ALWAYS...PATSY CLINE, LEGALLY BLONDE & More Drive Stages St. Louis to Record-Breaking Year

STAGES ST. LOUIS is proud to report that the 27th Season broke all previous box office records. With nearly $2 million in ticket sales, the season saw a significant increase in box office revenue of 8% over 2012 sales, out-grossing any season in STAGES' 27-year history. STAGES has experienced a steady growth over the past five years and has increased revenue by over 14%.

2013 marked a year of considerable growth for the 27 year old organization. In April, STAGES relocated its home for the Administrative Offices and Performing Arts Academy to the new Kent Center for Theatre Arts, located in Chesterfield, MO. The 22,000-square-foot facility enables STAGES to meet a growing need for arts education programs in a larger, more flexible, state-of-the-art facility. The building includes four dance studios, two acting studios, two voice studios, a multi-purpose student lounge, a welcome center and box office, administrative offices, as well as a performance hall with flexible seating to be used for main stage rehearsals, dance classes, educational presentations, donor and community events and special performances.

STAGES opened its season with the endearing Always... Patsy Cline, which became the fastest sell out in STAGES history. St. Louis audiences and critics alike could not get enough of this show and the run SOLD OUT (with two added performances) by the end of the first week of performances. "Stages St. Louis has put together a very memorable show with Always...Patsy Cline, and I cannot recommend it highly enough," raved Broadway World theatre critic, Chris Gibson.

Comedy Ruled, as declared by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, in Legally Blonde, The Musical and STAGES was thrilled to welcome a much younger and new audience to the quality that STAGES has become known for. "Legally Blonde, The Musical the best of four that I've seen on as many stages" (Mark Bretz, Ladue News).

The glorious grand finale, My Fair Lady, had audiences in awe at the remarkable talent and beautiful costumes. "This production is so gorgeous that the costumes get applause - and deserve them." (Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch), and Lynn VenHaus at the News-Democrat couldn't agree more by saying "So many 'Wow!' moments abound in STAGES ST. LOUIS' dazzling production of My Fair Lady." My Fair Lady became the highest grossing final show of any season.

Disney's Cinderella the annual Theatre for Young Audience production, performed at the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts under a partnership with Chaminade College Preparatory School, saw the biggest increase in audience attendance with more than a 30% increase over any previous TYA production.

"It is a great time for STAGES and I could not be happier and more confident about the future of STAGES," stated Executive Producer, Jack Lane. "There is still a lot more to come, including work from the American Musical Creative (a new initiative that also began in 2013), a wonderful line up for the 2014 Season, and I am looking forward to continuing the process of exploring additional expansion opportunities."

STAGES opened in 1987 with a budget of $50,000 and a part-time seasonal staff of eight. Today, the company employs a full-time staff of more than 30 overseeing a budget of nearly $4 million. During the performance season, an additional 150 actors and crew members bring the productions to life. To date, STAGES professionals have produced 94 musicals, with over 2,900 performances, playing to over 900,000 patrons. In 2005, STAGES added its annual Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) production to encourage multiple generations to attend professional, live musical theatre together on family-friendly schedules.

Subscriptions to the 2014 Season begin at just $99 and will go on sale December 9, 2013. Single tickets will go on sale April 7, 2014. Single ticket prices range from $20 - $57. STAGES performs in the intimate, 377-seat Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Civic Center, 111 South Geyer Road in St. Louis, MO. For more information or to purchase tickets call 314-821-2407 or visit www.stagesstlouis.org.

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