St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of May 14, 2018

Carol Schmidt

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The Cabaret Project presents Cabaret Open Mic Night on Wednesday, May 16, from 7 to 10 pm. Drop by and enjoy a night of great music from St. Louis cabaret artists, backed up by pianist and music director Carol Schmidt and host Tim Schall. If you're planning to sing, be prepared to do one or two songs and bring music, preferably in your key. It's also recommend that you have your song memorized. The event takes place at Sophie's Artist Lounge on the second floor of the .ZACK performing arts space at 3226 Locust in Grand Center. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

Alton Little Theater presents the Lerner and Lowe musical Camelot Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through May 20. Performances take place at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618-462-6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

The Muny presents a Centennial Birthday Bash on Sunday, May 20, from 1 to 5 pm. "Guests will enjoy once in a lifetime experiences that celebrate musical theatre, community and The Muny. With the goal of engaging all generations that have been a part of The Muny family, there will be exciting activities for all. The Muny Centennial Birthday bash is proudly sponsored by Emerson." The performance takes place on the Muny's outdoor stage in Forest Park. For more information: muny.org.

CSZ St. Louis presents The ComedySportz Show on Saturday nights at 7:30 pm. The show is "action-packed, interactive and hilarious comedy played as a sport. Two teams battle it out for points and your laughs! You choose the winners the teams provide the funny!" Performances take place on the second floor of the Sugar Cubed, 917 S Main St. in St Charles, Mo. For more information: www.cszstlouis.com.

An Evening With C.S. Lewis

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents An Evening With C.S. Lewis Thursday through Sunday, May 17 - 20. "The year is 1963 and the famous British author C.S. Lewis is hosting a group of American writers at his home near Oxford. They are about to experience a captivating evening with a man whose engaging conversation and spontaneous humor made him one of the great raconteurs of his day. Seated in his living room and in front of a warm fire he recalls the people and events that inspired his thought and shaped his life; of his friendship with J.R.R. Tolkien; why he nearly abandoned the Narnia Chronicles; how he came to embrace Christianity and of the American woman who turned his life upside down. Described by critics as ‘Extraordinary!’ and ‘A Must See!’ An Evening with C.S. Lewis has proved again and again to be an enthralling theatrical experience and one which has led many thousands to discover (or rediscover) the continuing impact of a man whose collected works made him one of the literary giants of the 20th Century." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

The Muny presents An Evening With the Stars on Friday, May 18, at 9:15 pm. "This one-night-only production will have a sensational cast of 100, with special performances by show business legends Chita Rivera and Tommy Tune, along with Broadway and Muny stars Patrick Cassidy, Ken Page, Jenny Powers, Lara Teeter and Graham Rowat. The one-night-only production also will include an ensemble of 32 singers and dancers, the beloved Muny Kids and Muny Teens troupes, and the magnificent Muny Orchestra." The performance takes place on the Muny's outdoor stage in Forest Park. For more information: muny.org.

Gateway Opera presents Fifteen-Minute Mozarts Friday and Saturday, May 11 and 12, at 7 pm. "This season Gateway Opera is taking the humor and beauty of Mozart's three Da Ponte operas and pushing them to their absolute, ridiculous limit. Condensing each opera to just 15 minutes each, this is 'Le Nozze di Figaro', 'Don Giovanni', 'and Così fan Tutte' like you've never seen them before, filled with witty absurdity, frantic plot exposition, and - of course - a glorious aria or two." The performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information: gatewayopera.org.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents A Fistful of Hollers through July 28. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Get "Hitched" To A Redneck Or Die through July 29. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

Phantom of the Opera

The Fox Theatre presents the hit Broadway musical Phantom of the Opera through May 20th. "With newly reinvented staging and stunning scenic design, this new version of PHANTOM is performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this one of the largest productions on tour in North America." The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

PRIME presents Reverie on Saturday, May 19, at 8 pm. "Reverie will consist of six original plays that are written, rehearsed and performed within a 24-hour period. Each team will consist of an ensemble of local writers, actors, and directors. Visual artists and theatrical technicians will apply the final touches to each unique play. In addition, PRIME has recruited a range of artisans to create a pop-up theater. The team will transform a vacant storefront into a surreal dreamworld." The event takes place at 2712 Cherokee in south St. Louis. For more information: primetheatre.org.

A Streetcar Named Desire
Photo by Ride Hamilton

The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis presents A Streetcar Named Desire opening on Thursday, May 10, at 7:30 pm and running through May 19. "A Streetcar Named Desire, one of the most critically acclaimed and beloved plays in the history of American theater, is the story of a troubled former schoolteacher, Blanche DuBois, after she leaves a small town in Mississippi and moves in with her sister (Stella) and her sister's husband (Stanley) in New Orleans. With her flirtatious Southern-belle attitude, Blanche upends the precarious relationship between her sister and brother-in-law, leading to even greater conflict during her brief stay. The Dark Room at the Grandel will feature late night jazz following each evening performance. Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: twstl.org.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Verdi's La Traviata opening on Saturday, May 19, and running through June 23. "Violetta has one important rule: never fall in love. As a Parisian courtesan, her life is full of parties, admirers, and - most importantly - freedom. Then she meets Alfredo. His naive sincerity sweeps her off her feet. Just when Violetta thinks she has escaped her past, she is asked to make an unthinkable sacrifice. Will pride, love, or honor prevail? Embrace the romance of this Verdi masterpiece, featuring the directing debut of star soprano Patricia Racette" 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 call 314-961-0644.

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents Twisted Improv on Friday, May 18, at 8 pm at The Steamboat Room, 314 S. Clay in Kirkwood, MO. "Join Adam and his crew for an interactive night of fun and laughter. Beer, wine and food available from Kirkwood Station Brewery." For more information: ktg-onstage.org.

Alpha Players present the musical You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, based on the comic strip Peanuts, May 18 - 27. Performances take place at The Florissant Civic Center Theater, Parker Rd. at Waterford Dr. in Florissant, MO. For more information: alphaplayers.org, call 314-921-5678.

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.