Tables still available to celebrate silver anniversary of Best Performance Awards; Tim Naegelin to host
Theatre artist Tim Naegelin will be the emcee for Arts For Life’s annual Trivia Night on Saturday, Jan. 25. Tables are still available.
The “25 Years of Shining Stars” event will take place at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Road, St. Louis, with doors open at 6:30 p.m. and 10 rounds of general-knowledge questions to begin at 7 p.m.
This year’s theme celebrates the 25th anniversary of AFL’s Best Performance Awards, which first took place in 2000, honoring excellence in community theater in 1999. At that time, 21 organizations participated. Since then, recognition for youth productions was added, and the Theatre Mask Awards, honoring comedy and drama plays, were introduced in 2015.
Nominations will be announced for the annual TMAs and BPAs honoring performances and achievements during 2024.
Cash prizes will be awarded to first and second place teams. There will be a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, mulligans available, and a costume contest (optional). Participants are encouraged to dress up as a character from stage or screen.
“Don’t miss the most fun time in metropolitan St. Louis’ community theater!” said AFL President Mary McCreight.
“The AFL Trivia Night is a great way to get together and celebrate a fantastic year of community and youth theatre in the St. Louis area. It shows just how connected we are and how much we want to support each other, all while having a good time,” Naegelin said.
“I’m excited and honored that AFL asked me to host. It’s such a fun evening and makes me proud to be part of this community,” he noted.
Tim Naegelin
Naegelin is a current Arts For Life board member and a past co-chair of the Theatre Mask Awards steering committee. He was last seen on stage in “The Last Night of Ballyhoo” at Kirkwood Theatre Guild, for which he was nominated for a Theatre Mask Award.
Other acting credits include “Sylvia” with Stray Dog Theatre, “Blithe Spirit” with ACT INC, and “A Walk In The Woods” with West End Players Guild. He has also performed with Clayton Community Theatre (“Ordinary People” and “The Laramie Project” – Theatre Mask Award nominee), O’Fallon TheatreWorks (“The Diary of Anne Frank” and “Peter and the Starcatcher”), and with Act Two Theatre (“Moonlight and Magnolias” and “The Boys Next Door”).
Aside from being onstage, Tim has also directed “Hillary and Clinton” with West End Players Guild, “Twilight of the Golds” with Solid Lines Productions, and was assistant director for “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” with O’Fallon TheatreWorks.
He has been a judge for the American Association of Community Theatre’s NewPlayFest for two years and wrote a one act play that was produced as part of Spectrum with First Run Theatre.
Tables of 8 players are available, at $160 per table. Soft drinks are provided. To make a reservation, visit https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/ or www.artsforlife.org. You can also email: afltrg@artsforlife.org for more information. Mulligans will be available, at 5 for $10 or 10 for $20.
This year’s TMA ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 26, at the Royale Orleans in South County and the Best Performance Awards will be held on Sunday, June 29, in the Keating Theatre at Kirkwood High School. More information will be forthcoming.
“These events recognize the incredible talent we have in St. Louis community theater and honor the passion and dedication of those who build this amazing and unique theatrical community,” McCreight said.
Arts For Life is a local not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the healing power of the arts through its work with youth, the underserved and the community, with its goal of “Making a Dramatic Difference.”
AFL promotes public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
“St. Louis is an amazing city, especially for the Arts. There are over 60 theater companies at home here, a third of which are community theaters. 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,” McCreight said.
“To the hundreds of local musicians and amateur thespians, the Best Performance Awards and Theatre Mask Awards are a way for the community to say thank you for its volunteers in the performing arts,” she said.
Theatre groups within a 35-mile radius of Clayton, Mo., who hold open auditions for non-paid actors are invited to participate in AFL.
For more information, email afltrg@artsforlife.org. or visit the website.
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.
Whether you describe her as a grand dame or a beloved veteran, the multi-talented Donna Weinsting is a true all-around champion in local theater who only garners accolades from her peers.
A popular figure on stage, in films and comedy clubs throughout St. Louis for 60 years, she is not resting on her laurels, by any means. She is part of this year’s ninth annual Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis (Aug. 8-18), as part of the cast of “Life Upon the Wicked Stage.” (And was part of the first, in “The Rooming House Plays” in 2016).
“Life Upon the Wicked Stage” celebrates the Grand Center Theatre District and includes three one-act plays about show business — “In Our Profession,” “The Magic Tower” and “The Fat Man’s Wife.” It will also feature music and is directed by former St. Louisan Brian Hohlfeld. Donna is cast in “The Magic Tower.”
Carrie Houk, the festival’s artistic director, described the piece as a “like a mini-jukebox musical.”
“It features songs from the period to evoke an era of vaudeville and the type of entertainment Tom (Tennessee Williams) would have encountered in his Grand Avenue outings long, long ago,” she said.
Eight performances will take place at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 10 and 17 and Sunday, Aug. 11 and 18, at the Curtain Call Lounge, which is next door to the Fox Theatre, 521 N. Grand Boulevard.
‘Life Upon the Wicked Stage’ at TWStL: From left, Julia Crump, Julie Layton, Donna Weinsting, Dominic DeCicco, Gary Wayne Barker. Photo by Suzy Gorman.
Donna is enthusiastic about the show.
“It’s going to be a treat for Tennessee Williams fans. Interspersed between the three one-acts are musical numbers fitting the times accompanied by the marvelous Tom Clear on piano,” she said. “Brian Hohlfeld is a joy to be directed by and the cast of Julie Layton, Gary Wayne Barker, Julia Crump, and Dominic DeCicco is excellent. I’m happy to be in the mix.”
Weinsting has also been announced as part of the St. Louis Actors’ Studio’s 17th season “Something Old, Something New.” She and Whit Reichert will perform in an original play by Carter W. Lewis called “With,” to be directed by Annamaria Pileggi, set for April 4 – 20, 2025.
“The special thing about this project is just about everything. I’ll be working in a two hander with Whit Reichert written by Carter Lewis and directed by Annamaria Pileggi for Actors Studio. Dream team,” she said.
Donna will play Minnie and Whit will be Clifford, and their world will be humorous, but ultimately heartbreaking, as they navigate a blizzard, a dead son, a rat in the kitchen and worse; in order to hold on to a bit of control over their personal end of life decisions.
The couple enlists their derelict son to obtain Death With Dignity drugs from the state of Oregon, but due to an accident on the highway, the plan goes hysterically and tragically awry. As a result, Minnie and Clifford cling to daily tasks as they slowly get cut off from the world by a blizzard and disconnected utilities. Their enduring love fuels them through an obstacle course of each day’s events.
St Louis Theater Circle Award nominee Donna Weinsting for ‘Unsuspecting Susan.’
She is happy to contribute to the current arts scene.
“I feel invigorated and full of excitement again,” she said.
Earlier this summer, Donna was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the non-profit organization Arts For Life. AFL is dedicated to promoting public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
“I am beyond honored to receive this very special recognition, humbled and excited. I feel that this is a gift — to be acknowledged for something I have had a passion for nearly my entire life,” she said.
Born Donna Collins, she grew up in St. Louis, and while her family moved several times, she landed in Oakville at age 13, and that is where she has lived ever since. She was first in a summer city park production of “Sleeping Beauty,” then a play in junior high.
“The die was cast and a 60-year career in acting and stand-up comedy was launched,” she said.
Donna Weinsting as Big Edie and Debby Lennon as Little Edie in Max and Louie’s “Grey Gardens” in 2016.
A graduate of Mehlville High School, she has never shied away from a challenge, playing leads as well as supporting and brief roles. She has performed in one-woman shows, played characters like Mr. Potter in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Jabba the Hutt in “Star Wars,” and various animals in WiseWrite plays written by 10-year-olds.
Besides STLAS and TWSL, she has been on the stages of regional professional companies The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Max and Louie Productions, New Jewish Theatre, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble, Stray Dog Theatre, St. Louis Shakespeare, Upstream Theater, West End Players Guild, and the shuttered Orange Girls, Insight Theatre, OnSite, and others.
She has appeared at the Bluff City Theater in Hannibal, Mo., Ozark Actors’ Theatre in Rolla, Mo., Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre in Arrow Rock, Mo., Stages Houston and 59E59 Theatre Off-Broadway in New York as part of the LaBute New Theatre Festival.
The community theater organizations she has worked with include Clayton Community Theatre, Theatre Guild of Webster Groves, and the no longer active Affton Players.
Her honors include a Kevin Kline Award for Lead Actress, as Bessie in “From Door to Door” at New Jewish Theatre, St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Outstanding Actress as Iola in “Salt, Root and Roe” at Upstream Theater, and a St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Comedy Ensemble for “Jacob and Jack” at New Jewish Theatre, where she played both Ester and Hannah.
Donna and Amy Loui in “Salt, Root and Roe” at Upstream Theatre.in 2019. Photo by ProPhotoSTL.
She will be shooting a movie in Springfield this fall called “Big Mike’s Cabin,” and has appeared in other locally shot films “Ethan and Edna” and “Doubting Thomas.”
“It is wonderful that we are giving the film industry the incentive to come to Missouri again,” she said..
While awards are a cherry on top, Donna said she is most proud of her family — her two children, five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and her 63-year marriage to her high school sweetheart, Mike.
“Being with my amazing family is the absolute joy of my life,” she said.
Donna Weinsting accepting her Lifetime Achievement Award from Arts For Life, June 30. Photo by Don Quon.
Questions and Answers with Donna Weinsting
1. Why did you choose your profession/pursue the arts?
“I didn’t choose the arts, they chose me. I don’t ever remember wanting to be anything but an actor.”
2. How would your friends describe you?
“My friends would all say I’m their funny friend. They support me and make me feel special.”
3. How do you like to spend your spare time?
“I used to fill my spare time with tennis and golf. Lots of tennis and golf. COVID took me away from that and I just got less active. Now my spare time is seeing plays and lots of television.”
4. What is your current obsession?
“My current obsession is binging the really great series you can watch in the comfort of your home. Love Ted Lasso, Outlander, Hacks and many others.”
Donna Weinsting in ‘Nonsense and Beauty’ at The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis in 2019.Photo by Jerry Naunheim Jr.
5. What would people be surprised to find out about you?
“People would probably be surprised to know I have a basement full of archery, tennis and golf trophies.”
6. Can you share one of your most defining moments in life?
“One of my most defining moments in life was entering a talent contest on a cruise and doing stand-up for the first time in my life at 48. It was an epiphany to know I could make 2,000 people laugh just being myself. I can’t explain how overwhelming that feeling of euphoria was.”
7. Who do you admire most?
“I admire the most people who can do it all and do it well. People who can write, perform, direct and produce are superstars. People who devote themselves to the betterment of others is inspiring.”
8. What is at the top of your bucket list?
“Top of my bucket list is to be in a television series. Betty White is gone and can never be replaced but there is a definite need for a sassy old woman.”
Eric Dean White and Donna Weinsting in “The Rooming House Plays” at Tennessee Williams Festival 2016. Photo by Lynn Venhaus
9. How were you affected by the pandemic years, and anything you would like to share about what got you through and any lesson learned during the isolation periods? Any reflections on how the arts were affected? And what it means to move forward?
“The pandemic sort of ended my acting career for a while. I got older and even though I am not a strong singer, COVID took a great deal out of my voice and now I no longer have confidence in it. I got through the pandemic by watching a lot of television and keeping track of the lives of my family. I learned from the isolation that I don’t have the drive I would like to have. I could have used the down time to learn a new language, play the piano, write a play and clean out my closets, instead I watched television and bitched about not being in a play.
“The pandemic was disastrous for the arts. Many small companies closed and some of the big ones were hit with financial hardships. I am encouraged by the fortitude of those in the arts though. New companies are springing up and the talent here in St. Louis is so rich and full of promise.” 10. What is your favorite thing to do in St. Louis?
“My favorite thing to do is be on the stage, but if I’m not, I love to see good theatre and support and encourage our plethora of talent here. I love a good martini and being with old and dear friends too. I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for 63 years and have a son and daughter, five grandchildren and eight of the most beautiful, smart and intelligent great grandchildren in the world.
12. What’s next?
“In the fall I have been cast in a film being shot in the Ozarks called “Big Mike’s Cabin.”. Then in April of next year I will be doing the play with Whit Reichert. I feel reinvigorated and full of excitement again.”
More About Donna Weinsting:
Age: 82 Born: Arbyrd, Missouri in the bootheel. Currently live: Oakville, Missouri Family: Husband of 63 years, son, daughter, five grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Education: I have an associate degree from Meramec Community College. Day job: I have been a Real Estate Salesperson for almost 50 years. First job: My first job was working the lunch counter in a Walgreen’s Drug Store when I was 15. First play: My first play was in Sleeping Beauty in a St. Louis park summer production. I was a handmaiden. Favorite Roles: It is hard to choose my favorite roles but the ones that stand out are, “‘Homebody” Off Broadway, ‘ “Salt, Root and Roe”, “Gray Gardens”, ” ‘night, Mother”, “From Door to Door”, and “The Lion in Winter”. I also got a kick out of playing Jabba the Hutt, Mr. Potter and Donald Trump. Dream Role: My dream job is a television series, Broadway play or major film role. Awards: I’ve won a Kevin Kline for Outstanding Lead Role, a St. Louis Theatre Circle Award for Lead Actress in a drama, a St. Louis Theatre Circle Award for Comedy Ensemble and have had several nominations. Words to Live By: My favorite words to live by are never give up. Life can throw unbelievable obstacles in your way and its easy to throw in the towel but working through them and coming out a better and stronger person is so fulfilling. A Song That Makes Me Happy: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”, beautiful and full of hope.
Donna Weinsting and BFF Kim Furlow at AFL’s Best Performance Awards, Kirkwood’s Keating Center for the Performing Arts, from Lynn Venhaus.
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.
Tickets on Sale for Best Performance Awards June 30; Last Day June 9 for Guaranteed Group Seating
Brea D. Johnson and Maddie Hewgley are this year’s recipients of $1,000 scholarships each from Arts For Life, to be presented at the 24th Annual Best Performance Awards on June 30.
Johnson, a recent graduate of Fort Zumwalt South High School, lives in St. Peters, Mo., and plans to attend Southeast Missouri State University, where she will major in musical theater.
Hewgley attends Elon University as a musical theater major and is a 2022 graduate of Parkway Central High School.
Both Johnson and Hewgley have extensive performing arts credits in local youth productions and with other theater companies.
Maddie Hewgley
Students who plan to pursue a career in the arts are eligible for an annual Arts For Life scholarship.
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, essays, and letter(s) of recommendation.
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.
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.
Local performer Donna Weinsting, who has been a popular figure on stage, in films and comedy clubs throughout St. Louis for 60 years, is this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from Arts For Life.
The BPAs recognize excellence in community theater organizations in the St. Louis metropolitan region, including Southwest Illinois.
Tickets are currently on sale for the event set for Sunday, June 30 at the Keating Performing Arts Center at Kirkwood High School, 801 W Essex Ave, Kirkwood, MO 63122
Brea Johnson
If attendees want guaranteed seating with a particular theater group, they must order tickets online by the end of day, June 9. Please let us know which theatre group or individual you would like to sit with in the “notes to seller” section at checkout. After that, tickets will be reserved in general seating.
BPA tickets are $30 and are available online with a service fee of $2 added: https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/.
Zion Thomas will be the event’s master of ceremonies. A local performer, he is pursuing a career in film/TV and is a recent graduate of Case Western Reserve University.
Paul Pagano will serve as director. A native of St. Louis, he is the executive director and a co-founder of Gateway Center for the Performing Arts.
The ceremony will include performances from the top musicals nominated in the three Best Musical Production categories.
Act Two Theatre’s “The Drowsy Chaperone” and Monroe Actors Stage Company’s “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” lead all musical productions with 17 nominations apiece.
Gateway Center for the Performing Arts has the most nominations with 31- for “Bare: A Pop Opera” (7) and youth productions “9 to 5: The Musical” (14) and “School of Rock” (10).
All BPA ticket orders will be held at the box office. Please contact us at afltrg@artsforlife.org if you have any special seating needs. Handicapped seating is available.
Nominations are listed on the website, www.artsforlife.org.
“These events recognize the incredible talent we have in St. Louis community theater and honor the passion and dedication of those who build this amazing and unique theatrical community,” said Mary McCreight, AFL president.
Participating groups included Act Two Theatre, Alpha Players of Florissant, Christ Memorial Productions, Crusader Players, Curtain’s Up Theatre, Dayspring Arts and Education, Gateway Center for the Performing Arts, Goshen Theatre Project, Hawthorne Players, KTK Productions, Looking Glass Playhouse, Monroe Actors’ Stage Company, O’Fallon Theatre Works, Spotlight Productions and Take Two Productions.
Arts For Life is a local not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the healing power of the arts through its work with youth, the underserved, and the community, with its goal of “Making a Dramatic Difference.”
AFL is dedicated to promoting public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
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.
Best Performance Awards to Honor Community Theatre, Youth Productions June 30
Local performer Donna Weinsting, who has been a popular figure on stage, in films and comedy clubs throughout St. Louis for 60 years, is this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient from Arts For Life.
“I am beyond honored to receive this very special recognition, humbled and excited. I feel that this is a gift — to be acknowledged for something I have had a passion for nearly my entire life,” she said.
Donna Weinsting
Born Donna Collins, she grew up in St. Louis, and while her family moved several times, she landed in Oakville at age 13, and that is where she has lived ever since. She was first in a summer city park production of “Sleeping Beauty,” then a play in junior high.
“The die was cast and a 60-year career in acting and stand-up comedy was launched,” she said.
A graduate of Mehlville High School, she has never shied away from a challenge, playing leads as well as supporting and brief roles. She has performed in one-woman shows, played characters like Mr. Potter in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Jabba the Hutt in “Star Wars,” and various animals in WiseWrite plays written by 10-year-olds.
The community theater organizations she has worked with include Clayton Community Theatre, Theatre Guild of Webster Groves, and the no longer active Affton Players.
She has been on the stages of the regional professional companies The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Max and Louie Productions, New Jewish Theatre, St. Louis Actors’ Studio, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble, Stray Dog Theatre, St. Louis Shakespeare, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis, Upstream Theater, West End Players Guild, and the shuttered Orange Girls, Insight Theatre, OnSite, and others.
She has appeared at the Bluff City Theater in Hannibal, Mo., Ozark Actors’ Theatre in Rolla, Mo., Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre in Arrow Rock, Mo., Stages Houston and 59E59 Theatre Off-Broadway in New York as part of the LaBute New Theatre Festival.
Her honors include a Kevin Kline Award for Lead Actress, as Bessie in “From Door to Door” at New Jewish Theatre, St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Outstanding Actress as Iola in “Salt, Root and Roe” at Upstream Theater, and a St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Comedy Ensemble for “Jacob and Jack” at New Jewish Theatre, where she played both Ester and Hannah.
She is proud of those honors but her most treasured things are her two children, five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and her 63-year marriage to her high school sweetheart, Mike.
Next up is a one-act play, “The Magic Tower,” which is part of the Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis production of “Life Upon the Wicked Stage” this August.
She will be shooting a movie in Springfield this fall called “Big Mike’s Cabin,” and has appeared in “Ethan and Edna” and “Doubting Thomas.”
Zion Thomas emcee
Tickets Available for Awards Ceremony
Tickets are now available for the Arts For Life’s 24th Annual Best Performance Awards for community theater recognition on Sunday, June 30 at the Keating Performing Arts Center at Kirkwood High School, 801 W Essex Ave, Kirkwood, MO 63122
Zion Thomas will be the event’s master of ceremonies. A recent graduate of Case Western Reserve University, he is pursuing a career in film/TV.
Thomas served as the assistant director for GCPA’s “Ragtime,” and has performed the show twice — in the Union Avenue Opera production as part of the Harlem Ensemble last summer and was nominated for a St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Award for his performance as Coalhouse Walker Jr. at MICDS.
A GCPA alumnus, Thomas was BPA-nominated as Flick in “Violet” and played one of the adults in “Spring Awakening.”
Paul Pagano will serve as director. A native of St. Louis, he is the executive director and a co-founder of Gateway Center for the Performing Arts. He earned a bachelor’s degree in drama from Washington University and a master’s in theatre education from Fontbonne University.
A proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association since 2001, he has worked with The Muny, Stages St. Louis, HotCity Theatre, Guthrie Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and others. Besides teaching at GCPA, he has been an instructor at COCA, St. Louis University High School, and Stages Performing Arts Academy.
The ceremony will include performances from the top musicals nominated in the three Best Musical Production categories.
Paul Pagano will direct the awards ceremony
Act Two Theatre’s “The Drowsy Chaperone” and Monroe Actors Stage Company’s “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” lead all musical productions with 17 nominations apiece.
Gateway Center for the Performing Arts has the most nominations with 31- for “Bare: A Pop Opera” (7) and youth productions “9 to 5: The Musical” (14) and “School of Rock” (10).
Seating is reserved. Please let us know which theatre group or individual you would like to sit with in the “notes to seller” section at checkout.
BPA tickets are $30 and are available online with a service fee of $2 added: https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/.
Reservations can be arranged via the mail. Make check payable to ARTS FOR LIFE and mail to PO Box 16426, St. Louis, MO 63125.
All BPA ticket orders will be held at the box office unless a self-addressed stamped envelope is included with the ticket order. If ordering for a group, please attach a list of individual names for box office pick-up.
Please contact us at afltrg@artsforlife.org if you have any special seating needs. Handicapped seating is available.
Award Nominations
Nominations are listed on the website, www.artsforlife.org.
“These events recognize the incredible talent we have in St. Louis community theater and honor the passion and dedication of those who build this amazing and unique theatrical community,” said Mary McCreight, AFL president.
Participating groups included Act Two Theatre, Alpha Players of Florissant, Christ Memorial Productions, Crusader Players, Curtain’s Up Theatre, Dayspring Arts and Education, Gateway Center for the Performing Arts, Goshen Theatre Project, Hawthorne Players, KTK Productions, Looking Glass Playhouse, Monroe Actors’ Stage Company, O’Fallon Theatre Works, Spotlight Productions and Take Two Productions.
Arts For Life is a local not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the healing power of the arts through its work with youth, the underserved, and the community, with its goal of “Making a Dramatic Difference.”
AFL is dedicated to promoting public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
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.
Nada Vaughn, whose dedication to music and theatre in St Louis began as a schoolgirl and flourished in later years as an integral part of Clayton Community Theatre, is this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient at the 9th Annual Theater Mask Awards on April 20.
She was part of school plays as a youth, majored in voice and minored in theater and education in college, and retired from teaching music at Bishop DuBourg High School in 2010.
Nada Vaughn
After that, she devoted more time to music, theater, and art. At Clayton Community Theatre, she has been board president, producer, director, music director, assistant director, stage manager, house manager, concession manager, sound designer, and on crews for sets and lights.
She received a TMA award for directing “A Soldier’s Play” in 2021, and has directed “Black Coffee,” “Unexpected Guest,” “The Piano Lesson,” “Night Must Fall,” “Two Trains Running,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Murder on the Nile.”
Tickets are now available for the Arts For Life annual awards ceremonies for community theater recognition.
Through the nonprofit organization AFL, the TMAs have honored drama and comedy plays since 2015.
This year’s 9th annual Theatre Mask Awards will take place starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, at the Royale Orleans banquet center, 2801 Telegraph Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63125. Doors open at 10:30 a.m.
Awards will be presented in 17 categories as lunch is served. Cocktail attire is suggested. Tickets to the event are $30 + $2 service fee. Table seating is available at 10 per table. A full meal will be served, and a cash/card bar will be available.
O’Fallon Theatre Works topped all TMA nominations with 23, with a production-leading 12 for “Radium Girls” and 11 for “Emma: Portrait of a Lady.”
The Kirkwood Theatre Guild followed with 16 overall, six for both “The Last Night of Ballyhoo” and “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” with Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” garnering four.
Monroe Actors Stage Company in Waterloo had a total of 14, including 10 for “Unnecessary Farce,” three for “Father of the Bride” and one for “Fuddy Meers.”
Act Two Theatre in St. Peters earned 12 TMA nominations, including 11 for “Peter and the Starcatcher” and one for “Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses.”
Other groups receiving TMA nominations included Clayton Community Theatre, Looking Glass Playhouse and Theatre Guild of Webster Groves.
“This has been one of our best years yet for community theatre plays, and it shows in just how many of the productions received nominations,” said TMA Chairman Melissa Boyer. “I am so proud of all of our groups that put all their heart into these productions, and of all of our judges that take the time to go to so many shows.”
Mark Lull
Mark Lull returns as the master of ceremonies after hosting in 2022. A 10-time AFL nominee, he won Best Performance by a Comedic Actor as Uncle Fester in Alfresco Productions’ “The Addams Family” in 2015.
A retired school principal, he has performed at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, The Muny, and with other theater companies in the St. Louis metropolitan area. He is currently teaching early childhood education at St. Louis Community College and serves as vice president on the AFL board of directors.
Tickets are available online with a service fee of $2 added: https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/.
A combination ticket for both TMAs and Best Performance Awards, at a discounted price of $50 with a $2 service fee, is available, but must be purchased by April 12.
The BPAs have honored musical theater in community and youth productions for 24 years. The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, June 30, at 2 p.m. at the Keating Theater at Kirkwood High School. Formal attire is requested, and the event will be reserved-style seating. Soft drinks and snacks will be available in the lobby. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.
The event will include performances from the top musicals nominated in the three Best Musical Production categories. Tickets to the show are $30.00 + a $2.00 service fee per ticket. Seating is reserved seating.
Cast members of “Calendar Girls,” and director Deanna Jent, which Kirkwood Theatre Guild presented in 2022, winner of best comedy at the TMAs April 2023, with trophy presenter Natalie Klick. Photo by Chuck Hill.Cast members of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime” at Hawthorne Players, and director Ken Clark, which won Best Drama Production at the 2023 TMAs. Chuck Hill Photo.
Arts For Life is a local not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the healing power of the arts through its work with youth, the underserved, and the community, with its goal of “Making a Dramatic Difference.”
AFL is dedicated to promoting public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
“Arts For Life provides a community recognition program. These events recognize the incredible talent we have in St. Louis community theater and honor the passion and dedication of those who build this amazing and unique theatrical community,” said Mary McCreight, AFL president.
Nomination and selection of the community theatre awards are done by a special committee, i.e., the Theatre Recognition Guild, made up of theatre critics, drama teachers, professional performers or artists, members of community theatre groups, and people who just have an avid interest in theatre.
This committee reviews each of the theatrical productions as an audience member and scores each participant in each category.
Theatre groups within a 35-mile radius of Clayton, Mo., who hold open auditions for non-paid actors are invited to participate.
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.
Gateway Center of the Performing Arts and Monroe Actors Stage Company lead with 31 nominations each
Tickets are now available for the Arts For Life annual awards ceremonies for community theater recognition. The Theater Mask Awards will be on April 20 and the Best Performance Awards will be on June 30.
Nominations were recently announced, with Act Two Theatre’s “The Drowsy Chaperone” and Monroe Actors Stage Company’s “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” leading all musical productions with 17 nominations apiece and O’Fallon Theatre Works’ “Radium Girls” topping plays with 12. See the link below.
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 began the awards recognition program in 1999.
This year’s 10th annual Theatre Mask Awards will take place starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 20, at the Royale Orleans banquet center, 2801 Telegraph Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63125. Doors open at 10:30 a.m.
Awards will be presented in 17 categories as lunch is served. Cocktail attire is suggested. Tickets to the event are $30 + $2 service fee. Table seating is available at 8 per table.
Please let us know what theatre group or person(s) you would like to sit with in the checkout process by clicking “Add an order note” while viewing your cart.
A full meal is included with the ticket purchase (menu coming soon). Please let us know if you have any special dietary concerns or needs. A cash bar is available.
Mark Lull
Mark Lull returns as the master of ceremonies after hosting in 2022. A 10-time AFL nominee, he won Best Performance by a Comedic Actor as Uncle Fester in Alfresco Productions’ “The Addams Family” in 2015.
A retired school principal, he has performed at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City, The Muny, and with other theater companies in the St. Louis metropolitan area. He is currently teaching early childhood education at St. Louis Community College and serves as vice president on the AFL board of directors.
For the Best Performance Awards on Sunday, June 30, at 2 p.m. at the Keating Theater at Kirkwood High School, formal attire is requested, and the event will be reserved-style seating. A cash bar will be available. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.
The event will include performances from the top musicals nominated in the three Best Musical Production categories. Tickets to the show are $30.00 + a $2.00 service fee per ticket. Seating is reserved seating. Please let us know which theatre group or individual you would like to sit with in the “notes to seller” section at checkout.
Both TMA and BPA tickets are available online with a service fee of $2 added: https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/.
A combination ticket for both, at a discounted price of $50 with a $2 service fee, is available, but must be purchased by April 12.
Reservations can be arranged through the mail and tickets can be picked up at the venues on event day. Please make check payable to ARTS FOR LIFE and mail to PO Box 16426, St. Louis, MO 63125.
All BPA ticket orders will be held at the box office unless a self-addressed stamped envelope is included with the ticket order. If ordering for a group, please attach a list of individual names for box office pick-up.
Please contact us at afltrg@artsforlife.org if you have any special seating needs or COVID-19 related concerns. Handicapped seating is available.
“Radium Girls’ at O’Fallon Theatre Works is nominated for 12 TMAs. KWR Photography.
Award Nominations
Nominations are listed on the website, www.artsforlife.org.
“Arts For Life provides a community recognition program. These events recognize the incredible talent we have in St. Louis community theater and honor the passion and dedication of those who build this amazing and unique theatrical community,” said Mary McCreight, AFL president.
Gateway Center for the Performing Arts earned 31 BPA nominations – for “Bare: A Pop Opera” (7) and youth productions “9 to 5: The Musical” (14) and “School of Rock” (10), with Monroe Actors Stage Company in Waterloo receiving 17 BPA and 14 TMA nominations (including “Father of the Bride” – 3, “Fuddy Meers” – 1, “Unnecessary Farce” – 10, and “How to Succeed” – 17) for a total of 31.
Act Two Theatre in St. Peters followed with 17 BPA and 12 TMA nominations for a total of 29 (including “Peter and the Starcatcher” – 11, “Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses” – 1, and “The Drowsy Chaperone” – 17).
O’Fallon Theatre Works had 29 total, for 23 TMA and 6 BPA nominations (“Emma: Portrait of a Lady” – 11, “Radium Girls” – 12, and “Be More Chill” – 6).
The Kirkwood Theatre Guild had 20 overall, with TMA nominations for “The Last Night of Ballyhoo” – 6, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” – 6, and “The Mousetrap” – 4, with 4 BPA nominations for “The Sound of Music.”
‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ at Act Two earned 17 nominations. Lori Biehl Photography.
Other participating groups included Alpha Players of Florissant, Christ Memorial Productions, Clayton Community Theatre, Crusader Players, Curtain’s Up Theatre, Dayspring Arts and Education, Goshen Theatre Project, Hawthorne Players, KTK Productions, Looking Glass Playhouse, Over Due Theatre, Theatre Guild of Webster Groves, Spotlight Productions and Take Two Productions.
Arts For Life is a local not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the healing power of the arts through its work with youth, the underserved, and the community, with its goal of “Making a Dramatic Difference.”
AFL is dedicated to promoting public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
TMA Event Sponsorships are available at either $100 or $50 if you also purchase an ad. Sponsorship includes group/company name and logo displayed at the event, website and on our social media platforms.
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.
Award-winning local performers Kimmie Kidd-Booker and Chris Moore will be the emcees for Arts For Life’s annual Trivia Night on Saturday, Jan. 27. Tables are still available.
The event will take place at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Road, St. Louis, with doors open at 6:30 p.m. and 10 rounds of general-knowledge questions to begin at 7 p.m.
Cash prizes will be awarded to first and second place teams. There will be a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, mulligans available, and a costume contest.
This year’s theme is Ticket to Paris, as the city will host the Summer Olympics, mark the 135th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower and the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Feel free to dress up as any French character in entertainment or real life. Vive la France!
Nominations will be announced for the annual Theatre Mask Awards (plays) and Best Performance Awards (musicals) honoring excellence in community theater and youth productions during 2023.
“Don’t miss the most fun time in metropolitan St. Louis’ community theater!” said AFL President Mary McCreight.
Tables of 8 players are available, at $160 per table. Soft drinks are provided. To make a reservation, visit https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/ or www.artsforlife.org. You can also email: afltrg@artsforlife.org for more information. Mulligans will be available, at 5 for $10 or 10 for $20.
For the past 24 years, AFL has honored musical theater with the Best Performance Awards and introduced the Theatre Mask Awards to honor comedy and drama productions in 2015.
This year’s TMA ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 20, at the Royale Orleans in South County and the Best Performance Awards will be held on Sunday, June 30, in the Keating Theatre at Kirkwood High School. More information will be forthcoming.
“These events recognize the incredible talent we have in St. Louis community theater and honor the passion and dedication of those who build this amazing and unique theatrical community,” McCreight said.
Chris Moore
Arts For Life is a local not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the healing power of the arts through its work with youth, the underserved and the community, with its goal of “Making a Dramatic Difference.”
AFL is dedicated to promoting public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
For more information, email afltrg@artsforlife.org. or visit the website.
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.
Ooh la la! Come celebrate the City of Love with us! In 2024, Paris will host the Summer Olympics and mark the 135th anniversary of the Eiffel Tower and the 80th anniversary of D-Day, and we all know its place in the arts, culture, cuisine, and history, so that is the theme for Arts For Life’s annual Trivia Night on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024.
The event will take place at the Kirkwood Community Center, 111 S. Geyer Road, St. Louis, with doors open at 6:30 p.m. and 10 rounds of general-knowledge questions to begin at 7 p.m.
Cash prizes will be awarded to first and second place teams. There will be a 50/50 raffle, silent auction, mulligans available, and a costume contest.
Feel free to dress up as any French character in entertainment or real life. Vive la France!
Nominations will be announced for the annual Theatre Mask Awards (plays) and Best Performance Awards (musicals) honoring excellence in community theater and youth productions during 2023
“Don’t miss the most fun time in metropolitan St. Louis’ community theater!” said AFL President Mary McCreight.
Tables of 8 players are available, at $160 per table. To make a reservation, visit https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/ or www.artsforlife.org. You can also email: afltrg@artsforlife.org for more information. Mulligans will be available, at 5 for $10 or 10 for $20.
The event also includes a silent auction and 50/50 drawing. Cash prizes will be awarded to first and second place teams.
For the past 24 years, AFL has honored musical theater with the Best Performance Awards and introduced the Theatre Mask Awards to honor comedy and drama productions in 2015.
The dates, times and places for this year’s BPA and TMA ceremonies will be announced at a later date.
“These events recognize the incredible talent we have in St. Louis community theater and honor the passion and dedication of those who build this amazing and unique theatrical community,” McCreight said.
Sponsorships are available – trivia rounds at $100 and event at $50.
Sponsorship includes group/company name and logo displayed at the beginning and end of event as a sponsor, then group/company name and logo displayed on our social media sites as a sponsor.
Arts For Life is a local not-for-profit arts organization dedicated to the healing power of the arts through its work with youth, the underserved and the community, with its goal of “Making a Dramatic Difference.”
AFL is dedicated to promoting public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
For more information, email afltrg@artsforlife.org. or visit the website.
BPA Emcee Chris Moore at 2023 ceremony. Funds raised at Trivia Night help produce our awards events.
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.
Performances from nominated musicals “A Chorus Line” by Hawthorne Players, “Bonnie and Clyde” and “Something Rotten!” by Gateway Center for the Performing Arts, “Bright Star” and “The Pajama Game” by Monroe Actors Stage Company, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” by Christ Memorial Productions, “The Addams Family” by Spotlight Productions and “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” by Goshen Theater Project will be showcased at Arts For Life’s 23rd Best Performance Awards.
Tickets are still available for the presentation on Sunday, July 2, at 2 p.m. at the Florissant Performing Arts Center, 1 James J. Eagan Drive, Florissant, Mo. 63033.
Awards will be presented in 30 categories. The BPAs have honored musical theater in community and youth productions beginning a year after the nonprofit organization AFL was founded in 1999.
“Arts For Life provides a community recognition program to spotlight the incredible talent we have in St. Louis community theater and honor the passion and dedication of those who build this amazing and unique theatrical community,” said Mary McCreight, AFL president.
Local singer-actor-dancer-director Chris Moore will be the master of ceremonies.
Nominations are listed on the website, www.artsforlife.org.
Event Tickets Lobby and house doors open at 1 p.m. All tickets are reserved seating.
Formal attire/black tie is requested.
A cash bar with beer and wine will be available, as will soft drinks, water, and snacks.
BPA tickets are available online at $30 with a service fee of $2 added, which can be purchased at: https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/.
Tickets will be available for pickup/purchase in the theatre lobby from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 1, and starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday, July 2. AFL accepts cash or credit/debit cards.
Contact us at afltrg@artsforlife.org if you have any special seating needs or questions.
A “Red Carpet” banner will be available as a backdrop for photos, which you can share on social media using the hash tag #AFLBPA2023.
Be aware of construction and traffic in the area, so plan accordingly.
Nancy Bortosky to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award
Nancy Bortosky, executive director of DaySpring Arts and Education, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. She founded DaySpring in 1993 as a daytime arts program for homeschoolers and an after-school arts program for the community; she retired this year.
Under her direction the past 29 years, DaySpring has grown into a community organization offering dance, musical theatre, drama, fine arts, and music classes and performances, as well as offering an accredited Pre-K through 12th grade hybrid model Academy.
This year DaySpring will have produced five musicals, a mixed-bill ballet, a drama, numerous instrumental and vocal music recitals, and end-of-the-year drama, musical theatre, and dance recitals. Nancy has been instrumental in growing these programs.
About Chris Moore Last year’s winner for the Best Actor in a Comedic Role Award for playing the Donkey in “Shrek,” which was produced by the Kirkwood Theatre Guild.
He directed “Godspell” for Take Two Productions this spring and recently played Hysterium in New Line Theatre’s “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” Other recent theatrical credits include Cutler in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at Clayton Community Theatre; in the ensemble of New Line Theatre’s “Urinetown” and “Head Over Heels,” and as a minstrel and Peter Quince in “Something Rotten!”; “Dreamgirls,” “Guys and Dolls,” and in the Polar Express event at Union Station.
Award Nominations
Four youth musicals presented by Gateway Center for the Performing Arts — “13” (8), “Bonnie and Clyde” (10), “A Christmas Story” (2), and “Something Rotten!” (13) — combined for 35 nominations, the most of any community theater or youth group.
Monroe Actors Stage Company in Waterloo, Ill., led all St. Louis area – metro-east Illinois community theater groups, with 25 — 14 for the classic musical “The Pajama Game” and 11 for the Steve Martin-Edie Brickel musical “Bright Star.”
Christ Memorial Productions received 13 nominations for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Goshen Theatre Project in Collinsville, Ill., earned 12 – 11 nominations for “Percy Jackson: Lightning Thief” and 1 for “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Spotlight Productions had 12 nominations for “The Addams Family.”
The Kirkwood Theatre Guild had nine BPA nominations for “Little Shop of Horrors,” as did Hawthorne Players in Florissant for “A Chorus Line.”
Act Two in St. Peters had eight BPA nominations for “The Full Monty.”
Other groups receiving nominations included Looking Glass Players, 6; Over Due Theatre, 6; Curtain’s Up Theater, 2; DaySpring Arts and Education, 2; and Young People’s Theatre, 1.
Arts For Life is dedicated to the healing power of the arts through its work with youth, the underserved, and the community, with its goal of “Making a Dramatic Difference.”
AFL is dedicated to promoting public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
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.
Chris Moore to emcee, Nancy Bortosky to receive the Life Achievement Award
Tickets are now available for the Arts For Life’s 23rd Best Performance Awards on July 2 at 2 p.m. at the Florissant Performing Arts Center, 1 James J. Eagan Drive, Florissant, Mo. 63033.
Local singer-actor-dancer-director Chris Moore will be the master of ceremonies. At last year’s return to a live ceremony, he won the Best Actor in a Comedic Role Award for his performance as the Donkey in “Shrek,” which was produced by the Kirkwood Theatre Guild.
Chris Moore
He directed “Godspell” for Take Two Productions this spring. Other recent theatrical credits include Cutler in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” at Clayton Community Theatre; in the ensemble of New Line Theatre’s “Urinetown” and “Head Over Heels,” and as a minstrel and Peter Quince in “Something Rotten!”; “Dreamgirls,” “Guys and Dolls,” and in the Polar Express event at Union Station. He will be part of New Line’s “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” production this June.
A graduate of Hazelwood Central High School, in addition to acting, Chris has a growing social media platform where he enjoys creating content about self-worth and being your most authentic self.
Awards will be presented in 30 categories. The BPAs have honored musical theater in community and youth productions beginning a year after the nonprofit organization AFL was founded in 1999.
“Arts For Life provides a community recognition program to spotlight the incredible talent we have in St. Louis community theater and honor the passion and dedication of those who build this amazing and unique theatrical community,” said Mary McCreight, AFL president.
Nancy Bortosky, executive director of DaySpring Arts and Education, will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. She founded DaySpring in 1993 as a daytime arts program for homeschoolers and an after-school arts program for the community.
Under her direction the past 29 years, DaySpring has grown into a community organization offering dance, musical theatre, drama, fine arts, and music classes and performances, as well as offering an accredited Pre-K through 12th grade hybrid model Academy.
This year DaySpring will have produced five musicals, a mixed-bill ballet, a drama, numerous instrumental and vocal music recitals, and end-of-the-year drama, musical theatre, and dance recitals. Nancy has been instrumental in growing these programs. She plans to retire this year.
Nominations are listed on the website, www.artsforlife.org.
Formal attire is requested. A cash bar will be available. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m.
BPA tickets are available online at $30 with a service fee of $2 added, which can be purchased at: https://arts-for-life-2.square.site/.
You can download a mail order form online and save the service fee. Reservations can be arranged via mail. If ordering for a group, please attach a list of individual names for box office pick-up. Please make check payable to ARTS FOR LIFE and mail to PO Box 16426, St. Louis, MO 63125.
All BPA ticket orders will be held at the box office on event day.
Please contact us at afltrg@artsforlife.org if you have any special seating needs or COVID-19 related concerns. Handicapped seating is available.
Award Nominations
Four youth musicals presented by Gateway Center for the Performing Arts — “13” (8), “Bonnie and Clyde” (10), “A Christmas Story” (2), and “Something Rotten!” (13) — combined for 35 nominations, the most of any community theater or youth group. Gateway Center for the Performing Arts is based in Webster Groves.
Monroe Actors Stage Company in Waterloo, Ill., led all St. Louis area – metro-east Illinois community theater groups, with 25 — 14 for the classic musical “The Pajama Game” and 11 for the Steve Martin-Edie Brickel musical “Bright Star.”
Christ Memorial Productions received 13 nominations for “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” Goshen Theatre Project in Collinsville, Ill., earned 12 – 11 nominations for “Percy Jackson: Lightning Thief” and 1 for “Meet Me in St. Louis.” Spotlight Productions had 12 nominations for “The Addams Family.”
The Kirkwood Theatre Guild had nine BPA nominations for “Little Shop of Horrors,” as did Hawthorne Players in Florissant for “A Chorus Line.”
Act Two in St. Peters had eight BPA nominations for “The Full Monty.”
Other groups receiving nominations included Looking Glass Players, 6; Over Due Theatre, 6; Curtain’s Up Theater, 2; DaySpring Arts and Education, 2; and Young People’s Theatre, 1.
Florissant Performing Arts Center
Arts For Life is dedicated to the healing power of the arts through its work with youth, the underserved, and the community, with its goal of “Making a Dramatic Difference.”
AFL is dedicated to promoting public awareness of local community theatre, encouraging excellence in the arts, and acknowledging the incredible people who are a part of it.
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.
