CHILDREN BIG PART OF `MUSIC MAN'

Dr. Elizabeth James-Gallagher wants more attitude. So Dr. Christopher Goeke holds up cards with words like "blase" or "soothing" or "puzzled" on them. On stage, the cast members of "The Music Man" sing scales with feeling.

Music directors James-Gallagher and Goeke are rehearsing the cast in preparation for the upcoming University Theatre production. The Meredith Willson musical opens Feb. 28 for seven performances at the Forrest H. Rose Theatre.

The show is being directed by Dennis H. Seyer, with Dr. Sterling Cossaboom conducting the orchestra and choreography by Dr. Marc Strauss.

A small problem with the musical directors' attitude cards is that a few of the people in the cast are a bit young to know what "blase" means.

"That one's for adults only," someone jokes.

"The Music Man" has a nine-member children's chorus. Goeke says the children do the same warmups and exercises as the college students and adult community members.

"It's always a good idea to treat everybody the same," he said. "If you treat (children) differently they think, we're just kids."

They do wear out a bit as 10 p.m. approaches, he said. "You can see they're tired at the end of the night."

At 6, Goeke's daughter, Cate, is the youngest member of the cast. A kindergartner at Franklin Elementary School, Cate wanted to be in the musical "because it's a big show and I get to do lots of scenes."

But there's a realer reason beneath those, Cate admitted. "I love it when people watch me."

Mikey Crowell, 10, has one of the major children's roles. He plays Winthrop, the part Ron Howard had in the movie version. He decided to try out because his girlfriend, Reba, wanted him to.

"I thought it might be a good idea. I always wanted to do something really big and stuff," he said.

The son of Barbara Franks and James Crowell, Mikey, is a sixth-grader at Jefferson Elementary School. He has Winthrop's look and has perfected the lisp.

So far, being in "The Music Man" has yielded only one surprise for him -- "That I got the part."

Stephanie White plays Amaryllis. A sixth-grader at St. Vincent de Paul School, Stephanie has appeared in numerous Children's Theatre Workshop productions.

Rehearsals usually last from 7 to 10 p.m. and can make theater difficult for a student, she says. "It's hard because I have a lot of homework. But it will pay off whenever it begins."

Being on stage during a performance is the payoff for Stephanie.

"It brings out more excitement in me," she says.

Her parents are Cathy and Alan White of Cape Girardeau.

"The Music Man" is family entertainment with a familial cast. All four members of Christopher Goeke's family are associated with the production, including 9-year-old daughter, Sarah, and wife, Lori Shaffer.

Sarah has been in three previous plays, including Southeast's 1993 production of "HMS Pinafore." She thinks performing may be in her blood. "My mom and dad do it. I'm probably going to end up being like them," she said.

James and Aaron Fortner of Jackson, 11 and 10 respectively, also are members of the cast. James attends Jackson Middle School and Aaron is a student at West Lane Elementary.

James has been in plays at church and school before and says, "It really thrills me."

He thinks there's another reason he's a performer: "My mom has been doing it most of her life."

Aaron's in "The Music Man" for the singing and especially likes the song "Wells Fargo Wagon."

"I get nervous," he admits. When that happens, he says, "I sing a little harder and think about the songs."

James and Aaron are the sons of Paul and Cheryl Fortner of Jackson.

Twelve-year-old Amanda Dumey is a veteran of the Southeast Music Academy's "Amahl and the Night Visitors."

Rehearsals for "The Music Man" have been educational, she says. "I've learned a lot of new things about acting and conducting. I never had to watch a conductor before."

She is the daughter of John and Pam Dumey of Jackson.

Elizabeth Fluegge, the 12-year-old daughter of Terri and Randy Fluegge of Cape Girardeau, has been in five plays while taking voice lessons at Keyboards and Kindermusik. She likes both singing and acting and expects to be in many more productions.

"This is what I want to do when I grow up," she says.

Matt Essner, the 12-year-old son of Jim and Sharon Essner of Cape Girardeau, sounds like an aficionado discussing "The Music Man." "I've always loved the show. It's one of my favorites," he says. "I've always wanted to be in a play that has music I know."

At the beginning of the rehearsal, James-Gallagher told the cast members who don't play a named character to give their character a name and a personality anyway. And to introduce themselves to everyone else.

With her mother's help, Cate Goeke picked the name Minnie Waters. "I really wanted to be Bubble Waters," she said.

What is Minnie "Bubble" Waters like?

"She likes to be in shows," Cate said.