Hugh Jackman in The Music Man — Page 8

Bwayornoway said: "I'm curious as to where the ticket prices will start? Do you think Hugh is bigger then Bette and will be even higher in price or about the same as Bette?"

Tickets definitely won't be any cheaper than they were for Dolly. Industry trends and inflation (and ego) will dictate the prices.

The theatre layout is also a factor. There are 4 houses that it could end up in (Shubert, Broadway, Imperial, Winter Garden), each with a different number of seats, balcony vs rear mezz, etc.

JayElle said: "Having seen Jesse Mueller playing Mariam in Wash DC, I can't see christen Chenoweth. Great voice, but I agree she's awfully short compared to Hugh. Does anyone not see Jesse, unless she's busy?

Rosie O'Donnell was a great Mrs. Paroo. The rest of the Wash DC cast were also good. So why not any of them?"

I agree - i thought Jessie was great in the Kennedy Center production. So of course I think - why not her? Rosie was really good as well. Nonetheless. I am looking forward to it - with whomever they cast!

In a perfect world, the ages of the Paroo Family works out like this:

Winthrop 10

Marian 30

Mrs. Paroo 50

With a 40 year old Harold it matches the ages of the original Broadway cast. Paroo had Marian at an early age (18) and Winthrop was a later life surprise. Most casts these days have played around with the ages in casting but the original makes some sense.

If you're willing to suspend disbelief about Marian having a 10 year old brother, I think the role works better when she's mid-30s to 40s. Amaryllis calls her "an old maid," and in the 1950s (and 1912) it was unusual to be single at 30. Nowadays, people live longer, get married later, have kids later, etc.

I just think Hill is a role that Jackman can do in his sleep.

The casting and choice of material cannot compare to Midler in Dolly. And the fact that she had not been on the boards for 30 years made it all the more delectable.

My oldest brother is my senior by 21 years. He is 93; I am 72. His oldest son, my nephew, is one year older than me. Perhaps not the norm, but in my experience this sort of familial age difference is not uncommon.

I just want to see someone of the caliber of Kristen Chenoweth (age 50) or Audra McDonald (age 48) sing "Till There Was You". Give me that, and I will be willing and happy to accept that they have a 10-year-old brother.

Jesse Mueller was great in the DC performance in early Feb, but I have to agree that either Audra or Kristen would be terrific against Hugh.

So nobody has any inside gossip on who it is?

How about Lena Hall?

Wouldn't a fresh face, with a clear soprano (not a pinched pop voice) be wonderful for Marian?
Branch out a little. (Though, I adore Audra in anything and everything, so would be thrilled to see her, if we had to choose from the names mentioned in this thread).

And, yes, I would love for Barbara Cook to still be with us to enjoy seeing Hugh Jackman in this. She adored him and he adored her. I'm pretty sure he'll carry her in his heart and she'll be smiling.

Updated On: 3/16/19 at 10:43 AM

SomethingPeculiar said: "If you're willing to suspend disbelief about Marian having a 10 year old brother, I think the role works better when she's mid-30s to 40s. "

Suspend disbelief, or turn a blind eye to the truth?

Winthrop is Marian's son.

"Mrs." Paroo was forced to flee Ireland, to avoid scandal when she became pregnant (out of wedlock) with Marian. She adopted the false moniker of "Mrs." when she arrived on Ellis Island, in an attempt to start a new life in a new world.

"Mrs." Paroo and Marian enjoyed their lives together, masquerading as widow and semi-orphan in New Jersey, and Marian grew into a lovely young woman. All seemed copasetic until, in a classic display of "the apple doesn't fall very far from the tree", Marian found herself repeating history.

Initially, an attempt was made to cloister Marian away at the Convent of the Little Sisters of Hoboken 'til the baby was born (or as Marian later told Winthrop - 'Til there was YOU), but the Sisters had issues of their own, which prevented them from extending additional care for the wayward Marian.

Additionally, the Little Sisters were already contending with a very persistent and headstrong Mary Martin, who insisted that complete immersion in a convent setting was essential to her career at that time. How do you solve that problem?

Once again, "Mrs." Paroo adopted a methodology that had worked for her in the past. She packed up her daughter (and grandchild), everything they owned, and fled to a quiet, unassuming locale where there would be no questions, and she could exploit the naivete of the locals --- Gary, Indiana.

...and the rest is history.

PS:

All of their can be verified in Season 46, ep.29 of VH1's Behind The Music Man.

Updated On: 3/16/19 at 01:03 PM

He died of confusion.

f13overture said: "I like the theory that Winthrop is actually Marian's son with Old Meiser Madison. It would then make sense that 1) there's gossip about Marian 2)Winthrop being happy about his new trumpet is the key to Marian's heart. Reportedly, even Rebecca Luker thought this theory was "interesting"

Take home point: age wouldn't matter as much with this theory so it gives more options in casting. I personally like an older Marian

"

If Rebecca Luker said she thought that theory was "interesting", it was her polite way of saying "You are a moron!" THE MUSIC MAN may be a little more grounded than KISS ME, KATE, but it's still a musical comedy, not an afternoon soap opera.

If Old Man Madison had gotten Marian pregnant, he would have married her. That's what one did in those days, and he obviously cared enough about her to see she was cared for when he died (by leaving her the library collection); he would have done "the right thing".

A woman of that period who has had an illegitimate child and passed it off as her brother doesn't have the innocence to sing "Goodnight My Someone" to a star. (Not because she has had sex, but because she has known too much heartache and shame.)