Stage Review - The Music Man (Tacoma Musical Playhouse)
Stage Review - The Music Man
Presented By: Tacoma Musical Playhouse (TMP), Tacoma, WA
Date Reviewed: Sunday, July 9, 2023
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
Who doesn’t love The Music Man? Well, I’m sure there are people out there that don’t, or at least may not love it as much as I do, but it’s definitely among my favorites. For my part, there are few musicals so full of nostalgia, memorable moments, catchy songs, and wonderfully likable characters, as The Music Man. It’s one of those shows that has everything going for it and is more likely to have its audiences leave with smiles than not, so I believe it’s the perfect show to run in the middle of summer, and to a great choice to close out a season, which is exactly what Tacoma Musical Playhouse (TMP) and Managing Artistic Director Jon Douglas Rake are doing. The Music Man, directed by Harry Turpin, runs onstage through July 30 and does precisely what a season closer should do, it leaves its audience wanting more and looking forward to the next season, which happens to be TMP’s milestone 30th.
There is just so much about the Music Man that works, and the production at Tacoma Musical Playhouse stands up with any other non-professional production that I’ve seen, even rising above in a number of aspects. It all starts with the story, first developed by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey. Willson turned their story into the musical that we are all familiar with and it premiered on Broadway, taking audiences by storm in 1957. It’s the combination of story, music, romance, nostalgia, and a little bit of escapism that has kept audiences coming back to see The Music Man in its so many iterations through the years. And this version onstage at TMP has all of that. It’s got all the songs that audiences know so well, it’s got the nostalgia, accentuated through scenic design and costumes, and it’s got exemplary performances that bring these characters to life in a new, yet familiar way.
Much of the heavy lifting in this show is done by Mauro Bozzo, who stands out as Harold Hill, the sleazy yet lovable traveling salesman arriving in River City to sell the idea of a boys band, and who gets much more than he himself has bargained for. That much more is Marian Paroo (Meagan Castillo), River City’s librarian and piano teacher, whom Harold has to get on his side in order to convince the townsfolk that they’ve “got trouble” and that the only solution to that trouble is to get the children engaged in an activity, the aforementioned boys band. Mauro is top drawer as Harold Hill, schlocky in character and kind in heart. His Hill is confident in what he’s doing, quick of wit and agile in altering his plans as he needs to, and determined to make River City his latest victim. Mauro himself is quick on his feet, virtually perfect in the way he holds himself onstage, and nails every musical challenge and choreographical movement. He’s featured in “Ya Got Trouble” and “Seventy-Six Trombones” and both are just delightful. The only time Mauro’s Harold Hill has his confidence shaken is when he gets his heart tangled with Marian, the librarian. Meagan is a very good Marian, projecting the character’s aloofness beautifully, and countering that with a real sweetness as her own heart softens toward Harold. She’s also a heck of a soprano, which is on full display in “Goodnight My Someone” and “My White Knight”.
Both Mauro and Meagan are excellent individually, but they also work together very well. One of the most tender scenes, showing the softer sides of both Harold and Marian is during Act 2 in “Till There Was You” and “Goodnight My Someone/Seventy-Six Trombones (Reprise)”. This scene exemplifies the heart that has helped to make this show so beloved through the years, and these numbers are both superbly performed. Topping that, though, and for my part the highlight of this production is Mauro’s feature in “Marian the Librarian”. Everything comes together in this scene, the very well done library set from designers Judy Cullen, Dennis Kurtz, and Erik Furuheim, Mauro’s amazing vocals and movement, and the show’s excellent ensemble. It’s a showcase of Director/Choreographer Harry Turpin’s blocking and choreography and is as good as any one scene on stage in the region.
This entire show is well cast, from Mauro and Meagan as the leads all the way through to the ensemble. Standouts in that group include Jacqueline Edwards as Marian’s mother, with her Irish lilt and enduring love for her daughter, and Dale Bowers as Mayor Shinn, wary of Harold Hill from the start and constantly fighting to garner attention from both his townsfolk and his wife Eulalie, played very well by Stacie Hart. The Music Man has heart, has romance, but it’s also got a lot of humor, much of it delivered steadily by these supporting players. And then there’s the quartet, the group of men who really can’t stand each other, but are convinced by Harold Hill that their voices make perfect harmony. Hill sells them on the idea, they buy it, and then become inseparable for the remainder of the show, which is for everyone’s benefit because they do sing so well together. Making up the quartet are Jacey Squires (Jesse Geray), Ewart Dunlop (Max Lopuszynski), Oliver Hix (Jake Atwood), and Olin Britt (Jeremy Force). If you’re a fan of barbershop quartets, or Disney’s Dapper Dans, these gentlemen will not disappoint.
There’s something about the time in which The Music Man is set, very similar to that of Hello Dolly. Though they’re only separated by twenty years or so, each harkens back to a time when things seemed bigger, simpler, and happy, at least in musical theatre parlance. These aren’t shows that are easily modernized without changing a lot of the story, so it comes down to each production’s creative team to try and keep that nostalgic bent while at the same time doing something unique or something that fits the venue in which the show is being presented. The sets here nicely done, nothing really over the top, but designed in a way that feels right. The library as I mentioned before is a nice surprise, while the River City center of town buildings serve as a suitable backdrop for its scenes. The simplicity of Marian’s front porch and entry into the parlor of her mother’s home is a nice touch as well. Meanwhile, Julles Mills’ costumes hit their marks. A well done costume design not only fits the period of the show, and frankly fits the actors too, but it’s also consistent. From the coordinated costumes worn by the singing quartet to those worn by Eulalie Shinn and her team of Greek muses, along with Harold Hill’s and the other traveling salesmen’s suits and Marian and her mother’s dresses, it all works and works well. In fact, the only criticism I have on anything with regards to costumes or look is around Marian’s hair/wig, which seems maybe a bit too disheveled for someone who is supposed to be so well put together.
Musically, of course, the show and all of its wonderfully performed and familiar songs, is a gem. Add to that the live orchestra, conducted by the show’s music director Mark Rabe, and the production has a certain layer of authenticity that isn’t found in shows with canned music tracks. Sure, there were times during Sunday’s matinee when the music may not have been in sync with the actors, or the odd note was missed, but the group recovered quickly and none of that detracted from the overall enjoyment of the show. I’d rather have the few missteps if it means using a live orchestra than not.
Tacoma Musical Playhouse’s The Music Man is the perfect summer musical. Directed by Harry Turpin, The Music Man captures all of the nostalgia fans of the show would hope for, and at the same times acts as a showcase for some of the amazing talent that we have in the Puget Sound region. Led by the wonderful Mauro Bozzo as Harold Hill, this show has a lightness to it and a joy that is sure to stay with its audiences long after the curtain drops.
The Music Man runs on stage on Tacoma Musical Theatre’s main stage through July 30. For more information, and tickets, visit https://tmp.org/.
