St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of May 1, 2023

To get your event listed here, send an email to chuck [at] kdhx.org Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills.

Act Two Theatre presents the comedy-mystery The Game’s Afoot Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through May 6. “Breathtaking mystery and high hilarity in equal parts, this thriller tells the story of Broadway star William Gillette, who has invited his fellow cast-members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities in this isolated house of tricks and mirrors quickly turn dangerous. Then it’s up to Gillette himself, who just happens to think he’s Sherlock Holmes, to track down the killer before the next victim appears. The danger and laughter are non-stop in this glittering whodunit set during the Christmas holidays. Winner of the 2012 Edgar® Award for Best Play from The Mystery Writers of America.” Performances take place at the St. Peters Cultural Center in St. Peters, MO. For more information: www.acttwotheatre.com

The Black Rep presents the musical revue Eubie! opening on Wednesday, May 3 and running through May 21.  “Eubie! is a musical revue from the 1970s that taught Broadway audiences about Eubie Blake, a groundbreaking American musician and composer of the early 1900s. Blake helped break down racial barriers with his 1921 musical, Shuffle Along - the first Broadway musical written, directed by, and starring Black Americans. The show helped shape American musical theater as we know it today.” Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: www.theblackrep.org

Chuck Lavazzi

The Blue Strawberry presents a Singers Open Mic on Tuesday, April 4, from 7 to 9:30 pm. “Focusing on Pop, Standards old and new, Broadway and Musical Theater. But anything goes! Bring sheet music in your key.” Chuck Lavazzi is your host with Ron McGowan at the piano. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Clint Holmes

The Blue Strawberry presents presents Clint Holmes in Between the Moon and New York City - The Songs of Peter Allen Thursday at 7:30 pm, May 4. “Grammy Award nominee Clint Holmes – the consummate entertainer, writer, performer, recording artist, and one of the country’s finest vocalists – is back with a brand-new concert event celebrating the songs of the legendary Peter Allen. Join Clint as he unleashes his ferocious talent in the show of a lifetime directed by award-winning director, Will Nunziata (concert director for Tony Award winner Lillias White and Platinum recording artist Jackie Evancho, director of Broadway-bound musical Little Black Book) with Musical Direction and Arrangements by Michael Orland (“American Idol”). Between the Moon and New York City will traverse the songbook of Peter Allen and how it relates to not only Clint’s story but to all of us.” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Circus Harmony presents Swashbuckle! Saturdays at 3 and 7 pm and Sundays at 3 pm through June 3rd. “Circus Harm!ony is back with their annual, full length, ticketed show. This year, it is an epic adventure with somersaulting, sword fighting, and circus.  The show features all-new acts co-created with Circus Harmony’s sensational staff and talented students. Swashbuckle! features a Pirate Queen, a sea witch, and a real parrot all after the same treasure. The show is presented in the circus ring at City Museum that Circus Harmony calls home. Acts include unicycling, contortion, minitrampoline, wire-walking and much more. Circus Harmony performs at the City Museum downtown. For more information: circusharmony.org

Wicked
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fabulous Fox presents the Broadway musical Wicked through May 7.  ‘WICKED, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle.  Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.”’ The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present Murder at the Abbey through May 6th. "Immerse yourself in a world full of aristocracy, old money a perhaps a touch of murder!  You’ve been invited to the dinner party held by the Earl of Grantham himself. Some would kill for the opportunity to meet the Crawley family.  They’ll all be there!  The Earl, his beautiful wife and three daughters…not to mention all your favorite characters in, and around, the Grantham house." The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

The Midnight Company presents the one-actor show The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey by Celeste Lecesne My 4-20. “Joe Hanrahan, Midnight’s Artistic Director, portrays a detective and other characters in a small New Jersey town as he unravels the story of THE ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS OF LEONARD PELKEY. Pelkey is a tenaciously optimistic and flamboyant fourteen-year-old boy who has gone missing.  A luminous force of nature whose magic is only truly felt once he is gone, Leonard becomes an unexpected inspiration as the town’s citizens question how they live, who they love, and what they leave behind.  Alicen Moser directs. The New York Times said ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS “…leaves you beaming with joy…a superlative solo show."   And The New York Post called the show “…moving…intimate and affectionate, about the difference one person can make-and perhaps, with any luck, one show.” Performances take place at The Blue Strawberry, 356 N. Boyle. For more information: www.midnightcompany.com

Gruesome Playground Injuries
Photo: Phillip Hamer

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Rajiv Joseph’s Gruesome Playground Injuries through May 13. “Doug and Kayleen meet as eight-year-olds in the school infirmary. (He tried to ride his bike off the roof. She has a stomachache that her mother blames on “bad thoughts.”) Their lives intersect for the next three decades as they return to each other, alternately revealing and concealing their injuries — both physical and psychological — as they struggle with attraction, vulnerability,  and love.” Performances take place on the main stage at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: www.repstl.org.

SATE presents the Seventh Annual Aphra Benn Festival Friday through Sunday, May 5-7. “The theme for the 2023 Festival is “Re-Told” and utilizes plays from the Expand the Canon list of classic plays by women & underrepresented genders, curated by Hedgepig Ensemble Theatre.” This year’s plays are Bold Stroke for a Villain by Summer Baer, Lieblingstante, by Aurora Behlke, and reANIMA by Aly Kantor. Performances take place in the Black Box Theatre on the Fonntbonne College Campus. For more information: satestl.org

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of Aristocracy by Dennis Fisher Tuesday May 2 at 6:30 pm. “A rural man's life is spiraling out of control when he meets a lovely woman who gives him hope for the future. If only people weren't living in the tree outside of his house spying on him.” The reading takes place upstairs at Big Daddy’s in Soulard. For more information, visit the St. Louis Writers' Group Facebook page.

The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis presents Something Spoken, a series of radio plays by Tennessee Williams, Saturdays at 4 pm May 6 – 20. The plays are Something Unspoken on May 6, Case of the Crushed Petunias on May 13, and Sunburst on May 20. The plays are broadcast on Classic 107.3. For more information: twstl.org.

Tesseract Theatre presents Welcome to Arroyo’s by Kristoffer Diaz Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 4 pm through May 7th.  “Alejandro Arroyo owns the newest (and cleanest) lounge in New York City’s Lower East Side. His sister, Molly, has a nasty habit of writing graffiti on the back wall of the local police precinct. Officer Derek is a recent NYC transplant with something to prove. Lelly Santiago is a socially awkward college student who may have discovered that the Arroyo siblings’ late mother was one of the founders of hip-hop music. Two DJs/narrators/Greek chorus members spin the story in this hip-hop theater coming-of-age story.” Performances take place at the .ZACK in Grand Center. For more information: www.tesseracttheatre.com

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the comedy The Seven-Year Itch May 5-13. “In the midst of a summer heat wave, New Yorker Richard Sherman ships his wife, Helen, and their son off to Maine for vacation. Left alone to work back in Manhattan, Richard encounters a gorgeous blonde model who has moved into the apartment upstairs, and becomes immediately infatuated. While pondering infidelity, Richard dreams of his beautiful new neighbor -- but will his fantasies about her become a reality?” Performances take place at the Guild theatre at 517 Theatre Lane, at the corner of Newport and Summit in Webster Groves. For more information: theatreguildwg.org

Finale
Photo: Mark Abels

West End Players Guild presents the world premiere of Vladimir Zelevinsky’s Finale, based on the life of legendary opera composer Gioachino Rossini, May 7.  “It’s a brilliantly funny sex-farce; it’s also a movingly sad love story.  We meet two astonishingly gifted musical talents — Rossini and singer Isabella Colbran.   Their shared passion for music draws them into a passion for each other.”   West End Players Guild this season will employ touchless ticketing, and socially-distanced seating. 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.