Courtesy of The MUNY
The Wizard of Oz (June 13–22)
“There will be flying, puppets, and pyro,” she says of Robert Mark Morgan’s set, adding that everything’s more exciting when you set stuff on fire. “There are some new tricks this year that we’ve never tried before,” she says. “We’re going to try them all and blow it all out for this show.”
42nd Street (June 24–30)
The Muny’s been tweaking a lot behind the scenes, from the LED screen to the sound. These changes will be noticeable at every show. This well-loved show, Utzmyers says, will have “that Busby Berkeley feeling…a big elaborate staircase, beautiful costumes.”
The Music Man (July 5–11)
Michael Schweikardt, who’s also designing sets for 42nd Street, “is doing a set that’s different from any production of Music Man you’ve ever seen,” Utzmyers says, “and yet it will be exactly what you want to see” with this popular musical.
Single tickets go on sale May 28. For more information, visit muny.org.
Young Frankenstein (July 13–19)
It’s a premiere and the first Muny set from Paul Tate dePoo III, a rising New York–based designer. “We’re really excited about the aesthetic he brings,” Utzmyers says. “He does bold looks with an excellent set of scale.”
Mamma Mia! (July 21–28)
Another Muny premiere. “The color is just really, really lovely,” Utzmyers says of Timothy Makabee’s sets. “The turntable sets move all night, and we’ll really transform the stage with light and color. We want it to feel like an ABBA show; it’s a disco musical, so we’re playing that up a bit.”
Fiddler on the Roof (July 30–August 5)
Morgan’s set will amplify director Gary Griffin’s desire “to play up the sense of community,” Utzmyers says. “We’re going to include the orchestra in the show. That sense of community is what I like most about Fiddler, and it’s so appropriate for this venue.”
Aida (August 8–14)
For one thing, Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child stars as Aida—pretty dazzling in itself. Makabee designs the sets, and costumes are created by O’Fallon, Illinois, native Robin McGee, who was involved in last year’s Beauty and the Beast. “She does work all over the country and beyond,” Utzmyers says, “but she comes back in the summertime for us.”
