For first time in 102 years, St. Louis Muny cancels season, thanks to COVID-19

Meet Me at the Muny will have to wait until next year. For the first time in 102 years, The Muny stage will remain empty this summer because of the ongoing coronavirus public health crisis.

The seven musicals announced for the 2020 season will be postponed until the summer of 2021.

Managing Director Kwofe Coleman said the Muny evaluated every aspect of its operation in relation to their audience, staff, cast, crew and community, and with careful and ongoing consideration for all information and guidance available regarding the COVID-19 global pandemic.

“Everyone’s health and safety became the top priority. We could not risk it. We just have to do what is best,” he said. “It’s a different reality this year with the pandemic, and we feel for everyone affected.”

As the nation’s largest outdoor musical theater, The Muny usually produces seven musicals each year and welcomes over 350,000 theater-goers over a nine-week season. “Chicago,” Mary Poppins,” “Smokey Joe’s Café,” “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” “The Sound of Music,” “On Your Feet!” and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” had been announced as the 2020 line-up. Then, in April, the Muny said it would announce a decision June 8 on whether or not it would present a shortened, abbreviated season.

Current season ticket holders will be contacted personally with more information regarding their options and next steps.

“This is just an extended intermission, and we will prepare to move forward to 2021 with the seven shows,” Coleman said. “It’s just sad that this is the first time in 102 seasons we won’t go on. We had hoped to go on later with a shortened season but not enough changed. In fact, nothing changed.”

During the summer, the Muny employs 800 part-time workers in addition to its 35 full-time staff members. Coleman said the full-time staff will be retained and paid this year.

“We are all heartbroken, but this is the right decision for our community and everyone on and backstage in our Muny family,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “For 102 years, The Muny has provided St. Louisans with amazing entertainment and joyous memories, and even though we cannot be together in Forest Park this summer, we are committed to continuing this summer tradition for our audience.”

The Muny plans to present virtual entertainment and online programs to fill the void.

“It’s going to be a different angle, and we can still connect until we can come back together when we can,” Coleman said. “We’ll be back.”

Muny explored every option before finally postponing

Muny Board Chairman Louis A. Cella said this was a historic first, and hopefully last, for the beloved theater.

“Every member of the organization was hopeful and working on every possible option up until the moment we had to make this difficult decision. The sad reality is that there is simply no way to overcome the obstacles this pandemic has presented while ensuring the safety of our audience, staff, artists and community,” he said.

Muny President and CEO Denny Reagan said they had hoped conditions would improve in time to continue the century-old tradition of gathering to celebrate community and theater. He has worked at the Muny since 1967, when he was hired as a teenager to pick up trash around the grounds.

“Coming together every summer is more than entertainment — it’s a reunion, a celebration and a tradition. To miss that for the first time in 102 years is tremendously difficult and disheartening,” Reagan said.

“We appreciate our audience’s patience while we took the needed time to make sure we considered every possibility and explored every alternative. We look forward to many, many more years of Muny magic ahead,” Coleman said.

Coleman said the alternative programming will be announced soon. This lineup will include digital broadcasts of past Muny Magic at The Sheldon performances, and a new series featuring Muny friends and family from around the world.

Muny has plans for the rest of the summer

Beginning June 15, the originally scheduled season opening date, The Muny will, for five consecutive Mondays, broadcast five installments of their off-season cabaret Muny Magic at The Sheldon. Starting with Tony winner Beth Leavel’s series premiere performance from 2015, the entire lineup will be announced soon. Leavel has performed in “Gypsy,” “Hello Dolly!” and “Oklahoma!” in recent years.

Additionally, beginning July 20, The Muny will produce special online performances with more information to come at a later date, Isaacson said.

“We hope this virtual alternative programming will showcase how even when our audience isn’t in our seats, they are in our hearts,” Isaacson said.

Currently, walk-up service to The Muny Box Office in Forest Park is unavailable. However, box office staff can be reached via email at boxoffice@muny.org.

To stay connected virtually, and to receive the latest updates, please follow The Muny on their social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

For more information about The Muny, visit muny.org.

This story was originally published June 8, 2020 at 9:52 AM.