By Kathy Collins Plant City Entertainment (PCE) will present Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man beginning on Friday, July 17. Performances will be held on Saturday, July 18 and Sunday, July 19 at 2 p.m. and then on Thursday, July 23; Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25. All shows, except the matinee, will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $14 to $16.
The Music Man revolves around Harold Hill, a con man who poses as a boys’ band organizer in order to sell instruments and uniforms to the naive inhabitants of an Iowa town. Hill promises to train the boys and lead the band. Hill is not a musician and actually plans to skip town with the money he has earned. Prim librarian and music teacher, Marian Paroo sees through Hill, but when he helps her younger brother to overcome his lisp and social awkwardness, Paroo begins to fall in love. Hill risks getting caught to win her.
PCE’s production stars Randy Magruder as Hill and Tracey Magruder as Paroo. The show is directed by Tyler Hollis. The assistant director is April Golombek.
Margruder has been with PCE since 2007 when PCE last staged a performance of The Music Man. She was the musical director. Magruder said, “Since then I’ve been involved with several shows at PCE. Also, my husband, Randy proposed to me on the PCE stage during curtain call of a show called Coffee Shop which was directed by our assistant director, April.”
PCE has been providing community theatre to Plant City and the surrounding areas for 34 years. PCE is a registered non-profit and owns the theatre where all productions are staged. Magruder said, “PCE has been working for many, many years to bring theater to the Plant City community. Their commitment to the arts gives people like me a home base for the pursuit of a long time passion.”
PCE is located at 101 N. Thomas St. in historic downtown Plant City. Tickets to The Music Man can be purchased online at www.pceshows.com.
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