By Beth Brunmeier

“Please enjoy The Music Man!” The voice rings out across the crowded auditorium filled with restless people, and as the lights dim, the timpani signals the pit orchestra to begin playing.

These were the opening moment of The Music Man, FC’s latest theater production. The beginning overture was played beautifully by the pit orchestra, who continued to play at the same level throughout the entire play.

The Music Man is about a con man who goes by the name Harold Hill. He sells instruments, and so when he arrives in a small Iowa town, he creates the need for a boys’ band in the town. To do this, he has to promise to lead the band himself, even though he does not, “know one note from another.” However, he cannot leave until after four weeks when the marching uniforms arrive and he can pocket the cash.

During those four weeks he begins to develop feelings towards the town librarian and music teacher.

For the most part, the play was fantastically done. The acting was commendable, even by the younger children. All of the characters were believable in their respective roles.

The dancing was also impressive, considering there were several large dance numbers that included what felt like the entire cast in the performance.

The songs were hit and miss for me because even though they were performed very well, some of them are taken very fast and I could not understand the words. The inability to understand characters at times is probably one of my only personal criticisms of the play.

Nevertheless, I especially loved the barbershop quartet, and the town’s librarian, played by sophomore Madeline Coffey, sounded like an angel. The mayor’s wife and her dance group were hilarious.

The ending seemed a bit abrupt and just very ridiculous, but all in all it was another fantastic production by our theater department, and should definitely be seen by fans of classic American musicals.

Meanwhile, I think I will have “Seventy-Six Trombones” stuck in my head for the next week.