Review: THE MUSIC MAN at White Theatre

Meredith Willson’s THE MUSIC MAN opened this week at The White Theatre to an almost full house standing ovation. THE MUSIC MAN is a tribute to small town America around the turn of the twentieth century.  The location is River City, Iowa on the Iowa/Illinois border in 1912.

River City is that place at which we would all like to have spent our childhood. It is similar to where Meredith Willson was born and where he first played the bass drum in a Salvation Army Band as a boy.  River City very much reminds me of an early Twilight Zone episode called WILLOWBY.

I’m always struck by the resources and professionalism poured into productions inside “The White Theatre.”  “MUSIC MAN” opens on a train chugging across the Mississippi River and approaching the northern Iowa town of River City.  We view the scene through a scrim with a moving projection sharing a view of the passing Iowa countryside. 

Seated in a typical train car of that time are a collection of traveling salesmen. Each has a complaint about their chosen line of work or about one of their brother travelers. One traveling salesman, in particular, has drawn their ire. 

He is Harold Hill, a mythic character none of them has met, but all of them have heard of.  Harold Hill sells musical instruments and band uniforms in small towns.  The problem is that Professor Harold Hill can’t play a single whit of music.  He is a grifter and once he has worked a town, other traveling salesmen are as welcome as a fever in January. 

One of the salesmen on the train is unusually silent during the opening musical recitation.  He hears that stiff-necked Iowans are especially resistant to Hill’s type of pitch. As the train lurches to a water stop in River City, he prepares to deboard and face a new challenge.  We see his sample case as he leaves the train.  It identifies him as Professor Harold Hill himself.

The professor meets an old friend who operates the local livery. He is Marcelus Washburn (Cody Kreutzer).  Here we hear the details of the grift for first time.  Create a need.  Sell the product. Collect the cash. Hop on the last train out of town before the parents discover their kids can’t play all those shiny instruments.

River City will be a little singular for Harold Hill.   Hill has a reputation as a lady’s man. But this time he actually falls in love with the town librarian and music teacher and finds himself caring for the librarian’s little brother.

Starring as Professor Harold Hill is Kansas City native Patrick Lewallen. Patrick is a twenty year member of Actor’s Equity. He has spent many of those years on tour in ROCK OF AGES and JESUS CHRIST, SUPERSTAR. Lewallen possesses a very nice baritone voice, well suited to the show’s lead. 

Opposite Harold Hill is Marion, River City’s Librarian and Piano teacher played by Lacey Connell. Also a local product, Lacey studied at the Manhattan School of Music.

Backed by a fantastical cast of 44 actors and a pit band of 18 players, THE MUSIC MAN is a big deal.  There are so many cast members performing complex dance routines around equally complex set pieces. At times, the cast can overwhelm the stage.

Memorable musical numbers include “Trouble,” 76 Trombones,” Till There Was You,” “The Sadder, But Wiser Girl,” ”Shipoopi,” “Lida Rose,” and “Gary Indiana.”

MUSIC MAN is capably directed by Tim Bair who doubles in brass as the scenic designer.  Lighting Design and Scenic Charge are left to Justin Dudzik.   Choreographer is Kacy Christensen.  The Vocal Music Director is James Levy. The orchestra is directed by Kevin Brogan.  Sound designer is Hannah Zimmerman.  There are so many kids in this show, a Child Wrangler is required. Chief Child Wrangler is Mary Riegg.

THE MUSIC MAN is one of those shows that never seems to go away.  It opened on Broadway on the stage of The Majestic Theater in 1957 for a three and a half year run.  The original production of MUSIC MAN earned eight Tony Awards including Best Musical in a year when it was competing with WEST SIDE STORY.

The Majestic is the very same theater that later became the thirty-five year home to THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA on Broadway.

White Theatre’s production of THE MUSIC MAN continues through November 17.  Tickets are available online at www.thejkc.org/white-theatre/ or by telephone at 913-327-8054.

Photo by Connor Smalley

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