New Line Theatre facts for kids

New Line Theatre is a special type of musical theatre company located in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1991, it focuses on musicals that are different from typical Broadway shows. The company enjoys telling stories that make audiences think about important social and political topics.

New Line Theatre is known for putting on a wide variety of shows. They have performed the world premieres of new musicals like Love Kills and Johnny Appleweed. They also perform lesser-known musicals from Broadway and off-Broadway, such as High Fidelity and Passing Strange.

The company often chooses musicals that explore big ideas. These include shows like Hair, Company, Assassins, and Urinetown. They also create new versions of famous musicals, like Evita, Man of La Mancha, Camelot, and Into the Woods.

New Line Theatre has received special awards for its work over the years. It has also been featured in magazines like American Theatre (magazine) and The Riverfront Times.

History of the Theatre

New Line Theatre was created to be different from other theatres. It was inspired by experimental theatres from the 1960s. These theatres, like Caffé Cino and Cafe LaMaMa ETC, were known for being creative and taking risks with their performances. New Line follows this tradition by choosing musicals that are bold and unique.

The company has a reputation for giving some musicals a second chance. Shows like High Fidelity, Cry-Baby, and Hands on a Hardbody did not run for very long on Broadway. However, New Line produced these shows for the first time after their Broadway runs, and audiences loved them. This helped the musicals become popular in other theatres around the country.

Notable Past Productions

Since 1991, New Line Theatre has produced a long list of exciting musicals. The list shows the wide range of stories the company has brought to the stage. A world premiere means it was the very first time the show was ever performed for an audience. A regional premiere means it was the first time the show was performed in that area.

Here are some of the shows they have performed over the years:

• 1990s: The theatre started with original shows and tributes. They soon began producing famous musicals like Pippin, Company, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Assassins, and Into the Woods.

• 2000s: In this decade, New Line staged popular shows like Cabaret, Chicago, Bat Boy, Sunday in the Park with George, Grease, and Urinetown. They also presented the regional premiere of High Fidelity.

• 2010s: The company continued to bring new and exciting theatre to St. Louis. Productions included Passing Strange, Cry-Baby, Rent, Hands on a Hardbody, American Idiot, and Be More Chill.