Symphony Preview: It's beginning to look a lot like a Powell Hall Christmas

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As it does every December, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra will be delivering Christmas presents for St. Louis audiences throughout the month of December. Let's sneak downstairs and take a peek under the wrapping, shall we?

Kevin McBeth
stlsymphony.org

December 8: Kevin McBeth leads the IN UNISON® Chorus in "A Gospel Christmas" - Grammy Award-winning vocalist Richard Smallwood and his group Vision are the guest soloists in a program that features many of Mr. Smallwood's original compositions along with Gospel favorites and popular Christmas tunes. There's even a soulful version of the "Hallelujah Chorus" from "Handel's Messiah: a Soulful Celebration" by Paul David Wilson. Tenor Curtis McGregor will be the featured soloist for that one.

Celebrating its 20th season with the SLSO, the IN UNISON® Chorus is "an all-volunteer, 120-voice auditioned ensemble that performs a variety of musical styles, with a focus on the interpretation, performance, and preservation of the music of African-American and African cultures." Kevin McBeth, who became director of the chorus in 2011, is Director of Music at Manchester United Methodist Church and serves as full-time administrator for the Music Ministry, which includes 18 choral and handbell ensembles, involving nearly 500 youngsters and adults. NOTE: as of Tuesday, December 6, this concert is sold out, but standing room tickets are still available.

December 9-11: A Mannheim Steamroller Christmas - Arnie Roth conducts the orchestra in this program of traditional carols from around the world as arranged by the group Mannheim Steamroller (of which Mr. Roth is a member), the classical/new age crossover group founded by composer and record producer Chip Davis back in 1975. Their sound is a blend of classical, jazz, rock that you will either find delightful or acutely annoying, depending on your musical taste. I find it pleasant, in a background music kind of way.

Arnie Roth
Photo by ainudil
www.flickr.com/photos/ainudil/526586152/

In any case, their 1984 album A Mannheim Steamroller Christmas was a massive hit. It and their subsequent holiday-themed albums have been massive sellers and the group still tours extensively around this time of the year. They won't be here in St. Louis, though; this concert is SLSO all the way. And that's a good thing.

FYI the group's name is a joking reference to the "Mannheim roller," one of several innovations developed by composers writing for the court orchestra at Mannheim in the late 18th century. Most of those composers are little more than historical footnotes now (although Carl Stamitz still shows up on concert programs now and then), but they were very influential in the musical development of Mozart and Haydn, among others.

December 16-18: The Mercy Holiday Celebration - Steven Jarvi conducts the orchestra and Holiday Festival Chorus (consisting of students from local schools and colleges conducted by Kevin McBeth) in a program of traditional carols and seasonal pop songs. The featured soloist is singer/actress Nicole Parker, best known for her work on MADtv. She also has extensive musical theatre credits, including the plum role of Elphaba in the first North American tour of Wicked.

As I'm writing this, the program for this year's concerts hasn't been published yet, but based on previous years you can expect a mix of traditional and contemporary holiday songs, a few classical favorites, a "Holiday Sing-Along," and possibly some seasonal film music. There will also be the annual "surprise" visit from Santa (usually played by the ever-charming Whit Richert). "Pops" events like this are usually big moneymakers for the orchestra and great fun as well. Only a dedicated Scrooge could complain.

The concerts are sponsored by Mercy Healthcare and Macy's.

Soprano Emily Birsan

December 22: The Bach Society Christmas Candlelight Concert - Soprano Emily Birsan joins the Bach Society Chorus and Orchestra in a performance of the Magnificat by British composer John Rutter, who is perhaps best known for his original Christmas carols, in the first half of the program. What makes this annual program truly special, though, is the candlelight procession that starts the second half.

The lights dim, and the members of the Bach Society walk down the aisles singing, each with an electric candle. If you're lucky enough to be sitting downstairs in the orchestra section, you find yourself surrounded by singers - some carrying the melody, some harmony, enveloping you in a constantly changing kaleidoscope of sound. Charles Ives would have loved it. It's a St. Louis tradition and every music lover should get to experience it at least once.

This isn't an SLSO event, but the SLSO is handling the ticketing and it does take place in Powell Hall, so I figured it's fair game for this article.

There are other special concerts at Powell after Christmas. I'll give you a look at the in my next preview article.

Review: Ari Axelrod takes the wheel in an impressive cabaret debut

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

Ari Axelrod
Photo: Brian McConkey

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As someone who, just two years ago, had a face-off with death in the form of life-saving brain surgery, Ari Axelrod has perhaps a more mature view on mortality than many other twenty-somethings. It certainly gave Taking The Wheel, his debut cabaret show, a depth of feeling that I have not always seen in the work of some of his contemporaries.

I'm not normally a fan of the "this is my life" school of cabaret, but Mr. Axelrod and his director, Broadway star and teacher Faith Prince, provided just enough biographical detail to help the audience understand why the songs were selected and why they mattered. Towards the end of the show, for example, brief patter about how that brain surgery (to correct a condition called Chiari malformation) forced him to face the fragility of life at a young age led into a medley of William Finn's "Holding the Ground" (from Falsettoland) and Adam Guettel's "How Glory Goes" (from Floyd Collins). That second song, in which a dying Floyd Collins wonders what the afterlife will be like (“Is it warm, is it soft against your face? / Do you feel the kind of grace inside the breeze? / Will there be trees, is there light?”) was especially moving for some of us older folks who are facing similar thoughts. And it allowed Mr. Axelrod to elaborate on his feelings through the songs rather than spelling them out for us in prose.

He was able to do that so effectively because he had clearly absorbed and thoroughly internalized the lyrics of the sixteen well-chosen songs in his act. That enabled him to create the illusion that the lyricists' words were his own, improvised on the spot. That's a sign of Ms. Prince's influence, and it worked very well for Mr. Axelrod, enabling him to quickly establish and hold rapport with the audience.

A good cabaret show, as I have noted in the past, should feel like a one-act play, with a strong dramatic structure and a resolution at the end. Taking the Wheel worked very well on that level, building to a big dramatic moment with the "Taking the Ground"/"How Glory Goes" medley and then segueing immediately into a pair of "lessons learned" songs by Sondheim, "Now You Know" (from Merrily We Roll Along) and "No One is Alone" (Into the Woods).

That, in turn, brought us back to a reprise of the title song (by John Bucchino, from It's Only Life). First heard at the top of the show in ballad tempo, it was clearly about self-doubt. When it returned at the end, up tempo, it became an affirmation: " Dreaming again and making those dreams real / Taking the wheel." It closed the dramatic circle neatly while setting up the encore, John Bucchino's "Grateful"—a song which feels very relevant in our current age of ingratitude.

The show was very solid musically as well as dramatically. Music director and pianist Ron McGowan skillfully performed well-thought-out arrangements that supported Mr. Axelrod's light and supple singing style. Mr. Axelrod relied just a bit too heavily on his head voice and falsetto range, in my view, but he has plenty of power and accuracy up there, so I can’t really complain.

The essence of cabaret, as my friend and cabaret star Dr. Ken Haller has pointed out, is telling stories through songs. In Taking the Wheel, Ari Axelrod told us his story in a way that was unfailingly engaging and intelligent. He's off to make his fortune now in New York City, and if this show was any indication, he has a promising future ahead of him.

Taking the Wheel was performed on Saturday, December 3, in the Emerald Room at The Monocle in The Grove.

Review: Cool music defeats hot air at the St. Louis Symphony

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

Ward Stare

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What with the all the hot air lately, both climatological and political, it has been difficult to really get into the holiday mood, but Friday night's St. Louis Symphony concert might just have gotten me over the hump.

It wasn't just the music that did it, although the mostly Tchaikovsky program was certainly chockablock with memorable melodies. The festive mood actually started with the Powell Hall lobby, which is decked out in its annual holiday finery, complete with green garlands gleaming with lights.

Adding to the sense of occasion was the fact that the guest conductor was Ward Stare, the former SLSO Resident Conductor and a popular figure with local audiences. And finally, there was the fact that the soloists were all members of the band: Concertmaster David Halen, Principal Harp Allegra Lilly, and Principal Cello Daniel Lee. Who, to quote Ira Gershwin, could ask for anything more?

The concert opened with the only non-Tchaikovsky piece on the program, the overture to Alexander Borodin's patriotic opera Prince Igor. Left unfinished at the time of the composer's death in 1887, Prince Igor was eventually completed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov, and the overture is mostly Glazunov's work.

It is, in any case, a lively and engaging piece, laid out in something like sonata form with a portentous introduction and a lyrical middle section bracketed by energetic statements of themes from the opera. Mr. Stare gave the middle section an extra helping of romance, which made the contrast with the rest of the overture that much more marked. The difference it made was subtle but gave the work more dramatic shape than a more prosaic reading would have produced.

David Halen

The orchestra played quite well, even though they haven't performed this music in over 45 years. The overlapping brass fanfares that pop up multiple times were especially crisp. Mr. Stare singled out Third Horn Tod Bowermaster and Associate Principal Clarinet Diana Haskell in the curtain call for their work, but everyone sounded at the top of their game.

Speaking of musicians at the top of their game, David Halen (to extend this metaphor a bit) hit multiple homers in the suite of six selections from Swan Lake (1876) and two from Sleeping Beauty (1889) that made up the rest of the first half of this program. With the exception of the familiar opening scene from Swan Lake, the numbers selected all gave Mr. Halen the chance to show the many moods of his virtuosity, from the delicate Sleeping Beauty "Entr'acte" to the fiery "Danse Russe" from Swan Lake. Spontaneous applause broke out after the "Pas de deux: Black Swan" Friday night, and Mr. Halen got a well-deserved standing ovation at the end.

The spotlight wasn't entirely on Mr. Halen, though. The "Pas d'action: White Swan" also gave Ms. Lilly and Mr. Lee a chance to show off in captivating duets with him. All of this was a reminder of what world-class musicians we have in our orchestra. Some visiting "big name" soloists might have generated more excitement in advance, but I strongly doubt that they could have played any better.

The most Christmassy part of the evening, however, came after intermission with the complete second act of Tchaikovsky's popular 1892 Christmas ballet The Nutcracker. Technical difficulties caused a last-minute cancellation of the planned projected images courtesy of Webster University's Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts, but it hardly mattered. Tchaikovsky's music is so filled with colorful orchestral touches that audience members who were familiar with Nutcracker (or with Disney's Fantasia, for that matter) were no doubt able to supply their own visuals.

Opportunities for individual players and sections to take center stage abound in this part of the ballet. So, to list but a few, we had icy trills from Mark Sparks and his fellow flautists in the opening scene at the Magic Castle, Karin Bliznik's commanding trumpet in the "Spanish Dance," the sinuous bass clarinet of Tzuying Huang at the end of the "Arab Dance," the lively contrast of Ann Choomack's piccolo and Andrew Cuneo's bassoons in the "Chinese Dance" and, of course, Peter Henderson's star turn with the world's most famous celesta solo in the "Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy," complete with the less-often heard coda.

Mr. Stare conducted all this with the obvious joy and enthusiasm that has always marked his time on the podium. This was a well thought-out reading with plenty of variety and a strong sense of theatre. To quote a Noël Coward lyric, "I couldn't have liked it more."

Holiday concerts take up the rest of December, including A Gospel Christmas on December 8, music by Mannheim Steamroller on December 9 and 10, and the annual Macy's Holiday Celebration concerts December 16-18. Visit the SLSO website for more information.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of December 5, 2016

Christmas at the Cathedral

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The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis presents Christmas at the Cathedral on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m., December 9-11, at the cathedral at 4431 Lindell. "The Archdiocesan Adult Choirs and Orcheatra present a program of old and soon-to-be-new favorites to ring in the season, including John Rutter's Gloria." For more information: www.cathedralconcerts.org.

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents Blown Away on Monday and Tuesday, December 5 and 6 at 7:30 p.m. "Let the CMSSL winds blow you away with a program of entertaining music from the classical period and a detour into the world of opera." The program includes music by Beethoven, Hummel, Mozart, Haydn, and Donizetti. The concerts take place in the Sheldon Ballroom at 3648 Washington. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

The St. Louis Ambassadors of Harmony present Sounds of the Season on Friday at 8 p.m., and Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. December 9-11. The a cappella chorus presents a show that combines comedy and the lighter side of popular holiday songs with classic carols and sacred music that tell the story of the season. The performance takes place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the UMSL campus. For more information: touhill.org.

Kevin McBeth and the IN UNISON Chorus

The St. Louis Symphony presents A Gospel Christmas with the St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus conducted by Kevin McBeth, on Thursday, December 8, at 7:30 p.m. "Guest vocalist Richard Smallwood joins the STL Symphony and IN UNISON Chorus led by Kevin McBeth for a night of soul-stirring Gospel music to celebrate the most joyous of seasons." The concert takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Symphony presents A Mannheim Steamroller Christmas on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., December 9-11 at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand. “The STL Symphony performs the sounds of Mannheim Steamroller Christmas at Powell Hall for the first time ever this holiday season. The modern symphonic arrangements of Christmas songs made famous by Chip Davis include yuletide favorites like “Carol of the Bells,” “Silent Night,” “Deck the Halls” and many more.” The performance takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Terry Barber

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Motherhouse presents countertenor Terry Barber in Christmas Presence on Sunday, December 11, at 2 p.m. "Internationally-acclaimed countertenor Terry Barber, known for his extraordinarily broad vocal range, will perform selections from his “Christmas Presence” recording, as well as classical, classics and holiday favorites, along with some of St. Louis' most gifted musicians. Terry's unusually rich and versatile voice has made him sought after by producers and composers, and has taken him to some of the world's most impressive stages, including Carnegie Hall and London's Queen Elizabeth Hall. He was also a member of the Grammy-winning ensemble Chanticleer." The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet Motherhouse is at 6400 Minnesota. For more information: csjsl.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents student recital on Monday, December 5, at 8 p.m. The concert features Ian Marshall, guitar; Shushen Hou and Yueqi Du, piano; Henry Cummings, baritone with Nicole Aldrich, piano; and Ethan Schueler, organ. The concert includes music by Brahms, Mozart, Beethoven, and Marcel Dupré. The performance takes place in Graham Chapel on the Washington University campus. For more information, music.wustl.edu.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Messiah Sing-Along on Sunday, December 11, at 3 p.m. Nicole Aldrich will direct organist Nicholas Bideler and soloists Tamara Miller-Campbell, soprano; Hank Hantak, countertenor; Keith Wehmeier, tenor; and Mark Freiman, bass. The performance takes place in Graham Chapel on the Washington University campus. For more information, music.wustl.edu.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 5, 2016

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The University of Missouri at St. Louis presents 1984, adapted from the George Orwell novel by by Michael Gene Sullivan, Friday and Saturday a 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., December 9 - 11. "1984 brings us the story of Winston Smith, a cog in the giant machine state of Oceania. Physically and mentally under the omnipresent eye of Big Brother, Winston has been caught struggling for scraps of love and freedom in a world awash with distrust and violence. With the brutal "help" of four Party Members, Winston is forced to confess his Thoughtcrimes before an unseen inquisitor, and the audience -- which acts as a silent witness to his torture. A ferocious and provocative adaptation of one of the most prescient works of literature of the last century." The performances take place at the Kranzberg Center at Grand and Olive in Grand Center. For more information, kranzbergartscenter.org/calendar/current-events/item/umsl-theatre-1984.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents the St. Louis premiere of Artistic Director Taylor Gruenloh's Adverse Effects, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sundas at 4 p.m., December 9 - 11. "After the unexpected death of their daughter, Phil (Carl Overly Jr.) and Jessica (Musa Gurnis) must find a balance in their marriage while struggling with being middle class in the Midwest while battling against the interests of pharmaceutical reps, medical researchers, and a local journalist looking for the truth. Richard (Phil Leveling), a university scientist, is being paid by a pharmaceutical company to put his name on studies he didn't conduct. Allysa (Julianne King), the representative of the pharmaceutical company, wants a more lavish life. Maurice (Maurice Walters II), the local reporter for a small town online newspaper, wants to connect some dots." Performances take place at The .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Midtown. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

All is Calm
Photo: John Lamb

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a cappella musical All is Calm Thursdays through Sundays through December 11. "Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this acapella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets." Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents David Mamet's American Buffalo through December 18. "This volatile drama starred Robert Duvall in the original Broadway production and has seen revivals with Al Pacino most recently on Broadway . In a Chicago junk shop three small time crooks plot to rob a man of his coin collection, the showpiece of which is a valuable “Buffalo nickel”. These high-minded grifters fancy themselves businessmen pursuing legitimate free enterprise. But the reality of the three- Donny, the oafish junk shop owner; Bobby, a young junkie Donny has taken under his wing and “Teach”, a violently paranoid braggart- is that they are merely pawns caught up in their own game of last-chance, dead-end, empty pipe dreams." Performances take place at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

Will Bonfiglio in Buyer and Cellar
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the one-man comedy Buyer and Cellar through December 17. “Underemployed Los Angeles actor, Alex More, is hired to work in a faux shopping mall created by superstar, Barbra Streisand in the basement of her Malibu home. One day, the Lady Herself comes below to play. It soon feels like real bonding downstairs, but will their relationship ever make it upstairs? Buyer & Cellar is a comedic tour-de-force, fictionally drawn from fact, which explores the price of fame, the cost of things, and the oddest of odd jobs." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

The Gateway Men's Chorus presents A Celebration of the Season on Friday and Saturday, December 9 and 10, at 8 p.m. GMC unwraps their 30th anniversary season with a night of beautiful music, campy carols, and holiday favorites, including John Rutter's "Gloria" with a full brass and percussion ensemble and pipe organ. The concert takes place at Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information: gmcstl.org.

Concord Concerts presents: A Charlie Brown Christmas - Live! Friday at 11 a.m., 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., December 9 and 10. "Join Charlie Brown on his quirky journey as he tries to direct the school Christmas pageant. While everyone is acting materialistic, he tries to restore the holiday spirit with a ragged little fir tree. Experience the power of this wonderful story live onstage as Charlie Brown turns to his best friend Linus to learn the seasons real meaning. Performances take place at Concord Trinity United Methodist Church, 5275 S. Lindbergh Blvd. For more information: www.concordconcerts.com.

A Christmas Carol
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

Through December 24, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents A Christmas Carol, adapted by David H. Bell from the novel by Charles Dickens. "On Christmas Eve, the miser Ebenezer Scrooge is given a chance at redemption as he's visited by four ghosts - his old partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future - who teach him it's never too late to change." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents the bawdy interactive comedy Dixie's Tupperware Party through December 18. "After a final meeting with her parole officer, this ex-con mother of three from a trailer park in Alabama straighten out her life by selling the iconic plastic bowls. She quickly became the hottest seller in the country by throwing the kind of parties you won't soon forget. With her booze-filled sippy cup, Dixie shares many alternative uses for what she calls "the most fantastic plastic crap on the planet" which made THE TODAY SHOW cheer, "This is not your grandmother's Tupperware Party." The show is bawdy and interactive and you can actually buy some Tupperware along the way. ADULT CONTENT." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: westportstl.com.

Driving Miss Daisy
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents Driving Miss Daisy through December 18. "In 1948 Atlanta, Daisy Werthan, a rich, sharp-tongued, Jewish, 72-year-old widow has just demolished another car. Her son Boolie informs her that he will from this point on be hiring a chauffeur for her. Thus begins the 25-year relationship between Daisy and Hoke Colburn, her driver. She regards him with disdain and he is not impressed with her patronizing tone and latent prejudice. But despite their differences, they grow closer and more dependent on each other over time. The once contentious relationship blossoms into a profound, life-altering friendship that transcends all the societal boundaries placed between them. An iconic tale of pride, changing times and the transformative power of friendship." 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.

Finding Neverland
Photo: Carol Rosegg

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Finding Neverland running through December 18. "Directed by visionary Tony®-winner Diane Paulus and based on the critically-acclaimed Academy Award®-nominated film starring Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland tells the incredible story behind one of the world's most beloved characters: Peter Pan. Playwright J.M. Barrie struggles to find inspiration until he meets four young brothers and their beautiful widowed mother. Spellbound by the boys' enchanting make-believe adventures, he sets out to write a play that will astound London theatergoers. With a little bit of pixie dust and a lot of faith, Barrie takes this monumental leap, leaving his old world behind for Neverland, where nothing is impossible and the wonder of childhood lasts forever. The magic of Barrie's classic tale springs spectacularly to life in this heartwarming theatrical event." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents the musical The Glorious Ones Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., December 9-11. “In sixteenth-century Italy, a new form of comedic theatre is forming at the hands of Flaminio Scala: Commedia Dell'arte. Flaminio gathers a group of lowlifes together to create an acting troupe that specializes in improvisational comedy with masked characters. From the creators of Seussical and Ragtime comes a beautiful tribute to an important moment in theatre history and to the highs and lows of being an actor, then and now. Prepare yourselves for jokes that are as bawdy as they are old and as silly as they are sweet.” Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium in Webster Hall on the Webster University campus. For more information, www.webster.edu/conservatory/season or call 314-968-7128.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis's Imaginary Theatre Company presents the children's musical A Gnome for Christmas opening on Saturday, December 17, with performances at 11 am and 3 pm, and running through December 23. There is also a special online livestream performance on Saturday, December 10, at 11 a.m. "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 in the Heagney Theatre at Nerinx Hall High School, 530 East Lockwood Avenue, Webster Groves. For more information: repstl.org.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents A Good Woman an adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's The Good Soul of Szechuan by Chuck Harper and the cast and featuring original poetry by Kenny Coleman, through December 11. "A Good Woman explores what it takes to be good in a world that is not so good. Says Chuck Harper, the Director, 'It is a play that I have always wanted to work on, more because I wanted to figure it out than because I had an idea of what I wanted to do with it. In our adaptation we've rewritten the play based on several translations. It is simple in its presentation, but the situations and questions are quite complex. This is a fascinating play.' Mr. Harper also noted that this version is not for children due to the adult language used throughout the show." Performances take place in the Metcalf Theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siue.edu.

The St. Peters Cultural Arts Center presents singer Tim Schall in A Holiday Celebration on Friday, December 9, at 7 p.m. Carol Schmidt is the music director for this evening of seasonal favorites. The St. Peters Cultural Arts Center is at One St. Peters Centere Blvd in St. Peters, MO. For more information: brownpapertickets.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents It's a Wonderful Death through January 8, 2017. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Making of the Star Wars Holiday Special

St. Louis Shakespeare's Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre presents The Making of the Star Wars Holiday Special Friday and Saturday at 8 and 10:30 p.m. December 9 and 10. "Hop aboard the Millennium Falcon and help Luke, Leia, Han, Artoo, and Threepio get Chewbacca home in time to celebrate Life Day with his Wookie family! Originally airing just once in 1978, Magic Smoking Monkey brings this galactic and cosmically bizarre spectacular back to life, and takes you behind the curtain to witness its creation. Featuring a kitschy cavalcade of 70s superstars like Bea Arthur, Art Carney, Charles Bronson, and other surprises - your holiday season will never be the same! Costume contest nightly - come as your favorite member of the Rebel Alliance or Wookie or Droid or Representative of the Galactic Empire or 1970's TV personality and win! (braggin' rights and a cheap prize!)" Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission in University City. For more information: stlshakespeare.org.

Metro Theatre Company and the Missouri History Museum present The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane December 9 - 30. "Edward Tulane is a toy who cares for nobody but himself. Ripped from the arms of the little girl who adores him, this privileged china rabbit is thrown into a life-changing adventure. From the depths of the ocean to the top of a garbage heap, Edward discovers what it means to love others on his extraordinary journey home. With themes of family, empathy, home and redemption, this play is the perfect way to celebrate the warmth of the holiday season." Performances take place in the Lee Auditorium at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information: mohistory.org.

Southampton Church presents Parkside by St. Louis playwright Jim Danek Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday as 2 pm, December 9-11. Southampton Church is at 4716 Macklind in South St. Louis City. For more information, email darriousvarner at yahoo.com.

Santa's Helpers Inc. presents Songs of Peace and Joy: The Music of Christmas on Sunday, December 11, at 3 p.m. "Merry Keller and her singing friends, Bob Becherer, Brian Derton, Paul MacFarlane, Katie McGrath, Angie Nicholson, and Dionna Raedeke will delight and entertain you with all your favorite holiday music! Ron Bryant is at the piano and Paul McFarlane will be on guitar. This concert will donate net proceeds to Santa's Helpers, Inc. providing the spirit of Santa to thousands of St. Louis families for over 48 years." The performance takes place at the Sun Theatre, 3625 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2592087

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

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

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 2, 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:

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Boom
Photo: Michael Young

R-S Theatrics presents Boom Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. through December 4. "Jo, a female journalism student, and Jules, a male marine biologist, meet in a subterranean biology lab for an erotic "casual encounter." But there's nothing casual whatsoever about this particular evening. Will meaningless sex have meaning? What's going on in the fish tank? And who is that woman, Barbara, pulling levers in the corner? Something is about to explode." Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: r-stheatrics.com.

My take: Reviews for this latest daring outing by R-S have been quite good. Tina Farmer's review for KDHX is typical. She writes that Boom "peeks into a post-apocalyptic museum where a story of unexpected doom leads to a new creation myth. The humorous pairing of humanity's potential next Adam and Eve is countered by the more clinical, yet nonetheless passionate, observations of our docent, Barbara. The story is part creation myth, part scientific embellishment, and all for laughs in the company's smartly executed retelling."

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David Meulemans

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present singer David Meluemans in December Songs on Friday, December 2, at 7 p.m. "South Florida's David Meulemans shares holiday memories and smooth vocals in this cabaret show comprised of traditional holiday favorites sprinkled with new works. You'll hear “Winter Wonderland” with a Vince Guaraldi feel, and the classic “Home for Christmas” wrapped up in beautiful new arrangements created specifically for this show, right beside some new holiday classics, including “For Christmas All I Need is You” by Bob Levy, and “Hannukah Miracle” by Carla Gordon and Wayne Richards , reflecting Meulemans' penchant for performing brand new material. December Songs makes a “one night only stop” at the Monocle on the way to Manhattan's Metropolitan Room, where Meulemans is currently Artist in Residence." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

My take: My Christmas elves tell me that this is a big, festive show with lots of great arrangements by the like of Tex Arnold and Sally Mayes. A veteran of the St. Louis Cabaret Conference, David is a smooth presence on stage and the Emerald Room is a very festive venue.

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Ari Axelrod

The Emerald Room at the Monocle presents singer Ari Axelrod and pianist/music director Ron McGowan in Taking the Wheel on Saturday, December 3, at 8 p.m. "Recent Webster University graduate Ari Axelrod brings an autobiographical show about a young, ambitious man embarking on life after college. He straddles two, much different worlds only to discover that he will always have a foot in both. Contemporary Broadway, Sondheim and Hebrew Folk Music make up the songlist." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

My take: Rescheduled from its original October date, this is a show I look forward to seeing. I've seen Ari perform at the St. Louis Cabaret Conference, both from the audience and in class when I attended last year. He's a gutsy performer who has had more experience with life's ups and down than many performers with a lot more mileage behind them. Rich lives make for good cabaret, in my experience.

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Held Over:

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The 2015 cast of All is Calm
Photo: John Lamb

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a cappella musical All is Calm Thursdays through Sundays through December 11. “Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this acapella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets.” Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: All is Calm has become an annual winter tradition at Mustard Seed. With a script by Peter Rothstein and musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach, this story of the remarkable Christmas truce of 1914—a spontaneous outbreak of peace that occurred at multiple points along the trenches in France—combines splendid and often quite complex a cappella singing with readings of letters from soldiers and other historical documents. At a time when opportunistic politicians are pushing an agenda of hate, fear, and eternal war, this is a play that everyone needs to see. As we used to ask back in the 1960s, "what if they gave a war and nobody came?

Preview: Tchaikovsky's fairy tale ballets dominate the stage at Powell Hall this week

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If there's one thing you can count on at Christmas time, it's that someone somewhere will be putting on a production of Tchaikovsky's popular 1892 ballet The Nutcracker. This weekend (December 2-4, 2016), that includes the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. But their Nutcracker is probably going to be unlike any other you might have seen.

Tchaikovsky in 1906

That's because, to begin with, it will only be half a Nutcracker—specifically, the second half, which takes place entirely in the fanciful Kingdom of Sweets. And, since it's a concert performance, it will be a Nutcracker without dancers. What it will have, though, is "visual design" by Webster University's Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts.

Your guess is as good as mine as to what that will mean, but I can tell you that in the past the SLSO has found some fairly ingenious ways of using projected images to enhance works written for the stage, from a performance of Copland's Appalachian Spring ballet suite accompanied by watercolors inspired by the ballet to vivid projected scenery for a complete performance of Verdi's Aida.

The second act of Nutcracker certainly offers plenty of colorful scenes. There are the various "national" dances (Chinese, Arabian, Spanish, and the Russian Trepak) along with the dance of the mirlitons (a 19th-century cousin of the common kazoo as well as a type of cake). There's also the popular "Waltz of the Flowers," the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" with its famous celesta solo, and the dramatic "Pas de Deux" for the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.

Mother Gigogne and her children

Act II also has one of the odder numbers, at least for contemporary American audiences: "La mère Gigogne et les polichinelles" (roughly: "Mother Gigogne and the puppets"). A character whose origins lie in French marionette theatre, she's usually portrayed as a woman (although often danced by a man) with a huge skirt out of which bursts a collection of tumblers and/or clowns. She would have been recognizable to Tchaikovsky's audiences. These days, not so much. The SLSO program describes the number as "Polchinelle (The Clown)," which has the advantage of being less obscure.

All of this, in any case, means that the Webster artists should find a cornucopia of visual inspiration in Tchaikovsky's music.

UPDATE: According to a press release today, December 2nd, from the SLSO: "Due to technical difficulties beyond our control, the visuals planned in partnership with Webster University Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts will not be displayed for this weekend's performances. However, there is no change to the pieces performed on the program."

Tchaikovsky dominates this weekend's concerts, in fact. Most of the first half of the evening will be taken up with a suite consisting of six selections from Swan Lake (1876) and two from Sleeping Beauty (1889) that will feature concertmaster David Halen's violin, along with Principal Cello Daniel Lee and Principal Harp Allegra Lilly. The Swan Lake numbers include dances for both the White and Black Swans and a couple of "national" dances (Russian and Hungarian). From Sleeping Beauty we get the "Entr'acte symphonique" from Act II, a piece written expressly for the noted Hungarian violinist Leopold Auer, along with music from the following scene, in which Prince Désiré discovers the sleeping Princess Aurore.

The program will open with the overture to Alexander Borodin's patriotic opera Prince Igor. Left unfinished at the time of the composer's death in 1887, Prince Igor was eventually completed by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Alexander Glazunov. The overture was cobbled together by Glazunov, who based on themes from the opera and some sketches Borodin left behind, so in a way it's as much his work as it is Borodin's.

Alexander Borodin, 1865

No matter; it's vibrant and dramatic music, filled with memorable themes-including one that, along with many other Borodin melodies, made its way into Wright and Forrest's 1953 musical Kismet. It pops up repeatedly, but you'll hear it for the first time early in the overture, following the big brass fanfares that come right after the slow introduction. In Kismet it's the basis for the song "The Olive Tree," in which the poetic beggar Hajj realizes life might have great things in store for him.

At the podium will be former SLSO Resident Conductor Ward Stare, whose star has clearly been on the rise since he left St. Louis. I saw him conducting Francesca Zambello's excellent Porgy and Bess in Chicago a couple of years ago and he was recently appointed Music Director of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also had guest conducting gigs in Houston, Québec, and Dallas. It will be good to see him back on his old home turf.

The Essentials: Ward Stare conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and violin soloist David Halen Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m., December 2-4, at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Review: Noble and sentimental Beethoven with Stephen Hough, Robert Spano and the St. Louis Symphony

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

Conductor Robert Spano
Photo: Angela Moriss

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There was a lot to be thankful for Friday night (November 25, 2016) as Atlanta Symphony Music Director Robert Spano conducted the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in a program that opened with a pair of late Romantic symphonic poems and closed with one of the greatest of the early-nineteenth century piano concertos.

The first half of the concert was pure "program music," beginning with Pohjola's Daughter from 1906, one of Jean Sibelius's many tone poems inspired by the Kalevala, an epic poem by Elias Lönnrot based on Finnish oral folklore and mythology. This is dark, dramatic music depicting the Finnish equivalent of the Twelve Labors of Hercules, with the mythical hero Väinämöinen trying and ultimately failing to win the heart of the titular daughter of the Northland.

Mr. Spano brought out all the drama and vivid tone painting in the score, starting with the brooding evocation of the stark northern landscape brought to life at the start by the orchestra's deepest voices highlighted by solos from, among others, Danny Lee's cello and Tzuying Huang's bass clarinet. Väinämöinen arrived in a powerful and precise fanfare from the brasses, to which Allegra Lilly's harp and Jennifer Nichtman's flutes replied with a perfectly translucent treatment of the theme for Pohjola's daughter.

The SLSO had, surprisingly, never performed this piece before, but you certainly wouldn't have known that from the quality of the playing. Every section of the ensemble sounded perfect, which made the lack of more enthusiastic applause a bit baffling. Yes, this is a piece that ends as softly as it begins, but I don't think the audience should need (to quote a line from Amadeus) "a good bang at the end...to let them know when to clap."

Up next was Fontane di Roma (Fountains of Rome) the first in Ottorino Respighi's very popular "Roman trilogy" of tone poems composed between 1916 and 1928. In only 15 minutes, the music takes you through a day in Rome as viewed through the lens of four of its famous fountains. We see the sun rise through the mists of the fountain at Valle Giulia, spend the morning frolicking with mythical creatures at the Triton Fountain, marvel at Neptune's majestic chariot at the Trevi Fountain at noon, and finally watch the sun go down behind the Fountain at Villa Medici. "The air is full of the sound of tolling bells, the twittering of birds, the rustling of leaves," wrote Respighi his notes on the score. "Then all dies peacefully into the silence of the night."

Like so many of Respighi's scores, Fountains is a virtual textbook of orchestration, with elements of Debussy, Ravel, and even Richard Strauss all mixed with Respighi's own unique point of view to produce a rich palette of instrumental color. You could hear all of that in exquisite detail throughout this performance, beginning with the shimmering violin harmonics and Jelena Dirks's elegant oboe solo in the opening pages. The play of the Triton fountain's naiads was brought to sparkling life by Allegra Lilly and Megan Stout's harps, the high winds, and the percussion section, while the brasses brought out the majesty of the Trevi fountain.

Mr. Spano brought all this together in a reading that favored somewhat brisk tempos, especially in the Trevi movement, that never felt rushed and that missed none of the many wonderful details of the score. It was thoroughly entrancing and warmly received.

Pianist Stephen Hough
Photo: Hiroyuki Ito

After intermission, Stephen Hough joined the orchestra for a noble and graceful reading of Beethoven's "Emperor" Concerto. Although written under the cloud of war and occupation in Vienna in 1809, this is music that opens in a majestic vein, becomes tender and even wistful in the second movement, and then segues without pause into a cheerful and exuberant rondo.

In his performances of the first three Rachmaninoff concertos with the SLSO back in the spring of 2012, Mr. Hough demonstrated that he had plenty of power when that was called for, but also the ability to display real delicacy. You could hear the power immediately in the oratorical keyboard flourishes that open the first movement and the delicacy in the little diminuendo and touch of rubato that concluded the third solo passage, just before the orchestra entered with the commanding declaration of the first theme.

Throughout the concerto, Mr. Hough and Mr. Spano found lots of shading and subtlety in the music, which made the more dramatic declarations that much more potent. The adagio second movement was pure poetry and the rondo finale danced with rhythmic vitality. The performance as a whole had a real feel of forward momentum, in fact.

As Paul Schiavo points out in his program notes, this is a concerto that integrates the soloist with the orchestra in ways that were novel at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and Mr. Hough and Mr. Spano honored that with a truly collaborative performance.

Although I'm familiar with Mr. Spano's work from recordings, this was my first opportunity to see him in person. He's essentially an upper body conductor, making effective and precise use of his hands and baton, but not much given to the kind of podium choreography that has endeared SLSO Music Director David Robertson to so many of us here. He nevertheless comes across as a warm and engaging character who takes joy in making music. Which is, ultimately, the bottom line.

Next at Powell Hall: Ward Stare conducts the orchestra and violin soloist David Halen in suites from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty ballets along with Borodin's Prince Igor Overture and the complete second act of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet. TheNutcracker selections will be accompanied by projected visuals presented in partnership with the Webster University Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m., December 2-4, at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

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

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The University of Missouri at St. Louis presents 1984, adapted from the George Orwell novel by by Michael Gene Sullivan, Fridays and Saturdays a 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., December 2 - 11. "1984 brings us the story of Winston Smith, a cog in the giant machine state of Oceania. Physically and mentally under the omnipresent eye of Big Brother, Winston has been caught struggling for scraps of love and freedom in a world awash with distrust and violence. With the brutal "help" of four Party Members, Winston is forced to confess his Thoughtcrimes before an unseen inquisitor, and the audience -- which acts as a silent witness to his torture. A ferocious and provocative adaptation of one of the most prescient works of literature of the last century." The performances take place at the Kranzberg Center at Grand and Olive in Grand Center. For more information, kranzbergartscenter.org/calendar/current-events/item/umsl-theatre-1984.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents the St. Louis premiere of Artistic Director Taylor Gruenloh's Adverse Effects, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., December 2 - 11. "After the unexpected death of their daughter, Phil (Carl Overly Jr.) and Jessica (Musa Gurnis) must find a balance in their marriage while struggling with being middle class in the Midwest while battling against the interests of pharmaceutical reps, medical researchers, and a local journalist looking for the truth. Richard (Phil Leveling), a university scientist, is being paid by a pharmaceutical company to put his name on studies he didn't conduct. Allysa (Julianne King), the representative of the pharmaceutical company, wants a more lavish life. Maurice (Maurice Walters II), the local reporter for a small town online newspaper, wants to connect some dots." Performances take place at The .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Midtown. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

The 2015 cast of All is Calm
Photo: John Lamb

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a cappella musical All is Calm Thursdays through Sundays through December 11. "Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this acapella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets." Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents David Mamet's American Buffalo December 2 - 18. "This volatile drama starred Robert Duvall in the original Broadway production and has seen revivals with Al Pacino most recently on Broadway . In a Chicago junk shop three small time crooks plot to rob a man of his coin collection, the showpiece of which is a valuable “Buffalo nickel”. These high-minded grifters fancy themselves businessmen pursuing legitimate free enterprise. But the reality of the three- Donny, the oafish junk shop owner; Bobby, a young junkie Donny has taken under his wing and “Teach”, a violently paranoid braggart- is that they are merely pawns caught up in their own game of last-chance, dead-end, empty pipe dreams." Performances take place at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

Annie
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Annie Friday at 7:30 .m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 1 and 6 p.m., December 2-4. "Leapin' Lizards! The world's best-loved musical returns in time-honored form. Directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin and choreographed by Liza Gennaro, this production of ANNIE will be a brand new incarnation of the iconic original." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

R-S Theatrics presents Boom Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. through December 4. "Jo, a female journlism student, and Jules, a male marine biologist, meet in a subterranean biology lab for an erotic "casual encounter." But there's nothing casual whatsoever about this particular evening. Will meaningless sex have meaning? What's going on in the fish tank? And who is that woman, Barbara, pulling levers in the corner? Something is about to explode." Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: r-stheatrics.com.

Buyer and Cellar

Stray Dog Theatre presents the one-man comedy Buyer and Cellar December 1 - 17. “Underemployed Los Angeles actor, Alex More, is hired to work in a faux shopping mall created by superstar, Barbra Streisand in the basement of her Malibu home. One day, the Lady Herself comes below to play. It soon feels like real bonding downstairs, but will their relationship ever make it upstairs? Buyer & Cellar is a comedic tour-de-force, fictionally drawn from fact, which explores the price of fame, the cost of things, and the oddest of odd jobs." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

Lindenwood University presents a stage adaptation of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. December 1 - 3. "This timeless classic follows the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge on a fantastic journey through time and space, forced to confront his past, present, and future through the aid of his spiritual guides. Returning to the main stage Lindenwood Theater for 2016, A Christmas Carol is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit, and to reflect upon the true meaning of Christmas.” The performance takes place at The Lindenwood Theatre 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 www.lindenwood.edu/center.

A Christmas Carol
Photo: Lon Brauer

Opening Wednesday, November 30, at 8 p.m. and running through December 24, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents A Christmas Carol, adapted by David H. Bell from the novel by Charles Dickens. "On Christmas Eve, the miser Ebenezer Scrooge is given a chance at redemption as he's visited by four ghosts - his old partner Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future - who teach him it's never too late to change." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

Curtain's Up Theatre presents A Christmas Story, based on stories by Jean Shepherd, Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. December 2 - 4. "A Christmas classic - 9-year-old Ralphie desperately wants to find a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the Christmas tree. He pleads with his mother, his teacher, and even Santa Claus himself. Of course, he's told, "You'll shoot your eye out!" Furnaces explode, father wins a hideous lamp and tongues are frozen to lamp posts." Performances take place The Wildey Theatre is at252 North Main Street in Edwardsville, Illinois. For more information, visit curtainsuptheater.com.

David Meulemans

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present singer David Meluemans in December Songs on Friday, December 2, at 7 p.m. "South Florida's David Meulemans shares holiday memories and smooth vocals in this cabaret show comprised of traditional holiday favorites sprinkled with new works. You'll hear “Winter Wonderland” with a Vince Guaraldi feel, and the classic “Home for Christmas” wrapped up in beautiful new arrangements created specifically for this show, right beside some new holiday classics, including “For Christmas All I Need is You” by Bob Levy, and “Hannukah Miracle” by Carla Gordon and Wayne Richards , reflecting Meulemans' penchant for performing brand new material. December Songs makes a “one night only stop” at the Monocle on the way to Manhattan's Metropolitan Room, where Meulemans is currently Artist in Residence." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents the bawdy interactive comedy Dixie's Tupperware Party, opening on Tuesday, November 29, and running through December 18. "After a final meeting with her parole officer, this ex-con mother of three from a trailer park in Alabama straighten out her life by selling the iconic plastic bowls. She quickly became the hottest seller in the country by throwing the kind of parties you won't soon forget. With her booze-filled sippy cup, Dixie shares many alternative uses for what she calls "the most fantastic plastic crap on the planet" which made THE TODAY SHOW cheer, "This is not your grandmother's Tupperware Party." The show is bawdy and interactive and you can actually buy some Tupperware along the way. ADULT CONTENT." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: westportstl.com.

Driving Miss Daisy
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents Driving Miss Daisy December 1 - 18. "In 1948 Atlanta, Daisy Werthan, a rich, sharp-tongued, Jewish, 72-year-old widow has just demolished another car. Her son Boolie informs her that he will from this point on be hiring a chauffeur for her. Thus begins the 25-year relationship between Daisy and Hoke Colburn, her driver. She regards him with disdain and he is not impressed with her patronizing tone and latent prejudice. But despite their differences, they grow closer and more dependent on each other over time. The once contentious relationship blossoms into a profound, life-altering friendship that transcends all the societal boundaries placed between them. An iconic tale of pride, changing times and the transformative power of friendship." 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.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents the musical The Glorious Ones Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., November 30 - December 11. “In sixteenth-century Italy, a new form of comedic theatre is forming at the hands of Flaminio Scala: Commedia Dell'arte. Flaminio gathers a group of lowlifes together to create an acting troupe that specializes in improvisational comedy with masked characters. From the creators of Seussical and Ragtime comes a beautiful tribute to an important moment in theatre history and to the highs and lows of being an actor, then and now. Prepare yourselves for jokes that are as bawdy as they are old and as silly as they are sweet.” Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium in Webster Hall on the Webster University campus. For more information, www.webster.edu/conservatory/season or call 314-968-7128.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents A Good Woman an adaptation of Bertolt Brecht's The Good Soul of Szechuan by Professor Chuck Harper and the cast, featuring original poetry by Kenny Coleman. December 2-11. "A Good Woman explores what it takes to be good in a world that is not so good. Says Chuck Harper, the Director, 'It is a play that I have always wanted to work on, more because I wanted to figure it out than because I had an idea of what I wanted to do with it. In our adaptation we've rewritten the play based on several translations. It is simple in its presentation, but the situations and questions are quite complex. This is a fascinating play.' Mr. Harper also noted that this version is not for children due to the adult language used throughout the show." Performances take place in the Metcalf Theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siue.edu.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents It's a Wonderful Death through January 8, 2017. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Central Visual and Performing Arts High School presents Irving Berlin's White Christmas Friday through Sunday, December 2-4. "Based on the beloved, timeless film, this heartwarming musical adaptation features seventeen Irving Berlin songs and a book by David Ives and Paul Blake. Veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have a successful song-and-dance act after World War II. With romance in mind, the two follow a duo of beautiful singing sisters en route to their Christmas show at a Vermont Lodge, which just happens to be owned by Bob and Phil's former army commander. The dazzling score features well known standards including Blue Skies, I Love A Piano, How Deep Is the Ocean and the perennial favorite, White Christmas. "The Central Visual and Performing Arts High School is at 3125 S. Kingshighway in south St. Louis City. Fore more information: gcpastl.org.

St. Louis Shakespeare's Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre presents The Making of the Star Wars Holiday Special Fridays and Saturdays at 8 and 10:30 p.m. December 2 - 10. "Hop aboard the Millennium Falcon and help Luke, Leia, Han, Artoo, & Threepio get Chewbacca home in time to celebrate Life Day with his Wookie family! Originally airing just once in 1978, Magic Smoking Monkey brings this galactic and cosmically bizarre spectacular back to life, and takes you behind the curtain to witness its creation. Featuring a kitschy cavalcade of 70s superstars like Bea Arthur, Art Carney, Charles Bronson, and other surprises - your holiday season will never be the same! Costume contest nightly - come as your favorite member of the Rebel Alliance or Wookie or Droid or Representative of the Galactic Empire or 1970's TV personality and win! (braggin' rights and a cheap prize!)" Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission in University City. For more information: stlshakespeare.org.

Southampton Church presents Parkside by St. Louis playwright Jim Danek Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays as 2 pm, December 2-11. Southampton Church is at 4716 Macklind in South St. Louis City. For more information, email darriousvarner at yahoo.com.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents Jason Robert Brown's Songs for a New World Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. November 30 - December 3. Performances take place in the Dunham Hall Theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siue.edu.

Ari Axelrod

The Emerald Room at the Monocle presents singer Ari Axelrod and pianist/music director Ron McGowan in Taking the Wheel on Saturday, December 3, at 8 p.m. "Recent Webster University graduate Ari Axelrod brings an autobiographical show about a young, ambitious man embarking on life after college. He straddles two, much different worlds only to discover that he will always have a foot in both. Contemporary Broadway, Sondheim and Hebrew Folk Music make up the songlist." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Winter Wonderland, a holiday cabaret featuring Zoe Vonder Haar, John Flack, Peter Merideth, Emily Peterson and Steve Neale, on Saturday, December 3, at 11 a.m. "Celebrate the season with a wonderful mix of winter and holiday music, old and new, performed by acclaimed actress Zoe Vonder Haar and a cast of some of St. Louis' finest singers! Hear favorites such as “Snow,” from White Christmas, “Sleigh Ride,” “Joy to the World” and many more!" The performance takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3658 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: sheldonconcerthall.org.

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

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

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.