St. Louis classical calendar for the week of October 19, 2015

Confluence Chamber Orchestra

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The St. Louis Art Museum presents a concert by the Confluence Chamber Orchestra on Sunday, October 25, at 2 p.m. "The Confluence Chamber Orchestra of St. Louis, MO, is a professionally directed amateur string orchestra combining adults and student musicians. All of the orchestra's activities are dedicated to promoting the lifetime enjoyment of playing music and performing it for others." The concert takes place in the Grigg Gallery in the Art Museum in Forest Park. For more information: confluencechamberorchestra.org.

John Storgårds
resmusica.com

John Storgårds conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with piano soloist Lars Vogt, soprano Kate Reimann, and bass-baritone Jeffrey Heyl on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., October 23 and 24. "Pianist Lars Vogt returns to Powell Hall with Schumann's robust Piano Concerto, a work portraying a touching and passionate conversation between piano and orchestra ending in a sprightly waltz. Nielsen's "Sinfonia espansiva" portrays the expansive growth artists experience through the creative process. Including unique vocal performance of wordless solo voices, the piece is sure to leave you breathless." The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents Pulitzer Concert 01 on Wednesday, October 21, at 7:30 p.m. The concert features pianist Peter Hendoerson, along with SLSO members Helen Kim and Ann Fink on violins, Chris Tantillo on viola, and Bjorn Ranheim on cello in music of Berio. Samuel Adams, and Thomas Adès. The concert takes place at the Pulitzer Foundation on Washington in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra presents Hoot and Howl at Powell on Sunday, October 25, at 3 p.m. "Celebrate Halloween with a spooktacular concert along with help from special guest, Luna the Bat. Luna will take you on a musical tour of all the wickedly wonderful animals that relish the night. Featuring Night on Bald Mountain from Fantasia and John Williams' Hedwig's Theme from the popular Harry Potter films." The concert takes place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The Sheldon Concert Hall presents the contemporary chamber ensemble Alarm Will Sound on Tuesday, October 20, at 8 PM. "The ensemble performs the newest music being composed today with energetic virtuosity and a sense of adventure, creating programs that not only span a wide range of styles, but also transform the traditional concert experience itself." The Sheldon is at 3648 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: thesheldon.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents Tom Lehrer and Anna Russell Should Have Dated: An Concert of Comedic Melodie on Friday, October 23, at 8 p.m. "A recital of favorites from Tom Lehrer and Anna Russell, including 'Poisoning Pigeons in the Park', an analysis of Wagner's Ring Cycle, 'The Vatican Rag' and more!" Featured performers are Sara Kendall Gottman, Rebecca Hatlelid, Paul Hahn, Caetlyn Van Buren and Nancy Mayo. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Mark Akin

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents a classical guitar concert by Mark Akin on Saturday, October 24, at 8 p.m. "Award winning guitarist W. Mark Akin returns to the Tavern of Fine Arts to present a concert of classical guitar favorites: standards of the repertoire, including works by Villa-Lobos, Tarrega, Albeniz, and including the world famous Concierto de Aranjuez featuring Addie Akin on piano." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Town and Country Symphony Orchestra presents a special Halloween Concert on Sunday, October 25, at 2:30 PM. "Come join in the fun at our Halloween themed concert. Orchestra members will be in costume and we encourage kids to dress up too." The performance takes place in Ridgway Auditorium at The Principia, 13201 Clayton Road. For more information: tcsomo.org.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 19, 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 Presenters Dolan present Jeffrey M. Wright in The 40's: Theirs...And Mine on Saturday, October 24, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Songs from the 40's through today from a singer in his 40's. Songs made famous by artists as diverse as Comden/Green, Cole Porter, Garth Brooks, Jimmy Webb, U2, and Rodgers and Hammerstein - all with the magic touch of Rick Jensen's amazing arrangements. Back in town from his gig at 54 Below in NYC with Alex Rybeck, Jeff also guested at the Metropolitan Room." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Over Due Theatre presents the musical The Addams Family, based on the cartoon characters of Charles Addams, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM, October 23 - November 1. Performances take place at the Olivette Community Center, 9723 Grandview Drive, in Olivette, MO. For more information, call 314-210-2959 or visit overduetheatrecompany.com

Gaslight
Photo:  Lon Brauer

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 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.

Dogfight
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the musical Dogfight Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through October 24. "A contemporary musical with timeless themes of love and compassion woven into 1960's America as our boys stand at the brink of service in Vietnam." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Presenters Dolan present Dean Christopher in Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime, A Tribute to Dean Martin on Thursday, October 22, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Dean Christopher has opened for Frank Sinatra, Jr. and several times for Don Rickles. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to pay tribute to one of his show business idols, Dean Martin. Dean just regrets that he is not and never could be as cool." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Get "Hitched" To A Redneck Or Die through October 31. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

Heathers
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the regional premiere of the musical Heathers, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, through October 24. "New Line opens its 25th season with the regional premiere of the pitch-black musical comedy HEATHERS, written by the award-winning team of Kevin Murphy (Reefer Madness) and Laurence O'Keefe (Bat Boy, Legally Blonde). This hilarious, big--hearted, and homicidal new musical is based on the 1989 cult film, truly one of the darkest teen comedies of all time. The original screenwriter Daniel Waters called it, 'a Carson McCullers-style novel of a girl who meets the Antichrist as a teenager.'" 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. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

De Kus

Upstream Theater presents De Kus (The Kiss) by Dutch author Ger Thijs, translated by Paul Evans through October 25. "When a lonely stand-up comic and an anxious housewife meet on a country path, they embark on a journey toward an unknown and surprising fate...where one kiss could change the entire world." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The Emerald Room at The Monocle presents Patrick Livingstone in Magique Uniqe on Friday and Saturday, October 23 and 24, at 7:30 p.m. "Dive into this spellbinding and fascinating magical journey as Vaudeville magician Patrick Livingstone takes the stage of The Emerald Room at The Monocle. This performance will have you mesmerized as you take a fantastic adventure accompanied by live musical performances and the witty banter our cabaret cast! This up close and personal presentation will stimulate and impress the senses in this oh, so unique performance!" The monocle is at 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: buzzonstage.com.

Ken Haller

The Presenters Dolan present Ken Haller in an encore performance of Mama's Boy on Friday, October 23, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Ken got love of music from his Irish-Catholic mom who would sing standards while keeping house and raising five kids. You won't want to miss this heartwarming, hilarious, moving show from one of St. Louis's foremost cabaret artists!" The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

Catalyst Communications Theatre presents the Variety Children's Theatre production of the musical Mary Poppins Friday through Sunday, October 23-25. Performances take place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the UMSL campus. For more information: www.varietychildrenstheatre.org.

The Fox Theatre presents Matilda the Musical, based on the novel by Roald Dahl, October 21 - November 1. "Winner of 50 international awards including 4 Tony Awards  and seven Olivier Awards including Best Musical, MATILDA THE MUSICAL is the story of an extraordinary girl who dreams of a better life. Armed with a vivid imagination and a sharp mind, Matilda dares to take a stand and change her destiny." The Fox Theatre is at 527 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

Meghan Kirk

The Emerald Room at The Monocle presents Meghan Kirk and Friends on Thursday, October 22, at 7:30 p.m. Guest performers for this cabaret evening include Tim Schall, Colleeen Sheeley, Jeff Wright, and Angela Moore. Carol Schmidt is pianist and music director. The monocle is at 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: buzzonstage.com.

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville presents The Miss Firecracker Contest Wednesday through Sunday, October 21-25. "It's a comic volcano of a play, populated by offbeat, but vital, larger-than-life characters......" The Hollywood Reporter The place is the small Mississippi town of Brookhaven, the time a few days before the 4th of July. Carnelle Scott (known as "Miss Hot Tamale" ) is rehearsing furiously for the Miss Firecracker Contest - hoping that a victory will salvage her tarnished reputation and allow her to leave town in a blaze of glory. but the unexpected arrival of her cousin Elain, a former Miss Firecracker winner, who has walked out on her rich but boring husband and her two small children, complicates matters a bit, as does the repeated threat of Elain's eccentric brother, Delmount, to sell the family homestead and decamp for New Orleans. Somehow, Carnelle perseveres!" Performances take place in the Dunham Hall theater on the campus in Edwardsville, IL. For more information, call 618-650-2774 or visit siue.edu.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents A Night of One Acts Friday and Saturday, October 23 and 24, at 8 p.m. 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 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.

The Piano Lesson
Photo: John Lamb

Clayton Community Theatre presents August Wilson's The Piano Lesson through October 25. Set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the aftermath of the Great Depression, this Pulitzer Prize-winning 1990 play by American playwright August Wilson follows the lives of the Charles family and an heirloom, the family piano. The play focuses on the tension between family members who treasure the piano as a link to the family history, and those who want to sell the piano to improve the family's economic status. What The Piano Lesson finally seems to ask is: "What do you do with your legacy, and how do you best put it to use?" Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

Fontbonne University's Theatre Department presents April De Angelies' Playhouse Creatures October 22 through November 1. "The year is 1669 - a bawdy and troublesome time. Theaters have just reopened after seventeen years of Puritan suppression. There is a surge in dramatic writing and the first English actresses appear on stage. Playhouse Creatures focuses on five of the most famous (Nell Gwyn, Elizabeth Farley, Rebecca Marshall, Doll Common and Mary Betterton) to provide a moving and often comic account of the precarious lives of Restoration actresses." Performances take place at Fontbonne University's Black Box Theatre located in the Southwest building on the campus at Big Bend and Wydown. For more information: www.mustardseedtheatre.com or call (314) 719-8060.

St. Louis University Theatre presents Scotland Road by Jeffrey Hatcher October 23-25. "A young woman rescued from an iceberg in the North Atlantic, speaking only the word 'Titanic' is questioned by a man who tries to expose her as a fake. His only clue to her true identity...her references to an unknown place called 'Scotland Road.'" Performances take place in the Studio Theatre at Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call (314) 977-2998 or visit www.slu.edu/saint-louis-university-theatre.

 Take Two Productions presents the rock musical Spring Awakening October 23-31. "It's Germany, 1891. A world where the grown-ups hold all the cards. Join a group of students as they navigate teenage self-discovery and coming of age anxiety in a powerful celebration of youth and rebellion. Spring Awakening explores the journey from adolescence to adulthood with poignancy and passion that is illuminating and unforgettable. The landmark musical is an electrifying fusion of morality, sexuality and rock and roll that is exhilarating audiences across the nation like no other musical in years." The show is recommended for mature audiences. Performances take place at Southampton Presbyterian Church, 4716 Macklind in South City. For more information, visit taketwoproductions.org.

The Sunshine Boys
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theatre presents Neil Simon's comedy The Sunshine Boys through November 1. "Al Lewis and Willie Clark, as 'Lewis and Clark' were top-billed vaudevillians for over forty years. But they haven't spoken in over a decade. Now CBS is inviting the team to reunite for a 'History of Comedy' retrospective. A grudging reunion brings them back together, along with a flood of memories, miseries and laughs. Classic Neil Simon, a lot of it is epically funny and all of it is cheerful." Performances take place at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the JCCA, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, call 314-442-3283 or visit www.newjewishtheatre.org. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

The St. Louis Writers Group presents the world premiere of Starfest the Musical, with book and lyrics by Mario Farwell and music by Stratos Diamantis, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 p.m., October 23-25. "The Story opens with our dashing hero, Starfest battling the maniacal villain Zerker, who is bent on world domination! Along the way two earthlings are caught up in the melee and taken across the universe for the adventure of their lives! This musical adventure is a parody of classic Science Fiction shows like Flash Gordan and Buck Rodgers and promises to be an action packed crowd-pleaser!" Performances take place at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive in Clayton. For more information: brownpapertickets.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents vocalist Dom Thomas and pianist Michael Harvey in Sweet Dreams, the Official Album Listening Party on Thursday, October 22, at 8 p.m. "Sweet Dreams the album listening party will be an event promoting the digital release of Dom Thomas's first studio album. Dom Thomas will sing a couple of songs and guest will get a preview of the entire album through the night. Guest will be able to purchase the album via email and Tips and donations will be accepted." The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

Lina Koutrakos

The Presenters Dolan present singer Lina Koutrakos and pianist/composer Rick Jensen in Two for the Road on Sunday, October 25, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Mainstays on the NY cabaret performance circuit, and both accomplished songwriters, Lina and Rick have mentored and taught many of our town's best cabaret performers. They team up here to practice on Sunday what they preach during the week. " The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

O'Fallon TheatreWorks presents the drama Wit at the O'Fallon Municipal Centre auditorium October 23 - November 1. "Winner of the 1999 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Play, Margaret Edson's extraordinary first play, Wit, is a work that is as intellectually challenging as it is emotionally immediate. Synopsis: Vivian Bearing, Ph.D., a professor of English who has spent years studying and teaching the brilliant metaphysical sonnets of John Donne, has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Her intellectual approach to the study of Donne has been intensely rational. But as her illness progresses, Vivian comes to reassess her life and her work with a profundity and humor that are transformative both for her and the audience. " 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.

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.

Chuck's Choices for the weekend of October 16, 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:

The cast of Company
Photo: Joe Angeles

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents the Stephen Sondheim musical Company Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through October 18. "Phone rings, door chimes, in comes Company! First produced in 1970, Company was nominated for a record-setting fourteen Tony Awards and won six, including Best Musical. Company takes an unvarnished look at marriage through the eyes of Bobby who, unmarried on his thirty-fifth birthday, finds himself lost in the company of his married friends. With his trademark wit and sophistication, Stephen Sondheim examines the flawed nature of human relationships as Bobby journeys towards the realization that, in spite of all of his friends' failings, there is no point in 'Being Alive' unless he has someone with whom to share it." Performances take place in the Edison Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, pad.artsci.wustl.edu or call 314-935-6543.

My take: You can't go wrong with Sondheim and particularly with this show, with its trenchant and yet touching take on the difficult business of cobbling together romantic relationships. The Washington U. students are apparently doing well by this material, to judge by what our critic Sarah Richardson had to say over at KDHX. "Annamaria Pileggi does a fine job directing this enjoyable production", she writes. "The singing is strong and moving...The cast performs admirably...this is a great opportunity to see a delightful and moving production."

Dogfight
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the musical Dogfight Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM through October 24. "A contemporary musical with timeless themes of love and compassion woven into 1960's America as our boys stand at the brink of service in Vietnam." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

My take: Based on the 1991 movie of the same name, Dogfight juxtaposes the personal cruelty of a contest in which three Marines each try to find the ugliest girl to take to a dance in hopes of winning the prize for having the biggest "dog" of a date with the impersonal cruelty of the Vietnam war. Writing for the Ladue News, Mark Bretz notes that the "youthful cast expertly conveys all the emotions of the time. Seeing that bravado so genuinely portrayed on stage makes the memories of history all that more painful and powerful". I'll admit to being a bit biased in Stray Dog's favor, having done a number of shows with them over the years, but my experience has been that you can usually count on them for professional work and innovative programming.

Heathers
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the regional premiere of the musical Heathers, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, through October 24. "New Line opens its 25th season with the regional premiere of the pitch-black musical comedy HEATHERS, written by the award-winning team of Kevin Murphy (Reefer Madness) and Laurence O'Keefe (Bat Boy, Legally Blonde). This hilarious, big--hearted, and homicidal new musical is based on the 1989 cult film, truly one of the darkest teen comedies of all time. The original screenwriter Daniel Waters called it, 'a Carson McCullers-style novel of a girl who meets the Antichrist as a teenager.'" 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. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

My take: New Line is in a new space and judging from the reviews it's a big improvement over their old digs at the Washington University South Campus Theatre on Clayton. "The company's new space is comfortable," writes Tina Farmer at KDHX, "and offers good views from every seat in the house, a bonus when watching a show with such a strong ensemble." The show is just the kind of edgy material that Scott Miller and New Line have made a speciality for many years now.

De Kus

Upstream Theater presents De Kus (The Kiss) by Dutch author Ger Thijs, translated by Paul Evans through October 25. "When a lonely stand-up comic and an anxious housewife meet on a country path, they embark on a journey toward an unknown and surprising fate...where one kiss could change the entire world." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

My take: The program for this show includes the following quote from the playwright: "Sometimes people discover heir purpose, their dignity, not in happiness, but in a twist of fate". As someone who found happiness as an indirect result of what most people would probably consider to be an unpleasant twist of fate, I could not agree more. Notices for the local premiere of this two-character play have been good, demonstrating that Upstream has once again demonstrated that taking on risky material can be very rewarding.

One Too Many

The Presenters Dolan present the a cappella group One Too Many on Friday, October 16, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Six-Man A Capella. Tight harmonies, sharp, funny, homegrown. If you like Straight No Chaser, you'll be very happy. These guys are on the move." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: These guys came to the open mic night I host for The Cabaret Project at the Tavern of Fine Arts a few months ago and just knocked everybody out. Is the cabaret tent big enough to include a cappella? I'd say so, and I'd say this is just the group to prove it.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents singers Tim Schall, Deborah Sharn, and Bridgette Kossor, with pianist Rocky Tucker, in an evening of jazz standards and sophisticated pop on Friday, October 16, at 8 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.

My take: Speaking of the Tavern of Fine Arts, here they are presenting an evening of great singing by some of the area's top vocalists. The Tavern's performance space is cozy and decorated with a regularly-changing array of local art, and their food and wine list has much to offer.

Symphony Preview: All-American boys at Powell Hall October 16-18, 2015

Aaron Copland in 1970
en.wikipedia.org

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It's an all-American weekend at Powell Hall this Friday through Sunday as St. Louis Symphony Resident Conductor Steven Jarvi leads the orchestra in a program of Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, and George Gershwin. It includes two Big Pieces, one of which—Copland's 1926 "Piano Concerto"—is not heard all that often.

As Paul Schiavo points out in his program notes, the concerto dates from a time when Copland—then a brash young man in his mid-20s—was making a name for himself with "works that vibrated with the exciting new rhythms of the Jazz Age." The popular style of more well-known works like "Rodeo," "Billy the Kid," and the "Symphony No. 3" was still a decade or more away, although you can still hear suggestions of that big, open sound in the opening measures of the concerto.

Serge Koussevitzky
en.wikipedia.org

"The Piano Concerto", writes Copland in the first volume of his 1984 autobiography (co-authored with Vivian Perlis), "was the last of my works to make explicit use of jazz materials. I have often described myself as a 'work-a-year' man—1926 was the year of the Concerto." He goes on to give a detailed description of how jazz elements are incorporated into the concerto, but since you can read much of that in Mr. Schiavo's notes there no reason for me to repeat it here.

The concerto was not particularly well received at its 1927 premiere with Serge Koussevitzky conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra, with the composer at the piano. "If I felt I had gone to the extreme of where jazz could take me," writes Copland, "the audiences and critics in Boston all thought I had gone too far. One critic actually accused Koussevitzky of being a malicious foreigner who wanted to show how bad American music was!" These days the concerto, while still not a core part of the repertory, rarely meets with that kind of hostility.

The soloist for the concerto will be Israeli pianist Inon Barnatan, who currently serves as the New York Philharmonic's first Artist-in-Association—a position that guarantees him three years of performances with that prestigious ensemble. The orchestra's outgoing Music Director, Alan Gilbert, has described Mr. Barnatan as "the complete artist: a wonderful pianist, a probing intellect, passionately committed, and a capable contemporary-music pianist as well." Which certainly makes him sound like a good match for this material.

Inon Barnatan
Photo: Marco Borggreve, inonbarnatan.com

In his discussion of the "Piano Concerto" in his autobiography, Copland goes on at some length to point out that he was "often critically paired with [George] Gershwin" and that some critics suggested that the latter's "Rhapsody in Blue" and "Concerto in F" might have influenced Copland's own work. But he and Gershwin had, in fact, no contact with each other. "On one occasion," notes Copland, "when we were finally face to face at some party, with the opportunity for conversation, we found nothing to say to each other!"

Which brings us to the second Big Piece on the program this weekend: Gershwin's wildly popular tone poem "An American in Paris." Begun during a trip to Paris in the same year that Copland spent working on his concerto and completed during a longer visit to the City of Light in 1928, the work is a reminder of just how much solid craftsmanship lurks behind Gershwin’s irresistible tunes.

"This new piece," observed Gershwin in a 1928 interview in Musical America, "really a rhapsodic ballet, is written very freely and is the most modern music I've yet attempted. The opening will be developed in typical French style, in the manner of Debussy and The Six, though the themes are all original. My purpose here is to portray the impressions of an American visitor in Paris, as he strolls about the city, listens to the various street noises, and absorbs the French atmosphere."

Gershwin in 1937
Photo: Carl Van Vechten
en.wikipedia.org

As someone who has just returned from another trip to Paris, I have to say it works beautifully. The lively opening with its colorful evocation of the city's lively sidewalk cafes and bustling boulevards (complete with honking taxi horns in the percussion section) is a masterful bit of musical imagery. And the bluesy central section evokes not only the homesickness of the traveler but also the charm of Paris at night.

"An American in Paris" is also reminder of how far Gershwin came in such a short period of time. This is, after all, a guy who went from being a Tin Pan Alley "song plugger" to an accomplished composer and orchestrator in only thirteen years. In another seven years he would write one of the mainstays of twentieth century American opera, "Porgy and Bess". What might he have done had he not died so young?

The concerts open with a pair of suites by Leonard Bernstein: the "Three Dance Episodes" from his first major Broadway hit "On the Town" (which opened in December 1944) and the "Symphonic Suite" from his score for the 1955 Elia Kazan film "On the Waterfront."

Listening to the score for "On the Town" may feel like a nostalgic exercise now, but back in 1944 this story of three sailors out to see as much of New York as possible in one day had real resonance for a country that had been at war for four years. The D-Day invasion was just six months old and while the Third Reich was crumbling, the war with Japan still raged. Everyone in the audience understood that Chip, Ozzie, and Gabey were so desperate to see it all today because, for them, there might not be a tomorrow. You can hear that in the melancholy of the second movement ("Lonely Town") as well as in the frantic bustle of the finale ("Times Square: 1944").

Leonard Bernstein, 1945
Photo: Carl Van Vechten
en.wikipedia.org

"It was very hard for any of us on opening night to have a clear idea of what our show was really like," recall original cast members and lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green in the liner notes for the 1961 studio recording of the show for Columbia. "World War II was on, and the theme of young people caught in it, and the urgency of their desperately trying to cram a lifetime of adventure and romance into a moment, seemed to move the audience and give the show an underlying poignancy, while never having to ask for sympathy."

The music from "On the Waterfront"—Bernstein's only film score—shows a different side of his musical personality. It's haunting, lyrical, and, in its final pages, builds to exultant climax. In the film, the music accompanies a scene in which Marlon Brando's character, despite being beaten to a pulp by goons hired by Lee J. Cobb's crooked union organizer, shakily gets to his feat and defiantly returns to work. It's an inspiring moment, even if the film itself sometimes comes across as anti-union agitprop from a director who, a few years earlier, had cooperated with McCarthy's anticommunist witch-hunt.

The essentials: Steven Jarvi conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with piano soloist Inon Barnatan on Friday at 10:30 a.m., Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m., October 16-18. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

St. Louis classical calendar for the week of October 12, 2015

The Bach Society at St. Stanislaus

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The Bach Society of St. Louis presents Bravo Bach on Sunday, October 18, at 3:0 p.m. "The Bach Society Chorus and Orchestra perform music from past concerts representing all six of our conductors. The program also features Mary Wilson, a Bach Society Young Artist from 1997-99, singing Handel's "Gloria" for virtuoso soprano and strings, plus several pieces that will include alums of the Bach Society to form a Reunion Chorus." The concert takes place at St. Stanislaus Parish Church, 1413 North 20th Street in North St. Loius. For more information: www.bachsociety.org

The Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis presents soprano Christine Brewer and organist Paul Jacobs on Wednesday, October 14, at 8 p.m. at the cathedral at 4431 Lindell. The program includes music by Bach, Handel, Franck, Puccini, and Widor For more information: www.agostlouis.org

Eliot Unitarian Chapel presents a Friends of Music concert on Sunday, October 18, at 3 PM. "The program will feature Lorraine Glass-Harris and Jim Harris in a program of Baroque string and flute music on the first half. The second half will be Paola Savvidou and Jonathan Kuuskoski, playing music for piano four hands. They are on the faculty of the University of Missouri in Columbia. They perform throughout the midwest and received a standing ovation when they performed last year on our series." Eliot Unitarian Chapel is at 100 South Argonne in Kirkwood. For more information: fomcstl.org

The Jefferson College Concert Band presents Back With Baroque on Tuesday, October 13, at 7:30 p.m. The performance takes place in the Fine Arts Theatre at 1000 Viking Drive on the Hillsboro campus in Hillsboro, MO. For more information: jeffco.edu.

The St. Louis Art Museum presents a high-definition video broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera's production Verdi's Otello on Saturday, October 17, at 11:55 AM. "The Met season opens with Verdi's masterful Otello, inspired by Shakespeare's play and matching it in tragic intensity." The live digital HD video broadcast from New York takes place in The Farrell Auditorium at the Art Museum in Forest Park. For more information: slam.org.

Inon Barnatan
Photo: Marco Borggreve

Steven Jarvi conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with piano soloist Inon Barnatan on Friday at 10:30 a.m., Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., October 16-18. The concert features Copland's Piano Concerto, Gershwin's An American in Paris, and works by Bernstein. The concerts take place at Powell Symphony Hall, 718 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: stlsymphony.org.

The St. Louis Symphony's Crescendo Circle presents Sips and Symphonies on Thursday, October 15, at 7:00 PM. "What is Sips and Symphonies? It is a great way to learn about music in a fun, casual environment." A special cocktail is created for each event to accompany the music. This month's discussion/presentation on Gershwin's An American in Paris will be led by SLSO Associate Principal oboe Cally Banham. The event takes place at The Tavern of Fine Arts, 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents a classical open stage night on Monday, October 12, 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 Tavern of Fine Arts presents a The Linjadi Trio on Saturday, October 17, at 8 p.m.. The program features trios by Fanny Mendelssohn and Rebecca Clarke. The Tavern of Fine Arts is at 313 Belt in the Debaliviere Place neighborhood. For more information: tavern-of-fine-arts.blogspot.com.

The University City Symphony Orchestra presents Out of Africa on Sunday, October 18, at 3 p.m. The concert " is the first in a series of concerts that will take an in-depth look at symphonic music's African roots. The concert celebrates the music of Chevalier de Saint-Georges, the first recognized composer of color in Europe, as well as Ghana native and St. Louis-based musician Fred Onovwerosuoke. The finale will be Camille Saint-Saens' "Egyptian" Piano Concerto, featuring pianist Tim Jansen." The performance takes place at the 560 Music Center, 560 Trinity in University City. For more information: ucso.org.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 12, 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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Gaslight
Photo:  Lon Brauer

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the drama Angel Street October 14 - 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.

Lindenwood University presents the drama Columbinus throiugh October 17. "The grim ecosphere of the average American high school is analyzed with sympathy and precision in Columbinus, a new play that aims to expose the cultural and personal pathologies that gave rise to the horrific events in Littleton, Colo., in 1999, when two students went on a rampage at Columbine High School, killing a dozen students and a teacher before killing themselves. Performances take place in the Emerson Black Box Theatre at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts on the Lindenwood campus in St. Charles, MO. For more information, call 636-949-4433 or visit lindenwood.edu/center.

The cast of Company
Photo: Joe Angeles

The Performing Arts Department at Washington University presents the Stephen Sondheim musical Company Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM and Sundays at 2 PM through October 18. "Phone rings, door chimes, in comes Company! First produced in 1970, Company was nominated for a record-setting fourteen Tony Awards and won six, including Best Musical. Company takes an unvarnished look at marriage through the eyes of Bobby who, unmarried on his thirty-fifth birthday, finds himself lost in the company of his married friends. With his trademark wit and sophistication, Stephen Sondheim examines the flawed nature of human relationships as Bobby journeys towards the realization that, in spite of all of his friends' failings, there is no point in 'Being Alive' unless he has someone with whom to share it." Performances take place in the Edison Theatre in the Mallinckrodt Student Center on the Washington University campus. For more information, pad.artsci.wustl.edu or call 314-935-6543.

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.

Dogfight
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the musical Dogfight Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM throiugh October 24. "A contemporary musical with timeless themes of love and compassion woven into 1960's America as our boys stand at the brink of service in Vietnam." Performances take place at The Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee. For more information, visit straydogtheatre.org or call 314-865-1995.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Get "Hitched" To A Redneck Or Die through October 31. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com

Heathers
Photo: Jill Ritter Lindberg

New Line Theatre presents the regional premiere of the musical Heathers, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 PM, through October 24. "New Line opens its 25th season with the regional premiere of the pitch-black musical comedy HEATHERS, written by the award-winning team of Kevin Murphy (Reefer Madness) and Laurence O'Keefe (Bat Boy, Legally Blonde). This hilarious, big--hearted, and homicidal new musical is based on the 1989 cult film, truly one of the darkest teen comedies of all time. The original screenwriter Daniel Waters called it, 'a Carson McCullers-style novel of a girl who meets the Antichrist as a teenager.'" 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. Read the 88.1 KDHX review!

De Kus

Upstream Theater presents De Kus (The Kiss) by Dutch author Ger Thijs, translated by Paul Evans throiugh October 25. "When a lonely stand-up comic and an anxious housewife meet on a country path, they embark on a journey toward an unknown and surprising fate...where one kiss could change the entire world." Performances take place at the Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 North Grand in Grand Center. For more information, including show times: upstreamtheater.org.

The Presenters Dolan present Amy Ogle in Letters to Mom and Dad: A Cabaret Tribute to the Greatest Generation on Thursday, October 15, at 8 p.m. Carol Schmidt is pianist and music director for the show, which is directed by Barbara Brussell. The performance takes place in The Emerald Room at The Monocle Bar, 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

The University of Missouri at St. Louis presents Euripides' tragedy Medea Thursday through Sunday, October 15-18 "Her husband's gone and her future isn't bright. Imprisoned in her marital home, Medea can't work, can't sleep and increasingly can't cope. While her child plays, she plots her revenge. This startlingly modern version of Euripides' classic tragedy explores the private fury bubbling under public behavior and how in today's world a mother, fuelled by anger at her husband's infidelity, might be driven to commit the worst possible crime." The performances take 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.

One Too Many

The Presenters Dolan present the acappella group One Too Many on Friday, October 16, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. " “Six-Man A Capella. Tight harmonies, sharp, funny, homegrown. If you like Straight No Chaser, you'll be very happy. These guys are on the move." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Florissant Civic Center presents Only Just a Minute Wednesday through Saturday, October 14-17. "The play focuses on the relationship between Dr. King and his mentor, Dr. Benjamin E. Mays, long-time president of Morehouse College for African-American men in Atlanta." Performances take place in the theatre at the Civic Center in Florissant, MO. For more information: www.onlyjustaminute.com, or www.florissantmo.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 musi"." The monocle is at 4510 Manchester in The Grove neighborhood. For more information: themonoclestl.com.

Clayton Community Theatre presents August Wilson's Piano Lesson October 15-25. Set in 1936 Pittsburgh during the aftermath of the Great Depression, this Pulitzer Prize-winning 1990 play by American playwright August Wilson follows the lives of the Charles family and an heirloom, the family piano. The play focuses on the tension between family members who treasure the piano as a link to the family history, and those who want to sell the piano to improve the family's economic status. What The Piano Lesson finally seems to ask is: "What do you do with your legacy, and how do you best put it to use?" Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre. For more information, call 314-721-9228 or visit placeseveryone.org.

Clinton County Showcase presents the drama Proof throiugh October 8. "Proof is the winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. One of the most acclaimed plays of the 1999-2000 season, Proof is a work that explores the unknowability of love as much as it does the mysteries of science." Performances take place at the Avon Theater, 525 North 2nd Street Breese IL. For more information, visit ccshowcase.com.

Shanara Gabrielle

The Presenters Dolan present Shanara Gabrielle in Rated SG on Thursday, October 15, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "A bold storyteller with a wonderful voice, a sharp wit, graceful physical theatricality, and old school charm. " The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Presenters Dolan present Chuck Flowers in Songs I Came Up With on Saturday, October 17, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "Schooled in the genres that call St. Louis home, singer and showman Chuck Flowers lights up the stage. He brings a night of the soul, pop and R&B songs that helped form him as a singer and actor." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

The Sunshine Boys
Photo: Eric Woolsey

New Jewish Theatre presents Neil Simon's comedy The Sunshine Boys through November 1. "Al Lewis and Willie Clark, as 'Lewis and Clark' were top-billed vaudevillians for over forty years. But they haven't spoken in over a decade. Now CBS is inviting the team to reunite for a 'History of Comedy' retrospective. A grudging reunion brings them back together, along with a flood of memories, miseries and laughs. Classic Neil Simon, a lot of it is epically funny and all of it is cheerful." Performances take place at the Marvin and Harlene Wool Studio Theatre at the JCCA, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. For more information, call 314-442-3283 or visit www.newjewishtheatre.org.

The Tavern of Fine Arts presents singers Tim Schall, Deborah Sharn, and Bridgette Kossor, with pianist Rocky Tucker, in an evening of jazz standards and sophisticated pop on Friday, October 16, at 8 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.

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.

Music Review: Transcendent Wagner and electrifying Beethoven with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus

Markus Stenz
Photo: Josep Molina, markusstenz.com

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Who: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Markus Stenz
What: Music of Wagner and Beethoven
When: October 9-11, 2015
Where: Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis

It's no doubt true, as René Spencer Saller observes in her program notes, that Richard Wagner was Beethoven's biggest fanboy, with an adoration of the latter's “Symphony No. 9” in D minor, Op. 125 (“Choral”) that bordered on obsession.  I'm less convinced of her statement that Wagner's last opera, "Parsifal," has "a lot in common" with Beethoven's last symphony, though. 

Performing excerpts from "Parsifal" on the same program as the Ninth, as the SLSO is doing this weekend, tends to highlight their differences more than their similarities, at least to my ears.  There's a psychological journey in both works, but musically "Parsifal" sounds more like a foundation for Bruckner than an extension of Beethoven.  Your mileage may vary.

Eric Owens
Photo: Dario Acostsa, imgartists.com

In any case, the "Parsifal" excerpts chosen for the program neatly illustrate the psychological journey of the protagonist, Amfortas, struggling to fulfill his responsibility as the guardian of the Holy Grail despite the perpetually bleeding wound he suffered when the evil magician Klingsor attacked him with the Holy Spear originally used against Christ.  Beginning with the Act I Prelude and Amfortas' agonized first act monolog "Nein! Laßt ihn unenthüllt!" (in which he begs for death to release him from his agonizing duties), we move through the remarkable Act I "transformation music" to the final pages of Act III, in which the Holy Fool Parsifal heals Amfortas and takes over his duties as guardian.

Bass-baritone Eric Owens, who was such an impressive Porgy in Lyric Opera of Chicago's "Porgy and Bess" last year, turned in another stunning committed performance as Amfortas.  His weariness and agony felt so real that I was, for a moment, fooled into suspecting that Owens himself might be in some discomfort.  But no: it was just fiercely committed acting wedded to a powerful, beautifully modulated voice.  Tenor Thomas Cooley was an equally fine Parsifal in the final scene, simply radiating unaffected compassion and singing with great clarity from the very back of the stage.

Thomas Cooley
thomascooley.com

Conductor Markus Stenz's interpretation was distinguished by passionate intensity and a fine ear for musical detail.  The transcendence in the final pages was palpable. This was also an impressively theatrical reading, with the Symphony Chorus singing from the dress circle, offstage brass, and electronically amplified chimes for the "transformation scene." 

The Beethoven Ninth that followed was equally fine.  When David Robertson conducted the SLSO's last Ninth back in 2013, I noted that he had plugged the music into a high-voltage socket, and produced a performance that crackled with electricity.  I came away feeling much the same way about Mr. Stenz's interpretation, and I wasn't alone; both the first and second movements provoked spontaneous applause Friday night, and the third might have done so as well had not Mr. Stenz opted to go straight to the titanic final movement attacca (i.e. with no real pause)—thereby increasing the dramatic effect of those opening chords.

Angela Meade with the Baltimore Symphony
Photo © Howard Korn, facebook.com

This was a Ninth that combined the bracing precision of Roger Norrington's 1987 London Classical Players recording with the profound emotional intensity of one of my favorite recorded Ninths— Wilhelm Furtwängler's legendary 1951 Bayreuth Festival live version, with its express train coda and extreme demands on the chorus.  Indeed, if Mr. Stenz had held out the chorus's "vor Gott" in the final movement much longer, some of his singers might have turned blue.  But Amy Kaiser's chorus was more than up to the challenge, turning in yet another splendid performance.

The orchestra played well, as they nearly always do, with some especially fine work in the second movement by Andrew Cuneo's bassoon section, the other woodwinds, and timpanist Shannon Wood.  The lower strings (cellos and basses) were split in half stage right and left, but still played with impressive unanimity throughout.

As was the case back in 2013, the vocal soloists for the Beethoven all had solid opera credentials; pure recitalists seem rather rare these days.  As a result, their performances were acted as well as sung, with compelling results.  Eric Owens and Thomas Cooley were joined here by mezzo-soprano Theodora Hanslowe and soprano Angela Meade—a last-minute substitution for an ailing Heidi Melton.  The quartet's final bit of polyphony in the poco adagio section just before the orchestral coda was truly a thing of beauty.

Theodora Hanslowe
Photo: Chris Carroll, barrettartists.com

Throughout the evening Mr. Stenz, who conducted without a baton, displayed the kind of highly theatrical podium style that I often associate with the late Leopold Stokowski.  His hands expressively sculpted phrases in the air and he threw his entire body into the molto vivace second movement, reminding us that it is, ultimately, a dance.  After the intense final chords of the first movement, he shook his shoulders, like a boxer who has just been through a demanding first round.  It's no wonder some conductors live to such a ripe old age; they get aerobic workouts on a regular basis.

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus repeat their exhilarating combination of Beethoven and Wagner Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., October 10 and 11, at Powell Hall in Grand Center.  The Saturday night concert will also be broadcast on St. Louis Public Radio; visit their web site for details.

Next at Powell Hall, Steven Jarvi conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra with piano soloist Inon Barnatan on Friday at 10:30 a.m., Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m., October 16-18.  The concert features Copland's "Piano Concerto," Gershwin's "An American in Paris," and works by Bernstein.  For more information: stlsymphony.org.

Chuck's St. Louis Theatre Choices for the weekend of October 9, 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:

Maxine Linehan

The Presenters Dolan present Maxine Linehan in An Immigrant's Story on Friday and Saturday, October 9 and 10, at 8 PM as part of the Gaslight Cabaret Festival. "A singer and performer as likable as she is talented, Maxine Linehan's show is about leaving Ireland over a decade ago and a new life in America. Songs of Ireland, songs of America, the kind of songs and stories that have become our cultural history. Your or your ancestors came here from somewhere, and this is your story too." The performance takes place at the Gaslight Theater, 358 North Boyle. For more information: gaslightcabaretfestival.com.

My take: Having just returned from a trip to Ireland myself, I'm interested to see what Ms. Linehan has to say about the experience of emigrating here. If the trailers at the Gaslight Cabaret Festival web site are any indication, Ms. Linehan is equally comfortable with both Irish folk material and numbers from the Great American Songbook. The show will be lively at the very least; Ms. Linehan's opening act will be a trope of Irish folk dancers from the Clarkson School of Irish Dance.

St. Louis University Theatre presents Trash Macbeth through October 11. "Based on Shakespeare's text, this semi-devised, ensemble-built, original content piece considers the 1950's housewife while asking the question: How can we re-purpose waste into something beautiful? Performed by six actors with all costume, scenic and prop elements created from found, not purchased, materials." Performances take place in Xavier Hall, 3373 West Pine Mall. For more information, call (314) 977-2998 or visit slumarketplace.slu.edu.

My take: In a review due to be published this weekend, 88.1 KDHX reviewer Sarah Richardson says that "[t]he fates that are spun and the lives unwound in this tragedy reach astounding dramatic heights thanks to a marvelous alchemy of all the elements of theatre: design, staging, performance, and text...A delicious, theatrical nightmare par excellence." Sometimes a university setting is the only place really risky theatre can take place, and St. Louis University has demonstrated in the past that it's not afraid to take chances.

Held Over:

Black and Blue
Photo: ProPhotoSTL

Gitana Productions presents Black and Blue by by Lee Patton Chiles with music by Tbeats Entertainment at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 9. "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 St. Louis Community College at Meramec located at 11333 Big Bend Rd. "An original play of hope and healing, exploring the assumptions that all young black men are dangerous, and that all cops are bad." For more information: www.gitana-inc.org.

My take: The events in Ferguson, Missouri, last year resonated throughout the nation. Originally presented back in June, 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.

Valhalla Cemetery and The Hawthorne Players present Voices Of Valhalla: A Hayride Through History through October 10. Hayrides through Valhalla Cemetery depart every fifteen minutes beginning at 6:30 each evening as members of the Hawthorne Players portray some of the noted locals buried in Valhalla. Valhalla Cemetery is located at 7600 St. Charles Rock Road. For more information, visit hawthorneplayers.com.

My take: I had a chance to both see and appear in this annual event for the first time last year, and I must say that I was impressed by the professionalism of both the script (assembled by director Larry Marsh from historical sources) and the quality of the performances. Here's how it works: you pile on a hay wagon and are driven through historic Valhalla Cemetery. At various points during the ride, the wagon stops and an actor portraying a historical figure buried at Valhalla steps out of the darkness and delivers a monolog on his or her life. They can be comic, tragic, or a combination of the two, but they're always well researched and informative.