THEATER REVIEW: ‘Music Man’ travels his way through Eccles theater
This musical deserves a 76-trombone salute. It was nice to see Broadway-quality performers here Logan.
While it only had a one-day run at the Ellen Eccles Theatre, the two performances of “The Music Man” turned out great crowds.
Gerritt Vandermeer and Carolann Sanita did marvelous jobs as the main characters Harold Hill and Marian Paroo. Sanita showed her opera roots as she shined during her solo numbers, especially “My White Knight.”
The entire cast was superb. From the opening scene with the traveling salesmen on the railway coach to the finale, the townspeople of River City never stopped entertaining.
In the first scene, the salesmen were hilarious as they talked and sang while their bodies stayed synchronized with the imaginary movements of the train car they were on.
One could almost believe the set really was a speeding train car because they bumped and swayed so convincingly.
I was also impressed that the cast members had all mastered the trombone so that each, even the children, could play it during the finale. All of them were fantastic with their acting and dancing, and they sang flawlessly during each of the 24 numbers.
The show seemed a little long – about two and one-half hours plus a 15-minute intermission – but it was enjoyable enough that I wasn’t watching the clock the whole time. Of course, it helped that I didn’t have a clock to watch.
The set was amazing. It included houses, business fronts, a bridge, picket fences and trees. It was perfect for setting the scene in the small Iowa town.
“The Music Man” is the tale of a salesman who travels from town to town selling the makings of a boys’ band. Hill, whose real name is Gregory, pretends to be a musical expert as he promotes his wares.
He goes to River City, Iowa, convinces the townspeople that their boys will all be hooligans unless they form them into a band and then charges them for instruments and uniforms.
The only problem is that he doesn’t know anything about music. He keeps up his disguise by teaching his students the “think system,” where he tells the boys that if they think a tune enough, they will someday be able to play it.
After much effort, he wins the heart of River City’s local librarian (Paroo), who stands up for him when the townspeople discover he is a fake.
One of the few problems with this performance was that it was difficult to tell what the actors were saying at times. Those who weren’t familiar with the story could have been lost during some scenes, particularly at the beginning.
But overall, this was an entertaining rendition of a classic musical. The cast and set were wonderful, and it was a joy to watch.
Katrina Cartwright is a senior majoring in print journalism. Comments can be sent to kcartwright@cc.usu.edu.