The Muny is ready to make summer 2026 one for the books. Fresh off its Regional Theatre Tony Award win, the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre has unveiled its 108th season—a lineup that Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson said is built on joy, spectacle, and community.
“It opened on Broadway in 2002 and it’s what I would call a modern classic,” Isaacson said of “Hairspray,” which will kick off the season. “It is loved by a generation of musical theater goers and it has gone out into the world. Hairspray gives us the ability to be spectacular on stage and do that Muny thing we know we can do.”
The season, announced Dec. 1 at an invitation-only event in The Muny’s Emerson Studio and livestreamed worldwide, features seven productions: “Hairspray,” “Shrek The Musical,” “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific,” “Disney’s Newsies,” “Meet Me in St. Louis” and two Muny premieres— “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations” and “Something Rotten!”
Muny President & CEO Kwofe Coleman said the theme of joy runs throughout the lineup. “ ‘Hairspray’ kicks it off, but there is a lot of excitement and happiness to come in this season,” he said.
Credit: Courtesy photo
Isaacson described “Newsies” as “an underdog story, a powerful American story, the David and Goliath story—everything we love in a hero’s journey.”
The premiere of “Ain’t Too Proud” is expected to be a highlight. “These guys had 42 top ten hits and 15 number one hits,” Isaacson said of The Temptations. “But they started at the bottom of the list at Motown and had to keep fighting for a place and for their story. The show is thrilling, and the song catalog is unbelievable.” Coleman admitted it’s his personal favorite of the season.
“I’m not supposed to have a favorite show,” Coleman said. “I say this every year, and every year I have a favorite show. This year, this is my favorite show.”
The Muny will also debut “Something Rotten!”—a satirical romp that imagines Shakespeare’s rivals inventing the musical. Isaacson said the full season offers “a true adventure,” adding, “If you take the whole journey, it adds up to something really beautiful.”
Coleman emphasized the community aspect of the theatre. “One of the proudest parts of being stewards of this place is that we are a place where community builds itself,” he said. “We hope this season invites you to do that.”
Current Muny subscribers will receive details about how to renew season tickets; the deadline is Jan. 12. New season subscriptions start at just $126.
“That’s $126 For seven shows of this caliber,” Isaacson said. “Seven shows of joy. There’s an opportunity to come and be a part of something special.”
Season 108 runs June 15 through Aug. 23, offering audiences a chance to experience musicals under the stars in Forest Park.
“Season 108 celebrates everything our audiences love about The Muny—the joy, the spectacle, and the sense of home it brings to St. Louis,” Coleman said. “We can’t wait to welcome our community back for another unforgettable summer.”
Single-performance Muny tickets go on sale May 18.
“I came here almost three decades ago for a summer job and I never left, because I love what this place is and what it does,” Coleman said. “I welcome you to start your tradition with the Muny.”
For ticket information, gift cards, or audition details, visit muny.org or stop by the Muny Box Office in Forest Park. Box office hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
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