The Music Man

Marching, rollicking, romancing with Meredith Willson's musical.

Described by New York times critic, Brooks Atkinson, as a show as "American as apple pie and a Fourth of July oration," "The Music Man" opens Thursday evening, June 22 and plays through Sunday, September 3. With book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, "The Music Man's" story revolves around Professor Harold Hill, the fascinating fraud, and glib-tongued, fast-footed, woman-chasing traveling salesman from Gary, Indiana who bursts into colorless River City (population 2,312) alerting frozen-faced parents to such corrupters of their youth as pool halls and dime novels. He then proceeds to charm them into buying uniforms and instruments for a boy's marching band falling for Marian the Librarian along the way.

Meredith Willson authored his first show ever at the age of 55 and on Broadway it received five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, in addition to the Outer Circle Critics Award for best musical. The original cast recording received the first Grammy in the history of the National Academy of Recording Arts &Sciences.

Thirty-five years ago, Meredith Willson spotted Jim Korinke on the "Ted Mack Amateur Hour" in New York City, and offered Jim a tiny role in his newest production "Here's Love". Now all these years later, New Theatre favorite, Jim Korinke has come full circle with Mr.Willson, as he stars as Harold Hill.

A native of Nashua, Iowa-just 30 miles from Meredith Willson's native Mason City, the prototype for The Music Man's River City - Jim last appeared in "Remember Me?" with Tom Poston. Jim has been honored with two Drama Desk Awards, for "Guys & Doll" and "Gypsy", and a Best of Kansas City Award for "Sheen Madness". Offstage, he maintains a bustling commercial and film career, and a TV and movie production company named "Geezers".

Co-starring as Marian The Librarian is Lori Blalock, who last appeared at the New Theatre in "Smoke On The Mountain" as June Sanders. The production will be directed by Dennis D. Hennessy.

"The Music Man" has show-stopping tunes in scene: "Rock Island", the first choral scene that does not have one note of music; "Trouble", "Goodnight My Someone" in counterpoint to "Lesson", "Marian The Librarian", the rousing "Seventy-Six Trombones", the barbershop quartet harmonies of "Lida Rose" and "Sincere", along with the love song "Till There Was You", in addition to musical comedy moments with "Shipoopi," "Pickalittle", and "Wells Fargo Wagon", and "Gary, Indiana."

Tickets and reservations are available by calling 913-649-SHOW or stopping at the New Theatre Restaurant, 9229 Foster (one block west of Metcalf) in Overland Park. Prices are $18.95 to $38.95 and include both show and dining, evenings Tuesday through Sunday at 6 p.m. with matinees scheduled Wednesday and Sunday at noon. Parking is free and all areas are handicap accessible.