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NewsApril 4, 2018

This week, Notre Dame Regional High School students, alumni and faculty will perform their rendition of �Meet Me in St. Louis,� the tale of life leading up to the 1904 World�s Fair. The story revolves around one family � the Smiths � with four daughters competing for love while they all have to come to terms with the fact the head of the household has accepted a new out-of-state job in New York. The family must then cope with uprooting their lives and all they know...

Esther Smith, played by Lily Parker, sings "Trolley Song" during a dress rehearsal of "Meet Me in St. Louis" on Tuesday at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.
Esther Smith, played by Lily Parker, sings "Trolley Song" during a dress rehearsal of "Meet Me in St. Louis" on Tuesday at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian

This week, Notre Dame Regional High School students, alumni and faculty will perform their rendition of �Meet Me in St. Louis,� the tale of life leading up to the 1904 World�s Fair.

The story revolves around one family � the Smiths � with four daughters competing for love while they all have to come to terms with the fact the head of the household has accepted a new out-of-state job in New York. The family must then cope with uprooting their lives and all they know.

Notre Dame senior Stephen Gullette � who portrays Alonso �Lon� Smith, oldest brother of the Smith family � says his character is the �life of the party.�

�My character is going off to Princeton for college, so he�s also pretty intelligent,� Gullette said.

Gullette has two sisters, and one of them is in the musical, portraying the character Tootie Smith. He said he relates to being protective of his six fictional sisters, which he thinks is a major part of Lon�s character.

From left, Rose Smith, played by Molly Sellers, listens as her sister, Esther, played by Lily Parker, talks to their youngest sister, Tootie, played by Emma Gullette, during a dress rehearsal of "Meet Me in St. Louis" on Tuesday at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.
From left, Rose Smith, played by Molly Sellers, listens as her sister, Esther, played by Lily Parker, talks to their youngest sister, Tootie, played by Emma Gullette, during a dress rehearsal of "Meet Me in St. Louis" on Tuesday at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Gullette has been part of Notre Dame musicals since he was a freshman, including productions of �Guys and Dolls,� �Fiddler on the Roof� and �Into the Woods.�

He said this show portrays a lot of the normal, day-to-day family difficulties and how family is so important.

�And to me, that�s how my family is; they�re very important,� Gullette said. �And I think it shows that throughout the entire musical. Everybody will be able to feel that when they�re watching it.�

With �Meet Me in St. Louis,� Gullette said he wants to �be able to have fun, and be able to take away some life lessons, and make some new friends from dealing with all of it.�

Lily Parker, an 11th-grader at Notre Dame who portrays second-oldest sister Esther Smith, described her character as very energetic, lively and someone who �very much likes to be the center of attention.�

Grandpa Prophater, center, played by Tyler Bruns, sings to granddaughters Tootie Smith, left, played by Emma Gullette, and Agnes Smith, played by Zoe Koetting, during a dress rehearsal of "Meet Me in St. Louis" on Tuesday at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.
Grandpa Prophater, center, played by Tyler Bruns, sings to granddaughters Tootie Smith, left, played by Emma Gullette, and Agnes Smith, played by Zoe Koetting, during a dress rehearsal of "Meet Me in St. Louis" on Tuesday at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

�Which is kind of how I am in real life,� Parker said.

In the musical, Esther meets a boy, John, who moves in next door, and she completely falls in love with him. Parker described it as �love at first sight,� and during the entirety of the show, her character is �just trying to reach John and make sure he knows how she feels.�

Parker said the show is about Esther and her sister bonding over growing up, becoming women, meeting boys and gossiping about boys.

�It�s really just a feel-good musical, that�s the biggest take-away from the show,� Parker said. �It will make you feel happy when you watch it, and you�ll reminisce about high school days and your first crush.�

Everyone can find something to relate to with the story, Parker said, because it centers on family.

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From left, Grandpa Prophater, played by Tyler Bruns; Tootie Smith, played by Emma Gullette; Esther Smith, played by Lily Parker; Mrs. Anna Smith, played by Caroline Heckenmeyer; Katie, played by Claire Conaway; Rose Smith, played by Molly Sellers; Agnes Smith, played by Zoe Koetting; and Lon Smith, played by Stephen Gullette, sing "Whenever I'm With You" during a dress rehearsal of "Meet Me in St. Louis" on Tuesday at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.
From left, Grandpa Prophater, played by Tyler Bruns; Tootie Smith, played by Emma Gullette; Esther Smith, played by Lily Parker; Mrs. Anna Smith, played by Caroline Heckenmeyer; Katie, played by Claire Conaway; Rose Smith, played by Molly Sellers; Agnes Smith, played by Zoe Koetting; and Lon Smith, played by Stephen Gullette, sing "Whenever I'm With You" during a dress rehearsal of "Meet Me in St. Louis" on Tuesday at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Parker said she wants to pursue musical performance as a career, so for her, she said it�s really about doing the best she can with her character. �Meet Me in St. Louis� marks 13 years of musicals with Notre Dame, Southeast and community productions, she said.

Not only are there great songs and dancing throughout the show, Parker said, but audience members also will see �amazing costumes this year,� which will all be period authentic, along with hair and the makeup.

Notre Dame sophomore Molly Sellers portrays Rose Smith � eldest of the sisters.

�I�m the baby of the family, but I do relate to the family dynamic of how I�m always with Ester gossiping about the boys we like or the boys we�re struggling with,� Sellers said, �And how Lon is there to protect me from Warren, my love interest in the show.�

Sellers has played piano since first grade, and performed in her first musical last year, �Into the Woods.�

From left, Grandpa Prophater, played by Tyler Bruns; Esther Smith, played by Lily Parker; Tootie Smith, played by Emma Gullette; Agnes Smith, played by Zoe Koetting; Rose Smith, played by Molly Sellers; and Lon Smith, played by Stephen Gullette sing during a dress rehearsal of "Meet Me in St. Louis" on Tuesday at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.
From left, Grandpa Prophater, played by Tyler Bruns; Esther Smith, played by Lily Parker; Tootie Smith, played by Emma Gullette; Agnes Smith, played by Zoe Koetting; Rose Smith, played by Molly Sellers; and Lon Smith, played by Stephen Gullette sing during a dress rehearsal of "Meet Me in St. Louis" on Tuesday at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

She said she wanted to be part of �Meet Me in St. Louis� because it�s one of her top-three favorite musicals since she first saw it in kindergarten. She also said loves Judy Garland � who portrayed Esther in the 1944 film version � so being part of something she made famous �is awesome.�

�I�ve learned more time management skills, especially with homework, and then I�ve also learned that if you have a different character, you have to adjust to the character,� Sellers said. �I�ve had to really work with making this character my own.�

Sellers said she had to adjust a bit in portraying Rose, because �she is so proper and poised,� while Sellers is not.

As for what audiences are to expect this week, Sellers said there�s a lot of joy � especially with the family � and emphasizes costumes �will be amazing.�

�It�s geared toward family and love,� said Cindy King, who has been musical and theater director of 46 years.

�Meet Me in St. Louis� will be performed at 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday at Notre Dame Regional High School. Tickets may be purchased at tinyurl.com/yafnf5cj or by calling (573) 335-6772.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632

Pertinent address:

265 Notre Dame Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

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