The Music Man opens at Rogers City Theater

Rehearsals are over and the house is open for business. Opening night for Meredeth Willson?s The Music Man is set for Friday, October 21 at 7:30 p.m. The cast has been working on the play for weeks and will perform six shows of the popular musical at the Rogers City Theater. Director Karl Heidemann said the show has long been one of his favorites. Although set in a small town from long ago, Hiedemann said that the people behaved then much as they do today.

?It is a story about a Midwest American community of a 100 years ago, in an age when America still had its innocence,? he said. The cast features more than 30 actors of all ages who portray the families in the town of River City. Lead roles will be played by Scott Mikkelson as Professor Harold Hill, Heather Nordenbrock, as Marian the librarian, Morgan Suszek, as Marcellus Washburn, Nicole Grulke as Ethel Toffelmier, Dan Gabara as Charlie Cowell, Robert McMaster as Tommy Djiles, and Charlie Harp as the conductor and constable. Others in the cast include Jay Kettler, Pennie Kelly, Jennifer Warwick, Anna Kamyszek, Marilyn Kettler, Karl A. Heidemann, Bob Centala, Meghan Harp, William Reece, Paige Schalk, Gene Modrzynski, Elaine Hiedemann, Sabryna Urban, Quintin Kelly, Christopher Wirgau, Ed Jatkowski, Charlotte Heidemann, Salena Heidemann, Heather Hentkowski, Karl W. Hiedemann, Val Schalk, Mike Idalski, Nathan Schalk, and Holle Dittmar.

Lucy Kamyszek is the assistant director, Heather Nordenbrock is music director while Marilyn Kettler is principle choreographer. Morgan Suszek and Scott Mikkelson provide additional choreography while Val Schalk and Marilyn Kettler are in charge of costumes. In addition to serving as director, Karl W. Heidemann designed the sets and lights, while the crew of Bob Centala, Gene Modrzynski, Ed Jatkowski, Carol Radka, Tom Radka, Lori Leow, Alison Marx and Mike Marx constructed and painted the sets. Tickets are $8 each and can be purchased at the Rogers City Theater box office located at 257 North Third Street in Rogers City.

Since sold-out performances are expected, advanc

e tickets are highly recommended. Those who cannot purchase tickets directly from the box office can call (989) 734-3861 for information about reserve tickets. The Music Man is one of the most widely enjoyed musicals of all time. It is all about a swindling traveling salesman who tries to sell band instruments to the good people of River City, Iowa, around the beginning of the last century. Things are going well for him, but the pretty piano-teaching librarian proves to be more than he bargained for. At times it is so hilarious that it makes you laugh out loud, and other times it is so touching it can make you cry.

The musical has many wonderful songs including ?Till There Was You,? ?Ya Got Trouble,? ?Good Night My Someone,? ?Lida Rose,? ?The Wells Fargo Wagon,? and of course ?Seventy-six Trombones.? Public performances of The Music Man will be at the Rogers City Theater on Fridays and Saturdays, October 21, 22, 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sundays October 23 and 30 at 2 p.m. The production of The Music Man is made possible by a grant from the Huron Shores Humanities Council.

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