St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of July 5, 2021

Now including both on-line and live events during the pandemic. To get your event listed here, send an email to calendar [at] stageleft.org.

Arts for Life presents an on-demand video stream of their fifth annual Theatre Mask Awards, honoring excellence in community theatre productions during 2020, on their YouTube channel. Act Two Theatre’s production of the farce “Who’s in Bed with the Butler?” leads this year’s Theatre Mask Awards nominations with nine. Alton Little Theater, with its two productions of “Inherit the Wind” and “The Miracle Worker,” earned 12 nominations in total – six for each. Two classic comedies by Clayton Community Theatre, “The Philadelphia Story,” and Monroe Actors Stage Company, “The Solid Gold Cadillac,” both received eight nominations apiece. Arts For Life announced the TMA nominations on March 12, during the nonprofit organization’s first-ever virtual trivia night. For more information: www.artsforlife.org

The Blue Strawberry presents Open Mic Night with Sean Skrbec and Patrick White Sundays at 7 pm. "Come on down and sing, come on down to play, or come on down to listen and enjoy." The Blue Strawberry is on North Boyle in the Central West End. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Circus Harmony in St. Louis and Circus Circuli in Stuttgart, St. Louis's German sister city, present Sister City Circus, on Circus Harmony’s YouTube page.  "Through a series of online meetings, workshops, and classes the two troupes created 6 different circus acts and then filmed them at iconic architectural locations in each of their cities." This and many other Circus Harmony videos are available at the Circus Harmony YouTube channel.

Circus Harmony offers Summer Circus Camps for ages 7-17 through August 13.  "Registration is open for our summer camps and classes for ages three through adult in our circus ring at City Museum! You can also schedule private lessons or book us to come and teach where you are!"  For more information: circusharmony.org.

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 for digital purchase via bandcamp at eratheatre.bandcamp.com. For more information: www.eratheatre.org

Fly North Theatricals presents three new free digital series. Their new digital line up includes The Spotlight Series, the Grown-Up Theatre Kids Podcast, and Gin and the Tonic. The Spotlight Series highlights the Fly North family of students and actors performing songs from previous FNT shows. In the Grown-Up Theatre Kids podcast you can join Colin Healy and Bradley Rohlf every other Friday as they explore life after drama club and what it means to make a living in theatre far from the lights of broadway. Gin and the Tonic is a "reckless unpacking of music history’s weirdest stories hosted by Colin Healy.” The Spotlight Series and Gin and the Tonic are available at the Fly North Theatricals YouTube channel and the Grown-Up Theatre Kids podcast can also be found on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Sticher, other podcast platforms. All three are updated on a bi-weekly (every other week) basis.

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Clueless through August 28. "Welcome to the world of big business, old mansions and family politics. You’re invited To the birthday celebration of the oldest, (and richest), man in town. Lucky you! Some would kill for the opportunity to meet Barnabas Barnaby Baggs, the famous Pickle Baron. He sure has made a lot of enemies on his rise to the top! I hope none of his enemies tries to kill him tonight. But if they do, will you know who did it? Maybe his latest girlfriend? The angry ex-wife? the spoiled nephew? Perhaps the jealous competitor? …Or You? Regardless, you’ll have to figure it whodunnit because we’re Clueless!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

Joe Hanrahan

The Midnight Company presents Joe Hanrahan in his one-man play Now Playing Third Base for the St. Louis Cardinals...Bond, James Bond Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sunday, July 25, at 2 pm, July 8-25. "Now Playing Third Base for the St. Louis Cardinals...Bond, James Bond concerns  a teen-age boy in 1964.  JFK’s assassination still casts a pall on the nation.  The Beatles’ emergence in February of ’64 starts to lighten the mood.  The Cardinals continue the good times in St. Louis with a mad dash toward the pennant.  And when a new movie hero hits the screens that summer, a bunch of boys on a baseball field have their first theatre experience, when one of their gang offers a spirited one-man show of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE.  Throughout, the playwright draws links between what’s happened and happening -  from JFK to James Bond; from segregation in St. Louis to segregation in baseball’s Southern Leagues and at Florida stadiums where The Beatles played; WWII veterans from hardcore British film production crews to JFK hit squads; from the first cave man who stood up by the fire to the theatre musings of Peter Brook…most of it swirling in front of the eyes of a young boy, most of it sharp memories of the time it was." Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander. For more information: midnightcompany.com.

Moonstone Theatre Company presents Moonstone Connections, a series of in-depth interviews with arts leaders by company founder Sharon Hunter. The latest episode features musical theatre composer and director Kevin Connors. New episodes air the third Tuesday of each month; see linktr.ee/moonstoneconnections for more information.

Mlima's Tale

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the St. Louis premiere of Mlima's Tale by Lynn Nottage through July 11th. "Mlima, a majestic and powerful African elephant, is murdered for his tusks. From beyond the veil of death, Mlima’s spirit follows the path of his tusks on a moving, lyrical journey through the dark world of the international ivory trade. From Lynn Nottage, the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Sweat and Ruined, Mlima’s Tale is a captivating and haunting fable come to life." Performances take place at the Berges Theatre at COCA, 6880 Washington Avenue in University City. For more information: repstl.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 Writers' Group presents a reading of the new play Kings of the Revolution by Joe Link on Tuesday, July 6 at 6:30 pm via live in person and via  Zoom. "Three men in search of meaning, bound together by the arrival of a star in the night sky. An adventure that brings them together promising to bring about change.  For them and everyone." The reading takes place upstairs at Big Daddy's, 1000 Sidney in Soulard. For more information, visit the St. Louis Writers' Group Facebook page.

SATE, in collaboration with COCA and Prison Performing Arts, presents Project Verse: Creativity in the Time of Quarantine. Project Verse presents two new plays: Quatrains in Quarantine by e.k. doolin and Dream On, Black Girl: Reflections in Quarantine by Maxine du Maine. The performances are streamed free of charge on SATE’s website and Facebook page. For more information: slightlyoff.org.

Classic Mystery Game

SATE also offers streaming performances of the shows originally scheduled for live 2020 productions: The Mary Shelley Monster Show, As You Like It (produced for SHAKE20, Project Verse, and Classic Mystery Game. The shows are available on their YouTube channel.

Stray Dog Theatre’s Silver Stage Program presents an on-demand streaming audio version of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. The production features a cast of actors exclusively over the age of 55. For more information: straydogtheatre.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.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 17, 2016

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YoungLiars present the world premiere of Burrow, an adaptation of Kafka's Der Bau adapted and performed by Jeff Skoblow, running through October 29. "Our nameless hero has at long last completed his elaborate secret burrow. Far beneath the ground he is safe from the predators and danger that lurk everywhere above. Or is he? That noise he hears just beyond the edges of the burrow...what is it? Have they found him? Is it the sound of some terrible beast digging relentlessly towards him? Or is it something even worse?" __Performances take place in in the hundred-year-old basement of the Centene Center for the Arts, 3547 Olive Street in Grand Center. For more information: youngliarsburrow.bpt.me.

Ken Haller

The Cabaret Project and The Monocle present cabaret open mic night every Wednesday from 7 to 10 PM. "Drop by and enjoy a night of great music from St. Louis cabaret artists, backed up by the guest music director Carol Schmidt on the baby grand." The master of ceremonies this week is singer and Cabaret Project board member Ken Haller. If you're planning to sing, be prepared to do one or two songs and bring music, preferably in your key. At least one of your two songs should be a medium-or up-tempo number. It's also recommend that you have your song memorized. The Monocle is at 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

Celebration
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the musical Celebration Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through October 22. "With words by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt (The Fantasticks, I Do! I Do!, 110 in the Shade), CELEBRATION tells a wild, adult fable set on New Year's Eve, centered on Orphan, an idealistic and cheerfully optimistic young man, who reminds the wealthy and jaded old man William Rosebud Rich of his younger self; Angel, a sweet but not so angelic erotic dancer who longs to be Somebody; and the cynical Potemkin, who serves as narrator, commentator, and instigator. At the story's core is the primal, often comic struggle between youth and old age, innocence and corruption, love and ambition, poverty and wealth, as Angel tries to decide if she would be better served by her feelings for Orphan or Rich's willingness to fulfill all her material dreams." Performances take place at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. For more information, visit newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents CSI: Bissell through October 30. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents the one-man show Defending the Caveman running through October 23. " Defending the Caveman, is the longest running solo show in Broadway history, is a hilariously insightful play about the ways men and women relate. This prehistoric look at the battle of the sexes is full of wonderful scenarios that celebrate the differences between men and women, making it a perfect entertainment option for couples or for a girls' night out. The show has also been seen and recommended by thousands of marriage and family therapists and counselors for its humorous look at the inherent differences between the sexes." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: westportstl.com.

Variety Children's Theatre presents the musical Disney's Beauty and the Beast Friday through Sunday, October 21 - 23. Performances take place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the UMSL campus. For more information: www.varietychildrenstheatre.org.

Golda's Balcony
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theater presents Golda's Balcony through October 30 "This is a strong show about a strong woman, Israel's fourth Prime Minister, Golda Meir. We meet her as she struggles with what became known as the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and which was very nearly a disaster for the State of Israel. The play asks us to consider what happens when idealism becomes power." Performances take place in the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theater at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.newjewishtheatre.org or call 314-442-3283.

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present Anna Blair in I Am Reddy, Hear Me Roar on Friday, October 21, at 8 p.m. "This show will be a tribute to one of Anna's childhood heroes, Helen Reddy. Featuring the songs of Helen Reddy, some pop, some showtunes, some iconic, these songs will bring back memories of the 70's and 80's." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: www.themonoclestl.com/events-page.

Clayton Community Theatre presents the thriller Night Must Fall Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., October 20 - 30. "In this masterful thriller with humorous moments and sequences of sustained suspense, a woman's body is found behind a wealthy woman's house and all the while, the audience and most of the characters in the play think they know who did it. This person also happens to be right in front of you." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

Take Two Productions presents Peter and the Starcatcher through October 22. "Tony-winning Peter and the Starcatcher upends the century-old story of how a miserable orphan comes to be The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up (a.k.a. Peter Pan). A wildly theatrical adaptation of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's best-selling novels, the play was conceived for the stage by directors Roger Rees and Alex Timbers and written by Rick Elice with music by Wayne Barker. From marauding pirates and jungle tyrants to unwilling comrades and unlikely heroes, Peter and the Starcatcher playfully explores the depths of greed and despair and the bonds of friendship, duty, and love." Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information, visit taketwoproductions.org.

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents the musical Passing Strange October 21 - 30. "Passing Strange is a semi-autobiographical account of a young brother's encounters with sex, drugs, and rock and roll as he searches for "the real." A rock musical that is equal parts comedy and drama, Passing Strange follows “the Youth” on his pilgrimage of self-discovery from Los Angeles to Amsterdam, Berlin and beyond. Passing Strange breaks theatrical boundaries, crosses musical genres, and ultimately brings the audience home with a new understanding of personal and creative authenticity." The performances take place in Edison Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543 or visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu.

The Rocky Horror Show

Stray Dog Theatre presents the rock musical The Rocky Horror Show through October 29. “The cult classic is back! After a flat tire has them stuck in a storm, sweethearts Brad and Janet come upon the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Once inside, a houseful of colorful characters take the couple on a bizarre journey they will never forget. This raucous musical is an over-the-top tribute to mid-20th century science fiction and horror B-movies." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

The Presenters Dolan presents Storm Large on Friday, October 21, at 8 p.m. as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "You sit back and you sometimes just can't believe what you are hearing. An astonishing singer and incandescent beauty who is this funny? With a killer band? In an extraordinary new show? It just never comes together like this!" The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Suspended
Photo: ProPhotoSTL

Upstream Theater presents the world premiere of Suspended by Israeli playwright Maya Arad Yasur, through October 23. "The play shows two refugees who have fled their war-torn country and have landed in a wealthy city where they work as window washers. As their day progresses we learn how deeply they are connected, and why they are suspended between a world they can see but cannot join, between a past scarred by violence and an uncertain future." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

COCA presents the Lightwire Theatre production of The Ugly Duckling Saturday and Sunday at 1 and 5 p.m., October 22 and 23. "Lined with electroluminescent wire, the beloved story of The Ugly Duckling plays out on stage through a cutting-edge blend of full-body puppetry, technology and dance. With dazzling visuals, poignant choreography and the creative use of music ranging from classical to pop, this production brings this story into a new and brilliant light." . COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information: cocastl.org.

Through November 6, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Until the Flood. Writer, performer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Dael Orlandersmith spent a week in St. Louis interviewing people from every corner of the region about recent social unrest. From these conversations, she has crafted a play that reflects the complexity of St. Louis. Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

Antonio Rodriguez

The Emerald Room at the Monocle and The Presenters Dolan present singer Antonio Rodriguez in A Wind-Up Toy in an Up-Down World on Saturday, October 22, at 8 p.m. " Exploring love and laughter on stage isn't different from exploring it at home. Through the music of Ben Folds, MIKA, Jason Robert Brown, Glen Hansard, and more, the monologues Rodriguez has used for auditions and in performance (and a few originals), the show is a reflection on the things that every person loses sleep over, whether it's a character on stage or the actor playing them - love, family, success, and the pursuit of happiness in a world of chaos." The performance takes place in the Emerald Room at The Monocle, 4510 Manchester in the Grove neighborhood. For more information: www.themonoclestl.com/events-page.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Zombie Love through October 28. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

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.

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.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of July 15, 2016

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

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New This Week:

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Black and Blue

Gitana Productions presents Black and Blue by Lee Patton Chiles at on Friday, July 15, at 7:30 p.m. "An original play of hope and healing, exploring the assumptions that all young black men are dangerous, and that all cops are bad. " The performance takes place at Christ Church Cathedral, 1210 Locust downtown. For more information: www.gitana-inc.org.

My take: The events in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 resonated throughout the nation. As headlines continue to demonstrate, what happened there was hardly an isoloated incident. Originally presented back in June of 2015, this drama by St. Louis playwright Lee Patton Chiles is, in the words of KDHX theatre reviewer Tina Farmer, "a thought provoking, well-acted and strongly worded play that stirs discussion in an attempt to create a fuller, more varied and nuanced understanding of racial conflict, not only in St. Louis but across America." Theatre can educate, enlighten, and provoke as well as entertain, and it looks like Gitana has a production here that does all three.

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Grey Gardens
Photo: Dan Donovan

Max and Louie Productions presents the musical Grey Gardens through July 30. "Not since Mama Rose and Gypsy has there been a mother/daughter act as hilarious, as heartbreaking and as utterly unforgettable as "Big" Edith and "Little" Edie Beale - Jackie Kennedy's most outrageous relatives - in the acclaimed musical smash Grey Gardens! From the grandeur of an East Hampton high society party in 1941 to the sensational tabloid headlines that rocked the Kennedy clan in 1973, Grey Gardens is scandalously entertaining. Step into the world of Grey Gardens and see the other side of Camelot." Performances take place at the Wool Studio Theatre at the JCC, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, visit maxandlouie.com.

My take: The folks at Max and Louie must be popping open the champagne right now, given how much critical praise they're getting. Steve Allen's review at Stage Door STL is typical. "Reviewing a production is, of course, a personal viewpoint", he writes, "and every one of the several critics we have in our town will vary in their opinions. But with “Grey Gardens,” the current musical from Max and Louie Productions, I think we’ll join forces in our praise for just about every aspect from casting and direction down through the technical creators. If it isn’t flawless, it comes pretty darn close." 'Nuff said, I guess.

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Claudia Hommel

The Presenters Dolan and The Emerald Room at the Monocle present singer Claudia Hommel and singer-pianist Elizabeth Doyle in Your Ticket to Paris, an evening of classic French songs, on Saturday, July 16, at 8 p.m. "Singer-actor-coach and producer, a favorite from the Art Institute of Chicago to the Lapin Agile in Paris, Claudia specializes in concerts and cabaret shows of French chansons, art songs, and American Songbook standards. She tours nationally and to Europe playing concert halls, clubs, theatres, museums, schools and special events. The magnet for many years at Chicago's famed Pump Room, singer-pianist-composer Elizabeth Doyle has created, performed in and often music-directed an array of shows at Chicago's major cabaret rooms and theatres." The Monocle is at 4510 Manchester in the Grove. For more information: www.themonoclestl.com/events-page.

My take: Over the past few years, I have become a dedicated fan of French popular songs, and after seeing her work at the St. Louis Cabaret Conference last year, I have no doubt that Claudia Hommel shares that affection. She also loves Paris at least as much as I do, often leading cabaret-oriented tours of the City of Light. As I'm writing this, tickets are going fast (the show may even be sold out), so if you haven't ordered your tickets by now, you'll want to do so ASAP.

Held Over:

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The Mikado
Photo: John Lamb

Union Avenue Opera presents Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, July 8 - 16. "Oh how complicated love can be! Nanki-Poo is desperately in love with Yum-Yum who happens to be betrothed to the new Lord High Executioner. Ko-Ko must find someone to execute or it will be his neck on the line. Will a case of mistaken identity save the day as these two conspire - or will heads roll? Witty lyrics and a topsy-turvy plot make this light-hearted tale of forbidden love and trickery a story that reaches beyond traditional interpretations. Widely regarded as the finest Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, The Mikado will captivate and delight at every turn." Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. The opera is sung in English with projected English text. For more information, visit unionavenueopera.org or call 314-361-2881.

My take: I have a friend who says he loves directing Shakespeare because it's so easy to do. Just don't get in the playwright's way and you can't lose. I think the same could be said of the better Gilbert and Sullivan operettas as well. Don't mess with G&S and you're golden. And while, as I note in my review for KDHX, director Eric Gibson has messed with Gilbert's text a bit more than I'd like, the show as a whole is tremendously entertaining and well worth your attention.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of May 16, 2016

[Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.]

For information on events beyond this week, check out the searchable database at the Regional Arts Commission's events web site.

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Black and Blue

Gitana Productions presents Black and Blue by Lee Patton Chiles at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 20. “An original play of hope and healing, exploring the assumptions that all young black men are dangerous, and that all cops are bad. ” Performances take place at Harris- Stowe State University, Emerson Performance Center, 3101 Laclede in midtown St. Louis. For more information: www.gitana-inc.org.

Gitana Productions presents Black and Blue by Lee Patton Chiles at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 22. “An original play of hope and healing, exploring the assumptions that all young black men are dangerous, and that all cops are bad. ” Performances take place at Webster Groves High School, 100 Selma in Webster Groves. For more information: www.gitana-inc.org.

Opera Theatre of St. Louis presents Puccini's La Boheme opening on Saturday, May 21, and running through June 25. "One of the most performed operas of all time, La bohème has gripped audiences for over a century. Rodolfo and his friends scrape by as bohemian artists, using their wit and charm to escape life's harsher consequences. Rodolfo can't imagine how love will change him until he encounters a beautiful dressmaker, Mimì. Set to lush, irresistible music, Puccini's masterpiece never fails to move audiences to both laughter and tears." Performances take place at the Loretto-Hilton Center at 135 Edgar Road on the Webster University campus. All performances are sung in English with projected English text. For more information: experienceopera.org or call 314-961-0644.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Bullets in the Bathtub through July 30. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: mansion.com

Affton CenterStage Theatre Company presents Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21, at 7 p.m. Performances take place at Affton High School in the Judith Rethwisch Auditorium, 8309 Mackenzie Road in south county. For more information, call 636-349-6880 or visit www.afftoncenterstage.org.

Alpha Players present the comedy Dearly Departed May 20 - 29at The Florissant Civic Center Theater, Parker Rd. at Waterford Dr. in Florissant, MO. "Dearly Departed is a drop-dead funny comedy about families, funerals, and fried chicken." For more information: alphaplayers.org, call 314-921-5678.

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Jersey Boys opening Wednesday, May 18, and running through Sunday, May 22. The musical is based on the careers of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. "This is the story of how four blue-collar kids became one of the greatest successes in pop music history. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - all before they were thirty!" The Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents Mitzi's Abortion Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., May 20-29. "A young woman trying to make an intensely personal decision in a system determined to make it a political one." Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

Marsh Cobb

The Emerald Room at the Monocle presents singer Marsh Cobb in The Moon, the Stars, and Other Heavenly Bodies on Sunday, May 22, at 3 p.m. "There is probably no symbol more iconic in American popular music than the moon and stars. Sad songs, happy songs, and of course, love songs. It seems love and the moon go together like chocolate and peanut butter. Or chocolate and mint. Or chocolate and, well, just about anything. Marsh Cobb takes us on a tour of some of the best of these songs and what they meant to him throughout his life. A poet and lyricist himself, Marsh has a special connection to song lyrics and the magical effect they produce." The performances take place in The Emerald Room at The Monocle Bar, 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: www.buzzonstage.com/st-louis

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Nursery Crimes through July 31. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

Act Two Theatre presents Neil Simon's The Odd Couple (Female Version) through May 22. "Unger and Madison are at it again! Florence Unger and Olive Madison, that is, in Neil Simon's hilarious contemporary comic classic: the female version of The Odd Couple. Instead of the poker party that begins the original version, Ms. Madison has invited the girls over for an evening of Trivial Pursuit. The Pidgeon sisters have been replaced by the two Costazuela brothers. But the hilarity remains the same. " Performances take place in the St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre at 1 St Peters Centre Blvd, St. Peters, MO 63376. For more information: act2theater.com.

Alton Little Theater presents the comedy Skin Deep Thursdays through Sundays through May 22 at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. If you like a show that is filled with laugh-out-loud humor then Skin Deep is sure to please. A large, lovable, lonely-heart, named Maureen Mulligan, gives romance one last shot on a blind-date with sweet awkward Joseph Spinelli; she's learned to pepper her speech with jokes to hide insecurities about her weight and appearance, while he's almost dangerously forthright, saying everything that comes to his mind. They were set up on the date by Maureen's sister Sheila and her husband Squire, who are having problems of their own: Sheila undergoes a non-stop series of cosmetic surgeries to hang onto the attractive and much-desired Squire, who may or may not have long ago held designs on Maureen, who introduced him to Sheila. " For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

The Kranzberg Arts Center presents singer Mara Bollini in Taking Chances on Friday, May 20, at 8 p.m. "A native of St. Louis, Mara Bollini has had the privilege of singing and dancing her way across stages throughout the area for decades. “Taking Chances,” Bollini’s debut solo cabaret, is an artistically crafted journey blending music from across the ages as well as musical genres." Tim Schall directs, with music direction by Carl Schmidt. The Kranzberg Center is at 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2506682

The Two-Character Play

The Midnight Company presents The Two-Character Play by Tennessee Williams Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays at 3 p.m., through June 4. "Two actors, a brother and a sister, are stranded in a theatre, struggling to perform, struggling to survive." Performances take place at the Winter Opera Space, 2322 Marconi on The Hill. For more information: midnightcompany.com.

New Jewish Theater presents the musical Yentl through June 5 “Based on Isaac Bashevis Singer's short story “Yentl the Yeshiva Boy” and updated with new music and lyrics by Jill Sobule, “Yentl” tells the story of a young girl in 19th century Eastern Europe forbidden to pursue her dream of studying Talmud. Unwilling to accept her fate, she disguises herself as a man. But when she falls in love, Yentl must decide how far she's willing to go to protect her identity. This marks 40 years since the play - then without music - ran on Broadway. With parallels in Singer's short story coinciding with the burgeoning second wave of feminism, we find Yentl as an outsider seeking to find her own voice within a very proscribed world.” 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.

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.