Chuck's Choices for the weekend of January 11, 2012

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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Upstream Theater presents Café Chanson, a “ballet in song” created and directed by Broadway star and native St. Louisan Ken Page, Thursdays through Sundays, January 11-27. The show “includes World War II period songs from some of France's most renowned singers and songwriters.” Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. I'm a great fan of the classic French pop songs, so I'm looking forward to this one with considerable interest. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

Metro Theatre Company and the The Edison Theatre at Washington University present the St. Louis premiere of Jackie and Me by Steven Dietz, adapted from the book by Dan Gutman, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, January 8-27. There will also be special school matinees Tuesdays through Fridays at 10:00 AM. “An exciting play that illuminates Jackie Robinson's courage and dignity in the face of cruel racial prejudice, Jackie and Me will have you on the edge of your seat as we all root for the man who changed the face of the game.” Each performance will be immediately followed by a discussion exploring questions raised by the story. The play is recommended for adults and young people 10 and over. I'm not going to get to see this one, but I'm recommending it because Metro has such a good track record and becuase Robinson's story a reminder of both how far we have come in race relations and how far we still have to go. For more information, call the Edison Theatre Box Office at (314) 935-6543.

The Fox Theatre presents the “international percussion sensation” Stomp Friday through Sunday, January 11-13. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. One of these days I really must get to see this show; everyone who has covered it for me at KDHX has been pretty much bowled over by the high energy of the cast and the ingenuity of the choreography. To quote from the press release: "Synchronized stiff-bristle brooms become a sweeping orchestra, eight Zippo lighters flip open and closed to create a fiery fugue; wooden poles thump and clack in a rhythmic explosion.  Stomp uses everything but conventional percussion instruments - dustbins, tea chests, radiator hoses, boots, hub caps - to fill the stage with a compelling and unique act that is often imitated but never duplicated."  For more information: fabulousfox.com.

Held over:

©Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Good People through January 27. “You can't keep a good woman down - unless that woman is from Southie, the gritty, blue-collar Boston neighborhood that Margie Walsh has always called home. Down on her luck and facing eviction, Margie turns to Mikey, an old fling who made good and secured himself a new life in the ritzy suburbs. But is he strong enough to face his humble beginnings and give Margie a hand? Laughter is never far from heartache in this poignant look at the "haves" and "have-nots".” Read the 88.1 KDHX review! Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

The Day of No Jackals

I don't know about you, but I'm fairly tired of seeing an endless parade of political jackals using the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, to advance their various agendas.  I'm particularly revolted by the NRA and ALEC, but they're hardly alone.

It's kind of refreshing, then, to see press releases like this one, which showed up in my inbox today.  There's a lot of talent here going to a very worthy cause.

TO NEWTOWN, FROM BROADWAY WITH LOVE
“From Broadway with Love: A Benefit Concert For Sandy Hook” Palace Theater (Waterbury, CT) on January 28th

(Newtown, CT) January 7, 2013 – On December 14, 2012, tragedy struck Sandy Hook Elementary School and our nation mourned with the residents of Newtown, Connecticut. As the town slowly attempts to recover, Broadway stars, producers, writers, and directors will lend their voices in support.  “From Broadway with Love: A Benefit Concert For Sandy Hook” will take place on January 28, 2013 at 7:00 pm at the Palace Theater in Waterbury, CT, 20 minutes from Newtown.  All proceeds and donations will go to United Way of Western Connecticut’s Sandy Hook School Support Fund.

“From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert For Sandy Hook” will feature song, dance, and other appearances from some of the biggest names on Broadway, together with select students from various Newtown choirs and dance groups.

Renowned Broadway performers scheduled to appear include Brian Stokes Mitchell (Tony Award winner: Kiss Me Kate, 3-time Tony Award nominee), Linda Eder (Jekyll & Hyde), Stephen Schwartz (6-time Tony Award nominee, Wicked, Godspell), Micky Dolenz (Aida, member of The Monkees), Marc Shaiman (Tony Award winner: Hairspray, TV’s SMASH), Michael Cerveris (Tony Award winner for Assassins, 4-time Tony Award nominee, Evita, Sweeney Todd), Christine Ebersole (Tony Award winner: Grey Gardens), Frank Wildhorn (Tony Award nominated: Bonnie & Clyde and Civil War, Jekyll & Hyde), Philip Boykin (Tony Award nominee: The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess), Richard Kind (The Producers, TV’s Mad About You), Andrea McArdle (Tony Award nominee: Annie, Les Miserables), Nikki Blonsky (Hairspray movie), Alan Muraoka (Pacific Overtures, TV’s Sesame Street), Jan Maxwell (5-time Tony Award nominee including Follies), Robin de Jesus (Tony Award nominee: La Cage Aux Folles and In The Heights), Seth Rudetsky (The Ritz), Julia Murney (Wicked, Lennon), Isabela Moner (Evita) as well as members from various casts of Million Dollar Quartet: Lance Guest, Erik Hayden, Randy Redd, Dan Mills, and Victoria Matlock.  More performers will be announced soon.

Brett Boles, author of the musical Foreverman, and Broadway producer Van Dean, both from the Newtown area, are the original conceivers of the benefit concert.  The Tony Award-winning producer and the emerging musical theater writer decided to put together this concert as a way to lift the spirits of a town so close to their hearts and show that Broadway cares.

“The outpouring of love and support from the Broadway community has been incredibly heartwarming,” noted Dean, “and everyone was looking for a way they could use their talents to bring something positive to the community.  From Broadway With Love provides them with the perfect outlet to do so.”

The benefit concert will be directed by Michael Unger with certain segments directed by Jeff Calhoun, Stephen Nachamie, David Lee and Daisy Prince and is produced by Van Dean and Kenny Howard of the Broadway Consortium, Jennifer Isaacson, Ken Mahoney, Sarahbeth Grossman, Bethney Ruggiero, Michael A. Alden, Rob Hinderliter and Yvette Kojic. Jeffrey Saver (End Of The Rainbow) is music directing and conducting an orchestra consisting of many top Broadway musicians.  Librettist David Thompson (The Scottsboro Boys, Steel Pier, Chicago) is helping the creative team shape the show.  Cindi Rush Casting is on board as Casting Consultant. Tom Bussey is Technical Supervisor, John Petrafesa is Sound Designer, David Agress is Lighting Designer and Tom McPhillips is Scenic Designer.  Zoya Kachadurian is Production Stage Manager.

From Broadway With Love provides a free night of entertainment for the impacted families, first responders, and the Sandy Hook Elementary community. The Palace Theatre seats approximately 2,600 and a limited number of tickets will be on sale to the public beginning January 7th, 2013 at 10:00 am. These tickets range from $50 to $250. To purchase tickets or make a tax-deductible donation, please visit our website at http://www.FromBroadwayWithLove.org.  Contact Ken Mahoney at 914-419-3762 or email sponsorship at frombroadwaywithlove.org for information on how be become a corporate sponsor.

This benefit event is made possible, in part, by the generous donations from many companies and individuals including Bermuda Limousine International, One Dream Sound, the Palace Theater of Waterbury, CT, Atomic Rental, Consulting for a Cause, The Silent Orchestra and more. Please see http://www.FromBroadwayWithLove.org for a full list.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of January 7, 2013

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

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The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on Saturdays at 9 PM at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185, email stlouis at byebyeliver.com, or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

Upstream Theater presents Café Chanson, a “ballet in song” created and directed by Broadway star and native St. Louisan Ken Page, Thursdays through Sundays, January 11-27. The show “includes World War II period songs from some of France's most renowned singers and songwriters.” Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

Piwacket Theatre for Children presents The Emperor's New Clothes on Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30 AM and Saturday at 11 AM, January 9, 10, and 12. The performance takes place in the Mary Eliot Chapel at MICDS in Ladue. For more information: www.piwacket.com.

First Run Theatre presents An Evening of Predicaments Fridays and Saturdays at 8 and Sundays at 2 PM, January 11-20. The program consists of two one-act plays: All Makes Repaired by Gerry Mandel and The Predicament by Patrick Conroy. Performances take place in the Thomas Hunter Theatre at DeSmet Jesuit High School, 233 North New Ballas Road. For more information: firstruntheatre.com or call 314-352-5114.

Peabody Opera House presents Flashdance: The Musical January 8 through 13. For more information, visit peabodyoperahouse.com or call 314-622-5420.

©Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Good People through January 27. “You can't keep a good woman down - unless that woman is from Southie, the gritty, blue-collar Boston neighborhood that Margie Walsh has always called home. Down on her luck and facing eviction, Margie turns to Mikey, an old fling who made good and secured himself a new life in the ritzy suburbs. But is he strong enough to face his humble beginnings and give Margie a hand? Laughter is never far from heartache in this poignant look at the "haves" and "have-nots".” Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Metro Theatre Company and the The Edison Theatre at Washington University present the St. Louis premiere of Jackie and Me by Steven Dietz, adapted from the book by Dan Gutman, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, January 8-27. There will also be special school matinees Tuesdays through Fridays at 10:00 AM. “An exciting play that illuminates Jackie Robinson's courage and dignity in the face of cruel racial prejudice, Jackie and Me will have you on the edge of your seat as we all root for the man who changed the face of the game.” Each performance will be immediately followed by a discussion exploring questions raised by the story. The play is recommended for adults and young people 10 and over. For more information, call the Edison Theatre Box Office at (314) 935-6543.

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the romantic comedy The Last Romance January 11-20. Performances take place at the Robert G. Reim Theatre of the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. For more information, ktg-onstage.org or 314-821-9956.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Murder in Mayberry through April 27. . The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Nursery Crimes through April 30th. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Black Rep presents August Wilson's The Piano Lesson January 9 - February 3. “Depression-era Pittsburgh. A family strives to hold on to its history. The masterful Pulitzer Prize winner from one of American's greatest playwrights.” Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, visit theblackrep.org or call 314-534-3810.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the comedy thriller Stage Fright January 11-20. 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 Fox Theatre presents the “international percussion sensation” Stomp Friday through Sunday, January 11-13. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.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.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of January 4, 2013

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:

©Photo by Lon Brauer

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Good People January 2 through 27. “You can't keep a good woman down - unless that woman is from Southie, the gritty, blue-collar Boston neighborhood that Margie Walsh has always called home. Down on her luck and facing eviction, Margie turns to Mikey, an old fling who made good and secured himself a new life in the ritzy suburbs. But is he strong enough to face his humble beginnings and give Margie a hand? Laughter is never far from heartache in this poignant look at the "haves" and "have-nots".” Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

Held over:

The Fox Theatre presents the Broadway musical Wicked through January 6. I haven't seen this particular tour, but in my review of the 2005 tour I noted that composer/lyricist Stephen Schwarts and book author Winnie Holtzman have done a remarkable job of simplifying and reducing the story of Gregory McGuire's original novel while still remaining true to the original characters and their relationships. The score is one of Schwartz's best, and that's saying something. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Robert MItchell writes that Wicked "is actually better than the hype! Now, I get why it won all those Tonys, and makes stars out of its leads." The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 31, 2012

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

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The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on Saturdays at 9 PM at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185, email stlouis at byebyeliver.com, or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents The Christmas Killer through December 31, after which Murder in Mayberry runs through April 27. . The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

©Photo by Lon Brauer

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Good People January 2 through 27. “You can't keep a good woman down - unless that woman is from Southie, the gritty, blue-collar Boston neighborhood that Margie Walsh has always called home. Down on her luck and facing eviction, Margie turns to Mikey, an old fling who made good and secured himself a new life in the ritzy suburbs. But is he strong enough to face his humble beginnings and give Margie a hand? Laughter is never far from heartache in this poignant look at the "haves" and "have-nots".” Performances take place at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

The St. Louis Symphony, conducted by David Robertson, presents the annual New Year's Eve Celebration on Monday, December 31, at 7:30 PM. The event takes place at Powell Hall, 718 North Grand, and will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio 90.7 FM and HD 1. For more information: stlsymphony.org

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Nursery Crimes through April 30th. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Florissant Fine Arts Council presents Luisa Marshall's Simply the Best: A Tina Turner Tribute on Sunday, January 6, at 7 PM. “Superstar Tina Turner, born Anna Bullock and a graduate of Sumner High School, got her 1956 start in St. Louis night clubs which began a life-long career landing her an award at the 2005 Kennedy Center Honors. Luisa Marshall captures Tina's life in this Tribute Show, developed over 16 years and now toured around the world. From Tina's days with Ike Turner to her breakthrough, Grammy-winning album Private Dancer, to her latest greatest hits collection, Luisa Marshall lends her unique and explosive style to this new, groundbreaking show.” The performance takes place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant. For more information, call 314-921-5678.

The Fox Theatre presents the Broadway musical Wicked through January 6. The music and lyrics for Wicked are by Stephen Schwartz, with a book by Winnie Holzman, freely adapted from Gregory McGuire's novel. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678. 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.

Chuck's choices for the weekend of December 28, 2012

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 St. Louis Symphony presents a showing of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl on Friday and Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, December 28-30. The score will be performed live by the orchestra and the men of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, conducted by Richard Kaufman. I've been to several of the symphony's movie events over the last few years and have enjoyed all of them. I remember the first Lord of the Rings movie with great fondness, for example, and wish they'd do the entire cycle at some point; I'll bet it would be a hit. The Pirates of the Caribbean: fllms are several notches below that trilogy, so the real attraction for me here is the Klaus Badelt score. No matter how good the sound system is in the theatre, you can't beat the sound of a live orchestra and chorus. The event takes place at Powell Hall, 718 North Grand. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Symphony, conducted by David Robertson, presents the annual New Year's Eve Celebration on Monday, December 31, at 7:30 PM. No, it's not really a theatre event but it's always a festive end to the year's concert calendar and if you're not already committed for New Year's Eve you'll want to seriously consider spening the early part of it with the symphony. You can always catch a party afterwards, right? The event takes place at Powell Hall, 718 North Grand. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Held over:

The Fox Theatre presents the Broadway musical Wicked December 12 through January 6. I haven't seen this particular tour, but in my review of the 2005 tour I noted that composer/lyricist Stephen Schwarts and book author Winnie Holtzman have done a remarkable job of simplifying and reducing the story of Gregory McGuire's original novel while still remaining true to the original characters and their relationships. The score is one of Schwartz's best, and that's saying something. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Robert Mitchell writes that Wicked "is actually better than the hype! Now, I get why it won all those Tonys, and makes stars out of its leads." The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 24, 2012

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

Share on Google+

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on Saturdays at 9 PM at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185, email stlouis at byebyeliver.com, or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents The Christmas Killer through December 31. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents A Christmas Sleigh-Ing through December 30th. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The St. Louis Symphony presents a showing of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl on Friday and Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, December 28-30. The score will be performed live by the orchestra and the men of the St. Louis Symphony Chorus, conducted by Richard Kaufman. The event takes place at Powell Hall, 718 North Grand. For more information: stlsymphony.org

The Fox Theatre presents the Broadway musical Wicked through January 6. The music and lyrics for Wicked are by Stephen Schwartz, with a book by Winnie Holzman, freely adapted from Gregory McGuire's novel. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678. 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.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of December 21, 2012

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 St. Louis Symphony, conducted by Ware Stare, presents A Holiday Celebration Friday and Saturday at 2 and 7 PM and Sunday 2 PM, December 21-23.  Debby Boone is the featured soloist, along with the Christmas Festival Chorus, directed by Kevin McBeth.  “See why thousands of St. Louis families have made this their annual holiday tradition. Powell Hall is transformed to a magical holiday destination, complete with hot chocolate and a visit from the North Pole's most famous resident! Enjoy the STL Symphony's rendition of your favorite holiday songs making the holiday season even brighter.” I realize some serious symphony fans tend to look down on these shows, but I've alwasy found them just right for the holidays. I'd call it a guilty pleasure except that I don't feel guilty about it. Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Held over:

©Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy The Foreigner November 28-December 23. Performances take place on the main stage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. "In this wild and wacky comedy, Charlie Baker needs to get away, and his friend Froggy knows just the place - his favorite little fishing lodge in rural Georgia. To get Charlie some much needed peace, Froggy convinces the locals that his friend doesn’t understand English. But the plan backfires when all the lodge’s inhabitants start revealing deep secrets and diabolical plans in front of their quiet foreign guest." "There are too many very funny bits to list here," noted Robert Mitchell in his review for 88.1 KDHX, "just be assured that if you want a good laugh, that there is more than enough opportunity with The Foreigner." He's right; it's a pretty near perfect production of a brilliantly constructed farce. It has been a few decades since the Rep did this fast-paced and somewhat political comedy. Sadly, the satire of Southern bigotry is still relevant. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

Photos by John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the one-man comedy Fully Committed, starring Greg Fenner, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through December 22. "Hired to answer reservation calls at Manhattan’s hottest celebrity restaurant during the holiday season, an unemployed actor must handle the incessant barrage of nightmarish demands. Coercion, threats, bribes, histrionics - a cast of desperate callers will stop at nothing in their zeal to land a prime reservation, or the right table. Written by a former restaurant worker, this one-man tour-de-force is hilarious, heartfelt, and dishy!" I've seen this twice (here at the Rep and in Chicago with Bronson Pinchot) and found it vastly entertaining both times. The characters in Becky Mode's script are deftly and convincingly drawn, which raises this above the level of a simple virtuoso acting display. "We need as many laughs as we can get right now," writes Andrea Braun in her review for 88.1 KDHX, "and Stray Dog, once again, proves it is doing some of the best work in St. Louis, and Greg Fenner is totally off the chain. Bravo!" Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

Photo by John Lamb

New Jewish Theater presents Lanford Wilson's Talley's Folly through December 23. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Gary Scott says that "a beautiful masala of cultures sparks spontaneously onstage in New Jewish Theatre’s current production of Talley’s Folly, directed with ruach (spirit) and naches (delight) by Deanna Jent." 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 Fox Theatre presents the Broadway musical Wicked December 12 through January 6. I haven't seen this particular tour, but in my review of the 2005 tour I noted that composer/lyricist Stephen Schwarts and book author Winnie Holtzman have done a remarkable job of simplifying and reducing the story of Gregory McGuire's original novel while still remaining true to the original characters and their relationships. The score is one of Schwartz's best, and that's saying something. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Robert MItchell writes that Wicked "is actually better than the hype! Now, I get why it won all those Tonys, and makes stars out of its leads." The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 17, 2012

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

Share on Google+

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on Saturdays at 9 PM at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185, email stlouis at byebyeliver.com, or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

Your ho-ho-host

The Cabaret Project presents the gala holiday edition of its Cabaret Open Mic Night on Wednesday, December 19, from 7 to 10 PM at the Tavern of Fine Arts. “Drop by and enjoy a night of great music from St. Louis cabaret artists, backed up by the inimitable "Christmas" Carol Schmidt on the baby grand.” The master of ceremonies is 88.1 KDHX senior performing arts critic Chuck Lavazzi. If you're planning to sing, be prepared to do one or two songs and bring music, preferably in your key. It's also recommend that you have your song memorized. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt at Waterman in the Central West End. There's free parking in the lot right across the street. For more information, visit tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com or call 314-367-7549.

©Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy The Foreigner through December 23. Performances take place on the main stage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. "In this wild and wacky comedy, Charlie Baker needs to get away, and his friend Froggy knows just the place - his favorite little fishing lodge in rural Georgia. To get Charlie some much needed peace, Froggy convinces the locals that his friend doesn’t understand English. But the plan backfires when all the lodge’s inhabitants start revealing deep secrets and diabolical plans in front of their quiet foreign guest." For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Photos by John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the one-man comedy Fully Committed, starring Greg Fenner, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, through December 22. "Hired to answer reservation calls at Manhattan’s hottest celebrity restaurant during the holiday season, an unemployed actor must handle the incessant barrage of nightmarish demands. Coercion, threats, bribes, histrionics - a cast of desperate callers will stop at nothing in their zeal to land a prime reservation, or the right table. Written by a former restaurant worker, this one-man tour-de-force is hilarious, heartfelt, and dishy!" Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

(L to R): Alan Knoll as Leonard, Laurie McConnell as Agatha Tode
and Jerome Lowe as Timmy.
©Photo by Eric Woolsey.

The Rep's Imaginary Theatre Company presents A Gnome for Christmas through December 23. “ When Lulu's quirky father fails to sell yet another of his odd inventions, the pair must pack their bags and move to more meager accommodations. All they can afford is a rundown old farmhouse where the fence needs mending and the landlord's cranky, even at Christmastime! Lulu's about ready to give up, but when mysterious and magical things start happening, it seems that this farm might be home to more than meets the eye. This warm-hearted holiday musical reminds us of the importance of helping others and the happiness found in friends.” Performances take place at Heagney Theatre at Nerinx Hall High School, 530 East Lockwood Avenue in Webster Groves. For more information: repst.org or call (314) 968-4925.

The St. Louis Symphony, conducted by Ware Stare, presents A Holiday Celebration Friday and Saturday at 2 and 7 PM and Sunday 2 PM, December 21-23.  Debby Boone is the featured soloist, along with the Christmas Festival Chorus, directed by Kevin McBeth.  “See why thousands of St. Louis families have made this their annual holiday tradition. Powell Hall is transformed to a magical holiday destination, complete with hot chocolate and a visit from the North Pole's most famous resident! Enjoy the STL Symphony's rendition of your favorite holiday songs making the holiday season even brighter.” Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis Ballet presents The Nutcracker through December 23. Performances take place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Missouri - St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

Photo by John Lamb

New Jewish Theater presents Lanford Wilson's Talley's Folly through December 23. "Talley’s Folly is the story of one night in the lives of two unlikely sweethearts, Matt Friedman and Sally Talley This sweet, funny and heart-warming play is set in a dilapidated Victorian boathouse on the Talley farm in Lebanon, Missouri on the Fourth of July in 1944. (Lebanon, MO, by the way is Wilson’s birthplace.)" 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. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Fox Theatre presents the Broadway musical Wicked through January 6. The music and lyrics for Wicked are by Stephen Schwartz, with a book by Winnie Holzman, freely adapted from Gregory McGuire's novel. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

Would you like to be on the radio? 88.1 KDHX 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.

A standing tradition

Apparently not everyone stands for the "Hallelujah"
(Josh Reynolds for The Boston Globe)

In a recent post I looked at the way Handel’s Messiah got moved from Easter to Christmas. This time I’d like to take a look at an even more puzzling question: Why does everyone stand during the “Hallelujah” chorus that concludes Part 2?

The usual explanation is that King George the II stood when he first heard it at the London premiere in March of 1743 and everybody else followed suit because, hey, he was the king. It’s a great story with only one little flaw: there’s no evidence that George II ever attended a performance of Messiah at all. The story appears to come, not from a contemporary account, but (according to Matthew Guerrieri in a 2009 article for the Boston Globe, whence cometh the picture above) from a secondhand description in a letter written by James Beattie 37 years later (a classic example of how urban legends originate). The story is, in short, almost certainly apocryphal.

The tradition appears to go back a long way, though. When George Harris attended a Messiah performance in 1750 he observed that “[a]t some of the chorus’s the company stood up,” suggesting that the custom extended beyond just the “Hallelujah.” Six years later, another account mentions the audience standing for “grand choruses.” In his video series on Messiah Andrew Megill, Music Director of Masterwork Chorus, describes a letter written by a woman who attended a Messiah in Handel’s time complaining of audience members who weren’t standing during the appropriate choruses—suggesting that the practice was already fairly well established.

The bottom line, though, is that nobody really seems to know where the custom originated or, for that matter, why so many of us are still doing it. Like the Christmas performance tradition, it seems to be a meme that just won’t die. For anyone attending Messiah for the first time, it must seem just another example of the sometimes baffling and contradictory rules of etiquette that go with classical music concerts.

We could probably do without some of those, by the way; but that’s another post.

For unto us a meme is born

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The Christmas season in upon us. For those of us keeping track of the entertainment scene, that means an inevitable encounter with at least one performance of all of the following: a stage adaptation of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol (probably with music), Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, and Handel’s Messiah. In fact, we’ve already see all three here in St. Louis, including a nice Baroque-sized performance of the Handel by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (see my review at 88.1 KDHX for details).

The Dickens and Tchaikovsky make perfect sense since they’re both explicitly Christmas stories. But how did Messiah get in there? It was first performed on April 13th, 1742 in Dublin, repeated that same June, and then moved to London, where it was first presented on March 23, 1743. I can’t find any evidence that the work was in any way associated with Christmas during Handel’s life. In fact, as Christopher H. Gibbs points out in his program notes for a 2007 NPR broadcast of Messiah from Philadelphia , “Handel performed it some three dozen times—every time, it should be noted, around Easter, not Christmas.” As Jonathan Kandell notes in an article for the September 2009 edition of Smithsonian, however, “[b]y the early 19th century, performances of Messiah had become an even stronger Yuletide tradition in the United States than in Britain.”

An important piece of the puzzle is supplied is supplied by Luke Howard in his program notes for a 2009 Messiah performance by UMS Choral Union:

The tradition of performing Messiah at Christmas began later in the 18th century. Although the work was occasionally performed during Advent in Dublin, the oratorio was usually regarded in England as an entertainment for the penitential season of Lent, when performances of opera were banned. Messiah’s extended musical focus on Christ’s redeeming sacrifice also makes it particularly suitable for Passion Week and Holy Week, the periods when it was usually performed during Handel’s lifetime. But in 1791, the Cæcilian Society of London began its annual Christmas performances, and in 1818 the Handel and Haydn Society of Boston gave the work’s first complete performance in the US on Christmas Day—establishing a tradition that continues to the present.

It apparently took a while for the Christmas tradition to become well established, though. As Marie Gangemil of the Oratorio Society of New York writes in her program notes for their upcoming Messiah, the first December performance by that organization didn’t take place until 1874.

But are these events sufficient to explain why the tradition became so widespread? Might there also be a supply and demand issue here? As Laurence Cummings (director of the London Handel Orchestra) observed in the Smithsonian article cited above: “There is so much fine Easter music—Bach's St. Matthew Passion, most especially—and so little great sacral music written for Christmas. But the whole first part of Messiah is about the birth of Christ."

So there you have it. Boston and New York picked up the idea from London, and the rest of the USA, seeing a chance to fill a product gap, picked it up from them. It’s a reminder that memes were spreading long before the Internet, just a lot more slowly.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of December 14, 2012

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 St. Louis Symphony presents Circus Flora: A Child's Christmas in Wales Friday and Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday 2 PM, December 14-16. “Back by popular demand! Circus Flora returns to Powell Hall to collaborate with the STL Symphony in high-wire holiday fun for the family. We welcome back all your favorites including the gravity-defying Flying Wallendas Inspired by Dylan Thomas's heartwarming poem, it's Christmas, with a circus twist!” A Christmas circus show at Powell Hall, based on Dylan Thomas. What's not to like? For more details, check out my review for 88.1 KDHX.  Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Randy Dandies, “St. Louis' Premiere Sketch Comedy Burlesque Troupe”, presents the Fa La La La Tits! Holiday Party and Show on Saturday, December 15, at 9 PM. The show “will feature local burlesque all-stars including Michelle Mynx of Mynx Academy of Pole Dance, Vera Valentina of the Hoochie Coochie Girls, and Bibi Dazzle of the Bon Bons. Guest cabaret artist Christy Strickland will also perform. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the St. Louis Red Cross Hurricane Sandy Fund.” Breathes there a man with soul so dead who never to himself has said, "you can't beat seeing good-looking women take their clothes off for a good cause." Or something like that. The show takes place at Plush, 3224 Locust Street. For more information, visit therandydandies.com.

New Jewish Theater presents Lanford Wilson's Talley's Folly through December 23. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Gary Scott says that "a beautiful masala of cultures sparks spontaneously onstage in New Jewish Theatre’s current production of Talley’s Folly, directed with ruach (spirit) and naches (delight) by Deanna Jent." 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 Fox Theatre presents the Broadway musical Wicked December 12 through January 6. I haven't seen this particular tour, but in my review of the 2005 tour I noted that composer/lyricist Stephen Schwarts and book author Winnie Holtzman have done a remarkable job of simplifying and reducing the story of Gregory McGuire's original novel while still remaining true to the original characters and their relationships. The score is one of Schwartz's best, and that's saying something. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.

Held over:

HotCity Theatre presents Charles Busch's comedy The Divine Sister November 30 through December 15. "This hilariously irreverent tale tells the story of an indomitable Mother Superior (played 'in-drag') trying to cope with a young postulant experiencing 'visions', sexual hysteria among her nuns, a Da Vinci Code style mystery, and a 'well-endowed' former flame intent on luring her away from her vows." Busch's lunatic sensibility is always worth seeing, and this should be a nice antidote to all the Christmas Carol and Nutcracker performances we get around this time. "Everyone is the show is terrific and could teach master classes in comic timing," says Andrea Braun in her review for 88.1 KDHX. Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.hotcitytheatre.org or call 314-289-4063.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy The Foreigner November 28-December 23. Performances take place on the main stage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. "In this wild and wacky comedy, Charlie Baker needs to get away, and his friend Froggy knows just the place - his favorite little fishing lodge in rural Georgia. To get Charlie some much needed peace, Froggy convinces the locals that his friend doesn’t understand English. But the plan backfires when all the lodge’s inhabitants start revealing deep secrets and diabolical plans in front of their quiet foreign guest." "There are too many very funny bits to list here," noted Robert Mitchell in his review for 88.1 KDHX, "just be assured that if you want a good laugh, that there is more than enough opportunity with The Foreigner." He's right; it's a pretty near perfect production of a brilliantly constructed farce.  It has been a few decades since the Rep did this fast-paced and somewhat political comedy. Sadly, the satire of Southern bigotry is still relevant. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

Photos by John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the one-man comedy Fully Committed, starring Greg Fenner, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, December 6-22. "Hired to answer reservation calls at Manhattan’s hottest celebrity restaurant during the holiday season, an unemployed actor must handle the incessant barrage of nightmarish demands. Coercion, threats, bribes, histrionics - a cast of desperate callers will stop at nothing in their zeal to land a prime reservation, or the right table. Written by a former restaurant worker, this one-man tour-de-force is hilarious, heartfelt, and dishy!" I've seen this twice (here at the Rep and in Chicago with Bronson Pinchot) and found it vastly entertaining both times. The characters in Becky Mode's script are deftly and convincingly drawn, which raises this above the level of a simple virtuoso acting display. Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre presents Stupefy! The 90 Minute Harry Potter Friday and Saturday at 7:30 and 10:30 PM. “The 7:30pm performance is 'family friendly.' The late show is recommended for audiences 16 and over. Audience members should feel free to dress in their Hogwarts attire, if desired.” Well, how can you not love this idea? In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Robert Mitchell says that the company "have managed to hilariously desecrate yet another venerable Hollywood classic." Performances take place at the Emerson Black Box Theatre in the Scheidegger Performing Arts Center on the campus of Lindenwood University in St. Charles. For more information: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/290534

Symphony Review: A Very Baroque "Messiah" at Powell Hall

Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus with soloists conducted by Christopher Warren-Green

What: Handel’s Messiah

Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis

When: December 7-9, 2012

When a performance of Handel’s oratorio “Messiah” includes a countertenor among the soloists and a theorbo (a giant-sized lute with open bass strings for a fuller sound) in the orchestra, you’d be justified in expecting the results to be heavily influenced by what we now know about Baroque performance practices. And with Christopher Warren-Green’s “Messiah” at Powell Hall this weekend, you’d be right—most of the time, anyway.

This “Messiah” featured crisp vocal and instrumental articulation and generally brisk tempi. When Mr. Warren-Green departed from that approach—as he sometimes did in slower numbers—the results were mixed, at least for me. “He was despised,” for example, was powerful stuff, partly because of countertenor Christopher Ainslie’s dramatic delivery, but it was the proverbial exception that proved the rule.

Still, this was a very engaging “Messiah” overall, with an especially dramatic Part 1. To begin with, the orchestral playing was beyond reproach. From those high-flying trumpet parts (played expertly by Tom Drake on what looked like a piccolo trumpet and Carrie Schafer on a standard instrument) to the basso continuo skillfully provided by harpsichordist Maryse Carlin, organist Vera Parkin, and (imported from Southeast Missouri State) Jeff Noonan on theorbo, everything sounded splendid. You can’t have anything less than accomplished work in these small ensembles (around 40 players in this case), and accomplished playing was what we got Friday night.

The soloists were a nicely balanced group as well, both in terms of voice types and of performance styles. Tenor Daniel Montenegro and bass Matthew Treviño tended to be more overtly dramatic, for example, while Christopher Ainslie and soprano Tamara Wilson were somewhat more restrained. Mr. Ainslie, in particular, seemed to favor a more minimalist approach right up until “He was despised,” which made his highly charged reading of that solo all the more striking. He also seemed to refer to his score less than anyone else, suggesting deep familiarity with the music.

Speaking of Mr. Ainslie, I suspect the choice of a countertenor for the alto role raised a few eyebrows among the audience, but there’s historical precedent for it. Castrati, while on the decline, were still around in the late 18th century, and Handel employed a male alto for “Messiah” performances in 1750. The countertenor voice sounds less “full” than the alto, of course, but I thought Mr. Ainslie made an awfully good case for it.

Last, but certainly not least, Amy Kaiser’s chorus members were in their usual fine form. Elocution on the part of the choristers was also excellent, making the printed libretto almost irrelevant, and the choral-orchestral balance was perfect, at least from our seats in the fourth row of the dress circle. That’s impressive, given that there were around 80 singers up there.

I’m a bit unclear on exactly what set of historical accidents turned “Messiah” into a Christmas tradition here in the USA. The piece had its first performance on April 13th in Dublin, and its London premiere a year later, so it certainly didn’t start that way. And the bulk of the Bible verses that Handel’s friend and collaborator Charles Jennens took as his text are concerned with Christ’s persecution, resurrection, and predicted second coming rather than his birth, so the whole thing is really more appropriate for Easter.

But traditional it is, and this year’s “Messiah” is well worth seeing and hearing—assuming you can still get tickets. Sunday’s performance is now SRO, but there may still be some tickets left for Saturday night. If not, the Saturday concert will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio, 90.7 FM.

Next on the calendar: Holiday concerts continue with “A Child’s Christmas in Wales”, featuring Circus Flora and the orchestra under the baton of Alastair Willis. Performances are Friday through Sunday, December 14-16. For ticket information: stlsymphony.org

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 10, 2012

Updated Saturday, December 15

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's ArtsZipper site.

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KTK Productions presents the comedy The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information, call 314-351-8984.

West County Family Y's Y-Rep Kids present The Best Christmas Pageant Ever Friday through Sunday, December 14-16. Performances take place at the West County YMCA, 16464 Burkhardt Place. For more information, call (636) 532-6515 Ext. 227.

The Pub Theater Company presents Bye Bye Liver: The St. Louis Drinking Play, a comedic romp through the joys and pitfalls of The Gateway to the West's favorite pastime. Performances take place on Saturdays at 9 PM at Maggie O'Brien's, 2000 Market Street. For more information, you may call 314-827-4185, email stlouis at byebyeliver.com, or visit byebyeliver.com/stlouis.

The St. Louis Symphony presents Circus Flora: A Child's Christmas in Wales Friday and Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday 2 PM, December 14-16. “Back by popular demand! Circus Flora returns to Powell Hall to collaborate with the STL Symphony in high-wire holiday fun for the family. We welcome back all your favorites including the gravity-defying Flying Wallendas Inspired by Dylan Thomas's heartwarming poem, it's Christmas, with a circus twist!” Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. For more information: stlsymphony.org.
Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Dance Project St. Louis presents Dances of Winter on Sunday, December 16 at 6 PM. The program will feature special guest artist classical guitarist Aaron Burlbaw and takes place at the Foundry Arts Center in St. Charles. For more information: brownpapertickets.com.

HotCity Theatre presents Charles Busch's comedy The Divine Sister through December 15. "This hilariously irreverent tale tells the story of an indomitable Mother Superior (played 'in-drag') trying to cope with a young postulant experiencing 'visions', sexual hysteria among her nuns, a Da Vinci Code style mystery, and a 'well-endowed' former flame intent on luring her away from her vows." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.hotcitytheatre.org or call 314-289-4063. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Randy Dandies, “St. Louis' Premiere Sketch Comedy Burlesque Troupe”, presents the Fa La La La Tits! Holiday Party and Show on Saturday, December 15, at 9 PM. The show “will feature local burlesque all-stars including Michelle Mynx of Mynx Academy of Pole Dance, Vera Valentina of the Hoochie Coochie Girls, and Bibi Dazzle of the Bon Bons. Guest cabaret artist Christy Strickland will also perform. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the St. Louis Red Cross Hurricane Sandy Fund.” The show takes place at Plush, 3224 Locust Street. For more information, visit therandydandies.com.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy The Foreigner through December 23. Performances take place on the main stage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. "In this wild and wacky comedy, Charlie Baker needs to get away, and his friend Froggy knows just the place - his favorite little fishing lodge in rural Georgia. To get Charlie some much needed peace, Froggy convinces the locals that his friend doesn’t understand English. But the plan backfires when all the lodge’s inhabitants start revealing deep secrets and diabolical plans in front of their quiet foreign guest." For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Photos by John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the one-man comedy Fully Committed, starring Greg Fenner, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, through December 22. "Hired to answer reservation calls at Manhattan’s hottest celebrity restaurant during the holiday season, an unemployed actor must handle the incessant barrage of nightmarish demands. Coercion, threats, bribes, histrionics - a cast of desperate callers will stop at nothing in their zeal to land a prime reservation, or the right table. Written by a former restaurant worker, this one-man tour-de-force is hilarious, heartfelt, and dishy!" Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

(L to R): Alan Knoll as Leonard, Laurie McConnell as Agatha Tode
and Jerome Lowe as Timmy.
©Photo by Eric Woolsey.

The Rep's Imaginary Theatre Company presents A Gnome for Christmas December 15 through 23. “ When Lulu's quirky father fails to sell yet another of his odd inventions, the pair must pack their bags and move to more meager accommodations. All they can afford is a rundown old farmhouse where the fence needs mending and the landlord's cranky, even at Christmastime! Lulu's about ready to give up, but when mysterious and magical things start happening, it seems that this farm might be home to more than meets the eye. This warm-hearted holiday musical reminds us of the importance of helping others and the happiness found in friends.” Performances take place at Heagney Theatre at Nerinx Hall High School, 530 East Lockwood Avenue in Webster Groves. For more information: repst.org or call (314) 968-4925.

The Black Mirror Theatre Company presents Gonne/Yeats by local playwright and director Denis Corcoran Thursday at 7 PM, Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 5:30 and 8 PM, and Sunday at 5:30 PM, December 13-16. “He, William Butlter Yeats, perhaps the world's greatest poet. She, Maud Gonne (McBride), an Irish patriot, feminist, ardent defender of Ireland's poor and homeless, said, in her day, to be the most beautiful woman in Ireland. He feel deeply in love with at their first meeting, a love which was the driving force behind so much of his poetry. Yet she preferred pike, pistol and politics to sweet words. In dialogue, verse and song, this is one of the most moving love stories, seldom told.” Performances take place at The Firecracker Press, 2838 Cherokee Street. Tickets are available at the door; a $10 donation is requested.

Clinton County Showcase presents Miracle on 34th Street through December 16. Performances take place at the Avon Theater, 525 North 2nd Street Breese IL. For more information, visit ccshowcase.com.

The Tesseract Theatre Company presents Mr. Marmalade, a “savage black comedy about what it takes to grow up in these difficult times” Wednesday through Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 4 PM, December 12 - 16. Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar (across the street from The Pageant). Visit www.tesseracttheatre.org for more info or email contact at tesseracttheatre.org.

St. Louis Ballet presents The Nutcracker December 14 through 23. Performances take place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Missouri - St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

St. Louis Actors Studio presents Alan Ayckbourn's comedy Season's Greetings through December 16 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. "Half a dozen friends and relatives are celebrating Christmas with Neville and Belinda. Various children are also there and, though unseen, their presence is always felt. Petty squabbles break out and some not so petty. The arrival of Clive, a young writer, leads to what momentarily appears to be a tragedy: Clive is shot by trigger happy Harvey who thinks he is a burglar. Hilarious highlights include a chaotically incompetent puppet show and a midnight love scene that sets off a fearful din among mechanical Christmas toys." For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre presents Stupefy! The 90 Minute Harry Potter Friday and Saturday at 7:30 and 10:30 PM. “The 7:30pm performance is 'family friendly.' The late show is recommended for audiences 16 and over. Audience members should feel free to dress in their Hogwarts attire, if desired.” Performances take place at the Emerson Black Box Theatre in the Scheidegger Performing Arts Center on the campus of Lindenwood University in St. Charles. For more information: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/290534 Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

New Jewish Theater presents Lanford Wilson's Talley's Folly through December 23. 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. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

St. Charles Community College Young People's Theatre presents White Christmas December 14 through 16. Performances take place in the Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building on the campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO. For more information, call 636-922-8050 or visit stchas.edu.

The Fox Theatre presents the Broadway musical Wicked December 12 through January 6. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-534-1678.