Article Photos

Alpena Civic Theatre's well-established tradition of treating the community to a rousing fall musical has continued unabated with this week's opening of "Meet Me in St. Louis."

A richly detailed set, beautiful turn-of-the-century style hats and gowns, and more than 20 local performers combine to make this old-fashioned tale of love another pleasing theatre experience.

Among the large scale cast are nine newbies trying their wings for the first time on the ACT stage, including Allyssa Tatro and Katie Lewis in major roles. Both Tatro and Lewis, as the love-challenged Esther and Rose Smith, are delightful.

Lewis easily commands the stage with her winsome Rose who hopes to secure a marriage proposal from the moneyed Warren Sheffield (played by another newcomer, Morgan Suszek) even as she drives him crazy with her assumed aloofness.

Tatro's Esther is finding love for the first time in next door neighbor John Truett (played by Christopher Lytle). Tatro has plenty of lines to recite and songs to sing, among them "The Boy Next Door."

The show opens on the cusp of the 1904 World's Fair and quickly sashays into the title song, "Meet Me in St. Louis." Everyone in the Smith family with the exception of the perpetually grumpy Mr. Smith nailed just so by Gary Goren are anticipating this once-in-a-lifetime event.

Besides Esther and Rose, the family includes younger sisters "Tootie" and Agnes. These fun roles are filled by Breanna Burrone and Ashley Timmreck, who both do a great job. The twosome often occupy their time causing mischief in the family, but they also team up with Esther on the cute number, "Under the Bamboo Tree."

Linda Suneson handily plays their kind and patient mother, Mrs. Anna Smith. Completing the family is older brother Lon, played by another newcomer, Devon Chisholm, and Grandpa Prophater, an amusing and endearing part assumed by Jere Standen, who besides being out-right entertaining, also gets to wear a variety of funny hats.

Funny also describes Donna Roussin who serves the Smith family as their maid, Katie. Luckily for the audience they occasionally get to hear Roussin, with her deep bluesy vocals, burst out in song.

A descriptive word for young chorus members Madison Timmreck and Lillian Broad would have to be adorable. Marlo Broad, Lillian's mom, also appears in the chorus of townsfolk. Her superb voice can be clearly heard during a Christmas carol in the second act.

Caitlin Borke, with her Southern accent, appears as Eve, and Don Cline shows up as both the postman and motorman. Rounding out the cast are Angie Shiemke as Lucille Ballard, Will Saxby as Peewee Drummond, Aaron Jackson as Sydney Purvis and additional chorus members Marilyn Kettler and Pat Skiba.

Playing all the music for "Meet Me in St. Louis" are local musicians Suelyn Bartz, Mary Ann Hubbard and Brian Carter. They are so good they sound like professionally-recorded music piped in for the show, not a three-piece, back-stage band.

The set, always a joint effort at ACT but designed this time by Chip Lavely, Jay Kettler and the show's director, Julie Meyers, looks very finished and detailed as the Smith family home. Effective use is made of pretty, painted scrims on a couple of occasions to signify a change of place.

An interesting and creatively-designed set piece is the trolley utilized in the number, "The Trolly Song," one of the more famous songs to come out of "Meet Me in St. Louis." So as not to ruin it for others planning to see the show, let's just say that the trolly is transformed from a totally unexpected source.

There are lots of memorable song and dance numbers as well such as the square dance routine in "Skip to My Lou" and the "Christmas Waltz" performed at the ball. Hats off to both Karen Thompson as musical director and Marilyn Kettler as choreographer. Kettler also deserves considerable credit for designing the eye-catching costumes.

Though the majority of the Smith family is eagerly anticipating the upcoming World's Fair, their father puts an uninvited wrench into their plans by announcing a move to New York City. How the family works it out and who ultimately ends up with whom makes up the show's storyline.

Remaining performances of this annual fall season marker are today through Oct. 18 and Oct. 21-25. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. For reservations, call 354-3624.