- Meet Me in St. Louis (musical)
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Meet Me in St. Louis Music Hugh Martin
Ralph BlaneLyrics Hugh Martin
Ralph BlaneBook Hugh Wheeler Basis 1944 film Meet Me in St. Louis Productions 1989 Broadway Meet Me in St. Louis is a musical based on the 1944 film of the same title, about a family living in St. Louis, Missouri on the eve of the 1904 World's Fair.
The musical varied from the film with additional songs and some additional character development; the focus is not primarily on the character of Esther, as in the film. The musical ran on Broadway in 1989.
Contents
Productions
The musical opened on Broadway at the George Gershwin Theatre on November 2, 1989 and closed on June 10, 1990, after 252 performances. It was directed by Louis Burke with choreography by Joan Brickhill.[1]
The show was performed Off-Broadway by the Irish Repertory Theater in December 2006 through February 2007, with direction by Charlotte Moore (the mother in the Broadway production), choreography by Barry McNabb and sets by Tony Straiges. The cast featured George S. Irving as Grandpa Prophater.[2]
The musical has been produced by Musicals Tonight! (New York), in October 2004[3] the Paper Mill Playhouse Millburn, New Jersey in November to December 2007, with Brynn O'Malley as Esther, Gregg Edelman as Alonso Smith, and Donna English as Anna Smith,[4] and The Muny, St. Louis in July 2009, with Lewis J. Stadlen as Grandpa Prophater, Brynn O'Malley as Esther Smith, Max von Essen as John Truitt and Stephen Bogardus as Mr. Alonzo Smith.[5]
Characters and Broadway cast
- Katie the maid -- Betty Garrett
- Mr. Alonzo Smith -- George Hearn
- Mrs. Anna Smith -- Charlotte Moore
- Grandpa Prophater -- Milo O'Shea
- Alonzo "Lon" Smith Jr. -- Michael O'Steen
- Esther Smith -- Donna Kane
- John Truitt -- Jason Workman
- Rose Smith -- Juliet Lambert
- Warren Sheffield -- Peter Reardon
- Sarah Mahala Redway "Tootie" Smith -- Courtney Peldon
- Agnes Smith -- Rachael Graham
Songs
- Act I
- Meet Me in St. Louis
- Be Anything But a Girl
- The Boy Next Door *
- Skip to My Lou *
- Under the Bamboo Tree *
- Banjos
- Ghosties and Ghoulies and Things That Go Bump in the Night
- Halloween Ballet
- Wasn't It Fun
- The Trolley Song *
- Act II
- Ice
- Raving Beauty
- A Touch of the Irish
- You Are For Loving
- A Day in New York
- The Ball
- Diamonds in the Starlight
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas *
- Paging Mr. Sousa
The song "Whenever I'm with You" was added for a 1999 revival.
* Songs from the film also in the stage version
As of the late 90's the order of songs was changed, and some were removed. The current version is as follows:
- Act I
- Overture-Instrumental
- Meet Me in St. Louis - Ensemble, Smith Family
- The Boy Next Door - Esther
- Meet Me in St. Louis Reprise - Smith Family
- Whenever I'm With You - Smith Family
- You'll Hear a Bell - Mrs. Smith
- Meet Me in St. Louis Reprise - Smith Family
- A Raving Beauty - Warren, Rose
- Skip To My Lou - Ensemble
- Drunk Song - Tootie
- Under The Bamboo Tree - Esther, Tootie, Agnes
- Over the Banister - John
- Skip To My Lou Reprise-Ensemble
- The Trolley Song - Esther, Ensemble
- Act II
- Entr'acte - Instrumental
- Touch Of The Irish - Katie, Rose, Esther
- Boy Next Door Reprise - John, Esther
- A Day In New York - Smith Family
- You'll Hear A Bell (Reprise) - Mrs. Smith
- Wasn't It Fun? - Mr. and Mrs. Smith
- Christmas Waltz - Instrumental
- The Banjo - Ensemble
- Auld Lang Syne - Instrumental
- You Are For Loving - John, Esther
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Esther
- Trolley Song (Reprise) - Ensemble
- Meet Me In St. Louis (Reprise) - All
Awards and nominations
- Best Musical (nominee)
- Best Book of a Musical (Hugh Wheeler) (nominee)
- Best Original Score (Music by Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane; Lyrics by Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane) (nominee)
- Best Choreography Joan Brickhill (nominee)
- Jason Workman (winner)
References
- ^ Rich, Frank."Review/Theater; 'Meet Me in St. Louis': Movie Brought to Stage"New York Times (abstract), November 3, 1989
- ^ Suskin, Steven. "Legit Review: Meet Me In ST. Louis", "Variety, December 25, 2006 - December 31, 2006, p. 26
- ^ "'Meet Me In St. Louis' listing" musicalstonight.org, accessed April 19, 2011
- ^ Gans, Andrew."Paper Mill's Meet 'Me in St. Louis' Begins Nov. 6; Theatre Names New Executive Director" playbill.com, November 7, 2007
- ^ Gans, Andrew."'Meet Me in St. Louis' Plays St. Louis' Muny Beginning July 6" playbill.com, July 6, 2009
External links
Categories:- Musicals based on films
- Broadway musicals
- 1989 musicals
- Musical theatre stubs
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