Laura Ernst News

STAGES ST. LOUIS continues its record-breaking 27th Season when it turns St. Louis pink, with the romantic comedy, Legally Blonde, The Musical tonight, July 19th through August 18th . A plethora of upbeat music, dance and of course laughs, made the show a hit on Broadway in 2007. The Tony nominated score features the hilarious 'Omigod You Guys,' the sassy 'Bend and Snap' and the catchy 'Legally Blonde.'

STAGES ST. LOUIS continues its record-breaking 27th Season when it turns St. Louis pink, with the romantic comedy, Legally Blonde, The Musical July 19th through August 18th . A plethora of upbeat music, dance and of course laughs, made the show a hit on Broadway in 2007. The Tony nominated score features the hilarious 'Omigod You Guys,' the sassy 'Bend and Snap' and the catchy 'Legally Blonde.'

Nearly everyone is familiar with the tale of CINDERELLA. You've either been read the story as a child, or perhaps viewed one of the many movie versions. It's just one of those things that seems to creep into our subconscious through osmosis. In fact, variations continue to pop up in books and films to this day. It's even become part of our language; the so-called 'Cinderella stories',which find people (often athletes) triumphing over adversity. The classic was brought to life in an animated feature with music (compositions by Mack David, Al Hoffman, and Jerry Livingston) by Walt Disney in 1950, and it continues to enchant audiences as evidenced by the rapt attention the young crowd gave the current version being presented by Stages St. Louis.

STAGES ST. LOUIS invites you into the magical world of Disney's Cinderella, for its Theatre for Young Audiences production, today, June 19-30 at the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School. Disney's treasured retelling of everyone's favorite fairy tale comes to glorious life on stage with an enchanting score including, the Disney anthem, 'A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,' and the magical 'Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo'.Disney's Cinderella will charm its way into your heart, and once again remind you that dreams really do come true!

STAGES ST. LOUIS invites you into the magical world of Disney's Cinderella, for its Theatre for Young Audiences production, this June 19-30 at the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts at Chaminade College Preparatory School. Disney's treasured retelling of everyone's favorite fairy tale comes to glorious life on stage with an enchanting score including, the Disney anthem, 'A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes,' and the magical 'Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo'.Disney's Cinderella will charm its way into your heart, and once again remind you that dreams really do come true!

Playwright Julie Beckman does wonderful work in adapting Charlotte Bronte's novel, JANE EYRE, for the stage. It's so literate that the characters even voice their thoughts, giving way at times to some much needed humor for this sad, but hopeful Gothic tale of loss and romance. Mustard Seed Theatre's production of this play is superb, with excellent performances buoyed by incisive direction and lush interior design.

STAGES ST. LOUIS is proud to announce casting for Always... Patsy Cline, Legally Blonde, The Musical and My Fair Lady. This season exceptional talent will bring life tothree passionate women who broke down society's barriers and stereotypes by refusing to be limited by the vision of others. STAGES also announces the cast for the Theatre for Young Audiences production of, the 'princess story' that started it all, Disney's Cinderella. All season and single tickets are on sale now.

There are a number of reasons that Rodgers and Hammerstein's THE SOUND OF MUSIC is still so popular today. The songs are definitely catchy and familiar, and the story is compelling. But, it takes a good cast and solid direction to make it work properly, and the troupe that Stages St. Louis has corralled are excellent in their roles. This venerable warhorse of a show is their current production, and its charm still holds up remarkably well after all these years.

Ever since I produced the music for a production of the musical GODSPELL it's held a special place in my heart. Working as a one-man band, I became intimately familiar with Stephen Schwartz's genre-hopping score. Ever since, I've been a unabashed fan of the work, and try to catch as many productions of it as I can (which isn't easy with my busy schedule). Mustard Seed Theatre is presenting an exceptional presentation that's distinguished by an excellent cast, sharp musical direction, and absolutely expert ensemble direction.

Frances Hodgson Burnett's work, THE SECRET GARDEN, was initially serialized before being published in 1911 and becoming a children's classic. Several attempts by Hollywood have tried to capitalize on it's dramatic and hope-filled story, with the 1949 MGM adaptation, starring Margaret O'Brien, wonderfully changing from black and white into full-blown technicolor as the garden is revealed in all it's splendor. However. most folks today will probably be more familiar with the the rather staid, but thoughtful motion picture made in 1993, which was fairly well mounted. This current stage adaptation is far more appealing in any number of ways, with stronger acting and a memorably performed score being among the many highlights that are attractive to an audience interested in the material.

Unlock the magic behind The Secret Garden,opening July 22 at STAGES ST. LOUIS.The Secret Garden continues through August 21 at the Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood.

MARRY ME A LITTLE is an interesting little musical that cobbles together cut songs and lesser celebrated numbers composed by Stephen Sondheim. It's a clever idea, and even though some of the numbers don't really seem to fit perfectly with the 'story', they still provide an opportunity to hear a master songwriter at work, with even these castoffs showcasing his catchy, but challenging gift for melodic invention, as well as his considerable lyrical wit. Citilites Theatre is presenting a solid production of this brief, but engaging, work conceived and developed by Craig Lucas and Norman Rene.

Join Citilites Theatre in a celebration of Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday! We are producing the charming gem, MARRY ME A LITTLE at the Gaslight Theater (358 N. Boyle) November 4-21. Seth Ward Pyatt directs Laura Ernst and Scott Tripp who play two silly people alone on a Saturday night. The sung-through score includes some of Sondheim's most hummable tunes from Company, A Little Night Music, Follies, Saturday Night, A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum and more.

Join Citilites Theatre in a celebration of Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday! We are producing the charming gem, MARRY ME A LITTLE at the Gaslight Theater (358 N. Boyle) November 4-21. Seth Ward Pyatt directs Laura Ernst and Scott Tripp who play two silly people alone on a Saturday night. The sung-through score includes some of Sondheim's most hummable tunes from Company, A Little Night Music, Follies, Saturday Night, A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum and more.

As State Fairs take place around the country, Stages St. Louis concludes its 24th season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's Tony Award-winning Broadway musical STATE FAIR at The Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood from September 3 - October 3, 2010.

As State Fairs take place around the country, Stages St. Louis concludes its 24th season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's Tony Award-winning Broadway musical STATE FAIR at The Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood from September 3 - October 3, 2010.

As State Fairs take place around the country, Stages St. Louis concludes its 24th season with Rodgers and Hammerstein's Tony Award-winning Broadway musical STATE FAIR at The Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood from September 3 - October 3, 2010.

Insight Theatre Company is proud to announce the upcoming production of the Tony Award winning musical, Man of La Mancha by Mitch Leigh, Joe Darion, and Dale Wasserman. Starring the legendary Joneal Joplin under the direction of Edward Coffield, MAN OF LA MANCHA opens Wednesday, August 11 at The Heagney Theater on the campus of Nerinx Hall, 530 East Lockwood in Webster Groves. The show runs through August 22 with performances Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm and matinees each Sunday at 2pm.

MAN OF LA MANCHA has become a community theatre staple, and as such, gets staged with some degree of regularity. While some of these are uneven affairs at best, the Insight Theatre Company's current production is an exception, combining the talents of a splendid cast with sharp direction and choreography to produce an engaging and compelling evening of entertainment.

Insight Theatre Company is proud to announce the upcoming production of the Tony Award winning musical, Man of La Mancha by Mitch Leigh, Joe Darion, and Dale Wasserman. Starring the legendary Joneal Joplin under the direction of Edward Coffield, MAN OF LA MANCHA opens Wednesday, August 11 at The Heagney Theater on the campus of Nerinx Hall, 530 East Lockwood in Webster Groves. The show runs through August 22 with performances Wednesdays through Saturdays at 7:30pm and matinees each Sunday at 2pm.