St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of July 29, 2019

More musicals join the list this week, including a new show at The Playhouse at Westport.

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The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Assisted Living: The Musical opening on Thursday, August 1, at 2 pm and running through August 11. "From early retirement right up to the pulling of the plug, 21st Century seniors are partying like it's 1969. Imagine: no work, no pregnancy and a full array of Medicare-subsidized pharmaceuticals. Get your tickets today, before your short-term memory goes!" The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

La BohèmePhoto by Dan Donovan

Union Avenue Opera presents Puccini's La Bohème Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, through August 2. Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. The opera is sung in Italian with projected English text. For more information, visit unionavenueopera.org or call 314-361-2881.

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

The Hawthorne Players present the musical Footloose opening on Friday, August 2, at 7:30 pm and running through August 11. "Kick off your Sunday shoes with this 80s favorite! Based on the 1984 Academy Award-nominated blockbuster hit, Footloose shows how a little teenage rebellion and a love of music can open hearts and transform a town. Featuring chart-topping hits, including "Let's Hear It for the Boy," "Holding Out for a Hero" and the Grammy-nominated title track "Footloose," this four-time Tony Award-nominated dancing-sensation will have the entire family burning and yearning to cut loose!" 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.

Grease
Photo by Peter Wochniak

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Grease through August 18. " Welcome to Rydell High where Danny Zuko and his gang of Burger Palace Boys and Pink Ladies rule the school! Bursting with explosive energy and 1950's nostalgia, GREASE blends an irresistible mix of adolescent angst and All-American teen spirit to create a high-octane, pop-culture phenomenon you won't want to miss!" Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information: stagesstlouis.org.

Over Due Theatre presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through August 4. "Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2019, Joseph is one of the most enduring shows of all time and reimagines the biblical story of Joseph, his father Jacob, eleven brothers and the coat of many colors." Performances take place at the Olivette Community Center, 9723 Grandview Drive, in Olivette, MO. For more information, call 314-210-2959 or visit overduetheatrecompany.com.

Clinton County Showcase presents the Disney musical The Little Mermaid Friday through Sunday at 8 pm. August 1-4. "Based on the classic Disney animated feature, Ariel, King Triton's youngest daughter, wishes to pursue the human Prince Eric in the world above, bargaining with the evil sea witch, Ursula, to trade her tail for legs. But the bargain is not what it seems, and Ariel needs the help of her colorful friends, Flounder the fish, Scuttle the seagull and Sebastian the crab to restore order under the sea " Performances take place outdoors at Northside Pari, 1000 N. Main in Breese IL. For more information, visit ccshowcase.com.

Hard Road Theatre Productions presents the musical Mamma Mia! Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through August 4. Performances will be held at the Highland Elementary School auditorium in Highland IL. For more information: www.hardroad.org.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Zombie Love (No Biting) opening on Friday, August 2, and running through November 2. "Calling all Zombies! Tired of being judged for munching on the occasional brain? So you're not really "alive" anymore but you can still enjoy socializing with the living and enjoying a hilarious show together! Well, we've got the perfect show for you! Drama! Comedy! Looove! ...And, of course, Zombies! Don your best Living Dead Costume and choose to be a Zombie, or not (its up to you), but we do promise lots of fun for both the living and the undead! hey, Hey, HEY! No Biting!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

Paint Your Wagon
Photo courtesy of The Muny

The Muny presents the Lerner and Loewe musical Paint Your Wagon nightly at 8:15 through August 2. "Following our beloved productions of The Unsinkable Molly Brown and The Wiz, The Muny again serves as a birthplace to a reimagined version of an American musical classic. This Lerner and Loewe gem from 1951 is set in the California gold rush, sharing a moving tale of ambition, love and home. Featuring shimmering numbers such as "They Call the Wind Maria," "I Talk to the Trees" and "Wand'rin' Star," this reimagined adaptation has a revised book by Jon Marans and is produced in association with On the Wagon Productions and Garmar Ventures." Performances take place on the Muny's outdoor stage in Forest Park. For more information: muny.org.

Act Two Theatre presents Neil Simon's Plaza Suite opening on Wednesday, July 31, at 7:30 pm and running through August 11. Performances take place in the St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre at 1 St Peters Centre Blvd, St. Peters, MO 63376. For more information: act2theater.com.

The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation presents the Rising Stars Showcase on Sunday, August 4, at 2 pm. " Join us for an afternoon of amazing talent from the Finalists and Nominees of both the St. Louis Teen Talent Competition and the St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards. This event is FREE and open to the public." The show takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall in Grand Center. For more information: https://www.foxpacf.org/event/rising-stars-showcase-2/

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Sherlock Holmes in "The Case Without a Clue" opening on Friday, August 2, and running through October 27 The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

Stomping Ground presents the musical revue This Very Moment Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, August 2 and 3. "First produced in New York City in 2016, This Very Moment is a musical revue in the tradition of Closer Than Ever and Songs for a New World. Incorporating songs that span Brett Kristofferson's 20+ year career, This Very Moment explores, mourns, and celebrates the moments that help shape the landscape of our lives; moments that expose our weaknesses, perplex us, and help us define the things that are important to us." Performances take place at the Fontbonne University Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Boulevard on the Fontonne University campus. For more information: ThisVeryMomentSTL.eventbrite.com

Alton Little Theater presents musical The Wizard of Oz, based on the books by L. Frank Baum, Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through August 4. Performances take place at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.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.