Flat Rock Playhouse to Stage THE MUSIC MAN, Begin. 6/16

The Flat Rock Playhouse 2016 season will continue with Tony award-winning musical The Music Man, which will run from June 16th through July 9th at the Clyde & Nina Allen Mainstage in the village of Flat Rock.

The Music Man centers around fast talking con artist Harold Hill who attempts to swindle the folks of River City, Iowa by posing as a band instructor. He convinces the folks of River City to purchase various instruments with promises of lessons, but Hill plans to skip town without making good. However, the charm of the small town and its people grow on Harold, and he begins to change his ways. A story of Americana, faith and community with such hits as "76 Trombones," "(Ya Got) Trouble," and "'Til There Was You," The Music Man is a classic American musical that promises as much excitement as it does endearment.

The Music Man first premiered in 1957 with Robert Preston as "Professor" Harold Hill to outstanding critical acclaim as well as acquiring 5 Tony Awards including best musical and best choreography and the first ever Grammy for Best Original Cast Album. The Music Man has since seen two Broadway revivals with stars such as Dick Van Dyke (1980) and Craig Bierko (2000) along with two film adaptations with Preston reprising his role in 1961 and Matthew Broderick in 2003. The book, music and lyrics were all written by the Academy Award nominated composer, songwriter and playwright Meredith Wilson, the man behind the Broadway hit The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

"Call this a triumph, perhaps a classic, of corn, smalltown nostalgia and American love of a parade." - Variety

"It's all here (and some!)... the characters (right out of vaudeville), the sentiments as rich as field-grown corn, the jokes as dependable as Joe Miller's, and Mr. Willson's thumping musical score." - The New York Times

The Music Man will be directed and choreographed by Chase Brock, a successful NYC based director and choreographer who grew up in the area attending youth performing arts classes at Flat Rock Playhouse and even directed the Playhouse's own production of The Nutcracker in 2012. Brock's Broadway choreography includes SPIDER-MAN Turn off the Dark and the Broadway revival of Picnic for Roundabout Theatre Company.

New to Flat Rock Playhouse is New York-based designer, Jason Sherwood, who will be the Scenic Designer for The Music Man. Sherwood has worked regionally, internationally and on and off-Broadway designing for such theatres as Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre (DC), Goodspeed, and off-Broadway theatres The Flea and 59E59.

Starring as Harold Hill, the musical con man, will be longtime Vagabond Brian Robinson. Robinson has performed in numerous Flat Rock Playhouse productions, most recently as Doc Porter in Crimes of the Heart, Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady and John Adams in 1776.

Sharing the stage with Robinson in principal roles are Erin Rubico as Marian Paroo, Scott Cote as Marcellus Washburn, Monte J. Howell as Mayor George Shinn, Tauren Hagans as Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn, Marcy McGuigan as Mrs. Paroo, Christian Elan Ortiz as Tommy Djilas, Kayln West as Zaneeta Shinn, and Scott Treadway as Charlie Cowell. Jonah Jakubielski and Harrison Burnette will be alternating the role of Winthrop, and Kyra Hewitt and Julia Higginbotham will be alternating the role of Amaryllis. Also featured in the 41

Joining Brock and Sherwood on the production team are Brian Tovar, Ashli Arnold and Kurt Conway as the Light, Costume and Sound designers respectively. Caleb Tiecher will be Associate Director/Choreographer. Bill Muñoz will be Stage Manager with Lindsey A. Moss as Assistant Stage Manager. Paul Feraldi will be designing the props.

The Music Man is presented by Mainstage Series Sponsor The Henderson County Tourism Development Authority (www.VisitHendersonvilleNC.org) with BMW of Asheville serving as Opening Night Sponsor. The Executive Producer of The Music Man is Wells Fargo.

The Music Man will run June 16th through July 9th at Flat Rock Playhouse's Clyde & Nina Allen Mainstage. Performances Wednesday and Thursday evening at 7:30PM, Friday and Saturday evening at 8:00PM, matinees Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 2 PM. Tickets are $15 - 40 and can be purchased by calling the Playhouse box office at 828-693-0731, toll-free at 866-732-8008 or online at www.flatrockplayhouse.org.

Flat Rock Playhouse is located at 2661 Greenville Hwy, Flat Rock, NC 28731

Photo by Scott Treadway/Treadshots

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