St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of September 11, 2017

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Alton Little Theater presents Bingo, the Winning Musical Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through September 17. Performances take place at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents Agatha Christie's thriller Black Coffee Fridays through Sundays through September 17. "Accomplished physicist Sir Claud Amory has constructed a workable formula for one of the most deadly weapons known to man - the atom bomb. Hercule Poirot, with the help of Captain Hastings and Inspector Japp, is called in after the formula is mysteriously stolen and Sir Claud is callously murdered." 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.

Playwright Nancy Bell

The Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Blow, Winds, an adaptation by Nancy Bell of Shakespeare's King Lear, Friday through Sunday at 8 p.m., September 15 - 17. "During our frequent conversations with residents this past year, we heard many stories about their love for St. Louis and the pride they have in their neighborhoods. But we also heard about their frustration with problems that seem to be ingrained not only in our city but throughout the world including, inequality, injustice, and violence. This project sheds light on what there is to celebrate in our city, while still acknowledging the problems we all face. Our fate belongs to one another.” Performances take place on the steps of the St. Louis Public Library at 13th and Olive, downtown. The library will be closed for the event. Patrons are encouraged to bring their own chairs and sit in the closed street or the adjacent park. For more information: sfstl.com.

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents the musical Bye Bye Birdie Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through September 17, in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. "The year is 1958, and the much-adored rock-and-roll idol Conrad Birdie has been drafted into the US army. His songwriter and agent, Albert, and Albert's secretary and some-time girlfriend, Rosie, hatch a plan for a farewell performance to take place on The Ed Sullivan Show, which they hope will help sell Birdie's new song 'One Last Kiss,' and ultimately save Almaelou records from going under." For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618-939-7469.

Church Basement Ladies

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Church Basement Ladies Thursdays through Sundays through October 1. "Church Basement Ladies, a celebration of the church basement kitchen and the women who work there, features four distinct characters and their relationships as they organize the food and the problems of a rural Minnesota church. From the elderly matriarch of the kitchen to the young bride-to-be learning the proper order of things, the book and music give us a touching, funny look at their lives as we see them handle a record breaking Christmas dinner, the funeral of a dear friend, a Hawaiian Easter Fundraiser, and a steaming hot July wedding. They stave off potential disasters, share and debate recipes, instruct the young, and keep the Pastor on due course while thoroughly enjoying, (and tolerating) each other." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents Coupler by Meredith Dayna Levy, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., September 15 - 24. "Six Londoners are about to discover that all the world is made up of love and trust, and a little bit of pixie dust...Coupler follows the twists and turns in the lives of the occupants of the last car of the Northern line, who are looking for love and struggling to trust. With the help of some pixie dust, and a particularly vocal tube train, they work to connect, listen, and eventually - inevitably - grow up." Performances take place at The .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Midtown. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

The Curious Incident of the
Dog in the Night-Time
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the drama The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time throiugh October 1. “The 2015 Tony Award winner for Best Play, The Curious Incident is an immersive adventure that puts audiences in the shoes of 15-year-old sleuth Christopher. He's a brilliant young man, but struggles to process everyday information. Suspected of killing his neighbor's dog, Christopher journeys into London to track down the true culprit. But can he withstand the sensory overload of the big city?” Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of the new play The Debate of God by Brad Slavik on Monday, September 11, at 6:30 p.m. " A Catholic priest, a Jew, a Muslim, and a Buddhist monk walk into the audience hall of the great Khan of the Mongol Empire. Sounds like the beginning of a joke but it was a real situation: in 1254 the Great Khan ordered a debate between Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists. Thus is brought into the crucible all the differences and all the similarities of the three great religions. It brought its share of conflict, comedy, and intrigue. It also brings in three unlikely friendships and an unexpected ending." The event takes place upstairs at Big Daddy's, 1000 Sindey in Soulard. For more information: www.stlwritersgroup.com.

The Black Rep presents the St. Louis premiere of the comedy/drama Dot through September 24. "In DOT, Dotty Shealey and her three grown children are gathering once more for the holidays at the Shealey house (always a wild affair there.) But this year, there's more to deal with than exchanging gifts. Dotty is struggling to hold onto her memory, while her children are fighting to balance care for their mother and for themselves. Warm, funny and touching, DOT grapples unflinchingly with aging parents and midlife crises in the heart of a West Philly neighborhood." Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: theblackrep.org.

New Line Theatre presents Down With Love on Saturday, September 16, at 8 p.m. as part of the company's Off Line at the Monocle series. "Goofy, green-haired goddess, Marcy Ann Wiegert, and the sinfully charming, introverted exhibitionist, Luke Steingruby, open up about their strange collective experiences in awkward dates, heartbreaks, and moving on." The performance takes place at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

The Bankside Repertory Theatre Company presents Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., September 14 - 23. "Funny, sad and touching, Ruhl takes on the classic Greek myth of Orpheus from the heroine's point of view to explore the theme of grief. Is it easier to forget the past, or to cherish it with a broken heart?" Performances take place at the Jacoby Arts Center, 627 E. Broadway in Alton , IL For more information: www.banksiderep.com

KTK Productions presents Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., September 15 - 24. "The show is a cabaret revue sharply spoofing show tunes, characters and plots of contemporary and current Broadway musicals. Forbidden Broadway has mocked popular shows like The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked, Les Misérables, The Lion King, Spamalot, Annie, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Rent, Newsies, to name a few. It also targets famous Broadway actors, writers, composers, directors, choreographers and producers, including Julie Andrews, Mel Brooks, Carol Channing, Kristin Chenoweth, Michael Crawford, Harvey Fierstein, Bob Fosse, Whoopi Goldberg, Robert Goulet, Jerry Herman, Dustin Hoffman, Elton John, Angela Lansbury, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Patti LuPone, Cameron Mackintosh, Mary Martin, Ethel Merman, Liza Minnelli, Rita Moreno, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Chita Rivera, Stephen Sondheim, Barbra Streisand, Julie Taymor and Gwen Verdon. " Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information: kurtainkall.org or call 314-351-8984.

Metro Theatre Company presents Games Dad Didn't Play at 2 and 7 p.m Saturday and Sunday, September 16 and 17. " Lucas and his mom are starting over: a whole new city, a whole new school, a whole new beginning. Games Dad Didn't Play follows Lucas in his new life as he struggles to come to terms with everything he doesn't remember, or want to believe, about his dad in prison. So he imagines a whole new dad; one who hadn't hurt anyone. As the stories of his imaginary dad become more elaborate, Lucas' new best friend, Eddie, grows suspicious. When Eddie learns the truth, he accuses Lucas of being as “bad” as his father. Unsure of what to do, Lucas lashes out. Eventually, with a little help from mom, Lucas begins to understand he doesn't have to repeat his father's “scared mistakes.” He may not be able to change what happened in the past, but he can make his own choices." Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: metroplays.org.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents The Haunted Hunter through October 27. "The rumor is true! Word on the street? This place is Haunted! That's right! ...and lots of famous sleuths, detectives and ghost hunters from around the world will be there to catch a glimpse of our famous, (and elusive), ghost "Billy", (better known as "Billy, the Spook"). Gee! If someone gets "Whacked", we'll have plenty of detectives to solve the crime, won't we! Everyone plays a part! You could be "Sherlock Homes", "Miss Garble", or even "The Hardly Boys". Call today for tickets to this "hauntingly silly" dinner theater." The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

Christ Memorial Productions presents the musical Meet Me in St. Louis, based on the classic film, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM, September 15 - 24. Performances take place at Christ Memorial Lutheran Church, 5252 South Lindbergh. For more information, visit CMPShows.org or call 314-631-0304.

The Fox Theatre presents Momma's Boy on Sunday, September 17, at 3 and 7:30 p.m. " What happens when a mother holds on to her son too long? That's precisely what we learn as this all-star cast unite to tell the story of a young man who takes pride in being macho but really is a momma's boy. Set in the inner city, Aaron and Autumn join forces as police officers in a town plagued by violence. Autumn is then forced to move into Aaron's home with her sons. Autumn has spoiled and catered to her sons' every need, which has earned them the title of being momma's boys. This is where Aaron's plight begins to turn these boys to men. In an awkward turn of events, Autumn decides to confront Aaron about his own relationship with his mother. Aaron's mother, who has resided with him for the past 10 years, feels that no woman can take care of her son like she can. She has run away potential prospects in the past and intends to do the same with Autumn. The big question that remains is how can Aaron turn Autumn's boys into men when he is a "momma's boy" himself?" The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Smoking Gun through October 29. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

South Pacific
Photo: Peter Wockniak,  ProPhotoSTL

Stages St. Louis presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific through October 8. "One of the most powerful musicals of all time, this multi-award- winning classic from Rodgers and Hammerstein will sweep you away with its tale of love and loss in the SOUTH PACIFIC. Based on the Pulitzer Prize winning book by James Michener and featuring some of the finest music ever written for the American stage, SOUTH PACIFIC spins a dangerously romantic tale centered around young American soldiers and nurses stationed on a tropical naval base during the Second World War. Seeking respite from the battles around them, they find refuge in the two groups as romance blooms in this lush tropical paradise.” Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information: stagesstlouis.org.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Steppin' Out With Ben Vereen on Sunday, September 17 at 7:30 p.m. " Few entertainers today are as accomplished as Ben Vereen. A Broadway legend, he won a Tony Award for Pippin and starred in such phenomenal musicals as Jesus Christ Superstar, Fosse, Chicago and Wicked, to name a few. He is remembered for films like 'Sweet Charity' and 'All That Jazz,' and he became a household name with the groundbreaking television series 'Roots' and now the popular Amazon series 'Sneaky Pete.' Steppin' Out With Ben Vereen is an evening of song and dance mixed with stories of his life, seasoned with insight and humor, as he performs signature numbers such as: 'Defying Gravity,' 'Mr. Bojangles,' 'Magic To Do,' and 'Life Is Just A Bowl of Cherries.'" The performance takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3658 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: sheldonconcerthall.org.

Mariposa Artists presents storyteller Bobby Norfolk in Through the Eyes of York: The Lewis and Clark Expedition on Friday, September 15, at 8 p.m. The evening includes a post-show Q and A session on St. Louis history hosted by Norfolk and Beverly Brennan, as well as a special wine reception hosted by Brennan's Wines of the Central West End. The performance takes place at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information: bobbynorfolk.com.

Inevitable Theatre Company makes its St. Louis performance debut with the regional premiere of Stewart Permutt's one-woman play Unsuspecting Susan, September 15-30. "Unsuspecting Susan portrays the tranquil village life of upper-class Hampshire divorcée Susan Chester, whose hobbies include amateur dramatics, raising Sealyham Terriers, and collecting the juiciest gossip about her neighbors. After Susan's troubled son, Simon, moves to London, her seemingly perfect world is rocked by an unspeakable act of violence." Performances take place at The Chapel on Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information: inevitabletheatre.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.