?Music Man? opens summer season

In 2007, Fairfield welcomed the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, the first American building to be named after the Tony, Academy, Grammy and Pulitzer Prize Award-winning composer and lyricist.

Five years later, in conjunction with Way Off Broadway, the residential company in the theatre, it is still going strong, producing such classics as ?Annie,? ?South Pacific? and ?Hairspray.?

Way Off Broadway?s 2012 summer productions guarantee equally professional and technically stunning performances, featuring musical theatre professionals, local favorites and the WOB interns.

All three summer musicals have a Midwest theme.

The summer starts with a rollicking rendition of ?76 Trombones? and ?Wells Fargo Wagon? in Meredith Willson?s musical comedy ?The Music Man.?

The show is directed by resident director Randal West, musically directed by Shari Rhoades and choreographed by Adam Cates, joining WOB after performing as assistant choreographer for the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of ?Anything Goes.?

The show stars Iowa favorite Sean McCall as the Music Man himself.The Old Creamery?s artistic director will be joined by his theatrical comrade Ryan Gaffney as Marcellus Washburn and WOB veteran Diana Upton as Marian Paroo.

Joining the performers will be locals, ranging from grade schoolers to adults and WOB?s interns.

Willson?s Tony Award-winning musical takes place in the fictitious River City, based on Mason City ? only 3.5 hours away from the Sondheim Center. It follows the story of con man Professor Harold Hill, who takes money from the townspeople, promising them instruments and costumes for a boys? band that promises to bring music and magic to the Midwest town. Hill immediately charms the women of the town, save for librarian Marian Paroo, who sees right through him. But when her extremely introverted younger brother befriends Hill, she sees the good in the professor. A romance begins to blossom between the two as Marion helps Harold see he has a heart of gold.

?The Music Man? runs June 15-24, with the Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. and the Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.

Ticket prices range from $28 to $38 for general admission. Students and seniors can purchase tickets for $18 and children under 12 for $12. Or, save with the WOB season package. It includes one ticket to all three WOB summer shows. Season packages range from $75 to $84 for general admission. Students and seniors can purchase packages for $45 and children under 12 for $30. Tickets can be purchased at the theatre?s website: FairfieldACC.com, by phone: 472-ARTS or at the Sondheim Ticket Office.

Upcoming performances of the classic ?Wizard of Oz? star WOB veteran Miranda Lawson as Dorothy, seen recently as Mary in ?Jesus Christ Superstar.?

The show will involve a new multimedia component featuring the actors. Producer Kent Hofmeister is bringing a show in which the monkeys will fly, Glinda will travel in her bubble and the Wicked Witch will appear out of thin air.

In August, WOB?s commitment to new musicals continues with ?The Orphan Train? directed and choreographed by Broadway and film legend Patricia Birch.

Featuring Fairfield High School 2012 graduate Shannon Cochran, the show is filled with period music and heart-touching stories based on factual accounts of six orphans who were loaded onto a train in New York and brought to Iowa.