Chuck's Choices for the weekend of May 24th, 2013

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance in rotating repertory with three other operas May 25-June 29. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. The opening of Opera Theatre's season is always a gala night (and, as Groucho Marx says, "a gal a night is enough for me"). The fact that it a Gilbert and Sullivan operetta just makes it that much better. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Photo: John Lamb

New Jewish Theater presents Shlemiel the First through June 9. "A joyous klezmer musical based on the tale by Isaac Bashevis Singer, follows the naive beadle Shlemiel from Chelm, a village of fools, on a pilgrimage to spread the wisdom of the local sages. His simple-minded folly turns an already absurd world hilariously upside down, and the play’s small cast, complete with a live klezmer band and a topsy-turvy set, amasses large measures of adoration from audiences nationwide." I'm not sure I'm the right audience for this show—the material has no real cultural resonance for me—but there's no denying the quality of this production and the talent of this cast. The storybook set by Margery and Peter Spack and Cristie Johnston is also a triumph. 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.

Margaret Jenkins Dance Company

Dance St. Louis presents the Spring to Dance Festival 2013, featuring 30 dance companies, Thursday through Saturday, May 23-25, at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Performances take place each night at 6 PM in the Terrace Lobby, at 7 PM in the Lee Theatre, and at 7:30 PM in the Anheuser-Busch Performance Hall. If you want to overdose on quality dance, this is the way to go; there are performances in the Lee Theater, the Anheuser-Busch Performance Hall, and even the lobby. For more information: dancestlouis.org.