Theater Reviews

Mar 13, 2004 - A better than ever "The Music Man" struts its American stuff at Reno's Pioneer Center

By Jack Neal

Big brassy and sweet when it needs to be a wonderful presentation of Meredith Willson's "The Music Man" sang and danced - and especially danced - its way into the history books at Reno's Pioneer Center Friday night (3/12/2004). It's as good a Broadway show as has played Reno's Broadway Comes to Reno series ever.

When you have the grand cast this touring production has, and when that cast has been given superlative direction by the great Susan Stroman and her associates (recreating her Broadway-revival direction is Ray Broderick and her choreography is Liam Burke), the brilliantly written "The Music Man" just cannot be bettered by any other musical and there are some other terrific ones in on the competition.

This is Americana-circa-1912 stuff penned by America's most intuitive composer of all-American lines and music to ever grace the American musical theater with his presence. Now, nearly a half century after its Broadway debut in 1957, "The Music Man" is Meredith Willson's masterpiece and a show that should continue to bring oodles of pleasure to show goers as long as there are shows to go to.

The dancing is simply stunning and the young and gifted cast that does the dancing hits one knockout home run after another in a series of show-stopping dance numbers that dazzle every glorious step of the way.

From the splendidly managed "Rock Island" train number which opens the show, through Professor Harold Hill's (for the uninitiated, he's the music man) and the townspeople of River City, Iowa's opening "Trouble" ("You got trouble right here in River City"), a razzle-dazzle "Seventy-six Trombones," a fun loving and close to tongue-twisting "Gary, Indiana," a delightful "Pickalittle," a rambunctiously brought off "Marian the Librarian" in Madison Library, a clever and endearing "Shipoopi" in the town park, and a sensational red, white and blue finale, there's nothing this all-dancing, all-singing, all-charming cast can't do, and boy do they do it. Kudos to each and every one. They just could not be better nor more exciting to watch.

Following Robert Preston who originated the role of Professor Hill, through a host of other Professor Hills who had the chutzpah to pull audiences willingly into the professor's lovable con game, playing the music man himself is a tough, tough series of acts to follow. For any chap, though, willing to work himself nearly to death every time the curtain goes up, is limber of limb and slimmer than slim, has a magnetic personality and a supple voice that can either belt or caress, playing Professor Hill is little more than a snap. Fitting those demands with seeming ease is Chris Crouch who does such a bang-up job it's hard to remember anyone else ever played the part. Yes, he's that good.

Playing opposite Mr. Crouch as Marian the librarian, Christy Rae Turnbow is herself on the sunny side of sensational. Miss Tumbow is lovely to look at, delightful to hear (a lovely and beautifully controlled soprano voice), can act and dance, and brings her own star magnetism to the show. Who can ask for more?

But more, in this case, is what audiences are getting. The remainder of the cast is so loaded with talent and character-role looks it's like watching an MGM musical circa the 1930s and 1940s, when the studio was more stock company than movie factory. Remember all those fabulous character actors who brought their indelible faces to the screen. They're back, or so it seems, and on the boards in this "The Music Man."

As Mayor Shinn Albert E Parker is loads of fun. Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn, the mayor's wife, is gracefully played by comedienne (there's an old-world term) Lynn Mastio. The young man who played Marcellus Washburn, Professor Hill's sidekick, was excellent and a standby player, but look as I might the program and press materials make no mention of a name for this formidable performer. The show's equally formidable barbershop quartet, the Buffalo Bills - Jared Foumier (Olin), Chad Harlow (Oliver), Bill Hensley (Ewart), Bert Rodriguez (Jacey) - is always solidly on target and stoically in tune. Mrs. Paroo is winningly played by Pam Feicht. And red-haired little Winthrop Paroo is engagingly and masterfully played by Michael Shield. The list goes on but the space does not. Perhaps it's enough to say every role is perfectly in touch with its American roots and there's nothing close to a loser in this picture-and-stage-perfect group.

Camille Villalpando is music director and conductor for the show and she and her ten-piece orchestra - would that it could be larger - give the show the professional underpinning it must have. J. Branson's colorful scenic designs, Tom Reiter's lavish and lovely costumes, Charlie Morrison's radiant lighting designs, and Lucas Corrubia's very listenable sound designs are all as top drawer as they can be.

This "The Music Man" is too good to miss. If you don't have tickets yet, run -don't walk - to the Pioneer Center Box Office. 'The Music Man" is the genuine thing; a great, superbly entertaining and thoroughly American American musical. "The Music Man" can be seen at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 South Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada, Friday (3/12/04) at 8 p.m., Saturday (3/13/04) at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday (3/14/04) at 2 and 7 p.m. For information call 775-686 6600.