Sunday, October 28, 2018

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 29, 2018

The Gaslight Cabaret Festival continues to rain talent up on us while new shows open at Kirkwood, Webster, and Hawthorne Players, among others.

Admissions
Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the St. Louis premiere of Admissions by Joshua Harmon through November 11. "Prep school admissions director Sherri Rosen-Mason lives according to staunchly progressive values. Her daily battles include diversifying both the school's student body and the photos in its brochures. But when her teenage son claims those same values have denied him opportunities as a white student, it creates an explosive conflict that exposes their family's hypocrisies and privileges. This biting play's acidic humor goes straight for the throat." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

Act Two Theatre presents the musical Annie Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through November 11. "With equal measures of pluck and positivity, little orphan Annie charms everyone's hearts despite a next-to-nothing start in 1930s New York City. She is determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago at an Orphanage that is run by the cruel Miss Hannigan. When she escapes into NYC, Annie foils Miss Hannigan's evil machinations and even befriends President Franklin Delano Roosevelt! She finds a new family in billionaire, Oliver Warbucks, Grace Farrell, and a lovable mutt named Sandy." 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 Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the classic comedy Arsenic and Old Lace Fridays through Sundays, November 2 - 11. "We meet the charming and innocent ladies who populate their cellar with the remains of socially and religiously “acceptable” roomers; the antics of their nephew who thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt. We also meet the other nephew, Mortimer and his girlfriend Elaine and her father, a minister. Everything is running smoothly until Jonathan, another nephew, shows up." 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.

Over Due Theatre presents musical La Cage aux Folles Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, November 2 - 11. "Georges is the owner of the La Cage Aux Folles nightclub, which features a drag show starring his partner and the love of his life, Albin. After twenty years of un-wedded bliss, Georges and his partner Albin face the hardest challenge of their relationship, yet: meeting their son, Jean-Michel's fiance's parents. Albin has always raised Jean-Michel, Georges' biological son, as his own. But when Jean-Michel falls in love and becomes engaged to the daughter of an ultra-conservative, anti-gay politician, Georges feels compelled to try to present a more “traditional” family to Jean-Michel's potential in-laws. When Albin tries and fails to take on a masculine persona in the role of Uncle Al, he gets more creative in order to find a way to be part of the “meet the parents” experience. Based on Jean Poiret's 1973 French play of the same name, the multi-Tony award-winning La Cage Aux Folles is a musical filled with delightful spectacle and great heart." Performances take place at the Olivette Community Center, 9723 Grandview Drive, in Olivette, MO. For more information, call 314-210-2959 or visit overduetheatrecompany.com.

Carrie St. Louis
The Gaslight Cabaret Festival presents Carrie St. Louis Friday and Saturday, November 2 and 3, at 8 pm. "A beautiful, smart, really funny and immensely talented Broadway phenom named St. Louis should like do a show here, right? That's what we thought. Fresh off a Broadway run of Kinky Boots, Carrie makes her St. Louis debut. She's thrilled to bring her goofy personality, backstage stories, and the songs she loves to The Gaslight!" The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents A Christmas Sleigh-Ing November 2 through December 29. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

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.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Dead Like Me through November 3. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

A Doll's House, Part 2
Photo by Peter Wochniak
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents A Doll's House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath through November 4. "Hnath's audacious sequel, written more than 135 years after Henrik Ibsen's original, hit Broadway in 2017 like a sneak attack. Ibsen's familial drama remains a foundational piece of theatre, with a still-controversial ending in which a married woman chooses to walk out on her family. But Hnath took the themes and characters of that familiar classic and flipped them on their heads, imagining what would happen if protagonist Nora Helmer returned home 15 years after her dramatic exit." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

The Black Rep presents a special benefit performance of The Gospel at Colonus on Friday, November 3. Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: theblackrep.org.

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents In the Works, a festival of contemporary American plays inspired by Shakespeare, featuring the regional premiere of Into the Breeches!, through November 24. "Building on its beloved summer productions in Forest Park and the acclaimed Shakespeare in the Streets program, the Festival now presents its very first season of contemporary American plays by writers in dialogue with Shakespeare, headlined by the regional premiere of Into the Breeches! Written by the award-winning playwright of Grounded, which starred Anne Hathaway in its New York run, Into the Breeches! is a hilarious and heartwarming look at the WWII home front and a group of ladies who band together to keep the local theater going with their very own production of Henry V. "In the Works" will also feature family matinees of A Most Outrageous Fit of Madness, a delightful new play for young audiences by Festival favorite Nancy Bell, inspired by the mistaken identity hijinks of The Comedy of Errors, as well as staged readings of the Festival-commissioned The Thousand Natural Shocks, a moving coming-of-age story about a teenage boy who finds strength and resilience through a high school production of Hamlet. (The Thousand Natural Shocks is appropriate for ages 13 and over.)" Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including dates and times: sfstl.com.

The Gaslight Cabaret Festival presents singer/songwriter Jimmy Webb on Monday, October 29, at 7 pm. " By The Time I Get to Phoenix; MacArthur Park; Wichita Lineman; The Worst That Could Happen; The Moon is a Harsh Mistress; Didn't We, and 1968 Grammy Song of the Year: Up, Up and Away. Four-time Grammy winner Jimmy Webb does a great and gritty show of his songs, made famous by either Frank Sinatra, Glen Campbell, Richard Harris, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, The 5th Dimension, James Taylor, Johnny Cash, Art Garfunkel, Linda Rondstadt, Josh Groban or Donna Summer. And with that a standout storyteller too." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Bob Gerchen
The Gaslight Cabaret Festival presents Bob Gerchen in Joe Cocker: Never Forget on Thursday, November 1, at 8 p.m. "Bob Gerchen finds the beauty, the grit, the soul and the pathos in the work of Joe Cocker, with a little help from a St. Louis Grown Blues Band. Bob sings Joe's hits, but also some songs you might not know. He tells the story of Joe's improbable rise and influence on American blues and soul (he got inside a lot of our souls), as well as on the life of the show's creator. A Joe Cocker cabaret, in the big tent of cabaret at The Gaslight." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Monocle presents Paula Stoff Dean in an encore performance of her solo debut cabaret, Its About The Journey, on Saturday, November 3, at 8pm. "It's been several years in the making but Paula Stoff Dean is finally debuting in her first ever solo cabaret. Paula's voice has been described as one that can shake the rafters or break your heart. If you haven't heard her sing, make sure you mark this date on your calendars. She has been in various productions with several different theatre companies in the St Louis area such as Stray Dog Theatre, West End Players, Non Prophet Theatre Company, Dramatic License Productions, and most recently ComedySportz St. Louis." The show is directed by Kay Love with musical direction by Carol A Schmidt. The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle on Manchester in The Grove. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents Lord Arthur Saville's Crimes November 2 - 11. "Based on a story by Oscar Wilde, Lord Arthur Savile is engaged to the lovely Sybil Merton, but his chiromantist, Podgers, has read Lord Arthur's palm and foretold he would commit a murder. Desiring a blissful married life, Arthur feels duty bound to get the murder over with first. Despite help from his butler and the bomb-making anarchist, Winkelkopf, attempt after attempt fails. As the dust settles, hilarity and love abound in this witty and sweet comedy. " 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.

Macbeth: Come Like ShadowsPhoto by Eric Woolsey
Rebel and Misfits Productions presents Macbeth: Come Like Shadows Wednesdays through through November 10, as part of its Immersive Theatre Project. "Rebel and Misfits Productions is thrilled to present the third installment of the Immersive Theatre Project October 24-10. Dive into a shocking world and discover the heart and dark underbelly of a story that you have undoubtedly come in contact with before, but never allowed full access to the dripping heat and intimacy pulled along by its characters. This is one of Shakespeare's boldest and most passionate plays deeply imagined. Who are the inhabitants? Why do their souls choose the courses they embark upon? What is behind the door? Immerse yourself in a world of direct interaction, walk into this complexly-woven tale, wade into its unlocked depths. We invite you to meet these characters as you never have before. Drink with them. Dance with them. Share your secrets with them. They will, in turn, weave you into the fabric of the action. Come and experience this high-octane, dangerous, and sexy world, where nothing is ever quite what it seems." Audiences will board buses at 1615 South Broadway, St Louis, MO 63104 between 7:20 pm and 7:30 pm to be driven to the performance destination For more information: theimmersivetheatreproject.com.

Lindenwood University presents the musical Mary Poppins Thursday through Saturday, November 1 - 3, at 7:30 pm. "One of the most popular Disney movies of all time is capturing hearts in a whole new way: as a practically perfect musical! Based on the books by P.L. Travers and the classic Walt Disney film, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins delighted Broadway audiences for over 2,500 performances and received nominations for nine Olivier and seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical." Performances take place in the Emerson Black Box Theatre at the Scheiegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information: lindenwood.edu.

The Stifel Theatre presents Mystery Science Theatre 3000 Live! Featuring The Brain on Tuesday, October 30, at 7:30 pm. " Following its record-breaking #BringBackMST3K Kickstarter campaign, the inaugural new season of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” launched on April 14, 2017, exclusively on Netflix and earned a critics' rating of “100% Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes. The New York Times hails, “At last, a revival of something actually worth reviving… a different cast but the same outlook and style - and mercifully, the same reliable, giddy humor.” “MST3K is just as hilarious as ever in rebooted form, turning its bemused eye on old, schlocky fare for some good, old-fashioned riffing,” raves Vanity Fair. And Nerdist says, “The references are updated, the sets are snazzier, but the heart and soul of MST3K certainly remains intact.” In November of 2017, it was announced that Netflix was renewing the series, and the second season will air “in the not-too-distant future.” The Stifel Theatre is at 14th and Market downtown. For more information: stifeltheatre.com.

Alton Little Theater presents the drama One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through November 4. "Sometimes a play becomes a revolution, an idea lights the night sky, and a character becomes a part of cultural literacy. In 1963 a play called ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST ignited a national debate about mental health and treatment in state facilities ---and a charming rogue of a patient (character) did it all with reckless abandonment of the rules." Performances take place at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

O'Fallon TheatreWorks presents the drama One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest at the O'Fallon Municipal Centre auditorium Fridays through Sundays. November 2 - 11. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is a chilling, cautionary tale of a charming rogue, Randle Patrick McMurphy, who contrives to serve a short sentence in an airy mental institution rather than prison. This, he learns, was a mistake. He clashes with the head nurse, Nurse Ratched, a fierce martinet. He quickly takes over the yard and accomplishes what the medical profession was unable to do for 12 years, prompt a presumably deaf and dumb Native American patient to speak. Leading the other patients out of their introversion, McMurphy stages a revolt so that they can watch the World Series on television, and arranges a rollicking midnight party. The party is too horrid for Nurse Ratched, who forces a final “correction” on McMurphy, a frontal lobotomy. The play is a 2001 winner of a Tony® Award, for “Outstanding Revival of a Play.” Parental discretion is advised." The O'Fallon Municipal Centre is located at 100 North Main Street in O'Fallon, MO. For more information, visit www.ofallon.mo.us or call 636-379-5606.

The Hawthorne Players present the drama A Raisin in the Sun November 2 - 11. "Set on Chicago's South Side, the plot revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and matriarch Lena. When her deceased husband's insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of medical school. The tensions and prejudice they face form this seminal American drama. The Younger family's heroic struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration." 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.

Silent Sky
Photo by John Lamb
Insight Theatre Company presents Lauren Gunderson's Silent Sky Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through November 4. "When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn't allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women "computers," charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in "girl hours" and has no time for the women's probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman's place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women's ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Social progress, like scientific progress, can be hard to see when one is trapped among earthly complications; Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believe in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

Theatre Nuevo and Equally Represented Arts presents Whither Should I Fly through November 10. It's " a devised exploration of prescriptive women's behavior through witchcraft and multilevel marketing presented as part of the 2018 FAUSTival (http://www.faustival.org). Performances take place at The Centene Center, 3547 Olive in Grand Center. For more information: https://www.artful.ly/theatre-nuevo/store/events/16020.

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.

Saturday, October 27, 2018

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of October 29, 2018

The Metropolitan Orchestra at
Union Avenue Christian Church
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The Metropolitan Orchestra performs on Sunday, November 4, at 7 p.m. The program includes Haydn's Symphony No. 12, Rheinberger's Concerto in G minor with guest organist Bill Stein, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. The concert takes place at First Presbyterian Church, 100 E. Adams in Kirkwood. For more information: metro-orch.org.

St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents a concert by organist Dr. Jennifer Pascual on Sunday, November 4, at 2:30 pm. The performance takes place at The Cathedral Basilica on Lindell in the Central West End. For more information: cathedralconcerts.org.

The Saint Louis University Fine and Performing Arts Department Music Faculty will present their annual recital on Monday, October 29 at 7:30 pm. Performers include Laura Franklin on marimba, Rob Hughes on flute, pianists Wen Shen and Kirsten Santos Rutchman and vocalists Stephanie Tennill and Nathan Ruggles. The recital is free and open to the public and takes place in the College Church on the St. Louis University campus in Grand Center. For more information: slu.edu/arts.

Conductor Gemma New
The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents a screening of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas with the score performed live by the orchestra, conducted by Gemma New, Friday and Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, November 2 - 4. "What's this, what's this?! It's the wildly inventive world of Tim Burton's macabre classic The Nightmare Before Christmas playing on the big screen at Powell Hall. Danny Elfman's rambunctious, colorful score comes to life as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs the delightfully eccentric score live." Performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents The Arianna String Quartet in Visionaries on Friday, November 2, at 8 p.m. The program consists of Franz Schubert's Quartet in D minor, D.810, “Death and the Maiden,” and Ludwig van Beethove' s Quartet in C-sharp minor, Op.131. The Touhill Center is on the campus of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of October 25, 2018

New items include cabaret shows from Mariposa Artists, the Gaslight Cabaret Festival, The Cabaret Project, and the Kranzberg Center, as well as the return of an important historical drama.

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New This Week:

John McDaniel and  Barb Jungr
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The Kranzberg Arts Center presents John McDaniel and Barb Jungr in 1968: Let the Sun Shine In on Saturday, October 27th at 7 pm. "Award-winning "great British cabaret singer" (New York Times) and "one of the best night club singers in the world" (Time Out New York) Barb Jungr joins forces with St. Louis native, the formidably talented Grammy and two-time Emmy Award winning U.S. composer, arranger and Music Director, John McDaniel, alum of Kirkwood High School '79, to reinvent some of the most iconic anthems of 1968. The repertoire of "1968 - Let The Sun Shine In" reflects the tenor of the times - when the Viet Nam War raged, and the US saw the assassinations of both Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King - with titles including "Born To Be Wild," "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" and "Aquarius." The Kranzberg Center is at 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: metrotix.com.

My take: As I wrote when these two performers appeared together here this past January in a Beatles tribute show, the McDaniel/Jungr duo is an ideal team, and the obvious joy they take in working with each other is infectious. "Let's hope we get to see Ms. Jungr and Mr. McDaniel here again soon," I said. "It really has been too long." I guess I got my wish.


Faith Prince
The Gaslight Cabaret Festival presents Broadway star Faith Prince, with Alex Rybeck on piano, on Friday and Saturday, October 26 and 27, at 8 p.m. "Faith Prince has been dazzling Broadway audiences since winning the Tony Award for her performance as Ms. Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. As one of Broadway's most-loved leading ladies, Faith has starred in Annie and A Catered Affair. Tony Noms for Bells Are Ringing and Jerome Robbins' Broadway." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: Ms. Prince is a major Broadway talent and Mr. Rybeck is one of the more in-demand music directors in the Big Apple. Expect big entertainment when you put them together.


Darius de Haas
Jazz St. Louis and The Cabaret Project present Darius de Haas in A Leonard Bernstein Thing on Thursday at 7:30 pm, October 25. "2018 is Leonard Bernstein's centennial and Obie winning Broadway singer/actor Darius de Haas (recently seen as The Lion in The Muny's production of The WIz) looks through the lens of jazz, blues and pop to reinvent Bernstein's classic songs such as West Side Story's "Something's Coming" and "Maria" -- proving that Bernstein's American masterpieces transcends time, genre, and generations. An original cast member of Broadway's Rent, Kiss of The Spider Woman and Shuffle Along, de Haas' celebrated solo appearances include Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center." Performances take place at the Ferring Jazz Bistro on Washington just east of the Fox in Grand Center. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

My take: Mr. de Haas is a major star and Bernstein is, of course, one of the most important composers of the 20th century, so I don't see how you can go wrong. And if you haven't had a chance to check out the Jazz Bistro since it's recent renovation, you are in for a major treat. It's a great space for jazz and cabaret.


Merry Keller
Mariposa Productions presents Merry Keller: It's Personal on Friday, October 26, at 8 pm. "Merry Keller presents her newest cabaret solo show with an intimate look on life, love, family, and friends - meaningful moments in story and song." Rick Jensen is pianist and music director for the show, which is directed by Lina Koutrakos. The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: metrotix.com.

My take: I will admit that this is a highly personal recommendation. I've been through the St. Louis Cabaret Conference a number of times with Merry and have done some shows with her as well. She's a strong, classically trained singer with great stage presence, and her collaborators on this show—Lina Koutrakos and Rick Jensen—are major figures in the cabaret world.


Michelle Collier
Mariposa Productions presents Michelle Collier: Confessions of a Bombshell on Sunday, October 28, at 3 pm. "Ever wonder what a nice girl from St. Louis learns from working in a Times Square jazz club? Find out in CONFESSIONS OF A BOMBSHELL, Michelle Collier's sultry musical tribute to life and love in the Big City, with homages to the great sirens of the Silver Screen on Sunday, October 28th at 3pm at The Kranzberg Arts Center... featuring a special guest appearance by Kay Love!" The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: metrotix.com.

My take: When I reviewed Ms. Collier's Tribute to the Hollywood Blondes show at the Jazz Bistro in 2013, I wrote that she was an ebullient and engaging performer with a fine voice and impressive dance moves. She's a St. Louis native who has gone on to big things. It's nice to see her back in town after all these years.


Silent Sky
Photo by John Lamb
Insight Theatre Company presents Lauren Gunderson's Silent Sky Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through November 4. "When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn't allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women "computers," charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in "girl hours" and has no time for the women's probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman's place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women's ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Social progress, like scientific progress, can be hard to see when one is trapped among earthly complications; Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believe in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

My take: The significant contributions women have made to the sciences over the years (and the difficulty they have had in getting proper credit for them) have provided fodder for a fair number of books and plays recently. Silent Sky is fiction, of course, but it's based on solid history, and tells a tale that needs to be heard. Local theatre companies appear to agree, as there have been multiple productions of this play over the last few years (St. Louis University did it first, I believe, with West End Players presenting the professional theatre debut this past February). Reviewing for Ladue News, Mark Bretz says that director Maggie Ryan's "careful direction and her cast's studied approach to their roles make Insight's version of Silent Sky a richly rewarding reading of Gunderson's fascinating script."


Held Over:

A Doll's House, Part 2
Photo by Peter Wochniak
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents A Doll's House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath through November 4. "Hnath's audacious sequel, written more than 135 years after Henrik Ibsen's original, hit Broadway in 2017 like a sneak attack. Ibsen's familial drama remains a foundational piece of theatre, with a still-controversial ending in which a married woman chooses to walk out on her family. But Hnath took the themes and characters of that familiar classic and flipped them on their heads, imagining what would happen if protagonist Nora Helmer returned home 15 years after her dramatic exit." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

My take: I'm a great admirer of the work of playwright Lucas Hnath. His plays Death Tax and The Christians (both of which had their world premiere's at the Humana Festival in Louisville) are very strong and very different, so I'm interested to see what his revisionist take on Ibsen's classic looks like. Reviews have been very favorable. "Re-imagining a character such as Nora... is illuminating," writes Andrea Braun at STL Limelight. "A Doll's House, Part 2 provides a deeper examination of what's going on with her, shows how her actions may have affected one of her children, and, at long last, lets us hear from Torvald. The play got a slew of awards and nominations; it deserves them." "Director Timothy Near," writes Ann Lemmons Pollack, "gives us a play that is both period and modern. It balances both sides beautifully." I agree. As I wrote in my review, this is a show and a production that grow in the memory, which is always a good sign.


The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
Mustard Seed Theatre presents The Last Days of Judas Iscariot Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through October 28. “In this irreverent exploration of the afterlife of Judas Iscariot, will sin or grief or grace prevail? This brutal dark comedy puts love and justice on trial. Adult language and situations, not appropriate for children.” 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.

My take: How can you not like the concept of this show? Still consumed with guilt, Judas has had enough of Hell and wants a new trial. Witnesses include Freud, Mother Teresa, Pilate and, of course, Satan himself. In his review for STL Today, Calvin Wilson says that the script "is a droll, poignant and surreally intriguing meditation on nothing less than the meaning of life. And this production is outstanding." At STL Limelight, Lynn Venhaus says the production "is an extraordinary achievement for all involved. It's tough, tender, edgy and above all, heartfelt." This is another one of those shows I'd see if only I had one of those time turners that J.K. Rowling describes in her Harry Potter books.


Sunday, October 21, 2018

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 22, 2018

There is a LOT of cabaret on the calendar this week, along with new shows from the Rep Studio, Shakespeare Festival, and Theatre Nuevo, among others.

John McDaniel and  Barb Jungr
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The Kranzberg Arts Center presents John McDaniel and Barb Jungr in 1968: Let the Sun Shine In on Saturday, October 27th at 7 pm. "Award-winning "great British cabaret singer" (New York Times) and "one of the best night club singers in the world" (Time Out New York) Barb Jungr joins forces with St. Louis native, the formidably talented Grammy and two-time Emmy Award winning U.S. composer, arranger and Music Director, John McDaniel, alum of Kirkwood High School '79, to reinvent some of the most iconic anthems of 1968. The repertoire of "1968 - Let The Sun Shine In" reflects the tenor of the times - when the Viet Nam War raged, and the US saw the assassinations of both Robert F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King - with titles including "Born To Be Wild," "Do You Know The Way To San Jose?" and "Aquarius." The Kranzberg Center is at 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: metrotix.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Addams Family Affair through October 28. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

The cast of Admissions
Photo by Patrick Lanham
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the St. Louis premiere of Admissions by Joshua Harmon October 24 - November 11. "Prep school admissions director Sherri Rosen-Mason lives according to staunchly progressive values. Her daily battles include diversifying both the school's student body and the photos in its brochures. But when her teenage son claims those same values have denied him opportunities as a white student, it creates an explosive conflict that exposes their family's hypocrisies and privileges. This biting play's acidic humor goes straight for the throat." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.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.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Dead Like Me through November 3. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

A Doll's House, Part 2
Photo by Peter Wochniak
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents A Doll's House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath through November 4. "Hnath's audacious sequel, written more than 135 years after Henrik Ibsen's original, hit Broadway in 2017 like a sneak attack. Ibsen's familial drama remains a foundational piece of theatre, with a still-controversial ending in which a married woman chooses to walk out on her family. But Hnath took the themes and characters of that familiar classic and flipped them on their heads, imagining what would happen if protagonist Nora Helmer returned home 15 years after her dramatic exit." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

Evil Dead: The Musical
Photo by Justin Been
Stray Dog Theatre presents the Evil Dead: The Musical Thursdays through Saturdays through October 27. There will also an 8 pm performance on Wednesday, October 24. "Third time's a scream (at long last)! Based on the 80s cult classic EVIL DEAD films, this hilariously campy show is bursting with more farce than a Monty Python skit. Five college kids take a trip to a remote cabin in the woods and encounter everything from ancient evil spirits to revenge-seeking Candarian demons. It's all ridiculous and wild, while the term "Fresh Blood!" takes on new meaning!" Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

Faith Prince
The Gaslight Cabaret Festival presents Broadway star Faith Prince, with Alex Rybeck on piano, on Friday and Saturday, October 26 and 27, at 8 p.m. "Faith Prince has been dazzling Broadway audiences since winning the Tony Award for her performance as Ms. Adelaide in Guys and Dolls. As one of Broadway's most-loved leading ladies, Faith has starred in Annie and A Catered Affair. Tony Noms for Bells Are Ringing and Jerome Robbins' Broadway." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents In the Works, a festival of contemporary American plays inspired by Shakespeare, featuring the regional premiere of Into the Breeches!, October 28 - November 24. "Building on its beloved summer productions in Forest Park and the acclaimed Shakespeare in the Streets program, the Festival now presents its very first season of contemporary American plays by writers in dialogue with Shakespeare, headlined by the regional premiere of Into the Breeches! Written by the award-winning playwright of Grounded, which starred Anne Hathaway in its New York run, Into the Breeches! is a hilarious and heartwarming look at the WWII home front and a group of ladies who band together to keep the local theater going with their very own production of Henry V. "In the Works" will also feature family matinees of A Most Outrageous Fit of Madness, a delightful new play for young audiences by Festival favorite Nancy Bell, inspired by the mistaken identity hijinks of The Comedy of Errors, as well as staged readings of the Festival-commissioned The Thousand Natural Shocks, a moving coming-of-age story about a teenage boy who finds strength and resilience through a high school production of Hamlet. (The Thousand Natural Shocks is appropriate for ages 13 and over.)" Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including dates and times: sfstl.com.

The Gaslight Cabaret Festival presents singer/songwriter Jimmy Webb on Sunday, October 28, at 7 pm. "By The Time I Get to Phoenix; MacArthur Park; Wichita Lineman; The Worst That Could Happen; The Moon is a Harsh Mistress; Didn't We, and 1968 Grammy Song of the Year: Up, Up and Away. Four-time Grammy winner Jimmy Webb does a great and gritty show of his songs, made famous by either Frank Sinatra, Glen Campbell, Richard Harris, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, The 5th Dimension, James Taylor, Johnny Cash, Art Garfunkel, Linda Rondstadt, Josh Groban or Donna Summer. And with that a standout storyteller too." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
Mustard Seed Theatre presents The Last Days of Judas Iscariot Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through October 28. "In this irreverent exploration of the afterlife of Judas Iscariot, will sin or grief or grace prevail? This brutal dark comedy puts love and justice on trial. Adult language and situations, not appropriate for children." 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.

Darius de Haas
Jazz St. Louis and The Cabaret Project present Darius de Haas in A Leonard Bernstein Thing on Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm, October 24 and 25. "2018 is Leonard Bernstein's centennial and Obie winning Broadway singer/actor Darius de Haas (recently seen as The Lion in The Muny's production of The WIz) looks through the lens of jazz, blues and pop to reinvent Bernstein's classic songs such as West Side Story's "Something's Coming" and "Maria" -- proving that Bernstein's American masterpieces transcends time, genre, and generations. An original cast member of Broadway's Rent, Kiss of The Spider Woman and Shuffle Along, de Haas' celebrated solo appearances include Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center." Performances take place at the Ferring Jazz Bistro on Washington just east of the Fox in Grand Center. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

Macbeth: Come Like Shadows
Photo by Eric Woolsey
Rebel and Misfits Productions presents Macbeth: Come Like Shadows Wednesdays through Saturdays, October 24 through November 10, as part of its Immersive Theatre Project. "Rebel and Misfits Productions is thrilled to present the third installment of the Immersive Theatre Project October 24-10. Dive into a shocking world and discover the heart and dark underbelly of a story that you have undoubtedly come in contact with before, but never allowed full access to the dripping heat and intimacy pulled along by its characters. This is one of Shakespeare's boldest and most passionate plays deeply imagined. Who are the inhabitants? Why do their souls choose the courses they embark upon? What is behind the door? Immerse yourself in a world of direct interaction, walk into this complexly-woven tale, wade into its unlocked depths. We invite you to meet these characters as you never have before. Drink with them. Dance with them. Share your secrets with them. They will, in turn, weave you into the fabric of the action. Come and experience this high-octane, dangerous, and sexy world, where nothing is ever quite what it seems." Audiences will board buses at 1615 South Broadway, St Louis, MO 63104 between 7:20 pm and 7:30 pm to be driven to the performance destination For more information: theimmersivetheatreproject.com.

Merry Keller
Mariposa Productions presents Merry Keller: It's Personal on Friday, October 26, at 8 pm. "Merry Keller presents her newest cabaret solo show with an intimate look on life, love, family, and friends - meaningful moments in story and song." Rick Jensen is pianist and music director for the show, which is directed by Lina Koutrakos. The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: metrotix.com.

Mariposa Productions presents Michelle Collier: Confessions of a Bombshell on Sunday, October 28, at 3 pm. "Ever wonder what a nice girl from St. Louis learns from working in a Times Square jazz club? Find out in CONFESSIONS OF A BOMBSHELL, Michelle Collier's sultry musical tribute to life and love in the Big City, with homages to the great sirens of the Silver Screen on Sunday, October 28th at 3pm at The Kranzberg Arts Center... featuring a special guest appearance by Kay Love!" The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: metrotix.com.

Alton Little Theater presents the drama One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, October 26 - November 4. "Sometimes a play becomes a revolution, an idea lights the night sky, and a character becomes a part of cultural literacy. In 1963 a play called ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST ignited a national debate about mental health and treatment in state facilities ---and a charming rogue of a patient (character) did it all with reckless abandonment of the rules." Performances take place at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents the rock musical The Rocky Horror Show Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through October 28. "Newlyweds Brad and Janet have blown a tire. They abandon their car and stumble into the Edison Theatre - right into Frank N Furter's castle in Transylvania. Here their naive notions of sexual identity will be forever changed." The performances take place in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543 or visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu.

Silent Sky
Photo by John Lamb
Insight Theatre Company presents Lauren Gunderson's Silent Sky Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through November 4. "When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn't allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women "computers," charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in "girl hours" and has no time for the women's probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman's place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women's ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Social progress, like scientific progress, can be hard to see when one is trapped among earthly complications; Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believe in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

Theatre Nuevo and Equally Represented Arts presents Whither Should I Fly opening on Thursday, October 25, at 8 pm and running through November 10. It's " a devised exploration of prescriptive women's behavior through witchcraft and multilevel marketing presented as part of the 2018 FAUSTival (http://www.faustival.org). Performances take place at The Centene Center, 3547 Olive in Grand Center. For more information: https://www.artful.ly/theatre-nuevo/store/events/16020.

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.

Review: Both sides now

L-R: Celeste Golden Boyer, Elizabeth Joy Roe,
Melissa Brooks
Photo by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
There were only two works on the program Friday night (October 19, 2018) at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. They were both from the 19th century German repertoire, and they could hardly have been more different.

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[Find out more about the music with my symphony preview.]

The concert opened with what may be Beethoven's least often heard concerto, the Concerto in C major for Violin, Cello, Piano and Orchestra, op. 56, a.k.a the "Triple Concerto." Composed between 1803 and 1804, when Beethoven was also working on (among others) the Symphony No. 3 ("Eroica") and the Piano Sonata No. 32 ("Appassionata"), the Triple Concerto tends to get overlooked and even dissed as second rate.

I think that's unfair to this engaging work. Yes, there's not much of the Olympian Beethoven of legend here--the work is more genial than it is a work of genius--but it's still delightful to hear, at least when it's presented with the kind of elegance and virtuosity I heard Friday night.

Soloists Celeste Golden Boyer (SLSO Second Associate Concertmaster) and Melissa Brooks (SLSO Associate Principal Cello) joined pianist Elizabeth Joy Roe (who made such a splash here in 2016) in a performance that was stylish, bracing, and altogether irresistible. The violin and cello do most of the heavy lifting in the work, and Ms. Boyer and Ms. Brooks carried their respective parts off with great finesse and concentration. I thought Ms. Brooks was especially touching in the tender second movement but, in truth, all three performers were in fine form. Up on the podium, guest conductor Jun Märkl neatly sculpted phrases and found plenty of variety in Beethoven's music.

After intermission, the number of players on stage increased from around 50 to well over 100 as Mr. Märkl conducted the orchestra in the local premiere of his own arrangement of orchestral excerpts from Wagner's operatic tetralogy "Der Ring Des Nibelungen" ("The Ring of the Nibelungs"). The full "Ring" cycle runs over 15 hours and is usually performed over the course of four days, so producing a distillation that runs around 45 minutes is no mean feat, but Mr. Märkl has done it quite effectively.

Condutor Jun Märkl
Photo by Christian Hohne
Titled "The Ring: An Orchestral Journey," the suite consists of nine movements, played without pause. It leans heavily on selections associated with the love story of the hero Siegfried and the Valkyrie Brünnhilde, but even so listeners familiar with the original operas will find most of the "greatest hits" here. That includes the opening sequence at the bottom of the Rhine, the descent into Nibelheim with its tuned anvils, the "Ride of the Valkyries," Siegfried's Rhine journey and funeral music, and the final moments of Brünnhilde's "immolation scene," in which Valhalla burns down and the Age of the Gods ends.

Hearing some of these selections so close to each other also highlighted the thematic unity of Wagner's work--something that is not always quite as obvious in a three-hour opera. "I made this arrangement," notes Mr. Märkl in the SLSO program book, "to present the colorful and rich orchestral structures that are easily overlooked in opera performances, and to allow audiences to appreciate this great music in the concert hall." I'd say he succeeded completely in that goal. Even if your only knowledge of the "Ring" operas comes from "What's Opera, Doc?" ("Kill da waaaabit!"), I think you'll find this orchestral synthesis powerful and totally engrossing.

Wagner's massive orchestra makes equally massive demands on all the musicians, and on Friday night the SLSO proved more than equal to the challenge. The large brass section--18 players, including nine horn players, four of whom doubled on Wagner tubas--performed as heroically as Siegfried himself, and so did the percussionists. The dark sonorities of the Wagner tubas (Todd Bowermaster, Tricia Jöstlein, Cara Kizer, and Young Kim), in combination with Cally Banham's English horn and Tzuying Huang's bass clarinet, added weight to Siegfried's funeral music. The orchestra shouted, in short, as beautifully as it whispered. This really was one of those performances that could only be appreciated live.

Next at Powell Hall: Jim Hynes conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and jazz trumpeter Chris Botti on Friday, October 26, at 7:30 pm. Then Nicholas McGegan conducts the orchestra, chorus, and vocal soloists in a performance of Haydn's oratorio "The Creation" on Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, October 27 and 28. The performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

Review: A paper doll that I can call my own

L-R: Caralyn Kozlowski, Michael James Reed
Photo by Peter Wochniak
If George Bernard Shaw (who was a great admirer of Ibsen's A Doll's House) were alive today, he might have written something rather like the show on the main stage at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis right now, Lucas Hnath's A Doll's House, Part 2 .

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Set fifteen years after the events in Ibsen's groundbreaking and controversial 1879 drama, A Doll's House, Part 2 (written in 2017) speculates on what might have happened to Nora after she walked out on her marriage and what might happen if she returned to the same house (and through the same door) she left at the end if Ibsen's original. It's a play of ideas in which no one point of view clearly prevails and which provides much food for thought afterwards. In this respect, the script resembles two others by the playwright that I very much admire, Death Tax and The Christians.

L-R: Tina Johnson, Caralyn Kozlowski
Photo by Peter Wochniak
Hnath's versions of Nora, Torvald, and Anne Marie are not, of course, Ibsen's. They're very contemporary in their language and attitudes, rather like the Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine in Goldman's The Lion in Winter. Personally, I think that's a better choice that attempting some sort of pastiche of Ibsen, but your mileage may vary.

A solid ensemble cast (Tina Johnson, Caralyn Kozlowski, Michael James Reed, and Andrea Abello) delivers compelling performances under the direction of Timothy Near. I found they self-conscious posing of Ms. Kozlowski's Nora a bit off-putting at first, but it soon began to make sense—Nora's "little squirrel" mannerisms had changed over the years but not vanished. Whether that's a directorial decision or something baked in to the script by Hanath, I have no idea. In any case, this is a play and a production that grow in the memory rather than shrink, which I see as a good thing. Performances continue through November 4 at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

Saturday, October 20, 2018

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of October 22, 2018

Get a double dose of Nicholas McGegan this week along with an appearance by celebrated soprano Christine Brewer.

Nicholas McGegan
Photo by Steve Sherman
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The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents Go for Baroque on Monday and Tuesday, October 22 and 23, at 7:30 pm. "Guest conductor Nicholas McGegan returns for his annual visit, featuring a harp concerto and harpsichord suite by Handel, and Bach's 4th Brandenburg Concerto." The concert takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

The St. Louis Civic Orchestra, under the direction of Edward Dolbashian, performs Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for Four Winds and Rachmoninoff's Symphony No. 2 on Saturday, October 27, at 7 pm. The concert takes place at the Purser Center at Logan University, 1851 Schoettler Rd in Chesterfield, MO. For more information: stlco.org.

Jim Hynes conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and jazz trumpeter Chris Botti on Friday, October 26, at 7:30 pm. The performance takes place at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Nicholas McGegan conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus and vocal soloists in a performance of Haydn's oratorio The Creation on Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, October 27 and 28. The performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Soprano Christine Brewer
The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents an evening of chamber music featuring Alla Voskoboynikova, Christine Brewer and Bjorn Ranheim on Tuesday, October 23, at 7:30 pm. The Touhill Center is on the campus of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

The Town and Country Symphony Orchestra presents a special hallowe'en concert on Sunday, October 28, at 2:30 pm. "Come join in the fun at our Halloween themed concert. Orchestra members will be in costume and we encourage kids to dress up too. Featured guest soloists are Chiann-Yi Yawitz, piano and Stella Markou. The program includes Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini as well as music by Offenbach and Victor Herbert. The performance takes place in Ridgway Auditorium at The Principia, 13201 Clayton Road. For more information: tcsomo.org.

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of October 19, 2018

New items include cabaret shows from Mariposa Artists and the Gaslight Cabaret Festival as well as a provocative drama at Mustard Seed and a look a what might have happened after that final scene in Ibsen's A Doll's House.

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New This Week:

Lianne Marie Dobbs and
William Michals
The Gaslight Cabaret Festival presents Lianne Marie Dobbs and William Michals in Broadway's Greatest Hits of All Time on Friday and Saturday, October 19 and 20, at 8 p.m. "The show that every musical-theater lover has been waiting for. The songs that made Broadway great, that made your heart soar, that you sing leaving the theatre and in the shower! You will hear many of the greatest Broadway songs of all time performed by two of Broadway's most acclaimed voices." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: When I see shows like this in the lineup, I wish I could be in more than one place at the same time. If I weren't already committed to other events both nights, I would definitely be at the Gaslight for this show. It looks like sheer heaven for musical theatre fans like me. Go and enjoy, and consider coming early for dinner at the West End Grill next door.


A Doll's House, Part 2
Photo by Peter Wochniak
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents A Doll's House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath through November 4. "Hnath's audacious sequel, written more than 135 years after Henrik Ibsen's original, hit Broadway in 2017 like a sneak attack. Ibsen's familial drama remains a foundational piece of theatre, with a still-controversial ending in which a married woman chooses to walk out on her family. But Hnath took the themes and characters of that familiar classic and flipped them on their heads, imagining what would happen if protagonist Nora Helmer returned home 15 years after her dramatic exit." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

My take: I'm a great admirer of the work of playwright Lucas Hnath. His plays Death Tax and The Christians (both of which had their world premiere's at the Humana Festival in Louisville) are very strong and very different, so I'm interested to see what his revisionist take on Ibsen's classic looks like. Reviews have been very favorable. "Re-imagining a character such as Nora... is illuminating," writes Andrea Braun at STL Limelight. "A Doll’s House, Part 2 provides a deeper examination of what’s going on with her, shows how her actions may have affected one of her children, and, at long last, lets us hear from Torvald. The play got a slew of awards and nominations; it deserves them." "Director Timothy Near," writes Ann Lemmons Pollack, "gives us a play that is both period and modern. It balances both sides beautifully." I'm looking forward to seeing this on Saturday.


Nina Gabinelli
Mariposa Productions presents Here I Am, An Evening of Song With Nina Gabinelli on Saturday, October 20, at 8 pm. "Here I Am is a beautifully crafted mix of songs and storytelling. As Nina tells us about her childhood dream, then years as an actress/singer in NYC, and the struggle to reignite her passion, after leaving the city 20 years ago, we witness both her pains and her successes. Following several sold out performances in NYC and Aspen, help welcome this St. Louis native home to where it all began. David Dyer, musical director, arranger and accompanist has played for singers from Aspen to Mykonos. His talents continue to astound. Creative direction is credited to the always amazing, and overly talented Lina Koutrakos. The performance takes place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: metrotix.com

My take: I have never seen Ms. Gabinelli perform, but Robert Breig's Mariposa Artists has brought so many great cabaret acts to local stages that I'm inclined to just take his word for it that she's worth seeing. Besides, she's originally a local gal and her director, Lina Koutrakos, is one of the best int he business.

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot
Mustard Seed Theatre presents The Last Days of Judas Iscariot Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through October 28. “In this irreverent exploration of the afterlife of Judas Iscariot, will sin or grief or grace prevail? This brutal dark comedy puts love and justice on trial. Adult language and situations, not appropriate for children.” 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.

My take: How can you not like the concept of this show? Still consumed with guilt, Judas has had enough of Hell and wants a new trial. Witnesses include Freud, Mother Teresa, Pilate and, of course, Satan himself. In his review for STL Today, Calvin Wilson says that the script "is a droll, poignant and surreally intriguing meditation on nothing less than the meaning of life. And this production is outstanding." At STL Limelight, Lynn Venhaus says the production "is an extraordinary achievement for all involved. It’s tough, tender, edgy and above all, heartfelt." This is another one of those shows I'd see if only I had one of those time turners that J.K. Rowling describes in her Harry Potter books.



Held Over:

Clayton Community Theatre presents the drama The Laramie Project Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through October 21. "Based on the true story of the death of Matthew Shepard, the 21-year-old victim of an anti-gay hate crime in 1998 in Laramie, Wyoming, The Laramie Project unfolds through the words of people in Laramie who were interviewed by members of Tectonic Theater Company in the 18 months following Matthew Shepard's death, creating a portrait of the community and key individuals in the aftermath of the event and as the victim's killers were brought to trial and convicted." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

My take: While crime in general continues to decrease in the USA, hate crime is on the rise. The story of Matthew Shepard's murder may be two decades old, but the ugly thinking that prompted it is, if anything, more prevalent now than it was then.


Raging Skillet
Photo by Eric Woolsey
New Jewish Theater presents Raging Skillet by Jacques Lemarre Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2 and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm, through October 21. New Jewish Theatre serves up the opening entrée to its 21st season with a tasty adaptation of celebrity Chef Rossi's autobiographical memoir, Raging Skillet - equal parts book launch, cooking demonstration, heaping helping of comedy and a side of Jewish mother guilt. When Rossi's Jewish mother discovers the microwave, home-cooked meals become a thing of the past. What starts as a rebellion against her Orthodox parents, chauvinism in the kitchen and the pressures of conformity ends with Rossi becoming New York's #1 punk-rock, Jewish, Lesbian caterer. This hilarious and heartfelt new comedy is based on her true-life story." 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: With the opening of Raging Skillet, we now have two plays in town in which food is a central theme. Upstream's Chef (see below) closes this weekend but the New Jewish show is only in its second weekend. In his review for Ladue News, Mark Bretz writes that this "humorous, pleasant skirmish between an iron-willed mother and her equally defiant daughter, who have more in common than they might think...All three of the performers are top-notch in their portrayals, keeping their audience transfixed with the over-the-top comedy as well as some surprising moments of poignancy. "