Kim Furlow

Kim Furlow just sent an invitation to all the professional theaters in town, inviting them to contribute artwork for the St. Louis Theatre Wall she’s putting up at her new theater.

At a new arts venue.

At Chesterfield Mall.

That’s right. In the tradition of Crestwood Court and its ArtSpace, Chesterfield Mall is dedicating some storefronts to arts organizations. Furlow, an actress who’s performed with a number of St. Louis troupes, plans to move in with her new company, Dramatic License Productions, in January 2010.

The situation at Chesterfield is different from the situation at Crestwood, said Dan Tierney, deputy director of the Regional Arts Commission. While Crestwood is slated for drastic remodeling, Chesterfield thrives. However, Tierney said, Chesterfield was impressed by the model, and is now turning over four storefronts - not the best spaces, but certainly usable - to arts groups.

The four are near each other, by Houlihan’s, and two are already spoken for. One will go to Dramatic License, the other to an arts collective called Anejo.

When Crestwood Court (formerly Crestwood Mall) opened its ArtSpace  in January, the RAC couldn’t find anything like it. Since then, however, there have been inquiries from malls around the country, Tierney said. “Other places are trying this,” he said. “and I think it will do well. It adds a creative splash.” 

Furlow has a creative splash in mind already. On the Wall, she plans to mount 2 ft.X 2 ft. displays representing the 30-plus professional theaters that perform in this area. The theaters might put together photo collages, programs, ticket stubs, quotes from favorite playwrights - anything that speaks to their artistic mission and includes the theater’s name somewhere in the piece.

Dramatic License will pioneer professional theater in West County, said Furlow, the executive producer. “We live out here,” she said. “We know lots of people out here would go to see more theater if it were closer to home. We hope to tap into that audience.

“We also plan to promote good St. Louis theater everywhere frrom West County to the East Side.”

Dramatic License teamed with Vanity Productions for its first show, “Doubt,” which was presented in last summer  at the Kranzberg Theatre in Grand Center. It plans to open its new theater in February with a production of “Steel Magnolias,” followed by a cabaret evening in May and “That Championship Season” in August.