The Music Man

It took eight years to write — including over 30 drafts and 40 songs — but by the time it was produced on Broadway, The Music Man had clearly established newcomer Meredith Willson among the most impressive talents of the musical theatre. The idea for the show had first been suggested by Willson’s friend, Frank Loesser, who enjoyed listening to the composer’s tales of growing up in a small lowa town. Though the plot was credited in part to Frank Lacey, the musical emerged as a very personal expression through which Willson captured all the innocent charm of a bygone America. The story begins on the Fourth of July, 1912, in River City, lowa. Enter “Professor” Harold Hill, who has arrived to hornswoggle the citizens into believing he can teach the local youngsters how to play in marching band that would rival the once-mammoth parade featuring “Seventy-Six Trombones.” But instead of skipping town before the instruments arrive, Hill is persuaded to remain by the town’s librarian, Marian Paroo (Barbara Cook). The musical ends with the children being hailed by their parents, even though they can barely produce any recognizable sound from their instruments. The role of Professor Harold Hill was rejected by a number of actors, including Danny Kaye, Dan Dailey, Phil Harris, and Gene Kelly, before it went to Robert Preston who gave a memorably dynamic performance in his first appearance on the musical stage. Preston also repeated the part in the 1962 movie version. During the show’s Broadway run, the third longest of the decade’s musicals, Preston was succeeded by Eddie Albert and Bert Parks. For the road tour, which lasted three years seven months, Forrest Tucker played the professor and Joan Weldon was Marian. The Music Man returned briefly to New York in 1980, with a cast headed by Dick Van Dyke and Meg Bussert. The Music Man. Barbara Cook and Robert Preston singing “Till There Was You.” (Friedman-Abeles) Flower Drum Song. Miyoshi Umeki singing “A Hundred Million Miracles,” accompanied by Juanita Hall and Keye Luke. (Friedman-Abeles)

Music

Meredith Willson

Lyrics

Meredith Willson

Book

Meredith Willson & Franklin Lacey