Deanna Jent, artistic director of Mustard Seed Theatre as well as one of its founders, wears a lot of hats. A writer and a popular director at theaters all over town, Jent recently directed both halves of the St. Louis "Potokfest," Chaim Potok's "My Name is Asher Lev" at the New Jewish Theatre and "The Chosen" at Mustard Seed. She's also the director of theater and performing arts at Fontbonne University, a wife and the mother of three teenagers.

One of her children is autistic. Now she's drawing on her family's  experience in "Falling," a new play that will open Mustard Seed's 2011-12 season (Sept. 1 - 11).

Jent describes "Falling" as a "funny and frightening" account of family life with an agressive teen-aged boy with severe autism. Jent is the author but the production will be directed by Lori Adams, returning to the company where she directed an well-regarded production of "Fires in the Mirror."

Another hit for Mustard Seed, the gospel musical "Smoke on the Mountain," enjoyed the talents of music director Joe Schoen. He'll be back for "Godspell" (Nov. 18-Dec. 11), Steven Schwartz's musical treatment of the Gospel of St. Matthew . Mustard Seed will set the ever-popular show in the streets of downtown St. Louis.

Two popular St. Louis actors, J. Samuel Davis and Charlie Barron, will star in the next show, "Playland" (Feb. 2-12, 2012). Written by the internationally acclaimed South African playwright Athol Fugard, "Playland" explores the effects of war and the struggle for redemption.

In 2008, Mustard gave an impressive performance of Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure," set in the Tenderloin district of a modern American city. Next season, the troupe will again stage, and relocate, a Shakespeare play. This time it's "The Winter's Tale" (April 13-29), transferred to present-day Seattle and the Alaskan wilderness and infused with Native American myth and music.

The season will close in the late spring with a staged reading of a new script, the winner of Mustard Seed's New Play Contest. The troupe, which concentrates on plays that explore questions of faith and social justice, has created the contest to cultivate new plays that consider those issues.

A professional theater in residence at Fontbonne University, Mustard Seed performs in the school's Fine Arts Theatre, Big Bend and Wydown Boulevards.