A Season of Firsts: 7 Groundbreaking Productions Bring Bold, New Energy to Muny Stage

At The Muny, every summer takes our audience on a journey — and Season 107 is one of our most ambitious yet. From thrilling tumbling passes and heart-wrenching solos to Disney magic and emotional breakthroughs, the shows on our stage this year are bigger and bolder than ever.

None of it would be possible without Muny Guarantors — your support ensures that artistic excellence, technical innovation and community access remain at the heart of everything we do.

Here’s a preview of some of the exceptional elements you’ll see this summer on the Muny stage.

The season kicks off with high energy — and literal liftoff — in Bring It On: The Musical, a Muny premiere that brings competitive cheerleading to the stage with jaw-dropping stunts, high-octane storytelling and a dynamic infusion of music styles.

Based on the franchise of hit films, the show requires exceptional athleticism — and our audience will see the best. Sixteen athletes — current squad members and alumni — from the University of Kentucky cheerleading program will be part of the ensemble. 

UK has won 24 national cheerleading championships — more than any other school. Ryan Martin O’Connor, UK’s head coach for cheerleading, will serve as cheer consultant/choreographer.

“This production demands an unparalleled level of athleticism and skill,” said Associate Artistic Director Michael Baxter, who leads casting at The Muny, “and there’s no better team to bring that energy to our stage than UK Cheer.”

Next up is the deeply moving Come From Away, which tells the true story of 7,000 stranded airline passengers and the small Newfoundland town that welcomed them in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Another Muny premiere, this Tony-winning musical relies on a tight ensemble and inventive staging to bring dozens of characters and locations to life.

“Our 2023 production of Chess proved we can create intimate and thrilling moments on the Muny stage,” said Director of Production Tracy Utzmyers, who oversees the technical and logistical aspects of every show. “We are going to use everything we learned then to build emotional moments in Come From Away.”

A surprise summer blizzard comes to The Muny for Disney’s Frozen. This production marks another Muny premiere and is one of the most technically complex shows in our history, relying heavily on puppetry and special effects — including some artistic elements never before seen on our stage

“This show is a massive undertaking — there is some kind of magic happening nearly every second,” Utzmyers said. “Frozen demands innovation, imagination and an army of brilliant designers, artisans and technicians — all of which we are fortunate to have.”

After nearly 25 years, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s sweeping Evita returns to The Muny with new vision and grandeur. Following the rise and fall of Eva Perón, this iconic musical features powerful performances, large-scale choreography and soaring music — all framed by stunning sets and a shifting political backdrop.

“Each song in Evita tells its own short story, so you have to figure that out in terms of the stagecraft,” said Muny Artistic Director & Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “We can do so much with it — it’s also a story of manipulating the people, which creates some fascinating artistic moments.” 

In a summer filled with firsts, Dear Evan Hansen makes its long-awaited Muny debut. One of the most acclaimed musicals of the last decade, it explores teen mental health, grief and the complexities of identity in the digital age.

With projection-driven scenic design, a contemporary score and deeply emotional storytelling, Dear Evan Hansen stretches the Muny into new creative territory. It will use video design in ways our audience has never seen. 

It will also be a showcase for the Muny Teens. 

“It takes place in a high school — we can do a high school,” Isaacson said. “We’re always looking for ways to use our unique resources to tell the story in a better way than even on Broadway.”

A celebration of love, family and fabulousness, La Cage aux Folles returns to The Muny with all the feathers, sequins and heart it’s known for. It has been nearly 40 years since Muny audiences have seen this production.

“La Cage debuted in 1981 and isn’t produced often,” Isaacson said. “We’re returning to the big, grand version of the show because we’re The Muny — we can do it. But it took a lot to get permission to do that.”

Season 107 closes with Jersey Boys, the electrifying story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The show was an audience favorite as part of our centennial season in 2018 and delivers a feel-good finale with a sharp narrative.

“This is a contemporary classic,” Isaacson said. “We have the new stage now, and I am really excited to see what we can do with the storytelling. 

“It’s the perfect season closer: smart, stylish, satisfying.”

This article originally appeared in the spring 2025 edition of Behind the Booms, a publication for Muny Guarantors.