Summer Stalwart

Open Air Theatre plays ‘The Music Man.’

By: Stuart Duncan
   The summer season at the Open Air Theatre in Washington Crossing Park has reopened under new management, after a year of darkness. It’s in the hands of Ralph Miller, who runs Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pa., and Richard Akins, who ran the theater in Peddler’s Village at the Cock ‘n Bull Restaurant.
   The show is The Music Man, which premiered on Broadway in 1957. Even a half century ago the show in plot and atmosphere was old-fashioned. Composer Meredith Willson (who also wrote the lyrics and the libretto) apparently based it on events that happened while he was growing up in Mason City, Iowa. The critics loved it — corny, but palatable corn.
   Jim Lynch has been a stalwart for several summers at Bucks County Playhouse and has not only singing and dancing talents, but energy aplenty. Hill, the fast-talking traveling salesman, is in fine hands. And, playing Marian, the librarian, is Tressa McCallister, who has perhaps the finest voice in the region and has been proving it at Bucks for several summers. Both can dance much better than the customary musical comedy troupers and both can act with obvious emotion.
   Bill Agress and Lunda Cornelius play Mayor and Eulalie McKecknie Shinn, he with a delicious dour countenance and she with chirpy-birdy insouciance. Penny Larsen has her customary fun as the widow Paroo. Young Pierce Rolli has a great time as the shy Winthrop Paroo. Brennen Fleming shows tremendous promise as the mischievous Tommy Djilas, and Jessica O’Brien is a most talented Zaneeta Shinn.
   The barbershop quartet — Christopher Villante, Mike Tate, Michael Zweig and Adam Dietz — could use more rehearsal, but then, it is hard to erase the memory of "The Buffalo Bills" from 50 years ago. Randy Moyer is an effective anvil salesman (the character name is Charlie Cowell) and Eva Eskow, as Amaryllis, steals "the piano lesson" scene. One final thought: not long after the show opened in New York, a television singer decided to stage his version of the "[ast: I think Seventy-Six is spelled out in the title: ]Seventy-Six Trombones" number, using the full complement of trombones (plus 110 cornets right behind). It was a disaster, showing once again that imagination on stage is always far better than merely tossing money (or in this case, instruments) at the problem.
The Music Man continues at The Open Air Theatre, 355 Washington Crossing-Pennington Road, Titusville, through June 17. Performances: Thurs.-Sat. 8 p.m., Sun. 7 p.m. Tickets cost $14 online, $12 at show; (609) 737-4323; www.buckscountyplayhouse.com