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Clarendon Hills Middle School students take on ‘The Music Man’
Jake Youngman, who plays Harold Hill, interacts with other cast members. | Michael R. Schmidt ~ For Sun-Times Media
Raise the curtain
What: ‘The Music Man Junior’
When: 7 p.m. March 13-16
Where: Clarendon Hills Middle School, 301 Chicago Ave., Clarendon Hills
Tickets: $8, available by calling (630) 887-4260
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Updated: April 15, 2013 6:13AM
CLARENDON HILLS — A year ago, Lily Chrones may not have been able to handle the role of Marian the librarian in the “The Music Man Junior.”
“I really had stage fright very bad,” Lily said. “I cried last year when my dad signed me up for singing lessons, but I love being on stage now.”
Lily has been in other plays at Clarendon Hills Middle School, but her role as Marian the librarian is the biggest part she’s tackled.
“I’ve been in plays starting in fifth grade because a friend did it,” she said. “My vocal coach helped me get over my stage fright, and I love it now. It’s fun doing a play like this here. It feels like a huge family.”
Fellow eighth-grader Jake Youngman started acting as a third-grader when he became involved with the Theatre of Western Springs. He plays Harold Hill.
“This play has a little more room for character development,” Jake said.
The story of follows fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys band he vows to organize, despite the fact he knows almost nothing about music. His plans to skip town with the cash, but his plans change when he falls for Marian.
Teacher Jerra Haggar, who is directing the play along with Cyndy Soumar, said ‘The Music Man Junior’ is a perfect fit for the school.
“We have a very talented group of eighth-graders who can handle bigger roles,” Haggar said.
Other cast members are Celia Balderston, Chloe Bassett, Jacob Becker, Eliza Brooks, Michael Callahan, Bella Collins, Emily Condon, Molly Gasior, Emily Goggin, Hannah Habiger, Cagan Hawthorne, Ella Heider, Emily Hlnes, Gretchen Huebner, Ginny Jablonski, Leila Jennings, Grace Kennedy, Margaret Litwin, Melissa Marquez, Vicky Martinez-Paz, Victoria Merchantz, Claire Mueller, Michael Nasca, Nia Pham, Claire Repicky, Alex Roca, Gus Schabes, Allison Schuster, Sachin Shiva, Michelle Skibicki, Nick Speziale, Izzy Tamas, Megan Thiesfeld, Colin Yandel, Charles Zayed, and Monroe School fifth-grader Lorenzo Jennings.
The crew includes stage manager Aly Claycomb along with Olivia Spiega, Michael Easley and Elizabeth Litwin.
