Meredith Willson's well-known 1957 musical, The Music Man, follows the story of Harold Hill, a con man who poses as a band director, promising to teach the children of River City, Iowa, to play musical instruments. He charms the unsuspecting townsfolk with chicanery and musical nonsense. The town librarian, Marion, is the only one who doesn't believe in Hill's lies. She is the predecessor to Beauty and the Beast's Belle – an unmarried woman who dares to read books, so the entire town thinks she's a loser weirdo. In a true "enemies to lovers" trope, these two fall for one another and wind up getting hitched. The town rejoices – one less swindler and old spinster woman to worry about.
At first glance, there are few characters to admire in The Music Man; the women are portrayed as vapid gossips and the men are always yelling at one another unless they can form a barbershop quartet. The show's music is a different story. The script, score and lyrics boasts inventive songs, along with a slew of tunes that have become Broadway standards for a reason. Like many older American musicals, The Music Man suffers from being of a 'certain time.' It's difficult to not eye-roll at the gender stereotypes, but there's an element of nostalgic, joyous Americana that gradually seeps in. The show also remains current about the mercurial nature of mob mentality – a theme that very much resonates today.
Real-life married couple DJ and Alyssa Shultz perfectly portray the unlikely romantic duo of Harold Hill and Marion the librarian. Able to do scene work at home as well as onstage, they believe there is more to these characters than we might perceive.
"It's been a really cool collaboration because we bounce ideas off each other and dig in to peel back some of their layers," said DJ. He elaborated, "Harold Hill has a heart for the marginalized. He brings all these people together who are cast out by society, as he himself is, because he's good at his job."
"At first, I was annoyed by Marion," Alyssa said. "She's marrying Harold even with all of the lies, but talking through the artistry of it with DJ, we realized Marion is worldly enough to see that he's a con man, but knows his heart is in the right place. I've loved finding these moments in the show – the true depth of these characters," she said.
This is the second time that DJ has portrayed the iconic Harold Hill, and it's obvious as to why he's been cast in this role again. DJ exudes a natural charm, making his character who hoodwinks a whole town believable. "The last time I played Hill was 27 years ago, but it came back pretty quick," said DJ. His many-lyric song lines are dizzying.
This is Alyssa's first time playing Marion, but it is no less impressive. Her quick-witted, biting comments are funny and sharp, and her floating, effortless vocals are unmatched. The song, "My White Knight" was especially spectacular, but the banter between her and Hill is the true star of the show.
"We have this one scene that's a lot of back-and-forth," Alyssa said. "We knew from the start we wanted to get that one down, so we memorized it quickly so we could really act it. It's helpful to have a built-in practice buddy."
Some other high-quality performances were the well-blended barbershop quartet of Robert Glatz, Elijah Sadler, Kyle Sottoriva and Greg Jensen, along with the enchanting Zaneeta Shinn, played by Annelyse Warren.
Warren said, "My favorite moment of the show is the song "Shipoopi," it's one of the biggest dance numbers," and I would have to agree. Kevin Hart, playing a funny clown rendition of ex-con man Marcellus Washburn, had everyone clapping and smiling during his version of "Shipoopi." It was a genuine delight.
Although the opening night sound wasn't yet well-balanced, and the set décor was a bit reminiscent of a Memorial Day sale, the heartfelt efforts of the cast and crew shone through. One can't help but smile with the children of River City, drawing in the audience with their infectious enthusiasm. It was a well-loved moment to have them venture beyond the confines of the Muni stage, weaving and dancing through the aisles, illuminating the musical's enduring message of community and togetherness.
Courtney Wick is a freelance writer from Springfield who is active in the area theater scene. Most recently, she wrote and directed the murder-mystery comedy "Nightmare at the Hot Mess Hair Salon," a follow-up to her previous production, "Nightmare at the Sweet Dreams Inn."
