Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Theater Spotlight of the Week: Kevyn Robertson and cast members of The Music Man

By Shawn Parikh

Last summer, I had featured Kevyn Robertson who was directing for McKinney Summer Musicals since the company had returned to the metroplex after an 11 year hiatus. Now she is back this summer, as is the theater company, with the production of The Music Man. Along with her, cast members had joined in on the interview to make it an extra-interesting spotlight.

Kevyn and I start off by talking about the success of last summer's hit and how it paved the way for this week's production. She talks about why she chose The Music Man and the obstacles of directing such a huge ensemble.

She discusses the different aspects of the production, including the set and the music which features a real Barberhop Quartet.

We talk about what attracted her to the show, what she wants the audience to walk away with and the future of McKinney Summer Musicals. She offers some great insight to all the metaphors present in The Music Man that are relatable to our time.

Cast members Deanna Sarkar (playing lead Marian Paroo), Don High (playing lead Harold Hill) and Jay Steinfeld (barbershop quartet member) got a chance to talk about their experience with the production. Sarkar talks about the high quality of the show and what audiences can expect. High talks about what attracted him to the role and why he has always wanted to play Hill. Finally, Steinfeld talks about the popularity of barbershop quartets in the metroplex and how it integrates into the show.

The Music Man will be presented at McKinney North High School from July 5 - 13 and tickets can be purchased online or by calling 214-544-4630.

Related stories

• Theater Review: The Music Man (July 6, 2008)
• Pegasus News Week in View: Express 3-day weekend quickie (July 3, 2008)

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• Arts > Fine Arts > Theater > Musicals