Review: MEET ME IN ST LOUIS at The Muny Overflows with Sentimentality and Heart

The Muny’s current production of Meet Me in St Louis overflows with sentimentality and heart. It’s a glimpse of family life 130-years ago in the beloved city that The Muny and its audience call home.

The classic film screenplay by Irving Beecher and Fred F. Finklehoffe, the stage musical book by Hugh Wheeler, and the revised book by Gordon Greenberg tells the story of the Alonzo Smith's family and his plans to move them to New York City at the end of 1903. Alonzo’s wife Anna, and his five children are devastated by the news of leaving their home in St. Louis. While the story is set against the upcoming World’s Fair, its the dread of leaving your lifelong home in a city you love that has resonated with audiences for 86-years.

It is that sense of familial belonging that makes St. Louis a unique place to live. Those born and bred in St. Louis rarely leave for greener pastures, and when they do leave, they are quick to return. St. Louisans have a fond affection and attachment to their city. It is that sense of belonging to a place that enlivens this Muny production.

For fans of the film, Katerina McCrimmon’s (Esther) vocal performance alone is worth the price of admission. Her tone, phrasing, and sound on “The Boy Next Door,” “The Trolley Song,” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” are remarkably similar to Judy Garland. Whether it was an intentional imitative choice or simply coincidental, her singing is exquisite and her voice is befitting the most memorable songs in the score.

St. Louisan Colin Donnell and his real-life wife and Muny favorite Patti Murin charm as Alonzo and Anna Smith. Their “You and I” duet is lovely and they perfectly capture the married couple's conundrum about moving their children from their St. Louis home. Their local connection adds authenticity to their roles and makes their portrayals of Alonzo and Anna endearing.

No surprise that Muny veteran Beth Leavel is a scene stealer as Irish housekeeper Katie. In this production she debuted Oscar and Grammy winner Mark Sonnenblick’s new song “That’s Enough of That” with all the panache and flair expected from the Tony winner. Leavel can take scant moments on stage and create indelible memories which she’s done at the Muny for four decades. Next Tuesday, Leavel will be inducted into the Muny Hall of Fame, an honor reserved for the most impactful Muny artists, performers, and administrators.

Ten-year-old Lilah Levinson makes a splash in her Muny debut as the precocious Tootie. She’s unexpectedly comfortable working alongside Broadway and Muny veterans in one of the showiest and critical roles in Meet Me in St. Louis. Stepping into the shoes of Margaret O’Brien’s legendary film role is no small feat. She and Joylin Bass, in her Muny debut as Agnes, delight as the youngest Smith children.

The Meet Me in St Louis principal cast delivers wonderfully heartfelt performances. Stan Brown (Grandpa), Andrew Poston (Jon Truitt), Ilan Eskenazi (Lon), Kyla Stone (Rose), Emma Crow (Lucille Ballard), and Gregory Lee Rodriguez (Warren Sheffield) all created memorable story moments.

Poston, as Truitt, elicits an audible audience gasp when he reveals a secret to Esther. That reaction alone showed how invested the audience was and how engaged they were with each of these dynamic performers. Muny audiences are known for being highly engaged and giving the actors their full attention.

Director Maggie Burrows leans into a St. Louis’ warm sense of civic pride and immerses the audience in a bygone era. She captures bits and pieces of the city’s spirit that are, without a doubt, part of a collaborative storytelling process. Burrow’s and her creative teams give nostalgic nods to Anheuser Busch, The Cardinals, and St. Louis University High School (Muny President and CEO Kwofe Coleman’s alma mater). The new script references more than just the World’s Fair, it includes references to Clayton, Ladue, and other local municipalities and landmarks. For St. Louisans, it is simply enchanting.

Set designer and Belleville native Ann Beyersdorfer combined with projection designers Greg Emetaz and Kylee Loera to create an architecturally accurate depiction of turn-of-the-century St. Louis homes. Their collective work was cinematic, animated, dynamic, fluid, and kinetic.

Beyersdorfer’s recreated the Smith’s two-story home as a multi-sided spinning set piece. As the oversized replica of the Smith’s house turns, it reveals the exterior and interior of the home. Countless hours went into set decoration to ensure historical accuracy and functionality.

Her set designs received multiple spontaneous ovations. Her stunning finale piece of the 1904 World’s Fair was met with audience oohs and aahs.

Leon Dobkowski’s sophisticated costumes accented Beyersdorfer’s World’s Fair set. He made a statement adorning the company in all white suits, gowns, hats, and parasols for the finale. His turn of the century garments for the entire productions were elegant and well-suited to St. Louis’ upper middle class. His costumes were complimented by Kelly Jordan’s wig designs.

Emetaz and Loera’s video design, often projected directly onto Beyersdorfer’s painted sliding scenic doors, give the production animated motion. You see and feel the trolley moving down streets of St. Louis, and their creative animated take on the change of seasons is whimsically adorable.

Meet Me in St. Louis is exactly what you hope, want, and expect from a stage adaptation of the classic movie musical. What makes this Muny staging special are the wonderful portrayals, the beautiful set, video, and costume designs, and the many nostalgic nods to St. Louis.   

Like the other eight Muny productions of Meet Me in St Louis since 1960, it cannot be lost on you that you are actually seeing the show in the park where the 1904 World’s Fair happened. In 1919, just 15-years after the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, The Muny staged their first full season in Forest Park.

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