Everyone’s Favorite ‘Music Man Takes Lesher Center Stage Contra Costa Musical Theatre Closes 54th Season with a Classic

WALNUT CREEK, February 16, 2015 — Contra Costa Musical Theatre (CCMT) will present The Music Man at Walnut Creek’s Lesher Center for the Arts, March 20 through April 19th, 2015. Tickets for The Music Man range from $45 to $65 (with discounts available for seniors, youth, and groups) and are on sale now at the Lesher Center for the Arts Ticket Office, 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek, 925.943.SHOW (943-7469). Tickets can also be purchased online at www.lesherArtscenter.org.

One of America’s all-time favorite musicals, The Music Man premiered in 1957, with music, book and lyrics by Meredith Willson based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The original Broadway production won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The original cast recording of the show was the first to win “Best Original Cast Album” and stayed on the Billboard charts for an amazing 245 weeks. The original cast featured Robert Preston (who later reprised the role in the successful 1962 film) and Barbara Cook, who both won Tony Awards for their performances.

Set in early summer of 1912, the town of River City, Iowa is visited by traveling con man Harold Hill. His scam is selling uniforms and instruments to the naïve local townsfolk, promising to form a boys’ band – without actually giving music lessons. The tide turns and his plans go awry when Marian, the town librarian enters the picture. While Harold tries to work his way into her hesitant heart, it is Marian who ends up teaching him a lesson in moral responsibility. Funny, warm, romantic and touching, The Music Man has brought smiles to critics and families for more than 50 years.

Featuring such classic songs as “(Ya Got) Trouble”, “Seventy-Six Trombones”, “Shipoopi” and “Till There Was You”, this musical treat with exciting song & dance is family entertainment at its best.

CCMT’s production will feature an all-star cast, led by Noel Anthony as Harold Hill and Kelly Britt as Marian Paroo. Mr. Anthony has appeared with CCMT in many productions, including Guys & Dolls (Sky Masterson), Hairspray (Corny Collins), and most recently in his Outstanding Actor Shellie Award- winning performance as Jean Valjean in last season’s Les Misérables. Ms. Britt also returns to CCMT after last playing Maria in The Sound of Music. Supporting roles reunite CCMT with some audience favorites, including Kerri Shawn (Oklahoma, Cinderella) as Mrs. Paroo, Michael McCarty (Beauty and the Beast; Les Misérables) as Mayor Shinn, Deborah Black (Fiddler on the Roof) as Eulalie Shinn, Claire Shepard (Bye Bye Birdie) as Zaneeta Shinn, Kyle Valentine (Bye Bye Birdie, Joseph) as Tommy Djilas and Ella Dunderdale (The Sound of Music and Les Misérables) as Amaryllis. Newcomers include Benjamin Pither (Marcellus Washburn) and young Christopher Apy as Winthrop Paroo. A talented array of familiar and new performers will round out the cast of forty-two players in various ensemble roles.

Master Storyteller Leading the Way CCMT is thrilled to welcome back Director Scott Denison to lead the talented artistic team. Mr. Denison’s most recent directorial work for CCMT was last season’s Les Misérables, for which he won the Shellie Award for Outstanding Direction. Other CCMT projects include Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella and Hairspray. Making his CCMT debut is Kevin Roland, a recent transplant from Washington DC who is an accomplished pianist, conductor, composer and musical director who has guided over 200 productions, including nearly a dozen Broadway, Off-Broadway and Regional shows which include Wicked, Avenue Q, The Addams Family, Legally Blonde and The Music Man. Once again, Jennifer Perry will serve as Choreographer for CCMT. Ms. Perry is a multi-Shellie Award- winner for both Direction and Choreography and has served as Director and/or Choreographer for many CCMT productions, among them: Annie, Titanic, Beauty and the Beast, Guys and Dolls, Cinderella, 42nd Street, Oklahoma, A Chorus Line, Hairspray, Joseph and Les Misérables.

CCMT’s resident scenic designer is the award-winning Kelly J Tighe, while we also welcome back Costumer Liz Martin (Tarzan, Les Misérables) and Lighting Designer Marcia Madeira (Joseph, The Sound of Music, Les Misérables). This dynamic team is led by Executive Producer Michael Demers.

CCMT Dominates Shellie Awards Already the most decorated musical theatre company in the history of the Shellie Awards, CCMT’s dynamic production of Les Misérables recently gathered a record seven statuettes at the 36th Annual Shellie Awards held in January. The company was honored with awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Lead Actor, Lighting Design, Musical Direction, Direction and Outstanding Musical Production of the 2013-2014 Season. We are proud that our work has garnered such critical praise, and we continue to strive to bring our audiences the best musical theatre in the East Bay.

About Contra Costa Musical Theatre Based in Walnut Creek, Contra Costa Musical Theatre has a fifty year history of producing dynamic musical productions and providing a home to local and national talent. CCMT has won more Shellie Awards for musicals than any other regional company, Since their move to the Lesher Center for the Arts in 1990, they have produced more than 40 full-scale productions, including the East Bay premieres of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Urinetown, the Musical, The Full Monty, RENT, Titanic, the Musical, Hairspray, Sunset Boulevard, Tarzan and Les Miserables.

Media Contacts: Scott Strain Danny Boyle 925-639-6979 925-210-0268 [email protected] [email protected]