St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 13, 2021

Now including both on-line and live events during the pandemic. Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills. To get your event listed here, send an email to calendar [at] stageleft.org.

Katie McGrath

The Blue Strawberry presents Katie McGrath in One Degree from Elvis on Saturday at 8 pm, December 18th. “Katie Mcgrath returns for her first Blue Strawberry appearance since she returned home to St. Louis from New York City: One Degree from Elvis. It’s all about shameless namedropping, stories and songs as she brags about all the people she knows who know famous people, you know?  She’s one degree from Elvis, John Lennon, Elton John, The Lou’s own Nelly, Sheryl Crow, Gregory Hines and others, thanks to her popular and influential friends. She’s ZERO degrees separated from some major drop-worthy names, too, due to her stint as a front desk clerk at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel. Wages: $2 per hour. Stories: priceless!"  The Blue Strawberry is operating under a "COVID careful" arrangement with mandatory vaccination and masking. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Steve Brammeier

The Blue Strawberry presents Steve Brammeier in Songs That Found Me on Sunday at 5 pm, December 19th. “Often when considering a new cabaret show, singers “look” for new music.  In his third cabaret show, Steve is going to share songs that “found” him at various times during his life.  Songs that touch on universal themes in all of our lives.  Directed by Lina Koutrakos and accompanied by Patrick DeGennaro the show will be both entertaining and thoughtful."  The Blue Strawberry is operating under a "COVID careful" arrangement with mandatory vaccination and masking. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. The show is also available via a live video stream. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

COCA presents a wUNDERland on Thursday and Friday at 7 pm, Saturday at 3 and 7 pm, and Sunday at 1 and 5 pm, December 16-19. “Fall down the rabbit hole again with wUNDERland! Back by popular demand, this re-imagining of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland puts a hip-hop spin on this fantasy classic. Featuring creative direction and choreography by COCA Hip-Hop Crew Artistic Director Anthony “Redd” Williams, view this upside-down tale through a completely new lens with dazzling costumes, visual effects, contemporary music, and cutting-edge hip-hop choreography. This version of wUNDERland is getting scaled up to maximize the technical capabilities of the brand new Catherine B. Berges stage.” COCA is at 6880 Washington in University City, MO. For more information: www.cocastl.org.

ERA Theatre presents the radio play SHE by Nancy Bell with music by Joe Taylor and Lyrics by Nancy Bell via on-demand streaming  "SHE controls the radio station of the fascist regime in power. SHE's also the star of the broadcast. Her recording studio abounds with music and oysters. But in the nearby government camps full of misfits and would-be revolutionaries, only torture and starvation is thick on the ground. Tonight, however, SHE's realm feels different. The bombs sound closer. Time moves faster. But SHE will finish her radio show, and it will be her finest. If executing every number in the broadcast means some people need to die, so be it; it is a small sacrifice. The citizens need her and she will not let them down." SHE is available on most major platforms including Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, YouTube, and BandCamp. For more information: www.eratheatre.org

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present The Christmas Killer through January 8. "Join classic Christmas characters like Frosty the Snowman, Rudolf, Grandma and Santa’s Elves for the annual Misfit Toys Banquet event hosted by Chatty Cathy herself.  It’s going to be a great party so long as the wrong element doesn’t show up.  We’re talking about that slimy, no good, rotten, Ricky Stitch of course.  Why, I wouldn’t touch him with a 39 ½ foot pole!  Gee, sure hope he doesn’t try to ruin Christmas…again.  If he does, I’m sure someone will show him who makes the candy canes around here! But how will we figure out whodunnit…was it you?" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

The Midnight Company presents Tinsel Town: Three Short Plays 24 Hours in L.A. by Joe Hanrahan Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm, through December 18. There will also be matinees at 2 pm on December 2 and 12. “In Tinsel Town, Ellie Schwetye and Joe Hanrahan each play characters in the three short plays set in the Los Angeles entertainment scene.” Performances take place at the .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Grand Center. For more information: https://www.midnightcompany.com.

Moonstone Theatre Company presents Moonstone Connections, a series of in-depth interviews with arts leaders by company founder Sharon Hunter. The latest episode features John O’Brien, who currently serves as Director of Programming for The Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis, where he is responsible for programming the U.S. Bank Broadway Series.  New episodes air the third Tuesday of each month; see linktr.ee/moonstoneconnections for more information.

Eric Williams and Sharon Hunter

New Jewish Theatre’s Cabaret at the J presents A Little Song, A little Dance, A Little Seltzer Down Your Pants! starring Eric Williams and Sharon Hunter with music director and pianist Ron McGowan on Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, December 18 and 19. “After the tremendous success of Ari Axelrod in October, the New Jewish Theatre is delighted to present another wonderful night of stellar cabaret performances by two wildly talented and funny artists. It will be a night of song and comedy, a night of good cheer – a great gift idea, too!” Performances take place at the SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: https://jccstl.com/arts-ideas/new-jewish-theatre/current-productions.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents A Christmas Carol through December 23. “The Rep is proud to launch a new holiday tradition with our first-ever annual production of A Christmas Carol! At long last, the ghosts of Ebenezer Scrooge’s past, present and future have caught up with him. Now London’s most infamous miser must take a transformative journey as he faces the worst parts of himself and discovers unexpected redemption. Michael Wilson’s wondrous adaptation has delighted more than 1 million audience members throughout the country.” Performances take place on the Emerson Main Stage at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: www.repstl.org.

R-S Theatrics presents While the Ghostlight Burns, a virtual discussion series featuring R-S Artistic Director Sarah Lynne Holt in conversation with St. Louis theatre artists, Mondays at 7 pm.  Conversations will be archived at the R-S Theatrics YouTube channel. For more information: r-stheatrics.com/while-the-ghostlight-burns.html

Comfort
Photo by Patrick Huber

The St. Louis Actors’ Studio presents Neil LaBute’s Comfort Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm, through December 19. “A new play by the STLAS  friend and associate Neil LaBute in which mother and son meet after some time apart to see if their relationship can survive the past and two new book deals.” Performances take place at The Gaslight Theater on North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.stlas.org

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a Holiday Party and Monologue Extravaganza on Tuesday, December 14, at 6:30 pm. "No booking required. Just bring an original monologue (or short skits about the holiday, songs, short poems etc.) anything that is 90 seconds to five minutes long. Bring more than one if you like, the more the merrier. Audience members and actors are always welcome too. Prepare to read it yourself, have an actor friend read it for you or one of the regulars can read it. The only very loose guideline is that your monologue should somehow be related to the winter/holiday season" The reading takes place at Big Daddy's, 1000 Sidney in Soulard. For more information, visit the St. Louis Writers’ Group Facebook Page.

Stages St. Louis presents A Holiday Celebration with Liz Callaway Saturday, December 18, at 4 and 8 pm. “Known for her stunningly melodic voice, Liz will dazzle us with her warmth and wit as she sings such holiday favorites as “Joy To The World,” “Grown Up Christmas List,” “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” and “What Are You Doing New Years Eve.””  Performances take place at The Ross Family Theatre at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center. For more information: stagesstlouis.org.

Who's Holiday
Photo by John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Who’s Holiday Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm  through December 18. “Who's Holiday is a wildly funny and heartfelt adults-only comedy that explores the twisted tales after that fateful night when a certain Grinch tried to steal Christmas.” Performances take place at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information: straydogtheatre.org.

Piece of My Heart
Photo by Julie Merkle

West End Players Guild presents Shirley Lauro’s Piece of My Heart through December 9. “It's a war story told from the unique perspective of the women who chose to serve and paid a steep price for their care and courage.” West End Players Guild this season will employ touchless ticketing, socially-distanced seating and indoor masking of all patrons and front-of-house staff and volunteers. Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union in the Central West End. For more information: westendplayers.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.