St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 14, 2019

Another big week for opening nights, including The Rep, The Fabulous Fox, a COCA/Black Rep co-production, and Encore Theatre Group. Plus cabaret at JazzSTL and Sophie's.

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KTK Productions presents the comedy/drama Amateurs Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through 20. "Following the opening night of the Timberly Troupers' musical about undertakers, Dorothy and her slightly daft husband, Charlie, host a gathering of actors and friends. The chic opening night party is in another part of town, but into Dorothy's living room comes a guest list that includes Nathan (a recently divorced high school teacher who is also a very bad ventriloquist), Wayne (better at loving than acting), Jennifer (who has a sure shot at Hollywood stardom), Ernie (one of the Troupers' actors filled with ham and spite), Irene (his out of patience wife), Mona (who was in love with Wayne but has since moved on to someone else) and Paul (a well-known drama critic and friend of Dorothy's who has just broken his rule of never reviewing community theater). When Paul has a heart attack he drops his not-yet-published review before being taken to the hospital. The actors read it and confront the harsh reality of a pan. Dorothy's sweetness and patience rise above Ernie's bitter tirade, and the others trade barbs and insults as they try to control their emotions. The party becomes the setting where the dreams, loves, failures and successes of this group are explored with bittersweet humor and the relationship between risk and need is touchingly depicted." Performances take place at St. John the Baptist Church, 4200 Delor. For more information: kurtainkall.org or call 314-351-8984.

Brighton Beach Memoirs
Photo: Greg Lazerwtz

New Jewish Theater presents Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 4 and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm through October 27. "Brighton Beach, September 1937. Eugene Jerome is dreaming of baseball and girls. Over the course of a few short days amid family harmony and disharmony, young Eugene will come to understand life a little deeper. This award-winning play is a bittersweet memoir that captures the life of a struggling Jewish household where, as his father states 'if you didn't have a problem, you wouldn't be living here.'" 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.

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 Q Collective presents The Coming Out Play Festival Thursday and Friday at 7 pm, Saturday at 4 and 7 pm, and Sunday at 4 pm, October 18-20. "We all come out, in way or another. Eights plays explore the coming out experience. " Performances take place at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in The Grove. For more information: www.eventbrite.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.

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents December '63: The Original Jersey Boys Tribute, Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 4 and 8 pm, and Sunday at 2 and 6 pm, October 18-20. "DECEMBER '63 recreates all your favorite songs from a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons concert including the most popular singles from the Broadway blockbuster, Jersey Boys. They will have you reaching for the high notes as they take you on a musical journey with stops at every phase of their careers!" The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

Variety Theatre presents Disney's Mary Poppins Fridays through Sundays, October 18 - 20. "Based on the timeless Disney film that introduced the world to the word “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” Mary Poppins brings a surplus of joy and wonder to the Variety Theatre stage, boasting a cast of St. Louis' top theatrical talents and a children's ensemble featuring kids of all ability levels." Performances take place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri - St. Louis campus. For more information: varietytheatre.org.

Escape to Margaritaville

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presents the musical Escape to Margaritaville Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 and 8 pm, and Sunday at 1 and 6 pm, October 18-20. "Welcome to Margaritaville, where people come to get away from it all-and stay to find something they never expected. With a book by Emmy Award® winner Greg Garcia (My Name is Earl, Raising Hope) and Emmy Award® nominee Mike O'Malley (Survivors Remorse, Shameless) ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE is the musical comedy featuring both original songs and your most-loved Jimmy Buffett classics, including “Fins,” “Volcano,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise” and many more. USA Today calls it "A little slice of paradise!" and Entertainment Weekly raves, "It will knock your flip-flops off!" So don't let the party start without you." The Fabulous Fox Theatre in on N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

COCA and The Black Rep present Four Little Girls: Birmingham 1963 Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 5 and 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 3 pm, October 18-27. Note that the Sunday, October 20, performance is sold out at this time. " Denise McNair, Carole Robertson, Cynthia D. Morris Wesley, and Addie Mae Collins. This production imagines these four young girls before the terrible event on September 15, 1963- the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Through story and song, the play shines a light on their dreams, their times with family and friends, and the trials and tribulations they faced as children living in a divided and segregationist city. A full chorus sets the tone with spirituals and anthems of the Civil Rights Movement such as “Amazing Grace,” “Oh, Freedom,” and “Woke Up This Morning.” Performances take place at the Staenberg Performance Lab at COCA in University City. For more information: cocastl.org.

Encore Theatre Group presents The Haunted Pool - A New Musical Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3 pm, October 18 - November 3. "Umi, a spirited young woman preparing to become Queen of Mephaire. All her life Umi has lived under one strict command from her father Rejas, the King: DO NOT GO to the HAUNTED POOL! Umi wants to obey her fathers wish but given her rebellious nature, her curiosity gets the best of her and she defies the King. What is it that she finds at The Haunted Pool? Secrets, the truth, or will she come face to face with the dreaded figure who resides there? Don't be trapped by fear! Join Umi on her adventure! This production, full of surprise and wonder, is one that you DON'T WANT TO MISS! Performances take place at the Thomas Dunn Learning Center, 3113 Gasconade Street. For more information: www.eventbrite.com.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents The Lifespan of a Fact, opening on Wednesday, October 16, and running through November 10. "Celebrated author John D'Agata has just written a sublime and shattering magazine essay. But is the story true? When the world's most neurotically precise fact checker starts dissecting the author's work, it begins to split at the seams. As the final deadline looms, hard facts square off against emotional truths in a funny and searing high-stakes showdown." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

Clinton County Showcase presents the drama Mama's Boy Fridays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through October 20 "The riveting story of Lee Harvey Oswald and his complex relationship with his overbearing mother Marguerite, "Mama's Boy" follows Marguerite's reckless attempts to reunite her family, from Lee's return to the U.S. from Russia, through the assassination of Kennedy, to her son's own murder and her defense of his innocence in the months that follow. A fascinating examination of family dynamics and obsessive maternal devotion played out in the shadow of history. The Kennedy assassination serves as a framework for "Mama's Boy," but the play isn't overtly political, or intended to change public opinion." Performances take place outdoors at the Avon Theatre, 535 N. 2nd St. in Breese IL. For more information, visit ccshowcase.com.

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents the second round of its Playwright Slam on Monday, October 7, at 6:30 pm. "Get ready for a night of fun impromptu theater. The order of scripts to be read will be chosen at random. Actors to read will be chosen at random. Each script will be given a five minute read, and rated by a panel of judges based upon audience reaction. The judges will select several plays to move on to round two which will be ten minutes of the the same script, from which a winner will be chosen." The event takes place upstairs at Big Daddy's, 1000 Sidney in Soulard. For more information: www.stlwritersgroup.com

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents She Kills Monsters opening on Wednesday, October 16, at 7:30 pm and running through Sunday, October 20. "A comedic romp into the world of fantasy role-playing games, She Kills Monsters tells the story of Agnes Evans as she leaves her childhood home in Ohio following the death of her teenage sister, Tilly. When Agnes finds Tilly's Dungeons & Dragons notebook, however, she stumbles into a journey of discovery and action-packed adventure in the imaginary world that was Tilly's refuge. In this high-octane dramatic comedy laden with homicidal fairies, nasty ogres, and 90s pop culture, acclaimed young playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and warrior within us all. " Performances take place in the Dunham Hall Theater on the campus in Edwardsvile, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit www.siue.edu.

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

Chuck Lavazzi

The Cabaret Project presents its weekly Singers Open Mic Night on Tuesday, October 15, 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.

Rachel Bay Jones

Jazz St. Louis and The Cabaret Project present Rachel Bay Jones in Something Beautiful on Wednesday and Thursday, October 16 and 17, at 7:30 p.m. "In her new solo show, Rachel Bay Jones, 2017 Tony Award winner for Best Featured Actress in the Broadway smash hit musical Dear Evan Hansen, explores the music and stories that have shaped her life and career. Sharing adventures that have taken her from multiple Broadway successes to motherhood, Jones' intimate yet soaring voice creates an incredibly compelling evening featuring music from Richard Rodgers, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Joni Mitchell and more. A great singer, storyteller and actress, Rachel was recently featured opposite Julia Roberts in the film Ben is Back and will be seen opposite John Leguizamo in the upcoming film Critical Thinking. Rachel shares the Grammy Award with her Dear Evan Hansen co-stars for the shows Original Cast Recording." Performances take place at the Ferring Jazz Bistro on Washington just east of the Fox in Grand Center. For more information: www.thecabaretproject.org.

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents Recipes for Ice, their monthly improv show, on Friday, October 18, 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.

Carolbeth True and Kim Fuller

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents Kim Fuller and Carolbeth True in Songs We Can't Forget on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 15 and 16, at 10 am. "Jazz vocalist Kim Fuller and pianist Carolbeth True perform great songs from the 1950s, '60s and '70s, including well-known songs made famous by Billie Holiday, Nancy Wilson and Stevie Wonder, and some lesser-known gems that didn't top the charts but should have! Enjoy complimentary coffee and pastries at 9 a.m. in the beautiful Louis Spiering Room, just before these one-hour concerts at 10 a.m. in the historic Sheldon Concert Hall. The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: sheldonconcerthall.org.

Fontbonne University Theatre presents The Spitfire Grill opening on Thursday, October 17, and running through October 27. Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, www.fontbonne.edu

Kevn Corpuz as Tommy

Stray Dog Theatre presents the rock musical The Who's Tommy through October 26. "Back by popular demand! Based on the iconic 1969 rock concept album, The Who's TOMMY is an exhilarating tale of hope, healing, and the human spirit. The story of the pinball-playing, deaf, dumb, and blind boy who triumphs over his adversities has inspired and amazed audiences for 50 years." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

Alfresco Productions presents the Mel Brooks musical Young Frankenstein Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through October 20. Performances take place at the Alfresco Art Center, 2401 Delmar in Granite City, IL. For more information: (618) 560-1947 or www.alfrescoproductions.org.

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.