-
Jeremy D. Goodwin/St. Louis Public RadioPlaywright Nancy Bell set her radio play about a fascist regime in an alternate reality, but she took inspiration from recent American history. "SHE" tells the story of an unnamed fascist leader determined to stay on the airwaves as rebels threaten the radio station she controls. -
Phillip Hamer Photography/St. Louis Shakespeare FestivalMany critics of the white-dominated theater canon in the U.S. point to the intense focus on Shakespeare as a force that holds back artists of color. St. Louis Shakespeare Festival's production of "King Lear" features a predominately Black cast — and makes room for new interpretations of a revered playwright.
-
![Will Mann, Ezioma Asonye, Kambi Gathesha and Joe Ngo [left to right] rehearse a scene from 'Mlima's Tale.' [6/1/21]](data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZlcnNpb249IjEuMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxNTZweCIgd2lkdGg9IjI4MHB4Ij48L3N2Zz4=)
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis returns to in-person, indoor performances with "Mlima's Tale," an intense play about the black-market ivory trade by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner Lynn Nottage. But director Ali Shariff said the story's implications go far beyond the treatment of elephants. -
iLLPHONICS fuses hip-hop with rock, metal, funk, old-school R&B, gospel and other styles. The band released a new album this week ahead of its 15th anniversary.
-
Creve Coeur officials plan to ask artists to design a monument to honor a Black doctor forced to sell his land in the 1950s. The monument will be built at Dr. H. Phillip Venable Memorial Park. Until 2019, it was named for John Beirne, a mayor who compelled the sale through eminent domain.
-
The Muny will return this summer with a five-show season that starts July 26. But there will be changes for theatergoers, including limited capacity in the venue and socially distanced seating.
-
A new music festival coming to St. Louis in September aims to highlight local musicians and get fans back into music venues. Music at the Intersection will feature more than 60 St. Louis-based and national artists. They're booked for six venues in the Grand Center Arts District.
-
Performance venues in St. Louis are no longer limited by strict COVID-19 safety protocols. But owners and employees of local venues say they will relax their safety plans gradually.
-
St. Louis-based multi-instrumentalist Tom Pini has spent the past decade experimenting with punk rock and emo rock music. But over the past few years, he found his voice in electronic music, funk and disco.
-
Officials in St. Louis and St. Louis County relaxed capacity limits on live venues this week, but social distancing requirements mean that many venues are unable to safely accommodate any more people.
-
Nancy Kranzberg examines the art of collage and its use in fine works of art for more than 2 centuries.
-
Muny managing director Kwofe Coleman, a 22-year veteran of the Forest Park theater, will take the helm when current President and CEO Dennis Reagan retires at the end of the year. Coleman will join the short list of Black professionals at the helm of large performing arts organizations in St. Louis.
![Will Mann, Ezioma Asonye, Kambi Gathesha and Joe Ngo [left to right] rehearse a scene from 'Mlima's Tale.' [6/1/21]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7eb454c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4032x2246+0+0/resize/280x156!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1c%2F18%2F742727b848cebe891efb0cf194fa%2Frehearsal-photo-1.jpg)
![The 11,000 seats at the Muny will sit idle this summer. The shape of summer life in St. Louis is changing because of the coronavirus. [6/25/20]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/dddbe5a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4898x2729+81+0/resize/280x156!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fsites%2Fkwmu%2Ffiles%2F202006%2F0625culturalimpact_JDG_004_0.jpg)
