Published: July 23, 2006 12:26 am            

Several relatives star in Gaslight’s ‘The Music Man’

With a cast of 45, it’s hard to not to find somebody related to somebody else. In Gaslight Theatre’s current production, “The Music Man,” seven sets of relatives make up a slice of the cast and crew. There are fathers and daughters, parents and their children, sisters and even fraternal twins.

Most notably the leading actor and actress have a connection — not with each other, but with other castmates.

The father-in-law and two daughters of Brent Price, who plays the notorious traveling salesman Harold Hill, appear on stage in this musical.

Daughter Madison, soon to be 10, knew her father was going to be in “The Music Man,” and expressed interest in trying out for the part of Amaryllis, a young girl infatuated with her piano teacher’s brother, Winthrop.

“I like that movie. I like Amaryllis,” Madison Price said. “I thought I wouldn’t make it. Winthrop’s bigger than me.”

But she easily scored the role — and without her father’s help, said director Christianne Chase.

“She’s clearly inherited his talent,” Chase said.

Another of Brent’s daughters, Savannah, tried out for the role of one of the mayor’s daughters, however, she landed a role as one of the River City, Iowa, kids who run around stage, sing and dance.

“I thought it would be fun if my kids were in it,” Brent Price said. “It’s my favorite show.”

He starred in “The Music Man” as a child in 1976 and “It was a positive experience. This is going to be a memorable experience, too.”

Price’s father-in-law, Bob Dense, also is in the mix. He sings bass in the barbershop quartet, a group of townsmen frequently distracted by Price’s character.

“I’ve never done theater before, but I love old musicals. I thought maybe I’d do it,” Dense said, since his son-in-law and granddaughters are in “The Music Man.” “It’s a fun opportunity.”

“He had a secret passion for music,” Price added, describing Dense’s previous experience singing with the Price family.

For Louisa Dienst, who plays the uptight librarian and piano teacher who falls for Hill’s antics, being in the theater with her mother, Teri Galer, has become routine. The two have been in 20 Gaslight productions together, either on stage or as part of the tech crew.

Galer has served as pianist for every Gaslight musical since 1997 and stars in “The Music Man” as one of the town’s citizens.

“I’m not a solo singer,” she said. Her daughter, on the other hand, loves the spotlight.

“I’ve been taking dance since I was 4. Then there was the singing thing and the acting last,” Dienst said. “Acting is my favorite.”

She tried out for and landed the part of Marian Paroo, even though she isn’t normally a soprano. “That’s been a lot of work,” Dienst said, “But it was the only part for me. That was the only part I wanted. Marian and I have stuff in common.”

When Marshall Burgart, a ninth grader at Waller Junior High, came to audition for the role of the mayor’s youngest daughter, Gracie Shinn, she had no idea her father would be more than a chauffeur.

“I did some stuff in high school, but nothing here,” Dennis Burgart said. “I’ve been dragging her here. They said, ‘Why not fill out an audition sheet,’” and surprise, he got the role of the skeptical Mayor Shinn. Playing father and daughter on stage has been surreal for Marshall.

“It’s different. I’ve never done it with my father before,” she said.

“I don’t sing or dance,” Dennis added. Marshall agreed, saying her father can’t carry a tune.

“I got that from my mom,” she said.

Ten-year-old twins Bates and Grace Enmeier were personally contacted by Chase to audition.

“Ms. Chris asked me to be a dancer,” Grace said. Her role has her spinning across the stage with other River City kids.

“Ms. Christianne called and asked me to be Winthrop, a little boy who has a lisp,” Bates said. His pivotal role as Marian Paroo’s little brother means he’s on stage much of the time.

The twins both had been in school and church plays, but this is their first chance to be acting for Gaslight Theatre.

Their older brother, Brock, 13, was given a choice between dancing across stage or being behind the scenes and he chose the stage crew.

“It’s been a lot of fun. It’s not often they find an activity they can do together,” said their mother Martie Oyler Enmeier, who has been assisting with costumes for “The Music Man.”

Other family circles include music director Eddie Lou Strimple, her husband Gary as the tenor in the quartet, and her sister Martha O’Banion as Marian Paroo’s Irish mother.

Choreographer Janet Jones’ daughter Katherine plays one of the River City kids and son Zach is in the boys’ band.

The sons of Randy Johnson, the salesman named Charlie Cowell who is skeptical of Hill, play one of the River City kids (Matthew) and in the boys’ band (Michael).

“I’ve felt this whole cast is one big family,” said “The Music Man” director Christianne Chase. “Everybody is so supportive of everybody else. They’re really rooting for each other.”

“The Music Man” runs through next Sunday at Gaslight Theatre, but tickets for every performance are sold out.