Chuck's Choices for the weend of April 21, 2016

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:

Bosnian-American: The Dance of Life
Photo: John Lamb

Mustard Seed Theatre presents Bosnian-American: The Dance of Life, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through May 1. "Born in Bosnia and raised in St. Louis - painful history meets present reality in this collaboratively created script that celebrates the true stories of our neighbors." Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: Unlike some cities I could name, St. Louis has opened its doors to Muslim immigrants—especially those from Bosnia—and experienced considerable economic growth in the neighborhoods were they have settled. Mustard Seed has turned their experiences into what Steve Callahan calls "a most heartening and hopeful evening celebrating the Bosnian-American experience." At Ladue News, Mark Bretz writes: "Bosnian/American: The Dance for Life succeeds as a tribute to the valiant spirit of a people and culture driven from their homeland to start life anew in a land a continent away."  The show is a bit rocky in spots, but its heart is in the right place, which counts for a lot.

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Angela Sapolis

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present Angela Sapolis in I Couldn't Have Said it Better on Saturday, April 23, at 7:30 p.m. "A native of St Louis, Angela Sapolis has made a name for herself on stages from coast to coast, and as far away as Tokyo. "I Couldn't Have Said It Better" is a potent marriage of words and music, taking us on a journey through the peak experiences of life, guided by the wit and wisdom of the world's great thinkers, writers, and musicians. Angela is sincerely grateful to her mentor, teacher, and friend, the legendary Andrea Marcovicci, for her invaluable support in creating this show." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: buzzonstage.com/st-louis

Gail Payne

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present Gail Payne in Let it Shine on Thursday, April 21, at 7:30 p.m. "Four years ago, Gail Payne mustered the courage to let her light shine as she serenaded friends in her living room. Living into her dream of singing professionally, "Let It Shine" is Payne's fifth solo cabaret show demonstrating her passion and talent for masterfully weaving together songs and stories not only about her journey to sing solo, but also to find love and live happily ever after. Music will include classics from the Great American Songbook, Broadway, jazz, folk/country, and popular music." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: buzzonstage.com/st-louis

My take: Ms. Payne and Ms. Sapolis are veterans of the St. Louis Cabaret Conference, a week-long intensive training program for musical theatre and cabaret singers. It attracts some top-flight talent. You can't go wrong with their of these very talented and engaging women, and the Emerald Room is a very cool venue.

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Trash Macbeth at St. Louis University

Equally Represented Arts presents Trash Macbeth opening on Wednesday, April 20, and running through May 7th. "Lady Macbeth says, 'What's done cannot be undone.' But can it be repurposed? Based on Shakespeare's iconic tragedy, ERA's experimental production Trash Macbeth resuscitates meaning within a climate of destruction, reestablishes the societal norms of America's most traditional era, and reframes the value of our revered Shakespeare, housewifery, and garbage. Trash Macbeth is a full-length, theatrical production created by an ensemble of theatre artists with text from Shakespeare's Macbeth, Emily Post's Etiquette, the book of Revelations, Dr Benjamin Spock's Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care, and 1950's era advertisements." Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: eratheatre.org.

My take: In a review of the original St. Louis University production of this last October, 88.1 KDHX reviewer Sarah Richardson wrote that "[t]he fates that are spun and the lives unwound in this tragedy reach astounding dramatic heights thanks to a marvelous alchemy of all the elements of theatre: design, staging, performance, and text...A delicious, theatrical nightmare par excellence." This is a chance to see the play done by the ensemble whose founder, Lucy Cashion, created the piece for St. Louis U. last fall. Ms. Cashion has made a name for herself locally for her ingenious reworkings of classic plays.

Held Over:

David Guintoli

The Emerald Room Cabaret presents David Giuntoli in Sinatra...The Man and His Music on Friday, April 22, at 8 p.m. "David Giuntoli sings songs that Frank Sinatra made famous. He would have been 100, if alive, and although he was from a different era, his musical stylings are a as swinging today as they were in the 40s, 50s, and 60s when he was at his peak. Sinatra had a gift of taking songs from great composers like, Cole Porter, Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn, and, along with his fantastic arrangements, giving them that “Sinatra” stamp. The show includes these songs; I've Got the World on a String, All or Nothing at All, The Best is Yet to Come, I've Got You Under My Skin, The Way You Look Tonight, Angel Eyes, Fly Me to the Moon, Night and Day, The Lady is a Tramp and more." The show features Adam Maness on piano and Ben Wheeler on bass. The performance takes place in The Emerald Room at The Monocle Bar, 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: www.buzzonstage.com/st-louis

My take: No, this is not the David Giuntoli who stars in Grimm, but rather my fellow Cabaret Project board member in his first solo show. The focus on Sinatra makes perfect sense, given that Mr. Giuntoli is a baritone with a crooner's sensibility and an affection for the Great American Songbook. Last week's show was sold out, hence the reprise.

St. Lou Fringe Report 4: Big Comedy Finale

This past Saturday (June 27th, 2015) was the last day of the St. Lou Fringe Festival and, by sheer coincidence, also the best one as far as the shows I saw went. Better yet, three of the four I saw were by local groups.

Sorry, Please Continue
www.facebook.com/SorryPleaseContinue

It was mostly a day of comedy, beginning with "Sorry, Please Continue." Described as a mix of the storytelling of the "Moth Radio Hour" with the off-the-cuff wisecracks of "Mystery Science Theatre 3000," the show features "some amazing stories told by anyone who wants to participate mixed with commentary from some of St. Louis’ funniest comedians."

The theme Saturday afternoon was "Family." The first storyteller (Siobhan O'Loughlin, whose "The Rope in Your Hands" was also part of the Fringe) related how she, as a result of a bizarre set of accidents (puppets were apparently involved) found herself sleeping in bed with her sister and her sister's boyfriend—only to be awakened by the couple doing the Horizontal Cha-Cha right next to her. The second storyteller (Christine Compas) described how she became embroiled in a true Wedding From Hell. Burlap and Christmas lights were involved.

Both stories, while fairly interesting, were transmuted into comedy gold by the three members of "Sorry, Please Continue" (Jeremy Hellwig, Amy Milton, and Stryker Spurlock at this show). They played off each other expertly and invariably timed their interruptions for maximum comic effect. I think it would be easy to come across as snarky or just plain mean in a situation like this, but not these three; it was good-natured fun all the way. If you want to see them in action, they perform on the third Thursday of each month at Foam, 3359 South Jefferson. You can also check out their Facebook page.

Moscow!
eratheatre.org

Next was the Equally Represented Arts production of "Moscow!" Described as a drinking-game version of Chekov's "Three Sisters," Lucy Cashion's script was an ingenious one-hour reduction of the original, with everyone in the cast (and much of the audience) taking a drink whenever anyone said "Moscow." Which, if you know your Chekov, happens a lot.

Julia Crump, Ellie Schwetye, and Rachel Tibbets headed a remarkably talented cast as the three titular sisters. Under Ms. Cashion's direction, the show moved at light speed, with actors rattling off vast chunks of Chekov with machine-gun precision while marching about the stage in precise steps through the box-like maze of red chairs that served as a set.

Music Arranger and Director Joe Taylor underscored it all with wonderful selection of Russian melodies (mostly Prokofiev and Khachaturian, as I recall) performed live. The entire production, in short, displayed the kind of polish and professionalism that would make it welcome almost anywhere; I hope they repeat it. For more information on ERA, visit their web site.

L-R: Johnny Iguana, Yana, Michael Caskey
claudettes.com / Marisa Klug-Morataya

Next it was music with a weirdly comic edge with "Welcome to Claudette's Bar" at TheStage @ KDHX. The concept is that pianist Johnny Iguana and drummer Michael Caskey were dragooned by the semi-mythical Claudette into playing in her dive bar in Oglesby, IL ("an hour and a half southwest of Chicago's South Side"), where she put them on salary and dubbed them "The Claudettes." She never appears in person, but harasses them via cell phone into selling drinks during their show.

That's all set up in an amusing video before Mr. Iguana and Mr. Caskey come out on stage. As they launched into their live set—which sounded like a hard-driving combination of Vince Guaraldi, Raymond Scott, and Eric Satie on speed—an LED display ran bizarre commercial messages from Claudette. These ranged from weird drink specials ("$8 Midori Shooters," "MONDAY NIGHT: DESIGNER NIGHT! You design shot, I design price") to warnings ("You: Fake ID Me: Real Gun") to the occasional political statement ("This machine kills fascists!"). Mr. Iguana's electric piano is hidden behind a box painted to look the like the back of an old-fashioned upright piano, adding to the diver bar ambience.

Through it all, the duo performed with a slightly unhinged intensity, mugging it up and delivering solid, power-chord punk piano originals along with some fairly bent versions of classics like "California, Here I Come" and "Brazil." It was great fun, but it would have been nice had their vocalist Yana been there to change the sound up a bit. As it is, she appeared only on the video.

For more information on the Chicago-based Claudettes, check out their web site.

Poor Monsters at the Fringe awards
www.facebook.com/poormonsters

The evening ended with one of the most inspired theatrical productions of the festival: "Or What You Will" by the all-female ensemble Poor Monsters: Laurel Kassenbrock, Katy Keating, Alicen Moser, Kristin Rion, Taylor Steward, and Sarah Griffith. The show consisted of twelve short plays by seven women playwrights, all inspired by Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night." The plays were presented in sets of two, and after each set the audience decided, by their applause, which of the two would advance to the next round until, in sports bracket fashion, one was finally declared the winner.

Although I enjoyed all twelve of the playlets, my own favorites were Ms. Griffith's "Her Breast Is Fit for Pearls, But I Was Not a Diver," which proves to be a surprisingly touching gloss on the life and poetry of Emily Dickinson; Ms. Moser's "The Shape of Love," in which the playwright, as Feste, tries to invent an increasingly tricky song about the increasingly complex relationships of the play; and Ms. Keating's "Revenge of the Siss," in which Malvolio finally triumphs over his enemies in the boxing ring.

Poor Monsters doesn't appear to have a web site, but they do have a Facebook page where you can find out what they're up to next.

I've been an enthusiastic supporter of the St. Lou Fringe since its scrappy beginnings in June of 2012. Three years later, the Fringe is a major player on the local cultural scene and is attracting attention nation-wide. If you've never "fringed," you have missed an awful lot of unusual—and often unique—entertainment. When it comes around again next summer, don't miss it. I know I won't.

Chuck's St. Louis theatre choices for the weekend of November 14, 2014

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

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Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a cappella musical All is Calm Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 and 5 PM, November 14-December 14. “Join us in celebrating the power of peace in this acapella musical based on the true story of soldiers during World War I who for one night, put down their arms and played soccer instead of exchanging bullets.” Performances take place at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: This show is apparently going to be a holiday tradition at Mustard Seed, and with good reason. The story of the remarkable holiday truce that spontaneously interrupted the insanity of World War I remains an inspiring reminder of what happens when ordinary people ignore the manipulations of their leadership and allow their basic decency to take control of their actions. The lesson for contemporary politics is clear.

The West End Players Guild continues their 104th season with Boom Town Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, November 14-23. There will also be a show on Thursday, November 20, at 8 PM. “From the prolific pen of movie and TV star Jeff Daniels, author of more than a dozen plays, comes Boom Town. Angela Tompkins has a husband, a failing convenience store and a dream of running off to Chicago with her lover, the local banker. In an explosive story that mixes small-town politics, love and betrayal, Angela must face reality when her husband discovers the truth.” Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 North Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-367-0025 or visit www.westendplayers.org.

My take: Daniels has proven to be a prolific and gifted playwright, with an impressive ability to create characters and situations that grab and hold your interest. Full disclosure: I'm on West End's board of directors and play reading committee, which vetted this script for the company.

The Presenters Dolan present Carole J. Bufford: Body and Soul on Friday and Saturday, November 14 and 15, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Carole J. Bufford has emerged a hot new star in the New York cabaret world, a view broadly shared by critics, audiences, and club owners, alike. She has performed in some of New York's most important venues (Town Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center) and with major stars (Michael Feinstein). In her critically acclaimed show, BODY AND SOUL, she explores the fiery world of passion." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: Jim Dolan continues to bring an exciting mix of veteran performers and new discoveries to the St. Louis cabaret scene. This is Ms. Bufford's first appearance locally and it's highly anticipated.

Equally Represented Arts presents The Residents of Craigslist, conceived and adapted by ERA’s Artistic Director, Lucy Cashion, and Associate Artistic Director, Will Bonfiglio, November 12-16. "THE RESIDENTS OF CRAIGSLIST is a one-act performance piece that realizes the classified advertisements website Craigslist as a full yet lonely house containing a myriad of people – its residents." Performances take place at the AlphaBeta Club, 2618 North 14th Street. For more information: equallyrepresentedarts.com.

My take: Granted, I have no idea whether this fascinating concept will be worth seeing or not, but as ERA demonstrated in it's first outing, Make Hamlet, this is a group ready and willing to push the theatrical envelope. Which can't be bad.

The Presenters Dolan present Sheri Sanders: Rock It on Thursday, November 13, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "The acclaimed author of Rock The Audition, How To Prepare for and Get Cast in Rock Musicals, Sheri Sanders comes to town to teach a master class to the musical theater students at Webster. A New York musical theater actor and insider, Sheri offers us a captivating rock cabaret, after a sold out run in New York attended by many of the actors she has taught and helped to get cast in Broadway shows." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: As I noted in a review of Barb Jungr's rock-inflected show a few years ago, cabaret is a genre that can embrace an impressive variety of music, including rock and soul. Ms. Sanders has impressive credentials, and I'd expect her show to be intriguing.

Held Over:

Max and Louie Productions presents the US premier of the comedy Chancers through November 16. "Aiden's bright and fully stocked store has no customers, a vagrant at the doorstep, and his family living in the back room while they rent their home to strangers. Pre-recession, Aiden expanded his empire and store count and spared no expense. After the foreclosures, the construction workers that once filled his stores were laid off, and no longer paying customers. The skeleton of the closed hot food bar hulks in the corner as daily reminder to Aiden that his store is slowly slipping away. Beyond the brilliant colors and bright lights of the store, we see the fields and the town of Kildare, with its rich horse racing history and plenty of old money. But the view of the town as a quaint village is a thing of the past in a global economy. Tesco has permanently joined the landscape of rolling fields and high street shopping and Aiden is in denial of his certain future." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit maxandlouie.com.

My take: In her review for 88.1 KDHX Tina Farmer says that while she finds the playwright's ending not entirely persuasive, "the sharp performances and biting humor make for an enjoyable production with a bit of an edge." "Thanks to the delightful efforts of its quartet of players," says Mark Bretz at Ladue News, "this Chancers delivers on its promise to keep an audience laughing at the wacky ineptitude of its characters." The cast includes some fine actors whose work I know first-hand.

Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents A Kid Like Jake through November 16. "Alexandra and Greg are stressed. Test scores, campus visits and entrance interviews for their son are almost too much to handle. Especially since this prep isn't for college, it's just part of the process of winning a place in one of Manhattan's exclusive kindergarten programs. Four-year-old Jake's intelligence has him in the running for a top school, but when the focus turns to his imagination and affection for dress-up, acceptance takes on a whole new meaning." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

My take: There are generally good reviews for this one. Writing for broadwayworld.com, for example, Chris Gibson calls it "an engaging and, in many ways, touching and sensitive production that's sure to spark a lot of positive conversation about the subject, and that makes it important enough in of itself, but its also a work that makes you really care about these characters in a very raw and emotional way that is quite unexpected." Even reviewers who have misgivings about the script have been impressed by the quality of the Rep's production.

First Run Theatre presents the 2014 Spectrum One-Act Play Festival Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, November 14-16. This year's plays are No Other Gods Before Me by Richard Newman; Night of the Armadillo by Jason Slavik; Bang by Richard Newman; Miss Nancy's Playhouse by Mario Farwell; The Jungfrau by David Hawley; and The Adventures of BunnyMan by Mario Farwell. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information, call (314) 352-5114 or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

My take: At First Run it's all St. Louis playwrights all the time, and the spectrum festival gives you a chance to see the work of multiple writers in one evening. The quality of First Run's productions can be uneven, but they're doing important work here, and that deserves some praise.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of May 2, 2014

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

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The Gateway Men's Chorus presents Cabaret Risque III on Saturday, May 3, at 8 PM. Featured performers are Bob Becherer, Robert Breig, Alice Kinsella, Chuck Lavazzi, Kay Martin Love, Donna Weinsting, and Jeffrey M. Wright. Ken Haller is master of ceremonies for the event, with music direction by Al Fischer. Procedes benefit the Gateway Men's Choruis. The show takes place Rialto Ballroom on the fourth floor of the Centene Center for the Arts, 3547 Olive in Grand Center. For more information: gmcstl.org.

My take: Well, as you can see from the description above, I'm not exactly a neutral observer on this one. In fact, I'm pretty flattered to be sharing to stage with these performers, all of whom I have worked with in the past in one way or another and all of whom are immensely talented. My set will consist of "Making Whoopee," "Lydia the Tattooed Lady," and Tom Lehrer's "Masochism Tango" (not exactly a song that has been performed all the often locally). Expect a fun and festive event, and the money goes to a good cause.

Photo: Daniel Brodie

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat April 29-May 11. "One of the most enduring shows of all time, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT is the irresistible family musical about the trials and triumphs of Joseph, Israel's favorite son. The first collaboration of Andrew Lloyd Webber (Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera, Cats) and Tim Rice (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Lion King) JOSEPH blends pop, country and rock into an uplifting, technicolored story of biblical proportions. 'JOSEPH is still the wittiest of Lloyd Webber's extravaganzas' declares the Orlando Sentinel." The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

My take: For many years after its first appearance, Joseph was rather neglected—overshdowed by the spectacular success of Rice and Webber's second Biblical musical Jesus Christ Superstar. About 20 years ago it began to seriously emerge from the shadow of its more famous successor. By 2008 more than 20,000 schools and amateur theatre groups had produced it. The current tour uses somewhat gimmicky casting: husband and wife team Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young (both former American Idol Top 10 contestants) head the cast as Joseph and the Narrator. Still, they both appear to have legit musical theatre credentials. "Though "Joseph" touches on serious themes," writes Amy Burger in her review for 88.1 KDHX, "with the infectious and humorous songs of Weber and Rice, great cast performances, fantastic direction and choreography by Blankenbuehler, and dazzling set and costume design, the show is a fun and lighthearted good time for theatergoers of all ages."

Mainstreet Musicals presents staged readings of three new musicals on Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, in the Orthwein Hall at the Muny, 1 Theatre Drive in Forest Park. The musicals are Merton Of The Movies by Doug Katsaros and Donald Brenner (6 PM Saturday and 3 PM Sunday), Pride and Prejudice by Lindsay Warren Baker and Amanda Jacobs (3 PM Saturday and noon Sunday), and Under Fire by Barry Harman and Grant Sturiale (noon Saturday and 6 PM Sunday). For more information: www.mainstreetfestivals.org/stlouis.htm.

My take: This hasn't gotten a lot of publicity—I only found out about it accidentally myself during a side conversation just prior to Lara Teeter's show at the Gaslight Theatre last weekend—so I feel called upon to draw as much attention to it as possible. I have no idea whether these musicals are worthwhile or not, but I do know that it's always a good idea to encourage new shows and the ticket price is right: $10 a pop.

Upstream Theater presents Windmill Baby by David Milroy through May 11. “Winner of the prestigious Patrick White Award, Windmill Baby is an enthralling show about an aging Aboriginal woman named MayMay, who returns briefly to the cattle station where she lived years ago in order to take care of some 'unfinished business.' With warmth, wit, and great heart she tells a story of many layers: Of Black Australians in the service of White Australia. Of unexpected romance and sudden ruination. Of overcoming heartbreak and -most wonderfully of all-of abiding love.“ Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

My take: As Steve Callahan notes in his review for 88.1 KDHX , the play itself is not without its flaws, but the performance by Linda Kennedy is first rate. "She tells a compelling tale," he writes. "She moves deftly and with grace, as the well-trained dancer that she is. And she sparkles with wit....Miss Kennedy gives a strong, engaging performance in a play that is not, in itself, very strong."

Held Over:

Equally Represented Arts presents Make Hamlet, April 21 through May 3. "This experimental, theatrical production re-envisions Shakespeare's iconic play. It uses the play's inherent meta-theatricality to explore its theme of fractured identity. Shakespeare's tragic text, ERA's ensemble-driven ideals, and the ritual of performance collide as six actors Make Hamlet." Performances take place at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: equallyrepresentedarts.com.

My take: Non-traditional approaches to Shakespeare's classics can be a risky proposition, but as Steve Callahan notes in his review for 88.1 KDHX, this production "powerfully captures all the fears, doubts, anxieties and philosophical wonderings in which Shakespeare's play is so rich. This production expects much of its audience: it expects intelligence; it expects a good familiarity with Shakespeare's play; it expects an open mind; it expects a sense of humor. But if you have these things then ERA's production of 'Make Hamlet' is certainly for you." The Chapel Venue is non-traditional in its own way. It offers the space free of charge to performers and volunteers run the bar at the back of the house. It's definitely worth supporting that kind of attitude.

Mustard Seed Theatre presents Falling, written and directed by Deanna Jent. "Fresh from its off-Broadway run, Falling returns with the original St. Louis cast. The New York Post writes: "This heartfelt and nuanced family drama is shot through with dark humor. Falling soars!" While Falling explores hard truths within a family dealing specifically with autism, the story is really about loving someone who is hard to love." Performances take place through May 4 at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: St. Louis doesn't export that much theatre, so when it does it's worth taking notice. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Steve Callahan says that "you can count your lucky stars that right now it is again playing in St. Louis. This is the most powerful, moving new play I've seen in years." I think you can take that to the bank, as they say.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of April 25, 2014

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

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The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents the musical Into the Woods Wednesday through Sunday, April 23-27. Performances take place on the Browning Mainstage Theater at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: www.webster.edu/fine-arts/departments/conservatory/index.html or call 314-968-7128.

My take: The Webster Conservatory does consistently excellent work and Into the Woods is one of Sondheim's more thoughtful and inventive shows. The second act is nearly always problematic, but if anyone can make a good case for it, they can.

The Presenters Dolan present Lara Teeter in Lucky to Be Me on Friday and Saturday, April 25 and 26, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Join Lara Teeter for his St. Louis cabaret debut, sharing his journey as artist, teacher, husband and dad. Claimed by both our town and Broadway (a Tony Nominee) as one of its own, Lara Teeter shows us just how fresh the songbook is in a master song and dance man's hands. And feet. " The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: Lara Teeter has a been an important force on the musical theatre and cabaret scene locally for many years. He and Neal Richardson have done impressive work with the musical theatre students at the Webster Conservatory, as anyone who has seen their annual cabaret night can attest. It will be interesting to see what his own show looks like.

Equally Represented Arts presents Make Hamlet, April 21 through May 3. "This experimental, theatrical production re-envisions Shakespeare's iconic play. It uses the play's inherent meta-theatricality to explore its theme of fractured identity. Shakespeare's tragic text, ERA's ensemble-driven ideals, and the ritual of performance collide as six actors Make Hamlet." Performances take place at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: equallyrepresentedarts.com.

My take: Non-traditional approaches to Shakespeare's classics can be a risky proposition, but as Steve Callahan notes in his review for 88.1 KDHX, this production "powerfully captures all the fears, doubts, anxieties and philosophical wonderings in which Shakespeare's play is so rich. This production expects much of its audience: it expects intelligence; it expects a good familiarity with Shakespeare's play; it expects an open mind; it expects a sense of humor. But if you have these things then ERA's production of 'Make Hamlet' is certainly for you." The Chapel Venue is non-traditional in its own way. It offers the space free of charge to performers and volunteers run the bar at the back of the house. It's definitely worth supporting that kind of attitude.

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Shake 38, a city wide performance festival in which all 38 of Shakespeare's plays are performed by 38 different groups in a variety of neighborhoods and locations. Performances take place Wednesday through Sunday, April 23-27. For a complete schedule: sfstl.com.

My take: Speaking of non-traditional approaches to The Bard, Shake 38 provides more Shakespeare than you can (ahem) shake a stick at ("if that's your idea of a good time," to quote Groucho). Want to see Titus Andronicus at a hookah bar? Or Romeo and Juliet at a juvenile detention center? How about Julius Caesar at City Hall, Pericles at a coffee house, or Henry V at The Stage @ KDHX? All this and more will unfold this weekend; check out the web site for a complete schedule

Held Over:

Mustard Seed Theatre presents Falling, written and directed by Deanna Jent. "Fresh from its off-Broadway run, Falling returns with the original St. Louis cast. The New York Post writes: "This heartfelt and nuanced family drama is shot through with dark humor. Falling soars!" While Falling explores hard truths within a family dealing specifically with autism, the story is really about loving someone who is hard to love." Performances take place through May 4 at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com.

My take: St. Louis doesn't export that much theatre, so when it does it's worth taking notice. In his review for 88.1 KDHX, Steve Callahan says that "you can count your lucky stars that right now it is again playing in St. Louis. This is the most powerful, moving new play I've seen in years." I think you can take that to the bank, as they say.

Photo: Stewart Goldstein

The Black Rep presents Wole Soyinka's The Trials of Brother Jero through April 27. This Nobel Prize-winning play "depicts the delightful day in the life on an evangelical con man, forced to deal with creditors, politicians, and the endless temptation of beautiful women." Performances take place at the Emerson Performance Center on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University. For more information: theblackrep.org.

My take: Once again, the Black Rep has brought us a rarely-seen show from the pen of a noted playwright—in this case Nigeria's Wole Soyinka. "This play might have come from the pen of an archaic Aristophanes," writes Steve Callahan in his review for 88.1 KDHX. "But this little play is awash in quite beautiful dance and music and ravishing African rhythms. There is African song with gorgeous harmonies. At one moment, in a frenzy of prayer, there is a shrill ululation—the most thrilling sound in the world. All of this music and dance is so exquisitely done. And it so beautifully supports the feeling of stylization—the feeling that this is an ancient folk tale." If that doesn't sound fascinating, you must be fascination proof.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 21, 2014

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 ArtsZipper site.

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Stages St. Louis presents the musical Always..Patsy Cline April 22 -June 15. "Jacqueline Petroccia and Zoe Vonder Haar star in the return engagement of the show critics called 'exceptional, must see entertainment.' The touching and true story of Country music legend Patsy Cline and her friendship with Texas housewife Louise Seger returns to STAGES this spring. Combining down home country humor, heartache and 27 of Patsy Cline’s unforgettable hits such as 'Crazy,' 'Walkin’ After Midnight,' and 'Sweet Dreams,' Always… Patsy Cline endures as a piece of genuine Americana." Performances take place at The Playhouse at Westport Plaza. For more information, visit stagesstlouis.org or call 314-821-2407.

Peabody Opera House presents Blue Man Group April 25 - 27. For more information, visit peabodyoperahouse.com or call 314-622-5420.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents its Bullets in the Bathtub through April 27. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

Mustard Seed Theatre presents Falling, written and directed by Deanna Jent. "Fresh from its off-Broadway run, Falling returns with the original St. Louis cast. The New York Post writes: "This heartfelt and nuanced family drama is shot through with dark humor. Falling soars!" While Falling explores hard truths within a family dealing specifically with autism, the story is really about loving someone who is hard to love." Performances take place through May 4 at the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre, 6800 Wydown Blvd. For more information, call (314) 719-8060 or visit the web site at www.mustardseedtheatre.com. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

New Jewish Theater presents Ed Asner in his one-may play FDR Sunday, April 27, at 7 PM. “Asner's FDR, explores the life of one of America's best-loved presidents and the events and decisions that shaped a nation. This powerful play takes us through FDR's White House years including the Depression, the steps leading up to WWII and the war years. Asner shows us why this president was known as “that man in the White House,” scorned by many and admired by most.” The performance take place in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Flaming Saddles through April 27. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University presents the musical Into the Woods Wednesday through Sunday, April 23-27. Performances take place on the Browning Mainstage Theater at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: www.webster.edu/fine-arts/departments/conservatory/index.html or call 314-968-7128.

KTK Productions presents the comedy Leading Ladies by Ken Ludwig April 25 - May 4. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information, call 314-351-8984.

Lion's Paw Theatre Company presents a reading of the plays The Hysterical Misogynist by Murray Schisgal, Charm of the British by Laura Cotton, and Siren Song of Stephen Jay Gould by Benjamin Bettenbender, on Tuesday, April 22, at noon. The reading, which includes lunch, takes place at The Hearth Room at The Hawken House, 1155 South Rock Hill Road. For more information: lionspawtheatre.org.

The Presenters Dolan present Lara Teeter in Lucky to Be Me on Friday and Saturday, April 25 and 26, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Join Lara Teeter for his St. Louis cabaret debut, sharing his journey as artist, teacher, husband and dad. Claimed by both our town and Broadway (a Tony Nominee) as one of its own, Lara Teeter shows us just how fresh the songbook is in a master song and dance man's hands. And feet. " The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Equally Represented Arts presents Make Hamlet, April 21 through May 3. "This experimental, theatrical production re-envisions Shakespeare's iconic play. It uses the plays inherent meta-theatricality to explore its theme of fractured identity. Shakespeare's tragic text, ERA's ensemble-driven ideals, and the ritual of performance collide as six actors Make Hamlet." Performances take place at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: equallyrepresentedarts.com.

St. Louis University Theatre presents Euripides's Medea adapted by Robinson Jeffers April 25 - May 4. Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call (314) 977-2998 or visit www.slu.edu/theatre.

Lindenwood University's J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts presents Memphis: the Musical on Monday, April 21, at 8 PM. The Scheidegger Center is on the Lindenwood campus in St Charles MO. For more information, visit lindenwood.edu/center.

St. Charles Community College presents Next Year's Man of Steel Wednesday through Sunday, April 23-27. Performances take place in the Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building on the campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO. For more information, call 636-922-8050 or visit stchas.edu.

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Shake 38, a city wide performance festival in which all 38 of Shakespeare's plays are performed by 38 different groups in a variety of neighborhoods and locations. Performances take place Wednesday through Sunday, April 23-27. For a complete schedule: sfstl.com.

Photo: Stewart Goldstein

The Black Rep presents Wole Soyinka's The Trials of Brother Jero through April 27. This Nobel Prize-winning play "depicts the delightful day in the life on an evangelical con man, forced to deal with creditors, politicians, and the endless temptation of beautiful women." Performances take place at the Emerson Performance Center on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University. For more information: theblackrep.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Clayton Community Theatre presents Agatha Christie's The Unexpected Guest Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, April 25 - May 4. Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

Upstream Theater presents Windmill Baby by David Milroy April 25 - May 11. “Winner of the prestigious Patrick White Award, Windmill Baby is an enthralling show about an aging Aboriginal woman named MayMay, who returns briefly to the cattle station where she lived years ago in order to take care of some 'unfinished business.' With warmth, wit, and great heart she tells a story of many layers: Of Black Australians in the service of White Australia. Of unexpected romance and sudden ruination. Of overcoming heartbreak and -most wonderfully of all-of abiding love.“ Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

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.