St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 18, 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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Bosnian-American: The Dance of Life
Photo: John Lamb

Mustard Seed Theatre presents Bosnian-American: The Dance of Life, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through May 1. "Born in Bosnia and raised in St. Louis - painful history meets present reality in this collaboratively created script that celebrates the true stories of our neighbors." 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 Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Bullets in the Bathtub through July 30. The Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: mansion.com

Chuck Lavazzi

The Cabaret Project and 88.1 KDHX present the monthly cabaret open mic night on Wednesday, April 20, from 7 to 10 PM at the Tavern of Fine Arts "Drop by and enjoy a night of great music from St. Louis cabaret artists, backed up by music director Carol Schmidt on the baby grand." The master of ceremonies is Chuck Lavazzi, senior performing arts critic at 88.1 KDHX. If you're planning to sing, be prepared to do one or two songs and bring music, preferably in your key. At least one of your two songs should be a medium-or up-tempo number. We'd also recommend that you have your song memorized. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt at Waterman in the Central West End. There's free parking in the lot right across the street. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

The Florissant Fine Arts Council presents The Cashore Marionettes on Sunday, April 24, at 2 p.m. at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker Road at Waterford Drive in Florissant, MO. "A stunning work of art and performance! Joseph Cashore, an award-winning visual artist and puppeteer, has been designing and performing his unique art form for over 30 years. A performance by the Cashore Marionettes is a celebration of life. The program consists of a collection of engaging pieces encompassing a broad range of themes, each delivered with the simplicity that expresses the essence of the moment." For more information: florissantfinearts.com.

Hard Road Theatre Productions presents the musical comedy First Date running through April 23. "When blind date newbie Aaron (Zachary Levi; "Chuck" and Thor: The Dark World) is set up with serial-dater Casey (Krysta Rodriguez; "Smash" and The Addams Family), a casual drink at a busy New York restaurant turns into a hilarious high-stakes dinner. As the date unfolds in real time, the couple quickly finds that they are not alone on this unpredictable evening. In a delightful and unexpected twist, Casey and Aaron's inner critics take on a life of their own when other restaurant patrons transform into supportive best friends, manipulative exes and protective parents, who sing and dance them through ice-breakers, appetizers and potential conversational land mines. Can this couple turn what could be a dating disaster into something special before the check arrives?" Performances will be held at the Kennel at Highland High School, 12760 Troxler Ave, Highland IL. For more information: www.hardroad.org.

Angela Sapolis

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present Angela Sapolis in I Couldn't Have Said it Better on Saturday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m. "A native of St Louis, Angela Sapolis has made a name for herself on stages from coast to coast, and as far away as Tokyo. "I Couldn't Have Said It Better" is a potent marriage of words and music, taking us on a journey through the peak experiences of life, guided by the wit and wisdom of the world's great thinkers, writers, and musicians. Angela is sincerely grateful to her mentor, teacher, and friend, the legendary Andrea Marcovicci, for her invaluable support in creating this show." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: buzzonstage.com/st-louis

St. Louis University Theatre presents Oscar Wilde's comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, running through April 24. "Regarded by many as the wittiest play in the English language, the University Theatre is proud to close its 2015-16 season with this audience favorite." Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call 314-977-3327 or visit slu.edu/utheatre.

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents Ivanov by Anton Chekov, as translated by Tom Stoppard, running through May 1. "Once a man of limitless promise, Ivanov is plunged into debt. His marriage is in crisis, and his evenings are spent negotiating loans, avoiding love affairs and fighting to resist the small town jealousies and intrigues which threaten to engulf his life." Performances take place at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

Gail Payne

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present Gail Payne in Let it Shine on Thursday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. "Four years ago, Gail Payne mustered the courage to let her light shine as she serenaded friends in her living room. Living into her dream of singing professionally, "Let It Shine" is Payne's fifth solo cabaret show demonstrating her passion and talent for masterfully weaving together songs and stories not only about her journey to sing solo, but also to find love and live happily ever after. Music will include classics from the Great American Songbook, Broadway, jazz, folk/country, and popular music." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: buzzonstage.com/st-louis

Next Generation Theatre Company presents the musical MissDirection on Saturday, April 23, at 7 p.m. "MissDirection is a Broadway musical revue with a twist! This delightful production is performed exclusively by actors of the opposite gender than the roles were originally written for. This show contains both hilarity and drama as the performers assume roles they've never taken on before. This is a unique show that the entire family will love, and it is appropriate for all ages! " Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theater at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information: florissantmo.thundertix.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Nursery Crimes through July 31. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents the musical The Pajama Game Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., April 20-14. "This Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of the Sleep-Tite Pajama Factory, where conditions are anything but peaceful. Sparks fly between new superintendent Sid Sorokin and Babe Williams, leader of the union grievance committee. Their stormy relationship comes to a head when the workers strike for a 7_ cent pay increase, setting off not only a conflict between management and labor, but a battle of the sexes as well." Performances take place on the mainstage of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information, events.webster.edu or call 314-968-7128.

Monday and Tuesday, April 18 and 19, at 8 p.m., the Peabody Opera House presents the Broadway musical Ragtime. The Peabody is at 14th and Market streets, downtown. "The stories of an upper-class wife, a determined Jewish immigrant and a daring young Harlem musician unfold - set in turn-of-the-century New York - all three united by their desire and belief in a brighter tomorrow." For more information, visit peabodyoperahouse.com or call 314-622-5420.

Independent Theater Company presents the St. Charles County 10 Minute Play Festival Saturday and Sunday, April 23 and 24, at 2 p.m. Performances take place at the Spencer Road Branch of the St. Charles City-County Library. For more information: independenttheatercompany.com

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Shake 38, a city-wide performance festival in which all 38 of Shakespeare's plays are performed by 38 different groups in a variety of neighborhoods and locations. Performances take place Tuesday through Saturday, April 19-23. For a complete schedule: sfstl.com.

David Guintoli

The Emerald Room Cabaret presents David Guintoli in Sinatra...The Man and His Music on Friday, April 22, at 8 p.m. "David Giuntoli sings songs that Frank Sinatra made famous. He would have been 100, if alive, and although he was from a different era, his musical stylings are a as swinging today as they were in the 40s, 50s, and 60s when he was at his peak. Sinatra had a gift of taking songs from great composers like, Cole Porter, Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn, and, along with his fantastic arrangements, giving them that "Sinatra" stamp. The show includes these songs; I've Got the World on a String, All or Nothing at All, The Best is Yet to Come, I've Got You Under My Skin, The Way You Look Tonight, Angel Eyes, Fly Me to the Moon, Night and Day, The Lady is a Tramp and more." The show features Adam Maness on piano and Ben Wheeler on bass. The performance takes place in The Emerald Room at The Monocle Bar, 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: www.buzzonstage.com/st-louis

Equally Represented Arts presents Trash Macbeth opening on Wednesday, April 20, and running through May 7th. "Lady Macbeth says, 'What's done cannot be undone.' But can it be repurposed? Based on Shakespeare's iconic tragedy, ERA's experimental production Trash Macbeth resuscitates meaning within a climate of destruction, reestablishes the societal norms of America's most traditional era, and reframes the value of our revered Shakespeare, housewifery, and garbage. Trash Macbeth is a full-length, theatrical production created by an ensemble of theatre artists with text from Shakespeare's Macbeth, Emily Post's Etiquette, the book of Revelations, Dr Benjamin Spock's Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, and 1950's era advertisements." Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: eratheatre.org.

The Department of Theatre and Dance at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents Euripides' drama The Trojan Women Wednesday through Sunday, April 20-24. "Among surviving Greek tragedies, only THE TROJAN WOMEN by Euripides (with a new translation by Nicholas Rudall) shows us the extinction of a whole city and an entire people. Despite its grim theme, or more likely because of the centrality of that theme to the deepest fears of our own age, this is one of the few Greek tragedies that regularly finds its way to the stage." Performances take place in the Dunham Hall Theatre on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siue.edu.

The Black Rep presents the drama Twisted Melodies April 20 - May 1. "Twisted Melodies is a fictionalized journey through the mind of musical genius Donny Hathaway. We see a man lost in space and time, battling schizophrenia and trying to come to terms with - everything.Join us for an experience that explores the psychology of a genius and his music as he deals with the extreme circumstances of mental illness" Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: theblackrep.org.

St. Charles Community College presents the Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot Wednesday through Sunday, April 20-24. "Vladimir and Estragon, while waiting for someone called Godot, play out the circular patterns of man's life: they eat, argue, make up, contemplate death, and meet and entertain others. The simplicity and circular nature of the play's structure and character interactions reflect upon change, hope, the meaning of life and intellect vs. the non-rational; nothing is completed, and anything of substance is only found for our characters in the unity of time and place in which they exist together." Performances take place in the SCC Center Stage Theater in the Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building on the campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO. For more information, call 636-922-8050 or visit stchas.edu.

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.