To submit your real world or online 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).
Now including both on-line and live events during the pandemic. To
get your event listed here, send an email to calendar [at]
stageleft.org.
The Alpha Players present The Mountaintop
Friday through Sunday, July 30 - August 1. "The Mountaintop
is a fictional retelling of how Martin Luther King Jr. spent the
last night before his tragic assassination. After delivering his
famous “I’ve been to the mountaintop speech” on behalf of the
sanitation workers in Memphis, MLK returns to his hotel room at the
Lorraine Motel to rest. His world is turned upside down when he
meets Camae, a mysterious maid, who delivers a cup of coffee. At
first, they only exchange flirtatious remarks, but soon they start a
deep dialogue about Martin’s hopes and fears. The Mountaintop
shows the audience a different side of Martin Luther King – a man
who is tired, flawed, yet despite everything an inspiration."
Performances take place in the James J. Eagen Center in Florissant.
For more information: www.florissantmo.com
Arts for Life presents an on-demand video stream of their
fifth annual Theatre Mask Awards, honoring excellence
in community theatre productions during 2020, on their YouTube channel. Act Two Theatre’s
production of the farce “Who’s in Bed with the Butler?” leads this
year’s Theatre Mask Awards nominations with nine. Alton Little
Theater, with its two productions of “Inherit the Wind” and “The
Miracle Worker,” earned 12 nominations in total – six for each. Two
classic comedies by Clayton Community Theatre, “The Philadelphia
Story,” and Monroe Actors Stage Company, “The Solid Gold
Cadillac,” both received eight nominations apiece. Arts For Life
announced the TMA nominations on March 12, during the nonprofit
organization’s first-ever virtual trivia night. For more
information: www.artsforlife.org
The Blue Strawberry presents Open Mic Night with Sean
Skrbec and Patrick White Sundays at 7 pm. "Come on down and sing,
come on down to play, or come on down to listen and enjoy." The Blue
Strawberry is on North Boyle in the Central West End. For more
information: bluestrawberrystl.com.
Circus Harmony in St. Louis and Circus Circuli in
Stuttgart, St. Louis's German sister city, present Sister
City Circus, on Circus Harmony’s YouTube page.
"Through a series of online meetings, workshops, and classes the two
troupes created 6 different circus acts and then filmed them at
iconic architectural locations in each of their cities." This and
many other Circus Harmony videos are available at the
Circus
Harmony YouTube channel.
Circus Harmony offers Summer Circus Camps for ages
7-17 through August 13. "Registration is open for our summer
camps and classes for ages three through adult in our circus ring at
City Museum! You can also schedule private lessons or book us to
come and teach where you are!" For more information: circusharmony.org.
COCA presents the musical Billy Elliot Friday
through Sunday, July 30 - August 1. "Our summer musical features
some of the best talent in St. Louis with COCA’s leading performers,
local apprentice actors, and regional professional performers all
coming together under the direction of Nancy Bell for an uplifting
and energetic theatre experience you don’t want to miss."
Performances take place in the Berges Theatre at COCA in University
City. For more information: www.cocastl.org.
ERA Theatre presents the radio play SHE by
Nancy Bell with music by Joe Taylor and Lyrics by Nancy Bell via
on-demand streaming "SHE controls the radio station of the
fascist regime in power. SHE's also the star of the broadcast. Her
recording studio abounds with music and oysters. But in the nearby
government camps full of misfits and would-be revolutionaries, only
torture and starvation is thick on the ground. Tonight, however,
SHE's realm feels different. The bombs sound closer. Time moves
faster. But SHE will finish her radio show, and it will be her
finest. If executing every number in the broadcast means some people
need to die, so be it; it is a small sacrifice. The citizens need
her and she will not let them down." SHE is available for digital
purchase via bandcamp at eratheatre.bandcamp.com.
For more information: www.eratheatre.org
Fly North Theatricals presents three new free digital series.
Their new digital line up includes The Spotlight Series,
the Grown-Up Theatre Kids Podcast, and Gin and
the Tonic. The Spotlight Series highlights the
Fly North family of students and actors performing songs from
previous FNT shows. In the Grown-Up Theatre Kids podcast you
can join Colin Healy and Bradley Rohlf every other Friday as they
explore life after drama club and what it means to make a living in
theatre far from the lights of broadway. Gin and the Tonic
is a "reckless unpacking of music history’s weirdest stories hosted
by Colin Healy.” The Spotlight Series and Gin and the
Tonic are available at the Fly North Theatricals YouTube channel and the
Grown-Up Theatre Kids podcast can also be found on Spotify,
Apple Podcasts, Sticher, other podcast platforms. All three are
updated on a bi-weekly (every other week) basis.
The Lemp Mansion Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre presents Clueless
through August 28. "Welcome to the world of big business, old
mansions and family politics. You’re invited To the birthday
celebration of the oldest, (and richest), man in town. Lucky you!
Some would kill for the opportunity to meet Barnabas Barnaby Baggs,
the famous Pickle Baron. He sure has made a lot of enemies on his
rise to the top! I hope none of his enemies tries to kill him
tonight. But if they do, will you know who did it? Maybe his latest
girlfriend? The angry ex-wife? the spoiled nephew? Perhaps the
jealous competitor? …Or You? Regardless, you’ll have to figure it
whodunnit because we’re Clueless!" The Lemp Mansion is at 3322
DeMenil Place in south city. For more information: www.lempmansion.com
Max and Louie Productions presents the St. Louis premiere of
Tiny Beautiful Things based on the New York Times
bestseller, Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from
Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed and adapted for the stage by
Oscar nominee, Nia Vardalos, July 29 through August 8. "When
life is hard, turn to Sugar. Tiny Beautiful Things follows
Sugar, an online advice columnist who uses her personal experiences
to help the real-life readers who pour their hearts out to her. Rich
with humor, insight, compassion and absolute honesty, “Tiny
Beautiful Things” is a play about reaching when you’re stuck,
healing when you’re broken, and finding the courage to take on the
questions that have no answers." Performances take place at the
Grandel Theare in Grand Center. For more information: maxandlouie.com
Moonstone Theatre Company presents Moonstone
Connections, a series of in-depth interviews with arts
leaders by company founder Sharon Hunter. The latest episode
features musical theatre composer and director Kevin Connors.
New episodes air the third Tuesday of each month; see linktr.ee/moonstoneconnections
for more information.
The Muny opens its season with the musical revue Smokey
Joe’s
Café on Monday, July 26 at 8:15 pm. “Ben E.
King, The Coasters, Elvis Presley, Peggy Lee and The Drifters – what
do they have in common? Besides being some of the most popular
artists of the 50s and 60s, their hits, and over 35 others, are the
bread and butter of Smokey Joe’s Cafe. Set in St. Louis’ historic
Gaslight Square, Broadway’s longest-running musical revue includes
Grammy Award-winning favorites such as “Yakety Yak,” “Jailhouse
Rock,” “On Broadway” and “Love Potion No. 9.” With this
generation-defining Muny premiere, audiences will be dancing in the
aisles.” Performances continue through August 1st on the Muny's
outdoor stage in Forest Park. For more information: muny.org.
R-S Theatrics presents While the Ghostlight Burns,
a virtual discussion series featuring R-S Artistic Director Sarah
Lynne Holt in conversation with St. Louis theatre artists, Mondays
at 7 pm. Conversations will be archived at the R-S Theatrics YouTube channel. For more
information: r-stheatrics.com/while-the-ghostlight-burns.html
SATE, in collaboration with COCA and Prison
Performing Arts, presents Project Verse: Creativity in
the Time of Quarantine. Project Verse presents two new
plays: Quatrains in Quarantine by e.k. doolin and Dream
On,
Black Girl: Reflections in Quarantine by Maxine du
Maine. The performances are streamed free of charge on SATE’s website and
Facebook page.
For more information: slightlyoff.org.
SATE also offers streaming performances of the shows
originally scheduled for live 2020 productions: The Mary
Shelley Monster Show, As You Like It
(produced for SHAKE20, Project Verse, and Classic
Mystery Game. The shows are available on their YouTube channel.
King
Lear
Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents an on-demand
streaming version of its 2021 production of King Lear
beginning at 8 pm on Wednesday, July 28, and running through Sunday,
August 1. "This is the first time in Festival history that a
Shakespeare in the Park production was preserved for later
distribution. Recorded over two nights in front of a live audience,
this is Shakespeare at its best–raw, diverse and powerful." To sign
up for the streaming link, fill out the on-line form.
Stray Dog Theatre’s Silver Stage Program presents an
on-demand streaming audio version of Shakespeare’s Julius
Caesar. The production features a cast of actors
exclusively over the age of 55. For more information: straydogtheatre.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.
