St. Louis’ New Line musical theater company has something to sing about this week: its silver anniversary.
On Tuesday and Wednesday nights (Jan. 5 and 6), New Linewill present a concert called “25 Years to Life!” featuring songs from shows dating back to its 1991 debut. The event showcases 16 New Line veterans including Ryan Foizy, Taylor Pietz, Anna Skidis and Zachary Allen Farmer.
The lineup includes music from about two-dozen productions, including a favorite from the 2014 presentation of “Hands on a Hardbody (and others, featured below). "Hardbody" is the story of 10 down-and-out residents of Longview, Texas, competing to win a hard-body truck. The person who keeps their hand on the shiny red Nissan the longest gets to drive it home.
Laid-off rig worker JD Drew (Todd Schaefer) leads a number from "Hands on a Hardbody" called “Used to Be,” about the ubiquity of Wal-Mart and other chains making their once-unique town just like every other place in America.
Kimi Short as Diana, Jeffrey M. Wright as Dan and Ryan Foizey as Gabe sing "You Don't Know"/"I Am the One" from New Line’s 2013 production of “Next to Normal “
John Sparger sings "A Great Big Cloud of Smoke" from “Johnny Appleweed,” presented by New Line in 2006.
THE BASICS
’25 to Life!’ New Line anniversary concert
Where: The Sheldon, 3648 Washington Blvd., 63108
When: 8 p.m., Tuesday-Wednesday, January 5-6
How much: $10
Tickets: Metrotix website
Information: New Line website
Follow Nancy Fowler on Twitter: @NancyFowlerSTL
