St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 18. 2024

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

Molly Sweeny
Photo: John Lamb

Albion Theatre Company presents Molly Sweeny by Brian Friel through March 31. “Blind since infancy, Molly is persuaded by her husband and a surgeon to undergo an operation to try to restore her sight. “What has she got to lose?” the men ask.  This powerful drama by one of Ireland’s greatest playwrights tells Molly’s story through monologues from the perspective of three characters: Molly, her husband Frank, and her surgeon Mr. Rice.” Performances take place in the Black Box Theatre at the Kranzberg Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: albiontheatrestl.org.

The Black Rep presents The Wedding Band by Alice Childress through March 31.  “Carrying the subtitle “A Love/Hate Story in Black and White,” this is one of American drama’s most revealing tales of interracial love, addressing prejudice and ignorance in early 20th- century America. Set in the Deep South at the end of World War I during the flu epidemic, the play traces a devoted couple’s caustic confrontations with anti-miscegenation laws, family racism, community disapproval, and their own long-buried feelings.” Performances take place at the Berges Theatre at COCA in University City  For more information: www.theblackrep.org.

for colored girls...
Photo: Wolfe Creative Media Services

The Hawthorne Players present for colored girls... through March 24.  “"for colored girls..." offers a transformative, riveting evening of provocative dance, music and poetry.  Women, only identified by the color they are assigned, such as Lady in Red or Lady in Yellow. This groundbreaking "choreopoem" is a spellbinding collection of vivid prose and free verse narratives capturing the brutal, tender and dramatic lives of contemporary Black women. NOTE: Mature language and subjects will be used. Viewer discretion is advised. All patrons, regardless of age must have a ticket for admittance.”  Performances take place in the Florissant Civic Center Theatre in Florissant, MO. For more information: http://www.hawthorneplayers.info

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents The Diviners through March 24. “The Diviners is set in Zion, Indiana, during the Great Depression. Buddy Layman is a mentally challenged boy whose sweet nature touches those he meets. Buddy is skilled at finding water (divining). When a stranger, a retired preacher, comes to town, he is able to relate to Buddy in ways most people can’t. As the preacher attempts to help him, Buddy’s past is revealed but cannot be escaped.” Performances take place at the Robert Reim Theatre in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: ktg-onstage.org

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present A Fistful of Hollars  through May 4. "Gun slingers, dance hall girls, cowboys, gold diggers, cowboy boots and ten-gallon-hats will abound. Rowdy cowboys will duel to the death as the crooked sheriff watches with glee. But none of these characters are as dangerous as Nasty Nate, he’s the orneriest gun in the west and word is that he’s going to be stirring up trouble at the Lemp Mansion. " The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

Movie Music

The Midnight Company presents Eileen Engel and Joe Hanrahan in Movie Music Wednesday March 20 at 7:30 pm. “The Midnight Company’s world premiere cabaret theatre show, Movie Music, will feature a dozen award-winning songs. Eileen Engel and Joe Hanrahan serve as hosts for a colorful evening of movie memories. They’ll tell the stories behind these movies—the origins, the casting, and some of the foibles that inevitably go along with big productions. They’ll present memorable scenes from these movies as well, and will revisit and present the amazing songs that provided the soundtrack to these films and to our lives.” The show is written and directed by Joe Hanrahan with music direction by Colin Healy. Performances take place at the Blue Strawberry on North Boyle.  For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com

All My Sons
Photo: Ethan Aylesworth

New Jewish Theatre presents Arthur Miller’s All My Sons Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 4 and 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, March 21 – April 7. “Set following World War II, All My Sons is the story of two families destroyed by deception and love. Joe Keller and Steve Deever were business partners and neighbors, but the War changed everything and tore their close families apart. As Kate Keller holds out hope for the return of her son Larry (missing and assumed killed in the war), her other son Chris invites Larry’s childhood sweetheart Ann Deever home for a visit, setting in motion the revelation of terrible truths they have fought hard to avoid.  Will the Deever and Keller families survive their own secrets? The answers transform their secretive past into matters of life and death.” Performances take place at the SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: jccstl.com

Sweet Potato Queens
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical Sweet Potato Queens through March 23. “Get ready for the outrageous, high-powered, Southern rock musical that tells the true story of "Boss Queen" Jill and her closest friends in Mississippi, and how they learn to grab life by the sequins, feathers and tiaras to live their lives out loud, on their own terms.” Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: www.newlinetheatre.com

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents August: Osage County by Tracy Letts, March 19 through April 7. “This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award® winning family drama paints a stark and often unflattering picture of the Midwestern family. In this tableau: the pill-popping and manipulative matriarch, a vanished patriarch and three daughters with secrets of their own. Familial tensions rise when all are called back to the family home in Oklahoma. Equal parts heartfelt and heart-wrenching, this story gives an in-depth look at what it takes to keep a family together.” Performances take on the main stage of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: www.repstl.org.

The St. Louis Writers Group presents a reading of Mexico by Chris Oliver on  Monday, March 18, at 6:30 pm.  .  More information is available at the St. Louis Writers Group Facebook page.

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

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.