Everything you need to know starring Hugh Jackman on Broadway-
Learn all about the classic musical before your trip to River City.
Sound the seventy-six trombones! The Music Man is marching back onto Broadway for its third revival, with Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster leading the big parade. The story of a con man and a local librarian who develop true feelings for each other amid the con man’s web of lies has endeared and uplifted audiences since its premiere in 1957. The show would turn out to be creator Meredith Willson’s most famous show and is widely regarded as his magnum opus.
Now you, too, can join the big parade by seeing The Music Man at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre — but ya got trouble if you don’t know anything about the show. Read all about the show’s award-winning history, musical numbers, and all the details on the show’s cast and running time before you head to the theatre.
What is The Music Man about?
The main character of The Music Man is a con man named Professor Harold Hill. He travels all throughout the Midwest posing as a music instructor for boys’ bands. He sells uniforms and instruments to hopeful young groups of musicians and promises to train them to become successful bands. But he doesn’t actually know the first thing about teaching — so once he gets the boys’ money, he skips town before teaching them a single note.
The Music Man kicks off when he arrives in River City, Iowa, with plans to enact his scheme there. He convinces the townsfolk that the town’s new pool table will lead all their boys to corruption, so he promises to teach them music to keep them upright. But the local librarian, Marian Paroo — who happens to double as an actual piano teacher — sees right through his lies and resolves to expose him. The only problem is, there are some things about Harold Hill that turn out to be true. He shows genuine care for her younger brother, who lisps, and helps him gain real confidence in himself, endearing Marian to him. Her plan to expose Harold as a fraud suddenly get complicated as she develops real feelings of her own for him.
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When did The Music Man premiere?
The Music Man first premiered on Broadway more than 60 years ago, on December 19, 1957. That production ran for 1,375 performances, closing in 1961, and received six Tony Awards including Best Musical.
The 2021 production is the musical’s second Broadway revival, following one in 2000. Performances were supposed to begin in 2020 but were delayed by the pandemic; The Music Man finally began performances on December 20, 2021 and opens on February 10, 2022.
- 1957: The first Broadway production of The Music Man opens
- 1961: West End premiere in London opens
- 1962: The Music Man film adaptation premieres
- 1965: Two-week Off-Broadway revival at New York City Center opens
- 1980: Three-week Off-Broadway revival at New York City Center opens
- 2000: First Broadway revival opens
- 2021: Second Broadway revival opens
Who wrote The Music Man?
Meredith Willson wrote the music and lyrics, and he collaborated on the book with Franklin Lacey. The Music Man is Willson’s most famous work, though he also wrote three other musicals (including The Unsinkable Molly Brown) and numerous film scores.
What Broadway theatre is The Music Man playing at?
The Music Man is at the Winter Garden Theatre. The theatre is located at 1634 Broadway, between 50th and 51st Streets. The theatre sits just north of Times Square and is a short walk from plenty of restaurants, shops, and other theatres there.
What is the running time of The Music Man?
The Music Man is 2 hours and 45 minutes long, including one intermission. This is a typical length for a Broadway musical, though musicals can run anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours. Intermissions are usually either 15 or 20 minutes long.
What days is The Music Man playing?
The Music Man plays eight performances a week at the Winter Garden Theatre. For the complete performance schedule and show times, please visit the Music Man page to learn more.
Who is in the cast of The Music Man?
Right now, you can catch Hugh Jackman as Professor Harold Hill and Sutton Foster as Marian Paroo in The Music Man. Here is the full principal cast of the 2021 Music Man revival:
- Hugh Jackman as Professor Harold Hill
- Sutton Foster as Marian Paroo
- Jayne Houdyshell as Mrs. Shinn
- Jefferson Mays as Mayor Shinn
- Marie Mullen as Mrs. Paroo
- Shuler Hensley as Marcellus Washburn
- Remy Auberjonois as Charlie Cowell
- Gino Cosculluela as Tommy Djilas
- Emma Crow as Zaneeta Shinn
- Remy Auberjonois as Charlie Cowell
- Benjamin Pajak as Winthrop
- Kayla Teruel as Amaryllis
- Garrett Long as Ethel Toffelmier
- Linda Mugleston as Alma Hix
- Jessica Sheridan as Maud Dunlop
- Rema Webb as Mrs. Squires
- Phillip Boykin as Olin Britt
- Eddie Korbich as Jacey Squires
- Daniel Torres as Ewart Dunlop
- Nicholas Ward as Oliver Hix
What celebrities have performed in The Music Man?
Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster are the current celebrity leads in The Music Man. The 1957 production and subsequent film adaptation was what propelled Robert Preston to stardom, and both his Marians — Barbara Cook on Broadway and The Partridge Family star Shirley Jones on screen — are also acclaimed for their roles. The 2000 Broadway revival featured the late Rebecca Luker as Marian.
In addition, a 2003 TV movie adaptation starred Matthew Broderick as Harold, Kristin Chenoweth as Marian, alongside Victor Garber, Debra Monk, and Molly Shannon.
What are the songs in The Music Man?
Meredith Willson’s musical features 24 songs. Because the musical is all about a marching band, many of the songs are written with parts for plenty of band instruments, making for a complex and sumptuous score. The new revival cuts one of the songs from the original score: “It’s You,” sung by the Barbershop Quartet; the second act now opens with the well-known tune “Shipoopi.” A reprise of “Lida Rose” replaces the “It’s You” reprise. All of the most famous songs remain, however — “(Ya Got) Trouble” and “Seventy-Six Trombones” are often counted among the most iconic songs in musical theatre history. Read more from New York Theater Guide.
