Interview: Charles Antenen (The Music Man)

When The Music Man first marched onto Broadway in 1957, Meredith Willson’s homespun story of small-town America, a smooth-talking con man, and the transformative power of love felt like a valentine to a more innocent era. The six-time Tony Award-winning musical introduces Harold Hill, a traveling salesman who breezes into River City, Iowa, determined to fleece the townspeople by selling them on a boys’ band he has no intention—or ability—to create. His scheme unravels when he falls for Marian the librarian, whose moral compass and quiet strength ultimately turn the hustler into a true believer. Along the way, audiences are treated to some of Broadway’s most beloved songs, including “Seventy-Six Trombones,” “Trouble” and “’Til There Was You.”

Now, in a new national touring revival coming to Akron’s E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall on February 18 and 19, The Music Man returns not as a nostalgic museum piece but as a story with fresh resonance. While the script and setting remain rooted in early-20th-century River City, the questions it raises about charisma, trust, community, and who we choose to follow feel newly urgent in a deeply divided moment in our own country’s history. The show’s portrait of a town learning to look past suspicion and fear—and finding connection in the process—lands differently in 2026 than it did in the late 1950s.

Ahead of the Akron performances, we spoke with Charles Antenen, who plays the lovestruck young Tommy Djilas in this latest revival. In the conversation below, Antenen reflects on stepping into a classic American musical, what it means to bring Willson’s world to life for contemporary audiences, and why “The Music Man” still has something important to say about how we treat one another—onstage in River City and far beyond.

Timothy: Hi Tommy, thank you for taking the time to speak with me about your upcoming show, The Music Man, here in Akron on February 18 and 19. While I know the show has been around for a long time, I have never seen it! What can I expect?

Charles: Thank you for having me! I’m so excited that this will be your first show. The Music Man is definitely a product of its time, but I think the story itself is incredibly timeless. Without spoiling anything for you, it’s about this man who comes into a town with the intention of conning, basically, the town out of their money. But in the process, he actually brings a lot of joy and a lot of new life into what is, as one of the first songs states, “Iowa Stubborn Way.” He brings a lot of new life into this, and towards the end of the show, once he does eventually get found out, there’s this fun moment of decision within the entire company of like, ‘Do we stick with our old traditions and stay the way that we are? Or do we continue to grow with this man and forgive him for his wrongdoings?’ I think now, more than ever, is a commentary on us being so divided as a country and finding ways to still find connection and love for one another. 

Timothy: That is so interesting and seems very timeless, or at least very relevant to today. 

Charles: Yea, I wouldn’t say that the story has been particularly adapted to change any of the plot that was originally there, but I think with new context, a show always has new life!

Timothy: So tell me more about the character that you play.

Charles: Yes, I get to play Tommy Djilas, who I would describe as the ‘wrong side of the tracks’ boy who has just fallen in love with the mayor’s daughter, very star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet kind of moment. I get to have fun on stage every night with, honestly, one of my favorite people in this company, her name is Madison Stewart. She plays my opposite, Anita. We love to joke that the show is about us. It’s definitely not, but it definitely is. We essentially just get to play on stage and dance our faces off, and then giggle in the corner and flirt. It’s truly a blast just to get to play, I guess, as a child, as a matter of fact, because it’s just so fun-loving and so exploratory, and at the end of the day, we get to giggle and just have fun!

Timothy: That’s so great you recognize those moments and enjoy them. It’s honestly so impressive what you and those in musical theater are able to do, time after time and night after night. The discipline to have a show every night, hopping on a bus and traveling to a new town, and then going right back on stage. How do you prepare for such challenging schedules? 

Charles: It is so much work and so much upkeep for your body! Most of the time, we will hit two to three cities in a week, and sometimes specifically, when we go to Ohio, we’re doing shows every night of the week, but we’re traveling between cities three times in that process. Several of the shows, I’m not sure which Akron show you’re coming to, but that first night, we will be traveling in from Erie, Pennsylvania, that morning and then immediately doing the show. So you really have to know your body, know what you need to be able to perform your best and know how to take care of yourself in sometimes less than ideal circumstances, just because time is always of the essence in theater. But yeah, no, it’s a challenge, but it’s a fun one to figure out. 

Timothy: That is incredible that you and your whole company are able to do that. It really shows how dedicated you are as actors and the team behind you all. It will be an honor to see you all in action, so before we go, tell us all once more why we should all be in Akron to see The Music Man?

Charles: Oh, absolutely. Well, if you want to see a timeless musical with wonderful melodies, high-energy dance numbers, and hilarious jokes, I would highly suggest coming to see this show! 

Performances of The Music Man are on February 18 and February 19 at EJ Thomas Performing Arts Hall in Akron. Details and tickets can be found at Playhousesquare.org