As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.
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My hit list was on vacation while my wife and I were tooling around Italy. Now that it's back, I realize that there is so much great theatre, opera, and cabaret in town this week that I hardly have space to list it all. Here is my very personal list, based entirely on what I've already seen or (in the case of the cabaret shows) on my experience with the performers. Your mileage may vary.
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| Amy Friedl Stoner |
Mariposa Artists presents
Amy Friedl Stoner in
Dreamchaser on Saturday, June 24, at 8 p.m. "Dreamchaser" is a look at life -with the love of music leading the way- through the songs of Billy Joel, Cole Porter, Jason Robert Brown and more." The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Arts Center at Grand and Olive in Grand Center. For more information:
metrotix.com.
My take: Amy is the Real Deal—a pro who can deliver the goods. The fact that cabaret legend Lina Koutrakos is her director doesn't hurt.
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The Grapes of Wrath
Photo: Ken Howard |
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents the world premiere of
The Grapes of Wrath by Ricky Ian Gordon and Michael Korie, based on the John Steinbeck novel, through June 25. "When the Dust Bowl sweeps across Oklahoma, the Joad family sets out for a new life in California. But the promised land isn't all it seems. In the face of countless obstacles, can the American dream survive? Both heartbreaking and uplifting, this acclaimed opera vividly captures all the beauty of John Steinbeck's best-selling novel." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information:
experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.
My take: As I write
in my review, this is a searing indictment of the cruel and exploitative treatment of the so-called "Okies"-subsistence farmers driven into poverty by the Depression and the Dust Bowl and driven from their homes by rapacious banks. Sadly, that indictment is still relevant as politicians continue their war on the poor.
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Madame Butterfly
Photo: Ken Howard |
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Puccini's
Madame Butterfly through June 24. "A Japanese geisha. An American soldier. Their attraction is immediate, but their love story can't last. When their union results in a child, Cio-Cio-San is forced to do whatever it takes to protect her son's future. Set to breathtaking music, this timeless opera pays powerful, wrenching tribute to a mother's love." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information:
experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.
My take: As I note
in my review, this production is so good that it allowed me to forget, for nearly all of its two-and-one-half hour length, why I dislike this opera in the first place. Artistically and technically, this is such a superb piece of work that even an old
Butterfly curmudgeon like yours truly got swept up in the tragedy.
Mariposa Artists presents
Amy Basta in
Marilyn, Uncovered on Friday, June 23, at 8 p.m. "Share an evening with Singer/Performer Amy Basta as she uncovers the iconic Marilyn Monroe in this original and captivating look at one of the greatest legends of the 20th Century. Through a theatrical mix of songs, join Amy and pianist/arranger extraordinaire Rick Jensen on a compassionate journey, beginning with the life of Norma Jeane to the final days of Marilyn. Judged and misunderstood by many but loved by all, both personas ultimately came up victorious, yet not without great personal cost." Rick Jensen is pianist and music director for the show, which is directed by Lina Koutrakos. The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Arts Center at Grand and Olive in Grand Center. For more information:
metrotix.com.
My take: Because I still haven't mastered being in more than one place at the same time, I'm going to miss this. But what's not to like about a show celebrating the remarkable Ms. Monroe, I ask you?
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| Ken Haller and Marty Fox |
The Stage at KDHX presents
Ken Haller in
The Medicine Show on Saturday, June 24, at 8 p.m. Ken Haller's shows have been described as "touching," "hilarious," "intimate," and "tremendously entertaining." In The Medicine Show, where "miracle cures" are peddled, Ken weaves songs as diverse as "The Physician" (Cole Porter), "Someone to Fall Back on," (Jason Robert Brown), "Pirelli's Miracle Elixir" (Stephen Sondheim) and more, into a narrative of how becoming a doctor is only the first step toward becoming a healer. The performances take place at The Stage at KDHX, 3524 Washington in Grand Center. For more information:
ticketfly.com.
My take: The Medicine Show, the newest diadem in the crown of St. Louis cabaret star Ken Haller, was just what the doctor ordered. And Mr. Haller is a doctor, so he should know. Check out
my review of the show earlier this spring at Cabaret Scenes to learn more.
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| Time Flies |
Circus Flora presents its new show,
Time Flies, through June 25 under the air-conditioned, red-and-white, big top tent in Grand Center next to Powell Hall. "Imagine that you could travel through time. Would you go back to relive historic events? What if you could alter the course of your own life? Now imagine you had the grace, power, and beauty of an acrobat or aerialist. Circus Flora's all new production uses the timeless art of circus to explore the fabric of time." For more information:
circusflora.org.
My take: Circus Flora remains one of our town's great performing arts treasures. Escape the heat by joining the circus. You won't regret it.
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Titus (La Clemenza di Tito)
Photo: Ken Howard |
Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Mozart's
Titus (
La Clemenza di Tito) through June 24. "Politics turn lethal as a new emperor takes the throne of Rome, and the Capitol is set ablaze by an explosive mix of ambition, conspiracy, and romantic intrigue. With an assassin lurking in the shadows, can the world's most powerful city still be ruled with compassion? Experience this transcendent Mozart masterpiece, handpicked by conductor Stephen Lord for his final appearance as OTSL Music Director." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information:
experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.
My take: I'll qualify my recommendation by saying this one is mostly for lovers of Mozart and great singing in general. Besides, you should never pass up a chance to hear the heavenly voice of tenor René Barbers. Check
my review for details.
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| The Winter's Tale |
Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents the comedy/drama
The Winter's Tale nightly except for Tuesdays, through June 25. "Written in approximately 1610,
The Winter's Tale is considered to be one of a group of Shakespeare's plays defined by their tragic undertones and simultaneous use of straightforward comic situations. Other plays that are grouped in this category include Measure for Measure, The Merchant of Venice, Troilus and Cressida, All's Well that Ends Well, and Timon of Athens." Beginning at 6:30 the Green Show presents pre-play entertainment a variety of local performers on multiple stages. The play begins at 8 p.m. Performances take place in Shakespeare Glen next to the Art Museum in Forest Park. For more information, visit
shakespearefestivalstlouis.org.
My take: This is, as I say
in my review, seriously great theatre. It's one of the best Shakespeare productions I've ever seen. Heck, it's one of the best productions of any play I've ever seen. And it's free (or, at most, $10 if you want to buy a seat; such a deal!).
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