'The Music Man' comes to Paso Robles in May
From left: Paso Robles High School seniors Jordan Peralta as Marcellus Washburn, Grisey Castro as Harold Hill, Kassidy Rice as Marion Paroo, and Schuyler McMahan rehearse a scene from “The Music Man” during drama class on Tuesday. Photo by Heather Young
Paso Robles High School drama presents spring musical
The Paso Robles High School drama department is well underway on preparing for its spring musical, “The Music Man.” The musical will open on Friday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. It will continue on Saturday, May 2, Friday, May 8 and Saturday May 9 at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays May 3 and 10 at 2 p.m. in the school’s performing arts center.
Director Marcy Goodnow said she chose “The Music Man” as this year’s musical because many of the students were not familiar with the classic musical.
“It was time for something classic,” Goodnow said. “I knew I had strong boys. I know I had strong actors, and it’s my director’s favorite show.”
The show is led by seniors Grisey Castro as Harold Hill, Kassidy Rice as Marian Paroo and Schuyler McMahan as Mayor Shinn. The three, along with senior Jordan Peralta who plays Marcellus Washburn, spoke with visual excitement about their school’s production of the musical.
“It’s a really vibrant show,” Rice said. “It’s really clever in ways that people don’t expect.”
“It’s not the kind of funny that you’d expect,” Castro added.
McMahan said that the characters are easy to connect with, adding that he’s found himself loving the characters from Iowa. One thing Goodnow said that she has stressed to the cast is that the people they are portraying took themselves seriously. The author of the musical, Goodnow said, did not want the actors portraying the characters to poke fun at them. McMahan’s little brother, Miles McMahan, a seventh grader at Flamson Middle School, is playing Winthrop Paroo. Goodnow said she selected Miles to audition for the part because she knew his family and that his older brother or cousin, Peralta, would be at rehearsals with him.
“It’s a very special thing … this show really needed it,” Goodnow said. “He’s a great little actor.”
The musical was written in the 1950’s by Meredith Wilson, and is based on a story by Wilson and Franklin Lacey. The story is of a con man, Harold Hill, who poses as a boys band organizer and leader, selling band instruments and uniforms to the townsfolk of River City, Iowa.
“My kids are going to do [the musical] such justice,” Goodnow said. “These dance numbers are epic. There are eight-minute dance numbers … they’re pretty intense.”
Adult leadership
- Vocal director: Aimee Ware
- Costume designer: Ruth Enriquez-Bague
- Paso Robles High School alumna/choreographer: Courtney Brock
Paso Robles Higth School senior Kassidy Rice, portraying Marion Paroo, and senior Grisey Castro, playing Harold Hill, stand together in costume. Photo courtesy of Marcy Goodnow
“Music Man” cast
- Harold Hill: Grisey Castro
- Marian Paroo: Kassidy Rice
- Mayor Shinn: Schuyler McMahan
- Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn: Amber Burgh
- Zaneeta Shinn: Alex Bigelow
- Gracie Shinn: Mercedes DeLaRoca
- Alma Hix: Maycee Ham
- Oliver Hix: Jameson Murray
- Ethel Toffelmier: Emma Dart
- Marcellus Washburn: Jordan Peralta
- Maud Dunlop: Natalya Suttmiller
- Ewart Dunlop: William Carney
- Olin Britt: Ryan Frank
- Mrs. Squires: Bella Marziello
- Jacey Squirres: Jacob Bausch
- Tommy Djilas: Graham Farrell
- Mrs. Paroo: Julia Schulte
- Winthrop Paroo: Miles McMahan
- Amaryllis: Jadyn Steaffens
- Charlie Cowell: Daniel Vigil
- Conductor/Townsperson: Chris Garcia
- Constable Locke: Mr. Steaffens
- Salesman #1/Townsperson: Taj Williams
- Salesman #2/Townsperson: Keenan Harris
- Salesman #3/Townsperson: Cameron Chambers
- Salesman #4/Townsperson: James Reneau
- Salesman #5/Townsperson/Farmer: Jake Taylor
- Newspaper Reader/Townsperson #6: Salvador Anaya
- Townswoman #1/Farmers Wife: Celeste Geary
- Townswoman #2: Olivia Hanna
- Townswoman #3: Brenna Callahan
- Townswoman #4: Marlee Drake
- Townswoman #5: Destinee Perette
- Townswoman #6: Cassidy Moses
Teen Dancers
- #1 Jake Van Wiggeren
- #2 Ronnie Zamora
- #3 Jake Wooten
- #4 Memo Rendon
- #5 Tyler Vallejos
- #6 Jordan Davis
- #1 Zyan Carlson
- #2 Amanda Kerr
- #3 Madeline Whisler
- #4 Nora Morini
- #5 Cassidy LeClair
- #6 Raegan Lomanto
Young Girls
- Girl 1/Indian Dancer: Madecyn Penn
- Girl 2/Indian Dancer: Samantha Vega
- Katie Schulte
- Sierra Marshall
- Madison Trujillo
- Jessica Ridgeway
- Kaitlin Pressley
“The thing about this show — I guarantee you’re going to forget these are high schoolers,” McMahan said.
