Audiences will be in the middle of the action during this year’s Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’ performances of Twelfth Night in Forest Park. New stage-side seating will place patrons amid the live music, romance and comedy in Shakespeare Glen. Executive director Rick Dildine recently gave LN a sneak peek into the much-anticipated 13th installment of the free annual event, running this spring from May 24 to June 16, with preview plays May 22 and 23.

With a loyal local following and rave reviews from The Wall Street Journal to The New York Times, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis continues to draw adoring audiences from throughout the world. And its new season is set to be no exception. General director Tim O’Leary recently filled us in on the company’s worldwide impact and its four new shows, to feature classic and modern opera, jazz, romance and comedy.

Imagine this life if you will: You are a senior in high school. You can throw a fastball 90-plus miles per hour. You are a starter on a very good basketball team. And you also happen to be one of the better quarterbacks in the Midwest.

Depending on your age, this time of year can mean many different things. It can mean time to plant your garden or hose off the patio furniture. It can mean time to swimsuit shop or time to make your summer travel plans. However, if you are a high school junior or senior, this time of year means one thing and one thing only: prom. Now, I know what you’re thinking. Some of us spent prom night at home watching horror movies, eating Mint Milanos, and dreaming about how much Tom would regret not asking me after I make my first billion creating a social networking website…theoretically speaking. Nevertheless, most kids that age, whether in groups or on dates, go to their high school prom. It is the 'date' aspect that I now find interesting.

Across

Valentine's Day may have passed, but who says you can only have a romantic evening out on Feb. 14? St. Louis has plenty of places where you and your significant other can have a fine meal and pitch some woo all year long. Here are a few of our favorites:

Show the library some love…The stunning $70-million restoration of the ST. LOUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY’s Central Library is getting some international recognition: It’s been named as one of five finalists for Architizer’s A+ Library Award. Architizer, a leading architecture news website, has opened the voting to the public to determine the winner in the Popular Choice category. Voting runs through March 8, with the announcement of the winner expected on March 19.

Story: Mrs. Henry Dashwood has an unfortunate decision to make. Her late husband’s will has bequeathed his considerable estate to his son John, whose wife makes it clear that she isn’t happy having her husband’s stepmother and three stepsisters residing with them any longer.

Story: Tick is an Australian drag queen who performs regularly in Sydney. One night he receives a call from his ex-wife, who says she needs a favor: She’d like him to perform at her casino in Alice Springs in the Outback . She also wants him to reconnect with his young son, Benji, who hasn’t seen his father in years and has been asking about him and his life in “show business.”

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, romance is in the air. For inspiration, we surveyed a group of St. Louisans about their idea of a romantic evening. 

Story: Ralph takes the same walk every day, same park, same path, same familiarity. One day he goes crazy, changes his routine and becomes smitten with a beautiful woman strolling with her dog in the city’s dog park. Suddenly, the retired widower has a new spark and aggressively befriends the reluctant Carol.

Unreliable and second-hand gossip from around the world*

Surprise! That was the word of the day at Clay Elementary School in North St. Louis, the site of KIDSMART’s 11th birthday party. The organization, which equips underserved students and their classrooms with basic school items, surprised 200 students last week with backpacks filled with supplies, balloons, cupcakes, and appearances by Rampage the Ram and Louie of the St. Louis Blues.

Every month of the year has a 'movie personality.' October is set for thrillers and horror, while February is the month for romances. December is family films and Oscar contenders, and July is action—we seem to enjoy seeing things explode in July. But what about January? There’s no big holiday in January to give it a movie theme. Award hopefuls all have been submitted. What kinds of movies get released in January? I will tell you the answer: bad movies.

Overlooking gorgeous gardens, lush landscapes and the historic village of St. Albans, The Studio Inn and The Gardens at Malmaison event spaces offer outdoor beauty and elegance reminiscent of another age. “It’s like a fairy tale here,” notes owner Datra Herzog.

Story: Jewish accountant Matt Friedman met Sally Talley, a nurse and member of a prominent Protestant family in Lebanon, Missouri, in her home town while vacationing in the Ozarks region in 1943. A year later, Matt returns from his home in St. Louis determined to ask Sally to marry him.

Looking for a new signature scent? Lucky for you, we’ve had a preview of the season’s most indulgent fragrances—and we’d be happy to give you the scoop!

Let your go-to guy know that he'll always be the one... 

Honestly, I think my head is going to explode. Reviews of this film use words like ‘epic,’ ‘expansive,’ ‘grandiose,’ ‘sweeping’ and ‘spectacle.’ And yes, all those words apply. This movie is a thriller, a romance, a drama, a tragedy, a sci-fi movie, a floor wax and a dessert topping. In many ways, the film is brilliant--maybe it’s too brilliant. But in the midst of all this scope, I found it hard to completely invest.

Romantic comedies that go against formula are always risky. As audience members, we have certain expectations in the boy-meets-girl world of cinema. This film is one of the rare exceptions to the rule. Yes, it’s romantic; and yes, it’s funny, but it’s also a layered, thoughtful look at the meaning of coming-of-age.

I know that I’m speaking for most of us when I say I’m glad this summer is over. This was the hottest, most humid summer I can remember. Yet, we did at least one wedding every weekend from May through August. My own niece’s wedding (which I was so looking forward to) was on the hottest day of the year.

THEIR STORY... Nina Schmid and Alex Engelsmann met through mutual friends in 2007. Fueled by their appreciation of the other’s sense of humor, a romance blossomed. “I knew pretty quickly Alex was ‘the one.’ We have a similar sense of humor and we just get the biggest kick out of each other,” says Nina. Alex echoes her sentiment, “She makes me laugh more than anyone; and she thinks I’m funny, which is a plus. We also share a lot of the same values.”

Though the temps might not reflect it, in the fashion world, fall is officially here. With new trends abound and an overwhelming amount of fresh styles, let's focus on one of the “IT” colors for the new season: emerald green.

Audiences will be immersed in comedy, romance and intrigue during The Rep’s eclectic new season. Ladue News recently spoke with veteran artistic director Steven Woolf for a behind-the-scenes look at this year’s Tony award-winning classics, comedies and musicals. In addition, he shares what moves him most about The Rep, as well as what keeps audiences coming back for more.