A womanizing carnival barker named Billy Bigelow finds himself attracted to a strong-willed millworker named Julie Jordan in “Carousel.” Their love story has a dark side, though, in the iconic musical by Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (book and lyrics).
The show, which is filled with unforgettable songs, is being presented by Music Theater Works Aug. 8-18 at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. Performances are at 2 p.m. Aug. 8, 11, 14, 17 and 18; 7 p.m. Aug. 9; and 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10, 15, 16 and 17.
“Billy Bigelow is definitely one of the most complex characters in all of musical theater,” said Conor Jordan, who plays the carnival barker. “Playing him is like walking on a tightrope. You need to be able to express his deep insecurities and the danger in his impulsive rage in a way that the audience still wants to root for him to achieve redemption despite all the sins that he does commit. He’s a troubled soul who needs to feel love and a guiding hand in order to become the good man he really is deep down inside.”
Jordan noted that Billy could have any girl in town but Julie is different. “She’s not immediately falling for his normal charm,” Jordan said. “Ultimately, she casts a spell on him. He’s never had love truly before and he finds that with Julie for the first time.”
Jordan’s favorite number is “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” “My favorite song to sing would probably be the ‘If I Loved You Reprise,’” he said. “That’s a beautiful culmination of his arc as a character.”
Jordan praised this staging of the musical, saying, “Our production not only has a brilliant full orchestra to sell the epic nature of the score but we also don’t downplay the heavy themes that this show brings up.” Among those is the issue of domestic violence.
“Julie is someone who keeps her heart close to her chest,” said actor Maliha Sayed, who plays Billy’s love interest. “I think she’s a very deep thinker. She’s someone who loves really hard and wants to be loved but has trouble expressing that at times.”
She’s also someone who craves excitement and adventure, Sayed noted, which Billy offers.
“Despite his flaws and his faults, I think he sees Julie for who she is, perhaps in a way no one else does,” Sayed said. That doesn’t mean they have a smooth relationship, though. “They are both really stubborn,” Sayed noted.
The actor said that she relates strongly to Julie. “I understand how she feels like an outsider. I’ve felt like an outsider my whole life,” Sayed said.
The actor said that one challenge of the role is portraying someone who is dealing with domestic violence. As an actor, Sayed noted, she has to figure out why her character stays with Billy.
Sayed’s favorite song in the show is “If I Loved You.” “That was the song that made me fall in love with the show 10 years ago,” she revealed.
“It’s one of my favorite musicals of all time,” said director Sasha Gerritson. “It has some of the most beautiful melodies.”
There is also a serious reason why Gerritson has wanted to stage the show. “It deals with some dark topics, most notably the topic of domestic abuse and domestic violence,” she said. “I think it’s important that we address this as a society.”
Bringing the topic to the forefront through theater means “that we can work as advocates to help end domestic violence,” Gerritson said. Talkbacks are being planned for that purpose.
Gerritson is thrilled with her cast — and has especially high praise for the two leads.
“Conor (Jordan) is a dream come true,” Gerritson said. “His voice is golden. He has a wonderful range and he’s a fantastic actor. He really understands the character.”
Gerritson said about Sayed, “She is so sensitive and so strong at the same time and also has a magnificent voice.”
In addition, Gerritson added that the two leads “have a wonderful chemistry on the stage. The whole cast is so good. I feel like I won the lottery with this cast.”
Myrna Petlicki is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
‘Carousel’
When: Aug. 8-18
Where: Music Theater Works at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie
Tickets: $19.50-$106; half-price for ages 25 and under
Information: 847-673-6300; musictheaterworks.com