St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 16, 2020

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Note that this list of events is current as of Sunday, March 15th. I recommend checking the web site of any event before attending in case of a cancellation. Or, better yet, call them, because I'm not sure how diligent all these groups are about updating their web sites.

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First Run Theatre presents the 2020 Play Reading Festival Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, March 21 and 22. Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information, call (314) 352-5114 or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

Laka

The Blue Strawberry presents Laka in The Blue in Me on Thursday, March 19, at 8 pm. "Take a journey through decades of chart topping music as Laka shares a wide variety of her musical influences. Songs will range from "nice and easy", inspired by artists such as Billie Holiday to "nice and rough", like the powerhouse that is Tina Turner. Experience the glamour of Old Hollywood intertwined with the soul the 60's birthed! This will be a show to remember!" The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.bluestrawberrystl.com.

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

The Blue Strawberry presents Elsie Parker and the Poor People of Paris in Falling in Love Again on Sunday, March 22, at 7 pm. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.bluestrawberrystl.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.

Head Over Heels
Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical Head Over Heels Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through March 28. "HEAD OVER HEELS is the bold, sexy new musical comedy from the visionaries that rocked Broadway with American Idiot, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Avenue Q and Spring Awakening. Conceived by Jeff Whitty, with an original book by Whitty, adapted by James Magruder, originally directed by Michael Mayer, based on a novel from 1580 (not kidding!) and set to the music of the iconic 1980s all-girl rock band The Go-Go's, this subversive, high-octane, laugh-out-loud love story includes hit songs like, "We Got the Beat," "Our Lips Are Sealed," "Vacation," "Heaven is a Place on Earth" and "Mad About You." The wild story follows the escapades of a royal family who set out on a journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction -- only to discover the key to their realm's survival lies within each of their own hearts. . . though not always in the way they expect. . . and in their willingness to let go of rigid tradition and change with the times." 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.

Alton Little Theater presents the comedy Holy Laughter Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, March 20-29. "HOLY LAUGHTER (Comedy) by Catherine Trieschmann/ Directed by Gail Drillinger - All Communities have their eccentricities, but none more hilarious than St. Michael's Episcopal Church. A young female priest and her congregation manage to find joy amidst the strife of daily life and the struggling congregation finds new comic heights when they embrace the changing waves of faith." Performances take place at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. For more information, call 618-462-6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the comedy It's Only a Play Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through March 22. " It's opening night of Peter Austin's new play as he anxiously awaits to see if his show is a hit. With his career on the line, he shares his big First Night with his "best" friend, a television star, his novice producer, his doped-up diva, his genius director, a lethal drama critic, and a fresh-off-the-bus coat check attendant on his first night in Manhattan. It's alternately raucous, ridiculous and tender-and proves that sometimes the biggest laughs happen offstage." Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

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.

Clayton Community Theatre presents the comedy The Philadelphia Story Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through March 22. "The 1940 film stared Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart based on the Broadway play of the same name by Philip Barry. The story is about Philadelphia socialite, Tracy Lord, whose wedding plans are complicated by the arrival of both her ex-husband and a magazine journalist. The socialite character of the play was inspired by Helen Hope Montgomery Scott (1904-1995), a Philadelphia socialite known for her hijinks, who married a friend of the playwright Barry." a popular genre in the 1930's-1940's. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

Lion's Paw Theatre Company presents Plays on the Menu, a lunchtime play reading series, on Tuesday and Wednesday, March 17 and 18, at noon at The Hearth Room at The Hawken House, 1155 South Rock Hill Road. The readings include lunch. For more information: lionspawtheatre.org.

KTK Productions presents the rock musical Return to the Forbidden Planet Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through March 22. "Fasten your seatbelts, return your tray tables to the upright position and prepare to blast off! In this Olivier-award-winning musical, the many works of Shakespeare are aligned with a fabulous rock 'n' roll score to create a fun-filled, jiving-in-the-aisles musical. Loosely based on Shakespeare's The Tempestand the 1956 sci-fi classic film Forbidden Planet, Return to the Forbidden Planet finds a spaceship, helmed by Captain Tempest, making an emergency landing on the uncharted planet D'Illyria. The only residents there are the mad scientist Doctor Prospero, his daughter Miranda, and their robot Ariel. They were banished into hyperspace when Miranda was just a baby, and she has known no other world than this. Featuring rock 'n'roll hits of the 50s and 60s ("Great Balls of Fire", "The Monster Mash", "Good Vibrations", and others), a B-movie atmosphere, and dialogue in iambic pentameter, Return to the Forbidden Planet is Shakespeare's unwritten rock 'n' roll masterpiece. Throw in a roller-skating robot, unrequited love, and a scary space monster, and you've got one groovy show." Performances take place at St. John the Baptist Church, 4200 Delor. For more information: kurtainkall.org or call 314-351-8984.

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of Screens by David Hawley Monday, March 16, at 6:30 pm. "Nadine and Ben have planned a nice dinner at their apartment, for a few friends. The trouble is, everyone is looking at screens, so Nadine suggests a game: anyone can use their phone, but the calls texts, emails and pictures have to be shared with the whole group. After all, they have been close friends for years. Maybe some embarrassing stuff will come out, but that's the fun part. Nobody has any real secrets...? Note that this play explores some adult themes with occasional strong language." 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 the musical The Trail to Oregon! Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, March 18-22. "Set in the 1840s, The Trail To Oregon! follows the All-American, dysfunctional family as they set off from Independence, Missouri to head out west in search of a new life in the greatest place on earth… Oregon! What the clueless pioneers don't count on is that they'll have to face every obstacle imaginable along the way, from snake-bites, to bandits, to dysentery! It's the original cross-country road trip... from hell! Loosely inspired by the popular, retro computer game, 'The Oregon Trail,' this raucous, raunchy, musical spoof features 6 performers, 13 songs, multiple possible endings, and a heaping helping of audience participation that ensures no two performances of will ever be the same! " 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.

We Are the Levinsons
Photo by Greg Lazerwitz

New Jewish Theater presents We Are the Levinsons Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 4 and 8 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm, March 19 - April 5. "We are the Levinsons is a genuinely funny play that, without question, tugs at our heart. It centers on Rosie, a divorced fiftyish TV writer with an insufferable 21 year-old daughter, who suddenly finds herself responsible for her father's care. This thoughtful and earnest play delves into some difficult but universal passages of life. We all must give up the insolence of youth and take on the mantle of adulthood. Along the way are opportunities to love and to pursue our dreams. We are the Levinsons teaches us how we should cherish these moments with tenderness and with laughter." 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.

Ignite Theatre Company presents the musical The Wizard of Oz: Young People's Version Thursday and Friday at 7 pm Saturday at noon and 7 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, March 19-22. " A one-hour adaptation of the RSC version of Baum's classic tale, specially designed for young performers." Performances take place at The Grandel Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: ignitewithus.org.

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's Events Calendar.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.