Triton getting ready for upcoming performances of ‘Music Man’

Rehearsals are under way for the Triton spring musical, and director Anne Schreiber says the cast is loaded with talent.
“We do have a lot of talented singers and actors,” she said.
“The Music Man” is a well- known musical about Harold Hill, a con man who has come to the small Iowa town River City to basically swindle the locals out of their money, Schreiber said. As the story progresses, he becomes fond of the people, even if they are somewhat gullible. In fact, he finds himself falling in love with Marian, the librarian, who has been skeptical of him since the beginning.
With a large cast of 63 actors, she said, one group or another is practicing every day. The leads, she said, practice every day while some groups, such as townspeople only practice at certain times.
By the end of March the entire cast will be getting together at one time and running through the entire production.
Leading the cast will be Rhylan Peterson as Harold Hill and Elle Myer as Marian Paroo.
Most of the leads and supporting cast are seniors, Schreiber said.
“Our senior class is loaded with talent,” she added.
“The Music Man” is a very challenging musical, she said.
Of the eight musicals she has directed in her career she this is the most challenging.
Much of the challenge, she said, revolves around the type of music. For example, she said, it requires a barbershop quartet which means she must have a group of guys who can sing in harmony without a piano. In several parts there are two songs going on simultaneously.
Kim Jensch will again be providing the piano accompaniment, Schreiber said.
The play is set in the 1910s so costumes will have to be appropriate to that time period.
The school does have a “costume closet” from previous productions and there are often pieces that can be reused. Still, she said, productions generally require trips to the Salvation Army, Savers and Kasson Variety.
On some occasions they need to rent costumes but that is limited, she said.
Set decision is also a concern, she said, as this musical requires several different sets that have to be changed more often than in some plays.
One of the best things about Triton, she said, is that participants in the plays and musicals come from students with a variety of interests.
The students involved in theater, she said, are also students involved in other school organizations and athletics.
This year is Schreiber’s second year at Triton although she has 13 years of teaching experience. And the Triton stage is also very familiar to her as she is the daughter of long-time Triton English teacher and theater director John Schreiber and a graduate of Triton High School. She performed in 19
plays during her school years, she said.
In fact, she said, the first play she performed in was the final high school play that Assistant Director Karen Kleinwort performed in. The play, she said, was “My Fair Lady” and her father needed a child for a role and Anne got the role as a second-grader.
Cast for “The Music Man” includes:
Harold Hill – Rhylan Peterson; Marian Paroo – Elle Myer; Marcellus Washburn – Connor Kleinwort; Mrs. Paroo

Tess Zastrow; Mayor Shinn
Jay Yankowiak; Eulalie Shinn (also pick-a-little lady)
Martha Moenning; Zaneeta Shinn – Caroline Gosse.

The Quartet: Jacey Squires
- Coltan Smisek; Ewart Dunlop - Darien Jensen; / Salesman #5 - Noah Woxland and Olin Britt - Kaleb Strom. Pick-a-Little Ladies: Alma Hix: Mikayla Courteau; Maud Dunlop: Sami Hallaway; Ethel Toffelmier: Taylor Young; Mrs. Squires: Dani Utech; Penny Pick-a-Little lady: Gabby Olson.
Tommy Djilas – Kiefen Link; Amaryllis – Caitlyn Sowieja; Winthrop – Javier Rios; Charlie Cowell – Cory Utech; Train Conductor –
Isaiah Freyholtz; Constable – Hunter Iverson-Himle; Gracie Shinn – Ari Thompson; Salesman #1/dancer/ townsperson: Kaleb Flores; Salesman #2/townsperson: Derek Lilledahl; Salesman #3/dancer/townsperson: Drew Kelly; Salesman #4/townsperson: August Kozisek; Newspaper Reader/ townsperson: Talia Kelley.
Townspeople include Molly McCool, Hotly Kubat, Morgan Pluto, Marcaisia Mlenar, Julianne Auer, Lotte Evers, Paulina Gautrin, Sa Phiraban, Katie Courteau, Lexi Boeck. Kids/townspeople include Ashtyne Avery, Ella Woxland, Mackenzie Geers, Liam Dostal Dancers/townspeople are Nell Graham, Olivia Anderson, Claire Maixner and LilyAnna Thompson
Making up the stage crew are Logan Krupa, Logan Green, Colton Majerus, Dasmine Marquardt, Kristina Anderson, Megan Koehler, Bradley Loeffer, Ryan Thrash, Jasmine Bolster, Ashley Dominguez Marquez, Lena Moe, Lydia Stanton, Jenna Jenson, Kalena Dudley, Elizabeth Hukee, Litany Peterson, Emma Ogren, Sierra Minnick, Valerie Cortez, Joseph Schweiger
“The Music Man” will be performed at the Triton Performing Arts Center
Thursday through Saturday, April 4-6. In a change from previous productions the senior citizens mati ill be
on Monday, April 1.