‘Music Man’ to run through July 14
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The “Music Man” will continue its run through July 14 at the Manchester Arts Center, taking guests back in time to 1912 River City, Iowa.
“It is a classic musical from the 1950s and a very popular movie,” Director Joel Longstreth said. “It is a story of a traveling con man who tries to sell small towns on starting a boys band.”
While the con man’s signature move is to take the townspeople’s money and disappear without a trace, he comes up against a librarian in River City he did not anticipate.
Made up of a cast of 41 people, Millennium Repertory Company has been working on the production since auditions were completed in April.
Longstreth said one of the challenges of putting on the show is that it was really designed for larger stages.
“It is very complicated and we have a smallish stage and the author wrote it for Broadway and so there are many, many set changes to different places and many shorter scenes that are nothing like the other scenes and on a small stage that is a bit of a challenge,” he said.
Choreographer Danelle Afflerbaugh said there is one particular scene that comes in at eight minutes long and takes place in one room.
“The challenge to make eight minutes worth of something entertaining to watch when they don’t change the scene, there is nobody singing there is nothing happening other than the movement,” she said.
Jonathon Duke and Zoe Stinson star as Harold and Marian, with Charlie Winton and Doreen Schulz as Mayor and Mrs. Shinn, Taveon Hillsman and Heather Hewgley as Winthrop Paroo and Mrs. Paroo, and Remington Nunley as Marcellus. Alyssa Freeze and Jeffery Hale are the goofy Zaneeta and Tommy, and Auria Brandon plays Amaryllis.
The bickering barbershop quartet are Todd Green, Mark Duke, Bob Jarman and Roy Adams (who is also music director). The Pick-a-Little Ladies are Karen Wainright, Laureen Sparacio, Haylee Eaton, and Shay Starrett. Eric Keith plays Harold’s nemesis, Charlie Cowell.
Green said one of the things he has enjoyed the most about participating in “The Music Man” is the comradery amongst all those involved and coming together to try something that is a challenge.
The cast also includes Ethan Duke, Katy Majors, Julie Wilcox, Jaxen Waggoner, Abigail Troyer, Erin Reynolds, Gianna Afflerbaugh, Dan Brown, Holly True, Natalie Thompson, Ryan White, Anne Brown, Carter Jernigan, Robbie Tinsley, Thomas Keith, AnnaLee Crosslin, Landon NeeSmith, Tabitha Hansen, Charlotte Hubble, Annabel Weintraub, Branham Freeze, and Gracie Sparacio.
Shows are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for seniors and military, and $10 for students, and are available at millenniumrep.org or by calling 931.570.4489. The Arts Center is located just off Manchester’s historic square at 128 E. Main St.
