St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of February 18, 2013

Updated Wednesday, February 20

[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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St. Louis University Theatre presents the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee February 22 through March 3. Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call (314) 977-2998 or visit www.slu.edu/theatre.

ANNNONYArts presents 3 Row Poles to Enlightenment and Zilch Friday and Saturday, February 22 and 23, at 8 PM. “3 Row Poles to Enlightenment, a performance/opera, was created by performance artist Tom Brady and is performed by himself and Monica Newsam. In Zilch, Beckah Reed, Monica Newsam and Tom Brady each bring decades of accomplishment, to speak about the liberation of spirit in the face of political and personal injustice.” Performances take place at ANNONYArts, 3003 Locust. For more information: annonyarts.org.

KTK Productions presents the comedy The Best of KTK Cabaret 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.

St. Louis Community College at Forest Park Theatre Department presents Bleacher Bums February 21-24. Performances take place in the Bastian Theatre on the campus at 5600 Oakland. For more information, call 314-644-9100.

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." The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

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 Cabaret Project and 88.1 KDHX present a monthly Cabaret Open Mic Night on Wednesday, February 20, from 7 to 10 PM at the Tavern of Fine Arts. The master of ceremonies is 88.1 KDHX senior performing arts critic Chuck Lavazzi and the special guest music director this month is Ron McGowan of Webster University. 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.

Alexandra Meister
photo by Heather Thorne

Dance St. Louis presents the Nashville Ballet production of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana Thursday through Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM. The production features 120 singers, 60 musicians, and 40 dancers, including The University of Missouri-St. Louis Orchestra and Singers, The Bach Society of Saint Louis and The St. Louis Children’s Choir. The opening act for Carmina Burana is Bach’s Cantata No. 10, performed by MADCO and The University of Missouri-St. Louis Orchestra and Singers. Performances take place at the Touhill Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. For more information: dancestlouis.org.

HotCity Theatre presents the world premiere of Connected by Lia Romero through February 23. The play is designed to work in combination with Facebook, where profiles will be created for each of the characters as though they were real people. Audience members are invited to “friend” the characters in the weeks leading up to the show to find out more about their backstories. 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!

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Department of Theater and Dance presents Lisa Loomer's Distracted Wednesday through Sunday, February 20-24, in the Dunham Hall theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774.

St. Peter's UCC Creative Ministry presents An Evening with Gary Wayne Barker and Peggy Billo on Sunday, February 24, at 7 PM. David Horstman is pianist and music director for the show, which takes place at St. Peter's UCC, at Keelen and West Florissant in Dellwood. For more information: stpeterschurch.org

The COCA Family Theatre Series presents The Gruffalo Friday at 7 PM, Saturday at 2 and 5 PM, and Sunday at 1:30 PM, February 1-3. COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. “Ages 3+. Join Mouse on an adventure through the deep, dark wood in this magical, musical adaptation of the award-winning picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Following sellout performances in Europe, the U.K.'s Tall Stories tours the globe with this monster of a show filled with songs, laughs and scary fun.” For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

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.” Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square. For more information, visit theblackrep.org or call 314-534-3810. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

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

Photo by John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Charles Busch's comedy Psycho Beach Party Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through February 23. There will be a matinee on the closing Saturday at 2 PM in addition to the evening show. “Comedy meets horror in this wacky, campy retro-fusion of teenage surfer flicks and slasher sagas. Set in 1962, teen tomboy Chicklet Forrest desperately wants to belong to the surfer crowd on Malibu Beach. Unfortunately her many split personalities get in the way, while her most dangerous alter ego has nothing less than world domination in mind.” 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!

©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.” 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!

Photo by John Lamb

New Jewish Theater presents David Mamet's Speed-the-Plow through February 24. “Revived on Broadway in 2008, this Tony nominated play by David Mamet (out nation's foremost master of the language of moral epilepsy) is a hilarious and chilling satire of Hollywood and a culture as corrupt as the society it claims to reflect. The acid-etched portrait of greedy, foul-mouthed Hollywood players follows Bobby Gould, the newly appointed Head of Production at a major studio as he struggles to understand the contest and morality of life.” 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 Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents Uncommon Women And Others Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, February 20 through March 3. Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium on the Webster University campus. For more information, call 314-968-7128.

The Presenters Dolan present Ralph Kalish in Winning History - The Branch Rickey Story, a one-act play written by Ralph Kalish and directed by Bobby Miller, Friday and Saturday at 8 and Sunday at 7 PM at The Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-725-4200 stn. 10 or visit licketytix.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.