Right Here in St. Louis! Meet Me In St. Louis Cast Announced
The Muny announced today its full cast, design and production teams for the theatre’s centennial season closing production of Meet Me In St. Louis, August 4 - 12. Meet Me In St. Louis is proudly sponsored by Emerson.
Meet Me In St. Louis has songs by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, a book by Hugh Wheeler and is based on “The Kensington Stories” by Sally Benson and the MGM motion picture “Meet Me in St. Louis.” This production will feature a revised book by Gordon Greenberg and new orchestrations by John McDaniel.
“How great to end our 100th season with a show and a story beloved by this community,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer, Mike Isaacson. “This is a fantastic company who will bring the Smith family and friends to thrilling and poignant life.”
Joining the previously announced Erin Dilly (Mrs. Anna Smith) and Stephen R. Buntrock (Mr. Alonso Smith), are Ken Page (Grandpa Prophater), Kathy Fitzgerald (Katie), Emily Walton (Esther Smith), Liana Hunt (Rose Smith), Dan DeLuca (John Truitt), Jonathan Burke (Lon Smith), Elle Wesley (Agnes Smith) and Elena Adams (Tootie Smith). A spectacular ensemble completes this cast, including Akilah Ayanna, Michael Baxter, Leah Berry, Shawn Bowers, Michael Burrell, Emma Gassett, Berklea Going, Madison Johnson, Jeff Jordan, Halle Morse, Ben Nordstrom, Commodore C. Primous III, Payton Pritchett, Cooper Stanton, Julia Paige Thorn and Brion Marquis Watson. The company will also be joined by the Muny Kid and Teen youth ensembles.
As previously announced, Meet Me In St. Louis is directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge and choreographed by Josh Walden with music direction by Charlie Alterman.
The design team leading this production includes scenic design by Michael Schweikardt, costume design by Tristan Raines, lighting design by Rob Denton, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge, video design by Matthew Young, wig design by Leah J. Loukas, with production stage manager J. Jason Daunter.
ERIN DILLY (Mrs. Anna Smith) Broadway credits include: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang(Tony nomination, Outer Critics Circle Award), A Christmas Story (originated the role of Mother), Nice Work If You Can Get It, Into the Woods, The Boys from Syracuse andFollies. Other New York: Songbird, Fiorello! and Babes in Arms (both at NY City Center Encores!). Muny: Into the Woods and Mary Poppins. Regional: Clue (Bucks County Playhouse), Mary Poppins (Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera), In the Mood (Berkshire Theatre Festival), Leading Ladies (Alley Theatre). National tours: South Pacific, Beauty and the Beast, Martin Guerre (Helen Hayes Award nomination). Television: Bull, Person of Interest, Boardwalk Empire, The Good Wife, Elementary, Gossip Girl, Nurse Jackie, 12 Men of Christmas, and all three Law & Order series. Films: Julie & Julia; Too Big to Failand Everyday People. Erin founded The Living Studio www.livingstudionyc.com, created the Summer Musical Theatre Intensive Six Days of Broadway at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and is adjunct faculty at PACE University in the Musical Theatre Department.
STEPHEN R. BUNTROCK (Mr. Alonso Smith) is incredibly excited to be back on the Muny stage after performing in Thoroughly Modern Millie as Trever Graydon and as Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins. Broadway: A Little Night Music (revival), starring as Fredrick Egerman, opposite Bernadette Peters. He played the same role in the show’s earlier run with original leading ladies, Catherine Zeta Jones and Angela Lansbury. Curly in Oklahoma!; Gaston in Beauty and the Beast, St. John in the original cast of Jane Eyre, Barrett in Titanic, Enjolras in the 10th Anniversary cast of Les Misérables, The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, Josephus Gage in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (NY City Center Encores!) and Teen Angel for the latest revival of Grease. He has toured extensively across the United States and Canada as Rueben in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat, starring Donny Osmond, originated the role of Arnaud du Thil in Cameron Mackintosh's Martin Guerre and The Phantom of the Opera. Stephen has enjoyed many concert appearances as well, most recently performing alongside Dame Julie Andrews in London with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
KEN PAGE (Grandpa Prophater) Muny: Aida (Amonasro), Into the Woods (Narrator),Jesus Christ Superstar (King Herod, Kevin Kline Award), Dreamgirls (Marty) and many others. New York, Paris and London audiences have enjoyed Ken in such shows as the original Broadway and film cast of Cats (Old Deuteronomy), Ain’t Misbehavin’ (Ken, Drama Desk Award), Guys and Dolls (Nicely Nicely Johnson, Theatre World Award),Children of Eden, The Wiz, It Ain’t Nothin’ But the Blues and The Wizard of Oz, among others. Film roles include Dreamgirls (Max Washington) and Torch Song Trilogy(Murray). His writing/directing work, Cafe Chanson, earned four St. Louis Theater Circle Award nominations and his production, Sublime Intimacy, earned three. Ken appeared in Ariadne auf Naxos (Major-Domo) with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and reprised his performance of Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas, live at New York's Barclay Center in 2017.
KATHY FITZGERALD (Katie) comes to The Muny directly from 10 months as Mrs. Gloop on Broadway in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Muny credits: Pirates! (Ruth). Other Broadway credits: The Producers (Shirley Markowitz, original Broadway cast) starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, Swinging on a Star (Drama Desk nomination) 9 to 5 (Roz, Outer Critics nomination) with Allison Janney. Kathy has also appeared in over 2000 performances of Wicked on Broadway and the national tour as Madame Morrible (Broadway World Award). Off-Broadway: Damn Yankees (Doris, Encores!), Disaster! (Triad); Donnybrook (Irish Rep). Regionally, Kathy has worked at McCarter Theatre and the Goodspeed Opera House, to name a few. TV/Film: Smash, Mercy, One Life to Live, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Next Three Days (with Russell Crowe), Our Idiot Brother and The Producers.
EMILY WALTON (Esther Smith) Muny debut! Broadway: Peter and the Starcatcher, August: Osage County. Off-Broadway: Ride the Cyclone (MCC), Women Without Men(Mint Theater Company), Eager to Lose: A Burlesque Farce in Rhyming Verse (Ars Nova); The Shaggs, Saved (both at Playwrights Horizons), Cactus Flower (West Side Theatre), The Deepest Play Ever (New Ohio Theatre). Favorite regional credits includeDarling Grenadine (Goodspeed), The Wizard of Oz (Sacramento Music Circus), The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls (Yale Rep), The Secret Garden (Denver Center),Sondheim on Sondheim (Great Lakes Theatre Festival) and Third (Two River Theater). Film/TV: Submission, 5 Doctors, Hack My Life (TruTV), Search Party (TBS). Emily is also a singer-songwriter and just released her debut album, Little Longings, this year! www.ladyemilywalton.com
LIANA HUNT (Rose Smith) Muny debut! Broadway: Newsies (Katherine), Mamma Mia!(Sophie). National tours: Bright Star (Margo), Wicked (Nessarose), Mamma Mia!(Sophie). Regional: Private Lives (Sibyl, Riverside Theatre), Jekyll & Hyde (Emma, Engeman Theater), Grease (Sandy, Engeman Theater), Les Misérables (Eponine, Merry-Go-Round). B.F.A.: NYU. Proud AEA member. Instagram/Twitter: @lianamariehunt
DAN DELUCA (John Truitt) is so happy to be back on the Muny stage after marrying into The Addams Family during the 2014 season as Lucas Beineke. He originated the role of Jack Kelly on the tour of Disney’s Newsies. Regional: Thoroughly Modern Millie(Jimmy, Goodspeed Opera House), Hair (Claude, Patchogue Theatre), Next to Normal(Gabe), Mamma Mia! (Sky, Weston Playhouse); Legally Blonde (Emmett, Lexington Theatre Company), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Young Max, The Old Globe), Children of Eden (Cain/Japheth, CAP21). Other credits include: 54 Below, Joe’s Pub, Barrington Stage, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Radio City Music Hall. Dan serves as the Visual Director and Key Speaker for The Field Consulting specializing in Emotional Intelligence and Mindfulness.
JONATHAN BURKE (Lon Smith) Broadway: Tuck Everlasting (original Broadway cast). Off-Broadway/NYC: Joan of Arc: Into the Fire (Priest/Judge, Public Theater); Langston in Harlem (Junior Addict, Urban Stages), Jazz A La Carte (Apollo Theater), 48 Hours in… Harlem (Emmett, National Black Theatre). National tours: Mary Poppins (u/s Valentine), A Christmas Story: The Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor® Dreamcoat (Judah, u/s Joseph), Cats (Mungojerrie). Regional: Head of Passes (Crier, Berkeley Rep), Choir Boy (David Heard, Studio Theatre), Mary Poppins (Bert, Syracuse Stage), Amazing Grace (Tyler, Goodspeed), Rent (Angel, Hangar Theatre), Hairspray (Seaweed, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse), Born For This (Michael Winans/Howard, The Broad Stage), I Sing the Rising Sea (Granby, Virginia Stage Company). B.F.A., Ithaca College. Instagram/Twitter: @jondbeee
ELLE WESLEY (Agnes Smith) Muny debut! She was last seen in the role of Ngana in the Stages St. Louis production of South Pacific.
ELENA ADAMS (Tootie Smith) Muny debut! Elena has performed in youth and community theatre since the age of five and was recently nominated by Arts for Life for Best Juvenile Performer in a Musical.
Link for more information: https://muny.org/meet-me-in-st-louis/
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Clang, clang, clang, we are off to The Muny! Based on the heartwarming 1944 MGM film, Meet Me In St. Louis paints a wholesome portrait of a turn of the century American family. Set in the summer of 1903, the Smiths eagerly await the grand opening of the 1904 World’s Fair. With hits such as “The Trolley Song,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Boy Next Door” and the title number, this is the perfect finale to our 100th season, and will evoke nothing but love and pride…right here in St. Louis.
Categories: Muny News
