At The Rep, we are pleased to provide student matinee performances of selected Mainstage productions.
More than 5,000 young people attend student matinees at The Rep each season. Immediately prior to the performance, students are invited to a free pre-show docent presentation, designed to introduce the content, themes and production elements of the show they are about to see.
In addition, a free interdisciplinary study guide is provided to teachers at least two weeks prior to performance dates. Study guides include information about the play, playwright and production, as well as background articles and discussion questions.
All Student Matinee tickets cost $10 each.
Contact us at (314) 968-7344 or [email protected] for more information or to make your reservation.
Performance at 10:30 am, Pre-show presentation at 9:45 am
Grade recommendation: 6th grade and up
Ralphie Parker’s quest to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas returns to The Rep in all its heartwarming and hilarious glory. Filled with delightful holiday vignettes and endlessly quotable lines (“You’ll shoot your eye out!”), this play is the classic movie brought to life on stage!
Performance at 10:30 am, Pre-show presentation at 9:45 am
Grade recommendation: 8th grade and up
A determined librarian and a segregationist senator face off over an innocent children’s book in 1959 Montgomery. Depicting the marriage of two rabbits – who happen to have different-colored fur – the story has Sen. E.W. Higgins calling for a book ban. But even as the pressure mounts, librarian Emily Wheelock Reed refuses to yield to censorship. Inspired by true events, Alabama Story is a stirring testament to free expression.
Performance at 10:30 am, Pre-show presentation at 9:45 am
Grade recommendation: 8th grade and up
Calamity, disaster, fiasco: whichever word you’d like to choose, the opening night performance of The Murder at Haversham Manor has gone decidedly wrong. A maelstrom of madcap madness ensues, complete with collapsing scenery, unconscious actors and a stage crew pushed to the brink. Will The Rep survive this train wreck of a play? Come find out!
How do I make a reservation for my school group?
You can make a reservation by contacting us at (314) 968-7344 or [email protected]. In order to make a reservation, you will need your school’s mailing address, phone number, as well as the date of the show you would like to see and the total number of seats (making sure to include all students, teachers, chaperones, etc.) you would like to reserve.
Once your reservation request has been confirmed, you will be sent a contract packet. You must sign and return the agreement form in order to hold your reservation.
What if I need to make changes to my reservation?
You can make changes to your reservation by contacting us at (314) 968-7344 or [email protected]. Please note that any changes to your reservation must be at least three weeks before the performance date.
How can I attend the pre-show?
Our free docent-led pre-show presentation begins 45 minutes before the curtain time of each performance. If you would like your group to attend, please contact us at (314) 968-7344 or [email protected]. Seating is limited.
What time should I plan to arrive?
If you are attending the pre-show presentation, please plan to arrive one hour before the scheduled curtain time of the mainstage performance. There will be no pre-show seating for late arrivals.
If you are not attending the pre-show, please plan to arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled curtain time of the mainstage performance.
How do I get to The Rep?
Printable Driving Directions to The Rep
Please share with the bus driver and others planning to drive to the performance.
Where should I park?
The Rep cannot accommodate motor coach and bus parking on site. Motor coaches and buses should arrive early to drop off students, at which time drivers will be given directions for parking and pick-up procedures. Please note that bus and motor coach parking is not within walking distance of The Rep, so if your bus driver is planning to see the show, you will need to make other arrangements.
Groups that are driving themselves or carpooling will need to park in the Garden Park Plaza Parking Garage located on Garden Avenue down the street from the theatre. You will be issued a parking pass two weeks before the performance, which should be placed on your dashboard after parking.
Where do I go when I arrive?
All groups will need to check-in when they arrive, including those attending the pre-show. The check-in will be located in the lobby next to the circle drive doors off Edgar Road.
How will I get my tickets?
We do not issue tickets for student matinee performances. Your group will be assigned specific seats in the theatre based on your reservation. When you arrive, an usher will escort you to your assigned seats.
When and how do I pay for my seats?
Full payment is due three weeks prior to the performance date. Payment information will be included in your contract packet, which will be sent to you once your reservation has been made. Credit card payments can be processed over the phone at (314) 968-7344. Checks or money orders should be made payable to THE REPERTORY THEATRE OF ST. LOUIS. Cash payments are not accepted.
Do you sell food or drinks?
Food and drinks are not sold during student matinee performances. No food, drinks (including water), or gum will be allowed inside the theatre. Travel cups and water bottles will be stored in the lobby during the performance to limit distractions inside the theatre.
Can I sit in the front row?
Seating locations are assigned in the order that full payments are received. If you have a student requiring wheelchair or special seating, please let us know in advance so that we may accommodate you.
When and how do I get the study guide?
Study guides for each show are available to download from The Rep website approximately two weeks before the first student matinee performance of that show. A link will be sent to those with reservations when the guide is available. Study guides are student-focused and include background information on the play and the playwright, context information for the production, and ways in which the play relates to your students’ lives.
Check out our study guide page for the current season’s publications, updated throughout the season.
How long is the performance?
Performance times vary for each show, but a show will typically run about 2 hours and 30 minutes, and include a brief intermission. Run times are sent out as soon as possible for educators to plan accordingly.
* Please note that our student matinee performance of Oslo will have an extended runtime, as well as an earlier start time.
How should I plan for lunch?
The Rep lobby features café-style seating for groups wishing to eat onsite. Outdoor seating is also available, weather permitting. Lunches will be stored in the theatre lobby during the performance. Shows will typically have a 15-minute intermission, which can be used for a quick snack break. Students will be directed back to their seats as quickly as possible following the intermission, so please plan food choices accordingly.
Do you offer student matinees for Studio Theatre shows?
We do not currently offer student matinee performances for our Studio Theatre shows.
