The St. Louis Area Theatre Calendar

For the Week of 8/21/2017

Updated Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Brought to you by Stage Left and 88.1 KDHX.

To submit your event, send an email to calendar at stageleft.org. Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills for inclusion here and on the enhanced version of this calendar at the Stage Left blog (where you can offer comments, updates and corrections).

And don't forget to check out my list of St. Louis theatre links!

Church Basement Ladies
The Playhouse at Westport Plaza presents Church Basement Ladies Thursdays through Sundays through October 1. "Church Basement Ladies, a celebration of the church basement kitchen and the women who work there, features four distinct characters and their relationships as they organize the food and the problems of a rural Minnesota church. From the elderly matriarch of the kitchen to the young bride-to-be learning the proper order of things, the book and music give us a touching, funny look at their lives as we see them handle a record breaking Christmas dinner, the funeral of a dear friend, a Hawaiian Easter Fundraiser, and a steaming hot July wedding. They stave off potential disasters, share and debate recipes, instruct the young, and keep the Pastor on due course while thoroughly enjoying, (and tolerating) each other." The Playhouse at Westport Plaza is at 635 West Port Plaza. For more information: playhouseatwestport.com.

Union Avenue Opera presents the Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel Fridays and Saturdays at 8 PM, through August 26. "A deliciously fun retelling of the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tale that will appeal to audiences of all ages. Though the plot will appeal to children with its tuneful and accessible melodies, the elaborate orchestrations will entice even the most “grown-up” of opera-goers. Once upon a time, two children found themselves lost in a dark forest, until they happened upon a house made entirely of sweets. What happens next … well, that's the story of Hänsel und Gretel complete with a cackling witch, enchanted fairies, and a gingerbread house. In the dizzying excitement of “The Witch's Ride” and the serene beauty of the children's “Evening Prayer,” Humperdinck's music magically evokes the contrasting worlds of the story and the perils of growing up!" Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union at Enright in the Central West End. The opera is sung in German with projected English text. For more information, visit unionavenueopera.org or call 314-361-2881.

The Lemp Mansion Comedy-Mystery Dinner Theater presents The Haunted Hunter through October 27. "The rumor is true! Word on the street? This place is Haunted! That's right! ...and lots of famous sleuths, detectives and ghost hunters from around the world will be there to catch a glimpse of our famous, (and elusive), ghost "Billy", (better known as "Billy, the Spook"). Gee! If someone gets "Whacked", we'll have plenty of detectives to solve the crime, won't we! Everyone plays a part! You could be "Sherlock Homes", "Miss Garble", or even "The Hardly Boys". Call today for tickets to this "hauntingly silly" dinner theater." The Lemp Mansion is at 3322 DeMenil Place. For more information: lempmansion.com.

Next Generation Theatre Company presents the musical The Hunchback of Notre Dame August 25th through September 2nd. The show is based on the Victor Hugo novel and songs from the Disney animated feature, showcasing the film's Academy Award-nominated score, as well as new songs by Menken and Schwartz. Peter Parnell's new book embraces story theatre and features verbatim passages from Hugo's gothic novel. Performances take place at the Florissant Civic Center Theatre at Parker and Waterford in Florissant, MO. For more information, call 314-921-5678 or visit www.nextgenerationtheatre.company.

R-S Theatrics presents the musical In the Heights Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m., through September 3. "In the Heights, the 2008 Tony Award Winner for Best Musical, has words and music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, writer of the current Grammy and Tony Award winning hit Hamilton! In the Heights is set in New York City's vibrant Washington Heights, a community on the brink of change, full of hopes and dreams, where the biggest struggles can be deciding which traditions you take with you, and which ones you leave behind. This groundbreaking musical tackles the universal story of chasing your dreams and finding your true home." Performances take place at the .ZACK, 3224 Locust in midttown. For more information: r-stheatrics.com.

The Bissell Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Smoking Gun through October 29. The Bissell Mansion is at 4426 Randall Place. For more information: bissellmansiontheatre.com.

The St. Lou Fringe Festival runs through August 26 at several venues in the Grand Center area including the Kranzberg Arts Center and the Grandel Theatre. Performances include traditional theater, dance, music, comedy, circus arts, performance art, cabaret, and burlesque, with acts from St. Louis and around the country. "Fringe features an array of original material-meant to celebrate all of the arts. Tech is minimal and time is a factor at our festivals. Shows are often kept brief (Fringes most frequently have shows right around 60 minutes in length) and technical requirements kept simple (minor sets, streamlined cues, nothing elaborate)." For a complete schedule, visit stlouisfringe.com.

St. Louis Shakespeare presents Titus Andronicus Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., August 25 - September 3. Performances take place at the Ivory Theatre, 7620 Michigan in the Carondelet neighborhood. For more information, call 314-361-5664 or visit stlshakespeare.org.

Rebel and Misfits Productions presents Uncle Vanya: Valiantly Accepting Next Year's Agony Thursdays through Sundays, August 24 through September 3 (no performance on Labor Day, September 4), as part of its Immersive Theatre Project. "The story of Uncle Vanya follows an elderly professor and his young, glamorous second wife, Yelena, to a rural estate, causing the desires and tempers of those residing there to flare. Matters are brought to a crisis when the professor announces his selfish intention to sell the estate and characters' desperation sets in. Rebel and Misfits' interpretation will begin with a high-tea reception and feature Russian libations at intermission. Audiences can expect direct contact with characters from the show throughout the evening as part of the immersive theatre experience. Performances take place at a private residence at 110 Dielman Road in Ladue. For more information: theimmersivetheatreproject.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.