St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 14, 2022

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

Touch Baseball and
Tim Shegitz

The Blue Strawberry presents A Night of Comedy Improv and Magic with Touch Baseball and Tim Shegitz Monday at 7:00 pm, November 14. “Direct from the Improv Shop, Touch Baseball is two-person, comedy improv team featuring long-time St. Louis improvisers Ryan Myers and Ashley Rube. After playing together on numerous teams for over 3 years, Ryan and Ashley formed Touch Baseball at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic to find hope and distraction from the literal end of the world. Just back from headlining at House of Cards in Nashville, Tim Shegitz regularly performs at Hollywood’s Magic Castle and Las Vegas WonderGround. Timothy’s magic features mystery--wrapped around a story--with a comedy flair. " The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Chuck Lavazzi and Carol Schmidt

The Cabaret Project and The Blue Strawberry present a Singers Open Mic Tuesday, November 15, from 7 to 9:30 pm. “Chuck Lavazzi is your host, with pianist and music director Carol Schmidt. If you plan to sing bring sheet music or a chart in your own key, and perform your favorite Broadway, pop, or jazz tunes. Medium/up-tempo songs are encouraged but not required. Or you can just relax, have a drink and dinner or a snack, and enjoy the music. No admission or cover, but there is always a tip jar! All proceeds go to The Cabaret Project, a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to promoting, developing, and sustaining the art cabaret in St. Louis." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Meghan Kirk

The Blue Strawberry presents Some Songs for You with singer Meghan Kirk and pianist Ron McGowan Wednesday at 7:00 pm, November 16. “Let the world disappear for a while, as song bird Meghan Kirk and pianist Ron McGowan take you on a musical journey through some of the greatest songs ever written." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Blue Strawberry presents Ben Jones: I Think We Should See Other People Saturday at 7:30 pm, November 19. “Ben Jones returns to Blue Strawberry with a funny, moving and deeply personal evening of classic standards, soaring showstoppers and modern hits, punctuated with raucous, side-splitting and devastatingly honest stories from his own love life. Serenading audiences with his 'extraordinary voice' (Night Life Exchange), Jones appears alongside his music director and collaborator, the legendary Ron Abel." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present A Dickens of a Killilng through January 27th, 2023. "Death is in the air as guests join Marilyn Monroe, Babe Ruth, Baaaaa Huuuumbug!!! Ebenezer Scrooge will be back to his old tricks and is bound to make a few enemies at this Christmas Party chock full of Charles Dicken's Characters. Just when Beep (The Minstrel) gets everyone in the Holiday Spirit, Scrooge barges in and starts talking about gruel. Geez, hope no one snuffs Scrooge out before he stops bellowing! Guests will dive into the fictious world of Charles Dickens and join Pip, Martha Cratchit, Oliver Twist, The Ghost of Jacob Marley, Tiny Tim and so many more in this cheerful murder mystery parody of a Holiday Classic. Whether you want to participate a little or a lot, you're sure to have a jolly good time, in jolly olde England, where there is sure to be "A Dickens of a Killing!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis presents the second annual production of Michael Wilson’s adaptation of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol November 18 through December 30. “At long last, the ghosts of Ebenezer Scrooge’s past, present and future have caught up with him. Now London’s most infamous miser must face down his demons, reconcile the consequences of his choices and experience the power and joy of a miraculous redemption. This magical production will again be directed by Hana S. Sharif, Augustin Family Artistic Director at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and choreographed by Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Artistic Director at The Big Muddy Dance Company. The world of Charles Dickens’ will be brought to life by Tim Mackabee (Scenic Design), Dede Aytie (Costume Design), Seth Reiser (Lighting Design), and Hana S. Kim (Production Design). Chales Coles and Nathan Roberts provide the music and sound design, with musical direction by Tre’von Griffith.” Performances take on the main stage of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus.. For more information: www.repstl.org.

St. Louis Community College at Forest Park presents Mike Bartlett's Contractions on Friday, November 18, Saturday November 19 at 7:30pm, and Sunday November 20 at 2:00pm. "Emma’s been seeing Darren. She thinks she’s in love. Her boss thinks she’s in breach of contract. In a series of cordial but increasingly tense conversations, the two dissect the differences between “sexual” and “romantic,” negotiate the nature of Emma’s interoffice relationship, and face the consequences of shrinking privacy and binding contracts." Performances take place in the Theater at the Bastian Center for the Performing Arts on the Forest Park Campus. All performances are free of charge. For more information: stlcc.edu.

St. Louis University Theatre presents Everybody, directed by guest artist Alicia Like, Thursday through Sunday, October November 17-20. “Everybody, a one-act play by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, premiered Off-Broadway in 2017 at the Signature Theatre and was first published in 2018. It is a modern retelling of Everyman, the most well-known and anthologized example of a medieval morality play, which was adapted from a Dutch play by an anonymous 15th-century English writer. Morality plays first appeared in the 12th century, evolving from the Catholic Church’s cycle plays and liturgical dramas, which reenacted biblical scenes, and became popular in the late Middle Ages (15th/16th centuries). They began as religious allegories designed to teach the audience a moral lesson by representing abstract concepts and ideas as characters.” Performances take place at the Xavier Hall Main Stage on the campus at 3733 West Pine Mall in Grand Center. For more information: www.slu.edu.

Slaying Dragons presents Giving Mental Illness a Stage, the company’s 12th anniversary fund raiser, Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 6:30 pm, and Sunday at 1:30 pm, November 18-20. The mission of Slaying Dragons is to destroy the sitgma of mental illness through theatre. The event features performances from three of the company’s previous shows and takes place at the Center for Spiritual Living in St. Louis. For more information: www.slayingdragons.org.

Tesseract Theatre Company presents the musical Ordinary Days by Adam Gwon Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 4 pm, November 18-27. “Ordinary Days tells the story of four young New Yorkers whose lives intersect as they search for fulfillment, happiness, love, and cabs. Through a score of vibrant and memorable songs, their experiences ring startlingly true to life. Ordinary Days is an original musical for anyone who's ever struggled to appreciate the simple things in a complex place. With equal doses of humor and poignancy, it celebrates how 8.3 million individual stories combine in unexpected ways to make New York City such a unique and extraordinary home.” Performances take place at the .ZACK, 3224 Locust in Grand Center. For more information: www.tesseracttheatre.com.

The Good Ship St. Louis

Upstream Theater presents the world premiere of The Good Ship St. Louis, a new play by Philip Boehm with original music by Anthony Barilla, running through November 20. “On May 13, 1939, a ship left Hamburg flying the German Nazi flag and carrying over 900 Jewish refugees. They held valid visas for Cuba and most planned to emigrate to the United States. But when they reached Havana their documents were declared invalid, and the US declined to admit them. The ship returned to Europe, where the refugees were caught up in the tide of war and occupation. The ship was the MS St. Louis, and we are taking this voyage a starting point for a soulful examination of the basic human right to asylum by linking its story to the history of our city with the same name, known for welcoming refugees from the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s”. Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Dr. in Grand Center. For more information: upstreamtheater.org.

The Washington University Performing Arts Department presents The Dust Thursday and Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 and 8 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm, November 17-20. “Love and Mortality. Existence and Destruction. These are the tensions at play in Hsu Yen Ling’s ‘The Dust.’ The play presents a series of seemingly unrelated scenes unfolding at what the writer calls the “instant of explosion.” Explosion of a building? Of a city? Of individual lives? A mother meets an estranged son. A professional couple debate what they choose to know about how they will die. A surrogate mother imagines starting a new world with the birth father. The Dust presents fragments of lives hovering on the brink of annihilation, and yet, all these people are doing their very best to move beyond fear to live lives of authentic happiness. Annelise Finnegan’s translation gives Hsu’s beautiful work a clear theatrical voice. First produced in November of 2013 in Taiwan, this is the U.S. premiere of The Dust. Performances take place in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatreon the Washington University Campus. For more information: pad.wustl.edu.

La Rondine
Photo: Rebecca Haas

The Westport Playhouse presents Disbelief, and Evening of Wonder and Laughter on Friday, November 11th, at 7:30 pm. “Spend the evening being amazed and amused by three mysterious and hilarious magicians. You'll leave the theatre smiling and wondering, "how did they do that?"”. The Westport Playhouse is in the Westport Plaza Business and Entertainment District. For more information: thewestportplayhouse.com.

Winter Opera presents Puccini’s La Rondine Friday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, November 18 and 20. “Inspired by Viennese Operetta, La Rondine by Giacomo Puccini tells the story of true love between the courtesan Magda and a young modest boy named Ruggero. As a kept woman of Rombaldo, Magda leads a comfortable life in Paris, but will she decide on a life of luxury or love? Enjoy the lush melodies of Puccini in this timeless love story.” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, 201 E. Monroe in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: https://www.winteroperastl.org.

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

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

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

Symphony Preview: A light in the darkness (over at the Lichnowsky Place)

Now that we have set our clocks back and the shades of night, to paraphrase Longfellow a bit, are falling faster, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is getting into the spirit with concerts in which musical darkness is predominant—at least until after intermission.

[Preview the music with the SLSO's commercial-free Spotify playlist.]

Let me explain.

This Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm, November 11 and 12, conductor John Storgårds and violinist Leila Josefowicz perform the tone poem “Night Ride and Sunrise” by Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), the US premiere of the 2016 Violin Concerto by British composer Helen Grime (b. 1981), and the Symphony No. 4, Op. 60, by Beethoven (1770-1827). All three begin in darkness, but only the second effectively stays there.

Sibelius in 1913
By fi:Daniel Nyblin (1856–1923) -
What We Hear in Music, Anne S. Faulkner,
Victor Talking Machine Co., 1913.,
Public Domain, 

Sibelius composed “Night Ride and Sunrise” in 1908, at a time of stress and personal crisis. His family was expanding—his daughter Margareta had just been born—but his finances were shrinking. He was up to his eyeballs in debt and was failing to meet his composing commitments to his new German publisher Robert Lienau. He had promised four new works per year between 1905 and 1909, but by 1908 had delivered only a handful.

Worse yet, he had developed a throat tumor that required multiple operations. Fearing cancer as a result of his years of smoking and heavy drinking, his doctors had advised him to abstain from both. “Sibelius,” write Fabian Dahlström and James Hepokoski in Grove Music Online, “was haunted by the shadow of death, and much in his music and thought at this time turned towards the darker and the more introspective.”

Certainly the first half of “Night Ride and Sunrise” evokes a wintry nocturnal journey with a repeated “galloping” motif that builds in intensity, gradually morphing into a rising and falling woodwind theme that suggests a bleak, windswept landscape. Slowly the mood changes and eventually rising themes in the brasses and strings suggest the rising sun. It’s a cold Finnish sun, to be sure, but it’s a source of light nevertheless.

Surprisingly, “Night Ride and Sunrise” is getting its first-ever performances by the SLSO this weekend.

Sibelius’s reliance on the repetition of a small number of short melodic phrases as building blocks for his musical structures led Dahlström and Hepokoski to refer to this and other works from the period as “proto-minimalist…breaking more decisively away from the sonata principle through multiple, cumulative rotations.” It even has the kind of strong rhythmic pulse that characterizes 20th century minimalists like John Adams and Philip Glass, although to a less obsessive degree.

“Proto-minimalist" is also not a bad description of Grime’s concerto, the American premiere of which is up next.

Helen Grime
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

Running around 22 minutes, the 2016 Violin Concerto is essentially built on a series of elaborations and expansions on the brief triplet theme first heard at the very beginning in the upper registers of the violin and orchestra and frequently punctuated by syncopated whacks from the bass drum. Although played as one continuous movement, the work is divided up into three separate sections (clearly marked in the score) with, to quote the composer, “extensive dreamlike interlinking passages that connect them.” The mood throughout is ominous and anxious, even in the more serene passages—which seems somehow fitting, given how the world at large has been faring since 2016.

That said, Grime’s inspiration for the concerto came not from international politics but rather from her previous collaborations with Swedish violinist Malin Broman, for whom the concerto was written. “I was immediately struck by the ferocity, power and passion in her playing,” writes Grime. ”At turns she is able to play with a sort of wild abandon but also with great tenderness, sensitivity and with many different colours…I wanted to highlight and showcase these striking, opposing qualities. Violent, virtuosic music covering the whole range of the violin is contrasted with more delicate and reflective filigree material that features oscillating natural harmonic passages and searching melodies.”

At that, she certainly succeeds. The agitated first section, the dreamlike (and slightly nightmarish) second, and the wild finale (with its unexpectedly abrupt ending) require the soloist to squeeze pretty much every possible sound out of the instrument and utilize its entire range—often at a frenetic pace and with frequent changes of meter. Needless to say, orchestra has to be equally on its toes.

You won’t find the work in the helpful SLSO Spotify playlist for this weekend, but there is, fortunately, a recording of the work’s premiere performance by the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra on YouTube. Daniel Harding conducts with Broman as soloist. Not so fortunately, whoever did the video somehow managed to paste bits of the first movement on at the end of the concerto, interrupting both the closing credits and the applause. Although the video runs over a half hour, the actual performance ends at around 22:44 with a brief silence (because of that abrupt finale, I suspect) followed by the truncated applause.

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4, which closes the program, also opens in a form of musical darkness, although in this case it’s more of a sonic twilight. A mysterious Adagio introduction suggests “the start of something big” and after a few minutes we get it in the form of an energetic Allegro vivace. From there on, the Fourth is all a-bubble with good humor.

The Red Castle at Hradec nad Moravicí

Whether or not you go along with the "Music History 101" notion that Beethoven’s even-numbered symphonies are lighter in tone than his odd-numbered ones (Schumann called the Fourth “a slender Grecian maiden between two Nordic giants”), there’s no getting around the fact that this one simply radiates good cheer. From the lively first movement, to the comical little descending passage for bassoon that interrupts the coda of the finale, this is music by a composer young enough to be optimistic but mature enough to have mastered his craft.

It probably helped that he wrote it during a stay at the Silesian country estate of one of his major patrons, Prince Lichnowsky (Beethoven described him as “one of my most loyal friends and promoters of my art”) during one of the composer’s rare periods of relatively good health. Beethoven loved going for walks in the country and Lichnowsky’s lavish estate (now open to tourists as the State chateau Hradec nad Moravicí) is perched picturesquely on a heavily forested bluff overlooking the Moravice river. No wonder the composer was in such good spirits.

The Essentials: John Storgårds conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and violin soloist Leila Josefowicz in “Night Ride and Sunrise” by Sibelius, the US premiere of the 2016 Violin Concerto by British composer Helen Grime, and the Symphony No. 4 by Beethoven. Performances are Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm, November 11 and 12 at Powell Hall in Grand Center. The Saturday night concert will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3.

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

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of November 7, 2022

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

Sam Revilla

The Blue Strawberry presents An Evening of Songs with Sam Revilla: A Fundraising Cabaret for Ambassadors of Harmony Foundation on Wednesday at 7:30 pm, November 9. “Sam is excited to be back on the Blue Strawberry stage after his Birthday Cabaret this Summer! Sam will be joined by Ethan Saake on piano with special guest Sean Hamre on cello. Featuring songs from his Broadway collection, Adele, Celine, Radiohead, and many more. A guaranteed great show and entertainment!" The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Blue Strawberry presents Zak Farmer: Tears of Whiskey: Redefining Me to Me Thursday at 7:30 pm, November 10. “Zak takes a look at the last several years of his life, detailing his heartbreaks, triumphs and the realization that the only person who can tell you who you are is You." The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Marilyn Maye

The Cabaret Project and Jazz St. Louis present Marilyn Maye Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30, November 9 and 10. “St. Louis loves Marilyn Maye and the feeling is mutual. The only thing better than an evening with the legendary singer is a world premiere event showcasing Maye and the Jazz St. Louis Big Band in all new 13-piece Big Band arrangements commissioned specifically for St. Louis audiences. Maye and the Jazz St. Louis Big Band will blow the roof off the place. A don’t miss event!” Performances take place at Jazz St. Louis, 3536 Washington Avenue in Grand Center. For more information: thecabaretproject.org.

Frozen
Photo: Deen Van Meer

The Fabulous Fox presents the musical Frozen, based on the Disney film, running through November 13. “From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, FROZEN, the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News). Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving,” FROZEN features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards. An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, FROZEN is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.” The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Hawthorne Players present The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Fridays and Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm, through November 13. “Fifteen-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain. He is exceptional at mathematics but ill equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched, and he distrusts strangers. Now it is seven minutes after midnight, and Christopher stands beside his neighbor’s dead dog, Wellington, who has been speared with a garden fork. Finding himself under suspicion, Christopher is determined to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington, and he carefully records each fact of the crime. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a thrilling journey that upturns his world.” sPerformances take place in the Florissant Civic Center Theatre in Florissant, MO. For more information: www.hawthorneplayers.info

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present A Dickens of a Killilng through January 27th, 2023. "Death is in the air as guests join Marilyn Monroe, Babe Ruth, Baaaaa Huuuumbug!!! Ebenezer Scrooge will be back to his old tricks and is bound to make a few enemies at this Christmas Party chock full of Charles Dicken's Characters. Just when Beep (The Minstrel) gets everyone in the Holiday Spirit, Scrooge barges in and starts talking about gruel. Geez, hope no one snuffs Scrooge out before he stops bellowing! Guests will dive into the fictious world of Charles Dickens and join Pip, Martha Cratchit, Oliver Twist, The Ghost of Jacob Marley, Tiny Tim and so many more in this cheerful murder mystery parody of a Holiday Classic. Whether you want to participate a little or a lot, you're sure to have a jolly good time, in jolly olde England, where there is sure to be "A Dickens of a Killing!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

Barefoot in the Park
Photo: Carla Gibson

Moonstone Theatre Company presents Neil Simon’s comedy Barefoot in the Park through November 13. “The romantic comedy Barefoot in the Park tells the story of Paul and Corie Bratter, who are newlyweds in every sense of the word. He’s a straight-as-an-arrow lawyer, and she’s a free spirit always looking for the latest kick. Their new apartment is her most recent find – too expensive with bad plumbing and in need of a paint job. After a six-day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Corie’s loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor-in-the-attic, Velasco, where everything that can go wrong does. Paul just doesn’t understand Corie, as she sees it. He’s too staid, too boring.  She just wants him to be a little more spontaneous – and running “barefoot in the park” would be a start.” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: moonstonetheatrecompany.com.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the thriller Deathtrap Fridays and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, through November 13. “Sidney Bruhl, a successful writer of Broadway thrillers, is struggling to overcome a dry spell which has resulted in a string of failures. A possible break in his fortunes occurs when he receives a script from a student in the seminar he has been conducting at a nearby college – a thriller that Sidney recognizes as a potential Broadway smash. Sidney’s plan is to offer collaboration to the student for co-credit. Or is it?” Performances take place at the Guild theatre at 517 Theatre Lane, at the corner of Newport and Summit in Webster Groves. For more information: theatreguildwg.org.

Upstream Theater presents the world premiere of The Good Ship St. Louis, a new play by Philip Boehm with original music by Anthony Barilla, running through November 20. “On May 13, 1939, a ship left Hamburg flying the German Nazi flag and carrying over 900 Jewish refugees. They held valid visas for Cuba and most planned to emigrate to the United States. But when they reached Havana their documents were declared invalid, and the US declined to admit them. The ship returned to Europe, where the refugees were caught up in the tide of war and occupation. The ship was the MS St. Louis, and we are taking this voyage a starting point for a soulful examination of the basic human right to asylum by linking its story to the history of our city with the same name, known for welcoming refugees from the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s”. Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Dr. in Grand Center. For more information: upstreamtheater.org.

Webster Conservatory presents Sueño, translated and adapted by José Rivera from the play by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, through November 13. “Sueño is Obie Award–winning playwright José Rivera’s sharp translation and adaptation of Calderón de la Barca’s Golden Age classic Life Is a Dream. Sueño follows the life of young Prince Segismundo, heir to the Spanish throne, who is imprisoned at birth when astrologers predicted his reign as king would result in the country’s ruin. When his father King Basilio finds his own life ending without a legitimate heir, he releases Segismundo and places him on the throne. If Segismundo is gentle, he will be allowed to reign. If he is as barbaric as the stars predicted, he'll be sent back to his imprisonment and told that his brief moment of freedom and power was only a dream. In this brisk, contemporary adaptation, Rivera asks the question that haunted Calderón: If life is a dream, who is dreaming us?” Performances take place in the Emerson Studio Theatre in the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus in Webster Groves. For more information: webster.edu/conservatory

The Westport Playhouse presents Disbelief, and Evening of Wonder and Laughter on Friday, November 11th, at 7:30 pm. “Spend the evening being amazed and amused by three mysterious and hilarious magicians. You'll leave the theatre smiling and wondering, "how did they do that?"”. The Westport Playhouse is in the Westport Plaza Business and Entertainment District. For more information: thewestportplayhouse.com.

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

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

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

Symphony Review: Flash and finesse with an all-Russian program at the St. Louis Symphony

Watching pianist Sir Stephen Hough and conductor Thomas Søndergård give us their nuanced and balletic take on Tchaikovsky’s venerable Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra concert last Saturday (October 29th), I once again found myself wondering how the composer’s first choice as a soloist, the Russian composer/pianist Nikolai Rubinstein, could have dismissed the work as “worthless and unplayable.” How could such an immensely appealing piece have inspired such an ugly response?

[Find out more about the music with my symphony preview.]

Certainly there was nothing to complain about in Hough’s performance and everything to praise. I have no idea how many times I have experienced this concerto both live and on recordings, but even so Hough found subtle shadings of emotion, tempo, and dynamics that made it fresh. His reading of the first movement cadenza, in particular, had an appealing sense of improvisation and discovery. He and Søndergård also brought out the choreographic elements in a work which is, after all, dominated by danceable triple meters (3/4 and 6/8).

The Big Moments were brought off with the requisite drama and flash as well, including the powerful statement of the opening theme and the electrifying intensity of the Allegro con fuoco finale. But there was also plenty of heart, most notably in the opening pages of the Andantino simplice second movement, with a delicate solo by Associate Principal Flute Andrea Kaplan. The ovation was justifiably enthusiastic.

Not surprisingly, there was an encore, and an exceptionally well chosen one at that: Chopin’s “Nocturne” No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 9 No. 2. It’s graceful, a bit sad, and utterly different from the fireworks of the Tchaikovsky. Hough played it with the sort of light touch which, we are told, characterized Chopin’s own performances.

Thomas Søndergård
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

There’s not much lightness to be found in the work that concluded the concert, Symphony No. 7 in C-sharp minor, op. 131 by Sergei Prokofiev. It was his last symphony—his last completed work, in fact—and it was the work of a man whose physical and fiscal health were both at a low ebb thanks to the condemnation by Stalin’s cultural enforcer Andrei Aleksandrovich Zhdanov. Although written in a simpler and more approachable style than some of the composer’s earlier works, the Seventh is elegant and even witty on the surface but dark and despairing underneath.

Søndergård did an impressive job of showing us both the light and the darkness—a delicate balancing act, executed with a skill that would do credit to the Flying Wallendas. The Moderato first movement was elegant and elegiac, while the Allegretto second movement and perfect mix of bumptious humor and snarling sarcasm with a properly hysterical, “all fall down” coda. The dark nostalgia of the Andante espressivo came through clearly as did the cheerful children’s march that opens the Vivace finale. The romantic, Korngold-esque theme that materializes towards the end was appropriately glossy, and the quiet, wistfully sad moment for xylophone and muted trumpets that follows would have been tremendously effective if Søndergård had allowed it to conclude the symphony as Prokofiev originally intended it to.

Unfortunately, Søndergård chose the version of the final movement that Prokofiev created at the suggestion of conductor Samuil Samosud, who felt that a more upbeat finale would stand a better chance of netting the composer the 100,000 ruble Stalin Prize. That version, which simply tacks the opening march theme on to the original ending, sounds just like the last-minute addition that it was. Which is probably why most conductors seem to have stuck with the composer’s original.

That odd choice aside, though, Søndergård was never less than persuasive on the podium, and his reading of the opening work, Anatoly Liadov’s miniature “The Enchanted Lake” Op. 62, was a shimmering, gravity-defying delight. There was an almost pointillist delicacy to the short motifs in the horns and woodwinds and a dreamy evanescence to the whole business.

Next at Powell Hall: the regular season pauses while the orchestra plays John Williams’s score for the film “Jurassic Park” live to accompany the film on the big screen at Powell. Showings are Friday and Saturday at 7 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, November 4-6. The regular season resumes November 11 and 12 as John Storgårds and violinist Leila Josefowicz perform music by Sibelius, Beethoven, and the US premiere of Helen Grime’s Violin Concerto.

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

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 31, 2022

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

Ken Haller

The Blue Strawberry presents Ken Haller: When I’m 68 Thursday at 8:00 pm, November 3. “Looking back on his life and looking forward to what’s ahead through songs from Broadway and the Great American Songbook by Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Lerner and Loewe, Ira Gershwin, Harold Arlen,William Finn, and Stephen Sondheim among many others, Ken creates ‘…a varied and neatly balanced song list, just enough patter to let us know why the list made sense, and a perfect mix of the mirthful and the moving… ingenious [and] emotionally compelling [with]a heaping helping of humor!” (Chuck Lavazzi, KDHX).’" Nic Valdez is pianist and music director for the show. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Frozen
Photo: Deen Van Meer

The Fabulous Fox presents the musical Frozen, based on the Disney film, opening on Wednesday, November 2, at 7:30 pm and running through November 13. “From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, FROZEN, the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News). Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving,” FROZEN features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards. An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, FROZEN is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy.” The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Hawthorne Players present The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Fridays and Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2 pm, November 4-13. “Fifteen-year-old Christopher has an extraordinary brain. He is exceptional at mathematics but ill equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched, and he distrusts strangers. Now it is seven minutes after midnight, and Christopher stands beside his neighbor’s dead dog, Wellington, who has been speared with a garden fork. Finding himself under suspicion, Christopher is determined to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington, and he carefully records each fact of the crime. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a thrilling journey that upturns his world.” sPerformances take place in the Florissant Civic Center Theatre in Florissant, MO. For more information: www.hawthorneplayers.info

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present A Dickens of a Killilng November 4th through January 27th, 2023. "Death is in the air as guests join Marilyn Monroe, Babe Ruth, Baaaaa Huuuumbug!!! Ebenezer Scrooge will be back to his old tricks and is bound to make a few enemies at this Christmas Party chock full of Charles Dicken's Characters. Just when Beep (The Minstrel) gets everyone in the Holiday Spirit, Scrooge barges in and starts talking about gruel. Geez, hope no one snuffs Scrooge out before he stops bellowing! Guests will dive into the fictious world of Charles Dickens and join Pip, Martha Cratchit, Oliver Twist, The Ghost of Jacob Marley, Tiny Tim and so many more in this cheerful murder mystery parody of a Holiday Classic. Whether you want to participate a little or a lot, you're sure to have a jolly good time, in jolly olde England, where there is sure to be "A Dickens of a Killing!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

Seedfolks
Photo: Jennifer A. Lin

Metro Theater Company presents Seedfolks live through November 6. “A vacant lot in a broken neighborhood in the middle of the city can become a lot of things. How could it ever be a source of hope? A dozen different characters and their stories come to life, beginning with Kim, a nine-year-old Vietnamese immigrant who plants six precious lima beans. One by one, the people of his community, many also immigrants, sow seeds of hope amid the dirt and grit, tending dreams to full bloom. As the garden grows, so does the community, blooming into something bigger, better, and beyond all expectations. As told by award-winning novelist Paul Fleischman, the garden draws neighbors out of their lonely isolation to rediscover and celebrate the community around them.” Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre in Grand Center and can also be viewed via streaming video beginning on October 19th. For more information: www.metroplays.org

Barefoot in the Park
Photo: Carla Gibson

Moonstone Theatre Company presents Neil Simon’s comedy Barefoot in the Park through November 13. “The romantic comedy Barefoot in the Park tells the story of Paul and Corie Bratter, who are newlyweds in every sense of the word. He’s a straight-as-an-arrow lawyer, and she’s a free spirit always looking for the latest kick. Their new apartment is her most recent find – too expensive with bad plumbing and in need of a paint job. After a six-day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Corie’s loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor-in-the-attic, Velasco, where everything that can go wrong does. Paul just doesn’t understand Corie, as she sees it. He’s too staid, too boring.  She just wants him to be a little more spontaneous – and running “barefoot in the park” would be a start.” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: moonstonetheatrecompany.com.

The St. Louis Writers' Group presents a reading of the screenplay The Curse of Father Hitchens by Joe Link on Tuesday, November 1 at 6:30 pm. An urban gritty crime drama with a supernatural twist. A Tarantinoesk screenplay that tells the story of a recently released convict, a hardworking cobbler, a coke dealer, the pushers that work for him, a certain bag of cocaine and the importance of having the right pair of shoes.The reading takes place at Big Daddy’s in Soulard. For more information, visit the St. Louis Writers' Group Facebook page.

The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves presents the thriller Deathtrap Fridays and Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, November 4-13. “Sidney Bruhl, a successful writer of Broadway thrillers, is struggling to overcome a dry spell which has resulted in a string of failures. A possible break in his fortunes occurs when he receives a script from a student in the seminar he has been conducting at a nearby college – a thriller that Sidney recognizes as a potential Broadway smash. Sidney’s plan is to offer collaboration to the student for co-credit. Or is it?” Performances take place at the Guild theatre at 517 Theatre Lane, at the corner of Newport and Summit in Webster Groves. For more information: theatreguildwg.org.

Upstream Theater presents the world premiere of The Good Ship St. Louis, a new play by Philip Boehm with original music by Anthony Barilla., opening on November 3 and Running through November 20.“ On May 13, 1939, a ship left Hamburg flying the German Nazi flag and carrying over 900 Jewish refugees. They held valid visas for Cuba and most planned to emigrate to the United States. But when they reached Havana their documents were declared invalid, and the US declined to admit them. The ship returned to Europe, where the refugees were caught up in the tide of war and occupation. The ship was the MS St. Louis, and we are taking this voyage a starting point for a soulful examination of the basic human right to asylum by linking its story to the history of our city with the same name, known for welcoming refugees from the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s”. Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Dr. in Grand Center. For more information: upstreamtheater.org.

Webster Conservatory presents Sueño, translated and adapted by José Rivera from the play by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, November 4-13. “Sueño is Obie Award–winning playwright José Rivera’s sharp translation and adaptation of Calderón de la Barca’s Golden Age classic Life Is a Dream. Sueño follows the life of young Prince Segismundo, heir to the Spanish throne, who is imprisoned at birth when astrologers predicted his reign as king would result in the country’s ruin. When his father King Basilio finds his own life ending without a legitimate heir, he releases Segismundo and places him on the throne. If Segismundo is gentle, he will be allowed to reign. If he is as barbaric as the stars predicted, he'll be sent back to his imprisonment and told that his brief moment of freedom and power was only a dream. In this brisk, contemporary adaptation, Rivera asks the question that haunted Calderón: If life is a dream, who is dreaming us?” Performances take place in the Emerson Studio Theatre in the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus in Webster Groves. For more information: webster.edu/conservatory

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

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

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

Symphony Preview: From Russia with love

The Russian government may be stinking up the place right now, but that’s no reason not to appreciate the all-Russian program Thomas Søndergård will conduct in his debut. Sir Stephen Hough will be the soloist for Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and the orchestra will play works by Prokofiev and Anatoly Liadov.

[Preview the music with the SLSO's commercial-free Spotify playlist.]

Anatoly Liadov
en.wikipedia.org

If you’ve never heard of Liadov, that’s hardly surprising. Although he studied composition with no less than Nikolay Rimski-Korsakov at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, he was, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “expelled for idleness in 1876.” He would eventually complete his education and even teach at the Conservatory, where his students would include Prokofiev.

And what did Prokofiev think of his mentor? Based on what he wrote in his autobiography (published in the West as “Prokofiev by Prokofiev: A Composer’s Memoir” in 1979) the answer is: not much. “He was a rather lazy man,” wrote the composer, “and in no hurry to start teaching… He regarded teaching at the Conservatory as a burdensome duty and showed no interest in his students.”

Liadov's laziness (and resulting unreliability) essentially conspired with his self-criticism to prevent him from producing a large body of work, although he did write a number of piano miniatures (his 1893 "Musical Snuffbox" still regularly shows up as an encore piece). Even so, he became associated with (if not an actual member of) the "Mighty Handful" (a.k.a. the "Russian Five") of composers who were so important in the formation of the Russian nationalist school. The actual five were Mily Balakirev (composer of the fiendishly difficult "Islamey" for piano), César Cui, Modest Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, and Alexander Borodin.

Appropriately for a Russian nationalist, Liadov is represented this weekend by "The Enchanted Lake" (Op. 62), one of two orchestral miniatures based on Russian folklore (the other is "Kikimora" Op. 63) that were part of sketches for an opera he never got around to writing. It’s a neat piece of work in which the harp, strings, and woodwinds suggest a quiet lake that might or might not have something unpleasant lurking down there in the low strings. In a letter to a friend, the composer wrote that the music contains “no entreaties and no complaints; only nature—cold, malevolent, and fantastic as a fairy tale.”

Make of that what you will.

Prokofiev in 1950

The concerts close with the Symphony No. 7 in C-sharp minor, op. 131 by Sergei Prokofiev. Unlike his former teacher, Prokofiev was a hard-working professional composer with a string of well-known and highly regarded works to his credit by the time he started composing the seventh in 1951.

Alas, that meant nothing to Stalin’s Central Committee, which had started enforcing the so-called “Zhdanov Doctrine” in 1946. Named for its creator, Committee secretary Andrei Aleksandrovich Zhdanov, the doctrine condemned what it regarded as “decadent formalism”—a vague term which, in practice, mean any type of music that did not explicitly promote the Communist Party line. Any work that seemed too abstract, too intellectual, or even vaguely dissonant was banned and its composer condemned.

Such was the fate of Prokofiev and his Symphony No. 6 Op 111, which had the misfortune to appear in the same year as the dreaded Doctrine. Although received with enthusiasm by both audiences and critics at its premiere ("another stunning victory for Soviet art," declared Pravda), only one year later the symphony’s spare and uncompromising sound provoked Zhdanov and company to declare it a failure. Suddenly those who praised it—Prokofiev’s biographer Israel Nestyev for one—suddenly decided was “clearly formalist.” “Prokofiev was stripped of his pension and left in poverty,” writes SLSO Communications Manager Caitlin Custer in her program notes “his name erased from cultural conversation."

By 1951, as a result, Prokofiev’s physical and fiscal heath were both poor. In an effort to improve both, he wrote the Symphony No. 7 in response to a commission from the Children’s Division of State Radio. He hoped its apparent simplicity and charm would earn him the 100,000 ruble Stalin Prize, and at the behest of conductor Samuil Samosud, even went so far as to re-write the original wistful and enigmatic ending to make it more upbeat.

It was all for naught. The symphony didn’t win the prize and the competing endings have led subsequent conductors with the dilemma of which one to use. Custer says Søndergård will be using the “happy” ending, but others have opted for the composer’s original. That includes Seiji Ozawa, whose 2000 recording with the Berlin Philharmonic is the one you can hear in the SLSO’s Spotify playlist.

Kirill Karabits, who recorded a complete Prokofiev symphony cycle with the Bournemouth Symphony in 2014, agrees. “You could call it a farewell symphony,” he said in a 2016 interview for The Gramophone. “It’s a symphony that looks back over his life and childhood—an old man’s dream of childhood. But he’s also saying farewell. Look at the ending—it’s just a heartbeat that slows down and then stops.” The Karabits recording includes the upbeat ending as a separate track and I have to say it does sound rather like the last-minute addition that it was.

Tchaikovsky circa 1872

The Seventh Symphony was, in any case, a true “farewell symphony” in that it was Prokofiev’s last completed work. He died less than a year after its 1952 premiere on, ironically, the same day as Stalin.

In between Liadov and Prokofiev we get the Tchaikovsky concerto, an enduring chestnut that always gets a warm response. The lively melodies (some appropriated from Ukrainian folk sources) and flashy piano part never fail to appeal. The challenge, for Hough, will be to find an approach to it that can make an old standard like this one fresh and exciting. Given his wide range of interests—he’s a writer and composer as well as a spectacular pianist—he’s just the man to do it.

The Essentials: Thomas Søndergård makes his SLSO debut conducting the orchestra and pianist Stephen Hough in an all-Russian concert of Liadov’s “The Enchanted Lake,” Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 7. Performances are Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm, October 28 and 29. The Saturday concert will be broadcast live, as usual, on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3.

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

Symphony Review: Music of love and sacrifice with the St. Louis Symphony and Chorus

In his comments from the podium at the start of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra concert on October 21, Music Director Stéphane Denève identified the non-musical theme of the evening as “love, dedication, and sacrifice.” I think it was also about the ways religion can motivate believers to become better humans. Which is easy to forget with so many examples of the opposite in the news these days.

[Find out more about the music with my symphony preview.]

The concert opened with the local premiere of “Testament,” the third movement of the 2014 “Vishwas” for dancer and orchestra by Indian-American composer Reena Esmail (b. 1983). This short tone poem paints a vivid musical picture of the devotion of 15th-century Indian poet Meera Bai to Krishna, which ended in a supernatural storm and immolation in Krishna’s fire.

Esmail mixes Indian and Western influences skillfully. The use of “bent” microtonal notes along with the prominent part for the tabla (the Indian hand drums that enjoyed a Western vogue during the 1960s) give the music a distinct Indian flavor while staying solidly within more Western harmonic boundaries. You could hear that in solo passages by, among others, Principal Oboe Jelena Dirks, Principal Clarinet Scott Andrews, and Associate Principal Trumpet Tom Drake, along with most of the strings. Guest artist Eric Phinney made a strong impression on the tabla, and while he was (of necessity) miked, the amplification was subtle and free of distortion.

Jeanine de Bique
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

The suite from the 1907 ballet “La tragedie du Salomé” by Florent Schmitt (1870-1958) was next, with its colorful orchestration and “Orientalist” touches. Schmitt’s score depicts the lurid scenario with great splashes of exotic orchestral color that would have been appreciated by his contemporary Richard Strauss, whose own setting of the Salome story is considerably more well known. Certainly it generates the kind of excitement that Strauss’s tone poems do, while still sounding characteristically French.

Denève conducted with his characteristic mix of passion and exactitude, while the orchestra played with its equally characteristic skill, including some fine solos by Dirks as well as Cally Banham on English horn. I missed the wordless offstage women’s chorus at the conclusion of the “Les enchantements sur la mer” (“Apparitions on the Sea”) section, but Dirks’s oboe was a solid replacement. The SLSO hasn’t played this since 1974 and since I didn’t see it then, I know it only from recordings. It was good to finally witness a live performance.

The SLSO Chorus and soprano Jeanine de Bique joined the orchestra after intermission for two works by a composer that is a favorite of Denève, Francis Poulenc (1899-1963): the 1950 “Stabat mater” (in its first SLSO performance) and the brief final scene from the opera “The Dialogs of the Carmelites” (last played by the orchestra for the Opera Theatre production in 2014). Both of these show the more serious and deeply religious side of a composer best known for more witty and eccentric works like the Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra (done up nicely by the SLSO in 2018), ballet scores like “Les Biches” (ditto, in 2019), and his many pithy pieces for solo piano. It’s an aspect of his musical personality that was, with a few exceptions, mostly overlooked until recently.

The Latin hymn “Stabat mater dolorosa” describes the suffering of Mary as Jesus is martyred on the cross. Poulenc’s setting for a large orchestra and chorus is, for the most part, appropriately solemn , although there are moments when his more witty and popular sensibilities show up. The almost jovial melodies of “Quae moerebat” and “Eja mater,” for example, feel strangely at odds with the lachrymose text, as does the little comic motif for trombone and muted trumpet at the end of the latter. But that’s Poulenc for you.

The overall mood is, nevertheless, reverential—an atmosphere reinforced by the brief soprano solos in “Vidit suum,” “Fac ut potem,” and the concluding “Quando corpus.” The soprano is effectively the voice of Mary, and de Bique made these moments exceptionally moving. This was especially true of the “Quando corpus” final section, where her voice rang out clearly over the chorus.

Scott Allen Jarrett conducts the 
Bach Akademie of Charlotte
Photo by Michael Harding

For these performances the SLSO chorus was directed by guest artist Scott Allen Jarrett, who has been Director of the Bach Akademie of Charlotte since 2017. That might make him appear to be an unusual choice for a work written in the mid-20th century, but it actually makes perfect sense. Poulenc’s choral writing owes more to Mozart than to many of Poulenc’s contemporaries, and Mozart was, after all, a great admirer of Bach.

Not surprisingly, then, Jarrett got a very clean, precise, and passionate performance from the singers. The Powell Hall acoustics muddied the Latin lyrics a bit from where we sat on Friday (which makes it a pity that the Latin text was not projected along with the English translation), but when heard on the Saturday night live broadcast, everything was crystal clear. It was good to see them all wearing singers’ masks as well.

The final scene from “The Dialogs of the Carmelites” brought the concert to a dramatic and somewhat chilling end. Set during the Reign of Terror that followed the French revolution, the opera is the story of the sixteen women of the monastery of the Carmel of Compiègne. For the crime of refusing to renounce their faith, they were executed—an act of such barbarity that it’s widely believed to have been instrumental in bringing about the end of the Reign of Terror ten days later. Poulenc tells the story from the point of view of the fictional Blanche de la Force, the monastery’s newest member.

Denève emphasized the drama by having the women singing the roles of the nuns line up downstage of the orchestra. As each character was executed (with an unnervingly realistic recorded sound effect), her singer threw her head back and then dropped it to her chest. At the end, de Bique entered stage left to sing Blanche’s solo of the hymn “Veni creator spiritus” until it, too, is silenced by the guillotine. Denéve held the final silence just long enough for us to contemplate the horror.

It was a powerful performance and a disturbing reminder of the evil that is the inevitable product of ideological fanaticism, religious or otherwise. Perhaps it’s a lesson we should all take to heart.

Next at Powell Hall: Thomas Søndergård makes his SLSO debut conducting the orchestra and pianist Stephen Hough in an all-Russian concert of Liadov’s “The Enchanted Lake,” Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, and Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 7. Performances are Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 8 pm, October 28 and 29. The Saturday concert will be broadcast live, as usual, on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3.

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

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of October 24, 2022

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

Joe Dreyer

The Blue Strawberry presents Joe Dreyer: A Swath of Song  Tuesday at 7:00 pm, October 25. “Join Joe Dreyer in the lounge as he slices his way through the abundant field of American song masters."  Joe performs in the Blue Strawberry Lounge with Dave Black (guitar) and Scott Alberici (clarinet). The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle.  The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Blue Strawberry presents Susan Werner Friday at 7:30 pm, October 28. “Susan Werner is in the rung of contemporary songwriters closest to heaven. As a performer, she is vastly entertaining - funny, fun, dryly witty, very hard working and endlessly charming. Her songs have been recorded by Tom Jones and Michael Feinstein, Betty Buckley and Christine Ebersole.”  The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents the musical Little Shop of Horrors through October 30. “Little Shop of Horrors has devoured the hearts of theatre goers for over 30 years. The meek floral assistant Seymour Krelborn stumbles across a new breed of plant he names Audrey II after his coworker crush. This foul-mouthed, R&B singing carnivore promises unending fame and fortune to the down-and-out Krelborn as long as he keeps feeding it – BLOOD. Over time, Seymour discovers Audrey II’s out-of-this-world origins and intent toward global domination!” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: ktg-onstage.org

The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre and Jest Mysteries present Dead Like Me through October 29th. "Death is in the air as guests join Marilyn Monroe, Babe Ruth, Juliet and her Romeo, Nixon and other grizzly ghouls as they emerge from the Land of The Dead for the annual Brotherhood of Obituary Occupants Union Meeting (That’s BOO for short). Be sure to leave your pulse at home because everyone at this party is dead... even you! There are lots of shadowy characters at this fun, interactive murder mystery but none are as sneaky as P.T. Barnum himself. He’s always got some devious slimy trick up his translucent sleeves. Gee, hope nothing happens to him! But just in case it does... will you figure out who-dun-it? Or will all waggling fingers be pointing at you?"  The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com

Seedfolks
Photo: Jennifer A. Lin

Metro Theater Company presents Seedfolks live through November 6. “A vacant lot in a broken neighborhood in the middle of the city can become a lot of things. How could it ever be a source of hope? A dozen different characters and their stories come to life, beginning with Kim, a nine-year-old Vietnamese immigrant who plants six precious lima beans. One by one, the people of his community, many also immigrants, sow seeds of hope amid the dirt and grit, tending dreams to full bloom. As the garden grows, so does the community, blooming into something bigger, better, and beyond all expectations. As told by award-winning novelist Paul Fleischman, the garden draws neighbors out of their lonely isolation to rediscover and celebrate the community around them.” Performances take place at the Grandel Theatre in Grand Center and can also be viewed via streaming video beginning on October 19th. For more information: www.metroplays.org

Moonstone Theatre Company presents Neil Simon’s comedy Barefoot in the Park October 27 through November 13. “The romantic comedy Barefoot in the Park tells the story of Paul and Corie Bratter, who are newlyweds in every sense of the word. He’s a straight-as-an-arrow lawyer, and she’s a free spirit always looking for the latest kick. Their new apartment is her most recent find – too expensive with bad plumbing and in need of a paint job. After a six-day honeymoon, they get a surprise visit from Corie’s loopy mother and decide to play matchmaker during a dinner with their neighbor-in-the-attic, Velasco, where everything that can go wrong does. Paul just doesn’t understand Corie, as she sees it. He’s too staid, too boring.  She just wants him to be a little more spontaneous – and running “barefoot in the park” would be a start.” Performances take place at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center in Kirkwood, MO. For more information: moonstonetheatrecompany.com.

The Washington University Performing Arts Department presents Sondheim’s Into the Woods Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm, through October 30. Performances take place in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University Campus. For more information: pad.wustl.edu

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

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

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.