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SPRING 2015
Arts
Meet Me at the Theater
Jack Murphy
Staff Writer
Musical Theatre’s
production of “Meet
Me In St. Louis”
opened on February
26 at the Webb Theater and featured a
stand-out ensemble.
Even though it did
not appear onstage
frequently, group
performances showcased exceptional
vocals, cohesive
choreography, and
uplifting energy.
The musical is
adapted from the
1944 film starring Judy
Garland as Esther
Smith, a member of
the Smith family who
lived in 1903 and
1904 in St. Louis. With
such high expectations to fill the shoes
of a beloved singer
and actress, sophomore Makeala Zeran
(MT) met those expectations and even
more. Her performance was unique
with a warm voice
and great character
charm.
Through the show,
Zeran’s character
falls in love with the
boy next door, John
Truett, played by
freshman Darian
Agredano (MT).
With a classical musical comedy comes
elaborate costumes,
sets, hair, and make-
up. The MT make-up
class students, led
by teacher Cynthia
Karim, designed the
hair and makeup, a
unique look because
of the show’s time
period. Esther Smith’s
hair was styled in
large draping curls
known as “victory
rolls”. Freshman Sydney Horner (ACT),
who played the maid
Katie, wore a Gibson:
a puffy up-do held
together with a bun
on top. Lots of braids
and curls were called
for, replicating the
reserved style of the
era.
This is MT’s second production this
season with a guest
director, the first being “A Chorus Line”
directed by Broadway veteran Krysta
Rodriguez. “St. Louis”
was directed by Karen Culliver Parks, a
Broadway cast member of the original
production. MT staff
member Amy Eklund
returned as vocal
director and Melissa
Staab returned as
choreographer after
last year’s production
of “Titanic.”
Director Culliver
Parks enstilled a professional rehearsal
environment and
encouraged the
process of charac-
Cast of “Meet Me in St. Louis”
Photo by: Cheryl Walsh
Courtesy of: Alt-Senior.com
ter development.
that is memorable
Sophomore Yoomi
for its popular tunes
Kim (MT) who played by composers Hugh
ensemble member
Martin and Ralph
Lucille, said, “We also Blane, including
had to make charthe Acadey Award
acter journals where
nominated “The Trolwe had to explain
ley Song.” Assistant
everything about our Choreographer junior
character, our relaRonald Kinloch (MT)
tionships, and all the
explained that dursetting around us.
ing the song, “Melissa
Yoomi’s charac[Staab] created this
ter was played by
beautiful representaCulliver Parks in the
tion of a trolley made
Broadway producout of the students
tion. “She gave us
and it just looked
a lot of freedom,”
awesome.”
Yoomi said.
All in all, “St. Louis”
The production had was a spectacua number of suprises. lar production with
In a modern twist,
gorgeous costumes,
Parks made use of
melodic vocals, and
the side screens in
unique staging. As
the Webb to indicate the beloved “Trolley
the time lines of the
Song” goes, “zing,
play.
zing, zing went my
“Meet Me in St.
heartstrings/ from the
Louis” is a classic
moment I saw [the
American musical
show] I fell!”