Moorestown Friends Presents 'The Music Man'

Just about 48 hours before the curtain was scheduled to go up on ’s fall production of The Music Man, co-director Brian Howard talked about the strategy for putting on a show like this.

All the pre-production, all the behind-the-scenes work—the performances, the lighting, the sound, the set, the music—needs to come together at the right time.

“The challenge is to make that all peak when the first performance is coming,” he said just before Wednesday’s dress rehearsal.

Judging by the showing the students made that night, Howard should have nothing to worry about heading into Friday’s opening.

Other than a microphone malfunction, there were virtually no noticeable flubs in the performance—a testament to the hard work the faculty and students have put in over the past two months.

The Music Man features a cast of 55 students, including several fifth-graders—though the school’s productions are normally limited to eighth grade and up—playing the role of a children’s band. Howard said the school tends to select big shows “where we can have the cast of thousands.”

In addition to the 55 actors, there are about 30 crew members working behind the scenes.

By Wednesday’s rehearsal, the production was nearly entirely student-run. The school’s philosophy is to front-load the instruction (acting, lighting, set design, etc.) at the beginning of pre-production, and then back off as soon as possible, said co-director Martha Howard.

Both Howards spoke highly of their cast, heaping particular praise on senior Joe Antonakakis, who plays con man Harold Hill.

“I don’t like to highlight one child,” said Martha Howard, but added, “He’s central to everything.”

“The amount of memorization (for Harold Hill’s character) is off the charts,” said Brian Howard.

For his part, Joe, 17, seemed relatively calm and focused before the start of the rehearsal and shook his head when asked if the role was overwhelming.

“It was a lot more to put together for the character (than past productions),” he said. “But I feel like I personally can learn lines quickly … I’ve been in choir since sixth grade.”

He said he felt “more excitement” than nervousness.

His co-star, junior Larissa Morgan (playing love interest Marian Paroo), felt similarly, saying any butterflies would vanish once the curtain lifted.

Her role, she said, presented unique challenges because of the singing style she had to master. Martha Howard described it as a “classical soprano, versus a (traditional) Broadway belter.”

“You have to think about every little thing: the position of your jaw, how you’re moving your tongue,” Larissa said.

Senior Jeron Stephens had a similar learning curve with his role as one member of a barbershop quartet, having to learn a different style of signing from the a capella group he regularly performs in.

Usually with a production like this, “hired guns” are brought in to do that kind of singing, Martha Howard said. “For high school kids to pull that off, it’s a challenge.”

“It’s been fun. It’s work,” Jeron said, “but I don’t mind doing it.”

The Music Man will play at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday (Nov. 18 and 19) and at 2 p.m. Sunday in the school auditorium. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and children.