Mixed feelings about The Music Man

[Jimmyojimmy]

Posted: 6/10/05 at 2:23am

I for one love the part of Marian in the Music Man, I love having a musical with a soprano lead (about time {except poto})
and I think its an overall fun musical. But i've heard a whole lot of people rag on about how they hate it. Does anybody here hate it? why? j/w

[Footlooser]

Posted: 6/10/05 at 2:27am

I hate it. It is so beyond cheesy, boring, and just an overall crappy show. Marion has two good songs and Harold has a couple but all in all the show is outdated and horrible. Of course I might just feel this way because I jut finished a production of it and am in the I want to kill anything associate with this show stage.


editied for spelling

Updated On: 6/10/05 at 02:27 AM

[Jimmyojimmy]

Posted: 6/10/05 at 2:36am

who did you play in it?

[jam_man]

Posted: 6/10/05 at 4:00am

The Music Man is one of the most truly wonderful musicals ever written, and one of my personal favorites. It is no more "cheesy" than any other Golden Age musical - I don't know your feelings about other Golden Age shows such as Oklahoma!, Guys & Dolls, and My Fair Lady, so that may or may not mean anything.

On the surface, The Music Man is just as steriotypical as musicals come, what with it's lighthearted dealling with a very inhuman going-ons (a man comes and hoodwinks an entire town). However, as it seems to be celebrating America's old time towns and townsfolk, it is actually critiquing them and their "stubbornness," and their easy "hood-wink-ability."

I'll understand if I'm not making any sense, but it's about 3 AM, and "Company" is playing on my computer, so give me a break! Anyway, I LOVE The Music Man. When I was in 4th grade, I was one of the little kids in our HS's production of it (I would have been Winthrop, but I had a little lyric trouble with "Gary, Indiana" in the audition). I did it again a couple years ago, and will be doing it again this summer - assumming that they will hurry up and cast. Initial auditions were almost 2 months ago, and call-backs were almost a month ago! Whether or not The Music Man should have won the Tony over West Side Story is a discussion which continues to this day, but it certainly is hard to argue AGAINST The Music Man.


LA-DE-DA-DE-DA-DE-DA-DE-DA, LA-DE-DA, LA-DE-DA...

[mikewood]

Posted: 6/10/05 at 9:56am

editied for spelling >>>

I hate being a jerk, but I've rarely seen such a compelling incident of accidental irony before in my life. Almost as much as the only ironic in the song "Ironic" was Alanis Morrisette's use of the word.

[Footlooser]

Posted: 6/10/05 at 11:16am

I have played both Marcelluce and Tommy

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 6/10/05 at 12:26pm

Again, as I try to do on many threads, I try to distinguish between how good something is and how much I like it. I am able to see certain merits of the show(though I feel like WSS is the best musical ever made and should have won the Tony). However, in terms of personal taste, it's just not for me at all. Experiencing more modern theatre, I like shows with even a bit of darkness, this one is way too happy for me. If something's not gonna be dramatic, it should be very funny, and for me it's not that funny. My high school did it in 11th grade and I always used to make fun of it-Ye Gods! Jeely kly! I will say the orchestrations are some of the more difficult ones out there. I did immensely enjoy the shipoopi dances, as well as most of the dances(76 Trombones, Marian the Librarian). I appreciate any score that challenges me. But yeah, just not my cup of tea.

[BroadwayNick]

Posted: 6/10/05 at 12:31pm

AHHH!!! Last night was opening night of The Music Man that I was in!

P.S. Why is Music Man being discussed so much today?

[nmartin]

Posted: 6/10/05 at 2:25pm

The Music Man falls into a category with Hello, Dolly for some people. Those people love to bash both. I like the Music Man.

[buffyactsing]

Posted: 6/10/05 at 2:58pm

Despite being a Sondheim lover, and well, a general admirer of darker musicals, I must admit I love The Music Man.

Is it a great show? No. But it's one of my favorites. It has a good deal of catchy tunes, and is probably my favorite "everything is carefree" musicals".

Perhaps because I grew up with it. Or perhaps because it was the first musical I ever saw live (and my dad said he had to keep me pinned to my chair). I don't know...but I really enjoy it.

[parislover87]

Posted: 6/10/05 at 7:21pm

My very first role was Harold last year in my high school production of it... I have to say that it is not the best play in the world... I just finished "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown" as Schroeder and had much more fun with a smaller part and I am playing Gaston in our high school's upcoming Beauty and the Beast... in all I don't like musicals about quaint towns anyway...

[kitkatgirl54]

Posted: 6/11/05 at 12:01am

that was the first real musical i ever did (amaryliss, when i was , so i guess i have a soft spot for it. however ...

i think the rhythmic style of the lyrics was very ahead of its time and it is still impressive to hear people rattling it out (especially the harold hill and salesmen stuff). sure, marion / the love story is dry, but it's an old musical, what do you expect. i think it holds up well - i just wish high schools would stop constantly doing it.

[Bwaybaby109]

Posted: 6/11/05 at 12:22am

well this musical is probably the musical that got me into musicals! lol if that makes any sense. i saw this when I was 5 and my dad played Harold Hill in our community theatre production, which was said to be our greatest show ever. I statrted to watch more and more musicals after that. So this show holds a special place in my heart and will always. I love it a lot, it has a great score. But man o man, I don't want to get started on the horrible remake! ::shudders:: It made me soooo mad. I love Matthew Broderick but that's just not the right role for him. oh well, we'll always rememeber as Robert Preston as the great Harold Hill.

[Jimmyojimmy]

Posted: 6/11/05 at 12:41am

I dont know why everyone hated Matthew Broderick in it I liked him. But i liked the guy in ,y high school production much better.

[Roger-the-Cabin-Boy]

Posted: 6/11/05 at 6:51am

I never warmed to THE MUSIC MAN. Yes, there are some lovely tunes in it, but it has a retrograde aspect to it that gets on my nerves. It's the epitome of an inoffensively wholesome musical with the gingham-trimmed Americana laid on with a sledgehammer. I kept hoping that the musical would have ended with Harold Hill escaping into the night with all the money for the band costumes.

But I love HELLO, DOLLY. It's got so much more pizzaz.

Posted: 6/11/05 at 6:59am

I loved the show until I started dating Justin. Justin's a total Music Man freak. I haven't liked anything about the show since we broke up.