Last of April performances beckon

After weeks of complaint, it would seem appropriate to acknowledge that spring has finally arrived.

I hesitate to say “well done,” Mother Nature, so let’s just exchange courteous nods and leave it at that.

But while spring is just getting underway meteorologically, at least in Northeast Ohio, the spring musical season is starting to wind down as our young thespians start to turn their attention to prom and graduation season with May lurking just around the corner.

Still, some significant productions await your enthusiastic support.

Check out a couple of late bloomers in Lake and Geauga County:

Mentor Theatre

Mentor Theatre has one of the largest and more ambitious young thespian groups in the area, and they are finally ready to unveil their annual spring musical. After presenting the challenging materials and song and dance of “A Chorus Line” last year, director John Greene has done a 180 with a more family-friendly production, albeit a classic in its own right.

The Mentor Theatre spring musical this year is “The Music Man,” and you can catch it April 26-28 at 7 p.m. and April 29 at 3 p.m. at the Fine Arts Center at Mentor High School, 6477 Center St.

Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for students under 18 and seniors. Audience members are encouraged to visit eventbrite.com to choose your seats. Greene advises tickets are starting to go fast.

As with Mentor Theatre’s production of “Mary Poppins” a couple years ago, Mentor Schools Foundation is hosting a fundraising event in conjunction with “The Music Man” this year. There will be a special event at the matinee performance on April 29 to include reserved seating and a postshow dessert reception and meet-and-greet with music. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students/ children and are presale only (by mail order). All proceeds benefit the Mentor Schools Foundation’s grants program.

The plot follows fasttalking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band that he vows to organize — this, despite the fact that 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, the librarian, who transforms him into a respectable citizen by curtain’s fall.

“By turns wicked, funny, warm, romantic and touching, ‘The Music Man’ is family entertainment at its best,” Greene tells me. “It is a classic show that has come together quite easily. The kids in the cast and crew are doing a phenomenal job with the show. Each student is perfectly cast in his or her role and I cannot imagine a better group of students to bring this musical to the Mentor Theatre stage.”

Meredith Wilson’s “The Music Man” is a six-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy with classic songs like “76 Trombones” that has been performed numerous times by area schools. Interestingly enough, however, if Mentor High School has ever performed “The Music Man,” it pre-dates at least 1980.

Part of that has been Mentor’s long tradition of attempting more unique or even edgier fare. But there is something to be said for giving kids a whirl at the classics, which is why even Mentor has staged productions like “Our Town,” “West Side Story,” and “You Can’t Take It With You” over the years.

“The fact that the Class of 2018 has maneuvered from ‘Into the Woods’ to ‘Mary Poppins’ to ‘A Chorus Line’ to ‘The Music Man’ speaks volumes about their — as well as the program’s — versatility,” Greene agrees. “It’s a show that I know better than almost any other show. The movie was a staple in my house growing up and it is hard to forget the indelible performances by Robert Preston and Shirley Jones.”

“My experience in the theater this year has been an amazing as someone who adores musical theatre,” says cast member Hunter Delp, who plays Mayor George Shinn. “In general, ‘The Music Man’ has been a favorite of mine since I was a kid, so when I heard Mentor was putting it on this year I just knew I had to be involved. This is my first year in Mentor Theatre and I have made so many lifelong friends already, the environment on a daily basis can only be compared to that of a family. Everyone is so welcoming and takes anyone and everyone in with open arms.”

Hear that? It’s the Wells Fargo wagon coming down Center Street! Check them out this weekend.

Berkshire High School

Down in Geauga County, director Jim Lester and the Berkshire High School young thespians will present “The Addams Family” April 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m. and April 29 at 2 p.m. With music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and the book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, this new favorite is an original story of the classic cartoon and television brood, the macabre Addams family. Two snaps to these young thespians.

Young Thespians is a regular column that focuses on youth in theater. Do you have a production you wish to see featured? E-mail stevecouch@ windstream.net, follow me @StevenRCouch on Twitter or join our “Young Thespians” Facebook group and post your show information.

Young Thespians Steve Couch