$3 Million Orthwein Foundation Gift Will Enhance Accessible Muny Parking Lot Entrance

ST. LOUIS — The Muny has received a $3 million gift from the William R. Orthwein Jr. and Laura Rand Orthwein Foundation that will improve patron accessibility between the Lower Muny Lot and the theatre’s east entrance.

Construction of the new Orthwein Entrance pedestrian walkway is scheduled to begin after the 2026 Muny season and will be completed before the 2027 season.

The project will revitalize a space that is used by more than 25% of Muny patrons, including those who receive complimentary wheelchair assistance. The entrance also is an access point for service vehicles.

“This entryway, which welcomes guests from our accessible parking lot, is fundamental to our pledge to accessibility,” said Muny President & CEO Kwofe Coleman. “We are grateful to our friends at the Orthwein Foundation for making it possible for us to ensure that the entryway meets the standards and needs of our guests — and makes them feel welcome and safe as they enter and exit our theatre.”

The new Orthwein Entrance will feature:

• A smoother, more pedestrian-friendly surface with lighting and benches

• A designated passenger drop-off area

• New Muny signage and landscaped planter beds

• Enhancements to the Muny security perimeter 

• Drainage and erosion improvements for the adjacent East Tributary waterway 

This $3 million commitment is the largest single financial gift to The Muny from the Orthwein Foundation, which was created in 2004 and honors the family’s interests in education and the arts. 

“This project embodies the spirit and mission of our family and foundation,” said Nettie O. Dodge, president of the Orthwein Foundation. “Our parents, Bill and Laura Orthwein, treasured their Muny experiences and would be thrilled to know this investment completes the full Muny footprint renovation. This major future-proof milestone enables unrestricted ease of use, access and joy to be shared by all for many years.”

William R. Orthwein Jr. died in 2011 and his wife, Laura Rand Orthwein, in 2014. The Orthwein Foundation has been a supporter of The Muny since 1959 and in 2018 contributed $2 million to the theatre’s Second Century Capital Campaign.

“The Muny is a community and national treasure. The Orthwein Foundation is pleased and humbled to have played a role in the Second Century Capital Campaign, which included a rebuild of the stage, backstage area, offices and the western side of the campus,” said Steve Jones, secretary of the Orthwein Foundation and former Muny Board chair. “Now, with the redesign and rebuild of the eastern side, the creation of the leading edge Orthwein Entrance accomplishes the important and ambitious goal of ensuring the Muny’s success in its second century for all who love this institution and come to experience its magic.”

St. Louis-based SWT Design is the lead project designer. The Orthwein Entrance sits at the edge of the Muny lease boundary, and construction is being coordinated with Forest Park Forever and the St. Louis Parks Department.

About The Muny

Now entering its 107th season in St. Louis, The Muny is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to producing exceptional musical theatre, accessible to all, while continuing its remarkable tradition in Forest Park. As the nation’s oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre, The Muny welcomes more than 300,000 patrons each summer for seven world-class productions under the stars. Learn more at muny.org.