The Music Man!

I’m having the best time portraying Marian Paroo—or “Marian the Librarian”—in Servant Stage Company’s production of The Music Man this month! The show opened September 6th and continues to run through the 22nd in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Our first five performances were incredibly fun and well received, and this cast and crew’s artistry, work ethic, and heart attitude continues to amaze me.

Going into the rehearsal process for The Music Man I wasn’t convinced that I actually liked the show. While I’ve always enjoyed its musical score, I was not a fan of its story or characters. I struggled to find depth or connection as I read over the script time and time again. I was happy to spend time on Marian’s gorgeous ballads, but I was doing mental gymnastics over her character’s arc throughout the course of the story. However, at some point during the rehearsal process, my opinion began to shift. I discovered depth, richness, and heart in this story. I found connection—uncanny similarities, in fact—between myself and the character I was portraying. (And of course, stark differences, as well!) I began to see various layers to Professor Harold Hill and to truly appreciate the townspeople in all their quirky variety. “Goodnight My Someone” was no longer simply beautiful—it was grounded and honest. “My White Knight” wasn’t just a strong lyric soprano piece in my audition book—it was thoughtful, blunt, and so very vulnerable. And “Till There was You” suddenly became more to me than its iconic melody and flowery verse. Its poetry was powerful in explaining Marian’s change of heart and mind… the way she sees the world through a different lens by that point in the story.

Maybe that's it... Change of heart and mind. A different lens. Growth. I've found that the message of growth is so integral to this story. Growth in Marian, growth in Harold, growth in Winthrop, growth in the townspeople... Some of this transformation is humorous and brings about so much laughter and surprise. And some of it is downright beautiful and touching. Marian witnesses and recognizes growth around her and that experience spurs her on towards personal growth and the courage that comes with it. I hope I can take this aspect of The Music Man to heart... to watch for and embrace the process of growth.

In short, I’ve come to adore this show, its characters, and its many messages. There are too many of them to write about here… and certainly, they are best experienced through a live performance itself! Playing Marian has been challenging in the most rewarding way. I’m grateful for the chance to do a show that wasn’t necessarily on the “dream list,” but has certainly found its way onto the “favorite list.” So reserve your pay-what-you-will tickets and come visit my library! In the meantime, I’ll be ‘sitting in a cottage somewhere in the state of Iowa,’ looking forward to our next show…

With love,

Marian

Reserve your pay-what-you-will tickets by visiting ServantStageCompany.com or by calling (717) 455-0255

Enjoy these stunning production photos by Kayla Davis...