WHAT: Roald Dahl’s Matilda
WHEN: 8:15 p.m., Aug. 5 to 11
WHERE: The Muny
The Muny premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical promises to be as magical as Roald Dahl’s tale of a little girl who uses her imagination and keen smarts to discover her own surprising powers. Unique to the Muny production is the involvement of world-renowned St. Louis artist Mary Engelbreit, who created designs for the show’s sets and costumes. (Editor’s Note: Click to read Mary Engelbreit’s “Take It from Me” profile below.) “Matilda” is the final show of The Muny’s 101st season, the first season to feature the venue’s new stage as part of a two-year, multi-million-dollar renovation.
*$15 to $105 (*A limited number of free seats is available on a first-come, first-served basis for every performance, beginning at 7p.m.); muny.org
WHAT: Blues at the Arch
WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m., Aug. 9
WHERE: Gateway Arch
The free summer concert series under the Gateway Arch kicks off on Friday, Aug. 9, with a blockbuster lineup: St. Louis blues and soul songstress Kim Massie and hometown talent Kennedy Holmes (from NBC’s The Voice) will be joined by award-winning blues artist Annika Chambers. The Houston-based Chambers, the recipient of this year’s Blues Music Awards Best Soul Blues Female Artist, will be performing with her band. The series continues with Kenny Neal and Ms. Hy-C & Fresh Start (Aug. 16), Big Mike Aguirre and Johnny Rawls (Aug. 23), and Marquise Knox and Brandon “Taz” Niederauer (Aug. 30). Pack a picnic basket and a blanket! Free; archpark.org
WHAT: Pulitzer Prize Photographs
WHEN: Aug. 3 to Jan. 20, 2020
WHERE: Missouri History Museum
View some of America’s most compelling Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs, as well as some ordinary and extraordinary moments captured by the lens of St. Louis Post-Dispatch photographers, as part of two new dual exhibitions at the Missouri History Museum. “Pulitzer Prize Photographs” is a traveling show developed by the Newseum in Washington D.C. that features the most comprehensive collection of Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs ever assembled. “In Focus: St. Louis Post-Dispatch Photographs” is a locally focused exhibit featuring approximately 75 photos of everyday life in St. Louis from the 1920s to the present day. Free; mohistory.org
WHAT: Jammin’ at the Zoo
WHEN: 6 to 10 p.m., Aug. 28
WHERE: Saint Louis Zoo
Live music and wine and beer tastings, oh my! The Saint Louis Zoo’s summer 21-and-up event features more than 75 selections for sampling, as well as food available for purchase from local food trucks and at dining venues throughout the zoo. On-stage entertainment provided by Fat Pocket, Johnny Henry and DJ Micro. Admission includes wine and beer sampling from 6 to 8 p.m., as well as entrance to Stingrays at Caribbean Cove, and train and carousel rides. Free parking is available on both zoo parking lots. $22.95 ($12.95 for zoo members); stlzoo.org
