Best Outdoor Plays and Musicals to Attend in Summer 2022

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The Color Purple at the Muny, St. Louis

The details: The Muny, Forest Park (Aug. 3 to 9)

The premise: As part of their 104th season, North America’s largest outdoor musical theater is presenting a slate of seven shows, including Chicago, Camelot and Legally Blonde. One of the shows being produced on this stage for the first time is The Color Purple, the Tony-winning musical based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel that made a star out of lead actress Cynthia Erivo. You can’t help but be moved by the sweeping score, which includes elements of jazz, ragtime, gospel, blues and African music.

Why you should see it: In a move to democratize theater, the Muny offers free seating in the last nine rows of the theater on a first-come, first-served basis — so come early!

Get tickets: From $18, muny.org