Professor Harold Hill, the "Music Man," rumbles into River City, Iowa, as Summerset Theatre begins its season Sunday with the Meredith Willson’s musical.

Friday, June 15, 2001

Professor Harold Hill, the "Music Man," rumbles into River City, Iowa, as Summerset Theatre begins its season Sunday with the Meredith Willson’s musical.

Jerry Girton directs the melodious merriment in the season’s kickoff of the community production featuring 81 talented actors and musicians from in and around the Austin area.

Piccolos pipe a pandemonium of delight under Brian Johnson’s musical direction. Theatergoers will hum along with tunes that made "Music Man" famous such as "Gary, Indiana," "Marian, Madame Librarian" and "76 Trombones." Professor Hill, played by Scot Schwark, is about to scam the residents of River City but falls for the local librarian, Marian Paroo, played by Kaye Perry.

Schwark and Perry beautifully deliver the tunes that are the signature of the "Music Man."

The choreography, under Joyce Matthies’ direction, captures the feeling and movement of life in River City in 1912, and will have the audience wishing the play would go on and on.

The Music Man will run from Sunday through June 23. "On Golden Pond" opens July 11. Finally, the season will close with "Moon Over Buffalo" from July 25-28.

Call Ailene Dawson at 434-2235 or e-mail her at ailene.dawson@austindailyherald.com.