The Music Man 2000 Broadway Revival?

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 4/12/21 at 8:22am

For anyone here who saw the 2000 Broadway revival of The Music Man with Craig Bierko and Rebecca Luker, what were your thoughts? I watched some clips on YouTube and it looks like it was a pretty solid production. Brantley's review praised the large chorus numbers and Stroman's work in the big show stopping scenes, but said the show fell kind of flat outside of that. Just curious to hear what anyone who actually saw it thought.

[daredevil]

Posted: 4/12/21 at 1:05pm

I saw it at the very end of its run. Robert Sean Leonard was Harold Hill, and even though I respect his work as an actor very much, he was very subdued at the performance I saw. The production seemed to be moving by rote--kind of competent but not much else. I am old enough to have seen the origina production---which was amazing! Full of vivid, live performances, exciting staging by Morton Da Costa, and of course, Robert Preston's remarkable performance-so full of energy---sometimes it seemed like the musical itself was trying to catch up to him. I felt that in 2000, they were "doing" The Music Man, rather then letting every moment count.

 

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/12/21 at 1:56pm

I saw the tour in Huntsville, AL - would love to have known who I saw - and I was blown away as a child. I thought the production value was just gorgeous. I remember the opening sequence, and the beautiful house. I loved it! Curious to see how the new production compares. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/12/21 at 2:09pm

RippedMan said: "I saw the tour in Huntsville, AL - would love to have known who I saw - and I was blown away as a child. I thought the production value was just gorgeous. I remember the opening sequence, and the beautiful house. I loved it! Curious to see how the new production compares."

Gerritt VanderMeer played Harold Hill in the 2001 non-Equity tour that created a bit of controversy as it was fully recreating the 2000 Broadway revival production and advertising itself as “direct from Broadway” while being a non-Equity production.  

[Dollypop]

Posted: 4/12/21 at 2:13pm

I saw the show when Eric McCormack took over as Harold Hill and he was remarkable--creating a character that stood on its own and wasn't a carbon copy of what Robert Preston had created. Let me go so far as to say he was brilliant.

The rest of the show was delightful. Excellent choreography and Rebecca Luker was bliss.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/12/21 at 3:10pm

I loved it. I saw it with both Bierko and McCormack (whom I actually enjoyed more), and I was absolutely enthralled both times. Rebecca Luker was, as expected, absolute perfection. 

[cliffordbradshaw2]

Posted: 4/12/21 at 3:11pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag3Wwo8PYfw

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=293VeCd6XGQ

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAql9BCIWqg

[Phantom4ever]

Posted: 4/12/21 at 3:13pm

I saw the 2000 Music Man a few times as I was new to the city and it has always been one of my favorite shows. I was devastated when it didn't survive the post 9/11 environment. 

Craig Bierko was great and Rebecca Luker was made for the role of Marian--just enough sass and that beautiful clear soprano--wow. 

The set rising from the center of the stage through trap doors multiple times through the show was very impressive as was the full company choreography moments. Manuel Herrera as Tommy Djilas stood out to me as well. I remember when I saw it with friends, he came to the restaurant we were in after the show and we debated saying hi to him or just leaving him alone and he overheard and told us to come say hi.  

[DAME]

Posted: 4/12/21 at 3:13pm

This was a flat revival . Luker was gorgeous . Bierko was meh.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 4/12/21 at 4:37pm

BrodyFosse123 said: "RippedMan said: "I saw the tour in Huntsville, AL - would love to have known who I saw - and I was blown away as a child. I thought the production value was just gorgeous. I remember the opening sequence, and the beautiful house. I loved it! Curious to see how the new production compares."

Gerritt VanderMeer played Harold Hill in the 2001 non-Equity tour that created a bit of controversy as it was fully recreating the 2000 Broadway revival production and advertising itself as “direct from Broadway” while being a non-Equity production."

Oh wow! Make sense as we usually only get non-eq stuff. But it felt very lush compared to the other shows.

Is there any vid of the set rising from the stage? Sounds amazing. 

[blaxx]

Posted: 4/12/21 at 6:29pm

DAME said: "This was a flat revival . Luker was gorgeous . Bierko was meh. "

I agree, compared to other offerings in the same season this was so lazy and bland. Had little energy and I remember how boring the set looked. I was really disappointed.