Look-Listen - August 2011

Review: "Magic Trip: Ken Kesey's Search for a Kool Place"

1964, when Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters made their legendary trip across America in "Furthur," the psychedelic bus, they shot a lot of film; most of it has never been seen until now.

by Patricia Brooke

Review: Patrick Clark, "Spiraling Toward Madness"

Because he’s mainly known as a television personality, Clark the rock artist has had more to prove; here, he’s shown that he can sing into a microphone as well as he speaks into one.

By Jordan Oakes

It Takes a (Quiet) Village: The Journey of Don Cunningham

A jazz great and St. Charles native, Cunningham tours internationally. Once in a while, though, he still comes home to play a show at The Sheldon.

by Dennis Owsley

Old Lights Have a New Record and a LouFest Slot

At noon on Sunday, Old Lights kicks off the second day of LouFest. The band's also playing a free LouFest pre-party tonight at Off Broadway, including songs of its new six-song EP "Like Strangers."

By Thomas Crone

Review: The Midnight Theatre Company, "Mistakes Were Made"

This production is evidence that a great show doesn't have to derive from a perfect piece of writing.

By Devin C. Baker

Guggenheim at the Museum

Three decades of work from the famous documentary maker enter the collection of the Missouri History Museum

By Jeannette Cooperman

Artist Explores Experience of Brain Tumor in "Life is Meant for Living"

On July 13, actor George Malich learned he had a brain tumor and would be going into surgery on August 1. He spent the next three weeks shooting a series of funny, thoughtful short films about his new "giant brain."

by Thomas Crone

Review: "The Secret Garden" at Stages

Despite people's best efforts, this musical is basically ridiculous.

By, Rosalind Early

Preview: "Love Stalker" at the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase

Tonight, Cinema St. Louis screens "Love Stalker," a slick "unromatic comedy" that lightens up what's been a stellar, but rather serious, screening of St. Louis films.

by Stefene Russell

Review: "Not So Loud: An Acoustic Evening With The Bottle Rockets"

Over the course of two nights at St. Louis’ now-defunct Lucas Schoolhouse in 2007, the Bottle Rockets performed two live sessions for a more-or-less “unplugged” album that would be released that fall. For whatever reason, the recordings of those concerts have remained on the shelf until now; "Not So Loud: An Acoustic Evening," is being released today.

by Daniel Durchholz

Swing Low, Smurf Chariot: Kirkwood Man's Epic Collection of Smurfs Up for Sale

Twenty-six years ago, we ran a story on Keith Rawlings, a Kirkwood man with one of the world's biggest collections of Smurf stuff. Now Rawlings, under pressure from his wife, (a motivation nearly all male collectors can empathize with), is ready to sell and use the much-needed funds for practical demands.

by Byron "Smurfy" Kerman

Review: “She Loves Me,” by Insight Theatre Company

There’s a lot to love about She Loves Me: Some great songs, a classic love story that has inspired moves like The Litte Shop Around the Corner and You’ve Got Mail, big dance numbers and a happy ending. So why is the musical still so unsatisfying?

By Rosalind Early

"Voltron Force: New Defenders Trilogy," Screens August 18 at the St. Louis Fillmmakers Showcase

File this one under "local lion-robots made good."

by Drew Davis

Preview: "Dead Man Walking" at Union Avenue Opera

Next week, Union Avenue Opera Theatre stages Jake Heggie's 2000 opera, "Dead Man Walking;" Sister Helen Prejean will be in St. Louis for opening night on August 19.

by Gary Scott

Review: "Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical," NonProphet Theatre Company

The '70s porno becomes a hilarious—but flawed—musical.

By Rosalind Early

A Conversation with Matt Strauss of White Flag Projects

We caught up with Strauss to talk about White Flag Project's pet fur-themed show, Für Elise (opening August 13th), as well as the gallery's upcoming sixth season.

By Elizabeth Wolfson

Review: "Tabloid"

Errol Morris returns to form in his most recent full-length feature, Tabloid. His past three films have tackled serious, hard, newsworthy subjects—grappling with the legacy of war from the Nazis, through Viet Nam, to Abu Ghraib. Joyce McKinney, the subject of his latest release, is indeed newsworthy, though less likely to appear in the pages of the New York Times than in those of the National Enquirer or its British counterparts, Evening News and Daily Mirror.

by Patricia Brooke