St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of September 16, 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

Aquarian Rising Productions presents Top Dog/Under Dog by Suzan Lori-Parka Fridays and Saturdays at 7 pm and Sundays at 4 pm, September  20 through 29.  “A darkly comic fable of brotherly love and family identity, Topdog/Underdog tells the story of Lincoln and Booth, two brothers whose names were given to them as a joke, foretell a lifetime of sibling rivalry and resentment. Haunted by their past, the brothers are forced to confront the shattering reality of their future. This piece features mature content. “ Performances take place at the Jefferson Avenue Mission, 2241 Jefferson Avenue. For more information: www.ticketleap.events.

Blues in the Night
Photo: Keshon Campbell

The Black Rep presents the musical Blues in the Night through September 29. “This dynamite, dramatic revue thrills us with the universal language of the blues. The soul of the blues wails out full and strong in Blues in the Night, a scorching, Tony-nominated musical! The 26 hot and torchy numbers that tell of the sweet, sexy, and sorrowful experiences that three women have with the lying, cheating snake of a man who does them wrong will leave you energized, inspired, and ready to wail.” Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: www.theblackrep.org.

Trayf
Photo: Jon Gitchoff

New Jewish Theatre presents Trayf Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Saturdays at 4 and 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through September 29. “Zalmy lives a double life. By day, he drives a Chabad “Mitzvah Tank” through 1990s New York City, performing good deeds with his best friend Shmuel. By night, he sneaks out of his orthodox community to roller-skate and listen to rock and roll. But when a curious outsider offers him unfettered access to the secular world, is it worth jeopardizing everything he’s ever known? This road-trip bromance is a funny and heartwarming ode to the turbulence of youth, the universal suspicion that we don’t quite fit in, and the faith and friends that see us through.”  Performances take place at the SFC Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: jccstl.com/arts-ideas/new-jewish-theatre/current-productions.

New Line Theatre presents the rock musical American Idiot, based on the album by Green Day, through October 5. “Lost and disconnected in a post-9/11 America, three friends, Johnny, Tunny and Will, struggle to find meaning in their lives. The three men flee the constraints of their hometown for the thrills of city life, but their paths quickly diverge as Tunny enters the armed forces, Will is called back home to attend to a pregnant girlfriend, and Johnny descends into an urban underworld, following a seductive love interest and a deadly new friendship. As each of the three learns to navigate his "alienation," we see in them America's struggle to find a new path in this new millennium, after a long period of darkness.” Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: www.newlinetheatre.com.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the thriller Dial M for Murder, September 18 through October 13. “Step into the shadows of a meticulously planned murder. In the elegant home of Tony and Margot Wendice, a sinister game of cat and mouse unfolds. Tony, a calculating mastermind, plots to kill his wife for her inheritance, fueled by revenge and greed. When his perfect plan spirals into chaos, a web of lies and deceit is spun, threatening to ensnare the innocent. Join the relentless Inspector Hubbard as he unravels the twisted truth. Will Tony’s trap hold, or will justice be served? Experience the suspense and intrigue of Dial “M” for Murder, a play that will leave you breathless until the final curtain falls.” Performances take on the main stage of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: www.repstl.org.

SATE presents the world premiere of Tempest in a Teapot by Shualee Cook Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 pm, September 18 – 28. “At age 10, Alice Liddell inspired Lewis Carroll to write Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. But at age 21, she finds herself trapped between the fantasy world created for her, and the restrictive Victorian world of Oxford, England – each with a very specific role she is expected to play. Then a chance meeting with Carroll after years of silence leads her down the rabbit hole again to the Mad Tea Party, where a seemingly casual suggestion by Carroll that she read Shakespeare’s The Tempest turns into a philosophical treasure hunt. With help from the Mad Hatter, March Hare, Dormouse and Cheshire Cat, Alice proceeds to act out the classic play in hope that it holds the key to her crisis of identity, and offers a way of dealing with her magical but complicated past.,Performances are at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: www.eventbrite.com.

Stages St. Louis presents the musical Ragtime September 20 – October 20. “At the dawn of a new century, everything is changing and anything is possible. A sweeping musical portrait of early twentieth-century America, RAGTIME, tells the story of three families united by courage, compassion, and a belief in not only the American dream, but the promise of tomorrow. Told through a dazzling array of musical styles from the era, this Tony Award-Winning musical is bursting with emotion and hope as the surprising interconnections of the heart are discovered and history’s timeless contradictions of wealth and poverty, freedom and prejudice, and hope and despair are confronted.” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: stagesstlouis.org.

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

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