Metro Theater Company

Attention educators! Streaming on demand through June 30 only: Two plays by Idris Goodwin And In This Corner: Cassius Clay and Jacked! Perfect for your summer camp, classroom, or youth group. Ticket prices $5 or less per student. https://www.metroplays.org/virtual-field-trips

Although our streaming of the animated production of Jacked! by Idris Goodwin has ended, you can still enjoy listening to the stellar cast album. The 17-track album was created by St. Louis-based music producer, sound designer, and percussionist Jackie Jackpot Sharp and recorded at Doorway Studios. It features a wide range of hip hop and break beat music, including vocals and rap by the popular St. Louis punk pop duo, The Knuckles, and the vocals of actor Jarris L. Williams in the role of Jack. https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/jacked-cast-album

Did you know? The ocean produces at least 50% of the planet’s oxygen, is home to most of earth’s biodiversity, and is the main source of protein for more than a billion people around the world. Today is World Oceans Day! We celebrate all that the ocean gives us from the oxygen we breathe to the endless source of inspiration for dreamers and makers. https://unworldoceansday.org . In 2016, Metro Theater Company produced The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamill...o. "The storm, in its ferocity, actually flung him all the way out of the sea; and the rabbit glimpsed, for a moment, the light of an angry and bruised sky; the wind rushed through his ears. It sounded like Pellegrina laughing. But before he had time to appreciate being above water, he was tossed back down into the depths. Up and down, back and forth he went until the storm wore itself out, and Edward saw that he was beginning, again, his slow descent to the ocean floor." . (Photo: John Lamb) See more

A frequent question we had from The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show audiences was, Who made the puppets? The answer is the amazing Jonathan Rockefeller of Rockefeller Productions! Enjoy this Q&A with Jonathan about the process of creating The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show. https://www.metroplays.org/blog-202/rockefeller-productions . (L to R: Eric Carle and Jonathan Rockefeller)

Open your heart. Someone will come. Someone will come for you. But first you must open your heart. Kate DiCamillo, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. Happy Valentine's Day! (Metro Theater Company, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, 2016. L to R: Erin Renée Roberts, Bridgette Bassa, and Adam Flores. Photo: John Lamb.)

Enjoy this week's edition of Up Next that highlights virtual performances, experiences, and book recommendations from Treehouse Shakers, Magik Theatre, TheaterWorks USA, Idris Goodwin, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Rose Theatre Kingston, Tall Stories, Young Chicago Authors, St. Louis County Library, The St. Louis Black Repertory Company, and more! What are some of your favorite virtual performances you have experienced recently? https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/upnext-feb14

Playwright of Jacked!, And In This Corner: Cassius Clay, and Ghost, Idris Goodwin, and Nickelodeon have created this animated music video! Watch "Black History (It's Yours)," an original rap anthem that celebrates African-American icons and heroes. https://youtu.be/fimXsRfKXnY

A St. Louis educator took their students on a virtual field trip to stream And In This Corner: Cassius Clay and said, "It’s rare that our students get to see plays and Metro always does the best job of keeping the content appropriate and meaningful for elementary students." https://www.metroplays.org/cassius-clay-field-trips Art by Cbabi Bayoc. Photo by Victoria Lafferty.

Coming Soon! Live and outdoors, with virtual viewing options. Our spring production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, La Oruga Muy Hambrienta Espectáculo is on! We are delighted to be partnering with the brand new Kirkwood Performing Arts Center for outdoor performances inspired by Eric Carle’s beloved books. Save the date to join us April 25 May 16 for a joyful hour of theater featuring 75 life size puppets in safe, socially distant pod seating. Tickets go on sale January 28. Sign up for our pre-sale list here https://www.metroplays.org/hungrycaterpillar . (Photo: Russ Rowland)

Calling all educators anywhere in the world! Metro Theater Company is hosting our first Virtual Educator Preview on January 21 at 4:30 pm CST on Zoom. You'll hear from some of the creative artists bringing our virtual and in-person performances to life, as well as see sneak previews of each of our upcoming productions. Register for free https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/educator-preview

Learn more about our recent collaboration with the Teens Make History program at the Missouri History Museum in this wonderful feature from Higher Education Channel TV (HEC-TV). https://youtu.be/uZrakJRdXeA

Happy National Trivia Day! In 1994, Metro Theater Company performed 34 shows in 21 days of THE YELLOW BOAT on tour to what U.S. state? During this tour, the production was seen by nearly 16,000 young people!

Did you enjoy Jarris L. Williams's performance in last season's Ghost? Don't miss Jarris in our upcoming virtual production of Jacked! by Idris Goodwin. https://www.metroplays.org/jacked (Photo: Jennifer A. Lin)

Happy New Year from all of us at Metro Theater Company! We hope that your 2021 is filled with much joy, laughter, and creativity to navigate the unexpected.

2020 has perhaps been the most unusual year in Metro Theater Company’s history. While we have not been able to share the powerful and beautiful experience of being in a theater together since Ghost closed at The Grandel in early March, we have remained committed throughout the pandemic to continue to serve youth and families, not only in St. Louis, but across the globe. And we are making plans to ensure that, long after our community has healed from the losses of COVID-19, we are stronger than ever. Consider supporting the future of MTC before the year ends! Thank you for your generosity. https://www.metroplays.org/makeagift

To all who celebrate, Happy Sixth Day of Kwanzaa! Today represents the principle of Kuumba or creativity: "To do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it."

Theater meets medicine! We've been working with SLU Public Health and Social Justice and Washington University Lupus Clinic on an interactive theatrical experience to help improve patient-physician communication and shared decision making. https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/slu-washu

We are thrilled to offer virtual classroom programming to enhance and support student learning this semester! https://www.metroplays.org/virtualclassroom . Building Community Through Drama: This program uses theatrical techniques to explore social and emotional learning, develop empathy, investigate historical and current instances of bullying/oppression, and connect students’ lived experiences to topics covered in social studies and literature. . Arts Integration: ...MTC works in partnership with classroom teachers to design and facilitate arts integrated lesson plans, which use highly interactive arts-based learning strategies to bring core curriculum to life. . Workshops: Metro Theater Company offers a variety of options, including workshops on improvisation, acting, creative drama, and our intergenerational storytelling project, which focuses on connecting young people with elders to celebrate stories. . (Photo: Jennifer A. Lin, 2019) See more

"A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading" viewer commented, "We loved it. I needed that reminder of what matters about the season, and it warmed the cockles of my bah-humbug heart. It was a great example of the power of art to reframe our thinking." There's still time to donate $50 or more to Metro Theater Company and receive a DVD copy of the broadcast as a thank you gift! https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol

Thank you to St. Louis Sprout & About for featuring upcoming virtual holiday shows from the Saint Louis Ballet, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, COCA (Center of Creative Arts), Opera Edwardsville, Bach Society of St. Louis, and MTC's production of A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading! https://www.stlsprout.com//8119-holiday-showstoppers-at-ho

Meet The Knuckles (Aloha Misho and Rockwell Knuckles)! This phenomenal St. Louis hip-hop duo performs in our virtual production of Jacked! by Idris Goodwin. Learn more https://www.metroplays.org/jacked

I am thrilled that Metro Theater Company's core values of accessibility and inclusion will be demonstrated in such a concrete way through the Every Child Initiative, artistic director Julia Flood said. We look to a future that allows us to gather in community again and to share all that we have learned during this time. It is fitting that Metro Theater Company will celebrate the imagination, energy, and joy of our young people as we invite voices of change, hope, and a new generation to create for our stage. Read more about our strategic plan from Ladue News.

MTC’s Team Education completed a successful virtual residency with Maplewood-Richmond Heights School District in December and is preparing for residencies in the new year with the Clayton School District. Learn more about virtual classroom opportunities! https://www.metroplays.org/virtualclassroom

Looking for fun family activities during the holidays? Be sure to explore our Learning Through Play in the Arts education video series featuring Mindful Mondays, Transformation Tuesdays, Warm-Up Wednesdays, Thoughtful Thursdays, and Flashback Fridays! https://www.metroplays.org/blog/team-education

How we’ve celebrated the holiday season together is unique each year. If you are celebrating Christmas today, we hope that you are finding new and wonderful ways to do so with those you love.

"It was Christmas Eve everywhere, even in the barn, especially in the barn, where there were three geese, three cows, a horse, a goat and one mouseall sleeping. From a very long way away, a bell tolled once, twice, three times. And then four times, five times, six times, all the way to twelve. The mouse woke up..." Find out what happens next from author Kate DiCamillo (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane)! https://www.metroplays.org/blog-20/a-little-christmas-story

Attention educators! Metro Theater Company is hosting our first ever virtual Educator Preview event on Thursday, January 21, 2021 at 4:30 pm CST on Zoom. You'll hear from some of the creative artists bringing our virtual and in-person performances to life, as well as see sneak previews of each of our upcoming productions. Free to attend. https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/educator-preview

Meet our production team for "Jacked!" by Idris Goodwin. Erik Kuhn - MTC Production Manager and Technical Director, Julia Flood - MTC Artistic Director, Dorathy Johnston - costume designer, Michael Tran - animation, Jamie McKittrick - director, Jimmy Bernatowicz - stage manager, Nicholas Kryah - visual artist, and Jackie Sharp - music and sound design. Learn more about Jacked! https://www.metroplays.org/jacked

Mary F. in Mississippi enjoyed our broadcast of A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading! She shared, It gave me a much-needed dose of Christmas spirit in a year when that's been hard to come by, and it exemplified the true meaning of not only Christmas but what's important in life

This special edition of "Up Next" highlights virtual theatrical and arts experiences that you and your family can enjoy during winter break! Explore events from the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Children's Theatre of Charlotte, Broadway On Demand, Brian Owens Soul, The Muny, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival, Little Angel Theatre, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, First Stage, Atlantic Theater Company, and more. Plus, enjoy a special MTC discount promo for the Play On Kit by Bay Area Children's Theatre! https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-20/upnext-winter-break

Did you know? 177 years ago today, A Christmas Carol was published! What are some of your favorite adaptations of this classic holiday tale? . If you missed Metro Theater Company's recent adaptation, "A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading," you can still enjoy the event this holiday season! Donors who give $50 or greater receive a commemorative DVD and digital access. All donations support MTC’s efforts to connect young people, families, and teachers to theater through virtual programs, live events (once they are again safe), and in-school arts integrated curriculum. https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol

We are so grateful for everyone who tuned in for our virtual reading of A Christmas Carol. We would deeply appreciate your feedback! Take our audience survey by Saturday, December 19 at midnight and you can choose to be entered to win one of three $25 Amazon gift cards. We’ll be drawing the winners on Sunday, December 20 to help three lucky families enjoy a little extra spending cash for holiday gifts this year. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MTCChristmasCarol

Happy Hanukkah to everyone celebrating! May the light of Hanukkah shine on you all year long.

We loved sharing And In This Corner: Cassius Clay by Idris Goodwin with Southview School! Teacher Stephanie Canady-Purvis enjoyed having her class learn about Muhammad Ali while also sharing her personal experience of having met him. She said, When I was little, Muhammed Ali was training in St. Louis and ran past my grandparents’ house in the city and picked me up and ran with a huge crowd following." She added how many of her students had not experienced live theater before, and how she was able to connect the story to lessons in her class about problem solving. Read more! https://bit.ly/2WjbAtE . Learn about MTC's virtual field trips to experience And In This Corner: Cassius Clay https://www.metroplays.org/virtual-field-trips . (Photo: Victoria Lafferty)

Metro Theater Company’s (MTC) fall education team collaboration with the Missouri Historical Society’s (MHS) Teens Make History program concludes this weekend with a final Zoom play inspired by MTC’s COVID-19 Memory Project and the MHS’s Stories of the Pandemic collection. All three short plays in the series were written and produced by the teens. https://www.metroplays.org/doublepandemic . If you missed the first two Zoom plays "Can You Hear Me?" and "Saying Goodbye," they can be viewed on the MTC website, both followed by a Q&A with the teens. This week’s short play "But What Can I Do?" airs on the MTC website at 11:30 am CST on Saturday, Dec 19.

We are so grateful to everyone who tuned in to watch our virtual reading of A Christmas Carol and to everyone across our community who came together to help make this special holiday experience a success. Between our two broadcasts on Dec. 10 and Dec. 13, viewers joined us from across 7 countries, 39 states and the District of Columbia, and 300 zip codes including every zip code in the St. Louis region. Thousands enjoyed the broadcasts as they aired, but if you missed i...t, want to relive it, or want to share it with others, there still is a way to do so. https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol . A commemorative DVD of A Christmas Carol is available this holiday season for all donors who give $50 or greater. And for donors who give $250 or more, in addition to the DVD, you’ll receive a holiday gift package that includes a pair of MTC hot cocoa mugs and St. Louis made hot cocoa mix from Kakao Chocolate. Both are donor benefits available now through January 1 (or until supplies last). Plus, as soon as you give, you’ll receive access to a personal link to view the broadcast online at your convenience. Thank you for your support! See more

Metro Theater Company and the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis are proud to present the digital premiere of Enough: Plays to End Gun Violence, streaming for free on Broadway On Demand, Dec 14-20. Also, be sure to watch our pre-show virtual discussion about the impact of gun violence. https://www.metroplays.org/enough . Selected by award-winning playwrights Lauren Gunderson, David Henry Hwang, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Robert Schenkkan, and Karen Zacarias, these seven powerful short plays were written and performed by teens nationwide. Co-produced by Alliance Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Berkeley Rep, Goodman Theatre, Orlando Repertory Theatre, and South Coast Repertory.

This week's edition of Up Next highlights upcoming events and experiences from First Stage, The Brain Lair Bookstore, Broadway On Demand, Enough: Plays to End Gun Violence, Resounding, St. Louis County Library, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and more! https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/upnext-dec13

Today is the day! Metro Theater Company's final broadcast of A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading is at 2:30 pm CST. We’re thrilled that audiences from 272 zip codes, 37 states, and 7 countries are joining us for holiday cheer! Viewers have said that the show is simply magical, genuinely compelling, and the perfect Christmas gift to the entire world. Free to watch, donations greatly appreciated. Register: https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol . All funds raised through donations to this event will support MTC’s programs during COVID-19 to connect young people to the power and impact of theater, through live performances, virtual programs, and arts-integrated classroom experiences.

Don't miss our final broadcast of A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading on Sunday at 2:30 pm CST! Our audiences commented, "Such a fantastic and inventive way to celebrate this time of year" and "Thanks to everyone at Metro for the perfect Christmas gift to the entire world!" Join artists, athletes, civic leaders, media personalities, and first responders, for a streamed reading of Charles Dickens’s holiday classic. Register here: https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol. . All funds raised through donations to this event will support MTC’s programs during COVID-19 to connect young people to the power and impact of theater, through live performances, virtual programs, and arts-integrated classroom experiences.

We're proud to present Enough: Plays to End Gun Violence a yearlong theater initiative that encourages teens to confront gun violence by creating new works of theater. Join us on Dec. 14 with our partner, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and several community organizations to virtually view this collection of 10-minute plays on Broadway On Demand. https://www.enoughplays.com/broadway-on-demand

A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading audience members shared last night, "This was simply magical. Needed now, more than ever. A wonderful gift and a beautiful reading with young and old..." and "The anticipation of who will be reading next kept me on the edge of our couch." Share your comments about the show: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MTCChristmasCarol. . Plus, if you missed last night's event or want to celebrate the holiday spirit with our magical readers again, join us for our final performance on Sunday at 2:30 pm CST! Register here, donations are greatly appreciated! https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol

A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading begins tonight! Two chances to view: tonight at 6:30 pm CST and Sunday at 2:30 pm CST. Register for free, donations appreciated. https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol . The exciting list of readers includes Ellie Kemper, Sterling K. Brown, Ryan Michelle Bathé, Justin Willman, Ken Page, Christine Brewer, Judith Ivey, Paul Goldschmidt, Jamie Rahn, Charlie Brennan, Aisha Sultan, Ruth Ezell, John Mozeliak, Julie Tristan, Carl Overly, Jr., Carol North, Alicia Revé Like, Deborah Jackson Taffa, Jacqueline Thompson, Mark Levine MD, Tim Gore, Julius B. Anthony, Jennifer Horst MD, Miranda Rodriguez Rosbach, Erin Kane MD, Soupy Alan David, Lamarr Mosley, Jessica Jackson, Roxane McWilliams, plus members of the MTC staff.

We are excited to share A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading with you on December 10 and 13! Learn more about this beloved holiday story of redemption, transformation, and goodwill featuring Ellie Kemper, Sterling K. Brown, Ryan Michelle Bathé, Justin Willman, Judith Ivey, Ken Page, Christine Brewer, and many more outstanding St. Louisans. https://www.metroplays.org/bl/a-christmas-carol-in-the-news

A huge thank you to Laura Hettiger and KMOV for featuring our event, A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading! We can't wait to share this celebrated tale with you on Dec 10 and13--be sure to register today! https://www.kmov.com//article_e28924d4-387f-11eb-977f-8b35

We're so excited to share A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading with you on Dec 10 and 13! So far registrations have come in from 171 zip codes including the St. Louis region, 26 states, and the District of Columbia. Plus, viewers from 4 countries will be watching the event! All funds raised through donations to A Christmas Carol will support MTC’s programs during COVID-19 to connect young people to the power and impact of theater, through live performances, virtual programs, and arts-integrated classroom experiences. https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol

This week's edition of Up Next features upcoming performances, experiences, and book recommendations from the Lookingglass Theatre Company, Washington University in St. Louis, the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Brothers Lazaroff, St. Louis County Library, Enough: Plays to End Gun Violence, Manual Cinema, and more! https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/upnext-dec6

We are so grateful for the generosity of The Gateway Foundation! Did you know that their ticket underwriting support has helped us provide access to MTC productions for students from underserved St. Louis communities? This Fall, hundreds of students were able to experience And In This Corner: Cassius Clay (24/7 On-Demand Streaming for Schools) at no cost to the student or their school. https://www.metroplays.org/virtual-field-trips . Photography: Victoria Lafferty

Join us on Sat, Dec 5 at 11:30 am CST for Episode One of The Double Pandemic. The young people of the Missouri History Museum's Teens Make History program will share the culmination of their fall work with Metro Theater Company a Zoom play inspired by MTC’s COVID-19 Memory Project, the museum’s Stories of the Pandemic digital collection, and the teens' own experiences with the double pandemic of coronavirus and systemic racism. The play was written and performed by the teens, offering a brave glimpse into the experiences of youth in St. Louis over the last nine months. Watch on the Metro Theater Company web site and be sure to stay for the Q&A! https://www.metroplays.org/doublepandemic

Thank you to Kenya Vaughn and St. Louis American! Read her article, "Virtually home for the holidays: Sterling K. Brown, Ryan Michelle Bathé join MTC reading of A Christmas Carol" and learn more about our upcoming event! https://bit.ly/2VCNfyy

We enthusiastically agree with Purina that people and pets are #BetterTogether! We are so excited to announce that Purina is a Lead Sponsor for our upcoming production of A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading on Dec 10 and 13. Here are a few of our readers' fur babies that you'll see in the virtual performance! https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol

Support Metro Theater Company this #GivingTuesday! Help us reach even more young people in the St. Louis region as we share the social emotional benefits of theater and the joy that the arts inspire. https://www.metroplays.org/makeagift

At Metro Theater Company, we are enormously grateful to have a community who believes in our work and who values the benefits of art and theater as a means for supporting young people and enacting social change. . In the spirit of our mission and to demonstrate our immense respect for our community of supporters, Metro Theater Company proudly endorses the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Donor Bill of Rights. Read them here: https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/donorbillofrights . (Photo: Jennifer A. Lin)

Metro Theater Company envisions a strong, vibrant, and diverse St. Louis, where young people are empowered to reach their full human potential without barriers. This #GivingTuesday help us in strengthening the vibrant St. Louis community. Make a gift today! https://www.metroplays.org/makeagift

Storytelling is what binds us all together as human beings. When we gather in a theater to see a live performance, our hearts beat together; we see each other and ourselves on the stage as we experience the story the artists are telling together. So many performing arts organizations are struggling now as a result of the pandemic. Although MTC cannot bring people together in the way we once did, this community reading is a way of gathering and sharing in a virtual space, Julia Flood (MTC Artistic Director) said. Read more about A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading in Gazelle Magazine! https://gazellemagazine.com/metro-theater-stages-star-stud/

Are you still shopping for your #CyberMonday gifts? Consider giving a one-of-a-kind commemorative DVD recording of A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading to someone on your list and bring Ellie Kemper, Sterling K. Brown, Ken Page, Christine Brewer, Paul Goldschmidt, Justin Willman, Jamie Rahn, and so many more into your living room as they help us read the story of Dickens’s timeless classic. The DVDs are an exclusive thank you gift for our donors of $50 or more. Register online today, make a donation, and enjoy giving a holiday gift you can’t get anywhere else! https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol

This week's edition of Up Next highlights local and national performances, events, and community resources from St. Louis Public Library, St. Charles City-County Library, Washington University in St. Louis, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Atlantic Theater Company, Nine Network, Broadway On Demand, Enough: Plays to End Gun Violence, and more. Experience something new! https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/upnext-nov29

Small businesses are the lifeblood of communities across the country. And since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses have needed our support more than ever. If you are looking for a great read for someone in your family this holiday season, may we recommend one of these three wonderful bookstores? Each has supported MTC over the last year: Left Bank Books, The Novel Neighbor, and Eyeseeme. . As a small non-profit, Metro Theater Company has been a small busines...s anchored in St. Louis for 48 years. We hope you’ll also consider supporting MTC today on #SmallBusinessSaturday by making plans to join us for A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading. It’s free to register, but if you make a donation of $50 or greater, you’ll get a commemorative DVD recording of the broadcast, which makes a great holiday gift. And for an even more impressive gift package, consider a donation of $250 or greater. As a thank you for a contribution at that level, you’ll enjoy a gift package featuring a DVD, holiday mugs, and delicious hot cocoa mix from another of our favorite St. Louis small businesses, Kakao Chocolate. See more

Meet Dr. Jennifer Horst, pediatric emergency physician, St. Louis Children's Hospital; Jessica Jackson, St. Louis City firefighter; Dr. Erin Kane, COVID emergency room physician, Barnes-Jewish Hospital; and Dr. Mark Levine, medical director for the St. Louis Fire Department! We are so thankful for this incredible group of first responders. Cheer them on in our upcoming production of A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading on Dec 10 and 13! https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol

Happy Thanksgiving! We are grateful for the extraordinary community of support around us and wish you much joy this holiday season.

Enjoy this sneak peek of A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading! The beloved holiday story of redemption, transformation, and goodwill comes to life in this all-St. Louis reading featuring Ellie Kemper, Sterling K. Brown, Ryan Michelle Bathé, Christine Brewer, Judith Ivey, Ken Page, and more! Registration is free or with a donation to Metro Theater Company. https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol

Save the date! GivingTuesday is December 1! Your gift helps support MTC’s programs during COVID-19 to connect young people to the power and impact of theater, through live performances, virtual programs, and arts-integrated classroom experiences. Thank you for your support! https://www.metroplays.org/makeagift

Meet MTC Board Member Amy Hoch Hogenson! We asked her what she enjoys about theater for young audiences. She said, "I love the excitement of seeing the stage, not knowing what will happen, and engaging with the crowd with the story!" We are excited to shine a spotlight on Amy so you can get to know her. Read more https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020/meet-amy-hoch-hogenson

Read about our upcoming production of A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading in St. Louis Magazine! Registration for the virtual performance is available at no cost or with a donation to MTC. All funds raised through donations to this event will support MTC’s programs during COVID-19 to connect young people to the power and impact of theater, through live performances, virtual programs, and arts-integrated classroom experiences. https://www.stlmag.com//ellie-kemper-metro-theater-charle/ . (Photo by Lev Radin)

This week's edition of Up Next highlights performances, experiences, community resources, and reading recommendations from Resounding, Pulitzer Arts Foundation, Honolulu Theatre for Youth, Little Angel Theatre, Center for Puppetry Arts, Children's Theater of Madison, St. Louis Magazine, Eyeseeme, and more! https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/upnext-nov22

This past summer, seven community leaders, including Erica Wilson, joined Metro Theater Company’s Board of Directors. We are excited to shine a spotlight on Erica so you can get to know her! We asked Erica what she would tell her 10-year-old self if she could go back in time. She shared, "Always show up with confidence, you never know who you are inspiring." https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/meet-erica-wilson

Today is World Children’s Day! At Metro Theater Company, we are inspired by the intelligence and emotional wisdom of young people and envision a community where all children are empowered to reach their full human potential without barriers. In February, we produced Ghost, based on the award-winning novel by Jason Reynolds and adapted by playwright Idris Goodwin. We partnered with the Ferguson-Florissant School District to bring guest speaker Matthew Carter, the real-life ins...piration for the title character of Ghost, to several schools. One student said, Thank you for coming to our school and talking about your life and sharing your personal story. One of the things that really stuck out was how you are successful even after all the bad things that happened to you. I liked how you kept mentioning that you were a superhero. It made me believe in myself. See more

Metro Theater Company and the Missouri Historical Society continue their collaboration to document how the St. Louis region is experiencing the historic COVID-19 pandemic. Explore the overlapping pandemics of COVID-19 and systemic racism in The Double Pandemic--a series of 10-minute virtual plays inspired by the real-life experiences of people in the St. Louis region and beyond. The plays were researched, written, and performed by the Missouri Historical Society’s Teens Make History Players in collaboration with Metro Theater Company, whose teaching artists co-taught, co-directed, and produced all three works. Watch the shows on Dec 5, 12, and 19! https://www.metroplays.org/doublepandemic

The list of remarkable St. Louisans participating in Metro Theater Company’s A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading keeps growing! We are delighted to announce that St. Louis natives, husband and wife acting and producing duo Sterling K. Brown (This is Us, Frozen 2) and Ryan Michelle Bathé (Sylvie’s Love, All Rise) now complete the line up of celebrity readers for our holiday event! https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol . (Photo: Kathy Hutchins, Shutterstock)

Thank you to West Newsmagazine for featuring A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading! We're so excited to feature Emmy-nominated television star Ellie Kemper, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, Grammy Ward-winning soprano Christine Brewer, and more! https://westnewsmagazine.com//metro-theater-company-presen

This is one of Artistic Director Julia Flood's favorite passages of A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading. Can you imagine the Cratchit Family? . There was nothing of high mark in this. They were not a handsome family; they were not well dressed; their shoes were far from being water-proof; their clothes were scanty; and Peter might have known, and very likely did, the inside of a pawnbroker’s. But, they were happy, grateful, pleased with one another, an...d contented with the time; and when they faded, and looked happier yet in the bright sprinklings of the Spirit’s torch at parting, Scrooge had his eye upon them, and especially on Tiny Tim, until the last. . Experience this classic holiday tale in our upcoming production of A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading. Registration Available at No Cost or with a Donation to MTC. https://www.metroplays.org/christmascarol See more

This week's edition of Up Next features upcoming performances, workshops, and community resources from Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Coterie Theatre, The Soul Box Project, The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati, and more! https://www.metroplays.org/blog-2020-2021/upnext-nov15

For all who celebrate the Festival of Lights, we wish you a Happy Diwali, one that brings beautiful new beginnings, fresh hope, and the glow of joy. Learn more about Diwali https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/diwali/ (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Photo: John Lamb)

Our upcoming event, A Christmas Carol: A St. Louis Virtual Holiday Reading, is featured in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch article, "St. Louis theater events go online, on foot this holiday season." Thank you to Calvin Wilson for highlighting holiday theater events from St. Louis arts organizations! https://www.stltoday.com//collection_3736290f-51b0-57b7-9a

Being kind is one of the most important things we can do, that’s why Metro Theater Company has joined Repertory Theatre of St. Louis for the #RepLoveandKindness Challenge. One of our MTC families placed this sweet note in a retired teacher's yard along with a stuffed animal to match her robot sculpture! Now we challenge Joe Gfaller, Julia Flood, The Big Muddy Dance Company, St. Louis Sprout & About, and COCA (Center of Creative Arts) to: . STEP 1: Do something kind for someon...e else. STEP 2: Snap a picture of your kind gesture to post on your social media channels. STEP 3: Copy and paste this message to your social media accounts. STEP 4: Tag 5 new people challenging them to do the same. . Let's see how much positivity and love we can flood the internet with! See more

Just extended! Classrooms can now watch And In This Corner: Cassius Clay (24/7 On-Demand Streaming for Schools) through Dec 31. Don't miss this dynamic story of the young man who would become Muhammad Ali. From his relationship with a police officer who introduced him to boxing as a kid in Jim Crow-era Louisville to his gold medal-winning performance in the 1960 Rome Olympics, Cassius holds onto the faith that his potential is unlimited. A student who experienced this virtual field trip liked the show so much that they changed their Zoom screen name in school to Muhammad Ali! Reserve today: https://www.metroplays.org/virtual-field-trips