by Miryam Gordon - SGN A&E Writer

Meet Me in St. Louis
The Village Theatre
Issaquah through January 3
Everett January 8-31

Meet Me in St. Louis is a movie that is famous for several signature songs, mostly sung by the great Judy Garland, such as "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and "The Trolley Song" ("clang, clang, clang goes the trolley"). It's a sticky-sweet story about a St. Louis family thinking about moving away from St. Louis just before the 1904 World's Fair opens. That's the only "problem" in the world for them.

The movie has been turned into a cotton-candy light stage musical by The Village Theatre. It's a sumptuous production, which we have come to expect from the Village. The stage (designed by Steven Capone) is stupendous - a movable house façade that gets pushed aside to reveal a beautiful, upscale dark wood interior for an upper-middle-class household. The 1904 costumes of the day are beautifully rendered by Cynthia Savage.

The note-perfect orchestra, headed by conductor Tim Symons, provides seamless musical support to the solid cast of actors. In Judy Garland's signature role, Ryah Nixon, a rising young musical theater actor, romps coquettishly through the musical, pining away for the Boy Next Door and waiting for the World's Fair to start. Jason Kappus plays the next-door heartthrob with boyish charm. John Patrick Lowrie is the father of the family, a lawyer who threatens to move them all away to New York City due to a promotion, causing great consternation. Momma Anne, played by Frances Leah King, makes the ultimate sacrifice to stand by her man and support his move, as any good turn-of-the-century wife would do.

This is a "fun for the whole family" musical, spanning a summer, Halloween, Christmas, and spring over the course of the play, so you get all the holiday spirits, but don't have to concentrate only on Christmas. It's a fine option for those who like a little dabble for the holidays, but don't want to dip too deeply. There's not a lot of suspense; it's a charming message about family-togetherness and trying to make the best of things.

This "family" and its portrait of turn-of-the-century America is very white and white-bread. It may be unfair to poke at what isn't supposed to be a controversial subject, but in 2009, it becomes less easy to "just" mount a production without looking at some of the issues of today. However, if your cup of tea is to forget anything controversial and just sing along with Judy, then this is just the show for you. Aside from those mentioned, other talented cast members include Bobbi Kotula as the Irish maid, Bryan Tramontana (a female Bryan) as the older sister, Larry Albert as Grandpa, and two talented young ladies, Analiese Emerson Guittinger as Tootie and Katie Griffith as Agnes, the youngest two daughters. A fun tap-dancing brother, Lon (John David Scott), enlivens the second act.

For more information, go to www.villagetheatre.org or call 425-392-2202.

Comments on reviews go to sgncritic@gmail.com.

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