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Darlington presents 'The Music Man'
Feb 6, 2008 12:00 AM
By Tannika King - Faculty
Darlington’s fine arts department achieved great success with its presentation of Meredith Willson’s classic “The Music Man” Feb. 1-3 at Rome City Auditorium. This was Darlington's best-attended, highest-grossing winter musical since its production of "The King and I" in 2002.
In this well-known story, "professor" Harold Hill is a con man whose scam is to convince parents he can teach their musically disinclined children to play musical instruments. Taking pre-paid orders for instruments and uniforms with the promise he'll form a band, he skips town and moves on to the next one before anyone's the wiser. But things become complicated when he arrives in River City, Iowa, and finds his scam compromised when he becomes attracted to a local librarian, Marian Paroo, who recognizes him for the fraud that he is.
Darlington's production of "The Music Man" featured more than 80 students of all ages in the cast and more than 20 others working behind the scenes.
“It was a lot of fun to work with the younger students ... They lightened up the room and made us laugh,” said senior Garrett Henderson, who played Harold Hill. “This was a great play because there are so many different types of characters. Everyone can find someone they can relate to … And the audience got to see some people dance who normally wouldn’t, including myself.”
Sophomore Samantha Clark played Marian Paroo, with whom Hill falls in love throughout the course of the musical. “I love the romance and comedy that comes with ‘The Music Man.’ It is both inspiring and fresh,” said Clark. “Participating in this show made a tremendous impact on me. I hope audience members left the show with the same impression."
In addition to the weekend performances, the school also sponsored a special free performance on Jan. 30 for the Georgia School for the Deaf and the Open Door Home, organizations with which Darlington students have worked this year through the Servant Leadership Program. The performance was interpreted.
In this well-known story, "professor" Harold Hill is a con man whose scam is to convince parents he can teach their musically disinclined children to play musical instruments. Taking pre-paid orders for instruments and uniforms with the promise he'll form a band, he skips town and moves on to the next one before anyone's the wiser. But things become complicated when he arrives in River City, Iowa, and finds his scam compromised when he becomes attracted to a local librarian, Marian Paroo, who recognizes him for the fraud that he is.
Darlington's production of "The Music Man" featured more than 80 students of all ages in the cast and more than 20 others working behind the scenes.
“It was a lot of fun to work with the younger students ... They lightened up the room and made us laugh,” said senior Garrett Henderson, who played Harold Hill. “This was a great play because there are so many different types of characters. Everyone can find someone they can relate to … And the audience got to see some people dance who normally wouldn’t, including myself.”
Sophomore Samantha Clark played Marian Paroo, with whom Hill falls in love throughout the course of the musical. “I love the romance and comedy that comes with ‘The Music Man.’ It is both inspiring and fresh,” said Clark. “Participating in this show made a tremendous impact on me. I hope audience members left the show with the same impression."
In addition to the weekend performances, the school also sponsored a special free performance on Jan. 30 for the Georgia School for the Deaf and the Open Door Home, organizations with which Darlington students have worked this year through the Servant Leadership Program. The performance was interpreted.
