Grayson DeJesus

Critic James Lindhorst's Best of St. Louis Theatre in 2025
by James Lindhorst - Dec 15, 2025

This past season was the year of the comedy in St. Louis Theater. Companies across the city had audiences laughing all season long with slapstick, farce, and satire. There were some wonderful musical productions that really sang, a few hard hitting dramas, but comedies reigned in both quantity and quality. Instead of publishing a Top 10 list this year, I’m going to recognize the Best in St. Louis Theater for 2025. “The Best” is still a shortened list of just 13 shows out of the nearly 90 shows I saw this past year. It took weeks of thought and painstaking consideration to decide which productions would be included in my annual list. Here they are. The productions are listed in alphabetical order, not ranked by favorites:

Cameron Knight To Star As Ebenezer Scrooge In McCarter Theatre Center’s A CHRISTMAS CAROL
by A.A. Cristi - Nov 20, 2025

McCarter Theatre Center will present its 45th annual production of A Christmas Carol from December 9–28, 2025, continuing a tradition that began in 1980. This year’s staging, adapted and directed by Lauren Keating.

Video: HAMLET at St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
by Joshua Wright - Jun 10, 2025

The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s 2025 Shakespeare in the Park production of Hamlet sets the story in the 1960s, with design elements inspired by Mad Men and an original jazz score performed live.

Review: St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s HAMLET is Mid-Century Jazzy Cool
by James Lindhorst - Jun 1, 2025

Often a modern take on a classic will go awry, but Michael Sexton’s brilliant vision creates a phenomenal retelling of Hamlet. His collaboration with his actors and designers gives this production it very cool retro and jazzy vibe. The show’s running time clocks in at just under three hours. It is well paced, moves along expediently, and is masterful storytelling. This is an excellent production that is entertaining for the masses, not just for the Bardolators.  

Guest Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL at McCarter Theatre-Holiday Spirit in Princeton
by Marina Kennedy - Dec 17, 2024

McCarter Theatre Center’s annual production of A Christmas Carol has returned to Princeton, New Jersey, and brings with it plenty of holiday merriment.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL to Return to McCarter Theatre Center This Holiday Season
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 15, 2024

Get ready to be transported to 19th-century London for McCarter Theatre Center’s annual production of Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol. Learn how to purchase tickets this holiday season.

Guthrie Theater To Offer Filmed Performance of HAMLET To Minnesota Schools
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 13, 2024

The Guthrie Theater will offer a filmed performance of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and accompanying curriculum guide at no cost to Minnesota schools during the 2024–2025 school year.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG Comes to Northern Stage Next Month
by Stephi Wild - Feb 7, 2024

Northern Stage closes its 2023/24 main stage season with The Play That Goes Wrong this March and April. Learn more about the play and find out how to get tickets here!

McCarter Theatre to Present A CHRISTMAS CAROL Next Month
by Blair Ingenthron - Nov 7, 2023

McCarter will present 'A Christmas Carol' starring Joel McKinnon Miller as Scrooge this December. Experience Charles Dickens' timeless classic at McCarter this holiday season.

Video: Watch a Sneak Peek of HAMLET at the Guthrie Theater
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 6, 2023

Get a first look at Hamlet at The Guthrie Theater!

HAMLET, Starring Michael Braugher, to be Presented at Guthrie Theater This Spring
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 21, 2023

The Guthrie Theater has announced the cast and creative team for Hamlet by William Shakespeare, directed by Joseph Haj.

Review: A CHRISTMAS CAROL at McCarter Theatre Center is a Magical Holiday Production
by Marina Kennedy - Dec 13, 2022

A thrilling production of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens is being presented at McCarter Theatre Center through December 24. 

Review: JANE EYRE at Geva Theatre
by Colin Fleming-Stumpf - Sep 24, 2022

What did our critic think of JANE EYRE at Geva Theatre?

BWW Review: THE MESSENGER at Pioneer Theatre Company is a Timely, Elegant World Premiere
by Tyler Hinton - Jan 17, 2022

The world premiere of the new play THE MESSENGER at Pioneer Theatre Company is an incredibly timely, elegantly written intellectual and emotional reflection of the state of our world.

Photo Flash: THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) at Northern Stage
by A.A. Cristi - Jun 15, 2021

The irreverent romp The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Northern Stage’s first live and in-person production since October of 2020, is now in performance through July 4, 2022, at the newly-built outdoor Courtyard Theater directly behind Northern Stage’s Barrette Center for the Arts. 

Northern Stage's THE LODGER Cast Announced; Performances Begin Next Week
by A.A. Cristi - Apr 7, 2021

Northern Stage has announced the cast for this spring's Mud Season Mystery: The Lodger, a witty new adaptation of the classic mystery, created for Zoom and performed live each night. Closing out Northern Stage's 2020-21 season, The Lodger will be performed live on Zoom starting April 14 through May 2, 2021. 

The Old Globe and University Of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program Presents A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
by A.A. Cristi - Feb 4, 2021

The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program's presentation of William Shakespeare's enchanting comedy classic A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Photo Flash: Hartford Stage's New Adaptation of JANE EYRE
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Feb 18, 2020

A new adaptation of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë's beloved tale of courage, sacrifice and self-respect, will debut next month at Hartford Stage. The novel has been adapted for the stage by Hartford Stage Associate Artistic Director Elizabeth Williamson, who will also direct. Jane Eyre runs Thursday, February 13, through Saturday, March 14.

New Stage Adaptation Of JANE EYRE By Elizabeth Williamson Debuts In February
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 16, 2020

A new adaptation of Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë's beloved tale of courage, sacrifice and self-respect, will debut next month at Hartford Stage.  The novel has been adapted for the stage by Hartford Stage Associate Artistic Director Elizabeth Williamson, who will also direct.  Jane Eyre runs Thursday, February 13, through Saturday, March 14.

Globe/USD Shiley M.F.A. Program Present TWELFTH NIGHT
by A.A. Cristi - Oct 11, 2019

The Old Globe today announced its latest cast and creative team as the illustrious actors in The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program expertly perform William Shakespeare's magical comedy Twelfth Night, directed by Jesse Perez, the program's Director of Professional Training and a noted actor (Off Broadway's Party People, the Globe's Romeo and Juliet, La Jolla Playhouse's Seize the King). The classical actors of tomorrow will bring to life a world filled with some of the Bard's most unforgettable characters and memorable moments. Twelfth Night will run November 2a?"10, 2019 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Saturday, November 2 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to Twelfth Night are now on sale and can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE, or by visiting the Box Office.