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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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Alfresco Productions presents
Alice in Wonderland Friday through Sunday, March 27-29. "Lewis Carroll's unflappable young heroine, Alice, takes a tumble down an enchanted rabbit hole to an off-kilter world of mock turtles, dancing flora, punctual rabbits, and mad tea parties. Playing cards hold court and nothing is as it seems in this land where whimsy and wordplay are the order of the day. Will Alice be able to get find her footing in this bizarre place?! More importantly, will she ever figure out how to get home?!" Performances take place at the Alfresco Art Center, 2401 Delmar in Granite City, IL. For more information: (618) 560-1947 or
www.alfrescoproductions.org.
Take Two Productions presents the musical
Avenue Q through March 28. "The laugh-out-loud musical tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q. He soon discovers that although the residents seem nice, it's clear that this is not your ordinary neighborhood. Together, Princeton and his new-found friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life." The show is recommended for mature audiences. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church 4716 Macklind Ave. For more information, visit
taketwoproductions.org.
O'Fallon TheatreWorks presents
Bill W. and Dr. Bob at the O'Fallon Municipal Centre auditorium through March 29. "This critically acclaimed, award-winning drama tells the story of the two men who pioneered Alcoholics Anonymous, and of their wives, who founded Al Anon. During the Roaring '20s, New York stockbroker Bill Wilson rides high on money,fame, and booze. In 1929, when he and the market crash, he becomes a hopeless drunk. Dr. Bob Smith, a surgeon in Akron, Ohio, and a pillar of the community, has been a secret drunk for 30 years, often going into the operating room with a hangover. His family tried everything, to no avail. Then, through an astonishing series of events, Bill and Bob meet on Mother's Day in1935. The two men form a relationship which keeps each sober. Fired up, they seek out a third drunk to see if their program will work for others. Richly textured with the ragtime and jazz of the era, the play tells a magnificent American success story." The O'Fallon Municipal Centre is located at 100 North Main Street in O'Fallon, MO. For more information, visit
www.ofallon.mo.us or call 636-379-5606.
St. Louis Shakespeare presents
Blood Reigns-The War of the Roses Trilogy through March 29. "This significant piece is an adaptation of the Henry VI trilogy created specifically for St. Louis Shakespeare. In this production you will find all of the things you love most about Shakespeare's works: blood, betrayal, intrigue, forgiveness and redemption. Chris Limber directs and brings his 35 years of experience with the bard to craft a truly cunning, artful tale." Performances take place in the Thomas Hunter Theatre at DeSmet Jesuit High School, 233 N New Ballas Road. For more information, call 314-361-5664 or visit
stlshakespeare.org.
That Uppity Theatre Company and
The Vital Voice present
Briefs: A Festival Of Short Lesbian and Gay Plays Friday through Sunday, March 27-29. "This year’s collection of eight plays have been selected from over 170 submissions from across the nation and include such themes as a gay mermaid looking for love, a Jewish mother who competitively wants her single son to have the biggest wedding, the stresses of sexual identity for LGBTQ adolescents, a lesbian version of Dr. Seuss and a conflict between a gay male couple around involvement in Ferguson. The playwrights will include acclaimed humorist Paul Rudnick, whose short play, "My Husband" was first seen in Standing on Ceremony: the Gay Marriage Plays, and produced in New York City as well as "This Flight Tonight" by Wendy MacLeod, by special arrangment with Dramatist's Play Service." Performances take place at The Rialto Ballroom at Grand Center, 3547 Olive. For more information, visit
uppityco.com or call (314) 995-4600.
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Jeremy Webb in Buyer and Cellar
©Photo by Jerry Naunheim Jr. |
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents
Buyer and Cellar through April 5. "Inspired by Barbra Streisand's coffee table book, My Passion for Design, this uproarious fictional account of celebrity eccentricity takes us into Babs' basement, where she houses her unique collections in a small street of shops. An underemployed actor becomes the caretaker, interacting with Barbra in moments both hilarious and surprisingly tender. A runaway hit in New York, this one-man show takes us into the ultimate fantasy of a star-struck dreamer as he fills the oddest of odd jobs." Performances take place in the studio theatre at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit
repstl.org.
Read the 88.1 KDHX review!
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| T. Oliver Reed |
The Presenters Dolan present
T. Oliver Reed in
Drop Me Off in Harlem on Friday and Saturday, March 27 and 28, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "T. Oliver Reid takes us club-hoppping through the swanky clubs and lowdown joints of 1930's Harlem. "In 1934, on a Saturday night in New York City, if you were boozin' and jazzin', you were doing it in Harlem," says Reid. Reid comes to St. Louis after Feinstein's, 54 Below and Jazz at Lincoln Center. It's cabaret, it's theater, it's of a very high order, and it is absolutely not to be missed." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information:
gaslightcabaretfestival.com.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents a staged reading of
The Full Catastrophe by Michael Weller, based on the novel by David Carkeet, on Wednesday, March 25, at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Ignite! New Play Festival. "Jeremy Cook, once a celebrated linguist, is suddenly out of work and out of sorts. In desperation, he takes a job as a live-in marriage counselor for Roy Pillow, a shadowy, wannabe-scientist billionaire. Confused by his mission and at a crossroads in his personal life, Jeremy finds himself confronting the ghosts of his failed relationships past, and the mortal danger of repeating his big mistake over again. Michael Weller is the author of the American classic Moonchildren and the Broadway-bound musical adaptation of Doctor Zhivago." The reading takes place at Sally S. Levy Opera Center, 210 Hazel Avenue, on the Webster University Campus. For more information:
repstl.org.
Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents the musical
Honk! Friday through Sunday, March 27-29. “A heart-warming tale and a quackingly good time, HONK! is a deeply moving, creatively masterful adaptation of one of the most beloved fables of all time. Ugly looks quite a bit different from his darling duckling brothers and sisters. The other animals on the farm are quick to notice and point this out, despite his mother's protective flapping. Feeling rather foul about himself, the little fowl finds himself on adventure of self discovery all the while unknowingly outwitting a very hungry Cat. Along the way Ugly meets a whole flock of unique characters and finds out being different is not a bad thing to be.” Performances take place in the Stage III Auditorium on the Webster University campus. For more information,
events.webster.edu or call 314-968-7128.
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Jerry Springer the Opera
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg |
New Line Theatre presents the St. Louis premiere of the musical
Jerry Springer the Opera Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, through March 28. "The New Line season continues with one of New Line's wildest and most ambitious projects, JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA, the smash-hit, multi-award winning musical that ran to unprecedented rave reviews and standing ovations at the National Theatre in London, after a sold-out run in London's West End. The Sunday Times called it "a shocking, irresistibly funny masterpiece." With music by Richard Thomas, and book and lyrics by Thomas and Stewart Lee, this is an audacious, fearless piece of theatre that brilliantly and hilariously dissects the cultural forces that have kept Jerry Springer on the air all these years, the lives of quiet desperation that explode into public view in Springer's weirdly nonjudgmental, national confessional." Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Road. . For more information, visit
newlinetheatre.com or call 314-534-1111.
Read the 88.1 KDHX review!
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Kinky Boots
Photo: Matthew Murphy |
The Fox Theatre presents the musical
Kinky Boots March 24-April 5. The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. "In Kinky Boots, Charlie Price has reluctantly inherited his father’s shoe factory, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save his family business, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola. A fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos, Lola turns out to be the one person who can help Charlie become the man he’s meant to be. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible... and discovers that when you change your mind about someone, you can change your whole world." For more information:
fabulousfox.com.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents a staged reading of
Molly's Hammer by Tanny Ryan, Based on the book Hammer of Justice by Liane Ellison Norman, on Saturday, March 28, at 3 p.m. as part of the Ignite! New Play Festival. "In 1980, Molly Rush took a stand. The Pittsburgh housewife and mother of six walked into a G.E. plant and took a hammer to a nuclear warhead to protest the buildup of America’s nuclear arsenal. Molly’s Hammer is the story of the Plowshares Eight, Molly, and her husband’s wish to stop his wife from sacrificing herself to save the world." The reading takes place at Sally S. Levy Opera Center, 210 Hazel Avenue, on the Webster University Campus. For more information:
repstl.org.
The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents
Muuurder in Maaaybury through April 25. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information:
lempmansion.com.
Alpha Players present the romantic comedy
Parfumerie by Miklos Laszlo through March 29 at The Florissant Civic Center Theater, Parker Rd. at Waterford Dr. in Florissant, MO. The play was the basis for the movies "The Shop Around the Corner," "In the Good Old Summertime," and "You've Got Mail," as well as the musical "She Loves Me." For more information:
alphaplayers.org or, call 314-921-5678.
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Robert McNichols, Jr as Paul Robeson
Photo: Stewart Goldstein |
The Black Rep presents
Paul Robeson through March 29. "In Phillip Hayes Dean's biographical two-man play, the legendary actor, singer and political activist Paul Robeson sings songs and tells stories of his multi-faceted career, from triumphs in Show Boat and The Emperor Jones, to his fight for racial equality to accusations of Communist involvement." Performances take place at the Emerson Performance Center at Harris-Stowe State University in midtown. For more information:
theblackrep.org.
Read the 88.1 KDHX review!
The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents
Phantom of the Grand Ole Opery through April 26. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information:
bissellmansiontheatre.com
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| The St. Louis Theater Circle at the 2014 awards |
The St. Louis Theater Circle presents the
St. Louis Theater Circle Awards on Monday, March 23, at 7 PM. The awards recognize outstanding achievement in locally produced professional theatre as judged by local theatre critics who are members of the Circle. Presenters will include
Stage Left blogger
Chuck Lavazzi. Live music will be provided by Joe Dreyer. The ceremony is preceded by an optional buffet dinner at 6:00 PM from With Love Catering and takes place at COCA, the Center of Creative Arts, at 524 Trinity in University City. Tickets for both the ceremony and the buffet are available at the door, and at
cocastl.org. The event will be broadcast and webcast live on HEC-TV Charter channel 989, U-Verse channel 99, and at
hectv.org.
St. Charles Community College Young People's Theatre presents
Seussical through March 29. "The Cat in the Hat tells the story of Horton, an elephant who discovers a speck of dust containing Whos, including Jojo, a Who child sent off to military school for thinking too many "thinks." Horton faces a double challenge - not only must he protect the Whos from a world of naysayers and dangers, but he must guard an abandoned egg, left to his care by the irresponsible Mayzie La Bird. Although Horton faces ridicule, danger, kidnapping and a trial, the intrepid Gertrude McFuzz never loses faith in him. Ultimately, the powers of friendship, loyalty, family and community are challenged and emerge triumphant. SEUSSICAL is fun for the whole family as our favorite Dr. Seuss characters, including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, Lazy Mayzie and a little boy with a big imagination - Jojo, come to life and transport us from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus to the invisible world of the Whos." Performances take place in the Donald D. Shook Fine Arts Building on the campus at 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in Cottleville, MO. For more information, call 636-922-8050 or visit
stchas.edu.
Alton Little Theater presents the musical
Shenandoah Thursdays through Sundays through March 29, at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. " This colorful and dramatic saga is based on the 1965 film, Shenandoah - a poignant story about Charlie Anderson, a widower, who lives with his large family in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia during the American Civil War. Anderson does not wish to be involved in the war because he doesn't consider it "his" war and tries to keep his family neutral as the Civil War rages around him. Union forces and the Confederates see things only in shades of Blue or Grey, so the family is inevitably swept up in the conflict. Their story is a heartwarming and heartrending portrayal of the upheaval that left wounds on the land and its people for generations to come." For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit
altonlittletheater.org.
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| Sight Unseen |
New Jewish Theater presents
Sight Unseen through March 29. "Jonathan Waxman, a Brooklyn Jew, has become a wealthy, critically acclaimed artist so popular that collectors will buy his work "sight unseen." In London for a major retrospective of his work, Jonathan impulsively decides to journey to the countryside to visit his former model and lover Patricia in the Norfolk farmhouse where she lives and works with her archeologist husband, Nick. In the process, we begin to question the tangled relationships of art, money, love and inspiration. It is also a commentary on the sacrifices entailed in getting older - and getting ahead." 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.
Read the 88.1 KDHX review!
The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents the world stage premiere of
Sky Sky Sky, by Elizabeth Birkenmeier, March 26-29. " The world premiere drama, written by alumna Elizabeth Birkenmeier (LA ’08), features three human actors and one fully functioning, custom-programmed PR2 robot, on loan from Oregon State University." The performances take place in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theater in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, call 314-935-6543 or visit
pad.artsci.wustl.edu.
The University of Missouri at St. Louis presents
John Lithgow: Stories By Heart on Saturday, March 28 at 8 p.m.. " Invoking memories of his grandmother and father before him, Lithgow traces his roots as an actor and storyteller, interspersing his own story with two great stories that were read to him and his siblings when they were children. These are "Uncle Fred Flits By" by P.G. Wodehouse and "Haircut" by Ring Lardner. In the first, a fretful young Englishman is taken on a wild afternoon’s escapade in suburban London by his irrepressible uncle. In a hilarious tour de force, Lithgow performs with zany abandon, portraying ten distinct, outrageous characters (including a parrot). By contrast, "Haircut" is a darkly comic look at Midwestern American implacability. It is a captivating yarn told by a gossipy barber in small-town Michigan as he gives a shave and a haircut to a stranger in town. " The performance takes place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. For more information,
touhill.org or call 314-516-4949.
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Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
©Photo by Jerry Naunheim Jr. |
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents Christopher Durang's
Vanya And Sonia And Masha And Spike through April 12. "Stuck in their family home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Vanya and his adopted sister Sonia live a quiet existence until their lives are thrown into comic upheaval with the arrival of their B-list celebrity sister, Masha, and her 20-something boy toy, Spike. Add to that a soothsaying housekeeper, a star struck young neighbor and a rather odd costume party, and the stage is set for mayhem and hilarity in this present-day homage to Chekhov. Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play." Performances take place on the mainstage at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit
repstl.org.
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