Review: "Waitress" has all the right ingredients

When it opened on Broadway in 2016, "Waitress" (which is still running as this is being written) was nominated for the Best Musical award not only by the Tonys, but the Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama League. Surprisingly, it didn't win any of them.

The cast of Waitress
Photo by Philicia Endelman

I say "surprisingly" because, after seeing the current tour at the Fox, I came away convinced that "Waitress" is a damn near perfect piece of small-cast musical theatre. Jessie Nelson's heartwarming book (based on Adrienne Shelly's 2007 film of the same name), Sara Bareilles's eclectic score, and the outstanding performances by the ensemble cast combine to produce an evening of theatre that's as perfect as one of the protagonist's pies.

That protagonist is Jenna, a waitress at Joe's Diner somewhere in the South who hopes her extraordinary culinary skills might win help her win a baking contest that will get her out of a loveless marriage to her appallingly self-centered and abusive husband Earl. She has the support of her friends and fellow waitresses Becky and Dawn as well as the sympathy of the crusty manager Cal, but an unexpected pregnancy and even more unexpected affair with Jim Pomatter, the new town doctor, threaten to disrupt everything. The story of how she finds the strength to change her life is inspirational and carries an uplifting message of female empowerment without ever becoming preachy.

Christine Dwyer
Photo by Tim Trumble

Christine Dwyer is a strong and credible Jenna, finding her inner strength through the mantra of baking in the song "What's Inside." Ephie Aardema is the elfin Dawn, freaking out in advance of a blind date with the geeky Ogie in the comic "When He Sees Me." Ogie is played with droll precision (and impressive dance moves) by Jeremy Morse. Becky is as brassy and sassy as Dawn is shy, and Maiesha McQueen plays her with all the vital force you could want. She has a powerful voice to boot, as she demonstrates in "I Didn't Plan It," the number in which she defends her affair with Cal, played with gruff charm by Ryan G. Dunkin.

Steven Good's Dr. Pomatter is a masterful study in self-effacement, making the character's awkwardness and repressed passion endearing. Matt DeAngelis fully embraces the pure awfulness or Earl, making him a character the audience loves to hate. Richard Kline is completely endearing as Joe, the owner of the diner whose song of life lessons, "Take It From an Old Man," is a moving highlight of the show.

Steven Good and Christine Dwyer
Photo by Philicia Endelman

Technically, "Waitress" is a marvel. Diane Paulus's direction, Lorin Latarro's choreography, and Scott Pask's highly mobile sets combine to create a fast-paced and fluid show. Scenes shift in the blink of an eye and the thirteen members of the ensemble are in nearly constant motion. They take on multiple characters and sometimes act as an extra pair of hands for the principals. Even the six-piece onstage band is mobile, often shifting with the scenery.

There are serious themes at the heart of "Waitress," such as the tragic tendency of children who grow up in abusive homes to move on to abusive relationships in adulthood, but ultimately this is a show about taking control of your life and the strength of sisterhood. If you're looking for a purely life-affirming musical, "Waitress" is surely the show for you.

Performances of "Waitress" continue through April 7 at the Fabulous Fox in Grand Center.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of March 2, 2018

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

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August: Osage County
Photo by Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents Tracy Letts's drama August: Osage County Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through March 4. "A vanished father, a pill-popping mother and three sisters harboring shady little secrets. When the large Weston family unexpectedly reunites after Dad disappears, their Oklahoman family homestead explodes in a maelstrom of repressed truths and unsettling secrets. Mix in Violet, the drugged-up, scathingly acidic matriarch, and you've got a major new play that unflinchingly - and uproariously - exposes the dark side of the Midwestern family." The performances take place in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543 or visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu.

My take: This might just be the ultimate dysfunctional family comedy/drama, both because of its operatic length (three hours, with intermission) and because Letts tosses in just about every trope imaginable. I'm not a big fan of the script, but Steve Callahan, writing for KDHX, has a lot of praise for the production. "The Wash U student cast," he writes, "is led by Peggy Billo, a brilliant Equity 'ringer' who gives a truly bravura performance as Violet. Helen Fox is most impressive as Barbara, her mother's chief antagonist and others in the cast do excellent work. Director Andrea Urice has done masterful work with this enormously demanding script."

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Chicago

The Fabulous Fox presents Kander and Ebb's Chicago Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 1 and 6 pm, March 2 - 4. "CHICAGO has everything that makes Broadway great: a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one show-stopping song after another; and the most astonishing dancing you've ever seen. It's no surprise that CHICAGO has wowed audiences from Mexico City to Moscow, from Sao Paulo to South Africa" The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

My take: "Welcome, ladies and gentlemen; you are about to see a story of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, and treachery - all those things we all hold near and dear to our hearts. Thank you." Those are the first lines spoken in Chicago, and they're a microcosm of both the story line and the attitude of the show. If you didn't know it was over forty years old, you might be justified in thinking Chicago had been written yesterday. The story of murderess Roxie Hart—whose bogus change of heart makes her on overnight sensation with the celebrity-obsessed press and public—is as current as the latest bogus Facebook meme. And it provides an opportunity for satirical pot-shots at judges, lawyers, celebrity hounds and, of course, the celebrities themselves. When I first saw this show, I thought it was deeply cynical. Now it just feels realistic.

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That Uppity Theatre Company presents Playhouse Emissions: Climate Change Theatre on Sunday, March 4, at 11 am. 'There is overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is real, human-caused and will have catastrophic effects. Yet, it is still a struggle to educate and motivate the public to take action. This free special Arts Festival Platform will reprise several of the vignettes and performances seen at the Ethical Society last fall, produced by That Uppity Theatre Company Producing Artistic Director Joan Lipkin (Ethical Society Ethical Humanist of the Year Awardee) and Pamela Reckamp. As shared by some of the leading actors in St. Louis including John Flack, Don McClendon, Elizabeth McCormick, Pamela Reckamp and Donna Weinsting, the plays were selected from over 25 cultures, including perspectives from low-lying nations threatened by sea-level change and countries facing severe heatwaves, floods or droughts. The Platform will also include performances from Ashley Tate and the Ashleyliane Dance Company." The event takes place at the Ethical Society, 9001 Clayton Road.

My take: Speaking of realism, here's theatre dedicated to raising awareness about a very real threat to human civilization (not that we don't already have plenty). That Uppity Theatre Company remains our preeminent local theatre company with a conscience.

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Menopause the Musical

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Menopause the Musical, "a celebration of women and The Change," through March 31. Four women meet while shopping for a black lace bra at a lingerie sale. After noticing unmistakable similarities among one another, the cast jokes about their woeful hot flashes, mood swings, wrinkles, weight gain and much more. The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

My take: This popular ensemble show has been around for a while now, having premiered in 2001 in Orlando, Florida, in a 76-seat theatre that once housed a perfume shop. It's last visit at the Westport Playhouse was ten years ago, and it seems to have lost none of it's comic shine. "Who will enjoy this," asks Ann Lemmons Pollack in a review of the show last year, "beyond women of what they call un age certain? People of both genders around them unless they have no sense of humor. That includes family, friends and co-workers. One of life's cruel jokes is that the menopause hits many households about the same time adolescence does. Here's something to tide us over." Since this is effectively a remounting of that same production, I think I'm on safe ground putting it on the hit list, as I did last January.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of November 25, 2016

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

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Emily Kuhn

The Emerald Room at the Monocle presents singer Emily Kuhn in her cabaret debut on Saturday, November 26, at 8 p.m. A a proud St. Louis native, Emily discovered her love for performing at a young age. She earned her BFA in Musical Theater from Penn State University in 2006 and spent the subsequent years performing in New York, on cruise ships and around the country. In addition to performing, Emily reaches music and choreographs at Villa Duchesne and teaches private voice and piano lessons at Emily Knox Studios. Steve Neale is pianist and music director for the show, which is directed by Ben Nordstrom." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

My take: I haven't seen Ms. Kuhn's work, but I'm putting her debut cabaret show in the list this week because, to begin with, I want to encourage local talent as much as possible, and also because her director, Ben Nordstrom, is a very talented local actor with solid credentials in both musical and non-musical theatre. And also because the Emerald Room is a very cool venue with a solid drinks list.

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Kevin Cherry

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present singer Kevin Cherry in You See This Guy on Friday, November 25, at 8 p.m. "Kevin Cherry takes you through 6 decades of the nearly 80 year career of Burt Bacharach. You See This Guy comes to The Emerald Room, under the musical direction of Dr. Jeffrey Richard Carter. With a recent, very successful Off-Broadway show at The New York Theatre Workshop, Burt Bacharach is experiencing a renaissance. You'll be surprised how many Bacharach compositions you'll recognize - or maybe you won't be!" The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

My take: It has been a while since Kevin has brough his engaging, cheerful presence to the Cabaret Project open mic nights, so it's good to see him back on stage again. Bacharach doesn't get nearly the respect he deserves as a songwriter, as I'm sure you'll agree when you attend.

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The 2015 cast of All is Calm
Photo: John Lamb

Mustard Seed Theatre presents the a cappella musical All is Calm Thursdays through Sundays through December 4. “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: All is Calm has become an annual winter tradition at Mustard Seed. With a script by Peter Rothstein and musical arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach, this story of the remarkable Christmas truce of 1914—a spontaneous outbreak of peace that occurred at multiple points along the trenches in France—combines splendid and often quite complex a cappella singing with readings of letters from soldiers and other historical documents. At a time when opportunistic politicians are pushing an agenda of hate, fear, and eternal war, this is a play that everyone needs to see. As we used to ask back in the 1960s, "what if they gave a war and nobody came?

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Fun Home
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Fun Home opening on Tuesday, November 15, and running through November 27. "Based on Alison Bechdel's best-selling graphic memoir, Fun Home introduces us to Alison at three different ages as she explores and unravels the many mysteries of her childhood that connect with her in surprising new ways. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Fun Home is a refreshingly honest, wholly original musical about seeing your parents through grown-up eyes." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

My take: Originally designed for a much smaller theatre, this small-cast show may not be an ideal match for the Fox's immensity, and the story is also somewhat out of the Fox's usual Broadway hit mainstream. Like Ms. Bechdel's original graphic novel, Fun Home leaps forward and backward in time to tell the story of how she and her two siblings helped out at the small town funeral home (the "fun home" of the title) run by her father, Bruce, who was also the local high school English teacher. Still, it’s exceptionally well done by a uniformly excellent ensemble cast. And in light of the dark strains of resentment let loose in the recent Presidential campaign. It reminds us that families can be difficult and that love is not always easy regardless of anyone's sexuality. Being human can just be hard sometimes, and we all need (as the old song goes) to "try a little tenderness."

Review: "Fun Home" is a small show with a big heart

This review originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

The cast of Fun Home
Photo: Joan Marcus

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Fun Home, the musical stage adaptation of Alison Bechdel's 2006 "family tragicomic" of the same name, is something of an odd fit for the Fox Theatre, where a national tour of the show is playing through November 27.

It is, to begin with, a small-cast show originally designed for a much smaller theatre. Even with a false proscenium that reduces the width of the stage by around a third, Fun Home feels dwarfed by the Fox's immensity. That creates a distancing effect that somewhat blunts the emotional force of the show, especially in the tragic and ultimately cathartic final scenes.

The story is also somewhat out of the Fox's usual Broadway hit mainstream. Like Ms. Bechdel's original graphic novel, Fun Home leaps forward and backward in time to tell the story of how she and her two siblings helped out at the small town funeral home (the "fun home" of the title) run by her father, Bruce, who was also the local high school English teacher.

In both the novel and the musical, Bruce emerges as a deeply conflicted and tragic character. He loves Alison but finds it hard to say so. He has male lovers outside of his marriage, but never fully comes to grips with his identity as a gay man. As a song heard early in the show, "He Wants," tells us, the Bechdel "fun home" revolves around what Bruce wants, and yet even he is not always clear what those wants are.

Robert Petkoff and Alessandra Baldacchino
Photo: Joan Marcus

This is not, in short, your usual musical extravaganza. It's closer to a tragic opera, but with redemption for narrator Alison at the end.

Composer Jeanine Tesori (Thoroughly Modern Millie; Caroline, or Change) and playwright Lisa Kron (2.5 Minute Ride; Well) have, in any case, done an impressive job of translating Ms. Bechdel's work to the stage.

Ms. Kuhn's book handles the original material's leaps backward and forwards in time by presenting us with three versions of Alison Bechdel: Alison, age 43, writing her book; Medium Alison, a bookish age 19 discovering her lesbian sexual identity at Oberlin College; and Small Alison, age nine or thereabouts, trying (and often failing) to get her father's attention and affection while chafing at his insistence that she confirm to a "girly" role that, even at her age, she recognizes as alien. It's an ingenious device that allows us to see adult Alison remembering her life and sometimes even taking part in it, as in the song "Telephone Wires," in which she recalls that final, unsuccessful attempt to form a real emotional connection with her father before his untimely death when he was struck by a truck on a busy highway -- an incident that might or might not have been suicide.

For her part Ms. Tesori has put together a score which, while not generating any memorable melodies, nevertheless succeeds at the more important task of revealing and illustrating character. As New York Magazine theatre critic Jesse Green points out in the notes for the Fun Home cast album, Ms. Tesori "abjures traditional song forms, opting instead for yearning fragments and bits of refrains that clump like cells into musicalized scenes: a smart parallel to the way Bechdel builds pages from individual panels." My first inclination was to dismiss the results as so much contemporary musical theatre yard goods, but hearing the score again on the cast recording brought me around to Mr. Green's point of view.

L-R: Kate Shindle, Abby Corrigan,
Alessandra Baldacchino
Photo: Joan Marcus

An excellent ensemble cast brings this all to life, led by Robert Petkoff as Bruce. His character is complex and could easily come across as unpleasant, but Mr. Petkoff does not neglect the character's softer side, giving him real depth. Kate Shindle displays the same depth as the adult Alison, making the character's difficult emotional journey all too real.

Susan Moniz is heartbreakingly real as Bruce's long-suffering wife Helen, bearing up under the unbearable burden of her husband's conflicted soul and finally pouring out her disappointment in the song "Days and Days":

Days and days and days, that's how it happens

Days and days and days

Made of lunches and car rides and shirts and socks

And grades and piano and no one clocks

The day you disappear

Abby Corrigan gets the enthusiastic vulnerability of Middle Alison just right and Alessandra Baldacchino is utterly engaging as Small Alison. There's fine work here as well by Lennon Nate Hammond and Pierson Salvador as Young Alison's brothers John and Christian, Karen Eilbacher as Joan (a.k.a. "Jo"), who is responsible for Middle Alison's sexual awakening, and Robert Hager in multiple roles.

The fact that Fun Home uses a small band playing on a raised platform in back of the stage instead of an orchestra pit helps make the sound clearer than it sometimes is at the Fox, as does the fact that there are almost no ensemble numbers at all. Individual voices invariably come through more cleanly over the amplification system. Sam Gold's direction pulls everything together flawlessly.

Fun Home may not be a great musical, but it is certainly an important one, especially in light of the dark strains of resentment let loose in the recent Presidential campaign. It reminds us that families can be difficult and that love is not always easy regardless of anyone's sexuality. Being human can just be hard sometimes, and we all need (as the old song goes) to "try a little tenderness."

Fun Home plays at the Fox in Grand Center through November 27. Note that the show runs around one hour and forty-five minutes with no intermission, and that evening shows begin at 7:30 p.m. instead of the usual 8.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 4, 2016

[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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The Bridges of Madison County
Photo: Matthew Murphy

The Fox Theatre presents the musical The Bridges of Madison County opening Tuesday, April 5, and running through April 17. "THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY, one of the most romantic stories ever written, first captured the nation's attention as a best-selling novel by Robert James Waller and is now an irresistible, two time Tony Award®-winning Broadway musical. This stunning new production features gorgeous, soulful music by Tony Award®-winning composer Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years) that the Daily News hails as "one of Broadway's best scores in the last decade." With a book by Pulitzer Prize Winner Marsha Norman (The Secret Garden, The Color Purple) and direction by Tony® winner Bartlett Sher (South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza), THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY is the unforgettable story of two people caught between decision and desire, as a chance encounter becomes a second chance at so much more." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

That Uppity Theatre Company and The Vital Voice present Briefs: A Festival Of Short Lesbian and Gay Plays Friday through Sunday, April 8-10. "BRIEFS is a unique venture in St. Louis that brings together numerous directors and theatrical artists to showcase the work of eight different playwrights all under one roof. BRIEFS presents theatrical work that address the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning people. The festival is targeted to a diverse and mature audience that appreciates good theatre in unique settings. The playwrights include three-time Pulitzer Prize nominee and five-time Emmy nominee James Still. Still's When Miss Lydia Hinkley Gives A Bird the Bird is the story about a thinly coded women's literary club set in 1859. Award-winning General Hospital writer Scott C. Sickles, will have his world premiere of his play I Knew It, inspired by a rumored relationship between Mick Jagger and David Bowie. We are excited for emerging playwright Stephen Peirick to direct his play titled A Comfortable Fit, about a shopping excursion between a transgender mother and daughter." Performances take place at The Rialto Ballroom at Grand Center_3547 Olive. For more information, visit briefs.eventbrite.com or call (314) 995-4600.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Clueless through April 16. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents The Cockfight Play Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. April 8-10. “John has been in a stable relationship with his boyfriend for a number of years. But when he takes a break, he accidentally falls in love with a woman. Torn between the two, filled with guild and conflicting emotions, he doesn't know which way to turn. As the pressure mounts, a dinner with both parties is arranged, and everyone wants to know what John's decision will be.” Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium in Webster Hall on the Webster University campus. For more information, events.webster.edu or call 314-968-7128.

Steven Lutvak

The Presenters Dolan presents singer/songwriter Steven Lutvak in A Gentleman's Guide to the Gentleman's Guide on Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Come hear the man who was behind the Broadway hit, A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE TO LOVE AND MURDER sing his songs, and let you in on the fascinating backstory and incredible journey of the making of a Tony Award winning musical." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The West End Players Guild continues their 105th season with Lee Blessing's comedy/drama Great Falls Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, April 8-17. "This long, strange trip is undertaken by Monkey Man, a divorced middle-aged writer, and his teenaged ex-stepdaughter, who goes by the name of Bitch. Both of them have lost their way in life, and they set off in search of answers on a road trip through the great American West. By turns funny, sad, touching and profane, Great Falls will take you on a memorable and moving theatrical tour." There will also be a show on Thursday, April 14, at 8 PM. 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.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Photo: Tom Gannam

Stray Dog Theatre presents the rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through April 16. "The 'internationally ignored song stylist' Hedwig Schmidt, an East German diva, is also the victim of a botched sex-change operation. As she tours the U.S. with her loyal band, Hedwig candidly shares her life story. Raucous, soulful and wickedly funny with a brilliant rock score, this show has inspired legions of fans." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents Helvetica, A Play About Stories Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., through April 10. "A children's author, with the help of her beloved stuffed bear, must face the trials of life and death through fantasy and adventure." Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

The University of Missouri at St. Louis presents Idris Goodwin's How We Got On Thursday through Sunday, April 7-10. "Hank, Julian, and Luann are three talented, determined suburban teens coming of age in the 1980s. Dreaming of fame and fortune in the new Hip-Hop music scene, they must overcome cultural isolation, familial dysfunction, and ruthless rivalries to make the music that defines their lives. A sultry DJ spins their stories with her own meta-theatrical perspective in this contemporary ode to the roots of rap." The performances take place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. For more information, touhill.org or call 314-516-4949.

Lindenwood University presents the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on Thursday, April 7 at 7 p.m.. "One of the most enduring shows of all time, Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is the irresistible family musical about the trials and triumphs of Joseph, Israel's favorite son." The performance takes place on the main stage at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information, call 636-949-4433 or visit lindenwood.edu/center.

Topper Productions present Dawn Schmid in Let Them Eat Cake on Sunday, April 10, at 3 p.m. " Puppy love, adolescent love, troubled love, seasoned love, self love...no matter the season, or the circumstances, love asks us to grow, to question, to trust, to risk. Talented newcomer, Dawn Schmidt explores the many questions love asks us,with a fresh new perspective, as quirky and endearing as she is!" The Boom Boom Room is at500 N. 14th St. downtown. For more information: theboomboomroomstl.com.

Love and Information
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents Love and Information Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, through April 10. " 57 vibrant scenes. Over 100 colorful characters. In this kaleidoscopic collection of micro-stories, Caryl Churchill explores the roller coaster of existence in our dizzying world. Within the play's vivid anthology, the characters engage in a varied menu of touching and humorous life vignettes, affirming that while we may require vast amounts of knowledge in our digitally-defined era, our hunger for human connection remains essential. The play, by one of Britain's most esteemed playwrights, premiered in 2012 at London's Royal Court Theatre." Performances take place in the Hotchner Studio Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu or call 314-935-6543.

Gateway Opera presents William Bolcom's chamber opera Lucrezia Friday and Saturday, April 8 and 9, at 8:00 p.m. "Lucrezia is a chamber opera, composed by William Bolcom, with libretto by Mark Campbell, scored for five singers and two pianists. It's a zarzuela riff on Machiavelli's La Mandragola and re-imagines the comedy's heroine as an intelligent seductress in charge of her own destiny." Performances take place at Washington University's 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: gatewayopera.org.

The Westport Playhouse presents Men Are From Mars-Women Are From Venus Live! running through April 17. "The Off-Broadway hit comedy Men Are From Mars - Women Are From Venus LIVE!, is a one-man fusion of theatre and stand-up, and is a light-hearted theatrical comedy based on the New York Times #1 best-selling book of the last decade by John Gray. Moving swiftly through a series of vignettes, the show covers everything from dating and marriage to the bedroom." Performances take place at the Westport Playhouse in Westport Plaza. For more information: marsvenuslive.com.

Joe Dreyer and
Rosemary Watts

The Presenters Dolan presents Joe Dreyer and Rosemary Watts in Nuance and Novelty on Thursday, April 7, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Joe and Rosemary grace the Gaslight stage with an all new show." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Hawthorne Players present the Thornton Wilder's Our Town April 8-17. "Narrated by a stage manager and performed with minimal props and sets, audiences follow the Webb and Gibbs families as their children fall in love, marry, and eventually-in one of the most famous scenes in American theatre-die." The performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 921-5678 or visit hawthorneplayers.info.

St. Louis Shakespeare presents Shakespeare's tragedy Richard III Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., April 9-17. "A brilliant military commander, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, cannot be content in peacetime. As Richard centralizes power and makes a play for the crown, his motives grow uglier, sending him, enraged, into a bloody battle at Bosworth Field against Henry Tudor." Performances take place at the Ivory Theatre, 7620 Michigan in the Carondelet neighborhood. For more information, call 314-361-5664 or visit stlshakespeare.org.

Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing
Photo: John Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing through April 10. "The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd-it's what every baseball player dreams of. In 1947, Jackie Robinson had broken baseball's color barrier, while Satchel Paige and his Negro League All-Stars were barnstorming against their white counterparts in the Majors. It was baseball by day and jazz by night as the impassioned and devoted players tried to find their place in a country on the verge of change." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents Moliere's comedy Tartuffe, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., through April 10, in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618-939-7469.

The Social Justice Center presents There is a Field on Friday, April 8, at 7 p.m. at Washington University. "As the Second Intifada erupted in the West Bank and Gaza, demonstrations also began in Palestinian villages and towns inside Israel. In October 2000, Israeli forces killed thirteen unarmed Palestinians in these demonstrations. The youngest of those killed was a 17-year old boy named Aseel Asleh. Aseel was shot point blank in the neck by Israeli police while nonviolently demonstrating outside his village. There Is A Field is a documentary-style play about Aseel's life and his killing, told from the perspective of his older sister, Nardeen. Through Nardeen's struggle to cope with the murder of her brother, the play also addresses the larger struggle facing Palestinians inside Israel." For more information: thereisafield.info.

Hands Up United and St Louis Palestine Solidarity present There is a Field on Sunday, April 10, at 3 p.m. in Ferguson, MO. "As the Second Intifada erupted in the West Bank and Gaza, demonstrations also began in Palestinian villages and towns inside Israel. In October 2000, Israeli forces killed thirteen unarmed Palestinians in these demonstrations. The youngest of those killed was a 17-year old boy named Aseel Asleh. Aseel was shot point blank in the neck by Israeli police while nonviolently demonstrating outside his village. There Is A Field is a documentary-style play about Aseel's life and his killing, told from the perspective of his older sister, Nardeen. Through Nardeen's struggle to cope with the murder of her brother, the play also addresses the larger struggle facing Palestinians inside Israel." For more information: thereisafield.info.

COCA presents Presentation House Theatre production of Where The Wild Things Are Thursday through Sunday, April 7-10. "This intimate and interactive "guided play" experience invites the audience on stage to help transform Max's bedroom into the various landscapes of his adventures...ending with a Wild Rumpus in which the audience becomes the Wild Things themselves!" COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.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.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of March 25, 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:

If/Then
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents the musical If/Then opening on Tuesday, March 15, and running through March 27. "IF/THEN is a contemporary Broadway musical about living in New York today - and all the possibilities of tomorrow. With unforgettable songs and a deeply moving story by the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning creators of Next to Normal, this "fascinating, ambitious, and original new musical" (New York Post) simultaneously follows one woman's two possible life paths, painting a deeply moving portrait of the lives we lead, as well as the lives we might have led." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

My take: Ever wonder about the path not taken? If/Then follows two parallel story lines featuring the same character but different life choices. I find this a fascinating premise and would have seen the show if a family medical emergency hadn't intervened. Originally a starring vehicle of Idina Menzel of Wicked fame, If/Then on tour features Menzel's Broadway understudy Jackie Burns in the lead role, and she's apparently an impressive performer. Writing for the Belleville News-Democrat, Lynn Venhaus says Burns "makes the role her own with tremendous poise and powerhouse vocals."

Old Wicked Songs
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents the Old Wicked Songs through April 3 "Hoping to reconnect with his music and shatter the artistic block that has plagued his career, a young American piano prodigy travels to Vienna in the spring of 1986. He is assigned to a vocal teacher who gives him the "Dicheterliebe" song cycle by Robert Schumann. Marans incorporates the poetry of Heinrich Heine and the music of Robert Schumann into the series of events. Through the sessions between the two men, Marans creates a link between two generations who find they much more in common than they think. This is the inspirational journey of two very different men who, with music as their one common bond, must find a way to break through their pasts." 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: I recall being very taken with this script when the Rep did it many years ago. In the Jewish Light, Bob Cohn describes this as "a challenging, thought-provoking play." "Playwright Jon Marans has created a play that ebbs and flows like a musical composition," writes Steve Allen for Stage Door St. Louis. "Yes, the music is at the heart of the production but the real heart in the production is the strength and resolve of teacher and student and the life lessons they each learn from one another. It’s a beautiful script handled by two truly great actors."

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Ignite! New Play Festival presents Until the Flood by Daniel Orlandersmith Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m., March 25 and 26. "The Rep has commissioned celebrated writer, performer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith to write and perform a play about the recent events in Ferguson. She has fashioned a sensitive and moving portrayal of the people in our community, and how they feel about an event that placed St. Louis in a spotlight it didn't expect or relish." The Friday performance takes place at the Sally S. Levy Opera Center, 210 Hazel Avenue in Webster Groves and the Saturday performance at St. Louis Public Radio in Grand Center. For more information www.repstl.org/ignite.

My take: It's always interesting to see new plays—it's the main reason I attend the Humana Festival every year— and the shows previewed in Rep's Ignite! festival often go on to full productions at the Rep and elsewhere. This is a good chance to see art while it's being made.

Held Over:

American Idiot
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical American Idiot, based on the album by Green Day, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through March 26. " New Line continues its 25th season with the powerful, high-octane, rock fable AMERICAN IDIOT, based on the powerhouse album by Green Day, a scorching attack on what they saw as the hypocrisy and moral evils of the Bush Administration after the attacks of Sept. 11, as well as the increasingly submissive nature of the American public. The score includes every song from Green Day's hit album American Idiot, as well as several songs from their follow-up release, 21st Century Breakdown, with music by Green Day, lyrics by front man Billie Joe Armstrong, a book by Armstrong and Michael Mayer, and musical arrangements and orchestrations by Broadway composer Tom Kitt (High Fidelity, Next to Normal, If/Then). The Toronto Star called the show 'the first great musical of the 21st century.'" Performances take place at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

My take: As you can see from the description of this show, it could hardly be more relevant during the current primary campaign season, especially in light of the Republican Party's slide into drooling insanity. In her review for KDHX, Tina Farmer says this "is a fantastic production, and several scenes flash with brilliance. The cast are uniformly strong singers and the interpretations of the songs are spot on. " At Ladue News, Mark Bretz says "New Line’s presentation superbly captures the musical essence of the album and show as well as making the most of the straightforward plot."

Molly's Hammer
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the world premiere of Molly's Hammer through March 27. "Molly Rush was focused on the endgame- save the world, protect her family. But what would she have to sacrifice? In 1980, the Pittsburgh housewife and mother of six walked into a General Electric plant and took a hammer to a nuclear warhead to protest the buildup of America's nuclear arsenal. Based on the true story of the Plowshares Eight, Molly's Hammer is the world-premiere account of one woman's unwavering beliefs and her family's desperate attempts to protect her from infamy." Performances take place in the studio theater 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: What's the price of compassion? What is the extent of a citizen's obligation to oppose fundamentally evil policies by a government? How much should one be expected to sacrifice for the common good? As I write in my review, these and many other questions are raised by Tammy Ryan's gripping drama Molly's Hammer. At a time when the very foundations of our political system are being openly challenged by the forces of fascism and hysterical fear, and when the leading candidates of one of our political parties are almost drooling with pleasure at the possibility of starting a nuclear war, these questions could not be more timely.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 21, 2016

[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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American Idiot
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical American Idiot, based on the album by Green Day, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through March 26. " New Line continues its 25th season with the powerful, high-octane, rock fable AMERICAN IDIOT, based on the powerhouse album by Green Day, a scorching attack on what they saw as the hypocrisy and moral evils of the Bush Administration after the attacks of Sept. 11, as well as the increasingly submissive nature of the American public. The score includes every song from Green Day's hit album American Idiot, as well as several songs from their follow-up release, 21st Century Breakdown, with music by Green Day, lyrics by frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, a book by Armstrong and Michael Mayer, and musical arrangements and orchestrations by Broadway composer Tom Kitt (High Fidelity, Next to Normal, If/Then). The Toronto Star called the show 'the first great musical of the 21st century.'" Performances take place at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents And Away You Go through March 27. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Clueless through April 16. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

The Presenters Dolan present Natalie Douglas in Hello Dolly: The Music of Dolly Parton on Thursday, March 24, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Called "a true force of nature" by The Times UK and "sensational" by Time Out New York. After a Birdland residency and a weeklong triumph in London, Natalie Douglas - a buxom beauty herself - brings her acclaimed Dolly Parton show to our town.." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

If/Then
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents the musical If/Then opening on Tuesday, March 15, and running through March 27. "IF/THEN is a contemporary Broadway musical about living in New York today - and all the possibilities of tomorrow. With unforgettable songs and a deeply moving story by the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning creators of Next to Normal, this "fascinating, ambitious, and original new musical" (New York Post) simultaneously follows one woman's two possible life paths, painting a deeply moving portrait of the lives we lead, as well as the lives we might have led." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Presenters Dolan present Liam Forde: Live! on Friday and Saturday, March 25 and 26, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. " Liam's one break away from the heights - catch him now." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the world premiere of Molly's Hammer through March 27. "Molly Rush was focused on the endgame- save the world, protect her family. But what would she have to sacrifice? In 1980, the Pittsburgh housewife and mother of six walked into a General Electric plant and took a hammer to a nuclear warhead to protest the buildup of America's nuclear arsenal. Based on the true story of the Plowshares Eight, Molly's Hammer is the world-premiere account of one woman's unwavering beliefs and her family's desperate attempts to protect her from infamy." Performances take place in the studio theater at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org. Read my review!

Old Wicked Songs
Photo: Eric Woolsdy

New Jewish Theater presents the Old Wicked Songs through April 3 "Hoping to reconnect with his music and shatter the artistic block that has plagued his career, a young American piano prodigy travels to Vienna in the spring of 1986. He is assigned to a vocal teacher who gives him the "Dicheterliebe" song cycle by Robert Schumann. Marans incorporates the poetry of Heinrich Heine and the music of Robert Schumann into the series of events. Through the sessions between the two men, Marans creates a link between two generations who find they much more in common than they think. This is the inspirational journey of two very different men who, with music as their one common bond, must find a way to break through their pasts." 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.

The Presenters Dolan present Pink Martini: A Spring Fling Featuring China Forbes on Monday, March 21, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. The performance takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall in Grand Center. For more information: metrotix.com.

The St. Louis Theater Circle presents the St. Louis Theater Circle Awards on Monday, March 21, at 7 PM. The awards recognize outstanding achievement in locally produced professional theatre as judged by local theatre critics who are members of the Circle. Presenters will include KDHX's own Chuck Lavazzi. The ceremony takes place at The Skip Viragh Center on the campus of Chaminade University . Tickets are available in advance at brownpapertickets.com. A pre-ceremony buffet and open bar will be situated just outside the theater entrance. Food and drinks will be available on a cash basis, but the buffet has to be ordered and paid for in advance. Check out the With Love Catering site for details or call 314-637-7907. The event will be broadcast and webcast live on HEC-TV Charter channel 989, U-Verse channel 99, and at hectv.org

Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing
Photo: John Gitchoff

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing March 16 - April 10. "The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd-it's what every baseball player dreams of. In 1947, Jackie Robinson had broken baseball's color barrier, while Satchel Paige and his Negro League All-Stars were barnstorming against their white counterparts in the Majors. It was baseball by day and jazz by night as the impassioned and devoted players tried to find their place in a country on the verge of change." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

On Wednesday, March 23, at 7:30 p .m. the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Ignite! New Play Festival presents Unseen by Mona Monsour. "Conflict photographer Mia wakes up in the Istanbul apartment of her on-again, off-again girlfriend after being found unconscious at the scene of a massacre she was photo-graphing. When Mia's mother arrives from the U.S., the apartment is filled with tension as the women try to unravel what happened. Unseen is a provocative look at one American's attempt to commune with another very foreign, much discussed part of the world." The performance takes place at the Sally S. Levy Opera Center, 210 Hazel Avenue in Webster Groves. For more information www.repstl.org/ignite.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Ignite! New Play Festival presents Until the Flood by Daniel Orlandersmith Friday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m., March 25 and 26. " The Rep has commissioned celebrated writer, performer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith to write and perform a play about the recent events in Ferguson. She has fashioned a sensitive and moving portrayal of the people in our community, and how they feel about an event that placed St. Louis in a spotlight it didn't expect or relish." The Friday performance takes place at the Sally S. Levy Opera Center, 210 Hazel Avenue in Webster Groves and the Saturday performance at St. Louis Public Radio in Grand Center. For more information www.repstl.org/ignite.

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.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of March 14, 2016

[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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This Friday through Sunday Fontbonne University Theatre Department presents Almost, Maine. Welcome to Almost, Maine, a town that's so far north, it's almost not in the United States-it's almost in Canada. One night in the middle of winter, while the northern lights hover in the sky above, Almost's residents find themselves falling in and out of love in the strangest ways. And life for the people of Almost, Maine will never be the same. Performances take place in the Fontbonne Fine Arts Theatre on Wydown. For further details about Almost Maine, www.fontbonne.edu/academics/departments/fine-arts-department/theatre-productions.

American Idiot
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical American Idiot, based on the album by Green Day, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through March 26. " New Line continues its 25th season with the powerful, high-octane, rock fable AMERICAN IDIOT, based on the powerhouse album by Green Day, a scorching attack on what they saw as the hypocrisy and moral evils of the Bush Administration after the attacks of Sept. 11, as well as the increasingly submissive nature of the American public. The score includes every song from Green Day's hit album American Idiot, as well as several songs from their follow-up release, 21st Century Breakdown, with music by Green Day, lyrics by frontman Billie Joe Armstrong, a book by Armstrong and Michael Mayer, and musical arrangements and orchestrations by Broadway composer Tom Kitt (High Fidelity, Next to Normal, If/Then). The Toronto Star called the show 'the first great musical of the 21st century.'" Performances take place at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents And Away You Go through March 27. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

Carol Schmidt

The Cabaret Project and 88.1 KDHX present the monthly cabaret open mic night on Wednesday, March 16, from 7 to 10 PM at the Tavern of Fine Arts "Drop by and enjoy a night of great music from St. Louis cabaret artists, backed up by music director Carol Schmidt on the baby grand." The master of ceremonies is Chuck Lavazzi, senior performing arts critic at 88.1 KDHX. If you're planning to sing, be prepared to do one or two songs and bring music, preferably in your key. At least one of your two songs should be a medium-or up-tempo number. We'd also recommend that you have your song memorized. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt at Waterman in the Central West End. There's free parking in the lot right across the street. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Clueless through April 16. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com

The Emerald Room Cabaret presents Taylor Pietz in #Crazy is the New Black on Wednesday, March 16, at 7:30 p.m. " We're all a little crazy sometimes. We do crazy things for love, crazy things for art, crazy things to make it all work. This show might be a little crazy too." 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.

UMSL Opera Theatre presents Purcell's Dido and Aeneas Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m., March 18-20. "UMSL's national award-winning Opera Theatre invites you to an evening of beauty, music, and dance. Join us as we sojourn to antiquity and pay homage to one of opera's most heartbreaking pair of star crossed-lovers. Be witness to fate's unbending will as Dido and Aeneas' love succumbs to deceit, pride and destiny. There will be a pre-show talk 45 minutes prior to each performance." Performances take place in the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Misouri-St. Louis campus. For more information: touhill.org.

Monday, March 14, at 6:30 p.m. St. Louis Writers' Group Musical Theatre Workshop presents Ebenezer. Ebenezer is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Mario Farwell based on "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. The musical Ebenezer reimagines the traditional tale with an Afro-American/urban slant. The performance begins at 6:30PM at the Emerald at the Monocle. For further details on Ebenezer, www.stlwritersgroup.com

Alton Little Theater presents the comedy The Foreigner Thursdays through Sundays, through March 20, at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. "The scene is a fishing lodge in rural Georgia often visited by "Froggy" LeSeuer, a British demolition expert who occasionally runs training sessions at a nearby army base. This time "Froggy" has brought along a friend, a pathologically shy young man named Charlie who is overcome with fear at the thought of making conversation with strangers. So "Froggy," before departing, tells all assembled that Charlie is from an exotic foreign country and speaks no English. Once alone the fun really begins, as Charlie overhears more than he should - the evil plans of a sinister, two-faced minister and his redneck associate; the fact that the minister's pretty fiancee is pregnant; and many other damaging revelations made with the thought that Charlie doesn't understand a word being said. That he does fuels the nonstop hilarity of the play and sets up the wildly funny climax." For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

Marisaa Mulder

The Presenters Dolan present Marissa Mulder in Fragments of Marilyn on Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. " In this utterly fascinating show, Marissa explores Marilyn Monroe, mind, heart and soul, and her journey from orphanage to celebrity's epicenter. A magical mix of real cabaret theater. The first public performance of Marilyn from one of the emergent talents in all of cabaret." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Presenters Dolan present Jon Weber in From Joplin to Jarrett on Sunday, March 20, at 3 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. " A history of jazz piano in 70 minutes, from the host of NPR's Piano Jazz." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the Tennessee Williams's drama The Glass Menagerie Thursdays through Sundays through March 20. "The play revolves around a young man begrudgingly supporting the family his father has abandoned. It also features a painfully shy and slightly crippled sister character, whose preoccupation with a collection of glass animals draws her away from reality. Set against the backdrop of the Depression, the family struggles together with the past, the future, and one another." Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

The Improv Shop presents Heartbreak running through March 19. "Heartbreak is an improvised serial show where we explore, in depth, the stages of doomed relationships. Watch characters go from strangers to friends, friends to lovers, and from lovers to heartbreakers. Heartbreak. It doesn't happen all at once." The Improv Shop is at 510 North Euclid in the Central West End. For more information on this and other Improv Shop shows: theimprovshop.com.

If/Then
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents the musical If/Then opening on Tuesday, March 15, and running through March 27. "IF/THEN is a contemporary Broadway musical about living in New York today - and all the possibilities of tomorrow. With unforgettable songs and a deeply moving story by the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning creators of Next to Normal, this "fascinating, ambitious, and original new musical" (New York Post) simultaneously follows one woman's two possible life paths, painting a deeply moving portrait of the lives we lead, as well as the lives we might have led." The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the world premiere of Molly's Hammer through March 27. "Molly Rush was focused on the endgame- save the world, protect her family. But what would she have to sacrifice? In 1980, the Pittsburgh housewife and mother of six walked into a General Electric plant and took a hammer to a nuclear warhead to protest the buildup of America's nuclear arsenal. Based on the true story of the Plowshares Eight, Molly's Hammer is the world-premiere account of one woman's unwavering beliefs and her family's desperate attempts to protect her from infamy." Performances take place in the studio theater at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents comedy The Murder Room through March 20. "Mavis Templeton Hollister returns home from an evening out surprised to find her new husband, Edgar Hollister, still alive. He, in turn, is surprised that she claims to have attended a church meeting that he knows for a fact had been cancelled. Edgar questions Mavis about her whereabouts but his interrogation stops abruptly when she pulls out a gun and shoots him. Chaos ensues when it comes to light that the gun was shooting blanks and Edgar's body has vanished. This hilarious spoof of crime thrillers has all the features of the classic whodunits with a spooky, old house, surprise relatives, a poisoned cat, and, of course, secret panels." Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre of the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. For more information, call 314-821-9956 or visit ktg-onstage.org.

Peabody Opera House presents the one-woman musical A Night With Janis Joplin Friday through Sunday, March 19-20. "Fueled by such unforgettable songs as "Me and Bobby McGee," "Piece of My Heart," "Mercedes Benz," "Cry Baby" and "Summertime," a remarkable cast and a breakout performance by Mary Bridget Davies, A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN, written and directed by Randy Johnson, is a musical journey celebrating Janis and her biggest musical influences-icons like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Odetta, Nina Simone and Bessie Smith, who inspired one of rock & roll's greatest legends." The Peabody is at 14th and Market streets, downtown. For more information, visit peabodyoperahouse.com or call 314-622-5420.

Old Wicked Songs
Photo: Eric Woolsdy

New Jewish Theater presents the Old Wicked Songs March 17 - April 3 "Hoping to reconnect with his music and shatter the artistic block that has plagued his career, a young American piano prodigy travels to Vienna in the spring of 1986. He is assigned to a vocal teacher who gives him the "Dicheterliebe" song cycle by Robert Schumann. Marans incorporates the poetry of Heinrich Heine and the music of Robert Schumann into the series of events. Through the sessions between the two men, Marans creates a link between two generations who find they much more in common than they think. This is the inspirational journey of two very different men who, with music as their one common bond, must find a way to break through their pasts." 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.

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday First Run Theater is holding its annual Play Reading Festival. This festival showcases original scripts by St. Louis playwrights interested in seeing their work produced on a state-of-the-art stage; all readings are open to the public. The performances take place in the theatre on the campus of DeSmet Jesuit High School on Ballas Road in Creve Coeur. For more information on First Run Theater's Play Reading Festival, firstruntheatre.com

On Saturday afternoon the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Ignite! New Play Festival presents Replica. In the near future, a terminally ill woman volunteers for an experimental procedure that will allow her memories and personality to live on in her clone. The performance begins at 2:00PM at inside the Opera Center at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, on Hazel Avenue in Webster Groves. For more information about Saturday's performance of Replica repstl.org

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing March 16 - April 10. "The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd-it's what every baseball player dreams of. In 1947, Jackie Robinson had broken baseball's color barrier, while Satchel Paige and his Negro League All-Stars were barnstorming against their white counterparts in the Majors. It was baseball by day and jazz by night as the impassioned and devoted players tried to find their place in a country on the verge of change." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

The Wildey Theater presents Sister's Easter Catechism: Will My Bunny Go To Heaven? on Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19. "Celebrate the Easter Season with Sister as she answers the time worn questions of the season like "Why isn't Easter the same day every year like Christmas?" and "Will My Bunny Go To Heaven?" Part pageant, and wHOLY hysterical, this latest of the sinfully funny Late Nite Catechism series unearths the origins of Easter bunnies, Easter eggs, Easter bonnets, Easter baskets, and of course those yummy Easter Peeps. Sister answers questions about pet heaven and the significance of those adorable baby chicks! Classroom participation is a must, so don't forget to wear your Easter bonnet and join Sister for this seasonal treat!" The Wildey Theatre is at 252 North Main Street in Edwardsville, Illinois. For more information, visit wildeytheatre.com.

Tammy McCann

The Presenters Dolan present Tammy McCann in The Storytellers - Sarah, Ella, Dinah and Billie on Thursday, March 17, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. " Tammy McCann has been named Best Jazz Vocal Performance for several years by the Chicago Tribune. She is an internationally recognized jazz vocalist whose powerful, sultry, and emotionally charged voice paints pictures and tells stories by merging classical vocal technique and a Gospel aesthetic with jazz to create a sound that is completely her own." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents Tim Schall's Cabaret Party on Friday, March 18, at 8 p.m. "Hosted by Tim Schall with Carol Schmidt at the piano, this promises to be fun, lively and entertaining - a musical party with Tim, Carol and their talented friends- each singing lots of tunes for you! The guests that will sing their hearts out on March 18 include: Mara Bollini, Meghan Kirk, Ben Nordstrom and Tim and Carol, of course. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Clayton Community Theatre presents Clare Boothe Luce's The Women Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., through March 20. "This witty comedy of manners follows a group of women through the perils of adultery, divorce, and finding a unique voice in a sea of gossip and innuendo. The 1936 play continues to echo a relevant look in the complex nature of relationships." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.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.