The Music Man
1976 · Triopia High School (Chapin, Illinois)
In 1976 Ken Bradbury directed Triopia High School in The Music Man, Meredith Willson's beloved American musical (book, music, and lyrics all by Willson). The story follows con man Harold Hill, who stirs up "trouble in River City" while posing as a boys' band leader — only to be won over by the lovely librarian, Marian. The Music Man was the school's all-school production, a tradition that had taken over after class plays ended with 1975's Li'l Abner. Ken directed the show; he did not write or compose it.
Songs
- Ya Got Trouble (Trouble in River City) — Randy Bumgarner told us about the trouble in River City
- Shipoopi — Jay Wessler "Shippoop-ied" all over the stage
- Gary, Indiana — Danny Ramthun lisped his way through "Gary, Indiana"
Cast
- Marian the librarian — Carole Conway
- Barbershop quartet — Steve Surratt, Todd Beard, Roger Nergenah, and Kenny Havens
- Jay Wessler — "Shipoopi"
- Danny Ramthun — "Gary, Indiana"
- Randy Bumgarner — "Trouble in River City"
Production Notes
Steve Surratt, Todd Beard, Roger Nergenah, and Kenny Havens formed the program's first barbershop quartet. This account comes from Ken Bradbury's own year-by-year narrative history of Triopia High School theatre.