Spellbound! A Musical Fable

Stray Dog Theatre's current season comes to an end with the world premiere of Spellbound! A Musical Fable. Written by artistic director Gary F. Bell with Robert L. White, the play is an all-ages tale about a young woman named Arabella. She undertakes a hero's journey to the land of Samaren, where she encounters shape-shifting beasts in the service of Layla, an enchantress. These are the obstacles that block Arabella's path to discovering the value of her own worth, but she has the strength to triumph. While the kids are sure to enjoy it, don't dismiss Spellbound! as "only for children"; Stray Dog has a long track record of presenting thought-provoking and entertaining musicals, so adults will have a good time, too. Spellbound! is presented at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday (August 6 to 22) at Tower Grove Abbey (2336 Tennessee Avenue; 314-865-1995 or www.straydogtheatre.org). There are two additional shows at 8 p.m. Wednesday (August 12 and 19). Tickets are $10 to $25.