Entertainment

The Best Things to Do in St. Louis This Weekend: March 28 to 31

Published

2 months ago

March 27, 2024

Thursday 03/28 Off the Top Ropes The tragic story of the Von Erich family was memorably chronicled in last year’s Zac Efron film The Iron Claw, an A24 production that was a near-universal hit among critics upon its release, even being named one of the top 10 films of the year by the National Board of Review. The true story behind the arthouse film is just as gripping as the one on the silver screen, and this week Gateway City Slam is here to tell — and show — you all about it. The slam regularly hosts its Wrestling Night event, which brings free screenings of rare wrestling-related material to the fabulous Arkadin Cinema and Bar (5228 Gravois Avenue). This week’s melange will be about the ups and downs of the wrestling family whose lives were marked by triumph in the ring and marred by tragedy outside it, with promotional material promising footage of some of their greatest matches as well as rare interviews and documentary footage. As with all Gateway City Slam events at Arkadin, admission is free. The bar will be open (and you might need a drink indeed). The show starts at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 28. More info at arkadincinema.com Friday 03/29 Res-Erection Looking to make this year’s Good Friday a Great one? Hoping to spice up the story of the crucifixion of the Christian Messiah with a little skin this holiday season? Well, look no further, because the highlight of the horniest of all holy days (or is it the holiest of all horny days?), St. Louis’ Sexy Jesus Pageant, is back for its second year. Hosted by last year’s Sexy Jesus winner Andrew Genius, this event is truly one of a kind, and aims to entertain the most dedicated of Christ’s disciples by proving the Son of God has it going on. Contestants will compete in a Show Us Your Good Side category, strut the runway in their Sunday best and will undergo an interrogation by a panel of judges for the ominously dubbed Inquisition. It all goes down on Friday, March 29, at Aurora STL (7413 South Broadway). Doors open at 7 p.m. and the fun starts at 8. Tickets are $21.25 and can be purchased at aurorastl.com/tickets/p/sexy-jesus-pageant. Can’t make it to see Sexy Jesus strut the stage, but still feeling pious? Never fear: The Sacred Sluts will take the stage the next day. Saturday 03/30 Eggheads Welcome In a less enlightened time, St. Paul bragged about putting childish ways behind him once he hit adulthood. But these days we know better. We color in adult coloring books. We go to adult playgrounds (looking at you, Armory). We even compete in adult Easter egg hunts — like, say, the Adult Easter Egg Hunt at 2nd Shift Brewing (1601 Sublette Avenue) this Saturday, March 30. Beginning at noon, you can join your fellow grown-ups in hunting for brightly colored eggs all over the brewery and its garden, no doubt joined by handsome brewery cat Simon and a few adult beverages. And these eggs aren’t just a diversion from the grave that awaits us all once we shed this mortal coil (hey, we’re adults, remember? Death ain’t all that far away — and unless you join St. Paul in buying into that whole resurrection-of-the-dead thing, we’re not sure what kind of reprieve you’re banking on). Some of the eggs also contain prizes, from candy to a percentage off your tab to maybe even this entire afternoon being on the house. No children’s egg hunt would ever! The hunt is free, with no tickets required. Details at facebook.com/events/279310461926675. Cave Cravings Before we go any further, let us start with a question: In its own way, is not the entire damn world one big Man Cave Extravaganza? Assuredly the answer is yes. But in this man’s world, the second annual Man Cave Extravaganza that hits Belleville this weekend should be a genuinely fun event that can be enjoyed by all — men, women, or anyone in between — as long as they like beer. Vendors from multiple states will crowd into the Belle Clair Fairgrounds (200 South Belt East, Belleville) with their breweriana, collectibles, lighted signs, decor and more this Saturday, March 30. In other words, there will be thousands of items to choose from to spruce up your home bar, man cave or she shed. (What’s the non-binary version of this? Just a cave/shed? Perhaps the way we need designated spaces to comfortably flaunt our genders is indicative of a larger problem? You do you!) Get a neon beer sign for your front window or office. No one cares. Admission is $5 and the festivities run from at 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the general public, with early bird access at 7:30 a.m. for $10. Tickets available via Eventbrite. Bizarre Bazaar Local weirdos rejoice, for your time is almost here — which is to say, the Show Me Oddities & Collectibles Expo returns to St. Louis this weekend. The convention is always a big hit locally, offering a place for “lovers of the strange, usual and bizarre” to congregate (and shop). This year, the traveling expo is due to set up at the District 9 Machinist Hall (12365 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton) on Saturday, March 30. Inside, art dealers, artists and vendors will be ready and able to supply you with all the weird little things that your heart desires. Think taxidermy, quack medical devices, funeral collectibles, skulls and bones, preserved specimens in jars and all other manner of the macabre that you can use to prove to guests at your home that you’re a sick little freak. The event kicks off at 9 a.m. and general admission is just $10. For more information, visit facebook.com/events/7738698196149138. Sunday 03/31 The Three Bs Delicious breakfast food, carbonated alcoholic beverages and adorable furry animals? Yes, please. This Easter Sunday, March 31, head to the Bullock (799 Clark Avenue) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the Bullock’s Brunch, Bubbles and Bunnies Easter extravaganza. An elevated buffet with classic brunch fare, carving stations, a raw bar and sweets will be available for guests to enjoy on the outdoor terrace, as well as unlimited Champagne. Adult tickets are $75 and include the full brunch menu, Champagne, access to a petting zoo, an Easter egg hunt, live music and complimentary parking. Children’s tickets are free and include fruit cups, cinnamon rolls, chocolate chip pancakes and eggs and bacon for brunch, as well as the petting zoo and egg hunt. To reserve your spot visit resy.com.

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Entertainment

Urban Prospector Finds Treasure in the Most Unlikely St. Louis Places

Published

3 hours ago

May 13, 2024

Natural Bridge

Emanuel Taranu, a self-described “humble carpenter and urban prospector” was hunting for treasure in the Delmar Loop when RFT photojournalist Zachary Linhares came across him on April 20. And by “in the Loop,” Linhares found him literally hunting for detritrus in the tracks of the Loop trolley. Perhaps a dangerous mission, but one Taranu is experienced in handling.

He shared how he got started, the most valuable item he’s ever found and what he’s learned through years of searching for treasure in overlooked places. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Can you tell folks a little bit about what urban prospecting is?

Urban prospecting is just looking in unexpected places where people’s lost items like jewelry might settle. So there’s all sorts of ways to do it. But basically, you’re looking for cracks where rainwater is washing heavy metal objects to that point, and you’re just looking for that collection point. It’s as simple as, like, cleaning out a filter and seeing what you find.

What’s the most money you’ve pulled from an urban prospecting expedition?So I used to do this with my dad as a kid. We dabbled in it. He’s a treasure hunter too. He normally hunts with a treasure metal detector. So I’m back into it recently.

But also, you know, it’s kind of an archaeological project. So part of the beauty of it is paying closer attention to the built environment. And asking yourself questions about what was here before and, like, how did it get to be like this? Those are the kinds of questions that you need to ask to find good, good sites. And so recently, I did find a 10-carat engagement ring, a vintage ring, in an antique sewer drain. It’s a beautiful storm drain. It’s got a brick barrel-vaulted ceiling and wooden decking, which is cool because you can take a metal detector in there. But yeah, the ring has a tiny diamond in a white gold setting and it’s a 10-carat baton from probably the 60s.

If somebody’s wanting to get into urban prospecting, what advice would you give?

All the treasure hunters in the country are gonna be so mad at me. I would say keep your eyes open where other people don’t usually look. If you see signs that heavy metal objects are getting stuck there, that’s a good thing. Typically, you’re gonna start seeing screws, nuts and bolts. You’re gonna see a lot of pennies obviously. So you’re gonna start with the most common, and it’s a numbers game, so you know you do enough searching and enough thinking and enough planning you can find a good spot. And yeah, look for a place that has maximum rainwater drainage to that one central collection point to make it easy for you. So like I was in the county, on Watson Road, and there’s a huge hill and all of the businesses, all the parking lots, they’re all feeding into this one tunnel and I found stuff there from the 60s. I found a buffalo nickel in another drainage tunnel. You don’t find that on the surface. Those were minted in the 1930s.

What sort of life lessons or wisdom have you’ve gained from treasure hunting?

That’s a good question. I mean, I’m a big critic of the built environment. So in general what have I learned from treasure hunting? I mean, it teaches me to ask questions about how we got to be where we are. People made decisions that we all live with — individuals made these decisions and that’s how we ended up with the streets we have. We have the car traffic, we have the lack of pedestrian infrastructure, and that’s how we end up with pedestrian deaths in a city. That’s how we end up with a lack of public transportation.

So yeah, I think paying attention to public spaces has been an exploration of my curiosity for the built environment.

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Entertainment

Moulin Rouge! Brings the Spectacle of Bohemian Paris to St. Louis

Published

3 days ago

May 10, 2024

Natural Bridge

In theater, the term jukebox musical is most often used to refer to a musical that features a singular songbook, usually popular tunes from an era, performer or group. Moulin Rouge! The Musical, at the Fabulous Fox Theatre, pushes the envelope on this idea with fantastically entertaining results. Based on the 2001 movie of the same name, the high-energy show features integrated musical mash-ups showcasing chart-topping pop songs as well as snippets of familiar blues and opera numbers.

Set around 1900, the show introduces audiences to Paris in its Bohemian heyday as Christian, an American poet and composer fresh off the boat, arrives eager to immerse himself in the artist’s life. He soon meets the painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec and Santiago, an Argentinian dancer and choreographer, who welcome him and his songwriting prowess and invite him to the famed Moulin Rouge. Christian is immediately smitten with the club’s star, the beautiful and tragic Satine, who mistakes him for the Duke of Monroth and tries to seduce him in hopes he will invest in the financially strapped club. The Duke and the club’s proprietor walk in on the two but, with help from Toulouse-Lautrec and Santiago, Christian and Satine quickly improvise a musical pitch and secure the investment. A love triangle forms between Christian, Satine and the Duke, threatening the production and forcing Satine to make a heartbreaking choice.

Christian Douglas is immensely likeable and engaging as Christian, with a rich, pleasing voice and impressive range that harmonizes well with the other characters. He’s genuine and easy to root for with a touch of naivety that keeps hopes high. Gabrielle McClinton gracefully conveys Satine’s hidden fragility and longing while balancing her affection for Christian against her need to win over Andrew Brewer’s Duke of Monroth. Brewer is one of the most captivating villains I’ve seen in a while and uses charm and complimentary vocals to make a convincing case to win Satine before revealing a cruel, manipulative and transactional nature. Nick Rashad Burroughs and Danny Bergos are the embodiment of “truth, beauty, freedom and love,” the Bohemian creed, and a delightful addition to any scene, while Sarah Bowden is surprisingly sympathetic as Nini, and Robert Petkoff is fabulously over the top as the proprietor and emcee Harold Zidler.

As with the film, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is more about the songs, love and spectacle than the story, which borrows heavily from familiar period tales. Movie fans may miss the Bollywood influence, but that gap is filled with several new and highly entertaining numbers mixing in songs released in the last 20 years. Intricately interwoven songs, energetic choreography and a lavish set that seamlessly fits into the Fox keep audiences enraptured and do a better than expected job of making the large theater feel like an intimate club. Moulin Rouge! The Musical is an exceptionally well produced and enjoyable take on the jukebox musical genre.Written by John Logan, based on the 2001 movie written by Baz Luhrmann. Directed by Alex Timbers. Now playing at the Fox Theatre (527 North Grand Boulevard, fabulousfox.com) through Sunday, May 12. Tickets are $45 to $150. Showtimes vary.

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The Midnight Company’s Spirits to Enforce Offers Otherworldly Fun

Published

3 days ago

May 10, 2024

Natural Bridge

After producing several successful theatrical cabarets this spring, the Midnight Company turns its attention to the stage with an impressive production of Mickle Maher’s Spirits to Enforce. The clever script deftly re-imagines the otherworldly spirits released at the end of The Tempest as modern day superheroes on an unusual mission. Smart casting, and a clear vision with choreographic staging by Lucy Cashion, keeps the audience laughing throughout the quick moving mixed worlds comedy.

Having defeating the notorious villain Dr. Cannibal, the superheroes of Fathom Town turn their attention to a new challenge — a production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Naturally, the production requires money to succeed, and the play opens on the superheroes’ assumed everyday personas conducting a fundraising phone bank from their submarine headquarters deep in the bay. They aren’t bringing much in and decide that they will reveal their superhero identities to the donors for a contribution of $50 or more, all while continuing to rehearse and prepare for the big show. Despite not raising much money, opening night arrives and the house is full but their audience is the escaped Dr. Cannibal and his villainous cronies! Can the superheroes win over this critical audience and once again save the town?

The majority of the play is delivered over phone lines as the characters keep the citizens updated on the production’s progress while soliciting donations. This device is played for comic and sympathetic impact, and it’s surprisingly effective; anyone who’s participated in a fundraising drive will relate to the desperation and humor. With all characters often speaking at the same time about similar matters, the room is filled with a cacophony of rising and falling voices and movement, resulting in moments of discord and harmony. Cashion’s sharp direction, the expert cast’s perfectly synchronized performances and Merkle’s malleable script come together to create a modern theatrical symphony that’s chaos perfected.

The show is a true ensemble piece where each performer plays three characters: their everyday persona, their superhero and their character in The Tempest. With the exception of Will Bonfiglio’s maestro-like Ariel, the superheroes feature unique and quirky powers, from the easy to grasp abilities of Rachel Tibbetts’ Memory Lass, Alicen Moser’s The Page, Ash Arora’s The Ocean and Cassidy Flynn’s The Tune; to the logical but odd Spencer Lawton’s The Intoxicator, Joe Hanrahan’s The Untangler and Miranda Jagels Felix’s The Silhouette; to the more offbeat abilities of Celeste Gardner’s Fragrance Fellow, Kayla Bush’s The Bad Map, Ross Rubright’s The Pleaser and Joey Taylor’s leitmotif of The Snow Heavy Branch. Every performer has at least one standout moment, but the real joy is the way they work together to create a masterful and wholly satisfying comedy.

Spirits to Enforce is a captivating dive into a Shakespearean multiverse filled with inventive and unusual yet thoroughly compelling superheroes. Shakespeare purists may be a bit puzzled by the plays quirky, whimsical approach, but the mashup of literary and comic sensibilities really entertains. Written by Mickle Maher. Directed by Lucy Cashion. Presented by the Midnight Company at the Kranzberg Black Box (501 North Grand Boulevard) through May 18.

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