Best Bets: LeAnn Rimes, OneRepublic, Funky Butt fish fry

Author: Go! Magazine staff

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FRIDAY

Editor’s pick: ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’

Union Avenue Opera is known for pocket productions of grand operas of the 19th and early 20th centuries, all sung in their original languages. This weekend, though, it’s doing something different, with André Previn’s 1997 “A Streetcar Named Desire,” based on the familiar Tennessee Williams tragedy of the same name. Like UAO’s usual fare, “Streetcar” has arias and set pieces; unlike them, its original language is English. The cast includes sopranos Lacy Sauter as Blanche and Katherine Giaquinto as Stella, tenor Anthony Webb as Mitch and baritone Bernardo Bermudez as Stanley. Chris Limber directs, with always-welcome guest conductor Kostis Protopapas on the podium. By Sarah Bryan Miller

Editor’s pick: Eric Litwin

When 6:30 p.m. Friday • Where St. Louis County Library, 1640 South Lindbergh Boulevard • How much Free • More info 314-994-3300; slcl.org

If the rugrats in your family love Pete the Cat books, they can bring one for signing by author Eric Litwin. They also can wear pj’s to meet him and his new book about youngsters who don’t want to go to bed. The event is free, but to enter the signing line you must buy a copy of the new book, “The Nuts: Bedtime at the Nut House.” By Jane Henderson

First Friday at the St. Louis Science Center

When 6-10 p.m. Friday • Where St. Louis Science Center, 5050 Oakland Avenue • How much Free-$6 • More info 314-289-4400; slsc.org

This is the first Friday of the month, and that means an evening of scientific fun for all ages at the St. Louis Science Center. There are lots of things to see and do: a planetarium show, a trivia contest, a chance to peer through the telescope, a shot at using a flight simulator, video-game testing, movies and more. And a presentation by Dr. Dale Anderson of the SETI Institute’s Carl Sagan Center takes a look at the study of extraterrestrial life. By Sarah Bryan Miller

‘Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll’

When 8 p.m. Friday and Aug. 8 and 15; 8 and 10 p.m. Aug. 9 and 16; 7 p.m. Sunday and Aug. 10 and 17 • Where Herbie’s Vintage 72, 405 North Euclid Avenue • How much $15-$20 • More info 1-800-838-3006; brownpapertickets.com; midnightcompany.com

Midnight Company founder and artistic director Joe Hanrahan, who has made something of a specialty of one-man shows, returns to the writings of Eric Bogosian for a performance drenched in fear, rage and hypocrisy. Rachel Tibbetts of the Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble directs Hanrahan as he romps through Bogosian’s favorite territory, American civilization and its (many) discontents. If you want to make it an evening with dinner, you can make reservations at Herbie’s at 314-769-9595. By Judith Newmark

SATURDAY

Editor’s pick: LeAnn Rimes, Erin Bode

When 7 p.m. Saturday • Where The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Boulevard • How much $33, benefits Vatterott College • More info Ticketmaster.com

Country star LeAnn Rimes puts a twist into her step with her latest album “Dance Like You Don’t Give a …” Top dance music remixers such as Dave Aude and Kaskade are among those mixing up her hits. Says Rimes in a statement: “Everyone knows I love to dance. What better way to celebrate the next chapter of my music than to remix some of my favorite hits from over the years to get my fans out on the dance floor shaking their (behinds).” By Kevin C. Johnson

Splash Bash — Duck Dash

When 6:30-9:30 p.m. Saturday • Where White Birch Bay Aquatic Center in White Birch Park, 1186 Teson Road, Hazelwood • How much $10 • More info 314-731-0980; hazelwoodmo.org

At the city of Hazelwood’s Splash Bash — Duck Dash, a $10 admission fee could make you into a lucky duck. A flock of numbered toy ducks will race through the 600-foot lazy river, with cash prizes ranging from $25 to $125. There also will be water contests, raffles, a tiki bar (21 and up) and steel drum music by Nigel Thomas. No outside food or beverages, please. By Gabe Hartwig

Nathan and Stephanie Ruggles: ‘Tell Me the Truth About Love’

When 8 p.m. Saturday • Where Tavern of Fine Arts, 313 Belt Avenue • How much Free • More info 314-367-7549; tavern-of-fine-arts.com

Fact of (musical) life: Sopranos and tenors usually get to sing the romantic leads in opera, so most of the great love duets go to sopranos and tenors. That works out well for spousal duo Stephanie and Nathan Ruggles; it means that they’ve got their pick of material. They’ll offer a joint recital titled “Tell Me the Truth About Love” at the Tavern of Fine Arts on Saturday, accompanied by the aptly named pianist Robert Valentine. On the program are works by Bizet, Britten, Bernstein, Wagner, Sondheim and others. The Tavern doesn’t have a cover charge, but it does have a tip jar, and the artists get a share of the food and drink sales. Come hungry. By Sarah Bryan Miller

Editor’s pick: OneRepublic, the Script, American Authors

When 7 p.m. Saturday • Where Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, 14141 Riverport Drive, Maryland Heights • How much $25-$69 • More info Ticketmaster.com

Ryan Tedder’s name has been behind countless hits for other stars, from Beyoncé to Adele, but now it’s back to being Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic. The pop-rock band is back with its latest album, “Native,” and a tour that hits Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Saturday night. “Native” follows 2009’s “Waking Up.” Tedder told the Associated Press it was never the band’s intention to go this long between releases. “We thought two years most between album cycles, but to be honest, the last single we put out on our second album, ‘Good Life,’ became this, it just kept going,” he said. “And every time we turned around, we’d get another offer to do this and play this show or do this gig or do this TV thing ... but that’s just the nature of this band. Our songs, just in America for some reason, take twice as long as they do everywhere else to do their thing. ... We don’t have that kind of Rihanna, Bruno Mars luck.” By Kevin C. Johnson

Editor’s pick: Funky Butt Brass Band Fish Fry

When 7 p.m. Saturday • Where Off Broadway, 3509 Lemp Avenue • How much $7 • More info offbroadwaystl.com

Get into that New Orleans spirit with this Funky Butt Brass Band show that also features, according to Off Broadway’s website, “free catfish, coleslaw and cornbread while they last.” The musical menu should be expansive: The band plays everything from jazz to R&B, and from blues to funk. Sounds like a recipe for a funky good time. By Calvin Wilson

‘That ’70s Game Show! Live! Strikes Back!’

When 8 p.m. Saturday • Where Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Boulevard • How much $10 • More info 636-699-6689; newlinetheatre.com

A “celebrity panel” will try to make matches to raise money for New Line Theatre’s side project, New Line Off Line. Mike Dowdy — who heads up Off Line, a framework in which New Line artists may explore cabaret, improv and other projects — will be the emcee. The celebs include Post-Dispatch theater critic Judith Newmark, “Max on Movies” host Max Foizey, New Line artistic director Scott Miller and a host of New Line veterans: choreographer Robin Berger plus actors Zachary Allen Farmer, Taylor Pietz, Kimi Short and Nicholas and Amy Kelly. You don’t actually need a reservation. By Gabe Hartwig

WEDNESDAY

Deborah Harkness

When 7 p.m. Wednesday • Where St. Louis County Library, 1640 South Lindbergh Boulevard • How much Free • More info 314-994-3300; slcl.org

Harkness completes her best-selling time-travel trilogy with “The Book of Life.” In it, witch and historian Diana Bishop meets up with most of the characters from the first book, “A Discovery of Witches.” By Jane Henderson

THURSDAY

Stephen L. Carter

When 7 p.m. Thursday • Where St. Louis County Library, 1640 South Lindbergh Boulevard • How much Free • More info 314-994-3300; slcl.org

The fate of the world may rest with a young college student in “Back Channel,” a historical novel set at the time of the Cuban missile crisis. From the Yale law professor who wrote “The Emperor of Ocean Park.” By Jane Henderson

Editor’s pick: Brian Owens: Music of Johnny Cash

When 7:30 p.m. Thursday • Where Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington Boulevard • How much $15-$50 • More info 314-534-1111; MetroTix.com

Nothing says “classic American music” like Johnny Cash, who stayed true to his art even as country music veered off its gritty back roads to cruise down the glitzier boulevards of pop. Indeed, Cash’s music endures — “The Man Comes Around” even turned up on the hit TV series, “The Blacklist.” In this program at the Sheldon, singer Brian Owens will bring his sensibility to Cash territory. By Calvin Wilson

FAST FORWARD

“Hello, Dolly!,” Aug. 11-17 at the Muny: Beth Leavel, John O’Hurley and Rob McClure star in the classic musical on its 50th anniversary

Katy Perry, Aug. 17 at Scottrade Center: The pop princess roars into town for a girl-powered extravaganza

UCP Heartland Wing Ding, Aug. 21 at Queeny Park: Discover some new joints for chicken wings while helping United Cerebral Palsy Heartland

Festival of Nations, Aug. 23-24 at Tower Grove Park: Take a culinary trip around the globe at the International Institute’s annual fest