There's a reason why Meredith Wilson's landmark turn-of-the-century fable continues to appeal to American Musical Theatre fans. As the final production of the Reagle Players' nostalgia summer, which began with "West Side Story", the show "The Music Man" beat out for the Tony in 1957, the book, with Franklin Lacey's assistance taps into basic elements of the form. Add to that songs solidly based in the American songbook with a touch of novelty and it's hard to go wrong. Founding director Robert J. Eagle recreates another classic show, with expert assistance from Eileen Grace, a Radio City Music Hall staff choreographer back for another successful collaboration. The company's resident choreographer Susan M. Chebookjian puts her very able corps through their paces, capturing the flavor of Onna White's original dances. The full orchestra under Jeffrey P. Leonard's baton brings Wilson's knowing arrangements fully to life. As advertised, Reagle's once again done Broadway at prices Broadway hasn't seen for years.
Playing the title role, Reagle's final show of the summer once again features local news anchor, Scott Wahle, an able song and dance man clearly having the time of his life doing Professor Harold Hill, the role that made Robert Preston famous. His leading lady is Sarah Pfisterer, outstanding last summer as Eliza Doolittle, whose classic tones do justice to the show's songs originated by Barbara Cook. Her Marion the Librarian is very likable. The comic gem of the show is local comedienne Cheryl MacMahon's wonderfully self-centered Eulalie McKechnie Shinn, the Mayor's wife. Her overbearing husband is the reliable Harold W. "Jerry" Walker , back for his 26th season at Reagle. Right up there with this mis-matched pair is voice artist Robert Lydiard back onstage as Marcellus, Hill's former sidekick, who get's to energize the second act leading "Shipoopi". The school committee turned barbershop quartet, which is sometimes overlooked in revival productions is in top form with Christopher King, Douglas Hodge, Brian Vaughn, and George Bouchard harmonizing to the audience's rapt attention with "Sincere" and "Lida Rose." And Darcy Pullam makes Mother Paroo appealing and believably Irish.
Reagle has no problem finding youngsters for a show like this from their own youth program and from around the area. Pet-loving Emily Paleyfrom Newton is engaging as Amaryllis and Sam Blumenfield from Arlington is near perfect as Winthrop. singing "Gary, Indiana", lisp and all. The kids in the band, who'll need to grow into their uniforms, are a highlight of the raucous finale. Among the teenagers , Jesse Sinerate from Watham now attending Emerson, seen in both shows earlier this season and in Reagle Youth Theatre productions before that, sparkles as Zaneeta, the Mayor's daughter. Brett Schellenberger from Texas, a limber dancer, is her boyfriend from the wrong side of the tracks--and Hill's right hand boy. The large ensemble of singers and dancers, drawn from Reagle's experienced ranks with a few professionals booked for the season, is in top form with Karen Gahagan as their vocal director.
Special credit goes to designers James Fouchard and Bob Moody, one of the country's premiere scene painters. The set for this production is being shared with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. Moody's masterful drops give just the right period touch to the show. Even the costumes hired from Kansas City Costume capture the era, and keep Gayle Sullivan's wardrobe crew hopping with the changes Sound reinforcement keeps improving and Shaun Fillion's lighting has a spacious feel. One wonders what he could do with enough instruments once the power in the Robinson is increased. The company has lived up to its reputation with this revival, from the rhythmic unaccompanied opening number officially known as "Rock Island" led by Bob Freschi as the anvil salesman, balanced by "Pick-a-Little" for the ladies, to the show's standards, "Goodnight, My Someone" and "Till There Was You". And of course Wilson's tribute to Sousa, with whom he played, "76 Trombones". Each familiar tune by a master of American music reinforces the show's fundamental romance where the flawed , but engaging hero ultimately deserves the heroine awakened to her own dreams. And maybe the River City Boys Band, with a few of their little sisters thrown in, will actually learn to play by the next Fourth of July. This is one show where modernizers will be hard put to find the darker side, but which will continue to be revived, despite such miscast efforts as Disney's recent TV version.