Ladybug Picnic

A safe, socially-distanced, outdoor fundraiser benefiting Metro Theater Company
Sunday, May 2 at 5 pm
Kirkwood Performing Arts Center
210 E. Monroe Avenue
Kirkwood, MO 63122

Metro Theater Company’s first in-person fundraising event in over a year promises to be a joyful celebration of St. Louis’s return to live theater with live audiences. Inspired by the colorful world of Eric Carle, which is being brought to life in The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show, The Ladybug Picnic is a safe, socially distant upscale picnic event filled with great food, drink, and live entertainment!

Arrive and grab a drink from the bar before settling into your pod (or “cocoon” in the spirit of Caterpillar) each safely 6 feet apart from one another. In your cocoon, you’ll find a sumptuous picnic basket for your group, including a 3-course picnic dinner and wine. (One bottle is included for a pod of two, two bottles for a pod of four, and three bottles for pods of six to eight.) Over the course of the two-hour event, you’ll revisit some of the wonders of childhood as puppets appearing in The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show visit your pod, you get the chance to create a puppet of your own to interact with the characters, and you enjoy a special behind-the-scenes look at how the puppets bring Eric Carle’s beloved stories to life. Plus throughout the evening, enjoy music at the piano from Nicolas Valdez, and learn more about the impact MTC has been able to make over the last year and what exciting things are in store for the future. The event concludes with a live auction to help fund that future.

Auction items include a weeklong stay in a two bedroom villa at Westgate Vacation Villas Resort in Kissimmie Florida, a weeklong stay in a one bedroom suite at either Kings’ Land Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii or Valdoro Mountain Lodge in Breckenridge Colorado, and a “Taste of Missouri” tasting package. Auction goes live Wednesday, April 28 and continues until the event.

All proceeds will benefit our programming, including our new digital initiatives, classroom residencies, and theatrical productions.

Huge thanks to our food and drink partners and sponsors for this event. Appetizers and entrees are from Ces & Judy’s Catering, desserts from Bulrush, brandies from Edelbrand Distillery, spirits from Sprits of St. Louis, wine from Stone Hill Winery, beer from Square One Brewery, and non-alcoholic beers from Wellbeing Brewery.