Matthew McCarthy News

STAGES ST. LOUIS continues its tradition of presenting Broadway-quality family theatre in its seventh year of the STAGES Theatre for Young Audiences Program with Disney's 101 Dalmatians. The musical adapted from the hit Disney film will run from June 22 through July 3 at The Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood.

The stage version of 101 DALMATIANS differs greatly from the original 1961 Disney film classic, but the changes are smart ones that focus our attention more on the evil villain of the piece, Cruella De Vil, rather than on a lengthy, suspense filled chase through snowy woods and icy ponds, which really wouldn't translate well to the stage anyway. Instead we're left with a brisk piece of family-friendly entertainment that's not only delightful, but never dull in the least. Stages St. Louis is presenting a wonderfully realized production of this material that features a terrific cast singing and barking their hearts out.

STAGES ST. LOUIS continues its tradition of presenting Broadway-quality family theatre in its seventh year of the STAGES Theatre for Young Audiences Program with Disney's 101 Dalmatians. The musical adapted from the hit Disney film will run from June 22 through July 3 at The Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood.

STAGES ST. LOUIS continues its tradition of presenting Broadway-quality family theatre in its seventh year of the STAGES Theatre for Young Audiences Program with Disney's 101 Dalmatians. The musical adapted from the hit Disney film will run from June 22 through July 3 at The Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood.

The original production of A CHORUS LINE grew out of workshops organized by director/choreographer Michael Bennett where dancers and performers discussed the various joys and hardships of a life spent pursuing the stage as an occupation. James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante pieced together these elements to form a compelling story focusing on the anxieties facing a group of dancers auditioning to be in the chorus of a Broadway show, while Marvin Hamlisch (music) and Edward Kleban put their tales to a catchy score that's still decidedly hummable. Stages St. Louis opens their 25th season with this timeless masterpiece, and it's a dazzling production filled with wonderful performances, nurtured by the excellent work of director Michael Hamilton and choreographer Kim Shriver, who neatly recreate the original magic.

The one singular sensation that exhilarated Broadway for over fifteen years, A Chorus Line opens on June 3 at STAGES ST. LOUIS. A Chorus Line continues through July 3 at the Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood.

STAGES ST. LOUIS, the region's foremost not-for-profit musical theatre company and performing arts academy, is thrilled to announce the 2010 production ofPromises, Promiseswill be recognized by Live Design Magazine at the Fourth Annual Excellence in Live Design Awards in New York City during the Broadway Master Classes later this month.

Florida Repertory Theatre announced that its nationally celebrated production of Sylvia, recently praised by The Wall Street Journal, will be performed at Sanibel Island's BIG ARTS this Thursday, Feb. 3, at 8pm. During its January run, acclaimed drama critic and best-selling author, Terry Teachout, called the production 'both clever and cute in all the right ways.'

Twenty-two St. Louis theater companies are represented in the nominations for the Sixth Annual Kevin Kline Awards. Thirty plays and musicals produced in the St. Louis area during 2010 now share 112 nominations in 22 different categories for the coveted award.

Written by A.R. Gurney, author of Love Letters, A Cocktail Hour and Florida Rep hits, The Middle Ages and Indian Blood, Sylvia follows Greg and Kate, two recent empty-nesters, through a mid-life crisis of sorts. After years of blissful suburban life, they move to Manhattan as Kate's career picks up and Greg's winds down. Things get interesting when Greg brings home a frisky young blonde named Sylvia. She quickly becomes the object of his misplaced affection, and a definite 'bone' of contention between Greg and his wife.

The Old Globe Theatre in San Diego is currently featuring Tony and Pulitzer Award winner Neil Simon's semi-autobiographical plays, BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS and BROADWAY BOUND. The plays follow the life of Eugene Morris Jerome from the foibles of youth in late-1930s Brooklyn to a career as a comedy writer for radio. Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound are performed in a rotating repertory schedule. BroadwayWorld reporter Audra Stafford recently caught up with the 'Broadway Babies' of BRIGHTON BEACH, Austyn Myers and Allie Trimm.

As State Fairs take place around the country, Stages St. Louis concludes its 24th season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's Tony Award-winning Broadway musical STATE FAIR at The Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood from September 3 - October 3, 2010.

Stages St. Louis concludes its 24th season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's Tony Award-winning Broadway musical State Fair at The Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood from September 3 - October 3, 2010.

BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS & BROADWAY BOUND by Neil Simon and directed by Scott Schwartz runs September 14 - November 7, 2010 in rep at the Old Globe Theatre. Production photos have been released and appear below!

Stages St. Louis concludes its 24th season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's Tony Award-winning Broadway musical State Fair at The Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood from September 3 - October 3, 2010.

BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS & BROADWAY BOUND by Neil Simon and directed by Scott Schwartz runs thru November 7 at the Old Globe Theatre.

STATE FAIR was the only musical that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote specifically for Hollywood and two versions were filmed, one in 1945 and the other in 1962. The one that's probably most familiar to audiences today is the rather forgettable 1962 version which features Pat Boone serenading a pig. Hammerstein's son, James, revived the musical in 1995, plucking tunes from ME AND JULIET, PIPE DREAM and ALLEGRO! to round out the score. While the results are certainly a mixed bag musically, the latest presentation by Stages St. Louis is splendidly mounted, and provides a lively and engaging look back at a simpler time in our history.

As State Fairs take place around the country, Stages St. Louis concludes its 24th season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's Tony Award-winning Broadway musical STATE FAIR at The Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood from September 3 - October 3, 2010.

As State Fairs take place around the country, Stages St. Louis concludes its 24th season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's Tony Award-winning Broadway musical STATE FAIR at The Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood from September 3 - October 3, 2010.