Garland Summer Musicals is kicking off its summer season with the first of two musicals, the Broadway extravaganza “The Music Man” this month.

The show runs on weekends from June 16 through June 30 and Friday and Saturday showtimes have changed to 7:30 p.m.

According to Garland Summer Musicals producer, Patty Granville, the musical is a “song and dance spectacular,” adding that it was just a “big Broadway hit in last few years” starring Hugh Jackman.

“It’s timeless,” she said. “It will be a great show.”

“The Music Man” revolves around the story of a con man named Harold Hill who combs the country asking townspeople to purchase band uniforms and instruments with the promise of forming a band. Ultimately, Hill intends to flee as soon as he receives the money. His travels land him in River City, Iowa where he meets city librarian, Marian Paroo. Although Paroo suspects he’s a fraud, she keeps silent because her brother Winthrop is excited about being in a band. As Hill develops feelings for Paroo, he faces a difficult decision when it comes to his plans to leave town. 

The musical, directed by Michael Serrecchia, along with Music Director Jeff Crouse and Choreographer and Assistant Director Megan Kelly Bates, features dance and musical numbers such as “Seventy-Six Trombones,” “Till There was You,” “Shapoopi” and “Gary Indiana.” 

According to Granville, the production features “some amazing family connections,” explaining that GSM produced “The Music Man” for the first time in 1986 and Karla Pajot oversaw props and her daughter, Kim, a child at the time, was in the musical. Now 37 years later, Granville said Karla’s daughter Kim is in the production with her 5-year-old daughter “and Karla is in charge of props again.”

Granville added that the “whole family” of Choreographer and Assistant Director Megan Kelly Bates is also in the show. 

“Megan’s husband Stephen is in the fabulous quartet singing group and their three daughters are in the youth ensemble,” she said. 

Additionally, Granville said that lead actor Jason Craig West also has two of his children in the show. 

“We last did Music Man in 2011 and it was very successful,” Granville said, adding that they did not have very many children, “actually only two,” in that production. However, the 2023 production is different. 

“We have an adult ensemble, teen ensemble, tween ensemble and youth ensemble — 56 total in the cast,” she said. “Challenges with large casts are, of course, costumes and dressing room space” she said.

For the full story, see the June 8 issue of The Sachse News.