Relive the moments and rock out to a Tony Award-winning musical that defined a generation, or indulge in Shakespeare, sitcom-style, under the stars – check out our best bets on stage for the month of August.
WHAT: RENT
WHERE: The Muny
WHEN: 8:15 p.m., through Aug. 10
The Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning musical that taught us to measure our life in love is now on stage in high-powered, heartfelt production at The Muny. Jonathan Larson’s rock musical of strength, revolution and survival amid the AIDS epidemic in NYC’s East Village defined a generation with the iconic “Seasons of Love,” as well as “Light My Candle,” “One Song Glory” and “La Vie Bohème.”
$19 to $190; muny.org
WHAT: THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
WHERE: Various outdoor venues throughout St. Louis and Metro East
WHEN: 6:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays, through Aug. 27
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s TourCo production of the Bard’s comedy about love, jealousy, society and class is presented ‘90s-sitcom style in a condensed 90-minute adaptation. Six actors under the direction of celebrated Shakespearean director Suki Peters perform outdoors at area parks and other outdoor venues, including Shaw Park (Aug. 11), 9 Mile Garden (Aug. 13), O’Day Park Amphitheater (Aug. 16), Schlafly Bottleworks (Aug. 25) and more. Performances are free – bring your own chair!
Free; stlshakes.org
WHAT: STL FRINGE FEST
WHERE: Grand Center
WHEN: Various times, Aug. 14 to 20
St. Lou Fringe is back with its 12th annual festival, with 42 original and independent productions, from plays to dance to poetry to standup comedy and more. Highlights include “Humans of St. Louis, The Stage Play,” an LGBTQ Comedy Showcase, a cabaret show starring Toni Finch songs of American women, and “Bare: A Pop Opera” featuring students from the Gateway Center of Performing Arts.
$43 (3-Show Festival Pass), $70 (5-Show Festival Pass), $105 (All-Access Festival Pass), single tickets also available; stlfringe.org
WHAT: RAGTIME
WHERE: Union Avenue Opera
WHEN: 8 p.m., Aug. 18, 19, 25, 26
Closing out Union Avenue Opera’s 29th Festival Season is Flaherty and Ahrens’ timeless tribute to the American Dream, “Ragtime.” The powerful story of life in New York City at the dawn of the 1900s is told through three distinct perspectives, from the Jewish immigrant searching for a better life for his daughter, to the stifled upper-class wife yearning for something more, to the daring young Harlem musician with the determination to empower change.
$35 to $55; unionopera.org
