THE ESSENTIAL A&E PICKS FOR OCT 24 - 30 

• Mark Seliger

Jim Gaffigan
Comedian Jim Gaffigan's observational humor often finds him coming across as an unassuming and, at times, seemingly unknowing, Everyman. It's that slightly naïve attitude that not only makes him extremely funny, but also marks him as a comic that many of us can relate to. The situations he stumbles into often find him fumbling, but not entirely defeated, and as a result, he somehow manages to emerge with an optimistic attitude and a humorous perspective.

That unlikely approach became the focus of his self-titled sitcom, which found him in the role of a hapless dad, based on his real-life experiences. At the same time, he proved to be a convincing character actor whose perplexed persona provides fodder for repeated punchlines. That's not to say he hasn't had some serious achievements. An actor, writer, producer and best-selling author, he can claim seven Grammy Award nominations, three Emmys, 10 popular comedy specials, and ranking as a top-ten earning comedian according to both Forbes and Pollstar. Plus, he was recently recognized as the first comedian to attain one billion streams on Pandora. And, if you've seen Saturday Night Live lately, you also know he does a great impression of VP nominee Tim Walz. Real-life polling aside, that's definitely a winner in our book.

Jim Gaffigan brings his "Barely Alive" Tour to Delta Hall at the Eccles Theater on Oct. 23 - Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., Oct. 26 at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $39.75 - $250; visit arttix.org for tickets and additional event information. (Lee Zimmerman)

• BW Productions

Pioneer Theatre Company: Prayer for the French Republic
It would be easy enough to make a "ripped from today's headlines" case for Joshua Harmon's award-winning 2022 play Prayer for the French Republic—but the reality is that its themes could be ripped from the headlines of far too many years. "I was floored to see such a powerful, intergenerational drama touching on so many timely, yet timeless, themes," Pioneer Theatre Company artistic director Karen Azenberg, who directs the company's regional premiere of the play, said of her experience seeing it. "[It's] also a haunting reminder that what we may think is ancient history may be a sobering contemporary reality."

The story deals in part with an American student named Molly, who decides to visit France to connect with relatives and understand her family history. That visit happens to take place in 2016, a time when antisemitism was on the rise in the country—inspiring Molly's Jewish aunt and uncle to decide to move to Israel. Tensions flare within the family, even as the contemporary narrative shares stage time with a portrayal of events from the 1940s, capturing how Molly's earlier ancestors came to France in the first place. The result is a provocative exploration of how easy it is for fascism to arise anywhere—something that, unfortunately, remains part of today's headlines very close to home.

Pioneer Theatre Company's production of Prayer for the French Republic comes to the Pioneer Memorial Theatre (300 S. 1400 East) Oct. 25 – Nov. 9, with performances Monday – Saturday. Tickets are $44 – 62; visit pioneertheatre.org to purchase tickets and for additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)

• Beau Pearson

Ballet West: Jekyll & Hyde
The beauty of ballet and the unsettling feelings of terror aren't necessarily incompatible, as Ballet West clearly demonstrated with last season's record-breaking production of Dracula. The arts and the Halloween season aren't a match made only for scary movies and scary plays, so Ballet West has once again opted to launch its season with a ballet adaptation of a classic monster story—in this case, choreographer Val Caniparoli's 2020 adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

The story—about a doctor whose attempt to create a serum to repress the darker parts of his nature instead ends up creating a homicidal alter-ego—has become almost synonymous with the dual natures existing inside of each person. Choreographer Caniparoli viewed that story as a unique opportunity in crafting dance, as he explained to KCUR radio when Jekyll & Hyde received its North American premiere in Kansas City in 2023. "I've always wanted to create a duet between two men, and their duet is between their two personalities," Caniparoli said. "It's not two different people—you're actually dancing with yourself." Set to work by Frédéric Chopin, Henryk Górecki, Krzysztof Penderecki and more, Jekyll & Hyde becomes a fascinating theatrical exploration of inner darkness.

Ballet West's production of Jekyll & Hyde comes to the J. Q. Lawson Capitol Theatre (50 W. 200 South) from Oct. 25 – Nov. 2, with performances 7:30 p.m. Tuesday – Friday, and 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Saturdays. Tickets start at $30; visit arttix.org to purchase tickets as well as for additional event information. (SR)