St. Louis Activities: Performing Arts

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• Fabulous Fox Theater, www.fabulousfox.com. Built in 1929 and restored to its glory, this rare gem seats 4,500. A performance at the Fabulous Fox Theater is a "must see." Only two of this design exist, the Detroit Fox Theater built in 1928 has also been restored and seats 5,000. Probably the two most ornate theaters ever built in the US, they were the first to have live sound. They were built for William Fox, the founder of Fox Film Corporation, the forerunner of Twentieth Century-Fox studios. These two original Fox Theaters are still among the largest in the US in terms of total seats and the size of the stage.

• Jazz At the Bistro, jazzbistro.admitonevip.com/index.php. No visit to the Gateway City is complete without experiencing its rich jazz and blues heritage.

• The Muny, www.muny.org. America's oldest and largest outdoor musical theater. A popular summer attraction show casing a variety of musicals throughout June, July and August. Tickets range from $6 to $50 or so, but the top several rows are always free. Come early (and bring binoculars) to the top entrance if you want to see a show for free.

• Off Broadway, www.offbroadwaystl.com. Boasting excellent acoustics, this comfy concert venue usually has blues, bluegrass, roots, and folk touring acts along with the occasional indie-rock and country performers.

• Opera Theatre of St. Louis, www.opera-stl.org. Opera festival every May and June at the Loretto-Hilton Center in Webster Groves.

• The Pageant, www.thepageant.com. A venue for concerts and national touring acts, the Pageant usually has an extensive schedule of events ranging from rock, pop, soul and comedy.

• Powell Symphony Hall, www.slso.org. A magnificent performance center, home to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

• The Shakespeare Festival, www.shakespearefestivalstlouis.org The mission of Shakespeare Festival St. Louis is to produce professional Shakespeare theatre, outdoors in a city park, free and for a diverse audience, and to provide education through schools and community outreach. Free shows are usually put on in the late spring and early summer. An excellent way to spend a summer evening in St. Louis.

• Sheldon Concert Hall, www.thesheldon.org. The Sheldon's perfect acoustics earn it the reputation as the "Carnegie Hall of St. Louis". It features the best in jazz, folk, and classical music, and joins with the Sheldon Art Galleries to promote both music and visual arts.

• Whitaker Music Festival, www.mobot.org/events/Whitaker/default.asp. Wednesday evenings in summer enjoy music in the beautiful Missouri Botanical Garden. Admission is free (after 5pm), and you can pack your own picnic basket and cooler. Genre ranges from jazz to folk-rock to world music. Bring folding chairs or a blanket to spread on the lawn.