6/05/08

Strike up the band and enjoy "The Music Man" in Everett

by Sam Severn

We’ve got trouble, folks.

Right here in Everett City.

Trouble with a capital “T” and that rhymes with “P” and that stands for POW!

“POW!” is exactly the word, friends, that best describes the absolutely knock-out, fist-pumping and seat-thumping production of “The Music Man” that has come marching brassily into Everett’s PUD Auditorium for a three-weekend run.

Dan Niven is Professor Harold Hill in the NW Savoyards' production of "The Music Man" playing through June 15 at the PUD Auditorium. Photos by Jenni El-Fattal

This “Music Man” is strutting, sassy stuff, all balled-up into a bold brew of slapstick, sentiment, and song-slinging Smalltown U.S.A. Why, friends, it’s the best kind of “trouble” you could dream up! 

Producer Jeremy Edwards has sold us another winner, neighbors, after conjuring up magic with “The Wizard Of Oz” earlier this year. Together with the dedicated team at Northwest Savoyards Musical Theatre Society, they’ve turned the Everett PUD Auditorium into a hotbed of sure-fire community theater smash hits.

Stop me, folks, if you’ve heard this story before:

A fast-talking, Midwest-hopping 1912 traveling salesman named Professor Harold Hill — a rascally charlatan who has swindled every small town on the map and has the law hot on his heels — hoodwinks the good neighbors of River City, Iowa into buying musical instruments and uniforms for a band he promises to bring to town. Hill’s schemes to skip away with the city’s loot are dashed by the local songbird, beautiful Marian the librarian, who transforms the unmusical Professor into a music maestro and bandleader through the power of love by curtain’s fall.

A Broadway smash in 1957, the film version turned a Hollywood supporting actor named Robert Preston into a star, and has been one of America’s most revered and revived musicals ever since.

But we’re talking about Everett now, folks.

And though this show has been performed everywhere by just about everyone, this “Music Man” is special enough to make you stand up and cheer — and this reviewer wouldn’t steer ya wrong!

A wonderful Savoyards cast and crew has put this powerhouse together with tons of gusto. Director Alan Wilkie has his cast of rhythmic larks and singing citizens bustin’ out their musical chops, and the opening weekend audience was bursting with laughs.

Con-man-to-the-max Professor Hill is played by Dan Niven, who recently scared the pants off folks playing the ghost of Jacob Marley in New Everett Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Carol.” Sporting a salesman’s synthetic grin and a goofy cornball hat, Niven puts a wicked spring in the Professor’s git-a-long. He mesmerizes Marian like a pro and spins the con-man’s web of laughable lies to the teens of River City like a big-city rapper throwing down rhymes to the kids.

Sensational in the role of librarian Marian is Shoshauna Mohlman. She’s the perfect leading lady, and the town’s sweet-voiced secret weapon to stop Hill from fleecing the children of their dreams. Miss Mohlman has a throat of solid gold as she serenades us with such beautiful ballads as ''Till There Was You,''  ''My White Knight'' and ''Goodnight My Someone.''

The Professor’s clowny comrade Marcellus is brought to hammy life by Don Speirs, a stage veteran for over 35 years. Speirs dances and sings a gag-filled “Shipoopi” marvelously and milks every laugh from his comic character.

Kimberly Durham as the Mayor’s daughter Zaneeta positively glows. Portraying Mayor Shinn and his attention-hogging wife, Eulalie, are Scott Freshman and Lisa Thiroux, and both are hilarious. Why, there’s even a real barbershop quartet, The SeaSharps, warbling heavenly harmonies in their first theatrical gig. And as the lisping tyke Winthrop, Raphael Zimmerman — one of the cute corral-full of kids director Wilkie wrangles in this production — is guaranteed to wrench ooohs and ahhhs from the adults in the audience.

And friends, there’s no let-down in the Gung-Ho Department behind the scenes, either! Why, the set designs by Mad Dog are big and over-the-top, as are Barbara Anderson’s All-American costuming. Choreographer Krista Erickson has everybody from the kids to the old fogies strutting in high fashion. The Everett Symphony provides a whole posse of musicians, led by music director David Spring. And neighbors, lemme lay it on ya straight — this orchestra can both lay down an old-timey ballad and boom out “76 Trombones” with the best of ‘em.

Northwest Savoyards has become Snohomish County’s best and brightest producer of vibrant community theater. Just like the Music Man himself, they bring magic to our fair county every single night.

The play runs weekends through June 15th at the PUD Auditorium, 2320 California Street in Everett. For tickets and information, contact the Northwest Savoyards at (866) 811-4111, or visit them online at www.northwestsavoyards.org.