The Music Man-presented by TownSquare Players, Inc.

The Music Man

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Based on a Story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey
Book by: Meredith Willson
Lyrics by: Meredith Willson
Music by: Meredith Willson

Meredith Willson

Meredith Willson was born in 1902 in Mason City, Iowa. He learned to play the flute as a child and began playing semi-professionally while still in high school. After high school he left Iowa to study at the Damrosch Institute of Musical Art (later the Julliard School), receiving flute instruction from Georges Barrere, the world-renown flutist. While still attending the Institute, he was hired as principle flutist and piccolo player for the John Philip Sousa Band. He later joined the New York Philharmonic Orchestra where he was 1st flutist.

He became musical director for various radio programs throughout the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, including Tallulah Bankhead's program, "The Big Show," for which he wrote the hit song "May The Lord Bless and Keep You." He composed the scores for the movies The Great Dictator and The Little Foxes, as well as symphonic, band, and choral works, including The Jervis Bay: Symphonic Variations on an American Theme and Anthem of the Atomic Age.

Willson wrote three Broadway musicals: The Music Man, his first and most successful; The Unsinkable Molly Brown (music and lyrics), and Here's Love (book, music and lyrics). As an author he has published two autobiographical works (And There I Stood with My Piccolo and Eggs I Have Laid), one novel (Who Did What to Fedalia) and a memoir about the making of The Music Man (But He Doesn't Know the Territory).

History

The Music Man opened at the Majestic Theatre on December 19, 1957 with Robert Preston playing the role of 'Harold Hill' and Barbara Cook as 'Marian Paroo', the town librarian. Produced by Kermit Bloomgarden with Herbert Greene in association with Frank Productions, Inc., directed by Morton Da Costa. It made a star of Robert Preston. Barbara Cook, went on to be one of the most celebrated Broadway singers in history. The Music Man is unquestionably one of the most beloved shows of all time.

Before achieving success as a Broadway writer, Meredith Willson was a popular radio personality and bandleader who occasionally worked with Frank Loesser (who wrote Guys and Dolls).

Blasting Meredith Willson to the forefront of American musical theatre, The Music Man was a project that had been many years in the making. The idea for the show was originally suggested by Frank Loesser who was fascinated by Willson's tales of growing up in his small Iowa town. But it would be eight years before Willson was satisfied with the script. During that time, he would go through more than 30 revisions and write over 40 different songs. Loesser so believed in this show that he backed it for years of development and produced the original production.

The popular film version had Robert Preston, who was repeating his stage triumph, with Shirley Jones as 'Marian', Hermione Gingold as 'Eulalie' and young Ron Howard as 'Winthrop'.

The original production ran for 1,375 performances on Broadway. It was such a sensation even Jack Lemmon's character attended it (or tried to, anyway) in 1960s Best Picture, The Apartment.

Original National Company

Produced by Kermit Bloomgarden with Herbert Greene in association with Frank Productions, Inc., directed by Morton Da Costa and with musical direction by Michel Perriere, opened at the Philharmonic Auditorium, Los Angeles on August 18, 1958.

ORIGINAL CAST
(In order of appearance)

TRAVELLING SALESMEN -
Lewis Bolyard, Walter Kelvin, Lou Polacek,
Richard Fredricks, Rudy Jenkins, Jimy Weiss, Chas. Karel
CHARLIE COWELL - Harry Hickox
CONDUCTOR - Earl George
HAROLD HILL - Forrest Tucker
MAYOR SHINN - Cliff Hall
THE FRISCO FOUR -
EWART DUNLOP - Byron Mellberg
OLIVER HIX - James Ingram
JACEY SQUIRES - Jay F. Smith
OLIN BRITT - Allan Louw
MARCELLUS WASHBURN - Benny Baker
TOMMY DJILAS - Robert Piper
MARIAN PAROO - Joan Weldon
MRS. PAROO - Lucie Lancaster
AMARYLLIS - Kay Cole
WINTHROP PAROO - Lynn Potter
EULALIE MACKECKNIE SHINN - Carol Veazie
ZANEETA SHINN - Susan Luckey
GRACIE SHINN - Jan Tanzy
ALMA HIX - Jean Bruno
MAUD DUNLOP - Mary Alice Wunderle
ETHEL TOFFELMIER - Lu Leonard
MRS. SQUIRES - Marceline Decker
CONSTABLE LOCKE - Earl George

UNDERSTUDIES

Harold Hill - Harry Hickox
Marian Paroo - Dianne Barton
Mayor Shinn - Earl George
Mrs. Paroo - Marv Alice Wunderle
Marcellus Washburn - Earl George
Charlie Cowell - Earl George
Tommy Djilas - Bert Michaels
Zaneeta Shinn - Mary Mason
Ewart Dunlop - Lou Polacek
Oliver Hix - Richard Fredricks
Jacey Squires - Lou Polacek
Olin Britt - Walter Kelvin
Winthrop Paroo - Jeffery Allan
Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn - Jean Bruno, Alma Hix, Maud Dunlop
Ethel Toffelmier - Marceline Decker
Amaryllis - Jan Tanzy.

Original Reviews

As American as apple pie and a Fourth of July oration ... a marvelous show, rooted in wholesome and comic tradition."

- New York Times

"An extraordinary warm-hearted, funy and captivating show."

- Daily News

"A whopping hit. This salute by Meredith willson to his native Iowa will make even Oklahoma look to its laurels."

- Journal American

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