There is a unique magic to Forest Park just as the sun begins to set. For the adults and young adults in our program, summer in St. Louis is not complete without our favorite tradition: gathering under the stars for an evening of live musical theatre at The Muny.
As the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre, The Muny represents the very best of our city’s culture. Thanks to incredible community partnerships, this world-class experience remains wonderfully accessible to our participants.
The Power of the Community Access Program
We are incredibly grateful to be partners with The Muny’s Community Access Program. Through their immense generosity, our group is gifted tickets that allow us to get close to the stage and experience the full production up close, entirely without a financial barrier.
For our program, these gifted tickets represent dignity and inclusion. By removing the paywall, this program ensures our adults and young adults can sit in the heart of the audience, fully immersed in the community, sharing the same space and excitement as everyone else.
Navigating the Night with Thoughtful Preparation
While the tickets are generously provided for us, our staff and participants work together ahead of time to ensure every trip is a comfortable, successful experience. Outdoor theatre in St. Louis summers can be intense, so we prepare with plenty of forethought.
Before we set out, we help our participants plan for the physical aspects of the evening, like navigating the walking and standing in Forest Park, and packing personal cooling fans and binoculars.
We also use these outings as a wonderful opportunity to build real-world social skills. Together, we:
- Practice Theatre Etiquette: We talk about when to lean in and listen to the music, and how to quietly share the space with thousands of other theatergoers.
- Spark Conversation: We brainstorm fun, engaging questions about the plays, the musicals, and Forest Park to ask each other while we wait for the show to start, turning the evening into a true social connector.
Unforgettable Showstoppers
We have built so many incredible memories together over the recent seasons. Our group has cheered, laughed, and sang along to an amazing lineup of shows:
- Frozen & Shrek: Bringing out our inner child with magical worlds and big-hearted humor.
- Bring It On & Hairspray: Filling the night with high-energy dance numbers and powerful messages of inclusion.
- Jersey Boys & Newsies: Wowing us with spectacular harmonies, high-flying choreography, and stories of standing together.
Grateful for Forest Park
We are incredibly lucky to live in a city that champions accessible public culture. From the Zoo and the Art Museum to the nightly spectacles at The Muny, Forest Park is a gift. It allows our program to blend fresh air, friendship, and rich local arts into experiences our participants look forward to all year long.
Thank you, St. Louis, and thank you to The Muny’s Community Access Program for keeping the gates open, the stage bright, and the arts open to us all.
Support Our Mission: Help Us Keep These Outings Possible
While The Muny generously gifts us the tickets, it is our program that provides the vital support, staffing, and preparation that gets our participants there safely and confidently.
To keep these outings accessible to every adult and young adult in our program, we rely on the generosity of supporters like you. Your donation goes directly to funding the dedicated care and resources that make community inclusion a reality.
Your gift directly supports:
- Our Dedicated Staff: Funding the trained mentors who guide participants through social cues, theater etiquette, and park navigation.
- Essential Outing Gear: Providing personal cooling fans, binoculars, and sensory tools to keep everyone comfortable in the summer heat.
- Barrier-Free Access: Ensuring we can offer these enriching, community-building experiences to our participants at no cost to them.
If you believe in a St. Louis where people of all abilities are fully included in our city’s best traditions, please consider making a donation to our organization today.