The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis To Present ATHENA by Gracie Gardner

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis will present Athena by Gracie Gardner as the second and final play in the 24/25 Steve Woolf Studio Series - Adventurous Theatre for Adventurous Theateregoers -  in the Emerson Studio of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University January 15 - February 9, 2025.

Athena features competition and friendship going head to head with live fencing on the piste. In Gracie Gardner’s engaging play, which was named a New York Times Critics’ Pick, characters Mary Wallace and Athena are brave, and seventeen, and fencers, and training for the Junior Olympics. They practice together, they compete against each other, they spend their lives together. They wish they were friends.

The Athena cast features Jailyn Genyse as Mary Wallace, who captivated audiences at The Rep in It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play and as Shug Avery in COCA’s The Color Purple. Making her Rep debut is Carmen Retzer who takes on the role of Jamie, while Isa Venere, who delivered a memorable performance in last season’s August: Osage County, returns to the stage as Athena.

Athena is directed by Nancy Bell who recently wowed audiences onstage in her portrayal as Robyn in The Roommate, The Rep’s record-setting studio studio show this past November.  She’s joined by set designer Seth Howard, Costume Designer Renee Garcia, lighting designer Jayson Lawshee, sound designer Jimmy Bernatowicz, dramaturg Simone Hoagland, and fight director Paul Steger. Additionally, The Rep has partnered with Fence St. Louis and owner Annamaria Lu to provide elite fencing training and consultation for the production.

“Gracie Gardner’s Athena is a thrilling exploration of competition, identity, and the tender complexities of teenage friendship. With its dynamic storytelling and live fencing sequences, this play offers an electrifying experience that pushes the boundaries of intimacy and rivalry,” said Augustin Family Artistic Director Kate Bergstrom. “We’re honored to bring this critically acclaimed work to the Emerson Studio in the LHC and invite our audiences to join us in celebrating the resilience and vulnerability of young women finding their place in the world.”

Leadership support for The 24-25 Steve Woolf Studio Series is generously provided by  Susan and Peter Tuteur, with additional production support  for Athena by Gwen and Paul Middeke, Gina and Lee Hoagland, and Ven and Cynthia Houts.

Tickets are available online at repstl.org, over the phone 314-968-4925 or in person at the Loretto-Hilton Center Box Office Tuesdays - Thursdays from 10:30-5pm. Seating for the Studio Series is General Admission with subscribers given priority seating beginning 30 minutes prior to curtain.  

Be sure to catch the rest of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis 24/25 Season including the holiday musical Million Dollar Quartet Christmas in partnership with STAGES St. Louis running now through December 22, 2024; Lynn Nottage’s Tony-nominated comedy, Clyde’s, February 5 - March 2, 2025; and the uproarious retelling of Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood directed by Augustin Family Artistic Director Kate Bergstrom, March 19 - April 13, 2025 all performed at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University. 

For more information, please visit repstl.org. 

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