LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE: THE MUSICAL • Fly North Theatricals

The Hoovers are a hapless, paper-plate-and-KFC kind of family, all walking under a cloud of their own woes. The only exceptions might be Grandpa, (Ken Haller), recently banned from the area's retirement homes for drug use and lewdness, and youngest daughter Olive (Zoe Klevorn), who dreams of becoming the first Miss America from New Mexico. When a contestant from a local kid’s beauty pageant is disqualified, Olive has a shot to get a step closer to her goal by taking on the Little Miss Sunshine competition in California. And of course, a lot can happen on a road trip from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Redondo Beach, California.

Fly North Theatrical’s production is presented “pay-what-you-want” as part of their Theater for All Initiative (TFAI) - aiming to make seeing and learning the performing arts in St. Louis more financially accessible. This is something FNT’s Artistic Director Colin Healy and Managing Director Bradley Rohlf are passionate about, and the performances of the FNT students working alongside professional actors serve as a clear testament to the program. (You can read more about that here.) 

MEET ME AT DAWN • Upstream Theater

In Upstream Theater’s unflinching season closer, a simple platform standing in for a sandbank, clusters of grass, a window fragment and long rolling clouds greet audiences walking into The Marcelle’s black box. But what plays out onstage is a surreal confrontation with a looming heartache that hangs over anyone who’s ever loved.

After washing up on an island after a brutal boating accident, Robyn (Lizi Watt) is primarily concerned with her girlfriend, Helen (Michelle Hand), and if she’s okay. Both of them seem to be in shock. Helen is soaking wet and surging with adrenaline at their survival while Robyn is disoriented and nauseous. How did they get here? Through their attempts to try to figure out exactly where they are and how they’ll find a way home, we get the sense that the island they’re marooned on is not exactly temporal.