St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of July 11, 2022

Now including both on-line and live events during the pandemic. Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills. To get your event listed here, send an email to calendar [at] stageleft.org.

The Blue Strawberry presents magician John Johnson and one-handed juggler Dale Jones on Monday, July 11, at 7:30 pm as part of the Magical Mondays series.  “When you toss sleight-of-hand magic, motorcycles, and martial arts in a blender, out comes dynamic magician John Johnson.  Dale Jones, the first one-handed juggler that history records, invented an entirely new way to juggle to compensate for his atrophied right hand (which he injured severely at age 8." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Blue Strawberry presents An Evening of Nat King Cole with Broadway actor and jazz pianist/singer Bryan Eng on Tuesday, July 12, at 7:00 pm. “Eng brings his  swinging trio back to the St. Louis after a sold-out show in December. For  this one-night-only event, Eng leads his trio in honoring the legacy of his hero, Nat King Cole.” The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Bob Wetzel and the band

The Blue Strawberry presents Bob Wetzel in Peasant, Pirate and Poet: The Music of Jimmy Webb Thursday, July 14, at 7:30 pm. “Four-time Grammy Winner Jimmy Webb wrote MacArthur Park, Wichita Lineman, Galveston, Up, Up and Away, All I Know, By The Time I get To Phoenix, Honey, Come Back, and The Worst That Could Happen. His songs were made famous by Frank Sinatra, Glen Campbell, Richard Harris, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, The 5th Dimension, James Taylor, Johnny Cash, Art Garfunkel, Linda Ronstadt, Josh Groban and Donna Summer, among many others. They continue to resonate. In the last year, they were sung on national tours by Toby Keith, Little Big Town, and Guns N’ Roses. And he had a rap hit with Kanye West. Bob Wetzel sings the songs, tells the stories of their creation, and of the man.” Christopher Denny is pianist and music director for the show, which is directed by Lina Koutrakos. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Blue Strawberry presents Jeanna de Waal: Musical Theater Songs I Like To Sing Friday, July 15, at 7:30 pm. “Immediately following her run as Mary Poppins at The Muny, Jeanna is thrilled to be returning to the Blue Strawberry for one night. The intimate concert will include songs - new and old - from the Broadway catalog, personal anecdotes from Jeanna’s time in the industry, and general musings she hopes you’ll find amusing.” The show is also available via live video stream. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com

ERA Theatre presents the radio play SHE by Nancy Bell with music by Joe Taylor and Lyrics by Nancy Bell via on-demand streaming  "SHE controls the radio station of the fascist regime in power. SHE's also the star of the broadcast. Her recording studio abounds with music and oysters. But in the nearby government camps full of misfits and would-be revolutionaries, only torture and starvation is thick on the ground. Tonight, however, SHE's realm feels different. The bombs sound closer. Time moves faster. But SHE will finish her radio show, and it will be her finest. If executing every number in the broadcast means some people need to die, so be it; it is a small sacrifice. The citizens need her and she will not let them down." SHE is available on most major platforms including Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, YouTube, and BandCamp. For more information: www.eratheatre.org

Assassins

Fly North Theatricals presents Sondheim’s Assassins through July 23. “A multiple Tony Award-winning theatrical tour-de-force, Assassins combines Sondheim's signature blend of intelligently stunning lyrics and beautiful music with a panoramic story of our nation's culture of celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it, embodied by America's four successful and five would-be presidential assassins. Bold, original, disturbing and alarmingly funny, Assassins is perhaps the most controversial musical ever written. Assassins lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or tried to assassinate the President of the United States, in a one-act historical "revusical" that explores the dark side of the American experience. From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, writers, Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman, bend the rules of time and space, taking us on a nightmarish roller coaster ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, interact and inspire each other to harrowing acts in the name of the American Dream.” Performances take place at .ZACK on Locust in Grand Center. For more information: https://www.flynorthmusic.com

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present The Comic Book Killer through August 27. "Calling all superheros and villains! There’s trouble afoot for you both! Evil Doctor Weevil is back and he’s trying to erase your very existence! The time has come to join forces against true evil and restore balance to the comic universe. But who will be the hero or heroes and rid this plain of Evil Dr. Weevil forever? Could it be you? Quick…to the Prius! Dawn your cape and spandex and meet us the famously haunted Lemp Mansion for a mystery like no other! Here I come to save the daaaaaay!!!!"  The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

Rodney's Wife
Photo: Joey Rumpell

The Midnight Company presents the St. Louis premiere of Rodney’s Wifeby Richard Nelson Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays (July 17) at 2pm through July 23. “Rodney’s Wife is set during a steamy summer in Rome, 1962.  It takes place over a day and a half in an Italian Villa full of an extended family and scorching secrets.  Rodney, whose Hollywood stardom is beginning to dim, has arrived to star in one of the first, pre-Eastwood, Spaghetti Westerns.  With him is his second wife, Fay, who, as she arrives, isn’t sure if she can last another day as just “Rodney’s wife.”  And Eva, his sister, once married to Rodney’s agent, but since his death, hanging on to her brother and her lifestyle any way she can. And Lee, his daughter by his first wife, who, after ten years at girls’ schools and college, is now back in the heart of the family.  And Ted, Lee’s fiancee, a surprise to the family and, somewhat, to Lee.  And Henry, his new agent, with a pregnant wife back in the States, and a movie star to care for in Rome.” at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: midnightcompany.com

Mary Poppins
Photo: Phillip Hamer

The Muny presents the musical Mary Poppins through July 13 at 8:15 pm.  “Based on one of the most popular films in history, Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins is practically perfect in every way. Transporting audiences by umbrella to London at the turn of the last century, this Tony Award-winning stage adaptation features a carpet bag full of classics, including “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “Step in Time,” “A Spoonful of Sugar” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”” Performances take place on the Muny's outdoor stage in Forest Park.  For more information: muny.org.

The Muny presents the musical Sweeney Todd July 16-23 at 8:15 pm.  “Stephen Sondheim’s musical thriller Sweeney Todd July 16-23 at 8:15 pm.  “The Broadway legend and American musical masterpiece makes its Muny debut. Set in 19th century London, Sweeney Todd has captivated audiences around the world with its dark wit and haunting tale of love. Sweeney Todd is classified as a ‘horror musical,’ and best suited for older teens and adults.” ” Performances take place on the Muny's outdoor stage in Forest Park.  For more information: muny.org.

R-S Theatrics presents While the Ghostlight Burns, a virtual discussion series featuring R-S Artistic Director Sarah Lynne Holt in conversation with St. Louis theatre artists, Mondays at 7 pm.  Conversations will be archived at the R-S Theatrics YouTube channel. For more information: r-stheatrics.com/while-the-ghostlight-burns.html

The St. Louis Actors’ Studio presents the eighth annual LaBute New Theater Festival through July 31. “STLAS received hundreds of submissions worldwide and selected eight to be produced on the stage at The Gaslight Theater. This year's festival features productions by winners of the 2020 Festival, which, due to the pandemic, were postponed. There will be two artists receptions held in the adjacent West End Grill space on Fridays July 15 and 29. Patrons are encouraged to stay and meet the playwrights, actors and crew.” Performances take place at The Gaslight Theater on North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: https://www.stlas.org/

Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea
Photo: Phillip Hamer

The St. Louis Black Repertory Company opens its 46th Anniversary Season with Dontrell, Who Kissed the Sea through July 23 . “When 18-year-old Dontrell Jones decides to voyage into the Atlantic Ocean in search of an ancestor lost during the Middle Passage, his family struggles with the thought of losing its prized son to the waters of a mysterious and haunting past. Blending poetry, humor, wordplay and ritual, this rhythmic journey is a present-day hero’s quest to explore the lengths and depths we must go to rewrite history’s wrongs.” Performances take place at the Edison Theatre on the Washington University campus. For more information: www.theblackrep.org

The Department of Theater and Dance and SIU-Edwardsville presents the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, July 15-24. “Told entirely through song with the help of a main character Narrator, the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, follows preferred son Joseph in the reimagining of the Biblical story of Joseph, his father Jacob, eleven brothers and the coat of many colors.  After being sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph ingratiates himself with Egyptian noble Potiphar, but ends up in jail after refusing the amorous advances of Potiphar's wife.  While imprisoned, Joseph discovers his ability to interpret dreams, and he soon finds himself in front of the mighty but troubled, Elvis-inspired, Pharaoh.  Joseph's solution to Egypt's famine elevates him to Pharaoh's right-hand man and reunites him with his family.” Performances take place at the Dunham Hall Theatre on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information: www.siue.edu

The Length of a Pop Song
Photo: Taylor Gruenloh

The Tesseract Theatre Company presents The Length of a Pop Song by by Taylor Gruenloh Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 4 pm, through July 17. “Lex has no choice but to move back into her parent’s house after another incident of self-harm. Her mother wants to help prepare her for an upcoming trial against an adult website hosting non-consensual videos of Lex, but Lex can’t find a reason to look forward to tomorrow.” Performances take place at The Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information: www.tesseracttheatre.com

Eugene Onegin
Photo: Dan Donovan

Union Avenue Opera presents Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, July 15 and 16. “Tatyana, a lovesick girl from the countryside, declares her love for Onegin and finds herself spurned by the disenchanted aristocrat. Onegin, indifferent to the feelings of others, disregards Tatyana’s advances to pursue Olga, his friend Lensky’s betrothed. A duel commences and Onegin finds himself victorious albeit deeply tormented. He returns years later to find Tatyana happily married to Prince Gremin. Struck by her beauty, Onegin declares his love for her only to find himself face to face with the folly of his naïveté. Eugene Onegin is a sophisticated and melancholy masterpiece by one of classical music’s most universally beloved composers. Tchaikovsky’s lush melodies are enhanced by the opera’s uniquely Russian folk tunes, infectious waltzes, and passion-soaked arias bringing to life Alexander Pushkin’s verse novel like never before.” Performances are sung in Russian with projected English supertitles and take place at Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information: unionavenueopera.org

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.

Cabaret Review: John McDaniel's new show shines light in the darkness

By now, local cabaret fans have gotten pretty familiar with singer, songwriter, and musical director John McDaniel. He is the very model of a modern local boy who made good. From his days doing musical theatre at Kirkwood High School in suburban St. Louis, he has gone on to make a major name for himself on Broadway and television.

Mr. McDaniel has taken to making regular return visits to his home town on or around the holidays, and they have always been welcome. Reviewing his Yuletide appearance at The Blue Strawberry last December, I praised his eclectic set list, his engaging stage presence, and the lively life anecdotes that he used to knit it all together.

John McDaniel at the Blue Strawberry

After seeing the live webcast of his show "Home for the Holidays (...does Halloween count?)" at the Strawberry last night (Sunday, October 25), I'm happy to report that nothing has changed.  Or at last nothing about Mr. McDaniel's massive talent and happy rapport with the audience has changed. He's still the same charming and entertaining fellow he was when I first saw him at the old Cabaret at Savor venue in 2007, even if there's more gray in his hair and mustache.

The world we're all living in is another matter.

It seems that while we were all enjoying that Christmas show last year, a virus was starting to pop up in China that would infect over 43 million people and kill 1.15 million (so far) world-wide. The impact of SARS-CoV-2 has been felt everywhere, but perhaps most keenly in the performing arts, which rely heavily on the ability to get a bunch of strangers together in an enclosed space—an ideal environment for the spread of an airborne virus.

The result is that most of 2020 has been a difficult time for both performing artists and the organizations that present them. That, combined with the madness that seems to have infected our national political leadership, provided a serious undercurrent to this consistently entertaining and very engaging show.

Certainly it had an impact on the song choices. There was a new McDaniel original titled (I think) "I Just Want to See Your House" that was inspired by many hours spent on Zoom conference calls. "I wrote this in quarantine," he quipped, "because I had time." Another original was the openly political "Vote Like Your Life Depends on It," which took what I always thought was a somewhat ungainly (if inspiring) phrase and actually made a memorable melody out of it. There must not have been that many Trump supporters in the house that night, because the audience response sounded enthusiastic. Or maybe they were just good sports.

Perhaps the most profound reflection of our current political scene, though, came in the form of a pair of songs from "Sticks and Stones," a show Mr. McDaniel wrote with lyricist/librettist Scott Logsdon. It adapts the Biblical story of David and his triumph over Goliath to address the issue of teen bullying—a problem which has become much worse since a bully took up part-time residence in the White House. Originally planned for a live performance this past July, it became instead a live webcast offered October 16th through 20th as part of National Bullying Prevention Month.

"You're Everything," a song sung to David by his mother, expressed sentiments that many parents have no doubt shared with their own children when they have been victims of bullying: "You must be strong, although it isn't easy / And although you're down, they haven't won the fight / When hope seems lost, it's harder to remember / That though it's dark, there always will be light." It was a lovely and touching thing, as was the other number "Choose to Be Kind." It's the show's finale, and the opening stanza felt particularly relevant right now: "When you're mean, what joy can you find? / Choose to be kind." Truer words have never been sung.

There were plenty of other emotionally powerful moments in the evening. His moving rendition of Kenny Asher and Paul Williams's "You and Me Against the World" was a fine tribute to the late Helen Reddy, with whom Mr. McDaniel worked in 2014. I also thought his opening medley of Jason Robert Brown's "Hope" and Melissa Manchester's "Come in From the Rain" worked exceptionally well. His encore—the whimsically melancholy "I Wish You a Waltz," from the often-revised but never successful 1978 musical "Ballroom"—was thing of beauty as well.

John McDaniel
Photo by Steve Ullathorne

That's not to say that the evening was all that solemn, on the whole. Mr. McDaniel is far too skillful a performer to present anything other than a well-balanced program, and there were plenty of chuckles to go with the more moving stuff.  That included Rodgers and Hart's classic "list" song "Manhattan" (composed for the 1925 revue "Garrick Gaieties") with all four brilliant and witty choruses, the ingenious "Rhode Island is Famous for You" from the 1948 Dietz and Schwartz show "Inside USA" (in which each state got its own number), and "Plenty of Pennsylvania" (from the 1955 show "Plain and Fancy").

His Hallowe'en-specific re-write of the old Perry Como hit "Home for the Holidays" was tremendous fun. And there were also songs that were fun without being funny, like Elton John's "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" from "Honky Chateau," the 1972 album that was his first big hit in the USA.

Mr. McDaniel preceded that encore by thanking the physically distanced but enthusiastic audience for being there. "I'm been doing shows in my living room for eight months," he wryly observed. "As you finish the song, you imagine people clapping." So being in front of a live audience was "pretty awesome."

So were you, John. We hope to see you back here again in 2021, if not before.

Shows continue at The Blue Strawberry, which is operating under a "COVID careful" arrangement. That includes mandatory masking, restricted indoor capacity, and other precautions. Many of the shows, like Mr. McDaniels's, are also offered as live Internet streams—a real plus for those of us who are still not entirely comfortable with many public performance venues. If what I saw last night is any indication, the live stream is the next best thing to being there. Check their web site for details.

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

Review: Celebrating John McDaniel home at the Blue Strawberry

John McDaniel is the prototypical example of the local boy who made good. From his days doing musical theatre at Kirkwood High School in suburban St. Louis, he has gone on to make a major name for himself as a songwriter, arranger, and bandleader on Broadway and television.

For the complete review, visit 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

John McDaniel
Photo courtesy of The Blue Strawberry

He still makes regular visits back to his home town, though, and this year he brought us all a little Christmas gift in the form of a brand new holiday-themed show at the Blue Strawberry showroom.

"A John McDaniel Christmas" was a warm, welcoming celebration of the season. Mr. McDaniel's engaging stage presence and lively life anecdotes knitted a cozy Christmas sweater out of an eclectic set list that ranged from Boy George's "Stranger in This World" (from the 2002 semi-autobiographical musical "Taboo") to the old German carol "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" (usually translated as "There is a Rose E'er Blooming"), which first appeared in print in 1599. Mr. McDaniel played the latter as a piano solo, and a lovely thing it was, too--a subtle arrangement, but with a bit of swing.

Highlights of the evening included a Jule Styne medley that combined his popular "Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!" (lyrics by Sammy Cahn) with, of all things, the whimsical "The Lord's Bright Blessing" (lyrics by Bob Merrill), from the 1962 animated TV special "Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol". Mr. McDaniel perfectly captured the childlike glee of Tiny Tim's wish for "razzleberry dressing" in the latter. I was also much taken with the opening combination of Billy Joel's "My Life" and Bob James and Kenny Loggins's "Celebrate Me Home." The "leaving home" defiance of the former was a nice contrast with the "welcome me back" nostalgia of the latter, and somewhat echoed the Biblical tale of the prodigal son.

One very powerful number was a medley of Ron Miller and Bryan Wells's "Someday at Christmas" (recorded by Stevie Wonder in 1967) and John Lennon's "Happy Christmas (The War is Over)," which made a heartfelt plea for peace--a courageous choice in today's political climate. Some patter about Christmas shopping led to one of the few non-holiday songs, Larry Grossman and Hal Hackaday's "Mama, a Rainbow," which asks the tough question of "what do you give to the lady who has given / All her life and love to you?" In its original context in the 1970 musical "Minnie's Boys," it's about a birthday present, but it works just as well at Christmastime.

That's not to say there wasn't humor in the show, the best example being Paul Rogers's "Santa Lost a Ho," from the 2002 album "Uncorked" by the Christmas Jug Band. Mr. McDaniel's sly performance made the most of the song's double entendre jokes. Also great fun was "Can You Believe It's Christmastime Again," a McDaniel original written specifically for this show.

Probably the most remarkable part of the evening, though, was the "Request Medley," in which Mr. McDaniel combined song titles shouted out by the audience into a musical mashup on the spot. I've seen him do this before and it never ceases to amaze me. The resulting medley of "We Need a Little Christmas," "White Christmas," "Do You Hear What I Hear," "The Little Drummer Boy," "What Are You Doing New Year's," and (somewhat improbably) "Sunrise, Sunset" were so masterfully assembled that you'd have thought it had all been written down well in advance.

"A John McDaniel Christmas" was, in short, a thoroughly delightful way to wind up the pre-Yuletide week.

Shows continue well into the New Year at The Blue Strawberry, St. Louis's only dedicated bar/restaurant/cabaret showroom. Check their web site for details.

Review: Hi Ho, that's the Jensen way

Rick Jensen

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Although he's based in New York City, singer/songwriter/teacher Rick Jensen has been a frequent visitor to St. Louis, both as a performer and as a music director and pianist for a number of local singers. So it only seems right that he came to St. Louis to celebrate his 60th birthday on Saturday, October 6th, with a special show at the Kranzberg Center.

For the audience of cabaret lovers (including several members of the Jensen clan) it was a festive occasion indeed.

Titled "60 Years in 60 Minutes," the show is a mini-biography liberally illustrated with 14 original songs that demonstrate Mr. Jensen's wide range as both a songwriter and performer, as well as his virtuosity at the piano. "Long Cold Fall" (with its Randy Newmanesque harmonies), for example, muses poetically on autumn as both a meteorological and personal season. "Coney Island" and "Tonight New York City" are lyrical tributes to his adopted hometown that echo Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen while still being uniquely Rick Jensen. And "Amanda Sang," the more straightforward story song of the evening, includes a lyric that could serve as a mini-lesson for cabaret singers: "She could never go wrong / Because her heart was in her song".

Singer/artist Dionna Raedeke
Photo courtesy of Mariposa Artists

"Happy Birthday Boy" is a loving tribute to his mother who "didn't have a musical bone in her body" and "After All Those Love Songs" is a powerful ballad that was made even more so by the voice of St. Louis's own Dionna Raedeke (a fine singer as well as a visual artist). There were also many lighter moments in the show and one outright comedy number inspired by "certain events that took place in the Jensen household" in Minnesota, "Hi Ho, That's the Jensen Way."

That one, by the way, started out life as "Hi Ho, That's the German Way." Mr. Jensen gave it a re-write for this show, presumably because he knew he'd have family members in the audience. That could have been the musical equivalent of home movies, but Mr. Jensen is too good a songwriter for that. It was a hoot.

Linking all of them were anecdotes about his childhood in rural Minnesota and his coming of age--literally and musically--in New York City, delivered with self-deprecating wit and wisdom. Mr. Jensen is a performer who engages quickly and easily with his audience, so that his show soon felt like friendly chat.

Lina Koutrakos

The show was expertly directed by Mr. Jensen's long-time collaborator (and cabaret legend in her own right) Lina Koutrakos. Like Mr. Jensen, she has taught cabaret master classes and done many solo shows of her own, and her expertise was clearly visible in the pacing and dramatic shape of the show.

"60 Years in 60 Minutes" concluded with one of my favorite Jensen originals, "In Passing Years." I liked this meditation on the enduring value of friendship so much I learned it and performed it with him two years ago during the master class he and Ms. Koutrakos offer every fall on the island of Mykonos. But nobody does it quite like him.

Rick Jensen's show was presented by Mariposa Artists, a wholly owned subsidiary of St. Louis cabaret artist Robert Breig, who has brought many local and national artists to St. Louis stages. Upcoming Mariposa shows include "An Evening With Nina Gabinelli" on Saturday, October 20 and "Merry Keller: It's Personal" on Friday, October 26. Tickets are available via MetroTix.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of December 26, 2016

Robert Dubai in The Book of Moron

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The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents The Book of Moron, opening on Tuesday, December 27, and running through January 1. "Robert Dubac's newest Off-Broadway hit The Book Of Moron has been described as one of the most hilarious, intelligent and scorching satirical attacks on idiocracy since Mark Twain. Having been brainwashed by a culture that worships the Kardashians over character, delusion over truth, and selfies over self-effacement, Dubac begins his journey with a simple question: Who am I? What do I believe? What's the point? Okay, that's three questions but suffice to say, he has no answers. Just voices. Inner voices who come to life with precision and wit. One by one they pull him into a hysterical alternative universe of critical thought in search of the bigger picture. It's a head trip on a banana peel." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: westportstl.com.

The Emerald Room at the Monocle presents Christopher Sears in Concert on Thursday, December 29 at 8 p.m. "Christopher Sears is back in town from NYC to share his music and raise money for his first album recording in New Orleans this January. A theatrical blend of folk & soul with a unique Brechtian flair Christopher awakens your spirit with his poetical style. A special treat to have his sister Sienna add her warm full toned harmonies and wails to highlight his tunes." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

St. Margaret of Scotland presents the musical The Clown of God Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m., December 29 and 30. "With an original musical score by Peter Hesed and lyrics by Tom Kavanaugh, The Clown of God is a modern day descendant of the medieval miracle play; part cantata, part ballet, part storytelling, this magical fable celebrates the glory of God found in “great things, small things, each and all things.” Performances take place at St. Margaret of Scotland church, 3854 Flad in the Shaw neighborhood. For more information: stmargaretstl.weshareonline.org/cog

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents It's a Wonderful Death through January 8, 2017. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Metro Theatre Company and the Missouri History Museum present The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane through December 30. "Edward Tulane is a toy who cares for nobody but himself. Ripped from the arms of the little girl who adores him, this privileged china rabbit is thrown into a life-changing adventure. From the depths of the ocean to the top of a garbage heap, Edward discovers what it means to love others on his extraordinary journey home. With themes of family, empathy, home and redemption, this play is the perfect way to celebrate the warmth of the holiday season." Performances take place in the Lee Auditorium at the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park. For more information: mohistory.org.

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: The joy of stride with Judy Carmichael and Chris Flory

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

Judy Carmichael

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As Al Joslon once sang to Jimmy Durante, "It's a thrill when a real piano player sits down at the keys." Last Friday, November 11, at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival, singer, songwriter, Sirius/SM radio host, and stride pianist extraordinaire Judy Carmichael showed that ol' Joley knew what he was talking about.

Because, make no mistake, Ms. Carmichael is a real piano player. She's got the powerful left hand you need for that strong octave/chord alternation that characterizes the bass line of the stride style along with a nimble right for all the flashy stuff. She dove into the long instrumental jams with her performing partner, guitarist Chris Flory, with a cheerful gusto that was positively infectious. Even her one blues number--"Boisdale Blues," a Carmichael original--was accurately billed as a "very happy blues" that takes its title from a London restaurant chain where Ms. Carmichael likes to play.

In fact, if this show was about anything it was about the joy of making music. You could see it in the little verbal asides between her and Mr. Flory and you could absolutely hear it in the endless invention and unflagging virtuosity of her keyboard style. Like so many of the great pianists, Ms. Carmichael treated those 88 keys as simple extensions of her fingers; a thought became music with the speed of neural transmission.

Ms. Carmichael is also a witty songwriter, as evidence by original numbers like the "Take Me Back to Machu Picchu" ("Where have you gone, my love hypnotic? / Remember when you weren't neurotic?") and "My Manhattan." She wrote the latter when she first moved from California to the Big Apple of which, as she reminded us, Ed Koch once said "if you're one in a million, there are ten of you in New York." Her lyrics and the music of her composing partner, Harry Allen, combine to create the kind of hip, "jazz patter" numbers I associate with Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross.

There were more quiet numbers in the show, of course, including a sensitive performance of the too rarely heard "The Lamp is Low," with Mitchell Parish's lyrics grafted on to Ravel's serene Pavane pour une infante défunte. But for the most part this was an evening that brought smiles of pleasure and frequent applause for the virtuosity on display.

The fall edition of The Presenters Dolan's Gaslight Cabaret Festival concluded last Saturday, but Jim Dolan continues to produce cabaret acts on an ongoing basis in The Emerald Room at The Monocle in the Grove. Ms. Carmichael, meanwhile, continues to tour.