‘The Music Man’ set to debut in Norwalk

What: Norwalk’s “The Music Man”
When: 7 p.m. March 12-13; 3 p.m. March 14
Where: Ernsthausen Performing Arts Center, 350 Shady Lane Dr., Norwalk
Cost: $7/general, $14/VIP
Info: 419-660-6500

By Lori Demres

Norwalk will do its very own impersonation of River City, Iowa from March 12-14 when it performs “The Music Man,” a production that involves many of the townsfolk of Norwalk itself.

Though the school performed “Music Man” seven years ago, they assumed that no one from that production would appear in the 2010 version; after all, high school is typically only four years long. But in a unique small-town twist, at least four actors cast as children in the first production are now playing roles in the current show. 

Jesse Phillips, who has taken on the role of Harold Hill — originally played by his brother, Aaron, in the 2004 production — looks at it as “carrying on the tradition.” At least five other cast members had siblings in the prior production. In addition to Phillips, there were two other students who were in Norwalk’s “The Music Man” and one who was in Edison High School’s 2004 production. 

Caitlynn Polta, a fourth or fifth grader at the time, said, “I only remember the music.” This time around will be an experience she’ll never forget.

For those unfamiliar with “The Music Man,” it begins with con artist Harold Hill, whose trick is to persuade the townspeople to start an all-boys marching band. Once the citizens have collected the money for the instruments and uniforms, Hill is off, money in hand, to the next town. Of course, in River City, Hill meets his match in the suspicious and uptight librarian, Marian Paroo. Could there be love in the air?

“The barbershop quartet put in a lot of extra hours, even some Sundays, working to get their sound,” said Robyn Rogers, the show’s director. “We wanted it to be four voices coming together as one sound.”

Some costumes were borrowed for the production, but the majority are being created, including a variety of outlandish hats.

 “It’s all volunteer,” Rogers says of the women who are making the tremendous number of costumes. “Only the horse costume was rented.” 

When asked why she chose “The Music Man,” Rogers said, “The songs are happy and energetic.”