Seventy-six Trombones and 44 Somewhat Disappointed Theatre Lovers
Written: Jun 04 '01
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Choreography, talented cast, Eric McCormack was a pleasant surprise! Finale!
Cons: Not engaging, slow, very uncomfortable theatre
The Bottom Line: It's an American theatre classic with choreography that is spectacular and a very talented cast. Make sure you get good seats and don't expect to be "WOWed" by the experience.
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| KateTPZ's Full Review: The Music Man |
The Music Man is a classic of American theatre, opening on Broadway originally in the 1950's. This revival, directed and choreographed by Susan Stroman, opened in April of 2000 at the Neil Simon Theatre. Our group of 44 theatre lovers were anxious to see the show on our recent trip to New York.
Originally scheduled to see a Saturday matinee performance, our travel agent made a last minute change to our itinerary and changed us to the Saturday evening performance. Unfortunately, that change resulted in us having the worst possible seats in the theatre, on the two top rows of the mezzanine. The seats were so small, the rows so close together, than I couldn't sit with my legs straight in front of me, bent properly at the knees. (And I'm only 5'4"!) I have to say our experience might have been better if we had had better seats, so please keep this in mind as you read the review. Also keep in mind that we had seen Lion King on Broadway the evening before; almost anything would pale in comparison to that beautiful, larger-than-life production.
The Show
The Music Man is a sweet musical set in River City, a small town in 1912 Iowa. Harold Hill, often referring to himself as Professor Harold Hill, is a traveling salesman who convinces the town to buy expensive musical instruments and band uniforms to keep the youth in the town from ruining their lives with other, troubling activities. His plan is to sell the products and then leave before they realize they've been conned, that instruments and uniforms are useless without instruction. Instead, he falls in love with Marian the Librarian. Although Marian doubted his background and credibility, and uncovered the truth about him, she too is smitten. The rest is musical theatre history.
Eric McCormack, most known for his starring role as on NBC's "Will and Grace," assumed the role of Harold Hill in early May. Anyone expecting a mediocre performance from a "TV actor" was pleasantly surprised! He sings, dances and delivers the level of performance that has kept people flocking to Broadway for generations. With incredible stage presence, his portrayal of Harold Hill was entertaining and his mastery of the role in such a short time was impressive.
Rebecca Luker has played the role of Marian the Librarian since Music Man opened last year. She's strong in the role, delivering subtle humor and incredibly beautiful vocals. Her voice alone could carry the show.
Music Man has a large, very talented cast. I'd like to make special mention of Michael Duran, a member of the ensemble who plays one of the traveling salesmen in the opening scene and a resident of River City (complete with overalls and pitchfork). The children in our theatre group were privileged to have a Question and Answer session with him the morning of the show. Like most working actors, he was full of great information, interesting stories, and tons of inspiration for the kids. It was a joy to watch him on stage after meeting him.
Many in our group went to the stage door after the show to meet the cast members and get autographs. Everyone was most gracious and kind, further inspiring the kids in our group to pursue theatre and showing them that the audience is what it's all about. Eric McCormack was especially kind to the kids.
Susan Stroman choreographed and directed this production of Music Man. Her background as a choreographer shines throughout the show, with exquisite dance numbers and unique touches that help bring the show to life.
Highlights
The opening scene, a railroad car full of traveling salesmen on its way from one town to the next, is fantastic. It has almost a Rap feel to it, with precision movement and dialog that is truly spectacular. The only problem? I couldn't hear much of the dialog. I could hear the rhythm, and some of the words, but not enough to follow it. It was a joy to watch, regardless, although I wish the sound had been better. This was the only scene in the show where the sound was less than ideal.
The finale, the entire cast in a marching band, brought down the house. Mr. Duran had hinted in our session that morning that there was a big surprise after the curtain call - the surprise was much larger than we expected. Meredith Wilson's "Seventy-six Trombones" played (at least in part) by a talented group of actors, singers and dancers was quite an accomplishment.
The Low Points
Music Man is a very dated show, one that seems beyond silly to children and teens today. The pace is slow and the sets are often bland. Although the music, performances, and choreography were wonderful, I found it hard to stay focused and was anxious for the show to end. Many of the children in our group, including my own, slept through much of it, unfortunately missing some truly wonderful moments. Before the show, many of the kids commented that it would be great if our community theatre would do Music Man, especially because there were some good parts for kids and teens; after seeing the show, almost all of the kids changed their mind. "It's too boring," many of them said.
The Neil Simon Theatre (250 West 52nd Street), at least where we were seated, was very uncomfortable. So far from the stage, especially with a show that is not large in visuals, it was very hard for some of us to feel connected, engaged in the show. This was completely opposite our experience with Lion King and many found it less engaging than many community theatre and regional theatre productions. Although I'd hate to blame those negatives on the show, the theatre does make a difference and bad seats are a reality.
Overall Recommendation
A classic American theatre fan wouldn't want to miss this, although if you go to Broadway to see, make this the first show you see, not the last. (At the very least don't see this after seeing Lion King!) Also make sure you get good seats or you'll wish you had saved your money. The talent in the cast is strong, the performances are flawless, and the choreography is fantastic. But the show is dated, so don't expect kids to be engrossed.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
KateTPZ
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Member: Kate
Location: North Carolina
Reviews written: 126
Trusted by: 80 members
About Me:
40-something Mom of two great kids and aspiring author in my "spare" time.
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