St. Louis classical calendar for the week of December 3, 2018

Handel's venerable Messiah appears on the list twice this week. The traditional one is at Powell Hall and the sing-along version is in Graham Chapel.

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The American Chamber Chorale and the Salem St.-Louis Chamber Orchestra perform on Saturday, December 8, at 7:30 p.m. Singer Brian Owens will be the guest artist. The concert takes place at Salem United Methodist Churh, 1200 S. Lindbergh. For more information: americanchamberchorale.com.

Jérôme Mouffe

The St. Louis Classical Guitar Society presents a Great Artist Guitar Series concert with Jérôme Mouffe on Saturday, December 8, at 8 pm. "Belgian guitarist Jérôme Mouffe has toured throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Western Europe as a soloist and chamber musician. He was invited to perform at the Agustin Barrios Mangoré Festival in Brussels (2009) sharing the stage with his teacher and mentor Eliot Fisk. He earned his Master of Music degree magna cum laude at age 20 at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles and a Postgraduate Diploma at the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg." The performance takes at the Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Road. For more information: guitarstlouis.net.

Matthew Halls conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, December 7 - 9 in Handel's Messiah. Performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Arianna String Quartet

The University of Missouri - St. Louis presents The Science of Beauty on Monday, December 3, at 7:30 pm. "What is the science behind beautiful music making? Join the Arianna String Quartet and UMSL Professor of Biophysics, Sonya Bahar, at UMSL Grand Center on Monday, December 3rd, at 7:30 PM, for a fascinating evening that will illuminate and explore connections between physics and the artistry of musical expression. In this engaging and interactive evening, the ASQ and Professor Bahar will examine principles of friction, inertia, gravity, and kinetic energy, and will demonstrate how these fundamental aspects of physics factor into the interpretive process for a string quartet. Come enjoy an inspiring and informative evening discovering how playing a string instrument requires an individual commitment to the unification of the arts and sciences." The event takes place at UMSL's Grand Center Location. For more information: stlpublicradio.org.

Xiomara Mass

The Washington University Department of Music presents a faculty recital by Xiomara Mass, oboe, with Peter Henderson, piano, on Monday, December 3, at 7:30 p.m. The concert includes music by Loeffler and Saint-Saëns and takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Guitar Gala, featuring students from the music progralm on Thursday, December 6, at 8 pm. The concert includes music by Bach, Poulenc, and Fernando Sor, and takes place in the Graham Chapel on the Washington University campus. For more information, music.wustl.edu.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Messiah Sing-Along on Sunday, December 9, at 3 pm. The audience is invited to sing along in this performance of Handel's oratorio, which takes place in the Graham Chapel on the Washington University campus. For more information, music.wustl.edu.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of November 30, 2018

A classic drama by Arthur Miller joins the hit list this week.

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St. Louis University Theatre presents Arthur Miller's The Crucible Thursday through Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, November 29 - December 2. "The 1953 Tony Award winner for Best Play is a powerful drama about the Salem witch trials. The story of one Puritan community reveals the destruction caused by mass hysteria and socially sanctioned violence." Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. Ticket through metrotix.com or 314-534-1111. For more information at slu.edu/utheatre.

My take: In a 1989 New York Times article reflecting The Crucible, Arthur Miller wrote, "Political movements are always trying to position themselves against the unknown-vote for me and you're safe." The relevance to contemporary politics could hardly be more obvious. Inspired in part by the 20th century witch hunts of the late Senator McCarthy, the play is a searing indictment of the power of mob mentality and the moral corruption of politicians who feed on it. Today the mob is on the Internet and social media, but the intellectually disreputable process is the same. I don't think it's coincidental that the last couple of years have seen a reawakening of interest in this work.

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Held Over:

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All is Calm
Photo by Ann K. Aurbach

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the acappella musical All is Calm Thursdays through Sundays, November 15 - December 16. "Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this acapella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets." 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: All is Calm has become an annual winter tradition at Mustard Seed. With a script by Peter Rothstein and musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach, this story of the remarkable Christmas truce of 1914—a spontaneous outbreak of peace that occurred at multiple points along the trenches in France—combines splendid and often quite complex acappella singing with readings of letters from soldiers and other historical documents. At a time when opportunistic politicians are pushing an agenda of hate, fear, and eternal war, this is a play that everyone needs to see. As we used to ask back in the 1960s, "what if they gave a war and nobody came?

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R-S Theatrics presents Every Brilliant Thing Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays a 7 pm through December 2. "When a six-year-old starts a list of every brilliant thing in life to encourage her despondent mother, little does she know that the list will take on a life of its own and thread its way throughout the girl's life. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this one-woman show reminds us to celebrate the beauty in our lives and in those we love." Performances take place at black box theatre at The Kranzberg Arts Center in Grand Center. For more information: r-stheatrics.com.

My take: Looking for reasons to be thankful this weekend? Turn off the TV (especially the news) and consider this heart warming one-actor show at R-S. "Every Brilliant Thing," writes Mark Bretz at Ladue News, "is a short, sweet and satisfying sojourn taken by the audience with its friendly and reassuring narrator down a road readily identifiable to virtually everyone."

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Shotspeare

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Shotspeare Thursdays through Saturdays through December 8. "Shotspeare is equal parts bacchanal and classical theater. Harkening back to the actual time of Shakespeare where audience members (groundlings) were boisterous and partook in the show. Think Drunk History meets The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, hosted by the Gazillionaires English major nephew." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

My take: More interested in comedy? If audience participation is your thing, consider the return engagement of this Shakespeare-themed evening of semi-improv comedy. "Shotspeare," writes Ann Lemmons Pollack, "is way not just for Shakespeare buffs. In fact, I’m sure that some Deeply Serious Shakespeare-ophiles will be Deeply Offended by it. But rowdy, indeed bawdy humor was common in Elizabethan times. Shotspeare fits right into that." And as they say in Hamilton, don't throw away your shot.

Symphony Preview: Hello, I must be going

"I am the A and the O, the beginning and the end, the first and the last," intones the bass Voice of God in Franz Schmidt's oratorio "Das Buch mit sieben Siegeln" ("The Book of the Seven Seals"). The reference is to Creation, but it could just as easily describe this weekend's St. Louis Symphony Orchestra concerts.

Portrait of Mendelssohn by
James Warren Childe
(1778–1862), 1839
en.wikipedia.org

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That's because the concerts consist of only two works: the first piano concerto by Mendelssohn and the last symphony by Anton Bruckner. Over six tumultuous decades separate the two works but, as Tim Munro points out in his program notes, there are parallels:

Both [composers] were old-fashioned in their time. Mendelssohn with his outmoded love of Bach, Bruckner with his adoration for Renaissance masters. Religion was central to both composers: Lutheranism for Mendelssohn (who had strong Jewish roots); Catholicism for the pious Bruckner...We might hear (faintly, very faintly) Mendelssohn's fingerprint on Bruckner's Ninth Symphony. The deeply personal final movement of Bruckner's symphony adopts a sequence of notes known as the "Dresden Amen." Mendelssohn used the same sequence in his Fifth Symphony.

I'd add that both composers, their "old-fashioned" status not withstanding, defied conventional models in these pieces. Mendelssohn, for example, did away with the usual three-movement structure for his Piano Concerto No. 1 (written in 1830-31) and opted instead for a single movement in which, as Mr. Munro points out, he merged"the expected three movements into one, connecting them with brass fanfares. And he brought back the concerto's opening melody in its finale." He also dropped the long orchestral introduction typical of concertos at the time. "Ambitious moves for a 22-year old," notes Mr. Munro.

Mendelssohn's innovations didn't stop his concerto from being widely accepted, though. As Roger Dettmer writes at Allmusic.com:

He [Mendelssohn] played the premiere himself in Munich on October 17, 1831, and often thereafter, with great success far and wide. Yet it was a performance by Liszt in Paris that made the work truly famous. A legion of young pianists took it up-- so obsessively that Berlioz, in Evenings with the Orchestra, wrote tongue-in-cheek of an Érard piano on which 31 contestants played the music competitively. He claimed that the instrument refused to quit playing the music until it was chopped into pieces and burned.

At the keyboard this weekend will be Argentine pianist Ingrid Fliter, last seen here in 2015 when she performed Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2. I missed that concert, so I'm looking forward to seeing her live for the first time.

Anton Bruckner wasn't as lucky as Mendelssohn regarding the acceptance of his music. Plagued with crippling insecurity about the quality of his work, he didn't even attempt his first major composition until he turned 40, and spent far too much time rewriting his work in response to suggestions for "improvement" by students and acquaintances. "Bruckner regularly fell victim to the criticism and recommendations of others," writes Phillip Huscher in program notes for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, "even though the criticism was often pointless and the recommendations were sometimes absurd--and contrary to the composer's own wishes."

"Anton Bruckner arrives in Heaven". Bruckner is greeted by (from left to right):
Liszt, Wagner, Schubert, Schumann, Weber, Mozart, Beethoven, Gluck,
Haydn, Handel, Bach. (Silhouette drawing by Otto Böhler)
en.wikipedia.org

As a result, he was repeatedly distracted from work on his final symphony by "helpful" recommendations for revisions on earlier works. "Because of all these unnecessary distractions," notes Mr. Huscher, "his weakening health, and a new wave of insecurity, Bruckner found that he couldn't complete his Ninth Symphony, even though he had been at it for nine years. (He once told a visitor, 'The Ninth will be my masterpiece. I just ask God that he'll let me live until it's done.')." He died with only the first three movements completed and the fourth only in sketches.

Nor did the attempts to "improve" his music end with his death. His body was hardly cold before conductor Ferdinand Löwe put together a heavily edited version of the three movements that fixed what he decided were Bruckner's errors in harmony and orchestration. The truncated result was, in Mr. Huscher's words, "mutilated almost beyond recognition" but it remained the standard version of the work until 1932, when Alfred Orel published a critical revision that got rid of Löwe's "improvements" and restored Bruckner's original. A subsequent 1951 edition by Leopold Nowak corrected some actual errors in Orel's version, and it's the Nowak revision that we'll hear this weekend.

Bruckner's symphonies, as I have written in the past, don't get the attention they deserve. That's probably because, as Mr. Munro writes, "Bruckner's nine mature symphonies divide opinion. They are long, straining musicians' stamina and concentration. Their shapes are ambiguous, supported by obsessive repetition, jolted by sudden shifts, halted by unexpected silence. Their harmonies are strange, floating from the known into the unknown."

Indeed, writers of music criticism seem unable to discuss the symphonies of Anton Bruckner without invoking the imagery of the Gothic cathedral. Perhaps that's because they so strongly suggest a connection between the material and ethereal planes--great blocks of sound alternating with moments of otherworldly beauty. In Bruckner's music you can hear both great, heaven-storming power and quiet mystery. Time seems to act differently in a Bruckner symphony, with each movement incorporating so much emotional depth that it can feel both shorter and longer than the clock indicates.

Amazing stuff, really.

The SLSO hasn't programmed that much Bruckner since the departure of former music director Hans Vonk in 2002 and, in fact, the Ninth hasn't been done by the orchestra in twenty years, when they played it in Madrid under the late Mr. Vonk. This time around, the baton will be wielded by John Storgårds, former Chief Conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic, Chief Guest Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, and a frequent guest at Powell Hall, where he has accumulated plenty of critical praise. I have seen him deliver powerful Tchaikovsky, Nielsen, and Schumann in the past, so it will be interesting to see what he does with Bruckner's idiosyncratic sound world.

There's much more to the saga of the Bruckner Symphony No. 9 than I have written here, by the way. The mistreatment of the incomplete version after the composer's death and the many attempts to complete the symphony, based on the composer's sketches and painstaking musicological research, could form the basis for a soap opera. As it is, it makes for an intriguing article at Stereophile, which I highly recommend to anyone who'd like to dig deeper into this music.

The Essentials: John Storgårds conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and pianist Ingrid Fliter Friday at 10:30 am (a Krispy Kreme Coffee Concert) and Saturday at 8 pm, November 30 and December 1. The program consists of Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Bruckner's Symphony No. 9. Kevin McBeth will conduct the orchestra in an evening with Broadway star Leslie Odom, Jr., on Sunday, December 2, at 7 pm. Performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 26, 2018

With Thanksgiving behind us and leftover turkey in front of us, it's time for the big December theatre rush to begin, with new shows from (among many others) New Jewish, Actors' Studio, The Rep, Magic Smoking Monkey.

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An Act of GodPhoto by Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents the comedy An Act of God Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2 and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm, November 29 - December 16. "A divine comedy! Delivering a new and improved set of Commandments, God's introduction of the revised laws is refreshingly positive, insisting on the separation of church and state and encouraging us to believe in ourselves, not some elderly white guy in the sky. The play is sinfully funny delivering new meaning to the phrase divine intervention and where God and his devoted angels answer some of the deepest questions that have plagued mankind since Creation. He's finally arrived to set the record straight…and He's not holding back! In God we trust." 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.

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a cappella musical All is Calm Thursdays through Sundays through December 16. "Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this acapella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets." 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.

Away in a Basement

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents the musical Away in a Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas running through January 6. " 'Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas' takes audiences back to 1959 on the day of the Sunday School Christmas Program. In the midst of holiday preparations and sprinklings of love in the air, the ladies in their witty, down-to-earth style are creating their own memories from Christmases past and present. Content to do things the way they have always been done, yet pondering new ideas, the reality of everyday life hits home as they plan the Sunday School Christmas Program. As the children rehearse in the sanctuary, several of the ladies are in the kitchen finishing up the treat bags filled with apples, peanuts and ribbon candy while the others put the final touches on the nativity pieces. As they mend old bathrobe costumes, discuss the politics of who's going to play the various roles, little do the ladies know what surprises are in store for them. Known for their hilarious antics and subtle charm, they are once again called upon to step in and save the day!" The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: www.playhouseatwestport.com.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents the comedy Beyond Therapy Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, November 28 - December 2. Performances take place in the Dunham Hall Theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siue.edu.

Lindenwood University presents A Christmas Carol Thursday through Saturday, November 29 - December 1, at 7:30 pm. "Lindenwood University is honored to continue its yearly tradition of presenting Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. This timeless classic follows the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge on a fantastic journey through time and space, forced to confront his past, present, and future through the aid of his spiritual guides. Presented in the main stage Lindenwood Theater, A Christmas Carol is the perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit, and to reflect upon the true meaning of Christmas." Performances take place at the Scheiegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information: www.lindenwood.edu.  

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

A Christmas Story
Photo by Patrick Lanham

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents A Christmas Story, based on the movie by Jean Shepherd, November 28 - December 23. "Ralphie Parker's quest to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas returns to The Rep in all its heartwarming and hilarious glory. Filled with delightful holiday vignettes and endlessly quotable lines (“You'll shoot your eye out!”), this play is the perfect gift for the whole family to enjoy. See the classic movie brought to life on stage!" 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.

Curtain's Up Theatre presents A Christmas Story, based on the movie by Jean Shepherd, Thursday and Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm, November 29 - December 2. Performances take place at the Alfresco Art Center, 2401 Delmar in Granite City, IL. For more information, visit curtainsuptheater.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.

St. Louis University Theatre presents Arthur Miller's The Crucible Thursday through Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, November 29 - December 2. "The 1953 Tony Award winner for Best Play is a powerful drama about the Salem witch trials. The story of one Puritan community reveals the destruction caused by mass hysteria and socially sanctioned violence." Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. Ticket through metrotix.com or 314-534-1111. For more information at slu.edu/utheatre.

R-S Theatrics presents Every Brilliant Thing Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays a 7 pm through December 2. "When a six-year-old starts a list of every brilliant thing in life to encourage her despondent mother, little does she know that the list will take on a life of its own and thread its way throughout the girl's life. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this one-woman show reminds us to celebrate the beauty in our lives and in those we love." Performances take place at black box theatre at The Kranzberg Arts Center in Grand Center. For more information: r-stheatrics.com.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Harm for the Holidays through December 31. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

St. Louis Shakespeare's Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre presents The Holiday Stop-Motion Extravaganza Parody opening on Friday, November 30, at 8 pm and running through December 8. "The Magic Smoking Monkeys are at it again! Join Rudolph, Santa, Hermey, Bumble, the Miser Bros and other wonderful misfits as they parody your favorite 1970s childhood holiday shows by Rankin/Bass. If youve ever had aspirations of becoming a dentist, this parody is for you! This parody includes: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town AND The Year Without Santa Claus. Polish up the sled and grab the kids!" Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission in University City. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com

Wentzville Christian Church Theatre Group presents It's a Wonderful Life Thursday and Friday at 6 pm and Saturday at noon and 6 pm, November 29 - December 1. "In our American culture It's a Wonderful Life has become almost as familiar as Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The story is a natural for a stage adaptation: the saga of George Bailey, the Everyman from the small town of Bedford Falls, whose dreams of escape and adventure have been quashed by family obligation and civic duty, whose guardian angel has to descent on Christmas Eve to save him from despair and to remind him-by showing him what the world would have been like had he never been born-that his has been, after all, a wonderful life." Wentzville Christian Church is at 1507 Highway Z in Wentzville, MO. For more information: www.wentzvillecc.org.

The Bankside Repertory Theatre Company presents It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 pm, November 29 - December 1. "This beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve." Performances take place at The Jacoby Arts Center, 627 E. Broadway in Alton, IL. For more information: www.banksiderep.com.

Shotspeare

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Shotspeare Thursdays through Saturdays through December 8. "Shotspeare is equal parts bacchanal and classical theater. Harkening back to the actual time of Shakespeare where audience members (groundlings) were boisterous and partook in the show. Think Drunk History meets The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, hosted by the Gazillionaires English major nephew." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents Chekov's The Three Sisters, as adapted by Sarah Ruhl, Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., November 28 - December 9. "Trapped in a provincial Russian town after the death of their father, three sisters lament the passing of better times and long for the excitement of Moscow. One of them has married a local teacher; another has become a teacher herself; the third has settled for a dull job in the local telegraph office. Their principal interest is focused on the officers of the local regiment, of which their father had been commandant, men who bring a sense of sophistication and the world outside to their suppressed existence. In the end the fateful pattern of their lives is made clear-their dreams will be denied but, despite all, there must always be hope, however futile, and the ways of the world are to be accepted, if not understood." Performances take place in the Emerson Studio Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information, www.webster.edu or call 314-968-7128.

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents Tribes Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm, November 30 - December 16. "Billy was born deaf into a hearing family. He was raised inside its fiercely idiosyncratic and politically incorrect cocoon. He has adapted brilliantly to his family's unconventional ways, but they've never bothered to return the favor. It's not until he meets Sylvia, a young woman on the brink of deafness, that he finally understands what it means to be understood." Performances take place at the Gaslight Theatre, 358 North Boyle. For more information call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

Wonderland: Alice's Rock and Roll Adventure

Metro Theatre Company presents Wonderland: Alice's Rock and Roll Adventure opening on Sunday, December 2nd at 2 pm and running through December 30th. "Part rock concert, part theater, all of your favorite characters as Metro Theater Company presents this new, wild and wondrous take on Lewis Carroll's beloved, poetic tale of self-actualization. A cast of actors/musicians plays an eclectic mix of everything from soul and rock to punk to ska as Alice chases through Wonderland in search of her own inner musical voice. A fun, hip, and refreshing fusion of music, theatre and poetry, Wonderland: Alice's Rock and Roll Adventure is the search for one's authentic self, asking how can you march to the beat of your own drummer when you're still writing the song? It places Alice in a strange, new world, where she conquers her fears and uses her musical skills to defeat the Jabberwock." The performance takes place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: metroplays.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.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of November 26, 2018

Concerts this week include a big Bruckner symphony at Powell Hall and a Muny tribute at the History Museum.

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The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents Elegance and Romance on Saturday, December 1, at 4 pm. "Mozart composed some of the most elegant music ever written. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most passionate and romantic. Savor one of the most beloved compositions from each." The concert takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

CHARIS

CHARIS, the St. Louis Women's Chorus, presents Meet Me at the Muny on Friday and Saturday, November 30 and December 1, at 8 pm. "In addition to featuring numbers from the many Broadway shows that have made their way to the Muny stage including 42nd Street, Les Miserable, Aida, and Spamalot, the concert will celebrate musical theater's recognized history as a venue of safety and affirmation for members of the LGBTQ community, as exemplified in shows like Rent, Fun Home, and others. " The performances take place in the auditorium at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information: charischorus.org.

Eliot Unitarian Chapel presents a Friends of Music concert featuring the Arianna String Quartet on Sunday, December 2, at 3 pm. The concert takes place at Eliot Unitarian Chapel is at 100 South Argonne in Kirkwood. For more information: fomcstl.org.

The New Music Circle presents composer and keyboard player Lonnie Holley in concert on Saturday, December 1, at 7 pm. "For four decades, Lonnie Holley has devoted his life to the practice of improvisational creativity. His art and music, born out of struggle, hardship, but perhaps more importantly, out of furious curiosity and biological necessity, has manifested itself in drawing, painting, sculpture, photography, and more recently performance and recordings. The layers of sound are the result of years of evolving experimentation; improvised on the spot, Holley’s sounds and lyrics morph with every event, concert, and recording." The performance takes place at Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp. For more information: newmusiccircle.org.

St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents Christmas at the Cathedral on Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm, December 1 and 2. "Celebrate the joy of the music of Advent and Christmas at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. The St. Louis Archdiocesan Choirs & Orchestra will fill the Cathedral with the sounds of the season, featuring Vivaldi's Gloria." The performance takes place at The Cathedral Basilica on Lindell in the Central West End. For more information: cathedralconcerts.org.

The St. Louis Civic Orchestra presents a Holiday Concert on Sunday, December 2, at 3 pm. "The St. Louis Civic Orchestra has invited the talented and entertaining quartet Vocal Spectrum to be guest performers on December 2nd. Choir students from Parkway Northeast Middle School will also take the stage for this fun, family-centered holiday concert." The concert takes place at the Purser Center at Logan University, 1851 Schoettler Rd in Chesterfield, MO. For more information: stlco.org.

John Storgårds

John Storgårds conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and pianist Ingrid Fliter Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm, November 30 and December 1. The program consists of Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Bruckner's Symphony No. 9 Performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Kevin McBeth conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in An Evening with Leslie Odom, Jr., on Sunday, December 2, at 7 pm. "The one, the only Leslie Odom, Jr. returns to perform with the SLSO this holiday season. Enjoy an extraordinary evening of melodies from his Simply Christmas album featuring jazz renditions of classic Christmas songs and hits from his debut solo album that quickly rose to number one on the Billboard and iTunes Jazz charts. Share the holiday cheer with family and friends, while watching the talented Leslie Odom, Jr." The performance takes place at Powell Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents soprano Stella Markou in Love is Where You Find It on Tuesday, November 27, at 7:30 p.m. Performing with her are guest artists Alla Voskoboynikova, piano; Benedetta Orsi, mezzo-soprano; and Vincent Varvel, guitar. The program includes music by Debussy, Satie, Menotti, Delibes, and others. The Touhill Center is on the campus of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents Solisti STL on Sunday, December 2, at 3 pm. The concert includes music Griffes, Beethoven, and Zhou Long and takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu.

Review: London pride

Conductor Michael Francis
Photo by Marco Borggreve

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It has been a few years since my wife and I have been to London, but I feel like we took another visit there Friday night (November 23) with that wonderfully evocative performance of Vaughan Williams's "A London Symphony" by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra under the baton of guest conductor Michael Francis.

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

A native of Great Britain and a former double bass player with the London Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Francis presumably knows well the city that inspired Vaughan Williams and, in fact, his short pre-performance talk was both entertaining and enlightening. It hadn't occurred to me, for example, that the march theme in the final movement might have been inspired by the sight of British troops marching off to war, but given that the work was first performed in 1915 it makes sense.

Vaughan Williams went to some lengths to point out that while "A London Symphony" was suggested by London it was not literally descriptive of it. "The title A London Symphony, he wrote, "may suggest to some hearers a descriptive piece, but this is not the intention of the composer. A better title would perhaps be 'Symphony by a Londoner'". Even so, I can't hear it without thinking of both my visits to the city itself and the misty paintings Monet did of it (and which the composer likely knew).

Performances of "A London Symphony" usually run around 45 minutes, but Mr. Francis's take on the piece was so well paced and compelling that it seemed to fly by. This was one of those performances during which I took almost no notes because I was so swept up in the experience. It was as though Vaughan Williams were speaking to us directly, without an intermediary.

The high quality of the orchestral playing had something to do with that, of course. The string sound was solid as always and there were notable solos by Cally Banham on English horn and Beth Guterman Chu on viola. The trumpets under Associate Principal Thomas Drake and the horns under Principal Roger Kaza were also in fine form.

The concert opened with an equally vivid reading of Elgar's "In the South (Alassio)," a lavish, sweeping tone poem that is the composer's love letter to Italy in general and in particular to the Italian Rivera town where he and his wife were vacationing in the winter of 1903-1904. The leaping opening theme, which Elgar described as "Joy of living (wine and macaroni)," bubbled with good cheer, the lumbering march inspired by "strife and wars" was suitably ominous, and the evocation of the Neapolitan popular song in the central viola tune was rendered beautifully by Beth Guterman Chu.

Joshua Bell

Mr. Francis conducted with big, fluid gestures that mirrored the wide dramatic range of his interpretation. This was a bold and varied performance that perfectly captured the many moods of this colorful work.

Sandwiched between these two large-scale works, Bruch's 1866 Violin Concerto No. 1 felt like a piece of more modest charms, but no less appealing for all that. It's warm, heartfelt, and utterly irresistible music, and it got an intense and very physically demonstrative interpretation from superstar violinist Joshua Bell.

Mr. Bell made his Carnegie Hall debut performing the Bruch concerto with the SLSO back in 1985 at the tender age of 17, so Friday night's performance had a special resonance. It was certainly an exuberant one, in which the space set aside for the soloist at the conductor's left seemed barely able to contain Mr. Bell's extroverted approach. The music combines virtuoso flash with heartfelt emotion, and Mr. Bell found plenty of both in his technically flawless presentation. Multiple curtain calls led, inevitably, to an encore: a short, flashy selection from John Corigliano's score for the 1998 film "The Red Violin."

The concert repeats tonight at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm (November 24 and 25). Next weekend, John Storgårds conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and pianist Ingrid Fliter Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm, November 30 and December 1. The program consists of Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Bruckner's Symphony No. 9. All performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of November 23, 2018

Thanksgiving weekend is often a quiet one on the theatre scene, but not this year as shows from R-S Theatrics and the Playhouse at Westport join the list.

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R-S Theatrics presents Every Brilliant Thing Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays a 7 pm through December 2. "When a six-year-old starts a list of every brilliant thing in life to encourage her despondent mother, little does she know that the list will take on a life of its own and thread its way throughout the girl's life. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this one-woman show reminds us to celebrate the beauty in our lives and in those we love." Performances take place at black box theatre at The Kranzberg Arts Center in Grand Center. For more information: r-stheatrics.com.

My take: Looking for reasons to be thankful this weekend? Turn off the TV (especially the news) and consider this heart warming one-actor show at R-S. "Every Brilliant Thing," writes Mark Bretz at Ladue News, "is a short, sweet and satisfying sojourn taken by the audience with its friendly and reassuring narrator down a road readily identifiable to virtually everyone."

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Shotspeare

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Shotspeare Thursdays through Saturdays through December 8. "Shotspeare is equal parts bacchanal and classical theater. Harkening back to the actual time of Shakespeare where audience members (groundlings) were boisterous and partook in the show. Think Drunk History meets The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, hosted by the Gazillionaires English major nephew." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

My take: More interested in comedy? If audience participation is your thing, consider the return engagement of this Shakespeare-themed evening of semi-improv comedy. "Shotspeare," writes Ann Lemmons Pollack, "is way not just for Shakespeare buffs. In fact, I’m sure that some Deeply Serious Shakespeare-ophiles will be Deeply Offended by it. But rowdy, indeed bawdy humor was common in Elizabethan times. Shotspeare fits right into that." And as they say in Hamilton, don't throw away your shot.

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Held Over:

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Disney's Aladdin

The Fabulous Fox presents Disney's Aladdin running through November 25. "From the producer of The Lion King comes the timeless story of ALADDIN, a thrilling new production filled with unforgettable beauty, magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle. It's an extraordinary theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities infinite." The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

My take: The Disney organization has had a remarkably good track record when it comes to turning their hit animated films into his stage musicals, and judging from the reviews this is yet another colorful feather in the company's cap. "The national touring production of Aladdin," writes Mark Bretz at Ladue News, "pulls out all the stops in a brightly festooned, lavish spectacle of a show filled with entertaining music, lots of laughs and an eye-popping array of razzle-dazzle special effects and glittering costumes." Sounds like a good time to me.

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All is Calm

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the acappella musical All is Calm Thursdays through Sundays, November 15 - December 16. "Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this acapella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets." 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: All is Calm has become an annual winter tradition at Mustard Seed. With a script by Peter Rothstein and musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach, this story of the remarkable Christmas truce of 1914—a spontaneous outbreak of peace that occurred at multiple points along the trenches in France—combines splendid and often quite complex acappella singing with readings of letters from soldiers and other historical documents. At a time when opportunistic politicians are pushing an agenda of hate, fear, and eternal war, this is a play that everyone needs to see. As we used to ask back in the 1960s, "what if they gave a war and nobody came?

Symphony Preview: London calling

Edward Elgar, circa 1900
en.wikipedia.org

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The big solo work on the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra program Thanksgiving weekend may be German, but the prevailing musical mood is British, with major works by Edward Elgar and Ralph Vaughan Williams opening and closing the concerts.

The evening will open with Elgar's "In the South (Alassio)," a bold, sweeping tone poem that is the composer's love letter to Italy in general and in particular to the Italian Rivera town where the composer and his wife were vacationing in the winter of 1903-1904. In a February 1904 letter to Percy Pitt and Alfred Kalisch (cited in Jerrold Northrup Moore's "Edward Elgar: A Creative Life," 1986) the composer recalled his sources of inspiration:

The shepherd with his flock and his home-made music: the massive bridge and road still useful, and to a reflective mind awe-inspiring: the music developed to paint the relentless and domineering onward force of the ancient day and give a sound-picture of the strife and wars ('the drums and tramplings') of a later time: streams, flowers, hills; the distant snow mountains in one direction and the blue Mediterranean in the other.

In a flash it all came to me - the conflict of the armies on that very spot long ago, where now I stood - the contrast of the ruin and the shepherd - and then, all of a sudden, I came back to reality. In that time I had composed the overture - the rest was merely writing it down."

One notable aspect of the overture is a long serenade for viola in the quiet central section. It's irresistibly beautiful. Elgar liked it so much that he re-used it later in 1904 for the song "In Moonlight" (to a text by Shelley) and made several arrangements of the tune for various combinations of instruments.

As Wayne Reisig writes at allmusic.com, inspiration for the overture came at a time when "the public was eagerly awaiting the composer's first symphony, but Elgar's self-criticism led him to put a partially completed symphony on hold. He then offered up the present work, the longest single symphonic movement he had written up to that point." He might have been wise to wait; when he finally premiered that first symphony in 1908 it was, according to The Musical Times, an "immediate and phenomenal success." The colorful orchestration and subject matter inevitably led to comparisons with Richard Strauss's "Aus Italien" from two decades earlier but ultimately this music could only have come from Elgar.

Ralph Vaughan Williams
in 1922

This weekend's concerts conclude with another vivid evocation of a specific place, Vaughan Williams's "A London Symphony." Originally composed in 1912 and then revised multiple times (the version you'll hear this weekend dates from 1934), the work was inspired, as René Spencer Saller relates in her program notes, by a conversation with Vaughan Williams's fellow composer George Butterworth. Here's how Vaughan Williams recalled the event:

"We were talking together one day when he said in his gruff, abrupt manner: 'You know, you ought to write a symphony'. I answered... that I'd never written a symphony and never intended to... I suppose Butterworth's words stung me and, anyhow, I looked out some sketches I had made for... a symphonic poem about London and decided to throw it into symphonic form.... I can never feel too grateful to him for all he did for me over this work, and his help did not stop short at criticism."

Although the work strongly evokes specific locations in London and even includes a quote of the Westminster chimes, the composer strongly resisted the idea that it was programmatic music. "The title A London Symphony may suggest to some hearers a descriptive piece," wrote the composer in a program note for the first performance of the work in 1920, "but this is not the intention of the composer. A better title would perhaps be 'Symphony by a Londoner,'; that is to say, the life of London has suggested to the composer an attempt at musical expression; but it would be no help to the hearer to describe these in words. The music is intended to be self-expressive, and must stand or fall as "absolute" music. Therefore, if listeners recognize suggestions of such things as the 'Westminster Chimes' or the 'Lavender Cry,' [a tune sung by lavender sellers in London] they are asked to consider these as accidents, not essentials of the music."

It is, in any case, a tremendously appealing work with, as David Cox writes in "The Symphony" (Penguin Books, 1967) a wide emotional range that runs "from raucousness to quiet brooding, from bright pageantry to sinister undertones--and the musical ideas are as copious as in Elgar." Personally, I have always found the tranquil Lento second movement to be a truly beautiful thing. The composer, in a 1925 program note, wrote that the movement "has been called 'Bloomsbury Square on a November afternoon'" but then went on to note that this "may serve as a clue to the music, but it is not a necessary 'explanation' of it.

Fair enough. Great music can be described in words, but the words can never fully capture the experience of hearing the music itself. "A London Symphony" is ultimately its own creature--and a very fine one it is.

Max Bruch
en.wikipedia.org

Concluding the first half of the concerts will Max Bruch's 1866 Violin Concerto No. 1. It's Bruch's most popular work which, as I wrote in my preview article for the last performance of the piece here in 2014 is a pity, since he never made a dime from it. It is, in any case, a warm, heartfelt, and utterly irresistible work that marries virtuoso flash with genuine emotion. The Adagio second movement, in particular, is a piece of almost heartbreaking beauty.

In 2014 the soloist was our own Concertmaster David Halen, with Leonard Slatkin on the podium. This time around the soloist is Joshua Bell who is, as his biography in the program reminds us, "one of the most celebrated violinists of his era." He last appeared here September 2015, playing Lalo's popular "Symphonie espagnole." On the podium will be Michael Francis, the Music Director of The Florida Orchestra and San Diego's Mainly Mozart Festival, who is making his local debut.

The Essentials: Michael Francis conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and violinist Joshua Bell Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, November 23 - 25. The program consists of Elgar's overture "In the South (Alassio)", Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1, and Vaughan Williams' "A London Symphony". Performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

Review: The American plan

Cristian Macelaru

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Cristian Macelaru led the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra this weekend (November 16 and 17) in a program which demonstrated once again his impressive versatility as a conductor. I have been impressed in the past with his performances of Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, and Vaughan Williams. This time around he proved equally adept with an evening of American music, including a world premiere.

The world premiere in question was the Bassoon Concerto by Christopher Rouse (b. 1949), who seems determined to work his way through the orchestra with a solo work for every instrument. In an interview I did with Mr. Rouse last week, he described the concerto as a genial work designed to "engage the ears of the listener and provide some pleasure," and now that I've heard it, I'd say he has achieved his goal.

The first movement bubbled with a kind of Haydnesque good humor, the haunted second with its ominous tympani rolls brought to mind the "Scène aux Champs" movement from Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique," and the headlong finale was a veritable "Mr. Toad's wild ride," requiring the soloist to play what sounded like very challenging volleys of rapid-fire passages. SLSO Principal Bassoon Andrew Cuneo handled it all with aplomb, delivering a flawless performance Saturday night that brought the audience to its feet. A shout-out is also due to Mr. Cuneo's fellow bassoonists Andrew Gott and Felicia Foland who were at times called upon to play together with the soloist to create what Mr. Rouse calls a "mega bassoon" sound.

I don't know whether or not the concerto will become part of the standard orchestral repertoire, but it's certainly a lively and appealing piece, which should count for something. And once you get past the Baroque and Classical eras, it's not like there's a wealth of solo material for the instrument.

Andrew Cuneo

The concert opened with a work which, while not a local premiere, is still a relative rarity on the concert stage: "Medea's Meditation and Dance of Vengeance," from the score Samuel Barber wrote for a 1946 Martha Graham ballet based on the Greek Medea myth. It's powerful music, to say the least, with an ominous opening that eventually gives way to a wild and violent finale, and it got a tremendously exciting reading from Mr. Macelaru and the orchestra.

The percussion section, including pianist Peter Henderson, got quite a workout here, and Cally Banham really killed it (you should pardon the expression) in the heartfelt solo that leads from the meditation into the dance. Like many listeners, I expect, I know this work primarily because of recordings (in my case, the 1959 recording for Mercury by composer Howard Hanson and the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra), but this performance was potent enough to supplant that recording in my memory.

The concert concluded with a work last heard here a little over four years ago, the Symphony No. 3 by Aaron Copland. A product of the final years of World War II, the symphony perfectly captures the forward-looking optimism that characterized America Victorious. As Copland writes in his autobiography, the Third "was a wartime piece--or, more accurately, and end-of-war piece--intended to reflect the euphoric spirit of the country at the time." The work's open harmonies are a perfect musical reflection of a time when the American character was marked by optimism and engagement.

At a time when the national character is becoming infected with pessimism and paranoia, Copland's music is a welcome reminder of a time when we thought better of ourselves and of our place in the world. It's majestic music and got a powerfully magisterial reading from Mr. Macelaru and excellent playing from the orchestra. The opening moments of the Molto moderato first movement had a reverential quality that served as an effective contrast to the grand statement of the main theme that followed. The rapid syncopation of the Allegro molto second movement was executed with great precision and the transparency string sound added real weight to the emotionally intense third movement. The final movement with its confident opening fanfare based on Copland's 1942 hit "Fanfare for the Common Man" wrapped everything up in fine, exuberant style.

There was plenty of impressive solo work throughout the symphony. Mr. Macelaru singled out all of the first chair players for well-earned curtain calls, but I'd like to direct some applause as well to Jennifer Nichtman and Ann Choomack for their fine playing of the important piccolo parts.

Next at Powell Hall:  Michael Francis
--> conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and violinist Joshua Bell Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, November 23-25. The program consists of Elgar's overture In the South (Alassio), Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1, and Vaughan Williams' Symphony No. 2 ("A London Symphony"). Performances take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

Review: Dialing for divas

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The hazard of a show like Christina Bianco's Diva Moments, with its heavy reliance on celebrity impersonations, is that when the performer drops the other personas to let the audience see her own, it had better be in the same class as the people she's parodying so skillfully.

No worries. Ms. Bianco (who played he Gaslight Theatre Friday and Saturday, November 16 and 17) wisely started the show not as one of her many satirical personas but rather as her own dynamically entertaining self, with a take-no-prisoners performance of one of the great anti-torch song numbers of all time, "Wherever He Ain't" (from Mack and Mabel, which played the Muny here in St. Louis on its way to a 1974 Broadway failure). By first taking the stage as herself, she established her own strength as a solo performer and created a solid foundation for the brilliantly funny collection of diva impressions that made up the bulk of the show.

And what a remarkable array of spot-on accurate parodies those were. Ms. Bianco set the bar pretty high in her performance of Kander and Ebb's "Cabaret" as it might have been done by Barbara Streisand, Bernadette Peters, Judy Garland, Patti LuPone, Kristin Chenoweth, Julie Andrews, and (finally and most absurdly) Celine Dion. With just a few bits of body language and eerily accurate vocal mimicry, she perfectly captured the idiosyncrasies that characterized those legendary performers. I especially loved her Andrews, but they were all remarkable.

That could have been a tough bit to follow, but she and music director Brad Simmons wisely segued to a pair of quick comic sketches--Julie Andrews doing the Donna Summer hit "Hot Stuff" and Streisand emoting her way through the theme from Cheers--on their way to a delightful duet of Randy Newman's "Short People" that allowed Ms. Bianco to comment humorously on her own diminutive stature.

I don't want to suggest that the evening was all laughs, though. There was, for example, a lovely version of "Over the Rainbow" (sung both straight and as July Garland) that led without pause into a touchingly straightforward rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star." And her performance of "Why Try to Change Me Now?," the 1952 Cy Coleman/Joseph McCarthy, Jr., number that has become something of a cabaret classic, perfectly captured the lyric's wry self-assessment.

Praise is also due to Mr. Simmons for his well-tailored arrangements, his vocal harmonies, and his willingness to go along for the ride during some of the more freewheeling moments in the show. Even he had to drop out, though, and let Ms. Bianco go a cappella in an improvised version of Bernstein's "Somewhere" as it might have been sung by Ethel Merman. Fortunately, her rapport with both him and the audience made it easy for everyone to go along for the ride.

I could go on, but you get the idea. "Diva Moments" was a very well-balanced mix of satire and sincerity that was a fine addition to the strong lineup of performers in the fall edition of Jim Dolan's Gaslight Cabaret Festival. The festival takes a brief holiday hiatus and then picks up again next month with "Storm Large's Holiday Ordeal." Consider yourself warned.

As for Christina Bianco and Brad Simmons, by the time you read this, they will have moved on to their next gig, but you can keep track of her world travels at her web site. It's chock full of videos and images that make it an entertaining destination all by itself.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 19, 2018

The Cabaret Project open mic and a play reading by the St. Louis Writers Group join the list this week.

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Disney's Aladdin

The Fabulous Fox presents Disney's Aladdin running through November 25. "From the producer of The Lion King comes the timeless story of ALADDIN, a thrilling new production filled with unforgettable beauty, magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle. It's an extraordinary theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes make the possibilities infinite." The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a cappella musical All is Calm Thursdays through Sundays through December 16. "Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this acapella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets." 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.

Away in a Basement

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents the musical Away in a Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas running through January 6. " 'Away in the Basement: A Church Basement Ladies Christmas' takes audiences back to 1959 on the day of the Sunday School Christmas Program. In the midst of holiday preparations and sprinklings of love in the air, the ladies in their witty, down-to-earth style are creating their own memories from Christmases past and present. Content to do things the way they have always been done, yet pondering new ideas, the reality of everyday life hits home as they plan the Sunday School Christmas Program. As the children rehearse in the sanctuary, several of the ladies are in the kitchen finishing up the treat bags filled with apples, peanuts and ribbon candy while the others put the final touches on the nativity pieces. As they mend old bathrobe costumes, discuss the politics of who's going to play the various roles, little do the ladies know what surprises are in store for them. Known for their hilarious antics and subtle charm, they are once again called upon to step in and save the day!" The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: www.playhouseatwestport.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents A Christmas Sleigh-Ing 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.

R-S Theatrics presents Every Brilliant Thing Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays a 7 pm through December 2. "When a six-year-old starts a list of every brilliant thing in life to encourage her despondent mother, little does she know that the list will take on a life of its own and thread its way throughout the girl's life. Hilarious and heartbreaking, this one-woman show reminds us to celebrate the beauty in our lives and in those we love." Performances take place at black box theatre at The Kranzberg Arts Center in Grand Center. For more information: r-stheatrics.com.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Harm for the Holidays through December 31. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents A Most Outrageous Fit of Madness, a new play for young audiences by Nancy Bell inspired by The Comedy of Errors, Saturdays at 4 pm through November 24 Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including dates and times: sfstl.com.

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of the new play The Pleasure Birds by Nina Orechwa on Monday, November 19 at 6:30 pm. "In the South of Wales, 1951, Dylan Thomas hastens toward the end of his life, ravaged by alcoholism and consumed with a final effort to salvage his marriage before fleeing to America to promote his last book. Forty years later, an Irish scholar and an American graduate student arrive in Wales, seeking a deeper understanding of the events leading up to Thomas's death while grappling with the uncertainties of their own relationship rooted in sex and academics. Through an exploration of human frailty and literature spanning 3 countries, *The Pleasure Birds* offers an investigation into metaphor, magic, the poetics of desire, and the illusory nature of time." The event takes place upstairs at Big Daddy's, 1000 Sidney in Soulard. For more information: www.stlwritersgroup.com.

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents Recipes for Ice, their monthly improv show, on Friday, November 23, at 8 and 10:30 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.

Chuck Lavazzi

The Cabaret Project presents its weekly Singers Open Mic Night on Wednesday, November 21, 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 hosted by 88.1 KDHX's Chuck Lavazzi. 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.

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.