St. Louis Theatre Calendar for the week of May 16, 2023

What's on St. Louis theater and cabaret stages this coming week. Please leave a comment if anything was wrong or got left out.

Eubie!
Photo by Phillip Hamer

The Black Rep presents the musical revue Eubie!  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

The Blue Strawberry presents Jim Caruso's Cast Party on the Road Wednesday and Thursday, May 17 and 18, at 7 pm. "Every Monday at New York's legendary Birdland, Jim Caruso hosts Cast Party, fusing Broadway glitz and sharp wit into what has become the worldwide gold standard of Open Mic nights. It is the ultimate spot to mix and mingle with show folk and the people who love them. With Billy Stritch at the piano, Cast Party is a hilariously impromptu variety show/open mic where showbiz superstars and up-and-comers deliver jaw-dropping musical performances and razzle-dazzle. You just never know WHO will show up! Interested open mic participants should email bluestrawberrystl at gmail dot com. Performance slots are very limited. Buying a ticket to the show does not guarantee a performance slot. You may come to the show and sign up to perform. A few slots will be reserved for those coming to the door.” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Ken Haller

The Cabaret Project and The Blue Strawberry present Singers Open Mic night on Tuesday, May 16, from 7 to 9:30 pm. "Ken Haller is your host this month, with pianist and music director Carol Schmidt. If you plan to sing bring sheet music or a chart in your own key, and perform your favorite Broadway, pop, or jazz tunes. Medium/up-tempo songs are encouraged but not required. Or you can just relax, have a drink and dinner or a snack, and enjoy the music. No admission or cover, but there is always a tip jar! All proceeds go to The Cabaret Project, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to promoting, developing, and sustaining the art cabaret in St. Louis." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: thecabaretproject.org

Ali Stroker

The Cabaret Project and Jazz St. Louis present Ali Stroker Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30, May 17 and 18. ‘Ali Stroker won the 2019 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her role as 'Ado Annie' in the Broadway revival of Oklahoma! She made history as the first actor in a wheelchair to appear on Broadway in Deaf West’s acclaimed 2015 revival of Spring Awakening. She starred in 12 episodes of The Glee Project, culminating in a guest role on Fox's Glee.  Her recent TV credits include:  CBS' Blue Bloods, Netflix’s Ozark, and Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. She recently co-wrote a novel, The Chance to Fly, which was released by Abrams Books. She’s performed her cabaret act at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, New York’s Town Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and Carnegie Hall. Her mission to improve the lives of others through the arts, disabled or not, is captured in her motto: “Turning Your Limitations Into Your Opportunities.”’ Performances take place at Jazz St. Louis, 3536 Washington Avenue in Grand Center. For more information: thecabaretproject.org

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

Jesus Christ Superstar
Photo by Evan Zimmerman

The Fabulous Fox presents the Broadway musical Jesus Christ Superstar May 9 through 21. “Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production of the iconic musical phenomenon returns to the stage. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and cutting-edge choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring.” The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the classic musical The Sound of Music through May 21. “This final collaboration between Rodgers & Hammerstein was destined to become the world’s most beloved musical. Featuring a trove of cherished songs, The Sound of Music won the hearts of audiences worldwide. The inspirational story, based on the memoir of Maria Augusta Trapp, follows an ebullient postulate who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain von Trapp, bringing music and joy to the household. But as the forces of Nazism take hold of Austria, Maria and the entire von Trapp family must make a moral decision.” Performances take place at the Robert Reim Theatre in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: ktg-onstage.org

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha opening on Saturday, May 20, at 7:30 pm and running through June 24. “Sometimes out of the deepest tragedy springs the greatest hope. Embark on a life-affirming journey of love and creativity in Scott Joplin’s opera Treemonisha, re-imagined with two new acts by composer Damien Sneed and librettist Karen Chilton. As Joplin celebrates his wedding to his new bride, Freddie Alexander, he is inspired to write a masterpiece — with Freddie as his muse. His heroine will be called Treemonisha, and she will lead her community into a bright and bountiful future of education, opportunity, and prosperity.” Performances are sung in English with projected English supertitles and take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University Campus. For more information: opera-stl.org

KTK Productions presents the musical Sister Act Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through May 21. “When lively lounge singer Deloris Van Cartier sees her mobster beau, Curtis, commit murder, she is relocated for her protection. Set up in the guise of a nun in a California convent, Deloris proceeds to upend the quiet lives of the resident sisters. In an effort to keep her out of trouble, they assign Deloris to the convent's choir, an ensemble that she soon turns into a vibrant and soulful act that gains widespread attention.” Performances take place at the Saint John The Baptist Gymnasium, 4200 Delor Street in south St. Louis. For more information: http://kurtainkall.org

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present Death of a Blackheart through August 26. "Ahoy matey! Join us for an exciting evening of murder, mystery and pirates at the best comedy dinner theater show in town. Don your favorite pirate gear and escape to the high seas for an adventure fraught with peril! What part will you play in this hilarious show full of fair maidens, lost boys, rival pirates and wenches? Whichever character you acquire, beware of that famous pirate Captain Jack Blackheart! Aye, he's a scurvy seadog if my eye ever seed one! Gee, I hope no one kills him off!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey
Photo: Joey Rumpell

The Midnight Company presents the one-actor show The Absolute Brightness of Leonard Pelkey by Celeste Lecesne through May 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

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of the one-act mysteries The Devil's Jewel Box and An End to his Havering by David Hawley on Tuesday May 16 at 6:30 pm. 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 through May 20. This Saturday the play is Sunburst. The plays are broadcast on Classic 107.3. For more information: twstl.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 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.

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.