This weekend’s performances of The Music Man, Sr. at the Arlington Heights Senior Center started out as a class through the Arlington Heights Park District. But this weekend, patrons will have the chance to see an ensemble version of the musical itself, which is a first for the center.
Salesmen on the train head toward River City.
Their version is called, The Music Man, Sr., which is a shorter, more informal production of the iconic musical, but the performances feature all of the show’s beloved songs, colorful characters and plenty of comedy. Performances take place at 5 p.m. Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday, at the Senior Center, located at 1801 W. Central Road in Arlington Heights.
The set is limited, with just backdrops to recreate the town of River City. But actors will be dressed in 1912-era costumes and have the necessary props to bring the toe-tapping musical to life.
Kathleen Messmer, wife of Wayne Messmer, plays the title role of Harold Hill. That’s right. Of the 19 actors in the cast, only two are men, consequently women play a variety of roles in the show.
Kathleen Messmer, center, as Harold Hill, leads the ensemble.
Messmer brings solid experience to the show. Beyond often harmonizing with her husband in singing the National Anthem, she has performed in more than 50 musicals across Chicago and the suburbs. She even played Marian in The Music Man, opposite Wayne, who played Harold Hill, back in 1983. Before that, she performed in The Music Man as an ensemble member while a student at Maine East High School, which is where she first got the acting bug, she says.
“We’re having fun with this project,” Messmer says. “It started out as a class, but once we got going, people really wanted to do more with it. The show is fun and funny, and we’re getting excited about putting it together.”
Another of the show’s principals is Neil Scheufler, who plays Mayor Shin in the show. Like many of the other performers, it has been years since he performed on stage — think high school — and for many of the last 20 years he has held administrative roles at the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, including serving as interim executive director and as an assistant director.
Kathy Davy as Marian instructs Amaryllis, played by Nancy Stilber, on the piano.
“I haven’t been on this side of the stage for so long, but we’re just having so much fun,” Scheufler says. “All of the cast members are great. We’re embracing the chance to perform and supporting one another.”
The Music Man Sr. was born out of the Arlington Heights Park District’s Innovation Committee, which fosters interdepartmental collaboration and develops new programs to better serve the community. The idea brought together the Senior Center and Cultural Arts supervisors to create a unique performance opportunity for participants of 55 and over, says Kate Schwarz, Cultural Arts Supervisor for the Arlington Heights Park District.
“This production is a wonderful opportunity for our participants to share their talents, have fun and create something special together,” said Abby Vombrack, Senior Center Supervisor for the Arlington Heights Park District. “There’s so much laughter, energy and heart in this group, and we can’t wait for the community to see what they’ve put together.”
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