Theatre Review

A bright, nostalgic 'Meet Me in St. Louis' at OSTC

Don Fowler
Posted 12/11/14

I watched the current troubles in St. Louis on the 6:30 TV news and then left for Warwick’s Ocean State Theatre Company to see a much brighter, nostalgic St. Louis of 1903, just before the opening …

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Theatre Review

A bright, nostalgic 'Meet Me in St. Louis' at OSTC

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I watched the current troubles in St. Louis on the 6:30 TV news and then left for Warwick’s Ocean State Theatre Company to see a much brighter, nostalgic St. Louis of 1903, just before the opening of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

“Meet Me in St. Louis” rivals “Miracle on 34th St.,” previously done by OSTC, as the musical extravaganza of the Christmas season. It is uplifting, cheerful, schmaltzy theatre that leaves you thinking good thoughts at a time when we could use some good thoughts.

The book is terribly dated and sugarcoated, bringing us back to that time in our country’s history when the World’s Fair was offering hope for the future and the upper-middle class Smith family made the Cleavers and the Brady Bunch look dysfunctional. The worst thing that could happen was a tux for the Christmas ball being locked up in a store with no way to retrieve it.

OSTC’s Christmas gift is the latest reincarnation of the 1989 musical, which many of us remember as the 1940s movie starring a young, innocent Judy Garland.

Ocean State’s production is splendid, as we have come to expect from our Warwick-based theatre. Brian Horton’s vintage costumes are spectacular, as are the sets created by Charles Murdock Lucas.

Director/choreographer Gary John LaRosa has given us his experience of directing over 200 shows, including three former productions of “Meet Me in St. Louis,” and his magic touch is seen in every scene.

The story centers around the eight members of the Smith family, Mom, Dad, Grandfather, one son and four daughters, and their cook/maid. The two older daughters are swept up in love, one to the “boy next door” and the other to a reluctant suitor. The older son is also in love and on his way to Princeton. The two younger daughters are as cute as pie. Warwick’s Lily McMahon is delightful as Agnes Smith, while Bobbie Celine Doherty steals every scene she is in as Tootie Smith. The father is a grouchy, dictatorial lawyer who demands dinner on time and proper behavior from his children. Mom is the epitome of June Cleaver.

The major crisis occurs when Mr. Smith announces that he has accepted a position in New York City.

What? And leave St. Louis? What about all the romantic involvements? What about the upcoming exposition?

You just know that everything will work out as the 2½-hour musical winds down to Christmas Eve and Esther has sung “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to Tootie.

While I must admit that I found the musical a bit too squeaky clean at times, it does make you think about a time when things were a lot simpler and innocent

So “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” enjoy the romance with “The Boy Next Door,” enjoy the classic “The Trolley Song” and then “Meet Me in St. Louis”…or in this case, Warwick.

At the Ocean State Theatre, 1245 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick through December 28. Tickets are $39-$54. Call 921-6800 for reservations.

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