The Music Man Jr.

The Music Man is a very special show in our family.  It was the first play I was ever in (I played a townsperson), Jeff's Grandpa Eddie once played a member of the school board/quartet in the show, and Jeff's dad played Harold Hill in middle school (opposite his sister, Sally, as Marian Paroo.  That's my favorite story of all time.).  My kids fell in love with The Music Man when I showed it to them in preparation for our talent show performance.  When I found out a local youth theater was doing a production of the junior version, I asked the kids if they wanted to go see it.  "Can we be in it?!"  they asked.  I tried not to do backflips.  I explained that they would need to audition and that auditioning meant singing a solo in front of strangers.  Chloe immediately started crying.  Just thinking about it scared her to death.  The next morning, she came into my room and said, "I've decided I'm going to do the show."  They both worked hard and auditioned well.  Chloe was cast as a townsperson and Harrison was cast as a member of the school board/quartet.

Thursday night, the show opened and as the overture started I had to fight back tears. 

Harrison got to be the "Whaddaya talk?" guy in "Rock Island".  Nailed it.

 

"Iowa Stubborn"

 

Chloe in "Trouble".

 

Harold Hill in Munchkin Land.

"How can it be raining?  Didn't The Gazette predict 'fair'?"

Harold Hill says we've got to protect our children.  Everyone agrees.  Like, a lot.

Chloe found us in the audience. Every night. She's new to this.

 

Harrison chooses not to be patriotic.  Kind of a bold acting choice.

"76 Trombones led the big parade."

76 Trombones big finish!

"Ice cream!"  (They got a big round of applause every night.  Probably because they are adorable and ice cream is delicious.)

 

"Goodnight, Ladies"

"The Wells Fargo Wagon"

"Yes it could be.  Yes, you're right.  It surely could be."  See that girl in the long purple skirt next to Harrison (not the one in the short, completely-wrong-for-this-time-period dress)?  One night during "Shipoopi", she kicked her shoe off into the audience and it hit someone in the face.  Oh, man!  Still funny.

 

Speaking of "Shipoopi".  Harrison had to dance with that tall girl in gray.  You know, because she was his wife.  Pahahahaha!

Chloe danced the Shipoopi, too.

 

The mayor told Harold he wanted to hear some by gad tootin' outta them horns in pretty short order.  At least, I think that's what he said.  There was a lot of yelling involved.

Charlie exposes Harold Hill.  That kid was awesome.  He was like a cartoon character. 

Marian is all, "Stop bein' so stubborn, ya'll.  Just be cool."  She and the boy who played Harold were both very good, but I'm pretty sure Pops and his sister had more chemistry.  There were definitely not love singing all around, dude.  There were, however, some very polite handshakes.

 

"Where's the band?  WHERE'S THE BAND?!"  Yep.  The band is four kids.  Boy, that Harold Hill really took the town for all they had, eh?  That little drummer boy goes to our church.  Never give Willy a drum.

 

Curtain call!

 

Chloe during this afternoon's curtain call.  (I was volunteering backstage for the matinee.)

 

After the show this little girl had to say goodbye to Chloe.  Worst day of her life, whaddayathink?

 

Grandma Peggy flew in all the way from Idaho just to see the show!  That made the kids feel really special. 

 

She clapped real loud and filled us up with fro-yo.  We were sad to see her go.

 

Jeff and I were so proud of our little nuggets.  The kids had such a great time and they can't wait to do another show.  I have a feeling this will be the first of many.