St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 7, 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.

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All is Calm
Photo: John Lamb

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a capella musical All is Calm Thursdays through Sundays through December 20. "Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this a capella 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. Read my review!

Bad Jews
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents Bad Jews through December 23. "Good Jews, Bad Jews - it's all relative in this razor sharp and savage comedy about family, faith, and legacy. Meet Daphna Feygenbaum, a "Real Jew" with an Israeli boyfriend who she met on Birthright. When Daphna's cousin Liam brings home his shiksa girlfriend Melody for their grandfather's shiva and declares ownership of "Poppy's" Chai necklace, a vicious and hilarious family brawl ensues.A gleefully funny, thought-provoking evening of theatre. Outrageously and laceratingly funny, it's about what you choose to believe when you're chosen." Rabbis Amy Feder abd Michael Alper from Temple Israel will host a talk back session after the 2 p.m. performance on Sunday, December 13. Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

The Presenters Dolan presents Feyza Eren in A Bossa Nova Christmas on Thursday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m. "A native of St. Louis, Feyza Eren spent 15 years singing performing in the most popular concert halls and jazz clubs in Istanbul and jazz festivals throughout Turkey and Europe, She was a featured vocalist with the Ricky Ford Orchestra, and palyed at the Val de Jazz Festival in France and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Club in Paris." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: buzzonstage.com/st-louis.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents A Christmas Sleigh-Ing through December 30th. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

Stray Dog Theatre presents the comedy Devil Boys from Beyond Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through December 19. "Men are from Mars; women are from Venus; all the rest are from Pluto. A high-camp parody of '50s B-movies and trashy romance novels, mixed with a dash of 'Adult Swim' cartoon. Fold in a heaping portion of screwball comedy and stir gently but keep it lumpy!" Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

The Gin Game

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents The Gin Game through December 20 at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. "This winner of the 1978 Pulitzer Prize, which originally starred Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn and was later revived with Julie Harris and Charles Durning, uses a card game as a metaphor for life. Weller Martin is playing solitaire on the porch of a seedy nursing home. Enter Fonsia Dorsey, a prim, self righteous lady. They discover they both dislike the home and enjoy gin rummy, so they begin to play and to reveal intimate details of their lives. Fonsia wins every time and their secrets become weapons used against one another. Weller longs for a victory to counter a lifetime of defeats but it doesn't happen. He leaves the stage a broken man and Fonsia realizes her self-righteous rigidity has led to an embittered, lonely old age." For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents soprano Angela Moore and pianist Carol Schmidt in a Holiday Cabaret to benefit the Five Acres Animal Shelter on Monday, December 7, at 8 p.m. All donations collected and a portion of food and drink sales will go to the shelter. "Come for the music, food, and drink. Give for the animals." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Monocle Varieté presents Holi-Dazzle Done Fridays and Saturdays at 9 and 11 p.m., December 11 - 26. "Holi-Dazzle is the avant-retro variety show that will help you make it through the season that's not all fun and good cheer. Isn't it just sometimes weird, and a little crazy? And not dazzling in the right way? Get your holiday cure right here on our stage." This ninety-minute comedy show will have you rolling in the aisles with the bawdy humor of the late Joan Rivers." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: buzzonstage.com/st-louis

Alton Little Theater presents Miracle on South Division Street Thursdays through Sundays, December 10-20, at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. "Meet the Nowaks of Buffalo, NY: Clara and her three grown kids have always known they were special, ever since the miraculous night in 1942 when the Blessed Mother appeared to Grandpa in his barbershop! Since then, the neighborhood has looked upon the Nowaks' 20-foot commemorative shrine as a beacon of hope and faith amidst the urban rubble. And now daughter Ruth unveils her plan to write and star in a one-woman show about the family miracle so the “whole world will know!” However, as her plans for theatrical immortality unfold, the entire family's faith is shaken to the very core when a deathbed confession causes the family legend to unravel. The results are heartfelt and hilarious." For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents The Naughty List through January 2. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

The Monocle presents an open mic night every Monday from 8:00pm to 11:00pm" "Musical Theater actor? Cabaret singer? Balladeer? Beleter? Coloratura soprano? Crooner? Student? Teacher? Performer? Fan? Come on down and sing. All are welcome. Ron Bryant is your accompanist. Bring your sheet music"." The monocle is at 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

Peter and the Starcatcher
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Peter and the Starcatcher through December 27. "An apprentice starcatcher and a young orphan boy find themselves on a life-changing adventure when they are charged with protecting magical starstuff from a fearsome pirate. Pursued by a giant crocodile, mysterious mermaids and angry islanders, their fantastical journey is filled with spectacle and whimsy. This swashbuckling prequel to Peter Pan is rich in stage magic, off-the-wall humor and touching sincerity as it takes us on a voyage to an island where dreams are born and time is never planned. Winner of five 2012 Tony Awards." Performances take place on the mainstage 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!

Clinton County Showcase presents A Seussified Christmas Carol through December 13. "A whimsical reinvention of Dickens' most beloved Christmas story in wacky rhymed couplets. With zoot fruited juices and binka bird geese, from Bed-Headed Fred to Timmy Loo Hoo, this tale of glorious holiday cheer is similar to something Dr. Seuss might have come up with - if he ever had his way with the story..." Performances take place at the Avon Theater, 525 North 2nd Street Breese IL. For more information, visit ccshowcase.com.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents Shotgun Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., through December 13. "It is four months after Hurricane Katrina demolished the levees in New Orleans. A Caucasian man named Beau and his son, Eugene, lost their house due to the flood. Now they are renting half of a shotgun duplex from an African American woman named Mattie. Mattie's father also lost his home in the flood, so he is now living with her in her half of the duplex. Both families find that they are having difficulties inhabiting the home together. Will they be able to work it out" Performances take placein the Stage III Auditorium at 470 E. Lockwood on the Webster University campus. For more information, events.webster.edu or call 314-968-7128.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents Since Africa through December 12. Performances take place in the Metcalf Student Experimental Theatre on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siue.edu.

Sublime Intimacy
Photo: Patrick Huber

Max and Louie Productions presents Sublime Intimacy by St. Louis actor/playwright Ken Page through December 20. "Sublime Intimacy is the remembered tales of five friends: an ex-Hollywood actor,a psychology professor, a painter, an actress and a Broadway musical performer whose lives were elevated, touched and indeed changed by their love of a dancer and his dance. While each person's story is different, they overlap, intertwine and inform each other as the lives and tales of friends often do. We the audience, like the characters, are allowed to share in the intimate beauty of the art form through the performances of "The Dancer" as the play unfolds. Sublime Intimacy, isn't that what we all want?" Performances take place in the black box at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit maxandlouie.com.

Chesterfield Community Theatre presents musical The Velveteen Rabbit Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., December 11-13. "Margery Williams classic story The Velveteen Rabbit or How Toys Become Real has been reimagined into a short musical! Follow the journey of a stuffed rabbit on her quest to become real. With a little love from a child, and just a pinch of fairy magic we realize “everything that is real was imagined first.” Watch this story come alive on stage this holiday season." Performances take place at the West County YMCA, 16464 Burkhardt Place. For more information, call (636) 532-6515 Ext. 227.

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Wicked, based on the novel by Gregory McGuire, opening on Wednesday, December 9, and running through January 3. "Long before that girl from Kansas arrives in Munchkinland, two girls meet in the land of Oz. One - born with emerald green skin - is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good makes for 'the most complete - and completely satisfying - musical in a long time' (USA Today)." The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, fabulousfox.com or call 314-534-1678.

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.