COMMUNITY & CULTURE
The Trish Set
An award-winning journalist recognized for her media leadership and for promoting diversity , Trish Muyco-Tobin has more than 20 years of experience in print and broadcasting . She is also a dedicated community volunteer .
The spotlight will shine on the best of local theater later this month at the sixth annual St . Louis Theater Circle Awards . Leading the pack with nine nominations is Stray Dog Theatre ’ s production of “ Ragtime ,” a musical that chronicles prejudice and class conflicts in early 20th century America . The New Jewish Theatre ’ s presentation of “ Intimate Apparel ,” the story of a quiet African-American seamstress in New York City circa 1905 , received eight nominations .
Other top contenders for awards include “ First Impressions ” at Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble , “ Lizzie ” at New Line Theatre , “ Souvenir ” at Max & Louie Productions and “ The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time ” at The Repertory Theatre of St . Louis , each garnering seven nominations .
Of the 27 local theater companies nominated , The Rep garnered the most nominations at 23 , followed by 17 for Stray Dog Theatre , 16 for The Muny and 11 for New Line Theatre . Stages St . Louis and The Black Rep each have 10 nominations .
The awards ceremony , which honors outstanding achievement in locally produced professional theater , will be held on Monday , March 26 , at the Loretto-Hilton Center .
Big news from Opera Theatre of Saint Louis : Next year , OTSL will present the world premiere of “ Fire Shut Up in My Bones ,” based on acclaimed New York Times columnist Charles M . Blow ’ s best-selling memoir about growing up poor in a segregated Louisiana town . The new opera was commissioned by OTSL as part of its “ New Works , Bold Voices ” series . Multi-Grammy Award-winning artist Terence Blanchard , whose first opera , “ Champion ,” launched the series in 2013 , is slated to compose ; St . Louis native , actress and director Kasi Lemmons (“ Eve ’ s Bayou ”) will write the libretto . OTSL is hosting a workshop on the opera later this month .
Highlights of the St . Louis Symphony Orchestra ’ s 2018-2019 season include four programs conducted by music director designate Stéphane Denève , world premieres of two SLSO-commissioned works , and two weeks of concerts by Leonard Slatkin to mark the 50th year of his debut in St . Louis . Denève , who will succeed David Robertson as the orchestra ’ s 13th music director , beginning with the 2019-2020 season , will conduct a repertoire featuring works by Berlioz , Brahms , Lieberson , Mozart , Prokofiev , Ravel and Wagner . Slatkin , conductor laureate of SLSO , leads two weeks of concerts , including a program of Leonard Bernstein ’ s “ Kaddish ” symphony - the SLSO ’ s first performance of the work in more than 50 years . The world premieres of Christopher Rouse ’ s “ Bassoon Concerto ” and a composition by Jeff Beal , along with a U . S . premiere by Lotta Wennäkoski , are also in the lineup . The season runs Sept . 22 through May 12 , 2019 .
St . Louis Theater Circle Awards Outstanding Actress in a Comedy nominee Justine Salata , star of The Rep ’ s “ Miss Bennet : Christmas at Pemberley ”
Photo by Jerry Naunheim
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