Meet Me In St. Louis is coming to the Shadbolt

By Dan Hilborn, Burnaby Now assistant editor
Published Nov. 8, 2003


One of the most loved musicals of all time is coming to the James Cowan Theatre at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts this month.

Meet Me In St. Louis, based on the 1944 MGM movie-musical starring Judy Garland, will be presented by the Footlight Theatre Company from Nov. 13 to 29.

This lively musical features such well-known hits as Skip to My Lou, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Clang, Clang, Clang Went the Trolley.

"It's a family show," said Pam McAdie, publicist for the busiest little theatre group in town. "It's an upbeat happy story of a father who comes home with news that he's being transferred to New York, but the family doesn't want to move because they're anticipating the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis."

Burnaby's own Laura Cowan says she loves playing the principal role of Rose Smith, the eldest daughter of the Smith family.

"I'm sort of a miniature version of our mom - very prim and proper," Cowan said. "I won't leave the house without looking good, and I wouldn't let a man kiss me, unless we were engaged.

"Rose is a great character and I'm having the time of my life playing this part," Cowan said.

Join the family as they embark on Halloween pranks, lively parties and a particularly exciting trolley ride.

The play is directed and choreographed by Lalainia Lindbjerg Strelau, who gave birth just two weeks before auditions began, and the musical and choral director is Christopher King.

Other Burnaby residents in the cast include Erin Cote, Ryan Erwin, Carole Hartmann, Larry Stusiak, plus Amanda and Lucas Testini.

Tickets for Meet Me in St. Louis range from $9 to $22. Show times are 8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, with Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Call the Shadbolt at 604-250-3000.