In this day and age of newfangled musicals, it\u2019s really fun to see one of the most old-fashioned, (both in story and history\u2014the original show opened on Broadway in 1957!,) classics of all time.<\/p>\n
![\"Adam](\"https:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/thumbnail_THE-MUSIC-MAN-2.jpg\")
<\/a>Adam Pascal and company. Photo by Ed Krieger, as is the one at the top of this page.<\/p><\/div>\n
And, as usual from 5 Star Theatricals, there is so much to recommend about this production. It\u2019s such Broadway-quality that it\u2019s a shame it runs for only two week-ends. So please don\u2019t miss it this coming one.<\/p>\n
I realize it was quite the coup for them to have gotten Broadway star, Adam Pascal, for the iconic role of conman extraordinaire, Professor Harold Hill. I lauded him as Shakespeare in\u00a0Something Rotten<\/em>\u00a0a couple of years ago, but I have to admit that he was the\u00a0least<\/em>\u00a0of\u00a0this\u00a0<\/em>show\u2019s many attractions for me, which just shows how excellent the entire presentation is. Still, it\u2019s always fun for people in LA to see performers of this pedigree right in our own backyard, particularly in a regional theatre.<\/p>\n As my friend Marc pointed-out on opening night,\u00a0The Music Man<\/em>\u00a0features a gigantic cast. We appreciated all the different ages represented on stage, most notably the children. They\u2019re all adorable. And, I\u2019m happy to report,\u00a0professional<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0In particular is\u00a0Joshua Blond, who plays the ten-year-old lisper, Winthrop. He is spot-on. Trust me, that exaggerated lisp is not easy to do, especially when it has to play to the back of the room. And the balcony!<\/p>\n Adam Pascal, Joshua Blonde, and Katharine McDonough. Photo by Ed Krieger.<\/p><\/div>\n In addition to Joshua, we both loved the very talented barbershop quartet, comprised of\u00a0Chris Hunter, Jonathan Matthews, James Thomas Miller, and L. Michael Wells. \u00a0I swear, I\u2019ve never in my life thought about singing groups like that, but these four are a breath of fresh air every time they enter a scene.<\/p>\n L. Michael Wells, Jonathan Matthews, Chris Hunter, and James Thomas Miller. Photo by Ed Krieger.<\/p><\/div>\n And I was happy to see Trent Mills back on this stage. I\u2019ve been a fan of his since he played Shrek<\/em> so perfectly at this same theatre last year. His performance as the con man\u2019s good buddy added so much charm to\u00a0The Music Man<\/em>.<\/p>\n The production numbers, choreographed delightfully by Peggy Hickey, were my faves! That\u2019s the advantage of having the aforementioned big cast\u2014so much happy and capable dancing! Even with the gooniest song ever, Shipoopi<\/em>! (Marc had never seen this musical before, so he said that he couldn\u2019t understand what they were singing in this number. That made me laugh because no one would ever<\/em> figure it out without previous knowledge of the show!)<\/p>\n Photo by Ed Krieger.<\/p><\/div>\n The music<\/em> is actually the star here, as it should be with all<\/em> musicals, in my humble opinion. But the famous score of The Music Man<\/em> is such a mixed bag, with everything from the iconic blockbuster Seventy-Six Trombones<\/em> to the premise-setting (Ya Got)<\/em>\u00a0Trouble<\/em> to the romantic Till There Was You<\/em>, (which I originally knew because…the Beatles<\/em> recorded it!,) that some of the songs are misses. Several could have actually been cut way back when, which would have made this not one of the longest shows in history! (That\u2019s not a fact<\/em>; it\u2019s my experience of it.) But I have a feeling that all productions of it have to be presented as written, so 5 Star could not do the trimming themselves.<\/p>\n Adam Pascal and Trent Mills. Photo by Ed Krieger.<\/p><\/div>\n Here\u2019s one thought-provoking music note–I\u2019ve never liked the opening number,\u00a0Rock Island<\/em>, but on opening night of the production, I realized that it\u2019s actually the pre-cursor of\u00a0rap<\/em>! That revelation made it somewhat interesting for me this time.<\/p>\n In addition to having the privilege of hearing Meredith Wilson\u2019s classic songs performed really well, we also admired the creative sets (for whom there is, surprisingly, no credit in the program,) and Tanya Apuya\u2019s perfect costumes.<\/p>\n And I did shed a tear near the end. I\u2019m a sucker for a happy ending. And 5 Star Theatricals\u2019 The Music Man<\/em> has one of the happiest curtain calls ever! I wish it had gone on even longer.<\/p>\n Photo of the curtain call by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n The entire evening reminded me how much I love\u00a0Fred Kavli Theatre. The seats have the best legroom around, and their concessions are literally one-third the price of the bigger theaters in town! And for those of you in Los Angeles proper, who think a trip to Thousand Oaks is a lengthy affair, let me assure that it is not. It doesn\u2019t take long at all, even in Friday night traffic. And it\u2019s a cute town, so you can always go early and have a bite to eat or just explore, as I<\/em> always want to do.<\/p>\n So, for a lovely time at the theatre this Fall, I suggest getting out there to see\u00a0The Music Man<\/em> this coming week-end. Thousand Oaks may not be the real River City, but you will definitely be rewarded for your\u00a0trouble<\/em>!<\/p>\n The Music Man<\/em>\u00a0running through October 27, 2019<\/strong> THE MUSIC MAN Since Shirley Jones, who is the mother of 5 Star Theatricals\u2019 Artistic Director, Patrick Cassidy, starred in the 1962 film version of The Music Man, it\u2019s only fitting that this company is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversay with this show. I love full circle stories like this one! In this day and age<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>
\n Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza\u2013Fred Kavli Theatre<\/strong>
\n 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks 805-449-2787\u00a0www.5startheatricals.com<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"