Sarah Porter News

What happens when the son of a middle-aged gay couple brings home the daughter of an arch-conservative politician -- and her parents -- for dinner?

What happens when the son of a middle-aged gay couple brings home the daughter of an arch-conservative politician -- and her parents -- for dinner?

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," opened its 28th season of adult, alternative musical theatre in October with the critically acclaimed world premiere of THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, Gilbert & Sullivan's comic-horror 'operatic abomination,' in its world premiere, with new text by Scott Miller and music adaptation and orchestration by John Gerdes. And now, the show's script, full piano-vocal score, and a live cast recording are all available on Amazon.com.

As the story goes in Gilbert & Sullivan's 1879 operetta, The Pirates of Penzance, Frederic the pirate has just been released from his indenture to a comical band of soft-hearted pirates when he meets Mabel, the daughter of Major-General Stanley, and falls in love. As the story also goes, in 2013, New Line Theatre's Artistic Director Scott Miller made an extraordinary discovery:  the never-seen-before draft manuscripts for The Pirates of Penzance, which actually-believe it or not-originated as The Zombies of Penzance.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," opens its 28th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the world premiere of THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, Gilbert & Sullivan's newly discovered, original 'operatic abomination,' in its world premiere, running Sept. 27-Oct. 20, 2018 at the Marcelle Theater, in the Grand Center Arts District.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," opens its 28th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the world premiere of THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, Gilbert & Sullivan's newly discovered, original 'operatic abomination,' in its world premiere, running Sept. 27-Oct. 20, 2018 at the Marcelle Theater, in the Grand Center Arts District.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," opens its 28th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the world premiere of THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, Gilbert & Sullivan's newly discovered, original 'operatic abomination,' in its world premiere, running Sept. 27-Oct. 20, 2018 at the Marcelle Theater, in the Grand Center Arts District.

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," opens its 28th season of adult, alternative musical theatre with the world premiere of THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, Gilbert & Sullivan's newly discovered, original 'operatic abomination,' in its world premiere, running Sept. 27-Oct. 20, 2018 at the Marcelle Theater, in the Grand Center Arts District.

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," announces its 28th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the world premiere of THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, Gilbert & Sullivan's newly discovered, original 'operatic abomination,' in its first ever production, running Sept. 27-Oct. 20, 2018; followed by the 'family values' classic musical LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, running Feb. 28-March 23, 2019; and to close the season, the St. Louis premiere of the new sci-fi rock musical BE MORE CHILL, based on the bestselling novel, running May 30-June 22, 2019. All New Line's mainstage shows will be in the company's home, the Marcelle Theater, in the Grand Center Arts District.

It's 1934 and we're going on a wild transatlantic cruise full of sex, booze, God, and gangsters. Welcome to the S.S. American, where anything can happen, and it usually does. 

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," announces its 28th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, including the world premiere of THE ZOMBIES OF PENZANCE, Gilbert & Sullivan's newly discovered, original 'operatic abomination,' in its first ever production, running Sept. 27-Oct. 20, 2018; followed by the 'family values' classic musical LA CAGE AUX FOLLES, running Feb. 28-March 23, 2019; and to close the season, the St. Louis premiere of the new sci-fi rock musical BE MORE CHILL, based on the bestselling novel, running May 30-June 22, 2019. All New Line's mainstage shows will be in the company's home, the Marcelle Theater, in the Grand Center Arts District.

It's 1934 and we're going on a wild transatlantic cruise full of sex, booze, God, and gangsters. Welcome to the S.S. American, where anything can happen, and it usually does. 

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, will present 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 Monday, January 8, 2018, at 8:00 pm at the Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, in the Grand Center Arts District. Admission is free.

LIZZIE is a unique musical experience, and I was absolutely blown away by it. The product of the team of Steven Cheslik-deMeyer, Alan Stevens Hewitt, and Tim Maner, who all contributed to the book, music, lyrics and orchestrations; it's a true rock opera. Watching and listening to this powerful show is like discovering a forgotten concept album from the past, and I'm amazed that no group from rock's rich history ever tackled the subject of Lizzie Borden before, although I could be wrong about that. But you have to realize that none of those predominately male-dominated groups of the late 60's, 70's and early 80's, who were churning out double or triple albums with a narrative thread, had four female vocalists who could take on the various roles that are present here, and not with such a degree of variety. Some selections remind me of blistering Iron Maiden type material, and some have that Runaways vibe, and some are definitely arena rock, but there are also songs that are chamber-pop in style; delicate and rich with harmony. New Line Theatre has put together a production that's like the coolest rock concert ever, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

New Line Theatre, the bad boy of musical theatre, opens its 27th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, with 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, at the Marcelle Theater in the Grand Center Arts District.

New Line Theatre, the bad boy of musical theatre, opens its 27th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, with 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, at 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.