St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 10, 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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Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents The 39 Steps, the comic stage adaptation of the Hitchcock thriller, through November 16. Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre of the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. For more information, call 314-821-9956 or visit ktg-onstage.org.

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a cappella musical All is Calm Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 and 5 PM, November 14-December 14. “Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this acapella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets.” Performances take place 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.

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents the musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson November 14-23. "Join us for a wild romp through the life of Andrew Jackson told in an in-your-face indie rock style. This 2010 Drama Desk Award winner for “Outstanding Book of a Musical” and Outer Critic’s Circle Award winner for “Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical,” with a bloody, bloody, sassy sense of humor, will rock the Hotchner Studio! This production contains adult language and situations and is for mature audiences." The performances take place in the Hotchner Studio Theater in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543 or visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu.

The West End Players Guild continues their 104th season with Boom Town Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, November 14-23. There will also be a show on Thursday, November 20, at 8 PM. “From the prolific pen of movie and TV star Jeff Daniels, author of more than a dozen plays, comes Boom Town. Angela Tompkins has a husband, a failing convenience store and a dream of running off to Chicago with her lover, the local banker. In an explosive story that mixes small-town politics, love and betrayal, Angela must face reality when her husband discovers the truth.” Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 North Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-367-0025 or visit www.westendplayers.org.

The Presenters Dolan present Carole J. Bufford: Body and Soul on Friday and Saturday, November 14 and 15, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Carole J. Bufford has emerged a hot new star in the New York cabaret world, a view broadly shared by critics, audiences, and club owners, alike. She has performed in some of New York's most important venues (Town Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center) and with major stars (Michael Feinstein). In her critically acclaimed show, BODY AND SOUL, she explores the fiery world of passion." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Max and Louie Productions presents the US premier of the comedy Chancers through November 16. "Aiden's bright and fully stocked store has no customers, a vagrant at the doorstep, and his family living in the back room while they rent their home to strangers. Pre-recession, Aiden expanded his empire and store count and spared no expense. After the foreclosures, the construction workers that once filled his stores were laid off, and no longer paying customers. The skeleton of the closed hot food bar hulks in the corner as daily reminder to Aiden that his store is slowly slipping away. Beyond the brilliant colors and bright lights of the store, we see the fields and the town of Kildare, with its rich horse racing history and plenty of old money. But the view of the town as a quaint village is a thing of the past in a global economy. Tesco has permanently joined the landscape of rolling fields and high street shopping and Aiden is in denial of his certain future." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit maxandlouie.com.

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents Dickens' A Christmas Carol, adapted for the stage by Anthony Palermo, November 14-23 in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618-939-7469.

Edison Theatre Ovations! presents The Reduced Shakespeare Company in The Complete History of Comedy (Abridged) Friday at 8 p.m., November 14. The performance takes place in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information, call (314) 935-6543 or visit edison.wustl.edu.

Stray Dog Theatre presents An Evening in Paris, a special benefit performance for the Stray Pups Youth Theatre program on Saturday, November 15. " Tickets to the benefit include light appetizers, French-inspired desserts, cash bar, and a silent auction beginning at 7:00pm. The evening culminates at 8:00pm in cabaret-style performances from some of the wildly talented Stray Pups performers and a Dutch Auction." The event takes place at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information: straydogtheatre.org.

Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents A Kid Like Jake through November 16. "Alexandra and Greg are stressed. Test scores, campus visits and entrance interviews for their son are almost too much to handle. Especially since this prep isn't for college, it's just part of the process of winning a place in one of Manhattan's exclusive kindergarten programs. Four-year-old Jake's intelligence has him in the running for a top school, but when the focus turns to his imagination and affection for dress-up, acceptance takes on a whole new meaning." Performances take place in the studio theatre 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!

The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the comedy The Mouse That Roared Thursday through Sunday, November 12-16. Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

 The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Murder on 34th Street through December. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

Tesseract Theatre Company presents Orders by Kevin Ferguson November 14 through 23. " Orders sees Maggie, a young college student, having to make a decision that effects both her relationship to her boyfriend Troy as well as to God. Maggie loves God. Maggie loves Troy. Troy loves Maggie. Troy loves his country. Hearts get pulled when orders get in the way of their relationship. Both must choose what orders to follow." Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

Maryland Heights Community Theatre presents Princess Whatshername Thursday and Sunday, November 13 and 16, at the Maryland Heights Centre, 2344 McKelvey Road. For more information, call 314-738-2599.

The Hawthorne Players present the David Lindsay-Abaire's drama Rabbit Hole through November 16. The performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 921-5678 or visit hawthorneplayers.com.

Equally Represented Arts presents The Residents of Craigslist, conceived and adapted by ERA’s Artistic Director, Lucy Cashion, and Associate Artistic Director, Will Bonfiglio, November 12-16. "THE RESIDENTS OF CRAIGSLIST is a one-act performance piece that realizes the classified advertisements website Craigslist as a full yet lonely house containing a myriad of people – its residents." Performances take place at the AlphaBeta Club, 2618 North 14th Street. For more information: equallyrepresentedarts.com.

St. Louis University Theatre presents She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen November 14-23. Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call (314) 977-2998 or visit www.slu.edu/theatre.

The Presenters Dolan present Sheri Sanders: Rock It on Thursday, November 13, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "The acclaimed author of Rock The Audition, How To Prepare for and Get Cast in Rock Musicals, Sheri Sanders comes to town to teach a master class to the musical theater students at Webster. A New York musical theater actor and insider, Sheri offers us a captivating rock cabaret , after a sold out run in New York attended by many of the actors she has taught and helped to get cast in Broadway shows." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Act Two Theatre presents the bluegrass gospel musical Smoke on the Mountain through November 16 in the St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre at 1 St Peters Centre Blvd, St. Peters, MO 63376. "Smoke on the Mountain tells the story of a Saturday Night Gospel Sing at a country church in North Carolina's Smoky Mountains in 1938. The show features two dozen rousing bluegrass songs played and sung by the Sanders Family, a traveling group making its return to performing after a five-year hiatus. Between songs, each family member “witnesses" - telling a story about an important event in their life. Though they try to appear perfect in the eyes of a congregation who wants to be inspired by their songs, one thing after another goes awry and they reveal their true - and hilariously imperfect - natures. By the evening's end, the Sanders family has endeared themselves to us by revealing their weaknesses and allowing us to share in their triumphs." For more information: act2theater.com.

First Run Theatre presents the 2014 Spectrum One-Act Play Festival Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, November 14-16. This year's plays are No Other Gods Before Me by Richard Newman; Night of the Armadillo by Jason Slavik; Bang by Richard Newman; Miss Nancy's Playhouse by Mario Farwell; The Jungfrau by David Hawley; and The Adventures of BunnyMan by Mario Farwell. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information, call (314) 352-5114 or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

The Boo Cat Club presents Tennessee Williams' Stairs to the Roof through November 23. "Benjamin Murphy stages a one-man rebellion against the clock, the monotony of an eight-to-five job and the dehumanizing forces of an increasing mechanized and commercial society. Ben takes us on a series of fantastic adventures that culminate in an escape from the mundane...taking us up his stairs to the roof to a better, more Utopian world." The Boo Cat Club is at 812 Union in the Central West End. For more information: 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.