friday, npril 30, 1976
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Playhouse to close season
I with revival of 'Music Man'
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Ccatbx rrcf. Kssll 113, played by sa,
gives a cde to Mria Prroo, perfansed by Sharon
Riaysn, in ths Lcccla Coczacaity Ffzytocse's
prod action cf The Music Man, opening tociht.
By Robert Thcrbsr
The fictional town of River Gty, Iowa, will never be
the same. Not after the treatment it receives in the
Lincoln Community Playhouse's production of Use Music
test opening tonight.
The revival of this celebrated 20-year-old musical closes
the playhouse's 36th season with performances Fridays,
Saturdays and Sundays through May 23rd.
Li its day, The Music Man was considered a fresh and
entertaining musical comedy. That, however, was in the
1950s. Today it seems like an anachronism, an example of
a long-gone theater era.
The musical has stayed alive on the stage because of its
neatly designed tale, playing on emotions solely for
enjoyment.
From the opening overture blast at last Friday's benefit
performance, this John Wilson-directed production was a
joy. Not only by the audience, which almost sang along
with the melodies, but also by the fifty-member company,
who reveled in the old-fashioned frivolity.
Krppy ever. . jot course
The plot is familiar: con-artist Prof. Harold HiU tries to
sell a boys band to a stubborn Iowa town. But he gets
tangled in his emotions and winds up as the victim. . .
happily ever after, of course.
The playhouse's presentation of this time-weathered
tale is high-spirited and tongue in cheek, from Dan
Yanik's cartoonlike set design to the terribly off-key
barbershop quartet.
The musical's action flows quickly, except for the traf
fic problems of moving 50 actors on and offstage.
Hen Rcstborcn, former UNL crew coach, and Chip
Smith, UNL senior music msjor from McCbok, play ILH's
rob on alternate nights. Rusthoven, whom I saw, has stage
presence, but little voice to back it up.' lis characteriza
tion of the fast-talking salesman lacked depth and feeling.
-zctzd: cf it zl
tut Sharon Runyon, of Lincoln, who plays fc!arian
Paroo, has charm that comes through in her singing and
actin".
Ji3 Eiche, a UNL graduate who plays Eulalie
Itlackecknie Shian, is a talented comedic actress and sing
er, whose abilities are suited to the loud, obnoxious
Eulalie. Don OTJeiH, as Mayor Shinn, gives one of the
play's strongest performances.
Those who flock to musicals for the spectacle of it all,
will not be disappointed .
The costumes by Trish Place are as humorusly and
lavishly designed as anything done at the playhouse this
year.
Karen McWuIIarns' choreography, although too stiff
and predictable, can be enjoyed for its precise movement.
Although Vanik's set is not the River City that Robert
Preston would recognize, its caricature fits into the
production's concept.
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