Colfax High School to present “The Music Man” March 23-25

By LeAnn R. Ralph

COLFAX — This year’s Colfax High School musical will be “The Music Man.”

Set in the small town of River City, Iowa, “The Music Man” is the story of a traveling con-man, Harold Hill, who sells instruments and band uniforms for a boys’ band. Marian Paroo, the town librarian who also gives piano lessons, catches on almost right away that Hill is a con-man but does not let him know that she knows.

Hill is played by Tate Russell, and Marian is played by Caroline Dworak.

“The Music Man” is based on the book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, and the story is by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey. The Colfax High School production is presented through special arrangement with the Music Theatre International.

“The Music Man is so challenging rhythmically,” said Gene Gibson, director of the play.

“Those kids are so talented. I tell them that when I was their age, I could not have done what they are doing (with the music),” he said.

Colfax High School English teacher Connie Gibson is working with her husband, Gene, to direct the play.

Colfax residents Kobi Shaw and Steve Russell are contributing their theatrical and staging expertise.

Derek Westholm, who started his first year of teaching music at Colfax Elementary this past fall, is directing the music for the show. Westholm’s fiancee, Jolene Brigman, serves as the show’s costume designer and is creating period costumes for “The Music Man,” which is set in 1912.

Choreography is by Colfax High School sophomores and dance team members Kayla Scholfield and Haley Seston.

Tom Ferry and Craig Greenwell have worked on constructing the set, and Jude Tweed and Christie Schmock will decorate the lobby and coordinate it during intermission.

Colfax art teachers Stephanie Ulcej and Rich Meredith have donated their time to painting the sets, and Colfax residents Jeff Gust and Chris Olson will coordinate the lighting and sound.

Something special

“I think they’re going to be something special. We had something special last year with ‘Annie.’ That was the perfect show for that cast, and I think this one so accentuates what this cast can do,” Gene Gibson said.

Gibson said choosing the right musicals for the cast available is “luck,” but he also gives much of the credit to Kobi Shaw.

“I have Kobi, who knows more theater on a day when she’s ill with a 112 fever than I will ever know,” Gibson said.

“She gave me some guidelines and things to look at, and she put me on to this show,” he said.

Gibson says he is fortunate to be surrounded by people, such as Shaw and Russell, as well as Westholm and Brigman and Gust and Olson, who have so much expertise and who are willing to share it.

“Everybody around me knows what I do better than I do. All I have to do is coordinate. It’s beautiful,” Gibson said.

Musical talent

And of course, any production of “The Music Man” requires some serious musical talent.

“When the kids sing, they make us all look good. And that’s on Carrie (Christensen; Colfax High School music teacher). She’s had them for how long?” Gibson said.

“These kids take their music so seriously … they are talented in a way that I don’t even understand,” he said.

The students and the directors have put in countless hours on rehearsals and other preparations over the past several months.

“We’ve got 43 kids out here who are killing it. We have 11 kids from fourth through sixth grade,” Gibson said.

“The Music Man” will feature “a pit band — and that will be for the first time since ‘Beauty and the Beast.’ Reed (Gibson) was in seventh grade then, and he’s out of college now. So that was 10 or 11 years since we’ve had a pit band. I’m excited. And that’s Derek again. He’s in there playing and directing,” Gibson said.

Quartet

One unique and challenging feature of “The Music Man” is the Men’s Quartet of Traveling Salesmen. Jacey Squires is played by Caden Erickson. Ewart Dunlop is played by Wesley Kallstrom. Oliver Hix is played by Hunter Larson. And Olin Britt is played by Drew Gibson.

“(The quartet) sound so good together. Derek has had them in almost every day to work on it,” Gibson said.

The high school quartet also worked with the CHIPS quartet, a registered quartet in the Land O’ Lakes District and members of the Dunn County Barbershoppers.

“There have been years when we’ve only had four people (in the whole show) that could sing. And this year, we have four people we can devote to the quartet. Holy moly. It’s almost an embarrassment of riches,” Gibson said.

Cast

Here are the other cast members for “The Music Man”: Winthrop Paroo — Theo Hovde; Amaryllis — Janica Larson; Mayor Shinn — Eddie Doerr; Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn — Leslie Ritenour; Mrs. Paroo — Allison Tuschl; Marcellus Washburn — Joshua Larson; Ethel Toffelmier — Meghan Wenzel; Charlie Cowell — Pierce Harvey; Tommy Djilas/Traveling Salesman — Nathaniel Lee; Zaneeta Shinn — McKenna Yingst; Constable — Trey Hovde; Gracie Shinn — Katie Riley; Alma Hix — Desirae Welk; Maud Dunlop — Clare Lyrek; Mrs. Squires — Kaylynn Olson.

The chorus and townspeople are played by Rachel Sherman, Annie Sonnentag, Nokomis Nosker, Maddy Shipley, Hannah Lemler, Aimee Fruit, Naomy Xiong, Catherine Zons, Jamey Jennings, Alana Smith, Brylee Lemke, David Paulson, Evan Berg, Ava Sedivy, Rosie Sonnentag, Josie Doerr, Ashley  Solberg, Citori Larson, Ella Nelson and Audrey Ebert.

Featured in the song “Rock Island” are Annie Sonnentag, Catherine Zons and Alana Smith.

Featured in the song “Iowa Stubborn” are Amiee Fruit, Naomy Xiong, Pierce Harvey and Kayla Scholfield.

Featured in “Madison Gym/76 Trombones” are Hannah Lemler and Nokomis Nosker.

Featured in “Pick-a-Little Talk-a-Little” are Rachel Sherman, Annie Sonnentag, Catherine Zons, Hannah Lemke and Maddy Shipley.

Featured in “Marian the Librarian” are Nathaniel Lee, McKenna Yingst, Katie Riley, Haley Seston, Kayla Scholfield, Aimee Fruit, Naomy Xiong and Jamey Jennings.

Featured in “Wells Fargo Wagon” are Kayla Scholfield, Haley Seston, McKenna Yingst, Drew Gibson, Rachel Sherman, Catherine Zons, Wesley Kallstrom, Janica Larson, Aimee Fruit, Katie Riley, Annie Sonnentag, Theo Hovde and Pierce Harvey.

Featured in “Shipoopi” are Joshua Larson, Tate Russell, Caroline Dworak, Nathaniel Lee, McKenna Yingst, Katie Riley,  Rachel Sherman, Annie Sonnentag, Catherine Zons, Hannah Lemke, Maddy Shipley, Kayla Scholfield, Haley Seston, Aimee Fruit, Naomy Xiong, Jamey Jennings, Sunjee Lowery, Jamey Jennings.

In the “Charlie accuses to Shinn” scene are featured Haley Seston, Kayla Scholfield and Annie Sonnentag, and in the final scene are featured Hannah Lemler, Catherine Zons, Annie Sonnentag, Maddy Shipley and Rachel Sherman.

Performances

Performances of “The Music Man” in the Colfax High School Martin Anderson Gymnasium are Friday, March 23, and Saturday, March 24, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 25, at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the high school office or at the door.