Founded in 1987 by Michael Hamilton and Jack Lane, STAGES ST. LOUIS is a professional, 501(c)(3) not-for-profit theatre company dedicated to producing the indigenous American art form of musical theatre. STAGES is also firmly committed to the employment and development of St. Louis artists and, through numerous education and outreach programs, enriching the cultural milieu of our community.

STAGES ST. LOUIS operates year round with a staff of twenty. A full-time seasonal company operates from May to October and presents 124 performances in the 380-seat Robert G. Reim Theatre at the Kirkwood Civic Center. Performers are cast from auditions in both St. Louis and New York. STAGES is the top employer of local union actors and provides more annual workweeks than any other St. Louis theatre company.

The STAGES Performing Arts Academy opened in March, 2004 and offers a year-round comprehensive musical theatre curriculum of dance, voice, drama and theory for students of all ages and skill levels. Classes are taught by a team of professional artists and educators.

The mission of STAGES ST. LOUIS is to become the leading company for musical theatre performance and education in the Midwest.

Growth

The numbers speak for themselves -- STAGES has outgrown its present home. In order to address capacity audiences, a desire among the staff to continue creatively expanding productions, and requests from the St. Louis community for a professional arts education program, a plan has been developed to build The STAGES ST. LOUIS Performing Arts Center and Academy. The City of Chesterfield, Missouri has been chosen for this new home and Sachs Properties, Inc. has generously donated 7.5 acres of land, valued at $6 million, on which it will be built.

Future

In the summer of 2003, a $31 million capital campaign was launched to build The STAGES ST. LOUIS Performing Arts Center and Academy. The 83,000 square foot cultural complex will contain a 730 seat main stage theatre, a 200 seat second stage, and expansion room for a future 299 seat theatre. The STAGES Performing Arts Academy will also relocate to the new Center from its current location at 444 Chesterfield Center.