HEC-TV’s 2015 ST. LOUIS THEATER GUIDE Volume 1, Number 1
WWW.HECTV.ORG COCACOCAPresentsPresents ExtraordinaryExtraordinary Theatre Theatre for Childrenfor Children and Adultsand Adults
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HEC-TV BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DR. JAMES CARRINGTON ...... Donald Danforth Plant Science Center DR. DON SENTI ...... Education Plus DR. J. MICHAEL PRESSIMONE ...... Fontbonne University DR. DWAUN J. WARMAK ...... Harris-Stowe State University DR. JAMES EVANS ...... Lindenwood University DR. CLAY MCDONALD ...... Logan College of Chiropractic DR. MARK LOMBARDI ...... Maryville University DR. JAMES M. DENNIS ...... McKendree University DR. PETER WYSE JACKSON ...... Missouri Botanical Garden DR. FRANCES LEVINE...... Missouri History Museum MR. BERT VESCOLANI ...... Saint Louis Science Center DR. FRED P. PESTELLO ...... Saint Louis University DR. JEFFREY BONNER...... Saint Louis Zoo DR. RONALD CHESBROUGH ...... St. Charles Community College DR. JOHN A. PIEPER ...... St. Louis College of Pharmacy DR. DENNIS MICHAELIS ...... St. Louis Community College MS. RUBY CURRY ...... Florissant Valley (SLCC) DR. ROD NUNN ...... Forest Park (SLCC) MS. PAM MCINTYRE ...... Meramec (SLCC) / Wildwood (SLCC) DR. KENNETH W. DOBBINS ...... Southeast Missouri State University DR. JULIE FURST-BOWE ...... Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville DR. THOMAS GEORGE ...... University of Missouri – St. Louis DR. MARK WRIGHTON ...... Washington University DR. ELIZABETH J. STROBLE ...... Webster University COMMISSION MEMBERS
DONALD L. WOLFF, J.D...... President ALAN WINKLEMANN ...... Vice President ANN TERRY JOHNSON...... Secretary JAMES L. MCHUGH SR., J.D...... Treasurer WAYNE GO ODE ...... Member CRAIG LARSON, ED.D...... Member HEC-TV STAFF
DENNIS RIGGS—Director JOYCE GATES—Executive Assistant to the Director BOYD PICKUP—Broadcast Operations Manager JAYNE BALLEW—Content Coordinator, All Platforms CHRISTINA CHASTAIN—Marketing & Strategic Partnerships Coordinator AMBER HIRSCH—Communications Coordinator
WWW.HECTV.ORG 1 what’sINSIDE p.3 DIRECTOR’S CUT Greetings from the Director of the Higher Education Channel (HEC-TV). by Dennis Riggs p.4 ABOUT HEC-TV Who is HEC-TV? Where can I watch HEC-TV programs? How can I connect through social media? What is the contact information? All your questions are answered here! p. 5 FEATURE “History of Two on the Aisle” by Bob Wilcox St. Louis’ only local theater review television program brings viewers “Siskel and Ebert” style reviews of local and national theatre performances. p. 6 FEATURE “St. Louis Theatre History” by Bob Wilcox From the earliest known plays performed at the old St. Louis courthouse in 1815, to the construction of the Muny a hundred years later, to the thriving local theater scene today—St. Louis has a rich and dramatic history. p.7 DID YOU KNOW? “A Bill of Particulars” Discover fun facts and the back-story of the classic magazine and program guide for theater from Broadway to Off-Broadway, and in cities across the United States. p. 8-13 THEATRE GUIDE 2015 A comprehensive map and index of local theater companies and venues in St. Louis city and county. p. 14-15 HEC-TV PROGRAMS A listing of HEC-TV’s award-winning local series and programs. p. 16 DID YOU KNOW? “Famous St. Louis Thespians” Take a stroll down our city’s very own St. Louis Walk of Fame.
Cover art by Christina Chastain. Reproduction of this publication, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission. 2 WWW.HECTV.ORG director’sCUT
Tank you for supporting live theater in St. Louis and thank you for reading this frst-ever St. Louis Teater Guide.
HEC-TV (the Higher Education Channel) is St. Louis’ leading producer of education, arts, and cultural television programing.
Our mission statement is: “to strengthen and promote the education, arts, and cultural commu- nities in the metro area.” With that in mind we embarked on something no one has ever tried before; to create a comprehensive listing of all the local theater companies and theater venues we could fnd.
Our goal is to inform regular theatergoers about theaters and companies with which they are un- familiar and to interest non-patrons in exploring arts and culture they didn’t even know existed.
We hear all the time about what a rich, vibrant theater community St. Louis enjoys—one of the most robust in the country.
However, we had no idea how large and diverse it is until we started putting this publication to- gether. Tis is as complete as we could make it at the moment we went to press. I can guarantee you this printed version is not, and can never be, completely comprehensive. Te theater scene is so dynamic that it is constantly changing. As a service to our entire community we will make every efort to keep the online version of this guide current. You can fnd it at www.hectv.org. Please visit our site and share a link to this guide with your friends. Let’s take pride in another aspect of the wonderful quality of life we enjoy here in St. Louis.
To help you chose what to see, check out HEC-TV’s Two on the Aisle. Every week, our two leg- ends of local theater, Bob Wilcox and Gerry Kowarsky, bring you the beneft of their decades of experience; and give you an insider’s perspective on everything that is currently playing on stage. Two on the Aisle is unparalleled in St. Louis television and an HEC-TV exclusive.
We hope you will learn a lot about St. Louis theater in this guide; and that it will open your eyes to new aspects of the rich cultural life we enjoy here. Inside you’ll fnd a little history, a listing of local theater companies, a directory of area theater venues, and a map of where to fnd them.
Here you are—St. Louis’ frst comprehensive theater guide. Now you have no excuse not to get out and enjoy!
It’s a perfect cure for winter cabin fever—live theater and television that “makes you think.”
Dennis Riggs Director HEC-TV WWW.HECTV.ORG 3 ABOUTHEC-TV ABOUT HEC-TV
Unique in the nation, HEC-TV (the Higher Education Channel) is programmed in partnership with 20 area colleges and universities, 62 school districts, and 5 cultural institutions. HEC-TV’s mission is to “strengthen and promote education, arts, and cultural communities in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area” through high quality local programming. Tree-time recipient of the prestigious Station of Excellence Emmy Award for the Mid-America NATAS Chapter (National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences), HEC-TV is St. Louis’ leading producer of local education, arts, and cultural television programs. HEC-TV—It Makes You Tink!
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Charter Cable Channel 989 (St. Louis City and County) AT&T U-verse Channel 99 (choose HEC-TV from a listing of PEG Channels) KTVI Channel 2.2 (selected programs air weekly M-F at 1 pm) On Demand at www.hectv.org
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CONTACT
HEC-TV 3221 McKelvey Road, Suite 106 • St. Louis, Missouri 63044 Telephone: (314) 531-4455 • Fax: (314) 531-0750 • www.hectv.org
4 WWW.HECTV.ORG featureSTORY By Bob Wilcox, Producer Two on the Aisle
History of Two on the Aisle Sometime around 1989, the city of St. Louis granted cable companies the right to provide cable service in the city. Te city, like all the granters of cable franchises, required the cable companies to provide channels for programming by the government, by educational institutions, and by the general public.
In addition, St. Louis, unlike other cities, required the cable companies to provide on yet another channel a set number of programs every week that were produced locally. Te cable companies, not wishing to bother with producing these programs, contracted with the Double Helix Corporation, owner of the local community radio station KDHX, to provide this programming.
Desperate for material to fll up those hours, a member of the Double Helix board approached me about creating a program that covered local theatre productions. At that time, I was writing reviews of local theatre for the Riverfront Times. I split the coverage with another reviewer, Harry Weber, and Double Helix suggested that the two of us pattern our program after the TV show on which Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert reviewed movies.
But the flm companies provided Siskel and Ebert with previews of their movies that the reviewers could use to illustrate their comments. Local theatre companies gave us no such video. So Double Helix arranged for a videographer to visit the local productions and shoot video that we could use on the program we called Two on the Aisle. Our viewers could actually see what we were talking about and perhaps compare our opinions with what they saw on the video.
Two on the Aisle is, so far as we know, the only half-hour television program that accompanies its reviews of theatre with video of the productions being reviewed.
When Harry Weber, who also taught English at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, went on a sabbatical in the autumn of 1992, I invited Gerry Kowarsky (above right), who reviewed theatre for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, to join me. We’ve been together ever since.
And in 2011, when Double Helix closed its television operation, Dennis Riggs invited Two on the Aisle to move to HEC-TV. We’ve been there ever since, with improved support and, we like to think, ever better programs.
Watch St. Louis’ only local theater review program with fresh episodes premiering every other week on HEC- TV: Tuesday evenings at 7:30 pm, Thursday evenings at 9 pm, Fridays at Noon, and Sunday afternoons at 4 pm. You can also watch on demand anytime on your computer or mobile device at http://www.hectv.org/ programs/two-on-the-aisle/. WWW.HECTV.ORG 5 featureSTORY By Bob Wilcox, Producer, Two on the Aisle
St. Louis Theatre History It may not rank with air, food, and water, but humans do seem to have a need for theatre. No doubt the frst inhabitants of St. Louis in their religious rituals, like people everywhere, put on masks and costumes and played the role of the god they were worshipping.
When the Europeans arrived, they brought their theatre with them, though we have no specifc record of a theatrical performance by the French in St. Louis. We do know that in 1815, after the Louisiana Purchase, two English plays, Te School for Authors and Te Budget of Blunders, were performed in the courthouse.
In 1817, a theatre was either built or adapted from an existing building at Tird and Spruce, and a loft over a stable at the rear of the old Green Tree Tavern on Second Street was used for performances.
Professional actors arrived in 1818, with companies appearing from New Orleans and other places along the Mississippi to stay for longer or shorter periods, performing Shakespeare, sentimental comedies and melodramas, mostly English, with a few American plays, especially about the West. After the Civil War, the spread of the railroads allowed shows packaged in New York to tour to St. Louis, which by 1910 had fve playhouses, including Pope’s Teatre, built in 1879 at Olive and Ninth, considered one of the best theatres in the country.
But by 1940, thanks to the movies, St. Louis was reduced to one theatre, which hosted road companies. For a time in the 1950’s, another housed a local company with visiting stars in the leads.
Of course, since 1917, in the summer there has been Te Muny (above – construction of outdoor amphitheater).
But in the frst half of the twentieth century, small non-commercial theatres sprang up, products of the “Little Teatre” movement, doing serious, even avant-garde work. Tey’re now our community theatres, such as the Teatre Guild of Webster Groves, which in the ‘30’s produced a play by the young Tennessee Williams.
With increasing interest in the arts in the 1960’s and increased government support, the regional theatre movement saw resident theatres established in every sizable city in the country, including the Repertory Teatre of St. Louis here. Smaller professional companies have proliferated in its wake, providing the wealth of theatre we have now in St. Louis. 6 WWW.HECTV.ORG did you KNOW?
A Bill of Particulars Playbill is not just a magazine or a theatre program, but a souvenir that serves as a memory from a live performance on stage. Since the frst program was printed in New York City in 1884, nearly every Broadway theatre now uses the publication, as well as many Of-Broadway productions, and in theatres across the United States including St. Louis. Te history of this well-recognized yellow and black theatre icon dates back 131 years, and is outlined below in excerpts from the following article by Robert Viagas which can be found on www.playbill.com.
“In 1884 Times Square was still called Long Acre Square. There were no electric lights there yet—nor, for that matter, were there any theatres, because the New York theatre district was still centered some 20 blocks south. It was at the Madison Square Theatre, on 24th Street, that a great Broadway tradition was born.
As theatregoers were being seated, they were handed a bill of particulars about that evening’s play, David Belasco’s ‘May Blossom,’ and its star, DeWolfe Hopper. It was the very first of what would someday come to be known as the ‘Playbill.’
For [over a century] the Playbill company, under different names and owners, has shared Broadway’s journey, surviving depressions, World Wars, and even Moose Murders. There have been many outward changes over the years, but the basic formula of free, ad-supported programs with lists of actors and creators has stayed remarkably similar to the earliest ones conceived and handcrafted by company founder Frank Vance Strauss.
The company stayed in the Strauss family for more than 70 years. The single-sheet handbill evolved into a booklet, adding beautiful art nouveau color covers for each theatre in 1911. For the ensuing two decades, the programs began to evolve beyond simply listing the show’s credits, though these remained the cornerstone of each program. The programs began to offer editorial content based on the life of the theatregoer. Stories featuring fashion advice, interviews, jokes — even short stories, book reviews and advice on car care — began to be seen. The color covers were replaced in 1930 by sepia, but changed for each play. The name ‘The Playbill’ was used for the first time in 1934, and the black logo in Egyptian Wide typeface on a yellow background made its debut in the mid-1950s.”
Viagas, Robert. (2009, September 21). Playbill Magazine Celebrates 125 Years in the Biz Sept. 21. Retrieved from http://www.playbill.com. WWW.HECTV.ORG 7
ADMITADMIT LOCAL THEATRE VENUES ONEONE
1 560 Music Center (Washington University) 9 Fontbonne University Fine Arts Theater 560 Trinity Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63130 6800 Wydown Blvd., Clayton, MO 63105 http://wustl.edu/arts/560.html http://www.fontbonne.edu/academics/ (314) 935-9231 undergraduate/departments/finearts/ theatreproductions/ 2 Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center (314) 719-8061 (University of Missouri–St. Louis) One University Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63121 10 Heagney Theatre at Nerinx Hall http://www.touhill.org/ 530 East Lockwood Avenue (314) 516-4949 Webster Groves, MO 63119
3 The Chesterfield Community Theatre (West 11 The Ivory Theatre (South City/Carondelet) County Family YMCA) 7620 Michigan Avenue, St. Louis MO 63111 16464 Burkhardt Place, Chesterfield, MO 63017 http://www.ivorytheatrestl.com http://www.ymcastlouis.org/program/ (314) 631-8330 community-theatre (636) 532-6515 12 J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts (Lindenwood University) 4 COCA 2300 West Clay Street, Saint Charles, MO 633301 524 Trinity Avenue luboxoffice.com/boxOffice/index.html St. Louis, MO 63130 (636) 949-4433 www.cocastl.org (314) 725-6555 13 The Kranzberg Arts Center 501 North Grand, St. Louis, MO 63103 5 The Edison Theatre (The Mallinckrodt http://kranzbergartscenter.org/ Center, Washington University Danforth (314) 533-0367 Campus) 6445 Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63105 14 The Loretto-Hilton Center for the https://edison.wustl.edu Performing Arts (Webster University (314) 935-6543 Campus) 130 Edgar Road, Webster Groves, MO 63119 6 Emerson Black Box Theater (Lindenwood’s http://www2.webster.edu/campusmap/ J. Scheidegger Center) lorettohiltoncms.html 2300 W. Clay St., St. Charles, MO 63301 http://luboxoffice.com/atTheCenter/ 15 Meramec Theater (St. Louis Community emersonBlackBoxTheater.html College–Meramec) (636) 949-4433 11333 Big Bend Road, St. Louis, MO 63122 http://www.stlcc.edu/mc/Theatre/Index.html 7 The Fabulous Fox Theatre (Grand Center) (314) 984-7500 527 North Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103 www.fabulousfox.com/ 16 Mildred E. Bastian Center for Performing (314) 534-1111 Arts (St. Louis Community College– Forest Park) 8 Florissant Civic Center Theatre (James J. 5600 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110 Eagan Center) http://www.stlcc.edu/FP/Bastian%20Theatre/ 1 James J. Eagan Drive, Florissant, MO 63033 Index.html http://www.florissantmo.com/ (314) 644-9386 (314) 921-5678
Find local theatre venues & companies on map—pages 8 & 9. 10 WWW.HECTV.ORG ADMITADMIT LOCAL THEATRE VENUES ONEONE
17 The Muny 26 Theater at Southampton #1 Theatre Drive, St. Louis, MO 63112 Presbyterian Church http://www.muny.org 4716 Macklind Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63109 (314) 361-1900 27 Theater at Donald D. Shook Fine Arts 18 Performing Arts Theatre (St. Peters City Building (St. Charles Community College) Hall Cultural Arts Centre) 4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, Cottleville, MO 63376 1 St Peters Centre Blvd, St. Peters, MO 63376 https://www.stchas.edu/events/arts-on- http://www.stpetersmo.net/arts-theater.aspx campus/center-stage-theatre.html (636) 397-6903 ext. 1623 (636) 922-8000
19 The Playhouse at Westport Plaza 28 Theater Guild of Webster Groves 635 Westport Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63146 517 Theatre Lane, Webster Groves, MO 63119 www.westportstl.com/ http://theatreguildwg.org (314) 962-0876 20 Peabody Opera House 1400 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63103 29 Thomas Hunter Theatre (De Smet Jesuit www.peabodyoperahouse.com/ High School) (314) 499-7600 233 N. New Ballas Road, Creve Coeur, MO 63141 http://www.desmet.org/ 21 Regional Arts Commission (314) 567-3500 6128 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63112 http://racstl.org/ 30 Tower Grove Abbey (314) 863-5811 2336 Tennessee Ave., St. Louis, MO 63104 www.towergroveabbey.org 22 Robert G. Reim Theatre (Kirkwood (314) 865-1995 Community Centre) 111 S. Geyer Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122 31 Union Avenue Christian Church http://www.kirkwoodmo.org/content/City- 733 N. Union Blvd., St. Louis, MO 6318 Departments/1861/theater.aspx www.union-avenue.org/ (314) 822-5855 (314) 361-8844
23 Shakespeare Glen (Forest Park) 32 Washington University South Campus 6604 Fine Arts Drive, St. Louis, MO 63110 Theatre (old CBC High School) http://www.sfstl.com 6501 Clayton Road, St. Louis, MO 63105 (314) 531-9800 http://wustl.edu/community/visitors/
24 The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts 33 Wool Studio Theatre (Jewish (Chaminade High School) Community Center) 425 S. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63131 2 Millstone Campus Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146 http://www.chaminade-stl.org/studentlife/ www.jccstl.com fine_arts/index.aspx (314) 432-5700
25 Terry M. Fischer Theatre (St. Louis 34 Xavier Hall Theatre (Saint Louis University) Community College–Florissant Valley) 3733 West Pine Mall, Xavier Hall, 3400 Pershall Rd., St. Louis, MO 63135 St. Louis, MO 63108 http://www.stlcc.edu/FV/Theatre/Index.html http://www.slu.edu/x14264.xml (314) 513-4488 (314) 977-3327