There’s Trouble in River City, and it’s been going on for 50 years now. So the Woodside Community Theatre decided to honor the golden anniversary of “The Music Man” by performing the old classic this fall.
Tickets are currently on sale for shows at the Woodside High School Performing Arts Center on Nov. 10, 11, 15, 16, 17 and 18.
Celebrating its own 50th season, the local production company hadn’t done the musical in almost 20 years, and members felt the time was right for a revival.
“It’s a show that uses all ages, kids as well as adults,” says Michael Taylor, returning for his second stint as stage director. Last year he directed the group in “Anything Goes.” He’s working with many of the same actors again, but also a host of new ones.
Knowing that most audience members have seen the show or a movie version already, he said he hopes to “individualize the production, giving a fresh approach to the characters and lines.”
Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man” is about a conniving salesman who arrives in a conservative small town in Iowa, and falls in love with the librarian.
Damian Marhefka of Redwood City plays Harold Hill of “Seventy-six Trombones” fame, opposite leading lady Kerie Darner of San Jose. She plays Marian the librarian, a year after taking on the role of Hope in “Anything Goes.”
Two other romantic pairings take place during the show. Woodside High student Brigitte Losey plays Zaneeta Shinn. Last June she starred as Maria in Woodside School’s eighth-grade operetta, “The Sound of Music.” Zaneeta is paired with Tommy Djilas, played by Alex Drinnan of San Mateo.
Evy Vaughan of Redwood City is Amaryllis, a young girl who flirts with Winthrop Paroo, an endearing part played by Tony Sinclair of Woodside.
The entire Vaughan family is performing in the show, which is only fitting since the parents, Richard, the music teacher at Hillview Middle School, and Liz Matchett fell for each other when they were in the cast of the late George Sellman’s last Woodside production, “By the Beautiful Sea.”
In the current show, Richard is a member of the quartet, and his wife and younger daughter, Aurora, play townspeople.
Mr. Sellman started what evolved into the Woodside Community Theatre when he wrote and directed a revue called “Frantic Feet” during the 1957-58 school year at Woodside Elementary. From then on, a group of local adults and children put on performances until 1992.
In 2003, Mark and Mindy Bowles of Woodside brought back the tradition by forming WCT. The Bowles family has been involved in theater for years. Mindy serves as WCT co-producer with Donna Losey, a Woodside High parent whose children like to act. Mark doubles as technical director, and in this show, performs the role of Charlie Cowell.
The cast of 54 “is talented, and working hard,” says Mindy. “That’s part of our purpose: to bring fun and music to Woodside.”
Richard Gordon of Woodside returns this season as the music director. He also conducted the orchestra in “The Music Man” when Mr. Sellman directed it back in 1988, and says he’s pleased that two people in his 26-piece orchestra back then are returning: Joel Greene on oboe and English horn, and George Norbeck on trombone. Mr. Norbeck lives in Woodside and starred as Harold Hill in the old Woodside production.
Mr. Gordon also conducts the Woodside Village Band, which he says was an outgrowth of the original show. The orchestra had such a good time with “The Music Man” that many members elected to keep playing together on a regular basis.
This show features several large dance numbers, including the Shipoopi, as well as favorite songs such as “Till There was You” and “Lida Rose.”
Local talent appearing in the cast include: Mary Freeman and Alison Ross of Portola Valley and Darlene Batchelder of Woodside as Pick-a-Little Ladies; Darrell Batchelder and Jessica Marguet of Woodside as Ewart Dunlop and Gracie Shinn; Meghan Styles of Woodside as a featured dancer; Woodsiders Nola Masterson, Molly and Chandler Johnson, Holden Bamford, Nicole Dancer, LeeAnn Patrick, Stephanie Yakupitiyage, Devon Zaky, Ellie Gifford, Julia Hansen, and Alanna McNaughton, plus Emily Ross of Atherton, as townspeople.
Woodside High graduates Claudia McCarley and Gordon Seelos play the roles of Mrs. Paroo and Jacey Squires.
Show times are: Nov. 10, 15, 16 and 17, 7:30 p.m.; and 2 p.m. Nov. 11 and 18.
Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for seniors (62 and older), and $12 for students (18 and younger). Discounts are available for groups of 20 or more.
To order, call 562-3900 or go to www.woodsidetheatre.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.
The theater is located on the Woodside High School campus at 199 Churchill Ave., just off Woodside Road.
