The Muny will spend $9.5 million on renovations next year.
The outdoor theater in Forest Park will replace all of its 11,000 seats and make structural updates to protect against flooding.
Aging concrete around the theater was affected by the record-breaking rainstorm that soaked St. Louis in July 2022. Flash flooding at the time increased the chances for future structural damage in the upper terraces and around the soundboard, Muny leaders said in a Monday announcement.
“The way the water flows around the park changes over time. We found there’s been a lot of water coming down the hill in heavy rainfall,” Muny President & CEO Kwofe Coleman said.
Structural fixes will also protect the orchestra pit, which was updated in a major round of renovations following a 2018 capital campaign.
Changes to the seating area will reduce audience capacity slightly, with some sections on the far right and far left converted into more spacious, premium seating. Other seats will be turned to improve sightlines. Railings in the theater will also be replaced and cupholders will be added for patrons sitting in the front rows of sections.
“We spend a lot of time looking at what challenges our audience faces, and we’re adjusting for those,” Coleman said. “I’m really looking forward to people coming in, in 2027, and testing out the new seats and just loving the facelift that their theater has gotten once again.”
Construction will begin after the 2026 season and should be complete before the following summer.
