Mount Carroll, IL-- Executive Director James Beaudry directs and choreographs The Music Man, one of the most beloved musical comedies of all time, at Timber Lake Playhouse. The show, a valentine to the American small town in a more innocent time,and was last seen at TLP 24 years ago, opens Friday, July 5 for only 12 performances.
Meredith Willson's classic story of a fast-talking salesman who knows nothing about music but sells bands to unsuspecting small towns until he meets his match in a piano playing librarian became an instant hit in 1957 and has since been turned into two films and seen countless productions all over the world. Songs like "Seventy-Six Trombones," "Till Theatre Was You," "Goodnight My Someone," "Lida Rose" and "Marian The Librarian" are now American standards. The score, the dances and the timeless and hilarious writing still delight audiences of all ages.
Cody Jolly of Atlanta and Sarah Larson of Milwaukee star as Harold Hill and Marian Paroo. TLP favorites Time Wessel and Judy Knudtson return to play Marcellus and Mrs. Paroo, respectively. Featured in the show are Matthew C. Webb and Hannah-Jo Weisberg, as well as fifteen performers from the region including Will Boze and Vivian Lobdell, both of Sterling, IL, in the roles of Winthrop and Amaryllis. Cindy Blanc of Monroe, WI vocal directs and Emily Bressler of Mount Carroll directs the musicians.
"Classic musical comedy is one of the most american arts forms, and it's also one of the hardest to get right," Beaudry said. "But the commitment of the cast to creating a fun and spectacular show that celebrates a kind of mythical small town Americana, is turning The Music Man into a show that I think our audiences will just love."
The Music Man runs July 5-14 for 12 performances only. TLP is located at 8215 Black Oak Rd. in rural Mount Carroll, IL. Tickets are $15-23 and are available at the box office, by calling 815-244-2035 or visiting www.timberlakeplayhouse.org. The show is appropriate for all ages, and a few performances are already sold out. Opening July 9, TLP will also present Seussical, an hour-long musical based on the books of Dr. Seuss for children and families. All tickets for Seussical are $6.
Full Cast List:
Harold Hill ........................................................................... Cody Jolly
Marian Paroo .................................................................. Sarah Larson
Charlie Cowell .................................................................... Brad Field (Mount Carroll)
Mayor Shinn ....................................................................... Matt Webb
Eulalie MacKecknie Shinn ..................................... Hannah-Jo Weisberg
Marcellus Washburn ........................................................... Tim Wessel
Mrs. Paroo .................................................................... Judy Knudtson
Winthrop Paroo .................................................................... Will Boze (Sterling)
The School Board
Ewart Dunlop ....................................................... Elliot Marach
Oliver Hix ......................................................... Gilbert Domally
Jacey Squires ..................................................... Alex Johnson
Olin Britt .............................................................. Brandyn Day
Tommy Djilas ................................................................. Zak McMahon
Zaneeta Shinn ...................................................... Genna-Paige Kanago
Amaryllis ........................................................................ Vivian Lobdell (Sterling)
Alma Hix .......................................................................... Terrie Miller (Savanna)
Maud Dunlop ...................................................................... Lexie Plath
Ethel Toffelmier ................................................................ Tayloir Pace
Mrs. Squires .......................................................... Kathleen Brinkmeier (Pearl City)
Constable Locke ............................................................. Kevin Strunk (Morrison)
Gracie Shinn ................................................................. Kallie Zuidema (Sterling)
Citizens of River City ....................................................... Joe Capstick,
Caden Foster (Sterling), Elise Foster (Sterling), Abby Frank-Taylor, Angie Lobdell (Sterling), Natalie Masini, Dylan Passman, Levi Skoog (Chadwick), Kallie Timmons (Lyndon), Katie Woods (Savanna), Morgan Zuidema (Sterling)
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