St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of July 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.

Broadway Bound
Photo: John Lamb

Clayton Community Theatre presents Neil Simon’s Broadway Bound Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm throiugh July 31.  “This 1986 semi-autobiographical comedy is the last chapter in Neil Simon’s “Eugene” trilogy. It shows Eugene and his older brother, Stanley, dealing with their parents' relationship falling apart as the brothers work together toward being comedy writers for the radio, and, eventually, television. When their material is broadcast on the radio for the first time, the rest of the family is upset to hear a comedic rendition of their own trials and tribulations. How will Eugene and his brother balance their loyalties to their family and to their art?” Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Rd. For more information: www.placeseveryone.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 Hawthorne Players present the musical A Chorus Line Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm, July 29 through August 7. ” You won't want to miss Hawthorne Players' production of this highly acclaimed musical!  Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, A CHORUS LINE is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers auditioning for spots in the dancing chorus.  With music by Marvin Hamilsch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, the original Broadway production was an unprecedented box office and critical hit, winning nine Tony Awards, in addition to the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.” Performances take place in the Florissant Civic Center Theatre in Florissant, MO. For more information: www.hawthorneplayers.info

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present The Comic Book Killer through August 27. "Calling all superheros and villains! There’s trouble afoot for you both! Evil Doctor Weevil is back and he’s trying to erase your very existence! The time has come to join forces against true evil and restore balance to the comic universe. But who will be the hero or heroes and rid this plain of Evil Dr. Weevil forever? Could it be you? Quick…to the Prius! Dawn your cape and spandex and meet us the famously haunted Lemp Mansion for a mystery like no other! Here I come to save the daaaaaay!!!!"  The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

The Muny presents the musical Legally Blonde July 25-31 at 8:15 pm.  “Elle Woods returns! Based on the smash hit movie, Legally Blonde follows the transformation of quintessential blonde Elle Woods from sorority sister to Harvard Law graduate. Her journey of determination, self-discovery and finding true love receives its first Muny production in 11 years. Complete with a chihuahua, a bulldog and a UPS guy, The Muny is ready to ‘Bend and Snap’ for a great time!” Performances take place on the Muny's outdoor stage in Forest Park. For more information: muny.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

"St. Louis" from the LaBute New Theatre Festival
Photo: Patrick Huber

The St. Louis Actors’ Studio presents the eighth annual LaBute New Theater Festival through July 31. “STLAS received hundreds of submissions worldwide and selected eight to be produced on the stage at The Gaslight Theater. This year's festival features productions by winners of the 2020 Festival, which, due to the pandemic, were postponed. There will be two artists receptions held in the adjacent West End Grill space on Fridays July 15 and 29. Patrons are encouraged to stay and meet the playwrights, actors and crew.” Performances take place at The Gaslight Theater on North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: https://www.stlas.org/

Stages St. Louis presents Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights through August 21. “IN THE HEIGHTS, the Tony Award Winning Best Musical from the creator of HAMILTON, tells the universal story of a vibrant community in New York’s Washington Heights neighborhood – a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music. It’s a community on the brink of change, full of hopes, dreams and pressures, where the biggest struggle can be deciding which traditions to take with you, and which ones to leave behind.” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: stagesstlouis.org

The Tesseract Theatre Company presents All That Remains by JM Chambers Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 4 pm through July 31. “Gary survives a school shooting and isn't dealing with the trauma well. Gary’s wife Elaine is trying her best to hold it all together, take care of Gary, work, pay the bills, and deal with her own sadness. Gary and Elaine can’t go on living this way forever and soon they both reach a breaking point.”  Performances take place at The Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: www.tesseracttheatre.com

Union Avenue Opera presents Verdi’s Falstaff Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, July 29 through August 6. “Old, lecherous, and down on his luck, Sir John Falstaff can’t resist the ladies. The fool hatches a plan to reverse his ill-fortune and sets his sights on not one, but two married women. Sharper than they look, Alice and Meg discover the odious Falstaff’s plan to unceremoniously seduce them and trick them out of their fortunes. The women band together and with the help of Nannetta and Dame Quickly, they concoct a scheme to teach him a lesson he’ll never forget and to put him in his place once and for all. Add in a jealous husband, a pair of young lovers, and a touch of the supernatural and what ensues is a sophisticated comedy filled with failed plans and botched disguises. Verdi’s riotous romp Falstaff bubbles with irrepressible wit and charm in this adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Performances are sung in Russian with projected English supertitles and take place at Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information: unionavenueopera.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.