Arts & Entertainment

Best Theater Company

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

The Rep should always be St. Louis' best theater company. Last season it was. For starters, the schedule didn't include a single play by Agatha Christie. On an even more positive note, the Irish comedy-drama Stones in His Pockets was theater perfection -- flawlessly directed and gorgeously acted by its two-man cast (see "Best Ensemble Cast"). The Retreat from Moscow was not everyone's cup of tea, but it bespoke a point of view, and artistic director Steve Woolf staged it in a thoughtful and sympathetic manner. There also was a solid production of The Crucible. Downstairs, the three-play Studio series included a richly evocative Lobby Hero (see "Best Theater Memory") and a scarifying performance by Arnie Burton as a pedophile in Frozen. How many high points does a season need to make it the best? Upstairs and down, the Rep had 'em.