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Meet Me in St. Louis
Book by Hugh Wheeler
Songs by Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane
Based on the MGM film “Meet Me in St.Louis”
Directed by Jim Corti
Musical Direction by Margaret James
Choreography by Tammy Mader
At Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre
100 Drury Lane
Oakbrook Terrace, IL
Call 630-530-0111, tickets $25 - $29
(Dinner packages with ticket from $36 -$49
Wednesdays at 1:30 pm
Thursdays at 1:30 & 8 pm
Fridays at 8:30 pm
Saturdays at 5 & 8:30 pm
Sundays at 2 & 6 pm
Running time is 2 hours, 20 minutes with intermission
Through December 16, 2007
Stunning production of Meet Me in St. Louis warms the heart.
Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre, under new Executive Director, Kyle DeSantis, has improved their production values. DeSantis told me that he hopes to improve the quality while maintaining a low ticket price. He has done that with the tight, slick and smooth mounting of the beloved MGM 1944 film---Meet Me in St. Louis for the stage. Amazingly, a cast with 18 Equity actors for a ticket price ranging from $25 to $29 tops! What a bargain!
Featuring a stylized set (designed by Brian Sydney Bembridge) featuring three white/tan aches with a back drop that changes depicting 1903-04 St. Louis’ skyline. This clever set changes from day to night and season to season. I liked having the five member orchestra on stage. The exquisite period-perfect costumes (by Tatjana Radisic) features tan five button suits for the men and full Victorian women’s dresses. The costumes offered a splendid visual of the turn-of-the-century fashion.
Director Jim Corti’s vision called for an original sweeping opening number, here with some original music from Margaret James, staged so as to propels us back to the summer of 1903 when men and women had simpler fun. The “Meet Me in St. Louis” song introduces us to the era and the characters (the Smith family). Choreographer Tammy Mader has made this show a charming, era specific dance show. Her movements suggest a breezy sweetness where folks walked and dance to their delight.
Meet Me in St. Louis unfolds as a warm, nostalgic peek at the sweet innocent time in America. Based on the famous 1944 MGM film with Judy Garland, Hugh Martin & Ralph Blane penned “The Trolley Song” as well as “Have Yourself a Merry Christmas” for this show.” Meet Me in St. Louis is a joy to behold. It is a replica of old fashion basic American values. Family values dominate. Dreams fuel the expectation of romance. The film was designed to remind the soldiers what they were fighting for in World War II. The stage musical is a reminder of what we were and still can be.
Jim Corti’s Meet Me in St. Louis is a pleasant, tuneful musical filled with zestful dances that gave the musical energy. Corti taps into nostalgia without too much sentimentality or melodrama. He plays the drama smartly and stages the songs marvelously. He has cast excellently.
Little Kamilah Lay steals her scenes as Tootie Smith, the eight year old precious little girl with the sparkle in her eyes and a big grin. She sings and dances like a veteran. With her sister, Agnes (Rae Gray), these little girls win our hearts as they try to find mischief. Add excellent work from David Kortemeier as Grandpa as well as Cory Goodrich as mother and we have strong casting that completes the show. Jessie Mueller as Ester (the Judy Garland role) is the star of this show. Mueller, with the long red wing, has a remarkable resemblance to Judy Garland, especially in profile. Mueller has a wonderful voice as she smoothly nails her romantic tunes. Jessie Mueller sings in the style of Judy Garland but clearly makes her songs hers. I thing Jessie Mueller is one of our top leading ladies. She can sing, dance and acts expertly. We love her instantly.
With Ester’s “The Boy Next Door,” we are swept back to 1903 St. Louis where the Smith’s are a solid middle class family awaiting the opening of the St. Louis World’s Fair. We see their daily life where the older teen girls are anxious to find mates while the younger children are navigating daily life in the city. The Smith’s are a lovable family ruled by father (Michael Gerhart). The show features Katie and Esther’s pursuit of a soul mate.
The show is peppered with nine new songs written especially for the stage production. Dance numbers such as “Skip to My Lou” and the smart, energetic “The Banjo” with David Kortemeier (Grandfather) and Brian Dahlquist (Warren Sheffield) deftly strumming banjoes highlighted the show. The act one ending show stopper “The Trolley Song” was a treat. Garland would be pleased.
Justin Berkobien’s John Truitt, Ester’s boy next door; Brandon Dahlquist’s Warren Sheffield, Rose’s lover, provided excellent supporting performances. Cory Goodrich was stunning as Mrs. Anna Smith as she sang “You’ll Hear A Bell” marvelously. Jill Kelly’s Rose was sweetly played while Susan Hart (the famed classical actress) returned to the musical stage with a spirited rendition of the Irish housekeeper Katie O’Rourke. Her “A Touch of the Irish” vaudevillian dance tune with Jessie Mueller and Jill Kelly was sung with aplomb.
Meet Me in St. Louis is a family-friendly musical that contains all the sweetness and charm of those early days in America in the 20th Century before all the modern trauma hit. Those innocent days are cherished. Kudos for Drury Lane Oakbrook Theatre for offering such a polished production as Meet Me in St. Louis. This is a terrific show to get children and teens interested in musical theatre. And the price is right.
Highly Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: October 25, 2007
Jeff Recommended
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