‘Music Man’ is richly rousing

Tom Titus

Few, if any, theatergoers have escaped the spellbinding effects of

Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man,” whether on stage, screen or, most

recently, on television. It’s the most unabashedly American of

musical comedies, set in the heart of middle America circa 1912.

Tim Nelson certainly hasn’t. He played the leading role of Harold

Hill in high school back in the Midwest and has visited the fictional

town of River City, Iowa, many times since, either as an actor,

director or musical director.

Now Nelson has assembled a new band of “River Citizens,” as the

town’s mayor calls them, for the Academy of Performing Arts at

Huntington Beach High School, and the 17 trombones (and assorted

other instruments) have seldom sounded more enthusiastic -- thanks in

large measure to the full-bodied pit orchestra under the baton of

Gregg Gilboe.

Nelson has injected some new, creative touches into Willson’s

vintage show without sacrificing its warmth and appeal. The train in

the opening scene puffs real smoke, Marcellus is an active accomplice

to his buddy Harold Hill in the “Trouble” number, anvil salesman

Charlie Cowell turns his product into an instrument at the curtain

call. Little things that enrich this most familiar of musicals.

At the core of any production of “The Music Man,” of course, is

its Professor Harold Hill, the traveling salesman/con man who sets

out to fleece an Iowa community by selling band instruments and

uniforms, then catching the next train before he can teach the

children his think system. Robert Preston is as identified with this

role as is Rex Harrison with “My Fair Lady” or Yul Brynner with “The

King and I.”

Taking on this prodigious assignment for the academy is senior “D”

Pull, who more resembles a young Dick Van Dyke in his “Mary Poppins”

days than Preston. Pull employs both smooth talk and smoother moves

as he whisks around the stage, conning everyone in sight except, of

course, the town librarian. His featured number, “Seventy-six

Trombones,” sparks an outpouring of ensemble excellence, including

some aerial gymnastics from some terrific, though uncredited, young

ladies.

The librarian’s role leans more on vocal excellence than

interpretation, but Amie Shapiro has both qualities nailed. Her

performance is credible, but when she hits the high notes in “My

White Knight,” she brings down the house.

A.J. Guiterrez enacts the blustering Mayor Shinn with a

scenery-chewing gusto, while Alie Gibbons as his social butterfly

wife projects a giddiness rarely glimpsed in this character. Ryan

Hill excels as a fast-talking (often too fast for comprehension)

Marcellus Washburn and Jeff Eberly contributes a memorable cameo as

the anvil salesman.

The standout of the supporting cast, however, is Jill Prout as

Marian’s warm and deeply Irish mother, tackling a convincing accent

as a bonus. Riley Richards is fine as her lisping son, Winthrop,

while Jenna Pinkham is button-cute as his schoolmate, Amaryllis.

Evan Strand and Mary Braun are a peppy pair of teenage lovers

(alternating in these roles with Josh Alton and Natalie Kollar). The

makeshift barber shop quartet of Brian Chapman, Michael Taber, Alex

Bartosch and Liang Wang enriches the old-time aspect of the show with

their harmonies.

Choreographer Diane Makas-Weber has done herself particularly

proud in this production, engineering the energetic ensemble through

some often-tricky moves (those anonymous gymnasts deserve individual

credit). The library scene especially glitters with choreographic

imagination and verve.

The impressive scenic designs -- created by Pull (as if he didn’t

have enough to do playing the leading role) and coordinated by

technical director Joe Batte -- project the trappings of a real

Broadway show. Kathleen Timm’s period costuming is first rate.

No matter how many times you’ve seen “The Music Man,” and many of

us are in double figures in this regard, there’s always room for a

fresh approach, which is what the Huntington Beach academy offers in

a most enjoyable production.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.