Last Stop on Market Street at The Grandel Theatre
Dates: (2/6/2022 - 2/27/2022 )
The Grandel Theatre |
Metro Theater Company
3610 Grandel Square, St. Louis, MO 63103
St. Louis, 63103
Phone: 314-534-1111
Tickets: $20-$36
SUBMIT UPDATES
Hop on board for a heart-thumpin', toe-tappin' joy ride!
Metro Theater Company, St. Louis’s premier professional theater for youth and families and St. Louis’ third-oldest theater company, is thrilled to present the Motown-meets-hip hop musical LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET, live on stage February 6-27 at the Grandel Theatre, with socially distant seating. A virtual streaming option is also available February 11-27 at https://www.metroplays.org.
CJ is reluctantly staying with his Nana, a veritable force of nature who lives in a world considerably different than his own. Knowing CJ is used to being plugged in to his phone and tablet all the time, Nana takes him on a bus ride that’s loud, gritty and offbeat – guiding her grandson to travel a little closer to his roots and see that things are not always what they seem.
LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET is a vibrant story about connecting to your community. It's is adapted for the stage by veteran playwright Cheryl L. West from the New York Times bestselling and Newbery Medal-winning picture book by Matt de la Peña and illustrator Christian Robinson. The musical features a spectacular, spirited score by Motown legend Lamont Dozier and his son Paris Ray Dozier. It was originally commissioned and produced by Chicago Children’s Theatre and the Children’s Theatre Company.
Metro Theater Company’s production of LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET is directed by Jacqueline Thompson. The 6-member cast includes jazz sensation Denise Thimes as Nana, Daniel McRath as CJ, and Robert Crenshaw, Valentina Silva, Cameron Tyler, and Tyler White in the ensemble with portrayals of multiple characters. Philip A. Woodmore, Ph.D. is the musical director and Christopher Page-Sanders is the choreographer.
“Like Hamilton for kids,” hails the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The Chicago Sun Times says, “'Last Stop on Market Street' is what children’s theater should be. It does not talk down to its audience. It is burgeoning with wonder. If you are a kid, you’ll giggle yourself silly. If you were once a kid, you just might remember what that felt like.”
The production is 70 minutes with no intermission.
Ages: Ages 5 and up
Cast and Creative team for Last Stop on Market Street at The Grandel Theatre
Cast
Robert Crenshaw
Ensemble
ROBERT CRENSHAW (Ensemble) is finally back on stage, making his debut with MTC after being away due to the pandemic. The St. Louis native continues to rise in the performing arts world as a versatile entertainer who specializes in singing, dancing, acting, emceeing, hosting, and choreography. He works at Sumner High School as the dance instructor, New Era Production Dance Academy as a hip hop instructor, Utopia Entertainment as an emcee, and COCA as a teaching artist. Robert is a member of Olivet Missionary Baptist Church, where he sings in the youth choir and praise team. His last productions were with The Black Rep in Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, Ain’t Misbehavin’, and Spell #7. Robert was also in the off-Broadway production of Antigone in Ferguson, which went on an international tour.
Daniel McRath
CJ
DANIEL McRATH (CJ) makes his MTC debut in Last Stop on Market Street. Previous performances include Antigone in Ferguson (Theater of War Productions), Joshua’s Boots (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis), Aida (The Muny), and Once on This Island (Spelman College). Film credits include Pennies for the Boatman. Daniel is an Eagle Scout, graduate of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis’ Artist-in-Training program, and has a Bachelor of Arts in music from Morehouse College.
Valentina Silva
Ensemble
VALENTINA SILVA (Ensemble) is thrilled to make her debut at Metro Theater Company! Some of Valentina’s past roles include Sister Mary Robert in Sister Act (Bigfork Summer Playhouse), Emily in A Christmas Carol (Broadway Rose Theatre Company), and Olivia in Miss You Like Hell (Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Webster University). Originally from Texas, Valentina received a B.F.A. in musical theatre from Webster University in spring 2021.
Denise Thimes
Nana
DENISE THIMES (Nana) is a jazz legend whose multifaceted career spans just a little under three decades. Thimes is no stranger to the music world, growing up in a home surrounded by all types of music from her father and radio icon, the late Lou “Fatha” Thimes. Thimes has performed with such jazz notables as Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (St. Louis, MO), the late Clark Terry (The Blue Note-NY), Dr. Billy Taylor, Earl May, Benny Powell, (Flushing Town Hall) and James Moody (Blue Note-NY). She has also graced the stage with the likes of Houston Person, Jimmy & Tootie Heath, Bobby McFerrin, and Bucky Pizzarelli. In recent years she has appeared and toured Paris with David Sanborn, sung for the Queen of Thailand (Mandarin Oriental Hotel), Queen Elizabeth II (British Embassy in Washington D.C. (during her 2009 visit to the United States), President George W. Bush (White House 2007), and was hand-picked by the “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin to perform for her 72nd birthday celebration (Ritz Carlton, NY, 2005). Thimes has received eight Woodie Awards (named after New Federal Theatre Founder Woodie King, Jr.) for her roles as lead and supporting for acting and musical performances.
Cameron Tyler
Ensemble
CAMERON TYLER (Ensemble) joins Metro Theater Company for his onstage debut, though you may have seen his as house manager for Digging Up Dessa earlier in the 2021/22 Season. Some of Cameron’s past rolls include Roger in Grease (Paul Bunyan Playhouse), Donkey in Shrek (MBU Theatre and Larry D. Clark Summer Repertory Theatre) and Billy in Anything Goes (Missouri Baptist University). Cameron is a native of southeast Missouri, where he grew up in the Jackson-Cape Girardeau area. He is a recent graduate from Missouri Baptist University, where he received a Bachelor of Music in musical theatre.
Tyler White
Ensemble
TYLER WHITE (Ensemble) is a full-time artist who is elated to work with Metro Theater Company. The St. Louis native is a theatre artist both on and off the stage. Her credits on stage include Teaspoon in Sarafina, Talisha in Like Sugar, Yolanda in Crowns, the ensemble in The Black Nativity, Lillie Mae in The Me Nobody Knows, the ensemble in Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope (The Black Rep), Ermina in Crumbs from the Table of Joy (Mustard Seed Theatre), Woman in Yellow in For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow Is Enuf (Washington University in St. Louis), and Knight/Ensemble in King Lear (St. Louis Shakespeare Festival). Stage manager credits include The Barber of Seville (Union Opera) and Hairspray, JR. (COCA). Assistant stage manager credits include Canfield Drive, Two Trains Running and Nina Simone: Four Women (The Black Rep). Tyler served as the education/community director for three years at The Black Rep. She graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science in human environmental science.
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