The Music Man

From ChatGPT

"The Music Man" is a classic American musical that premiered on Broadway in 1957. It features music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, who also wrote the book with Franklin Lacey. Set in the early 20th century, the musical tells the story of Harold Hill, a charismatic con artist who poses as a boys' band organizer and sells instruments and uniforms to the unsuspecting residents of River City, Iowa. Harold's plan is to collect the money and skip town before anyone realizes he can't actually teach the kids to play music. However, his plans are complicated when he falls in love with Marian Paroo, the town's skeptical librarian and piano teacher. As the story unfolds, Harold's interactions with the townspeople, including the stubborn Mayor Shinn, his family, and the lovable barbershop quartet, lead to unexpected transformations and a celebration of community and the power of music. "The Music Man" features several beloved songs, including "76 Trombones," "Ya Got Trouble," "Till There Was You," and "Gary, Indiana." The music is characterized by lively marches, nostalgic ballads, and energetic dance numbers. The show's score has become iconic and is often associated with a nostalgic, feel-good spirit. The original Broadway production of "The Music Man" was a major success, running for over 1,300 performances and winning multiple Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It has since become one of the most frequently performed and beloved musicals in the American theater canon. "The Music Man" has had several successful revivals on Broadway and has been adapted into a popular film starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones. Its timeless themes of love, redemption, and the power of music, along with its memorable characters and infectious score, continue to captivate audiences of all ages.}

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Authors

Original Authors

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Book, Music and Lyrics
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Story

Later Contributors

This list represents writers who contributed to revisions, etc. following the original production.

...
Additional Lyrics
Genre: Musical Comedy

Production Highlights

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There are 51 productions in Ovrtur's database.
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Score

Click on the title for info on the song.

Original score

Status unknown

Cut prior to opening

In score but usually not listed in playbills

Added to film version

Studio Cast Recordings

Recordings listed here were done in the studio specifically to release as recordings. They do not represent cast recordings of a particular production.

Demos & Pre-Production Recordings

  • No demo recordings listed yet.

From ChatGPT

"The Music Man" is a classic American musical that premiered on Broadway in 1957. It features music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, who also wrote the book with Franklin Lacey. Set in the early 20th century, the musical tells the story of Harold Hill, a charismatic con artist who poses as a boys' band organizer and sells instruments and uniforms to the unsuspecting residents of River City, Iowa. Harold's plan is to collect the money and skip town before anyone realizes he can't actually teach the kids to play music. However, his plans are complicated when he falls in love with Marian Paroo, the town's skeptical librarian and piano teacher. As the story unfolds, Harold's interactions with the townspeople, including the stubborn Mayor Shinn, his family, and the lovable barbershop quartet, lead to unexpected transformations and a celebration of community and the power of music. "The Music Man" features several beloved songs, including "76 Trombones," "Ya Got Trouble," "Till There Was You," and "Gary, Indiana." The music is characterized by lively marches, nostalgic ballads, and energetic dance numbers. The show's score has become iconic and is often associated with a nostalgic, feel-good spirit. The original Broadway production of "The Music Man" was a major success, running for over 1,300 performances and winning multiple Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It has since become one of the most frequently performed and beloved musicals in the American theater canon. "The Music Man" has had several successful revivals on Broadway and has been adapted into a popular film starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones. Its timeless themes of love, redemption, and the power of music, along with its memorable characters and infectious score, continue to captivate audiences of all ages.}

More

Authors

Original Authors

...
Book, Music and Lyrics
...
Story

Later Contributors

This list represents writers who contributed to revisions, etc. following the original production.

...
Additional Lyrics
Genre: Musical Comedy

Source

From a story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey

Synopsis

Travelling con man Harold Hill arrives at staid River City intending to cheat the community with his standard scam of offering to equip and train a boy's marching band, then skip town with the money since he has no music skill anyway. Marian the librarian doesn't buy the professor's line but he convinces many of his other potential customers that the new pool table that has just been placed in the billiard parlor could mean "trouble in River City." Things go awry when he falls for her.

Trivia & History

Producers Cy Feuer and Ernest Martin optioned the project in 1951. Frank Loesser encouraged Meredith Willson to continue with it after the producers left. 

It has sometimes been reported that Loesser wrote "My White Knight" when Willson couldn't come up with the right song for the spot, but Barbara Cook said that the song was by Willson. In addition, the song was originally intended to be sung in counterpoint with "The Sadder-But-Wiser Girl," and it does work that way (and has been recorded that way). This seems to have been so carefully planned that it seems unlikely that Loesser supplied it as a late replacement for a song that wasn't working.

Other Titles

  • The Silver Triangle (Early title)

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