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Easy Street to present ‘The Music Man’
The troupe loves a big, brassy crowd-pleasing musical.
YOUNGSTOWN — In a corner of Easy Street Productions’ rehearsal studio sits a box of props with a trombone sticking out. In front of it is a large wooden suitcase emblazoned with the words “Prof. Harold Hill.”
Ya got trouble in River City.
Easy Street loves a big, brassy crowd-pleasing musical and “The Music Man” certainly fits that description. The troupe will present “The Music Man” this coming weekend at Powers Auditorium, part of the Youngstown Symphony Society’s performing arts series.
“It’s one of my favorite shows,” said Todd Hancock, who co-founded Easy Street and runs its Mahoning Commons headquarters. “I did it as a senior at Boardman High School. It was one of the shows that made me become an actor.”
Just like he did back at Boardman High, Hancock will play the lead role of Prof. Harold Hill, the fast-talking flim-flam man who cons a town into buying his musical instruments.
As usual, the company plans to go all out for costumes and sets.
“We like to do them as big and splashy as we can,” said Hancock, who is also directing.
The Powers production will feature the original Broadway costumes used in New York and lavish sets that were used in a touring production.The costumes were obtained from the New York company that owns them, while the sets were obtained from Pittsburgh’s Civic Light Opera, which built and owns them.
“It’s an expensive show, but we didn’t sacrifice quality,” said Hancock.
“The Music Man” was originally scheduled for late March, but was moved back to the Mother’s Day weekend slot after Easy Street decided to cancel “Guys and Dolls,” which originally occupied the slot. Slow ticket sales due to the slumping economy forced the decision. The fact that “Guys” isn’t a strong lure for the family crowd didn’t help.
“The Music Man” features a strong cast that includes former Miss Ohio Amanda Beagle as librarian Marian Paroo, the object of Prof. Hill’s desire. The 57-member cast also includes David Jendre and Maureen Collins as Mayor and Mrs. Shinn; Brendan Boyle as Marcellus Washburn; Ellen Reed as Mrs. Paroo; and Jonathan Scurich as Winthrop. Harmonizing as the River City School Board turned barbershop quartet will be Eric McClellan, Tyler Clark, Denny Villa and Tom Scurich.
Renee Rogers serves as choreographer and Jeff Sanders will conduct the Grammy-winning score, which includes “Seventy-Six Trombones,” “Ya Got Trouble,” “Sincere,” “Shipoopi,” “Gary, Indiana” and “Till There Was You.”
“The Music Man,” written by Meredith Willson, opened on Broadway in 1957 and won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It was made into a film in 1962, starring Robert Preston, who played Prof. Hill in the original Broadway production. The musical has enjoyed two Broadway rivals: 1980 and 2000.
Easy Street hasn’t solidified its 2009-10 season yet, but is hoping the rights to some current Broadway hits will become available soon. Hancock has his sights on a number of musicals, including “Hairspray,” “The Producers,” “Legally Blonde,” “Rent,” “Grease” and “Les Miserables.”