For its final show of the year, the Fabulous Fox Theater chose the family friendly hit musical Mrs. Doubtfire: The New Musical Comedy, a charming story that benefits from some smart script updates. The most memorable scenes from the 1993 movie seamlessly weave in and out of the songs, and the comedy shines, while the story is warm without going into much emotional depth.
Three Sixty is headed to Maryland Heights. The new lounge will open its second location atop the “gold tower” (111 West Port Plaza Drive, Maryland Heights; 360-stl.com/westport) in the Westport Plaza on Wednesday, January 31.
If silence is violence, then I’d deem Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest the most brutal film in theaters today. Emotionlessly presenting a daily report on one of Führer und Reichskanzler Adolf Hitler’s most loyal soldiers, the film quietly explores its nightmarish concept with zero frills.
A St. Louis man who last year was shot six times by police is now languishing neglected in city jail, his family said in court today. "No family should have to live like this," said Caitlin O'Shaughnessy, whose brother Kevin has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and has been in the City Justice Center since June.
Every breath they take, we'll be watching them ... at Busch Stadium. The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that Sting and Billy Joel will take the stage on Friday, September 27. Last fall, the two rock legends announced they would play Tampa and San Diego this February and April, respectively — the first time they'd ever co-headlined a full show.
Another St. Louis area municipality will pay big bucks to settle claims it ran a "debtors prison" under a preliminary settlement approved in federal court this week. This time, it's Florissant in the hot seat. The nonprofit law firm ArchCity Defenders sued the north county municipality in 2016, alleging it illegally jailed more than 85,000 people over a period of 11 years.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis announced today that it has raised about 80 percent of the funds needed to close a $2.5 million budget shortfall and that it will extend its Rally for the Rep campaign through the end of January. The fundraising goal, announced in October, came with the news that the Webster Groves theater might have to cancel the rest of its season. With the success so far, that specter has been averted: At minimum, the Rep will mount its next show, Moby Dick.
Andrew Cisneros will open a brick-and-mortar location for his Brasas concept in the Delmar Loop in spring 2024. The restaurant will open at 6138 Delmar Blvd., the former home of 12oh7 Herban Eatery.
Six years ago, Erin O’Reilly walked through Tower Grove Park when she noticed something she thought was concerning. A city worker was spraying chemicals on the park’s greenery, and O’Reilly, a nurse and lactation consultant, says she noticed the same thing occur again and again in the years that followed.
The Midtown restaurant and bar Beffa's (2700 Olive Street) announced yesterday that it has retaken control of its kitchen. In doing so, it is parting ways with Honey Bee's Midtown, a biscuit-focused daytime spot that took up residence in the Beffa's kitchen in October. Beffa's announced the move on its Facebook page.
Multiple St. Louis area police agencies engaged in an incredibly chill chase early this afternoon, with both pursuers and pursued traveling at speeds somewhere between OJ Simpson’s white Bronco and a sloth. It's unclear where this pokey pursuit began, but it passed through Lemay in south county and ended in south city not far from Hampton and Chippewa.
Gerard Craft's restaurant group will have an outpost within Rockwell Beer Company no longer. The two entities announced today that Niche Food Group's brassWell (1320 South Vandeventer Avenue), a fast-casual burger concept, will no longer operate the food program within the brewery. Instead, Rockwell will take the helm for food, as well as drinks, at the Grove location.
The last month of the year was a good one for restaurants. Seriously, check out the astronomically long list below. But December wasn't just about quantity.
After 18 years of delighting city brunch goers, Rooster is expanding to the county. The beloved eatery, known for its top-notch bloody marys, crepes and slingers, recently hung up a sign in the heart of Clayton. The new sign adorns 176 Carondelet Plaza, which previously held Whitebox Eatery and sits right next door to hotspot 801 Fish and the Ritz-Carlton St. Louis.
This January, the Foundry Art Centre (520 North Main Center, St. Charles; foundryartcentre.org) is going to the dogs with Wag — an interactive art exhibition curated and designed specifically for our four legged-companions. Dogs can enjoy artwork created by area artists with dog-friendly color spectrum palettes, all at dog height for easy viewing; portraits of dogs at the St. Charles Animal Shelter; interactive sculpture and video installations; art activities; a community wall filled with visitors’ artwork and a bowl installation, which can be purchased through a silent auction with proceeds benefiting the St. Charles Animal Shelter.
When gaining confidence on a bicycle, a useful game to play is something called the lava box. Participating cyclists line themselves up in a one-way-facing circle, inside the bounds of a cone-outlined square of pavement.
After two and a half months in the St. Louis County jail, former police officer Matt McCulloch was yesterday granted a less restrictive bond, allowing him to enter in-patient treatment at a hospital in St. Charles. McCulloch, 39, the son of longtime St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch, is currently facing 11 felony charges after opening fire at a Kirkwood middle school’s trunk or treat event on a Sunday evening last October.
The week after New Year's Day is often the quietest one of the year — everyone's partied out, no bands are coming through town and even the comedians are staying home nursing their hangovers. What's an extrovert to do?
Now that the flurry of December theater openings has passed, I'm taking a few moments to reflect on the year. All in all, 2023 was a good year for theater and theatergoers — and I'm cautiously optimistic that 2024 will continue the trend.
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