Pittsburgh CLO's 'Music Man' charms audience with feel-good Americana

Having just celebrated the Fourth of July holiday, it seems a perfect time for one of the quintessential American musicals: “The Music Man.”

The final show in this season’s PNC Spotlight Series runs through Sunday at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh.

And Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera pulled out all the stops for its production, which is expertly directed by Sara Edwards. It makes an ideal summer outing.

Oddly enough, “The Music Man” beat out one of this season’s previous musicals — “West Side Story” — for the Tony Award for best musical in 1958. With book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson (and co-writer of the book Franklin Lacey), the show was a roaring success from the very start. It was adapted to film in 1962 — starring Western Pennsylvania’s own Shirley Jones — and has seen successful revivals, most recently in 2022 on Broadway starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster in the lead roles.

“The Music Man” invites the audience to the fictional town of River City, Iowa, in the early years of the 20th century. It’s a typical Midwestern community — that is, until a mysterious traveling salesman named Harold Hill appears on the scene. He purports to be a purveyor of equipment for kids’ bands, as well as a band director. The trouble — even bigger trouble than a pool table — is that Harold Hill is a con man who can’t play a note of music.

He sets to the task of entrancing the residents of River City, most of all Marian, the town’s music teacher and librarian. The question becomes whether his grift will work once again or if his budding romance with Marian will get in the way.

The Professor Harold Hill at the center of CLO’s cast is Charles Esten, an actor who starred in the ABC and CMT series “Nashville” and has appeared on many TV shows, including regular appearances on improv comedy series “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”

Esten plays an endearingly sincere Hill, making the whole ensemble’s enchantment with him quite realistic. This lead role isn’t an easy part to play. Early in Act One, even the most deft-tongued actors may stumble over the quickfire delivery of “Ya Got Trouble.” Esten put the character on like a shiny new uniform, and it fit him well.

Nikki Renée Daniels makes a pitch-perfect Marian. She’s a Broadway veteran, and it shows. Daniels has impressively commanding stage presence and an angelic voice, and it was a delight to see her let Marian’s defenses fall away and open up to the possibility of love. Her performance of second act ballad “Till There Was You” on Tuesday night was a real standout.

“The Music Man’s” cast of characters is quite large, and there is no weak link in CLO’s production, although some shined brighter than others. E. Clayton Cornelious was a high point as Mayor Shinn, River City’s head honcho who is onto Hill from the very beginning. His presence loomed large, and the laughs were equally enormous. Christine Laitta, as his wife, Eulalie, was equally hilarious, though more on the physical comedy side — her “dance moves” had the audience roaring and cheering.

All of the young actors were terrific, but most prominent was Emmett Kent as Winthrop, Marian’s little brother who struggles to come out of his shell because of a speech impediment. It was heartwarming to watch him come into his own under the care of Harold Hill, and he gave a convincingly emotional performance.

In this dance-heavy musical, every member of the ensemble gives it their all with each number. Choreographer Mara Newberry Greer really made every step pop. Costume designer Santo Loquasto and hair and makeup designer Jeff Knaggs ensured that the 1910s clothing and looks enhanced each dancer’s movements.

And, of course, you can’t say “The Music Man” without “music.” Perhaps the Most Valuable Player award for this production would have to be shared by every member of the orchestra, who brought a truly iconic score to life with pizzazz for its full length under the direction of music director Robert Neumeyer.

As for the visuals, scenic designer James Fouchard and lighting designer Paul Miller work hard to bring a slice of Americana to life, especially in setting the perfect scene for so much exuberant dancing from the actors.

As a fun bonus, Pittsburgh CLO has invited a number of barbershop quartets from around the area to perform in the lobby before the show and at intermission. Tuesday night’s featured group was the 3 Rivers 4, and they did a bang-up job of setting the tone for the evening.

Summer is a perfect time for a little nostalgia, a lot of laughs and — considering the temperatures of late — a few hours enjoying top-notch entertainment in air conditioning. CLO’s “The Music Man” ticks every box with a well-worn but lovable show that will charm any audience by the time the curtain falls.

“The Music Man” runs through Sunday at the Benedum Center in Downtown Pittsburgh. For tickets and information, visit pittsburghclo.org.