‘Much Ado About Nothing’ to be Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’ 20th Anniversary Show This Summer

‘Much Ado About Nothing’ to be Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’ 20th Anniversary Show This Summer

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis (Tom Ridgely, Producing Artistic Director) announced Jan. 10 that its the 20th anniversary Shakespeare in the Park production will be “Much Ado About Nothing.”

The production will mark 20 years of free Shakespeare in Forest Park, one of the largest outdoor Shakespeare venues in the country. Much Ado will be directed by Bruce Longworth and begin performances on Wednesday, May 27, with an opening night set for Friday, May 29 at 8 pm, and will play through June 21.

To celebrate the 20th Anniversary Season, the Festival is expanding the amount and variety of completely free and open to the public programming in Shakespeare Glen leading up to the opening of Much Ado About Nothing. “Twenty years is a lifetime for an arts organization,” said artistic director Tom Ridgely in a statement, “and it’s a testament to both the vision of the founding board and the appetite of the people in St. Louis for world-class Shakespeare productions in a world-class public park. It means that an entire generation has grown up with the beloved summer tradition of hearing these timeless stories under the stars. These plays belong to everyone. The Festival exists to make sure everyone can enjoy them.”

On May 8-9 the Festival will kick-off the anniversary celebration with two family-friendly performances of Cymbeline, Shakespeare’s epic adventure about love, loss and reconciliation. The play follows Princess Innogen as she sets out on a journey to find her husband and – with courage and ingenuity – clear her good name.

These encore performances will be given by TourCo, the Festival’s regional touring company, and will be directed by Tom Ridgely featuring Hannah Geisz, Britteny Henry, Mary Heyl, Keating, Halli Pattison and Jenni Ryan. TourCo’s performance of Cymbeline will be the first outdoor performance of its kind. TourCo has exclusively performed in schools and community centers for the past 19 years, and this first Park performance will kick off the Festival’s 20th Birthday Bash weekend.

The Birthday Bash will celebrate the Festival’s 20th anniversary, complete with food trucks, live music, family activities, and more On May 15-17 the Shakespeare Festival is partnering with the St. Louis International Film Festival to present the inaugural Shakespeare Movie Weekend in the Glen, with three nights of Shakespeare-inspired films for all ages. On Friday, 10 Things I Hate About You starring Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew will kick off the weekend. 1994’s beloved and acclaimed The Lion King, based loosely on Hamlet, will follow on Saturday; and the series will end Sunday with St. Louis-born Vincent Price’s Theatre of Blood, a campy horror-comedy in which a slighted Shakespearean actor (Price) seeks poetic and murderous revenge on his critics – killing them in the same ways made infamous by Shakespeare.

Much Ado About Nothing is one of Shakespeare’s most popular and enduring comedies. The central characters, Beatrice and Benedick, are thorny, intelligent, witty, and hopelessly bad at love. A battle royale ensues in a hilarious attempt to resist their overpowering mutual attraction that makes Much Ado such a timeless story of romance, suspicion and restoration. This will Bruce Longworth’s fifth Shakespeare in the Park production, following 2010’s Hamlet, 2012’s Othello, 2014’s Henry V and 2017’s The Winter’s Tale. The creative team is rounded out by Josh Smith (Scenic Design), Dorothy Englis (Costume Design), John Wylie (Lighting Design) and Kathy Ruvuna (Sound Design) and Matt Pace & Brien Seyle (Original Music).

Performances are free and open to the public. Seats and blankets may be reserved or audiences may bring their own. Please visit sfst.com for more information. Leadership support for Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’ 2020 season is provided by the Whitaker Foundation. The Festival is also funded in part by the Hearst Foundations, The Bellwether Foundation, the Missouri Arts Council, the Regional Arts Commission, and the Arts & Education Council of Greater St. Louis. BIOS Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Shakespeare and works inspired by his legacy of storytelling. Since 2001, the festival has grown from producing a single production of Shakespeare in the Park to a year-round season of impactful theater in exciting and accessible venues throughout the St. Louis community.

Bruce Longworth

The festival’s artistic and education programs reached over 50,000 patrons and students during the 2018 season and have reached over one million since 2001. In 2019, the Festival received a “What’s Right with the Region” award from Focus St. Louis. Bruce Longworth (Director)* is a Resident Artist at Shakespeare Festival St. Louis and previously directed The Winter’s Tale (2017), Henry V (2014), Othello (2012), and Hamlet (2010) for Shakespeare in the Park. He has been a faculty member in the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University since 1985 and is the Head of the Performance programs. Local and regional directing credits include Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Repertory Theatre St. Louis, Pulitzer Museum, Saint Louis Symphony, Lyceum Theatre, Mustard Seed Theatre, New Jewish Theatre, Illinois Shakespeare Festival, Missouri Thespians, International Thespians and many shows for the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster. Bruce is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Actors Equity Association.

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The Rep Tops Sales Records with ‘Pride and Prejudice’

The Rep Tops Sales Records with ‘Pride and Prejudice’

This December, Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice swept into The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and charmed theatregoers from every corner of the region. In the process, it shattered The Rep’s preexisting sales records and grossed more than $1 million.
 
Adapted by Christopher Baker and directed by The Rep’s Augustin Family Artistic Director, Hana S. Sharif, the play handily topped the theatre’s previous top-seller – 2016’s A Christmas Carol – and enchanted more than 20,000 audience members during its run.
 
“Part of the joy of directing Pride and Prejudice was watching everyone – from the cast to the creative team to audiences – fall in love with Jane Austen’s characters and storytelling all over again,” Sharif said. “It is a gift to witness the magic of an incredible onstage team forging an emotional connection with sold-out houses. This was my first love letter to St. Louis and I am honored to witness its historic success.”
 
The production marked Sharif’s directorial debut at The Rep, and served as a triumphant capper to the first half of her debut season as The Rep’s artistic leader.
 
Sharif officially arrived at The Rep in June, part of a new wave of leadership at regional theatres throughout the nation. This fresh crop of leaders is younger and more diverse  – in a survey of 101 regional artistic director positions filled since 2015, Bay Area theatre directors Rebecca Novick and Evren Odcikin found that 42 of these incoming leaders were women (up from 22) and 29 were people of color (up from 13).
 
As an African-American woman taking the reins at one of the country’s most prestigious regional theatres, Sharif quickly became one of the leading faces of this exciting sea change.
 
In just six months, Sharif has galvanized The Rep’s presence both onstage and in the community. The theatre has rapidly expanded its outreach programs, hiring a Special Events Manager and a Community Organizing Manager to help bring The Rep beyond its home in suburban Webster Groves to the rest of the St. Louis region.
 
“This first year is very much about learning from and listening to the community,” Sharif said. “We’re planting seeds for the next era of The Rep, and a major part of that is understanding what the community needs from its art. We’ve learned at every step of the way, from our season-opening Angels in America through Pride and Prejudice, and it’s all informing our plans for the 2020-2021 season and beyond. I can’t wait to share our next act with St. Louis.”

Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy. Photo by Philip Hamer.
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Local Activists Team Up with Climate Change Theatre Action St. Louis

Local Activists Team Up with Climate Change Theatre Action St. Louis

On Dec. 13, 2019 at the Mark Wilson Theatre on the campus of St. Louis University, Playhouse Emissions: Climate Change Theatre Action St. Louis 2019 was presented as part of the international Climate Change Theatre Action 2019.

The St. Louis event follows the growing tradition of rapid response from theatre artists for collective action on some of the most pressing issues of our time, including gun violence and extrajudicial violence against people of color. 

There is a growing movement within the global theatre community: a succession of artwork-cum-advocacy events, collections of short plays, crafted with an urgent deadline and for immediate performance, in an effort to address some of the most critical sociopolitical issues of our time. After an initial production, these play collections often circulate for years, becoming part of the theatrical and activist zeitgeist, and often a movement unto itself. Climate Change Theatre Action (CCTA) is one such movement.

CCTA is a worldwide series of readings and performances of short plays on climate change, primarily presented to coincide with the United Nations COP 25 meeting. 

Produced by Joan Lipkin, and directed by Thomas Martin, Anna Blair, Alex Knapp, Playhouse Emissions featured a sampling of the CCTA international collection of short plays inspired by climate change and the science surrounding it. In 2019, close to 250 events were hosted in 25 countries, reaching an audience of 10,000 through live performance and an additional 10,000 via live streams and radio broadcasts.

“Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing us as a global community,” said Joan Lipkin, Producing Artistic Director of That Uppity Theatre Company, and one of 2019’s commissioned playwrights. “Scientists estimate that we have 15 years to decarbonize the economy if we want to stave off the worst impacts of climate change that will affect all of us.”

The plays were selected from two anthologies that were commissioned by the CCTA organization. 50 playwrights were chosen from over 25 countries, from industrialized and developing countries and urban and rural areas. These perspectives include low-lying nations threatened by sea level change and countries facing severe heat waves, floods, droughts, deforestation and/or biodiversity collapse. 

Lipkin and Knapp co-hosted the event, which featured performances from leading actors in St. Louis, including Dan Kelly, Michelle Dillard, Don McClendon, and Anna Blair, as well as students from St. Louis University and Washington University in St. Louis. The performance opened with a drum performance by World Vibrations, led by Lisa Frumhoff and concluded with a question and answer segment with David Brotherton, the Program Director for Business and the Environment at the University of California – Berkley.

Plays selected for Playhouse Emissions included Single Use by Marcia Johnson, Brackendale by Elaine Ávila, About That Chocolate Bar by Joan Lipkin, Six Polar Bears Fell from the Sky This Morning by Alister Emerson, El Toro Sagrado In the Car Repair Shop by Mindi Dickstein, and Homo Sapiens by Chantal Bilodeau.

“Among the short plays was a dramatic, interpretive reading of Greta Thunberg’s UN address on Climate Change. I was deeply moved by the re-enactment and inspired by how theatre arts keep the most compelling issues of our time alive,” said audience member Anne Taussig. Thunberg’s remarks were adapted by Lipkin and Knapp, a second-year master’s student in Theatre and Performance at Washington University in St. Louis, with music by Mitchell Manar. “The most important thing we can do is inform ourselves and understand the situation,” according to Greta Thunberg, the 16-year old climate activist. 

“As a scholar and artist, I care deeply about education and access, especially regarding the most pressing concerns to life on this earth. I find performance to be an excellent venue for bringing these issues to the fore, sparking a dialogue within communities, and providing equitable access to education on these topics,” says Knapp.

“Saint Louis University is dedicated to providing the vehicle through which students and the general public can learn the facts about climate change using a variety of platforms including academics, public programs, and the arts. We are pleased to support this creative use of the arts in the service of both the humanities and climate change awareness,” said Dr. Jack Fishman, a Professor of Meteorology in the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences and director of their Center for Environmental Sciences.

About Climate Change Theatre Action:

A collaboration between the Center for Sustainable Practice in the Arts, NoPassport Theatre Alliance, The Arctic Cycle, Theatre Without Borders, and York University, CCTA is a worldwide series of readings and performances of short climate change plays presented to coincide with the United Nations COP25.

Following the model pioneered by NoPassport, the organizers asked fifty writers from around the world to write short plays about an aspect of climate change. These plays were made available to producing collaborators who have presented over 100 events so far this season. Collaborators can choose as few or as many of the plays as they want.

Events range from readings in classrooms to fully staged performances and will take place in theatres, high schools, universities, eco-centers, community centers, on radio, and outdoors.

For the full list of events and participating playwrights:  

www.climatechangetheatreaction.com

Events can also be followed via their Facebook Page.                                                

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Opera Theatre of St. Louis Expands Audience and Increases Fundraising in FY2019

Opera Theatre of St. Louis Expands Audience and Increases Fundraising in FY2019

Following the conclusion of the 2019 fiscal year on Sept. 30 — the first under the leadership of General Director Andrew Jorgensen — Opera Theatre of Saint Louis announced preliminary results that demonstrate a growing audience, positive national attention, and vibrant philanthropic support for the company.

A comprehensive audit will be completed and published in February 2020. Opera Theatre’s contributed operating support exceeded $6.49 million, or 109% of the company’s fundraising goal, and the endowment totaled more than $33 million at fiscal yearend. New donor households grew by 53%, bringing total donor households to 1,156 in 2019.

Philanthropic investment from the St. Louis community represented 75% of contributed revenue; Opera Theatre also continued to attract strong national support from funding partners including the National Endowment for the Arts and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

This year, OTSL completed its five-year partnership with The Wallace Foundation, collaborating with 25 other leading performing arts organizations across the country to design, implement, and evaluate programming as participants in the Building Audiences for Sustainability initiative.

A key component of OTSL’s 2019 fundraising success was its annual spring gala in May, chaired by Kim and Tim Eberlein with Host Presenting Sponsor Centene Charitable Foundation. The event grossed more than $1 million to support the artists who bring Opera Theatre’s season to life on stage. Response to the 2019 Festival Season from audiences and press was overwhelmingly positive, driven in part by OTSL’s 28th world premiere, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, commissioned by Opera Theatre and co-commissioned by Jazz St. Louis.

Composed by six-time Grammy Award winner and Oscar nominee Terence Blanchard with libretto by acclaimed film director Kasi Lemmons, the opera was based on the memoir of renowned author Charles Blow. Directed by OTSL Artistic Director James Robinson, this world premiere was hailed by The New York Times as “a bold and affecting adaptation” that sold out four of its six performances at OTSL.

In September 2019, the Metropolitan Opera announced it would produce Fire Shut Up in My Bones in a future season — the first production by an African American composer in the Met’s 136- year history, and the first OTSL commission to be re-mounted there. Total audience households attending Opera Theatre’s festival season increased by 6% over 2018, with ticket buyers from 46 states and 17 countries. Younger and more diverse audiences were an important component of that progress; audiences of color grew by 13% and Millennial households were up 50% over the prior year.

Ticket sales for Opera Theatre’s successful Young Friends program for audiences 45 years and younger increased by 25% and philanthropic dollars from Young Friends members grew by 19%. The national media roundly praised Opera Theatre’s 2019 Festival Season, with 5 separate features in The New York Times and more than 45 reviews in publications including The Wall Street Journal, Opera News, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Chicago Classical Review.

“It’s one of the loveliest opera-going experiences anywhere, and quite unlike any other,” wrote Scott Cantrell of The Dallas Morning News. “It has been enormously gratifying to collaborate with Andrew Jorgensen during his first year as Opera Theatre’s General Director, and to see how warmly the St. Louis community has embraced him,” said Opera Theatre’s Chairman, Noémi Neidorff. “Andrew’s vision, his creativity, and his thoughtful approach are both refreshing and essential, as he leads Opera Theatre towards greater successes.”

“As I reflect on my first year at Opera Theatre, I am deeply grateful to the board, staff, volunteers, and artists who made the 2019 Festival Season possible,” said General Director Andrew Jorgensen. “Our company’s long record of artistic success and fiscal responsibility is rooted in the generosity of our St. Louis community, which has provided steadfast support for all of our work including world premieres, classic repertoire, and the development of future artists and audiences alike. I am so excited to build upon this year’s achievements and look forward to what lies ahead.”

As Opera Theatre celebrates its 45th season in 2020, the company will continue to build on its strengths, shaping the future of opera through innovative new productions and the training of talented young artists. The company’s artistic team, including newly appointed Artistic Director of Young Artist Programs Patricia Racette and Director of Artistic Administration Damon Bristo, recently completed OTSL’s seven-city young artist audition tour.

A total of 1,091 singers across the country applied for the prestigious Gerdine Young Artist and Richard Gaddes Festival Artist programs; only 35 will be selected to appear in the 2020 Festival Season.

Opera Theatre’s 2020 Festival Season runs May 23 – June 28 and features Bizet’s Carmen, Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, the world premiere of Awakenings by Tobias Picker and Aryeh Lev Stollman, Floyd’s Susannah, and the annual Center Stage concert showcasing OTSL’s young artists.

Tickets for the 2020 Festival Season start at just $25 and can be purchased online, via phone, or in person at the OTSL Box Office at the Loretto-Hilton Center. For more information about the season, visit ExperienceOpera.org or call (314) 961-0644. ### About Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is a spring festival featuring casts of the opera world’s most exciting singers accompanied by members of the Grammy Award-winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

Each season, OTSL presents four inventive new productions in English during the months of May and June. In addition to presenting innovative interpretations of classics, OTSL is also committed to premiering new and relevant operas by prominent composers; since its inaugural season in 1976, 28 operas have received their world premieres at Opera Theatre. T

he company’s competitive young artist programs foster the next generation of emerging American singers; these programs have been a springboard for countless artists to launch international careers.

OTSL is led by General Director Andrew Jorgensen and Artistic Director James Robinson. Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is funded in part by the Regional Arts Commission, Arts and Education Council, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Missouri Arts Council. Opera Theatre gratefully acknowledges Webster University for its sustaining partnership

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New Places and Faces for Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

New Places and Faces for Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis has announced a move to The High Low in the Grand Center Arts District.

Helene Estes

The High Low is a new venue from the Kranzberg Arts Foundation which focuses on the spoken and written word.

“We are thrilled to house the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis in such a creative establishment and cannot wait for the partnerships that will come from this relocation,” said Carrie Houk, executive artistic director.

Helene Estes has been hired as the new Director of Operations. A St. Louis native, Helene holds a B.F.A in Drama from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. She has maintained a varied artistic career that includes theatre and screen acting, film producing, and new play development in New York City and the St. Louis area.

“She is extremely honored to to be joining this amazing team of creatives and eager to support such an incredible organization,” Houk said.

“We are excited to announce more new faces with the addition of several members to our TWStL board. We’re pleased to have Jane Robert, Rayme Cornell, Peter Shank, Carlos Zamora, Melodee DuBois, Donna Beck, KC Carroll, and Kyle Crocker join our governance,” she said.

The 5th annual festival will be held May 7-17, located in the Grand Center Arts District. 2020 programming will be announced in the weeks to come.

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Alex Prakken Added to Muny Magic with Mikaela Bennett

Alex Prakken Added to Muny Magic with Mikaela Bennett

By Lynn Venhaus
Managing Editor

A longtime Muny performer, Alex Prakken left his native St. Louis to grow his musical theater aspirations, but his heart is at home on the local stages that have meant so much to him.

Prakken will star alongside Mikaela Bennett in the eighth
installment of its off-season concert series, Muny Magic at The Sheldon, on
Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 5 and 6, at 7:30 p.m.

“The Muny is such a special place, not just for me, but for
many,” he said. “I always wanted to go to New York. And The Muny definitely
helped me to get to where I needed to be in singing, acting and dancing. And I
got to watch these phenomenal actors on that stage, work with them, and learn
from them.”
Prakken replaces Jason Gotay, who was cast as Che in the upcoming New York City
Encores! Production of “Evita” and had to withdraw. Gotay appeared as Prince
Topher in “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” as Prince Eric in “Disney’s
The Little Mermaid” and Jack in “Into the Woods” at The Muny.

“We’re so grateful to Alex for joining this always
joyous and magical night,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive
Producer Mike Isaacson. “Alex thrilled audiences last season in 1776 and
his performance as Marius in Les Misérables remains a Muny favorite. I’m sure
he and Mikaela will make serious magic.”  

A former Muny Kid and Muny Teen, Prakken said he was
thrilled to return to the Muny as the Courier in “1776,” singing the signature
solo “Momma Look Sharp,” after an absence of six years.

“It was nice to be back for ‘1776,’” he said. “It’s such a
special song, such a special show. It really sticks with you.”

Alex Prakken as The Courier in “1776” at The Muny last season. Photo by Phillip Hamer. He had participated as the Courier in a concert version at
54 Below in New York City, which takes place every Fourth of July.

Prakken, a graduate of The John Burroughs School and
University of Michigan, was previously in a much heralded “Les Miserables” as
Maurius at the Muny in 2013.

“I’ll never forget that. I had never seen an audience so enamored
with a show,” he said. The audience leapt to its feet after “One Day More.”

“It was the perfect show for the Muny – on that big stage
with a big cast,” he said.

After that, he went on to the first national tour of
“Newsies” as Oscar Delancey and as Jack Kelly’s understudy as well as Davey’s,  stopping at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis.

“Playing the Fox was crazy. We spent a year playing in
really big houses, 2500-3000, but the Fox is practically double in size. It’s
the biggest one we played,” he said.

While growing up, The Fox was where he saw his first
touring shows.

“It was a shining beacon of theater, but I took it for
granted. It is a stunning theater, so freaking beautiful, big and cavernous.
Performing there, it really did feel majestic, very special,” he said.

He played Jack Kelly at La Mirada Playhouse in California,
and at the Paramount Theatre in Chicago. He has toured as Jesus in “Jesus
Christ Superstar” and as Roger in “Grease.”

Alex Prakken as Jack Kelly in “Newsies” at La Mirada PlayhouseNow living in New York City, Prakken said he’s been
fortunate to be working steadily, but enjoys returning home for a break around
the holidays. Since early May, “I’ve been going non-stop.”

His agent sends him out on auditions for things he may be
right for – “it’s about who they happen to be looking for,” he said. “It’s
often being at the right place at the right time. I’m starting to get noticed
by casting directors. It’s about knowing who they can trust.”

He and Bennett, who had never met before, were rehearsing
the week before the shows.

“She has a lovely voice, it gave me chills – really
spectacular,” he said.

Bennett played the title character in Rodger and
Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” last summer and is a graduate of The Juilliard
School, known for her work on stage and concert halls. She won a Lincoln Center
Award for Emerging Artists this year.

Her credits include Maria in “West Side Story” at the Lyric
Opera of Chicago and in concert performances at the BBC Proms, New York
Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Orchestra. She has appeared at the Kennedy Center and Carnegie Hall.

She originated both the role of Norma in the off-Broadway
production of “Renascence” and the title role of Acquanetta at the Prototype
Festival.

Michael Baxter is directing the show and frequent Muny
music director Charlie Alterman is directing the music.
Prakken said they have come up with solos and duets to reflect their strengths,
the new season, Muny classics and shows they have been in around the country.

“What felt best for us,” he said. The timeless music of Leonard Bernstein, Harold Arlen, Jason Robert Brown and Rodgers and Hammerstein is among the selections. Bennett and Prakken will be accompanied by a trio: Charlie Alterman (music director and piano), Nick Savage (drums) and Vince Clark (bass).

The concert will feature Broadway hits including “If I Loved You” (“Carousel”), “How Could I Ever Know” (“The Secret Garden”), “One Second and A Million Miles” (“The Bridges of Madison County”) and a medley from “West Side Story.”

In addition to the performances, Isaacson will reveal the
line-up for the much-anticipated 2020 summer season, its 102nd.

“It’s a very exciting season next year,” Prakken said — while
not revealing anything.

“Mike is so supportive. There is a whole other level of
care at the Muny,” he said, noting that Isaacson comes to rehearsals, making
sure people have what they need to put on a good show.

“It’s just such a great place,” he said. “In St. Louis, it’s a cultural event. People come two and a half hours early to listen to music, watch the young people perform. I hope we can make a little bit of Muny Magic at the Sheldon. It’s really a knockout place.”

He has sung at the Sheldon before, too, for a senior recital.

“It was an awesome night,” he said. Muny Magic at The Sheldon is sponsored by The Kranzberg Arts Foundation.  The Sheldon is located at 3648 Washington Boulevard in St. Louis.

Tickets are available now and range from $25 to $50. For
more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.muny.org/munymagic or call
314-534-1111.

For more information about The Muny, visit muny.org

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Take Ten with Dixie Longate, the Tupperware Lady on Stage

Take Ten with Dixie Longate, the Tupperware Lady on Stage

Dixie Longate, the fast-talking Tupperware Lady, packed up her catalogues, left her children in an Alabama trailer park and took Broadway, the UK & Australia by storm!  

Emery Entertainment welcomes her back to the Playhouse @ Westport Plaza for a multi-week engagement filled with outrageously funny tales, heartfelt accounts, free giveaways, audience participation and the most fabulous assortment of Tupperware ever sold on a theater stage.

The show opened Oct. 29 and runs through Nov. 24. Tickets are $50 for performances on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Tickets are $60 for performances on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

All seats are on sale now and may be purchased through MetroTix at www.metrotix.com or by calling 314/534-1111. Additionally, tickets will be available at the Playhouse @ Westport Plaza box office one hour prior to show time. Groups of ten or more should call 314/402-2430 for special rates. Please note this show contains adult content.

The performances are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30 p.m.; Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Loaded with the most up-to-date products available for purchase, audience members will learn how Dixie became a member of the illustrious #1 Tupperware Seller in the World Club, as she educates her guests on the many alternative uses she has discovered for her plastic products.

 “Not your grandmother’s Tupperware Party!” said NBC’s Today Show. The LA Times raved, “I was laughing too hard to breathe!” and NYTheatre.com called her show “Pure theatrical bliss!”

Audiences howl with laughter from her outrageously funny tales, homespun wisdom, audience participation and uses for Tupperware that you never thought possible.  The vivacious gum-chewing, ginger-haired Alabama gal will leave your heart a little bigger and your food a little fresher. For more information about Dixie Longate, visit www.dixiestupperwareparty.com.

Playhouse @ Westport Plaza is located at 635 Westport Plaza in Maryland Heights. For more information, please visit www.playhouseatwestport.com.

Here is our Q&A with Dixie.

1. Why did you choose your profession? “I got out of prison and my parole officer said I needed a job to get my kids back.  So it was sort of thrust upon me. I have had quite a few things thrust upon me in my day and a fair amount of them have been worth it but this was definitely the best by far.”

2. How would your friends describe you? “Kind, funny, good at holding my liquor and one heck of a Mechanical bull rider.”

3. How do you like to spend your spare time? “Either at my best friend’s honky tonk or sipping sweet tea on the back porch at dusk looking at fireflies. “

4. What is your current obsession?  “I am a huge knitter and I have started making lots of sweaters for Fall.  I am also determined to make myself a 70’s Farrah Fawcett-Inspired poncho.”

5. What would people be surprised to find out about you?  “I’m double jointed but only on even-numbers months.”

6. Can you share one of your most defining moments in life?  “Making 2,500 people in a theater in Melbourne, Australia burst into fits of laughter while it was being televised all over the country.  Also when a lady recently gave me the biggest hug I’ve ever gotten, while telling me she had laughed during my show and it had been the first time laughing since her husband had passed away eight months prior.”

7. Who do you admire most?  “Brownie Wise. She created the Tupperware party.  If it wasn’t for her, millions of women would never have realized their potential, myself included.”

8. What is at the top of on your bucket list?  “I’d love to be making people chuckle on TV. Hopefully someday. “

9. What is your favorite thing to do in St. Louis?” Going to the Fuzzy Taco because they always make a drink in my honor!”

10. What’s next for Dixie? ” I have so many irons in the fire.  I’m working on a funny book with a bunch of stories about my life and friends in my trailer park in Mobile, Alabama.  I’ve started to write another show that I hope to be performing at some point early next year.  And I hope by Christmas that I can do the front splits!”

More about Dixie:

Name: Dixie LongateAge: (optional) Late 20’s to mid-30’s to early 40’sBirthplace: Mobile, AlabamaCurrent location: As I’m scribbling this down, I’m in Palm Springs, CaliforniaFamily: I have three kids that I know about: Wynona, Dwayne and little Absorbine Jr.  He’s sweeter than poop.  He can’t talk or walk or open a bottle of wine, but he’s young still, so I’ll let it go this time. Education: Grade 1-4: Book Smart, The rest of the grades: Street Smart!Day job: Tupperware ladyFirst job: Legally, it was working at the Golden Corral.  I was in charge of the chocolate fountain.  It set me up for all sort things later in life. Awards/Honors/Achievements: Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance (I lost to Laurence Fishburne. Really.)  The Michigan State Theater Award (Wilde Award – Best Actress.)  Highest Fund Raiser at my church’s Christmas Strip car wash. (I Dressed as Mrs Klaus.)Favorite quote/words to live by: “Stop picking at it.  You’ll only make it worse.”

1. Why did you choose your profession? I got out of prison and my parole officer said I needed a job to get my kids back.  So it was sort of thrust upon me. I have had quite a few things thrust upon me in my day and a fair amount of them have been worth it but this was definitely the best by far. 2. How would your friends describe you? Kind, funny, good at holding my liquor and one heck of a Mechanical bull rider. 3. How do you like to spend your spare time? Either at my best friend’s honky tonk or sipping sweet tea on the back porch at dusk looking at fireflies. 4. What is your current obsession?  I am a huge knitter and I have started making lots of sweaters for Fall.  I am also determined to make myself a 70’s Farrah Fawcett-Inspired poncho. 5. What would people be surprised to find out about you?  I’m double jointed but only on even-numbers months.6. Can you share one of your most defining moments in life?  Making 2,500 people in a theater in Melbourne, Australia burst into fits of laughter while it was being televised all over the country.  Also when a lady recently gave me the biggest hug I’ve ever gotten, while telling me she had laughed during my show and it had been the first time laughing since her husband had passed away eight months prior.7. Who do you admire most?  Brownie Wise.  She created the Tupperware party.  If it wasn’t for her, millions of women would never have realized their potential, myself included. 8. What is at the top of on your bucket list?  I’d love to be making people chuckle on TV. Hopefully someday. 9. What is your favorite thing to do in St. Louis? Going to the Fuzzy Taco because they always make a drink in my honor!10. What’s next for Dixie?  I have so many irons in the fire.  I’m working on a funny book with a bunch of stories about my life and friends in my trailer park in Mobile, Alabama.  I’ve started to write another show that I hope to be performing at some point early next year.  And I hope by Christmas that I can do the front splits!HERE ARE THE THINGS WE WANT TO KNOW FOR THE INFORMATION GRID:(More About — Dixie)Name: Dixie LongateAge: (optional) Late 20’s to mid-30’s to early 40’sBirthplace: Mobile, AlabamaCurrent location: As I’m scribbling this down, I’m in Palm Springs, CaliforniaFamily: I have three kids that I know about: Wynona, Dwayne and little Absorbine Jr.  He’s sweeter than poop.  He can’t talk or walk or open a bottle of wine, but he’s young still, so I’ll let it go this time. Education: Grade 1-4: Book Smart, The rest of the grades: Street Smart!Day job: Tupperware ladyFirst job: Legally, it was working at the Golden Corral.  I was in charge of the chocolate fountain.  It set me up for all sort things later in life. Awards/Honors/Achievements: Drama Desk Nomination for Outstanding Solo Performance (I lost to Laurence Fishburne. Really.)  The Michigan State Theater Award (Wilde Award – Best Actress.)  Highest Fund Raiser at my church’s Christmas Strip car wash. (I Dressed as Mrs Klaus.)Favorite quote/words to live by: “Stop picking at it.  You’ll only make it worse.”

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‘Escape from Margaritaville’ Washes Ashore and Wastes Away

‘Escape from Margaritaville’ Washes Ashore and Wastes Away

Escape From Margaritaville Washes Ashore and Wastes
Away

By CB AdamsContributing Writer

Escape From Margaritaville is not your typical musical theater experience. In fact, one deigns to even dub it a “musical.” It’s more party than performance.

That’s because to receive the full benefit of buying a ticket – and for the show to reach its limited potential – requires the audience to fully engage – that is to actually participate – in its Parrot-headed premise.

Escape From Margaritaville hails from the Jimmy Buffet industrial complex and is an island-flavored entertainment with as much realism as a cheesy travel brochure. The show snorkeled into town at The Fabulous Fox on October 18-20.

Riding in the wake of other successful, so-called jukebox musicals, Margartaville is conspicuously designed to ride in on the high tide of box office success of other productions of this ilk, namely Mama Mia! and Rock of Ages.

These successful shows provided the recipe-cum-template for
Margaritaville, which tosses Buffet’s beguiling country-western-in-a-Hawaiian-shirt
tunage and Will Rogers-ish, aw-shucks humor into a blender with a tropish,
silly “boy meets then loses girl” plot, trying to render a frozen concoction
that hopes to help the audience hang onto their ticket stubs for a breezy couple
of hours.

But instead of landing an expected sharknado of sing-along
shenanigans, Friday night’s performance reeled in gasping guppies. The reason
why was not the bait. Who doesn’t love Buffet’s easy, languid, catchy,
comfortable-as-your-favorite flip-flops songs such as “Volcano,” “Fins,” “Come
Monday,” “Son of a Son of a Sailor” and the title song? It’s nearly impossible
not to like these fan faves, just ask thousands – if not millions – of Parrot
Heads the world over.

Nor was the show’s failure to launch due to the
aforementioned plot, which surely does not require one to suspend very much
disbelief. After all, the show’s tagline says it all: “Set Your Mind on Island
Time.” That should be easy to do, given Buffet promotion of a fiddle-dee-dee,
“Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw?” mindset.

But the dialogue was predictable, flavorless and seemed like it was borrowed from a second-rate sitcom, which is a shame since it came from Emmy-winner Greg Garcia (My Name is Earl, Family Matters and Family Guy) and Mike O’Malley (the award-winning Survivor’s Remorse).

The plot tortuously bends to accommodate the story of two
women from Cincinnati on a bachelorette binge. Rachel, the lead, played by
Sarah Hinrichsen, is a type A scientist whose friend, Rachel, played by Shelly
Lynn Walsh, is soon to be married to the bro-y, doltish Chadd, broadly played
by Noah Bridgestock with thankfully short stage time.

The women predictably become entwined with islanders Tully,
the other lead played by Chris Clark, and Brick, played by Peter Michael
Jordan. Of all the performances on Friday night, Jordan’s was the only lively
stand-out – and that’s not damning the performance with faint praise. He
practically carried the show, especially during the campy tap number in the
second act. Even the horny ole codger, J.D., played by Patrick Cogan, needed an
extra shot of Ron Rico (or another “little blue pill”) at this performance.

All of the shortcomings of Escape From Margaritaville
could have been overcome with a more enthusiastic and fully engaged audience.
The producers tried to turn the show into an event with free leis at the
entrance, a precious few moments when the actors broke the fourth wall, and a
boatload of beachballs released during the final number. But the audience
response was lackluster. It needed more die-hard, fully plumed Parrot Heads or
at least more attendees who were willing to abandon their self-reserve in favor
of the show’s charms for a couple of hours.

That, and unlike Rock of Ages, which packed a
decade’s worth of 80s big-haired rockers, Escape to Margaritaville
needed more – much more – of Buffet’s appealing, easy-on-the-ears-and-mind
tunes. Good times need good tunes, and these felt in short supply in this show,
leaving some at the exits, escaping from Margartaville.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre presented “Escape from Margaritaville” October 18-20.

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Singing! Dancing! Paper! Off-Broadway Sensation ‘The Office! A Musical Parody’ Coming to St. Louis

Singing! Dancing! Paper! Off-Broadway Sensation ‘The Office! A Musical Parody’ Coming to St. Louis

Dunder Mifflin is opening an office near you! Producers of the sold-out, unauthorized Off-Broadway sensation The Office! A Musical Parody and Emery Entertainment has announced the North American tour will make a stop in St. Louis at The Grandel Theatre March 4-8, 2020.

Show times are Wednesday-Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 4 p.m. & 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.  Tickets range from $39-$69 and go on sale Wednesday, October 16 at 9 a.m., just in time for National Bosses Day! Tickets can be purchased via MetroTix.com or by calling MetroTix at 314-534-1111. Tickets will also be available at The Grandel Theatre box office one hour prior to show time.

It’s a typical morning at Scranton’s third largest paper company until, for no logical reason, a documentary crew begins filming the lives of the employees of Dunder Mifflin. Don’t miss this hilarious, unauthorized parody of your favorite TV show, now coming to a city near you. Mashable calls the show “the world’s most elaborate inside joke, created with a whole lot of love, just for fans.” Original Off-Broadway cast member, Madeline Glenn Thomas, joins the tour cast as everyone’s favorite receptionist, Pam. 

Writers Bob and Tobly McSmith are ecstatic about their third national tour. “The Office! A Musical Parody is on track to be our most successful New York production in 10 years,” says Tobly McSmith. “The Office! A Musical Parody is now one of the most successful Off-Broadway shows in history. As Michael might say, ‘It’s been a dream come thru.’” 

For more information, visit theofficemusicalparody.com/tour. In addition to the national tour,     The Office! A Musical Parody is currently running at the Jerry Orbach Theatre at 210 West 50th Street in New York City. For more information about the show, visit the website at theofficemusicalparody.com or follow the show on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for exclusive behind-the-scenes content. 

The Office! A Musical Parody is produced by Right Angle Entertainment, written by Bob and Tobly McSmith and composed by Assaf Gleizner.

Bob and Tobly McSmith (Writers) are distinguished gentlemen who met while applying for jobs at the Dippin’ Dots in the mall. They did not get the job but went on to create the following masterpieces: FRIENDS! The Musical Parody, Bayside! The Saved by the Bell Musical, Full! House! The Musical (Starring Perez Hilton), Katdashians! The Musical, Showgirls! The Musical and JonBenet! Murder Mystery Theater. They are hard at work on their next musical: The Passion of the Teletubbies. 

Right Angle Entertainment (Producer) specializes in the production, marketing, management and distribution of live theatrical, digital and concert events. RAE’s proud roster includes: The Office! A Musical Parody (New York City and National Tour), FRIENDS! The Musical Parody North American Tour, Love Actually!? The Unauthorized Musical Parody (NYC), One Woman Sex and the City, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (Nashville and National Tour), Heather McMahan: The Farewell Tour, Cat & Nat #MomTruths Tour, Sasha Velour’s Smoke & Mirrors Tour, Elvis and Me: An Evening with Priscilla Presley, Family Feud: Celebrity Edition Tour, and The Price is Right LIVE! among others.  Emery Entertainment, Inc.St. Louis-based Emery Entertainment, Inc. has produced and promoted thousands of events around the globe, including superstar attractions such as Blue Man Group, Bono, David Copperfield, James Taylor and Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus – LIVE!  With a proven track record for venues of various sizes – from intimate 200-seat theaters to 20,000-seat arenas – Emery Entertainment, Inc. took over the management, programming and marketing of the 240-seat Playhouse @ Westport Plaza in the Fall of 2016.  The venue is filling a niche for a variety of Broadway and Off-Broadway entertainment that would otherwise not find its way to the St. Louis area.  Emery Entertainment, Inc. is pleased to bring additional Off-Broadway programming to The Grandel.

The Grandel TheatreLocated at 3610 Grandel Square, in the heart of the Grand Center Arts District, the historic Grandel Theatre hosts a multitude of artistic endeavors, including main stage productions, visual art exhibits, educational programs, and live jazz as the home of The Dark Room. In cooperation with Grand Center Inc., the Kranzberg Arts Foundation operates and manages The Grandel Theatre, creating significant partnerships to bring exciting new theatre, dance, and concert programming to The Grandel Theatre’s stage

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New Moonstone Theatre Company Announces First Show

New Moonstone Theatre Company Announces First Show

St. Louis’ vibrant theater community just got a little brighter with the addition of new performing arts organization Moonstone Theatre Company.

Moonstone was founded by St. Louis native Sharon Hunter, who serves as the company’s artistic director and producer. Hunter has made a name for herself nationally as a professional actor, singer, director and producer. Most recently Hunter was performing and producing in New York City, but decided to move back home to start Moonstone.  St. Louisans may recognize her as the original host and producer of KEZK’s “Pillow Talk” or her time hosting at Y98.

“Moonstone Theatre Company was founded in response to my vision for creating a cultural theatrical environment in St. Louis to inspire actors and artists to do their best work,” Hunter says. “St. Louis is a great theatre city and I think it’s wonderful to be a part of that cultural conversation. It is essential for the arts to contribute to this conversation particularly during challenging times.”

Hunter says the name Moonstone combines two things close to her heart.

“I have always loved the moon. I gain energy, clarity and inspiration from the moonlight. I knew I wanted the word moon somewhere in the company title,” she says. “I was also committed to finding a way to incorporate my former NYC acting coach, the late Peter Flint, and his name in there as well.  He was like a true father figure to me, and I thought that since “flint” is a stone then I could put that together and create Moonstone.”

Hunter says Moonstone will focus on producing works that challenge and enlighten audiences on important and socially relevant topics including equality, diversity, mental illness, addiction and sexual harassment and assault.

“Theatre truly is a reflection of life,” says Hunter. “I’m happy to be back in my hometown where I began and collaborate with so many talented artists and actors. There is something very special about returning to St. Louis and having the opportunity to bring new ideas and experiences to an art form I dearly love.”

“How exciting for St. Louis that another wonderful Theatre Artist with great entrepreneurial chutzpah is broadening our vibrant theatre community,” enthused Edward Coffield, the artistic director and producer at New Jewish Theatre.  “There is such great legacy here in St. Louis when savvy theatre practitioners are willing to plant roots and continue the tradition of great theatre in St. Louis.”

Moonstone’s debut production, “The House of Blue Leaves” by John Guare, will open at the Wool Studio Theatre at the Jewish Community Center (2 Millstone Campus Drive, Creve Coeur, 63146) on Thursday, July 16, 2020, directed by Annamaria Pileggi. Auditions for the show will be held Saturday, October 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the JCC, and callbacks will be held at the theater on Monday, October 28. Those wanting more information about the audition process can register online here or email [email protected].

Moonstone Theatre Company’s Mission Statement

Moonstone Theatre Company is a new professional performing arts organization which will offer the community a wide range of quality theatrical productions while supporting local arts and education. Moonstone Theatre looks to inspire, entertain and challenge audiences with productions that range from the classics to new works. Moonstone Theatre Company celebrates the power of the theatre to illuminate our diversity and enlighten our shared humanity.

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