St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 25, 2022

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.

Act Two Theatre presents the comedy-mystery Any Number Can Die Wednesdays through Fridays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through May 1. “A Comedy-Murder-Mystery with a hilarious tip-of-the-hat to the mystery plays of the Twenties complete with sliding panels, robed figures, wills being read at midnight, and more. Four ingenious murders take place in an island mansion as a pair of elderly detectives set to work on their first case. The ever-popular storm, the unexpected guests, the cryptic poem, and the missing fortune all add to the intricate and inventive mystery off which the laughs bounce.” Performances take place at the St. Peters Cultural Center in St. Peters, MO. For more information: https://www.acttwotheatre.com/

Micaela Diamond

The Blue Strawberry presents Micaela Diamond in I Got Me Babe on Tuesday, April 26 at 7:30 pm. "Micaela Diamond was plucked fresh out of high school to play the youngest Cher in The Cher Show on Broadway, earning her a Theater World Award for best debut performance. In I Got Me Babe, she gets up close and personal on what it’s like being thrust into stardom and adulthood at the exact same time. From little girl fantasies, to scene partnering with John Legend, to culinary school in a pandemic, Micaela belts her way through Sondheim, The Beatles, Streisand, and of course Cher to prove why this old soul is the young lady Broadway can’t stop buzzing about." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Nellie McKay

The Blue Strawberry presents Nellie McKay on Thursday, April 28, at 7 pm. "Nellie McKay is a modern cabaret star who brings her smooth vocals, witty humor and big personality to every show. Nellie McKay has released seven acclaimed albums, won a Theatre World Award for her Broadway portrayal of Polly Peachum in The Threepenny Opera, co-created and starred in the award-winning off-Broadway hit Old Hats, and has conceived and performed musical biographies of Barbara Graham, Rachel Carson, Joan Rivers, and Billy Tipton."  The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Santino Fontana

The Cabaret Project presents A Gala Evening with Santino Fontana on Friday, April 29, at 8:30 pm. The evening will begin with cocktails at 6 pm followed by dinner and an auction beginning at 6:45 pm. Tickets are available for the show only or for the full gala evening, which includes valet parking, VIP seating, and a post-show reception with Fontana. Fontana is replacing the originally scheduled Laura Benanti, who was had to withdraw because of an exposure to CPOVID-19. The event takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall and Ballroom in Grand Center. Note that, for this event, masks will be required for all attendees. For more information: www.thecabaretproject.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

Hamilton
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fabulous Fox presents the musical the musical Hamilton through May 15. “HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography.” The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.fabulousfox.com.

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present Bullets in the Bathtub J through May 7. "Mob bosses, flappers, bootleggers and crooked cops will abound as event attendees are transported back in time to Trixie's speakeasy right in the heart of the roaring 20's. There will be plenty of rowdy characters at this fun, interactive event but none so dangerous as Harry "Bullets" Hyde. He’s the boss of the bosses and he is not too keen on "The Familys" taking over his territory. Parts will be passed out at the door and guests can participate as much or as little as they would like too. Some might be famous gangsters of the past, others may dodge the cops as they bootleg over state lines and a few might even be fun, flirty flappers. When a group like this gets together, it’s almost inevitable that somebody ends up "sleeping with the fishes." The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

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

SATE (Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble) opens its 2022 Season of Party, with the sixth annual Aphra Behn Festival, Friday through Sunday, April 29-May 1, at 8:00 pm.  “Established in 2017, the Aphra Behn Festival’s goal is to give women interested in directing and writing for theatre an opportunity to get more experience, try out ideas, experiment, and hone their craft. The Aphra Behn Festival is named for a fascinating poet, translator, and spy. Aphra Behn is widely considered to be the first English woman to make her living as a playwright.” The following plays will be presented each night of the festival: Repurposed by Michelle Zielinski, Go Before I Do by Hazel McIntire, and The Super Fun Time Party Palace, by Lize Lewy. Performances take place at the Centene Center for the Arts in midtown St. Louis. For more information: satestl.org

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents comic, author, actress, and podcaster Paula Poundstone on Saturday, April 30, at 8 pm. “Paula Poundstone is one of our country’s preeminent comedians, known for her smart, observational humor and spontaneous wit that has become the stuff of legend. She tours regularly performing over 85 shows a year.” Note that, for this event, masks will be required for all attendees. The show takes place in the auditorium of The Sheldon in Grand Center. For more information: https://www.thesheldon.org/events/paula-poundstone

Triassic Parq
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents Triassic Parq the Musical Thursdays through Saturdays through April 30. “Religion, identity, sex… and raptors! Triassic Parq is a raucous retelling of that famous dinosaur-themed film, this time seen from the dino’s point of view. Chaos is unleashed on their not-so-prehistoric world when one dinosaur in a clan of females spontaneously turns male!” Performances take place at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee in Tower Grove East. Tickets are only offered in physically distanced groups of two or four. For more information: www.straydogtheatre.org

The Lonesome West

West End Players Guild presents Martin McDonagh’s The Lonesome West April 29 through May 8. “Brothers Valene and Coleman Connor live alone in their father’s County Galway house after his recent death.  Despite whatever brotherly bond exists between them, they find it almost impossible to exist without getting into the most massive and violent disputes over the most mundane and innocent of topics – a situation the Guardian described in its review of the play as being ‘closeted together in undying hostility like a penned-up Cain and Abel.’  They probably would have killed each other by now were it not for the efforts of young Father Welsh, who has made it his mission to reconcile the two before they do.” 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.