Best Theatre in St. Louis, Missouri

Theatre is alive and thriving in St. Louis. There are some 70 small theatre production companies in the St. Louis area and a number of fine venues to see them at. Of course, two of the largest venues; the historic Muny outdoor theatre in Forest Park, which dates back to the 1904 World's Fair, and the Fox Theatre, which was a fabulous movie house of the 1920's, anchor the dozens of smaller playhouses that have sprung up in St. Louis in more recent years. Some of the plays are scaled down versions of national hits and some are fresh, original ones written by local playwrights and college students. Here are a few of the best:

The Black Cat ( www.blackcattheatre.org ) is a tiny little theatre that sits on Sutton Avenue in the heart of Maplewood's upcoming arts district. Maplewood is right outside of the city proper and has been steadily growing on the art scene in recent years. The Black cat features Two Headed, which runs from February 8^th, 2008 through February 22^nd. Two Headed is a three-time award winning play about the Utah Mountain Meadow Massacre of the 1800's. The Mountain Meadows Massacre was a mass killing of the Fancher-Baker wagon train at Mountain Meadows in Utah territory on Friday, September 11, 1857 by a group of Mormons and Paiute Indians. The play focuses on the lives of two women who survive the massacre. The Black Cat Theatre is located at 2810 Sutton in Maplewood. Tel: 314-963-8800. Tickets to most performances can be had for $25.

The Piwacket Children's Theatre is also located at the Black Cat. A presentation of Treasure Island runs from October 14^th through the 25^th. Tickets are $10 for each show and $90 for a family season pas.