St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of July 27, 2015

[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.

Share on Google+

Anything Goes

Stages St. Louis presents Cole Porter's Anything Goes through August 16. "Set sail on the S. S. American with a zany group of travelers, bound from New York to merry old England, where gangsters, socialites, and arrow-collar lads collide in a true tap-sensation from a by-gone era when travel was still fun and as unpredictable as the weather. There'll be laughs a-plenty set to a raucous and romantic Cole Porter score. Enjoy meltingly romantic melodies as "I Get A Kick Out Of You," "It's De-Lovely," "Easy To Love," "You're The Top," and "Anything Goes," that will inspire an uproarious and tune-filled trip across the Atlantic where ANYTHING GOES!" 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!

The Muny presents Beauty and the Beast nightly at 8:15 PM, opening on Wednesday, July 29 and running through Friday, August 7, in the outdoor theatre in Forest Park. "'Be Our Guest' for the magical family extravaganza, Disney's Beauty and The Beast, returning to The Muny for 10 amazing performances. This enchanting, musical tells the classic love story set to the Academy Award® winning music of Alan Menken and Tim Rice. Based on the 1991 hit animated film, Disney's Beauty and The Beast has become one of the most popular musicals in the world. For 97 years, The Muny 'family show' has been one of the greatest St. Louis traditions, and our production of this Disney classic show will thrill you and your family!" For more information, visit muny.org or call 314-361-1900. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents A Fistful Of Hollers through August 29. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

The Randy Dandies presents Burlesque Bingo on Thursdays from 9 to 11 p.m. "As anyone who frequents the bingo parlors knows, the facade of genteel decorum drops once the first game is won. The first cry of "Bingo!" fires up the blood something fierce, and all bets are off from that point forward. Now, imagine what would happen if you throw semi-clad young women into the mix - Ok, now stop imagining. The Randy Dandies present Burlesque Bingo from 9pm to 11:30 pm on Thursdays, and and it promises all the thrills of cutthroat bingo, with the added titillation of local burlesque performers and specialty variety acts plus silly prizes." The show takes place at Meyer's Grove, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: therandydandies.com.

Carousel

The Hawthorne Players present the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel July 31 - August 9. "Carousel tells the story of a swaggering, carefree carnival barker, Billy Bigelow, who falls in love with a mill worker, Julie Jordan. Years after he dies tragically, Billy is given a chance to return for a day to try to brighten the life of his unhappy 15-year-old daughter Louise. He watches as the school principal inspires Louise by assuring her that so long as she has hope in her heart, she'll never walk alone." 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.

The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler
Photo: Kim Carlson

St. Louis Shakespeare presents The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler by Jeff Whitty Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., July 31 - August 9. "This play follows Hedda into the hereafter. There, she encounters Mammy of "Gone With the Wind" fame, and they join forces. Along the way, they encounter starlets, leading ladies, and other madwomen locked in the literary attic, in this darkly funny show." Performances take place at the Ivory Theatre, 7620 Michigan in the Carondelet neighborhood. For more information, call 314-361-5664 or visit stlshakespeare.org.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Get “Hitched” To A Redneck Or Die July 31 - October 31. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

Take Two Productions presents the musical Legally Blonde through August 1 The show is recommended for mature audiences. Performances take place at Bayless High School Auditorium, 4532 Weber Road in South County. For more information, visit taketwoproductions.org.

Insight Theatre Company presents Ken Ludwig's farce Moon Over Buffalo through August 9. "Moon Over Buffalo centers on George and Charlotte Hay, fading stars of the 1950's who are playing Private Lives and Cyrano De Bergerac in rep in Buffalo, New York. On the brink of a disastrous split-up, they receive word that they might just have one last shot at stardom: Frank Capra is coming to town to see their matinee, and if he likes what he sees, he might cast them in his new film. Unfortunately for George and Charlotte, everything that could go wrong does. As a result, this tribute to "Life in the Theatre" is simply outrageously hilarious!! " 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. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

"Deirdre Dear"
Photo: John Lamb

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents the Neil LaBute New Theater Festival, Part 2 through August 2 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. The festival features professional, new and previously unproduced one-act plays 45 minutes or less in length, chosen from submissions to the festival over the previous year. The plays in Part 2 are "Kandahar" by Neil LaBute; "Pitch" by Theresa Masters; Marc Pruter; "Homebody" by Gabe Mckinley; "Deirdre Dear" by Norman Yeung; and "There You Are" by Fran Dorf. For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Rigoletto

Union Avenue Opera presents Verdi's Rigoletto Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, July 31 - August 8. "A tale of innocence lost, Rigoletto is Verdi's tense and brutal tale of a deformed court jester caught in a snare of corruption, lechery, and vengeance. It is a chilling whirlwind of revenge: Rigoletto, jester to the Duke of Mantua, cannot protect the person he most loves from the person he most loathes. His beloved daughter Gilda falls in love with the hated Duke and eventually sacrifices her life to save the Duke from the assassin hired by her father. This iconic melodrama boasts an action-packed plot and a parade of brilliant music, including the Duke's boastful “La donna è mobile,” Rigoletto's “Cortigiani, vil razza dannata,” and Gilda's stunning “Caro nome.”" Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. The opera is sung in Italian with projected English text. For more information, visit unionavenueopera.org or call 314-361-2881.

Hard Road Theatre Productions presents Shrek the Musical Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through August 2. Performances will be held at Highland Elementary School Auditorium, 12760 Troxler Avenue in Highland, IL. For more information: www.hardroad.org.

Off Broadway presents Something Sketchy This Way Comes on Saturday, August 1, beginning at 8 p.m. "Six teams, randomly assigned, will have three weeks to write, rehearse and produce three brand new sketches apiece in a sketch comedy competition the likes of which St. Louis has never seen! The show is 18 and up." Off Broadway is at 3509 Lemp. For more information: www.facebook.com/sketchcompetition.

Theatre Nuevo presents This Is Not Funny, a new play directed by Anna Skidis and devised by the cast. Performances take place Thursday through Saturday 8 p.m. and Sunday at 7 p.m., July 30 - August 2. The performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: www.theatrenuevo.com.

Over Due Theatre presents the musical The Wizard of Oz Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through August 2. Like so many girls her age, little Dorothy Gale of Kansas dreams of what lies over the rainbow. One day a twister hits her farm and carries her away over the rainbow to another world. Come join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tinman, the Cowardly Lion and Toto as they travel the universe of Dorothy's imagination." Performances take place at the Olivette Community Center, 9723 Grandview Drive, in Olivette, MO. For more information, call 314-210-2959 or visit overduetheatrecompany.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.