The Best Summer Musicals

Best Summer Musicals

Best Musicals of the Summer 2002 Season

Best Musicals of the Summer 2001 Season

Best Musicals of the Summer 2000 Season

Best Musicals of the Summer 1999 Season

Best Musicals of the Summer 1998 Season

Best Musicals of the Summer 1997 Season

Best Musicals of the Summer 1996 Season

2002

Peter Pan at The Muny in Forest Park
For the token children's show, they cram Peter Pan down our throats. I have finally figured out what really bothers me about Peter Pan: The lost boys live isolated from any women, perpetually young, and they want a mother. Worse yet, the Indians are all girls, and they hate all boys, as the lost boys are the only boys in Neverland. Nothing like a good unhealthy hatred of the opposite sex to make things really wonderful. But, worst of all, is the highly questionable situation of the pirates, who are without any women, dress like they are highly gender confused, and what do they do the first time they happen across a woman to steal from the lost boys? They want to make her their mother. Now, this is a sick and twisted story of social deviance if ever there was one, and it is thoroughly unfit for children or the public in general.
Hooray for Hollywood at The Muny in Forest Park
Another one of those redculous tribute evennings with no story, and worst of all, this one had a highly talented star, Leroy Reams, whose talents were totally wasted.

2001

Miss Saigon at The Muny in Forest Park
What a dismal and depressing musical, I could have stayed home and hit my thumb repeatedly with a hammer and had a better time. What ever happenned to uplifting entertainment?
Evita at The Muny in Forest Park
Awful music and an awful story. It was awful in 1997 and I'm sure when they cycle it through in four more years that it will be awful again.

2000

An Evenning With Richard Rogers at The Muny in Forest Park
The whole point of a musical is to have a story to connect the songs. These tribute evennings lack the basics, the story.
A Chorus Line at Stages St. Louis
Why waste such a great cast on such a poor musical?

1999

The Muny Goes British at The Muny in Forest Park
The whole point of a musical is to have a story to connect the songs. These tribute evennings lack the basics, the story.
Annie at The Muny in Forest Park
The token children's musical for the season, disappointing again.
Grease at The Muny in Forest Park

1998

The Radio City Rockettes at The Muny in Forest Park
The whole point of a musical is to have a story to connect the songs. These tribute evennings lack the basics, the story.
Peter Pan at The Muny in Forest Park
Another token childrens musical, of little enjoyment to adults.
My Fair Lady at Stages St. Louis
This one really just didn't have any spark to it.

1997

Joseph and the Techni Color Dream Coat at The Muny in Forest Park
These religious themed musicals are always pretty poor but the audience reaction is probably the most entertaining. First, at the Muny, every show is selected by audience vote, so you know these religious musicals got a whole bunch of votes just to get onto the schedule. You go to the show on the night of the musical, and it is standing room only. Wait until intermission, then look around at who is left after, and over half the audience is gone. Apparently, the idea of a religious musical looks good when people vote, but they remember how awful they are once they have set through the first act on show night, and leave. But bet your last dollar, these same people will forget the next time around, and vote to put another one on the schedule next year, so they can leave again at intermission.

1996

Evita at The Muny in Forest Park
Awful music and an awful story.
Jesus Christ Super Star at The Muny in Forest Park
These religious themed musicals are always pretty poor but the audience reaction is probably the most entertaining. First, at the Muny, every show is selected by audience vote, so you know these religious musicals got a whole bunch of votes just to get onto the schedule. You go to the show on the night of the musical, and it is standing room only. Wait until intermission, then look around at who is left after, and over half the audience is gone. Apparently, the idea of a religious musical looks good when people vote, but they remember how awful they are once they have set through the first act on show night, and leave. But bet your last dollar, these same people will forget the next time around, and vote to put another one on the schedule next year, so they can leave again at intermission.