Monday, April 24, 2017

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 24, 2017

August: Osage County
Photo: John Lamb
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St. Louis Actors' Studio presents August: Osage County by Tracy Letts through April 30. "A vanished father, a pill-popping mother and three sisters harboring shady little secrets. When the large Weston family unexpectedly reunites after Dad disappears, their Oklahoman family homestead explodes in a maelstrom of repressed truths and unsettling secrets. Mix in Violet, the drugged-up, scathingly acidic matriarch, and you've got a major new play that unflinchingly - and uproariously - exposes the dark side of the Midwestern family." Performances take place at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

Saturday, April 29, at 11 a.m. The Sheldon Concert Hall presents vocalist Ben Nordstrom: Singing Gershwin. "One of St. Louis' favorite musical theatre performers, Ben Nordstrom, returns to The Sheldon stage with the luminous vocalist Julia Hanson Battaglia to sing the classic songs of Gershwin! Hear favorites such as "Embraceable You," "They Can't Take That Away From Me," "I Got Rhythm," and more!" The Sheldon Concert Hall is on Washington in Grand Center. For more information: sheldonconcerthall.org.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents A Big Easy Murder through April 30. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

The Gateway Men's Chorus presents Cabaret Risque, its annual fundraiser, on Saturday, April 29, at 7 p.m. The show stars The Kinsey Sicks in Chicks With Shticks, the "latest and greatest dragtastic a cappella musical! This collection of new songs is an equal mix of appalling original songs and unforgivable parodies of such favorites as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang; A Whole New World; What Does the Fox Say; a Carole King number; two Grammy-award winning hits: Happy and the Disney sensation Let it Go. In other words, this show has something to mortify everyone! The performance takes place at the Boo Cat Club on North Union in the Central West End. For more information: gatewaymenschorus.org.

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents the one-man show Cry Havoc Friday and Saturday at 1 p.m., April 29 and 30. " Actor/veteran Stephan Wolfert will lead his audience on an interactive journey to meet Shakespeare's veterans, and confront the difficulties today's soldiers face in leaving military service to rejoin the civilian world. The powerful one-person play speaks to the impact of theater as a tool for social change and the way the themes of Shakespeare's 400-year-old works resonate meaningfully in modern life." The performances take place in the auditorium at the St. Louis City Library Headquaters at 1301 Olive downtown. For more information: sfstl.com.

Dancing at Lughnasa
Mustard Seed Theatre presents Brian Friel's Dancing at Lughnasa Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., through April 30. "Set in 1936 Ireland, the play explores the potential for romance and the lure of pagan rituals in a family's day-to-day life." There is no performance on Easter Sunday, April 16. 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.

KTK Productions presents The Dixie Swim Club Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., April 28 - May 7. "Five Southern women, whose friendships began many years ago on their college swim team, set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships. Free from husbands, kids and jobs, they meet at the same beach cottage on North Carolina's Outer Banks to catch up, laugh and meddle in each other's lives. THE DIXIE SWIM CLUB focuses on four of those weekends and spans a period of thirty-three years. As their lives unfold and the years pass, these women increasingly rely on one another, through advice and raucous repartee, to get through the challenges (men, sex, marriage, parenting, divorce, aging) that life flings at them. And when fate throws a wrench into one of their lives in the second act, these friends, proving the enduring power of "teamwork," rally 'round their own with the strength and love that takes this comedy in a poignant and surprising direction." Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information: kurtainkall.org or call 314-351-8984.

Act Two Theatre presents the comedy murder mystery Drop Dead Wednesdays through Fridays at 7:30 and Sundays a 2 p.m., April 26 - May 7. "A cast of has-been actors plan to revive their careers in 'Drop Dead!,' a potboiler murder mystery directed by 'Wonder Child of the Broadway Stage' Victor Le Pewe (a psychotic eye twitching megalomaniac). At the dress rehearsal the set fails, props break, and the producer and an actor are murdered. During the opening night performance, the murders continue. The remaining thespians must save the show and their careers, solve the mystery and stay alive for curtain calls." 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.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth in concert on Friday, April 28, at 8 p.m. " In a career that spans film, television, and stage, Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor and songstress Kristin Chenoweth is perhaps best well known for her work on the ABC series Pushing Daisies, FOX's hit comedy Glee, and NBC's political drama, The West Wing. However, fans of Broadway know the "popular" Hollywood Walk of Fame performer as smash-hit Wicked's original Glinda the Good Witch." The Touhill Center is on the campus of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

The Lion King
Photo: Daniel Murphy
The Fox Theatre presents Disney's The Lion King through May 7. "Giraffes strut. Birds swoop. Gazelles leap. The entire Serengeti comes to life as never before. And as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. This is Disney's The Lion King, making its triumphant return to the Fabulous Fox. More than 85 million people around the world have experienced the awe-inspiring visual artistry, the unforgettable music, and the uniquely theatrical storytelling of this Broadway spectacular - one of the most breathtaking and beloved productions ever to grace the stage." The Fox in at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus Live through May 7. "The Off-Broadway hit comedy Men Are From Mars - Women Are From Venus LIVE!, is a one-man fusion of theatre and stand-up, and is a light-hearted theatrical comedy based on the New York Times #1 best-selling book of the last decade by John Gray. Moving swiftly through a series of vignettes, the show covers everything from dating and marriage to the bedroom. This hysterical show will have couples elbowing each other all evening as they see themselves on stage. Sexy and fast paced, this show is definitely for adults, but will leave audiences laughing and giggling like little kids! " The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

The University Theatre at Saint Louis University presents Monster by Neal Bell Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. April 28-30. "Adapted from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, Monster takes a disturbing yet poignant look at one man's obsession with creating life and the destructive after effects of abandoning his creation." The University Theatre is located in Xavier Hall, 3733 West Pine Mall. For more information: slu.edu/utheatre.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Murder at the Abbey through April 29. "Welcome to the world of Downton Abbey! A world full of aristocracy, old money but never anything as droll as murder! Congratulations! You've been invited to the dinner party held by the Earl of Grantham himself! Some would kill for the opportunity to meet the Crawley family. They'll all be there! The Earl, his beautiful wife and three daughters...not to mention all the other characters in, (and around), the Grantham house. That's right! All the family, staff and townsfolk will be there. You'll meet lots of fun characters...and you'll play as big, (or as small), of a part as you wish. Up to you. Hope nothing bad happens...but if it does...we might need you to help us figure it out? Or perhaps you're the killer?" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

UMSL Theatre and Cinema Arts presents My Country: A Devised Work Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through April 30. "What does your country look like? Inspired by the poem written by Sam Beadle, My Country, delves into how we view our country as citizens of different races, creeds, religions, gender, etc. And through it all, how do you define your country, how do you maintain empathy and your own humanity?" Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: kranzbergartscenter.org.

Curtain's Up Theatre presents Neil Simon's The Odd Couple Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., April 28 - May 6. "This classic comedy opens as a group of the guys assemble for cards in the apartment of divorced Oscar Madison. And if the mess is any indication, it's no wonder that his wife left him. Late to arrive is Felix Unger, who has just been separated from his wife. Fastidious, depressed, and none too tense, Felix seems suicidal, but as the action unfolds, Oscar becomes the one with murder on his mind when the clean freak and the slob ultimately decide to room together with hilarious results as The Odd Couple is born." Performances take place at the Alfresco Art Center, 2401 Delmar in Granite City, IL. For more information, visit curtainsuptheater.com.

Oedipus Apparatus
Photo: John Lamb
The West End Players Guild continues its 106th season with the world premier of Oedipus Apparatus, written and directed by Lucy Cashion, based on Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus, Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., April 27-30. There will also be a show on Thursday, April 27, at 8 PM. "Lucy Cashion is one of St. Louis's most exciting and creative young theatre artists. Her Equally Represented Arts Theatre Company is well-known for cutting edge works such as Trash Macbeth, Make Hamlet and The Residents of Craigslist. Now Lucy brings to our stage the world premiere Oedipus Apparatus, her original work inspired by Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus. It is most definitely NOT the version of this classic tale you read in freshman English!" 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.

Equally Represented Arts presents twelfth period, or not another twelfth night Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. (except for April 29, when there is no performance) through May 6th. "Created and Presented by Equally Represented Arts, eratheatre.org An experimental, multi-space, theatrical production From William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and high school, circa 1999 Welcome to Illyria Preparatory Academy - 'Where some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.'" Performances take place at Centene Center for the Arts, 3547 Olive in Grand Center. For more information: eratheatre.org.

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.
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.

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