Forest Park in St. Louis, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
The Muny
Forest Park
Photographed By Jason Voigt, October 15, 2019
1. The Muny Marker
The Muny is America's oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre. Founded in 1919, our mission is to enrich lives by producing exceptional musical theatre, accessible to all. Generations have enjoyed everything from operettas and ballets to concerts and musicals. Hundreds of thousands join us every summer for the best of Broadway. And each night, nearly 1,500 guests attend The Muny—absolutely free of charge—continuing a remarkable St. Louis tradition under the stars in Forest Park.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 1919.
Location. 38° 38.463′ N, 90° 16.854′ W. Marker is in St. Louis, Missouri. It is in Forest Park. Marker is on Pagoda Circle, 0.1 miles west of Theatre Drive, on the right when traveling west. Marker is located across the street from the Muny's main entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 Theater Drive, Saint Louis MO 63112, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Original Music Pagoda (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Liberal Arts Bridge (about 700 feet away); a different marker also named The Muny (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Boathouse & Post-Dispatch Lake
this page online
More about this marker. The marker features several vintage photos, such as celebrities who have performed at the Muny, including Florence Henderson, Cary Grant, Betty White, Bob Hope and W.C. Fields. Also there are pictures of past programs from over the years, and performances including "Meet Me In St. Louis" (1999) and "Hairspray" (2009).
A duplicate marker is located in the back of the building, at The Muny-Liechtenstein Plaza, which is in front of the upper parking lot. Both markers have a map of Forest Park on the back.
Regarding The Muny. In 2018, the Muny celebrated its 100th season year-round, with a special celebration on May 20.
Also see . . .
1. The Muny (official website). (Submitted on October 17, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
Photographed By Jason Voigt, October 15, 2019
2. The Muny Marker
Shown across the street from the Muny's main entrance
2. List of The Muny repertory. A list of every play that has been performed at The Muny from 1919 to present day. Includes trivia notes. (Submitted on October 17, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
3. The Muny on Wikipedia. The Muny, short for the Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis, opened in 1917 and was built in 49 days. The Muny’s first official season was in 1919, when it got its name. It seats over 12,000 people, making it the largest outdoor theater in the United States. While the Muny claims to be the oldest and largest outdoor theater, some older ones have larger capacity but the Muny has more seating. An average of seven different plays are performed here from mid-June to mid-August. Weddings and graduation ceremonies have also taken place at The Muny. (Submitted on October 17, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.)
4. 1994 commercial for The Muny. This commercial features The Muny’s jingle, which has played in commercials on regional television and radio for decades. (Submitted on June 25, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.)
J.J. Prats postcard collection, circa 1935
3. St. Luis Municipal Opera, St. Luis, Mo.
No. 5A-H1626 St. Louis Greeting Card Co., St. Luis, Mo. — Genuine Curtreich-Chicago “C. T. Art-Colortone” post card Reg. U.S. Pat. Off.) The back reads,
The St. Louis Municipal Opera, a purely civic enterprise, has earned a reputation as the outstanding institution of its kind in this country. Here are presented, during twelve weeks of summer, a series of operettas and other musical productions that are staged under the open sky, amid the natural setting of Forest Park, with leading operetta stars in the major roles. The vast outdoor Municipal Theatre, built on a gently-sloping hillside, seats 10,000, and the total attendance each season is approximately 700,000.
St. Louis, “The City of a Thousand Sights”
Credits. This page was last revised on June 25, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 926 times since then and 237 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week June 25, 2023. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 17, 2019, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. 3. submitted on June 23, 2023, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
