Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man premiered on Broadway in 1957 where it scooped 5 Tony awards, ran for 1357 performances and won the first ever Grammy Award for “Best Original Cast Album”. Revivals followed, as did the 1962 film adaptation and a 2003 television remake.
The show sees Harold Hill, posing as a band leader who sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with the cash. Prim librarian and piano teacher Marian Paroo sees through him, but when Harold helps her younger brother overcome his fear of social interactions, Marian begins to fall in love with the con man, as he in turn falls for Marian, risking being caught in his efforts to win her.
The Shakespeare Club was founded in 1888 and is the oldest women’s club in California. For the past 50 years, the Club has staged professionally directed musicals in aid of local charities.