Chuck's Choices for the weekend of February 28, 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:

That Uppity Theatre Company and The Vital Voice present Briefs: A Festival Of Short Lesbian and Gay Plays Thursday through Sunday, February 28-March 3. Performances take place at La Perla, 312 North 8th Street, downtown. The first Briefs festival last year (in which I have the privilege of acting) sold out and was an immense critical success. This festival of seven short LGBT plays is back again and promises to be bigger and better than ever. The plays this year are: “Black Eye” by Carolyn Gage, directed by Christopher Limber; “Are You Married?” written and directed by Joan Lipkin; “My Jesus Year,” by Tony Foster, directed by Lee Anne Mathews; “Waiting for the Skell,” by EM Lewis, directed by Bonnie Taylor; “Lady and the Tramp,” performed by Lola van Ella and Sammy the Tramp; “Surprise,” by Ken Haller, directed by Michael B. Perkins; and “Zoo Story 2.0,” by Rich Espey, directed by Marty Stanberry. To purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/briefs13 or call (314) 995-4600.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Music of the Silver Screen with Merry Keller and guest vocalist Susan Kissinger on Saturday, March 2, at 11 AM as part of its Saturday Matinee series. Ron Bryant is music director for the program, which takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington. Merry is a classicaly-trained singer and vocal coach who can alwasy be counted on for a musically impeccable show. For more information: sheldonconcerthall.org or call 314-534-1111.

Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical Next to Normal Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, February 28 through March 23. "From the composer of High Fidelity comes the most adult, most mature rock musical to hit Broadway in decades, an unrelentingly intense, brutally honest – and often, darkly funny – story about a bipolar woman and the family that grapples with her illness, all set to a hard driving rock and roll score that explodes with raw, searing emotion. Rolling Stone called it 'the best new musical of the season – by a mile.'” I saw the national tour of this show at the Fox in April of 2011 and was very much taken with it. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. For more information, call 314-534-1111.

Held over:

The Fox Theatre presents the musical The Book of Mormon through March 3. "Nine 2011 Tony Awards® say it's the Best Musical of the Year. Vogue says, 'It's the funniest musical of all time.' And The New York Times says, 'It's the best musical of this century.' It's THE BOOK OF MORMON, the Broadway phenomenon from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Avenue Q co-creator Robert Lopez. The Daily Show's Jon Stewart calls it 'A crowning achievement. So good, it makes me angry.' Contains explicit language." In my review for 88.1 KDHX I call it a smart combination of vulgar satire and old-fashioned book musical that's well worth seeing. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Black Rep presents The Mountaintop by Katori Hall through March 9. "April 3, 1968, Memphis. The Lorraine Motel, Room 306. where Martin Luther King Jr. spends his last night on earth." I haven't seen this yet, of course, but the topic is provocative and timely. Besides, the author is the winner of the Blackburn Prize for outstanding women playwrights and the play has earned England's Olivier Award for best play. In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Megan McEnery describes the production as "intriguing, honest and totally worthwhile."  Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, visit theblackrep.org or call 314-534-3810.

©Photo by Jerry Naunheim Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Sense and Sensibility, based on the Jane Austen novel, through March 3. “When their father's death leaves two sisters with uncertain prospects, they must navigate the unpredictable seas of courtship with only their hearts to guide them. The course of true love winds through flirtation, folly, scandals and secrets as reserved, sensible Elinor and romantic, impulsive Marianne attempt to find their way in the world. This lovely, intimate adaptation of Jane Austen's first novel is a charming journey through hope and heartbreak as two young ladies find that when sense and sensibility meet, love can't be far behind.” I have the wrong set of chromosomes to be a Jane Austen fan and even I found this elegant and beautifully staged production very enjoyable. In her review for 88.1 KDHX, Megan McEnery describes the show as "polished and entertaining." 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.