My very, very, very belated review of the Music Man's most recent Broadway revival
I suppose it is long past time that I sat down and wrote out my thoughts about the 2021 Broadway revival of The Music Man. Especially as I saw it all the way back in August. As I get older, I'm finding that my capacity to recall the finer details of a book, movie, or show is beginning to elude me, so I better post this entry before all memory of the revival disappears!
Funnily enough, it was as if the universe was stacked against me to get to the darn event in the first place. I was slated to see The Music Man in May, but had to postpone due to my daughter's dance recital being unexpectedly moved to that weekend. In June, Hugh Jackman came down with Covid (a second time!), and I did not pay such exorbitant ticket prices to watch an understudy, no matter how talented said understudy was reputed to be. So we rescheduled to August, and after the previous mishaps, I couldn't quite bring myself to believe we would actually get to see the show. Fortunately, the third time proved to be the charm, and we finally managed to attend the revival without incident. (Well... there was a woman who randomly screamed that she was going to beat all of our asses as we were waiting for the theater to open, but that's New York City for you! My husband also accidentally spilled burning hot coffee on my leg, but that fortunately did not happen until after we'd seen the show.)
My thoughts on the revival are mixed. I did enjoy the show, but something felt slightly alien and not fully "Music Man" as the 1962 movie or even the other shows I've seen on stage. I suspect this is because, as wonderfully talented and formidable powerhouses as Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster are, and as great the chemistry between them was, I could never quite forget that this revival was, first and foremost, the Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster Show (which, of course, the advertising capitalizes on).
Still, Jackman did make a charming Harold Hill, as I always thought he would, ever since he played P. T. Barnum in The Greatest Showman. However, I'm not sure why he sang the role the way he did - his cadences were odd and he did not sing Harold nearly as well as he did Barnum.
Sutton Foster's unique interpretation of Marian Paroo was fresh and interesting. She has a wonderful stage presence and a true genius for comedic timing. My favorite moment was when she first met Harold. The way she answered "no" to his bombastic flirtations in such a dull, dead, disinterested voice was perfect - so different from Shirley Jones' cold, proud aloofness, but definitely fitting for the quiet desperation aspect of Marian's character. I also enjoyed her version of My White Knight, which was turned into a clever, snappy patter song to accommodate her range and her comedic brilliance. Gives hope to the rest of us mezzo-sopranos who can't easily hit that high A!
However, I loathed the changes to the lyrics for Shipoopi. It felt like empty pandering more than anyone else. No one asked for this "update." Those who find the original lyrics offensive are likely to find the whole show problematic and probably not bother seeing it, anyway. And however old-fashioned this show might be in certain respects, it will never be as disgusting or offensive as Carousel!
On a brighter note, the choreography was much improved from the 2000 revival (I was not a fan of that aspect of the show, and to my annoyance, a lot of the local shows were informed by it even a decade later). The dancing in this revival was simply incredible - words cannot do it justice, and I've forgotten the details, anyway. They also made the intriguing choice of moving Gary, Indiana to later in the show to highlight Harold's growing bond with Winthrop, rather than having the song be about him selling himself to Mrs. Paroo.
After the show, we ended up waiting at the stage door, and my daughter finagled a spot near the front of the barricade because she is an adorable child. Hugh Jackman came out and she said hi to him, and he responded “Hi, sweetheart” and patted her shoulder. Unfortunately, due to our crappy positions in the crowd, my husband and I were unable to get any video or even photos of this momentous occasion. I did get a hilarious photo of a man looking utterly thrilled to see Sutton Foster. And I returned home with a charming tote bag mimicking Harold Hill's suitcase and a drink cup with the revival's blaring HUGH JACKMAN SUTTON FOSTER logo - both of which cost an obscene amount of money but were worth the purchase.
Would I see the show again if I had the opportunity (and the money)? Certainly. I'd give it a 7 out of 10. Not my favorite version of the show, not a classic, but definitely a solid performance. It would be cool if they filmed it for streaming, but as a fan of obscure things, I've learned not to hold my breath hoping for such niceties.