Digging Up Dessa
October 17 thru November 7, 2021 at the Grandel Theatre
By Laura Schellhardt
Produced by special arrangement with Dramatic Publishing
Director: Julia Flood
Dessa is a modern-day, 12-year-old with no shortage of mysteries to solve and fossils to find. Her days are filled with buried treasures just waiting to be uncovered. But when her family of three unexpectedly becomes a family of two, this smart, funny young scientist struggles to overcome her grief and anger at all the changes in her world. Dessa's unlikely comfort comes from a remarkable new friend, one only she can see and hear—Mary Anning, the 19th-century paleontologist who discovered a breakthrough dinosaur fossil at the age of 12 and became a pioneer in her field. But why is her portrait not on the museum wall alongside those of her male counterparts? Dessa decides that she’s going to fight to earn Mary the respect she deserves. With help from her new classmate and once-rival, Nilo, Dessa unearths secrets of the past and present—for Mary’s legacy and her own way forward.
Ages 10 and up. 70 minutes with no intermission.
Themes of Digging Up Dessa: comedy-drama-adventure, empowerment for girls, resilience, history, STEAM, grief
Tickets for the Public
Digging Up Dessa Public In-Person Performances
Sun, Oct 17 at 2 pm
Fri, Oct 22 at 7 pm (Sensory Friendly and ASL Interpreted performance)
Sat, Oct 23 at 4 pm (Audio Description available. Reserve your headset here.)
Sun, Oct 24 at 2 pm
Fri, Oct 29 at 7 pm
Sat, Oct 30 at 4 pm
Sun, Oct 31 at 2 pm
Fri, Nov 5 at 7 pm
Sat, Nov 6 at 4 pm
Sun, Nov 7 at 2 pm (Note: Daylight Saving Time ends on this day, Remember to turn your clocks back one hour.)
Grandel Theatre
3610 Grandel Square
St. Louis, MO 63103
In-Person Performance Tickets
Adult $25
Youth $20
Premium Seating Adult $36
Premium Seating Youth $28
Pay-What-You-Can In-Person Performances: October 22 at 7 pm and October 23 at 4 pm
*All tickets for in-person performances can be exchanged into virtual streaming (or into another in-person performance in the run, pending availability) in the event of any illness or risk of illness.
Digging Up Dessa Streaming Performances
October 21 through November 7, 2021
Virtual Streaming $20
Pay-What-You-Can Virtual Streaming: October 21-23
Audio Description and Closed Captions are available.
Grandel Theatre Seating Map
When buying in-person performance tickets, please select your price level. Premium Seating includes seats that are shaded orange (Premium Orchestra, Orchestra Booth/Box, and Balcony Booth/Box). Regular Seating includes that are shaded blue (General Orchestra and General Balcony).
After completing your purchase, MTC box office staff will assign your seat(s) within your section, adhering to social distancing guidelines. Those who buy earlier will be assigned seats closer to the stage within their purchased section. Seating begins in the third row from the stage and will alternate every other row. Two seats will separate each audience grouping. The only exception to social distancing seating placement is Orchestra Booth/Box (seats a group of 4) and Balcony Booth/Box (seats a group of 6) which can be reserved for a group ahead of time.
Service animals are welcome at Metro Theater Company. Please let the box office know when purchasing your ticket(s) so an appropriate seat is reserved to accommodate your guide or service dog.
Field Trip Tickets
for Educators
Digging Up Dessa is available for in-person school field trips and virtual field trips.
Digging Up Dessa In-Person Field Trips
Wednesdays through Fridays at 10 am
October 20-22, October 27-29, and November 3-5, 2021
Grandel Theatre, 3610 Grandel Square, St. Louis, MO 63103
Digging Up Dessa Virtual Field Trips
October 21 through November 7, 2021
On-Demand Virtual Viewing
Learn More
Clockwise from top left: Rae Davis (Dessa), Alicia Revé Like (Esther), John Katz (Nilo), Lizi Watt (Mary Anning)
Cast
(in alphabetical order)
Dessa: Rae Davis
Nilo: John Katz
Esther: Alicia Revé Like
Mary Anning: Lizi Watt
Production Team
Director: Julia Flood
Stage Manager: Sarah Rugo
Production Stage Manager: Jimmy Bernatowicz
Technical Director: Erik Kuhn
Scenic Designer: Lou Bird
Costume Designer: Lou Bird
Lighting Designer: Catherine Adams
Sound Designer: Rusty Wandall
Properties Master: Katie Orr
Scenic Painter: Cristie Johnston
Assistant Stage Manager: Keating
Composer: Deborah Wicks La Puma
House Manager: Cameron Tyler
Book Ideas
Has Digging Up Dessa sparked your interest in Mary Anning, paleontology, fossil hunting, and women in science? The Novel Neighbor, an independent bookstore in Webster Groves, MO, recommends these books for you and your family to explore. Happy reading!
Mary Anning's Curiosity
The amazing story of how the world’s greatest fossilist found her first huge find at the age of twelve.
Gutsy Girls Go for Science: Paleontologists
Discover the stories of Mary Anning, Mignon Talbot, Tilly Edinger, Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska, and Mary Leakey, five female paleontologists who thrived while making breakthrough discoveries of ancient life from millions of years ago! In this terrific book, readers ages 8 to 11 do fun hands-on projects while learning about these women and the fascinating lives they led in the field and in the lab.
Science Comics: Dinosaurs - Fossils and Feathers
In this nonfiction graphic novel for middle grade readers, learn all about the history of paleontology! This fascinating look at dinosaur science covers the last 150 years of dinosaur hunting and illuminates how our ideas about dinosaurs have changed—and continue to change.
Outdoor School: Rock, Fossil, and Shell Hunting
This interactive field guide to rocks, fossils, and shells, is an indispensable tool for young explorers and rock collectors.
Finding Wonders
This evocative and beautiful novel vividly imagines the lives of three girls in three different time periods—Maria Merian, Mary Anning, and Maria Mitchell—as they grow up to become groundbreaking scientists. Told in vibrant, evocative poems, this stunning novel celebrates the joy of discovery and finding wonder in the world around us.