LOVE ‘CABARET,’ ‘PAL JOEY’ & ‘FUNNY GIRL’? Then consider attending St. Louis Show Stoppers’ 2012 musical revue, which features songs from these great classics as well as Doris Day’s album “Love Me or Leave Me.” Directed and produced by Babe Rosenberg, the show, featuring some of our city’s most talented older performers, will be held at the Clayton High School Auditorium, 1 Mark Twain Circle, on August 18 and 25 at 7:30 p.m. and August 19 and 26 at 2 p.m. Net proceeds go to BJC Hospital for cancer research. For tickets at $16 each send your check payable to St Louis Show Stoppers with the show date desired to Mike Sander, 12139 Mirror Lake Drive, St. Louis, Mo. 63146. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope.  Any questions? Call Mike at 314-432-5581.

AT THE OTHER END OF THE AGE SPECTRUM is the musical “Legally Blonde” at the Center for Creative Art (COCA) presented by the COCA Theatre Company and featuring teen performers.  “Legally Blonde,” a rousing success on both the stage and screen, has music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach.  The actors are teens from throughout the St. Louis area. The show is directed by Grace Austin, with musical direction by Phil Woodmore. Choreography is by COCA’s very special Lee Nolting and Chris Page. This summer musical will be presented at 7 p.m. Friday, July 20 at 2 & 7 p.m. Saturday, July 21. Tickets, at $8, are available by calling COCA at 314-725-6555.

TWO STORIES BY SUSAN FADEM, each appearing in the St. Louis Jewish Light, took first place in the National Federation of Press Women’s 2012 Communications Contest. Her awards in the “special articles, religion” category were for a cover story in Oy! Magazine on “Jewish Prison Outreach” and “Authors Serve up Warm Posthumous Tribute.” The latter article detailed the culinary contributions of the late Ruth Ginsburg Dunie of St. Louis. 

Fadem, thrilled and excited about the prestigious award, told me “Had it not been for the Light, this would never have happened.” Fadem has authored books and articles and has served as editor of several magazines.Congratulations Susan. She also told me that Jessica Z. Brown Billhymer won third place for her work appearing in the www.gmlpstl.org website of the non-profit Gateway Media Literacy Partners, a group she founded six years ago.

DOLLY KRAWLL, my third floor neighbor known to me as “Dolly Downstairs” died last week.  Dolly (really Gertrude) was a generous, fabulous, loving neighbor and I will miss her terribly.  We met often in the stairwell that connected our floors for Dolly to give me some of her recently made soup (delicious) or to exchange some information on music or art or books or aerobics. She shared news of her large, very beautiful and interesting family with me knowing that I, with only one grandchild, loved hearing about her progeny. I could not let Dolly’s passing go un-noticed by me. She will be missed by her many friends and her loving family. 

MY FRIEND, ANNE MURPHY of Third Degree Glass Factory tells me that they are “kicking up the cool with free family-fun” at their third Friday event on August 17. The evening will feature car-themed art in the gallery, ice cream tastes, opera and bluegrass from 6 to 10 p.m. If you have not been to the Gallery at 5200 Delmar Boulevard you should treat yourself to this evening of free fun and instruction.  Don’t miss the glass cast hood ornaments from vintage cars.