James Lindhorst - Page 10

Each summer, The Muny in St. Louis produces a season of full-scale performances of Broadway musicals that must come together in a few short weeks. It takes a lot of work from committed actors and technical theater professionals, plus it requires a little bit of magic, Muny magic. Each night, approximately 11,000 members of the St. Louis community gather in Forest Park to enjoy a show that is built on an epic scale. Attending performances at this outdoor amphitheater is a tradition for many St. Louis families. This season, a former college intern at The Muny gets his opportunity to direct one of the biggest projects of his young career. BroadwayWorld had the opportunity to sit down with Matt Kunkel to learn about his training, his plans for helming his first full-scale Muny production, and how The Muny introduced him to directing and to his soon-to-be-wife.

The St. Louis Black Rep concludes its season of virtual programming with a mainstage production of an original work, Do I Move You?  It is based on a collection of poetry by Dr. Jonathan Smith I the Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion at Saint Louis University.  He is also the President of The Black Rep Board of Directors. The performance will stream on Vimeo June 15-30.

BroadwayWorld had the opportunity to sit down with The Muny’s Kwofe Coleman to discuss plans for the 103rd Season in Forest Park. “We are excited to produce five shows and bring people back to The Muny this summer.” Coleman shared that this is a significant step forward. Shows will be presented at a reduced capacity of 60%, or 6000 patrons for each performance. All parties will be socially distanced, separated by 3-feet on all sides. The Muny’s five show season will open with Smokey Joe’s Café, July 26 – August 1. The season continues with The Sound of Music, August 3-9, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers August 12 – 18, and On Your Feet, August 21 – 27. The season will close with Kander and Ebb’s Chicago from August 30 – September 5.

BroadwayWorld recently had the opportunity to sit down with STAGES St. Louis associate producer Andrew Kuhlman. Andrew is a Best Musical Tony nominee as associate producer for The Prom. He is an educator who has taught both at the high school and collegiate levels. He is a graduate of Bradley University in Peoria Illinois and majored in Theater Performance. Andrew made the decision to return to St. Louis following graduation to pursue his career in the arts and spend time with his aging grandmother, putting family before his career. It is to the benefit of the vibrant St. Louis theater scene that Andrew lends his talents to help stage the Broadway caliber productions at STAGES St. Louis.

The St. Louis Black Rep’s performance of HOME is a rare exception. From the very beginning of the virtual production, the three actors use their physicality to pull you into the story. For safety during the pandemic, each performer is wearing a mask and it seems almost normal. Maybe its because we’ve become accustomed to seeing one another masked, but it is more likely that Brian McKinley, Christina Yancy, and Tyler White’s energy and body language transcends the mask

For more than four decades, The St. Louis Black Rep’s founder and Producing Director, Ron Himes has dedicated his life to staging productions from the African American perspective to heighten the social and cultural awareness of audiences in the St Louis area and beyond. He has produced and directed more than 200 plays at The Black Rep, but his life’s work goes well beyond producing, directing and staging theatrical events. The Black Rep’s award winning education programs that he created provides training and experience for children, teens and interns seeking education and a career in the arts. These programs provide an opportunity for youth to explore their talents and chart a course for the future.

The St. Louis Black Repertory Company continues its season of virtual programming with a mainstage production of HOME, a moving love story by American Playwright and screenwriter Samm-Art Williams. The production will be streamed on Vimeo beginning April 15 and run through April 25. Home was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding New Play. It premiered at The Negro Ensemble Company and transferred to Broadway in 1980.