Meet Me in St. Louis is the Grand Finale

to a Sensational Muny Centennial Season

by Pat Lindsey

Even before The Muny announced the lineup of shows for its 100th anniversary, we knew “Meet Me in St. Louis” had to be the final show of this monumental season. After all, the homespun show is set in St. Louis and the big buzz is about the 1904 World’s Fair opening soon in Forest Park. What could be more perfect?

But if you adore the movie, “Meet Me in St. Louis,” and watch it every Christmas, as I do, you should come to The Muny with an open mind and be prepared for some changes. Change is good, but I had to consciously stop myself from anticipating the next line of dialogue and upcoming scene, because many of them were different.

The cast of this production is excellent and it is impossible to single out one star. The Muny’s beloved Ken Page returns as Grandpa Prophater, who plays a retired physician. His youngest granddaughters, Tootie (Elena Adams) and Agnes (Elle Wesley), find ways to create mischief by looking through his old anatomy book. Lovely Erin Dilly is the sensitive matriarch, Mrs. Anna Smith, and her dashing attorney husband, Mr. Alonzo Smith (Stephen R. Buntrock) is responsible for upsetting her happy life at 5135 Kensington Avenue with what he hoped would be good news.

When Alonzo announces to his wife that he’s uprooting their family and moving to New York to join a new law firm, Anna decides to keep the news from the rest of the family for a couple of months, but housekeeper, Katie (Kathy Fitzgerald) doesn’t keep the secret very well and drops several hints from her Irish lips. Sisters Esther (Emily Walton) and Rose (Liana Hunt) finally figure out what’s going on, and they become distressed about leaving their newfound loves (Dan DeLuca as John Truitt and Michael Burrell as Warren Sheffield), the opening of the World’s Fair, and the city that is about to achieve international recognition. Their brother, Lon (Jonathan Burke), is also worried about losing his heart throb, Lucille Ballard (Madison Johnson). The stress of moving mounts until Christmas morning when Mr. Smith sees how unhappy his family is and makes the decision to remain in up-and-coming St. Louis.

If I had to choose a favorite character, it would be Katie (Fitzgerald), the larger-than-life lassie from Limmerick, who gives the show “A Touch of the Irish” in song, dance, and dialogue. Vocally, all of the main characters sing beautifully, but Emily Walton (Esther) is the soloist for the three most lovely songs in the show.

For scenic and lighting design, Michael Schweikardt and Rob Denton deserve a standing ovation. There has to be a real trolley in this show and it’s a beauty. A red and gold trolley is filled with passengers wearing beautiful turn-of-the-century summer suits and dresses (kudos to Tristan Raines for costume design) and slowly rotates on the stage’s turntable as St. Louis street scenes are projected on the screen in the background. It’s the ideal setting for “The Trolley Song,” beautifully sung by Emily Walton (Esther) and the ensemble. Later, at Halloween time, the audience members in the box seats and A-section are nearly blinded by a spotlight that illuminates a dancing parade of ghouls and goblins, who startle those seated along their pathway. And, without spoiling the ending, the closing scene with its “outdoor lights for the first time” is another spectacular illumination.

The best part of “Meet Me in St. Louis” is its old familiar songs, but this show adds some new ones. I didn’t go away humming them, as I did with “The Boy Next Door” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” but “Under the Anheuser Bush” and “The Banjo” added some humor and an opportunity for the ensemble to give a crowd-pleasing dance performance. “For Me and My Gal” is an old familiar tune that was added to this production. The title tune and “The Trolley Song,” of course, will always be the hometown favorites.

The finale of “Meet Me in St. Louis” is as extraordinary as this 100th season has been. It’s one of the best finales ever and one of the reasons why The Muny remains alone in its greatness. We are very fortunate to have this marvelous theater–the oldest and largest in the country–and its talented creative team right here where we live–right here in St. Louis. If you haven’t been part of the 100-year history yet, don’t miss “Meet Me in St. Louis,” being performed nightly at 8:15 p.m. now through Aug. 12 at The Muny in Forest Park.

For more information, go to muny.org or call 314-534-1111.

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