Crofton Middle Students Preparing for 'The Music Man'

Students at Crofton Middle School are busy rehearsing numbers, perfecting dance moves and figuring out costume changes all in preparation for the opening night of The Music Man.

The school musical, which features around 110 students, will debut March 8. The cast, crew and parent volunteers have all been anxiously preparing for opening night for months.

The show's producer, Kimberly Kandra, said auditions for The Music Man were held in October and the cast has been rehearsing every weekend since students came back from Christmas break. 

"I can't wait for opening night so everyone can see all the work," Kandra said. "The entire show is done by volunteers so parents are putting all the time and effort into it too. And it's really neat to see all the hidden talents the kids have."

Kandra said the students in the show do not take acting or singing lessons and mostly got involved with the production for fun. When showtime comes, many parents are pleasantly surprised with their children's talents.

"When I heard my son in the show last year, I didn't know he could carry a tune, and now he has the lead role—Harold Hill," Kandra said.

The Music Man tells the story of a slick salesman, Harold Hill (Timmy Kandra) who swoops in to River City with the plan to scam the townspeople into creating a band. Instead, Hill transforms the energy of the town and falls in love with Marian the librarian (Bronte Cook).

"My favorite part is the opening number Rock Island," Kandra said. "That’s when all the salesmen are sitting in a train and the rhythm of the song sounds like a train. The kids have a good time doing the big group dance numbers."

Kandra said all the students have embraced the show and are looking forward to opening night. She said there is a strong sense of camaraderie and support among the cast.

"I highly recommend you come see it," she said. "Every year I am amazed; you would not believe it is just middle school kids. The whole thing is a spectacle—in a good way."

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The Music Man opens on March 8 and runs March 8-10 and then March 15-17. Tickets for the show are $7 and can be purchased starting Feb. 25 by emailing CMStickets@gmail.com.