“76 trombones led the big parade, with 110 cornets close at hand,”
- Professor Harold Hill, quirky salesman and leading man in The Music Man

Each year, the Pleasure Guild of Nationwide Children’s Hospital – an organization of about 40 women committed to raising funds for the hospice program – presents a theatrical production to boost its cause. This year’s show, The Music Man, is March 12-14 at the Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad St.

This is the guild’s 102nd year in existence and its 53rd stage production. Previous performances have included Beauty and the Beast, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Narnia.

More than 150 actors auditioned for this year’s show, which includes 63 roles: 28 children, 20 leads and 15 chorus members from throughout Central Ohio. They will be accompanied by professional musicians who donate their time, and will perform on a professional set rented from the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.

These details provide a “Broadway-quality” aspect to the show, according to Maria Hanson, production chair for the guild, which in turn increases the appeal for the guild’s cause.

“People tend to think they’re coming to see an amateurish production, but when they walk in and the set lights up and the musicians play and the actors go to work with Broadway-quality voices, it’s phenomenal. There is a ‘wow’ factor and that’s exactly what we want,” Hanson says.

The Music Man is being directed and choreographed by Brooke Andres, who has been part of the Pleasure Guild’s Creative Team for two years. On Friday morning prior to opening night, a free show is held for inner city schoolchildren throughout Columbus.

The feeling of community was the inspiration for this year’s pick of The Music Man.

“The whole setting is in a small town in Iowa,” Hanson says. “Columbus is made of small towns within the larger complex of a city. Also, the economical times of the 1950’s are very similar to the times we’re going through. The Music Man stirs up all old-fashioned things, like being with family.”

In addition to choosing a production that appeals to everyone and raising funds for an important cause, the guild keeps ticket prices ($22 and $20) reasonable for people on a budget. For more information or tickets, visit www.pleasureguild.org.  

Courtney Hess is a contributing writer for CityScene.