Get your 76 trombones ready, Fort Wayne! 

Summit City Music Theatre is pulling out all the stops for their summer production of Meredith Willson’s beloved classic The Music Man, running July 8-9 and July 15-16 at Purdue Fort Wayne’s Auer Performance Hall.

Recruiting national actor

This will be far from your average production. 

Summit City Music Theatre Artistic Director Gavin Thomas Drew has not only assembled a cast of 62 of Fort Wayne’s top performers and a 35-piece orchestra, he’s also pulled a few strings and landed Elvie Ellis, fresh from his run in the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar.

“I’m actually good friends with Gavin,” Ellis said. “He was the assistant director on a production of Titanic I did in Oklahoma City, so that’s kind of when we met. We have a lot of mutual friends. When I came to Fort Wayne with Jesus Christ Superstar (in April at the Embassy), Gavin took me out for drinks after the show at Henry’s and he said, ‘We’re doing The Music Man.’ ” 

Initially, Ellis, who was interested in being involved with the show, believed it would conflict with his time on the Jesus Christ Superstar tour. 

“Gavin’s like, ‘Well, actually we’re still looking for our Harold Hill, would you want to do it?’,” Ellis said. “ ‘We can just send you the stuff and you can learn the lines and songs on your own and we’ll plug you in at the end.’ And I said, ‘Are you sure?’ And he said, ‘Yeah.’ I said, ‘OK, great.’ It was literally the easiest audition process I’ve had in a while.” 

Learning from a professional

The Music Man follows fast-talking traveling salesman Harold Hill (Ellis) as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys band he vows to organize — this, despite the fact that he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef. 

His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for a librarian, Marian, who transforms him into a respectable citizen by curtain’s fall.

Melissa Terhune plays Marian Paroo in the production and is really enjoying the opportunity to work with Ellis. 

“How special is it that we get to have someone who is working professionally right now? It’s such a joy,” she said. “I’m excited for others around here to get to experience him since they might not get to otherwise. Just to see how multifaceted he is and to have him come in (to Fort Wayne) again. 

“He is such a true professional. As an actor, it kind of inspires you to explore more in yourself and more in your character and kind of step up to that (professional) level which is very exciting.”

Welcomed change

Ellis is enjoying his change in role, but admits it’s a big change, 

“It’s quite a jump,” he said. “It’s really nice actually. I, growing up, was not a tenor and that’s what Judas is (in Jesus Christ Superstar), he’s basically an alto, sometimes a soprano. 

“So, it’s nice because this whole score is a lot lower, and half of it is spoken. So it kind of feels like I’m giving my voice a rest a little bit, even though I’m still using it. It’s weird because I’m not used to singing this low, but it’s really nice.” 

It’s not only the rest of his vocal chords that Ellis is enjoying. 

“Obviously, Jesus Christ Superstar is a very different story,” he said. “It’s very heavy. As Judas, my whole entire track was basically screaming and making dramatic exits. And this is all very lighthearted and fun. It’s a nice change of pace.”

And the change of pace isn’t only on stage. This is the first opportunity Ellis has had in a while to spend more than a few nights in one place. 

While he says he has enjoyed the tour, he admits transitioning from that lifestyle can be challenging. 

“As an actor it’s really hard to do something for 10 months, and then one day have it end and be like, ‘Oh hey, what do I do with myself now?’ ” he said. “So, this is kind of easing me out of that. It’s still a show, but I can ease myself out of the crazy that has been my life for the last 10 months.”

Changes in script

This production also benefits from the opportunity to break some barriers, as Ellis is playing a role not typically cast as a person of color. 

“It is interesting, it’s different, it’s a challenge that I like to take on,” he said. “I always tell people that I was breaking down racial barriers back when I was in elementary school. 

“It’s not something that I unfortunately am unfamiliar with. I’ve played a lot of roles that haven’t always been played by people of color, which I feel like I’ve been very fortunate to be able to do. With every role I do I just try to find Elvie inside of this character.”

The era depicted necessitated some changes be made to accommodate Ellis as Harold.

“There used to be a part in the script that said that (Harold) was going to get tarred and feathered. We just changed it to say he’s going to be prosecuted, because that kind of has a different meaning to it when it’s a person of color,” he said.

Strike up the band

In addition to having Ellis in the cast, the production is very proud to be performing with a full 35-piece orchestra. 

“It’s so special to the Fort Wayne area, and many areas, specifically following COVID, when so many people have halted a lot of live music,’’ Terhune said. “It’s exciting to be back, not only with live music, but with an entire orchestra. Every part that has been written for the orchestra is being played in this production, which is so rare and incredibly special.”

This is a production sure to be a highlight of Fort Wayne’s summer theater season, so be sure to catch it before it makes like Harold Hill, and skips town.