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Peer Reviews The Music
Man Entire contents are copyright © 2008, Craig Nolan Highley. All rights reserved.
Clarksville Little Theatre has made some impressive artistic choices over the last couple of years in their selections of plays. I applaud their boldness in picking shows that are a little "outside the box" compared to what other community theatre groups are doing. Recent seasons have included such productions as Urinetown, The Full Monty and The Boys Next Door. Even the upcoming Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, while a classic theatre piece, is hardly a show you'd bring your conservative grandmother to. So it's surprising that with all that forward momentum, CLT would choose a clunky relic like The Music Man, a show so done to death that even Disney and ABC couldn't find an audience when they produced a TV version a couple of years ago with Matthew Broderick and Kristin Chenoweth! That having been said, however, it is my duty to report that CLT's current production is nearly flawless in spite of everything! CLT has done it again, delivering an energetic production with an attractive cast that gives it their all.
The all-too-familiar story involves traveling con-man Harold Hill (Daniel Main) as he tries to swindle a stubborn Iowa town into starting a boys' band with instruments and uniforms he is selling. He also plans to skip town as soon as the merchandise is delivered. Along the way, he romances repressed librarian Marian Paroo (Carrie Cook), and inspires her troubled little brother Winthrop (Knox McMillan) to come out of his shell. In the lead role, Main does an adequate job of making Harold Hill his own, never falling into the trap of trying to channel Robert Preston (who created the role on Broadway and reprised it in the 1962 film version). A lot of other actors I've seen perform the role can't make the same claim! Less successful is Chris Haulter as Hill's sidekick, Marcellus. I'm not sure what characterization he was going for, but I found his hybrid of Jack Benny and Lou Costello, along with his constant mugging, to be annoying and distracting. By far, though, the breakout performance here is Cook as Hill's love interest, Marion the Librarian. She is very lovely, her acting is first rate, and her singing voice is amazing. Up until now, I've only seen her performing in bit parts, and was just blown away by the talent she showed here. Other kudos go to Kathy Todd Chaney's energetic choreography and the colorful hats and costumes by Sandra Seneshan, Kira Tash, Kathleen LePera and Kevin Swansey. There is very little to say on the negative side. There were one or two performances that could have been a bit more polished, and the show could have used just a bit more attention to detail (twirling a strand of yarn into a spiral around a knitting needle does not make it look like you are knitting); but these really were minor distractions from an otherwise strong production.
The Music Man January 11-20, 2008 Featuring Shannon Bell, Bryce Blair, Whitney Blandford, Trevor Boley, Chelsey Brewer, Neil Brewer, Cheyenne Bullis, Cathy Butler-Weathersby, Bill Byrne, Caitlin Byron, Dan Canon, Kathy Todd Chaney, Larry Chaney, Rebecca Chaney, Kristen Connelly, Carrie Cook, Gary Crockett, Jerry Daiker, Adam Ellis, Ian Ellis, Laura Ellis, Peyton Evans, Glenna Godsey, Jessica Godsey-Riley, Chris Haulter, Katie Hay, Victoria Hay, Brittany Hoagland, Becky Hoben, Brian Hoben, Kaitlin Hoben, Kelsey Hoben, Zac Holman, Brandon Horrar, Alyssa Hyndman, Addi Johnson, Nic Johnson, Lauren Kapfhammer, Pat LaFollette, Brad Lambert, Jolie Lindley, Daniel Main, Knox McMillan, Mary Stuart McMillan, Sarah Elizabeth McMillen, Emily Miller, Brian Morris, Janet Morris, Ashley Murray, Cate Payne, Josh O’Brien, Jerry D. Prince, Haylie Rebilas, Jim Reid, Chloe Richardson, Ethan Tackett, Kira Tash, Katie Trusty, Samantha Weathersby, Shelby Weathersby, Cindy Ramser Whalen, and Zoe Zink.
Posted Jan. 14, 2008
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