Stephen Bourneuf

Photo Flashback: Remembering the Great Carol Channing

As BroadwayWorld sadly reported earlier this week, the legendary Carol Channing. Channing died at 12:31am on Tuesday, January 15th, 2019, at home in Rancho Mirage, CA of natural causes.

BWW Review: STAGES St. Louis's Highly Entertaining JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

I've seen several stagings of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT over the years, and I've always enjoyed the Tim Rice (book and lyrics) and Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) show each time. However, STAGES St. Louis has really outdone themselves with their latest production of this exuberant musical. The piece has always lent itself to approaching it with a great deal of imagination and creativity, since it's chock-full of hilarious, anachronistic humor and song, and this production takes full advantage of that fact. This show is a real treat, with strong performances and plenty of fun to go around, and I highly recommend it!

VIDEO: Go Behind the Scenes with 'JOSEPH' at STAGES St. Louis

STAGES St. Louis launches its 31st Season with a vivid tale as old as time itself, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Join STAGES in ancient Egypt June 2nd through July 2nd at the Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood as this fun-filled musical entertainment returns to the STAGES stage by popular demand. Get a behind the scenes look at the show in the video below!

STAGES St. Louis to Open 31st Season with JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

STAGES St. Louis launches its 31st Season with a vivid tale as old as time itself, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Join STAGES in ancient Egypt June 2nd through July 2nd at the Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood as this fun-filled musical entertainment returns to the STAGES stage by popular demand!

Casting Announced for St. Louis STAGES 2017 Season

STAGES St. Louis is proud to announce casting for its blockbuster 31st Season: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, 9 to 5, The Musical, and South Pacific. According to Artistic Director Michael Hamilton, this season's exceptional talent "explores the triumphant powers of family, friendship, loyalty, and community in an ever challenging world." STAGES also announces the cast for its Theatre for Young Audiences production, the fantastical family adventure, Seussical. All subscription and single tickets are on sale now.

BWW Review: STAGES St. Louis' Inspirational SISTER ACT

STAGES St. Louis closes their 30th season with SISTER ACT, a musical based on the hit 1992 film of the same name, although this might actually be more entertaining in a lot of ways. Having seen a touring production a few years back, I was a bit concerned about some of the rougher edges that the show presents. But, this regional premier staging focuses on the inspirational aspects, and that lightens the mood considerably, producing delightful results in the process. This is a splendidly rendered production, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Stages Adds Special Matinee Performance to Grand Finale of 30th Anniversary Season

Due to unprecedented advance ticket sales, STAGES St. Louis is thrilled to announce the addition of a special matinee performance to the original Sister Act show schedule. A conscious effort to meet patron demand, this extra show marks the first additional matinee STAGES has put on in its 30 year history. The added performance will be held on Thursday, September 29th at 2pm.

SISTER ACT To Close Out Stages 30th Anniversary Season

There's a real reason to rejoice for everybody's favorite nun, Deloris Van Cartier, is coming to STAGES to stir up her special brand of habit-forming fun! Playing September 9-October 9 at the Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood, Sister Act will close STAGES' 30th Anniversary Season with the gift of laughter, the power of music, and a touch of heavenly inspiration.

BWW Review: STAGES St. Louis' Wonderfully Funny IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU

STAGES St. Louis celebrates their 30th year with a very funny musical that deserved a much better fate that the short run it had on Broadway, IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU. A play of sorts on the old song 'It Had to be You', this work is difficult to describe simply because there are so many farcical twists and turns that revealing any would spoil the experience. What I can tell you is how terrific this production is. It features a top notch cast that all seem to be having a great time, and why not? It's filled with clever lines and a fine score (music by Barbara Anselmi, book by Brian Hargrove and lyrics by Hargrove, Jill Abramovitz, Michael Cooper, Carla Rose Fisher, Ernie Lijoi, and Will Randall) that's catchy and really fits the show well. I will provide a brief synopsis, but suffice to say, this might be considered the Murphy's Law of shows that feature a wedding. But, you can't go wrong by taking in this superbly rendered presentation, and I heartily recommend that you see it!

STAGES St. Louis to Open 30th Season with Midwestern Premiere of IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU

Direct from Broadway and in its Mid-Western premiere, the refreshingly modern romantic comedy, It Shoulda Been You launches STAGES St. Louis' celebratory 30th Anniversary Season. This hilarious and heartwarming new musical about a madcap wedding celebration will run June 3rd - July 3rd at the Robert G. Reim Theatre in Kirkwood.

STAGES St. Louis to Welcome Local, NYC Stars for 30th Season; Casting Set!

Following its recent 2016 Arts Organization Award from the Missouri Arts Council and five St. Louis Theater Circle Awards, STAGES St. Louis has announced casting for its celebratory 30th Anniversary Season: It Shoulda Been You, The Drowsy Chaperone, and Sister Act.

BEST OF 2015 by Chris Gibson

My lists for the best plays/musicals in St. Louis is in chronological order. I'm not limiting myself to any specific number of entries either. These are simply the best productions and performances in various categories that I witnessed during a packed year filled with companies closing and new ones opening. It continues to be a great time to be a theater-goer in our town, with many, many choices of quality shows available for your viewing pleasure on any given day or evening. My favorite show among all thesel selections just might be Upstream Theater's THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER. My son and I attended, and were simply delighted by the mix of music and drama occurring on stage. It was a magical experience that I was able to share with my then nine year old little boy, and we both highly recommend that you check out the band Sleepy Kitty.

2015 BroadwayWorld St. Louis Awards - Last Week to Vote!

Happy Holidays! It's the last week to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld St. Louis Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

2015 BroadwayWorld St. Louis Awards Update - Alan Knoll, Julia Cardia Lead!

Time is running out to vote for the 2015 BroadwayWorld St. Louis Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 18. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31!

2015 BroadwayWorld St. Louis Awards Update - Alan Knoll Leads 'Best Actor in a Comedy'!

Voting is fully underway for the 2015 BroadwayWorld St. Louis Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 11. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

2015 BroadwayWorld St. Louis Awards Update - Alan Knoll, Ben Nordstrom Lead!

Voting has opened for the 2015 BroadwayWorld St. Louis Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of November 27th. Nominations were reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors. Voting runs through December 31.

BWW Review: STAGES St. Louis' Heart-Warming and Hilarious THE FULL MONTY

If you've seen the movie version of the THE FULL MONTY, and even if you haven't, you should make it a point to see STAGES St. Louis' current production of the musical version, because it's a fabulous show. Sometimes it's silly, sometimes it's serious, but one thing is certain, it's a show that tugs at the heart and has you rooting hard for these unemployed steel workers to pull off the scheme one of them hatches in order to earn some real cash. The show is wonderfully cast, and smartly directed, and more importantly, features a splendid, catchy score (music and lyrics by David Yazbek), and a top notch script by Terrence McNally that retains a lot of the more significant issues that made the movie so special to begin with. At its core it's a story of hope and following your dreams in the face of adversity, something we could all use more of, and that alone makes it an absolute must-see event.

STAGES St. Louis Presents THE FULL MONTY, Now thru 10/4

STAGES St. Louis welcomes back its red-hot award-winning smash hit The Full Monty! Featuring a powerful story with enduring characters, this hilarious, yet heartwarming musical comedy will run tonight, September 4, through October 4 at the Robert G. Reim theatre in Kirkwood. 

STAGES St. Louis Raises Over $80,000 at Annual Cabaret Event

On Monday, August 10th, STAGES St. Louis hosted its annual one-night-only cabaret event, Cheers!, benefiting the organization's Education and Artistic Programs. This year, STAGES proudly presented the world premiere of The Story Goes On: The Songs of Maltby & Shire, the inaugural workshop production from Emerson American Musical Creative (AMC). AMC is the newest division at STAGES for the creation of new American musicals. Monday night's attending audience was the first to enjoy this brand new show. 

BWW News: STAGES St.Louis' CHEERS! Benefit for Education and Artistic Programs

I had the distinct privilege of being invited to attend Cheers! STAGES St. Louis' Annual Summer Cabaret last week, and it was a unique and fun experience that I was able to share with my young son. It's a yearly event that's designed to raise funds for STAGES' educational and artistic programs, and it featured a number of very interesting and entertaining performances, as well as some tasty appetizers and desserts prepared by Michael Brightman's With Love Catering. To say the event was a success is an understatement. What made this particular presentation especially memorable was the world premiere of a work-in-progress production of THE STORY GOES ON, which is a brand new revue of the songs of Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire.