THE THORN to Bring 30th Anniversary Tour to St. Louis

The Thorn, the touring theatrical production that audiences have described as 'cirque meets the Passion,' will bring its 30th anniversary tour to Stifel Theatre in St. Louis on Friday, September 18 at 7:00 PM and Saturday, September 19 at 1:00 PM as one of just 12 stops this September and October in The Thorn tour.

Told through the eyes of an aged John the Beloved recalling his years alongside Jesus, The Thorn spans from creation to the founding of the early church. The production offers an opportunity to experience a large-scale theatrical presentation that brings together music, storytelling, aerial performance, dance and visual effects under one production. The show is designed to engage audiences through both its narrative and its physical staging, making the experience distinct from a traditional stage drama over a two and a half hour performance and by a touring company of nearly 60 people.

The scale of the current tour stands in sharp contrast to where the show started. The Thorn began in October 1996 as a single Wednesday night youth group drama at a church in Colorado Springs, staged by volunteers with no budget. It grew at that one church for roughly a decade, expanded into partnerships with churches nationwide, and was filmed in 2022 for a release in more than 800 movie theaters. Since 2023, the live production has toured professional performing arts centers. More than two million people have now seen it on stage, including more than 160,000 in the past year alone.

Creator John Bolin, then a volunteer youth pastor, wrote the first version after a conversation with a teenager in his youth group who was struggling with self-harm. He staged a short drama the following week meant to show her what he believed Jesus had already endured on her behalf. Church leadership asked the group to perform it again the next Easter, and it has been rewritten and restaged nearly every year since.

'Thirty years ago this was a handful of volunteers and a borrowed stage,' said John Bolin, creator of The Thorn. 'The venues have gotten a lot bigger. The reason we do it has not changed at all. We are still telling one story to whoever will come and sit with it for an evening.'

The production has also inspired change off stage, taking the story beyond the walls of the theater and into the world through Compassion International. Its partnership with Compassion International, the Colorado Springs-based child development organization, has resulted in more than 25,000 children sponsored since 2011. In 2025 alone, an audience of roughly 150,000 produced over 5,000 new sponsorships. Sarah Bolin, who co-founded the production and oversees casting and touring operations, has said the milestone is a reminder of what can happen 'when we say yes to Him.'

For St. Louis and the surrounding region, the engagement brings in a nationally touring production whose entire fall schedule is limited to 12 markets, with St. Louis the only stop in Missouri.

Performances take place at Stifel Theatre, 1400 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri, on Friday, September 18 at 7:00 PM and Saturday, September 19 at 1:00 PM. 

The Thorn includes flashing lights, strobe lights, fog/haze, and loud music. Due to the nature of the story, please note graphic content including a crucifixion and implied suicide. The content of the show is not recommended for children under 12 years of age. Guests who need accessible seating or other accommodations should contact the Stifel Theatre box office directly.

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