ST. LOUIS — After 52 years at The Muny, president and CEO Denny Reagan announced plans to retire in December 2021.
Beginning in January 2022, Reagan will assume the role of senior advisor, according to a news release. In this role, leadership will rely on his experience and knowledge as the theatre completes its Second Century Capital Campaign and transitions to Reagan’s successor.
A St. Louis native, Reagan began his decades-long career at The Muny when he was 16 years old as a “picker” on the cleanup crew in 1968. It was a summer job he landed through a friend while still a student at Bishop DuBourg High School.
Since then, he has held several titles at The Muny including assistant manager, director of theatre operations and general manager. He has been the president and CEO since 1991.
Reagan is the longest serving president in The Muny’s 102-year history.
Following a period in the 1970s and 80s when The Muny booked touring shows rather than producing its own season, Reagan returned the theatre to its roots by producing musicals for St. Louis audiences on an “only at The Muny” scale.
“Denny has not only been a vital leader for The Muny, but also has been a pillar of the musical theatre field as a whole. He has consistently shared the invaluable combination of well-informed perspective seasoned with an easy-going sense of humor,” said National Alliance for Musical Theatre Executive Director Betsy King Militello. “On behalf of all of NAMT’s members and staff, past and present, we wish him the very best, but also plan to continue calling on him as a resource!”
Reagan has been honored with several awards including the Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award in 2018 from the Arts and Education Council of St. Louis.
“Denny’s tenure at The Muny is truly historic in nature. His commitment to American musical theater, to his community and to his team are remarkable not just for their length but also for their depth,” said DeVos Institute of Arts Management Board Chairman Michael M. Kaiser. “His influence on St. Louis will be felt long after he retires from his current position.”
Reagan serves on the boards of Great Circle, Central Institute for the Deaf and as past president and board member for the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT). He also served for 10 years as a commissioner for the Regional Arts Commission.
