As directed by Jeff Bleckner and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall (whose Broadway directorial debut, the Wonderful Town revival, is currently in previews), this Music Man opens up the action even more so then the sometimes stage-bound first film. “Ya Got Trouble�? ditches the town square and takes you right into the pool hall itself, while the “76 Trombones�? dance takes over the whole school, from the locker room to the classroom. Most daring of all, in an anti-traditional sense, is a fairy tale pas de deux between Harold and Marion in the middle of “Marion the Librarian�?. On a smaller scale, Marion’s solos are allowed more intimacy then previously seen. And the entire score is wonderfully featured in a finely orchestrated adaptation, carrying over the themes of the timeless songs throughout. The production is also greatly aided by the rich art direction and crisply designed costumes, most notably in an impressive parade of ornate ladies’ headwear.

On DVD, the commercial breaks aren’t entirely bothersome, although they diminish the film’s pace right before the climactic ‘trial’ of Harold Hill. As the film was produced specifically for television, the DVD offers a bright transfer with solid sound. As for bonus features, they’re spartan, with only a soundtrack promo in addition to those already mentioned.

Even with a less-then stellar title performance from Broderick, this disc is a worthy documentation of a classic piece of Americana. And considering how the graceful and talented Chenoweth easily dominates this production, we can always dub it Meredith Wilson’s The Music Woman.

• Previous Wonderful World of Disney adaptations of Broadway musicals included Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella and Annie. Upcoming productions may include Fiddler on the Roof (starring Victor Garber as Tevye), Mame (starring Cher) and The Hunchback of Notre Dame (with new songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz).
• Matthew Broderick voiced adult Simba in The Lion King, The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride, the Circle of Life film at Epcot and the upcoming The Lion King 1 ½. He also starred in the original Inspector Gadget.
• Victor Garber also starred in Life with Mikey, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Annie (as Daddy Warbucks), Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows (Emmy nomination for his role as Sid Luft) and Tuck Everlasting. He currently co-stars on ABC’s Alias as Jack Bristow, a role that has earned him two more Emmy nominations to date.
• Debra Monk also appeared in Quiz Show, Eloise at the Plaza and the upcoming Eloise at Christmastime.
• Molly Shannon had a hilarious cameo in last year’s The Santa Clause 2.
• Executive producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan have also produced such award-winning productions as Gypsy (starring Bette Midler), Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story (starring Glenn Close), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Annie, Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows, Brian’s Song and Chicago.
• Sally Robinson, who adapted the book for this production, also wrote the screenplays for Medicine Man and A Far Off Place.
• Choreographer Kathleen Marshall is the sister of Chicago’s director Rob Marshall.
• Meredith Wilson served as the conductor for the TV special The Grand Opening of Walt Disney World in 1971. He also appeared on the Disneyland ’59 TV special.
• Music from The Music Man, such as “Wells Fargo Wagon�? and “76 Trombones�?, can often be heard on Main Street in the Magic Kingdoms, along with songs from another classic Americana musical, Jerry Herman’s Hello, Dolly! (Paging Misters Meron and Zadan …).
• This production of Meredith Wilson’s The Music Man garnered five Emmy nominations, for choreography, art direction, costumes, music direction and sound mixing.
• The original Broadway production of The Music Man opened in 1957 and ran for a total of 1,375 performances. The show won six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Actor (Robert Preston as Harold Hill), Best Featured Actress (Barbara Cook as Marion) and Best Featured Actor (David Burns as Mayor Shinn).
• Morton DaCosta, who also directed the Broadway original, directed the 1962 film version of The Music Man. Along with Preston, other original Broadway cast members who appeared in the movie included Pert Kelton (Mrs. Paroo), Peggy Mondo (Ethel Toffelmier), the Buffalo Bills (the Barbershop Quartet) and Adnia Rice (Alma Hix).
• Also appearing in the original film version were such Disney stars as Buddy Hackett (The Love Bug) as Marcellus, Mary Wickes (The Hunchback of Notre Dame’s Laverne), Thurl Ravenscroft (Melloman and Disney voice fave) and a (very) young Ron Howard (director of Splash) as Winthrop.
• The original film’s choreographer, Onna White, went on to choreograph Pete’s Dragon. She won a special Academy Award for choreographing Oliver!
• The original film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It won for its Music Adaptation. It was also nominated for six Golden Globes, winning Best Picture - Musical/Comedy. DaCosta was also nominated for the Directors Guild award and screenwriter Marion Hargrove won the Writers Guild award for American Musical.
• A 1980 City Center production of The Music Man starred Mary Poppins’ Dick Van Dyke as Harold Hill.
• This film’s Tommy Djilas, Clyde Alves, also played Tommy in the 2000 Broadway revival of The Music Man. This film’s Zaneeta Shinn, Cameron Adams, also appeared in that production, which was her Broadway debut. The revival, which also starred Newsies’ Max Casella as Marcellus and was directed by Susan Stroman (The Producers), was nominated for eight Tony Awards and ran for a total of 699 performances.

Coming Soon:

• Lots of “grim grinning ghosts�?, as well as Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Tilly, will show up for the movie adaptation of the classic Disneyland attraction The Haunted Mansion, opening November 26^th.
• The DVD debut of the blockbuster adventure Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl hits stores on December 2^nd.
• Lizzie McGuire fans take note: two DVD collections of favorite TV episodes will go on sale December 9^th: Lizzie McGuire: Growing Up Lizzie and Lizzie McGuire: Fashionably Lizzie. And no, I don’t know how to get in touch with Hilary Duff …
• On December 16^th get ‘freaky’ again with the DVD debut of another summer hit, Freaky Friday starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan.