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’s the musical comedy, “Meet Me in St. Louis.” It’s Woodson High’s Cappies show and is set for Nov. 4-8 in the school theater.
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 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.
The story’s 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’s 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 a colorful, cheerful, feel-good musical.”
There’s a cast and crew of about 75 — including both choral and theater students — plus a live orchestra.
“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 back story 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 have done 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.”
Juliet Strom, 7, a second-grader at Colin Powell Elementary, shares the role of Tootie, the youngest Smith sibling, 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’s a young 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, so she’s somewhat of a veteran. “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’s so funny. Overall, said Juliet, people will enjoy this musical because “there are some really good actors and really pretty costumes.”