Until the Flood

If we have any hope of understanding what›s going in St. Louis, it comes through the arts. Department of Justice reports, newscasts, lengthy journalistic breakdowns and oral histories can tell us what happened at a certain point in time, but true illumination must be found in a concert hall, in a gallery or on the stage. Playwright Dael Orlandersmith, a Pulitzer Prize finalist, visited St. Louis in order to interview anybody who was willing to speak with her about life in the aftermath of Ferguson. Her mission was not to find blame or absolve anyone of guilt — she wanted only to hear what St. Louisans had to say about St. Louis. The resulting play, Until the Flood, is a complex piece that tells the St. Louis story — which is really a series of stories — in a symphony of voices. The Repertory Theatre of Saint Louis commissioned the work to give us a chance to hear ourselves think, so go hear what we have to say about us. Until the Flood is performed Tuesday through Sunday (October 12 to November 6) at the Loretto-Hilton Center (130 Edgar Road, Webster Groves; www.repstl.org). Tickets are $18 to $81.50.