St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of August 5, 2019

Yet more musicals for your summertime theatrical pleasure, plus the reading of a new play by the St. Louis Writers' Group.

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Assisted Living: The Musical

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Assisted Living: The Musical 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.

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 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.

Guys and Dolls

Stray Dog Theatre presents the Frank Loesser musical Guys and Dolls Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm, August 8-24, with additional performances at 2 pm on Sunday, August 18, and at 8 pm on Wednesday, August 24. "Guys & Dolls takes us from the heart of Depression-era Times Square, to the cafés of Havana, and into the sewers of New York City to give us what some have called the perfect musical comedy. This timeless tale follows ruthless gamblers, sexy nightclub performers, and the hot-tempered law enforcers who keep them all in line." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

R-S Theatrics presents the musical A Man of No Importance Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 7 pm, August 9-25. "The show has music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and a book by Terrence McNally, based on the 1994 Albert Finney film, of the same title. It tells the story of an amateur theatre group in Dublin and their leader, who is determined to stage a version of Salome at his church, despite the objections of church authorities. " Performances take place at black box theatre at The Marcelle, 3310 Samuel Shepard Dr. in Grand Center. For more information: r-stheatrics.com.

The Muny presents the Muny premiere of the musical Matilda, opening on Monday, August 5, at 8:15 pm and continuing nightly through August 11th. " With a story inspired by the eccentric genius of internationally-acclaimed author Roald Dahl, and a world inspired by St. Louis native and world-wide artistic legend Mary Engelbreit, Matilda shows how imagination is exactly what we all need to navigate life's many challenges. When sent to a dismal school, Matilda uses her clear eyes and keen smarts to help her discover her own surprising powers! Created by the world-renowned Royal Shakespeare Company, this four-time Tony Award-winning magical musical, still running in London's West End, is sure to marvel and entertain Muny audiences." Performances take place on the outdoor stage in Forest Park. For more information, muny.org.

Act Two Theatre presents Neil Simon's Plaza Suite 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 St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of Shamhat by Brad Slavik on Monday, August 5, at 6:30 pm. "Shamhat is based on the oldest story in the human record, at least 6000 years old, the epic of Gilgamesh. This play however, does not take the view point of its great hero, Gilgamesh, but of Shamhat, the prostitute. This is her point of view. How a prostitute turns from lowly to remarkable, and deals with great events and great personalities." The event takes place upstairs at Big Daddy's, 1000 Sidney in Soulard. For more information: www.stlwritersgroup.com.

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

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Zombie Love (No Biting) 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.

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.