The spectacular video is worth the price of admission for “Meet Me in St. Louis” at The Muny.
This production is a revival of the version first presented as the final offering in The Muny’s 100th anniversary season. The show’s songs are by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane. Gordon Greenberg’s serviceable revision is an improvement the original book by Hugh Wheeler.
Like all version of the perennial local favorite, this one is based on “The Kensington Stories” by Sally Benson and the MGM movie, “Meet Me in St. Louis,” starring Judy Garland. The story revolves around the Smith family, which lives at 5135 Kensington Avenue in St. Louis.
The action unfolds over the year leading up to the 1904 World’s Fair. Early in the show, head of the household Alonzo Smith tells his wife, Anna, that his law firm has given him a huge promotion. The good news is that becoming a partner will double his salary. The bad news is that the family will have to move East so he can head the firm’s New York office.
The move will not take place until after Christmas. Anna persuades Lon to leave the rest of the family in the dark to spare them distress and to give Anna a chance to change his mind. As the impending move looms in the background, romances play out for the three oldest Smith children: Esther Smith pines for John Truitt, the boy next door; Warren Sheffield courts Rose Smith, the oldest daughter; and young Lon Smith courts Lucille Ballard.
Video designers Kylee Loera and Greg Emetaz have the largest possible palette to work with. For this production, video from powerful digital projectors at the rear of the theatre is mapped onto the booms—the sliding walls that open and close in front of the turntable. The booms and the usual side video panels create a continuous screen as wide as the Muny stage.
The picture postcard images on the huge screen and the row of historically accurate houses are very impressive on their own, the but iconic trolley scene ups the ante. The houses start scrolling on the screen behind trolley to simulate its movement. The booms then open to reveal the streetcar right-of-way on the stage’s rear screen. The trolley moves to the turntable for a breathtaking ride. Later, the World’s Fair grounds are displayed at a size befitting their grandeur.
Scenic designer Ann Beyersdorfer does not let the set take a back seat to the video. An imposing structure on the turntable provides three views of the house on Kensington—the front porch, the dining room, and the living room, complete with a stairway to the second floor.
Maggie Burrows’ direction keeps the action moving seamlessly. The musical numbers are delightful thanks to Sarah Meahl’s choreography and the Muny orchestra under Paul Byssainthe Jr. A festive atmosphere for the musical is established by Leon Dobkowski’s costumes, Paige Seber’s lighting, Joshua Hummel’s sound, and Kelley Jordan’s wigs.
The excellent cast includes Patti Murin as Mrs. Anna Smith, Colin Donnell as Mr. Alonzo Smith, Katerina McCrimmon as Esther Smith, Stan Brown as Grandpa Prophater (Anna’s father), Andrew Poston as John Truitt, Beth Leavel as Katie Connelly (the Smiths’ Irish maid), Kyla Stone as Rose Smith, Ilan Eskenazi as Lon Smith, Emma Crow as Lucille Ballard, Joylin Bass as Agnes Smith, and and Lilah Levinson as Tootie Smith.
I don’t know whether this version of “Meet Me in St. Louis” will ever play on Broadway, but if this show proves anything, it’s that moving to New York isn’t necessary when you have a home in St. Louis.
—Gerry Kowarsky
Photo © Phillip Hamer Photography
