ELLY GRIMM

   • Leader & Times

Those looking for a classic night out at the theater will soon have just that chance thanks to Broadway in Wichita.

Broadway in Wichita will be bringing the Meredith Wilson classic “The Music Man” to Wichita, with performances April 24 at 7:30 p.m., April 25 at 2 and 7:30 p.m., and April 26 at 1 p.m. All performances will be at Century II Performing Arts Center at 225 W. Douglas Ave. in Wichita. The show follows con man Harold Hill as he cons the people of River City, Iowa into buying instruments and uniforms for a boys' band that he vows to organize despite not being a musician. His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian, the town librarian.

Cast member Paul Urriola, who plays Marcellus Washburn in the show, said he has long wanted to be part of “The Music Man.”

“‘The Music Man’ was the first musical I ever saw. When I was VERY young, I remember my grandfather sitting me and my brother down and putting on the VHS starring Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, and Buddy Hackett,” Urriola said. “I didn’t begin performing, myself, until my teenage years but Meredith Wilson’s whimsy and sense of comedy,  as well as the themes of building community through the arts had a huge impact on how I developed. So when I saw the casting notice for Big League Productions’ upcoming tour of ‘The Music Man,’ I went through the audition process and am so very grateful to have been cast as Marcellus Washburn!”

Urriola said he is very excited to bring the show to Wichita.

“I’m excited for us to potentially be the first production of the show some of the Wichita locals have seen!” Urriola said. “I’ve been so surprised traveling with this company at how many people I’ve talked to in Ubers, restaurants, etc. that have no idea what ‘The Music Man’ is. This is the first tour of the show since the early 2000s, so unless you come from a theatre-focused family who would have seen the films, or a local community or regional theatre production, or unless you were fortunate enough to have gotten to New York to see the latest revival, most people haven’t had the access to see it. The show is such a beautiful and nostalgic painting of the Midwest and of how the arts can bring people together and I can’t wait to share that with the people of Wichita.”

Overall, Urriola said, the show has been a joy to be a part of.

“Come see ‘The Music Man’ for the laughs, the music, the dancing, and the sweet escape into a colorful world that will have you leaving full of hope and joy,” Urriola said. “We’re so fortunate to all be wearing the costumes used in the most recent Broadway revival, and our lighting design is by Tony winner and Broadway legend Ken Billington. Every aspect of our show has been so meticulously put together with love and care with the intention of reaching as many eyes and audiences as we can! ‘The Music Man’ is also one of the original great American musicals and you can see its influence all over newer contemporary musicals. Without Meredith Wilson’s fast-paced, rhythmic, witty, onomatopoeic lyrics in ‘The Music Man,’ we wouldn’t have Stephen Sondheim or Lin-Manuel Miranda. Despite being a show written and originally produced in the 1950s, it stands the test of time. It’s funny while being wholesome, the music is lush and full, the characters are so likable, and the dancing in our production is truly some of the most exciting I’ve ever seen. The song ‘76 Trombones’ feels like a never ending marathon of joy and laughter as Harold Hill brings music into to the town of River City. Beyond the joy of getting to perform in one of my favorite musicals every day, I have also so enjoyed traveling and meeting locals in all the cities we go to, including servers in a diner, Uber drivers, and the local crews that work for each venue we perform in.”

Urriola said there are also a lot of lessons the audience can take away from “The Music Man.”

“I love how our production really puts a focus on ‘the community’ of River City, Iowa. It can be so easy to look at ‘The Music Man’ as a story of a con-man coming into a poor and unsuspecting town and tricking them into letting him form a boys band – and while Harold comes in with ill intentions, by the end of the show, he’s a changed man who brings the town together,” Urriola said. “He unites the bickering school board by teaching them to sing. He’s taken the gossiping housewives and formed them into a little dance company. The kids/teenagers spend their days playing pranks and acting out, but Harold sees this and quickly unites their youthful energy with the common goal of creating a boys band. While its easy for many productions to take these plot points and put Harold Hill in the driver’s seat for the show  and play everything for laughs, I feel our production does a really good job of using Harold as a catalyst to bring the ensemble of townsfolk together through art and music.”

Overall, Urriola said, “The Music Man” should be a great time for everyone.

“‘The Music Man,’ at its core is a love letter to Iowa and the entire Midwest. But to me it’s also a painting of what we as a whole country (dare I say world) can be if we overcome what sets us apart and focus on what brings us together,” Urriola said. “We all are so different and have such varying perspectives and points of view and objectives as we move through life but the arts are the one thing that we all have in common. Art is for anyone and everyone. Whether it’s four men singing in a polished four-part harmony in an empty gymnasium or all the kids in town blasting the minuet in G into their new instruments for the first time, the arts are what bring us together and keeps us together. It’s such a joy and a privilege to share this message across the country and I can’t wait for everyone to experience our show!”