In the course of 20 years, Upstream Theater has staged 48 plays from 22 countries, including 31 US or world premieres, among them translations from 9 different languages, featuring 88 (almost entirely local Equity) actors, many of whom have made a professional home at Upstream and have appeared in multiple productions alongside dozens of musicians, designers, technicians, and other artists, and received 3 awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, a National Theatre Grant award from the American Theatre Wing, and the Missouri Arts Award – the state’s highest honor in the art.
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Featured Upstream Theater Events this Season:
February 1 and 2, 2024 The Mechanics
A staged reading of this contemporary play by Steve Carmichael.
March 2025 Local Waters | Global Waves
A program of poetry and song celebrating and extending the legacy of St. Louis’ diverse ethnic communities (at the International Institute of
St. Louis).
April 2025 Streams of Thought
A community dialogue following a performance of Meet Me at Dawn, focused on the importance of
theater as part of our social fabric.
Stay tuned for specific dates to come!
PAST SHOWS
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Oct 18 - Nov 3, 2024
Professional premiere of a new translation by G.J. Racz of this Spanish classic by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, directed by Philip Boehm.
Calderón’s best-known drama follows the journey of Prince Segismundo, who was imprisoned at birth due to a prophecy. As he grapples with his newfound freedom within a world of court intrigue, Segismundo ponders the nature of his existence and the power of his own choices. A play of enduring relevance in an age filled with political uncertainty.
Featured Upstream Theater Events this Season:
February 1 and 2, 2024 The Mechanics
A staged reading of this contemporary play by Steve Carmichael.
March 2025 Local Waters | Global Waves
A program of poetry and song celebrating and extending the legacy of St. Louis’ diverse ethnic communities (at the International Institute of
St. Louis).
April 2025 Streams of Thought
A community dialogue following a performance of Meet Me at Dawn, focused on the importance of
theater as part of our social fabric.
Stay tuned for specific dates to come!
PAST SHOWS
Life Is a Dream
Oct 18 - Nov 3, 2024
Professional premiere of a new translation by G.J. Racz of this Spanish classic by Pedro Calderón de la Barca, directed by Philip Boehm.
Calderón’s best-known drama follows the journey of Prince Segismundo, who was imprisoned at birth due to a prophecy. As he grapples with his newfound freedom within a world of court intrigue, Segismundo ponders the nature of his existence and the power of his own choices. A play of enduring relevance in an age filled with political uncertainty.
UPCOMING
Pictures from a Revolution
Jan 24 - Feb 9, 2025
By Italian playwright Tino Caspanello, English translation by Haun Saussy, US premiere directed by Philip Boehm.
Three last resistance fighters of an
unidentified revolution are living inside the walls of a stadium, while enemies lurk outside, watching and waiting. One of the men goes looking for food and winds up bringing a woman into their closed circle. Are they right to trust her? The ensuing scenes echo famous paintings by Rembrandt, Matisse, Degas, and others, which highlight the themes of this deep and darkly comic piece.
Meet Me at Dawn
Apr 11 - Apr 27, 2025by UK playwright Zinnie Harris, directed by Larissa Lury.
Two women wash up on a distant shore following a boating accident. Dazed by their experience, they look for a path home. But they discover that this unfamiliar land is not what it seems — and that, though they may be together, they have never been further apart. A deeply moving, lyrical meditation inspired by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.