130 Edgar Rd
St. Louis, MO 63119
(314) 968-4925
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is one of the leading American opera companies, known for a spring festival of inventive new productions, sung in English, featuring the finest American singers and accompanied by members of the St. Louis Symphony. As of 2062 Opera Theatre has presented 25 world premieres and 26 American premieres – which may be the highest percentage of new work in the repertory of any U.S. company. Described by The Sunday Times of London as “one of the few American companies worth the transatlantic fare,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis annually welcomes visitors from nearly every state and close to a dozen foreign countries. Although the size of the theater limits box office income to 26% of the budget, the company has consistently produced work of the highest quality while never accumulating a deficit. Opera Theatre also has a long tradition of discovering and promoting the careers of the finest operatic artists of the current generation. Among the artists who had important early opportunities at Opera Theatre are Christine Brewer, Susan Graham, Nathan Gunn, Patricia Racette, Thomas Hampson, Jerry Hadley, Dawn Upshaw, Sylvia McNair, Erie Mills, Dwayne Croft, Kelly Kaduce, and Lawrence Brownlee. Opera Theatre has always been known for distinguished leadership: founding general director Richard Gaddes was succeeded in 1985 by general director Charles MacKay, with famed British stage director Colin Graham as artistic director and Stephen Lord (1992 – present) as music director. Timothy O’Leary was named general director in October 2008 with acclaimed stage director James Robinson succeeding Colin Graham.
The MidWest Theatre Auditions, hosted on the campus of Webster University, take place annually on the third weekend of February. Each year, over 500 acting auditionees and 100 design, technical, and stage management interviewees from collegiate institutions across the Midwest arrive at the Loretto-Hilton Center in St. Louis, Missouri to participate in a weekend of auditions. Over 25 professional summer theatres, graduate schools, and internship programs attend annually. MWTA is organized, staffed, and executed by the Stage Management program of the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University. Under the mentor-ship and guidance of Peter E. Sargent, Dean of the Leigh Gerdine School of Fine Arts, the Stage Management students begin their work in August of each year, processing all of the incoming applications and organizing this large event. The Stage Management students are divided up to organize the various details of the actual weekend, from the four inch binders that contain the 500 acting applications, to the private callback rooms for each individual theatre, to the signs that lead visitors around Webster’s frozen February campus. As freshmen stage management students arrive and outgoing seniors depart Webster for the real world, the face of MWTA seems to constantly change and improve. In the coming years, we hope to increase the number of theatres that attend and establish ourselves as a premier audition festival in the Midwest. For more information, please visit www.webster.edu/depts/finearts/theatre/mwta Or call (314)-968-6937
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis is one of the leading American opera companies, known for a spring festival of inventive new productions, sung in English, featuring the finest American singers and accompanied by members of the St. Louis Symphony. As of 2062 Opera Theatre has presented 25 world premieres and 26 American premieres – which may be the highest percentage of new work in the repertory of any U.S. company. Described by The Sunday Times of London as “one of the few American companies worth the transatlantic fare,” Opera Theatre of Saint Louis annually welcomes visitors from nearly every state and close to a dozen foreign countries. Although the size of the theater limits box office income to 26% of the budget, the company has consistently produced work of the highest quality while never accumulating a deficit. Opera Theatre also has a long tradition of discovering and promoting the careers of the finest operatic artists of the current generation. Among the artists who had important early opportunities at Opera Theatre are Christine Brewer, Susan Graham, Nathan Gunn, Patricia Racette, Thomas Hampson, Jerry Hadley, Dawn Upshaw, Sylvia McNair, Erie Mills, Dwayne Croft, Kelly Kaduce, and Lawrence Brownlee. Opera Theatre has always been known for distinguished leadership: founding general director Richard Gaddes was succeeded in 1985 by general director Charles MacKay, with famed British stage director Colin Graham as artistic director and Stephen Lord (1992 – present) as music director. Timothy O’Leary was named general director in October 2008 with acclaimed stage director James Robinson succeeding Colin Graham.
The May Gallery was established in 1988, with the opening of the Sverdrup Building on the Webster Groves campus of the university. Located in the School of Communications, it is one of the very few spaces in St. Louis dedicated to showing a wide range of photographic work. The Small Wall Gallery was inaugurated in Fall 2000. It complements the May Gallery by hosting smaller photographic exhibitions, especially of student work, work-in-progress, and work that otherwise might not be seen in a gallery setting.
We believe the art of theatre is vital to the welfare of today’s society, a society that is searching for truth and longing for hope. Our intent is to produce classical and contemporary plays and musicals that offer an honest and valid view of our world and offer a sense of hope. Our theatre is unique in that in addition to producing artistically excellent works, our purpose is to offer students positions as interns in our professional company so that they can learn all aspects of theatre production and benefit from the expertise of professional actors, designers and directors.
“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent” ― Victor Hugo "Music is magic. It heals and it mends." -Mary Ann Hoberman, from her book, "And To Think That We Thought That We'd Never Be Friends."
The 1921 Ozark Theatre is centrally located in Webster Groves, MO, about 10 miles southwest of the St. Louis Downtown Arch. The Ozark Theatre hosts periodic theatrical productions and theme events. It is also available for rentals for concerts, sales events, etc. and can seat up to 200. Contact Dan Stevens at 314-962-7000 for available dates.
Two artists own and run this gallery in the heart of Webster Groves. They represent over 25 regional artists in many mediums. Green Door Art Gallery also has a classroom space that is used for art classes, workshops, art meetings, studio sessions and much more. Opened July 2013.
Director: Angie Hetz Choregropher: Bex Gotsch Music Director: Cindy Kessler Producer: Lauren Mayer