St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of September 30, 2019

There are new shows in the mix this week from Webster University, Shakespeare Festival, and the Fabulous Fox.

---

The Agitators
Photo by ProPhotoSTL

Upstream Theater presents The Agitators running through October 13. "Upstream Theater is excited to present Mat Smart's compelling play The Agitators, which takes us straight into the thunder and lightning of the 45-year friendship between Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony. After meeting in Rochester in the 1840's, these two social activists became great allies and, at times, great adversaries. They agitated the nation, they agitated (and sometimes aggravated) each other and, in so doing they helped change the Constitution and the course of American history." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

Angels in America, Part 1
Photo by Peter Wochniak

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Angels in America, Part 1: Millennium Approaches and Angels in America, Part 2: Perestroika in alternating repertory through October 4. "A towering epic that unveils new depths with each passing year, Tony Kushner's Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece arrives on The Rep's stage for the first time. The AIDS epidemic is the flashpoint in Kushner's swirling tapestry of American culture, myths and spirituality. Navigating this maelstrom are Prior Walter, whose prophetic visions lead him toward an uncertain destiny, Joe Pitt, a devout and painfully closeted Mormon, and Roy Cohn, a lawyer whose AIDS diagnosis forces him to face a lifetime of misdeeds. These twin plays' vision of a wounded and chaotic nation struggling toward redemption is more urgent than ever." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org

Alpha Players present the musical The Bridges of Madison County running through October 6. Performances take place at The Florissant Civic Center Theater, Parker Rd. at Waterford Dr. in Florissant, MO. For more information: alphaplayers.org, call 314-921-5678.

TLT Productions presents Chasing Waterfalls opening on Friday, October 4, at 8 pm and running through October 12. "Chasing Waterfalls, a R&B musical revue strolls down musical memory lanes. Featuring music from the 90's Era and the early 00's - 'Chasing Waterfalls' explores pop culture and the glorified life of the music industry." Performances take place at the .ZACK Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: www.metrotix.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.

Cry-Baby
Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical Cry-Baby Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm through October 19. "It's 1954. Everyone likes Ike, nobody likes communism, and Wade 'Cry-Baby' Walker is the coolest boy in Baltimore. He's a bad boy with a good cause -- truth, justice, and the pursuit of rock and roll." 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.

Equivocation
Photo by John Lamb

The West End Players Guild opens its 109th season with Bill Cain's Equivocation Thursday through Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, October 3-6. "Equivocation is a Shakespearean tale of intrigue starring the Bard himself. The King offers Shakespeare a commission he can't refuse, to write a play about the Gunpowder Plot to blow up Parliament. Shakespeare discovers it is a perilous assignment, as he learns that the King's version of the story does not quite square with the facts. Shakespeare is torn between the truth and the Crown. Can he walk this tightrope without losing his head (literally)?" There will also be a show on Thursday, October 3, 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.

Fifty Words
Photo courtesy of STLAS

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents Fifty Words by Michael Weller Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm through October 6. "While their nine-year-old son is away for the night on his first sleepover, Adam and Jan have an evening alone together, their first in years. Adam's attempt to seduce his wife before he leaves on business the next day begins a suspenseful nightlong roller-coaster ride of revelation, rancor, passion and humor that explores a modern-day marriage on the verge of either a breakup or deepening love and understanding." Performances take place at the Gaslight Theatre on North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-458-2978 or visit stlas.org.

Hello, Dolly!

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presents the musical Hello Dolly! opening on Tuesday, October 1, at 7:30 pm and running through October 13. "Winner of four Tony® Awards including Best Musical Revival, HELLO, DOLLY! is the universally acclaimed smash that NPR calls “the best show of the year!” and the Los Angeles Times says “distills the mood-elevating properties of the American musical at its giddy best.” Director Jerry Zaks' “gorgeous” new production (Vogue) is “making people crazy happy!” (The Washington Post). After breaking box office records week after week and receiving unanimous raves on Broadway, this HELLO, DOLLY! is now touring America, paying tribute to the original work of legendary director/choreographer Gower Champion - hailed both then and now as one of the greatest stagings in musical theater history." The Fabulous Fox Theatre in on N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents Ismene by Sato Makoto Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm Saturdaya at 2 and 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, October 3-13. "Ismene is a modern take on Sophocles' Antigone told through the eyes of Antigone's younger sister. Her beloved brothers have killed each other in battle; the king has declared one a hero and the other a traitor. When the body of her traitorous brother is delivered to her door, Ismene must decide what to do. This poignant, absurdist play explores the role of family, loyalty, and coca cola in one of the great Greek tragedies." Performances take place in the Emerson Studio Theater of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information, www.webster.edu/conservatory/season or call 314-968-7128.

Satori presents Man in the Box by Tom Brady and Monica Newsam in collaboration with video artist Zlatko Cosic, on Friday, October 4, at 8 pm. " Man in the Box as performed in 2019 represents the culmination of a personal journey, witnessing the artistic growth as evolved over more than 40 years. Brady and Newsam perform together moving through a forest of eighteen -15' poles set to Brady's original music. Audience is immersed in the vision as catalyst. The juxtaposition of the sculptural stage space, light and shadow, original sound track and innovative movement vocabulary, create a transformative, visceral response." Satori is at 3003 Locust in Midtown. For more information: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/annonyarts-at-satori-3023940440

Man of La Mancha
Photo by ProPhotoSTL

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Man of La Mancha through October 6. "A romantic and inspiring musical adventure, MAN OF LA MANCHA tells the epic story of seventeenth-century author Miguel de Cervantes and his immortal literary creation Don Quixote." 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.

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

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, The Big Muddy Dance Company, Jazz St. Louis and the Nine Network of Public Media present an adaptation of Duke Ellington's Such Sweet Thunder Thursday through Saturday, October 3-5 at 8:00 pm. "The collaboration between Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Nine Network of Public Media, Jazz St. Louis, and The Big Muddy Dance Company brings to life Such Sweet Thunder, a 12-part jazz suite from Duke Ellington, in a multi-disciplinary performance to portray a tempestuous love story set in the 1950s. Bruce Longworth will adapt the script and direct the ensembles which include two actors Rayme Cornelle (Kate) and Ron Himes (Henry), 18 dancers in original choreography by Dexandro Montalvo and a 15-piece band playing Ellington's timeless score." Free performances take place in the Public Media Commons in Grand Center. Reservations are recommended. For more information: www.sfstl.com

Valhalla Cemetery and The Hawthorne Players present Voices Of Valhalla: A Hayride Through History October 4 - 12. Hayrides through Valhalla Cemetery depart every fifteen minutes beginning at 6:30 each evening as members of the Hawthorne Players portray some of the noted locals buried in Valhalla. Valhalla Cemetery is located at 7600 St. Charles Rock Road. For more information, visit hawthorneplayers.com.

YoungLiars present Whammy! The Seven Secrets to a Sane Self at Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm through October 5. "The agony and the ecstasy of "self-help" get a delirious makeover in this madcap dance-theatre extravaganza. Part 1960s dance party and part Nietzschean nightmare, Whammy! prods and probes the American fever dream where Dr. Phil, Diazepam and daily affirmations crash headlong in sexual addiction, suicide and The Shirelles. WTF? Want to know the seven secrets to a sane self? You know you do! And there's only one way to find out! The show that started it all. Whammy! was the opening production of the inaugural Xfest. Ten years later the show (which has been presented in St. Louis, Columbus and NYC) returns - re-imagined and re-cast, featuring SIUE Theater Dance alums and faculty." Performances take place at The Centene Center for the Arts, 3547 Olive in Grand Center. For more information: www.facebook.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.