Colin Dowd

Set in 2027, Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis' URINETOWN is an hilariously subversive fable of greed, corruption, love, revolution, and urination, in a time when water is worth its weight in gold and there's no such thing as a free pee. Set in a near-future dystopian Gotham, a severe 20-year drought has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens are forced to use public 'amenities' now, regulated by a single malevolent company that profits by charging admission for one of humanity's most basic needs. In this nightmare world, the punishment for an unauthorized pee is a trip to the dreaded Urinetown. But from the ruins of Democracy and courtesy flushes, there rises an unlikely hero who decides he's held it long enough, and he launches a People's Revolution to lead them all to urinary freedom!

New Line Theatre, “the bad boy of musical theatre,” has announced its 31st season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the wild musical comedy SOMETHING ROTTEN, running Sept. 22-Oct. 15, 2022; followed by the electrifying concept musical, NINE, based on Federico Fellini's iconic film 8 1/2, running March 2-25, 2023; and the season closes with one of the great Stephen Sondheim's earliest works, the hilarious farce, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, based on the Roman comedies of Plautus, running June 1-24, 2023.

HEAD OVER HEELS returns to New Line's stage after being shut down early by the pandemic in 2020. The New Liners promised the show would be back, and it is, March 3-26!

New Line Theatre has announced it 30th Anniversary Season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the return of Jason Robert Brown's brilliant, funny, and intense concept musical SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD, which New Line first produced in 1998 in its American regional premiere, running Sept. 30-Oct. 23, 2021.

The Broadway Education Alliance, Disney Theatrical Group and Camp Broadway LLC has announced that $87,975 in educational scholarships have been awarded to students participating in the 11th annual Roger Rees Awards for Excellence in Student Performance, a celebration of high school musical programs in the Greater New York area.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," presents the area premiere of YEAST NATION: THE TRIUMPH OF LIFE, the world's first bio-historical musical, a comic political thriller with book and lyrics by Greg Kotis, and music and lyrics by Mark Hollmann, the subversive geniuses behind the award-winning Broadway musical Urinetown, running May 31-June 23, 2018 at the Marcelle Theater in the Grand Center Arts District. 

New Line Theatre, the bad boy of musical theatre, continues its 27th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, with a public reading of the new/old musical THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, 'Gilbert & Sullivan's original operatic abomination,' free and open to the public, on January 8 for one night only; followed by Cole Porter's satiric masterpiece ANYTHING GOES, running March 1-24, 2018; and the St. Louis premiere of the world's first bio-historical musical comedy, YEAST NATION, written by the Urinetown team, running May 31-June 23, 2018. All shows will be in the company's home, the Marcelle Theater, in the Grand Center Arts District.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," has announced that for the first time in its history, New Line is selling season tickets, for its 27th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the St. Louis premiere of the four-woman rock opera LIZZIE, a very different take on the Lizzie Borden legend, running Sept. 28-Oct. 21, 2017; followed by Cole Porter's satiric masterpiece ANYTHING GOES, running March 1-24, 2018; and the St. Louis premiere of the world's first bio-historical musical comedy, YEAST NATION, written by the Urinetown team, running May 31-June 23, 2018. Tickets go on sale Aug. 1. All New Line's mainstage shows will be in the company's home, the Marcelle Theater, in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," announces its 27th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the St. Louis premiere of the four-woman rock opera LIZZIE, a very different take on the Lizzie Borden legend, running Sept. 28-Oct. 21, 2017; followed by Cole Porter's satiric masterpiece ANYTHING GOES, running March 1-24, 2018; and the St. Louis premiere of the world's first bio-historical musical comedy, YEAST NATION, written by the Urinetown team, running May 31-June 23, 2018. All New Line's mainstage shows will be in the company's home, the Marcelle Theater, in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district.

Though I'm extremely familiar with Tom Jones' (words) and Harvey Schmidt's (music) most popular work, THE FANTASTICKS, I had never seen their follow up, CELEBRATION. What I'd read while doing research was that it really fizzled once it was on Broadway. However, after seeing it I can understand why; it's a smaller scaled show that requires just the right venue to succeed. That's why I'm so glad New Line Theatre opened their 26th season with this fanciful and tune-filled musical. Through their superlative efforts we're able to see the premiere of a version that's been revised by Tom Jones. I'm not sure what was changed, but what we're privy to is a very engaging and entertaining production that will make you wonder why it isn't performed with more regularity. The score itself is gorgeous, and I cannot recommend this neglected gem highly enough.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," opens its 26th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the world premiere of a new revised version of the wild, 1969 adult jazz-rock musical CELEBRATION, by the creators of The Fantasticks, runningSept. 29-Oct. 22, in the company's new home, the Marcelle Theater, the new blackbox theatre in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district.

New Line Theatre, “the bad boy of musical theatre,” opens its 26th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the world premiere of a new revised version of the wild, 1969 adult jazz-rock musical CELEBRATION, by the creators of The Fantasticks, running Sept. 29-Oct. 22, in the company's new home, the Marcelle Theater, the new blackbox theatre in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district.

New Line Theatre, 'the bad boy of musical theatre,' announces its 26th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the world premiere of a new revised version of the wild, 1969 adult jazz-rock musical CELEBRATION, by the creators of The Fantasticks, running Sept. 29-Oct. 22, 2016; followed by Kander & Ebb's rarely produced gem ZORBA, running March 2-25, 2017; then the regional premiere of the pitch-black 2002 jazz-rock musical THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS, based on the famous novel and film, running June 1-24, 2017; and the world premiere of the third installment of New Line's own creation, the new revue OUT ON BROADWAY: THE THIRD COMING, running August 3-19, 2017. All New Line's mainstage shows will be in the company's new home, the Marcelle Theater, the new blackbox theatre in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district.

The 1980's were an interesting time for movies with teen comedy/dramas seemingly appearing everywhere, and one of the most intriguing aspects of these pictures was the absence of many adult characters. The late John Hughes was responsible for several "brat pack" films that established a distinct tone for this genre, but it was near the end of this cycle that director Michael Lehmann and screenwriter Daniel Waters put together something that took those established tropes in an entirely different, and decidedly dark, direction with the movie HEATHERS. The musical version had a run Off-Broadway in 2014, and now you can see it in all its pitch black glory with New Line Theatre's amazing production, which opens their 25th season. Not only is it a fantastic and edgy show, but it also marks their first presentation in their new venue, the Marcelle Theater (lovingly designed by Rob Lippert). This is a dazzling and intense show that features a smartly crafted book and score, courtesy of Laurence O'Keefe and Kevin Murphy, as well as an excellent cast and expert direction. This is beyond must-see entertainment. This is an accomplishment you absolutely have to check out. You'll be dazzled by its brilliance, and completely floored by the wonderful performances you'll be witness to.

New Line opens its 25th season with the regional premiere of the pitch-black musical comedy HEATHERS, written by the award-winning team of Kevin Murphy (Reefer Madness) and Laurence O'Keefe (Bat Boy, Legally Blonde). This hilarious, big-hearted, and homicidal new musical is based on the 1989 cult film, truly one of the darkest teen comedies of all time. The original screenwriter Daniel Waters called it, "a Carson McCullers-style novel of a girl who meets the Antichrist as a teenager.'

New Line opens its 25th season with the company's 75th production, the pitch-black musical comedy HEATHERS, running tonight, October 1, through October 24, 2015, written by the award-winning team of Kevin Murphy ( Reefer Madness) and Laurence O'Keefe ( Bat Boy, Legally Blonde).

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," opens its 25th anniversary season of adult, alternative musical theatre in the brand new Marcelle Theater in Grand Center, with the regional premiere of the rock musical HEATHERS, running October 1-24, 2015. 

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," celebrates its 25th anniversary season of adult, alternative musical theatre, with a new, expanded line-up, a brand new theatre, and a very special thank-you to the St. Louis community -- '25 for 25.' At the Thursday preview performance for each show this season, New Line will set aside 25 tickets, and the first 25 people in line at the box office at 7:00 pm will each get a ticket for 25 cents (one ticket per person).