Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents the ruthless farce “House of Blue Leaves”

Webster University’s Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents the ruthless farce “House of Blue Leaves” by John Guare. The production runs from Dec. 2–6 and Dec. 9–13, in Stage III, Webster Hall, 470 E. Lockwood Ave. Curtain time is 7:30 p.m., except Sundays, which will have a 2 p.m. matinee only. Admission is $12 for the general public and $6 for senior adults and students. For ticket reservations, call the Fine Arts Hotline at 968-7128.

The “House of Blue Leaves” is a heartbreakingly human comedy that explores how the pursuit of a dream can produce sometimes tragic, often comical results. Zookeeper Artie Shaughnessy wants to escape his Queens apartment—and his mentally unstable wife, Bananas—and pines for a new life as a popular songwriter in Hollywood. On the day the Pope visits New York City, an array of odd figures, including a famous actress, a pushy mistress who is already packing her bags for Hollywood, Artie’s homicidal AWOL son and a trio of excitable nuns, flood Artie’s apartment in the hope of spotting the holy figure, and mad, murderous chaos ensues.

The New York Times called the “House of Blue Leaves "enchantingly zany and original.”

“House of Blue Leaves” is directed by guest director Deanna Jent.

Deanna Jent is the Artistic Director of Mustard Seed Theatre, which recently closed its second season. At Mustard Seed, she’s directed Measure for Measure, Smoke on the Mountain and The Good Times Are Killing Me. A Professor of Theatre at Fontbonne University, she holds a Ph.D. in Theatre from Northwestern University. Jent is a playwright, a former theatre critic (for The Riverfront Times) and has directed at many of the professional theatres in St. Louis. She has been nominated four times for the Kevin Kline “Best Director” award. One of the productions she directed (Standing on My Knees) won the Kline award for Best Production of 2007, and two productions she directed (Going to See the Elephant and Women’s Minyan) won the Kline awards for Best Ensemble.

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