Right Here in St. Louis! Muny announces Mr. and Mrs. Smith for Meet Me In St. Louis

ST. LOUIS (April 24, 2018) – The Muny announced today the parental powerhouse that will star in the theatre’s closing centennial season production, Meet Me In St. Louis, August 4 – 12. Tony-nominated Erin Dilly will star alongside real-life husband Stephen R. Buntrock as Mrs. Anna and Mr. Alonso Smith, respectively. Meet Me In St. Louis is directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge and choreographed by Josh Walden with music direction by Charlie Alterman. Meet Me In St. Louis is proudly sponsored by Emerson.

“Meet Me In St. Louis is at its core, a beautiful tale of parental love and sacrifice,” said Muny Artistic Director and Executive Producer Mike Isaacson. “What a wonderful duo to bring the delight and responsibility and gravity of parenting to life. Erin and Stephen are a joy on and off stage, and I can’t wait to see what they do in these roles.”

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 and Follies. 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 Fail and 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 here in Thoroughly Modern Millie as Trever Graydon and as Mr. Banks in Mary Poppins. Broadway: A Little Night Music (revival), starring as Fredrik 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 Reuben 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.

ABOUT THE SHOW:
A beloved Muny favorite, Meet Me In St. Louis has songs by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane with 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.”

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.