New on the list: a pair of cabaret shows and a chilling look the downside of advances in medical science from the author of
A Doll's House Part 2 and
The Christians.
New This Week:
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Death Tax
Photo by Jill Ritter Photography |
Mustard Seed Theatre presents
Death Tax by Lucas Hnath Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, May 9-19. "As Maxine nears the end of her life she is certain of three things: Death, Taxes and the Greed of her daughter who wants her to die quickly. A desperate nurse vows to keep her alive, but at what cost? Darkly comic, the play explores morality and forgiveness." 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: When I saw the world premiere of this play at the Humana Festival back in 2012,
I wrote that it had a dramatic power that couldn't be denied, demonstrating forcibly the corrupting effects of money and power—and, for that matter, of want and powerlessness. Lucas Hnath's play raises disturbing questions: as medical science advances, will we become a race divided between those who can purchase virtual immortality and those who can't? And what will that mean?
Death Tax suggests the answers might not be pleasant. I won't get to see this production until next week, but I'm going to recommend it anyway based on my admiration for Hnath's work as a playwright and on the quality Mustard Seed's work in general.
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| Bob Wetzel |
The Kranzberg Center presents
Bob Wetzel in
Facing the Music on Saturday, May 11, at 8 pm. "This show will feature the music of songwriters as diverse as Irving Berlin, Jimmy Van Husen, Stephen Sondheim, Paul Simon, Jerome Kern and Don Henley; Bob and the band will spin some of them in ways you have likely not heard before." Carol Schmidt is pianist and music director for the show, which also features Rick Vice on bass and Kevin Gianino on drums. Tim Schall directs. The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information:
www.metrotix.com
My take: I should preface my comments by acknowledging that Bob is a member of the board of The Cabaret Project St. Louis, on which I also sit. That said, I have had the opportunity to see Bob perform many times, both at The Cabaret Project's monthly open mic night and last summer in his debut show A Fine Bromance, a duet cabaret with Craig Becker. Reviewing that show
for KDHX, I described it as an unfailingly charming evening, with Mr. Wetzel delivering cabaret and jazz standards with suave assurance. He has a great band working with him in his solo debut here, and St. Louis cabaret legend Tim Schall can be relied upon to provide expert direction. Last time I checked, tickets are selling fast, so an advance purchase is recommended.
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| Ben Nordstrom |
The Sheldon Concert Hall presents
Ben Nordstrom and Steve Neale in
The Music of Billy Joel and Elton John on Saturday, May 11, at 11 am. "Two of St. Louis' favorite musical theater performers come together to celebrate music icons Billy Joel and Elton John. Enjoy hits such as "New York State of Mind," "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me," "Scenes From an Italian Restaurant" and "Your Song," performed with Ben and Steve's trademark wit and charm." The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information:
thesheldon.org.
My take: Here's a duet show by a pair of well known and highly regarded local theatre and cabaret artists. Mr. Nordstrom has a long resume that includes dramatic and comic roles, along with extensive musical theatre work, while Mr. Neale is a composer, conductor, pianist, and vocalist who is much in demand here in town. It looks like an unbeatable combination to me.
Held Over:
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Salt, Root, and Roe
Photo by ProPhotoSTL |
Upstream Theater presents the St. Louis premiere of
Salt, Root and Roe running through May 12. "Tim Price's
Salt, Root and Roe is a poetic masterwork about the nature of change, the comfort of home, and the eternal bond of love, set against the mythical backdrop of the Pembrokeshire coast in western Wales. The play centers on identical twins Iola and Anest, who are very devoted to each other. Ageing fast, and with the time they have together more fragile by the day, they arrive at a desperate decision. Word of this reaches Anest's daughter Menna, who rushes to her long-abandoned childhood home where her own ideas of love and compromise are tested to the limit. In spite of its somber themes, the play is light, textured and at times very funny-and in the words of one reviewer "like a pebble picked from a Pembrokeshire beach… something to take home and reflect over, something that evokes a smell of the sea..."Another US premiere from Upstream Theater, in co-production with Stages Repertory Theatre of Houston." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times:
upstreamtheater.org.
My take: I'm getting to the age at which plays about Alzheimer's tend to make me more than a little uncomfortable, but there's no doubt that reviews for Upstream's production have been good. "Tim Price's affecting, absorbing drama is given a top-notch presentation in its American premiere production," writes Mark Bretz
at Ladue News. "It's a one-act wonder that ideally fits Upstream's goal "to move you and move you to think."
At KDHX, Steve Callahan praises the "superb cast," which consists of some of our finest local actors: Donna Weinsting, Amy Loui, Sally Edmundson, and Eric Dean White.
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