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Lindenwood University presents the comedy
Anton in Show Business through April 9. "This madcap comedy follows three actresses across the footlights, down the rabbit hole and into a strangely familiar Wonderland that looks a lot like American theatre… the resemblance is uncanny! As these women pursue their dream of performing Chekhov in Texas, they're whisked through a maelstrom of 'good ideas' that offer unique solutions to the Three Sister's need to have life's deeper purpose revealed. In the tradition of great backstage comedies, Anton in Show Business conveys the joys, pains and absurdities of 'putting on a play' at the turn of the century." The performances take place at The Lindenwood Theatre 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
www.lindenwood.edu/center.
The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents
A Big Easy Murder through April 30. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information:
bissellmansiontheatre.com.
PRIME presents
The Classified Show on Saturday, April 8, at 8 p.m. "The first production of PRIME's four-show 2017 season, The Classified Show will feature six plays that dive down the rabbit hole of America's fastest growing cottage industry: conspiracy theories. Prepare your mind for six bold new scripts that will explore everything you're not supposed to know: assassination plots, alien visitations, false flag operations and more. In addition to the plays themselves, visual artists will create a piece of tactile "evidence" for each of the six featured conspiracies. As with all PRIME productions, the entire festival will be written, rehearsed and performed in a 24-hour frenzy of creativity. An ensemble of local actors, directors and visual artists will team up to produce the work of playwrights from across the nation. The event takes place at Southampton Church, 4716 Macklind in south city. For more information: call (314) 884-1647
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The Comedy of Errors
Photo: Autumn Rinaldi |
St. Louis Shakespeare presents Shakespeare's
The Comedy of Errors Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m., April 7-9. Performances take place at the Ivory Theatre, 7620 Michigan in the Carondelet neighborhood. For more information, call 314-361-5664 or visit
stlshakespeare.org.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Ignite! New Play Festival presents a staged reading of the drama
Corazon Eterno on Saturday, April 8, at 1 p.m. "On the cusp of adulthood, Julio and Julia meet and fall madly in love. But they must face disappointment, disagreements and distance before they can truly understand the enduring power of poetry, music and love. Corazon Eterno ("always in my heart") examines love - pragmatic and impossible, temporal and eternal. Svich also adapted Love in the Time of Cholera for Ignite! in 2013." The reading takes place in the Studio Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information:
repstl.org.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Ignite! New Play Festival presents a staged reading of the musical
The Disappearing Man on Wednesday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. "St. Louis, 1936: A magician and his lovely assistant feel trapped in a small-time traveling circus and struggle to break free from their roles, while the lion tamer, ringmaster and clowns fight to protect their place in the world. Experience the bright lights of the big top and the darkness beneath in this new folk opera. Directed by the co-writer and director of
Georama." The reading takes place in the Studio Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information:
repstl.org.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis Ignite! New Play Festival presents a staged reading of the musical
The Disappearing Man on Thursday, April 7, at 7:30 p.m. "St. Louis, 1936: A magician and his lovely assistant feel trapped in a small-time traveling circus and struggle to break free from their roles, while the lion tamer, ringmaster and clowns fight to protect their place in the world. Experience the bright lights of the big top and the darkness beneath in this new folk opera. Directed by the co-writer and director of
Georama." The reading takes place at UMSL at Grand Center, 3651 Olive. For more information:
repstl.org.
The St. Lou Fringe Festival presents its
Five Fifths on Thursday, April 6, at 7 p.m. At
Five-Fifths, a single classic story is tackled by an assembly of St Louis' finest independent artists. A featured performance tells the story in five acts, each performed by a different discipline of performing art. This year's theme is Brothers Grimm featuring Fringey interpretations of Bevo Fox (Tesseract Theatre), Snow White (ERA), Hansel + Gretel (Kelly Hummert) Rumplestiltskin (Midnight Company) and more. A costume contest, great ambience, and delicious drinks complement the evening's program. The event takes place at The Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand in Grand Center. For more information:
stlouisfringe.com.
The Hawthorne Players present
Love Letters through April 9. "Andy and Melissa, both born to wealth and position, are childhood friends, whose lifelong correspondence begins with birthday party thank-you notes and summer camp postcards. They continue to exchange letters through the boarding school and college years. Andy's last letter, written to Melissa's mother, makes it eloquently clear how much they really meant, and gave to, each other over the years- physically apart, perhaps, but spiritually as close as only true lovers can be.: 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.
The Stage at KDHX presents
Ken Haller in
The Medicine Show on Saturday, April 8, at 8 p.m. "Ken Haller's shows have been described as "touching," "hilarious," "intimate," and "tremendously entertaining." In The Medicine Show, where "miracle cures" are peddled, Ken weaves songs as diverse as "The Physician" (Cole Porter), "Someone to Fall Back on," (Jason Robert Brown), "Pirelli's Miracle Elixir" (Stephen Sondheim) and more, into a narrative of how becoming a doctor is only the first step toward becoming a healer." The performances take place at The Stage at KDHX, 3524 Washington in Grand Center. For more information:
kdhx.ticketfly.com.
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| Million Dollar Quartet |
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the musical
Million Dollar Quartet through April 9. "
Million Dollar Quartet is the Tony® Award winning Broadway musical, inspired by the electrifying true story of the famed recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information:
repstl.org.
The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents
Murder at the Abbey through April 29. "Welcome to the world of Downton Abbey! A world full of aristocracy, old money but never anything as droll as murder! Congratulations! You've been invited to the dinner party held by the Earl of Grantham himself! Some would kill for the opportunity to meet the Crawley family. They'll all be there! The Earl, his beautiful wife and three daughters...not to mention all the other characters in, (and around), the Grantham house. That's right! All the family, staff and townsfolk will be there. You'll meet lots of fun characters...and you'll play as big, (or as small), of a part as you wish. Up to you. Hope nothing bad happens...but if it does...we might need you to help us figure it out? Or perhaps you're the killer?" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information:
lempmansion.com.
St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley presents
Orphans by Lyle Kessler April 7-15. "Broadway and Off Broadway audiences gave this moving drama standing ovations.
Orphans has been an international success throughout the world. Albert Finney won the Olivier Award in London's West End production. Two brothers, Phillip, sensitive, reclusive, never venturing out of his North Philly home and Treat, a violent pickpocket and thief who kidnaps a mysteriously wealthy businessman who turn the table on the two brothers and in strange, hilarious and moving way, becomes their long lost father figure." Performances take place in the Fisher Theatre on the campus at 3400 Pershall Road. For more information,
www.stlcc.edu/fv or call 314-644-5522.
Webster University's Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents Ionesco's absurdist comedy
Rhinoceros Friday through Sunday, April 7-9. "All is quiet in small town in France. Friends meet in the town square for coffee and lively discussion. It is normal. This is all disrupted by a rhinoceros barreling through the town. Many believe it never happened, but the local drunk Berenger insists it was real. Slowly, he witnesses his fellow townspeople turning into rhinos and wreaking havoc. Rhinoceros is full of insight on the human condition with little pieces of humor mixed in, a must-see classic of the Absurdist movement." Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium in Webster Hall on the Webster University campus. For more information,
www.webster.edu/conservatory/season or call 314-968-7128.
The Black Rep presents the drama
Seven Guitars by August Wilson through April 23. "Set in 1948 in the backyard of a Pittsburgh apartment house, Seven Guitars follows Floyd " Schoolboy" Barton's circle of friends and neighbors-the play's seven voices-as they spin a rich tale of the deck that's stacked against them, what they've lost and all they dream of. Part murder mystery, part memory play, Seven Guitars depicts the events leading up to the untimely death of Floyd "Schoolboy" Barton, a gifted blues guitarist. Released from jail after serving time for the crime of "worthlessness," Floyd tries to retrieve his guitar and get to Chicago to make a record. He believes he is on the brink of a career breakthrough, but bad decisions and worse luck prevent him from leaving Pittsburgh. " Performances take place in the Emerson Performance Space on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University in midwotn. For more information:
theblackrep.org.
Rebel and Misfits Productions presents
Sex With Strangers Wednesdays through Sundays at 8 p.m., through April 15. "How far will you go to get what you want? Will you be the same person if you do? When twenty-something star sex blogger and memoirist Ethan tracks down his idol, the gifted but obscure novelist Olivia, he finds they crave what the other possesses. As attraction turns to sex, and they inch closer to getting what they want, both most confront the dark side of ambition and the trouble of reinventing oneself when the past is only a click away." Performances take place at a private home in the Central West End at 4632 McPherson Avenue. All attendees in the play's small, intimate audience of 50 people, must be age 18+. For more information:
www.anintimatetheatreproject.com.
The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents
Silent Sky Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., through April 9, in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. "When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn't allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women "computers," charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in "girl hours" and has no time for the women's probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman's place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women's ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Social progress, like scientific progress, can be hard to see when one is trapped among earthly complications; Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believe in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth." For more information, visit
www.masctheatre.org or call 618-939-7469.
Over Due Theatre presents musical
Sister Act Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through April 9. "Blessed with a rollicking new musical score from Alan Menken - the composer who brought us BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE LITTLE MERMAID, NEWSIES, and ALADDIN - this divine comedy about a sassy, low-rent lounge singer forced to hide out from the mob in the last place anyone would ever look for her - a convent - recently became one of Broadway's smash hit musicals and continues to attract flocks of faithful followers wherever it goes thanks to its soulful chorus of swingin' sisters." Performances take place at the Olivette Community Center, 9723 Grandview Drive, in Olivette, MO. For more information, call 314-210-2959 or visit
overduetheatrecompany.com.
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| Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street |
Stray Dog Theatre presents Stephen Sondheim's
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Thursdays through Saturdays, April 6-22. "A macabre musical tells the tale of Sweeney Todd, an unjustly exiled barber, who returns to London seeking vengeance. The road to revenge leads Todd to Mrs. Lovett, proprietress of a failing pie shop, whose luck improves when the demon barbers thirst for blood inspires a new ingredient for her meat pies. Londoners start queuing up for a taste of her unique delectable treats!" Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit
straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.
New Line Theatre presents
Tales From the Boob Tube, A Musical Channel Surf on Saturday, April 8, at 8 p.m. as part of the company's Off Line at the Monocle series. "Get ready to laugh, cry, and sing along (okay maybe just laugh and sing along) with the greatest performer ever born (no, not that one). Join Zachary Allen Farmer on an autobiographical channel surf from childhood to…ok, I guess we'll call him an adult, as he takes you on a stroll down memory lane (yours and his) using the most respected and lauded art form known to man: The TV Theme Song. So don, those underoos, (please don't) don't touch that dial, and strap in for what is sure to be the most-watched show since the M*A*S*H finale!" The performance takes place at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove. For more information:
themonoclestl.com.
Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 a.m., April 4 and 5,
The Sheldon Concert Hall presents vocalist
Kim Fuller in
A Tribute to Nancy Wilson, performing classic songs such as "Save Your Love For Me," "Never Will I Marry," "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" and more. Coffee and pastries will be served starting at 9 a.m. in the Louis Spiering Room. The Sheldon Concert Hall is on Washington in Grand Center. For more information:
sheldonconcerthall.org.
The Touhill Performing Arts Center presents Chicago's
Second City comedy ensemble in
We're All in This Room Together Friday at 8 p.m., and Saturday at 5 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m., April 7-9. "Full of the live and in-your-face entertainment Netflix can't provide, this must-attend show features improvised comedy, audience interaction, and of-the-moment sketches and songs from The Second City made famous by superstars like Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray and more. Never the same show twice, join us in the "Room" where it happens." The Touhill Performing Arts Center is on the University of Missouri St. Louis campus. For more information:
touhill.org.
Clinton County Showcase presents
Where is God? April 7-16. "Where is God in a world full of violence, corruption, and hatred? That is the question this play seeks to answer. Through a series of stories, some true and some fictional, seven actors portray a variety of characters seeking evidence of God's existence in our daily lives." Performances take place at the Avon Theater, 525 North 2nd Street Breese IL. For more information, visit
ccshowcase.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.
