'Music Man' brings River City to Comstock

Submitted photo The Nevada Civic Light Opera will present Meredith Wilson's classic musical "The Music Man," at Piper's Opera House in Virginia City beginning at 6:30 p.m. today. Incline Village resident and investment adviser Fred Steinke plays the lead role of Professor Harold Hill.

Submitted photo The Nevada Civic Light Opera will present Meredith Wilson's classic musical "The Music Man," at Piper's Opera House in Virginia City beginning at 6:30 p.m. today. Incline Village resident and investment adviser Fred Steinke plays the lead role of Professor Harold Hill.

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Trouble, oh there will be trouble, right there in Virginia City this weekend with a capital "T," which rhymes with "P" and that stands for a production of "The Music Man."

Nevada Civic Light Opera will present Meredith Wilson's classic musical "The Music Man," at Piper's Opera House in Virginia City. The production opens with a Champagne Gala performance today, then runs Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 21.

The classic musical is set in 1912 Iowa, where con man Professor Harold Hill shows up offering to teach music to the children, despite having no musical skills.

His plan is to skip town with the money, but he falls for a local librarian and in the meantime infuses the town with a tremendous love of music.

He tells people that the new pool table in the billiard parlor means "trouble in River City" and pushes to keep the town's children out of the parlor by forming a boys marching band.

Incline Village resident and investment adviser Fred Steinke plays the lead role of Hill.

Steinke performed in plays and musicals throughout the San Francisco area before moving to Incline Village in 2004.

"Some people play golf, some play instruments and I like singing and acting - that's my hobby," Steinke said.

Playing opposite him will be Liam Forsyth, a sixth-grader at Lake Tahoe School, as the little brother of Hill's love interest Marian Paroo.

Liam, a West Shore resident, said his audition was an exciting experience, especially when Lev Tagayev, husband of director Susane Tagayev, told Liam he would "seriously kill" his wife if she didn't cast Liam for the role of Winthrop.

"He's just a goofy guy like that," Liam said.

Liam has played a variety of roles with Tahoe Players, Tahoe Actors Workshop, Missoula Children's Theatre and the First Baptist Church in Tahoe City's A+ Youth Program.

When he's not performing, he enjoys soccer, karate, skiing and mountain biking.

Both Liam and Steinke said they are excited for opening night.

"Opening night always has a little bit more nerves going into it than other typical performances," Steinke said. "I'm looking forward to the energy of the crowd. No matter how many rehearsals you have, it's never the same as performing in front of an audience."

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WHAT: "Music Man" by the Nevada Civic Light Opera

WHEN: Champagne gala, 6:30 p.m. today; regular shows 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Oct. 13 and 20; 2 p.m. Sunday and Oct. 14 and 21.

WHERE: Piper's Opera House, North B Street, Virginia City

COST: $40 for Gala Champagne performance today; $25 Saturday and Sunday shows.

Contact: 887-5601 or www.nvclo.com

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