© Jacolby Satterwhite. Courtesy of the artistand Mitchell-Innes & Nash, New York.
Jacolby Satterwhite, Black Luncheon, 2020. Animated neon
Jacolby Satterwhite, Black Luncheon, 2020
MARCH
The Nature of Things
March 10–August 6
How does the creation of art affect the landscape we live in? That’s the question Pulitzer Arts Foundation poses with The Nature of Things: Medieval Art and Ecology, 1100–1550. When we look at the era’s sculptures, textiles, and books, we rarely consider the mines, quarries, farms, and forests required to produce them. This exhibit highlights the temporary and permanent effects of these industries alongside the objects themselves. Pulitzer Arts Foundation, 3716 Washington.
Spirits Roaming on the Earth
March 10–August 13
Conceptual artist Jacolby Satterwhite’s diverse interests and media will be explored in Spirits Roaming on the Earth, the first major survey of his work, at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. Featuring sculptures, 3D animation, immersive experiences, and new-media works, Spirits Roaming on the Earth invites viewers to enter Satterwhite’s fantastical imagination. Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 3750 Washington.
Grand Horizons
March 16–April 2
Life is easy for Bill and Nancy, a happily married couple of 50 years who are settling into their retirement years in Florida—right up until it isn’t. Nancy wants out, the kids don’t know what to think, and audiences get to watch it all unfold in Moonstone Theatre Company’s production of Bess Wohl’s hit comedy Grand Horizons. Kirkwood Performing Arts Center, 210 E. Monroe.
Skeleton Crew
March 29–April 16
The Black Rep takes audiences back to 2008 in Skeleton Crew, the third play in celebrated playwright Dominique Morisseau’s “Detroit cycle.” An auto factory on the brink of collapse threatens the livelihoods—and relationships—of its workers in this powerful modern drama. Catherine B. Berges Theatre at COCA, 6880 Washington.
Steven Young Lee
March 31–May 13
The work of ceramist Steven Young Lee has been shown and collected by the Smithsonian, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, and the Portland Art Museum. His ceramic pieces, which turn the perfection of traditional ceramics on its head with intentional “damage,” are at once beautiful, startling, and challenging to the viewer. Duane Reed Gallery, 4729 McPherson.
PLUS
Forging a Path: Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Program highlights New voices.
Looking for some of the biggest concerts coming through St. Louis this year? Check out The Big 2023 St. Louis Concert List.
Courtesy of Saint Louis Ballet, photography by Kelly Pratt
Saint Louis Ballet's Swan Lake
Saint Louis Ballet's Swan Lake
APRIL
Gateway Blues Festival
April 7
The 15th Annual Gateway Blues Festival is returning to the Stifel Theatre. Beginning at 8 p.m., audiences can groove the night away with Blues legends like King George, Tucka, Calvin Richardson, and Ronnie Bell. Make sure to secure your spot. Tickets start at $59. 1400 Market.
Soccer City
April 8–February 25, 2024
St. Louis City SC’s inaugural season is imminent, and with it comes the Missouri History Museum’s new exhibit on the city’s long history with soccer. The exhibit will display stunning graphics, compelling films, and artifacts from St. Louis’ soccer journey. Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell.
Gruesome Playground Injuries
April 12–May 7
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis is bringing back the Steve Woolf Studio Series. Its first installment is Gruesome Playground Injuries by Rajiv Joseph, a story that follows Doug and Kayleen and their intersecting lives across three decades. Sharing and concealing their hurts and struggling with their affections, the play will arrest you in its vulnerability and amusement. Strauss Black Box Theatre, 210 E. Monroe.
Swan Lake
April 28–30
Join the Saint Louis Ballet’s most popular program with live music by the Springfield Symphony Orchestra. Swan Lake will captivate audiences with its effortless elegance and heart-touching storytelling. Tickets start at $36. Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center, 1 Touhill.
What the Constitution Means to Me
April 6–23
Finalist of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize and nominee of two 2019 Tony Awards, including Best Play, What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck makes audiences reconsider the meaning—and future impact—of the Constitution. Following 15-year-old Heidi as she earns her college tuition with constitutional-debate competitions, the play addresses the complexities of the federal document in the lives of the women in her family. Tickets start at $50. The Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard.
PLUS
Reframing the Narrative: New exhibition brings modern African art to the Kemper.
Photography courtesy of Spring to Dance
Emerson Spring to Dance Festival
Emerson Spring to Dance Festival
MAY
Chihuly in the Garden
May 2–October 15
Experience the works of renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly alongside the blossoms at the Missouri Botanical Garden beginning this month. The specially curated exhibition includes 18 dramatic installations comprised of thousands of pieces of blown glass. Missouri Botanical Garden. 4344 Shaw.
Greater St. Louis Book Fair
May 4–7
The largest charity book fair in the Midwest returns with a variety of hardback and paperback books, records, media, comics, and ephemera—most of which cost less than $5. The fair has hundreds of rare and collectable items in the Collector’s Corner, including first editions, limited editions, and signed copies. Get early admission on Thursday for $15, or visit free Friday through Sunday. Queeny Park, 550 Weidman.
The Damnation of Faust
May 5
Hector Berlioz said Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s play Faust was so good that “I couldn’t put it down. I read it at meals, in the street.” From that obsession came Berlioz’s The Damnation of Faust. Stéphane Denève will conduct the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra in this performance with Isabel Leonard as Marguerite, Michael Spyres as Faust, and John Relyea as Méphistophélès. Powell Hall, 718 N. Grand.
Blaze
May 19–20
Blaze is a curated blend of new works and audience favorites from the Big Muddy Dance Company, the local repertory dance company that seeks to “invigorate life through dance.” Among the works will be world-premiere choreography from both Elizabeth Corbett and Michael Willis. COCA, 6880 Washington.
Emerson SPRING TO DANCE Festival
May 26–27
Dance St. Louis will close its 57th season with the most celebrated dance festival in the Midwest, which invites national touring professional companies to St. Louis. The SPRING TO DANCE Festival includes styles such as modern, ballet, contemporary, aerial, tap, hip-hop, and flamenco, and the performances fill the Touhill’s terrace lobby and main stage with impressive, evocative works. Touhill Performing Arts Center, 1 Touhill.
Twelfth Night
May 31–June 25
The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s annual show in Forest Park will have a modern twist this year. Director Lisa Portes’ production of Twelfth Night—one of the bard’s oft-referenced romantic comedies—will be set in current-day Miami Beach, “where Latin expression thrives, love is love, and you never know who you will fall for.” Shakespeare Glen, 6604 Fine Arts.
Photo courtesy Art on the Square
Meet Me at the Fair
Art and craft fairs abound during spring and summer.
May 12–14 | 36th Annual Art Fair, Laumeier Sculpture Park
The Laumeier Art Fair returns Mother’s Day weekend, with 150 juried artists from across the country.
May 19–21 | Art on the Square, Downtown Belleville Public Square
This juried fine arts festival welcomes approximately 100 artists each year and draws tens of thousands of art lovers to downtown Belleville.
June 2–4 | 19th Annual Webster Arts Fair, Eden Theological Seminary
Located on the seminary’s picturesque grounds, the Webster Arts Fair includes work from more than 100 local and national artists.
August 18–20 | Festival of the Little Hills, St. Charles Main Street
St. Charles’ largest festival of the year welcomes more than 300 craft booths, plus live demonstrations from the region’s talented artisans.
Kay WalkingStick, Cherokee, born 1935; “Chief Joseph Series”, 1974-76; acrylic, ink and wax on canvas; each: 20 x 15 inches; National Museum of the American Indian 26/5366; © Kay WalkingStick
Kay WalkingStick's "Chief Joseph Series"
SLAM's Action/Abstraction Redefined: Modern Native Art, 1940s–1970s
JUNE
Action/Abstraction Redefined: Modern Native Art, 1940s–1970s
June 24–September 3
This exhibition is the Saint Louis Art Museum’s first to explore modern Native American art in the postwar era. Visitors can see an array of paintings, sculptures, textiles, and works on paper created during a period of artistic experimentation and midcentury abstraction. Many of the pieces are from women artists, “whose work remains largely unknown even among specialists.” Saint Louis Art Museum, 1 Fine Arts.
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
June 1–24
Ponder modern dilemmas of love, sex, and social class with a musical set in ancient Greece. In this farcical tale, songs by Stephen Sondheim and a plot devised by Burt Shevelove weave a web of misunderstandings. Beyond the puns and double takes, though, viewers might find that A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum tackles a range of timeless questions. New Line Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard.
Susannah
June 10–24
This summer, join the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (OSTL) for Susannah, the harrowing story of a young woman facing ostracism from her church community. Although it debuted nearly 70 years ago and is one of the most-performed American operas, OSTL’s production is believed to be the first to feature a stage director and conductor who are both women. Loretto-Hilton Center, 130 Edgar.
Gloria: A Life
June 1–18
In this play by Emily Mann, an all-women cast details the life of trailblazing activist and journalist Gloria Steinem. While audiences may be familiar with Steinem’s story, which is the focus of the show’s first act, they’ll be asked in act two to expand the conversation by sharing their own experiences. According to the playbill, “The first act is Gloria’s story; the second is our own.” The New Jewish Theatre, 2 Millstone Campus.
PLUS
Bigger is better for this year’s Open Highway Music Festival
Photography courtesy of Foundry Art Centre
Art of the Arcade
JULY
Chess
July 5–11
Chess hits The Muny stage for the first time this summer in partnership with the St. Louis Chess Club and World Chess Hall of Fame. The Cold War–era musical—developed by pop sensation ABBA and lyricist Tim Rice—follows a dramatic face off between two grandmasters, one American and one Soviet. The Muny, 1 Theatre.
Art of the Arcade
July 7–September 22
Pinball wizards (and casual fans) are bound to enjoy this retro-inspired exhibition at Foundry Art Centre. In partnership with Two Plumbers Brewery & Arcade, the collection will feature works that celebrate the “unique, interesting, and fun artistry” of classic cabinet games. We recommend that guests come prepared for a strong dose of childhood nostalgia. Foundry Art Centre Main Galleries, 520 N. Main Center.
Pippin
July 20–23
Travel with the cast of Pippin as they journey across a metaphorical battlefield, traipse through the circus ring, and repeatedly break the third wall. With a whimsical setting and a score by Stephen Schwartz, this award-winning show is a feast for the eyes and the ears. COCA’s production promises to appeal “to the young at heart throughout the world.” COCA, 6880 Washington.
St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase
July 21–30
For the 23rd consecutive year, outstanding local filmmakers will gather to unveil their work. Past awards have honored the best costuming, screenwriting, visual effects, and more in projects that have strong St. Louis ties. On the festival’s final night, a $500 prize will be awarded to the “Best Showcase Film.” Multiple locations.
LaBute New Theater Festival
July 7–23
What started as an evening performance of playwright Neil LaBute’s one-act shows is now celebrating its ninth year as a weeks-long festival. Each summer, LaBute contributes a new play to be staged at The Gaslight Theater alongside a highly curated program of outside submissions. The Gaslight Theater, 358 N. Boyle.
Vaughn Davis Jr., Separate Lives, 2021. Unprimed canvas, acrylic, dye, pigment, aerosol, dimensions variable. Image courtesy of Romer Young Gallery, San Francisco.
Vaughn Davis Jr., Separate Lives
Vaughn Davis Jr. at Laumeier Sculpture Park
AUGUST
Vaughn Davis Jr.
August 26–December 17
St. Louis–based artist Vaughn Davis Jr. is bringing his first-ever solo museum exhibition to Laumeier Sculpture Park. Davis works a kind of magic on his canvases. Rips, tears, and draped pieces turn paintings into shape-shifting sculptural objects and leave Davis in a space somewhere between forms. The artist will also create two new flags, which will be displayed on Laumeier’s Northern Grove flagpole, for the exhibition. Laumeier Sculpture Park, 12580 Rott.
Evolution Festival
August 26 & 27
A “new, elevated music festival experience” is coming to St. Louis. For those who’ve been missing LouFest, Evolution Festival promises to bring a music-festival atmosphere back to Forest Park. The new fest on the block promises to supply its attendees a weekend with plenty of bourbon, barbecue, and bands. Forest Park, 5265 Wells.
Festival of Nations
August 26 & 27
The city’s largest multicultural event returns to Tower Grove Park this year for a weekend of food, music and dance performances, artisans, and fun. Thanks to the many people of different cultures who have made St. Louis their home—and the traditions they’ve brought along—this annual fest staged by the International Institute of St. Louis is one of the city’s favorites. Tower Grove Park, 4257 Northeast.
Art to Make You Smile
August 4–September 1
This exhibition, first dreamed up during the pandemic, is now a standard at Soulard Art Gallery. The prompt for artists is simple: The work must make you smile. The show is curated by gallery chairman Rich Brooks, who began the tradition with his own series of large, outdoor paintings. Soulard Art Gallery, 2028 S. 12th.
PLUS
For the Culture: Hip-Hop and art collide at SLAM.
Photography by Whitney Curtis
Circus Flora
Summer Favorites
A primer on some of summer’s hottest events
Kick off your summertime slate of activities with a free concert under the stars. The Whitaker Music Festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden begins May 31 and continues every Wednesday through August.
Starting June 1, The Big Top will welcome Circus Flora for high-flying fun. The Muny’s 105th season begins with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical June 12 and continues throughout the summer. From June 15–30, Citygarden will host nature-themed films with Cinema at Citygarden. Also keep an eye on PrideFest’s lineup of celebratory events in June.
In July, catch Fair St. Louis and all of its live music, food, and fireworks. Then, take in a tribute to Bastille Day on the second Friday in July with Let Them Eat Art, a free evening of art demonstrations, music, food, and drinks in downtown Maplewood.
During the dog days of August, check out the Blues at the Arch Festival August 11-13 or Grub and Groove on August 12 in Francis Park. Theatergoers can flock to the annual Tennessee Williams Festival’s lineup of events that honor the seminal playwright’s life and work.
