By Dani Tietz
The Champaign Urbana Theatre Company (CUTC) is gearing up for an exciting production of “The Music Man,” and among the talented cast is John Howard, the Director of Mahomet Public Library.
Taking the stage on August 3-5, the production promises to deliver a delightful slice of rural American life circa 1912, filled with catchy music and laughter.
For Howard, the journey into acting began with a twist of fate.
“My first job as an adult was as a fund-raiser, and I was visiting with a potential donor who turned out to be a director at the local community theater,” Howard shared.
“He said, ‘I will make a pledge to your campaign if you audition for my show.’ I did, he did, and I ended up playing a clueless American in The Murder Room, a British farce. I got hooked, and have been doing theater as much as possible ever since.”
As the face of the Mahomet Public Library, Howard knows what it’s like to be in the public eye. Being on stage is a little different, though.
Howard’s involvement in “The Music Man” is not his first rodeo in the theater world. He has participated in several shows over the years, including “Newsies” with his youngest daughter Emma and a variety of productions with Monticello Theater Association (MTA) and CUTC.
“I do love being in the spotlight,” Howard said. “I also find that participating in theater is a huge escape for me – when I show up for rehearsal or a performance, I am totally immersed in what I am doing, and any stresses of work or family just melt away for a few hours. Finally, I have found that community theater is the #1 best way to make friends as an adult.”
Being part of “The Music Man” holds special significance for him as it represents a musical about Iowa, his home state.
“I have wanted to do ‘The Music Man’ since they first announced it in 2020,” he said. “It has great musical numbers, and it’s about Iowa, where I grew up.”
In “The Music Man,” John portrays five characters, with Salesman 1 being the most notable.
He is thrilled about this role, as the opening number gives him a chance to be a significant part of the production.
“The number is really unique because it is not quite a song, and not quite dialogue, but is somewhere in between,” Howard said. “I was super excited to get to be a big piece of this number. You have to spit out a lot of words quickly and clearly. It is one of the signature songs in the musical.”
The cast of “The Music Man” began practicing on June 11, and John has nothing but praise for the team.
“It is a fun and enthusiastic group with good leadership,” he said. “Several friends I have made from previous shows are in it with me, and as always, I am making new friends on the show as well.”
A “funny, happy show with catchy music and is a real slice of rural American life,” Howard hopes “people enjoy a few hours of nostalgia and go home singing the songs.”
If you’re interested in witnessing this lively and nostalgic production, don’t miss “The Music Man” at the Virginia Theatre on August 3-5.
For more information about the play and other theater opportunities in Champaign-Urbana, Howard encourages anyone interested to contact him at the Mahomet Public Library, where he will gladly provide details about the local theater scene and how to get involved.
Great article about an amazing human. But the dates of the show are August 3rd – 6th. We do have a Sunday matinee as well.