Meet Me In St. Louis OBC

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/10/05 at 10:35pm

I just got the MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS OBCR and I have to say, I'm really impressed with how the score was expanded and orchestrations made fresh sounding with a relatively unknown cast (expect for George Hearn). I didn't think I was going to like it because I mean how could you make it better than the movie, right? But it is. I really love it. I'm speechless at the moment. I checked out IBDB.com and I see that it didn't do very well. Did anyone happen to see it? I'd really like to know what it was like. I mean, I'm sure a few will post about how bad it was, but what was good? what worked? I mean, it played at The Gershwin. That right away set off some alarms because when I was imagining it in my head I imagined it in a very small theatre with very minimal sets and things and that seems to be the opposite of how it was done. But how could you not flip over some of these songs and their dance arrangements? Great buy. I'm not disappointed at all... Updated On: 2/11/05 at 10:35 PM

[jim]

Posted: 2/10/05 at 11:34pm

I've seen a bootleg tape of the Broadway production. I didn't see it live. I did see a regional production (tour) that went back to the original screenplay. It was just like watching the movie with a few added songs thrown in.Didn't really care for it.They could have put up a movie screen and shown the film. Nothing original about the revised book. However, the surviving member of the composing team (Blaine? Martin?) was very vocal that he hated the B'way productiona and preferred the revised script. Pretty sure that revised script based on the screenplay is what is licensed. At least the Broadway production had some new stuff.
In the original B'way production,audiences discovered that "The Trolly Song," which closed Act One, was actually a dream that Esther (Donna Kane) was having... She wakes up jsut as the curtain falls.Oh, and there was that weird long Halloween ballet for Tootie.
In the revised book that is done now, the script follows the movie. For example, "The Trolley Song" is done just as it was in the movie. And the Halloween ballet and that song that preceded it, "Ghosties, Goblins..whatever it is called was cut.
Also cut, "Ice" which was an elaborate production number sung by Rose on a real skating rink that opened Act Two. I recall that professional ice skaters were hired for that number.
The set design was quite elaborate for the Gershwin. And a fireworks display and working fountains for the St. Louis fair finale.
Loved Donna Kane and Jason Workman's rendition of "You are for Loving," a number also by Blaine and Martin that had been written for their earlier show, BEST FOOT FORWARD. Originally sung in an early 1960's off-b'way revival by a very young Liza Minnelli.
Minnelli also recorded "You are for Loving," as a single.
A couple of the numbers for the Broadway production of ST.LOUIS were trunk songs that had been used as early as 1957 for a TV musical HANS BRINKER or THE SILVER SKATES. Tab Hunter and Peggy King starred.

[Jon]

Posted: 2/10/05 at 11:39pm

"Relatively unknown"? You never heard of Betty Garrett?

[Mahatma Kane Jeeves]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 12:18pm

I have the OBCR CD and for the most part I like the additional songs, save for the lame "Banjos" ditty. I would have loved to have seen the great Betty Garrett as the feisty irish maid; Her big number "A Touch Of The Irish" is especially fun and must have been a real show-stopper.

Updated On: 2/11/05 at 12:18 PM

[Wicked_Burn]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 12:33pm

It's so weird that there's something here about that CD...do you guys like it? B/c I'm in the show right now...and My mom and I couldn't get a hold of the CD anywhere...and we just wanted to know if it's good and worth getting at all!

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 12:40pm

Some of THE best orchestrations ever, by Bruce Pomahak. Just listed to The Trolley Song and Skip to My Lou.

He also did State Fair, and vocal arrangements for the recent White Christmas in SF. His orchestrations are thrilling, inventive, and VERY golden-age Broadway in their sound. The man knows what he's doing.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 2:17pm

I like the original script for the Broadway production a lot better than the revised one. If they do a revival they should use the original script. And don't cut that Halloween song! it's absolutly thrilling!

Wicked_Burn, the CD is on Amazon.com.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000000PIH/qid=1108149536/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/104-1378510-4163961?v=glance&s=music Updated On: 2/11/05 at 02:17 PM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/11/05 at 2:45pm

Wicked_Burn, I did a little research for you and if you do decide to get the original Broadway cast recording (and you should) the song list will be as follows:

act one
Overture
Meet Me in St. Louis
Boy Next Door
Be Anything But a Girl
Skip to My Lou
Under the Bamboo Tree
Banjos
Ghosties and Ghoulies and Things That Go Bump in the Night
Halloween Ballet
Wasn't It Fun?
Trolley Song

act two
Entr'acte
Ice
Raving Beauty
Touch of the Irish
You Are for Loving
A Day in New York
Irish Jig (The Ball)
Diamonds in the Starlight
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Paging Mister Sousa
Finale: Meet Me in St. Louis (reprise)
*Bows*

where as the production that your school/theatre is putting on can only use the revised (tour) script so the song list will be very different:

act one
The Overture
Meet Me In St. Louis
The Smith Family Octet
The Boy Next Door
You'll Hear a Bell
A Raving Beauty
Skip to My Lou
Under the Bamboo Tree
Over the Bannister
The Boy Next Door (reprise)
The Trolley Song

act two
Entr'acte
A Touch of the Irish
The Girl Next Door (reprise)
A Day in New York
You'll Hear a Bell (reprise)
Wasn't It Fun?
You Are for Loving
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Finale: Meet Me in St. Louis (reprise)
*Bows*

oy... Updated On: 2/11/05 at 02:45 PM