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Letter to the editor

A star is born at 'The Music Man'

By TIMES STAFF
Published June 9, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Special to the Times] JoAnn Larson shows off her "The Music Man" costar Jason Larson Jr., who is also her 4 1/2-month-old son.

Fifty years from now, when a slightly graying Jason Larson Jr. accepts the Tony Award for "Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical" for his stellar portrayal of Professor Harold Hill in a 100th anniversary Broadway revival of The Music Man, I predict his acceptance speech will go something like this:

"I made my musical theater stage debut at the age of 41/2 months in a 50th anniversary production of The Music Man at a tiny theater in New Port Richey, Florida, called Richey Suncoast Theatre."

It's a fantastic thought. But it would be true.

Those who attended the final two performances of The Music Man (May 26 and 27) may have thought they were watching a beautiful, life-sized doll in the big scenes. But the little guy in the sailor suit cuddled in the arms of the gossipy Alma Hix, who chirped so maliciously in Pick-a-Little Talk-a-Little and danced so gracefully in A Grecian Urn, was Jason Larson Jr., the real-life son of JoAnn Larson, who was playing Alma.

"He did such a good job, " the proud mom says. "He loved being on stage, kicking his legs."

He had good reason to kick it up. Not to be too, um, theatrical about it, but if it weren't for Richey Suncoast Theatre, little Jason might never have happened.

For years, JoAnn and her husband, Jason Sr., had hoped for a baby. They'd been to fertility clinics, she'd taken pills, they'd followed a timetable - anything to have a playmate for 9-year-old Zoe, Jason's daughter from a previous marriage.

"The doctors told me I would never have a baby, " JoAnn said. "We finally just gave it up to God."

To get a baby off their minds, they decided to get involved in community theater.

Right away, JoAnn and Zoe landed roles in the chorus of the musical Cinderella, the 2005-06 season closer at Richey Suncoast.

Sometime during the hectic April 2006 rehearsals, "I miraculously got pregnant, " JoAnn said. "Theater is our good luck charm."

Indeed, Jason Larson Jr. was born on Jan. 11, 2007, weighing in at 9 pounds, 7 ounces.

And then, "We got right back into theater, " JoAnn said, with both her and Zoe snaring roles in The Music Man.

Only this time, Jason Jr. came along.

At first, he was content with his dad backstage, where tiny Tiffani Cruz, who played an Indian maiden in the show, helped entertain him.

"My husband said if it weren't for little Tiffani, he couldn't say Jason Jr. would have been so happy backstage, " JoAnn said. "(Entertaining him) was a group effort and one gladly made by all members of the show."

Finally, the week before the closing performances, JoAnn decided to try tiny Jason on stage, a move encouraged by director Marie Skelton.

"You couldn't stop his feet from kicking when we were singing, but he was quiet during the talking, " JoAnn said.

He made his big debut the final Saturday of the show.

"My stage husband said to me as the curtain closed after the baby's first scene, 'Congratulations, Mom. He's a star', " JoAnn said. "The whole cast called him the star of the show."

By the next day, he was like an old trouper.

"On Sunday, he did all the family scenes, the bows, the meet-and-greet (outside after the show), plus the cast party, " she said.

"He loved the music, and now I'm singing him to sleep with songs from the show, " JoAnn said. "His favorite is Iowa Stubborn, " the lilting tune done during the first big crowd scene in the show.

Since the show, the Larsons have moved to Largo to be closer to JoAnn's job and to Zoe's mom. Even so, they plan to drive back to be in Richey Suncoast shows, especially the family-oriented Christmas special, this time including Jason Sr.

"It was all a wonderful experience, one I will hold in my heart forever as a mom bursting with pride for her two kids, " JoAnn said. "I know I still beam when I recall the lifetime of memories we all made during The Music Man."

[Last modified June 8, 2007, 20:28:05]