The sound of music on stage
Students from the Theatre Arts Club at YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College performed Meredith Willson's Broadway musical The Music Man. Two junior reporters attended the event.
Dhruv Singh, YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College
The musical was staged in the college's auditorium for three consecutive days. It displayed perfect execution and excellent teamwork. The long months of rehearsal that went into the production were evident. The audience consisted mainly of students' families and distinguished guests. They all loved it.
The original play became a hit on Broadway in 1957 and went on to have 1,300 performances. It won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and a Grammy Award for Best Original Cast Album.
The Music Man is set in River City, Iowa, in 1912 and tells the story of a con artist, Harold Hill, who poses as a band organiser.
The college's musical opened with a train scene where Hill (played by teacher Jocelyn Gagnon) arrives in River City, where he promises locals to set up a boys' brass band. His real intention is to fleece them by taking off with the money he asks them for instruments and uniforms.
Yet the conman falls in love with music teacher-librarian Marian and soon finds himself drawn to the simple and naive townsfolk.
The musical is a complex and demanding show, but the students pulled it off very well. It was directed superbly by Maureen Coulter, the school's teacher of theatre arts and English literature.
Sonia Vashi Chandiramani, St Margaret's Co-Ed School
The college's rendition of The Music Man didn't seem like it was only their second Broadway production. More than 60 students and teachers worked behind the scenes. As many again were onstage to make the show a success.
The beautiful costumes and dances made scenes come alive. So did expertly done backdrops and stage props. It all made you feel as if you were really back in the old days in River City.
The song-and-dance routines were excellent. Kudos to all the cast!
