St. Louis is the nation’s premiere theatrical hub. OK, well, maybe not yet … but we’re working on it
By Jolene Fisher
Photograph by Pete Newcomb
This month, the curtains go up on two new promising theaters—one is bent on bringing national recognition to the city’s theatrical efforts, while the other hopes to spark an entire South City entertainment district. Both are sure to bring a slew of opportunities to St. Louis artists and audiences alike.
The Gaslight Theater (356 N. Boyle), housed in two 1890s buildings on Boyle Avenue, grew out of producing director and owner William Roth’s desire to first create the St. Louis Actors’ Studio, then create a space to showcase the company. Roth, who has been working in the St. Louis theater business for the last 20 years, was ready for a change. “In St. Louis, there is too much of a ‘rush to production’: a couple of people decide what show will be done, they put up a casting notice, have three or four weeks of rehearsal and then have the show,” says Roth. “By structure, our productions will be different than anything else that’s going on in St. Louis.”
Starting with “family dynamics,” each season will be organized around a central theme that will be thoroughly examined by the plays. Actors, cast or not, can bury themselves once a week in the complexities of the theme during workshops held in a rehearsal space under the stage. Roth hopes to pull area writers into the exploration of the theme’s general issues as well, so that an original piece can be produced at the end of each season.
The theater itself, an intimate space with 100 seats or so, is meant to be a backdrop for the actors’ performances, rather than a gilded frame. “It’s all about the actors and the acting. We have a highly skilled staff of costumers, lighting crews and set designers, but the size of the space does not allow itself room for big sets with things flying in and out. It won’t be minimalist all the time, but the focus will be on the acting,” Roth says.
Certainly the curtains will have to go down at some point—only so many shows can be produced in a season—but Roth hopes the lights won’t need to go off. When the space is not being used for theatrical productions, it will host art exhibits and film series based around the season’s theme. “We want to embrace all of the arts as much as possible. We will be very robust about this theme,” he notes. “You are going to see a lot of really great art being produced in many ways here.”
Who knew going to church could be so much fun? Mike Allen and Peter Rothschild have transformed St. Boniface Church on Carondelet into the Ivory Theatre (7622 Michigan at Ivory). The old wooden pews have made way for 196 cushioned seats, and what was once a choir loft filled with hymns now holds cabaret-style seating, allowing the experience to be more than just a visual feast. Now that a live-in priest is no longer a necessity, Allen has big plans for the rectory. “Our hope is that in the not-too-distant future we can get a restaurant and bar in there,” he says. “It’s a beautiful space—hardwood floors, stained glass—people could go there before or after shows for food or a drink, and it could serve the cabaret area.”
What used to be the altar area is now a large backstage, perfect for moving scenery and props in and out. “This is really going to be an operating theater. There will be lots of lights, a sound system, curtains—much more like the Fox on a smaller scale than other ‘black box’ theaters where there is just basically an open space. We are trying to make our theater really professional,” says Allen.
To make use of the generous space, Allen is looking at groups like New Line Theatre, Hydeware Theatre and the NonProphet Theater Company. “We really want to get new kinds of presentations in the theater,” says Allen. “All of the groups we’re talking to do modern, edgy stuff.”
Allen hopes that the crowds drawn in by the new theater will be only the beginning. “[The Ivory] is in an area that’s very close to the new casino complex that’s going in. In front of the theater is a triangular park, and we are working with the city to improve that area. There are several restaurants and bars that are going in around us, and our hope is that we will eventually get to the point where that triangle is kind of a South City entertainment district. It’s all coming together, and it’s a really neat thing."
See our calendar listings for current productions at the Gaslight and Ivory theaters.
