In 1905, Manhattan, New York City; Seamstress of Intimate Apparels, Esther, is a lonely 35 year-old spinster. She resides in a boarding house owned by a widower, Mrs. Dickson. Among other residents in the boarding house is Mayme, an attractive ‘lady of the night’, who had once aspired to be a concert pianist. Lonely Esther would receive a letter from George, a Bajan laborer working on the Panama Canal. Esther’s response to Georges’ letters, written on her behalf by both Mrs. Van Buren and Mayme would set her life on a romantic collision with George. They wed, and she struggles to hold the relationship together.

Tickets on sale Sunday January 1, 2012.

UMSL Student discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

The Pro Arte Quartet perform regularly throughout the United States, Europe and Asia, this oldest string quartet in continuous existence celebrates its centennial in 2012.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

The Associated Black Collegians will host the “Step Team Showcase 2012” featuring high school and middle school step teams. The purpose of the show is to provide entertainment for the youth of UMSL’s community while exposing them to the collegiate experience in a positive environment. Additionally, ABC hopes to make a positive impression of our University, fostering relationships with the potential prospective students of our University.

Ticket prices will increase day of show.

Tickets on sale Monday January 23, 2012 @10am.

This is no ordinary puppet show. No Kermit or Miss Piggy. It’s an adults-only, improv show from Henson Alternative, the edgy branch of the Jim Henson Company that’s played off-Broadway in spring 2010 at the Union Square Theatre to rave reviews and has been touring since. The bawdy puppeteers perform off-the-cuff comedy combined with musical theatre for a hilarious puppet romp.

Gold Circle seating includes a post show meet and greet with Patrick Bristow.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Monday August 22 @10am.

Silver Roots brings its “intersection of Japanese music and the Western World.” The performance, titled Japan Meets World, showcases classical and traditional music from both hemispheres as well as original works for violin, flute, cello, voice and dance. The group is comprised of Julliard graduates Shawn Wyckoff, Maira Millar and Michael Hass.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Monday, June 20 @10am.

The Sleeping Beauty

Have you ever looked forward to a special celebration? What would you think if your invitation were "lost in the mail?" Would you crash the party anyway? What if you had supernatural powers? What would you do then?

Join the cast of dancers, guest artists, and actors from this award-winning company to see what happens when one of the Royal Fairies is accidentally omitted from the guest list for Princess Aurora's Christening Party. A battle between good and evil ensues, but the power of love always wins in the end …right? Don't miss this very special tale for children of all ages.

Looking for the free child ticket promotion? This promotion is available by calling or visiting the Touhill Ticket Office only. Please call the Ticket Office at 314.516.4949 for more information.

The Arianna String Quartet opens the third series concert World Premiere on March 2, 2012, by completing the season-long journey through the middle quartets of Beethoven with a performance of the riveting Quartet in F minor, Op.95, “Serioso”, and ends the evening with Tchaikovsky’s splendid Quartet No.3 in E-flat minor. The centerpiece of the evening is the World Premiere of David Stock’s Quartet No.9, a work written for the Arianna String Quartet. Stock’s award-winning compositions have been performed by the New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Seattle Symphony and St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, to name a few.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Monday June 20 @10am.

Eight years and countless touring miles since it formed, the St. Louis Jazz Orchestra swings into the Lee Theater to claim the Touhill as a new home. Under the direction of bassist/educator Jim Widner, the orchestra brings together some of the finest jazz artists in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Monday June 20 @10am.

UMSL Student Life Speaker Series An UMSL Civic Engagement Day Event

The Honorable Cory A. Booker is the Mayer of Newark, New Jersey. He took the oath of office as Mayor of New Jersey’s largest city in July 2006 following a sweeping electoral victory and was re-elected for a second term in another overwhelming majority in 2010. Elected with a clear mandate for change, Mayor Booker has begun work on realizing a bold vision for the city. Newark’s mission is to set a national standard for urban transformation by marshaling its resources to achieve security, economic abundance and an environment which is nurturing and empowering for individuals and families.

Mayor Booker brings his passion for social change to the podium. Sharing stories informed by real life, Mayor Booker demonstrates the need for everyone to take responsibility to help this nation live up to its promise. Mayor Booker also sheds light on the necessary reform government needs to undergo to become equipped to deal with the challenges of modern times. Drawing from a deep belief in service and social justice, Mayor Booker inspires audiences to greater civic responsibility and issues a call to action for America.

Tickets on sale for UMSL Students January 3, 2012 @ 10am at the Touhill Ticket Office with an UMSL Student ID. Discounted tickets available for UMSL Students at the Touhill Ticket Office. Tickets on sale to the general public on Monday January 23, 2012 @10am.

One of the world’s great dance companies flexes its muscles in a stunning contemporary program by James Kudelka, William Forsythe, and Edwaard Liang, whose Age of Innocence is inspired by the passionate undercurrents of Jane Austen’s novels.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Tuesday September 6 @10am.

Syn-Aulois will take audiences on a journey through the history, landscape and people of contemporary Greece. The Boston-based ensemble performs a wide range of 20th century Greek art music, including rembetika and contemporary popular music. The bluesy, heart-wrenching rembetika, driven by the bouzouki instrument, is the music of the 1920s Greek demimonde inhabitants of the waterfront bars of Piraeus. To enhance that atmosphere, cabaret seating will be offered in the intimate Lee Theater for this performance.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Ticket on sale Monday June 20 @10am.

Open Heart, Open Mind UMSL Student Life Speaker Series

Ling is the co-executive producer and host of Our America on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) and was the field correspondent for The Oprah Show. She is also a contributor to ABC News’ Nightline. She was the first female host of National Geographic’s Explorer series where she investigated the deadly MS-13 gang, went undercover inside North Korea and explored the drug war in South America.

Ling got her start in journalism as a correspondent for Channel One News where she covered the civil war in Afghanistan at 21 years of age. She later went on to become a co-host of ABC Daytime’s hit show The View, which won its first daytime Emmy during her time at the show. She was also a special correspondent for CNN’s Planet in Peril series and is a contributing editor for USA Today’s USA Weekend magazine.

She is the co-author of Mother, Sister, Daughter, Bride: Rituals of Womanhood and Somewhere Inside: One Sister’s Captivity in North Korea and the Other’s Fight to Bring Her Home which she penned with her sister Laura.

Tickets on sale for UMSL Students January 3, 2012 @ 10am at the Touhill Ticket Office with an UMSL Student ID. Discounted tickets available for UMSL Students at the Touhill Ticket Office. Tickets on sale to the general public on Monday January 23, 2012 @10am.

Don't miss this special opportunity to see legendary Emmy and Tony award-winning actor Hal Holbrook in his classic portrayal of Mark Twain. This timeless show, first developed by Holbrook in 1954, has made 3 Broadway runs and been performed over 2,000 times around the world. And now the Eugene Field House Foundation is excited to bring it to St. Louis. VIP Patron-level seating is available through the Eugene Field House Foundation at 314-421-4689.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Friday January 13, 2012 @10am.

Throughout his explorations, Herbie Hancock has transcended limitations and genres including jazz, bebop, R&B, electro funk and classical, all while maintaining his unmistakable voice. With an illustrious career spanning five decades and 14 Grammy® Awards including the 2007 Album Of The Year for ‘River: The Joni Letters’, he continues to amaze audiences. Hancock's latest album, 'The Imagine Project', features vocals from James Morrison, India Arie, Pink, Seal and guitar work from Jeff Beck.

Gold Circle seating includes a post show reception to which the artist has been invited.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Tuesday June 14 @10am.

MADCO consistently brings athletic, vibrant dance to the stage. The company’s innovative perspective keeps its performance accessible and entertaining for the audience, demanding for the dancers.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Monday June 20 @10am.

It'll All Make Sense One Day UMSL Student Life Speaker Series

Known as the King of Conscious Hip Hop, Common is one of music’s most poetic and respected lyricists. On his many albums such as Can I Borrow a Dollar? and Finding Forever, his introspective rhymes have pushed boundaries with their biting social commentary. He’s also an actor, recently seen in Just Wright with Queen Latifah.

Common isn’t just a musician and actor: he is a role model. Offering the younger generations a better understanding of self-respect and love, he has combined hip hop with literature, releasing three books, including I Like You But I Love Me. In 2007, he launched the Common Ground Foundation, an organization dedicated to the empowerment and development of America’s urban youth.

Whether inspiring audiences through his music, his books, or his foundation, Common continues to break new ground, and remains one of hip hop’s most innovative, positive voices.

Tickets on sale for UMSL Students January 17, 2012 @ 10am at the Touhill Ticket Office with an UMSL Student ID. Discounted tickets available for UMSL Students at the Touhill Ticket Office. Tickets on sale to the general public on Monday January 30, 2012 @10am.

Cheikh Lô is one of the great mavericks of African music. A superb singer and songwriter as well as a distinctive guitarist, percussionist and drummer, Cheikh Lô has been influenced by the music of West and Central Africa and created a style uniquely his own. His signature blend of semi-acoustic flavors – West and Central African, Cuban, flamenco – renders a focused and diverse statement of musical and cultural experience.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Monday June 20 @10am.

Muny 4U is an hour-long theatrical experience, designed by The Muny with the middle-school audience in mind. Interactive and lively, the show will involve the audience in different aspects of musical theatre, and demonstrate that they know more about the genre than they might realize. Pulling from different sources, Muny 4U will highlight the integration of musical theatre into popular culture. The grand finale will involve the whole audience in an impromptu flash-mob-style production.

Tickets on sale Monday August 22 @10am.

Top-flight dancers perform works by veteran and up-and-coming European and American choreographers. Boasting dual citizenship in two chic and lively cities, this Western wonder with a skyrocketing national reputation combines rugged athleticism with liquid grace.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Tuesday September 6 @10am.

The University of Missouri-St. Louis Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival 2012 Presented by the University of Missouri-St. Louis, the Touhill Performing Arts Center & Jazz St. Louis

Friday night’s headliner: Jazz St. Louis presents Cubano Be, Cubano Bop: Poncho Sanchez & his Latin Jazz Band featuring Terence Blanchard with opening set by the UMSL Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jim Widner April 20 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center

Saturday night’s headliner: Touhill Performing Arts Center presents the Christian McBride Big Band with opening set by the UMSL Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jim Widner April 21 at the Touhill Performing Arts Center

About the UMSL Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival: The 9th Annual UMSL Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival brings more than 50 collegiate and high school big bands and combos to St. Louis to learn from some of the biggest names in professional jazz, top educators, and each other.
Daytime academic performances held at Jazz at the Bistro and UMSL on April 18 – 21 are free and open to the public. For tickets to the headliner concerts on April 20 & 21, and for more information about the Festival, visit Touhill.org or call the Touhill Ticket Office at 314-516-4949.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

A Touhill tradition! For the eighth consecutive season, The Second City’s trademark improvisation will be on full display in the Lee Theater cabaret with its one-of-a-kind Laugh Out Loud Tour. From the company that launched the careers of Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray and more, comes the next generation of the comedy world’s best and brightest in an evening of hilarious sketch comedy.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Monday August 22 @ 10am.

Because life doesn’t come with a script! Here’s a chance to learn improv from America’s famed comedy troupe. The touring company will share the traditions developed by the groundbreaking and innovative men and women of The Second City. The performers will work with individuals to improve and grow their skills in comedy and improvisation. This master class is held on the Lee Theater stage.

Tickets on sale Friday January 20, 2012 @10am.

Saint Louis Ballet presents the world’s favorite ballet, Swan Lake. This iconic classic is set to Tchaikovsky’s beloved score and features exciting dancing, enthralling story telling and grand sets and costumes. Artistic Director Gen Horiuchi’s production epitomizes the grandeur of classical ballet.

Shake your tail feather and come see the real-life version as seen in the movie Black Swan.

Tickets on sale December 9, 2011 @10am.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

The Arianna String Quartet closes out their 2011-12 Touhill series on May 4, 2012, with Famous Last Words, a musical odyssey through final works for string quartet written by three leviathans of the quartet repertoire. The evening starts with Felix Mendelssohn’s dazzling Andante and Scherzo, Op.81, a seldom-heard work full of virtuosic appeal, and follows with Bela Bartok’s evocative Quartet No.6, a seminal work of the early 20th century. The season comes to an end with Beethoven’s final composition, the splendid Quartet in F Major, Op.135.

UMSL Student and Employee discounts available for this performance. Please visit the Touhill Ticket Office on or after January 23, 2012 with UMSL ID for more information and to purchase discounted tickets.

Tickets on sale Monday June 20 @10am.

Now in its 33rd year, the award-winning festival features master storytellers including Noah Buchholz, Willy Claflin, Angela Lloyd, Kunama Mtemdaji, Susan O’Halloran, and Dovie Thomason. They will weave their tales throughout the community, performing at more than 20 locations in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area. Locations include the Gateway Arch, University of Missouri-St. Louis, Missouri Historical Society, Missouri Botanical Garden, library branches, parks and bookstores. The concluding performance takes place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center and offers performances by all the featured storytellers.

If you are purchasing tickets for someone under 12 years of age, please contact the Touhill Ticket Office directly at 314.516.4949. Tickets are FREE for children 12 and under!

Tickets on sale February 1, 2012 @10am.

The St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association is pleased to partner with writer and producer Adam E. Stone to present the World Premiere of A Life Unhappening, a spoken-word ballet, in one act, about the impact of Alzheimer's disease on three generations of one woman's family. The one-hour ballet performance will be followed by a 20-minute intermission, then a question & answer session of approximately 45 minutes with key players in the piece (writer, choreographer, dancers) and with representatives of the St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association. Thus, the evening will be both entertaining and educational, and will present an artist's perspective on the devastating effects of Alzheimer's disease. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales for this event will go directly to the St. Louis Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

Tickets on sale November 1 @10am.

This annual feast of the best in the Midwest and beyond has become a Memorial Day Weekend phenomenon! The 2012 edition returns with the same winning trifecta: 30 dance companies, three unique nights, still only $10 a night.

Tickets on sale Tuesday September 6 @10am.

The Big Muddy Dance Company is St Louis' first full-time professional contemporary jazz dance company. Their premiere performances present an eclectic repertoire of jazz, Broadway and contemporary styles of dance. The evening's works include "The 40's" and "Georgia" by Lou Conte (founder of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago), "Punctuations" by Sam Watson, and premiere works by Ricardo Moyano, Kam N. Saunders, and Marc Wayne.

Tickets on sale December 1, 2011 @10am.