After more than a decade bringing musicals and dramas to the New Holland area, Cavod Theatre has looked back to the organization's roots to stage a junior version of one of the theater's first productions - "The Music Man."

Last set to play in December 2020 but postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions, the show, "The Music Man Jr.," will be presented at Cavod Theatre, 641 W. Main St., New Holland, at 7 p.m. on Fridays, March 19 and 26; at 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturdays, March 20 and 27; and at 4 p.m. on Sundays, March 21 and 28.

"It's one of the more fun junior shows," said director Alex Weaver, who grappled with the challenges of rehearsing under COVID-19 restrictions. Weaver divided the 36-member cast into "family groupings," and taught the show's lovebirds, Harold Hill, played by Derrick Lambert, and Marian Paroo, played by Soren Lefever, how to portray emotion without getting too close or looking directly at each other while singing.

The plot of the musical revolves around Hill, a con man who pretends to be a band leader. He sells musical instruments and band uniforms to the residents of River City, Iowa, while promising to train the members of the new band. The townspeople, with the exception of librarian and piano teacher Paroo, fall for Hill's tricks. Although Paroo sees the truth, after witnessing Hill helping her younger brother, Winthrop, played by Brandt Esh, overcome his lisp, Paroo begins to fall for the trickster.

"The Music Man" has been a staple of musical theater since it debuted on Broadway in 1957. The show is known for toe-tappers such as "76 Trombones" and "Ya Got Trouble," along with the softer melodies of "'Til There Was You," and "Goodnight, My Someone."

Because "The Music Man" is such a popular show, Weaver is planning to deliver the classic tale but still offer audiences a bit of a fresh take by encouraging his actors, ages 9 to 17, to look into the depth of their characters. "I am a big fan of character development," said Weaver. "I am trying to help them understand that every line in the script is in there for a reason to help them ... understand their character a little better."

Weaver noted that it has been satisfying to see students take a break from what is happening in the world when they come to rehearsals. "(I enjoy) seeing the kids come in here and have fun for three or four hours and forget about everything else in a safe environment putting on a show," he said.

After having to reschedule, the director is especially looking forward to sharing the hard work of the cast with audiences. "I really hope audiences can see there is still fun to be had in bad times," he said, adding that he also hopes the theme of authenticity will shine through. "The message behind the show is being able to find your true self," he explained. "You don't have to lie or be fake. It's OK to be who you are."

Tickets, which are limited, are available at https://cavod.org or by calling 717-354-3355.