By KAYLEA BROWN, Senior Reporter
July 4, 1912, is coming to Northwestern April 7, 8 and 9.
The Northwestern theater program is preparing for its performance of Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man.”
Based in small-town Iowa in the early 1900s, the play is about a con artist who pretends to be a salesman.
He offers people the opportunity to create a boys’ band through selling instruments and uniforms, but he has no plans to follow through.
Professor Kimberly Weast, chair of the Fine Arts Department and director of the play, said the cast is made up of Northwestern students, local community members, middle and high school students and children. Weast said community involvement is one of the reasons that fine arts faculty – including Northwestern Choir Director Dr. Karsten Longhurst and Director of Technical Theater Mickey Jordan – chose the musical.
“Dr. Longhurst, Mr. Jordan and I wanted to do something that would involve the community as well as many students,” Weast said. “We wanted an opportunity to do music that people would recognize with the title and to pull the community back together after not doing a musical for two years.”
The large size of the cast meant the set would have to be somewhat abstract, Jordan said. The apron of the stage has been taken off, and a large number of people will be singing and dancing on stage. So, the background won’t be easily seen.
Jordan said that, although the set is simple, set designers did thorough research to make it period-correct. Costume designers also took care to develop costumes that represent people from different economic classes and occupations.
Emily Smith, a sophomore vocal music education major from Holdenville, plays the part of a character with a higher economic status. She is Ethel Toffelmier in the Pick-A-Little-Lady group, as well as the understudy for Marian Paroo, the female lead.
“We’re kind of like the rich ladies of the small town that’s based in Iowa,” Smith said. “We’re the gossipers of the town.”
When first casted as a Pick-A-Little-Lady, Smith said she was against the part because she did not think she would enjoy it. But to her surprise, she has.
“The Music Man” is the first musical Smith has been in, but she said has always treasured the production and songs. She said she enjoys the storyline of the production and likes how it has brought the community together.
Tickets are on sale now and can be bought online by visiting https://nwosufinearts.ludus.com/index.php
Tickets will also be available at the door. General admission costs $12. Admission for faculty and senior citizens costs $10, and student admission costs $5.
The show will be in Herod Hall. It will begin at 7 p.m. April 7 and 8 and at 2 p.m. on April 9.
