Artful Living troupe readies ‘Music Man’

KILLINGWORTH » “The Music Man” may be an ambitious show for a community theater, but that’s not stopping Artful Living from staging it — and getting 100-plus people from surrounding shoreline towns involved in its production.

The Meredith Willson musical from 1957 is just too much fun, with its story of a fasttalking salesman, Harold Hill, who convinces the townsfolk of River City, Iowa, to go all in on a marching band, instruments and uniforms — strongly implying he will lead the band. The only problem, as another salesman points out in the train scene: “He don’t know one note from another!” And Hill plans to skip town with the town’s money before they find out.

So there’s trouble in River City, not to be confused with nearby Deep River, which borders Killingworth along Route 80. Anyway, the show will take place Friday through Sunday at the air-conditioned Wagner Theater inside Haddam-Killingworth Middle School at 451 Route 81.

Producer Chris Solimene, a drama teacher in town, says the show is “really funny with a lush score played by a full professional orchestra.” Memorable tunes include “Rock Island” (“Whaddaya talk, whaddaya talk...”), “Till There Was You” and “Seventy-six Trombones.”

In a release, Solimene said there is universal truth in the story.

“The truly inspiring truth of ‘The Music Man’ is the lesson we learn about being transformed when we ‘face the music’ — the hope we have in being able to change like Harold. I’ve heard this story described as being truly different than a fairy tale; it’s about finding strength in the realization that actions have consequences.”

Musical direction is by Joel Spineti and the show will be choreographed by Paola Rarick. Mark Gilchrist of Clin-

ton plays Harold Hill and Amy Buckley of Westbrook plays Marian Paroo, with Liev Shpitalnik of Branford playing Winthrop Paroo. His mom Connie Evans also has a role.

Performances will be Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Tickets, at $20 (adults) and $15 (children/seniors), are available at artfullivingct.com or by calling Solimene at 860-389-1363.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAY JOHNSTON Mark Gilchrist of Clinton plays Harold Hill and Amy Buckley of Westbrook plays Marian Paroo in “The Music Man.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF RAY JOHNSTON Liev Shpitalnik of Branford plays Winthrop Paroo.