Theater is back! Summer Stage Wooster's 'The Music Man' opens this month after COVID delay

Rachel Karas, The Daily Record
·3 min read
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Dane Kuzma and Sheryl Villegas talk about their characters in Summer Stage Wooster's production of "The Music Man."
Dane Kuzma and Sheryl Villegas talk about their characters in Summer Stage Wooster's production of "The Music Man."

WOOSTER – Sheryl Villegas fell in love with the experiences and people who make Summer Stage Wooster feel like a family. So when the 2019 production of "The Music Man" was postponed, Villegas said she felt terrible.

“I was just waiting and hoping,” Villegas said. “I think there was a resurgence of COVID around December and into January and I thought ‘Oh my gosh, it cannot get canceled again. I just can't go through that again.’”

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All that waiting came to an end this spring when Villegas was cast as one of the 62 actors who are a part of this year’s production of "The Music Man." 

Opening night is 7 p.m. July 23 with additional shows on July 24, and July 29-31. Tickets can be purchased online at summerstagewooster.org or at the doors of the Wooster High School Performing Arts Center on the day of the show.

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The ups and downs of production

Although pushing back production three years ago was not the original plan, Director Todd Patterson said it did have its plus sides. With the extra time, Patterson was able to do more research about the show and see a Broadway production to get some ideas. 

The story of "The Music Man" shows a traveling salesman who comes to a small town in Iowa and tries to scam the people who live there, Patterson explained. As the story continues, the audience gets to watch the salesman and the other characters he meets come together through music.

Todd Patterson is the director of "The Music Man," which opens at 7 p.m. July 23 in Wooster High School.
Todd Patterson is the director of "The Music Man," which opens at 7 p.m. July 23 in Wooster High School.

The story is set in the early 1900s, and there were several challenges, Patterson said, in making sure the clothing, props and set reflected the time period.

For instance, Patterson said, they struggled to find a pre-built wagon. The production crew ended up buying four wagon wheels and building their own, with the addition of a fabricated horse to pull it.

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Music Director Toni Shreve said she faced her own challenges with lingering COVID safety protocols. To help limit the spreading of any illness, the cast and crew wore masks during rehearsals, which Shreve said, made it difficult for everyone to hear her at times.

Music Director for the production, Toni Shreve, said the cast and crew worked to avoid the possible spread of COVID during rehearsals by wearing masks.
Music Director for the production, Toni Shreve, said the cast and crew worked to avoid the possible spread of COVID during rehearsals by wearing masks.

“We're all trying to stay as healthy as possible,” Shreve said. "Because we don't want to have one person not be able to participate. We just want everybody there. They've worked so hard.”

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Patterson said it has been wonderful to see so many people come together for the show since family is a big part of what they do.

The cast of Summer Stage Wooster's production of "The Music Man."
The cast of Summer Stage Wooster's production of "The Music Man."

“Part of the foundation of our group is involving families,” Patterson said. “... I want families to have something to do together in the summer and musical theater is great because there's something for everybody.”

Whether they are involved in set making, lighting or are on stage acting, Patterson said, he is grateful for the hard work members put in and hopes the patriotic themes throughout the story make people happy.

"This musical is a really good choice for our community," Patterson said. "It's got a patriotic theme, which we could all use a little bit to feel a little bit better about what is going on."

Reach Rachel Karas at rkaras@gannett.com   

On Twitter: @RachelKaras3 

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Summer Stage Wooster's 'The Music Man' opens July 23.