Summer Dramatics marches to beat of 'The Music Man'
Butler Summer Dramatics will feature Meredith Wilson's “The Music Man” for its annual production opening Aug. 1 at the Succop Theater on the Butler County Community College campus.
“Music Man” is the classic tale of Harold Hill, the slick con man who stops in River City, Iowa, to sweet talk and swindle the local yokels. Or so he thinks.
Memorable tunes include “(Ya Got) Trouble,” “Goodnight, My Someone,” “Seventy-Six Trombones,” “Sincere” and “Till There Was You.”
And, of course, “Marian, The Librarian.”
Holly Boyce of Butler Township, a junior at Grove City College, will play the role of Marian Paroo.
“Marian, a solemn and strict librarian, is transformed into a caring and compassionate young woman when the salesman Harold Hill comes to town and sweeps her off her feet,” said Boyce.
She sees many similarities between herself and the role.
“Marian tends to be a little overzealous and is stubborn in her ways, though she has an open mind when she needs to have one,” Boyce said. “Marian is a character I can respect and admire in most ways, especially in her change of heart by the end of the musical.”
Her much younger brother, Winthrop Paroo, will be portrayed by 10-year-old Ri Shields of Franklin Township. The fifth-grade student at Penn Christian Academy is new to the Summer Dramatics program.
“Winthrop is a shy boy with a lisp. He doesn't like to talk because of his lisp,” said Ri about how he is different from his character. “I like to talk to people. Sometimes I'm shy but generally not.”
Ri said he has fun with musicals and appeared as a Pharisee in the Penn Christian Academy musical.
“I like doing musicals. The best part about doing this particular show is meeting new people and singing 'Gary Indiana,' he said of the song with very few “s's.”
Hill is aided in his schemes in this particular town by his retired partner, Marcellus Washburn, who runs the town's livery and helps the professor as far as he can.
“I love his loyalty and his energy, but I can't find myself in his retired life. I couldn't see the fun in forgetting the adventure and the risk in the pursuits of a con man,” said Austin Uram of Butler Township, who will be playing this role.
The sophomore at Butler County Community College is no stranger to the stage. He last appeared in Butler High School's production of “Appointment with Death.”
“'The Music Man' is one of my all-time favorite musicals for its story and a bit of nostalgia. I've loved meeting all of these theatrical, dramatic people that have been right under my nose all this time. It's nice to know that there are so many people that share this passion,” Uram said.
The show also features Zach Frye as Harold Hill as well as a cast and crew of area students.
The Butler Summer Dramatics program is designed to mentor and encourage young actors ages 10 to 24. The mostly student-led productions audition annually in May and produce a show in late July or early August.
The program is under the direction of Gordon Cavalero.
<b>WHO: </b>Butler Summer Dramatics<b>WHAT: </b>“Music Man”<b>WHEN: </b>7:30 p.m. Aug. 1 to 3<b>WHERE:</b> Succop Theater on the campus of Butler County Community College<b>TICKETS: </b>$12 for premium center seats and $10 for reserved side sections, available at May's Music Shoppe, 247 W. Jefferson St.
