New season reimagines the theatre’s production model with a mix of self-produced and co-produced productions, special limited engagements, family friendly performances, and the return of the acclaimed holiday spectacular, A Christmas Carol
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis has announced its 2023-2024 season, which includes a mix of world-class self-produced productions that have made The Rep one of the premier regional theaters in the country, alongside co-produced and presented theater works from the most exciting emerging and established voices in American theater across a wide range of genre, thought, and lived experience.
The Rep’s new shape for its season offers four mainstage shows, a returning holiday classic, two limited engagements, two family-friendly shows, and a continuation of its community and educational programming to provide different experiences for the full spectrum of the St. Louis community.
Beginning in fall 2023, The Rep will bring award-winning, critically acclaimed plays to its mainstages at the Loretto-Hilton Center and Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA (Center of Creative Arts) including Ben Power’s adaptation of Stefano Massini’s TheLehman Trilogy; Twisted Melodies, written and performed by Kelvin Roston, Jr.; the Lookingglass Theatre Company’s adaptation of Moby Dick; and Tracy Letts’ August: Osage County.
The theatre will also host limited engagement presentations of The Greatest Love for Whitney: A Tribute to Whitney Houston created by Mark Clements, and The Lion, created by Benjamin Scheuer.
“The new season will build upon The Rep’s decades-long tradition of artistic excellence as a leading voice in the region by spotlighting a myriad of the best and most exciting voices in theater to tell the 21st-century American story, and by pioneering an arts model which can be replicated to meet the challenges that face the industry at-large,” said Hana S. Sharif, Augustin Family Artistic Director of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.
Sharif added, “The pandemic and its aftermath have radically reshaped our industry. In order to create a sustainable model on which to build towards the future, we took an innovative approach to this new season that has opened a new world of exciting opportunities for The Rep and our audiences. We are building bridges and collaborating more than ever before with our peers across the country and deepening connections with our community to give everyone a stronger curatorial hand in their experience at The Rep. We look forward to embarking on this next phase of The Rep that will give us the flexibility to continue to meet the needs of St. Louisans and anchor our position as a cornerstone arts organization in the region.”
Additional season highlights include the return of the spectacular and much lauded holiday show A Christmas Carol, the Charles Dickens classic that has quickly become a festive holiday tradition for St. Louis area families. Support for A Christmas Carol is provided by The Berges Family Foundation.
The Rep will also continue to create touring productions for young audiences and families as part of its Imaginary Theatre Company, with an adaptation of Pat Mora’s book Tomás and The Library Lady by José Cruz González, based on the life of Mexican-American author and educator Tomás Rivera, and Puss in Boots, a musical version of the popular fairytale.
The Rep’s new season builds on its previous three under the leadership of Hana S. Sharif and Danny Williams, Managing Director, who have worked closely together to bring well-crafted theatrical experiences and impactful learning initiatives to the community.
“The Rep offers our community a creative hub where everyone feels welcomed and valued through programming and performances that represent diverse audiences and their lived experiences,” said Danny Williams, Managing Director. “This past season we were delighted to see a wide array of patrons from across different generations and cultures join us at the theatre, and we look forward to continuing to reach new audiences while welcoming back those who have supported us over the years and decades, with a wide array of world-class theatrical experiences that will captivate and challenge audiences.”
The Rep will stage its productions across two theaters this coming year—the Loretto-Hilton Center and the Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA—providing a variety of opportunities for audiences from across the city and the region to experience theater on different scales from large, show-stopping productions to more intimate experiences.
The Rep will also continue to offer its Learning and Community Engagement (LACE) programs that provide people of all ages opportunities to deeply engage with the art they see on stage through immersive in-classroom and extracurricular learning opportunities, public forums for civic discourse, and opportunities to participate in the artmaking process. The Rep will announce its community and educational programming over the course of the coming year.
Find a full schedule of the 2023-2024 season programs below. Subscriber renewals begin May 8, 2023 and new subscription purchases will be available starting June 1, 2023.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.repstl.orgor call the Box Office, Monday – Friday from 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at (314) 968-4925. The Rep Box Office will also be available for in-person support at the Loretto-Hilton Center, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis 2023-2024 Season
For tickets, accessibility, and visitor information, visit repstl.org.
MAINSTAGE
The Lehman Trilogy
Winner of five Tony Awards, including best play!
September 5 – September 24
Loretto-Hilton Center
By Stefano Massini
Adapted by Ben Power
Experience this epic tale of one family’s passionate pursuit of the American Dream and the piercing cost of greed, excess, and unbridled power. In 1844, a young man from Bavaria, along with his two brothers, arrived in New York City, full of hope and ambition. Over the course of two centuries, their family business grew to unimaginable heights and ultimately collapsed into bankruptcy. A can’t miss masterpiece that The Guardian calls “a kaleidoscopic social and political metaphor.”
Twisted Melodies
Based on the life of St. Louis soul music icon Donny Hathaway.
October 3 – October 22
Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA
Written and Performed by Kelvin Roston, Jr.
This powerful one-man show is based on the life of St. Louis soul music icon Donny Hathaway. Twisted Melodies is an immersive and crushing play about the brilliant singer and composer’s compelling inner struggle. Torn between the muses that inspire him and the mental illness that torments him, Hathaway evaluates his life in a gripping performance by St. Louis native Kelvin Roston, Jr.
Moby Dick
Soar to new heights in this acrobatic and theatrical spectacle!
February 6 – February 25
Loretto-Hilton Center
Adapted & Directed by David Catlin
From the book by Herman Melville
Madness, obsession, and bloodlust take harrowing flight in a thrilling revision of Melville’s masterpiece. Captain Ahab’s hunt for the great White Whale soars to new heights through an exhilarating acrobatic and theatrical spectacle that invites audiences into the heart of the action. This adaptation from Lookingglass Theatre Company brings a literary legend to life in an experience that’s both visceral and evocative.
August: Osage County
A Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning family drama.
March 19 – April 14
Loretto-Hilton Center
By Tracy Letts
This Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning family drama paints a stark and often unflattering picture of the Midwestern family. In this tableau: the pill-popping and manipulative matriarch, a vanished patriarch, and three daughters with secrets of their own. Familial tensions rise when all are called back to the family home in Oklahoma. Equal parts heartfelt and heart-wrenching, this story gives an in-depth look at what it takes to keep a family together.
LIMITED ENGAGEMENTS
Special two-week performances with extraordinary talents that everyone will be talking about!
The Greatest Love for Whitney: A Tribute to Whitney Houston
Inspired by the phenomenal voice that changed music forever.
January 18 – January 28
Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA
Created by Mark Clements
Whitney Houston’s breathtaking voice skyrocketed her to stardom. From her powerful anthems to her glamorous elegance on the silver screen, she became an unparalleled icon. The Greatest Love for Whitney celebrates her amazing career and legacy by taking audiences on an unforgettable journey through her record-setting hits. Featuring songs like “I Will Always Love You,” “Saving All My Love for You,” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” experience the magic of the woman who changed music forever.
The Lion
One man, six guitars, and a transformative story.
February 8 – February 18
Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA
Created by Benjamin Scheuer
One man, six guitars and a transformative story. Benjamin Scheuer brilliantly weaves together heartfelt monologues and original songs to take audiences on his own true coming-of-age story. Hailed by critics as a “wondrous” and “spellbinding” experience, The Lion is a story about courage and the music it takes to find it.
HOLIDAY PRESENTATION
A Spectacular Holiday Tradition Your Family Won’t Want To Miss!
A Christmas Carol
A St. Louis tradition returning for its third season at The Rep!
November 25 – December 24
Loretto-Hilton Center
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Michael Wilson
The Rep’s third annual holiday presentation of A Christmas Carol promises to be a joyous and heartwarming experience for audiences of all ages. Join Ebenezer Scrooge on the adventure of a lifetime as three spirits take him on a transformative journey through time. This is a St. Louis tradition unlike any other, that Ladue News calls “a technical marvel of artistry.”
IMAGINARY THEATRE COMPANY
Theatre for young people and their families!
Tomás and The Library Lady
Based on the true story of Mexican-American author and educator Tomás Rivera.
Dates TBA
Adapted By José Cruz González
From the book by Pat Mora
Dive into a fantastical world of books in this celebratory true story. As Tomás’ family heads north to Iowa for work, they find fewer and fewer people who speak their native Spanish language. Looking for a place to fit in, Tomás finds a new passion when he befriends a librarian who introduces him to the magical world of books. This enchanting story adventures through the pages of towering dinosaurs and ferocious tigers, igniting Tomás’ imagination and bringing the audience along for the ride.
Puss in Boots
Everyone’s favorite feline fable is here to charm and entertain!
Dates TBA
By Jennifer Roberts
Music and lyrics by Nathan A. Roberts
Everyone’s favorite feline fable is here to charm and beguile! The miller’s son is not finding life easy, with barely a penny to his name and no inheritance from his father, save for a useless cat and a pair of too-small boots. But this cat hides a secret: She can talk! And sing! And she has a plan to take them from the poor house to a princely castle. But how long can this extraordinary kitty keep up the ruse before the cat is out of the bag? Bring the whole family and share the legend of Puss in Boots.
ABOUT THE REPERTORY THEATRE OF ST. LOUIS
The Rep is the St. Louis region’s most honored live professional theatre company. Founded in 1966, The Rep presents innovative and compelling productions with something for everyone on its stages. The Rep delivers creative and thought-provoking theatrical experiences at two adaptable and intimate stages across St. Louis: the Virginia Jackson Browning Theatre and the Berges Theatre at COCA at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts. With creative and thought-provoking performances, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is a fully professional theatrical operation belonging to the League of Resident Theatres, The League of St. Louis Theatres and is a constituent member of Theatre Communications Group, Inc., the national service organization for the not-for-profit professional theatre. For more information, please visit repstl.org.
Cover photo of Kelvin Rolston Jr. as Donny Hathaway in “Twisted Melodies” at The Black Rep in 2016. Photo by Sam Roberson
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.
