St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 9, 2015

[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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The 39 Steps
Photo: Joey Rumpell

Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble presents The 39 Steps, based on the classic Hitchcock thriller, through November 14. Performances take place at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: slightlyoff.org.

The Muny presents musical theatre star Beth Leavel in a cabaret evening on Wednesday and Thursday, November 11 and 12, at 8 p.m. Performances take place at the Sheldon Concert Hall, 3658 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: muny.org.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents A Christmas Sleigh-Ing November 6 through December 30th. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Monroe Actors Stage Company presents A Christmas Story, based on the stories of Jean Shepherd, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., November 13-22, in the Historic Capitol Theatre in downtown Waterloo, Illinois. For more information, visit www.masctheatre.org or call 618-939-7469.

St. Louis University Theatre presents Beth Henley's Crimes of the Heart November 13-22. "Crimes of the Heart is filled with humanity and humor as it examines the plight of three young Mississippi sisters betrayed by their passions. In the end, the play is the story of how its young characters escape the past and seize the future-but the telling is so true and touching and consistently hilarious that it will linger in the mind long after the curtain has descended. This winner of the 1981 Pulitzer Prize will be directed by Ken Clark, who says, 'If you think your family has issues, wait until you visit the Magrath household. As my grandmother once said, Southern hospitality can't fix crazy.'" Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call (314) 977-2998 or visit slumarketplace.slu.edu

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Dead! Like Me through November 14. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley presents Decision Height through November 14. "Virginia Hascall has left her home and fiancee to become a Women Airforce Service Pilot, and do her part of help defeat the Axis powers in the Second World War. Through Triumph and tragedy, she and her sisters in plight suits learn as much about themselves as they do about airplanes." Performances take place in the Fisher Theatre on the campus at 3400 Pershall Road. For more information, call 314-644-5522.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the thriller Dracula, adapted from the Bram Stoker novel by Balderston and Deane, through November 15. Performances take place in the Guild theatre at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves, MO. For more information: theatreguildwg.org or call 314-962-0876.

The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the drama The Elephant Man Wednesdays through Sundays through November 15. Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

I and You
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the drama I and You through November 15. "Anthony is an effortlessly popular "A" student; Caroline is a prickly cynic, homebound with a serious illness. This unlikely duo sits in Caroline's room, trying to cobble together a report on Walt Whitman overnight. As they work and procrastinate, argue and compromise, the teens begin to uncover each other's hidden depths. Full of surprising humor and emotion, I and You explores bravery in the face of an uncertain future and the unique, mysterious connections that bind us." Performances take place in the studio theater 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!

MADCO (Mid American Dance Company) presents Liquid Roads on Friday and Saturday, November 13 and 14, at 8 p.m. " Returning after a successful debut in 2014, MADCO celebrates the music and dance of its hometown St. Louis in Liquid Roads. Infused with the music that flowed up the Mississippi and into our hearts, the show reaches beyond contemporary dance to pure entertainment as four musicians accompany the dancers onstage with original and familiar songs." The performance takes place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri at St. Louis Campus. For more information: touhill.org.

New Jewish Theater presents A Little Night Music, an evening of songs from Jewish Broadway and more with singer Johanna Elkana-Hale on Saturday, November 14, at 8 p.m. The performance takes place at the Jewish Community Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information: newjewishtehatre.org.

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents the Moliere's comedy The Misanthrope, translated by Richard Wilbur, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, November 13-22. "Moliere's most enduringly modern comedy tells the story of Alceste, a scrupulous young man who despises the flattery and superficiality that prevails among the social elites of Paris. But Alceste is in love with Celimene, who embodies the duplicity that he can't stand in others. This stripped-down production, which imagines Moliere's story. Into the midst of a group of well-connected young people concerned with love, money and reputation, renews Moliere's fundamental questions: can someone of strong moral principles exist in a sophisticated social world?" Performances take place in the Hotchner Studio Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, visit pad.artsci.wustl.edu or call 314-935-6543.

Alton Little Theater presents the comedy A Nice Family Gathering Thursdays through Sundays, through November 15, at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. "A Nice Family Gathering is a story about a man who loved his wife so much, he almost told her. It's Thanksgiving Day and the first family gathering at the Lundeen household since Dad died. At the gathering, Dad comes back as a ghost with a mission; to tell his wife of 35 years that he loved her, something he neglected to tell her while he was alive. The problem is, she can't hear or see him. The trouble begins when Mom invites a date for dinner.... " For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

The Hawthorne Players present the musical Nunsense through November 15. "Nunsense is the story of how the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, and they are in dire need of funds for the burials. The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show, so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for the production of “Grease.” Featuring star turns, tap and ballet dancing, an audience quiz, and comic surprises, this show has become an international phenomenon. " 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.com.

The Emerald Room at The Monocle presents an open mic night every Monday from 8:00pm to 11:00pm" "Musical Theater actor? Cabaret singer? Balladeer? Beleter? Coloratura soprano? Crooner? Student? Teacher? Performer? Fan? Come on down and sing. All are welcome. Ron Bryant is your accompanist. Bring your sheet music"." The monocle is at 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

Rapture, Blister, Burn
Photo: John Lamb

The West End Players Guild continues their 105th season with Gina Gionfriddo's Rapture, Blister, Burn Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, November 13-22. "After grad school, Catherine and Gwen chose polar opposite paths. Catherine became a 'rock star' in the academic world and a go-to cable TV commenter, while Gwen gild a home with her husband and children. Decades later, unfulfilled in polar opposite ways, each woman covets the other's life, commencing a dangerous game of musical chairs." There will also be a show on Thursday, November 19, at 8 PM. Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 North Union at Enright in the Central West End. For more information, call 314-367-0025 or visit www.westendplayers.org.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents Neil Simon comedy Rumors through November 15. "The Deputy Mayor of New York and his wife are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. Guests arrive to find their unconscious host bleeding and his wife missing. Hoping to avoid a scandal, his lawyer concocts a story to hide what is assumed to be the truth. But as the rest of the guests arrive, the story grows awry with everyone complicit in a hilarious cover-up that no one even really understands." Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre of the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. For more information, call 314-821-9956 or visit ktg-onstage.org.

Karen Oberlin

The Presenters Dolan presents Karen Oberlin in Secret Love: A Tribute to Doris Day on Friday and Saturday, November 13 and 14, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Headliner at 54 Below, the Algonquin, Birdland, Feinstein's and Café Carlyle, Karen Oberlin encounters the work of this great American artist." The performances take place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Presenters Dolan present the duo Sleepy Kitty on Thursday, November 12, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Sleepy Kitty draws inspiration from - and sometimes braids together - George Gershwin, 60's girl groups, surf rock, Broadway, Francoise Hardy, Velvet Underground and Nico. Paige Brubeck and Evan Sult composed and performed the strikingly successful music for Upstream Theater's superb production of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (which would have shone at any of the most artistically ambitious companies anywhere.)" The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Karin Allyson
Photo: Reisig and Taylor

Jazz at the Bistro presents vocalist Karrin Allyson singing Something Wonderful: The Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein Wednesday and Thursday, November 11 and 12, at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. "Four-time Grammy nominee Karrin Allyson recently went back to the recording studio for an intimate look at the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein." Jazz at the Bistro is at 3536 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: jazzstl.org.

First Run Theatre presents the 2015 Spectrum One-Act Play Festival Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, through November 15. This year's plays are "Best Friends Forever" by KDHX theatre critic Steve Callahan, "American Dolls" by Rita Winters, "The Patty Duke Question" by Greg Baily, "Kibble" by David Hawley, "The Breeders" by Larry D. Quiggins, "The Hamburger Clown" by David Hawley, "Next" by Gerry Mandel, and "The Problem With Pamela" by Dan McGee. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information, call (314) 352-5114 or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

COCA presents the Theatre Unspeakable production of Superman 2050 Friday and Saturday, November 14 and 15. "Epic story, pocket sized proportions-seven actors share one tine platform (just 3-by-7 feet of space) and upon it an original Superman tale unfolds. Set in a fictional 2050 Metropolis with a remarkable resemblance to Chicago, this production highlight imaginative, resourceful cast member who use only their bodies and voices to create every prop, scene, sound effect and character in a battle between Superman and Lex Luthor." COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

Metro Theatre Company presents a free public performance of Talkin' Trash by Nicholas Kryah on Sunday, November 15, at 2 p.m. "Talkin' Trash tells the story of a young boy obsessed with trash and recycling who moves to a rundown neighborhood next door to an elderly woman who struggles with compulsive hoarding. Their unlikely intergenerational relationship touches on issues of community, responsibility and friendship." The performance takes place at Robinson Elementary School located at 803 Couch Avenue in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: metroplays.org.

Act Two Theatre presents the satirical musical Urinetown, through November 15. "Winner of three TONY Awards, three Outer Critic's Circle Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards, and two Obie Awards, Urinetown is a hilarious musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, municipal politics and musical theatre itself! Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, Urinetown provides a fresh perspective of one of America's greatest art forms. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides he's had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom!" 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.

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: Storm Large kicks out the jams at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival Friday, November 6, 2015

stormlarge.com

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In cabaret's house (to paraphrase John 14:2) are many mansions. As anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing Portland, Oregon, based diva Storm Large and her band can attest, one of those mansions looks a lot like a West Coast rock club.

A one-woman entertainment conglomerate (rock star, author, actor, and songwriter) Ms. Large brought her latest show to the Gaslight Cabaret Festival this weekend, and there's no doubt that she kicked out the jams. Her performance was least as much rock as cabaret (especially in its attitude), but it was solidly theatrical as well.

Mostly, though, it was entertaining, raucously and bawdily funny, and entirely genuine. You can't hide in a cabaret show, even with a four-piece band behind you, so Ms. Large (to her credit) doesn't even try. Slinky sexy, and blessed with a powerful, seamless voice, she immediately grabbed the audience's attention with one of her own songs ("Call Me Crazy") followed by a wildly obsessive cover of "I've Got You Under My Skin" that sounded more like the sort of thing Lou Reed was writing during his "Rock and Roll Animal" period.

Which, as it turned out, pretty much set the tone for the rest of the evening.

If you saw Ms. Large's last Gaslight show "Taken by Storm" back in April of 2014, you probably recognized some of the numbers in this latest outing. She reprised her just-this-side-of-creepy version of Brel's "Ne Me Quitte Pas," for example, as well as her psychotic dominatrix version of the sappy "Hopelessly Devoted to You" in which the song is yanked from the film version of "Grease" and dropped into one of the movie's multiple adaptations of Stephen King's "Carrie." Couldn't happen to a more deserving ditty.

Ms. Large's songwriting talents were also on display once again. Her next to closing song, "Angels in Gas Stations," was a beautiful little slice-of-romantic-life poem ("God is every damn where tonight," runs the refrain), while her "8 Miles Wide" was a cheerfully upbeat and totally outrageous declaration of female empowerment. "My vagina is eight miles wide," goes the refrain to that one. "Absolutely everyone can come inside / If you're ever frightened, just run and hide."

The most remarkable original number in the evening, though, was probably "Charity Lamb," inspired by the story of Portland's first convicted axe murderess. Originally composed in 2008 for a compilation CD honoring Portland's Lone Fir cemetery, the song focuses on Lamb's victimization by her brutal husband and her need to take her own life back, however violently. "I'm damned if I'll suffer / Another long summer / Alone with no lover / And your brutal hands" runs the lyric. It's potent and searing stuff.

All of which means that, once again, Storm Large's show did not fit into any easy niches and was not for the easily offended (devotees of the political right wing, in particular, might not feel very comfortable). But the cabaret tent is a big one (maybe even eight miles wide...), so there's plenty of room for high-energy hijinks by performers like Storm Large and her band.

That said, I have to admit that over ninety minutes, Ms. Large's show was a bit long for the one-act cabaret format. And some of her patter, entertaining as it was, tended to get a bit discursive. A monolog about Ben Carson's gaffes, for example, was funny stuff, but it could have been trimmed easily. Still, only a dedicated Puritan or some other variety of killjoy could have failed to have a good time there.

Accompanying Ms. Large were pianist and music director James Beaton, guitarist Matt Brown, bass guitarist Scott Weddle, and drummer Greg Eklund. They all rocked the house and have all performed with Ms. Large often enough to be very comfortable with both her and with each other.

Storm Large and her band appeared Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, at at the Gaslight Theatre on North Boyle in the Central West End. The Gaslight Cabaret Festival continues through November 21st; visit the web site for details.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of November 9, 2015

The Back Society of St. Louis

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The Bach Society of St. Louis presents a chamber music concert on Sunday, November 15 at 2:30 PM at The Church of Saint Michael and Saint George, 6345 Wydown. “Concertmaster Lenora-Marya Anop is joined by members of the Bach Society Orchestra, including harpsichordist Charles Metz, cellist Ken Kulosa, flutist Catherine Edwards, and pianist Sandra Geary in an informal program of Bach instrumental works. Limited seating in the old-world ambiance of the Great Hall. Meet and chat with the performers over a glass of wine after the performance.” For more information: www.bachsociety.org.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents Pulitzer Concert 02 on Wednesday, November 11, at 7:30 p.m. David Robertson conducts members of the orchestra in music of Steve Reich. The concert takes place at the Pulitzer Foundation on Washington in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

David Robertson conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, with soprano Christine Goerke, on Friday and at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., November 13-15. The program features Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 ("Pastoral"), Webern's Six Pieces for Orchestra, and Richard Strauss's Four Last Songs. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Wind Symphony and pianist Jennifer Lim-Judd perform Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and other wind band compositions on Friday, November 13, at 7:30 PM. The performance takes place at East Central College, 1964 Prairie Dell Road in Union, MO. For more information: stlwindsym.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents a classical open stage night on Monday, November 9, from 7:30 - 9 PM. “Come by yourself or bring your quartet. Sight read through a Beethoven quartet or use this as an opportunity to put the finishing touches on that Hindemith Viola Sonata you have been working on. All ages and skill levels are welcome. We have a 6' grand piano and an accompanist.” The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Chamber Project St. Louis

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents The Chamber Project St. Louis in A Very Open Rehearsal on Tuesday, November 10, at 7:30 PM. "What happens when a piece of music is rehearsed for the very first time? What happens when the piece of music is brand new? Find out when we work with composer Christopher Stark as we rehearse his new piece, written just for us! You get to be a part of the process as the reheasal is open for questions!" The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents Ingrid Popp in an evening of music for unaccompanied viola by Bach, Vieuxtemps, Reger, Lillian Fuchs, and John Corgliano on Saturday, November 14, at 5 p.m. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Washington University Department of Music presents a program of German lieder by Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Weber on Sunday, November 15, at 7 p.m. "Esteli Gomez, a soprano with a 'floating, angelic voice and a powerful presence', Eric Hoeprich, the uncontested master of the classical clarinet, and Seth Carlin on the Graf fortepiano, perform Schubert's bucolic lied as well as other songs and sonatas of Mendelssohn and Weber." The performance takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: music.wustl.edu.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of November 6, 2015

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:

Carmina Burana
dancestlouis.org

Dance St. Louis presents the Nashville Ballet production of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM. The production features 120 singers, 60 musicians, and 40 dancers, including The University of Missouri-St. Louis Orchestra and Singers, The Bach Society of Saint Louis and The St. Louis Children's Choir. The opening act for Carmina Burana a world premiere performed by Saint Louis Ballet and choreographed by Dance St. Louis Artistic and Executive Director Michael Uthoff. Performances take place at the Touhill Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. For more information: dancestlouis.org.

My take: When this production first hit town back in February of 2013, I dubbed it "an impressive piece of dance theatre that succeeds both as Spectacle and as Art." The first (and least sexually explicit) of Orff’s Trionfi trilogy of choral theatre works, Carmina Burana derives its title from an 1847 collection of secular poetry by anonymous authors from the 12th and 13th centuries that turned up in 1803 in the Benedictine monastery in Beuren, Germany. As befits their "vulgar" status, the poems celebrate not the theoretical joys of heaven but rather the practical ones of earth: spring, sex, food, sex, drink, gambling, and sex. They also recognize something that we moderns have lost track of, to our detriment: the heavy influence of blind chance on our lives. The setting of "Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi" ("Fortune, Empress of the World"), which opens and closes the work, reminds us that the wheel of fortune is always turning and that none of us should get too cocky, as the universe has a tendency to dope-slap the excessively smug. While Carmina Burana has been a popular concert item at the St. Louis Symphony in recent years, chances to see a fully staged version are rare, and if 2013 is any indication this is one of the best.

I and You
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the drama I and You through November 15. "Anthony is an effortlessly popular "A" student; Caroline is a prickly cynic, homebound with a serious illness. This unlikely duo sits in Caroline's room, trying to cobble together a report on Walt Whitman overnight. As they work and procrastinate, argue and compromise, the teens begin to uncover each other's hidden depths. Full of surprising humor and emotion, I and You explores bravery in the face of an uncertain future and the unique, mysterious connections that bind us." Performances take place in the studio theater at the Loretto-Hlton Center, 130 Edgar Road in Webster Groves, MO. For more information, call 314-968-4925 or visit repstl.org.

My take: As I write in my review, this play is a kind of dramaturgical magic trick. For most of its 85-minute length it looks like a conventional (but sharply written) buddy story about a pair of teens who find unexpected connections and friendship while working on a school project based on Walt Whitman's visionary poetry collection "Leaves of Grass." And then Ms. Gunderson pulls the rabbit out of the hat and shows us (to quote the Firesign Theatre) that "everything you know is wrong." The fact that she does this in a way that is entirely plausible and consistent with everything that has gone before is a testament to her strength as a dramatist. It's an intelligent script given a flawless presentation.

Dom Thomas

The Kranzberg Center presents Love, a cabaret starring Dom Thomas, on Saturday, November 7, at 6 and 8 p.m. "Come see Saint Louis' own Dom Thomas in his new cabaret show Love. Featuring a full band; Dom will preform classic tunes from the American song book, as well as original music from his upcoming album 'Sweet Dreams'. Discover Dom's Love for life, family and music in his brand new cabaret!" The Kranzberg Center is at 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: kranzbergartscenter.org

My take: I first saw Mr. Thomas shortly after he arrived in St. Louis last year at The Cabaret Project open mic night (which I host) . He impressed me (and everyone else who has seen him) with his smooth, charming song delivery, with its echoes of the great Nat "King" Cole and other classic crooners.

Mamma Mia!
Photo: Joan Marcus

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Mamma Mia!, based on the songs of ABBA, Friday through Sunday, November 6-8. The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit fabulousfox.com or call 314-534-1678.

My take: Let me state, for the record, that I am not now nor have I ever been a fan of the 1970s pop quartet ABBA. When they were cranking out hits like “Dancing Queen”, I was sneering at them and listening to Elvis Costello and The Ramones. I say this not to make you think I'm a Cool Guy (^TM) but rather to reassure you that when I describe Mamma Mia! as a completely captivating evening of musical theatre, it's not because of any latent nostalgia for platform shoes and white spandex. No, it's because producer Judy Craymer, director Phyllida Lloyd and playwright Catherine Johnson (all from Britain, where this show began and where the population have in inexplicable love affair for the Swedish group) have put together a fast-paced, funny, and occasionally even touching show that can send even a die-hard ABBA hater like yours truly out of the theatre with a smile on his face and a handful of those bouncy, hook-laden melodies rattling around in his brain. We first saw this in London a few years after its 1998 opening and found it to be great fun. The American version changes everyone from English to American, which seems unnecessary, but it's still a hoot.

The COCA Theatre Company presents Jason Robert Brown's Songs for a New World, Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7. "This contemporary pop/rock musical introduces the audience to an array of characters ranging from a young man who has determined that basketball is his ticket out of poverty to a woman standing on a ledge 57 stories above Fifth Avenue. What emerges is a world on the brink of change filled with extraordinary people moving it forward." COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

My take: Songs for a New World is an interesting hybrid of song cycle, musical revue, and book musical. There's narrative thread, but it's inferred from the lyrics rather than stated in dialog (of which there is none), which may explain why this remarkably rich show isn't done more often. I haven't seen COCA's production, so I'm recommending this strictly on the strength of the material.

Storm Large

The Presenters Dolan present Storm Large and Her Four-Piece Band on Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "A great singer, killer beauty and funny, fleshy truth teller, Storm has many lives. 1) She is a rock siren. 2) She fronts Pink Martini, a sophisticated pop symphony that tours all over the world. 3) She triumphed ("Sensational," said the NY Times) in a recent Brecht/Weil show at Carnegie Hall with Leonard Slatkin. 4) Best Selling Memoirist. She does it all supremely well. Very lucky to have her in St. Louis for the first time. Not to be missed. Definitely new key. With songs by Elvis Costello, Cole Porter, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Olivia Newton-John and Storm Large." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: When I first saw Storm Large last spring at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival, I said she was a one-woman entertainment conglomerate: rock star, author, actor, songwriter, and creator of the much-praised one-woman show "Crazy Enough" (based on her memoir of the same name). She's a hypnotic, compelling, and energetic performer, and blessed with a powerful, seamless voice. So, yeah, you should definitely see her.

Act Two Theatre presents the satirical musical Urinetown, November 6-15. "Winner of three TONY Awards, three Outer Critic's Circle Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards, and two Obie Awards, Urinetown is a hilarious musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, municipal politics and musical theatre itself! Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, Urinetown provides a fresh perspective of one of America's greatest art forms. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides he's had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom!" 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.

My take: Here's another recommendation based entirely on the show itself, since I haven't seen Act Two's production. Urinetown takes on a serious subject—water and the way we take it for granted—in an entertaining way. As climate change dries up glaciers and creates water shortages in glacier-fed rivers and lakes, this show's message is, if anything, even more relevant now than when I first saw it many years ago.

Held Over:

Angel Street
Photo: Eric Woolsey

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the drama Angel Street through November 8. Mrs. Bella Manningham is going mad. Confined to an old and dark London home, her suave husband and caretaker, Jack, accuses her of playing wicked pranks and tricks that she can't recall, tormenting Bella and making her question her own sanity. Frightened, Bella believes everyone is against her, until one evening when a keen police inspector pays her a visit, shedding light on information that could save her life. Equal parts mystery, psychology and sin, Angel Street is one of Broadway's longest running plays. " 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.

My take: Sometimes a play's film adaptation will completely eclipse the original—just ask Murray Burnett and Joan Alison, whose 1940 drama Everybody Comes to Rick's would achieve fame as Casablanca. In the case of the 1938 thriller Angel Street, the 1944 film adaptation Gaslight (as the play was originally name in Britain) has become so familiar that the Rep adding it to the title. In any case, the original seems to have retained its suspense, despite the fact that pretty much everybody on the planet now knows the plot twists. "This is expertly crafted entertainment that will surely get you in the mood for the Halloween season," writes Chris Gibson at Broadwayworld.com, "and I highly recommend it!" At KDHX, Sarah Richardson says it's "an enjoyable, diverting show with a delightful cast and fantastic design." I agree about the cast, although it seems clear to me that the director has asked both leads to overact, especially in the final scene, with detracted from my enjoyment of what is, overall, a good production.

Symphony Preivew: All roads lead to Mozart

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Nicholas McGegan, who is conducting the St. Louis Symphony in a program of (mostly) Mozart this weekend, is clearly a man who enjoys his work. When I've seen him conduct the orchestra, he practically bounds out to the podium, his face alight with a cherubic smile. His body language shouts: "this is going to be FUN!" And so it always is.

Mozart, party animal

That couldn't be more appropriate for Mozart, a fellow who certainly knew how to enjoy himself. The portrait of Mozart as a potty-mouthed party animal in Peter Shaffer's popular play "Amadeus" may be distorted, but it's a distortion based on reality. Even as a child, some of Mozart's letters home were, as Brockway and Weinstock write in "Men of Music," "so coarse (to our taste but not to that of the eighteenth century) that their editors have scarcely left on unbowdlerized. Mozart is often in high, and very often in ribald, spirits."

Those high spirits are clearly in evidence from the very beginning of the "Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat major," K. 271, that closes the first half of this weekend's concerts. "This is an astonishing and delightful opening," writes Charles Rosen of the Allegro first movement in "The Classical Style, "surprising not only for its use of the soloist at the very outset, but also for the wit with which he enters, as he replies to the orchestral fanfare." The second movement is dramatic and even tragic, but the Rondeau: Presto finale, with an unexpectedly graceful minuet in the middle, once again shows Mozart in jolly form.

The soloist for the concerto is Music Director David Robertson's wife, Orli Shaham. A frequent guest at Powell, Ms. Shaham is a versatile pianist, as comfortable with contemporary music as she is with the established classics. She also has a theatrical keyboard style that's fun to watch, which should mesh nicely with Mr. McGegan's exuberance.

The other Mozart music on the program is a bit more solemn: three entr'actes written in 1774 for the five-act drama "Thamos, King of Egypt" by Tobias Philipp, baron von Gebler. The play is filled with skullduggery and backstabbing in ancient Egypt, so Mozart's incidental music is appropriately dramatic. "Gebler’s play," writes John Henken in program notes for the Los Angeles Philharmonic, "is a Masonic allegory, and though not yet a Mason himself, Mozart gave it much of the expressive symbolism he later lavished on The Magic Flute. This is particularly apparent in the first Interlude, with its richly rhetorical chords, slippery chromaticism, muscular tension, and its contrast of light and dark." Whether or not Mozart ever saw a production of the play with his music is unknown.

Haydn in 1792
Artist: Joseph Hardy

Also on the bill this weekend is the "Symphony No. 98 in B-flat major," written in 1792 by Mozart's older contemporary (and admirer) Joseph Haydn. It was part of a dozen symphonies (the last ones he wrote, in fact) composed for a pair of trips to London in the last decade of the eighteenth century that were highly successful, both in terms of critical reception and income. It's notable for, among other things, a second movement that might contain a passing reference to the British national anthem. "The slow movement," writes Philip Huscher in program notes for the Chicago Symphony, "opens with a veiled reference to the first two phrases of 'God save the King,' which Haydn had heard played by a wind band 'in the street during a wild snowstorm' while he was putting the finishing touches on the symphony. Donald Tovey, the British critic and writer, thought that the slow movement, which toys with quoting from Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony, was Haydn’s way of paying homage to his friend. Whatever Haydn’s intent, this music is like a great hymn."

The symphony is also notable for its final movement. "At the very end," writes Mr. Huscher, "Haydn uncharacteristically takes the spotlight. Since it was still Haydn’s habit in 1792 to conduct his symphonies from the keyboard, where he would normally provide the unobtrusive harmonies of the continuo part, he wrote a few measures of rippling arpeggios for himself to play. Like all of Haydn’s inside jokes, it’s over in a flash. Apparently the London audience loved it, for, as Haydn’s journal boasted, in a newly learned English that would have impressed Mozart, 'the new Symphony in B-flat was given, and the first and last Allegros encort.'" Playing the role of Haydn this weekend will be Ms. Shaham. Somehow, I don't think she quite looks the part of a 60-year-old Austrian, but I expect her performance will make you forget that.

Gluck in 1775
Artist: Joseph Duplessis

The concerts open with thirteen dances from Christoph Willibald Gluck's 1761 ballet "Don Juan," as arranged by Mr. McGegan. As Paul Schiavo points out in his program notes, Gluck's ballet is based on Molière's play "Le Festin de pierre" ("The Stone Guest"), many elements of which would find their way into Lorenzo DaPonte's libretto for Mozart's "Don Giovanni" over two decades later. "The most arresting music," notes Mr. Schiavo, "comes at the end of the ballet, when the preternatural statue confronts Don Juan and effects his doom. Here furious scale figures, piercing harmonies and menacing tones of the wind instruments make for strong musical drama."

Compared to what Gluck's contemporaries were writing back then, those final movements are highly arresting and melodramatic. Audiences seem to have found it to be rather strong stuff, though. "Gluck’s audience," wrote David Hurwitz in a 2009 article for "Listen" magazine, "was fascinated by the work, as much for the dancing and decor as for the music itself. It exercised a certain horrid fascination — some listeners actually found the piece ugly, but still couldn’t resist it." He goes on to observe that "Gluck’s music inspired a whole new generation of composers. Mozart’s own 'hell scene' in Don Giovanni reveals the clear influence of Gluck’s earlier effort, and not just because it’s in the same key. It is the music’s expressive intensity that links the two composers."

This weekend, it seems, all roads lead to Mozart.

The Essentials: Nicholas McGegan conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, with piano soloist Orli Shaham, on Friday at 10:30 a.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m., November 6 and 7. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

"Oh, misery me": the problems of "Yeomen of the Guard" remain unsolved at Winter Opera

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L-R: Eileen Vanessa Rodriguez and Andy Papas

Gilbert and Sullivan operettas follow a fairly predictable format—so much so that Anna Russell once made it the basis for a sixteen-minute comedy routine on "How to Write Your Own Gilbert and Sullivan Opera." The one oddball in the G&S canon is "Yeomen of the Guard," a somewhat indifferent production of which opened Winter Opera's current season the weekend of October 30th.

"Yeomen" comes at a time in Gilbert and Sullivan's partnership when Sir Arthur Sullivan was beginning to see himself as a victim of his own success. Like his literary contemporary Arthur Conan Doyle, Sullivan felt that his popular works were overshadowing his more serious efforts. As Doyle would come to resent Sherlock Holmes, Sullivan was beginning to resent his comic collaborations with Gilbert. So when Gilbert proposed a more serious libretto, Sullivan jumped at the chance.

First performed in 1888, "Yeomen" wasn't a total departure from the familiar formula. There are disguises, complex plot reversals, and a fair amount of comedy. But the satirical jabs at British institutions are absent and the ending is, if not really tragic, at least unhappy. The result is an uneven mix of Gilbertian absurdity and unconvincing drama that never really works as either comedy or tragedy. Its appeal has always escaped me.

Set in the Tower of London in the 16th century, the story of "Yeomen" revolves around Colonel Fairfax, who is about to executed for sorcery on the basis of false testimony from an evil cousin who plans to inherit Fairfax's fortune if Fairfax dies unmarried. Fairfax offers 100 crowns to any woman who will marry him, sight unseen, and so cheat his cousin of his ill-gotten gains. Elsie Maynard, a young singer more or less betrothed to the jester Jack Point, takes him up on the offer in order to buy medicine for her ailing mother.

Unknown to Fairfax, his old friend Sergeant Meryll and daughter Phoebe have hatched a plot to save his life by disguising him as Meryll's son Leonard, newly arrived to take a position as one of the Tower guards (the "Yeomen" of the title). Once sprung from prison, Fairfax woos Phoebe and then, still disguised as Leonard, seduces Elsie while pretending to be helping Jack Point woo her.

By the end of the opera both Phoebe and her father are trapped in dreary marriages to (respectively) the loutish jailer Wilfred Shadbolt and the bloodthirsty Tower housekeeper Dame Carruthers as the price for keeping their plot secret. Fairfax claims Elsie and poor Jack Point falls senseless to the stage.

In short, no good deed goes unpunished and Fairfax, an ingrate if ever there was one, goes on his merry way.

The inadequacies of the libretto aside, Sullivan produced some wonderful music for "Yeomen," including an artfully constructed overture which was, alas, cut in half for this production. Most of the other optional cuts were apparently made as well, bringing the show in at under two and one-half hours, including intermission. Unfortunately, the slow pacing and static staging by director John Stephens made it feel longer.

As is often the case with Winter Opera, there were some truly fine voices in this cast, with mezzo Amy Maude Helfer leading the pack as a completely engaging Phoebe. She displayed a fluid, smooth voice and impressive acting skills. Soprano Eileen Vanessa Rodriguez was an excellent Elsie and bass James Harrington brought a welcome touch of dry humor to the role of Sergeant Meryll.

As Jack Point, baritone Andy Papas had the kind of rich, powerful voice that one doesn't often hear in the "principal actor" roles in Gilbert and Sullivan. He did well by Point's patter numbers, although he made the character a bit more querulous than I would have liked.

There were vocally strong performances as well from tenor Clark Sturdevant as Fairfax, contralto Sharmay Musacchio as a rather young-looking Dame Carruthers, and bass-baritone Adrian Rosas as the one historically based character, Tower Lieutenant Sir Richard Cholmondeley. Baritone Gary Moss sang well as Shadbolt and had some nice comic business, but insisted on delivering all his lines facing downstage, even when interacting with other characters, which simply looked bizarre.

The chorus was small but mighty; credit Chorus Master Nancy Mayo for that.

Scott Schoonover did his usual polished job conducting the orchestra, which generally did quite well by Sullivan's music, that annoying cut in the overture not withstanding. The fact that the Viragh Center has an actual orchestra pit also eliminated some of the balance problems you sometimes encounter in performance spaces that weren’t designed with musical theatre in mind.

Scott Loebl's set gave a nice sense of the Tower's imposing presence while still leaving lots of playing space available and JC Krajicek's costumes evoked the period quite effectively.

If "Yeomen of the Guard" was not, on the whole, one of Winter Opera's better efforts, the bulk of the blame must fall to Mr. Gilbert for producing a libretto that was neither fish nor fowl. "Yeomen of the Guard" is a problematic work, and this production didn't solve it.

Winter Opera's season continues with Mozart's "Cosi fan Tutte" January 22 and 24 and concludes with Verdi's "Il Trovatore" March 4 and 6. There's also a festive "Holidays on the Hill" concert December 8 and 9 and Dominic's on the Hill. For more information: winteroperastl.org.

"I and You" at the Rep Studio shows our surprising connections with each other

Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

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Lauren Gunderson's comedy/drama "I and You" at the Rep Studio is a kind of dramaturgical magic trick. For most of its 85-minute length it looks like a conventional (but sharply written) buddy story about a pair of teens who find unexpected connections and friendship while working on a school project based on Walt Whitman's visionary poetry collection "Leaves of Grass."

And then Ms. Gunderson pulls the rabbit out of the hat and shows us (to quote the Firesign Theatre) that "everything you know is wrong." The fact that she does this in a way that is entirely plausible and consistent with everything that has gone before is a testament to her strength as a dramatist. Like "The Usual Suspects" or "The Sixth Sense," this is a drama in which The Old Switcheroo is simultaneously startling and inevitable.

Homebound as a result of a life-long liver ailment, high school senior Caroline is moody, cynical, and as spiky as a porcupine. She's waiting for a liver transplant but doesn't know whether it will come in time and whether or not it will work if it does. When classmate Anthony—an honor student, athlete, and (as Caroline wryly observes) the "perfect son"—burst into her room with the news that they're now partners on the Whitman project, Caroline's first reaction is high-energy resentment coupled with a determination not to like him.

Photo: Jerry Naunhiem, Jr.

As the play progresses, Anthony's unfailing optimism, compassion, and insight wear down Caroline's defenses. As they explore Whitman's core message about the interconnectedness of all life, they find their own connections and learn that their differences might not be so great after all. There's even, towards the end, the suggestion of a budding romance.

And that's where I have to stop talking about the plot. Suffice it to say that the ending is as touching and human as it is surprising. It also explains why the program includes a fascinating essay by Madison Finley on Gunderson's use of science in her plays. How is a play about two teens bonding over Walt Whitman about science? Sorry, I can't tell you without spoiling that ending.

I can tell you that "I and You" is not only thought provoking but also expertly acted. Although she's several years older than her character, Danielle Carlacci could not be more credible as Caroline. She's a petite ball of energy, raging against the darkness that has tried to consume her since childhood. I suspect that Caroline's defensiveness could become annoying in less skilled hands, but Ms. Carlacci never falls into that trap, which makes her final moments on stage that much more touching.

Reynaldo Pinella does full justice to Anthony's blitzkrieg charm as well as to the darker side that emerges in (for example) his story of a tragedy at school. He shows us Anthony's kindness as well as his exuberance. Like Ms. Carlacci, he delivers a well-rounded and utterly real performance.

As she did with her Studio production of "4000 Miles" back in 2013, director Jane Page demonstrates a keen eye for movement that clarifies and enhances character as well as a fine sense of pacing and timing. Eric Barker's set design perfectly captures Caroline's chaotic and creative room. John Wylie's lights, Rusty Wandall's sound, and Marci Franklin's costumes all help sustain the illusion.

Will "I and You" continue to have a life long after familiarity has taken the edge from its surprise ending? I suspect it might. To pick a sharply contrasting example, everybody knows how "Angel Street" (the Rep's current mainstage show) ends, but that hasn't diminished its impact or its popularity. A script like this one that plays fair with the audience and offers so many intelligent insights stands a good chance of being something other than a one-trick pony.

And besides, we all love a good magic show, even when we know how the tricks are going to end.

The Rep’s dedication to new works in its Studio series is a fine thing and, at least since I’ve started attending them regularly, the hits have far outnumbered the misses. "I and You" is unmistakably a hit, and I strongly encourage you to see it. Performances continue through November 15 in the Studio Theatre at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus. For more information: repstl.org.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of November 2, 2015

Nasville Ballet's Carmina Burana

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Dance St. Louis presents the Nashville Ballet production of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM. The production features 120 singers, 60 musicians, and 40 dancers, including The University of Missouri-St. Louis Orchestra and Singers, The Bach Society of Saint Louis and The St. Louis Children's Choir. The opening act for Carmina Burana a world premiere performed by Saint Louis Ballet and choreographed by Dance St. Louis Artistic and Executive Director Michael Uthoff. Performances take place at the Touhill Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. For more information: dancestlouis.org.

The Ethical Society presents a Great Artist Guitar Series concert with Duo Miric on Saturday, November 7, at 8 p.m. Identical twin sisters Tanja Miric and Darka (Kooienga) Miric, natives of Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina-were presented at the GFA convention in Louisville, KY. in 2013. Their awards include winners of theB.G. Walden Memorial Scholarship at Mississippi College, and First Place awards at the MMTA, MFMC, and University of Texas Ensemble Festival competitions." The performance takes at the Ethical Society of St. Louis, 9001 Clayton Road. For more information: ethicalstl.org.

Charlemagne Palestine

The New Music Circle presents Charlemagne Palestine on Saturday, November 7, at 8 p.m. "Charlemagne Palestine may not be a considered a household name in all circles, but his moniker is one you would be unlikely to forget. Now at the age of 70, Palestine has made a name for himself as a musician unlike any other, his signature style being comprised of long evolving drones and sustained notes, often involving installations of stuffed animals that envelope the performance space." The performance takes place at The Pulitzer Arts Foundation, 3716 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: newmusiccircle.org.

The New Music Circle presents a pipe organ concert by Charlemagne Palestine on Sunday, November 8, at 7 p.m. "Charlemagne Palestine will be joined by a live processed video feed led by Chad Eivins and Kevin Harris, two of St. Louis' most regarded moving image artists." The performance takes place at Trinity Lutheran Church, 812 Soulard Street in Soulard. For more information: newmusiccircle.org.

The St. Louis Chamber Chorus presents Concert Two: In Every Corner Sing on Sunday, November 8, at 3 p.m. "Music scored for multiple choirs is heard to grand effect in this spacious acoustic. Offerings by Monteverdi and Vaughan Williams, and a commission from contemporary British master Gabriel Jackson, complement more elaborate settings by Thea Musgrave (Make We Merry), Knut Nystedt (Immortal Bach, for 5 choirs) and Thomas Tallis (Spem in Alium, in forty parts)." The concert takes place at St. Louis Abbey6, 500 S. Mason Road in Creve Coeur. For more information: www.chamberchorus.org.

Orli Shaham
Photo: Christian Steiner

Nicholas McGegan conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, with piano soloist Orli Shaham, on Friday at 10:30 a.m. and Saturday at 8 p.m., November 6 and 7. "With 'playing marked by delicacy, agility and a sense of fun' (St. Louis Post-Dispatch), pianist Orli Shaham shines in Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 9, a work full of profound emotion written by the composer at the age of 21. Nicholas McGegan brings these concerts to a stunning conclusion with Haydn's Symphony No. 98, the first piece completed by Haydn after learning of Mozart's death." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Wind Symphony and pianist Jennifer Lim-Judd perform Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and other wind band compositions on Sunday, November 8, at 3:00 PM. The performance takes place at Kirkwood High School Keating Theater, 801 West Essex in Kirkwood. For more information: stlwindsym.org.

Webster University presents pianist Carol Schmidt and Friends in Humor and Music on Sunday, November 8, at 4:00 p.m. A member of the Webster Jazz Faculty, Carol Schmidt creates a program of funny business - music intended to make us laugh and perhaps bring on a happy mood! Expect quiet chuckles and outright guffaws as Webster University’s Department of Music faculty and friends reach the lighter side of their performance personalities. The program includes music by Gershwin, Satie, and Thelonius Monk performed by vocalists Debby Lennon, Martha Hunt, and Jeffrey Carter, along with pianists Kim Portnoy, Daniel Schene, and Carol Schmidt and bassist Ric Vice. The performance takes place in the Winifred Moore Auditorium 470 E. Lockwood on the Webster University campus. For more information: webster.edu.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 2, 2015

[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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Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble presents The 39 Steps, based on the classic Hitchcock thriller, November 4 - 14. Performances take place at The Chapel Venue, 6238 Alexander Drive. For more information: slightlyoff.org.

Angel Street
Photo: Eric Woolsey

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the drama Angel Street through November 8. Mrs. Bella Manningham is going mad. Confined to an old and dark London home, her suave husband and caretaker, Jack, accuses her of playing wicked pranks and tricks that she can't recall, tormenting Bella and making her question her own sanity. Frightened, Bella believes everyone is against her, until one evening when a keen police inspector pays her a visit, shedding light on information that could save her life. Equal parts mystery, psychology and sin, Angel Street is one of Broadway's longest running plays. " 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. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents A Christmas Sleigh-Ing November 6 through December 30th. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents Dead! Like Me through November 14. The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley presents Decision Height November 6-14. "Virginia Hascall has left her home and fiancée to become a Women Airforce Service Pilot, and do her part of help defeat the Axis powers in the Second World War. Through Triumph and tragedy, she and her sisters in plight suits learn as much about themselves as they do about airplanes." Performances take place in the Fisher Theatre on the campus at 3400 Pershall Road. For more information, call 314-644-5522.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the thriller Dracula, adapted from the Bram Stoker novel by Balderston and Deane, November 6-15. Performances take place in the Guild theatre at Newport and Summit in Webster Groves, MO. For more information: theatreguildwg.org or call 314-962-0876.

The Looking Glass Playhouse presents the drama The Elephant Man Wednesdays through Sundays November 5-15. Performances take place at 301 West St. Louis Street in Lebanon, Ill. For more information, visit www.lookingglassplayhouse.com.

I and You
Photo: Jerry Naunheim, Jr.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the drama I and You through November 15. "Anthony is an effortlessly popular "A" student; Caroline is a prickly cynic, homebound with a serious illness. This unlikely duo sits in Caroline's room, trying to cobble together a report on Walt Whitman overnight. As they work and procrastinate, argue and compromise, the teens begin to uncover each other's hidden depths. Full of surprising humor and emotion, I and You explores bravery in the face of an uncertain future and the unique, mysterious connections that bind us." Performances take place in the studio theater 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!

The Kranzberg Center presents Love, a cabaret starring Dom Thomas, on Saturday, November 7, at 6 and 8 p.m. " ome see Saint Louis' own Dom Thomas in his new cabaret show Love. Featuring a full band; Dom will preform classic tunes from the American song book, as well as original music from his upcoming album 'Sweet Dreams'. Discover Dom's Love for life, family and music in his brand new cabaret!" The Kranzberg Center is at 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: kranzbergartscenter.org

The Fox Theatre presents the musical Mamma Mia!, based on the songs of ABBA, Friday through Sunday, November 6-8. The Fox Theatre is at 517 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, visit fabulousfox.com or call 314-534-1678.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents A Mourning Hollow Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m., through November 8. "A Mourning Hollow is a romantic comedy set in the town of Plains Hollow, Missouri on Halloween night. It is a collection of vignettes exploring the process of grief in a small town." Performances take place at the Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar. For more information: tesseracttheatre.org.

Alton Little Theater presents the comedy A Nice Family Gathering Thursdays through Sundays, November 5 - 15, at 2450 North Henry in Alton, IL. "A Nice Family Gathering is a story about a man who loved his wife so much, he almost told her. It's Thanksgiving Day and the first family gathering at the Lundeen household since Dad died. At the gathering, Dad comes back as a ghost with a mission; to tell his wife of 35 years that he loved her, something he neglected to tell her while he was alive. The problem is, she can't hear or see him. The trouble begins when Mom invites a date for dinner.... " For more information, call 618.462.6562 or visit altonlittletheater.org.

The Hawthorne Players present the musical Nunsense November 6-15. "Nunsense is the story of how the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, and they are in dire need of funds for the burials. The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show, so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for the production of “Grease.” Featuring star turns, tap and ballet dancing, an audience quiz, and comic surprises, this show has become an international phenomenon. " 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.com.

The Emerald Room at The Monocle presents an open mic night every Monday from 8:00pm to 11:00pm" "Musical Theater actor? Cabaret singer? Balladeer? Beleter? Coloratura soprano? Crooner? Student? Teacher? Performer? Fan? Come on down and sing. All are welcome. Ron Bryant is your accompanist. Bring your sheet music"." The monocle is at 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents Neil Simon comedy Rumors November 6-15. "The Deputy Mayor of New York and his wife are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. Guests arrive to find their unconscious host bleeding and his wife missing. Hoping to avoid a scandal, his lawyer concocts a story to hide what is assumed to be the truth. But as the rest of the guests arrive, the story grows awry with everyone complicit in a hilarious cover-up that no one even really understands." Performances take place in the Robert G. Reim Theatre of the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer Road. For more information, call 314-821-9956 or visit ktg-onstage.org.

Sleepy Kitty

The Presenters Dolan present the duo Sleepy Kitty on Thursday, November 5, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Sleepy Kitty draws inspiration from - and sometimes braids together - George Gershwin, 60's girl groups, surf rock, Broadway, Francoise Hardy, Velvet Underground and Nico. Paige Brubeck and Evan Sult composed and performed the strikingly successful music for Upstream Theater's superb production of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (which would have shone at any of the most artistically ambitious companies anywhere.)" The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The COCA Theatre Company presents Jason Robert Brown's Songs for a New World, Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7. "This contemporary pop/rock musical introduces the audience to an array of characters ranging from a young man who has determined that basketball is his ticket out of poverty to a woman standing on a ledge 57 stories above Fifth Avenue. What emerges is a world on the brink of change filled with extraordinary people moving it forward." COCA is at 524 Trinity in University City. For more information, call (314) 725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.

First Run Theatre presents the 2015 Spectrum One-Act Play Festival Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, November 6-15. This year's plays are "Best Friends Forever" by KDHX theatre critic Steve Callahan, "American Dolls" by Rita Winters, "The Patty Duke Question" by Greg Baily, "Kibble" by David Hawley, "The Breeders" by Larry D. Quiggins, "The Hamburger Clown" by David Hawley, "Next" by Gerry Mandel, and "The Problem With Pamela" by Dan McGee. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind. For more information, call (314) 352-5114 or visit www.firstruntheatre.com.

Storm Large

The Presenters Dolan present Storm Large and Her Four-Piece Band on Friday and Saturday, November 6 and 7, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "A great singer, killer beauty and funny, fleshy truth teller, Storm has many lives. 1) She is a rock siren. 2) She fronts Pink Martini, a sophisticated pop symphony that tours all over the world. 3) She triumphed ("Sensational," said the NY Times) in a recent Brecht/Weil show at Carnegie Hall with Leonard Slatkin. 4) Best Selling Memoirist. She does it all supremely well. Very lucky to have her in St. Louis for the first time. Not to be missed. Definitely new key. With songs by Elvis Costello, Cole Porter, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Olivia Newton-John and Storm Large." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Act Two Theatre presents the satirical musical Urinetown, November 6-15. "Winner of three TONY Awards, three Outer Critic's Circle Awards, two Lucille Lortel Awards, and two Obie Awards, Urinetown is a hilarious musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, populism, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, municipal politics and musical theatre itself! Hilariously funny and touchingly honest, Urinetown provides a fresh perspective of one of America's greatest art forms. In a Gotham-like city, a terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. Amid the people, a hero decides he's had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom!" 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.

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.