Looking for some unusual theater fare this fall? Start by (going to see) Going to See the Elephant. Set in the front yard of a sod house on the empty Kansas prairie in 1870, this mood piece captures a moment in time during the American migration west. Nationally, this show is not all that well known. But here in St. Louis, the title is larded with nostalgia. Seven years ago Going to See the Elephant was the attention-grabbing debut offering from the newly-formed Orange Girls troupe. For this production, Director Deanna Jent sat in the front row and unconsciously mouthed much of the dialogue as it was being spoken by the actresses onstage. Her love for the project was palpable. Now that tiny JCC theater is gone; three years ago the Orange Girls disbanded. But Jent is directing a new production at Mustard Seed Theatre. Once again, Elephant’s acting troupe will be anchored by Nancy Lewis as Maw, a kind-of tall-grass oracle.
Thursdays-Saturdays. Starts: Aug. 31. Continues through Sept. 16, 2012