Spotlight on the ART of Invention The da Vinci Machines Exhibit     The da Vinci Machines Exhibition, on loan from the Museum of Leonardo da Vinci in Florence, Italy, contains more than 60 hand-crafted inventions built from Leonardo’s 500-year-old designs and is the life work of three generations of Florentine artisans, who have painstakingly brought to life the creations and concepts devised by the brilliant scientist, inventor and artist Leonardo Da Vinci.     With more than 60 machines on display, many of which are interactive, the collection features replicas of the major and most striking inventions of the original Renaissance Man.     The main features on display include the “bicycle,” “spring powered car,” “hang glider” and the “air screw,” a precursor to the helicopter, and for the first time ever, the secrets behind Leonardo’s legendary robotic lion.     This exhibition presents models grouped in themes: war machines, flying machines, nautical and hydraulic machines, as well as devices illustrating the principles of mechanics. Visitors can touch and handle these models to gain a first-hand appreciation of how they work. Explanatory notes and illustrative panels with Leonardo’s drawings accompany each model. Thru February 28 10am–6pm daily 800 Market Street 314-241-1241 $14 general admission, $11 students and seniors $9 children 5–10, $40 family pack (2 adults, 3 children) Under 5–no charge School and group pricing avaliable. Discount parking at Stadium West Garage.	ART  “Sunrise–Sunset” at Gateway Gallery Thru Feb. 17 Gateway Gallery 21 N. Bemiston, Clayton Featuring the work of Meg Matson. 314-402-1959. Gatewaygalleryonline.com. The Internal Life of a Musician—Art & Analysis Friday, Feb. 17, 7:30pm St. Louis Psychoanalytic Institute 8820 Ladue Road, 3rd Floor, Ladue Presenters: Karen Miller, PhD, LPC, Linita Newberg, MSW, LCSW, and Ed Sprunger, MSW. Moderated by Britt-Marie Schiller, Ph.D. $25 per person. Purchase tickets at stlpi.org/training/registration. 314-361-7075, ext. 351. “Fanfare of Quilts 2012” Quilt Show Saturday, March 17, 10am-5pm Sunday, March 18, 11am-4pm Queeny Park 550 Weidman Road, Ballwin Email: marya1597@gmail.com. bitsnpiecesguild.com. MUSIC Learn the Art of Cajun Dance with the Cajun Gator Baitors Wednesday, Feb. 8, 7:30pm Focal Point 2720 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood Cajun 2-step and waltz lesson at 7:30pm, followed by dancing to live music 8:15-10pm. $8. No experience or partner necessary. 314-822-0310. Dancindonna.com/Cajun. Barry Manilow March 1–2 Fox Theatre 527 N. Grand Blvd. For tickets, call Metrotix, 314-534-1111 or online at metrix.com. The Fresh Beat Band March 3, 3pm Fox Theatre 527 N. Grand Blvd. The Fresh Beat Band, Nickelodeon’s preschool music group and stars of the hit TV series of the same name, will hit the road in February for the first time ever on a 15-week nationwide concert tour. For tickets, call Metrotix, 314-534-1111 or metrix.com. George Thorogood & The Destroyers Wednesday, March 21, 8pm The Pageant 6161 Delmar Blvd. Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com. THEATER A Steady Rain Thru Feb. 5 Studio Theatre Repertory Theatre of St. Louis 130 Edger Road, Webster Groves When they responded to a routine call, two Chicago cops never imagined their lives would soon be changed forever. Longtime partners and best friends, Joey and Denny always have each other’s backs—until an unfortunate decision tests their loyalty and pits one against the other. Purchase tickets online at Repstl.org/season/show or call 314-968-4925. Rock Of Ages Feb. 3-5 Fox Theatre 527 N. Grand Blvd. In 1987 on the Sunset Strip, a small-town girl met a big city rocker and in LA’s most famous rock club, they fell in love to the greatest songs of the ’80s. It’s an arena-rock love story told through the mind-blowing, face-melting hits of Journey, Night Ranger, Styx, REO, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister and many more. Metrotix, 314-534-1111 or metrix.com. Way to Heaven: Deceiving is Believing Thru Feb. 12 New Jewish Theatre Staenoerg Family Complex Jewish Community Center 2 Millstone Campus Drive This stunning new play by Spanish playwrite Juan Mayorga is inspired by the true story of the elaborate deception that took place at the Theresienstadt concentration camp, where the Nazis constructed a fake village to fool international inspectors and quell extermination rumors. Purchase tickets online at Newjewishtheatre.org. 314-442-3283. West Side Story Feb. 14–26 Fox Theatre 527 N. Grand Blvd. Metrotix, 314-534-1111 or metrix.com. EVENTS  Zoologist Avinoam Lourie comes to St. Louis Sunday, Feb. 5, 12:30pm Saint Louis Zoo Living World Theater Hear thrilling, first-hand stories about what it’s like to work with animals from Israeli zoologist Avinoam Lourie, former head of the Haifa Zoo and director of Israel’s Wildlife Conservation Department. $20 for a family of four, individual tickets $8 for adults and $5 for children (free for children six years and under). 314-442-3299. GriefShare Class Monday, Feb. 6–May 7, 7-9pm St. John Church 15800 Manchester Rd., Ellisville $20. 13-week video-educational program. Facilitator: Annmarie Utech. 636-779-2331. Email autech@stjstl.net. Good Grief for Kids with Shawn Crecilius Monday, Feb. 6–April 2, 7-8:15pm St. John Church 15800 Manchester Rd., Ellisville Facilitator: Annmarie Utech. 636-779-2331. Email autech@stjstl.net. Art of Marriage, A Valentine’s Day Getaway Weekend Friday, Feb. 10, 5-8:30pm Saturday, Feb. 11, 9am-4pm Wildwood Hotel 2801 Fountain Place, Wildwood $79 per couple. Overnight accommodations not included. Facilitator: Annmarie Utech. 636-779-2331. Email autech@stjstl.net. Untamed Hearts Valentine’s Day Dinner Saturday, Feb. 11 Tuesday, Feb. 14 Saint Louis Zoo McDonnell Center at River Camp Two seatings per evening at 6pm and 8:30pm. $125 per couple. Add champagne for $15. For reservations, call 314-646-4857 by Friday, February 10. stlzoo.org. Finding Your True Place Success 4 Thursdays, starting Feb. 16, 7-9:30pm Soul Esteem Center 105A Progress Parkway Maryland Heights Presented by Rev. Phylis Clay Sparks and Roger Weinerth, this class will include an array of tools to help you find your next career or job, or expand your success at the work you presently do. $120 at registration or $35 per class if paid weekly. 314-576-5508. Soul-esteem.com. Master of Liberal Arts Saturday Seminar Series "Shakespeare: The Merciless and he Merciful" Saturday, February 25, 11am-12:30pm University College Washington University, January Hall, Room 110 Presented by Robert Wiltenburg, Dean of University College Join us as we consider the concept and practice of mercy from several disciplinary directions, including politics, medicine, religious studies and literature. Free. To RSVP and for directions, visit http://ucollege.wustl.edu/mercy or call 314-935-6700. The Lifecycle of Adoption Friday, March 9, 7pm AT&T Auditorium Donald Danforth Plant Science Center 975 N. Warson Road $15. Purchase tickets online at stlpi.org/training/registration. 314-361-7075, ext. 351. Center for Survivors 10th Anniversary Gala March 24 Saint Frances Xavier Grand Ballroom St. Louis University 3628 Lindell Blvd. Individual tickets $100, Patrol Level $200, corporate sponsorships at varying levels. 314-541-4610. Stlcenterforsurvivors.org.
West End Players Guild	West End Players Guild Announces Casts for Season Already gearing up for the 2011-2012 season, West End Players Guild has put together casts for the first three shows of that season. Returning actors and some new faces will highlight the shows. Opening in November with Murdering Marlowe by Charles Marowitz and directed by Robert A. Mitchell, the cast will feature Michael B. Perkins as Shakespeare and John Wolbers as Christopher Marlowe. Laura Singleton plays Anne Hathaway and Maggie Murphy will be Emilia Lanier, the ambitious mistress of both playwrights. Conor McPherson’s  The Seafarer opens in January, directed by Steve Callahan. That cast includes Matt Hanify, Robert Ashton, Charlie Heuvelman, John Reidy and Barry Hyatt. In February, West End presents the world premiere of St. Louis playwright Stephen Peirick’s new comedy, Wake Up, Cameron Dobbs, directed by Robert Ashton. John Foughty, Eric Dean White, Colleen Becker, Jan Meyer and Sarajane Alverson will be featured. The final production, Ionesco’s Exit The King, directed by Renne Sevier-Monsey, has not yet been cast. We’ll have more information on these plays as each gets ready for production. Check out its website, westendplayers.org, for season tickets or more information.
	Many Companies are Announcing New Seasons for 2011-2012 Several local theater companies are wrapping up their seasons and looking forward to a new start in the fall. We’ve already looked at the Rep Mainstage season—now let’s see what a few others have in store. New Jewish Theatre will have several new works for St. Louis in its schedule as it opens with End Days by Deborah Zoe Laufer. Alfred Uhry moves onto the stage next with The Last Night of Ballyhoo. In January, it will present Way To Heaven by Juan Mayorga and then The Value of Names by Jeffrey Sweet, followed by Jacob and Jack by James Sherman. The Black Rep season opens next January with the Ernest Thompson classic On Golden Pond. Shakespeare returns to its stage next year with the delightful comedy A Midsummer’s Night Dream. No Child by Nilaja Sun follows with the musical, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and then the Iba Shabazz play, Insidious, to close out the season in May. Stray Dog Theatre opens an ambitious season in October with The Who’s Tommy, taking the stage followed by The Santaland Diaries, a David Sedaris story adapted by Joe Mantello. February features another musical—the Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis gem, Urinetown. A most awaited event spans April and May at Stray Dog as it produces both parts of Tony Kushner’s Angels In America, running alternate weekends with Millennium Approaches, followed by Perestroika. Finally, it closes out the season with the David Nehls and Betsy Kelso piece, The Great American Trailer Park Musical. Contact the theaters individually to see about season subscriptions—and don’t miss out on what looks like an exciting fall season. We’ll have information on more of the theater schedules in our September theater round-up issue. -Steve Allen
Opera Theatre- St. Louis	Opera Theatre Announces 2012 Festival Season of Shows Another great season is ahead next summer as Opera Theatre-St. Louis (OTSL) has announced its 2012 season which features great opera and great Sondheim. It’s a little something for everyone—even the children, with a new look at a Lewis Carroll classic closing the season next summer. Bizet opens the season with his always powerful Carmen. The allure of this fiery femme fatale doesn’t escape the unsuspecting Don Jose as she turns him from soldier to criminal and then to murderer—all with the pulsing music of Georges Bizet. Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler move onto the OTSL stage next with the dark, forbidding Sweeney Todd. The barber and his blade exact sweet revenge in Victorian England with the help of Mrs. Lovett and her infamous meat pies. A turn to a more light-hearted opera, Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte marks the third show of the 2012 season. Two sisters are tricked by their fiances who are going off to war. Disguised as rakish suitors, they attempt to test the fidelity of their sweethearts. The mistaken identities and unexpected romance turn the tables on the men as they get much more than they bargained for. Closing out the season will be a new version of the children’s classic Alice In Wonderland with a special take by Unsuk Chin and David Henry Hwang. The Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts, the White Rabbit, the beguiling caterpillar and, of course, Alice herself take the unforgettable journey down the rabbit hole with dazzling musical invention that has already won praise around the globe. This year’s irrepressible Ashley Emerson from Daughter of the Regiment stars as Alice. We’ll have more information as next summer approaches, but start making plans now for what looks like a banner season at Opera Theatre, with some of the best music and best stories combining on stage. -Steve Allen