Danbury's Musicals At Richter Continues 39th Season Under The Stars With THE MUSIC MAN, July 28- August 12

Musicals at Richter (MAR), celebrating its 39th season as the longest-running outdoor theater in Connecticut, continues "The Music Man," playing July 28 to August 12. Featuring a live band and a cast of talented local actors, performances take place outdoors under the stars at the Richter Arts Center, 100 Aunt Hack Road, in Danbury, adjacent to the Richter Park Public Golf Course, just off I-84, Exit 2.

With book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson and based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey, this six-time Tony Award-winning show has been charming audiences for generations. Set in 1912, the story follows fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys' band that he vows to organize - this, despite the fact that he doesn't know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian, the town librarian.

The musical boasts a number of memorable songs, including "Trouble," "Iowa Stubborn," "Till There Was You," "Seventy-Six Trombones," "Goodnight My Someone," "Wells Fargo Wagon," "My White Knight," and "Pick-a-Lttle." Willson's versatile score also includes such barbershop quartet staples as "Lida Rose" and "Goodnight Ladies."

At the helm of "The Music Man '' is director David Halliwell. A longtime local actor and director, Halliwell directed for several years at the old Polka Dot Playhouse on Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport, and since then has worked at Wilton Playshop, Downtown Cabaret Theater, Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University. For forty-two years, he directed the Monroe Middle School Drama Program, directing two major productions a year. He worked for twenty years with his wife directing summer musicals for her Children's Theater Summer Program. A founding director of Two Planks Theater Company in Monroe, Halliwell directed all of their outdoor main stage productions including "Gypsy," "Spamalot," and "Chicago," among others. As an actor, he was most recently seen as Herr Schultz in Sherman Playhouse's production of "Cabaret."

Joining Halliwell as music director is Peter Randazzo (Trumbull) who served as music director for MAR's "Godspell" two summers ago, and before that as piano/conductor for "Hello, Dolly!"! He is one of the regular music directors at Curtain Call in Stamford where he has done "1776," "Grease," "Forum" and "Mamma Mia," to name a few, and he has also worked on many shows at area high schools. Randazzo is an instructor for the nonprofit organization KEYS, providing free piano lessons for Bridgeport students, and the director of the Bullard Havens High School choir in Bridgeport. He most recently served as music director for the pilot of the TV show Vocal Match.

Richter veteran Lindsay Miller (Wappingers Falls, NY) serves as choreographer for the production. At MAR, Miller choreographed this season's "The Addams Family," "The Sound of Music" (2022) and "Shrek the Musical" (2019) and appeared onstage in six previous shows. She has created the steps for numerous community theater and school productions throughout eastern NY. When she's not teaching dance or competing in ballroom dance, Miller works as a Membership Associate for American Ballet Theatre in NYC.

"The Music Man" features a talented cast of MAR veterans and newcomers. Leading the cast as Harold Hill and Marian Paroo are Mensah Robinson (Danbury) and Claire Simard (Ridgefield). They are joined by Joan Velez Roberts (Pawling, NY) as Mrs. Paroo, Marian's mother, and Austin Kriegel (Pawling, NY) as Marian's younger brother Winthrop.

Steven Taliaferro (Naugatuck) portrays Harold's friend and loyal sidekick Marcellus Washburn. Patrick Spaulding (New Fairfield) plays Charlie Cowell, a rival traveling salesman who is determined to expose Harold as a fraud.

Rob Mayette (Ridgefield) plays River City's blustery but tongue-tied Mayor Shinn. Priscilla Squiers (Danbury) takes on the role of Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn, the Mayor's self-important wife, with Augustina Sbano (New Fairfield) and Quinn Skalet (Madison) as the Shinns' daughters Zaneeta and Gracie respectively.

The quarrelsome school-board-turned-barbershop-quartet features Chris Hetherington (Stratford), MIchael Solano (Danbury), Tom Woodman (Fairfield) and Jeff Yelton (Middletown). The gossiping Pick-A-Little ladies are played by Denise Milmerstadt (Carmel, NY), Nomita Ramchandani (Weston), Karen Robinson (Danbury) and Daisy Stott (Brookfield).

Dayo Garritano (Wilton) portrays Tommy Djilas, an earnest but misunderstood young man who is secretly dating Zaneeta Shinn. Chloe Goodman (Mahopac, NY) is featured as Amaryllis, Marian's piano student. Other River City young people include Elena Kraus (Ridgefield), Jack Rand (Danbury), Apollonia Sbano (New Fairfield) and Gabe Simard (Ridgefield).

Featured in a variety of ensemble roles are Dolly Conner (Danbury and New Fairfield), Elizabeth Czarsty (Watertown), Melisa Garcia (Danbury), Stacy Goodman (Mahopac, NY), Andrew Kocur (Danbury), John McMahon (Newtown), Viola Minor (Danbury) and German Sánchez (Danbury).

Set design for the production is by David Halliwell and Robert Bria, with costumes by Gina Rea (Bethel) and lighting by Jeff Klein (Norwalk). Grace Kersting (New Fairfield) serves as stage manager and Joyce Northrop (Danbury) is producer.

"The Music Man" is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

Musicals at Richter's 2023 season is underwritten in part by a generous grant from the City of Danbury Cultural Commission. Additional funding support has been provided by the David, Helen and Marian Woodward Fund (Watertown), CT Humanities CT Cultural Fund Operating Support Grant, CT Department of Energy and Economic Development, Danbury Savings Bank, Ridgefield Thrift Shop, and many individual donors.

Performances for "The Music Man" are Friday-Sunday evenings at 8 PM, with specially discounted performances on Thursdays August 3 and 10. Grounds at Richter Arts Center open at 7:00 p.m. for picnicking, with the show at 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $30 for adults, $25 for seniors (65+) and students (with ID), and $15 for children 10 and under. For the Thursday performances (August 3 and 10), tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and students and $10 for children 10 and under.

Audience members are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets for lawn seating. A limited number of chairs are available free of charge at the concession area, and a snack/soft drink concession is on site.

New this year, two pairs of comfortable, VIP front row seats will be available at each performance. The tickets cost $150 per pair, which includes a $90 tax-deductible donation to support MAR's Renaissance of Richter stage and facility improvement campaign.

For further information on all our offerings and to purchase main stage tickets, visit the website at musicalsatrichter.org, leave a message at 203-748-6873 or e-mail info@musicalsatrichter.org.

About Musicals at Richter: Founded in 1985, Musicals at Richter is Connecticut's longest-running outdoor theater. Performances are given on weekends at the Richter Arts Center (next to the Richter Park Golf Course), 100 Aunt Hack Road, in Danbury. Nestled in the hills of Western Connecticut, the Arts Center stage has served as the scenic backdrop for over 100 musicals produced by Musicals at Richter, as well as a professional springboard for hundreds of up-and-coming performers. Musicals at Richter is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. For further information, visit the website at musicalsatrichter.org, leave a message at 203-748-6873 or e-mail info@musicalsatrichter.org.

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