LLT kicks off 49th season

‘The Music Man’ begins run Thursday

By David Owens, newseditor@laurelleadercall.com

The Laurel Little Theatre will launch its 49th season Thursday with the debut of the Meredith Wilson musical, “The Music Man.”

“The Music Man,” a Tony Award-winning production, was made into a movie in 1962 and starred Robert Preston and Shirley Jones, who came to fame as the mother on “The Partridge Family.”

Juna Broome, director of the Laurel show, said “The Music Man” focuses on Prof. Harold Hill (played by Gerald Wansley, Jr.), a traveling salesman who comes to River City, Iowa, to sell band instruments, uniforms and instruction booklets with the promise to teach residents how to play.

“In every other town before then, he skipped out of town after he sold them the goods,” Broome said. “This town is on the edge of catching up with him, when he falls in love with Marian the librarian (Holly McCann). He starts going through a transition of change within himself.”

Broome said the entire musical, which is set in 1912, is about transformation with not only Hill turning into a better person, but also with residents of the Iowa town. The cast of over 60 ranges in age from three to 64.

“It encourages people to transform their town,” she said. “It’s a good family musical, and all ages can come to see it.”

Wansley, owner of Wansley Machine & Driveline, said he has participated in several Laurel Little Theater (LLT) productions since 2003 including “Chicago,” “42nd Street” and “Peter Pan.”

“What I really like about it is the people,” said Wansley, who played the feared Captain Hook in the latter play. “Everybody is supportive of you. It’s exciting to be on the stage with the people around you. When you walk around backstage, everybody is patting you on the back and smiling. It’s a nice experience.”

Wansley, who also has served as LLT past president and house manager, said the Arabian Theater has become his “home away from home.”

“They just renovated it last year and it looks really great,” he said. “Hopefully, they can add on to the theater because we need more storage space and a place to do rehearsals. It’s a great place.”

Wansley said “The Music Man” is a fun show with a very high-paced energy.

“Villains are always a little more colorful character,” he said. “But, (Hill) is more extravagant. He’s a scam artist, but he has a way to get everyone excited kind of like an evangelist. In the song, ‘Trouble in River City,” he finds a cause for the people to gather around.”

Wansley said Hill gets everyone interested in starting a boys band to keep them out of the pool hall.

“As the show goes on, he warms up to the music teacher (McCann) because if anybody could catch him, she would be the one to be on the con,” Wansley said. “In the end, he winds up falling for her and it looks like he stays to become the band director.”

Wansley was quick to praise McCann, who he also worked with in “Peter Pan.”

“She’s a fantastic singer,” he said. “She has a beautiful voice and is a great actress. She’s somebody who will direct at some point because she’s very smart. She has a song, “‘Til There Was You’,” that everybody will recognize.”

“‘Til There Was You’,” which was covered by the Beatles, gained its most exposure with today’s audience in the 1998 film “The Wedding Singer.” Ellen Dow, who plays Rosie in the Adam Sandler film, dedicates the number to her husband at an anniversary party near the movie’s conclusion.

Wansley said “The Music Man” can draw some comparisons to the holiday classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” Both leading characters, while trying to take advantage of others, had their hearts changed.

“The part is such high energy and fast paced,” he said. “There will be a lot of good songs that people will recognize. It’s one of the good big musicals.”

McCann said her character Marian Paroo is considered an old maid because she in unmarried at 26.

“When the salesman comes to town, everyone is mesmerized by him,” she said. “Marian doesn’t quite believe everything that he says and is very leery of him. Eventually, he brings good things to River City, Iowa.”

McCann said her character becomes attracted to Hill when he reaches out to her young brother, Winthrop, who has a lisp.

“He helps to get him out of his shell and get involved in the boys band,” McCann said. “That touches her heart and she starts to have feelings for him.”

McCann called “The Music Man” a “very heartwarming, children-friendly show.”

“For anybody who would like to come see it, it’s a good story,” she said.

Individual tickets and season memberships are still available by calling 601-428-0140. Senior citizen and students discounts will be offered for all shows. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Dec. 10-12 and 14, as well as matinees at 1 p.m. Dec. 12 and 2 p.m. Dec. 13.

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