'The Music Man' brings classic story and songs to Batavia
"The Music Man" is coming to Batavia to entertain audience members of all ages.
The show, put on by Spotlight Youth Theater Aurora, features a cast of 101.
Performances are at 11:45 a.m. Friday, May 27; and 2 and 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 28-29, at the Batavia Fine Arts Centre, 1201 Main St., Batavia. Tickets are $10-$14.
The Daily Herald caught up with director Ben Olson of Elgin to learn more about the show.
Q. Why did you choose to do "The Music Man?" Is this the classic musical or another adaptation?
Ben Olson. I was in our artistic director's office when they were discussing Aurora's spring show being "The Music Man," and right then and there I expressed my interest in directing it. It was a movie I watched over and over again as a kid, and it probably led to why I grew to love music and performing. We are without a doubt performing the classic adaptation. Why fix something that isn't broken?
Q. For those who haven't seen it, please summarize the plot.
Olson. Set in River City, Iowa, in 1912, we follow Harold Hill, a traveling con man. Harold intends to convince the town they need a Boys Band, collect their money, and then skip out on the town. The idea of a band sparks excitement and a newfound unity among the citizens. From the school board down to a small boy with a stuttering problem, the town is transformed. Against her better judgment, even the town librarian finds herself intrigued. And finally, the con man himself discovers that maybe even he can change for the better.
Q. What have been some of the challenges in putting together this production?
Olson. There are always challenges when producing a classic musical with modern kids and teens. The setting is 1912, and the show was written in the 1950s, so there can be phrases, cultural movements, and just simply ways of thinking that are foreign to us today. We had to use a pretty extensive glossary at times to properly tell this story, and I think this 2016 cast has done a great job of portraying Midwestern life in the early 20th century.
Q. What have you found most rewarding or gratifying?
Olson. One of my favorite moments of a rehearsal for a Spotlight show is when something has been worked on over and over again, and then we run it again and the cast nails it. There's an electricity in the air as we collectively just celebrate the moment of hard work paying off. I've experienced that a number of times with this cast, which is very dedicated and hardworking. We were also challenged with this show in particular with a lot of rehearsal conflicts and absences due to spring break, finals, and other school programs. A lot of our cast members would step in and be someone else's "stunt double" and learn their entire part, to then teach it to the absent cast member, to then never actually perform it themselves. It is a very humble thing to do, and it has been very gratifying to watch kids and teens who have that level of maturity.
Q. What criteria did you use for casting the lead roles? Was this a difficult or easy show to cast?
Olson. We needed kids and teens who are expressive, energetic, adaptable, and good storytellers through dance, music, and in scenes. It was a difficult show to cast for two reasons. We had more than 120 students come out and audition, which is so great, but we can only legally put about 100 on the stage, so we weren't able to take everyone. I always really struggle with hard decisions like that. We also sometimes had too many talented kids for just one role, so we had to get very picky and look at many factors to determine who would land the role. It ended up being the perfect cast for what we needed, and I think audiences will agree.
Q. What do you think audiences will like best about this show?
Olson. Our full company songs are stunning because there are 101 voices singing in full harmony. We also have some great, classic choreography such as the Charleston, fox trot, quickstep, and even some Viennese waltzing. There is a lot of comedy in our show, and a highlight is definitely the mayor's wife, and her following of gossiping society women. They have some excellent comedic timing and their scenes and songs always have us laughing.
If you go
What: Spotlight Youth Theater Aurora's production of "The Music Man"
When: 11:45 a.m. Friday, May 27; and 2 and 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 28-29
Where: Batavia Fine Arts Centre, 1201 Main St., Batavia
Tickets: $10-$14
Details: <a href="https://www.spotlight.org/ars16_musicmanjr">www.spotlight.org</a>