash hit musicals and continues to attract flocks of faithful followers wherever it goes thanks to its soulful chorus of swingin' sisters." 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.

Alton Little Theater presents Steel Magnolias Thursdays through Sundays, September 16 - 25. "The celebrated Southern classic of family and friendship, this is the story of a group of strong and beautiful women who cluster around Truvy's Beauty Parlow in a small Louisiana parish. The story centers on Shelby, who moves fro wedding to childbirth to medical complications with a love of live and a willingness to face its possibilities bravely with support from steely southern sisterhood." Performances take place at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents Twisted Improv on Friday, September 16, at 8 p.m. at The Steamboat Room, 314 S. Clay in Kirkwood, MO. "Join Adam and his crew for an interactive night of fun and laughter.Beer, wine and food available from Kirkwood Station Brewery." For more information: ktg-onstage.org.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Zombie Love through October 28. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents Seattle's theatre simple presentation of A Zombie Odyssey at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14, as part of Xfest: 4 Days of Experimental Theater. "Our hero, Brian Smith, embarks on an epic quest to reunite with his wife after his "demise". This intensely physical theatrical experience questions, "What is human, and what makes a monster?" while playing between humor and horror in this zombie radiodrama/physical theater mashup. Love zombies? It's got all the fights, sex, gore, and nerd references you crave. Hate zombies? Come anyway! This risky, highly-physical show serves up helpings of drama, humor, horror, and humanity-examining philosophy." The performance takes place in the Metcalf Theater on the campus in Edwardsvile, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siuexfest.com.

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.

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