Interview: Director of Audience Experience Lindsey On Accessibility at The Muny
The St. Louis native, who began her Muny journey as a teenage usher, discusses how the Tony-winning theatre makes its 108th season accessible to all
The Muny, the nation's oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre and the recipient of the 2025 Regional Theatre Tony Award, is preparing to welcome more than 300,000 patrons to Forest Park for its 108th season. The St. Louis institution will present seven world-class productions this summer, including HAIRSPRAY, SHREK THE MUSICAL, SOUTH PACIFIC, NEWSIES, AIN'T TOO PROUD, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, and SOMETHING ROTTEN!, capped by a concert finale starring Lionel Richie.
Central to The Muny's identity is its longstanding commitment to accessibility. Complimentary services include wheelchair assistance, live American Sign Language interpretation, assistive listening devices, audio description, and closed captioning. Through its Community Access program and nearly 1,500 nightly first-come, first-served free seats, The Muny welcomes close to 100,000 community members at no charge each summer.
Guiding that mission is Lindsey, a St. Louis native who began her journey at The Muny as a 16-year-old usher. She returned each summer to serve on the usher staff while also interning in the accounting office, eventually becoming The Muny's first female house manager in 2014 and its first director of audience experience in 2020.
BroadwayWorld spoke with Lindsey about what accessibility means at the nation's largest outdoor musical theatre, the introduction of live closed captioning last season, and the patrons who have shaped her understanding of the work.
The Muny is the nation's oldest and largest outdoor musical theatre. How does accessibility fit into that identity today?
Accessibility is central to who we are today. We often say The Muny is one of the most accessible theatres in America, and that's not just about specific services. It's about a philosophy. We believe in eliminating as many barriers as possible, whether they're financial or physical, so that everyone has the opportunity to experience world-class musical theatre from the comfort of their own seat. That mindset shapes the way we think about the complete audience experience, and it's something that was recognized when we received the Regional Theatre Tony Award last year. It's also important to us that these services are offered at no additional cost, so access doesn't come with added burden. At its core, it's about making sure as many people as possible can share in the magic that happens here each summer!
The Muny offers nearly 1,500 free first-come, first-served seats at every performance, that's more seats than most Broadway theatres have! How does that tradition connect to your broader access mission?
Since our founding in 1919, the free seats have been one of the clearest expressions of our mission in action. They have a profound impact on who is able to experience theatre at The Muny, welcoming audiences who might not otherwise have access to live performance. And we find that so many of our patrons have their first Muny experience in the free seats! When you combine those seats with our Community Access program, we make about 100,000 free tickets available each summer. That scale is significant, and it reflects a longstanding commitment to ensuring that cost is not a barrier to entry. It's a tradition, but it's also a very intentional part of how we serve our community today.
Live closed captioning was introduced last season. How does it work, and what has audience response been like?
Introducing live closed captioning was an exciting step forward for us. We partnered with GalaPro, an app that allows patrons to view real-time captions on their own devices, or borrow a tablet from us at the theatre. Implementing it in an outdoor venue of this size required thoughtful coordination, but it's now fully integrated into our performances on Mondays and Saturdays. The response has been incredibly positive. For patrons who are D/deaf or hard of hearing, it opens up a new level of access, and for others, it can enhance clarity and understanding, especially in a large outdoor setting. It's been a meaningful addition that has expanded how audiences engage with our work onstage.
What other accessibility services are available that patrons might not know about?
In addition to closed captioning, we offer a wide range of services designed to support different needs. These include assisted listening devices, audio description for patrons who are blind or have low vision, and American Sign Language-interpreted performances. We also provide wheelchair assistance from car to seat, along with accessible parking and seating available at every price point throughout the theatre. All of these services are offered at no charge, and together they reflect our goal of making the Muny experience as welcoming and inclusive as possible.
What does a patron's experience look like from arrival to showtime when accessibility services are involved?
We want to make the experience as seamless and comfortable as possible from the moment a patron arrives. That can begin with accessible parking and clear wayfinding, followed by support from our staff for things like wheelchair assistance, device pickup, or a visit to our first-aid or infant-care suites. Whether someone is using captioning, audio description, assisted listening or ASL interpretation, our goal is for those services to feel fully integrated into the experience.
What does it mean to see the effect The Muny's accessibility services have on the lives and experiences of patrons?
It's gratifying to know that we're helping make a difference in someone's life. In my time at The Muny, I've gotten to know so many of our patrons, especially in moments when members of our staff can provide a personal service that enhances their evening. I used to look forward to seeing one Friday night subscriber in particular. I knew that at 7:15, I would walk out to our Accessible Parking Lot to meet Bobbi, who had a stroke many years before. She would arrive alone using Call-a-Ride, and I would walk with her into the theatre and back out after the show. We would sit together and talk until her ride came, often as long as 45 minutes after the show ended. Over the years, I learned about her life, her family and her love of The Muny, which remained one constant for her both before and after her stroke. I started sitting with Bobbi when I was just 16 and continued until my last Friday shift as house manager. On that final night, we both cried. And I introduced her to a new usher who would continue to sit and chat with her, just as I'd had the honor of doing. I will always be grateful for Bobbi. She taught me the importance of going the extra step to help a stranger. One day, that stranger may shape how you understand the importance of your work.
"Groovy Do," a HAIRSPRAY-themed fundraiser in support of sustaining and expanding accessibility services for future audiences, is June 18 at The Muny. Tickets are available at muny.org/groovy-do.
Single-performance tickets for Season 108 start at $20 and are available online at muny.org, by phone at (314) 534-1111 and in person at the Muny Box Office in Forest Park.
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