September 6, 2005 > Music and Mayhem

by Heidi Leung

A man named Harold Hill is the main topic of a heated conversation aboard a train filled with salesmen on July 4th, 1912. He has ruined their reputation by selling the idea of starting a boy's band, even though he is musically illiterate, and then taking off with the town people's investments. Little do they know, Harold Hill is aboard the train who, as soon as he hears about the discussion, gets off the train at River City, Iowa.

An old friend named Marcellus Washburn warns Hill that this is not the place to be working his scam. However, Harold remains confidant of his sales skills. Marcellus warns him about a librarian named Marian Paroo, who will see right through his tricks. Harold notices that a pool table is being moved into the new billiard parlor owned by the mayor and seizing an opportunity to get the town's people attention, he tells them of the evils of pool.

Harold has not forgotten the warning about the local librarian and tries to gain her favor. Already suspicious from the little she has seen, Hill is shunned and ignored. Will Marian be able to see through Harold as Marcellus predicted or is Harold really the great salesman he believes himself to be?

Stage One Theater in Newark will be presenting the musical, the Music Man, from September 9-11, 16-18, and 23-24, Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2:30pm. Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 advance purchase and seniors, $10 for high school students and younger (with I.D), and $15 per ticket for groups of 10 or more ordered in advance. For more information, call (510) 791-0287 or visit www.stage1theater.org.