The Music Man Chenowith or Shirley

[musicalsinger20]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 10:37am

Which do you all prefer. I like both the Music Man's for different reasons. I don't think anyone can top Robert Preston's DICTION AND ENERGY. He might not be as cute as Broderick but I think he sings better. I liked Chenowith's voice the most in My White Night and Good night my someone. At times she made me want to belt. I thought that Shirley Jones was so good though at acting and she in my opinion is such a classic! How many of you saw her in Wicked?

Natasha

You can do anything that you put your mind to.
Have faith and you can do anything!
Break a Leg!

[freelancer]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 11:05am

The original, hands down. Robert Preston will always be Harold Hill. While I loved the revival on Broadway a few years ago, Craig Bierko's portrayal of Prof. Hill was a perfect recreation of Preston. Shirley Jones was perfect as Marian the Librarian; Buddy Hackett nailed the Shipoopi; and who doesn't love a little Ronnie Howard!

The new, on the other hand. Oy. I was horrified as I watched it. "Meet me at the foot bridge in AN HOUR?!?!?" I screamed. Literally. While I adore Victor Garber, I wish he could have found a better script adaptation. Broderick just didn't bring the bravado to the role that it needs. I applaud him for trying another approach, but it just didn't work. Harold Hill is always going to be known as Robert Preston. And I'm just not a Chenowith fan, period.

[mikewood]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 11:10am

Rebecca Luker.

heh heh

[wildcat]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 11:12am

Score one for Mrs. Partridge.

[NCGuy]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 11:20am

Definitely Shirley Jones, but as far as recordings go, Barbara Cook all the way!

[Imchristine4real]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 11:36am

I agree, no one can top Robert Preston. I hated Broderick. He may be famous but he is AWFUL as Harold Hill. Kristin as Marian was falling for him hand and foot and he was so indiffrent. Maybe we could splice the two movies together

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 11:37am

Matthew Broderick must have been on quaaludes when he filmed this. He's so bizarely deadpan.

Count me among those who couldn't get through the television remake of THE MUSIC MAN. The original film does a fine job preserving the stage show in all it's corn ball glory. It would have been nice to hear Shirley Jones sing "My White Knight" though as well all know that song was written by Frank Loesser (one of the original Broadway producers) and Wilson wanted one of his own melodies heard for the film.


Updated On: 5/5/05 at 11:37 AM

[wendy72]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 11:38am

I saw Cheno in Wicked--she is a good performer, but she was a little "schticky" for my taste--only a few people can get away with that, such as Nathan Lane, Kevin Kline, and Norbert!

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 11:57am

I ADORE Kristin with all my heart, but her Music Man sucked big time. I don't blame her or Matthew at all. It was one of the worst examples of "art" that I've ever seen. Shirley Jones in the original was perfect. A+. I've seen that movie close to a hundred times and I've yet to get sick of it.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 11:57am

double post Updated On: 5/5/05 at 11:57 AM

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 11:59am

I ditto wildcat. As usual.

[StephanietheStar]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 12:14pm

I've only seen the one with Cheno-but I first saw it when i didn't know who she was. I like Matthew Brodrick so...

I never saw her in Wicked either..but I love her..she's awesome

I'm not sure if I like the musical enough to watch the other one..:)

[Jon]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 12:15pm

Shirley - she was just so damned pretty!

[broadwaystar2b]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 12:43pm

I like both Kristin and Matthew as performers but I believe the new version was horribly miscast in almost every principal part

[Auggie27]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 1:18pm

Broderick was miscast. And the production has a twist:

After everyone had signed, Eric McCormack ("Will") went into the Broadway production for 4 months, sold many tickets, won respectable replacement reviews, and generally acquitted himself well as Harold. He sang it better, too. Something not lost on NBC. They wanted to switch to McCormack apparently -- Will and Grace was 2nd only to Friends then -- but it was too late, barring a Patti-in-Sunset buy-out of Matthew I suppose. Whatever McCormack's shortcomings, he had a genuine take on Harold that made you believe he was the traveling salesman who could swindle and break hearts. Broderick had a whiff of his Leo in the role, which didn't suit Harold Hill at all.

Updated On: 5/5/05 at 01:18 PM

[peach]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 1:31pm

I like Cheno just fine, but I gotta give one more vote to Mrs. Partridge.

C'mon get happy....

[joeybiltmore1]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 1:41pm

SHIRLEY! Chenoweth, although a wonderful singer, was miscast. In fact, that whole production was sadly miscast and misguided.

I'd put Rebecca Luker a close second to Shirley Jones. I had always admired her voice, but her Marian was the first time she proved to me that she had it all. Her "My White Knight" was glorious.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 2:20pm

I agree - original all the way!!!! The TV remake was miscast. I think Cheno sounds nice, but I was surprised that they seemingly changed the keys -- I guess to try to get a less legit sound than the original. I didn't understand the choice given that Kristen can handle anything vocally.

I don't understand what happened with Broderick. When I heard he was cast I thought "oh, how PERFECT -- if he just takes a twist on his Ferris Bueller character that could be a new interpretation to Harold Hill that could TOTALLY work." His dancing was too hammy, his line readings were just that -- line readings, his singing was just kind of BLAH. I also didn't understand why they didn't bring Stroman on for the project. Her work on the B-way revival was phenomenal and that concept would have translated beautifully to TV.

I also saw Eric McCormack in the revival and he was truly able to rethink the Harold Hill character and make him his own. Bierko sounds SO MUCH like Preston that you almost can't tell it's a different recording than the original.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 5:34pm

NO ONE beats Barbara Cook in this part, she is also awesome on the OCR. Shirley vs. Cheno?........Cheno gave a lovely performance, but I'll go with saying I preferred the performance of the Oscar winning Shirley Jones.

[Jwei123]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 5:47pm

shirley.

[Tenorific2]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 5:53pm

The first lady of American Song--

Shirley Jones

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 5:56pm

I've always preferred Jones's clear, sweet soprano to Cook's voice - there's something about the tone of her voice that doesn't appeal to me.

Updated On: 5/5/05 at 05:56 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 5:58pm

The reason the song was lowered for Chenoweth for the TV version wasn't because she couldn't sing it, but that the song needed to be in a more "conversational" tone for the intimacy of the moment in a film. It wouldn't have worked for her wailing it the way its performed on stage.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 6:07pm

Original.....the new is not even close

[ConvinceMe2]

Posted: 5/5/05 at 6:23pm

Simply no question about it, Shirley Jones!!!