McKinney Summer Musicals presents its 2008 production: “The Music Man”
“The Music Man” brings its big parade to McKinney Summer
Musicals’ 2008 production with this popular family musical
by Meredith Willson. Willson delivers a dynamite score of
rousing marches, barbershop quartets and sentimental
ballads with popular songs like “Ya Got Trouble”, “Lida
Rose” and “Till There Was You”.
“The Music Man” is a comedy that woos and wins its audience with open emotions and nostalgia for an oldfashioned American past. The show tells the story of Professor Harold Hill, who sets out to con the good people of River City, Iowa into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys' band he never plans to organize. But this phony peddler sings a different tune when he falls for Marian, the town librarian and piano teacher. Instead of skipping town before the instruments arrive, Harold's love for Marian convinces him to stay and face the music.
“The Music Man” is a salute to Americana that uses comedy,
romance, fast-talking flim-flam, high-energy dance, and, of
course, spectacular musical numbers to inflict an infectious
joy and energy on all comers. “The Music Man” will most
certainly send you from the theatre with a smile on your
face, a spring in your step, and whistling, humming, or
outright singing the its tunes such as the well-known
“Seventy Six Trombones”. Old-fashioned (and all-American)
musical performances also sure to delight audiences are a
school board barbershop quartet and the Pick-A-Little
Ladies.
Meredith Willson's All-American musical opened on Broadway in 1957 to an audience caught by surprise at the irresistible charm and rousing sentimentality created by the small-town Iowans of 1912. The razzle-dazzle of Willson's show caused the opening night Broadway audience to break out spontaneously into applause to the even rhythm of the music. Nothing like it had ever been seen on Broadway. The appeal of the charlatan Harold Hill with his contagious spirit for song and dance is just as strong today as it was in the 1950s.
The original Broadway production starred Robert Preston in
the title role with Barbara Cook as the heroine Marian
Paroo. The show ran for 1,375 performances and won eight
Tony awards...and even beat out “West Side Story” for the
coveted "Best Musical" award. The movie version, also
starring Robert Preston but with Shirley Jones as the leading
lady, won an Academy award for "Best Score." The most
recent Broadway production opened on April 27, 2000 and
featured direction and choreography from five-time Tony
award winner Susan Stroman. The movie was also remade
and released in 2003 featuring Matthew Broderick as Harold
Hill and Kristin Chenoweth as Marian.
"The Music Man" was and is memorable, in a way that few things ever are. McKinney Summer Musicals is thrilled to bring this classic of the American Musical Theatre to life on stage for our 2008 production.