Emily Moore and Matt George are going out of Maranatha the same way they came in—onstage.
In the opening scene of Anastasia four years ago, George was calling for his servant, Moore. The two seniors will be together again one last time April 16-18 in The Music Man, the college’s spring play that will take place in the Maranatha Baptist Bible College Gymnasium.
“I think that’s kind of neat, kind of ironic,” George said.
This will mark the fifth major dramatic production at Maranatha for George, who has taken the lead role as con man Professor Harold Hill. The history education major will be part of a traveling promotional group for the college this fall, then complete his student teaching requirements next spring. Moore, who plays librarian Marian Paroo, has taken part in six plays while pursuing a humanities major and music minor. She has also earned certification as a pharmacy technologist, and plans to be married and move to Colorado this summer.
“My brothers were in this musical when I was in fifth or sixth grade, and that’s probably when I started loving it,” Moore said. “I like the comedy in it. The characters are fun and the music is fun.”
George was also cast as the deranged Mortimer Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace last fall.
“Once you commit to a character, you are that character and not yourself anymore,” George noted. “This is a challenging play. There’s a lot of choreography, and it gets tricky.”
Director Carol Senn Ruffin said the cast numbers about 50, including 15 children who are part of the town band Hill attempts to form as part of his moneymaking scheme.
“The script calls for them to play horribly, so none of them had to learn to play the brass instruments,” Ruffin said with a smile.
Ruffin directed HMS Pinafore two years ago, when George played a supporting role. She liked the idea of casting him in the lead for The Music Man.
“He showed some leadership abilities in HMS Pinafore, an ability to rally the troops and get the sailors working together as a group,” Ruffin said. “He had a zing, a charisma in that role. Then, in Arsenic and Old Lace, I saw him be real goofy and loose physically. He’s a pretty versatile actor.”
Leadership ability was important for both George and Moore, because both were working with less experienced supporting cast members.
“I was surprised by how fast they have been able to pick things up, even the more difficult songs,” Moore said.
There will be four performances of The Music Man: Thursday evening, Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening. Tickets go on sale to the general public March 22.
The only question to be answered between now and then … Robert Preston or Matthew Broderick? The principals of Maranatha’s version were unanimous in their opinion.
“I liked Matthew Broderick in a lot of things, but he just wasn’t a very good con man,” Ruffin said. “Robert Preston was. He will always be the definitive ‘Professor’ Harold Hill.”
--Posted by Andrew Call, 3-10-09