According to an article by STL Today, the Muny's Executive producer Paul Blake, who has been at the theatre more than two decades, will leave after the upcoming 2011 season.
"After 22 exciting years, I have decided to step down when my contract expires in August 2011," Blake said in a statement. "I consider myself truly blessed to have been able to enjoy such a full and varied career at the Muny during a period that many people refer to as 'A Golden Age.'"
As executive producer, Blake worked with Muny president and CEO Denny Reagan. "The Muny has come a long way from where it was when Paul took the artistic helm," Reagan said. "He has raised the bar to new levels."
Reagan announced that Blake's replacement will be decided upon and announced before the 2011 season. "We are in the final stages of our search," he said.
When Blake arrived at the Muny in 1990, he stopped booking touring shows and began mounting its own productions. He built up a goupr of loyal actors, directors, and designers with strong backgrounds who kept coming back to the Muny for more despite staging full-scale musicals in just 11 days.
According to the article, "Blake has been intimately involved with every Muny production during his administration. He directed two of this season's shows, ‘Damn Yankees' and ‘Footloose.' He's also mounted a few revues and musicals that he created, among them musical adaptations of ‘Sleeping Beauty,' ‘Roman Holiday' and ‘White Christmas.' which since its Muny debut 10 years ago has gone on to become a seasonal hit on Broadway and on tour."
Blake, who lives alternately in New York and Santa Barbara, Calif., will not be leaving musical theater for good. He is already working on two new shows, one based on the music of
Carole King, the other based on an early play by
Preston Sturges. Blake plans to combine the script with the songs of
Jimmy McHugh, composer of songs such as "Sunny Side of the Street" and "I'm in the Mood for Love."
Although Blake brought many new shows like "Miss Saigon" and "Hairspray" to the Muny, his personal favorites are older songs and shows. He's said that he's inspired by MGM in the days of producer
Arthur Freed, the era of "Meet Me in St. Louis," "Singin' in the Rain" and "Gigi."
"The Muny and St. Louis have been my show business home, and we all know how difficult it is to leave a happy, nurturing family," he said in his statement. "I will always carry my affection and love for this theater, and indeed for the people of St. Louis, in my mind and heart."
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