Finding Peace in Current Times
Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective presents Peace in the Prairie, a film and a live performance exploring the concepts of peace and violence, juxtaposing urban life as experienced by African American people living in the city of St. Louis, Missouri and the state's endangered prairie lands.
• 11:00 am – Film screening of Peace in the Prairie in The Farrell Auditorium
(Running time 70 minutes)
• 3:00 pm – Interfaith tours in the galleries created specifically for this program.
(The theme of the tours is Light/Darkness/Nature/Peace. Tours depart from Sculpture Hall. Space is limited, and on a first come, first served basis.)
• 4:30 pm – Film screening of Peace in the Prairie in The Farrell Auditorium
(Running time 70 minutes)
• 6:00 pm – Live performance of Prairie in the Prairie in The Farrell Auditorium
(Running time 30 minutes followed by Q&A with the performers.)
• 7:00 pm – Interfaith tours in the galleries created specifically for this program.
(The theme of the tours is Light/Darkness/Nature/Peace. Tours depart from Sculpture Hall. Space is limited, and on a first come, first served basis.)
Free and open to the public, no pre-registration required.
https://www.slam.org/event/finding-peace-in-current-times/
Western Symphony and Serenade by Saint Louis Ballet
Saint Louis Ballet opens the 2024-2025 season October 12-13 with three ballets that offer tremendous variety and demonstrate the artistry of the great George Balanchine and Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. Individual tickets are now available to this mainstage performance that takes place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, under the direction of director Gen Horiuchi.
George Balanchine’s iconic ballet Serenade is a signature work of New York City Ballet and was the first ballet created by the choreographer in America. A romantic work, set to a lush Tchaikovsky score, Serenade was created in 1934 and although plotless, does nod to classical ballets such as Giselle and Swan Lake. Balanchine incorporated some of the rehearsal moves (entrances, exits, falls) from the dancers of the new School of American Ballet into the final choreography. Serenade, with its dancers costumed in soft blue tutus, is one of the most enduring and beloved Balanchine ballets.
In sharp contrast to the emotional energy of Serenade is the equally impressive Western Symphony. Set on a street in the “old west”, dancers don cowboy hats and dance hall costumes. Demonstrating Balanchine’s fascination with American themes, the ballet incorporates formations and gestures of American folk dancing into the classical ballet steps. Western Symphony accompaniment is an arrangement of American folk tunes by Hershy Kay.
After the Rain Pas de Deux honored the anniversary of Balanchine’s birth with the presentation of world premieres in 2005. Debuted by New York City Ballet, it is a haunting ballet set to Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel. Christopher Wheeldon is an internationally renowned choreographer and artistic associate of the Royal Ballet. He was the first resident choreographer for NYCB. Among his many accolades are Tony Awards for MJ The Musical and An American in Paris on Broadway.
Western Symphony and Serenade by Saint Louis Ballet
Saint Louis Ballet opens the 2024-2025 season October 12-13 with three ballets that offer tremendous variety and demonstrate the artistry of the great George Balanchine and Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. Individual tickets are now available to this mainstage performance that takes place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, under the direction of director Gen Horiuchi.
George Balanchine’s iconic ballet Serenade is a signature work of New York City Ballet and was the first ballet created by the choreographer in America. A romantic work, set to a lush Tchaikovsky score, Serenade was created in 1934 and although plotless, does nod to classical ballets such as Giselle and Swan Lake. Balanchine incorporated some of the rehearsal moves (entrances, exits, falls) from the dancers of the new School of American Ballet into the final choreography. Serenade, with its dancers costumed in soft blue tutus, is one of the most enduring and beloved Balanchine ballets.
In sharp contrast to the emotional energy of Serenade is the equally impressive Western Symphony. Set on a street in the “old west”, dancers don cowboy hats and dance hall costumes. Demonstrating Balanchine’s fascination with American themes, the ballet incorporates formations and gestures of American folk dancing into the classical ballet steps. Western Symphony accompaniment is an arrangement of American folk tunes by Hershy Kay.
After the Rain Pas de Deux honored the anniversary of Balanchine’s birth with the presentation of world premieres in 2005. Debuted by New York City Ballet, it is a haunting ballet set to Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel. Christopher Wheeldon is an internationally renowned choreographer and artistic associate of the Royal Ballet. He was the first resident choreographer for NYCB. Among his many accolades are Tony Awards for MJ The Musical and An American in Paris on Broadway.
Western Symphony and Serenade by Saint Louis Ballet
Saint Louis Ballet opens the 2024-2025 season October 12-13 with three ballets that offer tremendous variety and demonstrate the artistry of the great George Balanchine and Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. Individual tickets are now available to this mainstage performance that takes place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center, under the direction of director Gen Horiuchi.
George Balanchine’s iconic ballet Serenade is a signature work of New York City Ballet and was the first ballet created by the choreographer in America. A romantic work, set to a lush Tchaikovsky score, Serenade was created in 1934 and although plotless, does nod to classical ballets such as Giselle and Swan Lake. Balanchine incorporated some of the rehearsal moves (entrances, exits, falls) from the dancers of the new School of American Ballet into the final choreography. Serenade, with its dancers costumed in soft blue tutus, is one of the most enduring and beloved Balanchine ballets.
In sharp contrast to the emotional energy of Serenade is the equally impressive Western Symphony. Set on a street in the “old west”, dancers don cowboy hats and dance hall costumes. Demonstrating Balanchine’s fascination with American themes, the ballet incorporates formations and gestures of American folk dancing into the classical ballet steps. Western Symphony accompaniment is an arrangement of American folk tunes by Hershy Kay.
After the Rain Pas de Deux honored the anniversary of Balanchine’s birth with the presentation of world premieres in 2005. Debuted by New York City Ballet, it is a haunting ballet set to Arvo Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel. Christopher Wheeldon is an internationally renowned choreographer and artistic associate of the Royal Ballet. He was the first resident choreographer for NYCB. Among his many accolades are Tony Awards for MJ The Musical and An American in Paris on Broadway.
Art on the Fringe
For a taste of the avant-garde, you don't want to miss the KC Fringe Festival. The sixteen-day showcase features a range of art exhibits, film screenings, and theatrical performances from local, regional, and national talent.
By Natalie-Elizabeth Tan
KC Fringe Festival is back for its 20th season. True to its name, the festival, which will be held July 12 - 28, aims to be a launchpad for all forms of offbeat, experimental arts.
“The festival features local, regional, and national talents who can bring uncurated dynamic and daring works of theater, film, and visual art,” says Fringe Festival Executive Director Audrey Crabtree. “The festival features the most original artistry in the Kansas City area.”
There is no shortage of things to check out at this year’s Fringe Festival, as there will be eight film programs and six special events showcasing 34 visual artists and 53 productions—the bulk of which are original, world premieres, or both. The types of shows you can expect to see are diverse, ranging from family-friendly performances suitable to those intended for mature audiences only. These shows include a variety of styles including comedy, circus, theater, musicals, storytelling, and stand-up.
One event you must experience for yourself is the Sound Mandala, an innovative audio system that uses an 80-loudspeaker channel to create dynamic, spatially immersive sound experiences. Featuring pop, rock, jazz, and Celtic tracks, along with short scenes and sound-effect collages, this show transforms sound distribution and motion in a way traditional audio setups cannot replicate, offering a one-of-a-kind auditory experience in a black box theater setting.
The three workshops at the festival cater to different interests, with Producing Theatre 101 for those keen on theater production, Reaching the Write Minds for aspiring teenage playwrights, and Practical Mime for All Performers, for any performer who wants to improve their on-stage confidence and presence. Workshop tickets can be purchased here.
The festival also has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, having introduced its Amplified Voices Program in 2022. This program supports BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and differently abled artists through scholarships and highlighted marketing. This year, some shows you can catch under this program include Thespiation’s The Compleat History of Women, abridged and Terrace Wyatt, Jr.'s Black Man Missouri. The former aims to condense the entirety of women’s history into under an hour, while the latter explores the profound impact of a police shooting on a family, focusing on the heart-wrenching dialogue between the victim's mother and the officer involved.
From immersive audio experiences to groundbreaking theatrical performances, KC Fringe Festival offers a plethora of events that highlight the creativity and diversity of the arts, ensuring there is something for everyone.
All photos courtesy of KC Fringe Festival.
For hundreds more events, visit Missouri Life’s Event Calendar.
"Red" by John Logan: A Look into the Mind of Mark Rothko
Master abstract expressionist Mark Rothko has just landed the biggest commission in the history of modern art, a series of murals for New York’s famed Four Seasons Restaurant. In the two fascinating years that follow, Rothko works feverishly with his young assistant, Ken, in his studio on the Bowery. But when Ken gains the confidence to challenge him, Rothko faces the agonizing possibility that his crowning achievement could also become his undoing. Raw and provocative, RED is a searing portrait of an artist’s ambition and vulnerability as he tries to create a definitive work for an extraordinary setting.
We All Fall Down
Linda and Saul Stein still live in the Westchester home where they raised their two beautiful daughters. But when Saul unexpectedly retires, Linda summons the family to celebrate Passover for the first time in decades. Linda tends slightly toward the theatrical (okay, a lot), and their family has never been particularly religious (okay, not at all). So their comic attempts to bring the Seder to life go from riotous to heart-wrenching. Can this family come together, or will an age-old tradition tear them apart?
Improv Theatre Has Many Benefits
Most of us think of improv as being comedy. It really is so much more. Ed Reggi shares his love of this form of theatre in “The Converstion” where we ask questions and Ed enlightens us on the benefits of improv for people of all ages.
Living Without The Script
INTERVIEW by Pam Clifton
Ed Reggi shares the confidence-boosting benefits of improv.
Even at a young age, Ed Reggi was drawn to the life of an entertainer. The native New Yorker would sneak into NBC Studios near his house to watch the goings-on and imagine his future as a performer.
When Ed, fresh out of college at Fontbonne University in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton, took a class at the Chicago improvisational comedy enterprise, Second City, the experience changed his life. He studied under Paul Sills, founder of Second City and son of improvisational theater pioneer Viola Spolin, for almost 10 years.
Ed is an actor and producer. He’s worked alongside such famous names as George Clooney, Amy Poehler, and Keegan-Michael Key, and he appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s. He won an Emmy for his work as a voiceover artist.
He moved back to St. Louis in 2000, drawn there by love. Since then, he has cultivated a satisfying teaching career. He leads courses at the Center of Creative Arts in St. Louis and at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, and he conducts communications workshops for Fortune 500 clients. Yet nothing brings him more joy than seeing students find courage through improv.
Q | What does improvisation mean in the theater world?
A | Improv is working without a script. It’s doing fine arts and just creating. It’s the opposite of what choreography is for a dancer. When you just dance and have a good time at a wedding, that’s improvising. When you jam together with people who play an instrument, that’s improv.
Q | What first drew you, as a performer, to live theater?
A | I found myself in a perfect balance of traditional theater and a live show. I wasn’t really attracted to TV and film (even though I did it). I liked to be in the room with the audience, to hear the people laughing. Improv checked all the boxes.
Q | What do you like best about the art of improvisation?
A | There’s no barrier. In theater, we need a lot: a script, license, stage, set designer, etc. In the world of improv, we have a blank stage, lights, and an audience. Many think improv equals comedy. But improv brings everybody together and builds community. You learn about each other and start to grow, whether it’s five people or 100.
Q | What makes improv a useful tool, even for non-actors?
A | The No. 1 phobia is public speaking. Whether someone speaks in a crowd, in front of the boss, or somewhere else, improv helps them learn to be in the moment. People don’t have to be perfect. Come in and just do it and it’s going to work out. I think anxiety is what worries people. I tell them to just have fun.
Q | Is there an ideal age when it’s easiest to embrace improv?
A | I teach improv to students from kindergarten to adult.
Q | What’s coming up next for you in your career?
A | I just completed my master’s in theater education, so I’m looking forward to transitioning into the classroom full-time. I hope to use all my experiences to mentor the next generation of performers.
Article originally published in the July/August 2023 issue of Missouri Life.
See A Sassy, Brassy Cabaret Show
Whether you’re familiar with playwright Tennessee Williams or not, you’ll want to catch a creative cabaret show that takes its inspiration from his works including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Glass Menagerie.
By Peg Cameron Gill
The organization Tennessee Williams St. Louis (TWStL) is dedicated to enriching the cultural life of St. Louis by producing an annual theater festival and other artistic and educational events that celebrate the art and influence of famed onetime St. Louis resident Tennessee Williams.
On May 31, The TWStL is delighted to bring The Brass Menagerie to audiences in the St. Louis area. This creative cabaret show is a campy romp through the female characters of Tennessee Williams’ works … in SONG! The Bistro Awards, which honor the best in cabaret and jazz performance called the show, “A beautifully realized piece of work” when awarding it a 2022 Bistro Award.
In this very inventive imagining, the show features some of Williams’ most famous females – Blanche DuBois, Maggie the Cat, and The Glass Menagerie’s Wingfields – singing through their plays. Accomplished performer, playwright, and composer/lyricist Amy Jo Jackson is here to bring all of the charm, vivacity, and spirited sass the South demands of these iconic characters.
Whether you’re familiar with the works of Williams or not, you’ll enjoy this ridiculous romp of a concert, taking you through his plays such as A Streetcar Named Desire, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Summer and Smoke, The Rose Tattoo, and many more, mashed up with the classic songs of the musical theater repetoire.
With Brian Nash on the keys, prepare yourselves for an evening of strong drinks, strong accents, and even stronger choices.
Amy Jo Jackson is the recipient of a 2023 EST/Sloan Commission for Grace/Bliss, and was a 2022 finalist for the Jonathan Larson Grant. Jackson’s original musical Hatchetation was one of two selected for the National Music Theater Conference at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in 2021, and has also been developed through She-Collective, Untitled Musical Project, and Fresh Ground Pepper’s PAL program. Her acclaimed solo cabaret The Brass Menagerie was commissioned in 2019 by the Denovan Fellowship in Cabaret.
She holds a BFA from Boston Conservatory.
Don’t miss The Brass Menagerie starring Amy Jo Jackson May 31-June 1 at 7:30 PM at The Curtain Call Lounge in St. Louis.
*The May 31st performance is a fundraiser for TWStL.
See the performance schedule and ticket information here.
About Tennessee Williams: Born Thomas Lanier Williams III in 1911 in Mississippi, Williams moved to St. Louis at age seven, when his father was made an executive with the International Shoe Company.
He lived there for more than two decades, attending Washington University, working at the International Shoe Company, and producing his first plays at local theaters. He credited his sometimes-difficult experiences in St. Louis for the deeply felt poetic essence that permeates his artistry. When asked later in life when he left St. Louis, he replied, “I never really left.”
In addition to his most famous works that garnered multiple Pulitzer Prizes, Tony Awards, and Academy Awards, he wrote hundreds of additional plays, stories, essays, and poems, many of which are only now seeing the light of day as his estate permits greater access.
Today Williams is considered by many leading authorities to be one of America’s greatest playwrights.
Click here to learn about a St. Louis literacy and arts center dedicated to supporting writers – maybe even the next Tennessee Williams!
For hundreds more events, visit Missouri Life’s Event Calendar.
An Inventive, Inviting Evening of Theater
Do you get jazzed about jazz? Hopped up about history? Thrilled by theater? Here’s a great chance to indulge all of these passions. One Missouri city’s celebrating its playwriting talent in a Theatre Lab Festival starting May 18.
By Peg Cameron Gill
For the second year, Kansas City Public Theatre is presenting its annual Theatre Lab Fest, a celebration of the city’s playwriting talent.
Over the course of the festival weekend, audiences can view nightly performances of the world-premiere production of “Tipton,” attend new play-in-development readings, and participate in several interactive events such as a Playwriting Jam and 5-Page Fringe, in which any playwright can bring up to 5 pages of a script to hand out and have read aloud in front of an audience.
“Tipton” is an experimental exploration of jazz musician Billy Tipton’s life through his own writing, written accounts from his friends and family, and through the music he made. This musical revue interweaves Tipton’s vaudevillian performance style with a subtle story of transgender identity in the music world. This production not only celebrates one of the unsung heroes of Kansas City jazz, but provides a reflective perspective on transgender identity, double lives, and navigating a life in the arts.
General admission is free at the door to all events. A limited number of reservations may be purchased in advance for “Tipton” here.
See the full festival schedule here.
A bit about Billy Tipton if you’re unfamiliar with his story: Born in 1914 in Oklahoma City, Dorothy Lucille Tipton grew up in Kansas City, Mo. Assigned female at birth, Tipton studied piano and saxophone as a high school student, but school policy did not permit girls to play in the school band.
Passionate about playing jazz, Tipton began dressing as a man to get work with other jazz musicians, since opportunities for women in the industry were nearly nonexistent at that time. At first, Tipton only presented as male when performing, but by 1940 had assumed a male identity 24/7.
He slowly made a name for himself as a musician and enjoyed a small amount of success in the 1950s and ‘60s—in 1958, his group The Tipton Trio, was even offered a recording contract and a gig opening for Liberace, but Tipton turned it down.
Throughout his life, Tipton hid the secret of his birth gender—concocting an elaborate story that his genitals had been badly damaged in a car accident, and that he had also broken several ribs. He claimed that to protect his damaged chest he had to bind it.
At one point, Tipton settled down with fellow nightclub performer Kitty Kelly in 1960, and they adopted three sons. By the 1970s, he was forced to retire from music due to his advanced arthritis. By 1989, he was suffering from a peptic ulcer that began to hemorrhage, but refused to call a doctor.
At the age of 74, while paramedics worked unsuccessfully to save Tipton’s life, his son William learned that his father was assigned female at birth. Kelly had arranged for Tipton’s body to be cremated, in an attempt to keep the secret, but Tipton’s double life was exposed when William ended up on the talk show circuit.
Tipton’s life story would later inspire the feature film “The Crying Game,'' the play ''M. Butterfly,” an opera and other works.
Interested in reading more about Kansas City and jazz? Tune into this Missouri Life article.
For hundreds more events, visit Missouri Life’s Event Calendar.