Golden Isles Penguin Project Presents: The Music Man Jr.

BRUNSWICK, GA — The Golden Isles Penguin Project, a musical theatre production that casts children and young adults with disabilities in all roles, is proud to present The Music Man JR on June 13-16, 2024 at the Historic Ritz Theatre in downtown Brunswick. Evening performances begin at 7 pm; Sunday afternoon matinee at 3 pm.

Master showman Harold Hill is in town and he’s got “seventy-six trombones” in tow. Can upright, uptight Marian, the town librarian, resist his powerful allure? The story follows fast-talking traveling salesman, Harold Hill, as he cons the people of River City, Iowa, into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys’ band he vows to organize. The catch? He doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian, whose belief in Harold’s power just might help him succeed in the end in spite of himself. Based on Meredith Willson’s six-time-Tony-Award-winning musical comedy, The Music Man JR. features some of musical theatre’s most iconic songs and a story filled with wit, warmth and good old-fashioned romance.

37 Artists ages 10 and up take on all the roles and are supported on stage by Mentors, young people without disabilities, who assist them as needed while participating in the performance. This is the eighth year for the Golden Isles Penguin Project and all shows have been sold out so audiences are encouraged to get their tickets soon.

The Penguin Project is the brainchild of Dr. Andrew Morgan, a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and the former Head of the Division of Child Development at the University College of Medicine at Peoria. By creating unrestricted access to the performing arts, The Penguin Project® demonstrates that the special challenges of a disability need not handicap a child’s ability to participate in life’s experiences. In his words “Our penguins may not be able to fly, but that does not prevent their spirits from soaring.”

The Golden Isles Penguin Project is supported by Stambaugh Aviation, Georgia Council for the Arts, The Episcopal Women of Christ’s Church, Okefenoke Rural Electric Membership Corporation Foundation, The DeVito Family Foundation, Glynn Paton Foundation, The Winans Family Foundation, Cheek To Cheek Animal Hospital, Love Up with Stiles, The Pirates of the Spanish Main, Advance Rehabilitation, Jackson Bethune Music LLC, Birdies of St Simons, Brogen’s South, and individual donors in our community. Generous In-kind support has been provided by First United Methodist Church, Webb Production, next phase media, Premier Printing, The Brunswick News, and Larry’s Giant Subs-Summer Waves.

Tickets are now available for the Golden Isles Penguin Project’s production of The Music Man JR. Advance tickets for Golden Isles Arts & Humanities Members are Adults $15/Seniors $10; Nonmembers are Adults $20/Seniors $15. Day of show tickets increases by $5. The cost for students (with ID) is always $5 each. To purchase advance tickets, visit www.goldenislesarts.org or the Ritz Theatre box office, 1530 Newcastle St., Tuesdays-Fridays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. For more information, call (912) 262-6934