Auditions for The Weston Friendly Society's fall 2011 production ofMeredith Wilson's The Music Man will be held June 27 & 28 at 7:00 at Weston Town Hall. Please be prepared to sing 16-32 bars of a song in the style of the show (but not from the show) and bring sheet music in the correct key for the accompanist. There will also be a dance/movement audition and readings from the script. Rehearsals will begin in September, and performances will be November 26 & 27 and December 2 & 3, 2011. Please visit our website http://www.westonfriendly.org for more information.
Main Characters
PROFESSOR HAROLD HILL – Baritone (A flat – High F) A con man and traveling salesman who comes to River City, Iowa selling band instruments, uniforms and a promise to organize a boy’s band even to save the town from the Trouble it’s in. However, Professor Hill can’t tell a trombone from a treble clef.
MARIAN PAROO – Soprano (Low G – High A) The uptight town librarian and part time piano teacher out to expose Harold Hill as the fraud he is, but inevitably falls for him.
MARCELLUS WASHBURN – Comedic/side-kick Tenor (G – High A) Harold's old friend and partner, no longer a con man, dating his boss' (Mr. Squires's) niece, Ethel Toffelmier.
MAYOR GEORGE SHINN – Can be NON-SINGING – A proud local politician prone to saying nonsensical phrases, tries to control the town, but can't even control his own family.
EULALIE MACKECKNIE SHINN – Alto (D – D) The mayor's peacock wife; a grand dame whom Harold appoints head of the "Ladies' Auxiliary Society for the Classic Dance."
WINTHROP PAROO – (Must appear 9-11 yrs old) Boy Alto (C – E flat) Marian's shy, lisping younger brother who hardly talks since the death of his father.
MRS. PAROO – Mezzo-Soprano (A flat – E flat) Marian's nosey Irish mother.
THE BARBERSHOP QUARTET – Four bickering businessmen and school board members united in song by Harold to form a male barbershop quartet:
- Olin Britt – Owns the Gazette. Bass
- Oliver Hix – Owns the bank. Baritone
- Ewart Dunlop - Owns the Grocery store. Tenor
- Jacey Squires – Owns the Livery Stable. HIGH Tenor
PICKALITTLE LADIES – Eulalie's four gossipy friends:
- Alma Hix
- Mrs. Squires
- Maud Dunlop
- Ethel Toffelmier (the “pianola” girl)
Supporting Characters
AMARYLLIS – (Must appear 10-12 yrs old) Alto (C – E) Marian's young piano student. Ability to play the piano desired. Sings a lovely duet with Marian, has a crush on Winthrop.
TOMMY DJILAS – (Must appear 15-18 yrs old) Dance and vocal – A young man "from the wrong side of the tracks" who is secretly seeing the Mayor’s oldest daughter, Zaneeta; Harold encourages their relationship and makes him assistant bandleader.
ZANEETA SHINN – (Teens) Oldest, and slightly daffy daughter of the Mayor and Eulalie. Acts very stereotypical of how teens were portrayed in early movies. Says, “Yee Gads” a lot.
GRACIE SHINN – (Should appear 8-11 yrs old) Youngest daughter of Mayor and Eulalie.
CHARLIE COWELL – A traveling anvil salesman who tries to expose Prof. Harold Hill as a con man. Charlie is seeking revenge on Harold for being tarred, feathered, and run out on a rail from the last town from which he had the unfortunate luck of following Prof. Hill.
TRAVELING SALESMEN – (6-8 males) A fun opportunity to sing in possibly the first ever rap song performed by a group of older guys!
LARGE ENSEMBLE (Male and Female, ALL ages!)
