Stage Capsule Reviews
Charlotte’s Web Here’s hoping that, once we’re done bawling, we get some kind of Q&A after Theatre for Young America’s production of E.B. White’s barnyard classic, because we’ve been puzzling about one aspect of this story for years. Dear Charlotte’s writing “Some Pig” in her web is a feat of astounding spinneret calligraphy, so it’s never made any sense that the farmers and townsfolk are more impressed with the pig than with the literate freaking spider. Confusing matters even more with this particular version is Charlotte’s delightful costume: black and spindly but a touch huggable, both arachnid and maternal. Through Nov. 5 at Union Station’s City Stage, 30 W. Pershing Rd., 816-460-2020.
Nunsense Transubstantiation tells us you never know where a man’s body is going to turn up. When director Therese Riley conceived of an all-male, all-drag riff on this musty sister act, she knew she had something: The original was always a little funkier (and nastier) than its dinner-theater popularity would suggest, and its campy songs and pretty-good liturgical sex jokes — “We have a big clock with the 12 apostles pasted on it. When one hand is on the John and the other hand is on the Peter, it’s time for all the sisters to drop to their knees!” — place it smack between The Golden Girls and Late Night Theatre. Drag’s just the thing to tip this suburban production toward downtown hip. And even though it turns out that other towns have beaten Riley and Poke in the Eye Productions to the punch with this transgendered take, it’s a first for KC. Maybe this is that final step to becoming a first-tier city. Through Oct. 29 at Corinth Dance Theatre Studio, 83rd St. and Mission Rd., Prairie Village, 913-383-1900.
Ruthless Part All About Eve, part Gypsy and part Bad Seed, Ruthless is a relatively early example of the fizzy, sarcastic pop collage to which we’re becoming numb. Joel Paley’s book and lyrics are wittier than later imitations, and Aaron Tracy — so good as Dr. Frank N. Furter in a Rocky Horror revival awhile back — is an encouraging sight all decked out as agent and manager Sylvia St. Croix. Through Nov. 13 at the Barn Players, 6219 Martway in Mission, 913-432-9100.
Who’s in First? This third production from the Mystery Train finds its audience once again caught up in an interactive dinner-time murder mystery set in the dining car of a KC train. This time, it’s 1914, our town’s on the upswing, Union Station has just opened with brass bands and mayoral proclamations, and the word boondoggle hasn’t even been coined yet. A train departs, a murder is committed, and you, who ponied up for this, are called upon to solve the crime, discuss matters with performers between acts, and maybe even grab a script and join in. The last show was great fun both as a mystery and a history lesson; the food wasn’t bad, either. Reservations are required. Through Nov. 19 at Union Station Café, 2200 Main. 816-813-9654.
