The challenging journey to stage “Meet Me in St. Louis”
By STU CLAMPITT
Esther Smith just can’t ignore the boy next door in Main Street Productions (MSP) and the Westfield Playhouse’s summer youth production of the classic family-friendly comedy Meet Me in St. Louis, staging July 15-25 with both in-person and livestream options.
The play deals with the Smith family, new love, and the struggle to deal with the changing times at the turn of the century in 1904 before the St. Louis World’s Fair when the father announces he’s moving them all to New York City for a new job.
Co-Director Elizabeth Ruddell has faced both family and health challenges during the course of this production and the play is going to stage under the leadership of Co-Director Richelle Lutz, who spoke to The Reporter about her first ever experience with a youth production, which she has enjoyed far more than she expected to.
“When we started this journey together for this show we collaborated on everything we did,” Lutz said. “She [Ruddell] called me and said she was doing a children’s themed play.” Lutz laughed as she told The Reporter, “I told her, ‘You’re kidding. You don’t want me involved. I’m an old woman. I don’t do well with children.’”
Now, days away from opening night, Lutz says, “My kids are ready. These kids are SO good. We have 16 kids from ages 8 to 18. They have developed little characters and they have really just blossomed in this show.”
Lutz, at 68 years old, admits she was a bit intimidated by the prospect of co-directing a youth play.
“I was more fearful of them I believe than they were of me because I’m not around children,” Lutz said. “I have cats! My boys are 41 and 32. I have not been around children in a long time. But they really embraced me and we have a little family going on. I really enjoy it.”
Co-directing her first youth production was only one of the challenges Meet Me in St. Louis brought to Lutz.
After two weeks of rehearsals, Lutz’s friend and co-director Elizabeth Ruddell took a week off to attend her daughter’s wedding in Nantucket. During what was supposed to be a brief time alone at the helm, Lutz began to deeply enjoy working with the young actors from MSP. Then, just after her return from the wedding, Ruddell fell ill, was admitted to the hospital and was eventually placed on a respirator for a non-COVID related illness. Ruddell was told by her doctor that she would not be able to return to work on the play after her recovery.
Shortly thereafter, the stage manager for this play had a death in the family and had to leave production as well.
This left Lutz fully in charge of getting this play to the stage on time.
“We didn’t even have use of the stage at the theater yet,” Lutz said. “We were still rehearsing upstairs because there were so many other things going on at the theater.”
Lutz said the entire MSP community came together to help her and this play succeed. She specifically noted the assistance of Producer Julie Wallyn, Property Manager Beth Montag and MSP Board Member Bill Miller as being exceptionally helpful.
Since rehearsals only started at the end of May, this reporter considers bringing the show to stage after such difficulties to be an impressive feat.
You can see Meet Me in St. Louis at Westfield Playhouse, 220 N. Union St., Westfield, Thursday through Sunday, July 15-25. Tickets are available online at WestfieldPlayhouse.org or by calling (317) 402-3341.