The Sheboygan Theatre Company announces that open auditions for the musical "Meet Me in St. Louis,” the second production of the 2009-2010 season, will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, October 14 and 15.

With music and lyrics by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane and a book by Hugh Wheeler, "Meet Me in St. Louis” is the warmhearted story of a wonderfully happy family anticipating the wonders of the 1904 World’s Fair in a household filled with love, laughter, fun, games and, of course, song and dance.

"Meet Me in St. Louis” requires a traditional singing and dancing chorus and features a dozen principles. Mr. & Mrs. Smith are both around forty, he a lawyer and she a good and loving mother. Their five children are: Lon, 19, a Princeton freshman; Rose, 18, beautiful and chic; Esther, 17, lively and attractive; Agnes, tomboyish and 12; and Tootie, a bright six-year-old. The family includes Grandpa Prophater, Mrs. Smith’s father and a Civil War veteran, and Katie, 50, an Irish cook and housemaid. Beaux of the three older children include John Truitt, 19, the handsome, athletic boy next door; Warren Sheffield, Rose’s suitor from a well-to-do family; and Lucille Ballard, a sophisticated and charming young lady interested in Lon.

Initial auditions will take place on Wednesday at the Leslie W. Johnson Theatre at Horace Mann Middle School, 2820 Union Avenue, Sheboygan, beginning at 4:00 p.m. for youngsters 10 to 15 years of age and 6:30 p.m. for those 16 and up. Thursday is reserved for callbacks. While youngsters need not prepare anything, all others auditioning should bring sheet music for, and be prepared to sing an upbeat, musical comedy song. Songs should be no more than sixty to ninety seconds and should not be from the show. Auditions will also involve dance and readings from the script. Though the selection process does imply some competition, it is made as pleasant as possible. Direction is given along the way and people need not fear that they will in any way be embarrassed.

Scripts and chorus books are available for a forty-eight hour loan at the Theatre Company’s office in the Community Recreation Department. A deposit of $15 for chorus books and $25 for scripts is required. They may be picked up Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. and must be returned by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13.

"Meet Me in St. Louis” will run from December 4 to 12, 2009, with rehearsals beginning Friday, October 16. Over a seven-week period there will be approximately 34 rehearsals, the majority of which will be Monday through Friday, 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. There will be two weekend rehearsals on the afternoons of November 21 and 22.

For further information contact Ralph Maffongelli at 459-3779.