Minterview: Joe Hanrahan and Eileen Engel blend cabaret and theatre at the Blue Strawberry

[Minterview = mini interview.]

Through March 27th, Joe Hanrahan’s Midnight Company is presenting the latest in a series of cabaret-oriented original shows at The Blue Strawberry Showroom and Lounge, just down the street from the Gaslight Theatre on North Boyle.

Movie Music

In “Movie Music” Hanrahan and Eileen Engel serve as hosts for an evening of a dozen songs from classic films. The show includes the stories behind movies along with re-enactments of some memorable scenes.

In “Jacey’s Jazz Joint,” Engel is Jacey, singing an evening of classic songs at her club. As the evening goes on, the songs trigger memories, and Jacey reveals stories of where the money came from to open the joint (a guy named Johnny), how the thorny relationship with Johnny evolved, and the dangerous conclusion to their romantic journey.

I had a chat with Hanrahan and Engel via email about the creative process behind the shows. Here it is, with some edits for clarity.

Chuck Lavazzi (CL): Were “Movie Music” and "Jacey’s Jazz Joint” developed around the same time? Are they companion shows in any way?

Joe Hanrahan (JH): Both were developed at the same time. Eileen and I talked about doing a show. I knew she was classically trained. and did musical theatre, but asked what popular genres she liked, and she said "Jazz."

So I wrote “Jacey's.” But I thought the show was a risk. Most if not all cabaret is real, but this would be a story, fictional, kind of Cabaret Noir. But in case we balked at “Jacey,” I did the movie show as a backup, a middle of the road show that should work. And Eileen, in a magnanimous offering, agreed to do both.

CL: Joe, you’re listed as playwright but to what extent are they collaborations?

JH: The shows are true collaborations. I wrote the scripts. Eileen and I both chose the songs. And the character of Jacey was developed precisely on what Eileen's bringing to the table.

Colin Healy, Music Director and pianist both shows, added some welcome ideas as well as arranging the music. In the case of “Jacey” he and the band (Blake Mickens on bass and Bradley Rohlf percussion ) created their own signature “Jacey's Jazz Joint” sound.

CL: Tim Schall has said that a good cabaret show should be organized like a one-act play, with an overall dramatic arc. For the last year or so, Joe, you have taken this to the next level with scripted shows that are explicitly a cabaret/theatre hybrid. What made you decide to move in that direction after so many years of writing and directing straight plays for Midnight?

JH: After so many years of straight plays, my first introduction to the Cabaret world was with the singer Laka. I first saw her at Blue Strawberry, we started talking, and somehow, we talked a show.

That resulted in “St. Louis Woman”. That may have been the first “cabaret theatre” piece. It was really a play with music. Laka and I discussed doing a stripped down version of the show at Blue Strawberry, but she went in a different direction, and it left me thinking about future shows at Blue Strawberry.

That segued into shows with Kelly Howe and Jennelle Gilreath Owens, and for both (and beyond) I started and stayed honest to my theatre roots. With each show I was compelled to build the music around a real story, something like Tim says, like a one-act play. But written specifically for the Blue Strawberry space and its traditional cabaret setting.

Jacey's Jazz Joint

As other shows move into development status, will continue to pursue that direction.

CL: Eileen, given that your most recent show was SoulSiren’s production of the 1964 drama “Dutchman,” “Movie Music” and "Jacey’s Jazz Joint" look something of a departure. What drew you to these projects?

Eileen Engel: I like to engage in the art of theatrical storytelling and performance through many different avenues, including all types and styles of plays and musicals. I'm lucky to have been able to have a range of different performance opportunities over the years and I will always strive to challenge myself and grow in each adventure.

This year, I was fortunate enough to be able to touch on the dramatic realm and also get to bask in the vivacious and melodious world of musicals and, in this case, Joe's cabaret theatre. My passion for collaborative creative endeavors extends to embracing diverse opportunities, including the exploration of new works.

Although this is the first time Joe and I have worked together, it was a very seamless process. Even though working with Joe was new to me, I have previously collaborated with Colin Healy and Bradley Rolf many times. It was wonderful to blend new and old faces on these shows. I'm very honored to be a part of everything and I really look forward the future of it all!

“Movie Music” had its first performance on March 6th and will be repeated on March 20th. “Jacey’s Jazz Joint” premiered on March 13th and will repeat on Mach 27th. All shows are at the Blue Strawberry, 364 North Boyle. For more information: midnightcompany.com.

Symphony Review: Local premiere of Williams's "Zodiac Suite" highlights a jazzy SLSO concert

Sunday afternoon (January 21) Conductor Laureate Leonard Slatkin led the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) in a mostly glorious conclusion to their three-concert series of works celebrating the intersection of classical and what Slatkin calls “vernacular” music—a term he uses for jazz, folk, spirituals, theatre, and popular music in general. Sunday, though, the emphasis was firmly on jazz and its progenitor, ragtime.

[Find out more about the music with my symphony preview.]

The afternoon opened with a literal bang in the form of the cymbal crash that begins “A Joplin Overture” by American composer and critic Paul Turok (1929–2012). Written in 1973 and first played by Slatkin and the SLSO the following year, it’s mostly a series of expansions on themes from “The Entertainer, A Rag Time Two Step" by Scott Joplin (1868–1917) that lead to a brief coda in which a series of Joplin tunes get together for a rousing finale. Turok’s colorful orchestration and somewhat whimsical approach to Joplin’s themes combine to create a work that is, appropriately, entertaining.

Like all but the final work on the program (the ever-popular “Rhapsody in Blue”) this was a piece that was essentially brand new to the orchestra, none of whom were around in 1974. Nevertheless, they played with skill and panache under Slatkin’s knowing direction.

The Aaron Diehl Trio takes a curtain call
L-R: Aaron Diehl, David Wang, Aaron Kimmel

Next was the chamber orchestra version of the 1945 “Zodiac Suite” by pianist/composer Mary Lou Williams (1910–1981). The twelve movements depict both mystical aspects of the constellations and the personalities of the composer’s friends based on their birth signs. 

Originally composed for jazz trio (and recorded in that version by Williams), the suite was arranged for jazz trio and chamber orchestra by Williams with input from composer/arranger Milt Orent (1918–1975), and had its premiere in the format on New Year’s Eve 1945. The performance was poorly rehearsed and got lukewarm reviews, and the work fell into neglect.

Which, based on what we heard Sunday, is a serious injustice. The “Zodiac Suite” is a stunning integration of ideas from both the classical and jazz worlds. The suite is a virtual history of early 20th century music, from boogie-woogie and swing to French Impressionism and even Hollywood film scores. It’s as though Williams took every sound that was in the air for the first half of the century and turned them into her personal musical kaleidoscope.

To pick just a few examples, “Cancer” develops a smoky slow blues over a rolling piano bass line that could have come from Rachmaninoff. “Leo” kicks off with a brassy Hollywood fanfare that gives way to a melting violin solo (neatly done by Concertmaster David Halen) with a lush orchestral backdrop. “Scorpio” uses “exotic” percussion sounds (mallets on the snare drum) and syncopation in a way that seems to anticipate Les Baxter’s 1951 “Quiet Village.” “Capricorn” showcases the winds with Debussy-esque harmonies. And it all wraps up with an elegant jazz waltz in “Pisces.”

With its rich harmonic inventiveness and fine performances by Slatkin, the SLSO musicians, and the Aaron Diehl trio (Diehl on piano with David Wang on bass and Aaron Kimmel on drums), the “Zodiac Suite” was, at least for me, the absolute highlight of a concert in which there was no shortage of wonderful moments. It was warmly received, resulting in a dynamic encore from the Diehl trio, featuring impressive solos by Wang and Kimmel.

There were also plenty of opportunities for members of the orchestra to shine in the work that opened the second half of the concert, the delightfully frivolous score of “Krazy Kat, a Jazz Pantomime” written in 1921 by John Alden Carpenter (1876–1951). Based on the wildly imaginative comic strip of the same name, the 1922 New York premiere of “Krazy Kat” had sets and costumes by the strip’s creator George Herrimann and a scenario based on the strip’s absurd love triangle of the eponymous gender-fluid cat, the brick-tossing mouse Ignatz, and the stolid Offisa Pup, a police dog dedicated to protecting Krazy from Ignatz.

"Krazy Kat" ballet, 1922
Source unknown

There’s not that much jazz in the piece, but there is plenty of cheerful Loony Tunes anarchy. The music changes moods, meters, and styles in rapid series of sonic “jump cuts” that might be a challenge for a lesser orchestra or conductor, but seemed more like a playground for Slatkin and company. The many brief solo bits came off perfectly, with fine stuff from (among others) harpist Megan Stout, piccolo player Ann Choomack, Principal Flute Matthew Rothstein, Nathan Nabb on soprano sax, pianist Peter Henderson, Associate Principal Bassoon Andy Gott, and Associate Principal Trombone Amanda Stewart. Slatkin kept it all running smoothly and didn’t miss a moment of the score’s humor.

The afternoon concluded Gershwin’s massively popular “Rhapsody in Blue” in the 1942 full orchestra version by Ferde Grofé. As Slatkin noted in his introduction, 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the work’s premiere and the 50th anniversary of the recording by Slatkin and the SLSO as part of their Vox Box of Gershwin’s complete works for orchestra and piano and orchestra. It was not only the first time all of that music had been recorded, but it was also the first of a long series of recordings Slatkin did with the orchestra—recordings that very much helped to raise the SLSO’s profile.

That made it something of a sentimental event for both Slatkin and the audience, so Jeffrey Siegel, who recorded it with the orchestra back in 1974, no doubt seemed a logical choice for the part this time. Sadly, based on what we heard Sunday, this turned out not to be an ideal decision. The piano part of the “Rhapsody” is a testimony to Gershwin’s skill as a keyboard virtuoso and while Siegel was more than up to that challenge fifty years ago (as you can clearly hear in his recording), that no longer appears to be the case.

Slatkin and the orchestra were in top form at least. Principal Clarinet Scott Andrews nailed that famous opening glissando, giving it a real ‘20s jazz feel. Ditto Principal Trumpet Steven Franklin. The saxophone trio Nathan Nabb, Zach Stern, and Joel Vanderheyden (two altos and a tenor, respectively) came through loud and , but at least from our seats all the way on house right, Steven Schenkel’s banjo was swamped. That’s one of the reasons I prefer the jazz band version, but to each their own. The sound was lush and clear in any event, and Slatkin did an excellent job of maintaining the delicate balance between orchestra and soloist.

In his comments earlier in the evening, Slatkin pointed out that this two-week series was mostly about the way jazz made its way into the concert hall in the years running up to “Rhapsody in Blue,” making that work the culmination of the process rather than the beginning of it, as is popularly assumed. The variety of his musical selections and the quality of the performances have made that point admirably, in my view.

This series was also a reminder of what so many of us loved about the “Slatkin Years”: the combination of eclectic and imaginative programming with the deep connection between him and the orchestra. Despite the fact that the 2024 SLSO is a completely different group from the 1974 SLSO, that bond is still there. And Leonard Slatkin remains a St. Louis treasure.

If you missed this concert, never fear: it was recorded and will be broadcast this Saturday, January 27, at 7:30 pm on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3 and will be available for streaming for a limited time at the SLSO web site.

Next from the SLSO: Music Director Stéphane Denève returns to conduct the SLSO and actor Ken Page in Poulenc’s ballet “Les animaux modèles” (“The Model Animals”), Roussel’s ballet “Le Festin de l’araignée” (“The Spider’s Feast”), and Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf.” In an interesting change-up, Prokofiev’s work will be performed without the usual narration but with Suzie Templeton’s animated 2006 film, while the Poulenc will be performed with Page reading contemporary translations of the La Fontaine fables that inspired the composer.  Performances will be Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 3 pm (January 27 and 28) at the Stifel Theater downtown.

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

Cabaret review: Christmas and all that jazz with Debby Lennon and the Carolbeth True Trio

Last December local singer/actress/educator Debby Lennon brought a delightful jazz-inflected holiday show to the Blue Strawberry. The revised version she performed at Jim Dolan’s Central West End club on December 12th featured less of her and more of local jazz legend Carolbeth True’s band, but it was still the same “tasty holiday treat” I enjoyed so much last year.

“I’ll Be Home for Christmas (due to COVID-19 Restrictions)” was performed live and via streaming video, which is how I saw it. Unfortunately, technical issues at the club cut off the first four songs of Ms. Lennon's opening five-song set, so this review is based on what transpired after that. In any case, the show was, once again, an excellent showcase for Ms. Lennon’s flawless, clear vocals and for her on-stage persona, which was as effervescent as a glass of seasonal Champagne. She had clearly won the audience over early in the show and from there on it was smooth sailing.

Debby Lennon

With a heavy emphasis on Great American Songbook tunes, her set list was much the same as last year’s, and it was delivered, once again, with a mix of vocal excellence and compelling sincerity.

Her “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” was a touching elegy for her late mother, and “all the people we miss tonight” gave the lyric’s wish that “someday soon we all will be together” added poignancy. A cheerful dash through the witty lyrical underbrush of  Irving Taylor, Dudley Brooks, and Hal Stanley’s “(Everybody’s Waitin’ for) the Man With the Bag” (first charted by Kay Starr back in 1950) was more fun than a barrel of elves, as was her take on the manic version of "Jingle Bells" Jack Gold and Marty Paich created for Barbara Streisand's 1967 "A Christmas Album.” And her “Santa Baby” was nicely lubricious but with more of a sense of swing than Eartha Kitt’s legendary 1953 original. Credit Ms. True for that, along with the tight contemporary jazz sound of the whole evening.

In fact, the evening was as much a showcase for pianist/arranger Carolbeth True and her band as it was for Ms. Lennon. They had two great solo sets, the first of which combined an upbeat and bluesy take on “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” with a Latin-flavored version of “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.” That level of innovation and creativity could be heard in their longer second set of seasonal tunes towards the end of the evening, which included stylish solos by Glenn Smith on bass and David True on percussion in a celebratory “Feliz Navidad.”

Their work got an enthusiastic reception from both the audience and Ms. Lennon when she took the stage afterwards. “That was fabulous,” she declared joyfully. “I hope it feels as good out there as it does to be up here with these marvelous musicians.” Judging by the applause, I’d say that was a safe bet.

The Debby Lennon/Carolbeth True Christmas show took place at Jim Dolan’s Blue Strawberry Showroom and Lounge, where a mix of jazz, pop, and soul acts continue into the new year. The club is operating under a "COVID careful" arrangement with restricted indoor capacity and other precautions. Many of the shows are also available via live streaming video. Check the web site for details.

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

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of December 2, 2019

Christmas concerts are starting to appear this week, with holiday-themed events at the Cathedral Basilica and Powell Hall.

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The Chamber Music Society of St. Louis presents As the Winds Blow on Saturday, December 7, at 2 pm. "No windbags here. Just some exciting woodwind music that will take your breath away. Works by Reicha, Hindemith, Vinter, Nielsen and Ibert." Performances take place at the Sheldon, 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: chambermusicstl.org.

CHARIS

CHARIS, the St. Louis Women's Chorus, presents Snapshot on Friday and Saturday December 6 and 7, at 8 pm. "A picture is worth a thousand words-at minimum-and a single snapshot can inspire a multitude of stories and interpretations. In CHARIS's fall 2019 show, “Snapshot,” we draw inspiration from two photographic sources: first, the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs on display at Missouri History Museum, and second, portraits commissioned from local photographers that capture the lives and stories of individuals in our local community, especially the women and members of the LGBTQ+ community who are at the heart of our mission. Each song in the concert will be inspired by a photograph and its thousands of possible words." The performances take place in the auditorium at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information: charischorus.org.

St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents Christmas at the Cathedral on Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm. "Experience the joy of the music of Christmas with the St. Louis Archdiocesan Choirs and Orchestra . The program includes the Christmas portion of The Messiah and other Christmas classics old and new at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis!" The concerts take place at the Cathedral Basilica in the Central West End. For more information: cathedralconcerts.org.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents the Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in Big Band Holidays on Wednesday, December 4, at 7:30 pm. "It's the most wonderful time of year! The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis are coming to Powell Hall. Featuring soulful, big band versions of classics like “Jingle Bells,” “Joy to the World” and “Brazilian Sleigh Ride,” Big Band Holidays is an uplifting holiday program that's sure to brighten the season." The performance taks place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Richard Egarr
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

Richard Egarr conducts The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, along with violin soloists Kristin Ahlstrom and Angie Smart and flute soloist Andrea Kaplan in Baroque Fireworks. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, December 6-8. "Handel heralds the holidays. Brilliant brass gleam in the Music for the Royal Fireworks and Water Music. Then strings take center-stage for Bach's Orchestral Suite No. 3, featuring the famous “Air on a G string.” Conductor Richard Egarr leads the orchestra from the harpsichord for Bach's Brandenburg No. 5, which features soloists from the SLSO." Performances take place at Powell Symphony Hall in Grand Cente. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Department of Music at Washington University presents Solisti St. Louis featuring Amy Greenhalgh, viola, Benedetta Orsi, mezzo-soprano, and Dana Hotle, clarinet, performing music by Saint-Saëns, Richter, Weber, and Tchaikovsky on Friday, December 6, at 7:30 pm. The event takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: music.wustl.edu/events.

The Department of Music at Washington University presents bass-baritone Eric Owens and pianist Jeremy Denk performing Schubert's song cycle Winterreise on Sunday, December 8, at 7 pm. The event takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: music.wustl.edu/events.

Review: Farewell Symphony

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

David Robertson

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In her program notes for the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra concerts this past weekend (May 4 - 6, 2018), René Spencer Saller quotes composer and jazz trumpet virtuoso Wynton Marsalis as describing the final, quiet moments of his "Swing Symphony" this way: "It's a wistful feeling; it's not sad, and it's not happy. It's a feeling of contentment, a quiet celebration. It's like the last breath you take: 'We did this. We had a good time.'"

He could easily have been describing the mood among many at Powell Hall on Sunday afternoon, when the quirky, fade-out trumpet solo that brought Mr. Marsalis's piece to an end also brought to an end David Robertson's tenure as Music Director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. I have no doubt that Mr. Robertson will return as a guest conductor at some point (as Leonard Slatkin continues to do), but these were the last notes of the last concert he will ever conduct as the orchestra's leader. The champagne toast to Mr. Robertson in the lobby at intermission had a celebratory air, but overall it was hard for me to ignore the fact that this marked the end of an era.

That era was marked by, among other things, a cheerful and well-considered advocacy for newer works in general and American music in particular. It seems only appropriate, then, that the program consisted entirely of American music composed since World War II, beginning with a nicely shaded performance of the "Three Dance Episodes" from Leonard Bernstein's wartime musical "On the Town." The final dance, "Times Square: 1944" had an especially nice swing and a cheerfully raucous trumpet solo by Associate Principal Thomas Drake.

Up next was another Bernstein composition, the "Prelude, Fugues, and Riffs" for clarinet and jazz band. It was written in 1949 for the Woody Herman combo, but the band broke up before the piece could be performed. The work didn't see the light of day in its final form until October 16, 1955, as part of an episode for the cultural television show Omnibus, to which Bernstein was a frequent contributor. It's a piece that crackles with energy, from the driving brass and percussion opening to the concluding "Riffs" section with its wild, keening clarinet solo.

Scott Andrews

SLSO Principal Clarinet had the solo spot this weekend, accompanied by guest instrumental ensemble the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis on lead trumpet and the SLSO's Gerard Pagano on bass trombone. If there were any doubts as to whether a classically trained musician could but lose and "wail," Mr. Andrews's ecstatic performance surely put them to rest.

The concerts concluded with Mr. Marsalis's "Swing Symphony" (officially his Symphony No. 3), first performed by Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic in 2010. With seven movements and a running time of over an hour, it's an big work that encompasses, as Ms. Saller points out in her notes, "a whirlwind tour of jazz history, moving from ragtime to big band, bebop, hard bop, Afro-Cuban mambo, and the modal experiments of Miles Davis and John Coltrane." I'd add that there is also, in the penultimate "Think Space: Theory" movement, a nod to the jazz/classical fusion that Gunther Schuller called "third stream jazz" in the late 1950s in the form of a complex jazz fugue.

That's an ambitious undertaking made even more so by the fact that it's cast as a kind of modern version of the Baroque concerto grosso, with the larger ensemble (the full orchestra) set against the smaller solo group (the Lincoln Center jazz band). Unfortunately, the size of the Powell Hall stage made it impossible to clearly separate the two groups. The jazz band was surrounded on all three sides by the orchestra, which made it hard to clearly hear the differences between the two, at least from our seats in the Dress Circle.

Wynton Marsalis

Still, there is much that's powerful and ingenious in this work. The first movement, "St. Louis to New Orleans," moves seamlessly from the sounds of ragtime to low-down blues, while the "All-American Pep" movement that follows is a wonderfully hallucinatory tribute to 1920s jazz. "Midwestern Moods" is a driving tribute to the Kansas City style big band sound (described by Mr. Robertson as "eight beats to the bar and no cheating"), "Manhattan to L.A" evokes the infectious sounds of Latin jazz, and "Modern Modes and the Midnight Moan" includes a brilliantly manic trumpet solo by Mr. Marsalis, along with a final section that vividly evokes a smoky, late night club. The classical fusion sounds of "Think Space: Theory" act as a bridge to the final movement, "The Low Down Up on High," with its echoes of Afro-American sacred music and a final, oddly unresolved trumpet solo that fades out into breathy silence.

It's a vivid sonic tapestry, in short, with some especially inventive writing for the jazz band (I don't think have ever seen such a wide variety of mutes in a brass section, for one thing). The structure of the work is, perhaps, a bit too episodic for its length, but on the whole it was a great pleasure to hear it.

The "Swing Symphony" bristles with great solo moments for both the jazz band and orchestral musicians, and they got bravura performances from everyone when we heard the work on Sunday afternoon, under Mr. Robertson's deeply committed and well-paced direction. The packed house responded with multiple standing ovations for Mr. Robertson, Mr. Marsalis, and the musicians. As valedictory appearances go, it was unbeatable.

We did this. We had a good time.

This past weekend's concerts concluded the SLSO regular subscription season, but special events continue at Powell Hall throughout May and June, beginning with a showing of the classic musical film "An American in Paris" this coming Saturday and Sunday, May 12 and 13, 2018. The orchestra will perform the score live under the direction of Norman Huynh. The regular season resumes in September.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of April 30, 2018

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St. Louis Cathedral Concerts presents their Annual Gala on Sunday, May 6, at 6 pm. "Attendees will enjoy cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, an oral auction, an elegant dinner and a special live performance by pianist Orli Shaham. Cathedral Concerts will present the “Great Music Award” to Maestro David Robertson for his exemplary leadership and outstanding musical performances around the world." The event takes place at The Coronado, 3701 Lindell in Grand Center. For more information: www.cathedralconcerts.org.

Wynton Marsalis

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with clarinetist Scott Andrews and Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz and Lincoln Center Orchestra Friday and and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, May 4 - 6. The program consists the "Swing Symphony" by Wynton Marsalis along with music by Leonard Bernstein. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents a concert by the Clarion Brass on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 1 and 2, at 10 am. "Led by trumpeter Mary Weber, Clarion Brass will swing us into spring with songs like 'Royal Garden Blues,' 'Blue Rondo Ala Turk,' 'Edelweiss,' 'Maple Leaf Rag' and 'Blue Skies!' Composed of five of the best brass players St. Louis has to offer, the Clarion Brass captures the beauty and majesty of brass repertoire." The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents The Arianna String Quartet in An Evening With Shostokovich on Friday, May 4, at 8 p.m. "The ASQ closes out the 2017-18 season with an evening dedicated to the music and splendor of Dmitri Shostakovich. From the innocent clarity of Quartet No.1, through the tortured angst of Quartet No.8, to the introspection of his Quartet No.15, the Arianna Quartet will take the audience on a soulful journey into the spirit and mind of the great Russian composer, glimpsing the power and passion that is Shostakovich. " The Touhill Center is on the campus of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Flute Choir Concert on Monday, April 30, at 7:30 pm. The event takes place in the Pillsbury Theatre at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a concert by the Momenta Quartet on Thursday, May 3, at 7:30 pm. The event, which includes the world premiere of a work by Christopher Stark takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of April 23, 2018

Erin Bode

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The Bach Society of St. Louis presents Bach and Jazz on Tuesday, April 24, at 6 pm. "One part Bach and one part jazz, shaken-not stirred. The ultimate composer's most familiar melodies presented in a unique jazz style! Featuring guitarist Steve Schenkel, pianist Kim Portnoy and vocalist Erin Bode. Presented by Centene Charitable Foundation as part of the 2018 St. Louis Bach Festival." The concert takes place at Jazz at the Bistro, 3536 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: bachsociety.org.

The Bach Society of St. Louis presents Bach's St. Matthew Passion on Saturday, April 28, at 2 pm. "Bach's St. Matthew Passion first moved audiences nearly three centuries ago in Liepzig, Germany. As the climax to our 2018 Bach Festival, experience the power and intimacy of this masterpiece through Bach's engaging account of the Gospel story. Guest soloists include: Steven Soph as the Evangelist, Stephen Morscheck as Jesus, soprano Mary Wilson, mezzo-soprano Kim Leeds, tenor Kyle Stegall and baritone Elijah Blaisdell. Presented in collaboration with Missouri Baptist University as part of the 2018 St. Louis Bach Festival, presented by Centene Charitable Foundation." The concert takes place at at the Pillsbury Chapel at Missouri Baptist University. For more information: bachsociety.org.

The Missouri Women's Chorus presents For All The Saints, "a concert featuring music by women saints, about women saints, and based on the texts of women saints," on Sunday, April 29, at 3 pm. The performance takes place at St. Gabriel the Archangel, 6303 Nottingham in St. Louis For more information: missouriwomenschorus.org.

Christian Tatzlaff

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with violin soloist Christian Tetzlaff on Friday at 10:30 am and and Saturday at 8 pm, April 27 and 28. The program consists of the 2007 Violin Concerto by Jörg Widmann and Bruckner's Symphony No. 4, "Romantic." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Seldon Concert Hall presents the Perseid Quartet on Tuesday, April 24, at 7:30 pm. "Formed in 2013, the St. Louis based Perseid String Quartet has already generated acclaim for its polished, energetic performances and engagement with audiences. Members of the quartet serve as faculty members at colleges and community music schools, and their collective performing experience includes positions in regional orchestras and opera productions, historically informed performances on Baroque instruments, and playing in a rock band." The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents the Equinox Chamber Players on Tuesday, April 24, at 7:30 pm. "Of all standard chamber music ensembles, the woodwind quintet gives composers the richest variety of tonal color with which to experiment. The Equinox Chamber Players will showcase this palette in works by Mary Jane Leach, Phillip Bimstein, Justinian Tamasuza, Frank Bridge and Zachary Cairns that explore the sonic and rhythmic worlds of the Kaibab Plateau, Uganda, St. Louis and the physicality of sound itself. The finale of the program will add the rich woodiness of the marimba to the ensemble in an exciting work by Zachary Cairns featuring Equinox friend Jeffrey Barudin." The Touhill Center is on the campus of the University of Missouri at St. Louis. For more information: touhill.org.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Guitar Gala on Wednesday, April 25 at 8 pm. The concert takes place in Graham Chapel on the Washington University campus in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a Wind Ensemble Concert on Thursday, April 26, at 7:30 pm. The event takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

Cortango

The Washington University Department of Music presents Celebrate Five Years of Cortango on Friday, April 27, at 7:30 pm. "Please join us for a very special evening to celebrate five years of Cortango. This show will share the story of Cortango from the very beginning until now, featuring the great dance and concert music of Tango, and with bonus selections by Joplin, Gershwin - and Prince! Cortango is a Tango, Classical and Jazz fusion concert and dance band featuring members of the Saint Louis Symphony. Founded and led by Cally Banham, a trained social Tango dancer, the band is named for her instrument, the 'Cor anglais', or 'English horn' - the atypical instrument in this otherwise orquesta tipica! Cortango's songbook comes entirely from original arrangements made by members of the ensemble, and by Argentine bandoneon player and Tango arranger, Julian Hasse." The event takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a concert by the Washington University Symphony Orchestra on Sunday, April 29, at 7 pm. The event includes music by Borodin and Glinka and takes place in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall at the 560 Music Center at 560 Trinity in University City. For more information, music.wustl.edu/events.

Symphony Preview: Exit music

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

David Robertson

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The old chestnut about all good things coming to an end plays out over the next four weeks at Powell Symphony Hall as David Robertson's tenure as the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra's Music Director--a thing widely acknowledged as very good, indeed--comes to an end at the close of the current season.

The SLSO is observing this passing of an era, not with lamentation, but rather with celebration. Specifically, it's giving local music lovers four big concerts--three with Mr. Robertson at the podium and one with Finnish conductor Hannu Lintu, who has proven to be very popular locally. The concerts are packed with flash and crowd-pleasing works, as well as with high-profile soloists like pianist Simon Trpceski, violinist Christian Tetzlaff, and, for the final concert series, celebrated trumpeter/composer Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

Not shabby, eh? Here is an overview of what you can expect.

Pianist Simon Trpceski

Saturday and Sunday, April 14 and 15: David Robertson conducts the orchestra in Aaron Copland's rousing "Fanfare for the Common Man," Rachmaninoff's much-loved Piano Concerto No. 2 (with Mr. Trpceski at the keyboard), and Howard Hanson's Symphony No. 2 ("Romantic").

The Copland and Rachmaninoff surely need no introduction, but you might not be as familiar with the Hanson. Written on commission from noted conductor Serge Koussevitzky for the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony in 1930, it's a bold, expansive work, rich in appealing melodies. Because Hanson was then a guest conductor at the Interlochen Arts Camp, he offered the main theme of the second movement to the organization as a kind of theme song; it's still played there today at the end of every student concert.

Music from the symphony was also used (without permission) in the film "Alien." Mr. Hanson was reportedly less than thrilled with that appropriation.

Standing room tickets are now being sold for these concerts. The Saturday concert will be preceded by a pricey dinner-and-cocktails gala to honor Mr. Robertson.

Conductor Hannu Lintu

Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21: Hannu Lintu conducts the orchestra and chorus in a blockbuster of a program consisting of the original 1867 version of Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain," Tchaikovsky's "Nocturne in D minor" and "Variations on a Rococo Theme" (both for cello and orchestra with Armenian cellist Narek Hakhnazaryan as soloist), and Rachmaninoff's cinematically colorful oratorio "The Bells," based on poems by Edgar Allan Poe.

You undoubtedly know "Night on Bald Mountain" in Rimski-Korsakov's orchestration, which corrects what the older composer saw as Mussorgsky's "mistakes" in composition and orchestration. If you've never heard the original, though, you're in for a treat. It's loaded with raw power--as is the Rachmaninoff work.

Friday and Saturday, April 27 and 28: Mr. Robertson returns to the podium to conduct Jörg Widmann's 2007 Violin Concerto with Mr. Tetzlaff as soloist and Anton Bruckner's monumental Symphony No. 4, known as the "Romantic" (although the word seems redundant when applied to Bruckner's expansive symphonic vision).

I'm not familiar with the Widman concerto, but I can heartily recommend the Bruckner. Mr. Robertson has proved to be an impressively sympathetic Brucknerian, as he demonstrated forcefully in his excellent Bruckner 7th back in 2011, and I regret not having the chance to hear him conduct more of the composer's imposing musical cathedrals. Expect greatness.

Wynton Marsalis

Friday through Sunday, May 4-6: It's the grand finale as Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center orchestra join the SLSO for Leonard Bernstein's "Three Dance Episodes from On the Town" and "Preludes, Fugues, and Riffs" for clarinet and jazz band. The latter was written in 1949 for the Woody Herman combo but never actually performed by them; SLSO Principal Clarinet Scott Andrews has the solo spot this time.

The concerts will conclude with Mr. Marsalis's "Swing Symphony," featuring Mr. Marsalis on trumpet and the Lincoln Center band along with the SLSO. When Simon Rattle conducted this back in 2012 with the London Symphony, reviews were ecstatic. "It was the start of a journey through jazz's history," wrote Ivan Hewett at The Telegraph. "The energy and invention were amazing; at one point we had a swinging fugue. One could hear the sounds of America itself, above all the hoot of trains." Sounds like a good time.

And with that, we will draw the curtain on Mr. Robertson's remarkably successful time as SLSO Music Director, a post he has held since the 2005-2006 season. The orchestra's fortunes were a bit in decline at the time, partly because of labor issues and partly because Hans Vonk, who had been Music Director since 1995, had to resign abruptly in 2002 due to an illness that would later be diagnosed as ALS, a.k.a. "Lou Gehrig's disease." Under Mr. Robertson's direction, the SLSO once again commanded international attention, toured extensively, expanded its community outreach programs, and recorded several important works, including a truly wonderful Gershwin disc with Kirill Gerstein for Myrios. His cheerful podium presence and lively pre-concert talks will be very much missed, but he leaves behind a significant legacy.

Which, ultimately, is all any of us can hope for, seems to me.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of February 9, 2018

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

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Bud, Not Buddy

Metro Theatre Company presents Bud, Not Buddy Fridays and Saturdays at 7 and Sundays at 2 pm through February 25. "Based on the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning novel, this play combines actors with a 13-piece jazz band performing an original score composed by five-time, Grammy-winning jazz artist Terence Blanchard to tell the story of a boy who finds a home and a passion for music." Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: metroplays.org.

My take: This original one-act play is a co-production with Jazz St. Louis and, according to Mark Bretz at Ladue News, it's "a sure-fire treat for theater patrons young and old as well as devotees of America's original musical art form." This is the first production on the USA since the play's premiere at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C many years ago, which makes it quite a feather in the cap of Metro. The story it tells of life under American apartheid is one of which far too many people in this country seemed determine to write out of history.

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Rick Jensen and Katie McGrath at the Gaslight
Photo by Chet Whye, Jr.

The Presenters Dolan presents Katie McGrath: Significant Others on Saturday, February 10, at 8 p.m. "Significant Others: the people, places and events that make us - well, us. Features a lively mix of Great American Songbook, pop, country and soul. McGrath's proceeds will benefit St. Louis's own Guardian Angel Settlement Association, whose social services programs and developmental childcare program work to improve the lives of those in our community struggling with poverty." The performances take place at the Kranzberg Center 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information: metrotix.com.

My take: When I reviewed this show last November at the Gaslight, I said that anyone wanting to write a textbook on how to do cabaret could start with Significant Others. With a great song list ranging from Bon Jovi to Cole Porter, perfectly tailored arrangements by Rick Jensen, ideally paced direction by Lina Koutrakos, and Ms. McGrath's powerfully genuine stage presence, this is a cabaret evening that hits all the right notes, literal and figurative. Go see it—if you can get tickets.

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Silent Sky
Photo: John Lamb

The West End Players Guild continues its 107th season with the drama Silent Sky Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, February 9 - 18. "It is the inspiring true story of Henrietta Leavitt who, in the earliest days of the 20th century, triumphed over sexist prejudice and devastating personal hardship to reshape for all time our scientific understanding of our universe and our own place in it." There will also be a show on Thursday, February 15, 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.

My take: The significant contributions women have made to the sciences over the years (and the difficulty they have had in getting proper credit for them) have provided fodder for a fair number of books and plays recently. Silent Sky is fiction, of course, but it's based on solid history, and tells a tale that needs to be heard.

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Held Over:

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The Cabaret Project and The Improv Shop present The Blue Velvet Lounge Saturday, January 27, at 8 pm. There are also performances on February 10 and 24. "The Cabaret Project teams up with The Improv Shop to co-present their dynamic, fully improvised theater piece featuring live jazz standards - direct from the mythical Blue Velvet Lounge. Each performance features eight smart, funny improvisers who create the stories and sagas of the patrons of the Blue Velvet Lounge - on the spot. Surrounded by live jazz vocal standards, this character driven story is a different show each night it's performed. The Blue Velvet Lounge is a perfect evening out for lovers of cabaret and comedy. Food and drink available at the Improv Shop." The performance takes place at The Improv Shop, 3960 Chouteau in The Grove. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

My take: Cabaret shows are carefully planned, but so is a good improv show. Improvisation works best when there's some sort of structure to build on. So combining the two makes more sense than you might think, especially when the singer at the center of it all is local cabaret pro Tim Schall.

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The How and the Why
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents The How and the Why through February 11. "In Sarah Treem's smart and provocative play about science, family and survival of the fittest, evolution and emotion collide as two women of different generations struggle to come together both on a professional and on a personal level. The play explores many areas of struggle for women, especially in the field of scientific research: the fierce competition among scientists for recognition of their discoveries; the struggles in the academic world for prestigious positions and grant funding: and female attitudes about sex, relationships, men, motherhood and families." 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'm a great admirer of plays that can deal with complex subjects like nuclear physics (Michael Frayn's Copenhagen) or international economics (Ayad Akhtar's The Invisible Hand) in a way that's dramatically compelling and which illuminates areas of knowledge which are dark for many of us. The reviews indicate that The How and the Why does that with evolutionary biology. Tina Farmer at KDHX says the show "is riveting and filled with interesting ideas that come across as both real science and contemporarily relevant."

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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.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of January 29, 2018

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The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the rock musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through February 4. "A.J. kicked British butt, shafted the Indians and smacked down the Spaniards, all in the name of these United States - who cares if he didn't have permission? Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson creators, Michael Friedman (Love's Labour's Lost, The Fortress of Solitude) and Alex Timbers (Love's Labour's Lost, Peter and the Starcatcher), cook up an alternate universe (and draw parallels to today's political/populist landscape) with their musical about the seventh U.S. president. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson follows America's seventh president from his early days as a child on the wild frontier to his controversial reign in the White House." Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

The Cabaret Project and The Improv Shop present The Blue Velvet Lounge Saturday at 8 pm., February 10 and 24. "The Cabaret Project teams up with The Improv Shop to co-present their dynamic, fully improvised theater piece featuring live jazz standards - direct from the mythical Blue Velvet Lounge. Each performance features eight smart, funny improvisers who create the stories and sagas of the patrons of the Blue Velvet Lounge - on the spot. Surrounded by live jazz vocal standards, this character driven story is a different show each night it's performed. The Blue Velvet Lounge is a perfect evening out for lovers of cabaret and comedy. Food and drink available at the Improv Shop." The performance takes place at The Improv Shop, 3960 Chouteau in The Grove. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

Metro Theatre Company presents Bud, Not Buddy opening on Sunday, February 4, at 2 pm and continuing Fridays and Saturdays at 7 and Sundays at 2 pm through February 25. "Based on the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award-winning novel, this play combines actors with a 13-piece jazz band performing an original score composed by five-time, Grammy-winning jazz artist Terence Blanchard to tell the story of a boy who finds a home and a passion for music." Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: metroplays.org.

Clayton Community Theatre presents William Inge's drama Bus Stop Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., February 1 - 11. "Eight people are obliged to pass the time together overnight in a small-town diner due to a snowstorm. Three are locals; five are passing through on a bus from Kansas City to Denver. Although the bus cannot proceed, the interactions, relationships and discoveries of the eight characters continue in a flurry. By the time the road is cleared and the travelers are able to move on, no one is quite the same as they were at the start." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

CSZ St. Louis presents The ComedySportz Show on Saturday nights at 7:30 pm. The show is "action-packed, interactive and hilarious comedy played as a sport. Two teams battle it out for points and your laughs! You choose the winners the teams provide the funny!" Performances take place on the second floor of the Sugar Cubed, 917 S Main St. in St Charles, Mo. For more information: www.cszstlouis.com.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents The Comic Book Killer through April 14. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

Faceless
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Faceless through February 4. "Two young women face off in a courtroom, locked in a battle of wills and theologies. Susie Glenn, 18, is on trial. Radicalized online into planning acts of terrorism, she's zealously committed to her cause. Her prosecutor, Claire Fathi, is a Harvard-educated Muslim woman who lives the faith that Susie professes to understand. Their edgy exchanges create a propulsive, escalating tension that makes this brilliantly topical play a true legal thriller." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

The How and the Why
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents The How and the Why through February 11. "In Sarah Treem's smart and provocative play about science, family and survival of the fittest, evolution and emotion collide as two women of different generations struggle to come together both on a professional and on a personal level. The play explores many areas of struggle for women, especially in the field of scientific research: the fierce competition among scientists for recognition of their discoveries; the struggles in the academic world for prestigious positions and grant funding: and female attitudes about sex, relationships, men, motherhood and families." 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.

Metro Theatre Company presents a Jazz Concert on Saturday, February 3, at 8 pm. "International touring pianist Peter Martin joins vocalist Brian Owens for an unforgettable evening of music highlighted by a guest appearance by jazz legend Terance Blanchard. They will be joined by bassist Bob DeBoo and drummer Montez Coleman. Concert proceeds benefit Metro Theater Company assuring that performances and educational opportunities are available to audiences of all ages throughout the St. Louis region, regardless of ability to pay." The performance takes place at the Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center. For more information: metroplays.org.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Mayhem in Mayberry through April. "Welcome to the 10th annual Mayberry-fest. Everyone is looking forward to the highlight of this event - the Miss Mayberry contest. YOU and Sheriff Andy Trailer will judge the contestants (chosen from the audience) on beauty, poise, cookin' skills and a new category this year - Hog callin'. Will the next Miss Mayberry be the vivacious Dazey Doof from Hazzard County? Or the beautiful hillbilly, Elly May Klumpett? Or will it be the lovely Lois Lame from Smallville? Don't county out the charming Paris Hoosier from Hoosierville. She's the main reason the train stops at Petticoat Junction! Sheriff Andy, Deputy Blarney and Aint Bee invite you to join the fun and the mayhem in Mayberry cause it won't be the same without y'all." The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

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.

The St. Louis Family Theatre Series presents the Vital Theatre Company production of Pinkalicious the Musical Sunday, February 4, at 2 pm; Friday, February 9, at 7:30 pm; and Saturday, February 10, at 2 pm. "Pinkalicious can't stop eating pink cupcakes despite warnings from her parents. Her pink indulgence lands her at the doctor's office with Pinkititis, an affliction that turns her pink from head to toes - a dream come true for this pink loving enthusiast. But when her hue goes too far, only Pinkalicious can figure out a way to get out of this predicament." Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit florissantmo.com

Stages Triple Threat Teens presents the musical Pippin Friday and Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2:30 pm, February 2 - 4. "There's magic to do when a prince learns the true meaning of glory, love and war in Stephen Schwartz's iconic and unforgettable musical masterpiece" Performances take place at Stages' Kent Center for Theatre Arts, 1023 Chesterfield Pkwy E in Chesterfield, MO. For more information: stagesstlouis.simpletix.com

The Fox Theatre presents the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music Friday through Sunday, February 2 - 4. The Fox is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

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 Calendar.

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.

Review: Lea DeLaria's David Bowie show heats up a cold night

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

Lea DeLaria

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It was as cold as Paul Ryan's heart outside, but over at Jazz St. Louis it was positively smokin' as Lea DeLaria brought her David Bowie show (based on her 2015 CD House of David) to the stage. With a killer five-piece band and a special guest appearance by Manhattan Transfer founder Janis Siegel, this was a show guaranteed to nuke any holiday blues.

And without a single Christmas song!

Although she's probably best known for her role as Carrie "Big Boo" Black on the Netflix series Orange is the New Black, Ms. DeLaria has had an impressive career in stand-up comedy, theatre, and music for many years now. With five jazz albums to her credit, she's a powerful vocalist with a great ear and an unfailingly accurate feel for what makes both musical and theatrical sense.

Her show for Jazz St. Louis got off to a rousing start with a high-energy version of David Bowie's "Boys Keep Swinging" (from Bowie's 1979 Lodger album) and just went from strength to strength after that. I've never been a huge Bowie fan myself, but I came away from this show impressed with how much room his relatively simple songs leave for improvisation.

A case in point was DeLaria and company's version of the 1969 hit "Space Oddity." About half way through the original there's a short instrumental break that takes up maybe eight bars before the vocal picks up again. Wednesday night, that little break was turned into an elaborate, free-wheeling solo by keyboardist Helen Sung that helped turn Bowie's five-minute song into something of an epic.

Something very similar happened in their take on Bowie's cinematically dystopian "Life on Mars?," in which the hallucinatory lyrics of civilization in decline were paired with high-flying vocals and flashy instrumental solos. That would have been worth the price of admission all by itself.

David Bowie

But wait, as they say on TV, there's more! Jazz veteran Janis Siegel came onstage about half way through for a lyrical "Cherry Tree" by Grammy-winning composer, arranger, and pianist Alan Broadbent, followed by a kick-ass duet version of Harold Arlen's "Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead" aimed at That Guy in the Oval Office. Siegel and DeLaria expertly traded licks with each other and with guitarist and music director Sheryl Bailey in a way that overflowed with good humor and showed off their rapport with both each other and the band.

There were other great moments in the evening as well, including solid solo work from Roxy Coss on sax and Sylvia Cuenca on drums. And I really loved that insistent bass solo by Endea Owens that opened "Let's Dance."

The bottom line is that this is an entertaining and inventive night with a lot of terrific singing and playing. Ms. DeLaria herself is engaging and funny as hell as long as you're not put off by the f-bomb being dropped liberally. But then, if you are, you probably wouldn't be considering this show anyway.

LeaDelaria's Bowie tribute played at Jazz St. Louis's Ferring Bistro on Washington in Grand Center Wednesday and Thursday, December 27 and 18, 2017. It was a co-presentation with The Cabaret Project STL (where, to be fair, I'm a board member).

This week, life is a cabaret

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Lovers of the art of cabaret will find a lot to like in Grand Center this week as The Cabaret Project of St. Louis (of which I am a board member) presents the annual St. Louis Cabaret Festival. Held in conjunction with the St. Louis Cabaret Conference, a nine-day professional training seminar for cabaret singers from St. Louis and around the country, the festival features six nights of widely varied performances by local and national artists. Both the conference and festival are spearheaded by St. Louis cabaret entrepreneur Tim Schall.

Faith Prince

It all starts on Tuesday, July 19, at 8 p.m. with First Stage: The St. Louis Cabaret Conference High School Showcase. The evening features young performers from the High School track of the St. Louis cabaret conference. As with the adult tracks, these performers first had to audition for slots. Those who made the cut then got intensive training in the art of song performance from Broadway's Karen Mason and American Idol's Peisha McPhee along with Tim Schall and Webster University's Carol Schmidt. I've seen the High School showcase in the past and it's wonderful to witness how talented these kids are so early in their careers. The performance takes place at The Stage @ KDHX, just east of Jazz at the Bistro in Grand Center.

Jason Graae

Wednesday, July 20, at 8 p.m. brings a double bill of two powerhouse performers: Tony Award winner Faith Prince and her long time friend and L.A. Drama Critics Circle winner Jason Graae. Titled The Prince and the Showboy (a joking reference to the 1957 Marilyn Monroe/Laurence Olivier comedy The Prince and the Showgirl), the evening promises to be one of belly laughs and great music. Having seen both Ms. Prince and Mr. Graae on stage in the past (and having been coached by both of them at previous St. Louis Cabaret Conferences), I can guarantee you that they are tremendously talented actors, singers, and comics. Expect an evening of high-powered entertainment that will keep you smiling long after you leave. The performance takes place at the Sheldon Concert Hall in Grand Center.

Marilyn Maye

Thursday, July 21, at 8 p.m. it's a return engagement by the astonishing Marilyn Maye with pianists and long-time collaborators Billy Stritch and Tedd Firth and (as if there weren't already enough talent on stage) a guest appearance by jazz diva Ann Hampton Callaway. A cabaret legend who appeared a record number of 76 times on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, Maye has been packing them in at Carnegie Hall, New York's 54 Below, Feinstein's, Birdland, and in clubs and concert venues throughout the country. Reviewing her appearance here in 2007, I praised her "immediate and honest communication with the audience." "Maye's boundless energy and obvious delight in her material," I wrote, "in combination with her cheerful, off-the-cuff repartee, establish an immediate bond with those of us on the other side of the spotlight."

Both Stritch and Firth are strong solo performers as well, by the way, and for local jazz lovers Ms. Callaway surely needs no introduction. It will be a joyous, jazzy, spectacular cabaret event created specifically for St. Louis Cabaret Festival audiences, and you can see it at the Sheldon Concert Hall.

Tony DeSare

Friday, July 22, at 8 p.m., the Sheldon will play host to Tony DeSare and his Trio in a wide-ranging evening that runs the gamut from Sinatra classics to Prince, and includes some of Mr. DeSare's own tunes. Named a Rising Star Male Vocalist in Downbeat magazine, DeSare has three top ten Billboard jazz albums under his belt and has headlined in prestigious venues such as New York's 54 Below and Carnegie Hall, along with major performing arts centers and numerous symphony orchestras throughout North America and abroad. This is Mr. DeSare's first appearance here in St. Louis, so this is a great chance to catch a rising star.

Saturday, July 23, at 8 p.m. it's back to The Stage @ KDHX for The St. Louis Cabaret Conference Professional Track Showcase. Mentored by Marilyn Maye, Faith Prince, Tedd Firth and Billy Stritch, as well as other members of the Cabaret Conference faculty, these are singers from the most advanced of the Cabaret Conference's three tracks. They're established cabaret pros from around the country, often with many shows to their credit, who are polishing their craft here in St. Louis. The showcase presents each of them in short, carefully tailored sets that display their range and talent. The first pro track showcase was last year, and it was impressive.

Ann Hampton Callaway

The St. Louis Cabaret Festival concludes on Sunday, July 24, with the St. Louis Cabaret Conference Closing Night Showcase and Celebration at the newly remodeled Jazz at the Bistro in Grand Center. After five days of working on their craft, its time for the core group of talented singers of the St. Louis Cabaret Conference to show audiences why they've come from all over the country to be mentored by the Conference's notable faculty. As someone who has seen and/or performed in most of the closing showcases over the years, I can attest to the wonderful variety and skill of the performers who take the stage in this big, two-act show. Seating for pre-show dinner or drinks begins at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7. This year, your admission also includes a post show party complete with free munchies that starts up as soon as the last bow is taken.

For more information, visit The Cabaret Project web site. Tickets for all events are available via MetroTix. You can also hear interviews with Tim Schall and Marilyn Maye on St. Louis Public Radio and Faith Prince on KDHX, and watch Tony DeSare's preview video on YouTube.

The St. Louis Cabaret Conference and Festival are just two reasons why St. Louis is now regarded as a serious cabaret city. Come one down to Grand Center this week and find out why.