The Muny
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
11 reviews for The Muny
I love the Muny!
Just make sure you bring one of those mini fans in the summer, it gets SOOO hot! I'm pretty sure you can bring some of your own snacks... anyhow you can always hear and everyone at the Muny is happy to be there.
The concession stand stuff is way overpriced (as expected) but ticket prices are good and you can live without a huge diet coke!
Meet me at the Muny!
I must admit, I'm a little biased as I worked her for two years.
I moved to Boston for school in 2003 and the thing I miss most about St.Louis summers is the Muny. Every night 11,000 people pour in to Forest Park to catch a show. Yes, there are free tickets every night. Bring a picnic and binoculars and stand in line at the top of the theatre. (Though the people are a bit smaller, those free seats have their own speakers).
The Muny is absolutely a St.Louis legend. It has seen some truly great performers on it's stage. The archives in the Muny (though a mess) holds an incredible amount of history. Back in the day, people got really decked out to sit in the stifling STL heat (and RAIN! some nights) to be here.
The environment is magical. The actors (children, students and professionals) rehearse for 7 days before putting up the shows. The energy is palpable in the audience and backstage. For 2 hours, thousands of people forget where they are and fall in love with the theatre.
There's nothing like it anywhere I've lived. Don't miss out when you visit. I've seen probably 30 shows here and almost all were memorable (ok, but skip 1776, not a good one).
I'll never forget the summer I went to the Muny with my grandma to see Peter Pan. I believe it was 2006 or 2007.
Anyway, I bought a strawberry margarita (in a pretty large cup that had the Muny written on it). It was delicious. I finished it and had another. Did I mention I hadn't eaten that day?
I was drunk, needless to say, and I fell asleep shortly after intermission. Oops.
The show was wonderful (the bit that I stayed awake for!), the atmosphere was nice, and gosh, those margaritas were GOOD.
Thank you, Muny.
The Muny is a legendary outdoor theater that performs a series of shows every summer and is located in Forest Park. The shows are always amazing and awe inspiring, and there are even free seats at every show! Be aware that these shows can be sweltering, and that you need to be careful if you are more susceptible to heat sickness like I am. Soft sided coolers with plastic containers are allowed, so be sure to bring water if it is a hot evening! I usually bring a spray bottle, and the people around me usually ask for a spray to cool off.
The set designs, costumes, acting, singing and dancing have always been wonderful at every show that I have seen. I cannot wait to go to the new season that is gearing up! This is a call out to everyone who has never gone: you truly don't know what you are missing. Everyone should go at least once.
Heads up - the first show this season is The Producers! I can't wait to go, see you there!
The best thing about the coming around of summer is the theater season at The Muny. Oh how I love going to see whatever plays there. Sitting outdoors at night among the other theatergoers, watching and enjoying everything around me.
Each time that I have been I never have once paid for a single ticket. Yes! The man has not gotten a single dollar from me when it comes to theatrical performances in St. Louis. Really I would not mind paying for a ticket, but since there is a free section and if you get there early enough, front couple of rows are just as good as the tickets you pay for. If you are lucky enough, as I have been a couple of times, you can get the front row of free tickets right behind the row of people who paid for a seat, knowing that their view and just about the same as yours, only you didn't have to pay.
While I don't go see every single play that is put on, the ones that I do go and see I enjoy. Because of that reason, I always like to go along with friends and family where we can all have a nice night together.
I love this place, and I'm very sad that I haven't been able to go this summer.
I've seen some great productions here, including Grease and Breakfast at Tiffany's. They always have an incredibly professional production with a great cast and scenery. I've never left disappointed.
I also love that they offer free seats. You do have to show up pretty early (around 5 p.m.) to get a decent one, but they offer programs and performances to keep you entertained until the show begins. A great idea is to bring a picnic lunch and hang out with your friends in line--a nice way to start off an evening. I also know families that go to every show with their kids--it's free and a great way to expose their children to theater.
I've never had an incredibly uncomfortable experience here, but it is Missouri, so you have to watch out for the heat and humid. Bring water, sunscreen and shades.
I'll give The Muny 4 stars because it's the only place of it's kind, it's amazing that there are free seats to see high quality performances, and everyone I have ever met that worked for The Muny has been incredibly nice and accommodating. The shows are good, and they always have an excellent selection for the season.
But.....
The thought of spending an evening in an outdoor theater, on a 90 degree, muggy St. Louis night, sitting on plastic chairs that you stick to, in a gigantic cement pit that has been roasting all day long, is not my idea of a fun night.
However, anywhere that people wear ripped shorts, carry coolers of bud light, and call it going to the "opera" has to be at least alright.
The Muny is an amphitheatre located in Forest Park which hosts a series of summer musicals. The tickets are cheap, the performances are decent, the refreshments aren't terribly overpriced, but it is very, very hot and humid! Especially in a STL August. Normally after the sun goes down it's a bit better, and during the intermission and before the show, they have fans that help a little. If you like musical theatre, and don't mind sweating, The Muny is a fun place to go. Remember to keep yourself hydrated and bring a towel.
Fantastic open air theater, with great preformances. The most memorable for me will always be "Meet Me in St. Louis" & "The King & I". There is nothing more amazing than being out in the open, waiting for nature to dim the lights, and when you see the stars the show begins.
Not that expensive for close seats, but the best spur of the moment thing is to get there early and wait in line for the free seats!
Yet another sapphire in the treasures of Forest Park.... some tickets are _FREE_ ! How Roman can you get? Keep the population entertained and you too can go down in history as a great emperor...
Professional talent at it's finest in an outdoor theatre!
You can purchase individual tickets, season tickets, and some are free. You're allowed to bring in some of your own food and drinks, but there are restirctions palced on them now. They do have concession stands that serve the basic outdoor-concession-stand foods in case you get hungry during intermission.