Meredith Willson's The Music Man

There's trouble in River City, Iowa, when a fast-talking salesman gets his heart stolen by the town librarian during the summer of 1912.

Deanne McDonald is thrilled to direct the 40-person cast of this musical for Inver Grove Heights Community Theatre’s 5th summer production, capitalizing on the success of last year's similarly family-friendly Mary Poppins. Several cast and crew members from Mary Poppins return this summer and this production is truly a family affair: cast and crew members include siblings, parents and extended family members. IGHCT continues its commitment to professional quality accompaniment with this summer’s 18-member pit orchestra.

Meredith Willson’s The Music Man is full of show stopping numbers (“Ya Got Trouble,” “76 Trombones”) and beautiful ballads (“Til There Was You”). It contains roles for children (Winthrop, Amaryllis, River City Kids), singers (Marian, barbershop quartet), dancers (“Marian the Librarian”), and comedic actors (Pick-a-Little Ladies, Mayor Shinn and Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn). While the action takes place over 100 years ago, the simple Midwestern charm of Willson's Iowa setting feels close to home and with numbers like, “Iowa Stubborn,” truly becomes a character in the story.