St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of January 10, 2011

[Updated Wednesday, January 12, 2011] 

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

I'm now adding my own purely personal comments to events about which I think I have anything worthwhile to say. Because that's what bloggers do.

Christina Rios

Black Cat Theatre Cabaret presents Christina Rios and Dennis Folwarczy on Friday, January 14, at Black Cat Theatre, 2810 Sutton in Maplewood. For more information, call 314-781-8300 or visit blackcattheatre.org.

Cooking With Elisa

Upstream Theatre presents Cooking With Elisa through January 23. Performances take place at 305 South Skinker. This is the US premiere of the play by Argentine author Lucía Laragione, in an English version by Upstream's Artistic Director Philip Boehm.  Bonnie Taylor directs. For more information, visit www.upstreamtheater.org or call 314-863-4999.  Read Missy Miller's review for 88.1, KDHX.

First Run Theatre presents An Evening of One Acts Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, January 14 though 23. The plays are "Don’t Stop Believing” by Courtney Kennedy and “A Moment of Grace” by Bill Borst. Performances take place at DeSmet Jesuit High Schoo, 233 N New Ballas Road. For more information, call 314-352-5114 or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

Ron Youngman presents his one-man show Follies, Vanities and Scandals, featuring songs from the early 20th century, on Sunday, January 16, at 2 and 7 PM. Carol Schmidt is pianist and music director for the show, which takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/138624.  I haven't seen Ron's work before, but since he has acknowledged that my own Vaudeville cabaret act, Just a Song at Twilight (which played the Kranzberg Center last spring and summer) was an influence, there was no way I was going to miss this show.  Besides, I've worked with Carol Schmidt in the very recent past and have immense respect for her talent as a result.

Everydaycircus Inc. performs shows hourly from 11 AM to 4 PM each weekend at City Museum, 701 N. 15th St. Shows are FREE with regular museum admission. (645-4445 or 231-CITY).

The Fall of Heaven

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents The Fall Of Heaven Tuesdays through Sundays through January 30. 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.  I'm a big fan of Walter Mosley's crime novels, so I'm looking forward to his stage adaptation of his fantasy novel The Tempest Tales.  Great novelists aren't necessarily great playwrights, so it will be something of an adventure.  Read Andrea Braun's review for 88.1 KDHX.

The Giver

Metro Theatre Company and the The Edison Theatre at Washington University present the St. Louis premiere of The Giver, Eric Coble's stage adaptation of Lois Lowry's celebrated novel, through January 23. 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 or call Metro Theater at (314) 997-6777.  Read Bob Wilcox's review for 88.1, KDHX.

Alton Little Theater presents the drama Kindertransport January 14 through 21 at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

Over the River and
Through the Woods

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the comedy Over The River And Through The Woods through January 16. Performances take place in the Guild theatre at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, visit theaterguildwg.org or call 314-962-0876.  I acted in the St. Louis premiere of this script several years ago with Act Inc.  It has since made its way around most of the community theatre groups in town, and for obvious reasons:  it's a funny, well-written piece about an eccentric but loving family, with great roles for both young and old actors.  If the Webster folks do right by the script it should be a fun evening.  Read Bob Wilcox's review for 88.1, KDHX.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the comedy Perfect Wedding Thursday [January 20 only] through Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday [January 16 only] at 2 PM, January 14 through 22. Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre of the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. For more information, call 314-821-9956 or visit ktg-onstage.org.

Pericles

The Black Rep presents Shakespeare's Pericles through January 30. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, call 314-534-3810.  It will be interesting to see what they do with this rarely-performed bit of semi-Shakespeare (scholars think he may have only written half of it). The company web site describes it as "a panorama of breathtaking visual imagery creating a stunning metaphor for the African American experience". The full title is Pericles, Prince of Tyre - a purely fictional character who has, AFAIK, nothing to do with the real-life Athenian statesman. Read Andrea Braun's review for 88.1, KDHX.

The Missouri History Museum presents the Freed-Yorick Theatre Ensemble production of Voices, “a performance piece that weaves the writings of Emily Dickinson, Anne Frank, Langston Hughes, Helen Keller and Henry David Thoreau together in a thrilling collage set to original music”. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, January 13 through 23, at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information, call 314-361-9017 or visit mohistory.org.

Stray Rescue St. Louis presents Wasting Away in Barkaritaville, a benefit stage play inspired by stray dogs, on Saturday, January 14 at 8 PM. Doors open at 7 PM for the event, which includes beverages, finger foods, a raffle and book signing by Stray Rescue founder Randy Grimm, as well as a guest appearance by the STL Parrot Heads. All proceeds benefit Stray Rescue. The show takes place at Stray Dog Theatre, 2336 Tennessee. For more information send email to barkaritaville at yahoo.com. The cast includes yours truly along with a number of other very fine local actors.  It promises to be a fun evening and all in a good cause to boot.

The Year of Magical Thinking

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the one-woman show The Year Of Magical Thinking, starring St. Louis’s own Fontaine Syer, Tuesdays through Sundays, January 12 through 30. Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.  Fontaine, as many of we local theatre veterans will recall, was one of the driving forces behind the late Theatre Project Company.