St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 31, 2016

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Alton Little Theater presents the musical The Addams Family Thursdays through Sundays through November 6. "The weird and wonderful family created by New Yorker cartoonist Charles Addams comes to life in this zany musical comedy. All the memorable "creepy and kooky" characters are there: Morticia, Gomez, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Grandmama, Wednesday and Pugsley, accompanied on stage by some of their deceased ancestors. In this story, Morticia and Gomez Addams want to continue living amongst death, pain and suffering as they always have. But there is a change brewing." Performances take place at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

COCA presents the COCA Theatre Company production of Akeelah and the Bee Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 5 p.m., November 4 and 5. "Akeelah has a crazy passion for words: the more abstruse and labyrinthine, the better. But this gift is almost overwhelmed by the challenge of her daily life in a tough, Chicago neighborhood. Akeelah's aptitude earns her a spot in the National Spelling Bee, which inspires the people in her neighborhood with her courage and tenacity." COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information: cocastl.org.

Burrow

YoungLiars present the world premiere of Burrow, an adaptation of Kafka's Der Bau adapted and performed by Jeff Skoblow, running through November 5. "Our nameless hero has at long last completed his elaborate secret burrow. Far beneath the ground he is safe from the predators and danger that lurk everywhere above. Or is he? That noise he hears just beyond the edges of the burrow...what is it? Have they found him? Is it the sound of some terrible beast digging relentlessly towards him? Or is it something even worse?" __Performances take place in in the hundred-year-old basement of the Centene Center for the Arts, 3547 Olive Street in Grand Center. For more information: youngliarsburrow.bpt.me.

The Black Rep presents a concert version of the musical Dreamgirls on Saturday, November 5, at 8 p.m. "DREAMGIRLS premiered on Broadway in 1981, with music by Henry Krieger, lyrics and book by Tom Eyen, and subsequently ran for over 1,500 performances. It's based on the show business aspirations and successes of groups like The Supremes, The Shirelles and other rhythm-and-blues greats. It tells the story of a group from Chicago, called “The Dreams,” who go on to become a superstar group, with all of the glamour and challenges stardom presents. " The performance takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity Avenue in University City. For more information: theblackrep.org.

The Hawthorne Players present the comedy Driving Miss Daisy November 4 - 13. " Having recently demolished another car, Daisy Werthan, a rich, sharp-tongued Jewish widow of seventy-two, is informed by her son, Boolie, that henceforth she must rely on the services of a chauffeur. The person he hires for the job is a thoughtful, unemployed black man, Hoke, whom Miss Daisy immediately regards with disdain and who, in turn, is not impressed with his employer's patronizing tone and, he believes, her latent prejudice. 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.info.

Chuck Lavazzi
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

The Cabaret Project and The Monocle present cabaret open mic night every Wednesday from 7 to 10 PM. "Drop by and enjoy a night of great music from St. Louis cabaret artists, backed up by the guest music director Carol Schmidt on the baby grand." The master of ceremonies this week is singer and Cabaret Project board member Chuck Lavazzi. 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. It's also recommend that you have your song memorized. The Monocle is at 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble presents Cuddles Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., November 2 - 12. " Eve is a young vampire. Tabby is her sister. Tabby makes the rules. Eve has never left her room. All she knows about the world comes from Tabby and from Eve's storybook characters. Eve does everything a good little vampire girl should do; including drinking Tabby's blood when she has to. But one day, Tabby tires of opening her veins, her heart, and in a breath, Eve's world changes. " Performances take place at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: slightlyoff.org.

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents the satirical musical revue Forbidden Broadway, opening on Thursday, November 3, and running through November 13. "Look out Broadway, we're back! New Season - New Victims - New Laughs! Just when Broadway thought it was safe from the poison pen of funny-man Gerard Alessandrini, Forbidden Broadway returns, sharper and more hilarious than ever! This year's targets include Pippin, Kinky Boots, Les Miz, Matilda, joining favorites including Wicked and The Book of Mormon." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: westportstl.com.

Satori presents I'm Gonna Pray for you so Hard Thursdays through Sundays at 8 p.m. through November 6. " Ella is a precocious and fiercely competitive actress whose sole aim in life is making her famous playwright father, David, proud. Over the course of a boozy evening, Ella and David deliberate over whether to read the reviews of her Off-Broadway debut and things unravel from there. Halley Feiffer's dark, probing and very funny new play pulls the audience into the middle of a deeply complicated relationship and sheds new light on the eternal struggles of parents and children to find common ground." Satori is at 3003 Locust in Midtown. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2666888

Karen Irwin

The Presenters Dolan presents Karen Irwin in A Janis Joplin Tribute on Friday and Saturday, November 4 and 5, at 8 p.m. as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "In her magical, stunning tribute to Janis Joplin, Karen Irwin shakes us to the core." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Lindenwood University presents the Shakespeare's Macbeth Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. November 3 - 5. "Relive one of English Theatre's darkest hours in this presentation of William Shakespeare's chilling masterpiece: Macbeth. When a stalwart warrior's fate is cornered between the maddening desire for power and what he must do to keep what he has taken, he has no choice but to fall into the hands of the sinister and supernatural to hold himself intact. A classic that has withstood the ages, Macbeth dares its audience to question not only the value of human life, but the value of humanity itself.” The performance takes place at The Lindenwood Theatre at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information, call 636-949-4433 or visit www.lindenwood.edu/center.

Manifest / Destiny

The West End Players Guild opens their 106th season with the world premiere of Manifest / Destiny by Vladimir Zelevinsky Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, November 4 - 13. There will also be a show on Thursday, November 10, at 8 PM. "In a year when America's immigration history and policies have been front-and-center in political conversations, Zelevinsky's play is especially timely and insightful. An ensemble cast playing dozens of roles offers poignant vignettes of the love and suffering, bravery and betrayal endured by four centuries-worth of immigrants fleeing the Old World for a chance to reinvent themselves in the new one. " 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 Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Mothers and Sons by Terrence McNally through November 13. "Time stopped for Katharine the day her son died of AIDS. Twenty years later, she seeks out his former partner, Cal, only to discover that he has a husband and a six-year-old son. As she and Cal explore memories of someone they both loved, Katharine begins a rocky journey toward reconciliation with the side of her son that she never understood." 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.

The Looking Glass Playhouse presents The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940 opening on Thursday, November 3, and running through November 13. "The creative team responsible for a recent Broadway flop (in which three chorus girls were murdered by the mysterious “Stage Door Slasher”) assemble for a backer's audition of their new show at the Westchester estate of a wealthy “angel.” The house is replete with siding panels, secret passageways and a German maid who is apparently four different people- all of which figure diabolically in the comic mayhem that follows when the infamous “slasher” makes his reappearance and strikes again. " Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

Act Two Theatre presents Nuncrackers: The Nunsense Christmas Musical November 4 - 13. "The Nunsense Christmas Musical, NUNCRACKERS, is presented as the first TV special taped in the Cable Access Studio built by Reverend Mother in the convent basement. It stars the nuns you love, plus Father Virgil, and four of Mount Saint Helen's most talented students. Featuring all new songs including Twelve Days Prior to Christmas, Santa Ain't Comin' to Our House, We Three Kings of Orient Are Us and It's Better to Give than to Receive, this show is filled with typical NUNSENSE humor, some of your favorite carols, and a “Secret Santa” audience participation. We're certain this NUNSENSE Christmas Show will make you laugh, and maybe tug at your heartstrings. It's the perfect way to ensure that your holiday season is merry and bright!" Performances take place in the St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre at 1 St Peters Centre Blvd, St. Peters, MO 63376. For more information: act2theater.com.

Gail Payne

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present singer Gail Payne in Red, White and Blue Burgoo on Saturday, November 5, at 8 p.m. " Life-long Midwesterner and world traveler, Gail Payne presents a savory and sweet potluck of musical perspectives on the American dream. With a variety of ingredients from the musical gardens of Gershwin and Sondheim to Mellencamp and the Dixie Chicks, Payne cooks up a thought-provoking and entertaining evening that celebrates the complex flavors required for our increasingly nuanced American palate. Alex Rybeck is pianist and music director for the show, which is directed by Broadway star Faith Prince." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: buzzonstage.com/st-louis.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents comedy Steel Magnolias November 4 - 13. "The celebrated Southern classic of family and friendship, this is the story of a group of strong and beautiful women who cluster around Truvy's Beauty Parlow in a small Louisiana parish. The story centers on Shelby, who moves fro wedding to childbirth to medical complications with a love of live and a willingness to face its possibilities bravely with support from steely southern sisterhood." 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.

Prime Theatre presents The Transmigration Show on Saturday, November 5, at 8 p.m. " Transmigration (or reincarnation) is the belief that the soul does not die with the body, but begins a new life in cyclic existence. In the course of six shows, this trippy play festival will follow two characters (“twin flames”) as they pass through this cycle. The night before the festival, six writers will receive a different reason for reincarnation (such as unfinished business or the fulfillment of debt), and each will pen a script based on this prompt by dawn. The next morning, six directors and six casts will arrive to bring these works to life by the evening. While each play will bring its own style and voice to the festival, together they'll function as a cohesive whole - like a great concept album instead of six single songs. In addition to the onstage performances, the Transmigration Show will integrate inspirational artwork from visual artists." The performance takes place at Southampton Presyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information visit facebook.com/primetheatrestl or call (314) 884-1647.

Dael Orlandersmith in Until the Flood
Photo: Peter Wochniak

Through November 6, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Until the Flood. Writer, performer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith spent a week in St. Louis interviewing people from every corner of the region about recent social unrest. From these conversations, she has crafted a play that reflects the complexity of St. Louis. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the thriller Wait Until Dark Fridays through Sundays, November 4 - 13. "A sinister con man, Roat, and two ex-convicts, Mike and Carlino, are about to meet their match. They have traced the location of a mysterious doll, which they are much interested in, to the Greenwich Village apartment of Sam Hendrix and his blind wife, Susy." 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.

St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley presents the drama The Woolgatherer November 4 - 12. Performances take place in the Fisher Theatre on the campus at 3400 Pershall Road. For more information, www.stlcc.edu/fv or call 314-644-5522.

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.

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 Calendar.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of October 31, 2016

Darwyn Apple

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African Musical Arts presents African Descent Composers for Strings on Sunday, November 6, at 3 p.m. "African-Descent Composers for Strings, featuring IMI Chamber Players, with guest violinist, Darwyn Apple, highlighting music by African-American composers Jean Rudy Perrault, Joseph Bologne (Chevalier, Saint-Georges), Perkinson-Taylor, George Walker, and Fred Onovwerosuoke, as as well as selected works by Clara Schumann, Webern and Ludwig van Beethoven." The concert takes place at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 6800 Washington in University City. For more information: africarts.org.

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents Fall Classics…Music…Not Baseball on Monday, October 31 at 7:30 p.m. "Part of the St. Louis Arts Experience. Amid the battle in the baseball world for supremacy in the Fall Classic, we offer some classics from the world of music. Enjoy classic favorites by Mozart, Chopin, Haydn, and Schubert. Concerts performed cabaret-style in the Sheldon Ballroom at 3648 Washington. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

The Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis

First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood presents a concert by The Metropolitan Orchestra of St. Louis on Sunday, November 6, at 7 p.m. "MOSL presents its second concert of the season. Music Director Wendy Lea leads the orchestra in works by Wagner, Haydn, and Beethoven. Soloists in the Haydn are: Marilyn Park Ellington, Catherine Lehr Ramos, Ann Homann-Mottl, and Donita Bauer. Beethoven's 8th symphony is one of his most joyous and full of musical humor. Here we find the composer in a playful mood. Beethoven described it as “aufgeknöpft,” or “unbuttoned”. It well characterizes his cheerful nature heard in the 8th symphony. Wagner's Siegfried Idyll was written as a gift to his wife. It shows a side of the composer rarely seen in his other works. Siegried is gentle song of contentment in his married life." First Presbyterian Church is at 100 East Adams in Kirkwood. For more information: metro-orch.org.

The St. Louis Art Museum presents Made in America, a concert by the Confluence Chamber Orchestra on Sunday, November 6, at 1:30 p.m. "The Confluence Chamber Orchestra returns to the Saint Louis Art Museum's Family Sunday with two mini concerts of American music. Featured works are Leonard Bernstein's “America” from West Side Story, Jerome Kern's “Ol' Man River,” and “The Cascades,” Scott Joplin's musical description of the waterfalls on Art Hill during the 1904 World's Fair. Before each performance, children and adults are invited to a string instrument petting zoo. Admission is free." The concert takes place at Art Museum in Forest Park. For more information: confluencechamberorchestra.org.

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus at St. Alphonsus Church

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus presents Concert Two: Reflection and Rememberance on Sunday, November 6, at 3 p.m. "A program both reflective and celebratory features Hebrew motets by Salamone Rossi and Paul Schoenfield, a secular Requiem by Peter Cornelius, and elegies from William Walton & Sasha Johnson Manning. Respite is offered in a delightful song cycle by Felix Mendelssohn, 'to be sung outdoors', and we conclude with 'swan songs' by Schutz, Arcadelt, and Orlando Gibbons, and a new commission from Bob Chilcott." The concert takes place at New Mt. Sinai Cemetery, 8430 Gravois. For more information: www.chamberchorus.org.

The St. Louis Civic Orchestra presents Ballet and Beethoven on Saturday and Sunday, November 5 and 6, at 7 p.m. "Alexandra Ballet is pleased to announce its collaboration with the St. Louis Civic Orchestra! Come and enjoy as they work together to present a delightful indulgence for the eyes and ears! Together, they will perform excerpts from the Swan Lake Suite by Tchaikovsky: Black Swan, Dance of the Four Cygnets, Neapolitan, and Spanish." The concert takes place at the Purser Center at Logan University, 1851 Schoettler Rd in Chesterfield, MO. For more information: stlco.org.

Nan-Ha Chang
Photo: Sheila Rock

Han-Na Chang conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with violin soloist Jan Mrácek in Glinka's Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture, Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 1, and Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., November 4 and 5, at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents The Arianna String Quartet in Russian Melodiya on Friday, November 4, at 8 PM. "The Arianna Quartet opens their second concert with Prokofiev's revolutionary style, in his Quartet No.2, a mid-20th century masterpiece that is fueled by Russian folk music and instrumental traditions, and a gem of the quartet repertoire. Also on the program: Tchaikovsky's String Quarete No.2 and Nikolai Medtner's Piano Quintet in C Major, Op. posth. with pianist Alla Voskoboynikova. The program also includes music by Philip Glass and Beethoven. The Touhill Performing Arts Center in on the University of Missouri at St. Louis campus. For more information: touhill.org.

Review: Two potent meditations on death and life at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Until the Flood
Photo: Peter Wochniak

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There are two very powerful one-act plays on stage at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis right now. Upstairs is Until the Flood, a gripping and disturbing look at the way different members of the community reacted to the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson in 2014. Mothers and Sons, in the studio theatre, also deals with the death of a young man, but under very different circumstances.

Both shows are less about the deaths than about how they affected and changed the living. And about how the living responded to them.

The characters in Until the Flood are fictionalized composites of real St. Louis residents drawn from interviews Dael Orlandersmith-the play's author and solo performer-did with real St. Louis residents. She talked with a broad spectrum of people from all over the metro area: old and young, black and white, from all over the social, economic, and political spectrum. The resulting portraits are never anything less the completely credible.

And that's impressive, since some of those characters are unpleasant people. The unapologetic neo-Nazi who appears toward the end of the show, for example, could easily have become a cartoon of racist ignorance; but he's just real enough to be truly disturbing. As skilled an actor as she is a playwright, Ms. Orlandersmith shifts ethnicity and gender easily, fully inhabiting each character.

Until the Flood offers no easy answers to the "latitudes and attitudes" that divide us, but it does provide nourishing food for thought. That makes it a welcome antidote to the mental junk food so often fed to us by corporate media.

The characters in Terrence McNally's Mothers and Sons are entirely fictional. But they are also clearly inspired by McNally's personal experience as a man of the theatre living through a period that brought both the triumph of marriage equality and the tragedy of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

As in Until the Flood, the deceased is an invisible but pervasive presence. Andre died twenty years ago of HIV/AIDS. Cal, his former partner, spent the next eight years working through his grief before finding and eventually marrying Will. They now have a young son, Bud, and are living happily on New York's Upper East Side.

Darrie Lawrence and Harry Bouvy
Photo: Peter Wochniak

Andre's mother Katharine, unfortunately, has never really come to terms with her son's death or his sexuality. When she drops in unexpectedly on Cal and Will, she's still radiating anger and grief-a situation made all the worse, from her point of view, by the fact that Cal has moved on and made a new life for himself. The play charts her rocky course towards reconciliation with both the dead and the living.

Darrie Lawrence dominates the stage a Katharine. Confused, raging and unable to cope with her conflicted feeling, Katharine is a character who could become tiresome and almost does, but Ms. Lawrence performance never wavers from perfection and in the end both she and Mr. McNally's words bring something like closure to both Katharine and us.

Harry Bouvy is a warm and welcome presence as Cal, who is essentially the play's moral center. Michael Keyloun is a funny and winning Will and ten-year-old Simon Desilets could not be more charming as Bud.

Michael Evan Haney directs with a sure hand and a good eye for keeping sight lines clean; always a tricky issue for plays staged in the round.

Speaking of things that are perfect, James Wolk's tony apartment set is certainly that, right down to the children's books in the bookshelf. The books are visible to only a small part of the audience, but they're a nice little touch. When Katharine sneers at Cal's description of their place as a home-"An apartment can't be a home!"-the cozy warmth of the set underlines how blind her grief has made her.

Congratulations to Rep Artistic Director Steve Woolf for bringing both of these compelling dramas to St. Louis. Until the Flood runs through November 6th on the main stage while Mothers and Sons runs through the 13th in the studio theatre. They both are well worth your time. For more information: repstl.org.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of October 28, 2016

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New This Week:

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Tovah Feldshuh

The Presenters Dolan presents Tovah Feldshuh in Aging is Optional on Friday and Saturday, October 28 and 29, at 8 p.m. as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Broadway star and four-time Tony Award nominee (Lend Me a Tenor, Golda's Balcony, Yentl, Sarava) brings her cabaret show to town. "Aging is Optional" is an age-defying romp. As Tovah puts it, "Some people call them decades; I call them my collected works." Broadway' sTovah Feldshuh has earned four Tony Award nominations and is currently a regular on TV's The Walking Dead and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: Needless to say, I'm automatically drawn to a show with a title like this one, since it largel captures my attitude towards life at this point. Besides, I have always felt that actors have an advantage when approaching the art of cabaret since a good cabaret show is much like a one-act play, and actors are already familiar with the form. And Ms. Feldchuh's acting credentials are, as the press release material demostrates, impressive.

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Christina Rios

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present singer Christina Rios in In 18 More Years, I Will Be Able To Sleep Again on Saturday, October 29, at 7 p.m. "A seasoned performer and a mother of four, Rios is returning to the cabaret stage with a show about the joys and heartbreak of parenting. Come enjoy an evening of Steven Schwartz, Kacey Musgraves, Fleetwood Mac, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more as Rios uses her versatile voice and signature wit to explore the gooey lows and incredible highs of parenting. Leah Luciano is pianist and music director for the show, which is directed by Ben Nordstrom." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

My take: Trained as a classical singer and boasting many years of experience in the theatre, Ms. Rios would almost be over-qualified for the cabaret stage, if such a thing were possible (and I don't think it is). We've had some sneak peeks at her show at the Cabaret Project open mic nights every Wednesday at The Monocle, and based on that alone I think you can expect a great show. Besides, the Emerald Room is a very cool space and The Monocle has an impressive bar.

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Winter Opera St. Louis presents Lehar's comic operetta The Merry Widow Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, October 28 and 30. Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

My take:This durable 1905 romantic comedy is a perennial favorite with many opera companies, and with good reason. Done well, it as bubbly as Champagne and as bright as a Christmas tree. If you're looking for something to lift your spirits and make you forget the ugliness of our curent political climate, this might be just the ticket.

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Held Over:

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Golda's Balcony
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents Golda's Balcony through October 30 "This is a strong show about a strong woman, Israel's fourth Prime Minister, Golda Meir. We meet her as she struggles with what became known as the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and which was very nearly a disaster for the State of Israel. The play asks us to consider what happens when idealism becomes power." 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.

My take: Lavonne Byers, who has so many impressive roles to her credit on St. Louis stages, appears to have another hit on her hands with this one-woman show. In her upcoming review for KDHX, Tina Farmer says Ms. Byers "goes both broad and deep when capturing the life and motivation of one of the twentieth century's most popular and divisive female leaders" and that the show "gives us a terrifyingly real and decidedly unromantic view of those who seek to balance power and idealism. The one-woman biography is a stunning success and fitting tribute."

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The Rocky Horror Show

Stray Dog Theatre presents the rock musical The Rocky Horror Show through October 29. “The cult classic is back! After a flat tire has them stuck in a storm, sweethearts Brad and Janet come upon the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Once inside, a houseful of colorful characters take the couple on a bizarre journey they will never forget. This raucous musical is an over-the-top tribute to mid-20th century science fiction and horror B-movies." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

My take: Get ready for Halloween with this now venerable R-rated send-up of cheesy horror movies. Great art is ain't, but it is great fun if done well, and judging from Steve Allen's review for his Stage Door STL blog, the folks at Stray Dog have, in fact, done it well. "Nothing says Fall and Halloween better than a production of 'The Rocky Horror Show' and Stray Dog brings it back with all of the zaniness, crowd reactions and scantily clad lads and lassies. If you’re familiar with the stage show or the movie (and who isn’t?), you’ll have a great time." I was in Stray Dog's first production of this show back in 2009 and the audience was having at least as much fun as we were on stage. I'd expect the same this time around.

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Until the Flood

Through November 6, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Until the Flood. Writer, performer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith spent a week in St. Louis interviewing people from every corner of the region about recent social unrest. From these conversations, she has crafted a play that reflects the complexity of St. Louis. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

My take: While some reviews for this remarkable one-woman show have been mixed, I'm including it because it shines theatrical light on issues that have remained too long in the darkness in American in general and here in St. Louis in particular. "Through eight sharply drawn characters and a moving spoken word closing," writes Tina Farmer in a soon-to-be-published review at KDHX, "Orlandersmith challenges easy assumptions while making the case for continued conversation. As an actor, she is thoroughly engaging, with a clear purpose and focused action. Her characters are distinct and teeming with authenticity". Having seen the show myself, I can only add that this is a beautifully written and flawlessly acted show that deals in a surprisingly even-handed matter with emotionally fraught material. Even the most thoroughly repellent character in the play is still recognizably human. This show is a remarkably courageous choice for the Rep's main stage and deserves our support.

Symphony Preview: Back to the future

It's a mix of the old and new at the St. Louis Symphony this weekend (Friday and Saturday, October 28 and 29) as Jun Märkl returns to conduct the orchestra and soloist Jeremy Denk in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major (K. 488), Liszt's Prometheus, and the Brahms Piano Quartet in G minor, op. 25, as arranged by Arnold Schoenberg.

Franz Liszt in 1858
Photo by Franz Hanfstaengl

Prometheus, which opens the concerts, is old because it was first performed in 1855. But it's also new because this is its first appearance with the SLSO.

Prometheus was already something new at its first performance, even though the composer conducted an earlier version for chorus and orchestra in Weimar in 1850. That's because this revised version was one of the first examples of the symphonic poem, a.k.a tone poem, a genre that Liszt effectively invented.

Many composers have written works labeled "symphonic poem" since then (Liszt himself wrote a total of thirteen), and what they all have in common is a reliance on some external, non-musical source for their inspiration. That source could be almost anything, including a novel (Albert Roussel's Resurrection), a poem (Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht), a painting (Rachmaninoff's Isle of the Dead), a place (Respighi's Pines of Rome), or a historical event (Smetana's Sárka). Or, in the case of Prometheus, a story out of mythology.

We all know the story of the Greek god Prometheus, punished for giving mankind the gift of fire by being chained to a rock and having his liver eaten every day by an eagle, only to have it grow back overnight (talk about your extraordinary rendition…). For Liszt, it was a story of pain, redemption, and triumph, with a grand fugue and a triumphant ending.

The piece was regarded as radical "new music" at the time and got, as a result, its share of negative press (the infamous Eduard Hanslick, who gave Wagner such grief, called it "an interestingly orchestrated instrument of torture"). These days it's just great musical drama.

The Mozart piano concerto is likely to be the most familiar piece on the program but here, too, there are surprises. The relationship between the soloist and the orchestra is a close one, with lots of give and take between the two, and the piano part looks both backward towards Bach with complex contrapuntal passages and forward to the Romantic era with harmonies that would probably have sounded a bit radical to the composer's Viennese audiences. That's most apparent in the first movement cadenza (which, contrary to his usual practice, Mozart actually wrote down) as well as in the touching Adagio second movement.

In a 2013 interview for San Francisco Classical Voice this weekend's soloist, Jeremy Denk, observed that "a very important part of playing a Mozart concerto is the wonder of each moment." So take the time to enjoy those moments when you see him on stage this weekend.

The concerts conclude with music that's old and new simultaneously: Arnold Schoenberg's 1937 orchestral transcription of Brahms's 1861 Piano Quartet in G minor. That might seem like an odd combination, given the kind of music for which Schoenberg is best known, but in his essay "Brahms the Progressive" Schoenberg claimed that the earlier composer was actually "a great innovator in the realm of musical language, that, in fact, he was a great progressive.”

It's an argument that has been met with some skepticism but there's not much doubt that Schoenberg was a great admirer of Brahms, and his orchestral expansion of the 1861 piano quartet-it's far too elaborate to be described as straightforward orchestration-sounds like both a homage to and a radical re-thinking of the original.

Arnold Schoenberg
By Man Ray, CC BY-SA 2.0

You can hear that in dramatic opening of the first movement. The notes are all Brahms, but the music feels Wagnerian in its intensity. As René Spencer Saller points out in her SLSO program notes, the orchestration is also very different from the sound world of Brahms, with instruments that the earlier composer would never have used such as the xylophone, bass clarinet, and E-flat clarinet.

In a 1939 note to San Francisco Chronicle music critic Alfred Frankenstein, Schoenberg said that his intention was "to remain strictly in the style of Brahms and not go farther than he himself would have gone if he lived today" and "to watch carefully all the laws which Brahms obeyed and not to violate them, which are only known to musicians educated in his environment." I'm not convinced that he actually did that, but what he did accomplish was to pour some old musical wine into new bottles without damaging the vintage in any way. This is the mid-19th century seen through the lens of the early 20th, and if accepted on its own terms it's very rewarding.

The Essentials: Jun Märkl conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with piano soloist Jeremy Denk in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23, Liszt's symphonic poem Prometheus, and an orchestral transcription of the Brahms Piano Quartet in G minor. Performances are Friday at 10:30 a.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m., October 28 and 29 at Powell Hall in Grand Center. The Saturday concert will be broadcast on St. Louis public radio.

Review: Macelaru and Shaham create autumnal drama at the St. Louis Symphony

This review originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Cristian Macelaru

The St. Louis Symphony gave us an appropriately autumnal concert this weekend (October 21 - 23, 2016), featuring Rachmaninoff's nocturnal Symphonic Dances in a finely nuanced interpretation by guest conductor Cristian Macelaru and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with Orli Shaham is that delivered both power and poetry at the keyboard.

Friday night's concert opened with a spectacular performance of Sergey Lyapunov's HD Technicolor orchestration of Balakirev's 1869 "Oriental Fantasy" Islamey. Originally written for solo piano and regarded as one of the most technically difficult works for that instrument, Islamey is essentially a series of restatements of two tunes: a dance the composer heard while traveling in the Caucasian mountains and a lyrical Armenian folk song.

In the piano original, the musical interest is largely generated by the increasingly elaborate ornamentation of these melodies and the sheer thrill of watching a pianist navigate Balakirev's musical thicket-something the composer himself couldn't do, despite being a formidable pianist. In the orchestration, it comes from hearing the melodies tossed among the instruments in a kind of musical tennis match. That requires an exacting attention to detail from both the conductor and the musicians.

We definitely got that Friday night, with virtuoso playing all the way around. Mr. Macelaru took the lively outer sections of the piece at an almost alarmingly brisk tempo, which contrasted nicely with the intense romanticism of the middle. He found poetic nuances in this showpiece that made it more than just flashy.

The Beethoven Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58 that followed also had its share of poetry. This was especially true in the unusual second movement in which dramatic pronouncements by the orchestra are met with more subdued and expressive material by the soloist. Ms. Shaham's playing was intensely poignant here, which made the quick transition to the jolly, Haydnesque Rondo finale that much more effective.

Decked out in an elegant and shimmering blue gown Ms. Shaham cut a very striking figure at the keyboard. As usual, she was strongly focused on the music, completely "in the moment" as we say in the theatre biz. This was true even when she wasn't playing but just listening to the orchestra or watching Mr. Macelaru. Reacting to your performing partners is as important in music as it is in theatre, and Ms. Shaham excels at this.

Orli Shaham

Her keyboard technique was impeccable as it always has been in my experience, as was her sensitivity to the changing moods of the most remarkable of all the Beethoven concerti. She brought out all the lyricism in the score and added some of her own. It was a masterful performance that received a standing ovation. She followed it up with an encore by the composer whose music would take up the last half of the program, Serge Rachmaninoff: a pristine reading of his haunting Prelude in G-sharp minor, Op. 21 No. 12.

"Haunting" is also a word that describes much of Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances, Op. 45. Written in 1940 and first performed by Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1941, this would prove to be the last completed orchestral work by the composer, and there's a sense throughout the piece of a life approaching its conclusion.

I have always been struck by the “late night” feel of this music-and not just because of the chimes in the last movement. Indeed, Rachmaninoff originally titled the three sections “Noon,” “Twilight,” and “Midnight”. The composer later dropped the titles, but they still effectively describe the emotional progression of this music from light to a darkness which is not entirely dispelled by the vigorous final pages of the last dance.

The Symphonic Dances is filled with evidence of Rachmaninoff's genius as an orchestrator. The elaborate and complex string writing, inventive use of brasses and winds, and an effective but never overwhelming use of the large percussion battery all demand a great deal from the musicians, and the members of the SLSO definitely rose to the challenge.

To pick just a few examples: The long pastoral interlude for woodwinds in the first dance, with its poignant alto sax solo by Nathan Nabb, was especially effective. The brass section had real bite in the second movement's spectral waltz. And Roger Kaza's horns were impeccable throughout. There was fine work as well from harpist Allegra Lilly and from all the members of the percussion section.

On the podium, Mr. Macelaru demonstrated that same combination of drama, subtlety, and control that made his debut with orchestra back in 2014 so impressive. He got a lot of sound out of the band, but it was never overwhelming or distorted; just beautifully balanced.

Next at Powell Hall: Jun Märkl conducts the orchestra with piano soloist Jeremy Denk in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23, Liszt's symphonic poem Prometheus, and an orchestral transcription of the Brahms Piano Quartet in G minor. Performances are Friday at 10:30 a.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m., October 28 and 29 at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

Review: The spectacular singing of Chicago Lyric's Lucia di Lammermoor

This review originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Albina Shagimuratova and Piotr Beczała
Photo: Todd Rosenberg

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Bel canto opera stands or falls on the strength of the singing, and by that standard Lyric Opera of Chicago's new production of Donizetti's 1835 tragedy Lucia di Lammermoor stands very tall indeed. From the starring roles down to the chorus, this is a cast that can handle the most demanding material with ease.

And a good thing, too, because the score is one of Donizetti’s richest and most dramatic. From the teeth-rattling choruses that conclude the second act, to the often imitated and even more often parodied aria "Il doce sono" (a.k.a. the "mad scene"), to the legendary sextet—a piece so famous that even the Three Stooges and the Warner Brothers cartoon crew knew they could make fun of it without losing the audience—Lucia provides a treasure trove of great music. The Lyric cast does it full justice with a great performance.

Albina Shagimuratova
Photo: Andrew Cioffi

Soprano Albina Shagimuratova is a radiant Lucia, handling Donizetti's most demanding passages with ease. Her mad scene was a thing of vocal beauty, wonderfully controlled and yet thoroughly expressive. Matching her in power and dramatic conviction is tenor Piotr Beczała as Lucia’s tragic lover Edgardo, as effective in his tender love duets with Ms. Shagimuratova as he is in the violent Act III tower scene (which is, by the way, as good an example of testosterone poisoning as you’ll find anywhere in operatic literature).

His opponent in that tower scene is Lucia’s scheming brother Enrico, sung with menacing force by baritone Quinn Kelsey. I don't think director Graham Vick's decision to make him a shambling drunk adds anything useful but it doesn't really detract either, so overall I can't complain.

Somewhat less credible is Mr. Vick's decision to make the small role of Arturo—whom Lucia is forced to marry, with tragic results—into a kind of foppish scarecrow with his arms permanently outstretched as though posing for a painting. It turns his sword fight with Edgardo into inappropriate low comedy. Tenor Jonathan Johnson looks and sounds great in the part, though, which helps.

Adrian Sâmpetrean
Photo: Andrew Cioffi

Bass Adrian Sâmpetrean puts a sympathetic stamp on the role of the chaplain Raimondo. The character is the moral center of the opera and needs to be credible, especially in "Ah, cedi, cedi!" the Act II aria in which he persuades Lucia to agree to the arranged marriage with Arturo. Mr. Sâmpetrean fully delivers the goods.

Tenor Matthew DiBattista, who has done such great work here at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, once again rises to the occasion as the scheming Normanno, whose forged letter from Edgardo helps persuade Lucia to accept the marriage contract with Arturo. Mezzo Linsday Metzger has less vocal power than her fellow cast members, but is otherwise a very appealing Alisa, Lucia's confidante.

L-R: Piotr Beczała, Jonathan Johnson,
Albina Shagimuratova, Quinn Kelsey
Photo: Todd Rosenberg

In his director's note in the program book, Mr. Vick says that he sees Lucia as "a late-classical work". It's an interesting point, but given that the Romantic movement in music was well underway in 1835, I'm not sure I buy it. In any case, his implementation of that view appears to involve fairly static staging and a monochromatic set by designer Paul Brown that consists largely of multiple levels of gray flats that are used to represent all the indoor scenes, from the Great Hall at Lammermoor Castle to the tower of Edgardo's Ravenswood.

Behind them is a "blasted heath" that Macbeth would have recognized, complete with a eerily crooked tree and an unnaturally large, featureless, and sometimes distractingly mobile moon. Mr. Vick seems fond of that heath, placing much of the opera's action there, even in scenes that are explicitly indoors, like the Act II wedding contract and Lucia's "mad scene." It's especially odd in the latter, since Lucia is supposed to be hallucinating the heath, not wandering about on it.

Mr. Brown's costumes, though, are right on the money. I thought decking the entire Bucklaw clan in blinding white and gold was a nice touch, contrasting strongly with the earth tones of the Lammermoors and Edgardo.

The wedding party
Photo: Todd Rosenberg

At the podium is Enrique Mazzola, an Italian conductor who, to quote his program bio, is "[g]reatly admired internationally in bel canto." If his work here is any indication, that admiration is richly deserved, as he leads the Lyric Opera Orchestra in an assured and well-paced reading of Donizetti's score.

Donizetti assigns an important narrative role to the choir, so Chorus Master Michael Black also deserves praise for the powerful and articulate sound of his singers.

The important point is that if bel canto is your thing, you can't go wrong with a production like this one in which all the musical elements are so strong. And despite my misgivings about some of Mr. Vick's decisions, there's no denying that this Lucia packs a real wallop overall. Performances continue through November 6 at Lyric Opera's home in the magnificent Civic Opera House in the Chicago Loop. Information on Lucia di Lammermoor and the rest of the current season is available at their web site.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 24, 2016

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Alton Little Theater presents the musical The Addams Family Thursdays through Sundays, October 28 - November 6. "The weird and wonderful family created by New Yorker cartoonist Charles Addams comes to life in this zany musical comedy. All the memorable “creepy and kooky” characters are there: Morticia, Gomez, Uncle Fester, Lurch, Grandmama, Wednesday and Pugsley, accompanied on stage by some of their deceased ancestors. In this story, Morticia and Gomez Addams want to continue living amongst death, pain and suffering as they always have. But there is a change brewing.” Performances take place at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

Tovah Feldshuh

The Presenters Dolan presents Tovah Feldshuh in Aging is Optional on Friday and Saturday, October 28 and 29, at 8 p.m. as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Broadway star and four-time Tony Award nominee (Lend Me a Tenor, Golda's Balcony, Yentl, Sarava,) brings her cabaret show to town. "Aging is Optional" is an age-defying romp. As Tovah puts it, "Some people call them decades; I call them my collected works." Broadway' sTovah Feldshuh has earned four Tony Award nominations and is currently a regular on TV's The Walking Dead and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

YoungLiars present the world premiere of Burrow, an adaptation of Kafka's Der Bau adapted and performed by Jeff Skoblow, running through October 29. "Our nameless hero has at long last completed his elaborate secret burrow. Far beneath the ground he is safe from the predators and danger that lurk everywhere above. Or is he? That noise he hears just beyond the edges of the burrow...what is it? Have they found him? Is it the sound of some terrible beast digging relentlessly towards him? Or is it something even worse?" __Performances take place in in the hundred-year-old basement of the Centene Center for the Arts, 3547 Olive Street in Grand Center. For more information: youngliarsburrow.bpt.me.

Chuck Lavazzi
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

The Cabaret Project and The Monocle present cabaret open mic night every Wednesday from 7 to 10 PM. "Drop by and enjoy a night of great music from St. Louis cabaret artists, backed up by the guest music director Carol Schmidt on the baby grand." The master of ceremonies this week is singer and Cabaret Project board member Chuck Lavazzi. 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. It's also recommend that you have your song memorized. The Monocle is at 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents CSI: Bissell through October 30. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

That Uppity Theatre Company presents Every 28 Hours, and evening of one-act plays inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, on Monday, October 24, at 8 p.m. "The One-Minute Play Festival (Dominic D'Andrea, Producing Artistic Director), and Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Claudia Alick, Producer) collaborated to create a collection of 71 one-minute plays from across the country called “Every 28 Hours”. This national partnership focuses on the widely shared statistic that every 28 hours in America, a black person is the victim of systemic violence and is killed by the police, vigilante, or security guard. The performance takes place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University. For more information: uppityco.com.

The Ivory Theatre presents the world premiere of Famalee Wednesday through Friday at 8, Saturday at 2 and 8, and Sunday at 6 p.m., October 26 - 30. "After a shocking misfortune, the grieving Raul is forced to care for his opinionated, feisty mother-in-law, Emma, who turns Rauls life upside down. When the birthfather of Raul and his partner Peter's, adoptive son, Chris, makes a surprising return to wrestle custody of the child he never knew he had, the one person Raul never expected he could count on, Emma, becomes his greatest ally. Famalee, A dramatic, sensitive, and surprisingly funny stage play. Famalee, explores the topical and very real issues of adoption, fear, marriage equality, religion, love and loss and the courage it takes to be an unconventional family". The Ivory Theatre is at 7622 Michigan in the Carondelet neighborhood. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2526249

Golda's Balcony
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents Golda's Balcony through October 30 "This is a strong show about a strong woman, Israel's fourth Prime Minister, Golda Meir. We meet her as she struggles with what became known as the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and which was very nearly a disaster for the State of Israel. The play asks us to consider what happens when idealism becomes power." 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.

Satori presents I'm Gonna Pray for you so Hard Thursdays through Sundays at 8 p.m. through November 6. " Ella is a precocious and fiercely competitive actress whose sole aim in life is making her famous playwright father, David, proud. Over the course of a boozy evening, Ella and David deliberate over whether to read the reviews of her Off-Broadway debut and things unravel from there. Halley Feiffer's dark, probing and very funny new play pulls the audience into the middle of a deeply complicated relationship and sheds new light on the eternal struggles of parents and children to find common ground." Satori is at 3003 Locust in Midtown. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2666888

Christina Rios

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present singer Christina Rios in In 18 More Years, I Will Be Able To Sleep Again on Saturday, October 29, at 7 p.m. "A seasoned performer and a mother of four, Rios is returning to the cabaret stage with a show about the joys and heartbreak of parenting. Come enjoy an evening of Steven Schwartz, Kacey Musgraves, Fleetwood Mac, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and more as Rios uses her versatile voice and signature wit to explore the gooey lows and incredible highs of parenting. Leah Luciano is pianist and music director for the show, which is directed by Ben Nordstrom." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

Winter Opera St. Louis presents Lehar's comic operetta The Merry Widow Friday at 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, October 28 and 30. Performances take place at The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 S. Lindbergh. For more information, visit winteroperastl.org.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Mothers and Sons by Terrence McNally October 26 - November 13. "Time stopped for Katharine the day her son died of AIDS. Twenty years later, she seeks out his former partner, Cal, only to discover that he has a husband and a six-year-old son. As she and Cal explore memories of someone they both loved, Katharine begins a rocky journey toward reconciliation with the side of her son that she never understood." 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.

Clayton Community Theatre presents the thriller Night Must Fall Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., through October 30. "In this masterful thriller with humorous moments and sequences of sustained suspense, a woman's body is found behind a wealthy woman's house and all the while, the audience and most of the characters in the play think they know who did it. This person also happens to be right in front of you." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents the musical Passing Strange through October 30. "Passing Strange is a semi-autobiographical account of a young brother's encounters with sex, drugs, and rock and roll as he searches for "the real." A rock musical that is equal parts comedy and drama, Passing Strange follows “the Youth” on his pilgrimage of self-discovery from Los Angeles to Amsterdam, Berlin and beyond. Passing Strange breaks theatrical boundaries, crosses musical genres, and ultimately brings the audience home with a new understanding of personal and creative authenticity." The performances take place in Edison Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543 or visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu.

The Rocky Horror Show

Stray Dog Theatre presents the rock musical The Rocky Horror Show through October 29. “The cult classic is back! After a flat tire has them stuck in a storm, sweethearts Brad and Janet come upon the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Once inside, a houseful of colorful characters take the couple on a bizarre journey they will never forget. This raucous musical is an over-the-top tribute to mid-20th century science fiction and horror B-movies." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

Through November 6, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Until the Flood. Writer, performer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith spent a week in St. Louis interviewing people from every corner of the region about recent social unrest. From these conversations, she has crafted a play that reflects the complexity of St. Louis. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

Chesterfield Community Theatre presents Wiley and the Hairy Man Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., October 28 - 30. "In this play we follow Wiley as he overcomes his fear of the Hairy Man and realizes he has all the magic he needs within himself." Watch this story come alive on stage this holiday season." Performances take place at the West County YMCA, 16464 Burkhardt Place. For more information, visit www.gwrymca.org/program/chesterfield-community-theatre-west-county-ymca or call (636) 532-6515 Ext. 227.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Zombie Love through October 28. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.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.

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 Calendar.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of October 24, 2016

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The Ethical Society presents a Great Artist Guitar Series concert with Pavel Steidl Saturday, October 29, at 8 p.m. "Hailing from the Czech Republic, Steidl is one of Europe's most highly regarded artists of any instrument. Known for his dramatic presentations employing both facial and hand gesturing (even including overtone singing)-and with seldom heard 19th-century guitar literature all make his performances both stunning and uniquely engaging!" The performance takes at the Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Road. For more information: ethicalstl.org.

New Morse Code

The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum at Washington University presents the cello / percussion duo New Morse Code performing music inspired by the exhibition Real / Radical / Psychological: The Collection on Display on Monday, October 24, at 5 p.m. NYC-based New Morse Code is devoted to bold and engaging performances of music worth sharing. Omnivorous, rigorous and inventive, Hannah Collins and Michael Compitello activate the unexpected range and unique sonic world of cello and percussion to catalyze and champion the compelling works of young composers. The concert takes place at the Kemper Art Museum on the Washington University campus. For more information: kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Opera on the Go at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 29. " Join Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for a fun, engaging 70 minutes of movement and stage make-up workshops, both with audience participation, followed by an abbreviated performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's hilarious “The Pirates of Penzance.” The performance features current and former OTSL Young Artists with piano accompaniment. It is recommended for students in grades 3-10 and is tailored for young people with sound sensitivities." The event takes place at the Levy Opera Center at 201 Hazel Avenue on the Webster University campus. For more information: experienceopera.org.

The St. Louis Brass Band presents Band Together on Wednesday, October 26, at 7 p.m. "The Saint Louis Brass Band will join the Ritenoir High School Symphonic Band, directed by Hadley Haux, for an evening of wind and percussion music. The Brass Band serves as Artist-in-Residence at Ritenoir HS throughout the year. Each band will perform separately and then come together in an opportunity for the adults in the Brass Band and students in the Symphonic Band to interact and perform together." The concert takes place at Ritenous High School, 9100 St. Charles Rock Road. For more information: stlbb.org.

The American Boychoir

Friday, October 28, at 8 p.m. St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents the American Boychoir. "Founded in 1937 and committed to creating a distinctively American voice within the thousand-year-old boychoir school tradition, the American Boychoir is the finest boy choir in the nation and among the finest in the world. Under the direction of Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, the choir has dazzled audiences with its presentation and virtuosity." The performance takes place at The Cathedral Basilica on Lindell in the Central West End. For more information: cathedralconcerts.org.

Jun Märkl conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with piano soloist Jeremy Denk in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23, Liszt's symphonic poem Prometheus, and an orchestral transcription of the Brahms Piano Quartet in G minor. Performances are Friday at 10:30 a.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m., October 28 and 29 at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Stephen Mulligan conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in Thrills and Chills on Sunday, October 30, at 3 p.m. "Calling all goblins and ghouls for a spooktakular concert with frightfully fun music for the whole family. Featuring favorites such as John Williams' The Imperial March from Star Wars, Night on Bald Mountain from Fantasia and Saint-Saëns' Danse macabre!" The concert takes place at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.