Theatre 308 Deserves Another Bravo
The Music Man Review
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After Theatre 308’s performance of "The Music Man,” yet another well-deserved round of applause circulated throughout the auditorium on the March 13 opening night performance. Despite a technical difficultly with the set that occurred in the opening scene, the cast and crew did an amazing job with the performance of the well-known, Oscar award- winning musical.
From the very beginning, the cast of Theatre 308 proved their ability inhabit their roles in "The Music Man." The opening scene was set in a train with businessmen dressed in pinstripe suits singing a very fast-paced song. Not only were they singing rapidly and in different parts, but they sang while bouncing in unison to give the effect of riding on a train. The level of difficulty to perform this scene was clearly very hard, but each of the actors was able to sing their parts brilliantly and kept the audience captivated for the entire production.
One of the most noteworthy aspects of "The Music Man" was both the acting and the voice of lead actress Harriet Jacobs as Marian Paroo. This DHS junior played the role of a stubborn librarian who is constantly attempting to stand her ground as she is wooed by a charming yet manipulative con man. Jacobs was able to capture the spirit of this strong woman while also being able to demonstrate the vulnerability that this shady “Music Man” brings to Marian’s life. Not only was Jacobs’ acting perfectly suited to the role, but her voice left the audience utterly amazed. During the musical, Jacobs performed multiple songs all of which were exceptionally sung. The long notes of the melodies accentuated her powerful pipes and left the audience wondering why she isn’t already on Broadway!
"The Music Man" himself also had an excellent performance: Harold Hill was played by Will Gruppo, a senior, who brought his own enthusiastic flare to the scheming character. Gruppo’s charisma reflected all of the lovable aspects of the conniving con man’s personality. While Harold Hill was using his charm on Marian, he leaned in to kiss her, but swiftly pulled back and ever so gracefully put a marshmallow to her lips.
An interesting aspect of the play was the fact Theater 308 recruited actual youngsters to play the youngest Paroo children. It added a realistic facet to the already superb play. That, coupled with the final culminating scene, helped to make the play as good as it was. In the final scene, when the children are called to play their instruments, the DHS marching band comes through the doors and storms about the aisles playing a tune that adds a colorful ending to the already extraordinary production.
After following the fall semester production of the extremely successful "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," the spring production of "The Music Man" lived up to Theatre 308’s high expectations. The cast continues to showcase its talent, especially looking back on this impressive year with two remarkable productions.To learn more about "The Music Man's" respected director, see Nancy Herman profile.
