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Just got back from St. Louis to visit a friend who was performing in Miss Saigon at the Muny in Forest Park. It's an outdoor venue, with 11,000 seats, some of which are set aside for every show as free seats in the back. Kind of feels like the ballpark, complete with refreshment vendors coming through the aisles before the performance and during intermission. The stage is huge and lends itself well to a show like Miss Saigon. They were able to use a live helicopter for the evacuation scene. I ended up seeing the show three times from different perspectives, once really close and twice from the sides. We got a personal backstage tour and I was able to stand on the stage and look out upon all those seats! Yikes. The weather threatened the performance two of the nights we attended, but thankfully the rain held off until it was over. I heard from someone that on closing night the heavens opened and drenched everyone 10 minutes before the end of the show.
My friend recommended we stay at the Chase Park Plaza in the Central West End. He was right. What a great area. We loved our suite at the Chase. There's a great workout room. The pool area was very nice and there are lots of little nooks and crannies for private visiting. Most nights we got together at the poolside cafe. They have live music and we brought our own Chardonnay.
A few doors down from the Chase there's a gourmet market called Stroud's where we stocked up on snacks. The main walking area of the CWE is filled with restaurants, outdoor cafes, and antique shops. We ate dinner at Chez Leon. One of the best meals I've had ever. We did the fixed price menu and had fun tasting each other's choices. My favorite was the Grand Marnier souffle. 'Nuff said! 
There are a few photos of the area and the Muny at my Picasa albums (St. Louis 2008): http://picasaweb.google.com/maggiwun
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Maggi Does the Muny
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I used to go to the Muny all the time in high school and college. I remember one week I tried to see a show three times and got rained out sometime during every show.
Got an email from one of the violinists. She said it was scary for the orchestra in the pit because of all the electrical wires. I'm sure they're prepared just in case, but it happened so fast and furious it took everyone by surprise. I was conducting a show once during a storm and the ceiling of the theater caved in and dumped water all over the percussionist. We finished playing the show with umbrellas.
Glad you had a good time. I saw Miss Saigon the last time they did it at the Muny, it's perhaps the only theater large enough to have a helicopter actually land on the stage, it's very impressive.
There is a Vietnamese restaurant in St. Louis called Miss Saigon. My DD was there last week and overheard a group of diners saying that they were going to the Muny and liked to do "theme dinners" before them. They had never eaten Vietnamese so I gather it was an amusing conversation between the diners and their waiter!
Chez Leon is one of our favorites, although I never think about it in the summer.
And just a small correction, the grocery store is called Straub's. They have several others in the St. Louis area and are building another one. A very successful story of small grocery store catering to current needs.
Liz, then you saw my friend in your production too, he did that one as well: Eric Kunze as Chris.
Chez Leon, as well as some of the surrounding restaurants, has a delightful outdoor eating area. I wish I could go back tonight! Thanks for the correction on the name. Must be my dyslexia!
Oh, looking at the topic line, I thought somebody mis-spelled San Francisco Muni
I read about Muny performances going to St Louis, unfortunately it was October...
I'm so glad you had a good time and got to see your extremely handsome friend perform.
Miss Saigon is one we had to miss this year. Sometimes at the last minute, we'll ride our bikes over and peer through binoculars from the free seats, and sometimes plan ahead and spring for seats.
How did you end up transporting yourself to the Muny and back to the Chase? I was thinking about you on some of those very warm evenings. Hope that worked out.
I ended up renting a vehicle from the airport to get back and forth to the hotel and then we drove to the Muny in the evenings. We parked on Cricket so we could make a quick getaway, since we would meet him afterwards. That worked out really well. The heat wasn't a problem. During the day we were at the pool and it cooled off by evening. The Muny has those big turbine fans which they turn on before and after the shows. I liked it and look forward to coming back again next year. Keeping my fingers crossed for "Damn Yankees".
Well, it's next year and we are coming back to St. Louis and the Muny again in a few weeks. Same actor friend, Eric Kunze, different play: Godspell (they decided not to do Damn Yankees). Staying at the Chase again. Looking forward to seeing what's new in the CWE. Hope it's cooler when we are there this time. Last week was very hot, I understand it's been better this week. Hope it's good enough weather to ride bikes in Forest Park. Hoping for no rain. Fingers crossed!
Time flies when you're having fun, yah?
Judging from how quickly this year has flown by, I must have been having a blast (Yay!) Hope you have too, Kal.
Maggi
"Godspell" is a rather small musical for a stage as large at the Muny's. However, I've seen it there before and they manage to make it seem like it's being performed for each individual person in the audience.
Have fun! (again)!
Ziggy, you are so right! In a venue that seats 11,000 I'm curious how they are going to pull that off. But I do have front row seats every night
I will be writing a separate report on this year's visit to St. Louis and the Muny, but wanted to report how much we are enjoying this production of Godspell. The stage is big, but has been transformed into a playground setting, complete with swings, merry-go-round, slide and picnic tables. The small excellent main cast, led by Eric Kunze, is supported by 75 of the colorfully dressed Muny teens and as a result the stage doesn't seem as big as it is. There are no set changes, rather the vignettes take place at different places on the stage. I've seen it three times thus far and tomorrow (Sunday) will be the last performance. More information at my fansite for Eric Kunze www.erickunze.com.