With tears of laughter and heartache, the MTHS drama department concluded their first production of the year with a final standing ovation on Jan. 13.
Written by Alfred Uhry and Robert Waldman, “The Robber Bridegroom” is a Southern-style musical based off a novella based off a German fairytale all with the same name.
“The Robber Bridegroom” begins in modern times where townsfolk gather and tell “true” tales of their ancestors on the Natchez Trace. From here, time shifts to 18th century Mississippi. A dark comic Southern-style musical about an endearing gentleman bandit named Jamie Lockhart (junior Michael Wollan) by day and Bandit of the Woods by night.
Jamie Lockhart saves the life of a wealthy plantation owner named Clement Musgrove (senior Paul Pratt) who was almost robbed by an evil thief by the name of Little Harp (junior Seth Timple) who always carries the head of his brother, Big Harp (senior David Hill), in a trunk. Grateful that Lockhart saved his life, Musgrove wanted Lockhart to be his son-in-law.
Rosamund (senior Aurora Baker), the daughter of Musgrove’s first wife, got everything she could ever want in life. It was all like a dream for her until she went into the backwoods and was robbed of all her clothes by the fearsome Bandit of the Woods. Unfortunately, not only did the bandit steal her clothes, but he also stole her heart, quickly leading to a forbidden, yet romantic relationship between them.
For their own safety, the Bandit of the Woods and the maiden kept their true identities a secret. Behind the berry stains, the Bandit of the Woods and Jamie Lockhart were one and the same. Unknown to the Bandit of the Woods, the maiden he robbed was Rosamund. In the meanwhile, Musgrove wanted Rosamund to marry Jamie Lockhart, but both were hesitant to marry the other as their hearts were with each other’s alter personas.
Unfortunately for Rosamund her evil stepmother, Salome (senior Abbie Apana), plotted to get rid of her so she could inherit all of Musgrove’s money. Unfortunately, Salome’s lust for sweet, young gentlemen, like Jamie Lockhart, eventually led to her ultimate demise.
Through all the chaos and drama with leading two lives, Rosamund had enough and decided to unmask the Bandit of the Woods, whereupon she discovered the Bandit of the Woods is none other than Jamie Lockhart. With this reveal, she happily revealed herself as Rosamund.
She wanted to get married, but Lockhart desired anonymous love. They fought, leading to Lockhart storming away. Just as he returned to apologize, Rosamund had already left to find him, causing them to lose each other for months. Over these months, Lockhart gave up his search and moved to New Orleans to start anew while Rosamund gave birth to their two children, Jamie Jr. and Clementine.
Guided by the ensemble, Rosamund reconciled with Lockhart, now a ship captain on the Mississippi. With the news of Salome’s death and the blessing of Musgrove, Lockhart and Rosamund decided to wed and they lived happily ever after.
Drawing large crowds, the production had the audience applauding after each musical number. The cast and crew prepared for “The Robber Bridegroom” production over the course of four long months filled with hard work and dedication.
After the final viewing, Edmonds School District Superintendent Kris McDuffy cheerfully commented, “I thought [the production] was fantastic. I was just so impressed at the joy it brought to our community.”
The main thing that set “The Robber Bridegroom” apart from most musicals was the decision to include the pit orchestra on the stage.
Playing a supporting role, actress Sarah Acheson said, “[It was] so cool [to have] everyone on stage because [the audience] could see how everyone had to react and do scene changes while singing and dancing. It shows just how important everyone is whether they were leads, actors, musicians or tech.”
This musical, in the words of the legendary Jamie Lockhart, was a success.
