St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of June 30, 2014

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 events web site.

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Photo: Peter Wochniak

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Always..Patsy Cline through August 31. "Jacqueline Petroccia and Zoe Vonder Haar star in the return engagement of the show critics called 'exceptional, must see entertainment.' The touching and true story of Country music legend Patsy Cline and her friendship with Texas housewife Louise Seger returns to STAGES this spring. Combining down home country humor, heartache and 27 of Patsy Cline's unforgettable hits such as 'Crazy,' 'Walkin' After Midnight,' and 'Sweet Dreams,' Always... Patsy Cline endures as a piece of genuine Americana." Performances take place at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents The Dapper Flappers through July 27. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Missouri History Museum Theatre in the Museum Series presents Flappers to Smashers: Women, Prohibition, and the 1920s Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 PM through August 5. "A look at how the 18th Amendment changed women's lives." Performances take place at the Missouri History Museum at Lindell and De Baliviere in Forest Park. For more information, visit mohistory.org.

The Missouri History Museum Theatre in the Museum Series presents Glory the Gargoyle Finds a Home Saturdays at 11:30 AM through August 2. "A play for our youngest visitors. Glory is a gargoyle with big dreams, but she has trouble fitting in. Join her in her search to find a home." Performances take place at the Missouri History Museum at Lindell and De Baliviere in Forest Park. For more information, visit mohistory.org.

Photo: Phillip Hamer

The Muny presents the musical Tarzan nightly at 8:15 PM throuh July 2 in the outdoor theatre in Forest Park. "Featuring music and lyrics by Phil Collins, the award-winning Tarzan is based on the smash-hit Disney film. The story follows an infant boy, orphaned and left alone to be raised by a tribe of apes. As an adult, Tarzan's two worlds collide when the sudden arrival of humans, forces him to choose between a “civilized” life with the beautiful Jane and the life he knows and loves." For more information, visit muny.org or call 314-361-1900. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Emilie Nevins-Carter

Mariposa Artists presents Emilie Nevins-Carter in When We're Together, with pianist and music director Beckie Menzie, on Thursday, July 3, at 7:30 PM. The performance is directed by Lina Koutrakos and takes place at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive. The admission price includes two drinks and parking is free.  For more information: emilie.brownpapertickets.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.

Jungle boogie

Photo: Phillip Hamer

What: Tarzan
When: June 25 – July 2, 2014
Where: The Muny, St. Louis

It’s doubtful that the 2006 stage adaptation of Disney’s 1999 animated film “Tarzan” will ever make anybody’s list of Great Musicals. But the Phil Collins score (expanded from the five numbers he wrote for the movie) is filled with songs that are never less the serviceable and, in the case of “You’ll Be in My Heart” and “Sure as Sun Turns to Moon,” really quite moving.

And then there’s the book by celebrated playwright David Henry Hwang. While hardly in the same league as his more famous plays, it still tells its version of the Edgar Rice Burroughs story clearly and intelligently. There’s even a nice message about the importance of family—both biological and (to quote Armistead Maupin’s Anna Madrigal) logical.

Photo: Eric Woolsey

Even so “Tarzan,” like many recent Broadway musicals, relies heavily on slick production values. You wouldn’t want to attempt a concert version of this. Happily, the Muny’s cast and design team are more than up to the task, so the result is a couple of hours of family friendly fun that, while it may not challenge, entertains without fail. Who, on a St. Louis summer evening, could ask for anything more?

You all know the story by now. Shipwrecked with his parents, the baby who will become Tarzan first becomes an orphan when the leopard that has killed the son of the ape couple Kerchak and Kala kills his parents as well. Over husband Kerchak’s objections—he has good reasons to distrust humans—Kala names him Tarzan and raises him as her own. Misfit though he is, he slowly adjusts to life in the ape clan until the arrival of botanist Jane Porter, her scientist father, and their unprincipled guide Clayton bring him into contact with humans for the first time—and forces him to ask hard questions about who he really is.

Photo: Phillip Hamer

Quentin Earl Darrington and Katie Thompson are Kerchak and Kala. He’s a commanding presence, she’s sympathetic, and together they make a believable couple. Their duet “Sure as Sun Turns to Moon” is a charming picture of a couple who have been together so long they know each other’s thoughts. I wish someone had given Ms. Thompson a dark wig or a cap to mask her flaming read hair, though; it looks odd next to the rest of the ape clan.

Nicholas Rodriguez is a funny and charming Tarzan, with the necessary buff physique. I think he tends to overdo the “scratching his head” pose to emphasize his ape upbringing, but he’s got a solid voice and the agility the role requires. Kate Rockwell, meanwhile, makes an impressive Muny debut as a wonderfully self-aware Jane. Her song of botanical discovery "Waiting For This Moment"—with the ensemble taking on the roles of exotic jungle flowers—is a highlight of the first act.

As Tarzan’s best ape friend Terk, Gregory Haney also makes a strong impression in his Muny debut, bringing all the necessary sass and attitude to the part, along with some strikingly athletic dancing in “Trashing the Camp”; you can see a bit of it in the preview video. Nathaniel Mahone’s Young Terk has that same attitude down pat, and he’s matched by an equally strong Young Tarzan in Spencer Jones—a three-season Muny veteran and with the ripe old age of nine.

Photo: Eric Woolsey

Local favorite Ken Page exudes his usual charm as Professor Porter, while Michael James Reed, who was such a dashing and vital Henry IV with Shakespeare Festival this summer, is a thoroughly reprehensible Clayton.

Timothy R. Mackabee’s jungle gym set provides lots of interesting playing areas, especially when combined with the Muny’s turntable, and gives Tarzan and the ape dance ensemble lots of places to swing and climb. Leon Dobkowski’s costumes allow them to look sufficiently simian while still permitting plenty of freedom of movement. Chris Bailey’s choreography is a nice mix of modern dance and African folk moves. Director John Targaglia keeps it all moving along nicely and creates some fine stage pictures. He has also given the adult Tarzan an impressive first entrance, gliding in over the audience on a modified zip line. The crowd loved it.

Photo: Eric Woolsey

I haven’t been to the Muny in many years, and I have to say the overall experience has improved. Lines at the concession stands are shorter and the variety of drinks is better. The new fans run nonstop (the old ones shut down during performances because they were so loud), so there’s always a breeze. And it appears that audiences are taking the instructions in the new “theatre etiquette” page in the program to heart. People aren’t constantly wandering the aisles as they used to do and most of them aren’t dashing for the parking lot before curtain call.

“Tarzan” plays the Muny nightly at 8:15 through Tuesday, July 2. Great art it ain't, but it aims to please and generally succeeds. For more information: muny.org. Transportation tip: Metro runs a shuttle between the Muny and the Forest Park/Debaliviere Metro station, starting at 7:20 PM. I recommend it as a low-stress alternative to parking and driving in Forest Park.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of June 30, 2014

The Compton Heights Concert Band presents free Musical Mondays concert featuring marches, show tunes and classical favorites on Monday, June 30 at 7:30 PM. The concert takes place in Tower Grove Park at the historic Henry Shaw Bandstand. For more information: chband.org.

The Compton Heights Concert Band presents a free Sunday Serenades concert featuring marches, show tunes and classical favorites on Sunday, July 6, at 7:30 PM. The concerts takes place in Francis Park at Donovan and Eichelberger on the Compton Heights Band's "Carol Joy Brooks Memorial" Stage. For more information: chband.org.

The Gateway Festival Orchestra presents Aire of Romance, a free concert on Sunday, July 6, at 7:30 PM. "Enjoy a free live concert by a fifty-piece professional orchestra. Bring a lawn chair or a blanket for relaxing on the grass in beautiful Brookings Quadrangle. Parking is free and plentiful. Ted Drewes Frozen Custard is available for purchase, and children receive an attendance prize. There is a pre-concert discussion at 7:10 pm. The concert begins at 7:30 and includes Howard Hanson: Symphony No. 2 ("Romantic"), Beethoven: Romance in F Major for Violin and Orchestra with young artist soloist Samantha Lord, Johann Strauss: Wine, Women, and Song, John Thomas: Jazz Romanza for English Horn and String Orchestra (premiere) with soloist Cathleen Woelbling-Paul, M. Legrand: Selections by Michele Legrand." The concert takes place at the Brookings Quadrangle on the Washington University campus. For more information: www.gatewayfestivalorchestra.org.

The Scott Joplin House presents a Ragtime Rendezvous on Sunday, July 6, at 2:30 PM. "The Ragtime Rendezvous is a casual listening experience for ragtime lovers, held at the Rosebud Cafe adjacent to the Scott Joplin House. There are multiple pianos at the Rosebud Cafe for anyone who wants to play or just listen to ragtime. Snacks and coffee are available for a donation. You are welcome to bring alcoholic beverages or additional food." The event takes place at the Rosebud Café, adjacent to the Scott Joplin House at 2658 Delmar. For more information: www.friendsofscottjoplin.org.

Nicholas Susi

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents pianist Nicholas Susi performing Liszt's Première année de pèlerinage: Suisse, S. 160 and Sonata in B minor, S. 178, on Tuesday, July 1, at 7:30 PM. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents the Cardinal Quartet performing Mendelssohn's String Quartet Op. 12, No. 1 and Beethoven's String Quartet Op. 18, No. 2 on Thursday, July 3, at 7:30 PM. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

St. Lou Fringe 2014: the Misses

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I have been a big supporter of the St. Lou Fringe festival since its inception three years ago. This year I was out of town for most of the festival’s run (June 18-22), so I only got to six events. Rather than writing a review of each one, I have decided put them into three groups: hits, misses, and flops (a.k.a. “I want my 45 minutes back”). Here are two misses and a flop, in descending order of quality.

Performance: 10; Music: 3: "Terra Camera" with Michael Hagmeier and the Illumine Ensemble – Combine a didgeridoo player in an iridescent hat and black-and-turquoise shirt, a double-reed player in a bright turquoise wig, and a violist in sparkly shoes and what do you get? In the case of "Terra Camera," you get a program of impressive performances of some not-so-impressive music.

The Illumine Ensemble—represented here by Oboe and English horn player Kate Eakin and violist Eliana Haig—is committed to the admirable goal reaching beyond the standard classical repertoire and partnering with musicians and other artists outside of the classical world. So teaming up with multi-instrumentalist Michael Hagmeier (he plays guitar and percussion as well as didgeridoo) makes sense. Unfortunately, most of the music in "Terra Camera" was Mr. Hagmeier's own, and he's a far better performer than he is a composer. There was a repetitive sameness to his music, most of which sounded like Middle Eastern and Balkan folk tunes run through a New Age filter.

So, major points for the concept, the skill with which it was executed, and for Mr. Hagmeir's interesting "Listening to didjeridu [sic] 101," describing how the instrument is played. I had no idea it was so similar to the techniques I learned as a brass player many years ago. But the show would have been better with a wider variety of music.

Interesting Premise: "How I Remember It," written and directed by Tracy Bono – Ms. Bono's memory play is based on the stories she heard from her father. She says she finds them fascinating and perhaps they are, but they play she has assembled from them has a long way to go before it achieves that state. The action jumps back and forth between the present, in which Mature Tony (Alex Saccavino) tells stories of his teen years to his Daughter (Laura Gibbons), who is assembling a family history. They're seated at a table stage right. As Mature Tony begins to reminisce, the lights fade out stage right and come up stage left, where Young Tony (Mike McPartland, looking nothing at all like Mature Tony) acts out the stories involving his wastrel older brother Charlie (Chris Ferguson), his friends Joe and Chutie (Jeremy Hyatt and Jakeb Reynolds) and his mother (Linda Daly).

Not much actually happens and the dramatic stakes are never very high. We learn why Tony never went to college, for example, but as this fact emerges only moments before we discover the reason, no real dramatic tension is built up and, in any case, Tony doesn't seem to care much one way or the other. In addition, all the performances had a kind of flatness and hesitancy that suggested a lack of rehearsal.

Ms. Bono has created some interesting characters, but she hasn't done anything much with them. I had the sense that she simply took some of her father's stories, slightly fictionalized them, and put them on stage, without creating a strong narrative framework for them. It was also not clear where, exactly, the stories were taking place. St. Louis names were dropped often, but the characters, the cadence of their speech, and the overall background seemed more appropriate to a major city like Chicago or New York.

There's the germ of a play here, but more development is clearly called for. File this under "promising, but needs work."

I Want My 45 Minutes Back: "Trial by Jury" with Act Two Theatre – It's common practice to update some of Gilbert and Sullivan's patter songs, replacing Gilbert's contemporary cultural references with ones that will work for a modern audience. For this production of Gilbert and Sullivan's one-act satire "Trial by Jury," though, director Sean Green and music director David Phillips went a bridge (and chorus) too far, dumping about half of Gilbert's lyrics and re-writing, deleting or otherwise significantly altering most of Sullivan's music.

The original operetta uses a civil trial of a breach of promise of marriage suit (a concept that is pretty much a historical relic) as the basis for a sharp satire of the British judicial system. Turning it into a TV courtroom show along the lines of "Judge Judy" isn't a bad idea, but none of Green and Phillips's updates were very skillful. The new lyrics often didn't rhyme or scan and were rarely as funny as the originals, dated or not.

The production also had a slapdash quality that suggested a lack of rehearsal and the range of talent in the cast—both singing and acting—ran the gamut from almost professional to borderline incompetent. At one point early in the show the cast and Mr. Phillips's keyboard seemed to be in different keys.

File this one under "hubris."

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of June 27, 2014

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

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Photo: Phillip Hamer

The Muny presents the musical Tarzan nightly at 8:15 PM, June 25 - July 2, in the outdoor theatre in Forest Park. "Featuring music and lyrics by Phil Collins, the award-winning Tarzan is based on the smash-hit Disney film. The story follows an infant boy, orphaned and left alone to be raised by a tribe of apes. As an adult, Tarzan's two worlds collide when the sudden arrival of humans, forces him to choose between a “civilized” life with the beautiful Jane and the life he knows and loves." For more information, visit muny.org or call 314-361-1900.

My take: It's doubtful that the Phil Collins / David Henry Hwang adaptation of Disney's "Tarzan" will ever make anybody's list of Great Musicals, but it's a pleasant diversion with a good message about the importance of familly (biological and, as Anna Madrigal would say, logical) and The Muny is putting on an engaging production with a good cast and inventive choreography and sets. It's a "family friendly" show in the best sense of the term.

Held Over:

Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon and Royce Vavrek's 27 in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 29. "Paris roared in the 1920s, inspiring the art and literature of a Lost Generation of expatriates. At the epicenter of this creative explosion was Gertrude Stein, whose salon at 27 Rue de Fleurus became a second home for such luminaries as Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Picasso. International sensation Stephanie Blythe makes her OTSL debut as Stein, with Elizabeth Futral joining her as Alice B. Toklas, in this next chapter in Opera Theatre's New Works, Bold Voices series." 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. For more information, visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

My take: As I wrote in my review for KDHX, this is a mostly charming and touching chamber opera (only five performers) that focuses on the lives and loves of two women who were at the heart of the American expatriate arts scene in Paris during the first half of the 20th century: Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. Ricky Ian Gordon's score and Royce Vavrek's libretto are innovative and accessible, and the roles of Stein and Toklas are beautifully sung and acted by Stephanie Blythe and Elizabeth Futral.

Photo: Peter Wochniak

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Always..Patsy Cline through August 31. "Jacqueline Petroccia and Zoe Vonder Haar star in the return engagement of the show critics called 'exceptional, must see entertainment.' The touching and true story of Country music legend Patsy Cline and her friendship with Texas housewife Louise Seger returns to STAGES this spring. Combining down home country humor, heartache and 27 of Patsy Cline's unforgettable hits such as 'Crazy,' 'Walkin' After Midnight,' and 'Sweet Dreams,' Always... Patsy Cline endures as a piece of genuine Americana." Performances take place at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407.

My take: Call this a qualified recommendation. If you're a lover of Patsy Cline or country music in general, I think you'll have a great time at this show, which is really more of a celebrity impersonation review than a book musical per se. Jacqueline Petroccia captures Cline's voice and manner so accurately it's eerie and Zoe Vonder Haar is a hoot and a half as Louise Seger, the real-life Houston fan who became a close friends and correspondent of Cline. With over two dozen Patsy Cline hits performed to perfection by Ms. Petroccia and a six-piece band, the show is a real feast for fans. See my KDHX review for more information.

Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Terrence McNally's Love! Valour! Compassion! Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through June 28, with a 2 PM matinee on Saturday, June 28, in addition to the evening performance. " Eight gay men gather at a summer vacation home in upstate New York over three holiday weekends. Flirtations, infidelity, love, death, and the nature of friendship are explored against the idyllic country lakeside setting where the drama of the real world is never far from mind. A beautifully haunting comedy that unfolds like a dream." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

My take: McNally's 1994 play has been something of a favorite with small professional companies over the years. After two decades, the male nudity probably has lost some of its capacity to surprise but, as Tina Farmer writes in her review for 88.1 KDHX, director Gary Bell "has a clear vision for the play, allowing the scenes to languish and the characters to unfold in a way that felt quite organic....The result is an engaging, touching show that realistically portrays twenty-first century relationships while relaying an ages-old tale of fidelity, friendship and love."

Photo: Peter Wochniak

Stages St. Louis presents the musical They're Playing Our Song through June 29. "Meet Vernon, a neurotic, witty composer and Sonia, a wacky, free spirited lyricist who form an unlikely partnership to write the next great love song. A rocky and hilarious start leaves them struggling to find their creative harmony - and romance was definitely not what they were expecting! But a series of unlikely events lead to a match made in musical comedy heaven. They're Playing Our Song is inspired by the real life love story of Academy Award-winning composer, Marvin Hamlisch (The Way We Were, The Sting) and Grammy Award-winning lyricist Carole Bayer Sager (“That's What Friends Are For”, “Nobody Does It Better” ). Topping off the jazzy score is a laugh-a-minute book by America's leading funny man, Tony Award Winner Neil Simon (Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple). A sweet and sophisticated musical romp, They're Playing Our Song will have you singing along from curtain up to curtain down!" Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407.

My take: I wouldn't call it a must see, but this unusual comedy—almost more of a play with musical interludes rather than a conventional musical—is a charming period piece from the disco era (if opened in 1979 and ran for over 1000 performances) that's definitely worth a look. The production is smartly directed and choreographed.  See my review for KDHX for more information.

St. Lou Fringe 2014: The hits

Comedy magician Christopher Bange

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I have been a big supporter of the St. Lou Fringe festival since its inception three years ago.' This year I was out of town for most of the festival's run (June 18-22), so I only got to six events. Rather than writing a review of each one, I have decided put them into three groups: hits, near missies, and flops (a.k.a. “I want my 45 minutes back”). We'll start with the hits.

Most Fun: "More Bange for Your Buck" – Actor, clown, and comedy magician Christopher Bange served up a heaping helping of laughs with his own unique take on some classics of the conjurer's repertoire.

If you've seen even a few magic shows in your time, you've probably seen the Linking Rings, the Miser's Dream (in which the magician seems to pull an endless supply of coins out of thin air), and the Zombie Ball levitation. Mr. Bange, though, made these effects entirely his own, with a skillful mix of jokes, mime, and superb physical acting.

The Zombie Ball, in which a sphere seems to float around the stage on its own power, was typical of Bange's approach. It came at the end of a long routine in which sponge balls appeared and disappeared rapidly, and repeatedly popped out of his mouth, apparently of their own free will. In apparent desperation, Bange threw them all into a hat and tossed a scarf on top, only to have a giant size sponge ball emerge under the scarf (we know it's a sponge ball because it pops up on top of the scarf and runs up Bange's arm at one point) and start tearing around the stage under the scarf, apparently dragging him with it. Mr. Bange's skill as an actor is what made it work, reminding us of Houdini's observation that "it's not the trick, it's the magician."

Highest Energy: “In Full Swing” by The Four Fronts – This quartet of swing dancers—two men, two women—presented an amazingly intense survey of 20th century popular dance styles, from the Peabody (a foxtrot variant from the ragtime era) to West Coast Swing from the 1950s. The Lindy Hop (a dance named after aviator Charles Lindbergh which formed the basis of West Coast Swing) figured prominently throughout the show. The music was recorded, as were the reminiscences of the swing era and, in particular, of the legendary Savoy Ballroom in Harlem, where white and black dancers mixed to the rhythms of the (yes) the Lindy Hop.

The Four Fronts are not, as far as I can tell, professional dancers but rather swing enthusiasts who have taken their love of the genre to professional heights. They don't have the lockstep precision that you might get from professionally trained dancers, but with this kind of democratic vernacular dance that's a great advantage. Each one of the Fronts has a distinct personal style, just as dancers did back in the Savoy days.

If the energy and high spirits of the Four Fronts could be captured and stored, it would power a small city. Their show was irresistibly joyful and “family friendly” in the best sense of the term.

Most Polished: “Riffs in a Set of 10” by Chris Limber and friends – The veteran St. Louis actor/director assembled an impressive cabaret act that (as the title implies) knitted together ten big band and Great American Songbook classics from the 20s through the 40s with original image-rich poetic soliloquies that sounded like they would have been right at home coming from a skinny guy with a goatee, black turtleneck, and shades in an underground coffeehouse circa 1958.

The songs included hits like "Basin Street Blues," The Joint is Jumpin'," and "How High the Moon" (with new and gently satirical lyrics), as well as lesser-known novelties like "Frim Fram Sauce," which was introduced by Nat "King" Cole back in the '40s. That famously chilling song about lynching, "Strange Fruit" (recorded by Billie Holiday in 1939), was essentially tragic relief in a show dominated by a mood of spirited playfulness.

Mr. Limber surrounded himself with other fine musicians for this show. When I saw it at the final performance, his collaborators were Michele Isam on sax and vocals, Joe Dreyer on piano, Dave Torretta on bass and Rose Fisher on vocals. Pretty much everybody had a hand at the drum set at one point or another, and even Mr. Torretta got a vocal solo. Quite an impressive array of talent.

For a festival as varied as the Fringe, 3 hits out of six shows is a pretty solid score.

Chicago Capsule: Voices of spring

Photo: Todd Rosenberg

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Who: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Muti
What: Music of Schubert and Mahler
When: June 19 - 21, 2014
Where: Orchestra Hall, Chicago

June 19 through 21, Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony are offered a pair of symphonies which, while originating in vastly different musical and cultural worlds, still have their roots in a love of nature and the sense of renewal that comes with spring.

The connection is most obvious in Mahler's 1881 "Symphony No. 1," with its hushed, expectant opening, its birdcalls, and what CSO program annotator Phillip Huscher calls "the gentle hum of the universe, tuned to A-natural and scattered over seven octaves." Schubert's 1816 "Symphony No. 5," though, has always had a sunny, "spring is here" feel for me as well. The association seems even more obvious when they're heard back to back.

As was the case with the Schubert 1st and 6th symphonies earlier in the week, Muti took a relaxed and elegant approach to the 5th, emphasizing the music's Mozartian grace. The little G-minor digression in the second movement has never sounded so wistfully sad—dark clouds are never far away from the sun in much of Schubert's music—and the performance as a whole was simply irresistible.

The Mahler that followed intermission was simply one of the most riveting and dramatically coherent performances of this wonderfully excessive symphony that I have ever heard. In his tempo choices (surprisingly slow for the first and last movements) and his ability to maintain a coherent musical and dramatic line, Muti reminded me a great deal of legendary Mahlerians like Bernstein and Walter.

The Mahler 1st has had a difficult history—audience and critics found it baffling from the beginning—and the episodic nature of the writing poses significant challenges to conductors. Muti held it all together nicely, though, with a beautifully and intelligently shaped performance. You never got the sense (as one sometimes does with this symphony) that the entire business was about to come to a screeching halt.

And he did that while still highlighting the chamber music–like moments and striking solo passages that alternate with Mahler's heaven-storming outbursts. Principal bass Alexander Hanna gave us an appropriately Hitchcockian funeral march in the third movement, for example, and the little dance band parodies in the woodwinds were delightfully cheeky. I heard details in the harp and strings that I had never heard quite so clearly before.

The big orchestral bits, meanwhile, were as overwhelming as you could wish. The CSO has a hefty violin section and that, combined with Muti's sure hand and the hall's acoustics, insured that the strings were never swamped by the brasses—which were both powerful and accurate. The percussion section performed with admirable precision as well.

This was, in short, a virtuoso effort by one of America's finest orchestras.  For more information on the Chicago Symphony: cso.org.

[This is the second of two capsule reviews from Chicago, where I attended the Music Critics Association of North America annual conference.]

Intimations of mortality

Photo: Ken Howard

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Who: Opera Theatre of St. Louis
What: Dialogues of the Carmelites by Francis Poulenc
When: June 18–28, 2014
Where: The Loretto-Hilton Center

On July 17th, 1794, the sixteen women of the monastery of the Carmel of Compiègne in France were guillotined by the revolutionary government for refusing to abandon their vows and their community. The execution, which is widely believed to have been instrumental in bringing about the end of the Reign of Terror ten days later, inspired a novella, a play, and finally, Francis Poulenc's opera "Dialogues of the Carmelites" in 1953.

Opera Theatre's production is a good one, but I have to confess that I don't find the text of "Dialogues" all that persuasive. Adapted by the composer from the play by French Catholic writer Georges Bernanos (which was itself based the novella "The Last One at the Scaffold” by the German author Gertrud von Le Fort), the libretto far too often descends in to a mere recitation of Catholic dogma. Furthermore, as Erica Jeal noted in her review of a Royal Opera House production last month, "some of Poulenc's scenes linger beyond their usefulness to the story."

The story centers on Blanche de la Force, a young woman so consumed with fear that she screams at shadows. In an effort to escape her dread of life, she joins the convent, even though the mother superior, Madame de Croissy, is unsure of her motivation.

Kelly Kaduce
Photo: Ken Howard

Blanche soon becomes friends with cheerful (if absurdly naïve) Sister Constance and starts to settle into convent life—only to have her world turned upside down when the Reign of Terror seizes the monastery's assets and demands that the nuns abandon their community and become ordinary citizens. They refuse, deciding instead to take a vow of martyrdom. Blanche panics and runs at the last minute, but returns in the final scene to embrace death along with her compatriots.

That scene is easily the most riveting the opera. Poulenc has the nuns, now wearing the secular clothes forced on them by their jailers, singing "Salve Regina" as, one by one, they are led to the scaffold and executed. The choir becomes smaller and smaller until only Blanche is left. Her death is followed by two soft, mournful chords, a final note in the low strings, and silence.

Christine Brewer and nuns
Photo: Ken Howard

Following what appears to be a recent trend in productions of this opera, stage director Robin Guarino keeps the nuns on stage for their death scene. They all sign their character names on the upstage wall in charcoal and then walk, one by one, into the large rectangular set piece that is used for most of the interior scenes. As the blade descends (an unnervingly realistic sound effect from the percussion section), each singer drops her head to her chest and takes a seat at a bench inside the rectangle. At the end the benches are filled with downcast nuns, forever silent. Curtain.

It's a potent image and while I would have preferred the empty stage implied by the libretto to mirror the silence in the orchestra, I have to admit that it works. Indeed, the production generally makes good dramatic choices. Andrew Lieberman's stark set—there is nothing on stage aside from that big rectangular box, which shifts easily on wheels to suggest scene changes—emphasizes the stark choices available to the nuns and allows an uninterrupted dramatic flow.

The cast of this production is excellent, all the way down to the smallest parts. There are far too many of them (twenty-seven named roles) for me to list them all, so I'll concentrate on the principals.

L-R: Kelly Kaduce and Ashley Emerson
Photo: Ken Howard

Soprano Kelly Kaduce adds another feather to her already plumage-heavy cap as Blanche, credibly portraying the character's fear and doubt. Soprano Ashley Emerson is equally persuasive, making Sister Constance's simple faith charming rather than foolish (as it might seem in lesser hands). Both women sing like angels.

Contralto Meredith Arwady brings impressive vocal power and impeccable diction to the role of Madame de Croissy. Her death scene, in which her faith fails her at the end, was as harrowing as it should be. Local favorite Christine Brewer is also a vocal powerhouse as the replacement Prioress Madame Lidoine, who leads her charges to martyrdom.

Making her OTSL debut as Mother Marie, who becomes Blanche's mentor, mezzo Daveda Karanas has an arresting presence that makes it impossible not to watch her when she's on stage. She matches that with a fine, clear voice.

L-R: Meredith Arwady and Daveda Karanas
Photo: Ken Howard

Making his second appearance in the OTSL pit, former St. Louis Symphony Resident Conductor Ward Stare leads the orchestra in a forceful and impassioned reading of Poulenc's wonderfully transparent and appealing score. Some critics have compared it to film music in the way it supports and underlines the action on stage. It's not a bad analogy and, in fact, there is a cinematic quality to this production with its fluid scene changes and James F. Ingalls's dramatic lighting.

I find the theological and historical perspective of "Dialogues of the Carmelites" suspect at best and somewhat appalling at worst. The libretto glosses over the real oppression that led to the revolution—along with the Church's support for that oppression—and dotes on death in a way that frankly becomes a bit creepy. But maybe that's just because I'm a lapsed Catholic; your mileage, as they say, may vary.

The important point is that Opera Theatre is making a very strong case for "Dialogues of the Carmelites." Performances continue through June 28th at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. To get the full festival experience, come early and have a picnic supper on the lawn or under the refreshment tent. You can bring your own food or purchase a gourmet supper in advance from Ces and Judy's. Drinks are available on site as well, or you can bring your own. For more information: experienceopera.org.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of June 23, 2014

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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Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon and Royce Vavrek's 27 in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 29. "Paris roared in the 1920s, inspiring the art and literature of a Lost Generation of expatriates. At the epicenter of this creative explosion was Gertrude Stein, whose salon at 27 Rue de Fleurus became a second home for such luminaries as Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Picasso. International sensation Stephanie Blythe makes her OTSL debut as Stein, with Elizabeth Futral joining her as Alice B. Toklas, in this next chapter in Opera Theatre's New Works, Bold Voices series." 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. For more information, visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Photo: Peter Wochniak

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Always..Patsy Cline through August 31. "Jacqueline Petroccia and Zoe Vonder Haar star in the return engagement of the show critics called 'exceptional, must see entertainment.' The touching and true story of Country music legend Patsy Cline and her friendship with Texas housewife Louise Seger returns to STAGES this spring. Combining down home country humor, heartache and 27 of Patsy Cline's unforgettable hits such as 'Crazy,' 'Walkin' After Midnight,' and 'Sweet Dreams,' Always... Patsy Cline endures as a piece of genuine Americana." Performances take place at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Hawthorne Players present The Best of Hawthorne: America in Harmony Saturday, June 28 at 8 PM. "America in Harmony will feature many of the best local ators, singers and musicians to perform at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre. All proceeds from this performance support the Duckie DeMere Scholarship program, which has presented more than $50,000 to students pursuing a performing arts education." The performance takes place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 921-5678 or visit hawthorneplayers.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents The Dapper Flappers through July 27. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Francis Poulenc's The Dialogues of the Carmelites in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 28. "Poulenc's achingly beautiful score perfectly captures the chaos of the French Revolution, when even the humble sisters in a Carmelite convent were threatened by the Reign of Terror. The unforgettable all-star cast is headlined by the returns of Christine Brewer (one of the BBC's “top twenty sopranos of the 20th century”) and Kelly Kaduce (hailed as “dazzling...fearless...superb” by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for her 2013 performance in Pagliacci)." 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. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Hard Road Theatre Productions presents the musical Disney's Peter Pan Jr. Thursday through Sunday, June 26-29. Performances will be held at Highland High School in Highland, IL. For more information: www.hardroad.org.

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Disney's Sleeping Beauty through June 29. "Following in the footsteps of Disney's Cinderella, STAGES brings another beloved Princess to glorious life! Born into a wondrous world of beauty, song, and privilege, sweet Princess Aurora cannot escape the spell cast upon her by the evil sorceress Maleficent. By sunset on her sixteenth birthday, the young princess is fated to prick her finger on the cursed spindle and fall into a long deep slumber, only to be awakened by true love's kiss. With a little hocus-pocus from the enchanted wands of the adoring fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather, the spellbound Prince Phillip rescues his love and all their dreams come true! Full of breathtaking dance and the glorious music of Peter Tchaikovsky, Disney's Sleeping Beauty is a guaranteed treat for the entire family!" Performances take place in the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407.

Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Donizetti's comedy The Elixir of Love in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 25. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. The Elixir of Love is the story of Nemorino, a humble peasant smitten with the wealthy and beautiful landowner Adina. She, though, is more taken with the macho Sergeant Belcore. In desperation, Nemorino buys a love potion (actually just some cheap wine) from the traveling quack Dr. Dulcamara. Complications, as they say, ensue.  All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents the Ken Ludwig's comedy The Fox on the Fairway through June 29 in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. "Filled with mistaken identities, slamming doors, and over-the-top romantic shenanigans, The Fox On the Fairway is a fast-paced and charmingly madcap adventure about love, life, and man's eternal love affair with golf." For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618-939-7469.

Act Inc presents Ken Ludwig's comedy Lend Me a Tenor through June 29. "The Cleveland Grand Opera Company has hired world famous tenor, Tito Morelli, to star for one night in Otello. He arrives late, accidentally overdoses on tranquilizers, collapses on the bed and obviously can't perform. Saunders, the company's manager and his assistant Max, actually fear Tito is dead! Max decides to seize the day--he can sing, and has always hoped to perform. Saunders in desparation agrees. But is Tito really down for the count? And will each man's fiancee recognize her hero in his costume? Will the show ever go on?" Performances take place in the Emerson Black Box Theatre at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information, visit actincstl.com.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents A Little Lunch Music, a free concert with Daveda Karanas (Mother Marie, Dialogues of the Carmelites), Michael Porter (Chevalier de la Force, Dialogues of the Carmelites), and Andrew Kroes (Spokesman of the Temple, The Magic Flute), and pianist Andrea Grant, on Monday, June 23 at 12:30 PM. The concert takes place at Bonhomme Presbyterian Church, 14820 Conway Road in Chesterfield. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents the musical Little Shop of Horrors Wednesday through Sunday, June 25-29. The performances take place on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774.

Act Inc presents London Suite, an evening of three one-act comedies by Neil Simon set in a posh London hotel, through June 27. Performances take place in the Emerson Black Box Theatre at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information, visit actincstl.com.

Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Terrence McNally's Love! Valour! Compassion! Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through June 28, with a 2 PM matinee on Saturday, June 28, in addition to the evening performance. " Eight gay men gather at a summer vacation home in upstate New York over three holiday weekends. Flirtations, infidelity, love, death, and the nature of friendship are explored against the idyllic country lakeside setting where the drama of the real world is never far from mind. A beautifully haunting comedy that unfolds like a dream." 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: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Mozart's The Magic Flute in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 28. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. A singspiel with spoken dialog instead of recitatives and a text in German instead of the fashionable Italian, the work is the fantastic tale of heroic prince Tamino and princess Pamina, daughter of the Queen of the Night, who must undergo a series of magical trials at the court of Sarastro, High Priest of the Sun, before they can attain enlightenment and be united in marriage. Accompanying Tamino in his quest is the comic bird catcher Papageno. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read my preview article! Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Looking Glass Playhouse presents Seussical: The Musical Thursday through Sunday, June 26-29. Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

Missouri Baptist University presents Shrek the Musical Thursday through Saturday, June 26 - 28. Missouri Baptist University is at One College Park Drive. For more information , visit www.mobap.edu or call 314-434-1115.

R-S Theatrics presents the drama Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness through June 29. "An American, an Irishman, and an Englishman all find themselves chained to the floor in a makeshift holding cell in Lebanon and must rely on each other to keep their sanity and their hope of a rescue alive." Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information, visit r-stheatrics.com.

The Muny presents the musical Tarzan nightly at 8:15 PM, June 25 - July 2, in the outdoor theatre in Forest Park. "Featuring music and lyrics by Phil Collins, the award-winning Tarzan is based on the smash-hit Disney film. The story follows an infant boy, orphaned and left alone to be raised by a tribe of apes. As an adult, Tarzan's two worlds collide when the sudden arrival of humans, forces him to choose between a “civilized” life with the beautiful Jane and the life he knows and loves." For more information, visit muny.org or call 314-361-1900. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Photo: Peter Wochniak

Stages St. Louis presents the musical They're Playing Our Song through June 29. "Meet Vernon, a neurotic, witty composer and Sonia, a wacky, free spirited lyricist who form an unlikely partnership to write the next great love song. A rocky and hilarious start leaves them struggling to find their creative harmony - and romance was definitely not what they were expecting! But a series of unlikely events lead to a match made in musical comedy heaven. They're Playing Our Song is inspired by the real life love story of Academy Award-winning composer, Marvin Hamlisch (The Way We Were, The Sting) and Grammy Award-winning lyricist Carole Bayer Sager (“That's What Friends Are For”, “Nobody Does It Better” ). Topping off the jazzy score is a laugh-a-minute book by America's leading funny man, Tony Award Winner Neil Simon (Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple). A sweet and sophisticated musical romp, They're Playing Our Song will have you singing along from curtain up to curtain down!" Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

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.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of June 23, 2014

The Compton Heights Concert Band presents free Sunday Serenades concerts featuring marches, show tunes and classical favorites on Sundays at 7:30 PM, June 29 – July 27. The concerts takes place in Francis Park at Donovan and Eichelberger on the Compton Heights Band’s "Carol Joy Brooks Memorial" Stage. For more information: chband.org.

The Foundry Art Centre presents a Patriotic Concert by the St. Louis Wind Symphony on Sunday, June 29, at 3 PM. "Come to the Foundry Art Centre to celebrate Independence Day with the Saint Louis Wind Symphony as they play the beautiful songs of the USA! In the Grand Hall of the Foundry Art Centre, the Symphony will present a lively mixture of marches, light classics, show tunes, and patriotic melodies. Admission is only $8 and the concert is general seating; please arrive early to claim the seat you desire." The Foundry Art Centre is at 520 North Main Center in St. Charles, MO. For more information: foundryartcentre.org.

The Gesher Music Festival presents a free concert by festival musicians on Monday, June 23, at 7:30 PM at Tavern of Fine Arts, 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. Members of the Gesher Festival will perform a variety of works including selections from the concert series. For more information: www.geshermusicfestival.org.

Osvaldo Golijov

The Gesher Music Festival presents a House Concert in "an exclusive Clayton residence" on Tuesday, June 24, at 7:30 PM. Seating is limited. The program will consist of music of Roussel, White, Gould and Golijov. For more information: www.geshermusicfestival.org.

The Gesher Music Festival presents Dreams and Prayers, featuring works of Albert Roussel, Ernest Bloch, and Osvaldo Golijov, on Wednesday, June 25, at 7:30 PM. The concert takes place at the Wool Studio Theater at the JCC, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: www.geshermusicfestival.org.

The Gesher Music Festival presents Child featuring works of David Lang, Michael White and Felix Mendelssohn, on Thursday, June 26, at 7:30 PM. The concert takes place at the Washington University School of Music, 560 Trinity. For more information: www.geshermusicfestival.org.

The Gesher Music Festival presents Dreams and Prayers, featuring works of Albert Roussel, Ernest Bloch, and Osvaldo Golijov, on Saturday, June 28, at 7:30 PM. The concert takes place at the Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Road. For more information: www.geshermusicfestival.org.

The Gesher Music Festival presents Child featuring works of David Lang, Michael White and Felix Mendelssohn, on Sunday, June 29, at 7:30 PM. The concert takes place at the Wool Studio Theater at the JCC, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: www.geshermusicfestival.org.

Michael Porter as the Chevalier de la Force
and Kelly Kaduce as Blanche de la Force
in Dialogues of the Carmelites

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents A Little Lunch Music, a free concert with Daveda Karanas (Mother Marie, Dialogues of the Carmelites), Michael Porter (Chevalier de la Force, Dialogues of the Carmelites), and Andrew Kroes (Spokesman of the Temple, The Magic Flute), and pianist Andrea Grant, on Monday, June 23 at 12:30 PM. The concert takes place at Bonhomme Presbyterian Church, 14820 Conway Road in Chesterfield. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents STL Cultural Flamenco Society in Noche Flamenca! on Friday, June 27, at 8 PM. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Chicago Capsule: Muti and the Chicago Symphony blow youth's magic horn

Who: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Riccardo Muti with bassoon soloist David McGill
What: Music of Mozart and Schubert
When: Tuesday and Wednesday, June 17 and 18
Where: Orchestra Hall, Chicago

Franz Schubert died at age 31 and Mozart never made it to 36. So their music will always have the freshness and enthusiasm of youth.

Tuesday night's program of music by Mozart and Schubert by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Riccardo Muti had just that quality of youthful verve, along with a leisurely elegance. Schubert's "Symphony No. 1" was particularly effective, I thought, with a lovely Andante and vigorous finale. The concert opened with a more laid back Schubert 6th and a Mozart "Bassoon Concerto" flawlessly played by principal David McGill.

Chicago's Orchestra Hall has gotten some knocks for its acoustics, but it all sounded fine to me from our seats in the lower balcony.

Tonight there's a concert scheduled by the Grant Park Festival Orchestra at the Pritzker Pavillion in Millennium Park.  Look for a capsule review of that one tonight or tomorrow if it isn't rained out.

For more information on CSO concerts, see cso.org.

[This is the first of two capsule reviews from Chicago, where I attended the Music Critics Association of North America annual conference.]

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of June 20, 2014

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

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Stray Dog Theatre presents Terrence McNally's Love! Valour! Compassion! Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through June 28, with a 2 PM matinee on Saturday, June 28, in addition to the evening performance. " Eight gay men gather at a summer vacation home in upstate New York over three holiday weekends. Flirtations, infidelity, love, death, and the nature of friendship are explored against the idyllic country lakeside setting where the drama of the real world is never far from mind. A beautifully haunting comedy that unfolds like a dream." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

My take: McNally's 1994 play has been something of a favorite with small professional companies over the years. After two decades, the male nudity probably has lost some of its capacity to surprise but, as Tina Farmer writes in her review for 88.1 KDHX, director Gary Bell "has a clear vision for the play, allowing the scenes to languish and the characters to unfold in a way that felt quite organic....The result is an engaging, touching show that realistically portrays twenty-first century relationships while relaying an ages-old tale of fidelity, friendship and love."

Opening night at the Fringe

The St. Lou Fringe Festival presents 35 local and national acts in a fast and furious five days, through Sunday June 22. Performances take place at six indoor performance venues in the midtown/Grand Center area (including The Stage @KDHX) plus "Street Fringe," a collection of free family-friendly outdoor performances at Strauss Park. The indoor shows all run no more than 45 minutes or thereabouts, so you can get a lot of entertainment in a short period of time. You can find a complete Fringe schedule and ticket information at stlfringe.com.

My take: From its humble beginnings as a loosely organized experiment back in 2012, the St. Lou Fringe has come a long way, baby. The Fringe has garnered national media attention and has also formed partnership with many local arts and education organizations. No wonder festival founder Em Piro got a special award from the St. Louis Theater Circle back in March for the Fringe's contribution to the local performing arts scene. There's no better time to fringe.

Held Over:

Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon and Royce Vavrek's Twenty-Seven in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 29. "Paris roared in the 1920s, inspiring the art and literature of a Lost Generation of expatriates. At the epicenter of this creative explosion was Gertrude Stein, whose salon at 27 Rue de Fleurus became a second home for such luminaries as Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Picasso. International sensation Stephanie Blythe makes her OTSL debut as Stein, with Elizabeth Futral joining her as Alice B. Toklas, in this next chapter in Opera Theatre's New Works, Bold Voices series." 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. For more information, visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

My take: As I wrote in my review for KDHX, this is a mostly charming and touching chamber opera (only five performers) that focuses on the lives and loves of two women who were at the heart of the American expatriate arts scene in Paris during the first half of the 20th century: Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. Ricky Ian Gordon's score and Royce Vavrek's libretto are innovative and accessible, and the roles of Stein and Toklas are beautifully sung and acted by Stephanie Blythe and Elizabeth Futral.

Photo: Peter Wochniak

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Always..Patsy Cline through August 31. "Jacqueline Petroccia and Zoe Vonder Haar star in the return engagement of the show critics called 'exceptional, must see entertainment.' The touching and true story of Country music legend Patsy Cline and her friendship with Texas housewife Louise Seger returns to STAGES this spring. Combining down home country humor, heartache and 27 of Patsy Cline's unforgettable hits such as 'Crazy,' 'Walkin' After Midnight,' and 'Sweet Dreams,' Always... Patsy Cline endures as a piece of genuine Americana." Performances take place at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407.

My take: Call this a qualified recommendation. If you're a lover of Patsy Cline or country music in general, I think you'll have a great time at this show, which is really more of a celebrity impersonation review than a book musical per se. Jacqueline Petroccia captures Cline's voice and manner so accurately it's eerie and Zoe Vonder Haar is a hoot and a half as Louise Seger, the real-life Houston fan who became a close friends and correspondent of Cline. With over two dozen Patsy Cline hits performed to perfection by Ms. Petroccia and a six-piece band, the show is a real feast for fans. See my KDHX review for more information.

Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Donizetti's comedy The Elixir of Love in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 25. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. The Elixir of Love is the story of Nemorino, a humble peasant smitten with the wealthy and beautiful landowner Adina. She, though, is more taken with the macho Sergeant Belcore. In desperation, Nemorino buys a love potion (actually just some cheap wine) from the traveling quack Dr. Dulcamara. Complications, as they say, ensue.  All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information, you may visit experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

My take: I can sum this production up in one word: bravi. Or maybe that should be "bravissimi," since every aspect of this funny, endearing, and beautifully sung show deserves heaps of praise. Tenor René Barbera and soprano Susannah Biller are about as good as it gets in the title roles, and the're backed up a flawless supporting cast and chorus. If you're new to opera, this is a good one to see. It's funny, charming, and approachable. See my review for KDHX for details.

Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the St. Louis premiere of the musical Hands on a Hardbody Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through June 21. "This unique new musical is based on the acclaimed 1997 documentary of the same name, about an annual contest at a Texas truck dealership, where ten hard-luck Texans compete for a new hardbody truck. A new lease on life is so close each of them can touch it, and now for once, their fate is in their hands. Under a scorching sun, over the next 144 hours they will laugh, cry and push their bodies and minds to the limits, as they fight to keep at least one hand on a brand new truck. The contestant with the most nerve and endurance will drive away with the American Dream." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. For more information: newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

My take: In her review for KDHX, Tina Farmer says this show "delivers a sobering, but ultimately hopeful, look at contemporary America. Focused on a car dealership contest held in Texas until 2005, the musical features rock songs and pop-influenced ballads interspersed with dramatic scenes. Though the theme of the show has some dark overtones, the feel is warm, a slice of life with a small town familiarity." Look for some familiar theatrical faces in roles that are very different from the kinds of parts they sometimes play.

Juggler/clown Adam Kuchler

Circus Flora presents its new show, The Pawn, through June 22 under the air-conditioned, red-and-white, big top tent in Grand Center next to Powell Hall. "Drawing from the history of chess, this mythic tale is steeped in the rich sights, sounds and mystique of ancient Persia and India. The audience will journey to an exotic world where myth and intellect collide, and the stone city surrenders to the desert's ever shifting sands. Follow the Pawn on his journey through curious creatures and intrigues: knights mounted on steed, bishops zigzagging across colored squares, chess pieces flying through the air. In this world, the chess pieces do not wait to be moved. They have their own adventures to play out under the big top. For more information, visit circusflora.org.

My take: This is the best Circus Flora in years. The unifying concept—a chess game—provides a simple, easily understood thread to link the various acts and doesn't require a lot of narration. The streamlined structure also moves the show along more quickly and provides a nice local tie-in with the World Chess Hall of Fame just a few minutes east of Grand Center in the Central West End. The balance of performers is excellent as well and the new clown, juggler Adam Kuchler, is a delight. See my review at KDHX for more information.

Photo: Peter Wochniak

Stages St. Louis presents the musical They're Playing Our Song through June 29. "Meet Vernon, a neurotic, witty composer and Sonia, a wacky, free spirited lyricist who form an unlikely partnership to write the next great love song. A rocky and hilarious start leaves them struggling to find their creative harmony - and romance was definitely not what they were expecting! But a series of unlikely events lead to a match made in musical comedy heaven. They're Playing Our Song is inspired by the real life love story of Academy Award-winning composer, Marvin Hamlisch (The Way We Were, The Sting) and Grammy Award-winning lyricist Carole Bayer Sager (“That's What Friends Are For”, “Nobody Does It Better” ). Topping off the jazzy score is a laugh-a-minute book by America's leading funny man, Tony Award Winner Neil Simon (Barefoot in the Park, The Odd Couple). A sweet and sophisticated musical romp, They're Playing Our Song will have you singing along from curtain up to curtain down!" Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407.

My take: I wouldn't call it a must see, but this unusual comedy—almost more of a play with musical interludes rather than a conventional musical—is a charming period piece from the disco era (if opened in 1979 and ran for over 1000 performances) that's definitely worth a look. The production is smartly directed and choreographed.  See my review for KDHX for more information.