The Music Man, Meredith Willson's 55-year-old play about a fast-talking traveling salesman (and charming swindler) named Professor Harold Hill, plays at the Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford from July 5 to July 29. Ticket prices range from $47 to $52 plus tax and tip and include meal (lunch or dinner) and admission.
The Music Man opened on Broadway in 1957 and collected five Tony Awards including Best Musical; it ran for 1,375 performances with Robert Preston leading the cast. Preston later appeared in a 1962 screen adaptation of The Music Man, recreating his role as salesman Harold Hill who proclaims convincingly that there is "trouble right here in River City."
The album won a Grammy Award for "Best Original Cast Album" and it ranked number one on the Billboard charts for 245 weeks.
A Broadway revival of The Music Man opened in April, 2000 and ran for 699 performances. The cast for the revival was headed by Rye native Craig Bierko as Professor Harold Hill (this was Craig's Broadway debut).
In the production of The Music Man now at the Westchester Broadway Theatre, Craig's brother Scott plays Harold Hill and Victoria Lauzun plays Marian Paroo, the River City librarian. Supporting performers include Brandon Singel as Winthrop Paroo, Lexi Staubi as Amaryllis, Jeff Raab as Marcellus Washburn, Regina Singel as Mrs. Paroo, Christina Tompkins as Eulalie Mackechnie Shinn, Peter Ackerman as Mayor George Shinn, D.J. Folk as Tommy Djilas, and Jennifer Jonas as Zaneeta Shinn.
The musical's key personnel includes director John J. Fanelli who is the founder of the Lighthouse Youth Theatre in Thornwood, choreographer Greg Baccarini, musical director Kurt Kelley, costume directors George Croom and Maria Castaldo, producer and stage manager Jesse Pellegrino, and executive producer Nannette Fanelli.
Cast members also include FaTye, Martin Bonventre, Jimmy Tate, Brian Conklin, Tom Ammirato, Emily Apadula, Molly Brown, Jasmine Cores, Anthony Fante, Gianna Florio, Jeana Forman, Danny Hammond, Tony Harkin, Jonathan Genovese, Kenzie Kyle, Christopher Milano, Michelle Morris, Rene O'Neal, Nicole Sartor, Carrie Silvernail and Jill Twiss.
Performances are scheduled through July 29 as follows:
- Thursdays. At 11:15 a.m. and 6:15 p.m
- Fridays. At 6:15 p.m.
- Saturdays. At 11:15 a.m.
- Sundays. At 11:15 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. (the times shown are for meal service)
The curtain rises 1 hour and 45 minutes after meal service begins.
For reservations, call 914-592-2222. Reservations can also be made at www.BroadwayTheatre.com
The theater can seat 500 people for a show (including up to 80 in luxury boxes).
Westchester Broadway Theatre, 1 Broadway Plaza (175 Clearbrook Road), Elmsford. Box office: (914) 592-2222.
