Exclusive: The Muny Then And Now - Inside The 101st Season Renovations At America's Largest Outdoor Musical Theatre

By: Jan. 29, 2019
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BroadwayWorld has an exclusive, interactive, inside look at renovations at The Muny as the venue gears up for it's 101st season of bringing St. Louis audiences first-class Broadway productions at America's largest ourdoor musical theatre!

"The Muny's stage renovation project is still on schedule with the newly designed orchestra pit and stage towers beginning to take shape. Construction crews are continuing their fast pace to make sure that we are ready for the June 10 opening of the 2019 summer season..." said Sean Smith, Director of Operations.


The Muny will be the first theatre in the U.S. to produce the Tony, Olivier and Grammy Award-winning Best Musical Kinky Boots - this summer. In addition, Season 101 also includes two all-time beloved Muny favorites: Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella and Guys and Dolls. After 56 years, Muny audiences will see the return of Lerner and Loewe's Paint Your Wagon, in a revised edition being developed at The Muny.

Other season highlights include 80s dance-favorite Footloose, the powerful musical-telling of the signing of The Declaration of Independence, 1776, and The Muny premiere of the Tony and Olivier Award-winning Matilda.

The 2019 season schedule is: Guys and Dolls (June 10 - 16), Kinky Boots (June 19 - 25), 1776 (June 27 - July 3), Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (July 8 - 16), Footloose (July 18 - 24), Lerner and Loewe's Paint Your Wagon (July 27 - August 2) and Matilda (August 5 - 11).

Muny gift cards for the 101st season are now available online and at The Muny Box Office. For more information, visit muny.org or call (314) 361-1900.

Left (1917): When the Muny stage was built, dirt and debris were hauled away in carts drawn by horses and mules. The photographer who took this image is standing where the stage will soon rise. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch Photo]

Right (2018): Workers are digging beneath stage level to construct a new, climate-controlled orchestra pit. The pit will be more enclosed but still visible to the audience which will protect valuable instruments and sound equipment, reduce work for our stage hands and provide amore suitable environment for musicians and technicians.

Left (1930): In 1930, workmen installed a revolving turntable. At 48 feet in diameter, it is the largest outdoor turntable in the United States. [A.W. Sanders Photographers]

Right (2018): The stage will be replaced with multiple stage decks, including the turntable, and stage floor tracking that will increase flexibility and enable scene changes more quickly and seamlessly.

Left(1967):A portion of the front stage and box seats were removed for renovation in 1967. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch Photo]

Right (2019):The light bright, stage, and surrounding structures will be replaced. The new stage design will also provide additional protection for the orchestra and their instruments. New lighting and improved audio and video will bring more vibrant imagery to productions.

Left (2000): Construction workers install new seats at The Muny. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch Photo]

Right (2019):Though there are no seat adjustments being made at the time, audience members will have a completely new stage to see in the 101stseason. Dynamic stage lighting, engaging video integration and updates to the classic scenery booms are just some of the things that will bring brighter colors, more vibrant imagery and fresh life to each production.

Left (1947): Backstage construction was underway at The Muny. [St. Louis Post-Dispatch Photo]

Right (2019): Backstage renovations will include coveredwork areas to protect crews during hot summer days and allow work to continue during inclement weather. Updates to the backstage lot include scenic and prop shops, prop storage, and a locker room for backstage crew.

Left (1942): Sound Operators install new sound control panels, with advice from William F. Uphouse of Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. [ St. Louis Post-Dispatch Photo]

Right (2018): The new east and west towers will include a house management office, a first at The Muny,and sound, electric and prop rooms.



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