Thea Star here!
Well, September has just flown by! The First National tour of Grease has come and gone and now TUTS is all about their debut production of Meet Me in St. Louis, starring Anneliese van der Pol (seen at left), who played Chelsea Daniels on the popular Disney Channel program “That's So Raven.” Let me tell you my kids are freaking out about her being cast in the role of Esther Smith! Judy Garland starred in the MGM film in that role and I’ve heard that director, Mark Hoebee, thinks that van der Pol evokes Garland in the way she sings! Garland was, of course, also a well-known child star who later became an icon and still is today.
Also in the cast are three Humphreys School of Musical Theatre students: Abigail Moorhead playing Agnes Smith and Jacqueline Touchet playing Tootie Smith (Sydney Crofton is understudying for both roles). In the film, another child star, Margaret O’Brien played Tootie and nearly steals the film from Garland because she was so adorable. Interestingly, a former Tommy Tune participant, Barry Busby who now resides in New York is also in the cast. Other Houstonians also fill roles, including Monica Bradley, Kristin Kee and Monica Brown (both are Sam Houston State students and interns at TUTS) Kristin Warren and a new arrival to town, Dru Peacock Wiser.
Personally, I love the film version and happen to own it; I am also happy TUTS has started a partnership with the Angelika Film Center in Bayou Place to show films that have tie-ins with musicals TUTS is producing. There has already been a Sing-A-Long version of Grease (with a packed house, I might add!) and Meet Me in St. Louis, which hasn’t been seen on the big screen since its release! Meet Me in St. Louis had audience members howling with laughter at the quirky turn-of-the-century Smith family and several later thanked TUTS for bringing the beautifully restored 35 MM film back to the big screen.
Other screenings coming up include TUTS’ version of a The Sound of Music Sing-A-Long on December 2 and a rare showing of the 1958 film, South Pacific, starring Rossano Brazzi as Emile de Becque, Mitzi Gaynor as Ens. Nellie Forbush and John Kerr as Lt. Joseph Cable on March 3, 2010!
There is just something so endearing about seeing these classic films on the big screen, especially the Sing-A-Long versions, but actually you can sing with all of them if you want because no one is going to shush you and I love that! Plus you can register to win tickets to each of the associated musicals, another great TUTS perk.
So, “BTB” readers are you as excited as my kids (and me) about van der Pol’s role in Meet Me in St. Louis? When a “known” actor or in this case, actress is cast are you more inclined to check out a show? What do you think of all the locals in this production? Have you attended any of the films in the TUTS Film series yet? What did you think?
As always, I await your comments so let me know YOUR thoughts, OK?
Until next time, see you under the stars.
-Thea