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Voices of Valhalla: A Hayride through History presented by Hawthorne Players
History and dead folks come alive when Hawthorne Players present “Voices of Valhalla: A Hayride through History” on Oct. 3, 4, 10 and 11 at Valhalla cemetery, 7600 St. Charles Rock Road. The performances mark the fifth season for Hawthorne’s popular “theatre in a cemetery” event, produced by Valhalla Cemetery and Funeral Chapel.
The one-hour, non-scary historical hayrides leave every fifteen minutes, beginning at 6:30 each evening, taking visitors to locations in the lovely grounds where actors from Hawthorne Players will bring to life the stories and times of some of the cemetery’s permanent residents. A special indoor performance, featuring all of the characters, will be held on Saturday, October 4 at 5 p.m. for those who might have difficulty boarding and sitting on the hay wagons.
Tickets are $15 and may be purchased by calling 314-863-3011 during regular business hours. In case of inclement weather, the performances will be held indoors. The hayrides are not recommended for young children.
This year’s characters will include the granddaughter of one of Robert E. Lee’s slaves, a hero from the Vietnam War, and the composer of a major Broadway musical. There will also be a dressmaker who worked in the Washington Avenue garment district in the 30s and a young lawyer and Sunday school superintendent who got involved with gangsters. They will be joined by a St. Louis businessman and politician who entertained Teddy Roosevelt, and a “bionic comic” who continued to perform long after he “died on stage.”
Director/Writer Larry Marsh says that this year’s stories are sure to both entertain and inform. “Some are funny, some disturbing, some inspiring, but all of them are true. And during the evening you’ll also learn a lot about St. Louis history.”
The characters will be portrayed by Renee Fenner, John Robertson, Chuck Lavazzi, Colleen Heneghan, Marian Holtz, Tim Callahan, Jeff Loyd and Ryan Cooper. Other veteran Hawthorne performers will serve as guides.
