Thursday 09/07
What's in a Name?
While it's true that famed playwright Thomas Lanier Williams III spent much of his formative years knocking around the Show-Me State, "Missouri Williams" just doesn't quite have the proper ring to it. But we're not gonna let a little thing like being slighted on the pen-name front stop us from celebrating one of the most brilliant minds our fair city has ever produced, and that's why the Tennessee Williams Festival, founded in 2015, consistently finds exciting new ways to present even Williams' most familiar works. Executive Artistic Director Carrie Houk and her team staged a remarkable 2021 production of The Glass Menagerie that incorporated the fire escapes and rear wall of the playwright's former residence, and have also brought to light lesser plays, as with last year's inventive staging of The Rose Tattoo at the Big Top. This year's festival should keep up the momentum, with Williams' shocking novella-length "Suddenly Last Summer" taking center stage at COCA (6880 Washington Avenue, University City; 314-725-6555) from September 7 to 17. Sexual compulsion, exploitation, cannibalism, the threat of lobotomy — it's going to be fun to see Houk & Co. tackle this rich Freudian stew. The festival includes a host of interesting programming to complement the production, including a panel about Williams' years in University City on September 9, a performance of the classic one-act "Something Unspoken" at U. City Mayor Terry Crow's house from September 8 to 10, and a screening of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof on September 12. Full details at twstl.org.
And Now, This
Everyone knows that it takes a lot to make the news funny, yet John Oliver has been doing just that for nearly two decades. The British comedian first came to stateside prominence with his debut stand-up special John Oliver: Terrifying Times, but he became a household name as an anchor on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where he worked from 2006 to 2013. Oliver has been hosting his own show, Last Week Tonight, on HBO for nine seasons now, but when he's taking a break from TV (which we suppose he must, due to the writers and SAG-AFTRA strikes) he does stand-up shows. He's bringing his latest insights on the news, popular culture and life in general to the Stifel Theatre (1400 Market Street, 314-499-7600) on Thursday, September 7, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $56.50 to $146.50 plus fees, and can be purchased at stifeltheatre.com.
Friday 09/08
Too Big to Fail
Twitchy millennials still too scared to purchase a home will remember the name "Lehman Brothers" as something of a harbinger of doom, a sort of shorthand in financial markets for a warning sign that comes too late to do anything about, thanks to the outsize part the banking institution played in the Great Recession when it went belly up in 2008. The story of the Lehman family actually goes back two centuries to a country in Europe that no longer exists, winding its way through the American South, war, slavery and the Great Depression before meeting its ignoble end on Wall Street. Here to tell that tale is The Lehman Trilogy, 2022's Tony Award winner for Best Play, which opens at the Repertory Theater (130 Edgar Road, Webster Groves; 314-968-4925) on Friday, September 8, after a few days of previews. It frames the story as "one family's passionate pursuit of the American Dream and the piercing cost of greed." The play runs nightly Tuesday through Sunday through September 24, and showtimes vary by day. Tickets start at $25. More info at repstl.org.
Outside the Box
It's finally that time of year when we can go outside without being fried like an egg on the hot sidewalk, so it's also that time of year when the outdoor events really get good. Case in point: The 20th Annual Schlafly Art Outside Festival is being held this weekend at Schlafly Bottleworks (7260 Southwest Avenue, Maplewood; 314-241-2337). Running from Friday, September 8, through Sunday, September 10, this fantastic fine arts fair offers a wide variety of pieces made by local artists, including ceramics, paintings, photography, jewelry, glass, stonework, woodwork and more. All of the artists are truly local, too — there's a rule that each vendor must reside within a 125-mile radius of St. Louis. This event is family friendly and free to attend, but you'll want to bring some money to spend on the goods and on beer and food, because you know Schlafly always does ya right. Visit schlafly.com/events/artoutside for more information.
Saturday 09/09
Welcome to the Jungle
Guns N' Roses has a long and complicated history with St. Louis. Frontman Axl Rose banned the group from playing concerts in the city after having a little hissy fit and causing the Riverport Riot in 1991, and was frequently seen in public in the years that followed sporting a "St. Louis Sucks" T-shirt. He held strong to that ban for decades, but — likely thanks to the influence of guitarist Rich Fortus, who hails from STL — the band finally came back to town to play the Dome at America's Center in 2017, and everything went just fine. (See, Axl? We can all be friends. Or we can at least pretend to be friends for the sake of rock & roll.) This Saturday, September 9, GNR and the STL will bury the hatchet even further in the ground when Axl and Co. bring their huge live show to Busch Stadium (700 Clark Avenue, 314-345-9600). Tickets to the concert run from $29.50 to $164.50 and can be purchased at mlb.tickets.com. It should be a riot.
Off the Top Rope
Get yourself down to the South Broadway Athletic Club (2301 South Seventh Street, 314-776-4833) this Saturday, September 9, for some mat-slamming, pile-driving action courtesy of the Mid-Missouri Wrestling Alliance. The best regional wrestling talent will be taking the squared circle for its Back to School Brawl. If you've never been to a professional wrestling event before, make this your first. If you've only seen the nationwide acts perform at giant venues like Scottrade Center, then prepare yourself for up-close action that will be a totally different — and much better! — fan experience. Tickets start at just $10 and the bodies start flying at 7 p.m. More info at sbacstl.org.
Art Attack
Booths as far as the eye can see, filled with art of every possible stripe, from sculpture to turned wood to hand-dyed clothing. Food trucks and stalls filled with culinary delights from local restaurants. Performances from St. Louis' finest talent. This is the Saint Louis Art Fair, which takes over downtown Clayton for a weekend annually — and every year, it's a great time. But this year is set to be something special: It's the event's 30th anniversary, so it pretty much has to be. The announced lineup offers exhibiting artists from around the world, performances from STL Rock School, Hard Bop Messengers, the Whiskey Racoons and others, as well as food from St. Louis favorites Kimchi Guys, Deli Divine, Press, Pappy's and many more. As always it's free to attend, but bring your dough for the art. The festivities will run from 5 p.m. on Friday, September 8, to 5 p.m. on Sunday, September 10. More information at saintlouisartfair.com.
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