The classic 1957 musical will be performed by 5th-8th grade students at 7 p.m. Friday, May 3 and at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, May 4 at the High School Auditorium.

Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for adults. Tickets can be purchased at the door. No advanced purchasing offered.

Director Holly Kaderlik said it is an exciting time for the theatre program. This one of the first musicals the middle school has performed in the last couple of decades. Kaderlik was unsure when the last middle school musical was done, but it has been at least 15-20 years. Going forward, the Middle School will put on a musical every other year.

“The Music Man” is an appropriate production to bring back the musical theatre tradition. The musical by Meredith Willson is about a con man, Harold Hill (played by Branden Bolduan) posing as a band organizer and leader to sell instruments and uniforms to a small town in Iowa on the promise he will train the new band members. But Harold is no musician and plans to skip town as soon as he collects his money, but soon he falls for the librarian and piano teacher Marian (played by Sarah Todesco). Will Harold risk staying in town to be with Marian? Will Marian see through Harold’s con?

The entire cast performs the show stopping number “Shipoopi,” the largest dance number in The Music Man.

“The Music Man” is an ambitious show with a lot parts to fill. The show includes 61 students. Kaderlik said working with a large cast of kids can be a challenge, but the production is able to rise to the occasion.

“There are so many working parts to a musical,” Kaderlik said. “Lucky for me though, I have a wonderful staff behind me, and a great group of students in front of me. Together, those challenges have been easily overcome. Everyone is doing a great job! I think everyone will be so impressed to see what these 5th-8th grade students can do.”

The students have been rehearsing since late February. Kaderlik said the practices have really shown her what the students were capable of doing.

“The ‘Shipoopi’ dance has to be my favorite, though,” she said. The dance is one of the biggest and most famous song and dance numbers in the whole musical. Teaching the students the dance was Kaderlik’s best memory of rehearsals.

“They have worked hard and I have to say that scene is my favorite memory from the show,” she said.