THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Well, we’ve got trouble in the Conejo Valley.  

The Music Man is set to hit the stage in Thousand Oaks with a capital T and that rhymes with P and that stands for Pascal—as in Broadway's Adam Pascal, who is playing the title role.

It is an iconic piece of American musical theater, but up until just recently, Pascal didn’t know one song from Meredith Willson's beloved show.

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“I’ve never seen it on stage, I never heard the music and I just watched the movie four weeks ago," Pascal said.

So how exactly is he now stirring up trouble in River City? Turns out, he is longtime friends with Patrick Cassidy – artistic director of 5-Star Theatricals and son of Shirley Jones who played Marian Paroo in the movie.

The friends were out to dinner one night when Cassidy says a lightbulb went off.

“I thought you know, you could be a great con man," said Cassidy. "And he said no one has ever given me the chance -- because he’s done so many rock-n-roll things -- to play a part like this.”

For Pascal, who originated the role of Roger in Rent, the draw was instant. For one thing, he has been trying to move away from his rock star roots.

“I feel like I’ve been there and I’ve done that,” said Pascal. "But it’s only a small part of what I like to do and what I feel I’m capable of.”

Perhaps the biggest sell was proximity. Pascal moved to L.A. more than a decade ago so when he works on Broadway, it is quite a commute.

“So I just immediately said, yes," Pascal said. "Do I get to home at night when it’s over?  Yes, I’ll do it.”

Going into this production, he didn’t know what to expect.  He says he has actually never done regional theatre before and neither has his co-star, Joshua Blond. In fact, the 8-year-old has never been in a musical or acted professionally.

“Nope," Joshua said with a grin that showed off several missing teeth. "I have never done really, like, anything with a production before. This is my first time and I’m really excited."

Joshua said it is fun to work with professional actors and learn from them, too.

Not that Pascal thinks he, or the rest of the cast, need many pointers.

“It doesn’t feel any different than any cast that I’ve ever worked with on Broadway," Pascal said.

Pascal may play the title role but at its heart, this show is about music, and how it brings people together. If that’s what The Music Man is selling, Pascal is buying it.

“Everyone responds to music in one way or another," Pascal says. "It does something to us that nothing else can do. It evokes feelings and emotions.”

Whether it’s a single guitar or seventy-six trombones.

The Music Man runs Friday, Oct. 18 through Sunday, Oct. 27 at the Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. For tickets and information, click here.