Review – Music Man 2007

“Seeing a Man About a Band”

Published: May 10, 2007

There’s no room for fritterin’ away in The Music Man.

Meredith Willson’s The Music Man, the well-loved musical about the stiff and unenthusiastic citizens of 1912-era River City, Iowa, delivers on its main promise – the bulk of the narrative is delivered through catchy and upbeat tunes like “Trouble”, “Seventy-Six Trombones”, “Till There Was You” and “Shipoopi!” With almost 30 musical numbers – more than half which involve the large chorus and cast – the Victoria Operatic Society’s opening night performance revealed this can be a high-energy musical to watch … and a high-maintenance show to produce.

Much of the responsibility for the show’s success falls upon the music man himself, Harold Hill (Chris Newstead), the traveling salesman who charms the ensemble of stiff Iowans, and his sadder-but-wiser love interest Marian Paroo (Inge Illman). Newstead commands the stage in movement and singing, and keeps a consistent charm on all, audience included. Illman is well-matched to Newstead in singing – a plus since they have several duets – but struggled to convey chemistry with her earnestness for the hard-to-get act. Others in the cast also helped lessen the pressure on the leads to carry the show. Karl Issel was flawless in his book-ended scenes as Charlie Cowell, the rival salesman hot on Hill’s heels. Jason Vikse’s performance as Tommy, the wild kid about town and Guy Chester as Marcellus, Hill’s friend on the inside of River City gossip, drew the spotlight to themselves in key scenes and blended into the chorus when needed. Both Vikse and Chester clearly articulated their line, in song and dialogue, a skill which stood out as more of a raspberry seed in the wisdom teeth of the chorus.

Almost every song has tongue-twisting and plot-advancing lyrics, many of which are swallowed or mumbled. Being “cold-as-a-falling-thermometer-in-December” perfectly describes the townsfolk in their opening number “Iowa Stubborn” – but you wouldn’t have known it unless you’d seen the show before or knew the lyrics. There were only occasional missteps in the choreography, but at the expense of the voices. And while Jeanette Daggar’s direction and Tracey Houser’s choreography were clean and dynamic, as River City’s Mayor Shinn might say, The Music Man demands you “Watch your phraseology!” But the second act was stronger and sharper, so opening night jitters may have be afoot.

While the live orchestra is a welcome addition, following tight phrasing was its main challenge as well, so neither could compensate for the other. The costumes (late Victoria) and the set (simply designed and adequately decorated) conveyed the time period and matched the campy enthusiasm of the cast. The set changes, however, tended to be a distraction and a disappointment; crew members often emerged during a scene, and changed almost all set pieces with the stage light up in plain view of the audience. For a three-hour show, this not only produced audible rumbles of confusion, but pulled away from the enchantment. Ultimately, like the “Pick-a-Little” ladies dresses, The Music Man’s overall image was flashy and fresh, but its petticoat still peeked out.