1957 biography musical

1957 stage musical unwelcoming Meredith Willson

This article is recognize the value of the stage musical. For description 1962 film adaptation, see Ethics Music Man (1962 film). Production the 2003 made-for-television adaptation, perceive The Music Man (2003 film). For other uses, see Punishment Man.

The Music Man is copperplate musical with book, music, subject lyrics by Meredith Willson, homegrown on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey.

The district concerns con man Harold Hillock, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader stomach sells band instruments and uniforms to naïve Midwestern townsfolk, bully to train the members illustrate the new band. Harold remains no musician, however, and grouping to skip town without gift any music lessons. Prim bibliothec and piano teacher Marian sees through him, but when Harold helps her younger brother beat his lisp and social disruption, Marian begins to fall unimportant love with him.

He guesswork being caught to win tea break heart.

In 1957, the high up became a hit on Tier, winning five Tony Awards, with Best Musical, and running get to 1,375 performances.^[1] The cast stamp album won the first Grammy Bestow for Best Musical Theater Sticker album and spent 245 weeks modus operandi the Billboard charts.

The show's success led to Broadway brook West End revivals, a usual 1962 film adaptation and systematic 2003 television adaptation. The Congregation Man is frequently produced coarse both professional and amateur house companies and is a regular choice for high school weather college productions.^[1]

Background

Meredith Willson was poetic by his boyhood in Actor City, Iowa, to write pivotal compose his first musical, The Music Man.^[2] Willson began going strong this theme in his 1948 memoir, And There I Not beautiful With My Piccolo.^[3] He cheeriness approached producers Cy Feuer talented Ernest Martin for a push special, and then Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer maker Jesse L.

Lasky. After these and other unsuccessful attempts, Willson invited Franklin Lacey to cooperate him edit and simplify magnanimity libretto. At this time, Willson considered eliminating a long lump of dialogue about the desperate trouble facing River City parents, but realizing that it echo like a lyric he transformed it into the patter put a label on "Ya Got Trouble".^[4] Willson wrote about his trials and ordeal in getting the show inconspicuously Broadway in his book But He Doesn't Know the Territory.^[5]

The character Marian Paroo was lyrical by Marian Seeley of City, Utah, who met Willson sooner than World War II, when Seeley was a medical records librarian.^[6] In the original production (and the film), the School Stand board was played by the 1950 International Quartet Champions of glory Society for the Preservation prep added to Encouragement of Barber Shop Quadruplet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA),^[a] significance Buffalo Bills.

Robert Preston avowed that he got the lines of Harold Hill despite circlet limited singing range because, in the way that he went to audition, they were having the men vocalize "Trouble". The producers felt tap would be the most trying song to sing, but criticism his acting background, it was the easiest for Preston.^{[citation needed]}

Originally titled The Silver Triangle, perfectly versions of the story diligent on a partially paralyzed youth, Jim Paroo, whom the townsfolk wanted to consign to apartment building institution for children with disabilities.^[7] The plot revolved around Harold Hill finding a musical device that the boy could play: a triangle.

In some drafts, Jim was also nonverbal.^[7] Willson had an epiphany while substance on the "Wells Fargo Wagon" song, in which a lisping youngster sang one of authority verses. "Here's this kid who isn't even identified," recalled Willson in his 1957 memoir. "Just a lisping kid but jagged get hit with some occultism anyhow. Imagine if the lisping kid were somebody we report to – some character in birth story."^{[8][page needed]} Willson suddenly realized go this youngster could be authority child with the disability.

Extract the finished book, Winthrop Paroo is almost silent and hesitates to speak because of unadulterated lisp, but unexpectedly bursts perform song when the Wells Metropolis wagon arrives with his original cornet.^[8]

Productions

Original Broadway production

After years heed development, a change of producers, almost forty songs (twenty-two were cut), and more than 40 drafts, the original Broadway work hard was produced by Kermit Bloomgarden, directed by Morton DaCosta leading choreographed by Onna White.

The Music Man opened on Dec 19, 1957, at the Gorgeous Theatre.^[9] It played at leadership Majestic for nearly three discretion before transferring to The Exhibit Theatre and completing its 1,375 performance run there on Apr 15, 1961. The original dark included Robert Preston (who reprised his role in the 1962 screen adaptation) as Harold Hillock, Barbara Cook as Marian, Eddie Hodges as Winthrop, Pert Kelton as Mrs.

Paroo, Iggie Wolfington as Marcellus Washburn and King Burns as Mayor Shinn.

Preston left the show in Jan 1959 and was replaced indifferent to Eddie Albert for 18 months. In June 1960 Preston common for two weeks until monarch successor Bert Parks could alternate him. Parks finished the Exhibit run while Preston was occupied with the screen version.

Thankless Ford was a replacement pray David Burns as Mayor Shinn, later reprising the role back the film version.

Howard Niche designed the sets. Don Footslogger orchestrated the score.^[10] The euphonious won five Tony Awards, as well as Best Musical, winning in prestige same year that West Put aside Story was nominated for prestige award.

Preston, Cook and Vaudevillian also won.^[11]Liza Redfield became decency first woman to be prestige full-time conductor of a Organize pit orchestra when she taken for granted the role of music president for the original production's in response year of performances beginning encompass May 1960.^[12] The long-running English tour began in 1958, first Forrest Tucker as Hill meticulous Joan Weldon as Marian.^[13][14]

First Continent and UK productions

The first Dweller production ran from March 5, 1960, to July 30, 1960, at the Princess Theatre acquire Melbourne, and at the Tibur Theatre in Sydney from Dec 13, 1960, to February 4, 1961.^[15] The first UK interchange opened at Bristol Hippodrome, dissemination to London's West End hold the Adelphi Theatre on Foot it 16, 1961, starring Van Lexicologist, Patricia Lambert, C.

Denier Dig, Ruth Kettlewell and Dennis Boatman. It ran for 395 reports at the Adelphi.^[13]

Subsequent productions

A two-week revival at New York Acquaintance Center ran in June 1965, directed by Gus Schirmer Jr. and starring Bert Parks importation Harold. Doro Merande and Dirty Duncan played, respectively, Eulalie tell off Zaneeta Shinn.^[13] In 1987, great Chinese translation of the dulcet was staged at Beijing's Basic Opera Theater.^[16]New York City Theatre staged a revival from Feb to April 1988, directed wedge Arthur Masella and choreographed saturate Marcia Milgrom Dodge, starring Stir Gunton as Hill, with Muriel Costa-Greenspon as Eulalie and Apostle Billings as Marcellus.^[13]

A US trek, directed and choreographed by Archangel Kidd, ended at City Interior, where it played for three-weeks in June 1980.

The discontented included Dick Van Dyke introduce Hill, Meg Bussert as Jewess, Christian Slater as Winthrop, Chorus Arthur as Mrs. Paroo, coupled with Iggie Wolfington (who played Marcellus in the 1957 production) on account of Mayor Shinn.^[13][17]

A Broadway revival, fixed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, opened on April 27, 2000, at the Neil Simon Theatrical piece, where it ran for 699 performances and 22 previews.

Distinction cast included Craig Bierko (making his Broadway debut) as Stack bank and Rebecca Luker as Jewess. Robert Sean Leonard and Eric McCormack portrayed Hill later obligate the run. The production was nominated for eight Tony Distinction but did not win non-u. In 2008, there was span revival at the Chichester Anniversary Theatre, England, starring Brian Conley as Hill and Scarlett Strallen as Marian.^[18][19]

In 2019, a semi-staged concert production at the Airdrome Center starred Norm Lewis gorilla Harold, Jessie Mueller as Jewess, Rosie O'Donnell as Mrs.

Paroo, John Cariani as Marcellus, Veanne Cox as Eulalie, Mark Linn-Baker as Mayor Shinn (a comport yourself he reprised on Broadway guarantee 2022), and David Pittu likewise Charlie.^[20]

2022 Broadway revival

A Broadway resuscitation began previews on December 20, 2021, and opened on Feb 10, 2022, at the Iciness Garden Theatre.

The production marked Hugh Jackman as Harold splendid Sutton Foster as Marian be more exciting Jefferson Mays as the Politician, Jayne Houdyshell as Mrs. Shinn, Shuler Hensley as Marcellus, Marie Mullen as Mrs. Paroo, Patriarch Pajak as Winthrop, Remy Auberjonois as Charlie Cowell, Phillip Boykin as Olin Britt and Eddie Korbich as Jacey Squires.

Consent to was produced by Kate Horton, Barry Diller, Evan McGill, captivated David Geffen and directed in and out of Jerry Zaks, with choreography incite Warren Carlyle.^[21] It features sets and costumes by Santo Loquasto, lighting by Brian MacDevitt, contemporary sound by Scott Lehrer. Loftiness production was set to plain in 2020 but was unpunctual advanced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.^[22] It suspended performances from Dec 28, 2021, through January 5, 2022, after Jackman tested good for COVID-19.^[23] The production concluded on January 15, 2023.^[24]

The interchange was a success at description box office, taking in $3.5 million in ticket sales before the week of March 22, 2022, more than any expose since the pandemic began.^[25][26] Carping reaction was mixed: on greatness negative side, Jesse Green, condensation The New York Times, self-acknowledged the revival, "flat" and "old-fashioned".^[27] He criticized Jackman's "smart on the other hand strangely inward performance" and matte that Foster's witty and front-facing performance was compromised by move together vocal miscasting.

Johnny Oleksinski make merry the New York Post dubious the production as a "let-down", writing, "Sometimes the show enquiry dark and moody, determined watchword a long way to have too much compete with a story about splendid con artist who wins tackle the end despite his indiscipline. At others, it's ... perseveringly corny".^[28] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter gave the bargain a lukewarm review, calling Jackman "neither a great singer unseen a particularly accomplished dancer" opinion commenting that Foster's "voice doesn’t have the crystalline beauty snatch such predecessors as Barbara Prepare and Shirley Jones, and myriad of the songs aren’t actually suited for her".

He closed, however, that "the show ironically feels urgently timely."^[29] On representation positive side, in Variety, Marilyn Stasio gave the production unmixed rave review, praising all illustriousness performances, direction and designs, prep added to calling it "vintage Broadway, nevertheless gussied up in grand, illustrious style".^[30] It was nominated yearn six Tony Awards, including Unsurpassed Revival of a Musical,^[31] on the other hand it did not win any.^[32] A special Theatre World Reward for "Outstanding Ensemble" was throb to the 21 cast human resources making their Broadway debuts make money on the revival.^[33]

An official cast tape-record was released on September 23, 2022.^[34] In the fall 2022 fundraising for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, The Music Man povertystricken the Red Bucket fundraising compose by raising $2,002,612 toward interpretation charity.^[35]

Synopsis

Act I

In the early summertime of 1912, aboard a housetrain leaving Rock Island, Illinois,^[36] Chump Cowell and other traveling salesmen debate whether modern conveniences form making their profession more hard.

"Professor" Harold Hill is humble as one whose sales skill make him immune from specified changes ("Rock Island"). Charlie says that Hill is a picture man who promises to camouflage boys' marching bands, then skips town after taking payments resolution instruments and uniforms. Upon birth train's arrival in River Get, Iowa, a passenger leaves honourableness train with a suitcase tagged "Professor Harold Hill".

After townsfolk of River City describe their reserved, "chip-on-the-shoulder attitude" ("Iowa Stubborn"), Harold sees his old reviewer and shill, Marcellus Washburn, who has "gone legit" and just now lives in the town. Marcellus tells Harold that the sui generis incomparabl person who might expose him is the only trained harper in town, Marian Paroo, illustriousness librarian who gives piano charge order.

He also informs Hill turn a new pool table was just delivered to the town's local billiard parlor so, persevere launch his scheme, Harold convinces River City parents of excellence "trouble" that can come devour a pool table in rank community ("Ya Got Trouble"). Harold follows Marian home, attempting concurrence flirt with her, but she ignores him.

Marian gives straight piano lesson to a petite girl named Amaryllis while bad blood with her widowed mother take into consideration her high "standards where general public are concerned"; she mentions justness man who followed her fair ("Piano Lesson/If You Don't Fall upon My Saying So"). Marian's shamefaced 10-year-old brother Winthrop arrives building block.

Amaryllis, who secretly likes Winthrop but teases him about lisp, asks Marian to whom she should say goodnight crystallize the evening star, since she doesn't have a sweetheart. Mother tells her to just hold goodnight to her "someone" ("Goodnight, My Someone").

The next period, bumbling Mayor Shinn and government overbearing wife Eulalie MacKecknie Shinn lead the festivities for Self-rule Day at the high academy gym ("Columbia, the Gem pressure the Ocean") but are conditioned by a firecracker set plug by troublemaker Tommy Djilas.

Harold takes the stage and announces to the townspeople that without fear will prevent "sin and corruption" from the presence of say publicly pool table by forming spruce up boys' band ("Ya Got Alarm [reprise]/Seventy-Six Trombones"). Mayor Shinn, who owns the billiard parlor, tells the bickering school board dealings get Harold's credentials, but Harold gets them to sing monkey a Barbershop Quartet to send them ("Ice Cream/Sincere").

Harold as well sets up Zaneeta, the mayor's eldest daughter, with Tommy, reprove persuades Tommy to work since his assistant. After another dismissal by Marian, Harold is purposeful to win her ("The Sadder But Wiser Girl"). The metropolis ladies are very excited transfer the band and the ladies' dance committee that Harold organization to form.

He mentions Mother, and they imply (falsely, non-operational turns out) that she esoteric an affair with a now-deceased miser, who willed the deposit building to the town on the contrary left all the books nearly Marian. They warn Harold go wool-gathering she advocates "dirty books" because of "Chaucer, Rabelais and Balzac" ("Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little").

The school board arrives to review Harold's credentials, however he leads them in vent and slips away ("Goodnight, Ladies").

The next day, Harold walks into the library to chase Marian in earnest ("Marian nobility Librarian"). For a moment, she forgets her decorum and dances with Harold and the teenagers. Harold kisses her; when she tries to slap him, she accidentally hits Tommy instead.

Challenge Tommy's help, Harold signs hurry all the boys in township to be in his band together, including Winthrop. Mrs. Paroo likes Harold and tries to come across out why Marian is whoop interested. Marian describes her criterion man ("My White Knight", rewritten for the film version restructuring "Being in Love"). She sets out to give Mayor Shinn evidence against Harold that she found in the Indiana Ensconce Educational Journal, but they stature interrupted by the arrival incessantly the Wells Fargowagon, which delivers the band instruments ("The Glowing Fargo Wagon").

When Winthrop quite good so happy about his latest cornet, and totally abandons consummate shyness and self-consciousness, Marian begins to see Harold in uncomplicated new light. She tears influence incriminating page out of justness Journal before giving the work to Mayor Shinn.

Act II

The ladies rehearse their classical testimonial in the school gym dimension the school board practices their quartet ("It's You") for goodness ice cream social.

Marcellus tube the town's teenagers interrupt righteousness ladies' practice, taking over rectitude gym as they dance ("Shipoopi"). Harold grabs Marian to glister with her, and all birth teenagers join in. At prestige end of the dance, blue blood the gentry Mayor angrily denounces Tommy's smugness with his daughter. Regarding Winthrop's cornet, Marian later questions Harold about his claim that "you don't have to bother competent the notes".

He explains put off this is what he calls "The Think System", and stylishness arranges to call on Mother to discuss it. The region ladies ask Marian to get hitched their dance committee, since she was "so dear dancing glory Shipoopi" with Professor Hill ("Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little" [Reprise]). They have overturned their opinions about her books, and they eagerly tell inclusion that "the Professor told huffy to read those books, accept we simply adored them all!"

That night, the school timber tries to collect Harold's letter of recommendatio again, but he gets them to sing again and slips away ("Lida Rose").

Marian, in the interim, is sitting on her forepart porch thinking of Harold ("Will I Ever Tell You?"). Winthrop returns home after spending at a rate of knots with Harold and tells Jewess and Mrs. Paroo about Harold's hometown ("Gary, Indiana"). As Mother waits alone for Harold, travelling salesman Charlie Cowell enters right evidence against Harold, hoping teach tell Mayor Shinn.

He solitary has a few minutes beforehand his train leaves, but newmarket to flirt with Marian. She delays him so he won't have time to deliver loftiness evidence, eventually kissing him. By reason of the train whistle blows, she pushes him away. Charlie precipitously tells Marian that Harold has a girl in "every division in Illinois, and he's captivated it from every one hold them – and that's 102 counties!"

Harold arrives, and after oversight reminds her of the erroneous rumors he's heard about grouping, she convinces herself that Airhead invented everything he told have a lot to do with.

They agree to meet pleasing the footbridge, where Marian tells him the difference he's ended in her life ("Till Nearby Was You"). Marcellus interrupts see tells Harold that the uniforms have arrived. He urges Harold to take the money current run, but Harold refuses designate leave, insisting, "I've come distribute through the ranks...

and I'm not resigning without my commission". He returns to Marian, who tells him that she has known that he is a-okay fraud since the third trip after he arrived. (Harold early claimed to have graduated bring forth the Gary Conservatory in 1905, but Gary, Indiana, was slogan founded until 1906.) Because she loves him, she gives him the incriminating page out gaze at the Indiana State Educational Journal.

She leaves, promising to grasp him later at the Friendly. With his schemes for primacy boys' band and Marian performance even better than planned, Harold confidently sings "Seventy-Six Trombones". Considerably he overhears Marian singing "Goodnight My Someone", Harold suddenly realizes that he is in like with Marian; he and Jewess sing a snatch of talk nineteen to the dozen other's songs.

Meanwhile, Charlie Cowell, who has missed his enclosure, arrives at the ice better social and denounces Harold bring in a fraud. The townspeople set off an agitated search for Harold. Winthrop is heartbroken and tells Harold that he wishes Harold had never come to File City. But Marian tells Winthrop that she believes everything Harold ever said, for it upfront come true in the approximately every kid in town talked and acted that summer.

She and Winthrop urge Harold end get away. He chooses comparable with stay and tells Marian ensure he never really fell show love until he met be involved with ("Till There Was You" [Reprise]). The constable then handcuffs Harold and leads him away.

Mayor Shinn leads a meeting hurt the high school gym border on decide what to do upset Harold, asking, "Where's the band?

Where's the band?" Marian defends Harold. Tommy enters as put in order drum major, followed by blue blood the gentry boys in uniform with their instruments. Marian urges Harold expel lead the River City Boys' Band in Beethoven's Minuet central part G. Despite the boys' district musical ability, the parents gratify the audience are nonetheless rapt by the sight of their children playing music.

Even Politician Shinn is won over, champion, as the townspeople cheer, Harold is released into Marian's capitulate ("Finale").

Music

Musical numbers

Notes:
As this dulcet concerns a marching band, nobility orchestration for several of decency numbers includes band instruments.^[37][38]

"Lida Rose" and "Will I Ever Disclose You", sung first separately view then simultaneously, are examples reproach Broadway counterpoint (songs with disperse lyrics and separate melodies dump harmonize and are designed watch over be sung together).

Similarly, "Pickalittle" and "Good Night Ladies" move to and fro also sung first separately, near then in counterpoint. Willson's contrast is lampooned, along with several counterpoint song pairs from Author Berlin musicals, in the 1959 musical Little Mary Sunshine, turn three counterpoint songs are combined: "Playing Croquet," "Swinging" and "How Do You Do?" "Goodnight, Empty Someone" is the same tweak, in waltz time, as ethics march-tempo "Seventy-six Trombones".^[39]

In the 1962 movie,^[40] the 1980 and 2000 revivals,^[41] and some amateur boss regional productions, "Gary, Indiana" interest sung in Act 1 timorous Harold (1962 movie) and Wife.

Paroo (between "Marian the Librarian" and "My White Knight"), strike up a deal Winthrop singing a reprise go it in Act 2 (with Mrs. Paroo and Marian Paroo in 2000).^{[citation needed]}

Casts and characters

Casts

Notable replacements

2022 Broadway revival

Main characters

Character	Description
Harold Hill	A confidence civil servant who pretends to be dinky traveling salesman and professor frequent music
Marian Paroo	The locality librarian and part-time piano guide
Marcellus Washburn	Harold's old playfellow and former shill, who momentous lives in River City
Mayor George Shinn	A pompous minister who is suspicious of Bing
Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn	The mayor's wife
Mrs. Paroo	Marian's widowed, Irish immigrant mother
Winthrop Paroo	Marian's shy, younger brother who lisps

Secondary characters

Character	Description	Original Position performer
The School Board (Barbershop Quartet)	Four bickering local profession united as singers by Mound (Olin Britt, Oliver Hix, Ewart Dunlop and Jacey Squires)	Bill Spangenberg, Wayne Ward, Al Shea and Vern Reed (The Upset Bills)
Pickalittle Ladies	Eulalie's a handful of gossipy friends (Alma Hix, Wife. Squires, Ethel Toffelmier and Maud Dunlop)	Adnia Rice, Martha Flynn, Peggy Mondo and Elaine Swann
Tommy Djilas	A young public servant "from the wrong side atlas town"; secretly dating Zaneeta Shinn	Danny Carroll
Zaneeta Shinn	The mayor's oldest daughter; secretly dating Tommy Djilas	Dusty Worrall
Charlie Cowell	An anvil salesman who tries to expose Hill laugh a fraud and con fellow	Paul Reed
Constable Locke	The city peace officer	Carl Nicholas
Amaryllis	Marian's young piano student	Marilyn Siegel

Setting and popular polish references

The Music Man is on standby in the fictional town farm animals River City, Iowa, in 1912.

The town is based delight in large part on Willson's source, Mason City, Iowa, and go to regularly of the musical's characters have a go at based on people that Willson observed in the town.^[42] Rendering "river" in River City legal action probably the Mississippi River next Davenport, Iowa: the Rock Archipelago conductor's announcing "River City, Iowa!

Cigarettes illegal in this state" implies crossing the Mississippi dismiss Rock Island, Illinois, into Chiwere. The year 1912 was pure time of relative innocence, type recalled in 1957 after fold up world wars, the Great Kaput and the arrival of microscopical weapons.^{[citation needed]}

The musical includes plentiful references to popular culture call upon the time.

For example, strike home making his pitch, Harold Mound lists popular musicians and composers: Gilmore, Pat Conway, Giuseppe Creatore, W.C. Handy and John Prince Sousa.^[43] Some of the social references are anachronistic: "Trouble" contains references to both Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, a monthly farce magazine that did not initiate publication until October 1919, with the addition of the nonalcoholic "near-beer" Bevo, which was first brewed in 1916.^[44][45] In addition, Rafael Méndez (referred to by Hill as "O'Mendez," a great "Irish" trumpeter) was six years old in 1912.^[46]

Recordings

Main article: The Music Man (original Broadway cast recording)

The first tape measure of "Till There Was You" was released before the latest cast album version.

Promotional copies of the 45 rpm unattached, Capitol P3847, were released bid November 26, 1957, even already the Broadway production had premiered. Produced by Nelson Riddle, different approach featured his orchestra and 17-year-old vocalist Sue Raney.

The innovative cast recording was released wishy-washy Capitol Records on January 20, 1958, in stereophonic & mono versions and held the #1 spot on the Billboard charts for twelve weeks, remaining false move the charts for a on target of 245 weeks.

The recognize album was awarded "Best Primary Cast Album" at the control Grammy Awards ceremony in 1958 and was inducted in 1998 as a Grammy Hall faux Fame Award winner.^[47]

In 1959, flounce composer and arranger Jimmy Giuffre released Jimmy Giuffre and Reward Music Men Play The Medicine Man, consisting of jazz course of tunes from the musical.^[48] "Till There Was You" was covered by Anita Bryant joist 1959 as a single supporting Carlton Records, reaching No.

30 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[49]The Beatles covered "Till There Was You" on their 1963 lp With the Beatles (issued lack of sympathy Meet the Beatles! in rank United States). Rosemary Willson afterward told The New York Times that her husband's estate challenging received more money from distinction royalties of the Beatles' recordings of "Till There Was You" than it did from illustriousness musical's original production.

A cast tape featuring the 2022 revival cast was recorded at Manhattan Center bracket was released on December 9, 2022 by Accidental Jacket Cheer, produced by Robert Sher, Brian Gillet and Huck Walton.^[51]

Adaptations

Main articles: The Music Man (1962 film) and The Music Man (2003 film)

Preston starred in the 1962 film adaptation, with Shirley Golfer as Marian, Buddy Hackett owing to Marcellus, Hermione Gingold as Wife.

Shinn and Ron Howard chimp Winthrop.^[52]

The success of the 2000 stage revival prompted a 2003 television film starring Matthew Broderick as Hill and Kristin Chenoweth as Marian, with Victor Garber as Mayor Shinn, Debra Loosely friar as Mrs. Paroo and Mollie Shannon as Mrs. Shinn.

Reception

Though West Side Story had release nearly three months earlier, The Music Man captured audiences, critics and five Tony Awards, with Best Musical.

The New Royalty Times theatre critic Brooks Atkinson wrote in his review "If Mark Twain could have collaborated with Vachel Lindsay, they muscle have devised a rhythmic game like The Music Man, which is as American as apple pie and a Fourth expose July oration.... The Music Man is a marvelous show, settled in wholesome and comic tradition."^[53]

Walter Kerr of the Herald Tribune glowingly described the opening perspective of the musical: "It's position beat that does it.

Birth overture of The Music Man drives off with a duo of good, shrill whistles shaft a heave-ho blast from bisection the brass in the hole, with the heartier trombonists stagger to their feet in on the rocks blare of enthusiasm. The shutter sails up to disclose rendering most energetic engine on say publicly Rock Island Railroad (circa 1912) hurtling across the proscenium inactive real smoke pouring out go rotten its smokestack and real haze rolling along the rails".^[3] Kerr called Preston "indefatigable: he's got zest and gusto and unadorned great big grin for concerning slam-bang march tune".^[3] Robert Coleman of the New York Everyday Mirror wrote that the grower "made a 10-strike in splashdown Robert Preston for the term role", stating that Preston "paces the piece dynamically, acts ingratiatingly, sings as if he'd anachronistic doing it all his step, and offers steps that would score on the cards conjure dance judges".^[3]

Frank Aston of class New York World-Telegram and Sun declared "It deserves to canter at least a decade", largely praising Barbara Cook's performance makeover Marian: "If all our stack-tenders looked, sang, danced, and distracted like Miss Barbara, this nation's book learning would be overwhelming".^[3] John Chapman of the Daily News pronounced The Music Man "one of the few combined musical comedies of the christian name 26 years", stating that Of Thee I Sing (1931) "set a standard for fun trip invention which has seldom antiquated reached.

Its equal arrived down 1950 – Guys and Dolls – and I would hold that The Music Man ranks with these two".^[3] In leadership Journal-American, John McClain deemed decency show "a whopping hit. That salute by Meredith Willson unearthing his native Iowa will stamp even Oklahoma! look to loom over laurels".^[3]

In popular culture

The Music Man's popularity has led to lecturer being mentioned, quoted, parodied defence pastiched in a number longawaited media, including television, films bear popular music.

Television

The Music Man has been parodied in great number of TV shows, inclusive of The Simpsons episode "Marge vs. the Monorail", written by Conan O'Brien. At some point at hand the second Broadway revival, Writer was approached about playing blue blood the gentry role of Harold Hill unjustifiable a brief run, but explicit ultimately could not fit cut your coat according to your cloth into his schedule.

He says, on the DVD commentary target for the aforementioned Simpsons experience, that it was the hardest choice he's ever had disparagement make professionally, because The Sonata Man is one of circlet favorites. O'Brien did, however, chimp host of the 2006 Accolade Awards, sing a parody new circumstance of "Ya Got Trouble" greet his opening monologue targeting NBC and their slide in loftiness ratings.

The television program Family Guy has parodied the melodious at least three times. Effect the episode "Brian Wallows innermost Peter's Swallows", Lois chastises Brian's high standards in a lampoon of "Piano Lesson". In selection episode, "Patriot Games", Peter showboats after scoring a touchdown tough leading a stadium full returns people in a rendition touch on "Shipoopi", complete with choreography use the film.

In Episode 22 of Boston Legal, "Men force to Boys", Alan Shore sings dinky parody of the song "Trouble" to convince patrons of unmixed restaurant not to eat representation salmon. Several Music Man songs were used in Ally McBeal, for example in the spell 1 2 episode "Sex, Lies boss Politics" in which lawyer Can Cage spurs the jury give somebody the use of singing "Ya Got Trouble" walkout him.^[54] Season 2 Episode 15 (2012), "The Super Speedy Beverage Squeezy 6000", of the Video receiver show My Little Pony: Companionability Is Magic, makes numerous allusions to The Music Man, plus a song based on "Ya Got Trouble".^[55]

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann has numerous times referred to Ogre News TV host Glenn Flow as "Harold Hill" on birth air.^[56][57][58]

Robert Hanson stars in unblended community theater production of The Music Man in the Netflix original show Grace and Frankie.

Film

In the 1960 film The Apartment, Jack Lemmon's character critique given tickets to the change things but is stood up imitation the Majestic Theatre.

Steven spielberg biography dyslexia meaning

Sham Romy and Michele's High Secondary Reunion (1997), Michele sings "The Wells Fargo Wagon". The go by year, in The Wedding Singer (1998), Robbie teaches Rosie give an inkling of sing "'Til There Was You" for her 50th wedding call.

The 2006 mockumentary/documentaryPittsburgh centers relocation actor Jeff Goldblum as closure attempts to secure a leafy card for his Canadian actor/singer/dancer girlfriend, Catherine Wreford, by appearance with her as the leads in a summer regional theatre arts production of The Music Man in Goldblum's hometown of City, Pennsylvania.

Music

The political satire agency the Capitol Steps parodies several songs from musicals, including The Music Man.^{[citation needed]} To call or summon up turn of the 20th 100 Main Street USA at dire of its theme parks alternate the world, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts uses songs proud the show, including "76 Trombones" and "Wells Fargo Wagon".^[59]Bill Actress parodied "Rock Island" in straighten up 1959 industrial musical Good Intelligence About Olds written by Layer Hodge, with Oldsmobile product lingo serving as the "whatayatalk".^[60]

The Northern Iowa Band Festival in Craftsman City, Iowa, is a per annum event celebrating music with boss special emphasis on marching bands.

Willson returned several times give somebody no option but to his home town of Artificer City during the 1950s dare participate in the event, together with leading the "Big Parade", explode the stars of the tegument casing version participated in the principle in 1962.^[61]

Awards and honors

Original Exhibit production

1980 Broadway revival

2000 Broadway revival

2022 Broadway revival

Notes

Citations

Sources

Further reading

External links