The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis continues its 2024-2025 season with an exciting and diverse lineup of productions including Clyde’s, Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood, and Stellaluna. But The Rep’s impact extends far beyond the stage.
“Being an audience member is a vital part of theater, but we want to provide The Rep’s audience members with the opportunity to do more than just see our shows,” says Brian Coats, who manages The Rep’s Learning and Community Engagement (LACE) program. “We want to extend their experience with us and with theater in general.”
Through year-round and annual programming, The Rep looks to ignite the spark of theater across all ages, ensuring that storytelling remains a vital part of the St. Louis community.
Taking the Stage
As the remainder of the season unfolds, audiences can look forward to three standout productions that highlight The Rep’s mission to ensure that theater remains a powerful tool for education, connection, and community engagement.
Clyde’s | February 5–March 2
This thought-provoking, five-time Tony-nominated comedy is set in a truck-stop sandwich shop and tells the story of formerly incarcerated kitchen workers striving for redemption while working under the tough rule of their boss. Ron Himes, artistic director of The Black Rep, will join the cast in the role of Montrellous. In the spirit of the show, The Rep is also partnering with Prison Performing Arts, a St. Louis nonprofit dedicated to enriching the lives of youth and adults in Missouri’s criminal and juvenile justice systems to showcase the transformative power of storytelling. Get tickets.
Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood | March 19–April 13
This lively, family-friendly production blends the comedic styles of Mel Brooks and Monty Python, filled with farcical humor, physical comedy, and thrilling stage combat. It’s an adventurous take on the classic Robin Hood legend that promises to entertain audiences of all ages. Get tickets.
Stellaluna | April 5
Performed by The Rep’s Imaginary Theatre Company (ITC), Stellaluna is a captivating puppet performance based on the beloved children’s book. The production is part of the ITC Festival, a special event designed to be accessible to all families, featuring sensory-friendly performances, crafts and activities, costume dress-up stations, and more. Get tickets.
Igniting a spark that lasts a lifetime
The Rep’s LACE department has evolved over nearly three decades, expanding from a traditional education initiative to a comprehensive program that fosters theater accessibility across all generations. “LACE is all about creating that initial ‘spark’ for people and then cultivating it throughout their lives,” Coats says. “Our programs don’t just introduce theater; they create pathways for ongoing engagement.”
Imaginary Theatre Company (ITC)
The Rep’s own touring theater company reaches around 9,000 children annually throughout Missouri and Illinois. ITC performs in schools and underserved communities, offering many children their first-ever experience with live theater. Through adaptations of classic literature, ITC provides both entertainment and educational value, proving that theater can be a gateway to imagination. “In addition to the performances, we provide teachers with study guides and curriculum connections, and students have the chance to do a Q&A with the actors,” Coats says. “But ultimately, this program is about opening the magic of theater and showing kids you can do this, too—that you can go home and make props and put on a show—you already have all the tools you need.”
Story2Stage takes this spark one step further. Through the residency program, K-12 students learn to write and develop plays. The 10-session residency culminates in a festival, where selected student works are performed by St. Louis-based professional actors. “For some students, this is their first time seeing their ideas come to life on stage,” says Britney Walker-Merritte, teaching and community engagement manager. “The confidence they gain is incredible. This program is about pulling the voice out of students—we don’t tell them what to write; we help them realize the story is already within them, and we hold their hands along the way.”
The Rep also created Page2Stage, which is similar in nature but brings programming into senior living facilities, churches, and community centers. “We bring props, costumes, and even scenic designs to make theater tangible,” says Walker-Merritte. “It’s about making theater accessible, no matter where someone is in life.”
Unlike traditional theater camps, Camp Rep immerses young participants in the full theatrical process, from costume and prop design to lighting and directing. “It’s not just for kids who want to be on stage,” says Angel Azzarra, director of marketing. “It’s for those who want to build, create, and explore different aspects of theater.” Camp Rep allows participants to create their own work from the ground up, culminating in a performance for family and friends. It exposes kids to the many roles that go into a production and the ways in which they can find their place in the theater, whether on stage or behind it.
The Rep offers special daytime performances designed for educators, school groups, and adult audiences, including seniors and differently abled individuals. These performances provide affordable access to professional theater and serve as another way that The Rep keeps people engaged with the arts beyond traditional ticket-buying audiences. “When we go out and do community events, we hear quite a lot of ‘I remember my teacher took me on a field trip to The Rep’ stories,” Coats says. “That’s the spark point we’re talking about, and it’s through these kinds of programs. They know us, but they don’t always know they know us.”
Building community bridges to the arts
The Rep’s commitment to accessibility goes beyond its internal programs; it extends into the community through partnerships with organizations such as the St. Louis County Library and the Saint Louis Art Museum. With each show brought to The Rep stage, these organizations are providing points for audience members to dive further.
The library, for example, curates a custom reading list to provide additional information and complement each show’s theme. It also offers a shuttle from some branches to The Rep at a discounted rate. The Saint Louis Art Museum offers docent-led tours of curated pieces, which relate directly to the shows or again expound upon the theme of it.
“These collaborations create access points that ensure theater is for everyone,” Coats says. “Whether it’s through a bus ride, a storytelling workshop, or a hands-on theatrical experience, we’re always looking for ways to make theater more inclusive.”
As The Rep continues to grow, it remains one of St. Louis’ most significant cultural institutions, one that’s not only producing world-class theater but also enriching lives in ways that extend far beyond the stage.
Whether through a school matinee, a summer camp, or a senior storytelling workshop, The Rep is fostering the next generation of artists, audiences, and lifelong lovers of theater. Its productions may last for a season, but the spark it ignites lasts a lifetime.
This post was created by SLM Partner Studio on behalf of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. To learn more about upcoming shows or to get involved with The Rep’s community programs, visit repstl.org.
