Stew-Heidi Rodewald Musical Stagger Lee Will Get St. Louis Reading

By Adam Hetrick
22 Feb 2012

Heidi Rodewald and Stew
Heidi Rodewald and Stew
Photo by Aubrey Reuben

Tony Award winner Stew and his Passing Strange collaborator Heidi Rodewald are at work on a musical adaptation of the graphic novel "Stagger Lee," based on the true-life criminal Lee Shelton.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis will stage a March 15 reading of the musical as part of the "Ignite! New Play Festival" series. The musical about the infamous St. Louis criminal has music by Stew and Rodewald, lyrics by Stew and a book by Derek McCulloch. It is based on the graphic novel series by McCulloch and Shepherd Hendrix.

Amanda Dehnert will direct the 3 PM reading. Here's how Stagger Lee is billed: "On Christmas Eve 1895, shots rang out in a St. Louis bar. A hundred years and a thousand songs later, this ordinary murder has become a legend. This is the true story of what happened after Stagger Lee shot Billy Lyons."

The story of Stagger Lee also served as the subject for numerous American folksong incarnations.

Stew and Rodewald's Passing Strange was Tony-nominated for Best Musical and Best Score. Stew earned the 2008 Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical. Spike Lee filmed the Broadway production late in its run at the Belasco Theatre. The duo also presented their song cycle Making It at St. Ann's Warehouse in 2010. Stew and Rodewald are part of the band The Negro Problem. Their latest work, The Total Bent, will premiere at the Public Theater Feb. 24.

For tickets phone (314) 968-4925 or visit The Rep's online box office at RepStl.