Music Man in Atlanta

[ashley0139]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 12:09pm

Has anyone seen it yet? I am seeing it tonight, and I'm pretty excited because I have never seen a professional production of it. Just wanted to know if there were any general reviews.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 12:19pm

i saw it for free in Houston in the park prior to it coming into the Fox...gotta say i was underwhelmed. But may be others felt differently...i think Houston and Atlanta are the only stops for it.

[ashley0139]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 12:27pm

Oh. That's too bad. Maybe it's gotten better or something. At least my tickets were half price.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 12:28pm

How's the choreography and the ensemble?

[junglered]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 12:46pm

I'm seeing this production on Thursday night. The last tour of The Music Man that came through Atlanta was a few years back - and 'starred' Barry Williams of The Brady Bunch. It was tragic. I hope this cast does a better job with Meredith Wilson's classic.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 12:46pm

i have seen better work from Norb Joerdner (sp?). But maybe they were just settling in and will be better for the Atlanta run. There was some talent, i just felt the energy was pretty low. Marian has a lovely voice, however. Really stunning. And Burke Moses was just fine. i was puzzled that the role of the anvil salesman, who ends up an antagonist to Harold Hill, was cast with someone who had also played Gaston (the Moses track in B&B). They could have been twins. You'd think you'd want a little more contrast physically. It was kind of eerie, particularly as the anvil salesman did most of the solo work in the first number...

[lildogs]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 12:50pm

Who's playing Mayor Shinn?

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 4:37pm

don't have the Playbill at hand, but he was a shorter comic from NYC...DeMatis, maybe? i sorta recognized him. They made a pretty big PR deal of his wife being played by Ruth Gottshall (sp?) who did it for Stroman in the last revival. This choreography was more Onna White (according to the Houston Chronicle review, i've never seen original choreography, so i'd not know) than Stroman (whose dances i really liked). The scenery is also fairly nice this time round, didn't recognize it as being "recycled"...

[lildogs]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 4:50pm

Yay! Ray DeMattis...i knew he was doing shinn in 2 places this summer...cool...was he good? I've only seen him in 1 show, so i can't really judge

[SMbagby]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 5:14pm

Does anyone know if this whole cast is equity?

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 5:18pm

he and Mrs. Shinn were okay, i guess. Both cast against type, really. But both funny enough.

[lildogs]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 5:21pm

yeah...he was laughing about it--saying how so not shinn-like he is..

"Unless he's mayor of Palermo" i believe is what he said...hey, he's working!

And yes, I would imagine it's an all-equity show...

[YessicaB]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 5:27pm

32.50 1/2 price, so not that bad. I hope I'll get to see it. I'm just pretty broke right now........lol.

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 5:59pm

i believe it was all AEA. It's hard to travel non-union cast from the regional level, i think.

[BwayBaby18]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 8:29pm

It is spelled Willson with two L's....sry i am doign it right now and we had all these useless facts given two us so i felt liek sharign

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 8:31pm

I would pay money just to go & see the Fox theater no matter what was playing there. I have seen pictures & it is eye popping to say the least

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/26/05 at 8:41pm

it's a beautiful space. i love seeing things there. i haven't seen the one in St. Louis, though.

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 12:58am

Charlie Cowell - TONY LAWSON
Harold Hill - BURKE MOSES
Mayor Shinn - RAY DEMATISS
Marcellus - RANDY DONALDSON
Tommy Djilas - BRANDON ESPINOZA
Winthrop - CADE NELSON
w THE HARRINGTON BROTHERS as the Barbershop Qtet

Marian Paroo - TERI DALE HANSEN
Mrs. Paroo - CYNTHIA DARLOW
Amaryllis - MAGGIE WATTS
Eulalie McKechnie Shinn - RUTH GOTTSCAHLL
Zaneeta - SHERRI NORIGE

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 1:09am

I am just getting in from opening night of Music Man here in Atlanta. It was a nice evening of theatre. It was a nearly packed and enthusiastic house. It seemed to be a rather "traditional" staging of the show and things clipped along at a nice pace. Luckily, they did NOT incorporate the second act changes (moving Shipoopi, etc.) that were present in the recent Bway revival. Therefore the dramatic action of the play's final scenes was not interrupted, I found that much more fulfilling. There were some sound problems, with off-stage body mics being left on, esp. noticable during "Trouble," and some delays in on-stage mics being turned up. Following the curtain call, a high school band was revealed and played "76 Trombones." Unfortunately, this moment went on too long and the band was not a little shaky on their entrance.

[Dolly_Levi]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 1:31am

As for the performances...very solid throughout.

TERI DALE HANSEN was a glorious voiced Marian. Making the most of all her vocal moments and displaying impressive control and a beautiful clear tone. One of the best Marians I have heard. Strong and believable in her acting moments.

BURKE MOSES was a devilish charmer as Prof. Hill. Withour erasing the memory of Robert Preston, Moses made the character his own. Masculine and full-voiced, with a nice lighter touch in many of the comic and dance moments, Moses is fast becoming a TOTS favorite with recent Atlanta appearnces as Beast in B & the Beast and as Von Trapp in S of Music.

THE HARRINGTON BROTHERS were a pitch perfect Barbershop Quartet. All four voices blended seamlessly in smooth as silk patterns. They certainly elicited giant cheers and applause from the audience.

RANDY DONALDSON was a serviceable Marcellus.

RUTH GOTTSCAHLL was a comic wonder as Eulalie, a great comedic perfrmance without going too over the top. She was balanced nicely by the flustered Mayor of RAY DEMATISS.

CYNTHIA DARLOW was a great Mrs. Paroo with equal parts heart and humour.

A nice ensemble performed the required singing and dancing with panache. The dances appeared to be more similar to the original, as opposed to the Stroman revival, with "Marian the Librarian" being the standout movement number.

[LesMizazz]

Posted: 7/27/05 at 2:15am

How did you like Sherri Norige as Zaneeta Shinn? She just recently graduated from my school.