St. Louis classical calendar for the week of March 2, 2020

From string quartets to machine-inspired music, there's a world of variety on concert stages this week.

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The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis

Monday, March 2, at 7:30 pm, The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents Baroque Brass. St. Louis Symphony guest conductor Nicholas McGegan leads a program of music for trumpet, horn and strings by Vivaldi, Telemann, and others. Baroque Brass takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall in Grand Center. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

The Kemper Art Museum presents The Darmstadt School as part of their Music at Kemper series on Thursday, March 5, at 6 pm. "Musicians Tracy Andreotti (cello), Henry Claude (percussion), Greg Mills (piano), and Henry Skolnick (bassoon) perform a selection of works by mid-20th-century experimental composers associated with the Darmstadt School. Karlheinz Stockhausen, Bruno Bartolozzi, Morton Feldman, and Earle Brown engaged with alternate forms of composition and notation, including serialism and graphic scores, that called for active interpretation by performers." The concert takes place at the Kemper Art Museum on the Washington University campus. For more information: kemperartmuseum.wustl.edu.

St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents a concert by organist Dr. Lynn Trapp on Sunday, March 8 at 2:30 pm. "A consummate artist of the highest caliber, Dr. Lynn Trapp holds a distinguished career as a concert organist, pianist, conductor, composer and liturgist. From Carnegie Hall, NYC to Westminster Abbey, London his many concert appearances, more than 100 publications, academic awards, and clinician work has brought him great respect nationally and internationally. His career archives are established in perpetuity at the Hesburgh Library, University of Notre Dame." The concert takes place at the Cathedral Basilica in the Central West End. For more information: cathedralconcerts.org.

Timothy McAllister

Stéphane Denève conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, along with saxophonist Timothy McAllister on Friday at 10:30 am and 8 pm and Saturday at 8 pm March 6 and 7. The program consists of Honegger's Pacific 231, John Adams's A Short Ride in a Fast Machine, Guillaume Connesson's saxophone concerto A Kind of Trane, Rousell's Symphony No. 3, and Ravel's Bolero. Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents presents The Arianna String Quartet in American Fantasy on Friday March 6 at 8 pm. "In a program dedicated to the boundlessness of the American spirit, the Arianna Quartet performs three quartets that showcase distinct and diverse soundscapes inspired by American experiences. The ASQ leads this program with Frederick Tillis' Spiritual Fantasy No.12, an exultant and contemplative jazz and spiritual inspired work that embodies the sound of Tillis' unique American perspective. American composer Reena Esmail's mesmerizing string quartet “Ragamala” follows, exploring the layered textures of the Indian tradition of raags, where free explorations and elaborations of singular musical ideas evolve into transcendent expressions of time and space. Dvorak's celebratory “American” Quartet rounds out the evening with a fusion of sounds inspired by Native American drumming traditions, African American spirituals, twittering birdcalls from the American Midwest, and Czech folk music tradition." The Touhill Center is on the campus of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of February 28, 2020

New this week: theatre at the Fox, the Black Rep, Webster Conservatory, West End Players Guild, and cabaret at the Blue Strawberry.

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New This Week:

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The Band's Visit
Photo by Matthew Murphy

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presents the musical The Band's Visit  running through March 8. "In this joyously offbeat story, set in a town that's way off the beaten path, a band of musicians arrive lost, out of the blue. Under the spell of the desert sky, and with beautiful music perfuming the air, the band brings the town to life in unexpected and tantalizing ways. Even the briefest visit can stay with you forever." The Fabulous Fox Theatre in on N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

My take: In the era of the jukebox musical, the amusement park musical, the reverse revival musical rewrite , and similar extravaganzas, one occasionally encounters an intimate, small-cast show that stands out like a tiny diamond in a pile of costume jewelry. Reviews, including my own, have been uniformly positive. This is an intimate show that nevertheless fills the huge Fox with heart and warmth.

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Marissa Mulder

The Blue Strawberry presents Marissa Mulder in The John Lennon and Paul McCartney Songbooks on Saturday, February 29, at 8 pm. "Join extravagantly-praised singer Marissa Mulder as she dives into the songbook of two of the most prolific and beloved songwriting duos of all time, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Backed by savant Jon Weber on piano, you will hear each song as you never have before." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.bluestrawberrystl.com.

My take: When I last saw Ms. Mulder here she was presenting her compelling Tom Waits tribute at the Gaslight Theatre. Now she's just down the block at the Blue Strawberry, and if her Lennon and McCartney show is anything like that one, it will be well worth seeing. Her stage presence and sense of focus are flawless and, let's fact it, she's working with some pretty good material here to begin with.

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Picnic

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents William Inge's Picnic Saturday at 2 and 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm February 29 and March 1. "The play takes place on Labor Day weekend in the joint backyards of two widows. One house belongs to Flo Owens, who lives there with her two daughters, Madge and Millie, and a schoolteacher boarder. The other house belongs to Helen Potts, who lives with her elderly and invalid mother. Into this female atmosphere comes a young man named Hal Carter, whose animal vitality seriously upsets the entire group." Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium on the Webster University campus. For more information, www.webster.edun or call 314-968-7128.

My take: The Webster Conservatory consistently produces some of the best student theatre you will ever see, and this appears to be no exception to that rule. "Doug Finlayson directs this lovely production," writes Steve Callahan at KDHX, "and it’s another gem added to his long record of beautiful work. It’s done with such respect for the script—and for the time which is portrayed."

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The Roommate
Photo by John Lamb

The West End Players Guild continues its 109th season with the St. Louis premiere of The Roommate  Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, February 29 and March 1. "Sharon lives alone in a big old house in Iowa City, IA. Her husband has left her; her grown son has moved to New York and rarely calls; and Sharon looks somewhat fearfully ahead to the decades to come. She has a lot of life left to live but no idea what to do with it, and she is really, really bored with her life to date. She decides that a roommate might at least help with the constant loneliness and she posts an ad. Enter Robyn. Robyn turns out to be just about everything Sharon isn't. Sharon is small-town Iowa; Robyn is the big, bad Bronx. Sharon's diet is Iowa health food - porkchops, baked beans, corn on the cob, all with lots of butter; Robyn is a vegan (and has to explain to Sharon was a "vegan" is). Sharon is white wine; Robyn is recreational drugs, some of which she grows herself. Sharon is straight; Robyn is…. flexible. Sharon needs a new life; Robyn needs a place to hide." 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.

My take: I'll preface this by disclosing that I'm on the board of West End and did the sound design for this show. That said, I think it's clear, based on what I saw at last night's performance, that director Sean Belt's direction and the performances of cast members Jane Abling and Julie George-Carlson are all spot on. "The script is witty and insightful," writes Michele Kenyon, "and the relationship here is made all the more believable by the truly compelling performances of the two leads." At KDHX, Tina Farmer praises the "strong, engaging performances by Abling and George-Carlson" in this "thoroughly entertaining show." The script, as I noted when I saw the world premiere at the Humana Festival in 2015, it not without its issues, but it's still an entertaining piece with two very strong and well-developed characters for middle-aged women, and that's still a rare thing in theatre, I'm sorry to say.

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Spell #7

The Black Rep presents Ntozake Shange's Spell #7 running through March 8. "This striking choreopoem by the author of For Colored Girls, Ntozake Shange, is set in a bar in St. Louis frequented by Black artists and musicians, actors, and performers. In a series of dreamlike vignettes and poetic monologues, they commiserate about the difficulties they face as black artist. The piece is framed by the narrator, Lou, a magician who wants to use his magic to help the artist come to terms with their blackness and rejoice in their identities. " Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: theblackrep.org.

My take: A St. Louis native who is best known for her "choreopoem" For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf, a work that combines theatre, dance, music and poetry to produce a unique hybrid art form. Her Spell #7 is less well known but, as Calvin Wilson writes at the Post-Dispatch, it nevertheless "conjures a mood of poetic enchantment." "Director Ron Himes and choreographer Heather Beal collaborate impressively," he notes, "coordinating words and movement with seeming effortlessness. And the performances are splendid, capturing the nuances of Shange’s avant-garde sensibility."

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Held Over:

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Ghost
Photo by Jennifer A. Lin

Metro Theatre Company presents Ghost  Sundas at 2 pm, March 1. "Metro Theater Company presents the rolling world premiere of a new play adapted by Idris Goodwin from Jason Reynolds's award-winning best-seller for young readers. Running is all that Castle Cranshaw, a.k.a. "Ghost," has ever known, but he runs for all the wrong reasons until he meets Coach, who sees something in him: raw talent. The story follows Castle as he tries to stay on track, literally and figuratively, harnessing his aptitude for speed on an elite local track team while battling the difficult realities of his past and present. Ghost also highlights the importance of allyship. As his teammates become friends and Coach stands in as a father figure, Castle finds a place where he belongs " The performances take place at The Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: metroplays.org.

My take: Metro has a long history of presenting children's theatre that can appeal to adults as well while still delivering powerful messages. Plus, the script is by Idris Goodwin, whose hip-hop play How We Got On so impressed me at the Humana Festival in 2012. At Ladue News, Mark Bretz calls this "enchanting, persuasive tale of a modern kid with contemporary problems."

Review: A desert song

In the era of the jukebox musical (imagine: Absolutely Free: the Frank Zappa Musical), the amusement park musical (bright lights, strobes, 3-D projections, a cast of dozens!), the reverse revival musical rewrite (let's change EVERYTHING!), and similar extravaganzas, one occasionally encounters an intimate, small-cast show that stands out like a tiny diamond in a pile of costume jewelry.

The Company
Photo by Evan Zimmerman

The Band's Visit, the national tour of which is now playing at The Fabulous Fox, is one of those little gems. Based on an award-winning 2007 Israeli film of the same name and boasting a captivating and ingenious score by David Yazbek (previously famous for big-budget stage versions of popular films like The Full Monty and Tootsie) and book by playwright Itamar Moses, The Band's Visit is the modest tale of an Egyptian police band which, due to some linguistic confusion at the main Tel Aviv bus station, finds itself marooned for the night in the tiny desert town of Bet Hatikva instead of their intended destination, the city of Petah Tikvah. Over the ensuing 24 hours, their lives become entwined with those of the villagers in ways none of them could have predicted.

Sasson Gabay, Janet Dacal
Photo by Evan Zimmerman

Heading the uniformly excellent ensemble cast are Sasson Gabay as the melancholy widowed band director Tewfiq (the role he created in the original film) and Janet Dacal as Dina, who runs the local restaurant and longs for some romance in her life to break up the daily monotony of living in, literally, the middle of nowhere. In a touching and subtly acted scene late in the show, she tries to get him to break out of his shell and he tries to do so. Alas, as the old song goes, "You Can't Always Get What You Want."

Joe Joseph, Sasson Gabay, Janet Dacal
Photo by Evan Zimmerman

There's finely nuanced work as well from Joe Joseph as trumpeter and would-be ladies' man Haled, whose standard pickup line is "do you like Chet Baker?" Not surprisingly, when he gives romantic advice to repressed villager Papi in "Haled's Song About Love," he does so in the soft, lyrical style of the late jazz trumpeter and vocalist. Substituting for Adam Gabay (son of Sasson) on opening night, Danny Burgos was a wonderfully vulnerable Papi who handled the character's wide-ranging song "Papi Hears the Ocean" with great skill.

Other standout performers include James Rana as the clarinetist and frustrated composer Simon, Pomme Koch as the village slacker Itzik, who loves his baby son but can no longer reach his wife, and David Studwell as Itzik's father-in-law Avrum.

The Company
Photo by Matthew Murphy

"Once not long ago a group of musicians came to Israel from Egypt," runs the sentence projected on a scrim at the top of the show. "You probably didn't hear about it. It wasn't very important." And, indeed, nothing that happens in The Bands Visit would be of any importance to the world outside of Bet Hativka. But to the inner lives of the villagers, the events in this 90-minute, one-act musical are very important indeed.

Performances continue through March 8th at The Fabulous Fox in Grand Center. When you go, make sure you hang around for the band's irresistibly lively post-curtain call session on stage. The ensemble of violin, cello, clarinet, oud (a Persian lute), and darbouka (a "goblet drum" that's harder to play than it looks, as I can attest from personal experience) is solid and guaranteed to send you out into the night with a smile on our face and maybe even a melismatic melody in your heart.

Symphony Preview: Here comes the sun king

This weekend (February 29 and March 1), the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra welcomes back early music specialist Nicholas McGegan to conduct works by Haydn, Beethoven, and Schubert that all have a pretty sunny outlook--a welcome thing in these times of what Tom Lehrer called "universal brouhaha."

Haydn circa 1770
Painting by
Ludwig Guttenbrunn

The concerts open with Haydn's Symphony No. 31 in D major. It's known as the "Hornsignal" symphony because of the prominent part played by the horn section. To understand why he gave them that role, we need to take a look at the circumstances under which Haydn composed the piece in 1765.

Back then, Haydn was in the early years of what would prove to be a long-term gig: music director for the rich and powerful Esterházy family. Prince Nikolaus Esterházy was an enthusiastic music lover--so much so that he maintained his own private orchestra, which Haydn was expected to conduct and for which he was expected to write music. Lots of it.

This could pose a challenge since, as Wikipedia reminds us, the personnel of the Esterházy orchestra fluctuated and so the forces Haydn had to work with varied considerably. Prior to 1765 the horn section, in particular, had taken some hits and was down to just two players. When the Prince finally agreed to Haydn's persistent requests to bring the section up to full strength by hiring two more players, the composer celebrated with his Symphony No. 31.

Natural (valveless) horn
of Haydn's time
Public Domain, Link

In a contemporary orchestra, of course, four horns isn't a big group. But the Esterházy orchestra usually had only around 20 players, which meant the expanded horn section made up nearly a quarter of the personnel. In a modern orchestra, which usually puts 80 or more players on the stage, that would be the equivalent of at least 20 horn players. Even Richard Strauss never went that far!

Needless to say, it probably made a glorious noise back at the Esterházy estate. Adding to the jubilant atmosphere was the fact that the key of D major was commonly viewed as a celebratory key because it was so friendly to 18th-century trumpets and horns.

Indeed, in my experience it's impossible to listen to this symphony without a smile, and not just because the horns get to show off. In the course of its four movements, Haydn provides solo passages for flute, oboe, violin, cello, and even the bass. It's like a big orchestral party in which everyone gets a prize.

If I seem to be spending a lot of space on the Haydn, by the way, it's mostly because it hasn't been heard here since its first and only performance in 1973. So I'm assuming many of you won't have heard it before, at least in a live performance.

Beethoven by
Joseph Karl Stieler, 1820

Up next is the Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19. First performed in 1795, the work of Beethoven rather than Haydn, but the latter's influence is easy to hear, especially in the blithe final movement. Written before but published after the Concerto No. 1, it marks the beginning of Beethoven's dual careers as pianist and composer of concerti for his instrument of choice.

Haydn is mostly hiding in this work, though. It's ultimately all Beethoven. That's particularly obvious in the dramatic cadenza, written around 14 years after the concerto.

At the concert grand this weekend will be the young (b. 1994) South Korean virtuoso Seong-Jin Cho. A winner of the 2015 Chopin Competition in Warsaw, he gave his first public recital at the age of 11 and became the youngest-ever winner of Japan's Hamamatsu International Piano Competition in 2009. He already has three recordings with Deutsche Gramophon to his credit, ranging from Mozart sonatas and Chopin's Concerto No. 2 to solo works by Debussy. I look forward to seeing what he does with the Beethoven concerto.

Schubert by Wilhelm August Rieder
Original is in Historisches Museum
der Stadt Wien,
Public Domain, Link

The concerts conclude with Schubert's 1816 Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major, a work which has always had a bright, "spring is here" feel for me. I challenge anyone to listen to the cheerful syncopation of the first movement's main theme without a smile.

Like the Beethoven concerto, the Fifth Symphony pays homage to Haydn and (especially) Mozart. Granted, it has some elements (particularly in the Andante con moto and Menuetto) that look forward to the more overtly Romantic sensibilities of the later Schubert and his successors. But on the whole it stands in marked contrast to his Symphony No. 4 in C minor, known as the "Tragic" because of its sense of high drama. Although written in the same year, the Fifth (as Clive Brown writes in notes for the Hanover Band's recording of the complete Schubert symphonies) "provides a delightful counterweight to the earnestness of its predecessor."

Mr. McGegan's presence on the podium can generally counted upon to add an upbeat element to the proceedings as well. A man who clearly enjoys his work, he has been known to briskly step up to the podium, his face alight with a cherubic smile. His body language shouts: "this is going to be FUN!" And it usually is.

The Essentials: Nicholas McGegan conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, along with pianist Seong-Jin Cho on Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, February 29 and March 1. Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center.

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

Review: The marvelous Ms. Karel

I have always said that performers with theatre backgrounds often come up with the best cabaret acts, if only because they are comfortable with the story-telling basis of the form. Anyone who attended recent shows at the Blue Strawberry by Emily Skinner or our own Anna Blair saw evidence of that.

Photo by Chuck Lavazzi

More evidence was available last Thursday (February 20) when singer/actress Katie Karel made the trip from her hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, (yes, Donald, there IS a KCMO) to present her new show "How Lucky Can You Get?" at the Blue Strawberry. She played a prominent role in the critically praised Max and Louie Productions presentation of Paula Vogel's "Indecent" here last year, so she's not stranger to St. Louis audiences. But it was her debut locally as a cabaret artist and an auspicious one it was.

The evening was a bit rough in spots (as one might expect from something that is clearly a work in progress) and should probably be trimmed down to the more traditional one-act cabaret format, but it was still immensely entertaining and served as a fine showcase for Ms. Karel's considerable vocal and thespian strengths, as well as her skill as a stand-up comic in much of her between-song patter. Indeed, her resemblance to the character Rachel Brosnan plays in the Amazon series "The Amazing Mrs. Maisel" was sometimes eerie-and that was a good thing.

Consisting mostly of musical theatre songs, the show got off to a flying start with "Everybody Says Don't" (from Sondheim's rarely seen "Anyone Can Whistle") that quickly established her power as a singer and her ability to communicate the heart of a lyric. The remainder of the evening was spent paying tribute to some of the great women vocalists of the Broadway stage, linked by just enough autobiography to establish why each song was meaningful without falling off the "too much information" cliff.

So, for example, she proceeded her sunny take on "A Cockeyed Optimist" (from "South Pacific") by noting that "in order to do what I do, you have to have a sunny disposition." Combined with her bright yellow dress and matching shoes, that performance truly lit up the stage. Towards the end of the show, the revelation that Ms. Karel had recently fought cancer and led into a lovely rendition of "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" (from the 1950 Disney version of "Cinderella") followed by a rousing audience participation version of Kander and Ebb's title song for the musical "Cabaret."

The standing ovation that followed was both inevitable and well earned.

There were so many highlights in this bright, engaging show that I can't list them all here. Personally, I was quite impressed by the pair of Sondheim numbers that opened the second half of the show: the title song from "Sunday in the Park With George" followed by that ultimate torch song "Losing My Mind" (from "Follies"). "All you have to do with Sondheim," Ms. Karel shrewdly observed, "is what's on the page." I couldn't agree more. As with a Shakespeare play, the best thing you can do is not get in the way of the author.

Photo by Chuck Lavazzi

Patsy Cline fans got a big treat in the second half, as well, with a medley of five numbers associated with the country music legend, ending with a soulful version of "Lovesick Blues" (a hit single for Hank Williams in 1948 but actually dating back to the 1922 musical "Oh, Ernest") that showed off her vocal flexibility. Ms. Karel has played the late Country star in "Always...Patsy Cline" in the past (and will again this year) even though her voice, with its classic, 1930s-style rapid vibrato, doesn't sound much like Cline's. Since she had the attitude and the emotion right, though, that hardly mattered.

At the piano, music director Ron McGowan provided a solid musical foundation, and his arrangements fitted Ms. Karel's style as much as her striking dress did. It's one of cabaret's little ironies that really good music directors will sometime go unnoticed precisely because their work is so well tailored to the soloist. Hence the need now and then for us critic types to draw attention to it.

Katie Karel's one-night stand here is over, of course, but with any luck we'll have the opportunity to see more of her skill as a singer, actor, and comic in the future. Meanwhile, cabaret, jazz, and even the occasional rock act continue to take the stage at The Blue Strawberry on North Boyle in the Central West End. Check out their web site for a complete schedule.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of February 24, 2020

Nicholas McGegan returns this weekend to conduct some of his faves at Powell Hall.

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The Community Music School of Webster University presents the Preperatory Program Winter Concert on Wednesday, February 26, at 7 pm. The Community Music School is at 535 Garden Avenue on the Webster University campus. For more information: webster.edu/cms.

Nicholas McGegan
nicholasmcgegan.com / Steve Sherman

Nicholas McGegan conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, along with pianist Seong-Jin Cho on Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, February 29 and March 1. The program consists Haydn's Symphony No. 31 ("Hornsignal"), Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2, and Schubert's Symphony No. 5. Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Department of Music at Washington University presents a University Wind Ensemble concert on Thursday, February 27, at 7:30 pm. The program place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: music.wustl.edu/events.

Scott Andrews

The Department of Music at Washington University presents a Masterclass with St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Principal Clarinet Scott Andrews on Friday, February 28, fro 4-6 pm. The event takes place in the recital hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: music.wustl.edu/events.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of February 24, 2020

Highlights this week include the Q Collective's annual Transluminate festival, a new musical at the Fox, and a Lennon/McCartney cabaret with Marissa Mulder at the Blue Strawberry.

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The Band's Visit
Photo by Matthew Murphy

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presents the musical The Band's Visit opening on Tuesday, March 25, at 7:30 pm and running through March 8.  "In this joyously offbeat story, set in a town that's way off the beaten path, a band of musicians arrive lost, out of the blue. Under the spell of the desert sky, and with beautiful music perfuming the air, the band brings the town to life in unexpected and tantalizing ways. Even the briefest visit can stay with you forever." The Fabulous Fox Theatre in on N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.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.

Curtain's Up Theatre presents The Ever After on Saturday, February 29, at 6:30 pm. Performances take place at Dunham Hall of the campus of Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, visit curtainsuptheater.com.

Flanagan's Wake
Photo by John Flack

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents the interactive comedy Flanagan's Wake running through March 21. "The hit show from Chicago, Flanagan's Wake, is the hilarious interactive show that brings Flanagan's Irish family to St. Louis where they will memorialize his passing. Audiences participate in this comedic memorial with plenty o' pints, crazy sing-a-longs, telling of witty tales and mourn the passing of one of their own: Flanagan. Audiences will pay their respects to glowering Mother Flanagan and to poor grieving fiancée, Fiona Finn. Listen to a eulogy written by County Sligo's best-known writer, Mickey Finn, and tip a pint with Brian Ballybunion, himself a weaver of tales. You can cross yourself with the blessings from St. Gregory's parish priest, Father Damon Fitzgerald, or cross your fingers that local pagan Kathleen Mooney doesn't cast a spell on you. Mayor Martin O'Doul will preside over the proceedings with an iron hand (and a parched throat)." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

Ghost
Photo by Jennifer A. Lin

Metro Theatre Company presents Ghost Fridays at 7 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through March 1. "Metro Theater Company presents the rolling world premiere of a new play adapted by Idris Goodwin from Jason Reynolds's award-winning best-seller for young readers. Running is all that Castle Cranshaw, a.k.a. "Ghost," has ever known, but he runs for all the wrong reasons until he meets Coach, who sees something in him: raw talent. The story follows Castle as he tries to stay on track, literally and figuratively, harnessing his aptitude for speed on an elite local track team while battling the difficult realities of his past and present. Ghost also highlights the importance of allyship. As his teammates become friends and Coach stands in as a father figure, Castle finds a place where he belongs. " The performances take place at The Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: metroplays.org.

Over Due Theatre presents Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, July 26 - 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.

Marissa Mulder

The Blue Strawberry presents Marissa Mulder in The John Lennon and Paul McCartney Songbooks on Friday and Saturday, February 28 and 29, at 8 pm. " Join extravagantly-praised singer Marissa Mulder as she dives into the songbook of two of the most prolific and beloved songwriting duos of all time, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Backed by savant Jon Weber on piano, you will hear each song as you never have before." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.bluestrawberrystl.com.

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents the TheatreworksUSA production of The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System Saturday, February 29, at 2 pm. "When the class gets lost on the way to the planetarium, Ms. Frizzle saves the day by blasting into outer space for an epic interplanetary field trip! But when rivalries both old and new threaten to tear the students apart, our young heroes must learn to pull together or risk getting forever lost in the solar system. Hop on the Magic School Bus for a ride in this new musical adaptation based on the original book series published by Scholastic." Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.florissantmo.com

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents Men on Boats through March 1. "Men on Boats recounts the exhilarating story of John Wesley Powell's expedition down the Green and Colorado rivers. The history of this 19th Century journey may have been the exclusive domain of men, but Jaclyn Backhaus calls for casting "…radically diverse actors who are female identifying, trans-identifying, gender fluid, and/or non-gender conforming." This dynamic and very funny piece of writing is a provocative lens for re-examining an extraordinary American moment. " The performances take place in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543 or visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu.

The Mystery of Irma Vep
Photo by John Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Charles Ludlam's comedy The Mystery of Irma Vep running through March 8. "Classic horror, B-movie mysteries and wild farce get tossed into a blender in this feverish, supernatural sprint. On a dark and stormy night, the howls of a werewolf echo across the moors, a newly revived mummy stirs in its sarcophagus and a mysterious portrait holds the key to an ancient family curse. Two actors bring this diabolical tale to life, with the help of a few dozen costume changes and a lot of wigs." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Phantom of the Grand Ole Opry through April 26. "Millions of people flock to the Grand Ole Opry House to see Tammy Whino's one woman show, "Stand By Your Man." Here, amid the fried chicken, line dancing and dinner theatre, Tammy is the Queen of the Grand Ole Opry. Or is she? When she is found murdered, many suspect the Phantom because everyone knows the house is haunted. Or could the murderer be Billy Ray Serious, Naomi Dudd, and we can't forget about Nelson Willy?" For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents William Inge's Picnic Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm through March 1. "The play takes place on Labor Day weekend in the joint backyards of two widows. One house belongs to Flo Owens, who lives there with her two daughters, Madge and Millie, and a schoolteacher boarder. The other house belongs to Helen Potts, who lives with her elderly and invalid mother. Into this female atmosphere comes a young man named Hal Carter, whose animal vitality seriously upsets the entire group." Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium on the Webster University campus. For more information, www.webster.edun or call 314-968-7128.

The Roommate
Photo by John Lamb

The West End Players Guild continues its 109th season with the St. Louis premiere of The Roommate Thursday through Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, February 27 - March 1. "Sharon lives alone in a big old house in Iowa City, IA. Her husband has left her; her grown son has moved to New York and rarely calls; and Sharon looks somewhat fearfully ahead to the decades to come. She has a lot of life left to live but no idea what to do with it, and she is really, really bored with her life to date. She decides that a roommate might at least help with the constant loneliness and she posts an ad. Enter Robyn. Robyn turns out to be just about everything Sharon isn't. Sharon is small-town Iowa; Robyn is the big, bad Bronx. Sharon's diet is Iowa health food - porkchops, baked beans, corn on the cob, all with lots of butter; Robyn is a vegan (and has to explain to Sharon was a "vegan" is). Sharon is white wine; Robyn is recreational drugs, some of which she grows herself. Sharon is straight; Robyn is…. flexible. Sharon needs a new life; Robyn needs a place to hide." 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 University Theatre at Saint Louis University presents Saint Joan of Arc Thursday through Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, February 21 - March 1. "This contemporary retelling of how a peasant girl, inspired by love of God and country, became a 15th century French military leader is a collaborative piece with Prison Performing Arts." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.metrotix.com.

Jeffrey Carter

The Blue Strawberry presents Jeffrey Carter in Songs I Wish My Mother Had Taught Me on Tuesday, February 25, at 8 pm. "Jeffrey Richard Carter has succumbed to the cabaret bug, and is presenting his second show about growing up and being musical. At Webster University, Jeff is Professor & Chair of the Department of Music. He leads the only undergraduate program in the country in musical direction for musical theatre. He is the recipient of 'best supporting actor' and 'best musical director' awards for local theatre work. Jeff's a composer, voice teacher, singer, collaborator, and music director with international credits. He promises that he will cry at least twice in this show. Songs I WISH Mother Had Taught Me is a light-hearted remembrance of a very Christian mother who couldn't sing to save her soul." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: https://www.bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Black Rep presents Ntozake Shange's Spell #7 running through March 8. "This striking choreopoem by the author of For Colored Girls, Ntozake Shange,is set in a bar in St. Louis frequented by Black artists and musicians, actors, and performers. In a series of dreamlike vignettes and poetic monologues, they commiserate about the difficulties they face as black artist. The piece is framed by the narrator, Lou, a magician who wants to use his magic to help the artist come to terms with their blackness and rejoice in their identities. " Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: theblackrep.org.

The Q Collective presents Transluminate, a short-play festival and celebration of transgender, agender, non-binary, genderqueer, and genderfluid artists, Thursday and Friday, February 27 and 28, at 7:30 pm; Saturday, March 1, at 4 and 7:30 pm, and Sunday, March 1, at 4 pm . Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information: theqcollective.theater

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 February 21, 2020

New this week: Gritty drama at Actors' Studio and an energetic rock musical at the Fox.

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New This Week:

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Annapurna
Photo by Patrick Huber

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents Annapurna by Sharr White running Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm through February 23. "After twenty years apart, Emma tracks Ulysses to a trailer park in the middle of nowhere for a final reckoning. What unfolds is a visceral and profound meditation on love and loss with the simplest of theatrical elements: two people in one room. A breathtaking story about the longevity of love." 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.

My take: Whle widely praised by my fellow critics, Sharr White's play is certainly not for those looking for light entertainment. As Tina Farmer writes at KDHX, the production "takes us on a trip inside a blistering hot trailer home at the foot of a picturesque mountain range. The desolate location bears witness to the final, painful chapter of a marriage and divorce reconciling itself with mortality in a beautiful, bittersweet story that resonates with truth and aches with longing." On her blog, Michele Kenyon calls this "a compelling and memorable tale of relationship, regret, and a wide range of emotions, deliberately and expertly paced." It's a "a magnetic combination of lyrical writing and powerhouse performances," according to Lynn Venhaus at PopLifeSTL. If you're up for compelling drama this weekend, this just might be your ticket.

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Rent
Photo by Amy Boyle

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presents the rock musical Rent Friday through Sunday, February 21-23. "In 1996, an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway… and forever changed the landscape of American theatre. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson's RENT continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning masterpiece returns to the stage. A re-imagining of Puccini's La Bohème, RENT follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters-love." The Fabulous Fox Theatre in on N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

My take: On the other hand, if you want something a bit more upbeat, here's a show that, at the age of 34, can now probably be regarded as a "classic." I've always been a fan of this musical. Jonathan Larson's score is inventive and stylistically eclectic and his lyrics are artful and intelligent. What strikes me about Rent is how much this exuberant and unconventional show reminds me of another one to which those same adjectives were applied back in 1968: Hair, the show that defined the genre of rock musical. Like Hair, Rent takes jabs at the older generation--mine--and thumbs it's nose at the American status quo from the bottom of the economic pyramid. Unlike Hair, though, it's less overtly political, covers a wider emotional spectrum, and may actually be a better piece of theatre.

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Held Over:

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Three Tall Women
Photo by John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Edward Albee's drama Three Tall Women through February 22. "A young lawyer has been sent to sort-out the finances of an elderly client, although more than money is at issue. With a nurse companion steadily alongside, the old woman's conflicted life is laid bare in all of its charming, vicious, and wretched glory. Winner of the 1994 Pulitzer Prize, Three Tall Women, a semi-autobiographical view of the playwright's mother, is often seen as Albee's most personal and compelling play." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

My take: Albee's plays are not always the most approachable form of theatre, but Three Tall Women is pretty compelling if done well. At the Post-Dispatch, Calvin Wilson calls this a "compelling and wonderfully performed production". "Stray Dog artistic director Gary F. Bell," writes Mark Bretz at Ladue News, "is meticulous in adhering not only to Albee’s script but also to the show’s mood and tempo." "This well-directed production," says Tina Farmer at KDHX, "is a marvelous opportunity to introduce the play to any unfamiliar St. Louis audiences. For spectators already acquainted with the script, the production's quality makes it a worthwhile occasion to refamiliarize one's self."

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Ghost
Photo by Jennifer A. Lin

Metro Theatre Company presents Ghost Fridays at 7 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through March 1. "Metro Theater Company presents the rolling world premiere of a new play adapted by Idris Goodwin from Jason Reynolds's award-winning best-seller for young readers. Running is all that Castle Cranshaw, a.k.a. "Ghost," has ever known, but he runs for all the wrong reasons until he meets Coach, who sees something in him: raw talent. The story follows Castle as he tries to stay on track, literally and figuratively, harnessing his aptitude for speed on an elite local track team while battling the difficult realities of his past and present. Ghost also highlights the importance of allyship. As his teammates become friends and Coach stands in as a father figure, Castle finds a place where he belongs " The performances take place at The Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: metroplays.org.

My take: Metro has a long history of presenting children's theatre that can appeal to adults as well while still delivering powerful messages. Plus, the script is by Idris Goodwin, whose hip-hop play How We Got On so impressed me at the Humana Festival in 2012. At Ladue News, Mark Bretz calls this "enchanting, persuasive tale of a modern kid with contemporary problems."

Review: Offer declined

In an interview last year, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Music Director Stéphane Denève, in response to my question about the kind of contemporary music he planned to program, said that it was "very important that the audience understand that the new music we will perform is music that I believe they can love."

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

Sofia Gabaidulina
Photo: Boosey and Hawkes

In general, my feeling is that the new music we have heard so far this season reflects that philosophy. The concert this past Sunday (February 16) was, from my perspective, an exception to that rule.

There were two works on the program: Bruckner's beautiful Symphony No. 7 from 1884 and Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina's "Offertorium." Originally written for and first performed by the noted violinist Gidon Kremer in 1981, "Offertorium" was revised in 1982 and 1986, finally getting a recording in its final form by Mr. Kremer and the Boston Symphony in 1988.

"Offertorium" strikes me as a work most concertgoers are unlikely to love. It's music that makes extravagant demands on both the violinist and the audience. In return for those demands the violinist, if they're up to the task, gets the satisfaction of demonstrating spectacular technique. The audience, on the other hand, gets around 35 minutes of music which, until the last ten minutes or so, often feels like a soundtrack for a particularly violent slasher movie.

Given that the central section of the work, as Rachel Campbell writes at allmusic.com, "centers on the Last Judgment and the suffering of Christ on the cross," I understand the reason for the auditory violence. Even so it starts, after while, to feel more like an assault than an attempt at communication.

For me, the chief attraction of "Offertorium" was not the music itself so much as the stellar performance of it by violinist Baiba Skride and guest conductor Rafael Payare. Ms. Skride's technique had that touch of the superhuman that this often unreasonably demanding piece requires, both in the long cadenza that links the first and second halves of the work and in the frequent solo passages (with the orchestra silent) that seem designed to push the capabilities of the performer and the instrument to their limits. Her artistic sensitivity was apparent as well in that final, Bernstein-like hymn.

Violinist Baibe Skride

There were some pretty stellar performances by the members of the orchestra as well, including a tricky passage for celesta, piccolo, and glockenspiel (performed with impressive precision by Nina Ferrigno, Ann Choomack, and a member of the percussion section whose name I foolishly forgot to write down) and a long, yearning melody in the final section (essentially the original theme played backwards) by Principal Cello Daniel Lee that was a thing of beauty. Indeed, everyone in the band deserves praise for handling a new work of this complexity, as does Mr. Payare for his expert direction.

About the Bruckner Seventh that concluded the concert, I have much less ambivalence. Mr. Payare offered a very persuasive account of this massive work which, if not always entirely to my personal taste, was nevertheless well thought out and gratifying on its own terms.

First performed in 1884 and last heard here in 2011 under David Robertson, the Seventh is (as I noted at the time) in some ways the quintessential Bruckner symphony. The opening movement alternates moments of great, heaven-storming power and quiet mystery, the Adagio builds to a rapturous climax, the Scherzo swings back and forth between the demonic and the bucolic, and the finale builds inexorably to sheer, brass-heavy exultation.

All of that came through with impressive clarity in Mr. Payare's reading. He built those long, slow climaxes that are a hallmark of Bruckner's music skillfully while still honoring the bucolic simplicity of the trio of the Scherzo third movement and the central section of the Adagio moderato first movement. The main theme of the Scherzo had wonderful energy as well.

The Seventh, like all of Bruckner's symphonies, asks a lot of the brass players, but the SLSO musicians were more than up to the challenge. The horns, trumpets, trombones and tuba sounded heavenly, especially when joined by the four Wagner tubas. The latter--played by Todd Bowermaster, Cara Kizer, Tricia Jöstlein, and Young Kim--were particularly effective in the quieter moments of the final movement.

Wagner tuba

Parenthetical note: Inspired by a visit to the workshop of noted Parisian instrument-maker Adolphe Saxe, the Wagner tuba was constructed to the composer's specifications by the Moritz firm in Berlin. It looks rather like the euphonium I played in high school but has a range similar to that of a French horn, with which it shares the same conical mouthpiece.

Some sort of award is surely due as well to percussionists Will James and Alan Stewart, whom Bruckner obliges to sit through the entire symphony simply to play a single cymbal crash and a few strikes of the triangle at the climax of the second movement. Bruckner scholars go back and forth over whether that brief moment should be included and while I'm agnostic on the subject, I do sometimes wonder what the composer was thinking when he wrote that little passage.

Mr. Payare is a striking figure on the podium, by the way. Tall, lanky, and looking a bit like the young Gustav Mahler, his visual style mirrors the lyrical sweep of his musical style. Newly appointed Music Director of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, the 39-year-old graduate of Venezuela's celebrated El Sistema musical education program has already gained considerable attention worldwide. If Sunday's performance was any indication, he has a solid future in conducting.

Next at Powell Hall: Kevin McBeth conducts the St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus and soloist Oleta Adams in Lift Every Voice: A Black History Month Celebration, on Friday, February 20, at 7:30 pm. Gemma New conducts the orchestra and narrator Bobby Norfolk in Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" on Sunday, February 16, at 3 pm. The concerts take place at Powell Hall in Grand Center.

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

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of February 17, 2020

The IN UNISON Chorus celebrates Black History Month this week and the St. Louis Cathedral Concerts bring a cappella sounds to the Cathedral Basilica.

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The Metropolitan Orchestra performs on Sunday, February 23, at 7 pm. "This concert will feature Conductors Allen Carl Larson and Andrew Peters. The orchestra will perform Mozart's Piano Concerto in C major with pianist Jerry Chan and Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A." The concert takes place at First Presbyterian Church, 100 E. Adams in Kirkwood. For more information: moslmusic.org.

VOCES8

St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents the a cappella vocal ensembles VOCES8 and the Crossroads Quartet on Friday, February 21 at 8 pm. The concert takes place at the Cathedral Basilica in the Central West End. For more information: cathedralconcerts.org.

The St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra presents a concert of music by Charbrier, Howard Hanson, Leonard Bernstein, and Rimsky-Korsakov on Friday, February 21, at 8 p.m. The concert takes place in the Scheidegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood University campus in St. Charles. For more information: stlphilharmonic.org.com.

The IN UNISON Chorus and SLSO

Kevin McBeth conducts the St. Louis Symphony IN UNISON Chorus and soloist Oleta Adams in Lift Every Voice: A Black History Month Celebration, on Friday, February 20, at 7:30 pm. "Join the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Grammy-nominated soprano Arlissa Hudson and the IN UNISON Chorus for Join the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and IN UNISON Chorus for this cherished annual tradition - an evening of reflective and soulful music that celebrates the music of African-American and African cultures, which have inspired and influenced the St. Louis region and communities around the world." The concert takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Gemma New conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and narrator Bobby Norfolk in Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf on Sunday, February 16, at 3 PM. “Join Peter and his animal friends on a symphonic adventure in Prokofiev's beloved work Peter and the Wolf. Introducing generations to orchestral music, each character in this musical fairy tale is represented by a different instrument of the orchestra. Together we experience the beautiful tapestry of orchestral color which reminds us of our own unique voices and personalities.” The performance takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of Feruary 17, 2020

There are new shows all over the place this week, including the Fox, West End, The Black Rep, and Washington University, along with the monthly Singers Open Mic.

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Annapurna
Photo courtesy of St. Louis Actors' Studio

St. Louis Actors' Studio presents Annapurna by Sharr White running Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm through February 23. "After twenty years apart, Emma tracks Ulysses to a trailer park in the middle of nowhere for a final reckoning. What unfolds is a visceral and profound meditation on love and loss with the simplest of theatrical elements: two people in one room. A breathtaking story about the longevity of love." 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.

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.

Flanagan's Wake
Photo by John Flack

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents the interactive comedy Flanagan's Wake running through March 21. "The hit show from Chicago, Flanagan's Wake, is the hilarious interactive show that brings Flanagan's Irish family to St. Louis where they will memorialize his passing. Audiences participate in this comedic memorial with plenty o' pints, crazy sing-a-longs, telling of witty tales and mourn the passing of one of their own: Flanagan. Audiences will pay their respects to glowering Mother Flanagan and to poor grieving fiancée, Fiona Finn. Listen to a eulogy written by County Sligo's best-known writer, Mickey Finn, and tip a pint with Brian Ballybunion, himself a weaver of tales. You can cross yourself with the blessings from St. Gregory's parish priest, Father Damon Fitzgerald, or cross your fingers that local pagan Kathleen Mooney doesn't cast a spell on you. Mayor Martin O'Doul will preside over the proceedings with an iron hand (and a parched throat)." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

Ghost
Photo by Jennifer A. Lin

Metro Theatre Company presents Ghost Fridays at 7 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through March 1. "Metro Theater Company presents the rolling world premiere of a new play adapted by Idris Goodwin from Jason Reynolds's award-winning best-seller for young readers. Running is all that Castle Cranshaw, a.k.a. "Ghost," has ever known, but he runs for all the wrong reasons until he meets Coach, who sees something in him: raw talent. The story follows Castle as he tries to stay on track, literally and figuratively, harnessing his aptitude for speed on an elite local track team while battling the difficult realities of his past and present. Ghost also highlights the importance of allyship. As his teammates become friends and Coach stands in as a father figure, Castle finds a place where he belongs. " The performances take place at The Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: metroplays.org.

Katie Karel

The Blue Strawberry presents Katie Karel in How Lucky Can You Get ?on Thursday, February 20, at 8 pm. "Kansas City's Katie Karel is really, really good in all sorts of ways, and you should go see her, even if you don't know who she is. Not only does she have a great voice and technique, she is gorgeous, drop-dead funny, and turns on a dime into the most reflective moments an actor can produce. She first came to Blue Strawberry's attention in a standout performance of Indecent last year, one of the continually terrific and superbly cast productions that Stellie Siteman and De Kaplan mount as Max and Louie." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.bluestrawberrystl.com.

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents the TheatreworksUSA production of The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System Sunday, February 23 and Saturday, February 29, at 2 pm "When the class gets lost on the way to the planetarium, Ms. Frizzle saves the day by blasting into outer space for an epic interplanetary field trip! But when rivalries both old and new threaten to tear the students apart, our young heroes must learn to pull together or risk getting forever lost in the solar system. Hop on the Magic School Bus for a ride in this new musical adaptation based on the original book series published by Scholastic." Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.florissantmo.com

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents Men on Boats February 21 - March 1. "Men on Boats recounts the exhilarating story of John Wesley Powell's expedition down the Green and Colorado rivers. The history of this 19th Century journey may have been the exclusive domain of men, but Jaclyn Backhaus calls for casting "…radically diverse actors who are female identifying, trans-identifying, gender fluid, and/or non-gender conforming." This dynamic and very funny piece of writing is a provocative lens for re-examining an extraordinary American moment. " The performances take place in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543 or visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu.

St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley presents Milk Like Sugar Thursday through Sunday, February 20-23. "Milk Like Sugar is an astute gut-wrenching observation of the impact of racism on African American youth. We see the cyclical nature of inherited trauma, the normalization of underfunded communities, the dire need for education that nurtures latent talent, childhood hunger, the categorization of Black youth as adults, and the injustice of the criminal system. The myth of self-determination and seeing those who cannot escape their circumstance as inferior is keeping us for mobilizing and tithing whatever time and talent we might have to give into those communities. This play affirms these children need us, just as much as we need them." Performances take place in the Fisher Theatre on the campus at 3400 Pershall Road. For more information, www.stlcc.edu/fv/ or call 314-644-5522.

Lindenwood University presents Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play Wednesday through Saturday, February 19-22, at 7:30 pm. "After the collapse of civilization, a group of survivors shares a campfire and begin to piece together the plot of The Simpsons episode "Cape Feare" entirely from memory. Seven years later, this and other snippets of pop culture (sitcom plots, commercials, jingles, and pop songs) have become the live entertainment of a post-apocalyptic society sincerely trying to hold onto its past. Seventy-five years later, these are the myths and legends from which new forms of performance are created." Performances take place at the Scheiegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information: www.lindenwood.edu.

The Touhill Center presents the one-man show The Most Reluctant Convert on Sunday, February 23, at 4 pm. "After sold-out performances in New York, Chicago, and D.C., award-winning actor Max McLean brings his acclaimed portrayal of the brilliant Oxford Don's extraordinary journey from hard-boiled atheist to "the most reluctant convert in all England." This performance is recommended for ages 13 and older. " The performance takes place at Touhill Performing Arts Center on the UMSL campus. For more information: www.touhill.org.

The Mystery of Irma Vep
Photo courtesy of The Rep

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Charles Ludlam's comedy The Mystery of Irma Vep running through March 3. "Classic horror, B-movie mysteries and wild farce get tossed into a blender in this feverish, supernatural sprint. On a dark and stormy night, the howls of a werewolf echo across the moors, a newly revived mummy stirs in its sarcophagus and a mysterious portrait holds the key to an ancient family curse. Two actors bring this diabolical tale to life, with the help of a few dozen costume changes and a lot of wigs." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Phantom of the Grand Ole Opry through April 26. "Millions of people flock to the Grand Ole Opry House to see Tammy Whino's one woman show, "Stand By Your Man." Here, amid the fried chicken, line dancing and dinner theatre, Tammy is the Queen of the Grand Ole Opry. Or is she? When she is found murdered, many suspect the Phantom because everyone knows the house is haunted. Or could the murderer be Billy Ray Serious, Naomi Dudd, and we can't forget about Nelson Willy?" For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents William Inge's Picnic Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm, February 20 - March 1. "The play takes place on Labor Day weekend in the joint backyards of two widows. One house belongs to Flo Owens, who lives there with her two daughters, Madge and Millie, and a schoolteacher boarder. The other house belongs to Helen Potts, who lives with her elderly and invalid mother. Into this female atmosphere comes a young man named Hal Carter, whose animal vitality seriously upsets the entire group." Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium on the Webster University campus. For more information, www.webster.edun or call 314-968-7128.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presents the rock musical Rent Friday through Sunday, February 21-23. "In 1996, an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway… and forever changed the landscape of American theatre. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson's RENT continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning masterpiece returns to the stage. A re-imagining of Puccini's La Bohème, RENT follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters-love." The Fabulous Fox Theatre in on N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Roommate
Photo by John Lamb

The West End Players Guild continues its 109th season with the St. Louis premiere of The Roommate Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, February 21 - March 1, with an additional 8 pm show on Thursday, February 27. "Sharon lives alone in a big old house in Iowa City, IA. Her husband has left her; her grown son has moved to New York and rarely calls; and Sharon looks somewhat fearfully ahead to the decades to come. She has a lot of life left to live but no idea what to do with it, and she is really, really bored with her life to date. She decides that a roommate might at least help with the constant loneliness and she posts an ad. Enter Robyn. Robyn turns out to be just about everything Sharon isn't. Sharon is small-town Iowa; Robyn is the big, bad Bronx. Sharon's diet is Iowa health food - porkchops, baked beans, corn on the cob, all with lots of butter; Robyn is a vegan (and has to explain to Sharon was a "vegan" is). Sharon is white wine; Robyn is recreational drugs, some of which she grows herself. Sharon is straight; Robyn is…. flexible. Sharon needs a new life; Robyn needs a place to hide." 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.

Chuck Lavazzi

The Cabaret Project presents its monthly Singers Open Mic Night on Tuesday, February 18, 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. Your MC is KDHX Senior Performing Arts Critic 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 3224 Locust in Grand Center. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

The Black Rep presents Ntozake Shange's Spell #7 opening on Wednesday, February 19, at 7 pm and running through March 8. "This striking choreopoem by the author of For Colored Girls, Ntozake Shange,is set in a bar in St. Louis frequented by Black artists and musicians, actors, and performers. In a series of dreamlike vignettes and poetic monologues, they commiserate about the difficulties they face as black artist. The piece is framed by the narrator, Lou, a magician who wants to use his magic to help the artist come to terms with their blackness and rejoice in their identities. " Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: theblackrep.org.

Three Tall Women
Photo by John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Edward Albee's drama Three Tall Women through February 22. "A young lawyer has been sent to sort-out the finances of an elderly client, although more than money is at issue. With a nurse companion steadily alongside, the old woman's conflicted life is laid bare in all of its charming, vicious, and wretched glory. Winner of the 1994 Pulitzer Prize, Three Tall Women, a semi-autobiographical view of the playwright's mother, is often seen as Albee's most personal and compelling play." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

A Call to Conscience presents Times A Gettin' Harder, Stories of the Great Migration on Friday, February 21, at 7 pm. The performance takes place at the Schlafly Branch of the St. Louis City Library on Euclid in the Central West End.. For more information: acalltoconscience.org/

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents Xtigone Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, February 19-23. " Xtigone's brothers have been killed in drive-by shootings by each other's rival gang. Her uncle, Marcellus da Man, calls a press conference on CNN to announce that the bodies should be buried instead of uncovering the reality of violence in the streets of the city. Will Xtigone go against her powerful uncle and risk death by uncovering her brothers' bodies? Using hip hop poetry, dance, and dialogue that speaks with an urban voice, this re-imagining of Sophocles' Antigone tells the story of the ill-fated Xtigone and her quest for her community's truth. " Performances take place in the Dunham Hall Theatre on the campus in Edwardsvile, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit www.siue.edu.

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.