If you’re going to have lesser talents needlessly revise the work of a genius, you’re starting down a slippery slope. Show respect for the man who created The Music Man! Let his art speak for itself. My own reaction? I’d have much preferred they’d left Willson’s terrific work as written. A friend sent me such video clips, asking: “What do you think of this?” (Buy a copy, if you can!) And anyone who reads that book comes to understand just how long and hard Willson worked on The Music Man, and how much thought went into each choice he made as he struggled to shape the material into the best possible form.īut shortly after the current production’s first performances began on Broadway, video clips began circulating among theater buffs, showing some changes that had been made for this revival. The book that Willson wrote about the creation of the show, But He Doesn’t Know the Territory, has long been my favorite theatrical memoir-the best book I’ve ever read about the making of a show. The Music Man was the culmination of Willson’s decades of work up until that point. The Music Man-which works about as well as any Broadway musical you could name–is one man’s artistic vision. Gypsy, by contrast, had music by one person (Jule Styne), lyrics by another (Stephen Sondheim), and a book by still another (Arthur Laurents).

The remarkable Meredith Willson (1902-1984) wrote the book, music and lyrics. And The Music Man-unique among the all-time-great major musicals-was written by just one person, rather than by two or three collaborators. The Music Man, I might add, is a wholly original musical, and even more to be cherished for that reason unlike most musicals, it’s not an adaptation of a previously successful novel, collection of stories, or play. It is extremely rare-and deserving of celebration-when the creators of musicals get everything right. I’ve seen different productions of all of these masterworks repeatedly over the years these musicals never fail to get to me. Other first-rate, masterfully constructed Broadway musicals include Gypsy, My Fair Lady, Hello, Dolly!, Chicago, Cabaret, and Fiddler on the Roof. It is equally strong in book, music and lyrics, which is quite rare. The Music Man is-along with just a handful of other musicals-in the very top tier. In my judgment, it’s about as perfect a musical as any in the canon.

The Music Man is one of my all-time favorite shows. There are broader issues worth reflecting on.įirst, let me tell you where I’m coming from. And I don’t think the issues that I’m discussing below should stop anyone who’s interested in seeing The Music Man from buying tickets (if you can afford them).īut I’d like to comment on a couple of changes that-needlessly and foolishly, in my opinion–have been made for this revival: a revised lyric for “Shipoopi,” and a reworked “My White Knight.” I think there’s food for thought here, for producers considering future revivals of other Broadway classics. The whole city could use a big hit right now.

I hope the current Broadway revival enjoys a long run and entertains a lot of people. There have been plenty of complete reviews of the new production and there will be plenty more. Before I start, let me make one thing clear.

Who sings a penny for your thoughts