St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of June 16, 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 Twenty-Seven in rotating repertory with three other operas June 14-29. "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 Muny presents Billy Elliot the Musical nightly at 8:15 PM, June 16-22, in the outdoor theatre in Forest Park. " The international hit Billy Elliot the Musical has its first original US production at The Muny! A powerful and moving story of a family struggling to help young Billy achieve his dream, Billy Elliott the Musical features extraordinary dancing, and wonderful and heartfelt music by the legendary Elton John. One of the most acclaimed musicals ever, Billy Elliott the Musical is the winner of ten Tony® and ten Drama Desk® awards, and four Olivier Awards." For more information, visit muny.org or call 314-361-1900. 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

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Francis Poulenc's The Dialogues of the Carmelites in rotating repertory with three other operas June 18-28. "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.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents Disney's Peter Pan Jr June 19-21. The performances take place on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774.

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Disney's Sleeping Beauty June 18-29. "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 June 20-29 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.

Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the St. Louis premiere of the musical Hands on a Hardbody Thursday through Saturday at 8 PM. "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. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

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.

Act Inc presents London Suite, an evening of three one-act comedies by Neil Simon set in a posh London hotel, June 19-27. 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.

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!

Insight Theatre Company presents the 1960 Lionel Bart musical Oliver!, based on Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens, through June 22. Performances take place in the Heagney Theatre, 530 East Lockwood on the campus of Nerinx Hall High School in Webster Groves. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

Jugler/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. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

R-S Theatrics presents the drama Someone Who'll Watch Over Me by Frank McGuinness June 20-29. "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.

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 on 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.

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.