“The Music Man” is not only a
beloved Broadway classic, but also has imprinted in our minds 4
signature characters from which succeeding actors are yardsticked. I
speak of Robert Preston as Hill, Shirley Jones, Marian; Ron Howard,
Winthrop and Paul Ford, Mayor Shinn.
The Walnut Street's “Music Man”
succeeds in eliminating the “almost as good as” or 'not quite so
and so”. This is as joyous and lovingly staged and acted a musical
as you will ever witness. Smiles were plastered on the audience
throughout. One felt privileged being in attendance. A classic show
in a classic theatre (America's oldest - in its 204th
season!) served up with the highest quality talent and production
values.
If a child actor is good, well, you've
heard the rubric about following kids and animals. Vincent Crocilla
plays Winthrop, the insecure little stutterer who falls under the
spell of the consummate showman, Harold Hill, suitor to his big
sister Marian. This precious child is TOO cute. When he struts the
tune “Gary Indiana” (resembling Psy's Gangman dance), the house
exploded. There were tears coursing down cheeks on a number of faces,
male and female.
Jeffrey Coon (Hill) has a gorgeous
voice. One must be a triple threat to do this part and he does not
miss a step in Director/Choreographer Marc Robin's exhilarating
production numbers. Robin's background must be in ballet, for there
was much more of that than the normal jazz dance of past productions
Aisle Say has witnessed.
Jennifer Hope Wills (Marian) starred
for four years on Broadway as Christine in “Phantom”. Enough said
regarding her transcendent voice! The ingenue merely changes
addresses – from Paris to River City Iowa.
Set design at The Walnut has always
been a strength. In the review of last season's “The King and I”,
I mentioned the romance, glamor and power of Robert Andrew Kovach's
set. River City is a long way from Siam's monarchical palace, but the
fine art created by Kovach make the trees appear three dimensional.
Quite a feat. It's like you are seeing a two dimensional set in Imax.
With the largest subscriber base of
any theatre in America, The Walnut has a budget to do things to near
perfection. Costume designer Colleen Grady fulfills her mission in
capturing middle America in brilliant hues. As far as attention to
detail....look at the shoes, the bonnets, the dresses of those
pictured.
Tickets to this production would make
thoughtful pre-Christmas presents. Thoughtful? Most certainly. It
means you care enough about the recipient to wish she/he and theirs
to glory in one of the two forms of music created in America...jazz
and MUSICAL THEATRE. I doubt your friends will ever forget this
show...this pastiche of Americana...as close to perfection as one
could achieve.
Through January 6.
Walnutstreettheatre.org 800.982.2787
.
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