By Ryan Harwood
As the lights shine down on an empty stage, the process begins. From the outside looking in it doesn’t seem like much, but being on the inside is a different story. The time and effort it takes to put on a successful show is difficult to wrap your mind around, but once you draw back the curtain to look, there’s a whole lot to see.
Not only was it the first day of school, but September 1st was also the first day of auditions for the future cast of Hopkinton High School’s The Music Man. As stressful as it sounds, this first day essentially decided how these forty-some-odd students would spend the three following months. After a period of auditions, callbacks, and managerial discussions, the building blocks were laid and the musical’s rehearsals were ready to begin.
Senior Doug Markson plays Harold Hill, the main character in this all-American musical. Markson is accompanied on stage by an energetic and talented cast. He goes as far as to say that, “We are blessed with the most talented ensemble we’ve ever hadâ€.
As the rehearsals go by and the show date approach, stress ensues. Late nights are spent in the high school auditorium and tired students hide scripts inside texts books during class in an attempt at last-minute memorization of lines and songs; but not a single actor complains. They love what they do and they know that the hard work they put into the process now will all be worth it when they produce a show they can be proud of.
Of his fellow cast and crew, Markson reflects, “I’m proud to be a part of this group. We have great chemistry and there is no doubt that the final product will be awesome.â€
The show premieres in the Hopkinton Middle School auditorium on Thursday November 12th at 4:00pm. Other show dates include Friday November 13th at 7:30pm (after the Hiller’s varsity football game), and Saturday November 14th at 2:00 and 7:30pm.
