Events This Weekend
Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical
Fri., Dec. 14, 7 p.m., Sat., Dec. 15, 3 & 7 p.m. and Sun., Dec. 16, 1 & 5 p.m.Theater, Christmas
Who would want to steal Christmas? Well, if you're an anti-social grouch who hates the happy sounds of singing and good cheer, you'd go to drastic measures for silence. The Grinch is just such a surly character, and with his faithful dog Max he attempts the wholesale theft of a holiday. Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical brings the holiday staple to the stage, with sets and scenery inspired by the book's drawings, and songs borrowed from the TV special. Performances are at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday (December 13 to 16) at the Stifel Theatre (1400 Market Street; www.stifeltheatre.com). Tickets are $32 to $82. $32-$82
The Nutcracker
Fri., Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m., Sat., Dec. 15, 2 & 7:30 p.m., Sun., Dec. 16, 2 p.m., Wed., Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m., Thu., Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m., Fri., Dec. 21, 2 & 7:30 p.m., Sat., Dec. 22, 2 & 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Dec. 23, 2 & 7:30 p.m.Dance, Christmas
Saint Louis Ballet has long performed Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker at Christmas, but this year the company goes all out with thirteen performances of the crowd-pleasing classic. In it young Clara receives the gift of a handsome nutcracker, which her brother breaks. When Clara later sneaks downstairs to check on her gift, she discovers an army of attacking mice, led by the Mouse King. Suddenly the nutcracker grows to life-size, and a desperate Clara distracts the Mouse King long enough for her nutcracker prince to defeat the enemy. The duo escape to the Land of Sweets, where much dancing and happy times commence. The Saint Louis Ballet incorporates special effects and grand sets to create a proper holiday spectacle. The Nutcracker is performed Wednesday through Sunday (December 14 to 23) at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus (1 University Drive at Natural Bridge Road; www.stlouisballet.org). Tickets are $35 to $72. $35-$72
1 University Dr at Natural Bridge Road
North St. Louis County
314-516-4949
Les Miserables
Fri., Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m., Sat., Dec. 15, 2 & 7:30 p.m. and Sun., Dec. 16, 1 p.m.Theater
Valjean, a man of prodigious strength and moral character, has finally been paroled from prison, but he can't escape his past. No one wants to hire an ex-con, and only the genuine kindness of another frees him to start over with a new identity — but inspector Javert is still out there looking for him. In the Paris of the early nineteenth century, Valjean's promise to save a dying woman's daughter, political unrest and the unshakeable Javert all collide. And all because Valjean stole a loaf of bread to feed his starving nephew more than twenty years ago. Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg's blockbuster musical Les Miserables returns to St. Louis with new staging and scenery, but the same songs and story. Performances are Tuesday through Sunday (December 11 to 16) at the Fox Theatre (527 North Grand Boulevard; www.fabulousfox.com). Tickets are $25 to $150. $25-$150
Printing Abstraction
Fridays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Tuesdays-Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Continues through March 31, 2019Arts
Abstract art is a term that includes a wide variety of media: monochromatic color fields, hard-edged abstraction and its flat colors, and the sharply defined edges and optical illusions inherent in op-art's geometric forms. What links all of these styles together is that they are divorced from the traditional representation of physical objects. For its new exhibition Printing Abstraction, the Saint Louis Art Museum draws from its own holdings of abstract art created by printmakers. The show is something of an expansion of the museum's ongoing main exhibition, Graphic Revolution: American Prints 1960 to Now, in that it offers more examples of the printmakers' art and the key role it's played in the promulgation of abstract art. Printing Abstraction is on display from Tuesday through Sunday (November 30 to March 31) in galleries 234 and 235 of the Saint Louis Art Museum (1 Fine Arts Drive; www.slam.org). Admission is free. free admission
Graphic Revolution: American Prints 1960 to Now
Fridays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Tuesdays-Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Continues through Feb. 3, 2019Arts
The 1960s were a period of social upheaval and radical change in America, and no art form captured that churning spirit better than printmaking. Printmakers have always had one foot in the commercial art world and one in the realm of fine art, and that hybrid nature allows them to adapt to new technologies and new thinking more quickly than, say, sculptors. Graphic Revolution: American Prints 1960 to Now, the exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum (1 Fine Arts Drive; www.slam.org), is a treasure trove of startling images. Featuring more than 100 works drawn from the museum's holdings and local private collectors, Graphic Revolution includes landmark prints by the big names (Andy Warhol's Campbell's Soup II, Robert Rauschenberg's Signs) and less famous but no less astonishing pieces by modern masters such as Julie Mehretu and Edgar Heap of Birds. The show is open from Sunday, November 11, to February 3. Tickets are $6 to $14, but free to all on Friday. $6-$14, free on Friday
Steinberg Skating Rink
Fridays, Saturdays, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. and Mondays-Thursdays, Sundays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Continues through Feb. 25, 2019Sports - Participatory
Ice skating and hot cocoa go together like Christmas and carols. Every year, Steinberg Skating Rink in Forest Park (www.steinbergskatingrink.com) is open from early November to late February, providing the Midwest's largest outdoor rink for the low price of $7 a day. Your $7 is good for the whole day, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Skate rental is another $7, which is a steal — but just because it's so affordable doesn't mean you have to bring the family. If you're tired of the in-laws, their kids or just want to get out of the house, Steinberg is there for you. Nothing clears the head like a brisk skating session and hot cocoa by an outdoor fire. $7
400 Jefferson Drive
St. Louis - Forest Park
314-367-7465 or 314-361-0613
St. Charles Christmas Traditions
Sundays, 12-5 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Wednesdays, Fridays, 6-9 p.m. Continues through Dec. 24Christmas
Traditionally, there's only ever one Santa Claus on the job — that's what makes him so special. But at St. Charles Christmas Traditions, all the iterations of Santa Claus from other cultures and times gather in historic downtown St. Charles (South Main Street and Jackson Street, St. Charles; www.historicstcharles.com), which allows you to meet and take a picture with some far-out Santa variants and other assorted holiday characters. There's Ded Moroz ("Old Man Frost"), who brings the well-mannered children of Slavic countries their presents, and Julenisse, the Scandinavian supernatural being associated with the Winter Solstice. Non-Santa costumed characters include a reindeer flight instructor, Jack Frost, the Ice Queen and Julia D. Grant, the St. Louis-born wife of Ulysses and America's former first lady. St. Charles Christmas Traditions opens with a big brouhaha from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, November 23. The fun resumes from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday (November 24 to December 24). In some cultures, Santa Claus has a mischievous counterpart; on Wednesday nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., the Krampus gets his time to shine during Krampusnachts. At 8:13 p.m. he spins his Wheel of Misfortune in the Colonnade, joined by unsavory pals the Mouse King, Jolakotturinn (Iceland's ferocious Yule Cat, who eats people who don't get new clothes for Christmas) and the Abominable Snowman. If you feel like you can't keep all these beings straight without a scorecard, you're in luck: Special trading cards are available for each of them. Admission is free, and most shops and restaurants in the downtown area will be open for business during Christmas Traditions hours. free admission
Winterfest Ice Rink
Saturdays, Sundays, 12-8 p.m., Thursdays, Fridays, 4-8 p.m. and Through Jan. 1, 2019, 12-8 p.m. Continues through Dec. 23Sports - Participatory
It's not officially winter yet, but that won't stop the outdoor ice rink at Kiener Plaza (500 Chestnut Street; www.archpark.org/events/winterfest) from opening. The Winterfest Ice Rink, to use its full name, officially opens at noon on Saturday, November 17, with some fanfare, a little hoopla and the Festival of Lights from 4 to 8 p.m. The rink is then open from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, noon to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (November 17 to December 23) and noon to 8 p.m. daily December 24 to January 1. Skating is a full-body workout and a lot of fun, especially when you have a great view of the Arch. The new Kiener Plaza has a playground if you need more exertion, or you can take a break and enjoy a hot chocolate al fresco. Admission is free. While skate rentals are $7 to $12, they're free for kids ages three to fifteen on Thursday and Friday, courtesy of the St. Louis Blues. free admission
Kehinde Wiley: Saint Louis
Fridays and Tuesdays-Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays. Continues through Feb. 10, 2019Arts
Artist Kehinde Wiley leaped into the public consciousness when his presidential portrait of Barack Obama was unveiled in February, but he's been making vital work that explores the nexus of race and representation for years. In 2017 the New York City-based Wiley visited the Saint Louis Art Museum to review the collection with an eye toward a future exhibit inspired by the historic style of portraiture. While he was in St. Louis, Wiley went to north St. Louis and Ferguson to meet with people and find subjects for his own paintings. Kehinde Wiley: Saint Louis is an exhibition of eleven large-scale paintings of everyday black St. Louisans dressed in modern clothing, posed in the manner of kings, statesmen and other powerful figures. Wiley's new work will be on display in galleries 249 and 250 from October 19 to February 10 at the Saint Louis Art Museum (1 Fine Arts Drive; www.slam.org). Admission is free. free admission
Gardenland Express Holiday Flower and Train Show
Through Dec. 24 and Through Dec. 30Christmas
Families once gathered to build their own holiday train sets under the Christmas tree, but it's a disappearing pasttime. Still, there's something magical about a well-built model train setup with buildings, little people and personal touches. Maybe Santa Claus is the engineer, or a tiny James Gang is waiting around the bend. The Missouri Botanical Garden (4344 Shaw Boulevard; www.mobot.org) keeps the tradition alive with its annual Gardenland Express Holiday Flower and Train Show. Six tracks of model trains roll through hand-built scenery, which is surrounded by a landscape of living plants. It's an elaborate setup that rewards the careful observer, and it's open daily through January 1 (closed Christmas Day). Tickets are $5 per person in addition to regular garden admission. $5 in addition to regular garden admission ($4-$12)
Muny Memories: 100 Years on Stage
Through June 2, 2019Museum Exhibits and Events
The Muny is just about to open its landmark 100th season, and its neighbor, the Missouri History Museum (Lindell Boulevard and DeBalivere Avenue; www.mohistory.org), celebrates the occasion with an exhibit dedicated to the history of America's largest outdoor theater. Muny Memories: 100 Years on Stage features exhibits that explain the founding of the theater, display favorite memories from stars and staff, and give a look back stage to see how the dedicated technical crew creates and rigs all those sets and lights. You can also take a look at programs from the Muny's long, storied past. Muny Memories opens on Saturday, June 9, and remains on display daily through June 2, 2019. Admission is free. free admission
Panoramas of the City
Through March 24, 2019Museum Exhibits and Events
In a year in which the Missouri History Museum exhibition team has given us the stories of St. Louis' greatest civil rights freedom fighters and returned us to the glory days of Route 66, it would take something truly spectacular for the museum to outdo itself — and yet somehow it's done just that. The museum's new exhibition, Panoramas of the City, is as close to time travel as you can get without involving Morlocks. The show comprises seven floor-to-ceiling size images of scenes such as Charles Lindbergh speaking to a crowd of 100,000 people on Art Hill at his "welcome home" party and a 1920 march on Olive Street by the League of Women Voters. These massive photographs are joined by props and interactive media displays that give viewers a better understanding of the historical context of each scene. More than 60 panoramas of various sizes round out the exhibit, which will be on display from September 2 to March 24, 2019, at the Missouri History Museum (Lindell Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue; www.mohistory.org). free admission
Anheuser-Busch's Brewery Lights
Thursdays-Sundays, 5-10 p.m. Continues through Dec. 30Christmas
You have to give Anheuser-Busch credit: The big brewery in town has crammed more Christmas stuff than ever into its light display this year. There are the traditional lights winking from every cornice and edge of every building in the brewery complex, the return of its own ice-skating rink, a new kids' zone and brewery express train, and holiday movies shown on a big screen nightly during regular hours. If you want to experience everything the season has to offer, it's all there. Anheuser-Busch's brewery lights are on every night, but the other activities only happen from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday through Sunday (November 12 to December 30) at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and Tour Center (1200 Lynch Street; www.budweisertours.com). Admission is free, but train rides are $3 and there's a suggested $3 to $5 donation for skate rental. Skating is free if you have your own skates, but why not donate anyway? free admission, some activities require a fee
S. 12th St. & Lynch St.
St. Louis - South City
314-577-2626
The Immigrants: Works by Master Photographers
Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Wednesdays-Fridays, 12-5 p.m. and Tuesdays, 12-8 p.m. Continues through Jan. 12, 2019Arts
America's long history of welcoming new arrivals to Team USA is celebrated in the exhibition The Immigrants: Works by Master Photographers. From the earliest days of photography in the 1890s, when Ellis Island clerk Augustus Frederick Sherman began documenting immigrants with his camera, to today, when Italian photographer Alex Majoli captures the crisis of refugees trying to survive the ocean crossing from Africa to Greece, the exhibit shows the people who fled their homes in search of safety. The Immigrants doesn't shy away from the worst moments; Dorothea Lange's suppressed photograph of Japanese Americans in a U.S. internment camp during World War II is part of the show, as are more ennobling images made by Lewis Hine and Bob Gruen. The Immigrants opens with a free reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, October 5, at the Sheldon (3648 Washington Boulevard; www.thesheldon.org). The show remains up through January 12. free admission
Garden Glow
Through Dec. 23, 5-10 p.m. and Through Jan. 1, 2019, 5-10 p.m.Christmas
One of the most popular holiday traditions in St. Louis returns this weekend, when the Missouri Botanical Garden (4344 Shaw Boulevard; www.mobot.org) officially opens Garden Glow. More than one million lights wrap the trees and buildings of the garden, creating a seasonal spectacle. In keeping with the garden's mission, many of the lights are solar powered, and electrical use for the event has been offset with Renewable Energy Certificates, making this one of the few guilt-free Christmas treats. The 1.3-mile path through the park has a few concession areas serving hot chocolate, s'mores and the like, and both the Sassafras Cafe and Cafe Flora (Friday and Saturday nights only until December) will be serving food until 9 p.m. Garden Glow takes place from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly (November 17 to January 1; closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). Tickets are $3 to $18 and are sold for specific start times; you can't get in before the time on your ticket. $3-$18
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