St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of July 3, 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.

The Blue Strawberry presents a Singers Open Mic on Wednesday, July 5, 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.” Ken Haller is your host with Ron McGowan at the piano  The performance takes place in the lounge at The Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com

Katie McGrath and Carol Schmidt

The Blue Strawberry presents presents singer Katie McGrath and pianist Carol Schmidt in July Songs and Singalongs on Friday, July 7 and 21, from 6:30 to 9 pm in the lounge. “Join St. Louis favorites Katie McGrath and Carol Schmidt in the lounge for a casual evening of Great American Songbook standards and contemporary pop and soul tunes, celebrating the midsummer nights of July. Look for special guests and singalongs since some songs just won't work without a chorus.”  The performances take place in the lounge at The Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com

The Blue Strawberry presents Sunday Standard Time with Tim Schall and Carol Schmidt on Sunday, July 9, from 6 to 8:00pm. “Join Tim Schall (vocals) and Carol Schmidt (piano) in the lounge for a casual, classy Sunday evening of jazz standards, a little sophisticated pop and a dash of classic Broadway. Tim is no stranger to the theater and concert stages of St. Louis, Chicago and New York's Lincoln Center. Carol has a rich history of entertaining St. Louis audiences as musician and singer. Together they will help you wind down your weekend with timeless music and a lot of irreverent dry humor.”  The performance takes place in the lounge at The Blue Strawberry, 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com

The Piano Lesson

Encore Theatre Group presents August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson through July 9. “Set in the 1930s, the play tells the story of a family's struggle to reconcile with their past and their ancestral heritage, as they confront the ghosts of slavery and oppression that haunt them. With powerful themes of legacy, identity, and the role of art in healing wounds of the past, "The Piano Lesson" is a must-see theatrical experience that will leave audiences spellbound. Led by a talented cast and crew, Encore! Theater Group delivers a gripping and emotional performance that will resonate with audiences long after the curtains close. Don't miss this remarkable production, brought to life by one of the most celebrated playwrights of our time.” Performances take place at 2607 Potomac in south St. Louis. For more information: www.encorestl.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

Just One Look
Photo: The Midnight Company

The Midnight Company presents Just One Look by Joe Hanrahan, starring Kelly Howe as Linda Ronstadt, on selected Wednesdays through August 30 at 7:30 pm. “Linda Ronstadt ruled the pop charts and filled stadiums in the 70’s and 80’s. The reigning rock goddess of her era, she later took on light opera - Gilbert and Sullivan on Broadway - and The Great American Songbook with Nelson Riddle. Her involvement in social issues accelerated during her relationship with California Governor Jerry Brown, then running for President. But for Linda, it was always a search for the next great song. Kelly Howe will portray Linda Ronstadt and sing her sensational songs.” Performances continue at The Blue Strawberry, 356 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Moonstone Theatre Company presents Larry Shue’s The Nerd July 6-23. “In The Nerd, aspiring young architect Willum Cubbert, has often told his friends about the debt he owes to Rick Steadman, a fellow ex-GI whom he has never met but who saved his life after he was seriously wounded in Vietnam. He has written to Rick telling him that, as long as he is alive, “you will have somebody on Earth who will do anything for you." Willum is delighted when Rick shows up unexpectedly at his apartment on the night of his birthday party, but his delight soon fades as it becomes apparent that Rick is a hopeless nerd —a bumbling oaf with no social sense, little intelligence and less tact. As Rick stays on and on, his continued presence among Willum and his friends leads to one uproarious incident after another, until the normally placid Willum finds himself contemplating extreme measures—a dire development which, happily, is staved off by a surprising twist ending.” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: moonstonetheatrecompany.com

The Muny presents the musical Chess July 5-11 at 8:15 pm.  “Before Mamma Mia!, members of the pop group ABBA teamed up with Tim Rice (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Lion King, Evita) to create a dynamic drama centered around the world chess championship; mirroring the 1980s Cold War tensions of USA vs. Soviet Russia. The dazzling and beautiful pop rock score became a worldwide smash, including the hit single “One Night in Bangkok.” Chess makes its move to St. Louis (home of the first world championship) and onto the Muny stage for the first time, as the game’s long history continues to rise in popularity. In partnership with the Saint Louis Chess Club and World Chess Hall of Fame .” Performances take place on the Muny's outdoor stage in Forest Park. For more information: muny.org.

The St. Louis Actors’ Studio presents the ninth annual LaBute New Theater Festival July 7 through 23. “STLAS received hundreds of submissions worldwide and selected four to be produced on the stage at The Gaslight Theater, along with a brand new piece by esteemed film director, screenwriter and playwright Neil LaBute, for whom the festival and is named and who serves on its creative team. This year's productions include the following works/playwrights: The Mockingbird's Nest by Craig Bailey of Vermont, One Night in the Many Deaths of Sonny Liston by JB Heaps of New York, Da Vinci's Cockroach by Amy Tofte of California, The Blind Hem by Bryn McLaughlin of Oregon, Safe Space by Neil LaBute” Performances take place at The Gaslight Theater on North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: www.stlas.org

Tesseract Theatre presents Amy Lyte’s Red Curtain Rivalry opening on Friday, July 7 at 8 pm and running through July 16 as part of the company’s New Play Festival.  “Two community theaters in the same city are putting on the same musical at the same time. And war has been declared. Between big misunderstandings, plenty of shenanigans, and a lot of lessons learned, each company battles to win the most audience members and prove themselves the best production of "A Doll's House: The Musical!" that the community theatre community has ever seen.” Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: https://www.tesseracttheatre.com/

The Turn of the Screw
Photo: Dan Donovan

Union Avenue Opera presents Benjamin Britten’s The Turn of the Screw Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, July 7 through 15. 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
 

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