Chuck's Theatre Choices for the weekend of September 12, 2014

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:

The Great American Trailer Park Musical
Photo: Zachary Stefaniak

Dramatic License Productions presents The Great American Trailer Park Musical through September 21. "Directed by St. Louis theatre veteran actor and director, Alan Knoll with musical direction by Stephen Eros and choreography by Zachary Stefaniak, the adults-only musical is the story of a wayward stripper, Pippi, pursued by her marker-sniffing, highly combustible boyfriend. Pippi hides out in the north Florida trailer park Armadillo Acres, home to an agoraphobic housewife, her toll-collector husband and three gossiping girlfriends who also narrate the wacky story. A four-piece, on-stage band accompanies the cast of seven." Performances take place at Dramatic License Theatre located at the upper level of Chesterfield Mall (near Sears and across from Houlihan's Restaurant). For more information, call 636-220-7012 or visit dramaticlicenseproductions.org.

My take: The reviews on this cheerfully tacky slice of double-wide life are generally pretty good. Malcom Gay of the Riverfront Times calls it "a blast," KDHX's Laura Kyro says "the audience was having a hoot and a holler," and Snoop's Theater Blog praises its "great, highly energetic cast and strong production values." If you're looking for low class high times, this just might be the ticket.

Matt Smith
Photo: John Jeffcoat

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents Matt Smith in his one-man show My Last Year With the Nuns at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, September 12, as part of Xfest: 4 Days of Experimental Theater. "Master monologist Matt Smith turns his 8th grade year in 1966-67 into a wild coming-of-age comedy---a comedy grounded in his Catholic education, racism, and the joys and horrors that are male adolescence. Smith's stories---about the young hooligans he admired but couldn't bring himself to emulate; about the nun who tried, sometimes cruelly, to steer him and his friends on the path to righteousness; about a fleeting friendship with a black kid that gives him an unexpected view of escalating trouble---and jolting humor in serious events. My Last Year with the Nuns gathered critical and popular acclaim for Smith's dynamic performance and trenchant writing." The performance takes place in the Metcalf Theater on the campus in Edwardsvile, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siuexfest.com.

The Seldoms
Photo: Andrew Musch

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents a performance of Power Goes by The Seldoms at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 13, as part of Xfest: 4 Days of Experimental Theater. "In this new dance theatre work, artistic director Carrie Hanson responds to Robert Caro's famed biography of Lyndon B. Johnson and uses this controversial historical figure as a lens through which to see broader and enduring patterns of political power. Power Goes combines physical action and contemporary dance, spoken word, sound design including historical recordings, and visual design including text/video/photo in order to explore the relationship between political power and social action. " The performance takes place in the Dunham Hall Theater on the campus in Edwardsvile, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siuexfest.com.

My take: SIU-Es Xfest has turned into a festival of cuttting-edge theatre and theatre-like substance that brings performers from all over the country to the metro-east area. These last two offering of the fetival which began on Wednesday) are good examples: a one-man memory play on Friday and a mulit-media dance work on Saturday. If you're looking for something different and challenging this weekend, this is your best bet.

Held Over:

Photo: John Lamb

R-S Theatrics presents the musical First Lady Suite by Michael John LaChiusa Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. through September 14. "First Lady Suite provides a witty and poignant glimpse into the private lives of such women as Jackie Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Mamie Eisenhower; all were First Ladies during historic times who navigated their public private lives through achievements and tragedy while always being second to their husband's job." Performances take place at the Ivory Theatre, 7620 Michigan Avenue. For more information, visit r-stheatrics.com.

My take: Once again, R-S is bringing us the local premiere of an unconventional and innovative piece of musical theatre. A lyricist, librettist, and composer of both musical theatre and opera, LaChiusa has contributed to a long list of shows, none of which (as far as I know) has been produced locally. So thanks to R-S for giving local audiences a chance to see and hear the man's work.

Mustard Seed Theatre presents Human Terrain by Jennifer Blackmer. "This world-premiere explores the treasonous relationship between a US Cultural Advisor and an Iraqi woman during the Iraq War." Performances take place through September 14 at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: As Steve Callahan points out in his review for 88.1 KDHX, Mustard Seed "has a charter of examining moral questions." This play is an obvious fit for that charter, examining a real-life Army program in which anthropologists and sociologists were recruited to use their understanding of the cultures of countries currently occupied by Western forces to aid in combat operations in those nations. The program was controversial among anthropologists and raised tricky ethical questions. Callahan noes that "the play succeeds in giving us a powerful evening of drama, with a number of strong theatrical moments."