St. Louis Theater Lovers

St. Louis takes to the stage

With more than 40 professional theatre companies, in addition to world-class dance, comedy and improv troupes, St. Louis offers the theatre-lover so much to explore! A good place to start is Grand Center, which boasts of being “at the intersection of art and life,” and is located just minutes west of downtown. You can settle back in a plush seat at beautiful Powell Symphony Hall, designed to resemble part of the French palace of Versailles, and listen to the 125-year-old St. Louis Symphony Orchestra make beautiful music.

Take in a touring Broadway show at the Fox Theatre, where special concerts and dance performances also fill the massive stage throughout the year. The ornate 1929 theatre, described as Siamese-Byzantine in design, is one of the most stunning performance venues in the country. And be sure to visit the newly renovated Peabody Opera House, a 3100 seat theater  in downtown St. Louis that plays host to a variety of events including theatricals, concerts, family shows, holiday productions and more.

At the Grandel Theatre, the St. Louis Black Repertory Company presents drama, comedy and music told from an African-American perspective. The Black Rep, in season from January through June, has been called America’s best African-American theatre. The acoustically perfect Sheldon Concert Hall presents jazz, folk, chamber music and much more throughout the year. The great American songbook is performed by the likes of Steve Ross and Michael Feinstein during annual Cabaret series performances at The Kranzberg Arts Center.

Dance St. Louis stages performances at the Fox Theatre, the Edison Theatre on the campus of Washington University and the Touhill Performing Arts Center. The organization brings the greatest dancers and dance companies of the world to St. Louis audiences each year.

St. Louis boasts one of the most acclaimed opera companies in North America. Opera Theatre of Saint Louis presents classic and contemporary opera sung in English by some of the best young talent in the business. To see why opera has made such an impact in the region’s vibrant arts community, plan a visit in May or June for their festival season at the Loretto-Hilton Theatre on the campus of Webster University. The Times of London called their performances, “A spellbinding festival of opera.”

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, which also performs at the Loretto-Hilton Theatre, offers a thrilling live theatre experience for audiences with a season of cutting-edge drama, contemporary comedy and classics on the main stage and in the studio theatre. The season runs from September through April each year. The Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center is located on the campus of the University of Missouri – St. Louis. The venue hosts concerts, dance, musicals and much more throughout the year.

Each summer the magic of musical theatre echoes through Forest Park as The Muny – short for Municipal Opera Association – stages seven weeks of American musicals under the stars. A St. Louis tradition since 1917, The Muny is America’s biggest outdoor theatre, offering more than 12,000 seats for classic shows such as “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “Camelot” and “The Music Man.” The Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis brings the works of The Bard to Forest Park each year. The free, outdoor performances, which take place every night but Tuesdays from late May through mid-June, begin with a traditional English green show featuring songs, dance and a synopsis of the night’s play for children.

Celebrate the best in small independent films each November as the latest cinematic works from Hollywood and around the globe are screened at the St. Louis International Film Festival.