St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of August 22, 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.

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 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

Prism Theatre Company presents the world premiere of Bandera, Texas by Lisa Dellagiarino Feriend August 26 – September 4. “Featured in last year’s Festival of New Works, Bandera, Texas follows native New Yorker Liz, who is forced to relocate to the Texas KillCountry for her husband’s job. She is visited by her long-dead grandmothers, who help her adapt to her new life.” Performances take place in the black box theatre at the Kranzberg Arts Center in Grand Center. For more information: www.prismtheatrecompany.org.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents House of Joy by Madhuri Shekar August 26 - September 18. “At first glance, The House of Joy is a dazzling utopia. But when a new guard joins the emperor’s army, she discovers it’s more prison than paradise. This genre-busting adventure fantasy is filled with stunning locales, electrifying combat, steamy romance and badass girl power.” 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

The Brontë Sisters House Party
Photo courtesy of SATE

SATE presents The Brontë Sisters House Party by Courtney Bailey Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 pm, through August 27. “Originally commissioned by St. Louis Shakespeare Festival as part of the Confluence Writers Project 2021 cohort, Brontë Sister House Party will receive its world-premiere production by SATE.  The Brontë sisters of Victorian literary fame (Charlotte, Emily, and Anne) are trapped in a purgatorial time loop where they must throw a fabulous house party every night for eternity. Only when they reach The Point of Celebratory Reverence, the highest point of celebration that a party can achieve, will they be released. An absurd, feminist revisionist tribute to all the women artists who’ve created under pressure and still had it in them to throw a good party.” The Chapel, 6238 Alexander in Clayton. For more information: http://satestl.org/

A Midsummer Night's Dream
Photo: Phillip Hamer

St. Louis Shakespeare Festival presents free outdoor performances of a new adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream at area parks nightly at 6:30 pm through August 27. “The Festival’s 20-year-old touring program returns for the second time as the free and outdoor public park tour, TOURCO, throughout Missouri and Illinois with A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The production will be directed by Tre’von Griffith, St. Louis/NYC-based theater artist, composer and founder of WerQfest also known as Tre-G, and featuring costumes by acclaimed local fashion designer Brandin Vaughn. This 90-minute highly musical afro-futurist adaptation will play in 24 different locations starting on opening night at Kiener Plaza in the heart of downtown St. Louis.” For more information: stlshakes.org.

The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis presents The Rose Tattoo Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3 pm, through August 28. “The Rose Tattoo is a tale of love, death, and resilience in a downtrodden but hopeful 1940’s immigrant Italian community on the American Gulf Coast. Introducing the theme of an Italian circus, Director David Kaplan’s take on Williams’ classic features aerialists, animals, singers and musicians. He surrounds Serafina with a dozen circus performers – including a ringmaster, a strongman, aerialists, and clowns – who perform the full text of the play.” Performances take place at The Big Top in Grand Center. For more information on this and other festival events: www.twstl.org

A Little Night Music
Photo: Dan Donovan

Union Avenue Opera presents Sondheim’s A Little Night Music Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, through August 27. “A Little Night Music explores the tangled web of affairs centered around the glamorous actress Desirée Armfeldt and the two married men who love her: a lawyer by the name of Frederik Egerman and Count Carl-Magnus Malcom. Both men—as well as their jealous wives—agree to join Desirée at her family’s estate for a scandalous “Weekend in the Country” under the watchful eyes of the wry family matriarch and harmonizing Greek chorus. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler, it is no wonder A Little Night Music won the Tony Award for Best Musical. From the romance of the night waltzes to the hauntingly beautiful “Send in the Clowns,” Sondheim’s sweeping score is infused with humor and warmth weaving together musical theatre and operetta seamlessly in this tantalizing tale.” Performances are sung in English 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

Mark Rodgers in
Discover DaVinci and Michaelangelo

The Westport Playhouse presents writer/actor Mark Rodgers in Discover DaVinci and Michaelangelo—the Titans Experience Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through August 28th.  “Over 100 successful Broadway shows, Includes an art installation and self-guided tour of DaVinci's models, artwork, and more...including our new unique theatrical 40' Video Wall!” The show marks the reopening of the Playhouse after extensive renovation. The Westport Playhouse is in the Westport Plaza Business and Entertainment District. For more information: thewestportplayhouse.com

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.