The Music Man : Show Development and Promotion

[jo]

http://instagram.com/p/CUADLDYFo2w

Hmm... part of the finale?

In the movie ( I have only seen it in the film adaptation), it is the whole town watching the big band show off their musical wares...

Jo

[jo]

[jo]

The late and famous Al Hirschfield created the widest collection of art depicting Broadway shows!

Here's what he did for THE MUSIC MAN, with Robert Preston.

[jo]

[jo]

The Music Man and Hugh's attendance record on Broadway being discussed at ATC ( All That Chat) --

This is funny, even if true

re: Jackman has an attendance record par excellence
Posted by: BroadwayTonyJ 10:55 pm EDT 09/23/21

In reply to: Jackman has an attendance record par excellence - Delvino 08:34 pm EDT 09/23/21
Jackman took vacations from time to time, but there were no performances when he was gone. I believe John Hill told me he got death threats whenever there was a possibility he would have to go on as Peter Allen. Jackman sustained hairline fractures in his feet on occasion but went on anyway.

Okay, 'fess up now - did anyone call John Hill way back then


Jo

[jo]

There were discussions on how long Hugh is due to stay in The Music Man --

I also wrote this in the same section --

re: The show is only selling til July 31st
Posted by: jo 12:49 am EDT 09/24/21

In reply to: re: The show is only selling til July 31st - ryhog 10:31 pm EDT 09/23/21

Are shows really sold for a full year in advance? Or are they sold in blocks of, say, 6 months.
While it was originally announced that Hugh Jackman was committed for a yearlong contract...that was in March 2019. Major changes since then - 2 pandemic delays and the Rudin departure. He still has a film career to consider - actually he is presently in London filming the adaptation of Florian Zeller's THE SON. Personally, I am hoping that his long-delayed project with Michael Mann ( "Enzo Ferrari") will be on track for filming in the fall of 2022. You can't have some racing scenes filmed in late fall to early spring because the race incident in the story happened to be a road race. Btw, it is not a pure racing movie, but more of a dramatic look into a tragic year in Enzo's life.

But who knows - maybe he will consider a full year's stay in THE MUSIC MAN?

[jo]

Rotten Tomatoes

Rating for the movie in 1962 (year of release) --







It was also the winner of the 1957 Tony for Best Musical, beating WEST SIDE STORY for the honor!

They must have uploaded the published critic reviews...

but how did they get the Audience score -- it is doubtful that in 1962 that we had personal computers yet - did they quantify the scores from submitted letters or rating forms?



The revival will have a lot to live up to

[jo]

Interesting that the film adaptation of WEST SIDE STORY also scored lower on Rotten Tomatoes --

WEST SIDE STORY
1961, Musical, 2h 31m
91%
TOMATOMETER
79 Reviews
84%
AUDIENCE SCORE
100,000+ Ratings

However the movie won the Oscar for Best Picture for the year of release! WSS was released in 1961. Its competition included Judgment at Nuremberg/Guns Of Navarone/ Fanny / The Hustler. Not as stiff as the following year ( when The Music Man competed for Oscar honors)

The Music Man film was released in 1962 and was nominated for Best Picture.

But it lost out to --

Lawrence of Arabia. Sam Spiegel, Producer.
The Longest Day. Darryl F. Zanuck, Producer.
Meredith Willson's The Music Man. Morton Da Costa, Producer.
Mutiny on the Bounty. Aaron Rosenberg, Producer.
To Kill a Mockingbird. Alan J. Pakula, Producer

Wow - how can you compete with such great motion pictures ( Don't we wish we have the same quality of films these days?)
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA won the Best Picture Oscar and other awards.

And Robert Preston lost out to Gregory Peck who won an Oscar for MOCKINGBIRD!


Ironic that these two performing arts ( Mockingbird & Music Man) will both be on Broadway when The Music Man opens. Too bad that the Broadway revival of West Side Story did not reopen. But there will be a Spielberg remake of WSS released in December. How strange for these coincidences to happen


Jo

[jo]

Yet people deride THE MUSIC MAN as a cheesy and tired old musical!

And the Sondheim fans and Broadway in general genuflect to any sniff of WEST SIDE STORY!

But maybe the true test is how many revivals especially at community theatre level and in high school musicals have chosen one show over the other. It seems The Music Man wins out - because it is a slice of Americana, it is a fun musical, and to the purists- a bit of social satire!

In all honesty, the only thing where WSS beats TMM, to me, is in the musical score -- because WSS's score ( Tonight/Maria/OneHandOneHeart/IFeelPretty/America/Something's Coming/OfficerKrupke/Opening) is mostly haunting music and also ironic. True it is also a study in racism...but then again, TMM, is a study of American culture in a small town microcosm - maybe not as dramatic but equally impressive on a different level!

Back to the music - TMM can be proud to say that "76 Trombones" is part of American life -- you can't say that of any song from West Side Story!

Jo

[jo]

[jo]

[jo]

I have listened to the full podcast ( 1 hour&13 min) - and it is very interesting if you have been a longtime Broadway fan as well as a student of cultural history.

Notes :

It is long ... and maybe only for those who are great fans of Broadway.

First third is really more on the business history of the Shuberts ( maybe a third or so) including how they navigated the changing taste of Broadway goers, then some mention of the types of shows ( and actual shows) they have been connected with...the role of Gerry Schoenfeld in keeping Broadway & the Shubert Organization afloat... as well as some walk-through at the Shubert Organization Archival Office ( like a museum) on top of the St James Theatre ( in case you feel like wandering there - I am not sure if everyone can come up and see it).

Interesting about Shubert Alley and the tall skyscraper ( where Juniors is) on the east side which replaced the former Astor theatre. It is also noted that they built the building where Sardi is located.

Bits and pieces of theatrical history, including the former horse exchange building that became the Winter Garden Theatre ( where The Music Man revival will reside).

PS: I did not know that the late William Goldman was once part of the Shubert Organization Board ( so that was his connection to Broadway!)... and that David Geffen was once an angel investor of Cats.

Jo

[jo]

The only one that is longer in years is with Warren Carlyle ( dance captain & assistant choreographer for Oklahoma! - since 1998)...but Hugh has worked with Patrick more often.


Jo

[jo]

A stray post from Josh Horowitz --

[jo]

A glimpse of The Winter Garden... at the Tonys.

Hmm... already starting to imagine what a grand theatre this is going to look like for The Music Man

[jo]

Since it is still empty --

will they be rehearsing directly at the theatre or at some studio ( Pearl?)?

Rehearsals start exactly a month from now - on October 28, 2021.


Jo

[jo]

[jo]

[mamaleh]

Seating hint: I don’t know if they have reconfigured the seating, but from my experiences in the Winter Garden theater, the far sides do not afford a good sight line, especially in the mezzanine. The mezz rows wrap around much like a horseshoe so that if you’re in an extreme side of the mezz, you can see only most of center stage and the far opposite side. The side closest to you is totally out of range. I’d say a good third of the stage is not visible.

Ellen

[jo]

I also heard that the Winter Garden has a high stage.

If you are seated closest to the stage ( BB?), that might be a bit difficult looking up the stage.

Jo

[jo]

Ellen,

Have you ever done or have heard anyone doing the boxes? Especially the first boxes ( left or right)?

If so, how is the experience there? I got interested in getting box seats for BackOnBroadway because of my having seen Book of Mormon in a front box - I enjoyed being able to see everything including the dancing feet. Funny though, I thought I had the second box for BackOnBway until I physically picked up my tickets (Will Call)and was told it was the first box.

But they are not on offer (yet) for The Music Man.

Jo

[jo]

Posted on the FIND TICKETS Page of THE MUSIC MAN --

BEST AVAILABILITY

For best availability look for tickets on Tuesdays and Wednesdays beginning April 2022.

[jo]

Wouldn't it be great if they both got Tonys

[jo]

Looks like The Music Man & Macbeth will become twin attractions!

[jo]

If I were an enterprising tour marketer -- I would package a NYC weekend trip with the highlight of seeing THE MUSIC MAN & MACBETH and other reinvigorating new and old NYC attractions ( anyone gone to Little Island yet?).

Jo