We definitely won’t be getting season tickets this year…. poor choice of shows.

I have no problem with family-friendly or Osmond-family friendly entertainment.

But I am disappointed in this line-up because the Muny has already featured “Meet Me in St. Louis,” “42nd Street,” “The Music Man,” and “Annie” in the last five years.

I think the MUNY has always done “classic” shows and that is their mission. The truth is we’re spoiled here Friends in other cities don’t get to see regular productions of these shows like we do. I often wish they would do them better, but that’s a different issue. As for the comment about Sweeney Todd below, I went last night and the theatre was pretty full. The Fox does both cutting edge stuff (”Spring Awakening” and “Avenue Q”) and more traditional shows (The Rockettes, Cats) and seems to do just fine. Why can’t The Muny mix it up a bit more? Can you imagine how great a FULL production of Sweeney Todd would be on The Muny stage?

I heard its gonna be hairspray. I thought they did one new Muny show each year. (Les Miz, High School Musical…)

The license to Annie has been granted to the Muny for the week of 6/22/2009 to 6/28/2009.
http://www.mtishows.com/show_home.asp?id=000005

Clearly, the Muny is in need of new leadership. I love every single show on the 2009 roster…but I have seen them all before. And not just once, multiple times…and I mean multiple times at the Muny. I live 2 hours away, and used to be a season ticket holder. That stopped a few years ago when this repetitive practice began. There are HUNDREDS of shows that could be presented on that great stage, with a mix of shows that haven’t been presented in years, to fresh-from-Broadway newbies, to the familiar chestnuts that we know and love. But Muny seems intent on repeating the chestnuts.

I echo the sentiments of the other posters who lamented the absence of “stars,” and I also would like to add that it seems the Muny is just “throwing shows on the stage.” By that I mean that there is little if any attention given to direction, and most notably, choreography. Last season’s “My One and Only” did feature a wonderful re-creation of Tommy Tune’s original work, at the other end of the spectrum was “High School Musical” which was so un-choreographed that a 10-year old behind me commented to her parents “this is really lame.” I had to agree. And although I’m not of the 10-year-old demographic - but I’m as big a fan of that show as they are. What a disappointment.

Recent outings of “Mame” and “Hello, Dolly!” were also lackluster in the direction and choreography departments. And this is why not only do I no longer have season tickets, but I only come to -maybe- one or two shows a year.

I make a plea to the directors of the Muny - it’s time for a shakeup. Blow the dust out. As Mame would say, “open a new window.” The Muny needs new directors, choreographers, designers (don’t start me on the pathetic costuming in nearly every show), but most of all it needs a vision and a commitment to quality and variety that comes from those in the administrative level.

Sadly…I’m not hopeful that things will change anytime soon, and I’ll look to spend my entertainment dollars elsewhere.

Judy, Judy, Judy…

Your liberal slant is showing through…oh, that’s right, you’re an “objective” journalist….WRONG!!!

If you don’t like the shows offered..DON’T GO!!!

Wasn’t that simple…???

LMAO–oh this is unintentionally hysterical…yeah…”conservative” critics for Saint Louis live theater…that oughtta bring in the crowds AND give talented unknowns a real shot at success…what can we expect: Rush Limbaugh in “Death of a Salesman?” The Sean Hannity Seussical…Sarah Palin in “Hello, Dolly?” (though Pygmalion would be more appropriate).

The possibilities are endless–again–thanks for the laugh.

I don’t want to sit in the heat for edginess. I need something upbeat and enjoyable. I do enjoy a different sort of musical or play at the Fox but in the “good old summertime” heat of St. Louis, make me happy. Make me smile. Even the music of Camelot is a bit heavy for summer.