This week, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis launches into the second half of its first century, embarking on its 51st season. It features a robust, wide-ranging lineup of productions from musicals to classics to two Tony Award-winning productions.
Steven Woolf, the theater company’s artistic director who recently announced he will retire from the company in two years, said the company is keeping up its momentum from its landmark 50th anniversary year.
“For an institution like ours to hit 50 and still be going is great,” Woolf sad. “We’re carrying on in the 51st season. Hamlet is a great example of that: we’ve never produced it before.”
This year, the company will produce a three studio theater productions in a venue that seats only 130 as well as six main stage theater productions in the main venue, seating 750 people.
Listen as Woolf and St. Louis on the Air contributor Steve Potter discuss the upcoming season. Below, a rundown of the productions and how Woolf described them:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime – Sept. 7 through Oct.1
“It is a story full of heart,” said Woolf. “I will say this: if you saw the production in New York or London, it was full of technical dazzle, computer graphics and animation that was unique. We can’t do that. Our production will look different. We don’t have computers, we don’t have anything projected.”
Hamlet – Oct. 11 through Nov. 5
“Hamlet is familiar, it is done a lot, but familiarity is fine,” Woolf said. “You see and hear it differently each time. Each time you hear a different aspect.”
Heisenberg– Oct. 25 through Nov. 12
“This is a charming and sweet story about the possibilities of relationship and love,” Woolf said.
Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley – Nov. 29 through Dec. 24
“This is for all the Jane Austen fans,” Woolf said.
The Marvelous Wonderettes – Jan. 3 through Jan. 28, 2018
“This has never been done in St. Louis before and has a great playlist,” Woolf said. “It is perfect in January in the dead of winter in St. Louis.”
Faceless – Jan. 17 through Feb. 4, 2018
“This is a courtroom drama based on the true story of a young woman in Chicago who becomes enamored of ISIS and forms and internet relationship with someone from ISIS,” Woolf said. “... It is timely. The woman whose story this is gets out of prison this year. You can’t believe what you’re hearing because it is so remarkable.”
The Humans – Feb. 7 through March 4, 2018
“This won the Tony for best play last year,” Woolf said.
Caught – March 7 through March 25, 2018
“It is very difficult to explain this play, but I’ll say it is fast-moving and a play experience I’ve never had before here,” Woolf said. “It is a special piece.”
Born Yesterday – March 14 through April 8, 2018
“This is a great classic comedy,” Woolf said. “A major industrialist goes to Washington with his ex-model girlfriends. ... It might have a familiar tinge.”
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