"Music Man" opens tonight!
Daily Leader, Pontiac, IL
By Erich Murphy/Managing Editor
Published: Thursday, July 12, 2007 12:53 PM CDT
Conning a small, river community into purchasing a dream may have been Prof. Harold Hill's intent when he sold band instruments, uniforms and instruction books to the citizens of River City.
But when the kids got together and played for the first time in public, the sound was exquisite to the parents of the band members.
"The Music Man" came through in that sleepy, little Iowa town, and it will to those who make the effort to see this year's children's production for the Vermillion Players. "The Music Man" opens this evening and will run through Sunday at Chautauqua Park. All performances begin at 7:30.
In a nutshell, Harold Hill is a traveling salesman who has a penchant for not fulfilling his promise. Basically, he's a con man.
Played by Robert Preston on the Broadway stage and on screen, Pontiac's Hill is played by Zach Kohlmeier. Regulars to the children's productions may remember Kohlmeier as the Scarecrow in last year's "Wizard of Oz," and as Aladdin two years ago in "Aladdin Jr."
Kohlmeier has a presence on stage that a traveling salesman would need, particularly in 1912, when the play takes place. Kohlmeier's ability to move with fluidity and deliver facial expressions help promote the sales pitch of his character.
Kohlmeier is able to make Hill's explanations and deceptions convincing, so much so that there may be a few in the audience who will want their children to take up a musical instrument.
Hill's primary objective in the beginning is to sell the town a boys band, then get out of town before having to see the band come to fruition. This is something he has done in many towns across the Midwest, forcing a distrust of other traveling salesmen in those communities.
There are three primary problems facing Hill on this trip. First, are the other traveling salesmen - in particular, Charlie Cowell, an anvil salesman. Cowell, played by Joshua Tate, tries to warn the mayor of unsavory Hill.
The second problem is Mayor Shinn. He wants Hill's credentials - paperwork authenticating his profession as a professor of music. John Morse plays Shinn very well. He does not seem convinced at any time that Hill is for real. But, like everyone else in town, gets hoodwinked by the sidestepping Hill.
The third problem is the love interest - Marian Paroo. Marian, played by Gina Brooks, is the beautiful librarian/music teacher in the town. She is also single living with her mother. Anna Mitchell plays Mrs. Paroo with a convincing Irish accent and grace. Mrs. Paroo is afraid of her daughter becoming a spinster and tries to push Marian into a romance with Hill.
Hill's specialty is being able to change the subject when confronted in a delicate situation, such as producing credentials. He does this with the mayor and members of the school board by finding out they harmonize quite well. This creates a barber shop quartet and makes friends of the men who loathed each other before Hill's arrival.
He is also able to convince Mrs. Shinn that she has talents that can be directed into dance. Ashley Haley plays Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn superbly. Haley and Cody Hatzer, who portrays Winthrop, have a talent that makes the company stronger.
Mrs. Shinn is a pompous socialite. Which is somewhat out of place in a small, river town because it is not the big city. Haley can play pompous very well, particularly when leads her troupe in the "Grecian Urn."
Marcellus Washburn, played by Dan Schweitzer, is an old friend of Hill's. They had worked together as con men years before. Marcellus got out of the business after running into too many close calls.
One other actor who proved to be quite strong was Tyler Ringle, who plays Tommy Djilas. Tommy is from the "wrong side of the tracks" and seen as a juvenile delinquent. Hill sets Tommy up with Zaneeta, the daughter of Mayor Shinn. The mayor does not like Tommy.
Zaneeta's part is being split as Sarah Bertram and Natashia Coan will share the role.
While creating a romance for the two youths, and developing an unintended romance with Marian, Hill hangs around River City long enough to collect the rest of the money for the band instruments and uniforms. Just as he's about to make his escape, he gets caught.
Charlie Cowell missed his train after trying to warn the mayor, and was part of the "posse" tracking Hill down. Once caught, Hill is brought to the town's school gymnasium and forced to answer for his deeds. The members of the community had been convinced that there was no band and that Hill was, indeed, a fraud.
Alas, Tommy Djilas leads the town's boys into the gym, fully uniformed and much to the surprise of the townspeople. With terror in his eyes and a prayer in his heart, Hill is forced to direct the band.
The band's music was horrid, absolutely terrible. But you couldn't tell it by the reaction of the townsfolk.
Directed by Jerry Keck, choreographed by Krista Chmiel and produced by Pam Teske, Diana DeVault, Michele Barnett and Judy Baxter, "The Music Man" should give its audience that same feeling of satisfaction, pride and joy.
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