A Musical Testimony to the Power of Hope, Love and Redemption
Experience the enchantment of a 19th-century Maine coastal village, where young love, dignity and hope shine on stage in the captivating musical “Carousel.” Presented by the Department of Music, Performing Arts and Music Technologies at County College of Morris (CCM), this adaptation of Ferenc Molnar’s play “Liliom” promises an unforgettable journey into a world of romance and possibility. Performances take place at CCM Wednesday through Saturday, April 10-13, at 7:30 p.m. each evening.
“This is the second musical of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein,” said Director Marielaine Mammon, chairperson of the Music, Performing Arts and Music Technologies Department at CCM. “This classic American musical is about family, love and friendship. The power of forgiveness and human frailty resounds throughout the story and the memorable music.”
The opening introduces swaggering and carefree carnival barker, Billy Bigelow (Owen Gately – Belvidere) as he captivates the hand of gentle millworker, Julie Jordan (Alyssa Correa – Dover). Driven by the desire to secure a better life for his now wife and growing family, Billy becomes pressured into being an accomplice to robbery, only to be apprehended for the crime. Confronted with the looming specter of imprisonment, the troubled young man tragically ends his own life. Fast forward fifteen years when Billy returns to Earth for one day, where he strives to atone for his past mistakes and become a devoted husband and father, infusing the narrative with themes of hope, dignity and universal love.
Timeless Storyline and Brilliant Cast
The original production of “Carousel” opened at Broadway’s Majestic Theatre on April 19, 1945, running nearly 900 performances, and has been called “the best musical of the 20th century” by TIME Magazine.
Additional students performing in the show are Julia Bachman – Morris Plains (Mrs. Mullin); Adoran Ball – Montville (Police/Heavenly Friend); Matthew Budesheim – Butler (Carnival Boy – Ft. Dancer); Sean Cahill – Netcong (Jigger Craigin); Jayden Cohen – Mount Tabor (Enoch Snow Jr.); Elijah Cooke – Belvidere (David Bascombe); Collin Eagen – Livingston (Starkeeper/ Doctor and Principal/Heavenly Friend); Juan Isaiz, Uvalde – TX (Captain); Bridget Jacobus – Denville (Louise); Lydia Girardy – Long Valley (Carrie Pipperidge); Hyron Gonzalez Jr. – Budd Lake (Enoch Snow); Elizabeth Grant – Parsippany (Nettie Fowler); Carolina Hunchak – Denville (Louise); Mackenzy Reilly – Byram (Nettie Fowler); and Gwendolyn Rivera – Morris Plains (Starkeeper/ Doctor and Principal/Heavenly Friend).
The Ensemble includes Mia Alvarado – Rockaway; Naomi Canilao – Mine Hill; Sebastian Cedeno – Mine Hill; Mak Cerrada-Shapiro – Belvidere; Julianna Christern – Denville; Madison Dunn – Belvidere; Tyler Hamlett – Mount Olive; Natalie Lavorgna – Parsippany; Diana Luba – Rockaway; Jaden Leary – Wharton; Georgina Lopez – Morristown; Kayla Marvin – Mount Olive; Mollie McLoughlin – South Orange; Elizabeth Merritt – CCM Adjunct Professor, Biology and Chemistry Department; Andrew Price – Madison; German Tatis-Rosario – Union; and Bryan Torres – Mount Olive.
General admission tickets are $15 each and tickets for CCM students, alumni, children under 12 and seniors 62 and over are $10 each. To purchase tickets, visit https://bookstore.ccm.edu/category/tickets-events/theater-shows.The performances will be held in CCM’s Dragonetti Auditorium, located in the Student Community Center, 214 Center Grove Road, Randolph. Visitors can park in Lot 6.
To learn more about the Department of Music, Performing Arts and Music Technologies at CCM, visit the website here.
