The Music Man with Hugh Jackman

[+ WilliamM]

I am very surprised by the mostly negative reviews, especially from The New York Times. 

Reviewers seem to believe that Jackman wasn't believable as a con man.

Willson's music is not Sondheim's. style. Although I prefer The Music Man to Company (mostly because The Music Man is seldom revived)

[jeezifonly]

Unfortunately, Preston’s Harold Hill, both on stage and screen, is iconic. It doesn’t necessarily improve the role nor the show to stray from it. 

Hugh and Sutton are both electric talents. Will Rogers Follies, or My One and Only would have both been better vehicles.

And the changing of the lyrics!!  - theatre audiences can handle uncomfortable stuff, and fit it into their “a while back” comprehension. 
How To Succeed… and Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum do not work without misogyny, each a story from times when it was common. Both fantastic pieces of musical theatre. Using standards applied to this Music Man revival, they would never be performed again. 

[+ WilliamM]

On 2/14/2022 at 5:11 PM, jeezifonly said:

Unfortunately, Preston’s Harold Hill, both on stage and screen, is iconic. It doesn’t necessarily improve the role nor the show to stray from it. 

Hugh and Sutton are both electric talents. Will Rogers Follies, or My One and Only would have both been better vehicles.

And the changing of the lyrics!!  - theatre audiences can handle uncomfortable stuff, and fit it into their “a while back” comprehension. 
How To Succeed… and Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum do not work without misogyny, each a story from times when it was common. Both fantastic pieces of musical theatre. Using standards applied to this Music Man revival, they would never be performed again. 

Or "I Do, I Do,"  which is less iconic Robert Preston.

[jeezifonly]

7 minutes ago, WilliamM said:

Or "I Do, I Do,"  which is less iconic Robert Preston.

True, but not a show worth B’way remounting if you want to sell tickets… 

[+ WilliamM]

22 hours ago, jeezifonly said:

True, but not a show worth B’way remounting if you want to sell tickets… 

I mostly agree, but it would depend on the two stars. Jackman and the Agnes character.

[jeezifonly]

Have you ever seen the two-hand play it’s based on? Nothing happens aside from a married couple aging… a charm bomb for two older stars aimed at older audiences. The bed would have to burst into flame to attract an audience under forty…🙄 🤣

[+ WilliamM]

2 hours ago, jeezifonly said:

Have you ever seen the two-hand play it’s based on? Nothing happens aside from a married couple aging… a charm bomb for two older stars aimed at older audiences. The bed would have to burst into flame to attract an audience under forty…🙄 🤣

I agree that the original cast of Preston and Martin eventual left to tour.  And David Merrick casting of sort of well known replacements did not sell tickets 

Even if I lived closer to New York, I had no interest in seeing it with even Robert and Mary 

Edited February 17, 2022 by WilliamM

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Jesse Green's NYT review was spot on. 

Saw the show this past week and the only thing I can say for $550/seat was that it was underwhelming and miscast. 

Jackman isn't my thing. He doesn't sing. He bleats in the same nasal, dulcet tone. He never creates a character, but instead plays himself. Simply bad directing. 

Sutton I like, but her voice is completely wrong for this show. Marian's high notes should be effortless and soaring, but instead these sound forced and too brassy.

The humor is there, but the character development is not.

Cheap-looking sets.

Odd tempos in classic songs.

Changes to the book to accommodate the woke generation.

If they gave this production to Bartlett Sher, it would have been better by leaps and bounds. What I now choose to remember is the 2000 revival of Music Man, with the excellent Craig Bierko and Rebecca Luker... Both actors who knew EXACTLY what show they were doing and did it beautifully.  It also helped that it was all under the direction of Susan Stroman. 

Edited February 17, 2022 by Benjamin_Nicholas

[jeezifonly]

42 minutes ago, Benjamin_Nicholas said:

Jesse Green's NYT review was spot on. 

Saw the show this past week and the only thing I can say for $550/seat was that it was underwhelming and miscast. 

Jackman isn't my thing. He doesn't sing. He bleats in the same nasal, dulcet tone. He never creates a character, but instead plays himself. Simply bad directing. 

Sutton I like, but her voice is completely wrong for this show. Marian's high notes should be effortless and soaring, but instead these sound forced and too brassy.

The humor is there, but the character development is not.

Cheap-looking sets.

Odd tempos in classic songs.

Changes to the book to accommodate the woke generation.

If they gave this production to Bartlett Sher, it would have been better by leaps and bounds. What I now choose to remember is the 2000 revival of Music Man, with the excellent Craig Bierko and Rebecca Luker... Both actors who knew EXACTLY what show they were doing and did it beautifully.  It also helped that it was all under the direction of Susan Stroman. 

I first caught sight of Jackman as Curly in Oklahoma! At the National Theatre in London. He was a revelation- both he and Laurie danced the full dream ballet, and the show was changed only to allow smooth scene transitions that also involved cast moving onstage to music, doing work. Jackman  was a new kind of R&H leading man, easy-moving and friendly in sex appeal, and the production as successful is the same team’s earlier revival of Carousel.
Obviously this Music Man revival was conceived by producer$ and not by people who appreciate the show for what it is - a love note to plain townspeople of the Midwest and to unlikely romance.
 

In 1957, it was a star-making vehicle for Preston and Cook. You want to squeeze other stars into it, they need to be up to the task as it’s written, and the producers need to trust the audience to absorb any unfamiliar/uncomfortable  language and ideas in the play’s context of time and place. This revival may do better when replacements are found!

[handiacefailure]

I saw it in NYC when I was there a couple weeks ago along with Company (2nd time seeing it on Broadway and saw it with Patti in London in the west end pre covid).

Only reason I saw Music Man was because Sutton Foster was in it and huge fan of hers (I've seen every show she has been in since Millie with the exception of Little Women).   Hugh Jackman was also nice eye candy.

I liked Company a lot better and wouldn't see Music Man again but the talent in it was great.   If it wasn't for Hugh and Sutton, I wouldn't see it.   I suggest seeing it if you are a fan of either Hugh or Sutton.

 

 

[+ WilliamM]

On 3/1/2022 at 11:22 PM, handiacefailure said:

I saw it in NYC when I was there a couple weeks ago along with Company (2nd time seeing it on Broadway and saw it with Patti in London in the west end pre covid).

Only reason I saw Music Man was because Sutton Foster was in it and huge fan of hers (I've seen every show she has been in since Millie with the exception of Little Women).   Hugh Jackman was also nice eye candy.

I liked Company a lot better and wouldn't see Music Man again but the talent in it was great.   If it wasn't for Hugh and Sutton, I wouldn't see it.   I suggest seeing it if you are a fan of either Hugh or Sutton.

 

 

I was too young to see Robert Preston in The Music Man. And I have never seen the musical on stage, just the film. So I shall she The Music Man for that reason.

[njr47]

Recently saw The Music Man on Broadway, with Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman.  Both actors are  vastly talented and professional.  More importantly, they are able to almost magnetically connect with the audience.  Joyous.  I have rarely seen an audience respond so ecstatically to a musical.  It's definitely worth the ridiculously high ticket price!

[+ WilliamM]

The revival of The Music Man will close on January 1, 2023. Mr. Jackman is staying with the musical until then. 

Despite covid19, it has been a successful run as far as ticket sales

Great review by the previous member.