St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of July 17, 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.

Katie McGrath and Carol Schmidt

The Blue Strawberry presents singer Katie McGrath and pianist Carol Schmidt in July Songs and Singalongs on Friday, July 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 Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com

Tim Schall

The Blue Strawberry presents Sunday Standard Time with Tim Schall and Carol Schmidt on Sunday, July 23, 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 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 Years
Photo The Midnight Company

The Midnight Company presents The Years by Cindy Lou Johnson Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 and Sundays at 2 pm through July 29. “The play opens on a tumultuous day for two sets of cousins: Andrea and Eloise, and Isabelle and Andrew. It is Andrea’s wedding day, and she and her sister Eloise, are dealing with the recent death of their father, which was soon followed by their mother’s suicide. On the day of her wedding, Andrea has gone into work to help someone, and returning home is mugged. Meanwhile Eloise has just learned of her husband’s betrayal and the end of their marriage. They make it through that turbulent day. And as the story continues, thirteen years pass, and all of the cousins are forced to deal with the vagaries of life and death that the years deliver.” Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information: midnightcompany.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.

The Nerd
Photo: Jon Gitchoff

Moonstone Theatre Company presents Larry Shue’s The Nerd through July 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

West Side Story
Photo: Phillip Hamer

The Muny presents West Side Story through July 21 at 8:15 pm.  “One of the greatest and most powerful musicals of our time. Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story is a love story that has endured the test of time. Tony and Maria find themselves in each other’s arms in a dance of romance, but can they escape the tensions in the streets? The classic Sharks and Jets rivalry leaps onto the Muny stage for the first time in a decade. With the memorable “Maria,” “Tonight” and “I Feel Pretty” this is your chance to fall in love with this story all over again!” Performances take place on the Muny's outdoor stage in Forest Park. For more information: muny.org.

Safe Space
Photo: Patrick Huber

The St. Louis Actors’ Studio presents the ninth annual LaBute New Theater Festival through July 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

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of Philosopher or Dog?, a comedy by Steven Clark on Tuesday, July 18 at 6:30 pm. "A play about timeless love, a doctor's advice, treason...and tuna fish." The reading takes place upstairs at Big Daddy’s in Soulard. For more information, visit the St. Louis Writers' Group Facebook page.

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Clue July 21 through August 20. “Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, CLUE is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. The play begins on a dark and stormy night at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Sip soup with Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs. Peacock, Colonel Mustard, and a host of other classic oddballs as you unravel this whodunnit. CLUE is laugh-a-minute, high-octane fun for the entire family!” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: https://stagesstlouis.org.

Tesseract Theatre presents Gwyneth Slope’s In Bloom  through July 23 as part of the company’s New Play Festival.  “Dorothy is raising four teenage girls all on her own, but when she meets someone new at her mother's wedding, she begins a pivotal year of balancing her happiness with the wants of her daughters. Rosalind (18) is going off to college in the fall, Lorelei (16) is discovering her own privacy, Camille (14) is frustrated with her medical condition, and Eileen (12) doesn't understand why everything isn't about her.” Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: https://www.tesseracttheatre.com/
 
The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the comedy Annie and Bridget by David DeRose Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, July 21-23. “Come spend a week in the lives of roommates Annie and Bridget as they make their way in the big city, dealing with things like jobs, men, and an unexpected visit from mom.” 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.

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

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