Students from all over Leon County are spending much of their summer rehearsing for The Music Man, presented by the Leon High School Choral Department.
This classic musical boasts a cast of more than 50 students. The youngest is 8-year-old Theo Carson, who comes from a family of performers.
“I’ve done it before and I still like it.” Theo says he’s glad his brother Eli, a senior, is also in the cast. “If I get scared I can just walk up to him and like, hug him or something.”
The show begins with Harold Hill arriving in River City, Iowa on July 4th, 1912.
He calls himself a professor, but the fast-talking salesman cons residents into buying instruments and uniforms for a nonexistent boys’ band. Then, Hill meets his match in Marian Paroo, the town librarian who steals his heart, leaving the con man to choose between love and money.
Grantham Durham is leading the cast as Harold Hill.
“It’s wonderful to be the lead,” Durham says. “I think everyone has a wonderful time with it, and I’d be happy no matter what. So I just try to do my best to make everyone feel loved and a part of it.”
Durham is a new Leon High grad who says he’ll miss experiences like this.
“The philosophy I always try to live by is don’t be sad that it’s gone, be happy that it happened,” Durham says. “I just try to be as grateful as I can be about everything that I’ve been able to do, and I just try to be happiest about everything that I’ve gotten to do so far. I know that there are great things ahead.”
The annual summer musical at Leon is such a big deal that Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey is hosting a big event at the school June 17th at 3 p.m.
“Mayor Dailey is issuing a proclamation, Leon High School Summer Show Day, to recognize this amazing tradition of the summer show here at Leon,” says choreographer Anna Norris. The public is welcome to attend the event, which will include some numbers from the show.
Audiences have 8 chances to see The Music Man. It runs June 27 through July 7 at the Leon High School auditorium. Tickets start at $15.
For some extra fun, a picnic and fun day will be held on Leon’s front lawn for the whole community on July 4th at 11 a.m. It will be followed by a show matinee.
Click here for ticket information.
