Alton Little Theater presents Voices of Courage and Conviction
 

Actor Historians rehearse in the beauty of the Alton City Cemetery in preparation for the 2014 VINTAGE VOICES tours "Voices of Courage & Conviction".  Pictured are Emma Sargent, John Meehan and Loretta Williams along with Lynn Carter and Amy Miller in front of one of the majestic trees that line the cemetery's walkways. Tours begin each Saturday in October from 1-3pm. Guests will take a gentle stroll and guided tour where they will meet 11 actors portraying some of Alton's most interesting former citizens. This year's tour features seven new actors and actresses who have never appeared before but who are enjoying the opportunity to participate in the 13th annual event sponsored by Alton Little Theater. Director, Mark Hilgert, has focused on characters from the 1856 until 1954 with a unifying theme of conviction and belief in a cause, whether it be giving women the vote, desegregating schools, or improving the quality of life for citizens of early Alton. Guests will receive a tour booklet and many area teachers are giving "extra credit" for students attending a tour. Tickets are $12 for Adults and $6 for students ( through High School) and can be purchased in Advance at the Alton Area Regional Visitor & Convention Bureau or at the main gate of the Cemetery, beginning at 12:45 each Saturday.
 

Hawthorne Players present Voices of Valhalla:  A Hayride through History

 

History and dead folks come alive when Hawthorne Players present “Voices of Valhalla: A Hayride through History” on October 3, 4, 10 and 11 at Valhalla cemetery, 7600 St. Charles Rock Road.  The performances mark the fifth season for Hawthorne’s popular â€œtheatre in a cemetery” event, produced by Valhalla Cemetery and Funeral Chapel.   
 
The one-hour, non-scary historical hayrides leave every fifteen minutes, beginning at 6:30 each evening, taking visitors to locations in the lovely grounds where actors from Hawthorne Players will bring to life the stories and times of some of the cemetery’s permanent residents.  A special indoor performance, featuring all of the characters, will be held on Saturday, October 4 at 5:00 p.m. for those who might have difficulty boarding and sitting on hay wagons.
 
Tickets are $15 and may be purchased by calling 314-863-3011 during regular business hours.  In case of inclement weather, the performances will be held indoors. The hayrides are not recommended for young children.
 
This year's characters will include the granddaughter of one of Robert E. Lee's slaves, a hero from the Viet Nam war, the composer of a major Broadway musical, a dress maker who worked in the Washington Avenue garment district in the 30s, a young lawyer and Sunday School superintendent who got involved with gangsters,  a St. Louis business man and politician who entertained Teddy Roosevelt, and a "bionic comic" who continued to perform long after he "died on stage."
 
Director/Writer Larry Marsh says that this year’s stories are sure to both entertain and inform.  â€œSome are funny, some disturbing, some inspiring, but all of them are true. And during the evening you’ll also learn a lot about St. Louis history.”
 
The characters will be portrayed by Renee Fenner, John Robertson, Chuck Lavazzi, Colleen Heneghan, Marian Holtz, Tim Callahan, Jeff Loyd and Ryan Cooper.  Other veteran Hawthorne performers will serve as guides on each wagon.

More information at:  http://www.hawthorneplayers.com


 

COCA presents The Yellow Boat

 

COCA Theatre Company (CTC) presents The Yellow Boat, written by David Saar. The Yellow Boat is based on the true story of his son, Benjamin, who was born with congenital hemophilia and died at the age of 8 from AIDS-related complications. A uniquely gifted visual artist, Benjamin’s buoyant imagination transformed his illness into a blaze of colors and shapes in his paintings. The Yellow Boat is directed by Shawna Flanigan. Recommended for ages 8 and up. Performances are Friday, October 10, at 7:00pm and Saturday, October 11, at 2:00pm and 5:00pm at COCA, 524 Trinity Avenue, St. Louis, MO. Tickets are $9. Call 314.725.6555 or visit: www.cocastl.org for more information. Supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, Emerson, Monsanto Fund, PNC Arts Alive, Glassberg Family Foundation and Bank of America Foundation.

Stray Dog Theatre presents And Then There Were None

 

Ten strangers, each with something to hide - or fear - are lured to a remote island by an unseen host. With no way to leave, the guests begin to share their dark secrets—and then, one by one, they die. Based on the best-selling mystery novel of all time, this thriller contains perhaps the most unpredictable plot ever devised by Agatha Christie.
 
Presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

October 9-25, 2014: Show times are Thursday – Saturday at 8:00pm. Additional performance added on Saturday, October 25 at 2:00pm.
 
Tickets: Adults $25.00 / Seniors (65+) & Students $20.00 (Cash/Checks/All Major Credit Cards)


Venue: Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63104. Gated Parking.
 
Information and Ticket Reservations:  Call (314) 865-1995.  Visit www.StrayDogTheatre.org. Secure online ticketing!

 

Overdue Theatre Company presents Sideshow

Alton Little Theater presents Kosher Lutherans

 

                                      
Alton Little Theater will showcase another new comedy- KOSHER LUTHERANS by William Missouri Downs - for eight performances October 16th through 26th. Director, Mark Hilgert was drawn to the script because of its clever dialogue and the surprising dilemmas faced by two friends and two couples trying to start a family. The show was a popular offering at the Hot City Theater in St.Louis  last year. ALT's cast consists of Ian Thomas Hardin (Ben) and  Andrew Chamness (Franklyn) as best friends who often "play" on their name-sake and Tanya Fox (Hannah), Meredith Elfrink (Martha) and Deborah Dhue (Alison) play the women who turn the guy's world upside down (several times!).

Set in California, the funny play still manages to take a serious look at faith, relationships and "Midwestern sensibilities". In the end, the couples learn a little more about themselves and the audiences is reminded of the influences - big & small - that children have on our lives. It is no secret that Director Hilgert might have identified with the play's themes having become the father of triplets at age 50!

Tickets for Kosher Lutherans can be purchased at: http://www.altonlittletheater.org/, and by coming by (or calling the Showplace) during Box Office Hours ( 462-3205/ Tuesday 4-7pm/Thursday 10am-2pm) OR by Calling Extreme Tix (1-888-695-0888) . Interviews and photos can be obtained by calling the director at 402-6417.

Family Musical Theater presents The Rocky Horror Show

www.familymusicaltheater.org

KTK Productions presents Grease
               

O'Fallon TheatreWorks presents The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

               Lampooning all of Shakespeare’s plays in 97 minutes, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Revised) is a rollicking, fast-paced romp through the Bard’s comedies, histories and tragedies. It was one of London’s longest-running comedies, with a reputation for leaving audiences teary-eyed and helpless with laughter.
 
The O’FallonTheatreWorks production will be performed on October 17-19 and 24-26 at the O’Fallon Municipal Centre (City Hall),100 North Main Street, O’Fallon, Missouri 63366. The curtain will go up at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Concessions will be available for sale.
 
A $2 discount will be given on tickets purchased in advance at the Renaud Spirit Center or reserved by calling 636-474-2732. Discounted tickets are $10 for general admission, $8 for students (ages 6 – 17) and seniors (ages 55+), and free for ages 5 and under. For an additional $2 each, tickets will be sold at the Box Office, which opens an hour before each show.
 
For more information, call 636-474-2732 or visit www.ofallon.mo.us/parks&rec/ofallontheatreworks

The Presenters Nolan present The Gaslight Cabaret Festival


              

           www.gaslightcabaretfestival.com

Act Two Theatre presents Smoke on the Mountain


 

            
   www.acttwotheatre.com

Kirkwood Theatre Guild presents The 39 Steps


 
            

Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a juicy spy novel, add a dash of Monty Python and you have The 39 Steps, a fast-paced whodunit for anyone who loves the magic of theatre!  Richard Hannay, a man with a boring life meets a woman with a thick accent who says she's a spy.  After he takes her home,  Annabella is stabbed to death while Richard sleeps, and he awakens to find himself the prime suspect for her murder and the target of a nationwide manhunt.  While fleeing his potential captors, he embarks on a surprisingly hilarious journey to solve the mystery of the "39 Steps."  Don't miss this award-winning play packed with nonstop laughs, an on-stage plane crash, handcuffs, missing fingers, and some good-old fashioned romance!

Performance Dates: November 7, 8, 13, 14, 15 at 8:00 p.m., November 9 and 16 at 2:00 p.m. at the Robert Reim Theatre, 111 S. Geyer Road, Kirkwood, MO  63122

To purchase tickets visit www.ktg-onstage.org or call 314-821-9956

Stray Pups Youth Theatre presents An Evening in Paris

Pack your beret, brush up on your French and prepare to “be our guest” in the “City of Lights” at  Tower Grove Abbey for the second annual benefit for Stray Pups Youth Theatre. "An Evening in Paris" will directly benefit area students looking to gain an experience of professional youth theatre arts in May 2015’s production of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr.”


Tickets to the benefit include light appetizers, French-inspired desserts, cash bar, and a silent auction beginning at 7:00pm. The evening culminates at 8:00pm in cabaret-style performances from some of the wildly talented Stray Pups performers and a Dutch Auction. Be “King or Queen of the Castle” with limited VIP reserved Signature Seating and open bar.

Saturday, November 15, 2014: 7:00pm Light Appetizers, Desserts, Cash Bar and Silent Auction. 8:00pm Cabaret-Style Performances from Stray Pup participants and a Dutch Auction
 
Tickets: $40 General Admission | $75 VIP Signature Seating. (Cash/Checks/All Major Credit Cards)


Venue: Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee Avenue, Saint Louis, MO 63104. Gated Parking.
 
Information and Ticket Reservations:Call (314) 865-1995.  Visit www.StrayDogTheatre.org. Secure online ticketing!
 
About Stray Pups Youth Theatre:
Stray Pups Youth Theatre is a distinctive professional arts experience where the child is the star on stage performing for their friends, family, and community.
 
A community full of confident, engaged, enthusiastic students begins with youth arts.  Arts encourage communication and problem-solving skills, social and emotional development, and endless self-expression and creativity.  Children express themselves creatively every day in every direction. Stray Pups will channel that creativity into rewarding performances that build skills students will draw upon for life.
  
This is a unique opportunity for Saint Louis area students (ages 7-18) who will perform in professional theatrical productions. Starting with the audition process through the final curtain call, our students take center stage, mastering all the skills of seasoned performers. Cast members will work with industry professionals, learning everything it takes to put on a full-scale production.

Gateway Center for the Performing Arts presents Hairspray

SAVE THE DATE FOR AFL TRIVIA!