Junior Thespians to Present The Music Man Kids

Tattnall students in grades 2-8 had the opportunity to audition for the cast of The Music Man KIDS. The 49 member cast began rehearsals this week with their director, Mrs. Sarah Banter, and are working hard as they prepare for opening night. Based on Meredith Willson’s six-time-Tony-Award-winning musical comedy, The Music Man KIDS features some of musical theatre’s most iconic songs and a story filled with wit, warmth and good old-fashioned romance. The Music Man KIDS is family entertainment at its best – a bold, brassy show that will have the whole town atwitter!

Master showman Harold Hill (William Stuart) is in town and he’s got “seventy-six trombones” in tow. Can upright, uptight Marian (Calyn Blackmon), the town librarian, resist his powerful allure? The story follows fast-talking traveling salesman, Harold Hill, as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band he vows to organize. The catch? He doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian, whose belief in Harold’s power just might help him succeed in the end in spite of himself.

The Music Man KIDS is the perfect vehicle for a young cast, a toe-tapping crowd-pleaser featuring roles for kids of every level.

“I really love The Music Man KIDS because it uses the entire cast for most of the show. There are really no small parts in this musical,” commented Sarah Banter, TSA Music and Chorus Director.

Banter said she was unsure of how many students would like to audition, since The Music Man is not well-known to elementary and middle school students, but she was pleased to see such a large turnout.

“There are many students who tried out who have never been in a musical. I am so excited for them to see how enjoyable being in a musical is!” smiled Banter.

Banter said this show will require a lot of determination and hard work. “Many of the songs are very “wordy”, but they are also very catchy and fun. Six of the songs require everyone in the cast to sing and dance,” commented Banter.

You can catch The Music Man KIDS on Thursday, March 15 and Friday, March 16 at 6:00 p.m. in Trojan Hall.

Cast List

Harold Hill……………..……………….……………..William Stuart

Marian Paroo…….……….………………………….. Calyn Blackmon

Mrs. Paroo………….………………………………….. Avery Scott

Marcellus Washburn……….……….………………. Boone Fyke

Charlie Cowell…………………….…………..………. Landon Tyson

Winthrop Paroo…..…………….……………………. Peyton McCallum

Amaryllis…….……………….……………….………… Brinley McInnis

Mayor Shinn…….…………….……………….………. Jackson Malcom

Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn…………………….…… Corie David

Gracie Shinn…………………….………………………. Abbie Thomas

Zaneeta Shinn…………………….…………………….. Eron Dopson

Constable Locke/Salesman #2……………………. Gray Greenwood

Tommy Djilas/Salesman #1…………………….….. Asa Scott

Alma Hix…………………….…………………………….. Maddie Tedders

Mrs. Squires…………………….………………………… Kate Moore

Ethel Toffelmier…………………….……………………. Allie Carter

Maud Dunlop…………………….………………………… Katie Bankston

Pick-A-Little Ladies…………………….……………….. Madeline Fyke, Kayla Luciano, Ellie Rowland, Brynn Scott,

Aiden Smith, Destinee Willis

Salesman #3…………………….………………………….. Chloe Mielcarek

Salesman #4…………………….………………………….. Abby Riedel

Newspaper Readers…………………….………………… Tate Morris, Landon Barwick

Conductor…………………….………………………………. Kaydence Ayers

Wan Tan Ye Girls…………………….…………………….. MaryKatherine Brake, Sophie Durden, Caroline Garretson,

Molly Kemp, Adalee Kizer, Shannon Smith, Juliet Watson

River City Townspeople

Avery Grace Bacchus Riley Gray Ella Martin

Ramsey Belknap Madison Hulett Emma Martin

Jordyn Bingham Ella Kate Hilliard Carson Mitchell

Addie Boland Kiley Kate Hodgin Olivia Pittman

Jackson Carter Jordan Quarles