St. Louis classical calendar for the week of April 1, 2019

No fooling, there's a lot of great music in town this week, including a special April Fool's Day event by the Chamber Music Society.

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The Black Tulip Chorale presents A Little Love in Your Heart: 50 Years from Stonewall on Sunday, April 7, at 3 pm. "The Black Tulip Chorale opens its second season with a tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising. After untold years of persecution and discrimination, the events in June 1969 marked the birth of the “gay liberation movement”. Including songs on the jukebox at the Stonewall and Gabriel Fauré's gorgeous “Requiem,” the Black Tulip Chorale celebrates the continuing journey towards justice, freedom, and equality. This performance is free to the public." The performance takes place at First Presbyterian Church of Kirkwood, 100 E. Adams in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/BlackTulipChorale.

The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents Foolproof on Monday and Tuesday, April 1 and 2, at 7:30 pm. "Who knew? Our concert falls on April Fools' Day. We never want to pass up an opportunity to have fun, so… stand back…we'll try not to get too rowdy." The concert includes Mozart's "Musical Joke," Stravinsky's "Circus Polka," and Haydn's String Quartet No. 2 ("The Joke") as well as a Beethoven parody by Dudley Moore. Performances take place at the Sheldon Ballroom, 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

Irina Kulikova

The St. Louis Classical Guitar Society presents a Great Artist Guitar Series concert with Irina Kulikova on Saturday, April 6, at 8 pm. "Born in 1982 Russian guitarist Irina Kulikova made her professional debut at age 12 traveling in Russia and abroad for gala concerts and festivals. She has performed as a soloist, in ensembles, and with orchestras. Ms. Kulikova graduated with distinction at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg (Austria), the Gnessins Academy in Moscow (Russia) and the Conservatoire of Maastricht (The Netherlands). She lives and teaches in The Netherlands." The performance takes at the Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Road. For more information: guitarstlouis.net.

Gemma New conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in a program of new music by students of the Missouri University composition program on Wednesday, April 3, at 8 pm. The program consists of music by Benedetto Colagiovanni, Libby Roberts, and Mikkel Christensen. The concert takse place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Allegra Lilly

Gemma New conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra along with soloists Mark Sparks, flute, and Allegra Lilly, harp, on Friday at 10:30 am, Saturday at 8 pm, and Sunday at 3 pm, April 5-7. The program consists of usic by Mozart, Richard Strauss, and Thomas Adès. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis University presents a Student Honors Recital on Monday, April 1, at 7:30 pm featuring "nine students chosen by the music faculty through an audition process, representing the high level of artistry coming out of the Program's vocal and instrumental studios." The performance takes place at St. Francis Xavier College Church on the campus in Grand Center. For more information: slu.edu/arts.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a student honors recital on Saturday, April 6, at 3 pm. The concert takes place at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

Gil Shaham

The Washington University Department of Music presents Great Artists Series recital with Gil Shaham, violin and Akira Eguchi, piano, on Sunday, April 7, at 7 pm. "Gil Shaham is one of the foremost violinists of our time: his flawless technique combined with his inimitable warmth and generosity of spirit has solidified his renown as an American master. Mr. Shaham has more than two dozen concerto and solo CDs to his name, earning multiple Grammys, a Grand Prix du Disque, Diapason d'Or, and Gramophone Editor's Choice." The concert takes place at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

Webster University presents the Webster University Percussion Ensemble, directed by Erin Elstneron Sunday, on Sunday, April 7, at 7 pm. The concert takes place at the Community Music School of Webster University, 535 Garden Avenue on the Webster University Campus in Webster Groves, MO. For more information: www.webster.edu/music/eventscalendar.html

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 1, 2019

New shows this week include Dreamgirls at Stray Dog, Othello at St. Louis Shakespeare, and not one but two productions of Photograph 51 at Webster Conservatory and West End.

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The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Bullets in the Bathtub through April 13. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.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.

Daddy Long Legs
Photo by John Lamb

Insight Theatre Company presents the musical Daddy Long Legs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through April 14. "Based on the classic novel, which inspired the 1955 movie starring Fred Astaire, Daddy Long Legs is a beloved tale in the spirit of Jane Austen, The Brontë Sisters and "Downton Abbey." Daddy Long Legs features music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominated composer/lyricist, Paul Gordon (Jane Eyre), and Tony-winning librettist/director, John Caird (Les Misérables), and is a "rags-to-riches" tale of newfound love." Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

Stray Dog Theatre presents the musical Dreamgirls Thursdays through Saturdays, April 4-20. "Journey back to a time in musical history when rhythm and blues weren't everything, they were the only thing. In the swinging 60s, the Dreamettes, led by the powerful Effie White, embark on an R&B music career that leads them across the country. Romantic entanglements, Effies weight, racism, and the arrival of a fresh new sound in the 70s make this show biz musical a thrilling hit." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of the play Finding Me by Clinton Maul on Monday, April 1 at 6:30 pm. "Finding Me takes you on a rollercoaster full of emotion, pain and laughter. An uncut view of what life can give you while highlighting the confidence it takes to overcome." The reading takes place upstairs at Big Daddy's, 1000 Sidney in Soulard. For more information: www.stlwritersgroup.com.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents a staged reading of the musical Frida, with book and lyrics by Michael Aman and music by Dana P. Rowe, on Thursday, April 4, at 7:30 pm. "After an injury that should have killed her, the renowned artist Frida Kahlo finds relief from her pain through paintings that would change the rules of art forever. Despite a complicated relationship with her husband - the great painter Diego Rivera - and multiple surgeries, she never succumbs to self-pity. Frida is a new musical about a woman's indomitable creative spirit and love for her husband, as told through the music, movement and art of her country." The reading takes place in the Studio Theatre of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

The Monroe Actors Stage presents the comedy Is He Dead? by Mark Twain as adapted by David Ives Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:30 pm, April 5-14. Performances take place in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618-939-7469.

The Hawthorne Players present the musical A New Brain opening on Friday, April 5, at 7:30 pm and running through April 14. "By the Tony Award-winning authors of Falsettos, A NEW BRAIN is an energetic, sardonic, often comical musidcal about a composer during a medical emergency. Gordon collapses into his lunch and awakes in the hospital, surrounded by his maritime-enthusiast lover, his mother, a co-worker, the doctor, and the nurses. Reluctantly, he had been composing a song for a children's television show that features a frog - Mr. Bungee - and the specter of this large green character and the unfinished work haunts him throughout his medical ordeal. What was thought to be a tumor turns out to be something more operable, and Gordon recovers, grateful for a chance to compose the songs he yearns to produce." 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.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Nursery Crimes through May 9. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

St. Louis Shakespeare presents Shakespeare's Othello opening on Friday, April 5, at 8 pm and running through April 13. "Shakespeare's tragedy is a classic tale of identity, bigotry and deceit." Performances take place at Tower Grove Baptist Church, 4257 Magnolia. For more information: stlshakespeare.org.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents Photograph 51 Friday through Sunday, April 5-7. "Anna Ziegler's Photograph 51 is a moving portrait of Rosalind Franklin, one of the great female scientists of the twentieth century, and her fervid drive to map the contours of the DNA molecule. A chorus of physicists relives the chase, revealing the largely-unsung achievements of this trail-blazing, fiercely independent woman - largely-unsung because the men usually credited with cracking the DNA code, James Watson and Francis Crick, did so by "borrowing" Franklin's most important discovery." Performances take place in the Stage III on the Webster University campus. For more information, www.webster.edu/conservatory/season or call 314-968-7128.

Photograph 51 at WEPG
Photo by John Lamb

The West End Players Guild continues its 108th season with the St. Louis premiere of the Photograph 51 Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, April 5-14. "Anna Ziegler's Photograph 51 is a moving portrait of Rosalind Franklin, one of the great female scientists of the twentieth century, and her fervid drive to map the contours of the DNA molecule. A chorus of physicists relives the chase, revealing the largely-unsung achievements of this trail-blazing, fiercely independent woman - largely-unsung because the men usually credited with cracking the DNA code, James Watson and Francis Crick, did so by "borrowing" Franklin's most important discovery." There will also be a show on Thursday, February 14, at 8 pm. Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 North Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-367-0025 or visit www.westendplayers.org.

The Play the Goes Wrong
Photo: John Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy The Play That Goes Wrong running through April 7. "Calamity, disaster, fiasco: whichever word you'd like to choose, the opening night performance of The Murder at Haversham Manor has gone decidedly wrong. A maelstrom of madcap madness ensues, complete with collapsing scenery, unconscious actors and a stage crew pushed to the brink. Will The Rep survive this train wreck of a play? Come find out!" Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org

The Midnight Company presents the comedy Popcorn Falls Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm through April 13. "The small town of Popcorn Falls is bankrupt. Its only tourist attraction, the Falls, has dried up, and it's about to be taken over by an unfeeling corporation who will turn the whole place into a sewage plant. There's only one chance to save the town - a dusty old grant that will give Popcorn Falls the money it needs if it will produce a play. (Which the town's future landlords demand be produced in one week.) The problem? There's no theatre in Popcorn Falls, there's never been a play seen there, and just a couple of its very eccentric citizens have ever been involved with anything resembling a play. It's up to Popcorn Falls' intrepid mayor and its Head Custodian ("Executive Custodian") to rally the town and lead its people in a heroic effort to prove that art can save the world. (Or at least a town.)" Performances take place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: midnightcompany.com

Time Stands Still
Photo by Philip Hammer

New Jewish Theater presents Time Stands Still Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2 and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm through April 14. "Time Stands Still revolves around Sarah, a photojournalist who has returned from covering the Iraq war after being injured by a roadside bomb, and her reporter boyfriend James who is swamped by guilt after having left Sarah alone in Iraq. The two are trying to find happiness in a world that seems to have gone crazy. Theirs is a partnership based on telling the toughest stories, and together, making a difference. But when their own story takes a sudden turn, the adventurous couple confronts the prospect of a more conventional life. Can they stay together amidst unspoken betrayals and conflicting ideals? Playwright Margulies answers these questions, while leaving unanswered qualms regarding the way America deals with war and tragedy coverage." 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.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presents the musical Waitress through April 7. "Inspired by Adrienne Shelly's beloved film, WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna - a waitress and expert pie maker, Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town's new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness. But Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life." The Fabulous Fox Theatre in on N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

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.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of March 29, 2019

A little gem of a small-cast musical and a festival of readings join a short hit list this week.

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New This Week:

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Ignite! 2019

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis opened its Ignite! 2019 festival of staged readings of new plays this week on Wednesday with Quiz Out by Margot Connolly. The festival continues with Frankenstein, adapted from the Mary Shelly novel by Eric Schmiedl, on Saturday, March 30, at 7:30 pm and will conclude with the musical Frida, with book and lyrics by Michael Aman and music by Dana P. Rowe, on Thursday, April 4, at 7:30 pm. Readings take place in the Studio Theatre of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

My take: The Ignite! festival offers theatre fans a rare opportunity to participate in the genesis of new works for the stage. Ignite! presents staged reading of plays commissioned by the Rep. The intent is to nurture the new plays until they get to the point where they’re ready for full productions. Talkback sessions after each reading offer audience members the chance to say what they did or didn’t like and possibly influence the shape of the final piece. Shows from previous festivals like Ayad Akhtar's The Invisible Hand and Scott C. Sickles's Nonsense and Beauty have gone on to become successful fully-staged works. Here's your chance to catch some rising theatrical stars.

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The cast of Waitress
Photo by Philicia Endelman

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presents the musical Waitress opening on Tuesday, March 26, at 7:30 pm and running through April 7. "Inspired by Adrienne Shelly's beloved film, Waitress tells the story of Jenna - a waitress and expert pie maker, Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town's new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness. But Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life." The Fabulous Fox Theatre in on N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

My take: As I wrote in my reivew, this is a damn near perfect piece of small-cast musical theatre. Jessie Nelson's heartwarming book (based on Adrienne Shelly's 2007 film of the same name), Sara Bareilles's eclectic score, and the outstanding performances by the ensemble cast combine to produce an evening of theatre that's as perfect as one of the protagonist's pies. "The beauty of 'Waitress,' writes Tina Farmer at KDHX, "is in its portrayal of real life, filled with real people doing their best from day to day and trying to find a little happiness in their struggles. The performances are compelling, the songs are varied and emotionally resonant and there's an authenticity and warmth to the story that lingers long after the last pie comes out of the oven."

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Held Over:

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The Play the Goes Wrong
Photo: John Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy The Play That Goes Wrong running through April 7. "Calamity, disaster, fiasco: whichever word you'd like to choose, the opening night performance of The Murder at Haversham Manor has gone decidedly wrong. A maelstrom of madcap madness ensues, complete with collapsing scenery, unconscious actors and a stage crew pushed to the brink. Will The Rep survive this train wreck of a play? Come find out!" Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org

My take: As an old theatere guy myself, I'm something of a sucker for shows (like Michael Frayn's Noises Off) that get comedy out of backstage disaster, if only because anyone who has acted for any length of time will have his or her own tales of theatrical mishap. The Play That Goes Wrong appears to take this gentre to dizzying heights. "Farce," writes Steve Callahan at KDHX, "is technically the most difficult form of theater, and low farce--slapstick farce, like this one--is the most difficult kind of farce. The cast at the Rep are intensely energetic, intensely disciplined and occasionally quite athletic in portraying (and surviving) all their various injuries and embarrassments."

Review: "Waitress" has all the right ingredients

When it opened on Broadway in 2016, "Waitress" (which is still running as this is being written) was nominated for the Best Musical award not only by the Tonys, but the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League. Surprisingly, it didn't win any of them.

The cast of Waitress
Photo by Philicia Endelman

I say "surprisingly" because, after seeing the current tour at the Fox, I came away convinced that "Waitress" is a damn near perfect piece of small-cast musical theatre. Jessie Nelson's heartwarming book (based on Adrienne Shelly's 2007 film of the same name), Sara Bareilles's eclectic score, and the outstanding performances by the ensemble cast combine to produce an evening of theatre that's as perfect as one of the protagonist's pies.

That protagonist is Jenna, a waitress at Joe's Diner somewhere in the South who hopes her extraordinary culinary skills might win help her win a baking contest that will get her out of a loveless marriage to her appallingly self-centered and abusive husband Earl. She has the support of her friends and fellow waitresses Becky and Dawn as well as the sympathy of the crusty manager Cal, but an unexpected pregnancy and even more unexpected affair with Jim Pomatter, the new town doctor, threaten to disrupt everything. The story of how she finds the strength to change her life is inspirational and carries an uplifting message of female empowerment without ever becoming preachy.

Christine Dwyer
Photo by Tim Trumble

Christine Dwyer is a strong and credible Jenna, finding her inner strength through the mantra of baking in the song "What's Inside." Ephie Aardema is the elfin Dawn, freaking out in advance of a blind date with the geeky Ogie in the comic "When He Sees Me." Ogie is played with droll precision (and impressive dance moves) by Jeremy Morse. Becky is as brassy and sassy as Dawn is shy, and Maiesha McQueen plays her with all the vital force you could want. She has a powerful voice to boot, as she demonstrates in "I Didn't Plan It," the number in which she defends her affair with Cal, played with gruff charm by Ryan G. Dunkin.

Steven Good's Dr. Pomatter is a masterful study in self-effacement, making the character's awkwardness and repressed passion endearing. Matt DeAngelis fully embraces the pure awfulness or Earl, making him a character the audience loves to hate. Richard Kline is completely endearing as Joe, the owner of the diner whose song of life lessons, "Take It From an Old Man," is a moving highlight of the show.

Steven Good and Christine Dwyer
Photo by Philicia Endelman

Technically, "Waitress" is a marvel. Diane Paulus's direction, Lorin Latarro's choreography, and Scott Pask's highly mobile sets combine to create a fast-paced and fluid show. Scenes shift in the blink of an eye and the thirteen members of the ensemble are in nearly constant motion. They take on multiple characters and sometimes act as an extra pair of hands for the principals. Even the six-piece onstage band is mobile, often shifting with the scenery.

There are serious themes at the heart of "Waitress," such as the tragic tendency of children who grow up in abusive homes to move on to abusive relationships in adulthood, but ultimately this is a show about taking control of your life and the strength of sisterhood. If you're looking for a purely life-affirming musical, "Waitress" is surely the show for you.

Performances of "Waitress" continue through April 7 at the Fabulous Fox in Grand Center.

Symphony Preview: Critical failure

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

This weekend (March 29-31) Jakub Hrusa leads the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in three works by well-established composers that were nevertheless greeted with a mixture of bafflement and hostility when they were first performed. Not surprisingly, history has since vindicated the composers.

The concerts open with a suite from Béla Bartók's ballet "The Miraculous Mandarin." First performed in Cologne, Germany, in November 1926, the ballet's sordid and violent story so outraged local audiences and religious leaders that the mayor, Konrad Adenauer (who would later be Germany's first post-WW II chancellor), had it banned. It wasn't seen again until after the composer's death in 1945.

Béla Bartók in 1927

What was all the fuss about? Thomas May has a synopsis in his program notes and there's an even more detailed one at Wikipedia, but essentially the story concerns a trio of thugs who force a young woman to lure unsuspecting rubes to an upstairs room where they're robbed, beaten, and tossed out into the street. The first two victims, an old man and a student, are easily dispatched, but the third--the wealthy Chinese man of the title--proves to be much tougher. The criminals try to kill him by suffocation, stabbing, and hanging, but he refuses to die until the woman finally embraces him, at which point he bleeds and expires.

Not exactly family friendly stuff. Also rather Freudian. Choreographer Attilla Bongar has posted a YouTube video of his version of the ballet and while the video quality is not great, it does give you a pretty good idea of what the action looks like.

The music Bartók wrote was appropriately aggressive and discordant. In an article for "The Listeners Club", Timothy Judd calls it "one of the scariest pieces ever written" and quotes the composer (in 1918) predicting that it would be "hellish music." Mr. Judd goes on to quote the musicologist and Bartók biographer József Ujfalussy on the way in which the ballet was a reflection of the post-WW I zeitgeist:

European art began to be populated by inhuman horrors and apocalyptic monsters. These were the creations of a world in which man's imagination had been affected by political crises, wars, and the threat to life in all its forms... This exposure of latent horror and hidden danger and crime, together with an attempt to portray these evils in all their magnitude, was an expression of protest by 20th-century artists against the...obsolete ideals and inhumanity of contemporary civilization. [Bartók] does not see the Mandarin as a grotesque monster but rather as the personification of a primitive, barbaric force, an example of the 'natural man' to whom he was so strongly attracted.

A quick glance at my news feed suggests that, if Mr. Ujfalussy is correct, this may be music whose hour (like that of Yeats's rough beast) has "come round at last."

Tchaikovsky, aged 52.
Photographed by Alfred Fedetsky
in Kharkov, 14/26 March 1893
wiki.tchaikovsky-research.net

Up next is Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major. Although wildly popular these days, the concerto was originally dismissed as "unplayable" by St. Petersburg Conservatory violin professor Leopold Auer (to whom it was originally dedicated and who was supposed to play it at its premiere). Tchaikovsky's colleague Adolf Brodsky would replace Auer as both the first performer and the dedicatee.

I wrote at some length back in 2015 about the concerto and the oddly hostile reactions it got from clueless critics, so I won't repeat myself here. The bottom line is that it's now a beloved part of the repertoire and never fails to be a crowd pleaser.

The violin soloist this weekend will be Karen Gomyo, who has gotten her share of critical praise http://karengomyo.com/press/ over the years. "A first-rate artist of real musical command, vitality, brilliance and intensity," wrote John Van Rhein at the Chicago Tribune in 2009, while the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Zachary Lewis called her "captivating, honest, and soulful, fueled by abundant talent but not a vain display of technique" in 2011. Reviewing her performance of works by Chausson and Sarasate here in 2017, I praised her technical proficiency and intense artistic focus. I look forward to seeing what she does with Tchaikovsky's so-called "unplayable" masterpiece.

Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9, which concludes this weekend's concerts, actually got some decent notices when it was first performed on November 3, 1945, by the Leningrad Philharmonic under Yevgeny Mravinsky, who conducted the world premieres of several other Shostakovich symphonies. His fellow composer Gavriil Nikolayevich Popov, for example, reacted to it this way (cited in "Shostakovich: A Life" by Laurel E. Fay):

Transparent. Much light and air. Marvelous tutti, fine themes (the main theme of the first movement -- Mozart!). Almost literally Mozart. But, of course, everything very individual, Shostakovichian... A marvelous symphony. The finale is splendid in its joie de vivre, gaiety, brilliance, and pungency!!

That opinion didn't last. As conductor Mark Wigglesworth writes on his blog, "Stalin was incensed when he heard the piece." Coming immediately after the conclusion of the Great Patriotic War (World War II to the rest of us) he had expected a grand heroic apotheosis, not "literally Mozart." As Mr. Wigglesworth notes, the winds of opinion quickly changed:

Within a year of its première in 1945, Soviet critics censured the symphony for its 'ideological weakness' and its failure to 'reflect the true spirit of the people of the Soviet Union.' One described it as 'old man Haydn and a regular American sergeant unsuccessfully made up to look like Charlie Chaplin, with every possible grimace and whimsical gesture.' Others, in more private circles, understood 'its timely mockery of all sorts of hypocrisy, pseudo-monumentality, and bombastic grandiloquence.' It was banned for the remainder of Stalin's life and not recorded until 1956. Nor was the work particularly well received in the West. According to an American critic, 'the Russian composer should not have expressed his feelings about the defeat of Nazism in such a childish manner.'

Shostakovich in 1945

In all fairness, Shostakovich might have been partly responsible for raising false expectations. "Undoubtedly like every Soviet artist," he declared on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the revolution in 1944, "I harbor the tremulous dream of a large-scale work in which the overpowering feelings ruling us today would find expression. I think the epigraph to all our work in the coming years will be the single word 'Victory'."

He even went so far as to compose the first several minutes of that planned celebratory work early in 1945. As scholar Olga Digonskaya writes, fellow composers who heard him perform it described the fragment as "powerful, energetic and triumphant." Dissatisfied, he set the fragment aside, and by the summer his thoughts had completely changed. Running under a half hour, the final version of the Symphony No. 9 is a brisk, and (at least in the first movement) openly comic work with (as Mr. May writes in his notes) "a shockingly (to those who wanted it) unheroic finale."

If you want to listen to the complete symphony in advance, let me recommend a recording by the WDR Symphony on YouTube that includes a synchronized display of the score. Note the many prominent solos for instruments that don't always get them like the piccolo, bassoon, and trombone.

This week's guest conductor, Jakub Hrusa, was born in Brno, Czechoslovakia in 1981. He studied paino and trombone before taking up the baton at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. He's Chief Conductor of the Bamberg Symphony, Principal Guest Conductor of the Philharmonia Orchestra, and Principal Guest Conductor of the Czech Philharmonic. Recent debuts include guest appearances with the Berlin Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Symphony, Orchestre de Paris, and NHK Symphony.

The Essentials: Jakub Hrusa conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, along with violinist Karen Gomyo, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, March 29-31. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center.

Review: Gilbert Varga forms a close French connection with the SLSO

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

Gilbert Varga
Photo courtesy of St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

This past Saturday (March 23, 2019) was the fourth time I've seen Gilbert Varga conduct the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and, once again, I came away impressed with the combination of high drama and pinpoint precision he brings to his interpretations.

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

The last time I saw Mr. Varga in action, it was with an all-Russian program in 2016. This time the music was French, but the performances were every bit as compelling, beginning with a pristine romp through Dukas's popular "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."

Conducting without a score, Mr. Varga treated the audience to a beautifully detailed and vibrant performance that reminded me once again of just what an effective piece of musical comedy this little tone poem is. Individual orchestral details were finely wrought, including the growling voice of the animated broom in Andrew Cuneo's bassoon section and the dramatic proclamations from Thomas Jöstlein's horns.

It may be that, as Paul Schiavo writes in his program notes, the work has become "simply the soundtrack to a clever cartoon" because of the expert job Disney's people did animating it back in 1937, but it's still a delight to hear even if it's hard to banish visions of Mickey Mouse from your head.

Up next was Édouard Lalo's Cello Concerto in D minor, written in 1876 for the Belgian cellist Adolphe Fischer, who premiered it the following year. It's a colorful piece with a strong Iberian influence in the final movement and a strong sense of drama throughout. Soloist Daniel Müller-Schott, who has been praised in the past for his big tone and clear-cut articulation, demonstrated exactly those qualities in a focused and committed performance.

Daniel Müller-Schott
Photo courtesy of St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

The first movement had all the gravitas it required while the second was perfectly light and fleet, with nice work from Andrea Kaplan and Jennifer Nichtman in the prancing second theme. The soulful opening of the final movement was as dark and intense as it should be, while the ensuing Allegro vivace bristled with flash and fire. That made for a nice contrast with the encore that followed: a solo cello version of Ravel's haunting (but no less technically challenging) "Pièce en forme de Habanera."

The concert closed with a highly charged performance of the Symphony in D minor by César Franck. Written in 1888, when the composer was in his 60s, it's a dramatic work with a dark, urgent first movement, a richly romantic second with a justly famous English horn solo, and a blazing, powerful finale.

It's also a work that can be episodic and even ponderous. Mr. Varga's interpretation, with its retards and pauses, could have come across that way but didn't. Instead he allowed the rich variety of this music to come through while still maintaining a sense of dramatic tension. Particularly in the first movement, individual phrases emerged with great clarity and the performance overall was immensely gratifying.

It was also exceptionally well played. Notable moments included Cally Banham's English horn solo and Allegra Lilly's graceful harp in the second movement, the robust tone of the strings, and powerful work by Roger Kaza's horns. I was also reminded of how some orchestral details, like Tzuying Huang's solid bass clarinet, can only be appreciated in live performance.

Mr. Varga's dynamic style on the podium was also something that could only be fully appreciated in person. This was especially true when he was conducting without a score. It was delightful to see him leaning into the strings to coax out a phrase or leaping back and forth to highlight individual phrases. Mr. Varga seems to have a very personal and visceral relationship with the orchestra, and they seem to take great pleasure in playing for him.

Next at Powell Hall: Jakub Hrusa conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, along with violinist Karen Gomyo, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, March 29-31. The program consists of a suite from Bartok's' ballet "The Miraculous Mandarin," Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 25, 2019

New shows this week include the Rep's Ignite! festival, the St. Louis Theater Circle Awards, and musicals at Webster Conservatory and Insight.

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The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Bullets in the Bathtub through April 13. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.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.

Daddy Long Legs
Photo by John Lamb

Insight Theatre Company presents the musical Daddy Long Legs Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, March 28 - April 14. "Based on the classic novel, which inspired the 1955 movie starring Fred Astaire, Daddy Long Legs is a beloved tale in the spirit of Jane Austen, The Brontë Sisters and "Downton Abbey." Daddy Long Legs features music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominated composer/lyricist, Paul Gordon (Jane Eyre), and Tony-winning librettist/director, John Caird (Les Misérables), and is a "rags-to-riches" tale of newfound love." Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information, call 314-556-1293 or visit insighttheatrecompany.com.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents a staged reading of the play Frankenstein, adapted from the Mary Shelly novel by Eric Schmiedl, on Saturday, March 30, at 7:30 pm as part of the Ignite! new play festival. "What does it mean to be human? In 1783, the lives of four outsiders come crashing together: Victor, a brilliant young student, Elizabeth, the love of his life, Henry, his best friend, and the Creature - a force that can unite them, or tear them all to pieces. This new adaptation celebrates the insight, passion and youthful exuberance of Mary Shelley's seminal novel on the 200th anniversary of its publication." The reading takes place in the Studio Theatre of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

Take Two Productions presents the Stephen Sondheim musical Into the Woods Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm, March 29 and 30. " he Brothers Grimm hit the stage with Into the Woods, an epic, Tony-Award-winning fairytale with about wishes, family and the choices we make. Follow a Baker and his wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King's Festival; and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. When the Baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of a Witch's curse, the two set off on a journey to break the curse. Everyone's wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them later with disastrous results." Performances take place at Tower Grove Baptist Church, 4257 Magnolia in the Shaw neighborhood. For more information, visit taketwoproductions.org

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents The Little Prince by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar, adapted from the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Friday at 7:30 pm and Saturday at 11 am, 2 pm, and 7:30 pm, March 29 and 30. "The Little Prince tells the story of a world-weary and disenchanted Aviator whose sputtering plane strands him in the Sahara Desert and a mysterious, regal "little man" who appears and asks him to "Please, sir, draw me a sheep." During their two weeks together in the desert, the Little Prince tells the Aviator about his adventures through the galaxy. The Little Prince talks to everyone he meets: a garden of roses, the Snake and a Fox who wishes to be tamed. From each he gains a unique insight which he shares with the Aviator: "It is only with the heart that one can see rightly." "What is essential is invisible to the eye." Performances take place in the Stage III on the Webster University campus. For more information, www.webster.edu/conservatory/season or call 314-968-7128.

St. Charles Community College presents the musical Newsies opening Friday, March 22, at 7 pm and running through March 30. "This rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a band of teenaged "newsies," is a feel-good musical that speaks to us all. When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys' expense, Jack rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions. This Disney film-turned-Tony-winning-Broadway hit inspires everyone to fight for what is right and to seize the day! Newsies is packed with non-stop thrills and a timeless message that is perfect for the whole family." Performances take place in the SCC Center Stage Theater in the Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building on the campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO. For more information, call 636-922-8050 or visit stchas.edu.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Nursery Crimes through May 9. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

The Play the Goes Wrong
Photo: John Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy The Play That Goes Wrong running through April 7. "Calamity, disaster, fiasco: whichever word you'd like to choose, the opening night performance of The Murder at Haversham Manor has gone decidedly wrong. A maelstrom of madcap madness ensues, complete with collapsing scenery, unconscious actors and a stage crew pushed to the brink. Will The Rep survive this train wreck of a play? Come find out!" Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org

Lion's Paw Theatre Company presents Plays on the Menu, a reading of the plays Rules of Comedy by Patricia Cotter and A Second of Pleasure by Neil LaButeon Monday and Tuesday, March 25 and 26, at noon at The Hearth Room at The Hawken House, 1155 South Rock Hill Road. The readings include lunch. For more information: lionspawtheatre.org.

The Midnight Company presents the comedy Popcorn Falls Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm, March 28 - April 13. "The small town of Popcorn Falls is bankrupt. Its only tourist attraction, the Falls, has dried up, and it's about to be taken over by an unfeeling corporation who will turn the whole place into a sewage plant. There's only one chance to save the town - a dusty old grant that will give Popcorn Falls the money it needs if it will produce a play. (Which the town's future landlords demand be produced in one week.) The problem? There's no theatre in Popcorn Falls, there's never been a play seen there, and just a couple of its very eccentric citizens have ever been involved with anything resembling a play. It's up to Popcorn Falls' intrepid mayor and its Head Custodian ("Executive Custodian") to rally the town and lead its people in a heroic effort to prove that art can save the world. (Or at least a town.)" Performances take place at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: midnightcompany.com

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents a staged reading of the play Quiz Out by Margot Connolly on Wednesday, March 27, at 7:30 pm as part of the Ignite! new play festival. "High school junior Harper and her best friend Hannah join their church's Bible Quiz team. The more time they spend together, the more they learn about themselves, their faith, their sexual identities, and the intense and occasionally claustrophobic world of Bible Quiz. A crazy, heartwarming comedy by an exciting new voice in the American theatre." The reading takes place in the Studio Theatre of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

Lindenwood University presents the rock musical The Rocky Horror Show Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday at 7 and 10 pm, and Saturday at 7:30 pm, March 27-30. "In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite scientist. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named "Rocky." This dark comedy musical has several secrets up its sleeve, and things are not always as they appear." Performances take place at the Scheiegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information: www.lindenwood.edu.

St. Louis Theater Circle critics in 2017

The St. Louis Theater Circle presents the St. Louis Theater Circle Awards on Monday, March 25, at 7 pm. The awards recognize outstanding achievement in locally produced professional theatre as judged by local theatre critics who are members of the Circle. Presenters will include KDHX's own Chuck Lavazzi. Live music will be provided by Joe Dreyer and Deborah Sharn. Llywelyn's Catering will offer a selection of snack boxes, desserts and drinks on a pay-as-you-go basis beginning at 6 pm. The ceremony takes place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com.

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of the play School Secrets by Patrick Anderson on Monday, March 25 at 6:30 pm. " As the new principal of his hometown high school, armed with innovative new ideas, programs, and a precocious 2nd grade friend, John Andrews finds himself struggling to make it all click. With pressure mounting from his superintendent, the school board, and reluctant old school teachers, John and his new social worker must fight to do what they know is right for their students. " The event takes place upstairs at Big Daddy's, 1000 Sidney in Soulard. For more information: www.stlwritersgroup.com.

The Stifel Theatre presents the musical The Sound of Music Saturday, March 30, at 7:30 pm. "A brand new production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC is coming to St. Louis on March 30. The spirited, romantic and beloved musical story of Maria and the von Trapp Family will once again thrill audiences with its Tony®, Grammy® and Academy Award® winning Best Score, including "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," "Edelweiss" and the title song. " The Stifel Theatre is at 14th and Market downtown. For more information: stifeltheatre.com.

Time Stands Still
Photo by Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents Time Stands Still Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2 and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm, March 28 - April 14. "Time Stands Still revolves around Sarah, a photojournalist who has returned from covering the Iraq war after being injured by a roadside bomb, and her reporter boyfriend James who is swamped by guilt after having left Sarah alone in Iraq. The two are trying to find happiness in a world that seems to have gone crazy. Theirs is a partnership based on telling the toughest stories, and together, making a difference. But when their own story takes a sudden turn, the adventurous couple confronts the prospect of a more conventional life. Can they stay together amidst unspoken betrayals and conflicting ideals? Playwright Margulies answers these questions, while leaving unanswered qualms regarding the way America deals with war and tragedy coverage." 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.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presents the musical Waitress opening on Tuesday, March 26, at 7:30 pm and running through April 7. "Inspired by Adrienne Shelly's beloved film, WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna - a waitress and expert pie maker, Jenna dreams of a way out of her small town and loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town's new doctor may offer her a chance at a fresh start, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes for happiness. But Jenna must summon the strength and courage to rebuild her own life." The Fabulous Fox Theatre in on N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

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 March 25, 2019

Concerts this week include both orchestral and chamber music events with members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as well as a program of arts songs and spirituals by African-American composers at Eliot Unitarian Chapel.

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Eliot Unitarian Chapel presents a Friends of Music concert on Sunday, February 31, at 3 pm. The program will feature Robert McNichols, Jr., baritone, accompanied by Chris White, pianist, performing art songs and spirituals by African-American composers, including Margaret Bonds, Harry T. Burleigh and Florence Beatrice Price. The concert takes place at Eliot Unitarian Chapel is at 100 South Argonne in Kirkwood. For more information: fomcstl.org.

The Metropolitan Orchestra

The Metropolitan Orchestra performs on Sunday, March 31, at 7 p.m. The program includes Brahms's Concerto for Violin and Cello with violinist Julia Sakharova and cellist Kurt Baldwin, and Sibelius's Symphony No. 2. The concert takes place at First Presbyterian Church, 100 E. Adams in Kirkwood. For more information: metro-orch.org.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Opera Tastings on Saturday, March 30, at 7 pm. "Soprano Teresa Castillo, mezzo-soprano Rehanna Thelwell, tenor Edward Graves, and baritone Robert Mellon will perform operatic classics from The Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, and Porgy and Bess, among others. Pianist Timothy Cheung will accompany the singers. Each venue will present its own specifically crafted tasting menu created to accompany an intimate concert of arias and duets from across opera's rich history. Each musical selection is paired with wine, beer, spirits, small bites, or desserts, based on the inspiration of each venue's chef." The event, which features "artisan Mexican cuisine with a modern twist," takes place at Catrinas, 1207 Century Dr. in Edwardsville, IL. For more information: experienceopera.org.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Opera Tastings on Sunday, March 31, at 1 pm. "Soprano Teresa Castillo, mezzo-soprano Rehanna Thelwell, tenor Edward Graves, and baritone Robert Mellon will perform operatic classics from The Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, and Porgy and Bess, among others. Pianist Timothy Cheung will accompany the singers. Each venue will present its own specifically crafted tasting menu created to accompany an intimate concert of arias and duets from across opera's rich history. Each musical selection is paired with wine, beer, spirits, small bites, or desserts, based on the inspiration of each venue's chef." The event, which features "eclectic aria-inspired cuisine wine pairings from Ces & Judy's," takes place at The Venue at Maison du lac, 2603 Wild Plum Valley in Pacific, MO. For more information: experienceopera.org.

The Tallis Scholars

St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents the a cappella ensemble The Tallis Scholars on Thursday, March 28, at 8 pm. "Known as leading performers of Renaissance sacred music, The Tallis Scholars have earned world-wide recognition as “a capella superstars”. The world-renowned group continues to develop their exclusive sounds, praised by reviewers for its supple clarity and tone, and brings fresh interpretation to music by contemporary as well as past composers." The performance takes place at The Cathedral Basilica on Lindell in the Central West End. For more information: cathedralconcerts.org.

Members of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra perform Taxidermy, a program of contemporary percussion music, on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 26 and 27, at 7:30 pm. "Taxidermy showcases the SLSO's percussion section, with composer Caroline Shaw making flower pots sing, Juri Seo creating quirky tunes from tubes, Danny Clay demonstrating musical games for percussion instruments and Mayke Nas performing piano surgery. Injuries treated, the piano takes center stage for Missy Mazzoli's dream evocation of another time, another place, complete with video by Zlatko Cosic." The performances take place at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation on Washington in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Jakub Hrusa conducting the Bamberg Symphony
Photo by Andreas Herzau

Jakub Hrusa conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, along with violinist Karen Gomyo, Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, March 29-31. The program consists of a suite from Bartok's' ballet The Miraculous Mandarin, Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster David Halen, along with members of the SLSO, in D-Day and the Formation of the United Nations on Wednesday, March 27, at 8 p.m. The concert features works by Aaron Copland's Violin Sonata and the original chamber orchestra version of his ballet Appalachian Spring. The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents Charles Metz and Michael Pecak in Four-Handed Conversations, a program of fortepiano duos and duets by Haydn and Mozart, on Monday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. The free event takes place in the Goldberg Formal Lounge in the Danforth Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, music.wustl.ed.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a senior song recital by Michelle Schrier on Sunday, March 31, at 1 pm. The concert features songs by Jason Robert Brown, Henry Purcell, and Stephen Sondheim, among others, and takes place at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.ed.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of March 22, 2019

Cabaret shows by Ari Axelrod and Beverly Brennan join the hit list this week, along with a breakneck farce at the Rep.

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New This Week:

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Ari Axelrod

Mariposa Artists presents Ari Axelrod in A Celebration of Jewish Broadway on Saturday, March 23, at 8 pm. "Direct from its sold out NYC debut at the historic Birdland Theater, Ari Axelrod presents A Celebration of Jewish Broadway honoring the songs and stories of Jewish composers and their contributions to the American Musical. Beloved melodies and lyrics by the likes of Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Schwartz, and Carole King will transport the audience back to the streets of the theatre district, your bubbie's Shabbos table, or the places of your dreams." The show takes place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.metrotix.com.

My take: Reviewing Ari Axelrod's debut show, Taking the Wheel, back in 2016, I wrote that he displayed a depth of feeling that I had not always seen in the work of some of his contemporaries because he had clearly absorbed and thoroughly internalized the lyrics. With direction by Lina Koutrakos and musical direction by Rick Jensen, I don't see how you can go wrong.

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Beverly Brennan

Mariposa Artists presents Beverly Brennan in Love and Marriage on Friday, March 22, at 8 pm. "With her new show "Love and Marriage", Bev offers an inside take on long term relationships - the good, the bad and the outrageously funny. With stories, jokes and songs her show will take you on the roller coaster ride of falling in love and the consequences. Songs include hits by Patsy Cline, Billy Joel, John Lennon and James Brown as well as selections from musical theater and the great American Song Book. It's time to get real and tell it like it is about being married to the same (wonderful) guy for 46 years! Rick Jensen serves as musical director and accompanist for this show on Beverly's birthday!! Co-directed by Lina Koutrakos and Ken Haller." The show takes place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.metrotix.com.

My take: This is the latest solo outing for Ms. Brennan, a St. Louis native (and daughter of sportscasting legend Jack Buck) who grew up on The Hill. Her first, St. Louie Woman, played to sold-out houses both here and in Chicago in 2010. As she did in her Doris Day tribute show back in 2013, she has teamed up with the always-impressive Rick Jensen along with cabaret legend Lina Koutrakos and one of our city's most notable cabaret exports, Ken Haller. Fun will be had.

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The Play the Goes Wrong
Photo: John Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the comedy The Play That Goes Wrong running through April 7. "Calamity, disaster, fiasco: whichever word you'd like to choose, the opening night performance of The Murder at Haversham Manor has gone decidedly wrong. A maelstrom of madcap madness ensues, complete with collapsing scenery, unconscious actors and a stage crew pushed to the brink. Will The Rep survive this train wreck of a play? Come find out!" Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org

My take: As an old theatere guy myself, I'm something of a sucker for shows (like Michael Frayn's Noises Off) that get comedy out of backstage disaster, if only because anyone who has acted for any length of time will have his or her own tales of theatrical mishap. The Play That Goes Wrong appears to take this gentre to dizzying heights. "Farce," writes Steve Callahan at KDHX, "is technically the most difficult form of theater, and low farce--slapstick farce, like this one--is the most difficult kind of farce. The cast at the Rep are intensely energetic, intensely disciplined and occasionally quite athletic in portraying (and surviving) all their various injuries and embarrassments."

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La Cage aux Folles
Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical La Cage aux Folles Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through March 23. "What happens when the son of a middle-aged gay couple brings home the daughter of an arch-conservative politician -- and her parents -- for dinner? Musical comedy ensues. Come join us on the French Riviera for a night of love, laughs, illusions and truths, and the triumph of family over bullies and bigots." Performances take place at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

My take: I have always been a great admirer of this show. Although it's over thirty years old now, La Cage feels relevant all over again in a time when obsessive culture warriors are denouncing loving long-term relationships like that of Georges and the flamboyant Albin as an existential threat to family life when, in fact, they are an affirmation of it. Jerry Herman's score is one of his strongest, with a French pop-music flavor reminiscent of Jacques Brel or Edith Piaf. Songs like "The Best of Times", "With Anne on My Arm", and "La Cage Aux Folles" are both irresistible and unforgettable. And the book by Tony–award winning playwright Harvey Fierstein is both witty and wise. The current New Line production apparently benefits from what Lynn Venhaus calls a "tour-de-force performance from Zachary Allen Farmer as the drag diva Zaza/Albin." Mark Bretz agrees, calling Mr. Farmer's work "triumphant."

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Nonsense and Beauty
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the St. Louis premiere of Nonsense and Beauty through March 24. "In 1930, the writer E.M. Forster met and fell in love with a policeman 23 years his junior. Their relationship, very risky for its time, evolved into a 40-year love triangle that was both turbulent and unique. Based on a true story, Nonsense and Beauty captures the wit and wisdom of one of the last century's great writers. This world premiere, developed as part of The Rep's 2018 Ignite! Festival of New Plays, explores the power of love and forgiveness." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

My take: As I write in my review of the show, Nonsense and Beauty is a fundamentally sound work that could use with some fine tuning, largely around the character of Buckingham, but it's a worthy addition to the Rep's studio season nevertheless. The cast could hardly be better and Seth Gordon's direction is spot on.