Metro Theater Company And Jazz St. Louis present BUD NOT BUDDY

Features a 13-piece jazz band performing original score by New Orleans-born, five-time Grammy-winning jazz icon Terence Blanchard

Based on the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award winning book by Christopher Paul Curtis

Written by award-winning playwright Kirsten Greenidge and based on the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award winning book by Christopher Paul Curtis, with a exhilarating score by five-time Grammy-winning jazz legend Terence Blanchard, "Bud, Not Buddy" follows 10-year-old Bud as he sets off on a journey to find his father who he believes is leading a traveling jazz band.

Set in 1930s America, Bud's odyssey is filled with plenty of live jazz music and the joy of finding family. It's 1936 in Flint, Michigan, and 10-year-old Bud is sure about two things: he wants to find his father, and he isn't called Buddy. The only clue he has is a flyer advertising Herman E. Calloway and his band, the Dusky Devastators of the Depression. With this and his trusty suitcase in tow, Bud sets off on an epic journey of discovery, set to the sound of a live jazz band.

Metro Theater Company and Jazz St. Louis present "Bud, Not Buddy." The play combines eight actors with a 13-piece jazz band, performing an original score composed by New Orleans-born trumpeter and iconic jazz figure Terence Blanchard, to tell this story of a boy who finds a home and a passion for music.

"Metro Theater Company is the first company in the country to do 'Bud, Not Buddy' after its commissioned debut at the Kennedy Center," said Metro Theater Artistic Director Julia Flood. "We have created a great collaboration with Gene Dobson Bradford, Phil Dunlap and Jazz St. Louis to make this happen. Metro Theater Company audiences have never seen anything like this before. With the cast of eight, there will be 21 performers on the Grandel stage bringing this tale of family and music to vibrant life."

Metro Theater Company's Julia Flood directs "Bud, not Buddy," and Jazz St. Louis Director of Education Phil Dunlap serves as music director. For more information: http://metroplays.org.

Tickets are $14-20, and are available now through MetroTix at 314-534-1111 or https://www.metrotix.com/events/detail/metro-theater-bud-not-buddy.
($20 adults; $16 students, seniors and military; $14 groups of 10 or more.) "Bud, Not Buddy" is a 60-minute production that is recommended for adults and young people 2nd grade and up.

About Metro Theater Company:
Since 1973, Metro Theater Company has been creating accessible sensory productions that respect young people's intelligence, tell compelling stories, stimulate curiosity and provoke thoughtful reflection. The Company has reached a total audience of more than two million and has a national reputation for excellence in the field of professional theater for young audiences. Metro Theater Company has received major honors and awards, both locally and nationally. For more information, visit http://metroplays.org.

About Jazz St. Louis:
For more than 20 years, Jazz St. Louis has been the foremost presenter of jazz in St. Louis and throughout the region, as well as being a leader in preserving the legacy of this musical genre. Hundreds of local- and nationally-renowned musicians, such as Wynton Marsalis, Diana Krall, Harry Connick, Jr. and Al Jarreau, grace our stage each year as part of our performance season. Year after year, Jazz St. Louis strives to be the leader in developing unique programming that engages youth and adults alike, and preserves the shared cultural heritage embodied in jazz music. For more information, visit https://jazzstl.org.

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