St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 7, 2016

[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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American Idiot
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical American Idiot, based on the album by Green Day, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through March 26. " New Line continues its 25th season with the powerful, high-octane, rock fable AMERICAN IDIOT, based on the powerhouse album by Green Day, a scorching attack on what they saw as the hypocrisy and moral evils of the Bush Administration after the attacks of Sept. 11, as well as the increasingly submissive nature of the American public. The score includes every song from Green Day's hit album American Idiot, as well as several songs from their follow-up release, 21st Century Breakdown, with music by Green Day, lyrics by frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, a book by Armstrong and Michael Mayer, and musical arrangements and orchestrations by Broadway composer Tom Kitt (High Fidelity, Next to Normal, If/Then). The Toronto Star called the show 'the first great musical of the 21st century.'" Performances take place at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents And Away You Go through March 27. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Clueless through April 16. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

The Gateway Men's Chorus presents Dear Future Husband Friday and Saturday, March 11 and 12, at 8 p.m. "Celebrating the landmark Supreme Court decision the men will treat audiences to the struggles and triumphs of the march to Marriage Equality, including the world premiere of two pieces written exclusively for Gateway Men's Chorus." The performances take place at the Sun Theater in Grand Center. For more information: gmcstl.org.

Disney's Beauty and the Beast
Photo: Matthew Murphy

The Fox Theatre presents the NETworks production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast Friday through Sunday, March 11-13. "Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is the classic story of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. If the beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity. " The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

Alton Little Theater presents the comedy The Foreigner Thursdays through Sundays, March 10-20, at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. "The scene is a fishing lodge in rural Georgia often visited by “Froggy” LeSeuer, a British demolition expert who occasionally runs training sessions at a nearby army base. This time “Froggy” has brought along a friend, a pathologically shy young man named Charlie who is overcome with fear at the thought of making conversation with strangers. So “Froggy,” before departing, tells all assembled that Charlie is from an exotic foreign country and speaks no English. Once alone the fun really begins, as Charlie overhears more than he should - the evil plans of a sinister, two-faced minister and his redneck associate; the fact that the minister's pretty fiancee is pregnant; and many other damaging revelations made with the thought that Charlie doesn't understand a word being said. That he does fuels the nonstop hilarity of the play and sets up the wildly funny climax." For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the Tennessee Williams's drama The Glass Menagerie Thursdays through Sundays March 10-20. "The play revolves around a young man begrudgingly supporting the family his father has abandoned. It also features a painfully shy and slightly crippled sister character, whose preoccupation with a collection of glass animals draws her away from reality. Set against the backdrop of the Depression, the family struggles together with the past, the future, and one another." Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

The Improv Shop presents Heartbreak running through March 19. "Heartbreak is an improvised serial show where we explore, in depth, the stages of doomed relationships. Watch characters go from strangers to friends, friends to lovers, and from lovers to heartbreakers. Heartbreak. It doesn't happen all at once." The Improv Shop is at 510 North Euclid in the Central West End. For more information on this and other Improv Shop shows: theimprovshop.com.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the world premiere of Molly's Hammer March 9 - 27. "Molly Rush was focused on the endgame- save the world, protect her family. But what would she have to sacrifice? In 1980, the Pittsburgh housewife and mother of six walked into a General Electric plant and took a hammer to a nuclear warhead to protest the buildup of America's nuclear arsenal. Based on the true story of the Plowshares Eight, Molly's Hammer is the world-premiere account of one woman's unwavering beliefs and her family's desperate attempts to protect her from infamy." Performances take place in the studio theater at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents comedy The Murder Room March 11-20. "Mavis Templeton Hollister returns home from an evening out surprised to find her new husband, Edgar Hollister, still alive. He, in turn, is surprised that she claims to have attended a church meeting that he knows for a fact had been cancelled. Edgar questions Mavis about her whereabouts but his interrogation stops abruptly when she pulls out a gun and shoots him. Chaos ensues when it comes to light that the gun was shooting blanks and Edgar's body has vanished. This hilarious spoof of crime thrillers has all the features of the classic whodunits with a spooky, old house, surprise relatives, a poisoned cat, and, of course, secret panels." 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.

O'fallon Theatre Works presents the farce Noises Off Friday, March 11th at 8pm, Saturday March 12th at 8pm and Sunday March 13th at 2:00. "This comedy takes place over 3 acts, showing one scene performed once in front of the stage, once from 'backstage' where we see the cast and crew relationships begin to fall apart, culminating with Act 3 where we see the effects of their fights play out while still trying to perform the play we've previously seen." Performances take place at O'fallon City Hall, 100 N. Main Street, O'fallon MO. For more information and ticket sales, visit Renaud Spirit Center, or call 314-474-2732.

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents the Enchantment Theatre Company production of Peter Rabbit Tales Friday at 7:30 pm and Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm, March 11-13. "'Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were - Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter....' These famous opening lines of 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' has enchanted young audiences for over one hundred years with the exploits of a charming hero, who, going against his mother's wishes, has adventures (and misadventures) in Mr. McGregor's garden." Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.florissantmo.com.

R-S Theatrics presents Pirates!, its fifth annual KIDaret fund raiser, on Saturday, March 12, at 7 PM. "Bring your favorite swashbucklers, or just grab a friend from a deserted island and come enjoy some of our favorite members of the R-S family singing fun, non-lame, family-friendly tunes. We at R-S believe that art is important at every age, so don't worry about getting a sitter - bring the kids along!" The performance takes place at Bethel Fellowship Hall located at 7001 Forsyth. For more information: r-stheatrics.com

KT Sullivan and Jeff Harnar

The Presenters Dolan present KT Sullivan and Jeff Harnar in A Sondheim Montage on Friday and Saturday, March 11 and 12, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Manhattan standouts KT Sullivan and Jeff Harnar take on one of the greats. Nominated for 5 BroadwayWorld.com Awards. Recently filmed by PBS. They're prepping in St. Louis for a theatrical run in NY. Hauntingly good." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the comedy The Underpants by Carl Sternhiem, as adapted by Steve Martin, through March 13. "Louise and Theo Markes, a couple whose conservative existence is shattered when Louise's bloomers fall down in public. Though she pulls them up quickly, Theo thinks the incident will cost him his job as a government clerk. Even though it does not result in the feared scandal, it does attract two infatuated men, each of whom wants to rent the spare room in the Markes' home. Oblivious of their amorous objectives, Theo splits the room between them, happy to collect rent from both of them." Performances take place in the Guild theatre at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves, MO. For more information: theatreguildwg.org or call 314-962-0876.

The Emerald Room at The Monocle presents Varla Jean Merman's Big Black Hole Friday and Saturday, March 11 and 12, at 8 p.m. "Jeffery Roberson aka Varla Jean Merman (who boasts that Ernest Borgnine is her father and Ethel Merman is her mother) is perhaps best known for her role in the 2003 independent film Girls will be Girls. - Varla had a co-starring role in the 1997 film, Franchesca Page. Merman was also one of the performers featured in the HBO original documentary Dragtime. She has appeared in a number of short films and live cabaret acts since she and her male alter-ego attended the School of Music at Louisiana State University. Merman's shows are a stable of summer entertainment in Provincetown. - She also performs regularly in New Orleans, New York, San Francisco and London, and has enjoyed billing at the Sydney Opera House and Carnegie Hall." The performances take place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: reactionshows.com.

Clayton Community Theatre presents Clare Boothe Luce's The Women Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., March 10-20. "This witty comedy of manners follows a group of women through the perils of adultery, divorce, and finding a unique voice in a sea of gossip and innuendo. The 1936 play continues to echo a relevant look in the complex nature of relationships." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

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.