St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of January 17, 2011

Updated Saturday, January 22, 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.

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 though January 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.

WAPP Theater Company presents An Evening with Taylor Pietz and Mike Dowdy on Saturday, January 22, at Black Cat Theatre, 2810 Sutton in Maplewood. Al Fischer is pianist and music director. For more information, call 314-781-8300 or visit blackcattheatre.org.  I've worked with both of these ladies and can testify to their immense talent and theatrical smarts.  Together, they ought to be an unbeatable team.

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. St. Louis audiences tend to give standing ovations for almost anything, but the one we gave Mosley's adaptation of his novel The Tempest Tales the night I saw this show was thoroughly deserved. A wonderful, literate script, top-notch cast, flawless direction and (as usual) polished tech work all combined to make an unforgettable evening of theatre. Get your tickets now! 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.

Circus Harmony presents Grazioso, their “annual confluence of music and circus arts”, Fridays at 7 PM, and Saturdays at 2 and 7 PM, and Sundays at 2 PM, January 22 through 30. Performances take place on the third floor of CIty Museum downtown. The show features 27 flying children and a 7-piece band, under the direction of Adam Rugo. For more information, visit circusharmony.org or call 314-436-7676. Tickets include admission to City Museum.

Carolbeth True

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Jazz and Pop Standards with pianist Carolbeth True and vocalist Christi John on Saturday, January 22, at 11 AM. The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington. For more information, call 314-533-9900 or visit thesheldon.org.

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents the musical Junie B. Jones, based on the books by Barbara Park, Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM, January 22 and 23. Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.florissantmo.com.

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

The COCA Family Theatre Series presents Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical, based the picture book by Mo Williams, Saturday and Sunday, January 22 and 23. COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Mariposa Artists presents a Moonglow Cabaret Series concert on Saturday, January 22, from 6 to 8 PM. The featured performers are Liz Murphy, Katie McGrath, Charlene Reimann, Debbie Schuster, and Jeff Wright. Carol Schmidt is the pianist and music director. The free concert takes place at Schwaig Art Glass, 1916 Park Avenue in Lafayette Square. For more information, call 314-776-4442 or visit fabartscenter.com.  Mariposa Artists is the brainchild of St. Louis cabaret artist Robert Breig and is dedicated to providing opportunities for other local cabaret pros.  The performers in this concert represent a great cross-section of the local cabaret scene and the venue - a charming art glass studio in the gracious Lafayette Square neighborhood - adds considerably to the atmosphere.

The Missouri History Museum presents a Teens Make History production of Nobody’s Boy, described as a “story of the struggle for freedom in antebellum St. Louis”, Saturdays at 11:30 AM, January 22 through February 19. The museum is at Lindell and De Baliviere in Forest Park. For more information, call 314-746-4599 or visit mohistory.org.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the comedy Perfect Wedding Saturday and Saturday at 8 PM  January 22 and 23. 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.  Read Laura Kyro's review for 88.1, KDHX.

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.

RS Theatrics presents a staged reading of Don Nigro's Scarecrow on Saturday, January 22, at 8 PM. The performances take place at Soundstage Productions in the Crestwood Plaza ArtSpace. For more information, call (314) 968-8070 or visit soundstageproductions.net.

Webster University's Opera Studio presents an evening of scenes from operas, including Don Giovanni, Carmen, Puccini's La Rondine and Menotti's The Old Maid and the Thief, in honor of the 100th anniversary of Gian-Carlo Menotti's birth. Performances are Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 4 PM, January 22 and 23, in the Heagney Theatre
at Nerinx Hall High School, 530 E. Lockwood Avenue. For more information, call 314-968-7032.

Black Cat Theatre presents the children's musical Snow White and the 8th Dwarf Saturday, January 22, at 11 AM. The performance takes place at 2810 Sutton in Maplewood, MO. For more information, call 314-781-8300 or visit blackcattheatre.org.

The Missouri History Museum presents The Tragical Comedy of the French, Spanish, French American Ville de Saint Louis Saturdays at 2 PM, January 22 through February 26. The museum is at Lindell and De Baliviere in Forest Park. For more information, call 314-746-4599 or visit mohistory.org.

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 through January 23 at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information, call 314-361-9017 or visit mohistory.org.  Read Andrea Braun's review for 88.1, KDHX.

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 through January 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.  Read Andrea Braun's review for 88.1, KDHX.