Upcoming Events

B.J. Parker
In Search: (Re)building Myth
The Gallery at The Kranzberg
April 7  – May 27, 2023
Opening Reception April 7, 5 – 8pm
Artist Talk April 29, 12 – 2pm

*Walk-in gallery hours at The Gallery at The Kranzberg are from 12pm to 4pm, every Saturday. Private gallery visits can be made for all galleries by appointment with COVID-19 mitigation policies in place. To make an appointment, and for questions or concerns, please contact  katie@kranzbergarts.org or (314) 533-0367 ext. 105

In Search: (Re)building Myth is a body of oil paintings, drawings, and sculptures by KAF Artist in Residence that explores the search for meaning in a fractured existential landscape. The work investigates the stories we tell our selves.

In order to ask these sorts of questions, B.J. Parker set a group of characters in a near future postapocalyptic St. Louis devoid of society. The characters wander through a dilapidated city physically working to re-structure a ruined landscape of myth. By creating space for these characters to explore a ruined landscape, BJ is also creating space for the viewer to similarly explore an interior landscape. The paintings reflect snapshots of this postapocalyptic world while the sculptures functions as artifacts from the future world.

Overall, the work invites the viewer to reflect upon the way in which stories shape, determine, and bring meaning to life, as well as the ways in which the viewer might find themselves mysteriously caught up in a broader story that requires further exploration.

05/03 – Kasimu Taylor
05/10 – Adam Larson, John Kizilarmut
05/17 – Ptah Williams, Kwanae Johnson, Demarius Hicks
05/24 – tbd
05/31 – Josh Last and Friends
06/07 – Kara Baldus
06/14 – Austin Cebulski
06/21 – Adam Larson STL Quartet
06/28 – Ryan Marquez
07/05 – Austin Cebulski
07/12 – Adam Larson’s CHI Quintet (Chris Madsen, Scott Hesse, Clark Sommers, John Kizilarmut)
07/19 – Pete Fucinaro
07/26 – Adam Larson STL Quartet

High Noon: A Playwright’s Unexpected Journey featuring Mario Falwell; Librettist, Screenwriter, Playwright, and Kranzberg Artist in Residence

The High Noon series offers free cultural and artistic programming, during your lunch hour! The High Noon series features St. Louis talents from across the arts, cultural, and educational spectrum. Spend a lunch hour enjoying presentations and performances in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere – take a break, and feel free to bring your lunch!

High Noons in the Listening Room at High Low (3301 Washington Avenue) take place every Thursday from 12 to 1pm.

The sandy shores of Asbury Park, New Jersey are hallowed ground in the northeast; the rolling waves have ushered generations of venerated musicians to worldwide acclaim. Dogs in a Pile, an eclectic quintet, has emerged as the heir apparent to the town’s rich musical legacy. Merging funk, jazz, and rock and roll with psychedelia, the quintet presents a completely original vibe built on kaleidoscopic soundscapes eerily reminiscent of the days of yesteryear.

The Dogs employ a unified approach to performance and songwriting, crafting aural mosaics through adept instrumentation and humble precocity. As avid storytellers, they draw inspiration from personal experiences, balancing life’s foibles with ever-present youthful sanguinity.

Dogs began when Philadelphia University of the Arts guitar gun-slinger Jimmy Law began playing with young Joe Babick (drums), a student at the Count Basie Theater program in Red Bank, NJ.  Lightning struck when they were introduced to Berklee School of Music student and bass player Sam Lucid, who immediately suggested fellow Berklee student and keyboard player Jeremy Kaplan. The addition of fellow Berklee student Brian Murray (guitar) in 2019 made for the quintessential final piece in the Dogs’ puzzle.

A string of successful local shows drove the development of a massive northeast fan base, affectionately known as the Dog Pound. The band’s astronomical growth culminated in an epic, sold-out performance at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park during the summer of 2021. Armed with a fresh batch of new material, Dogs in a Pile is taking its perpetually evolving testament to the Great American Songbook on tour in 2022, visiting plenty of new cities and spreading good music and good energy to good people along the way.

05/03 – Kasimu Taylor
05/10 – Adam Larson, John Kizilarmut
05/17 – Ptah Williams, Kwanae Johnson, Demarius Hicks
05/24 – tbd
05/31 – Josh Last and Friends
06/07 – Kara Baldus
06/14 – Austin Cebulski
06/21 – Adam Larson STL Quartet
06/28 – Ryan Marquez
07/05 – Austin Cebulski
07/12 – Adam Larson’s CHI Quintet (Chris Madsen, Scott Hesse, Clark Sommers, John Kizilarmut)
07/19 – Pete Fucinaro
07/26 – Adam Larson STL Quartet

One of the most explosive movie musicals in recent memory bursts onto the live stage with exhilarating results. When Ren and his mother move from Chicago to a small farming town, he is prepared for the inevitable adjustment period at his new high school. What he isn’t prepared for are the rigorous local edicts, including a ban on dancing instituted by the local preacher, determined to exercise the control over the town’s youth that he cannot command in his own home. When the reverend’s rebellious daughter sets her sights on Ren, her roughneck boyfriend tries to sabotage Ren’s reputation, with many of the locals eager to believe the worst about the new kid. The heartfelt story that emerges is of a father longing for the son he lost and of a young man aching for the father who walked out on him. To the rockin’ rhythm of its Oscar and Tony-nominated Top 40 score (the soundtrack album reached number one on the Billboard charts and has sold over 17 million copies!) and augmented with dynamic new songs for the stage musical, Footloose celebrates the wisdom of listening to young people, guiding them with a warm heart and an open mind.

Footloose: Youth Edition is a one-hour version of the explosive musical specially designed for young performers!

Art, Culture and Bias: Using Art as a Tool to Explore Social Justice

Tabari A. Coleman discusses his work as a training consultant and social justice advocate known for his thoughtful but direct approach in facilitating dialogue sessions that focus on building empathy. He was born in the Philippines and grew up on the island of Guam before coming to the US for college. His experiences and socialization abroad had a huge influence over his personal and professional aspirations.

With more than 19 years-experience in diversity and inclusion training and social justice work, he brings a wealth of knowledge, passion and expertise to his work. He worked as the Education Director in the St Louis regional office of the Anti Defamation League for 12 years before becoming the national Director of Professional Development where he oversaw the development of skills training for ADL’s national cadre of facilitators, led national Train-The-Trainer workshops and supported national and regional education staff with professional development learning opportunities for two years before leaving in 2021 to start his own Consulting Company, The Coleman Group, LLC. Tabari is also a trainer for the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJSTL) where he has been facilitating anti-oppression programs, youth leadership development and Building Inclusive Communitiesworkshops since 2002. Tabari works with COCAbiz, an arts-based training program as a facilitation consultant on their Acting With Awareness team that uses collaborative theatre exercises and reflective discussions.

The High Noon series offers free cultural and artistic programming, during your lunch hour! The High Noon series features St. Louis talents from across the arts, cultural, and educational spectrum. Spend a lunch hour enjoying presentations and performances in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere – take a break, and feel free to bring your lunch!

High Noons in the Listening Room at High Low (3301 Washington Avenue) take place every Thursday from 12 to 1pm.

Circles Around The Sun’s fourth studio album traverses towards galaxies unknown – Language is the sound of a rock band rebounding from unthinkable adversity, moving as one to confidently author their next chapter. Synth-drenched excursions into outer-spatial sound design, the six-song release welcomes guitarist John Lee Shannon to the fold, a longtime peer and tourmate who joins bassist Dan Horne, keyboardist Adam MacDougall, and drummer Mark Levy.

The forthcoming release builds on the cosmic-disco vibe of 2020’s eponymous LP. The Floydian tongues on Language represent a new dawn, as evidenced by an ethereal title-track featuring harpist Mikaela Davis. The new material finds them oscillating through hybrid strains of disco-funk, soul jazz, and psychedelic rock, harnessing their stylistic lanes into a singular, intoxicating brew.

“We had been partying on other planets for a while when we found our new guy John Lee Shannon. We all got in the studio and played disco ball dodgeball for a while and this is what we came up with. There’s a bit of a different arc to Language. The first couple songs are gonna put you in a certain headspace, and then the party happens later on,” notes bassist Dan Horne on the creation of the new record.

The band immersed themselves in sound design research at Horne’s Echo Park studio, Liberty Hair Farm. Longtime creative partners dove into exploration mode, probing the limitless potential of an arsenal of synthesizers, sequencers, and other vintage electronic instrumentation.

Soon the seeds were sown for Circles Around The Sun’s fourth full-length album Language, dropping Spring 2023.
All ages.

There is a $3 minor surcharge at the door.

05/03 – Kasimu Taylor
05/10 – Adam Larson, John Kizilarmut
05/17 – Ptah Williams, Kwanae Johnson, Demarius Hicks
05/24 – tbd
05/31 – Josh Last and Friends
06/07 – Kara Baldus
06/14 – Austin Cebulski
06/21 – Adam Larson STL Quartet
06/28 – Ryan Marquez
07/05 – Austin Cebulski
07/12 – Adam Larson’s CHI Quintet (Chris Madsen, Scott Hesse, Clark Sommers, John Kizilarmut)
07/19 – Pete Fucinaro
07/26 – Adam Larson STL Quartet

Ages 21+ Unless Accompanied by a Parent or Legal Guardian.
The solo debut from Katie Toupin, Magnetic Moves takes its title from its spellbinding opening track, a song that’s quietly defiant in its bending of reality. “It’s about being bold and being brave, and using your magnetism to create the world you want to live in,” says the L.A.-based singer/songwriter. “The whole album came from a place of wanting to be completely direct, in a way I never felt I could before. I think it’s important to let yourself show your heart like that.”

In the spirit of self-reliance, Toupin took the reins in producing Magnetic Moves, her first full-length since leaving acclaimed alt-country band Houndmouth in 2016. Although she’d originally cut several songs with other producers, an impromptu recording session during a stop in Austin on her 2018 house tour inspired her to strike out on her own. “Every time I’d tried working with other people, it never turned out in a way that felt right to me,” she says. “And then when I finally tried producing by myself, it felt so easy—I realized I knew exactly what I wanted everything to sound like; I just needed the confidence to actually do it.”

Mixed by Steve Christensen (a Grammy Award-winner known for his work with Steve Earle), Magnetic Moves came to life in two marathon sessions at The Finishing School in Austin. With multi-instrumentalist Scott Davis and percussionist Josh Blue accompanying Toupin, the album unfolds in a dreamy pastiche of soul and pop and brightly jangly ’70s rock, a sound that’s lavishly detailed but fantastically fluid. And in her unfussy yet radiant vocal performance, Toupin channels both self-possession and raw vulnerability, fully inhabiting each state of being.

Emily Elliott
After The Disco
High Low Gallery
May 19  – July 8, 2023
Opening Reception May 19, 5- 8pm
Artist Talk May 20, 6pm

*Walk-In Gallery Hours at High Low are every day, from 8am – 3pm. Private gallery visits can be made for all galleries by appointment. To make an appointment, and for questions or concerns, please contact  katie@kranzbergarts.org or (314) 533-0367 ext. 105

Emily Elliott
After The Disco
High Low Gallery
May 19  – July 8, 2023
Opening Reception May 19, 5- 8pm
Artist Talk May 20, 6pm

*Walk-In Gallery Hours at High Low are every day, from 8am – 3pm. Private gallery visits can be made for all galleries by appointment. To make an appointment, and for questions or concerns, please contact  katie@kranzbergarts.org or (314) 533-0367 ext. 105

Saint Louis Ballet, known for its grand, classical ballets with elaborate sets and costumes, peels back the layers with this very special series at the Grandel.

You’ll be up-close-and-personal with the dancers, who really shine in these short ballets that represent a wide range of choreographic styles. Former principal dancers of New York City Ballet, Christopher D’Amboise and Nilas Martins, bring new works to the Grandel stage for this series plus director Gen Horiuchi and rehearsal directors CiCi Houston and Christine Settembrino will premiere two new works that also include SLB’s Professional Training Program dancers.

What evolves is an often surprising and a fresh look at Saint Louis Ballet.

Join the dancers and choreographers in the lobby bar for a “meet and greet” following the performance.

Mercurial Savannah, Georgia-based singer/songwriter/musician Kortney “Mali Music” Pollard builds richly detailed, emotionally present neo-soul/hip-hop confections in the vein of Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo, and Bilal, on a foundation of conventional gospel music. Although he began recording in the late 2000s, it wasn’t until 2014 that he broke through to mainstream success with the Grammy-nominated Mali Is…. Pollard’s 2017 follow-up The Transition of Mali added a clutch of further hits to his catalog. Following a Grammy win for “Movin’ On,” his 2020 duet with Jonathan McReynolds, the two musicians released a 2021 EP together.

The Coming

Pollard was born on January 12, 1988 in Phoenix, Arizona. A multi-instrumentalist since the age of five, Pollard, who counts Sam Cooke and Otis Redding as influences, issued the inspirational Coming, his debut album, in 2008. The well-received, bold, narrative-driven 2econd Coming arrived the following year, resulting in a major-label record deal with RCA, who issued the singles “Ready Aim” and “Beautiful” in 2013 in anticipation of his upcoming third long-player, Mali Is…, which dropped in early 2014. It proved to be a breakout release for Pollard, reaching number 16 on the Billboard 200 and earning a Grammy Award nomination for Best Urban Contemporary Album. Although his next album, 2017’s The Transition of Mali, didn’t fare quite as well, it still enjoyed success on multiple charts and yielded some of his most popular tracks including the Jhene Aiko duet “Contradiction” and “Loved By You” featuring Jazmine Sullivan. After switching from RCA to the Provident label, Mali Music released his fifth album, The Book of Mali, in August 2020. That same year he joined Jonathan McReynolds on the single “Movin’ On,” which went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance/Song. The two artists teamed up again in 2021 for the joint EP Jonny x Mali: Live in LA.
All ages.
There is a $3 minor surcharge at the door.

05/03 – Kasimu Taylor
05/10 – Adam Larson, John Kizilarmut
05/17 – Ptah Williams, Kwanae Johnson, Demarius Hicks
05/24 – tbd
05/31 – Josh Last and Friends
06/07 – Kara Baldus
06/14 – Austin Cebulski
06/21 – Adam Larson STL Quartet
06/28 – Ryan Marquez
07/05 – Austin Cebulski
07/12 – Adam Larson’s CHI Quintet (Chris Madsen, Scott Hesse, Clark Sommers, John Kizilarmut)
07/19 – Pete Fucinaro
07/26 – Adam Larson STL Quartet

Left Bank Books Foundation Presents Chasten Buttigieg – I Have Something to Tell You — For Young Adults

Left Bank Books Foundation presents teacher, advocate, and husband of former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg Chasten Buttigieg, who will discuss the young adult adaptation of his moving, hopeful, and refreshingly candid memoir I Have Something to Tell You — For Young Adults: A Memoir at the .ZACK Performing Arts Space on May 27th at 2pm!

Buttigieg will be in conversation with TBA.

Please purchase a ticket to attend the event in person (through MetroTix) or virtually.

Order additional copies of I Have Something to Tell You–For Young Adults: A Memoir
from Left Bank Books to support authors and independent bookstores!

Buttigieg will sign additional copies for sale from Left Bank Books. Books will be pre-signed for this event. If you are unable to make it in person, you can have books shipped to you.

Chasten Glezman Buttigieg grew up in Traverse City, Michigan. He is a teacher, advocate, and husband of former presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg. Chasten currently lives with Pete; their two children, Gus and Penelope; and their two rescue dogs, Buddy and Truman, in Northern Michigan. I Have Something to Tell You–For Young Adults is his second book.

The young adult adaptation of the moving, hopeful, and refreshingly candid memoir by the husband of a former Democratic presidential candidate about growing up gay in his small Midwestern town.

Growing up, Chasten Glezman Buttigieg didn’t always fit in. He felt different from his father and brothers, who loved to hunt and go camping, and out of place in the rural, conservative small town where he lived. Back then, blending in was more important than feeling seen.

So, when Chasten realized he was gay, he kept that part of himself hidden away for a long, painful time. With incredible bravery, and the support of his loved ones, Chasten eventually came out–and when he did, he learned that being true to himself was the most rewarding journey of all.

Finding acceptance and self-love can seem like a tremendous challenge, but it’s never impossible. With honesty, courage, and warmth, Chasten relays his experience of growing up in America and embracing his identity, while inspiring young people across the country to do the same.

Review Quotes:
“What a gift it is to walk alongside Chasten Buttigieg on his journey from small-town theater kid to political trailblazer. Buttigieg’s story is heartfelt, specific, and entirely his own–but it’s also a pitch-perfect snapshot of our rapidly shifting cultural landscape. It’s a perfect juxtaposition of ordinary and extraordinary, told with humor, compassion, and unshakable hope.”
–Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

“Chasten speaks to his readers as a trusted friend, reminding anyone who feels ‘different’ that they are not alone, and that learning to love and embrace what makes us different may be the greatest gift we can give ourselves.”
–Dustin Lance Black, filmmaker and LGBTQ+ activist

“As I was reading this book, I couldn’t help but think, ‘I wish I had had THIS when I was growing up!’ Chasten reminds us that we are not alone, and that while choosing to live authentically can bring challenges, self-doubt and ‘hater-ade’ from outside forces, it can also bring out the joy in life, pride in ourselves, and the love the world so badly needs more of.This book is a joyous and authentic gift to generations of young people. I wish I could have had this when I was growing up!”
–Ariana DeBose, Academy Award-winning actress, dancer, and singer