Review: Katie McGrath does cabaret to perfection in 'Significant Others' at the Gaslight Theatre

This review originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Rick Jensen and Katie McGrath

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If you wanted to write a "How to Do Cabaret" textbook, you could easily start with Significant Others, the latest show by former St. Louisan Katie McGrath, which had its local premiere at The Gaslight Cabaret Festival on Friday, November 10.

With a great song list ranging from Bon Jovi to Cole Porter, perfectly tailored arrangements by Rick Jensen, ideally paced direction by Lina Koutrakos, and Ms. McGrath's powerfully genuine stage presence, this was a show that hit all the right notes, literal and figurative.

From the moment Ms. McGrath stepped on stage in a sleek basic black outfit that nicely set off her striking blonde hair and silver earrings, she grabbed the audience's attention with the haunting lyrics Steve Porcaro wrote for the Michael Jackson hit "Human Nature": "Looking out / Across the nighttime / The city winks a sleepless eye." By the time she got to "If this town / Is just an apple / Then let me take a bite" there was little doubt that she was singing not just about her new home town of New York City, but about her entire approach to life as well -- a view confirmed by the next song, a giddy run through Frank Loesser's "If I Were a Bell" from Guys and Dolls. As we say over at the Church of the SubGenius, she's not just going to eat that apple, she's gong to eat the hell out of it.

I should pause here to point out that I have known Ms. McGrath for over a decade, going back to when we both attended an early edition of the St. Louis Cabaret Conference. Even then, before experience and training had allowed her to polish her craft, it was obvious that her singing had the immediacy and emotional truth that is at the heart of cabaret performance. No wonder that Gerry Geddes, in a review of the NYC debut of this show, wrote that Ms. McGrath has now "pursued, captured, and pretty much perfected cabaret performance."

The "significant others" of the title, as Ms. McGrath points out, goes back to the original psychological definition of the term as anyone who had a strong influence on one's self-concept. For her that includes not only her current partner Chet (the subject of a charming original song by Ms. McGrath and Alex Rybeck near the end of the show) but also her parents, her many siblings, her favorite babysitter, and even Sen. Kamala Harris, whose pointed questioning of Jeff Sessions she praised with Frank Loesser's "I Believe in You" (from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying).

Memories of how her babysitter introduced her and her siblings to the joys of Motown in the 1960s led to an ingenious bit in which Ms. McGrath and Mr. Jensen sang only the backup parts of "Heat Wave" and "Come See About Me" (because only her babysitter could be Diana Ross or Martha Reeves) while she channeled her inner child trying (and failing) to execute the dance moves. That child stayed with us in the next song, Dar Williams's poignant "The Babysitter's Here," which views a failing relationship through the eyes of someone young enough to understand pain, but not yet old enough to understand its source.

Ms. McGrath touched on her family's struggle with alcoholism early on, but did so in a way that not only completely avoided self-pity, but also turned the pain into art with a wistful version of Irving Berlin's "Blue Skies." That led to a story about encountering Irving Berlin himself during a youthful trip to New York City, which in turn served as the basis for Rupert Holmes's "People That You Never Get to Love." It was an example of the solid dramatic structure of Significant Others, in which the experienced hand of Ms. Koutrakos was evident.

The show closed with a little something they didn't get in the Big Apple: James Taylor's "Sweet Baby James" sung in harmony with St. Louis singers Jeff Wright and Dionna Raedeke as a tribute to the late Neal Richardson, whose work as an arranger, music director, and educator enriched the lives of so many here in St. Louis before his own life was tragically cut short by illness earlier this year. It was a moment of true beauty.

Significant Others was, in short, a perfect blend of laughter and tears delivered by a singer who is now a master of her art, riding on Mr. Jensen's impeccably tailored arrangements. Our loss has been New York City's gain, and it was nice to see Ms. McGrath once again holding forth on her home turf. Let us hope she returns soon.

Significant Others was produced by The Presenters Dolan as part of the fall edition of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival, which concluded on November 11.

Review: The holiday doctor is in

This review originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Ken Haller and Marty Fox

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The doctor is in, and he's got the cure for your holiday blues. All of them.

Happy Haller Days!, the latest show from singer/actor/pediatrician Ken Haller, is a romp through a full calendar year of three-day weekends, starting with Christmas and working around the calendar. Peppered with insights from Mr. Haller's life in medicine and theatre, the evening is fun and funny, but also touching and profound.

The song choices are varied and sometimes even inspired. Memories of the hard life of Mr. Haller's Swedish grandmother, for example, introduce an Independence Day segment that features a low-key version of Neil Diamond's "America." For Labor Day, reflections on his days as a resident physician on Manhattan's posh Upper West Side lead to Harburg and Lane's rarely heard "When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich" from Finian's Rainbow.

Perhaps the most emotional moment, though, comes with the return to Christmas, as Mr. Haller's thoughts on his decade as a pediatrician in poverty-stricken inner city East St. Louis, make way for an inspiring arrangement of "Light," from Next to Normal. Based on an arrangement for the Gateway Men's Chorus by the late Neal Richardson, it blends the voices of Mr. Haller and his pianist and music director Marty Fox in tight and powerful harmony. The song's hope that the light will make "wasted world we thought we knew...look brand new" feels particularly relevant in the context of today's bleak political landscape.

Balancing out the drama are some true comic gems, like "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," which the ten-year-old Gayla Peevey took to number 24 on the Billboard charts in 1963. Mr. Haller does an impressive job of channeling his own inner child in his charming performance. Perhaps the biggest laughs of the evening, though, came from the Valentine's Day entry, Marilyn Miller and Cheryl Hardwick's "Making Love Alone," a hymn of praise in beguine tempo to (ahem) taking matters into one's own hands. Bernadette Peters brought the house down with it on The Tonight Show in 1989. The Haller and Fox team got even more mileage out of it by taking it just a bit slower, giving the audience room to laugh at the song's many jokes.

As I have written previously, Mr. Haller never fails to deliver a combination of theatrical smarts and vocal authority that has made him one of our town's principal cabaret exports. He and Mr. Fox also have a great rapport on stage, something that was obvious in their last effort, The Medicine Show. Expert direction by Gaslight Cabaret Festival producer Jim Dolan kept everything moving at a good pace and helped insure the sense of a dramatic arc that, in my view, is a major characteristic of a well-designed cabaret performance. The capacity crowd at the Gaslight Theater clearly loved what they saw.

That said, I have to note that while it may be true that, as the old wheeze goes, an elephant never forgets, there's no escaping the fact that people do. On opening night, Mr. Haller occasionally got lost in a couple of lyric-heavy numbers, which suggests to me that there might be too many of those in the show. That's a very minor complaint, though, which is why it's at the very end of this review.

Ken Haller and Marty Fox will reprise Happy Haller Days! at 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 9, at the Gaslight Theater in the Central West End, as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. It's a tremendously entertaining evening from one of our best and most prolific cabaret stars; go and enjoy.

Review: Alice Ripley's new show is fearless but could use a bit of fine tuning at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival, October 21 and 22, 2017

This review originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Alice Ripley

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Broadway star Alice Ripley strikes me as fiercely courageous performer.

Back in 2010 at the Fox in a tour of Next to Normal, her Diana (a role she created on Broadway), was a dynamic and deeply troubled force of nature despite Ms. Ripley's audible vocal fatigue. You can argue about whether performing under vocal stress was a good idea or not, but there's no question that it took real guts.

I saw that same "go for broke" bravery in the opening number of her latest cabaret show, which had its world premiere at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival this weekend (Friday and Saturday, October 21 and 22). It was Leon Russell's soulful "A Song for You," expanded and extended to include volcanic outbursts of passion and even some idiosyncratic scatting. This was a kind of post-Wagnerian elaboration that left me wondering where the heck she was going with it and then being impressed with the destination. She broke the rules, took chances, and ultimately succeeded.

Which was essentially what she did for the entire evening.

At around ninety minutes, that evening was maybe a bit longer than it should have been, and if I were directing this show I'd suggest possibly making cuts in the first half, which consisted of dramatically charged renditions of pop songs from the sixties and beyond. Sometimes, as in a fiercely vulnerable version of Aaron Neville's 1966 "Tell It Like It Is," the results were gripping. But ultimately there were too many deeply felt ballads in a row for me and I began to tune out.

I tuned back in, though, for Ms. Ripley's chatty and engaging patter, which related the songs to her life without descending into the kind of embarrassingly personal details that sometimes mars that approach. At no point did I want to shout "too much information!" Good for her.

And I really tuned in for the second half, which consisted of piansit/music director Brad Simmons's beautifully arranged medleys from some of the many hit Broadway shows in Ms. Ripley's impressive resume. I was particularly taken with the three numbers from Sunset Boulevard, the show in which she played the role of Betty when it opened on Broadway in 1994. She said she'd love to play Norma Desmond now, and if the powerful way she delivered "With One Look" and "As If We Never Said Goodbye" is any indication, she is definitely ready for her close-up.

Brad Simmons
Photo: Kevin Alvey

The collection of tunes from the 1992 stage version of Tommy bubbled with raucous joy and Ms. Ripley's heartfelt performance of "I Miss the Mountains," Diana's first big number in Next to Normal, was a reminder of why she got that 2009 Tony award.

Mr. Simmons, it should be noted, contributed not only impeccably well-tailored arrangements but great vocals as well. When he and Ms. Ripley sang close harmony-as they did several times-it was such a thing of beauty that I was willing to ignore the fact that they were facing each other and not actively involving the audience. That should have been a turn-off, but wasn't. Their performance chemistry was irresistable.

So, yeah, this new show (the working title of which would appear to be "The Ripley Prescription") needs some fine tuning, but it's an impressive, theatrically potent piece already. For Ms. Ripley's fans, who were present in force the night I saw the show, The Ripley Prescription was just what the doctor ordered. For me, it was a demonstration of her vocal versatility and substantial acting chops. I expect that the show will be another feather in her already highly decorated cap before long.

The Gaslight Cabaret Festival continues through November 11th at the Gaslight Theatre in the Central West End. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Review: The joy of stride with Judy Carmichael and Chris Flory

This review originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Judy Carmichael

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As Al Joslon once sang to Jimmy Durante, "It's a thrill when a real piano player sits down at the keys." Last Friday, November 11, at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival, singer, songwriter, Sirius/SM radio host, and stride pianist extraordinaire Judy Carmichael showed that ol' Joley knew what he was talking about.

Because, make no mistake, Ms. Carmichael is a real piano player. She's got the powerful left hand you need for that strong octave/chord alternation that characterizes the bass line of the stride style along with a nimble right for all the flashy stuff. She dove into the long instrumental jams with her performing partner, guitarist Chris Flory, with a cheerful gusto that was positively infectious. Even her one blues number--"Boisdale Blues," a Carmichael original--was accurately billed as a "very happy blues" that takes its title from a London restaurant chain where Ms. Carmichael likes to play.

In fact, if this show was about anything it was about the joy of making music. You could see it in the little verbal asides between her and Mr. Flory and you could absolutely hear it in the endless invention and unflagging virtuosity of her keyboard style. Like so many of the great pianists, Ms. Carmichael treated those 88 keys as simple extensions of her fingers; a thought became music with the speed of neural transmission.

Ms. Carmichael is also a witty songwriter, as evidence by original numbers like the "Take Me Back to Machu Picchu" ("Where have you gone, my love hypnotic? / Remember when you weren't neurotic?") and "My Manhattan." She wrote the latter when she first moved from California to the Big Apple of which, as she reminded us, Ed Koch once said "if you're one in a million, there are ten of you in New York." Her lyrics and the music of her composing partner, Harry Allen, combine to create the kind of hip, "jazz patter" numbers I associate with Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross.

There were more quiet numbers in the show, of course, including a sensitive performance of the too rarely heard "The Lamp is Low," with Mitchell Parish's lyrics grafted on to Ravel's serene Pavane pour une infante défunte. But for the most part this was an evening that brought smiles of pleasure and frequent applause for the virtuosity on display.

The fall edition of The Presenters Dolan's Gaslight Cabaret Festival concluded last Saturday, but Jim Dolan continues to produce cabaret acts on an ongoing basis in The Emerald Room at The Monocle in the Grove. Ms. Carmichael, meanwhile, continues to tour.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of April 8, 2016

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:

"The Grind" from Briefs
Photo: Max Friedman

That Uppity Theatre Company and The Vital Voice present Briefs: A Festival Of Short Lesbian and Gay Plays Friday through Sunday, April 8-10. "BRIEFS is a unique venture in St. Louis that brings together numerous directors and theatrical artists to showcase the work of eight different playwrights all under one roof. BRIEFS presents theatrical work that address the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning people. The festival is targeted to a diverse and mature audience that appreciates good theatre in unique settings. The playwrights include three-time Pulitzer Prize nominee and five-time Emmy nominee James Still. Still's When Miss Lydia Hinkley Gives A Bird the Bird is the story about a thinly coded women's literary club set in 1859. Award-winning General Hospital writer Scott C. Sickles, will have his world premiere of his play I Knew It, inspired by a rumored relationship between Mick Jagger and David Bowie. We are excited for emerging playwright Stephen Peirick to direct his play titled A Comfortable Fit, about a shopping excursion between a transgender mother and daughter." Performances take place at The Rialto Ballroom at Grand Center_3547 Olive. For more information, visit briefs.eventbrite.com or call (314) 995-4600.

My take: If Briefs is about anything, it’s about the fluidity of identity and the diversity that comes from it. If America is about anything, it’s about diversity. And that, no matter what some people will try to tell you, is a good thing. Diversity in nature increases resistance to extinction. Diversity in the workplace leads to smarter teams and better problem solving. Diversity is a source of strength. E pluribus unum. Go, see, and enjoy.

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Steven Lutvak

The Presenters Dolan presents singer/songwriter Steven Lutvak in A Gentleman's Guide to the Gentleman's Guide on Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Come hear the man who was behind the Broadway hit, A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER sing his songs, and let you in on the fascinating backstory and incredible journey of the making of a Tony Award winning musical." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: Jim Dolan is bringing the spring edition of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival to a big close with a show by one of Broadway's newest and brightest talents. "The craftsmanship of the lyrics is impeccable," wrote Mark Horowitz in a DC Theatre Scene article on Mr. Lutvak's show in January, "dripping with wit, and sporting rhymes that leave one gasping in awe. The music is immediately and tunefully accessible, but listen more closely and you’ll hear harmonies, accompaniments, and flourishes that are the work of a composer with a unique voice and something to say."

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Great Falls
Photo: John Lamb

The West End Players Guild continues their 105th season with Lee Blessing's comedy/drama Great Falls Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, April 8-17. "This long, strange trip is undertaken by Monkey Man, a divorced middle-aged writer, and his teenaged ex-stepdaughter, who goes by the name of Bitch. Both of them have lost their way in life, and they set off in search of answers on a road trip through the great American West. By turns funny, sad, touching and profane, Great Falls will take you on a memorable and moving theatrical tour." There will also be a show on Thursday, April 14, at 8 PM. Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 North Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-367-0025 or visit www.westendplayers.org.

My take: Lee Blessing's work has appeared fairly frequently on local stages in recent years, and with good reason: he's an original and sometimes provocative voice. "An honest look at what is possible -- and seemingly impossible -- in human encounters lies at the heart of many Lee Blessing plays," wrote Michael McGregor in a 2010 review of Great Falls for Oregon Live. "Letting each character have his say -- and his due -- he shines a harsh but understanding light on contemporary American problems."

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Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through April 16. "The 'internationally ignored song stylist' Hedwig Schmidt, an East German diva, is also the victim of a botched sex-change operation. As she tours the U.S. with her loyal band, Hedwig candidly shares her life story. Raucous, soulful and wickedly funny with a brilliant rock score, this show has inspired legions of fans." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

My take: "When Hedwig brings her Angry Inch band to St. Louis," writes Tina Farmer at KDHX, "you better get ready for a punk rock throwback that's still a force to be reckoned with. This is the premise, feel, and atmosphere Stray Dog Theatre has created for their production of John Cameron Mitchell's angry ode to the downtrodden working class, running through April 16, 2016 and directed by Justin Been. This is Hedwig's story and uniquely hers, but she shares kinship with musicians, artists, and rebels -- transgender, queer, and straight -- who have stories they are compelled to tell. Fame be damned." This aggressive rock musical is not new to St. Louis, of course, but Stray Dog is putting their own spin on it by turning their space into the seedy rock club where Hedwig performs, complete with table service.

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The University of Missouri at St. Louis presents Idris Goodwin's How We Got On Thursday through Sunday, April 7-10. "Hank, Julian, and Luann are three talented, determined suburban teens coming of age in the 1980s. Dreaming of fame and fortune in the new Hip-Hop music scene, they must overcome cultural isolation, familial dysfunction, and ruthless rivalries to make the music that defines their lives. A sultry DJ spins their stories with her own meta-theatrical perspective in this contemporary ode to the roots of rap." The performances take place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. For more information, touhill.org or call 314-516-4949.

My take: I saw the world premiere of this show at the 2012 Humana Festival of New American plays and was simply blown away by it. As I noted in my review, this is a literate, poetic, deeply felt and warmly human look at three suburban teens (two black and one Latino) in 1988 trying to make sense of their lives, their ambitions, and their relationships with their parents while learning to express themselves with rhymes and beats. A DJ/narrator holds it all together and weaves a highly educational history of history of rap into the story. The result is a compelling, moving, funny, and exciting piece of theatre. I'm glad to see that it has finally made its way to St. Louis.

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Gateway Opera presents William Bolcom's chamber opera Lucrezia Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9, at 8:00 p.m. "Lucrezia is a chamber opera, composed by William Bolcom, with libretto by Mark Campbell, scored for five singers and two pianists. It's a zarzuela riff on Machiavelli's La Mandragola and re-imagines the comedy's heroine as an intelligent seductress in charge of her own destiny." Performances take place at Washington University's 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: gatewayopera.org.

My take: Well, how often do you get to see chamber operas by William Bolcom? Or any operas, for that matter? An eclectic composer and student of a wide variety of popular and classical music, Mr. Bolcom's musical voice is not heard nearly often enough on concert and opera stages.

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Our Town

The Hawthorne Players present the Thornton Wilder's Our Town April 8-17. "Narrated by a stage manager and performed with minimal props and sets, audiences follow the Webb and Gibbs families as their children fall in love, marry, and eventually-in one of the most famous scenes in American theatre-die." The performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 921-5678 or visit hawthorneplayers.info.

My take: What can I say about this classic that has not already been said? The type of small town life depicted in Wilder's play (the action place between 1901 and 1913) was already passing from the scene when it premiered in 1938. By rights it should be a museum piece by now. But the writing touches so effectively on the universal human experiences of birth, life, and death that it never seems dated.

Held Over:

Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing
Photo: John Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing through April 10. "The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd-it's what every baseball player dreams of. In 1947, Jackie Robinson had broken baseball's color barrier, while Satchel Paige and his Negro League All-Stars were barnstorming against their white counterparts in the Majors. It was baseball by day and jazz by night as the impassioned and devoted players tried to find their place in a country on the verge of change." 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.

My take: While the reviews for this show have been mixed, I saw it last weekend and was very impressed. It's a fascinating look at a historical turning point both in American history in general and in the history of baseball, our national pastime, in particular. It uses the life of Satchel Paige as a metaphor for the passing of black American institutions that were made irrelevant by integration, and ties it up with the changes taking place in jazz at the same time. This is heady and smart stuff, and while the second act, in particular, could stand with some trimming, it's still a powerful show from the team that brought us the remarkable Fly a few seasons back. At a time when reactionary political forces are trying to undo all the good done since 1947, this show is very relevant.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 4, 2016

[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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The Bridges of Madison County
Photo: Matthew Murphy

The Fox Theatre presents the musical The Bridges of Madison County opening Tuesday, April 5, and running through April 17. "THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, one of the most romantic stories ever written, first captured the nation's attention as a best-selling novel by Robert James Waller and is now an irresistible, two time Tony Award®-winning Broadway musical. This stunning new production features gorgeous, soulful music by Tony Award®-winning composer Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years) that the Daily News hails as "one of Broadway's best scores in the last decade." With a book by Pulitzer Prize Winner Marsha Norman (The Secret Garden, The Color Purple) and direction by Tony® winner Bartlett Sher (South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza), THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY is the unforgettable story of two people caught between decision and desire, as a chance encounter becomes a second chance at so much more." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

That Uppity Theatre Company and The Vital Voice present Briefs: A Festival Of Short Lesbian and Gay Plays Friday through Sunday, April 8-10. "BRIEFS is a unique venture in St. Louis that brings together numerous directors and theatrical artists to showcase the work of eight different playwrights all under one roof. BRIEFS presents theatrical work that address the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning people. The festival is targeted to a diverse and mature audience that appreciates good theatre in unique settings. The playwrights include three-time Pulitzer Prize nominee and five-time Emmy nominee James Still. Still's When Miss Lydia Hinkley Gives A Bird the Bird is the story about a thinly coded women's literary club set in 1859. Award-winning General Hospital writer Scott C. Sickles, will have his world premiere of his play I Knew It, inspired by a rumored relationship between Mick Jagger and David Bowie. We are excited for emerging playwright Stephen Peirick to direct his play titled A Comfortable Fit, about a shopping excursion between a transgender mother and daughter." Performances take place at The Rialto Ballroom at Grand Center_3547 Olive. For more information, visit briefs.eventbrite.com or call (314) 995-4600.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Clueless through April 16. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents The Cockfight Play Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. April 8-10. “John has been in a stable relationship with his boyfriend for a number of years. But when he takes a break, he accidentally falls in love with a woman. Torn between the two, filled with guild and conflicting emotions, he doesn't know which way to turn. As the pressure mounts, a dinner with both parties is arranged, and everyone wants to know what John's decision will be.” Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium in Webster Hall on the Webster University campus. For more information, events.webster.edu or call 314-968-7128.

Steven Lutvak

The Presenters Dolan presents singer/songwriter Steven Lutvak in A Gentleman's Guide to the Gentleman's Guide on Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Come hear the man who was behind the Broadway hit, A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER sing his songs, and let you in on the fascinating backstory and incredible journey of the making of a Tony Award winning musical." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The West End Players Guild continues their 105th season with Lee Blessing's comedy/drama Great Falls Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, April 8-17. "This long, strange trip is undertaken by Monkey Man, a divorced middle-aged writer, and his teenaged ex-stepdaughter, who goes by the name of Bitch. Both of them have lost their way in life, and they set off in search of answers on a road trip through the great American West. By turns funny, sad, touching and profane, Great Falls will take you on a memorable and moving theatrical tour." There will also be a show on Thursday, April 14, at 8 PM. Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 North Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-367-0025 or visit www.westendplayers.org.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Photo: Tom Gannam

Stray Dog Theatre presents the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through April 16. "The 'internationally ignored song stylist' Hedwig Schmidt, an East German diva, is also the victim of a botched sex-change operation. As she tours the U.S. with her loyal band, Hedwig candidly shares her life story. Raucous, soulful and wickedly funny with a brilliant rock score, this show has inspired legions of fans." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents Helvetica, A Play About Stories Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., through April 10. "A children's author, with the help of her beloved stuffed bear, must face the trials of life and death through fantasy and adventure." Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

The University of Missouri at St. Louis presents Idris Goodwin's How We Got On Thursday through Sunday, April 7-10. "Hank, Julian, and Luann are three talented, determined suburban teens coming of age in the 1980s. Dreaming of fame and fortune in the new Hip-Hop music scene, they must overcome cultural isolation, familial dysfunction, and ruthless rivalries to make the music that defines their lives. A sultry DJ spins their stories with her own meta-theatrical perspective in this contemporary ode to the roots of rap." The performances take place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. For more information, touhill.org or call 314-516-4949.

Lindenwood University presents the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on Thursday, April 7 at 7 p.m.. "One of the most enduring shows of all time, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the irresistible family musical about the trials and triumphs of Joseph, Israel's favorite son." The performance takes place on the main stage at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information, call 636-949-4433 or visit lindenwood.edu/center.

Topper Productions present Dawn Schmid in Let Them Eat Cake on Sunday, April 10, at 3 p.m. " Puppy love, adolescent love, troubled love, seasoned love, self love...no matter the season, or the circumstances, love asks us to grow, to question, to trust, to risk. Talented newcomer, Dawn Schmidt explores the many questions love asks us,with a fresh new perspective, as quirky and endearing as she is!" The Boom Boom Room is at500 N. 14th St. downtown. For more information: theboomboomroomstl.com.

Love and Information
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents Love and Information Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, through April 10. " 57 vibrant scenes. Over 100 colorful characters. In this kaleidoscopic collection of micro-stories, Caryl Churchill explores the roller coaster of existence in our dizzying world. Within the play's vivid anthology, the characters engage in a varied menu of touching and humorous life vignettes, affirming that while we may require vast amounts of knowledge in our digitally-defined era, our hunger for human connection remains essential. The play, by one of Britain's most esteemed playwrights, premiered in 2012 at London's Royal Court Theatre." Performances take place in the Hotchner Studio Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu or call 314-935-6543.

Gateway Opera presents William Bolcom's chamber opera Lucrezia Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9, at 8:00 p.m. "Lucrezia is a chamber opera, composed by William Bolcom, with libretto by Mark Campbell, scored for five singers and two pianists. It's a zarzuela riff on Machiavelli's La Mandragola and re-imagines the comedy's heroine as an intelligent seductress in charge of her own destiny." Performances take place at Washington University's 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: gatewayopera.org.

The Westport Playhouse presents Men Are From Mars-Women Are From Venus Live! running through April 17. "The Off-Broadway hit comedy Men Are From Mars - Women Are From Venus LIVE!, is a one-man fusion of theatre and stand-up, and is a light-hearted theatrical comedy based on the New York Times #1 best-selling book of the last decade by John Gray. Moving swiftly through a series of vignettes, the show covers everything from dating and marriage to the bedroom." Performances take place at the Westport Playhouse in Westport Plaza. For more information: marsvenuslive.com.

Joe Dreyer and
Rosemary Watts

The Presenters Dolan presents Joe Dreyer and Rosemary Watts in Nuance and Novelty on Thursday, April 7, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Joe and Rosemary grace the Gaslight stage with an all new show." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Hawthorne Players present the Thornton Wilder's Our Town April 8-17. "Narrated by a stage manager and performed with minimal props and sets, audiences follow the Webb and Gibbs families as their children fall in love, marry, and eventually-in one of the most famous scenes in American theatre-die." The performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 921-5678 or visit hawthorneplayers.info.

St. Louis Shakespeare presents Shakespeare's tragedy Richard III Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., April 9-17. "A brilliant military commander, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, cannot be content in peacetime. As Richard centralizes power and makes a play for the crown, his motives grow uglier, sending him, enraged, into a bloody battle at Bosworth Field against Henry Tudor." Performances take place at the Ivory Theatre, 7620 Michigan in the Carondelet neighborhood. For more information, call 314-361-5664 or visit stlshakespeare.org.

Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing
Photo: John Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing through April 10. "The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd-it's what every baseball player dreams of. In 1947, Jackie Robinson had broken baseball's color barrier, while Satchel Paige and his Negro League All-Stars were barnstorming against their white counterparts in the Majors. It was baseball by day and jazz by night as the impassioned and devoted players tried to find their place in a country on the verge of change." 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 Moliere's comedy Tartuffe, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., through April 10, in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618-939-7469.

The Social Justice Center presents There is a Field on Friday, April 8, at 7 p.m. at Washington University. "As the Second Intifada erupted in the West Bank and Gaza, demonstrations also began in Palestinian villages and towns inside Israel. In October 2000, Israeli forces killed thirteen unarmed Palestinians in these demonstrations. The youngest of those killed was a 17-year old boy named Aseel Asleh. Aseel was shot point blank in the neck by Israeli police while nonviolently demonstrating outside his village. There Is A Field is a documentary-style play about Aseel's life and his killing, told from the perspective of his older sister, Nardeen. Through Nardeen's struggle to cope with the murder of her brother, the play also addresses the larger struggle facing Palestinians inside Israel." For more information: thereisafield.info.

Hands Up United and St Louis Palestine Solidarity present There is a Field on Sunday, April 10, at 3 p.m. in Ferguson, MO. "As the Second Intifada erupted in the West Bank and Gaza, demonstrations also began in Palestinian villages and towns inside Israel. In October 2000, Israeli forces killed thirteen unarmed Palestinians in these demonstrations. The youngest of those killed was a 17-year old boy named Aseel Asleh. Aseel was shot point blank in the neck by Israeli police while nonviolently demonstrating outside his village. There Is A Field is a documentary-style play about Aseel's life and his killing, told from the perspective of his older sister, Nardeen. Through Nardeen's struggle to cope with the murder of her brother, the play also addresses the larger struggle facing Palestinians inside Israel." For more information: thereisafield.info.

COCA presents Presentation House Theatre production of Where The Wild Things Are Thursday through Sunday, April 7-10. "This intimate and interactive "guided play" experience invites the audience on stage to help transform Max's bedroom into the various landscapes of his adventures...ending with a Wild Rumpus in which the audience becomes the Wild Things themselves!" COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

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.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of Marcch 31, 2016

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:

Tim Schall

The Presenters Dolan presents An Evening with the St. Louis Cabaret Conference Pro Track on Sunday, April 3, at 7 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Join Conference Producer Tim Schall as he performs with six singers from St. Louis and around the nation: Claudia Hommel, Amy Friedl Stoner, David Meulemans, Tracey O'Farrell, Ben Watts and Brooke Michael Smith. The group goes on to NY later this year!" The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: The St. Louis Cabaret Conference is the annual week-long professional training camp for cabaret and musical theatre singers. I have attended several editions over the years, including last year's, which was the first one to feature both Next Stop and Pro tracks, so I had a chance to see all of these singers strut their stuff. They're very different but all very talented, and this should be a great evening.

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The Presenters Dolan presents Lisa Rothauser and Tor Hyams in Life. Who Knew? on Thursday, March 31, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "This show sold out NY's 54 Below, 42 West and Joe's Pub. Lisa is a hometown girl who was in the cast of The Producers on Broadway, and sings like it. Husband Tor Hyams is a Grammy-nominated songwriter. It's a helluva show." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: I'm putting his show on the list just because it sounds like fun and because I love to support the work of local performers who make good in the Big Apple. If I weren't already committed elsewhere, I would definitely be at the Gaslight for this show.

Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing
Photo: John Gitchoff

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The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing through April 10. "The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd-it's what every baseball player dreams of. In 1947, Jackie Robinson had broken baseball's color barrier, while Satchel Paige and his Negro League All-Stars were barnstorming against their white counterparts in the Majors. It was baseball by day and jazz by night as the impassioned and devoted players tried to find their place in a country on the verge of change." 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.

My take: While the reviews for this show have been mixed, I saw it last weekend and was very impressed. It's a fascinating look at a historical turning point both in American history in general and in the history of baseball, our national pastime, in particular. It uses the life of Satchel Paige as a metaphor for the passing of black American institutions that were made irrelevant by integration, and ties it up with the changes taking place in jazz at the same time. This is heady and smart stuff, and while the second act, in particular, could stand with some trimming, it's still a powerful show from the team that brought us the remarkable Fly a few seasons back. At a time when reactionary political forces are trying to undo all the good done since 1947, this show is very relevant.

Amy Friedl Stoner

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The Presenters Dolan presents Amy Friedl Stoner in Tapestry: The Music of Carole King on Friday, April 1, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Amy's got a great voice, and she and her band Mirage do totally right by Carole King." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: I got to know and appreciate Amy Friedl Stoner's considerable talent last summer at the St. Louis Cabaret Conference and can recommend her work without reservation. And you can hardly go wrong with the music of Carole King.

---

The Presenters Dolan presents Katie McGrath and Nicole Hudson in Where the Heart Is on Sunday, April 3, at 3 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Katie and Nicole join forces to explore one of their favorite and our most urgent topics: St. Louis, the city we love and long to change. Through a combination of songs from Broadway, main street and mean streets." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: I don't really know Nicole's work, but Katie and I have shared cabaret stages for a number of years now. I have immense respect for her musical and theatrical smarts as well as her keen political intelligence. This should be a great and important show.

Held Over:

Old Wicked Songs
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents the Old Wicked Songs through April 3 "Hoping to reconnect with his music and shatter the artistic block that has plagued his career, a young American piano prodigy travels to Vienna in the spring of 1986. He is assigned to a vocal teacher who gives him the "Dicheterliebe" song cycle by Robert Schumann. Marans incorporates the poetry of Heinrich Heine and the music of Robert Schumann into the series of events. Through the sessions between the two men, Marans creates a link between two generations who find they much more in common than they think. This is the inspirational journey of two very different men who, with music as their one common bond, must find a way to break through their pasts." 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: I recall being very taken with this script when the Rep did it many years ago. In the Jewish Light, Bob Cohn describes this as "a challenging, thought-provoking play." "Playwright Jon Marans has created a play that ebbs and flows like a musical composition," writes Steve Allen for Stage Door St. Louis. "Yes, the music is at the heart of the production but the real heart in the production is the strength and resolve of teacher and student and the life lessons they each learn from one another. It's a beautiful script handled by two truly great actors."

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 28, 2016

[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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The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Clueless through April 16. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

The Presenters Dolan presents An Evening with the St. Louis Cabaret Conference Pro Track on Sunday, April 3, at 7 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Join Conference Producer Tim Schall as he performs with six singers from St. Louis and around the nation: Claudia Hommel, Amy Friedl Stoner, David Meulemans, Tracey O'Farrell, Ben Watts and Brooke Michael Smith. The group goes on to NY later this year!" The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Photo: Tom Gannam

Stray Dog Theatre presents the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM March 31 - April 16. “The 'internationally ignored song stylist' Hedwig Schmidt, an East German diva, is also the victim of a botched sex-change operation. As she tours the U.S. with her loyal band, Hedwig candidly shares her life story. Raucous, soulful and wickedly funny with a brilliant rock score, this show has inspired legions of fans." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents Helvetica, A Play About Stories Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., April 1-10. "A children's author, with the help of her beloved stuffed bear, must face the trials of life and death through fantasy and adventure." Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

The Presenters Dolan presents Lisa Rothauser and Tor Hyams in Life. Who Knew? on Thursday, March 31, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "This show sold out NY's 54 Below, 42 West and Joe's Pub. Lisa is a hometown girl who was in the cast of The Producers on Broadway, and sings like it. Husband Tor Hyams is a Grammy-nominated songwriter. It's a helluva show." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Lutheran High School North presents the musical The Little Mermaid Thursday through Saturday at 7:00 p.m., March 31 - April 2. Lutheran High School North is at 5401 Lucas and Hunt road in north St. Louis County. For more information: lhsnstl.org.

Love and Information
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents Love and Information Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, April 1-10. "57 vibrant scenes. Over 100 colorful characters. In this kaleidoscopic collection of micro-stories, Caryl Churchill explores the roller coaster of existence in our dizzying world. Within the play's vivid anthology, the characters engage in a varied menu of touching and humorous life vignettes, affirming that while we may require vast amounts of knowledge in our digitally-defined era, our hunger for human connection remains essential. The play, by one of Britain's most esteemed playwrights, premiered in 2012 at London's Royal Court Theatre." Performances take place in the Hotchner Studio Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu or call 314-935-6543.

The St. Louis Art Museum presents a live HD broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera's production Puccini's Madama Butterfly on Saturday, April 2, at 11:55 a.m. "Anthony Minghella's breathtaking production has thrilled audiences ever since its premiere in 2006. Kristine Opolais reprises her acclaimed portrayal of the title role, opposite Roberto Alagna as Pinkerton, the naval officer who breaks Butterfly's heart. Ana María Martínez, Latonia Moore, Roberto De Biasio, and Gwyn Hughes Jones star in a second set of performances. Karel Mark Chichon conducts." The live digital HD video broadcast from New York takes place in The Farrell Auditorium at the Art Museum in Forest Park. For more information: slam.org.

The Fox Theatre presents the Tyler Perry starring in his comedy Madea on the Run Friday through Sunday, April 1-3. The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. "Madea is at it again in Tyler Perry's most outrageously funny stage play ever. In trouble with the local authorities, Mabel Simmons, notoriously known as Madea, is on the run from the law. With no place to turn, she volunteers to move in with her friend Bam who is recovering from hip replacement surgery. Bam is so grateful that her faithful friend Mabel is putting her own life on hold in order to nurse Bam back to health. Unknown to Bam however, Madea is only using the concerned friend gag as a way to hide out from the police. But as they say...all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. Madea's presence at Bam's house is just what the doctor ordered." For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Westport Playhouse presents Men Are From Mars-Women Are From Venus Live! opening on Friday, April 1, and running through April 17. "The Off-Broadway hit comedy Men Are From Mars - Women Are From Venus LIVE!, is a one-man fusion of theatre and stand-up, and is a light-hearted theatrical comedy based on the New York Times #1 best-selling book of the last decade by John Gray. Moving swiftly through a series of vignettes, the show covers everything from dating and marriage to the bedroom." Performances take place at the Westport Playhouse in Westport Plaza. For more information: marsvenuslive.com.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play Friday tat 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. April 1-3. “After the collapse of civilization, a group of survivors share a campfire and begin to piece together the plot of “The Simpsons” episode “Cape Fear” entirely from memory. Seven years later, this and other snippets of pop culture have become the live entertainment of a post-apocalyptic society, sincerely trying to hold onto its past. Seventy-five years later, these are the myths and legends from which new forms of performance are created. A paean to live theatre, and the resilience of Bart Simpson through the ages, Mr. Burns is an animated exploration of how the pop culture of one era might evolve into the mythology of another” Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium in Webster Hall on the Webster University campus. For more information, events.webster.edu or call 314-968-7128.

Old Wicked Songs
Photo: Eric Woolsdy

New Jewish Theater presents the Old Wicked Songs through April 3 "Hoping to reconnect with his music and shatter the artistic block that has plagued his career, a young American piano prodigy travels to Vienna in the spring of 1986. He is assigned to a vocal teacher who gives him the "Dicheterliebe" song cycle by Robert Schumann. Marans incorporates the poetry of Heinrich Heine and the music of Robert Schumann into the series of events. Through the sessions between the two men, Marans creates a link between two generations who find they much more in common than they think. This is the inspirational journey of two very different men who, with music as their one common bond, must find a way to break through their pasts." 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.

Lion's Paw Theatre Company presents Plays on the Menu, a reading of the plays Old Boy Friend by Neil LaBute, Ski Lift by Chris Holbrook, and Motherhood by August Strindberg, on Tuesday, March 29, at noon at The Hearth Room at The Hawken House, 1155 South Rock Hill Road. The readings include lunch. For more information: lionspawtheatre.org.

Lion's Paw Theatre Company presents Plays on the Menu, a reading of the plays Old Boy Friend by Neil LaBute, Ski Lift by Chris Holbrook, and Motherhood by August Strindberg, on Wednesday, March 30, at noon at St. Louis Artists' Guild, 12 North Jackson in Clayton. The readings include lunch. For more information: lionspawtheatre.org.

Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing
Photo: John Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing through April 10. "The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd-it's what every baseball player dreams of. In 1947, Jackie Robinson had broken baseball's color barrier, while Satchel Paige and his Negro League All-Stars were barnstorming against their white counterparts in the Majors. It was baseball by day and jazz by night as the impassioned and devoted players tried to find their place in a country on the verge of change." 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.

Amy Friedl Stoner

The Presenters Dolan presents Amy Friedl Stoner in Tapestry: The Music of Carole King on Friday, April 1, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Amy's got a great voice, and she and her band Mirage do totally right by Carole King." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents Moliere's comedy Tartuffe, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., February 5-14, in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618-939-7469.

The Presenters Dolan presents Joe Mancuso in That's (My) Life on Saturday, April 2, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Joe Mancuso makes his cabaret debut at The Gaslight. He tells his personal story - and how tragic events changed his life, putting him on a musical journey to becoming an award-winning vocalist, recording artist and St. Louis favorite." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Presenters Dolan presents Katie McGrath and Nicole Hudson in Where the Heart Is on Sunday, April 3, at 3 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Katie and Nicole join forces to explore one of their favorite and our most urgent topics: St. Louis, the city we love and long to change. Through a combination of songs from Broadway, main street and mean streets." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.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.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 21, 2016

[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.

Share on Google+

American Idiot
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical American Idiot, based on the album by Green Day, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through March 26. " New Line continues its 25th season with the powerful, high-octane, rock fable AMERICAN IDIOT, based on the powerhouse album by Green Day, a scorching attack on what they saw as the hypocrisy and moral evils of the Bush Administration after the attacks of Sept. 11, as well as the increasingly submissive nature of the American public. The score includes every song from Green Day's hit album American Idiot, as well as several songs from their follow-up release, 21st Century Breakdown, with music by Green Day, lyrics by frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, a book by Armstrong and Michael Mayer, and musical arrangements and orchestrations by Broadway composer Tom Kitt (High Fidelity, Next to Normal, If/Then). The Toronto Star called the show 'the first great musical of the 21st century.'" Performances take place at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents And Away You Go through March 27. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Clueless through April 16. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

The Presenters Dolan present Natalie Douglas in Hello Dolly: The Music of Dolly Parton on Thursday, March 24, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Called "a true force of nature" by The Times UK and "sensational" by Time Out New York. After a Birdland residency and a weeklong triumph in London, Natalie Douglas - a buxom beauty herself - brings her acclaimed Dolly Parton show to our town.." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

If/Then
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents the musical If/Then opening on Tuesday, March 15, and running through March 27. "IF/THEN is a contemporary Broadway musical about living in New York today - and all the possibilities of tomorrow. With unforgettable songs and a deeply moving story by the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning creators of Next to Normal, this "fascinating, ambitious, and original new musical" (New York Post) simultaneously follows one woman's two possible life paths, painting a deeply moving portrait of the lives we lead, as well as the lives we might have led." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Presenters Dolan present Liam Forde: Live! on Friday and Saturday, March 25 and 26, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. " Liam's one break away from the heights - catch him now." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the world premiere of Molly's Hammer through March 27. "Molly Rush was focused on the endgame- save the world, protect her family. But what would she have to sacrifice? In 1980, the Pittsburgh housewife and mother of six walked into a General Electric plant and took a hammer to a nuclear warhead to protest the buildup of America's nuclear arsenal. Based on the true story of the Plowshares Eight, Molly's Hammer is the world-premiere account of one woman's unwavering beliefs and her family's desperate attempts to protect her from infamy." Performances take place in the studio theater at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read my review!

Old Wicked Songs
Photo: Eric Woolsdy

New Jewish Theater presents the Old Wicked Songs through April 3 "Hoping to reconnect with his music and shatter the artistic block that has plagued his career, a young American piano prodigy travels to Vienna in the spring of 1986. He is assigned to a vocal teacher who gives him the "Dicheterliebe" song cycle by Robert Schumann. Marans incorporates the poetry of Heinrich Heine and the music of Robert Schumann into the series of events. Through the sessions between the two men, Marans creates a link between two generations who find they much more in common than they think. This is the inspirational journey of two very different men who, with music as their one common bond, must find a way to break through their pasts." 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.

The Presenters Dolan present Pink Martini: A Spring Fling Featuring China Forbes on Monday, March 21, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. The performance takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall in Grand Center. For more information: metrotix.com.

The St. Louis Theater Circle presents the St. Louis Theater Circle Awards on Monday, March 21, at 7 PM. The awards recognize outstanding achievement in locally produced professional theatre as judged by local theatre critics who are members of the Circle. Presenters will include KDHX's own Chuck Lavazzi. The ceremony takes place at The Skip Viragh Center on the campus of Chaminade University . Tickets are available in advance at brownpapertickets.com. A pre-ceremony buffet and open bar will be situated just outside the theater entrance. Food and drinks will be available on a cash basis, but the buffet has to be ordered and paid for in advance. Check out the With Love Catering site for details or call 314-637-7907. The event will be broadcast and webcast live on HEC-TV Charter channel 989, U-Verse channel 99, and at hectv.org

Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing
Photo: John Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing March 16 - April 10. "The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd-it's what every baseball player dreams of. In 1947, Jackie Robinson had broken baseball's color barrier, while Satchel Paige and his Negro League All-Stars were barnstorming against their white counterparts in the Majors. It was baseball by day and jazz by night as the impassioned and devoted players tried to find their place in a country on the verge of change." 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.

On Wednesday, March 23, at 7:30 p .m. the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Ignite! New Play Festival presents Unseen by Mona Monsour. "Conflict photographer Mia wakes up in the Istanbul apartment of her on-again, off-again girlfriend after being found unconscious at the scene of a massacre she was photo-graphing. When Mia's mother arrives from the U.S., the apartment is filled with tension as the women try to unravel what happened. Unseen is a provocative look at one American's attempt to commune with another very foreign, much discussed part of the world." The performance takes place at the Sally S. Levy Opera Center, 210 Hazel Avenue in Webster Groves. For more information www.repstl.org/ignite.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Ignite! New Play Festival presents Until the Flood by Daniel Orlandersmith Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m., March 25 and 26. " The Rep has commissioned celebrated writer, performer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith to write and perform a play about the recent events in Ferguson. She has fashioned a sensitive and moving portrayal of the people in our community, and how they feel about an event that placed St. Louis in a spotlight it didn't expect or relish." The Friday performance takes place at the Sally S. Levy Opera Center, 210 Hazel Avenue in Webster Groves and the Saturday performance at St. Louis Public Radio in Grand Center. For more information www.repstl.org/ignite.

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.