Meet the Smiths: (Standing, from left) are Gracie Malin, Madi Sarlo and Jacob Lamb; (sitting, from left) are Blake Phillips, Mavis Manaloto, Juliet Strom, Miryam Mendelson, Rachel Turner and Chester Kowalski. Photo by Bonnie Hobbs.
A slice of Americana and a glimpse at a kinder, gentler time – that is the musical comedy, “Meet Me in St. Louis.” It is Woodson High’s Cappies show and is set for Nov. 4-8 in the school theater.
The story is about the Smith family in the year leading up to the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. Daughter Esther has a crush on the boy next door and the family is close-knit and happy – until the dad upsets them all by telling them they’re moving from St. Louis to New York.
“Yet despite their problems, they still love each other,” said Director Terri Hobson. “It’s based on the 1944 movie with Judy Garland and is a fun story for all ages. This is such a timeless, family show and is a gift we can give to our community. It’s a colorful, cheerful, feel-good musical.”
Woodson Choral Director Michael Ehrlich pitched this show to her because of the music and balance of character roles. It also has not been performed much in this area, so it will be fresh and new to today’s audiences. There is a cast and crew of about 75, and Ehrlich is conducting the live orchestra.
“Both choral and theater students are in the show and things are going really well,” said Hobson. “We’ve got some brand-new talent, plus triple-threat kids who sing, dance and act. There are really creative kids in the cast and crew, and it’s fun to see the acting choices as they show the relationships of the family members and townspeople. And no matter how small their role, each actor has a backstory for their character, and it helps draw in the audience.”
THE SCENES take place in and around the Smiths’ home and at the World’s Fair. And the students did extensive research to make the props and costumes look authentic to that time period. But Hobson said the trolley they built will be the “scene stealer. It can hold upwards of 20 actors and it moves.”
“The costumes are wonderful, too,” she added. “It’s the post-Victorian era, so there are some high collars, but also collarless, shirts for the men, along with ties, top hats and waistcoats. The women wear long dresses with lace overskirts, and people will love seeing their elaborate hats decorated with flowers, feathers and ribbons.”
Hobson also praised her student director, senior Samantha Terry. “I can literally hand off anything to her and she’ll do it well,” said Hobson. “She’s brilliant and incredibly creative and has evolved into a really respected member of the [theater] department. Even though she’s a fellow student, the cast trusts her decisions.”
Senior Miryam Mendelson portrays Esther Smith. “She’s 17, naïve and sassy and obsessed with John Truitt [played by Drew Bondy], who lives next door,” said Mendelson. “She wants to be more grown up and have a boyfriend; and she loves St. Louis and is looking forward to being a high-school senior next year.”
Mendelson said it is fun playing someone so feisty and singing such great songs. Her favorite is “The Boy Next Door” because “it’s so sweet and really pretty. And we added a nice section where a ballerina will dance to it en pointe.”
She said the audience will enjoy this musical because “It’s a positive show that makes you think about how important family is and how you can be connected to a city. It also gets people to think about the definition of home and what it means. At one point, Esther tells [her little sister] Tootie, ‘We can be happy anywhere, as long as we’re together,’ and that’s the moral of the show.”
Juliet Strom, 7, shares the role of Tootie with Mary Clare Pelczynski and Taryn MacMahon. And, said Hobson, “They’re all so great, people will have to come back three times to see them all.”
Although Tootie is the youngest child, said Juliet, “She’s an old soul. She likes to play with her dolls, but is sometimes inappropriate in the songs she sings. I love playing her because she wears some fancy dresses and says things that surprise people.”
Juliet also loves acting and has done it before. “I like it because it’s fun to pretend to be someone else,” she explained. She especially likes the song she sings, “Whenever I’m with You,” because it is so funny. And she says people will enjoy this musical because “there are some really good actors and really pretty costumes.”
To Go
Show times are: Nov. 4, 5, 6, at 7 p.m.; Nov. 7, at 2 and 7 p.m.; Nov. 8, at 2 p.m.
Tickets via http://www.wtwdrama…">www.wtwdrama.org are: Adults, $15; students with ID, $10; senior citizens and children 12 and under, $5.
Tickets at the door are $15; senior citizens, $5.
PLAYING LON, the only boy in the Smith family, is junior Jacob Lamb. “Lon’s home from Princeton, where he’s a student,” said Lamb. “He’s cheerful and positive and likes putting people in a good mood. He has fun joking with his siblings and is a mentor to the two youngest girls, Agnes and Tootie. He’s a people person with a good heart and he eventually finds romance.”
Lamb is enjoying his role because “Lon’s more outgoing than I am; and I like the numbers he’s in, plus the dynamic he brings to the family. My favorite song is ‘The Banjo.’ I sing it, the ensemble joins in and it’s the biggest number in the show. Lon’s teaching others the latest, college dance craze, and it’s high-energy, involves the whole cast and is fun to do.”
Lamb said the audience will relate to the family members and their reactions to each other. “You see their conflicts, and people living here can identify with them having to move. It’s a feel-good show that’ll leave people in a good mood.”
Freshman Marlaina Horewitz is in several numbers in the singing ensemble. “It’s my first show at Woodson and I’m so honored to be in a cast with such talented people,” she said. She likes “The Trolley Song” best because “It’s so upbeat and gives you a really good perspective of the time period. It also shows the townspeople’s excitement about the fair.”
Horewitz said the audience will like the “beautiful sets and costumes; lots of work went into them and they’re very impressive. And everyone will love the show’s whimsical feel and the sense of family the characters portray.”