Performances are on October 28-30 and November 4-6, 2022.
The Music Man, a co-production with the Clay Center, will play at the Maier Performance Hall on October 28-30 and November 4-6, 2022.
Meredith Willson's The Music Man opened on Broadway in 1957 to an audience caught by surprise at the irresistible charm and rousing sentimentality created by the small town River City, Iowans of 1912. The razzle dazzle of Willson's music caused an opening night audience to break out spontaneously into applause. The appeal of the charlatan Harold Hill and his rap style song, Trouble, is just as strong today as in the 50s. Broadway audiences are anticipating the Covid delayed revival starring Hugh Jackman as Hill and Sutton Foster as Marian the Librarian.
The original production starred Robert Preston and Barbara Cook and a book, music and lyrics by Willson and story by Willson and Franklin Lacey, it garnered 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical and the cast album won the Grammy for Broadway Musical Score. A 1962 film starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones followed and won an Academy Award for Best Score.
Featuring classic songs such as Till There Was You, Gary Indiana, Lida Rose, Goodnight My Someone, Pick-A-Little, Talk-A-Little, Shipoopi and Seventy Six Trombones, the show is an All-American salute to music, romance and fast-talking flim flam. Numerous revivals, international productions, tours, a 2000 Broadway production with Craig Bierko and Rebecca Luker and 2003 made-for-television film with Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenoweth have followed.
Charleston Light Opera Guild has presented the show 4 previous times. The last Guild revival was in 2003 and it was the first community production mounted at the Clay Center.
SINGING: Monday, August 29; 6pm for ages 8-14; 7:30pm for ages 15-adult (prepare a musical selection, hopefully from the show; bring sheet music for Guild accompanist if not a song in the score)
READING: Tuesday, August 30; 6pm for Amaryllis and Winthrop; 7:00pm for other roles (scripts will be provided)
DANCING: Wednesday, August 31; 6pm for ages 8-14; 7:30pm for ages 15-adult (dress for dance; combinations will be taught)
*All auditions held at the Light Opera Guild Theatre*
DIRECTION
Director/Choreographer
Nina Denton Pasinetti
All ages are suggestions and may be adapted to fit production needs.
Harold Hill - character actor, singer; plays the con-artist turned conductor of a boys' band; mid 30s-40s; baritone
Marian Paroo - singer/actress; plays attractive young music teacher & librarian; high lyric soprano
Marcellus Washburn - character actor, singer; friend of Harold Hill; mid 30s-40s; high baritone/tenor
Mrs. Paroo - character actress, singer; plays Marian's Irish mother; 40s-50s; mezzo-soprano
Winthrop Paroo - actor and singer; Marian's 9-year-old brother with a stutter; strong belt; boy soprano
Mayor Shinn - character actor; plays River City's Mayor; 50s-60s
Eulalie Mac Kechnie Shinn - character actress and singer; Mayor Shinn's comedic wife; character alto
Zanneeta Shinn - actress and dancer; Mayor Shinn's high school age daughter; 15 to early 20s
Tommy Djilas - actor and dancer; older teen who falls for Zanneeta and learns to lead the band; 18-20s
Amaryllis - actress and singer; plays 8-year-old piano student of Marian Paroo's; age 8 to small 11
Charlie Cowell - character actor; plays anvil salesman; mid 30s-50s
Jacey Squires, Ewart Dunlop, Oliver Hix, Olin Britt - barbershop quartet and character actors; play school board members who disagree, but learn to harmonize; 30s-50s
Maud Dunlop, Ethel Toffelmier, Mrs. Squires, Alma Hicks - character actresses and singers; friends of Eulalia Shinn's; late 20s-50s
Children & Teens - play music students of Harold Hill who form band; dancing a bonus; ages 9 to teens
Dancers - dancers trained in ballet and musical theatre styles; ages 15 thru adults
**COVID vaccinations are encouraged but NOT required for those auditioning for the show.**
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