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St. Louis Black Repertory Company
DESCRIPTION: The St. Louis Black Repertory Company is a professional acting company that performs at St. Louis' Grandel Theatre and at other venues in the region. It is the largest African-American performing arts organization in Missouri and one of the five largest African-American companies in the country. The Black Rep also conducts educational programs on the arts. The company was founded in 1976 and reaches an audience that exceeds 175,000 annually.
ADDRESS: Mailing address: 634 N. Grand Blvd., 10th Floor, Suite 4, St. Louis, MO 63103. The Black Rep performs at Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square in Grand Center.
LOCATION: Grand Center, about 1 mile west of downtown
PHONE: Black Rep Box Office: 314-534-3810; Administrative Office: 314-534-3807; Grandel Theatre Box Office: 314-534-1834
WEB SITE: www.stlouisblackrep.com
GETTING THERE: From Downtown St. Louis, go west on I-64/40 to the Grand Boulevard exit. Take Grand north. For the Black Rep office, proceed a short distance to 634 N. Grand. For the theatre, proceed a few short blocks on Grand to Grandel. Turn left onto Grandel. The theatre is on the left.
HOURS: Office hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday. The St. Louis Black Repertory Company season is January-June 29.
ADMISSION: $10.00 - $37.50
ANNUAL ATTENDANCE: 175,000
HISTORY: The Black Repertory Company was founded in 1976 by Ronald J. Himes while he was a student at Washington University and he saw that many of his friends in the theatre department were not getting practical experience in campus productions because of the lack of roles for African-Americans. Himes and others began producing their own plays on campus and then started touring college campuses. In 1981, the group found a home in the Greeley Presbyterian Church's former sanctuary. The company converted it into a theatre space which it called the 23rd Street Theatre. In 1992, the Black Rep moved into the newly renovated Grandel Theatre in Grand Center. Since then, the company has experienced growth in production values, subscriptions, attendance and continued support. The Black Rep has become highly respected locally and throughout the U. S. for its quality productions from the African-American perspective.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The Black Rep's mission is to provide platforms for theatre, dance and other creative expressions from the African-American perspective that heighten the social and cultural awareness of its audiences.
- The Black Rep produces five plays each season on the Mainstage of the Grandel Theatre including works by both established and emerging African-American and Third World playwrights. Works include dramas, musicals and comedies.
- The Black Rep presents more than 150 tour performances each year including shows designed to be presented in open spaces such as multi-purpose rooms, gymnasiums and theatre auditoriums reaching more than 60,000 students each year.
- The Black Rep's Professional Intern Program helps students make the transition from the academic world to the theatre world. Each year, six to seven interns act, teach workshops, provide production support and assist in the administrative office. In addition, interns have an opportunity to take masters classes with guest directors, performers and playwrights.
- The Black Rep also offers acting classes for children and adults.
ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS:
- More than 5,000 middle and high school students from across the region attend weekday matinee performances of the Black Rep on the Mainstage at Grandel Theatre throughout the regular season.
- The Black Rep sponsors summer theatre camps and workshops during the summer.
- The Repertory group also conducts acting classes on creative drama, poetry, performance, acting and improvision for children ages 6-17 on Saturday mornings.
ANNUAL SPECIAL EVENTS: The Woodie Awards, named for Woodie King, Jr., one of the pioneers of the Black Theatre Movement in America, are presented annually to outstanding actors, directors and designers from the Black Rep's Mainstage season. The Woodie Awards also recognize corporate and community contributions to the arts. King's 30-year career earned him a reputation as one of the most prolific and prestigious African-American theatre producers in the country. The awards were developed by Ron Himes, founder and producing director of the Black Rep.
HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY: The Grandel Theatre is handicapped accessible.
WHERE TO GET LUNCH: There are several restaurants in the Grand Center neighborhood and many more restaurants in the Central West End about a mile west of the Grandel Theatre.
WHAT'S NEARBY: Powell Symphony Hall, the Fabulous Fox Theatre, the Sheldon Theatre, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, Forum for Contemporary Arts and the Edison Gallery are all in Grand Center. St. Louis University is also nearby.
PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Karla Goldstein, 314-727-0888, karla@kgoldsteinpr.com
Readers should call 1-800-916-0040 to request a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitor Guide or point, click and explore St. Louis at www.explorestlouis.com
