Chuck's Choices for the weekend of May 29, 2015

As always, the choices are purely my personal opinion. Take with a grain (or a shaker) of salt.

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New This Week:

Anthony and Cleopatra

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Shakespeare's Anthony and Cleopatra nightly except for Tuesdays June 14. Performances take place in Shakespeare Glen next to the Art Museum in Forest Park. Curtain time is 8 PM. For more information, visit shakespearefestivalstlouis.org.

My take: As I write in my review for OnSTL.com, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis is producing a deftly edited and superbly acted production of this late Shakespeare tragedy/comedy/history. This isn't the easiest play to do, and other companies have stubbed their toes on it in the past, but under Mike Donahue's expert direction this fine cast does very well with material that is dramatically complex and open to a wide variety of interpretations. You can sit on the grass for free, but personally I recommend springing for one of the $20 reserved seats. That's still plenty cheap for theatre of this quality.

Emily Fons as Rosina and
Dale Travis as Dr. Bartolo
Photo: Ken Howard

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Rossini's comedy The Barber of Seville in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 27. "There's a good reason it's one of the world's most popular operas! Rossini's zany and sparkling score sets the gold standard for opera that is fresh, elegant, funny, and brimming with vocal fireworks. Delight as the young barber Figaro helps Count Almaviva steal the beautiful Rosina from under the nose of her doddering guardian." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information: experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

My take: As I write in my review for KDHX, everyone connected with this production can congratulate themselves on a job well done. Taking as his point of departure the animated and colorful films of Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, Mr. Shell has produced a loopy, slightly surreal, and highly engaging take this comic opera classic. The updated bits are always funny and sometimes inspired. And there aren't so many of them that they pull focus from the singers and the text and score of the opera. This is a production that respects the intelligence of its audience and doesn't assume that we need to be constantly distracted in order to be entertained.

Ben Watts

The Kranzberg Arts Center presents Wonderful Enough: Ben Watts Sings Cole Porter, Noel Coward, Jerry Herman, Peggy Lee, and More on Saturday, May 30, at 8 p.m. Carol Schmidt is music director and pianist for the program, which is directed by Tim Schall. The Kranzberg Center is at 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: benwatts.brownpapertickets.com.

My take: As I say in my preview article, a well-constructed cabaret act is ultimately a kind of one-act play, which is why actors—who have the advantage of understanding dramatic form—often create some of the best cabaret. Mr. Watts has shown that he can do both comedy and drama, and his appearances at The Cabaret Project's open mic nights (which I host) have been very impressive. And, of course, Tim Schall and Carol Schmidt are cabaret pros of considerable standing themselves. This is likely to be an auspicious debut.

Held Over:

My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents the musical My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding May 7-31. "The surprise hit of both the Toronto Fringe Festival and New York Musical Theater Festival, My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding is the sweet, tuneful and true story of the journey of the playwright's mother as she discovered her true self. Despite its specific title, MMLJWW is a universal story about parents and children, falling in love, and finding out who you are. It has heart and soul and in today's political climate, it couldn't be more timely - plus, it's a TRUE STORY!" Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

My take: As I wrote in my review for KDHX, David Hein and Irene Sankoff's unapologetically autobiographical musical is a pleasant and pleasing little show. It's so light that a stiff breeze would blow it away, but its heart is in the right place, which counts for a great deal. Ed Coffield has assembled a great cast and directed them well. Sets and costumes are bright and colorful and the on-stage band is solid. When I saw it on its opening weekend it was sold out, so you might want to order tickets sooner rather than later.

Cabaret Preview: Ben Watts' "Wonderful Enough" at the Kranzberg, May 30, 2015

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Cabaret, according to local cabaret pro Ken Haller, is the art of telling stories through song—which means it's a form of theatre. A well-constructed cabaret act is ultimately a kind of one-act play, which is why actors—who have the advantage of understanding dramatic form—often create some of the best cabaret.

Which brings us to "Wonderful Enough," the cabaret debut by local actor Ben Watts this Saturday, May 30, at the Kranzberg.

I first became aware of Mr. Watts' talent back in July of 2009 when we both appeared in Stray Dog Theatre's "Rocky Horror Show" (him as Riff Raff, me as the Narrator). He had an obvious gift for comedy and a clear, high tenor voice that had what the late Anna Russell once referred to as "a good cutting edge"—very helpful given the then-primitive state of Stray Dog's sound system (it has since gotten a lot better). His performance as Prior Walter in Stray Dog's "Angels in America" in April of 2012 demonstrated that he could handle dramatic material as well.

Carol Schmidt

Over the last few months, Mr. Watts has been making regular appearances at The Cabaret Project's open mic night at the Tavern of Fine Arts (which I host), where he has demonstrated that he can sell a ballad as well as a novelty number. You'll find plenty of both in his show this weekend, and if the rehearsal I attended on Tuesday is any indication, his performances will be solid.

I came in towards the end of the run through, so I missed some (but by no means all) of the comedy numbers. The set of ballads I saw, though, was pretty impressive. It began with a blues-infused "St. James Infirmary" (complete with a bit of Leon Redbone vocalise) before moving on to Kurt Weill's world-weary "Barbara Song" (from "Threepenny Opera") and finally a beautifully operatic arrangement by music director and pianist Carol Schmidt of Jim Steinman's "Total Eclipse of the Heart."

Tim Schall

At that point, a break in the mood was required, and I got one in the form of Cole Porter's classic "Let's Do It"—introduced with a short and very funny monolog about the trials of gay dating in the 21st century.

I don't want to go into too much detail, since part of the fun of a cabaret show lies in the element of surprise. So I'll just say that if what I heard Tuesday is any indication, "Wonderful Enough" will be a welcome debut, and an important addition to the ever-expanding cabaret scene in St. Louis. Mr. Watts, Ms. Schmidt, and director (and local cabaret pro) Tim Schall appear to have put together a very solid evening with a well-balanced song list that cuts across multiple genres.

Ben Watts' "Wonderful Enough" is this Saturday, May 30, at 8 p.m. at the Kranzberg Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit the show web site.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of May 25, 2015

[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 web site.

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Anthony and Cleopatra

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Anthony and Cleopatra nightly except for Tuesdays June 14. Performances take place in Shakespeare Glen next to the Art Museum in Forest Park. Curtain time is 8 PM. For more information, visit shakespearefestivalstlouis.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Rossini's comedy The Barber of Seville in rotating repertory with three other operas through June 27. "There's a good reason it's one of the world's most popular operas! Rossini's zany and sparkling score sets the gold standard for opera that is fresh, elegant, funny, and brimming with vocal fireworks. Delight as the young barber Figaro helps Count Almaviva steal the beautiful Rosina from under the nose of her doddering guardian." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information: experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Hawthorne Players present The Best of Hawthorne: Cowboy Swing Saturday May 30 at 8 p.m. The performance takes place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 921-5678 or visit hawthorneplayers.com.

Gitana Productions presents Black and Blue by by Lee Patton Chiles with music by Tbeats Entertainment Friday and Saturday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 3 PM, May 29-31. “An original play of hope and healing, exploring the assumptions that all young black men are dangerous, and that all cops are bad. ” Performances take place in the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.gitana-inc.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents A Fistful Of Hollers through August 29. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

The Wildey Theater presents the one-womancomedy Late Night Catechism on Friday and Saturday, May 29 and 30 at 8 p.m. " Call it Loretta Young meets Carol Burnett. This is part catechism class, part stand-up routine. It's an interactive comedy, one of the longest running shows in Chicago and U.S. theater history. You, the audience member, are part of Sister's class. She'll take you back to the days of the Latin Mass, meatless Fridays, and remind you about that good old ruler across the knuckles!" The Wildey Theatre is at 252 North Main Street in Edwardsville, Illinois. For more information, visit wildeytheatre.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Mayhem In Mayberry through July 26. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents the musical My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding through May 31. "The surprise hit of both the Toronto Fringe Festival and New York Musical Theater Festival, My Mother's Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding is the sweet, tuneful and true story of the journey of the playwright's mother as she discovered her true self. Despite its specific title, MMLJWW is a universal story about parents and children, falling in love, and finding out who you are. It has heart and soul and in today's political climate, it couldn't be more timely - plus, it's a TRUE STORY!" Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Circus Flora presents its new show, One Summer on 2nd Street, May 28 through June 28 under the air-conditioned, red-and-white, big top tent in Grand Center next to Powell Hall. "Travel back with us to The Jazz Age - to a time at which American cities grew rapidly, becoming home to families from all walks of life and corners of the map. We'll journey together to a typical block in a typical city on a typical day - and meet a very atypical set of families. Find yourself enchanted by a small Ukrainian family who tame the cats that live in the alley. Feel the excitement as Russian carriage drivers ride wildly through the streets, and the Flying Wallendas maneuver their way along clotheslines strung between buildings. Experience the bliss of young love, determined to stand strong amid their families' protests. These stories, and more, will come alive under the Big Top this summer." For more information, visit circusflora.org.

Theatre Lab presents the drama The Pillowman opening on Saturday, May 29, and running through June 7. "Katurian, a writer of short stories which often depict violence against children, has been arrested by two detectives, Ariel and Tupolski, because some of his stories resemble recent child murders. When he hears that his brother Michal has confessed to the murders and implicated Katurian, he resigns himself to his execution but attempts to save his stories from destruction. The play includes both narrations and reenactments of several of Katurian's stories, most notably the autobiographical "The Writer and the Writer's Brother", which tells how Katurian developed his disturbed imagination by hearing the sounds of Michal being tortured by their parents." Performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: brownpapertickets.com

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Summer Showbiz presents the musical revue Red Hot and Cole Wednesday through Saturday at 7:30 PM and Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM, May 29-June 7. The show is "a scintillating mixture of biography and song, celebrating the great American songwriter, Cole Porter, who brought style, elegance and sophistication to the stages and soundstages of Broadway and Hollywood, delighting the world with his devilishly clever rhymes, fresh and unexpected melodies, and sassy, sexy sensibility. Red Hot and Cole is a musical champagne tribute to a glittering age gone by, and the man and talent who was Cole Porter." Performances take place in the Dunham Hall theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Puccini's La Rondine in rotating repertory with three other operas May 30 through June 28. " Can a beautiful, sophisticated Parisian courtesan find happiness with a young man from the country? Or is her love affair doomed by a past she cannot keep secret? Celebrated OTSL music directorStephen Lord brings Puccini's gorgeous music and romantic storytelling to life in this stunning, newbelle epoque period production." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information: experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

Smokey Joe's Cafe

Stages St. Louis presents the musical revue Smokey Joe's Café, based on the songs of Lieber and Stoller May 29 - June 28. " Welcome to the neighborhood for a nostalgic exploration of the lives, loves, and aspirations of a group of friends who know how to rock 60s style. Featuring nearly 40 chart-topping hits that span over three decades of popular American music, this thrilling Grammy Award-winning song celebration will knock your socks off. Relive the glory days of rock and roll with such pop standards as “Stand By Me,"“Jailhouse Rock," “I'm A Woman," “Hound Dog," and “On Broadway.” Now, Baby, that's rock 'n' roll! Words and Music by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller." Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road in Kirkwood. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407.

New Line Theatre presents Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's Threepenny Opera, in the English adaptation by Marc Blitzstein, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, May 28-June 20. "Before there was Urinetown, before Cabaret or Sweeney Todd, there was this dark, comic masterpieces of the art form, Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's world-famous musical comedy thriller, THE THREEPENNY OPERA (which is not actually an opera), in the famous translation by composer-lyricist Marc Blitzstein (The Cradle Will Rock). This is the show that launched the pop standard, “Mack the Knife,” with a haunting jazz score, acid harmonies, wickedly clever lyrics, and very questionable morals. This is the musical that inspired many shows New Line has produced over the years, includingCabaret, Urinetown, Bat Boy, Sweeney Todd, Assassins, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, and so many other modern musicals. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

The Kranzberg Arts Center presents Wonderful Enough: Ben Watts Sings Cole Porter, Noel Coward, Jerry Herman, Peggy Lee, and More on Saturday, May 30, at 8 p.m. Carol Schmidt is music director and pianist for the program, which is directed by Tim Schall. The Kranzberg Center is at 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: benwatts.brownpapertickets.com.

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.