by T.J. Pieffer. @tjpieffer.
LANCASTER, Pa. - Stage Left’s upcoming production of The Music Man features local regular Mike Alterman, who will be playing the role of the train conductor and also touching your shoulder for a few seconds longer than he should.
“We’ve rented some gorgeous backdrops, built a whole train car interior, and cast Mike, who is a big hugger,” said director Scott Nichols while shaking his head and laughing. “Ya gotta understand, he’s just from a different generation!”
Alterman was last seen as Gomez Addams in Stage Left’s The Addams Family. “I loved playing him because I got to be really goofy and I also got to have a wife!” he explained as he smacked this reporter’s back really hard. “Kidding! Though, I do hope the train conductor in The Music Man has a River City library card, if you know what I mean. Maybe they can add a scene where Marian the Librarian and the train conductor get to go on a date!”
Jim Milano, who is playing the mayor, says Alterman’s backstage decorum is all in good fun.
“Oh, that’s just Mike! He’s a legend in the theater community here,” he explained, touching this reporter’s arm. “The two of us have been performing with Stage Left for over thirty years. He’s a riot and always asks my wife to slow dance with him backstage.”
Alterman cut our interview short after he spotted the Pick-a-Little Talk-a-Little actresses.
“Hey, I gotta run. Just thought of a funny joke to tell m’ladies!” he said as he exited, finally taking his hand off of this reporter’s shoulder.