Meet Me in St. Louis Delivers a Good Dose of Christmas Cheer

With holiday merriment abounding at local theaters, Ocean State Theatre Company chimes in with the musical Meet Me in St. Louis. And, while Christmas may not be the focal point, there is enough caroling, gift giving and illuminated trees to fill one with a good dose of Christmas cheer. Highlighted by several strong performances and fantastic ensemble numbers, it makes a jolly good addition to any holiday “to see” list.

Based on the 1944 MGM movie starring Judy Garlard, Meet Me follows a year in the life of the Smith family. This heartwarming – and extremely dated – classic details a much more innocent time where the family must ponder two marriage proposals and consider a move to NY before embarking on a much anticipated trip to the 1904 World’s Fair.

We first meet the Smiths during a spirited family dinner as Rose (Hannah Spacone) anxiously waits for a “long distance phone call” from her suitor Warren Sheffield (Roger Reed); It is believed good old Warren will propose marriage (spoiler alert, the phone call leaves Rose very disappointed).

During this dinner, we are also introduced to the irreverent maid Katie (Stacey Geer), the loving and protective Mrs. Smith (Rebecca Barko), the dour and ornery Mr. Smith (Ronald Brown), the eccentric, hat changing Grandpa (Mark S. Cartier) the son Lon (Michael Luongo) and the daughters, Rose, Esther (Sarah Pothier), Agnes (Lily McMahon) and the pint-sized fatalist Tootie (Bobbie Celine Doherty).

Though the presumed nuptials between Rose and Warren dominate the early scenes, it is the far more interesting budding romance between Esther and neighbor John Truitt (Joshua Stenseth), that propels much of the action. When a move to NY threatens both couples, the Smith women force Mr. Smith’s hand and, upon seeing how such a move may tear his family apart, the iron-willed master of the house relents: “We’re not going to NY. We’ll stay here [in St. Louis] until we rot.”

While OSTC’s production features some marvelous vocalists, it is the ensemble numbers, choreographed by director and choreographer Gary John La Rosa, that steal the show. He nicely incorporates the varied skill levels of the large cast while allowing the better dancers to really stretch their legs.

The first big ensemble piece is a pretty jiggy “Skip to My Lou” complete with square dancing, cartwheels, men and women flipping and three men doing the coffee grinder! “The Trolley Song,” another wonderful company number, closes Act I with more clever choreography and the very catchy “Clang, clang, clang went the trolley” chorus that many were singing or humming while filing out for intermission.

The action in Act I clicks along at a good pace, culminating with the clanking of “The Trolley Song,” the pace in Act II, however, seems to slow a bit, even though it features the denouement and the evening’s best dance number.

“The Banjo” is by far the most dancey number, allowing Luongo to show off his very natural and easy style; he certainly emerges as the evening’s most versatile performer. While his singing pipes are OK, he turns out to be a pretty good hoofer.

Yet, this being a musical, the songs must carry the show. As Esther, Pothier shines early with “The Boy Next Door,” possessing a strong, clear voice with nice range. Later she is joined by Stenseth in “Over the Bannister” and, while he can’t match her singing, the two project instant chemistry as she clumsily tries to get him to kiss her.

They unite once more for a touching “You Are for Loving,” but again Stenseth falls short, appearing uneasy, though he does pull it together. Pothier is at her best during “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” where she soars, hitting her full vocal range.

Spacone and Reed, the other couple, have one duet, “Ravishing Beauty.” Reed’s tone is a bit measured but Spacone effortlessly changes pitch. And since their union seems “prearranged,” it lacks the chemistry of Pothier and Stenseth’s.

The most powerful voice belongs to Brown as the family’s figurehead. His voice booms during “A Day in New York” but hits a comforting tone while singing “Wasn’t it Fun?” with his wife; Barko nicely complements his power with clarity and impressive range as well.

Other noteworthy performances include Geer’s saucy housekeeper who delivers a campy rendition of “A Touch of the Irish,” an audience favorite, and Doherty as the smart-alecky youngest sibling who draws frequent laughter and applause.

And, once again, OSTC set designers do their part with a striking life-sized moving trolley. For the Smith’s home, they create a simple but warm living/dining room area: a large table and couch are arranged around a large wooden staircase that winds its way past picture framed walls.

Finally, the five piece “orchestra” also deserves some praise. They are spot-on the entire evening, often sounding much larger.

OSTC’s Meet Me in St. Louis runs through December 28. For tickets or more information, visit OceanStateTheatre.org.