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Show 'Music Man' Seen, Not Heard By ZANE MISKIN Valley Music Hall's production of "Music Man" was somewhat less than perfect in its Monday night opening, but still well worth seeing. A few constant problems continue to plague the circular showcase. Sound, or the lack of it, is one of the biggest. The first few songs by Art Lund were not clear even as far as the tenth row, and while this may have been due to Mr. Lund's overpracticing just prior to opening, it could have easily been corrected by judicious use of the microphones. "Music Man" must bear the brunt of comparison with the film version, and by comparison, the conductor's baton work seemed a little fast. Once again the orchestra overpowered the singers in the opening numbers, much as they did on opening "Oliver" two weeks ago. But by the fifth scene everything every-thing fell into place. An added fillip for moviegoers attending VMH's version is Marian's Mar-ian's song, "My White Knight" a number which wasn't included in the celluloid. Just before intermission, an accident ac-cident happened when the horse pulling the Wells Fargo wagon chose the middle of the stage to embarrass himself. The audience shrieked. Kathy Heath, playing the Mayor's wife, showed her professional profes-sional aplomb when she adlibbed, "Come on, George, let's get the Department of Sanitation." Maureen Bailey was lovely and feminine as Marian Paroo, and Art 'Lund does well as Prof. Harold Hill, con-man extraordinary. But as in "Oliver" the most roses must go to a child star in this case, Russell Schulman for his portrayal of Winthrop Paroo, the lisping, self-conscious, little brother of the librarian. The most striking scenes of this opening night, and the most believable, be-lievable, came in the closing moments mo-ments of truth when the musical con-man discovers that there was "love all around, but I never heard it singing" and decided to face the "music." The unexpected support he gets from Marian and Winthrop, and the heartfilling ending, makes this one of the all-time great shows in whatever medium it appears, and whoever does it. The plays the thing. |
