Salve Regina University’s Department of Music, Theatre and Dance is set to open its fall production of the classic musical Meet Me in St. Louis, with performances scheduled for Thursday, October 24th and Friday, October 25th at 7 p.m., as well as matinees on Saturday, October 26th and Sunday, October 27th at 2 p.m. at the Casino Theatre.
The production is based on the 1944 MGM film of the same name, which chronicles the Smith family’s life in the months leading up to the 1904 World’s Fair. Audiences will be treated to timeless scenes by playwright Hugh Wheeler and iconic songs composed by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, including classics like “The Trolley Song” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Notably, all performers in the show are Salve Regina students, and students are involved in every aspect of the production, from lighting and sound to set design and costumes.
Guest director and choreographer Ali Angelone, a Bristol resident, aims to capture the warmth and closeness of a community bound together by family and shared traditions. “It’s something we all need right now,” Angelone said. Her vision for the production evokes the joy of small-town events and holiday gatherings, a theme reflected in the show’s key moments, such as the family celebrations of Halloween, Christmas, and the World’s Fair. “I grew up going to the Fourth of July Parade every year and now bring my children. This is what I’d like audiences to feel,” she said. “The sense of community and family that special events in a town can create.”