The Music Man : Show Development and Promotion

[jo]

So many scenes like this when we first bought tickets late 2019


Jo

[hu4601]

Sept 5, 2021 12:10:45 GMT -5 jo said:

So many scenes like this when we first bought tickets late 2019 ;)


Jo

 
As another 70 year old who was looking forward to a trip to NY, I sure hope it happens for her and the show isn't derailed by the  escalating pandemic.

[jo]

Found this on one of the commentaries on a clip of the opening number, ROCK ISLAND!

"Of the three musicals he wrote, THE MUSIC MAN is the only one that
interests me, but the interest is intense. "Rock Island," the unique
opening number, is surely one of the most startling and galvanic
openings ever devised. It is performed on a railway car by a group of
1930s salesman, whose rhythmic chatter mimics the sound of the train
they're on while at the same time setting up the circumstances of the
play. For the first half of the number, there is no orchestral
accompaniment whatsoever, only the chug, whoosh and whistle of the train
along with conversation. The combination becomes verbal music - it is
in fact the forerunner of rap. The orchestra doesn't enter until the
mention of Harold Hill, the absent central character, which in effects
tells the audience to pay attention to the information of the words
rather than just their sound. The number echoed Oscar [Hammerstein's]
lesson, distilled and intensified, about the first song in a musical.
Once you heard "Rock Island," you could have sat through the telephone
book and had a good time. Luckily, you didn't have to. There are
secondary explosions of Willson's originality in "Piano Lesson" and
"Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little," and of course the broad spread of it in
"Trouble," but the splendor is in Rock Island, not River City. THE
MUSIC MAN was an enormous success, some of which has been attributed to
its American family values, some to the charm of its star Robert
Preston, some to the presence of children and Americana, but I attribute
it to its opening number." - Stephen Sondheim commenting on Meredith
Willson's perspicacity as a lyricist in "Look I Made A Hat," 2011

[jo]

[jo]

I've just listened to the podcast -- the discussion on The Music Man starts at around 24'23"

podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/broadway-baby/id1418029487?mt=2

They talk about --

*their personal memories of the versions of The Music Man they have seen live ( usually at community-level types) and the movie adaptation itself

*the casting for the revival.
Some biases -- Hugh Jackman's casting is both "excellent casting " and at the same time is "wildly unimaginative". One said he doesn't like Hugh because he is friends with Jared Kushner ( )... but the woman did say she thinks Hugh will knock it out of the park...and that while they think he might be too old for the part he has the youthful energy for it. One even said that Sutton Foster will run circles around Hugh's performance

Okay - I almost stopped listening after that --but that part is only for a few minutes.

*then for the most part they talked about the show/movie itself.
There is some attitude about it typical of the millennial type of fans ( cynical, etc) -- and someone said that their memory paints it better than the actual show itself. But then they actually talk about the many, many good points about the show itself and in the end gives the impression that it is an excellent show by itself -- the setting, the storyline, the musical score, the dance numbers, the characters which are all varying and many very interesting, the sense of humor, the intentions of Meredith Willson, etc -- they give the impression that they really, really like the show from how I judge it). But of course being somewhat cynical, they try to create the impression that their taste in shows would be more sophisticated

There is a subtle appreciation of how a dated storyline and characters are actually very present. Substitute the excitement over "the Wells Fargo wagon" to present-day excitement when your Amazon package arrives. It is a cultural study, in effect.

Do listen to it

I think the attitude towards Hugh will change as soon as they have seen it! It will be a fun show as well as a subtle social satire. And Hugh -- I have yet to see well-known judge of talent who has not praised him for his triple-threat talent (from Ben Brantley to William Goldman to those who now fully recognize his talent) ... and how he has always changed any preconditioned notions about him -- trust us

Jo

[jo]

My response to their tweet --

[jo]

I also sent this reply, re one's comment that he did not like Hugh because of his friendship with JKushner.

[jo]

I also remembered what the original Marian in The Music Man, Barbara Cook, said about Hugh Jackman when she was interviewed by the Washington Post re her Kennedy Center honors --

[jo]

[jo]

It looks like this scene was from as early as May --

http://instagram.com/p/COiCMU6jfVN

[jo]

Read Warren's message ( September 2020) --

http://instagram.com/p/CFm-15Ajs5s

[jo]

And what he thinks of Hugh --

http://instagram.com/p/CQcGOEJD4Mf

[jo]

In January 2021 --

http://instagram.com/p/CJemFzGjTxB

Hey, Mr. Zaks -- only 101 days to Previews


Jo

[jo]

Shuler Hensley posted this in June --

http://instagram.com/p/CQGhdZoDui2

Is it taking that long to learn the very complex SHIPOOPI production number


Jo

[jo]

Despite the pandemic-related worries...and the Rudin debacle, it looks like The Music Man will appeal to a broad segment of theatregoing public or even the occasional Broadway tourist --

Sept 12, 2021 1:44:21 GMT -5 jo said:

This makes me grin

even if their (Stubhub) pricing is expensive this TMM theatregoer is going to consider them --

Mr. Wormwood
Send PM
Profile
Featured Actor
joined:8/2/15
Stub Hub
#1
Posted: 9/11/21 at 11:37pm
Hi All,

Apologies if this is an ignorant question but other than being a price gouging, there's nothing that could go wrong with buying Broadway tickets on stubhub, right? I'm looking for Music Man tickets and that seems to be the only place that has them for certain nights.

Thanks!

Lol - if I were a resident there - I would have invested in tickets for Start of Previews to New Year's Eve.

Most dates are sold out...and where there are 1-2 seats available on the Orchestra level, the prices have been raised by Telecharge itself. They are not quoting any ticket price for New Year's Eve yet, which traditionally, big hits like Hello,Dolly! & Hamilton have charged 4-digit prices at official ticket sellers

Btw, I have also tested other dates - what I used to see as blocks of tickets are slowly evaporating. If you have not booked tickets yet and you intend to go -- maybe it's good not to delay purchases any longer?



Jo

[jo]

Translated from Spanish by Google --

I just dropped the twentieth that in March we are going to see Hugh Jackman on Broadway. PS Get vaccinated, bye

Will non-English speakers see The Music Man?

Historically-speaking, Broadway musicals attract a large number of non-English speaking tourists.

[jo]

Warren was the Dance Captain/Asst Choreographer and played the role of Jake...while Shuler was Jud.

[jo]

Audition calls for young dancers --

[jo]

Have they delayed the rehearsals by a few days?

Hugh originally said that it will start on October 25, 2021 (Monday) but the above notice says that it will start on October 28, 2021 (Thursday). Is the start date of rehearsals also covered by a theatrical superstition ( like the origin of "Break A Leg!"

Or it could be that Hugh has an earlier date for him?

Btw, Sutton Foster is due to leave the London production of ANYTHING GOES on October 10, so that should not cause any problem. The production is being filmed but it looks like it will be filming of a live performance ( unlike the Jackman Oklahoma! which was filmed on a sound stage, similar to filming a movie)

Whatever it is -- let's hope the health crisis will not cause any disruption or further delay!

Jo

[jo]

Jerry Zaks is directing another musical for Broadway.

www.playbill.com/article/mrs-doubtfire-plans-post-covid-broadway-return-in-october

It starts previews on October 21, 2021... so maybe he needs some time to review the results of previews and make some changes if nececessary?

Jo

[jo]

It looks like they are changing the show banner ( not sure how to call it) --


On Telcharge site --

[jo]

On the Official site --




Is there an effort to present a new image ... given the pandemic-driven delays, to say that the revival is now getting ready for its Broadway debut?

Or is there a new marketing & publicity team which has modernized the appeal of this classic to the present times?

(Hmmm...nothing to do with doing away with the Rudin promotional initiatives?)

Jo

[jo]

LOL - I had grown attached to this one

http://instagram.com/p/CGIsd0djh6N

I wonder if the new video post of Hugh announced an hour ago, but seemingly cancelled, had anything to do with this change in image?


Jo

[jo]

Same change on Facebook --

www.facebook.com/MusicManBway/

[jo]