Lynn Venhaus

Total Post: 1299

Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.  She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.  She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women's and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle. She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.

Michael Bay’s ‘Ambulance’ Is Overstuffed Never-Ending Nonsense

Michael Bay’s ‘Ambulance’ Is Overstuffed Never-Ending Nonsense

By Lynn Venhaus
An interminable wild and crazy car chase through the streets of Los Angeles all before evening rush hour, “Ambulance” is banking on viewers to throw logic out the window and be so eager for an explosion-filled action blockbuster that they will overlook the nonsense.

When a bank robbery goes horribly wrong, two brothers (Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) steal an ambulance with a wounded cop (Jackson White) and am EMT (Eiza Gonzalez) inside.

Even by director Michael Bay’s over-the-top standards, the frenetic pace turns tiresome. For two hours and 16 minutes, screenwriter Chris Fedak throws everything but the kitchen sink into the never-ending storyline. (But it’s not original – it’s based on a 2005 Danish movie, “Ambulancen,” written by Laurits Munch-Pedersen and Lars Andreas Pedersen).

As in the first “Bad Boys” that put Bay on the cinematic map in 1995 — after his lucrative award-winning advertising and music video endeavors, the two male leads are at odds with each other.

This time, its two brothers – one the unhinged bank robber Danny (Jake Gyllenhaal), who is a chip off the old block, for dad was a psycho criminal mastermind, and the other, Will (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), adopted as a young boy, who has become a decorated war hero with a wife and baby. The family dynamic is key to their motivation.

Will’s wife Amy (luminous Moses Ingram) needs an experimental surgery that insurance won’t pay and they can’t afford, so he comes to his shady brother for a handout, but winds up as part of his hit squad to steal $32 million from a downtown bank.

Of course, it will go spectacularly awry, and we’re off on a harrowing journey where their brotherly bond will be tested while they argue and reminisce. And sing along to Christopher Cross’ “Sailing.”

Jake Gyllenhaal plays the unhinged brother, a bank robber, in “Ambulance.”

The intense Gyllenhaal and compelling Abdul-Mateen are fine actors, but they can’t even save this drivel (or save face). The supporting cast is engaging as well, despite their caricature roles – hey, people need paychecks in pandemic times.

Eiza Gonzalez grounds the movie as best she can as Bay’s customary long-haired brunette female protagonist (look it up — Liv Tyler, Megan Fox). She plays Cam Thompson, a highly skilled paramedic but flawed human whose cool detachment from cases shows that she has ice water running through her veins.

Her character is tasked with saving the life of a rookie beat cop (Jackson White) who has been shot while they are taken hostage by the bickering brothers. She will learn to operate on the fly, tutored by surgeons on smart phones – while they are at the golf course.

Oh, the head-scratching doesn’t stop there. Every L.A. public safety team will be dispatched — patrolmen, undercover cops, SWAT teams, special units. And let’s not forget the feds – the FBI bank division agents.

The police team leader Captain Monroe (Garret Dillahunt) has a gigantic dog named Nitro and eats Flaming Hot Cheetos while the reckless high-speed pursuit never slows down.

Newly promoted FBI division chief Anson (Keir O’Donnell) is in a marriage therapy session with his partner when he gets the call.

“Do they even rob banks anymore?” the therapist says. (This is what passes for humor).

Let’s now cue up the grizzled old-school Boomer chief vs. the uptight Millennial suit – who just happened to attend college with ruthless Danny.

How convenient! Every contrivance and every possible calamity will befall law enforcement while some will perish in explosions – all to save the young guy who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Let the argument about rose wine commence. And bring in pink flamingoes, quote a Sean Connery movie for love advice, and intersperse the action with childhood flashbacks.

And keep it extremely loud. Not only is Lorne Balfe’s music score the most annoying, tedious one of the year – yeah, I know it’s early, but every decibel is ramped up to 11.

The accelerated speed heightens the anxiety – do we really need more now at this time in our lives? Questionable decisions will distract (Wouldn’t Officer Zach be having a raging infection from a hairclip turned surgical aid? Wouldn’t the LA traffic be gridlocked most of the day? What’s with Bay and sun atmosphere shots? And how many cars crash here?)

The ex-Marine brother will come up with military tactics to keep them on the run while the bad boy bro will use his Mexican cartel connections to stay alive. The tattooed and scary looking thugs operate in a bridal dress warehouse where young teens are shopping for Quinceanera dresses.

If you have issues with motion sickness, you may want to think twice before putting yourself through Bay’s swooping, swirling shots. Now that he uses drones, beware.

Bay makes action-packed crowd-pleasers with signature big explosions — “Armageddon,” “Transformers” and “The Rock,” — but does this movie have to be chaotic and confusing?

Dialing down some of the ridiculous occurrences could have kept a tighter focus. The leads are appealing, but even they stretch credibility. One of Bay’s best films, “13 Hours,” is reality-based.

But I guess that’s asking too much — to veer off the familiar beaten path. This movie needs an escape hatch sooner than later.

“Ambulance” is a 2022 action-crime drama, directed by Michael Bay and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Eiza Gonzalez, Jackson White, Keir O’Donnell and Garret Dillahunt. It runs 2 hours, 16 minutes, and is rated R for intense violence, bloody images, and language throughout. It opens in theaters on April 8. Lynn’s Grade: D.

‘Hairspray’ Tour has Audience Clapping, Tapping and Laughing

‘Hairspray’ Tour has Audience Clapping, Tapping and Laughing

By CB Adams

The new North American tour of “Hairspray,” which opened at the Fox Theatre on Tuesday, April 5, and runs through Saturday, April 9, is a sly bit musical entertainment.

In its 20-year history, it’s been given eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, had national tours and foreign productions and been adapted as a 2007 musical film. And let’s not forget the source material: the 1988 film written and directed by the multi-talented, agent provocateur John Waters. It’s got, as they say, legs. They may not be the shapely gams of old, but they can still move – and move an audience.

Despite some naysayers on the “interwebs” who have quibbled that this touring production of “Hairspray” is a bit tired and hasn’t aged as gracefully as it might, the packed audience at the Fox would beg to differ. They came for an energetic, entertaining pop/rock musical and this production delivered two engaging, well-intentioned hours of clapping, tapping, and laughing.

Which brings us back to why “Hairspray” is a sly bit of entertainment. Waters’ story, which drives the book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan, uses humor and a relatable, satisfying underdog plot with a happy ending to explore the issues of class, race, dreams deferred and body shaming. It’s got, as they say, heart, which it wears on its sequined sleeves.

As Waters has said, “I respect everything I make fun of.” That respect is still vitally apparent, even when wrapped in the delicious — in a cotton candy sort of way — 1960s-style R&B- and dance-infused music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Musicians have long used the Trojan Horse approach and wrapped a catchy tune around a serious message. Think, “…a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” from “Mary Poppins.” Or think Marvin Gaye and “What’s Going On” or Tears For Fears and “Mad World.”

Hear the Bells. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

So, in between the dance numbers and the sing-along songs, this show offered genuine moments for the audience to respond with consternation to the multiple ism’s and ists as well as with affirmations when the perpetrators receive their comeuppances.

In a stand-out moment, Link Larkin, played by the lanky, Elvis-y Will Savarese, refuses to follow his stuck-up girlfriend, Amber Von Tussle, played by Kaelee Albritton. The audience responded with a wave of affirmative applause that nearly stopped the show.

This level of audience engagement relies on the quality of the production’s elements. But it’s the performances by the entire cast that carry this show. A special call-out to local talent, Albritton, who hails from O’Fallon, Ill., where she was crowned Miss O’Fallon in 2014. Other props to:

• The indominable Niki Metcalf (that girl can move!) as the heroine Tracy Turnblad

• Andrew Levitt as Tracy’s plus-sized diva-in-a-housedress mother, Edna

• Brandon G. Stalling with his slinky-smooth dance moves as Seaweed J. Stubbs

• Sandie Lee for her mama-knows-best portrayal as Motormouth Maybelle

• Emmanuelle Zeesman for playing three roles with limber, Gumby-inspired physicality, and facial contortions worthy of Jim Carrey in his prime

“Hairspray” is 20 years old. Its setting is Baltimore in 1962, making it a sexagenarian! And its themes and messages still go down like that spoonful of sugar. Or maybe more appropriately, like Pop Rocks and soda pop.

Or, as Waters himself has said, “”Nobody likes a bore on a soapbox. Humor is always the best defense and weapon. If you can make an idiot laugh, they’ll at least pause and listen before they do something stupid . . . to you.”

Hair Clutch Commercial. Photo by Jeremy Daniel.

“Hairspray” is presented April 5 – 9 at the Fox Theatre, 527 N. Grand Blvd., in St. Louis, Showtimes are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., with a 1 p.m. matinee on Thursday, April 7.

To purchase tickets, visit MetroTix.com or call MetroTix at 314-534-1111. Ticket prices start at $25. Learn more about the new touring production at www.hairspraytour.com or visit www.fabulousfox.com.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel

AFL’s Theater Mask Awards Ceremony Honoring 2021 Plays Set for April 9

AFL’s Theater Mask Awards Ceremony Honoring 2021 Plays Set for April 9

Live theater returned at local community theater companies last year, and Arts For Life will honor those efforts at this year’s Theatre Mask Awards on Saturday, April 9.

Three dramas and two comedies are vying for Outstanding Production at this year’s TMAs: the George S. Kaufman-Moss Hart comedy classic “The Man Who Came to Dinner.” by Kirkwood Theatre Guild in Kirkwood, Mo., which led all St. Louis area – metro-east Illinois community theater groups with 13 nominations; Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit” by Act Two Theatre in St. Peters, Mo.; which has 11 nominations; the Tony-winning play “The Desperate Hours” by The Theatre Guild of Webster Groves, which has five; Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” by O’Fallon Theatre Works in O’Fallon, Mo., which has seven; and August Wilson’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” by Clayton Community Theatre, which has eight..

Monroe Actors Stage Company in Waterloo, Ill., has nine nominations for Lillian Helman’s drama “Watch on the Rhine.” Other productions that received nominations include “Lend Me a Tenor” by Looking Glass Playhouse in Lebanon, Ill., and “6 Rms Riv Vu” by the Theatre Guild of Webster Groves.

The Man Who Came to Dinner at Kirkwood.has 13 nominations.

Let’s celebrate the return and resilience of community theater dramas and comedies in the bi-state region. And you get a tasty brunch too! To purchase tickets, here is the link: https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/

“Blithe Spirit” at Act Two Theatre has 11 nominations. Photo by Lori Biehl.

Arts For Life is returning to live and in-person awards ceremonies this spring, and tickets are now available for both the Theater Mask Awards on April 9 and Best Performance Awards on June 12.

This year’s eighth annual TMAs will take place starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 9, at The Christy of St. Louis, 5856 Christy Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63116.

Talia Wright as Amy March in OTW’s “Little Women”


Cocktail attire is suggested. Seating will be eight per table, and seating assignments will be available at the entrance.

A brunch buffet featuring eggs, bacon, sausage, waffles, hash browns, fruit salad and pasta con broccoli will be served. A cash bar will be available. TMA tickets are $28. Tickets will NOT be available for purchase at the event.

This year’s master of ceremonies for the TMAs will be Mark Lull, a nine-time AFL nominee, who won Best Performance by a Comedic Actor as Uncle Fester in Alfresco Productions’ “The Addams Family” in 2015.

The complete list of nominations can be found at: https://nebula.wsimg.com/9b9b1e3565835dd90498e28468ef7f1d?AccessKeyId=901C1079C3BABD637603&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at Clayton Community Theatre.


Through the nonprofit organization AFL, the TMAs have honored drama and comedy plays since 2015 while the BPAs have honored musical theater in community and youth productions since AFL’s founding in 1999.

Because of the public health crisis, AFL held its BPAs and TMAs ceremonies virtually in 2020, while BPAs were not held in 2021, but TMAs were virtually, and in a smaller capacity. This year’s BPAs include nominees from the shortened 2020 and 2021 theater seasons.

“Live and in person!” AFL President Mary McCreight exclaimed. “So happy to see the enthusiasm among theater groups for recognizing excellence among their peers and cheering each other on. It was a tough year to get out there, rehearse, and be among crowds. But through their diligence and willpower, the magic happened. Let’s celebrate!”

For more information, visit the website at www.artsforlife.org

“Watch on the Rhine” at MASC has nine nominations, including best ensemble.
The Desperate Hours at the Theatre Guild of Webster Groves.

Stray Dog Theatre to Present ‘Triassic Park: The Musical’ Movie Spoof

Stray Dog Theatre to Present ‘Triassic Park: The Musical’ Movie Spoof

Stray Dog Theatre (SDT) will present Triassic Parq: The Musical at the Tower Grove Abbey, opening on Thursday, April 14 and running through Saturday, April 30, 2022. Trisassic Parq features music by Marshall Pailet, with book and lyrics by Marshall Pailet, Bruce Norbitz and Steve Wargo and is intended for mature audiences. Presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing.

Triassic Parq Synopsis: Religion, identity, sex… and raptors! Triassic Parq is a raucous retelling of that famous dinosaur-themed film, this time seen from the dino’s point of view. Chaos is unleashed on their not-so-prehistoric world when one dinosaur in a clan of females spontaneously turns male!

Directed by SDT Associate Artistic Director Justin Been, with music direction by Leah Schultz, and choreography by Michael Hodges. The cast includes: Tristan Davis, Michael Wells, Laurell Stevenson, Dawn Schmid, Rachel Bailey, and Bryce Miller.

April 14-30, 2022: Show times are Thursdays – Saturdays at 8 p.m. Additional performances on Sunday, April 24 at 2 p.m., and Wednesday, April 27 at 8 p.m.

Venue: Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63104. Gated Parking.

Tickets: Adults $30 / Seniors (65+) & Students $25 (Cash/Checks/All Major Credit Cards)

Information and Ticket Reservations: Call (314) 865‐1995. Visit www.StrayDogTheatre.org. Secure online ticketing!

Community Outreach: In keeping with its mission of community outreach, non‐perishable food is collected at each performance and donated to Food Outreach, Inc. www.FoodOutreach.org

Arts For Life Accepting Scholarship Applications – Deadline May 25

Arts For Life Accepting Scholarship Applications – Deadline May 25

Students who plan to pursue a career in the arts are eligible for an annual Arts For Life scholarship. The deadline is May 25 for submission, and two winners of $500 each will be announced at the Best Performance Awards on June 12.

Every year since 2012, the AFL board of directors has selected two college-age recipients through an application process. Requirements include pursuing a career in the arts, participation in local community theater, essays, and letter(s) of recommendation.

AFL is a non-for-profit arts and service organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating community and youth theatre in the St. Louis metropolitan and metro-east Illinois region.

Those entering college after high school graduation or continuing their college education in an arts undergraduate program must submit a completed application and cannot have been the primary recipient of a previous AFL scholarship.

An arts program includes, but is not exclusive to performing arts (music, dance, theatre) and visual arts (painting, sculpture, architecture, film, photography). Arts programs not defined as fine arts, but related to the arts, may be considered if superior work has been demonstrated in this area.

“As we watch music education and theatre programs rapidly die in our schools, the need to keep community theatre alive is more important now than ever. AFL, with the goal of ‘Making A Dramatic Difference,’ is passionate about the healing power of the performing arts, and is proud to salute, support, and serve the theatre groups in the Metro-St. Louis-Illinois area,” said Mary McCreight, president of the AFL board of directors.

To download an application: https://nebula.wsimg.com/e109f1e7c375e49d7ce981a697135ecd?AccessKeyId=901C1079C3BABD637603&disposition=0&alloworigin=1

Besides a completed AFL Scholarship Application Form, which includes answers to essay questions and an information sheet that must be signed, the packet must include:

Resume of performing arts and/or visual arts experience.

List of metro St. Louis community theater involvement, either in the metro-east Illinois region or St. Louis city or county or St. Charles County.

List of any honors or awards received pertaining to involvement in the arts and/or scholastic achievement

One recommendation letter from a mentor in the arts: teacher, director, or board member.

Completed applications must be postmarked by May 25. Please mail completed applications to:  

ARTS FOR LIFE
Scholarship Application
P.O. Box 16426
St. Louis, MO  63125

You can also fill out the application online: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/aflscholarship2022
Email completed application to [email protected].

Recipients will be notified of the award prior to the 22nd AFL Best Performance Awards on June 12, 2022.

For more information, contact [email protected].

Last year’s winners were Audrey Neace of Alton, Ill., and Isaiah Henry of St. Peters, Mo.,
Neace, a 2020 graduate of Alton High School, will be a sophomore at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., majoring in choral and music education/voice and opera. Henry, a 2020 graduate of Francis Howell Central High School, will be a sophomore at Webster University Conservatory of Theatre Arts, majoring in acting.

Fox Announces Lottery For $10 ‘Hamilton’ Tickets April 12 – May 15

Fox Announces Lottery For $10 ‘Hamilton’ Tickets April 12 – May 15

Producer Jeffrey Seller and the Fabulous Fox Theatre announce a digital lottery for HAMILTON tickets willbegin in conjunction with the show’s first performance on April 12 in St. Louis at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. A limited number of tickets will be available for every performance for $10 each. The lottery will first open at 10:00 AM Friday, April 1 and will close at 12:00 PM Thursday, April 7 for tickets to performances April 12–17. Subsequent digital lotteries will begin on each Friday and close the following Thursday for the upcoming week’s performances.

HOW TO ENTER

·         Use the official app for HAMILTON, now available for all iOS and Android devices in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store (http://hamiltonmusical.com/app).

·         The lottery will open at 10:00 AM every Friday and will close for entry at 12:00 PM the next Thursday prior to the following week’s performances.

·         Winner and non-winner notifications will be sent between 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM every Thursday for the upcoming week’s performances via email and mobile push notification.  Winners will have two hours to claim and pay for their ticket(s). 

·         No purchase or payment necessary to enter or participate.

·         Each winning entrant may purchase up to two (2) tickets. 

·         Only one entry per person. Repeat entries and disposable email addresses will be discarded.

·         Lottery tickets may be picked up at will call beginning 2 hours prior to the performance with a valid photo ID.

·         Lottery tickets void if resold.

·         All times listed are in the local time zone. 

ADDITIONAL RULES

Patrons must be 18 years or older and have a valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the name used to enter. Tickets are non-transferable. Ticket limits and prices displayed are at the sole discretion of the show and are subject to change without notice.

Lottery prices are not valid on prior purchases. Lottery ticket offer cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. All sales final – no refunds or exchanges.  Lottery may be revoked or modified at any time without notice. A purchase will not improve the chances of winning.

Tickets for HAMILTON are currently on sale.  Patrons are advised to check the official HAMILTON channels and MetroTix for late release seats which may become available at short notice.

HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now.  Featuring​ a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. 

With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony​®​, Grammy​®​, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.

The HAMILTON creative team previously collaborated on the Tony Award ® Winning Best Musical IN THE HEIGHTS.

HAMILTON features scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg, hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe, casting by The Telsey Office, Bethany Knox, CSA, and General Management by Baseline Theatrical. 

The musical is produced by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman and The Public Theater.

The HAMILTON Original Broadway Cast Recording is available everywhere nationwide.  The HAMILTON recording received a 2016 Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.

For information on HAMILTON, visit www.HamiltonMusical.com, www.Facebook.com/HamiltonMusical, www.Instagram.com/HamiltonMusical and www.Twitter.com/HamiltonMusical.

The Muny, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival and The Midnight Company Win Big At Theater Circle Awards

The Muny, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival and The Midnight Company Win Big At Theater Circle Awards

The Muny, the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival and The Midnight Company, with nine, eight and six awards, respectively, led the way at the 2022 St. Louis Theater Circle Awards, which were held in a virtual, streaming ceremony on HEC Media on Monday, March 28, 2022.

The Muny’s 2021 production of “Chicago,” which returns to open its 2022 season, took top honors for an individual show with seven awards. Denis Jones, director and choreographer of “Chicago,” and Joe Hanrahan, artistic director of The Midnight Company, each was honored with two individual awards to lead all honorees.

Nominees in more than 30 categories vied for honors covering comedies, dramas, musicals and operas produced by local professional theater and opera companies in the combined calendar years of 2020 and 2021.

Because the coronavirus pandemic brought about the cancellation of so many productions by nearly all local professional theater companies, approximately 75 productions were considered for nominations for the combined years of 2020 and 2021. This compares to roughly 120 to 130 productions normally considered in one year alone.

The eighth annual award ceremony, which was to have been held ‘live’ at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University, was canceled in February 2020 due to the escalating number of cases of COVID-19. Instead, that event was held virtually in a highly polished presentation produced by HEC Media and streamed on HEC’s YouTube channel, Facebook page and web site, as was this ninth annual event. There was no ceremony of any type by the Theater Circle in 2021.

For the ninth annual ceremony, members of the St. Louis Theater Circle considered nominees from shows produced in the first three months of 2020 and the last eight months of 2021 combined. In addition, a few shows produced between April 2020 and May 2021 were included.

The winners for the ninth annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards are:

Michelle Hand and Nicole Angeli in “It Is Magic”

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role

  • Nicole Angeli, “It Is Magic,” The Midnight Company

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role (Tie)

  • Joe Hanrahan, “It Is Magic,” The Midnight Company
  • Carl Overly, Jr., “It Is Magic,” The Midnight Company

Outstanding Leading Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role

  • Ellie Schwetye, “Tinsel Town,” The Midnight Company

Outstanding Leading Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role

  • Adam Flores, “The Thanksgiving Play,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play

  • Seth Reiser, “A Christmas Carol,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Sound Design

  • David R. Molina, “King Lear,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
“Dress the Part”

Outstanding Costume Design in a Play

  • Christina Leinecke, “Dress the Part,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Outstanding Set Design in a Play

  • Margery and Peter Spack, “The Ville: Avengeance,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role

  • Elizabeth Teeter, “The Glass Menagerie,” Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role

  • Brian McKinley, “Spell #7,” The Black Rep

Outstanding Leading Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role

  • Laurie McConnell, “Annapurna,” St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Outstanding Leading Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role

  • Andre De Shields, “King Lear,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Outstanding New Play

  • “Tinsel Town,” by Joe Hanrahan, The Midnight Company
“Tinsel Town” by Joe Hanrahan

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

  • Patricia Racette, “La voix humaine,” Opera Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Production of an Opera

  • “Gianni Schicchi,” Opera Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Musical Director

  • Charlie Alterman, “Chicago,” The Muny

Outstanding Choreographer

  • Denis Jones,“Chicago,” The Muny
Smokey Joe’s Cafe

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role

  • Natascia Diaz, “On Your Feet!,” The Muny

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role

  • Adam Heller, “Chicago,” The Muny

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical

  • Sean M. Savoie, “Jersey Boys,” Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical

  • Edward E. Haynes Jr. and Kevan Loney, “Smokey Joe’s Café,” The Muny

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical

  • Emily Rebholz, “Chicago,” The Muny
Diana DeGarmo “Always…Patsy Cline”

Outstanding Leading Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role

  • Diana DeGarmo, “Always…Patsy Cline,” Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Leading Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role

  • Christopher Kale Jones, “Jersey Boys,” Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy (Tie)

  • “Dress the Part,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
  • “It Is Magic,” The Midnight Company

Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama

  • “Two Trains Running,” The Black Rep

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

  • “Chicago,” The Muny

Outstanding Director of a Comedy

  • GQ and JQ, “Dress the Part,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Outstanding Director of a Drama

  • Carl Cofield, “King Lear,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Two Trains Running

Outstanding Director of a Musical

  • Denis Jones, “Chicago,” The Muny

Outstanding Production of a Comedy

  • “Dress the Part,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival

Outstanding Production of a Drama

  • “Two Trains Running,” The Black Rep

Outstanding Production of a Musical

  • “Chicago,” The Muny

In addition, arts philanthropists Nancy and Ken Kranzberg were honored with a special award which was originally presented at the 2020 in-person ceremony.  Michael Hamilton and Jack Lane, co-founders of Stages St. Louis and the troupe’s recently retired artistic director and executive producer, respectively, were honored as well for their body of work. The Kranzbergs and Lane each gave a recorded acceptance speech during the virtual ceremony.

The mission of the St. Louis Theater Circle is simple: To honor outstanding achievement in St. Louis professional theater. Other cities around the country, such as Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., pay tribute to their own local theatrical productions with similar awards programs.

Andre DeShields in “King Lear”

Members of the St. Louis Theater Circle include Steve Allen (stagedoorstl.com); Mark Bretz (Ladue News); Bob Cohn (St. Louis Jewish Light); Tina Farmer (KDHX); Michelle Kenyon (snoopstheatrethoughts.com); Gerry Kowarsky (Two on the Aisle, HEC Media); Chuck Lavazzi (KDHX); Rob Levy (Broadwayworld.com); Judith Newmark (judyacttwo.com); Ann Lemons Pollack (stlouiseats.typepad.com); Lynn Venhaus (PopLifeSTL.com); Bob Wilcox (Two on the Aisle, HEC Media); and Calvin Wilson (St. Louis Post-Dispatch). Eleanor Mullin, local performer and arts supporter, is group administrator.

For more information, contact [email protected] or ‘like’ the St. Louis Theater Circle on Facebook.

Shake Shack Newest Concession Partner at Enterprise Center

Shake Shack Newest Concession Partner at Enterprise Center

Founded by St. Louis native Danny Meyer, Shake Shack will begin operation March 30

The St. Louis Blues announced Tuesday that Shake Shack will be the newest addition to their concession stand offerings at Enterprise Center. Shake Shack, founded by St. Louis native Danny Meyer, features classic American roadside fare, made with premium ingredients and was inspired by Meyer’s St. Louis roots. The Shake Shack stand will begin operation on Wednesday, March 30 for the Elton John concert.

“Over the last several years, we have made it a priority to provide a more diverse array of quality food offerings for our fans,” said Chris Zimmerman, President and CEO of Business Operations of the St. Louis Blues and Enterprise Center. “The addition of the ever-popular Shake Shack further enhances this progress and joins a stellar line-up of local restaurant partners and other fan favorites.”

 “For someone who grew up in St. Louis, taking in a Blues home game nearly every Saturday night even before I could drive, it’s a real thrill to bring Shake Shack to the Enterprise Center,” said Danny Meyer, Shake Shack founder and CEO Union Square Hospitality Group. “We’ve been dreaming about this opportunity since first bringing Shake Shack to St. Louis, and it’s an honor to serve our burgers, shakes and fries alongside so many other outstanding food options at Blues games and concerts.”

Enterprise Center becomes the third NHL arena in the country with a Shake Shack stand and the first Shake Shack stand to feature artwork by a local artist. St. Louis artist Adam Bertels was commissioned to create a mural that captures the energy that Enterprise Center delivers through sports and entertainment. Several St. Louis icons are also showcased throughout the mural, including Meyer. 

Shake Shack joins an already impressive line-up of food partners at Enterprise Center, including local favorites Chicken Out, Farmtruk, Hi-Pointe Drive-In, Mission Taco Joint and Sugarfire. Shake Shack will be located on the plaza level at Portal 3.

Shake Shack Stack

ABOUT SHAKE SHACK

Shake Shack is a modern day “roadside” burger stand serving a classic American menu of premium burgers, chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, crinkle cut fries, shakes, frozen custard, beer and wine. With its fresh, simple, high-quality food at a great value, Shake Shack is a fun and lively community gathering place with widespread appeal. Shake Shack’s mission is to Stand for Something Good®, from its premium ingredients and caring hiring practices to its inspiring designs and deep community investment. Since the original Shack opened in 2004 in NYC’s Madison Square Park, the Company has expanded to more than 240 domestic locations in 32 U.S. States and the District of Columbia and more than 125 international locations including London, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore, Mexico City, Istanbul, Dubai, Tokyo, Seoul and more.

Bejeweled, Bedazzled and Bemused: A Grand ‘My Fair Lady’ at The Fox

Bejeweled, Bedazzled and Bemused: A Grand ‘My Fair Lady’ at The Fox

A Refreshed Grande Dame of Midcentury Musicals Presented in Fine Fashion

By CB Adams

After the two-year black hole that was the COVID-19 pandemic, this reviewer was so happy to have a rear-end planted in a seat in the Fox Theatre, preparing to experience live theater with a live orchestra and a live audience, that I would have been happy just to listen to someone stand on the stage and recite selections from an old phone book.

Instead, as the house lights dimmed and orchestra played the overture to The Lincoln Center Theater Production of My Fair Lady, running at the Fox Theatre from March 22 to April 3, it felt more than a bit like The Wizard of Oz, when the film cuts from black and white into Technicolor.

There has been much written and analyzed about the success of Director Bartlett Sher’s approach to ameliorate some of the uncomfortable sexist and misogynistic moments of this musical – cringey attributes shared by others of the era, such as Kiss Me Kate. But sexism wasn’t limited to that era. It resonated in films such as “Pretty Woman” and even “Indecent Proposal.” In “Pretty Woman,” Julia Roberts’ character sleeps her way to success. In “My Fair Lady,” Eliza speaks her way to a different kind of success.

But this reviewer prefers to leave those discussions off stage. Instead, below is a live tweet-style review of the opening night’s performance, with all its due eager anticipation. All times are imaginatively approximate, but be prepared – this production runs almost three hours. When the company takes its bows, you know you’ve had a musical experience.

7:15 – The Fabulous Fox is full tonight! The stage shimmers lightly with a two-level, austere scrim of the London skyline and a single street lamp.

7:30 – The live orchestra! The overture! Through the heads in front of me, it’s actually exciting to catch glimpses Music Director/Conductor John Bell as he commands his baton. Won’t take that for granted anymore. Thanks, COVID!

7:31 – A spare stage. Silhouetted characters move across the scrim, ending with Eliza, alone, sans flowers. Does this foreshadow Eliza’s predominance in this version?

7:33 – Scene 1! Forgot the first song is Henry Higgins’ “Why Can’t the English?” as sung by Laird Mackintosh in this production. Nobody can top Lerner and Lowe at the height of the Golden Age of musical theater. Come for the songs, stay for the songs!

My Fair Lady Photo by Joan Marcus

7:45 – Balancing that Higgins tune is Shereen Ahmed as Eliza Doolittle (I hope she does a lot!) and “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly.” I was worried this might not have aged well, if for no other reason than familiarity can breed contempt. But no! It’s a plaintive call for something better, full of longing and with a pathos similar to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Props to Ahmed!

7:55 – Change of pace in Scene 2, set in the dodgy side of town. It’s Eliza’s dad, Alfred, played by the athletic Martin Fisher, with his two sidekicks, Jamie and Harry, played by Wade McCollum and William Michals, respectively.

7:56 – These three engage in bro banter and well-timed roughhousing then segue into a jaunty rendition of “With a Little Bit of Luck.” Fisher’s baritone was unexpected and powerful. It seemed he could roll right into “Old Man River” without missing a beat. Definitely saw Sher’s attempt to soften the sexism by including a trio of suffragettes in the chorus shouting “Our bodies, our choice.”

8:02 – Back to Higgins, now in his two-story Wimpole Street study. Impressive, ship-like set, complete with all the accoutrements of an English academic bachelor: spiral staircase, polished dark wood and brass fittings, a cluttered desk the size of flight deck and yards and yards of books.

8:03 – Higgins’ opulent study is an Edwardian man cave, perfect for cavorting with the Higgins’ old chum, Colonel Pickering (a delightful Kevin Pariseau) that also reveals this show’s high production values. Wow! And that’s thanks to Michael Yeargan, the scenic designer.

8:20 – Jumping to Scene 5, back in Higgin’s study. The set ingeniously turns, revealing different parts of the townhouse. More kudos to Yeargan.

8:30 – Still Scene 5, replete with four numbers that lead to the ubiquitous “The Rain in Spain,” which begins Eliza’s transformation into a “proper” lady with the enunciation to match. Then, “I Could Have Danced All Night.” Ahmed brings a graceful earnestness to this familiar song.

8:40 – It’s the Scene 6 show stopper! Literally. Set outside a club tent at the Ascot horse races, Yeargan’s design includes a striped tent that was supposed to rise above the cast. Problem was, it didn’t rise. Some of the cast members had to step around the tent during the “Ascot Gavotte.” The house announcer told us the show was experiencing difficulties and instructed the cast to leave the stage for their safety. House lights came up for several minutes and the show proceeded. Hey, it’s live theater, people!

8:47 – Despite the scenery malfunction, the Ascot scene highlights another of Yeargan’s brilliant touches. He toggles sets right out of “Decorating Rich”  with those like this one that are subtler, cleaner and more contemporary.

8:55 – Scene 7. Another great supporting character. This time, it’s love-struck Freddy, played by Sam Simahk. Singing “On the Street Where You Live” with a powerful tenor, Simahk commands the song and stage. Simahk, along with Fisher as Eliza’s father, may have given the best performances. What’s that they say about no small parts?

9:00 – Act I ends with the presentation of Eliza as she prepares for the embassy ball. As she steps out in a very Audrey Hepburn evening gown, it’s the perfect time to call out Catherin Zuber’s excellent costume designs. Eliza’s evening gown and gloves are perfect and elicited the anticipated oohhs and aahhs, but she becomes regal as she is enshrouded in a high-colored, deep-red cloak. Another noteworthy touch came earlier as Higgins’ house staff prepared to bathe Eliza. As she is stripped down, actually and metaphorically, the process is modestly exemplified by the way the maids pluck her dirty gloves from her hands. Small touch that says so much – love the attention to details like this.

Photo by Joan Marcus

9:20 – Act II, Scene 2. A cringe-worthy scene despite this production’s best efforts. Eliza is back in Higgins’ study after her successful foray into high society. “You Did It” is intended to be a triumphant song, but Eliza is separated physically and emotionally from Higgins, Pickering and the house staff. Higgins takes all the credit for her success while Eliza observes from the periphery. Am I the only one to see the parallels between parts of “My Fair Lady” and “Frankenstein?” “You Did It” is equivalent to Dr. Frankenstein’s “It’s Alive!” Both men are myopically impressed by their own work at the expense of the “creations.”

9:40 – Jumping to Scene 4. A rousing show-stopper with “Get Me to the Church On Time,” sung by Eliza’s father and his cohorts as he prepares to be married. Not sure what purpose this song does to move the story forward, but it is the most vigorous, uninhibited and naughty of the show. A great change of pace as a Moulin Rouge-esque song and dance routine that sneakily – at first – introduces cancan dancers in drag. What?!

My Fair Lady

10:15 – “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face.” Don’t expect the Rex Harrison styling of this classic. Mackintosh’s Higgins is a linguistic king baby who cries for his mommy after Eliza leaves him in an earlier scene. Here, he grapples with his two sides – will he or won’t he. He waffles, like a Jekyll and a Hyde (apt since he played the Utterson character in “Jekyll & Hyde”) and the song ends with no clear decision.

10:30 – Not exactly the ending I expected. No spoilers. See “My Fair Lady” for yourself. It’s worth it.

11:30 – Back home. Thinking of that ending. It’s not a Hollywood ending, but it may be the best or most-right ending to a musical that others have described as “perfect but not great.” Thinking also of two moments as the audience walked toward the exits. Two separate individuals in two different parts of the theater were quietly singing, “I Could Have Danced All Night.” Nothing says “Great show” better than that.

Performances of Lerner & Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY at the Fabulous Fox run March 22 – April 3. Show times are Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m., Saturday afternoons at 2 p.m. and Sunday afternoons at 1 p.m. There will be an evening performance on Sunday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m. and a matinee performance on Thursday, March 31 at 1 p.m. Tickets on sale now at MetroTix.com or by calling 314-534-1111. For more information, visit www.fabulousfox.com

My Fair Lady Photo by Joan Marcus

‘Ain’t Too Proud,’ ‘Hadestown,’ ‘Six’ and ‘Tootsie’ Part of Fox Theatre’s 2022-2023 Broadway Series

‘Ain’t Too Proud,’ ‘Hadestown,’ ‘Six’ and ‘Tootsie’ Part of Fox Theatre’s 2022-2023 Broadway Series

The Fabulous Fox Theatre is eager to celebrate its 40th Anniversary with an incredible lineup in the 2022-2023 U.S. Bank Broadway Series! Get ready to open the season with the signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies of the legendary quintet in AIN’T TOO PROUD – The Life and Times of The Temptations. Winner of eight 2019 TonyAwards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, HADESTOWN invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back in October. For the first time in forever, experience Disney’s FROZEN like never before in this unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects. To kick off 2023, you’ll lose your head over the new original musical that is the global sensation SIX. All rise in St. Louis for the most successful American play in Broadway history, Harper Lee’s TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, followed by the laugh-out-loud love letter to the theater, TOOTSIE. To close out the seven-show season ticket package in May of 2023, everything will be alright with JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR celebrating its 50th Anniversary. An eight show package is also available to subscribers with the addition of Broadway sensation and St. Louis’ most “popular” musical WICKED when itflies into town in April.

AIN’T TOO PROUD – The Life and Times of The Temptations | September 20 – October 2, 2022

AIN’T TOO PROUD – The Life and Times of The Temptations is the electrifying, new smash-hit Broadway musical that follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With their signature dance moves and silky-smooth harmonies, they rose to the top of the charts creating an amazing 42 Top Ten Hits with 14 reaching number one. Nominated for 12 Tony® Awards and the winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, AIN’T TOO PROUD tells the thrilling story of brotherhood, family, loyalty, and betrayal, as the group’s personal and political conflicts threatened to tear them apart during a decade of civil unrest in America.Written by three-time Obie Award winner Dominique Morisseau, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys), and featuring the Tony-winning choreography of Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, On Your Feet!), the unforgettable story of this legendary quintet is set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” and so many more.


HADESTOWN | October 11-23, 2022

BroadwayEva Noblezada, who plays Eurydice, and the Broadway cast of Hadestown.

Come see how the world could be. Welcome to HADESTOWN, where a song can change your fate. Winner of eight 2019 TonyAwards® including Best Musical and the 2020 Grammy® Award for Best Musical Theater Album, this acclaimed new show from celebrated singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell and innovative director Rachel Chavkin (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) is a love story for today… and always. HADESTOWN intertwines two mythic tales — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — as it invites you on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Performed by a vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers and singers, HADESTOWN is a haunting and hopeful theatrical experience that grabs you and never lets go.

Disney’s FROZEN | November 2-13, 2022

From the producer of The Lion King and Aladdin, FROZEN, the Tony®-nominated Best Musical, is now on tour across North America and the critics rave, “It’s simply magical!” (LA Daily News). Heralded by The New Yorker as “thrilling” and “genuinely moving,” FROZEN features the songs you know and love from the original Oscar®-winning film, plus an expanded score with a dozen new numbers by the film’s songwriters, Oscar winner Kristen Anderson-Lopez and EGOT winner Robert Lopez. Oscar winner Jennifer Lee (book), Tony and Olivier Award winner Michael Grandage (director), and Tony winner Rob Ashford (choreographer) round out the creative team that has won a cumulative 16 Tony Awards. An unforgettable theatrical experience filled with sensational special effects, stunning sets and costumes, and powerhouse performances, FROZEN is everything you want in a musical: It’s moving. It’s spectacular. And above all, it’s pure Broadway joy. Presented by Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation.

SIX | January 24 – February 5, 2023

Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. From Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the mic to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an exuberant celebration of 21st century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over. The New York Times says SIX “TOTALLY RULES!” (Critic’s Pick) and The Washington Post hails SIX as “Exactly the kind of energizing, inspirational illumination this town aches for! The Broadway season got supercharged!” Written by Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss.

Harper Lee’s TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD | February 28 – March 12, 2023

All rise for Academy Award® winner Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork. The New York Times Critic’s Pick TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRDis “the most successful American play in Broadway history.” (60 Minutes). Rolling Stone gives it 5 stars, calling it “an emotionally shattering landmark production of an American classic,” and New York Magazine calls it “a real phenomenon. Majestic and incandescent, it’s filled with breath and nuance and soul.” With direction by Tony Award® winner Bartlett Sher, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD — “the greatest novel of all time” (Chicago Tribune) — has quickly become “one of the greatest plays in history” (NPR).

TOOTSIE | March 21 – April 2, 2023

Call it “musical comedy heaven” (Rolling Stone). Call it “the most uproarious new musical in years!” (The Hollywood Reporter). Call it TOOTSIE! This laugh-out-loud love letter to the theater tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work until one show-stopping act of desperation lands him the role of a lifetime. Featuring a hilarious Tony®-winning book by Robert Horn and an outrageously clever score by 2018 Tony-winner David Yazbek (The Band’s Visit, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), this New York Times Critic’s Pick is “a joyful delight” (The Washington Post) that’s “so packed with punchlines, it should be called a jokebox musical!” (Bloomberg). “In these turbulent times, when the world seems out of balance, we need a place to let the good times roll,” raves Rolling Stone. “TOOTSIEis it!”

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR | May 9-21, 2023

Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production of the iconic musical phenomenon returns to the stage. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and helmed by the acclaimed director Timothy Sheader (Crazy for You, Into the Woods) and cutting-edge choreographer Drew McOnie (King Kong, Strictly Ballroom), this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring. With lyrics and music by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winners Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTARis set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’, ‘Gethsemane’ and ‘Superstar’.

WICKED I April 12 – May 7

So much happened before Dorothy dropped in. WICKED, the Broadway sensation, looks at what happened in the Land of Oz…but from a different angle.  Long before Dorothy arrives, there is another young woman, born with emerald-green skin—smart, fiery, misunderstood, and possessing an extraordinary talent. When she meets a bubbly blonde who is exceptionally popular, their initial rivalry turns into the unlikeliest of friendships…until the world decides to call one “good,” and the other one “wicked.” From the first electrifying note to the final breathtaking moment, WICKED—the untold true story of the Witches of Oz—transfixes audiences with its wildly inventive story that USA Today cheers is “a complete triumph! An original musical that will make you laugh, cry, and think.”Presented by Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation.

Series Specials

Seven additional Broadway shows will be offered as specials to 2022–2023 season ticket holders for priority seating before their public on-sale dates.  One of the world’s most beloved and timeless stories, Nebraska Theatre Caravan’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL, is a holiday tradition at the Fox and will play December 1-4, presented by the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation. The longest running and highest rated holiday television special, RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER, will fly into St. Louis December 11. CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE will light up the stage in the popular and dazzling family holiday spectacular December 16-17. Embrace you inner elf when the modern day Christmas classic ELF The Musical plays at the Fox just in time for the holidays December 20-24. BEAUTIFUL – The Carole King Musical, the Tony® and Grammy® Award-winning inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, returns to the Fox January 6-8. Cameron Mackintosh presents the acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s Tony Award® winning musical phenomenon LES MISÉRABLES January 17-22 and will be welcomed by Saint Louis Ballet.Featuring pulsing, original music, custom-made instruments, surprise audience interaction and hilarious absurdity, join BLUE MAN GROUP in a joyful experience that unites audiences of all ages February 9-12.

New seven and eight show season ticket packages will go on sale June 6 at 10 a.m. Current U.S. Bank Broadway season ticket holders will receive their renewal information in the coming weeks. On-sale dates for individual shows will be announced later. For more information, please call the Fox Subscription office at 314-535-1700.

Six

2022 – 2023 U.S. Bank Broadway Series Shows and Specials:

(The Season Ticket Package shows are in bold)

AIN’T TOO PROUD – The Life and Times of The Temptations * September 20 – October 2, 2022

HADESTOWN * October 11-23, 2022

Disney’s FROZEN * November 2-13, 2022

A CHRISTMAS CAROL * December 1-4, 2022

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER * December 11, 2022

CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE * December 16-17, 2022

ELF The Musical * December 20-24, 2022

BEAUTIFUL – The Carole King Musical * January 6-8, 2023

LES MISERABLES * January 17-22, 2023

SIX * January 24 – February 5, 2023

BLUE MAN GROUP * February 9-12, 2023

Harper Lee’s TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD * February 28 – March 12, 2023

TOOTSIE * March 21 – April 2, 2023

WICKED * April 12 – May 7, 2023

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR * May 9-21, 2023