By Kathryn Olsen for Front Row Reviewers
In the well-proportioned Theater at Mount Jordan in the city of Sandy, The Music Man by Sandy Arts Guild is bringing audiences to the setting of a tiny Iowa town with a cramped school gymnasium as its main venue. This musical, written by Meredith Willson based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey, became a Tony Award-winnning Broadway sensation in 1957 and an Academy Award-winning film adaptation in 1962. I grew up knowing the words to “76 Trombones” by heart and first performed in community theater as a library dancer in 8th grade, so I was thrilled to be provided the opportunity to review a local production.
As the play opens, a gaggle of traveling salesmen commiserate on the way that the modern advances of the world have decreased the need for people of their trade. Charlie Cowell (Drew Thompson) has it out for a conman, Professor Harold Hill (Jared Saunders), who sells small town folk on the idea of a boys’ band and sweeps out of town after the money has been collected and before any performances can take place. It is at this point that one of his fellow travelers grabs his suitcase–emblazoned with “Prof. Harold Hill”–and makes a run for it. He escapes into River City and, after getting the lay of the land, finds that the town has recently acquired a pool table. About four and a half minutes of singing later, he’s frightened the townspeople into such a moral panic that they’re convinced their youngsters will be smoking, dancing, and swearing exclusively because of the temptation to play pool. The only thing to be done is to straighten them out and put them in the about-to-be-formed River City Boys’ Band. There are only two obstacles: the suspicious and contentious school board (Gary Brotherson, Ben Chapman, Jim Dale, and Steven To) who insist on seeing his teaching credentials and Marian Paroo (Morgan Hekking), the librarian who is suspicious of this sweet-talking “professor.” Will Harold succeed in his con or will he be run out of town when the truth comes out?
Saunders walks into River City with a keen and inconveniently sharp mind and it doesn’t for a moment seem as though the actor is playing a part. The charm oozes out of him with every beat of the performance, but he has an unusual range of charisma for the part. A favorite aspect of this is that he makes the youngest children feel involved in the excitement as much as he does when describing the wonders of seventy-six trombones to their parents. Having seen many versions of this play, I have never seen a Harold Hill who is so inclusive of the entire cast and that is the magic that worked on me as an audience member.
Hekking is a straightforward powerhouse as both a musician and an actress. The role shows her to be an unusually discerning person who works throughout the story to open herself to trust and love. Hekking is an audience-pleaser as the one person who fights back against Harold’s beguiling ways and stands her ground, but her songs often require vocal gymnastics that are sincere and soaring and she hits that mark each and every time. The chemistry with Saunders is a delight to watch.
Amy Wadsworth plays Marian’s mother as over-the-top and gleefully Irish as the script requires with its frequent invocations of Saint Patrick or Saint Brigid. She also has a streak of self-satisfaction and self-awareness that is enhanced by the skills of this wonderful actress. Her main musical contribution in “Gary, Indiana” is a favorite moment as a way of connecting with her family in a generation-bridging way.
This production has a spectacular youth contingent of over twenty people, so naturally, the stand-outs must be mentioned. Amaryllis (Naomi Sharette), Marian’s piano student and the eventual friend of Marian’s brother Winthrop (Joseph Saunders), is the performer who most caught my eye. She has a tendency to draw attention to others’ discomfort, but Sharette acts on the side of empathy in several places and there is a real sincerity to her performance. Joseph Saunders’ journey from nearly-mute bystander to an excited member of the band is so striking that I found myself crying for joy when he burst into song at the end of Act I. Meanwhile, Mikenzie McIntyre and Morgan Walker are the star-crossed crushes Zaneeta and Tommy who use each other’s audacity and affection to grow into the people they hope to be and they are entertaining in their antics.
Mayor Shinn (John Newall) and Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn (Briana Chipman) are another pair who rely on each other for their histrionic and hysterical efforts to provide leadership for River City. Newall uses his native Scottish brogue with such intentional thickness at times that it’s only possible to guess at the content of his rants and his rage at being foiled and upstaged is only outdone by his wife. Chapman has notoriety thrust on her and she always eagerly accepts, whether explaining the true state of things in the city or directing the dance auxiliary in their tableaux of two grecian urns and a fountain. They make a great team and deserve the enthusiastic applause that greets them at curtain call.
In any production of The Music Man, the School Board is a special treat. Unable to make a decision on anything because of bickering, these four actors become inseparable when they become a barbershop quartet. Brotherson, Chapman, Dale, and To switch between spontaneous four-part ballads and civic duty with comical speed and the casting is perfect for the roles.
Finally, Harold’s accomplice and nemesis must each be mentioned. Joseph Thompson, his former business partner, is always up for a scheme while accidentally flubbing a minor detail, and he is fun to watch as he turns off the cunning and turns on the wooing for his boss’ niece. Thompson, meanwhile, can be summed up in one word: grudge. He arrives in every scene by dropping a case of anvils and ignores the drama of that in favor of getting back at Harold Hill. His appearances are brief, but he is another stand-out of the cast.
Best of all is the ensemble. The adults exert a considerable force on the storyline in a way that resembles a Greek chorus and the directorial staff has trained each faction of the townsfolk so well that they have personalities to watch. The younger members can be seen having fun and being normal kids during “Ya Got Trouble,” which is clearly the worst thing they could possibly do. There are several levels of dancing expected and they have all worked extremely hard to perform to their appropriate level so that this is some of the best ensemble work for dance that I have seen in several years.
Director David Hanson, Music Director Eric Richards, and Assistant Music Director Cristina Bean have taken a large and complex cast and wrung the best out of their efforts. Choreographer Reagan Stott and Co-Choreographer Lori Breeze are responsible for the way that the mob mentality as well as the cohesive town feeling move throughout the space with purpose and skill. The costumes by designer Chad McBride and assistants Arianna McBride, and Pam McBride are wonderfully varied with the addition of millinery designed by Jackie Fredrickson and hair and makeup by Nicole Scoubes to bring together the early 20th-Century look of midwestern America. The sets are versatile and well-designed by Spencer Brown and Lighting Designer Rick Marston effectively sets the mood by time of day and intimacy of setting. Stage Manager Steve George and Assistant Stage Managers Alanna Cottam and Jalyn Bender keep their large technical crew keeping the show going like clockwork.
There are some suggestive lyrics and some mildly adult dialogue, but this is a show that children as well as adults can find things to enjoy in.
There are two more weeks to step off the train in River City, so hurry to the Theater at Mount Jordan for a foot-tapping, gut-busting time with The Music Man. You’ll find yourself wishing you were Iowa stubborn as the whole cast.
Sandy Arts Guild Presents The Music Man; by Meredith Willson, based on a short story by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey.
The Theater at Mount Jordan, 9351 Mountaineer Ln, Sandy, UT 84070
August 4-19, 2023, 7:30 PM, see site for details.
Tickets: $8-15
www.sandyarts.com
Contact: 801-568-6097
Sandy Arts Guild Facebook Page
The Music Man Facebook Event
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