Stages St. Louis Raises Funds For The American Red Cross Hurricane Relief

At STAGES St. Louis, efforts to protect and serve the citizens of this nation don't end when the curtain goes down on Rodgers and Hammerstein's classic wartime tale, South Pacific. In fact, the cast has brought the spirit of civic duty off the stage and into the aisles as they raise funds for the American Red Cross at the end of each performance.

In response to the devastation and hardships faced by thousands of Americans due to hurricanes Harvey and Irma, the cast of South Pacific felt inspired to lend a helping hand. Coming forward at the end of each curtain call, St. Louis Actor John Flack appeals to the audience, asking them to donate whatever amount they feel comfortable to aid the efforts of the American Red Cross. Donations are then collected by cast members still in costume and stationed in the lobby and at theatre exits with silver donation buckets.

Beginning at the Sunday matinee performance on Sept. 10, STAGES raised over $2,500 on the first day of collecting donations and has thus far accrued over $20,000. The decision to move forward with the cast's desire to raise capital for these recent events was immediate, as STAGES set a precedent raising money for tragedies such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina in past years. STAGES hopes to raise $30,000 by the end of the production on Oct. 8, a figure they are well on their way to meeting.

"In our ever challenging world there come times when we have the ability to work together to make a change," remarked STAGES' Artistic Director Michael Hamilton. "I'm honored to work with a cast and crew that holds this desire, looking for ways to make the world a little brighter. Seeing everyone come together to help those impacted by these recent natural disasters has been a beautiful endeavor to watch unfold and I look forward to working with these individuals throughout the run of South Pacific."

South Pacific concludes STAGES' 31st Season and performs in the intimate, 377-seat Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Civic Center, 111 South Geyer Road in St. Louis, MO 63122. South Pacific will run through Oct. 8 with matinee and evening performances Tuesdays through Sundays. Single tickets are on sale now and prices range from $25 - $60.

For more information or to purchase tickets call 314-821-2407 or visit www.StagesStLouis.org.