Tag Archives: St. Louis

09 May 2025

Developing a World-Class Arts District to Fuel Economic Growth

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Developing a World-Class Arts District to Fuel Economic Growth

Back in June 2023, arts journalist Chadd Scott penned an article for Forbes titled America’s Most Exciting Emerging Arts District Is In… St Louis? Scott ruminated about what St. Louis arts aficionados have known for some years now – The Grand Center Arts District is a world-class destination for music, theater, visual arts, dance and more. This outcome was not by accident, but rather through the dedication and collaboration of numerous individuals, artists, organizations and cultural institutions working together to create what is today a vibrant walkable neighborhood with thrilling sights and sounds at every turn.

The Kranzberg Arts Foundation is proud to be one of the leaders and partners in these efforts, working in conjunction with longstanding premiere institutions such as Grand Center Inc., The Fabulous Fox, The Sheldon, CAM St. Louis, the Pulitzer, Jazz St. Louis and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra/Powell Hall. With such respectable anchors in place, KAF has spent nearly two decades developing spaces and programs in the surrounding neighborhood to fill in the gaps and provide much-needed infrastructure for the arts and artists to thrive in St. Louis.

“We truly believe that artists are the soul of our city and that when we nurture the arts, we affect health and wealth in our region,” says KAF Executive Director Chris Hansen. “It has been proven that the arts play a critical role in St. Louis’ economic and workforce development and are a primary reason people want to live in, work in or visit our city.”

KAF creates opportunities by strategically developing properties and historic buildings in the district to offer artists, arts organizations and arts industry businesses dedicated and well-appointed spaces in which to create and work, along with the operational support and advocacy they need to thrive. This infrastructure allows independent theater companies to have their productions running alongside big Broadway touring shows a few blocks away or St. Louis-based visual artists to have their works grace the walls of a beautiful gallery in the same neighborhood as a world-renowned artist’s museum exhibition. It provides stages for the top St. Louis musicians to perform regularly and grow their fan bases, and for literary organizations to collaborate and read their works aloud in front of an audience.

“When you don’t have to worry about keeping the lights on, managing facilities, and developing your workspaces and presenting spaces, you can be free to focus on your core mission and purpose,” Hansen says. “KAF provides those sacred spaces.”

Through regular collaborations and events such as First Fridays in Grand Center, locals and visitors alike can stroll through the district and experience all the best the scene has to offer — much of it for free. KAF’s longstanding Wednesday Night Jazz Jam brings the community together for a free evening of collaborative music-making for all ages and abilities. The free weekly High Noon lunch and learn series at High Low provides an opportunity to hear from thought leaders from across St. Louis’ humanities, arts, cultural and educational spectrum. The Walls Off Washington puts art on the streets with murals by local and internationally-renowned artists to be enjoyed by all in the neighborhood. 

The latest KAF developments in the district include taking nationally-recognized Music at the Intersection (now MATI) from a music festival to a full-blown movement that engages the entire neighborhood inside and outside of the festival footprint. The surrounding streets and cultural destinations activate for a full weekend of art, music and thought leadership that is 100 percent made by St. Louis for St. Louis. 

The Sovereign — St. Louis’ next great concert venue —  will make its debut during MATI as one of three main stages, ushering in a new era of top-tier live entertainment. A couple blocks away on Olive Street, The Key, a new burger bar and boogie joint in a pair of reimagined historic buildings, will open its doors in the fall, adding yet another community gathering space. 

These developments and programs, along with the ongoing collaboration and content of the neighborhood’s great cultural institutions, have grown Grand Center into an arts district that rivals those of any major U.S. City. Looking to the future, KAF has a vision to continue using arts-based community development to grow the district further East and establish Grand Center as a globally-recognized place where all of St. Louis gathers, connecting diverse audiences to great art, momentum and opportunity.

05 May 2025

New Mural by Dominic Chambers Explores the Underground Railroad in St. Louis

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New Mural by Dominic Chambers Explores the Underground Railroad in St. Louis

Last Month, Walls Off Washington unveiled a new mural at Saint Louis University’s Searls Hall by acclaimed artist Dominic Chambers in collaboration with Saint Louis University and the 2025 St. Louis Literary Award program. The vibrant mural, titled For You: All the Color in the World, explores the legacy of the Underground Railroad and highlights its significance in Missouri and the St. Louis region.

Inspired by 2025 St. Louis Literary Award winner and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Colson Whitehead’s novel The Underground Railroad, the mural creates a robust dialogue between literature, history and public art. The collaboration underscores a commitment to aligning the arts, education and historical reflection, fostering meaningful engagement with the local community.

“Dominic’s work eloquently intertwines history, memory, and storytelling to create a dialogue that resonates deeply with our region. His new mural draws on multifarious art historical influences and the transformative concept of the veil—a metaphor that invites us to reimagine the inner landscape of our shared experiences,” says Gina Grafos, Chief Curator and Director of Visual & Literary Art at Kranzberg Arts Foundation.

The project aims to illuminate St. Louis’ historical connections to the Underground Railroad and offer a space for collective reflection and learning. Through a dynamic partnership with Saint Louis University, educators, students and the public will have opportunities to engage with the mural and related programming, including discussions on art, history and literature.

Born in St. Louis and currently residing and working in New Haven, Conn., Chambers returned to his hometown to create the mural and participated in an engaging panel discussion at SLU on April 7 with historian Dorris Keeven-Franke, an expert on Missouri’s Underground Railroad history. A writer himself, Chambers is often inspired by literature ­and has cited Magical Realism, alongside writings by W.E.B. Du Bois, Ralph Ellison, and James Baldwin, as significantly influential to his practice.

“We were honored and overjoyed to welcome Dominic Chambers home to St. Louis for this significant public art project,” Grafos says. “His return was not only a celebration of his extraordinary artistic practice but also a powerful tribute to the vibrant narratives that shape our past and inspire our future. We could not imagine a more fitting artist to bring this vision to life.”

Walls Off Washington continues to serve as a platform for large-scale, thought-provoking works that reflect St. Louis’s cultural and historical fabric. For more information, visit wallsstl.com and follow Walls Off Washington on Facebook and Instagram.

11 Jan 2021

Circus Flora’s Clowns on Call use humor to heal

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Thousands of St. Louisans have enjoyed Circus Flora’s world-class productions annually for over 30 years. However, the end of the circus season does not mean the clowning around is over.

Offering healing through humor since 2012, Clowns on Call is Circus Flora’s program that ensures young patients at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital receive a healthy dosage of laughter as often as possible.

Yet with the onset of the pandemic, physicians of fun Dr. Pepper, Dr. Too-Me, and Dr. Celia have had to adapt to the cyber realm to maintain a connection with and provide a distraction for hospitalized children of all ages when they need it most.

Clown Doctors Too-Me, Celia, and Pepper are Circus Flora’s Clowns on Call.

Without her red nose, Dr. Pepper is Audrey Crabtree, professional performer and coordinator of the program. “This is all new territory,” she said referring to their digital approach. 

Before the pandemic, the Clown Doctors visited a few times per week. But since their virtual return in September 2020, they have to make the most out of a one-time weekly check-up via Zoom video calls.

“It’s a little bit of a learning curve but they’re ecstatic to be back,” Circus Flora’s Managing Director Karen Shoulders said.

Dr. Pepper and her comedic accomplices meet their patients on an iPad that on-site child life specialists carry from room to room — after sanitation, of course. Whether they are miming fetch with a ball that is imaginarily thrown through the video or juggling props between one Zoom window to another, Crabtree said, “We’re having fun finding creativity within the confinement of the screen.”

Regardless of the way they connect, Crabtree emphasized that the Clown Doctors are best friends with the children during their time together. 

“In the moments we see them, we are always on their team; we always follow their lead,” Crabtree said. “If they’re in a sad mood and want to stay there, we’ll go there too … We just try to engage with them wherever they are and just make a real connection as much as we can. We all need that.”

The fun and games prove to be beneficial for not only the patients, but also the hospital workers, family members, and the Clown Doctors themselves.

“I do different kinds of theatre work and performance, but this hospital clowning is the very best thing I’ve ever done. Big audiences and huge crowds do not compare to this one-on-one engagement,” Crabtree reflected.

Unlike any program in the bi-state region, Clowns on Call features experienced and professional performing artists skilled in a wide variety of genres including clowning, music, juggling, magic, improvisation, puppeteering, dance, and slapstick. “It’s not just a volunteer putting on a nose,” Shoulders said.

Crabtree elaborated by adding, “We have ongoing training and rehearsals, and we’re a part of a national organization that has standards. It’s serious work to make it possible to play in a healing way.”

While the Clown Doctors have found a way to continue making their rounds through Cardinal Glennon, they hope to spread contagious laughter to more patients across the region. “There are other institutions that we could be working with, but we just don’t have the funding,” Crabtree said.

Visit circusflora.org/beyond-the-big-top/clowns-on-call to learn more about how you can support or partner with Clowns on Call.

01 Dec 2020

Keller: Eyes Wide Open — Privacy Matters

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US of A Drone Carpet by Margaret Keller
By Margaret Keller

The Beginning

It all started when I pulled into one of the giant concrete parking garages at the University of Missouri-STL, where I was headed to Gallery 210 to view the current art exhibit.  After maneuvering my Mini Cooper into a tiny spot, I happened to look up and saw a surveillance camera with a bird’s nest built into it.  Twigs and nesting materials were woven together with the camera’s cables to make an integrated and bizarre object.  This strange, shocking, and thought-provoking juxtaposition of man-made technology with nature happened about 14 years ago.  At that time, the proliferation of surveillance cameras hadn’t reached huge numbers.  Or so I thought because I really hadn’t paid attention to them before.  Right after that I started looking and was surprised to find them at every traffic intersection, on top of Walgreens, at the bank, and Quick Trip; everywhere.  Cameras were recording virtually every moment of our lives in public.  Since then, their numbers have only exploded (Proliferate) to the point that we are ‘on camera’ over 75 times per day.  

Still Growing

I had no idea my newest art series had just been born or that it would still be expanding right up through 2020, with Eyes Wide Open: Surveillance Series at The Kranzberg Gallery.  I realized that digital surveillance was seriously threatening our civil rights and liberties online too, in our most private activities, and that most of this was through government and corporate entities.  In the time since I saw that bird’s nest, research has uncovered an overwhelming invasion of our privacy occurring with nearly every online activity including email, phone calls, texting, personal finances, photo posts, social media, business communications, political action, and location/movement (Off The Record).

Multi-faceted, Concerned, and Hyperactively Creative

Many artists focus on one style while specializing in a single medium; I often embrace a wide range of different looks and materials or learn a brand-new technique (such as laser cutting or 3-D design/printing) as I create each new piece.  For the floor installation USofA Drone Carpet, I taught myself 3-D design software in order to print 109 tiny drone sculptures (based on the Black Hornet military surveillance drone) using selective laser sintering and nylon powder.

Arranged in the pattern of the American flag, but in grayscale color camouflage, the drones offer a somber critique of the United States.  Juggling five or six different series simultaneously, my art deals with things that matter right now:  surveillance, natural disasters, climate change, species extinction, our separation from nature, the Anthropocene, and gender issues.  I look at connections between our contemporary culture, technology, and nature and try to understand our lives.  These series don’t usually come to an end although sometimes I will focus on just one, letting the others hibernate until a new concept reactivates them.  Infusing my art with the passion of my ideas is a challenge I love. 

A Realization

Infrared was the first work in my surveillance series; it was directly inspired by the parking garage encounter.  Noticing nature and surveillance cameras were intertwined in the real world, I started picturing them in drawings, paintings, and mixed media artworks.  I hid cams in plain sight, assimilated into the natural landscape (Darkwoods I, Darkwoods II, Darkwoods III, and Surge).    

Why It Matters

Someone asked me why they should care about surveillance.  Right here in St. Louis, government/police surveillance with no oversight is an ongoing concern, threatening the civil liberties of all, but especially those of people of color, immigrant and refugee communities, and local activists.  In July, a member of the Board of Aldermen made a resolution for St. Louis to contract for limitless aerial ‘spy plane’ surveillance. The Missouri ACLU websites states that when mass surveillance systems are deployed by local police, they are frequently used to target communities of color.  “While the nation is discussing the demilitarization of police, St. Louis is considering turning wartime specific technology on its own citizens. This is a threat to liberty. This summer, Americans have taken to the streets to protest police brutality and demand change. During the protest surrounding the death of Freddie Gray, officials in Baltimore quietly and secretly turned to the very surveillance technology now before the (St. Louis) Board of Aldermen to track protestors.”*  After working with the citizens’ group Privacy Watch STL, I know that since at least 2017, our Board of Aldermen has failed to pass a bill requiring oversight, accountability, and transparency of surveillance practices by the St. Louis police.  I think this matters.  Earlier, our current federal administration overturned the FCC regulation that banned internet service providers from selling our private information without our permission.**  Not long ago, my husband and I were sitting at our kitchen table talking about cats even though we didn’t have one yet; only a short time later ads for cat food appeared on our digital devices because our conversation was not private inside our own home.  That conversation’s content wasn’t important, but I am concerned that our privacy is seriously impacted by warrantless and unconstitutional surveillance, even when our devices are switched off.  Just last week, the news warned of Zoom hacks into email accounts.  Events like these are what feed Eyes Wide Open: Surveillance Series.

My Hope

My goal is to raise awareness of these issues, in the hope that viewers will be moved to support our right to privacy and even to advocate for it.  My art looks back at government, corporate, and personal cameras — especially at the vast insertion of surveillance cameras into the natural world — and focuses on the secretive relationship between subject and spectator.

Click here to explore the gallery exhibition virtually.

Click here to schedule a private appointment to view the exhibition.

Footnotes:
*The River Front Times, Luz María Henríquez, 7/13/2020
** NPR, March 28, 2017

As an artist, I make things that explore concern about our place as humans living on planet earth.  Over fifty galleries, museums and collections have exhibited my work;  in 2018, my sculpture Riverbend was installed at the Gateway Arch National Park as Critical Mass for the Visual Arts’ Public Works Project.  Botanica absentia – a memorial to future lost species- was at The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis in 2019, when I was also the recipient of The Regional Arts Commission’s $20,000 Fellowship Award.  As the Nicholas Aitken Artist-in-Residence at The Forsyth School, my project became a permanent campus installation in 2020.  This year, my solo exhibition Leaning on Nature was featured at The Mitchell Museum while more work is online at Wayfarers Gallery, Brooklyn.  My multi-faceted career has included being a college art professor, historic preservation consultant, Fiscal Analyst for the Missouri State Legislature, self-employed cake decorator, box factory worker, writer, wife, and mother of three.

23 Oct 2020

Caffeinated Curation: Stephen King

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Caffeinated Curation featuring Stephen King's "The Shining" and a cappuccino by Blueprint Coffee at High Low in Grand Center, St. Louis

“Caffeinated Curation” is a routine book and beverage pairing that highlights Blueprint Coffee and relevant reading recommendations from High Low resident artists and community members.

Our latest chapter of the series comes from High Low barista Lindsey.

As a tribute to two classics that have carried me through all aspects of life — Stephen King’s “The Shining” is paired with a simple cappuccino. The overall focus on character development in King’s novel brings light to personal challenges that evolve throughout the story. It begins, presenting a seemingly average family situation, taking us on a journey through mental collapse, ending in eventual demise. Similarly, the cappuccino begins its journey as creamy and rich that, as it cools, will eventually evolve into something brighter, with a more expansive flavor.

While the cafe at High Low is temporarily closed, you can still place an order online for your favorite Blueprint Coffee beverage from their Watson or Delmar locations.

Read more from the Caffeinated Curation series here.

09 Oct 2020

Residency provides support for filmmaking in St. Louis

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Filmmaker in residence Josh Guffey

“It’s up to independent filmmakers to show what filmmaking could be here.”

That’s what filmmaker Josh Guffey believes when it comes to producing for the silver screen out of the Gateway City.

“I think this community is ready. The talent is here … There’s great infrastructure and the Kranzberg Arts Foundation is a big part of that now.”

From gaining access to tools and training to pitching to investors and more, Guffey, says filmmaking is “hard as hell,” but he wants to help up-and-coming film artists better navigate the scene through the Kranzberg Arts Foundation filmmaking residency.

An Iowa native and filmmaker who launched his career in Los Angeles, Guffey relocated to St. Louis in 2014 with his family in the middle of researching and developing the movie “All Gone Wrong.” Inspired by films that portrayed cops and robbers, Guffey tells a realistic story about narcotics policing with Tony Todd in a leading role, who is well-known for his unnerving performance in the 1992 film “Candyman.”

“What really encouraged me to get going and to shoot the movie in St. Louis was a movie called ‘The Ghost Who Walks,’ shot in 2018 and released 2019,” Guffey said. “The filmmakers — producer Dan Gartner, David Johnson, and the writer/director Cody Stokes — they were super encouraging and instrumental and just really open with their time. I peppered them with questions … and it really gave me the ability to believe in myself to try to make it here.”

In 2019, Guffey was awarded the residency through the In Motion Filmmaking Conference and granted access to a wide array of resources provided by the Foundation including vital infrastructure for planning and production. 

Filmmaker in residence Josh Guffey
Filmmaker in residence Josh Guffey

“For us, we were in the middle of making the movie, so we held an investor event at the .ZACK Theatre and had a reception where people could see the business plan and just kind of hang out and meet us. That got us money to go into post-production,” Guffey said. “It can be very expensive to get locations, and if you don’t have the money, it can be a barrier.”

With his film now “in the can,” Guffey plans to host a workshop for producers and aspiring filmmakers, “to help people and show that it’s a step-by-step thing.”

“Everybody has a voice, but if you can’t express that voice in the way that you desire … And then you see other people who have advantages and the path to expressing their voice through filmmaking is much easier and much shorter, it can be very frustrating,” Guffey said.

From access to venues for planning and production to theatre space for hosting investor screenings and premieres, Guffey mentioned that “you really see the benefit through all the stages as a filmmaker,” in the Kranzberg Arts Foundation residency program.

“I think so many people who are filmmakers still struggle with these parts of the whole process,” Guffey said. “It’s like, ‘here’s one less thing to worry about,’ and then all of a sudden you have more energy to think of how to make it better, rather than just how to make it.”

In addition to infrastructure, the residency also connects the filmmaker to a network of other local artists and entrepreneurs. Guffey recalled a situation in which he needed the help of a music producer to bring a song in the movie to life.

“It just so happened that Owen Ragland, who’s a former musician in residence, was our guy, so it was nice to keep it within the resident family,” Guffey added. “Just amplifying who these artists are … it creates connections. It’s really cool how that went down.”

Despite the hurdle that has been COVID-19, “All Gone Wrong” is in the final stages before it premieres. Guffey said he feels a responsibility to be a good steward of filmmaking in St. Louis, to help others along the way, and the Kranzberg Arts Foundation filmmaking residency feels like a good place for that.

“We need to support filmmakers and give them a platform to create. It’s just like all arts; there are some mechanisms in place to help artists create, and the more we can do that for filmmakers, the better the movies will be.”

02 Oct 2020

1-act, 1-person production by The Midnight Company to open at The Kranzberg

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“Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll” will open Oct. 29, with full COVID-19 mitigation policies in place.

The popular adage that is often tossed around in show business, “the show must go on,” met its match this year as COVID-19 has practically shut down the arts and entertainment industries for months.

Since we made the decision to close our venues to the public starting March 13, 2020, we’ve been strategically preparing for the moment in which we are able to safely welcome guests back through our doors. 

With cautious optimism, starting Oct. 29, 2020, we look forward to hosting The Midnight Company’s production of Eric Bogosian’s “Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll,” at The Kranzberg.

We do not take the decision to host a production lightly, and we have spent hundreds of hours staying up to date with the latest information from public health officials. We recognize the gravity of the current public health situation and acknowledge our responsibility in maintaining the utmost standards when it comes to keeping guests, artists, and our staff safe.

In order for the show to be approved for our stages, The Midnight Company has gone through an exhaustive process including being vetted through our own greenlight plan, receiving certification from Missouri ArtSafe, and finally, approved by the City of St. Louis.

The Midnight Company presents Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll, Oct. 29 - Nov. 14, 2020, at The Kranzberg
The Midnight Company presents Sex, Drugs, Rock & Roll, Oct. 29 – Nov. 14, 2020, at The Kranzberg

The nature of the production has also been taken into consideration. This one-act, one-person production eliminates potential complications with intermission and social distancing on stage.

The Midnight Company’s COVID plan, which was developed alongside the Kranzberg Arts Foundation and approved by the City of St. Louis, is publicly available on their website so that guests know what to expect when they walk through our doors. 

“We’ve taken steps to help everyone — cast, crew, and guests — stay as safe as possible through extensive vetting and work alongside our public health officials,” Executive Director Chris Hansen said. “The Midnight Company is committed to ensuring best practices are in place including staging a one-act, one-actor production.” 

Additionally, venue capacity will be limited to ensure proper social distancing of six feet or more between guests. 

For organizations and artists interested in producing a show in one of our venues, you must be able to effectively take care of your cast and crew. A plan outlining your COVID procedures must be submitted and approved by the Foundation and the City of St. Louis.

“We look forward to welcoming the show to our stage, and will continue working to support the safe creation and presentation of art,” Hansen said.

As we enter the seventh consecutive month of venue closures, we are methodically working through ways in which we can continue to steward the vital infrastructure for artists and arts organizations so that we can once again say without hesitation, “the show must go on.”

28 Sep 2020

St. Louis’ music scene sees collaboration, opportunity amid COVID

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Kranzberg Arts Foundation partners with Open Highway Music Festival for month-long brunch and live music series

By Caitlin Lally

Sundays in October are about to get a little louder in Grand Center.

The sound of banjos strumming and voices harmonizing will fill the air outside The Grandel as the community gathers, safely, for brunch and live performances by local Americana and bluegrass musicians.

Blue Sky Brunch, presented by Kranzberg Arts Foundation and Open Highway Music Festival, features a lineup of four acts that will take place over the course of the month with brunch catered by Mayo Ketchup from Plantain Girl. 

On the artist lineup for Oct. 18, and also the founder of Open Highway Music Festival is John Henry, (pictured above), who said he is very grateful for the opportunity to work with Kranzberg Arts Foundation to produce the October concert series.

“It was nice to be able to do something a little different from what we do. It’s strange putting on a show during daylight. And while the [music] industry is shut down in a lot of ways, I feel there is a need for music,” Henry said.

“It’s nice to be able to present these shows in a way that supports the artists and gives the fans something to look forward to … it gives people a sense of normalcy in these really unnormal times.”

Click here to see the lineup and learn more about Blue Sky Brunch.

Like countless events this year, Open Highway Music Festival delayed their ninth annual festival that was scheduled for late July and into August at Off-Broadway due to health and safety concerns caused by COVID-19. 

“We saw the industry shut down, so we’ve had to abide by the guidelines set forth by the city, but most importantly we want to put the safety of the patrons and bands at the forefront of everything,” Henry said, who also books talent for the South City venue Off-Broadway.

However, Henry acknowledged that the support for and among the local music scene has grown amid the pandemic.

“In a time of uncertainty and struggle, it’s good to see that many local artists have grown tighter and embraced a sense of community because, without that, things just fall away.”

While the state of the music industry is open-ended as it currently stands, Henry said it’s nice to see the local support for artists.

“I appreciate the efforts of everyone involved to give local artists an opportunity to present their music to people,” Henry said. “It’s been a rough year, obviously, and any little bit helps.”

For more information about Blue Sky Brunch including the full lineup and ticketing details, click here.

08 Sep 2020

Growing community: The Dark Room, Urban Harvest STL donate fresh produce

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In an effort to build sustainable infrastructure and feed artists, The Dark Room and Urban Harvest STL have been collaborating to donate pantry items including fresh produce to local families in need.

From radishes and collard greens to oregano and thyme, Sally’s Rooftop Garden — which is located above .ZACK and maintained by Urban Harvest — has produced over 550 pounds of organic produce so far this year, according to Drew Hundelt, Urban Harvest’s Director of Urban Agriculture.

“Urban Harvest strives for building stronger communities around food, so like making every process of food available to the surrounding communities, from growing it to eating it,” Hundelt said. 

Food and beverage director for Kranzberg Arts Foundation, Gene Bailey explained that the vegetables and herbs were originally destined for the menu at The Dark Room. However, when the pandemic hit, he started thinking about how the food could still be put to use.

“We wanted to be able to donate it in a way that it would still carry its mission. We intended to sell it at this restaurant that showcases local artists, so we were looking for a way to use it that might still focus on benefiting artist communities. Me and [Executive Director Chris Hansen] went back and forth on it,” Bailey said. “We didn’t want to dictate who it’s for, but we wanted to put it through a channel for a community that was artist-rich.”

By tapping into the Foundation’s network of resources in South City through the Art Place Initiative, Bailey got in touch with Amanda Colón-Smith of Dutchtown South Community Corporation, who then connected him to a local business for distribution.

“Gooseberries, a restaurant in Dutchtown South, has now been doing weekly food pantry donations every Saturday since May to people in that community, which includes a lot of artists, as well as families in need,” Bailey said estimating that about 15 families per week have benefited from the donation bags.

In the earlier months of summer, leafy greens and herbs from Sally’s filled the donation bags. Hundelt said the later summer harvests produce larger crops including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and corn. After Hundelt and his team gather the food, Bailey divides it among bags consisting of hand sanitizer from local brewing company, 4 Hands, and pantry staples such as crackers, peanut butter from Performance Food Group.

“We plan on continuing this project … It’s something I want to make sure that we can carry on,” Bailey said. “It’s been good to tangibly do something with those resources.”

20 Aug 2020

Ignite Theatre Company produces first streamed musical amid pandemic

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While some may see wearing masks or standing six feet apart as hindrances to artmaking, one St. Louis theatre company has welcomed the new norms to reignite their production methods.

After hosting virtual auditions, rehearsing for hours over Zoom, and then recording scenes in small physically-distanced groups, Ignite Theatre Company will present “A Chorus Line (High School Edition),” online Aug. 26, through Aug. 30. The 5-day streaming event marks a first for the organization.

Adopting new methods

Originally scheduled as a live event at .ZACK Theatre for the beginning of August, the Kranzberg Arts Foundation resident organization quickly pivoted to host virtual auditions in May and Zoom rehearsals through July.

Brionna Lacy of Ignite Theatre Company
Brionna Lacy, photo by Libby Pedersen

Brionna Lacy, 16, who plays Richie Walters in “A Chorus Line (HSE),” has been with the company for almost two years. She said one of the biggest differences between this production and previous ones was connecting with her fellow cast members.

“We do a lot of character and cast bonding to mesh with each other, and we didn’t really have the opportunity to do that this time around,” Lacy said. “It’s been difficult being apart from directors, too … and coming to rehearsal and not being able to connect with them has been hard.” 

With new methods, came new challenges, as well as new learning opportunities for the students of Ignite. Lacy, said she unexpectedly enjoyed learning about film production. “I’ve always been interested in the filming aspect of theatre, it’s really cool to dive into that sort of thing,” she said.

Daphne Kraushaar, photo by Libby Pedersen

Daphne Kraushaar, 16, who plays Al DeLuca in “A Chorus Line (HSE),” said she also liked the “move-making” side of this production.”It’s not like we’re performing a typical musical with cameras … it’s more like we go scene-by-scene and get different shot angles,” Kraushaar explained. 

Instead of filming a single show like previous Ignite productions, this musical was filmed in several takes by a local volunteer videographer, Jorgen Pedersen, and then edited together.

“That’s one of the benefits of filming — if one of us makes a mistake, we can do it again,” Kraushaar said. “And also, different clips can overlap, so if someone makes a mistake, we can put in a clip of someone else … we can sort of ‘Band-Aid’ for each other.”

However, filming the production in scenes wasn’t the only difference.“We’re dancing and singing, but almost never at the same time, which is one of the biggest differences with this [production],” Kraushaar said. “For example, we are recording our voices first … and then they are put together to make one track. Then we will dance to that track, lip-synching to ourselves … some of the dialogue is even [pre-recorded].”

Staying safe and smart, six-feet apart

Ignite Theatre Company presents "A Chorus Line (High School Edition)"
Ignite Theatre Company presents “A Chorus Line (High School Edition)” / poster by Jorgen Pedersen

With the stage blocked into six-foot-squares, the student actors adhered to strict physical-distancing rules while performing, using camera techniques to make them appear closer together. In addition to following all Kranzberg Arts Foundation COVID-19 mitigation policies, the theatre company outlined its own strategy that includes working in groups of 10 or fewer at one time.

“I think that the directors and everyone have done a good job of keeping the rules in place to keep everyone safe,” Kraushaar said, noting that she felt very comfortable during the production process.

“We’re really thankful for the guidance of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation with the reopening and mitigation policies to feel really confident that we’re creating art in the safest way possible,” Managing Director Kimberly Kavanagh said. “We’re [also] grateful for the opportunity to innovate and still be able to not only create something but also be an outlet for students during such an unsure time.”

“A Chorus Line (High School Edition)” presented by Ignite Theatre Company will stream online Aug. 26, through Aug. 29, at 7 pm, and Aug. 30 at 2 pm. Tickets are available through ShowTix4U. This performance is rated PG-13, and parental guidance is recommended.

“This is the first time we will not know what the final product will look like,” Kavanagh said. “I’ll be so proud of the kids no matter what the final product looks like because they worked so hard at something new.”

For more information about Ignite Theatre Company, visit www.ignitewithus.org.

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