"The Music Man" - by Meredith Willson - Hanover Theatre (Worcester, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: The 2026 National Touring CAST of Meredith Willson's "THE MUSIC MAN" now playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. until May 17, 2026. Photo Courtesy Tour website)
By Emily Baldwin
Special METRMAG Correspondent Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
"You pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you're left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering."
- ("Harold Hill") / Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey
The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts
Presents
Meredith Willson's Iconic Musical
"THE MUSIC MAN"
Limited Engagement!
Book written by Meredith Willson and Franklin Lacey
Music and Lyrics by Meredith Willson
Directed by Matt Lenz
Music Director and Orchestrator Thomas Fosnocht
Choreographer Joshua Bergasse
Cast Includes: Elliott Andrews as “Harold Hill,” Elizabeth D’aiuto as “Marian Paroo,” Charles Antenen as “Tommy Djilas,” Patrick Blashill as “Mayor Shinn,” Addie Jaymes as “Amaryllis,” Dylan Patterson as “Winthrop Paroo,” Michael Santora as “Charlie Cowell,” Madison Sheward as “Zaneeta Shinn,” Savannah Stevenson as “Mrs. Paroo,” Paul Urriola as “Marcellus Washburn,” Emmanuelle Zeesman as “Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn,” Christian Andrews as “Conductor/Constable Locke/Ensemble/u/s Olin Britt,” Bryce Bayer as “Dance Ensemble Swing/Assistant Dance Captain,” Anna Chin as “Dance Ensemble/u/s Zaneeta Shinn,” Kalista Curbelo as “Dance Ensemble, u/s Zaneeta Shinn,” Whitney Daniels as “Alma Hix/u/s Marian Paroo,” Erin Diehl as “Dance Ensemble/Dance Captain,” Craig First as “Jacey Squires/u/s Marcellus Washburn/u/s Charlie Cowell,” Brian Doolittle González as “Ewart Dunlop/u/s Charlie Cowell/u/s Harold Hill,” Alex Ishida as “Ethel Toffelmeir/u/s Marian Paroo,” Alyssa Jacqueline as “Universal Onstage Dance Ensemble Swing,” Hannah Rose Kidwell as “Mrs. Squires/u/s Mrs. Paroo/u/s Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn,” Kevin Kuska as “Swing/u/s Marcellus Washburn/u/s Mayor Shinn,” Rose Messenger as “Maud Dunlop/u/s Mrs. Paroo/u/s Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn,” Joshua Pierre Moore as “Olin Britt/u/s Mayor Shinn,” Kylie Noelle Patterson as “Child Onstage Swing: Amaryllis/Winthrop/Gracie,” Aidan Rawlinson as “Dance Ensemble/u/s Tommy Djilas,” Shae Reynolds as “Gracie Shinn/Dance Ensemble,” Brayden Schilling as “Traveling Salesperson/Ensemble/u/s Harold Hill/u/s Barbershop Quartet,” Aaron Torres as “Dance Ensemble/u/s Tommy Djilas,” Marielle Utayde as “Dance Ensemble Swing/u/s Zaneeta Shinn/u/s Gracie Shinn,” Matthew Wautier-Rodriguez as “Oliver Hix.”
Dance Ensemble – Cameron Janson, Brandon Ranalli; Swing - Sophie Goron.
Additional Creative Team:
Set Design - Ann Beyersdorfer; Original Broadway and Tour Costume Designer - Santo Loquasto; Lighting Design - Ken Billington; Video & Projection Design - Lisa Renkel; Sound Design - Walter Trarbach; Wig and Makeup Design - Roxanne De Luna; Costume Coordinator - Robin L. McGee; Music Supervisor - Kristin Stowell; Producers - Deborah Denenberg, Dan Sher/Big League Productions, Inc.; Casting – ARC.
(Note: Information obtained from tour website and subject to change)
Performances:
May 15, 2026 through May 17, 2026
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
Presented at the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge Street, Worcester, MA. 01608
TICKETS:
For More Information: 877-571-SHOW (7469) info@thehanovertheatre.org
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COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
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(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)
The 2025-2026 Broadway Series at the Hanover Theatre marches on with the iconic musical "THE MUSIC MAN" now playing in Worcester.
The 2026 "MUSIC MAN" National Tour is directed by Matt Lenz aided by music director and orchestrator Thomas Fosnocht and choreographer Joshua Bergasse.
The highly stylized production is supported by an equally impressive live orchestra.
In 1957, "THE MUSIC MAN" became a hit on Broadway, winning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and running for 1,375 performances.
Featuring one of the most memorable scores in Broadway history, the original cast recording for "THE MUSIC MAN" spent 245 weeks on the Billboard chart and was the winner of the first Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
"THE MUSIC MAN" was also made into an unforgettable motion picture in 1962 with Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, Buddy Hackett and a very young actor named Ron Howard.
As the latest Hanover Theatre touring show begins, there is an impressive opening effect leading into a train sequence and the first of many memorable numbers in the show, “Rock Island.”
This effect is part of an elaborate system of projection screens used throughout the production.
Also impressing is the vibrant use of costuming to reflect the varied characters in the show.
(Photo: Elizabeth D’aiuto as “Marian Paroo” with members of the 2026 National Touring CAST of Meredith Willson's "THE MUSIC MAN" now playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. until May 17, 2026. Photo Courtesy Tour website)
The plot concerns con man Harold Hill (Elliott Andrews), who poses as a boys' band organizer.
Andrews has a charming, commanding presence, coming off very convincing as charismatic flimflammer "Professor Hill," who sells band instruments and uniforms to naïve Iowa townsfolk, promising to also train the members of the new band...for an added fee.
Andrews also showcases great humor and physicality during Hill's musical numbers, most notably "Ya Got" Trouble," "Seventy-Six Trombones," "The Sadder-But-Wiser Girl" and "Marian the Librarian."
Before long, Hill bedazzles the entire town while keeping local authorities held at bay.
However, the unsuspecting Iowan sheep have no clue that Harold is no musician.
He is a con man who intends to take the local yokels’ monies and skip town before he actually has to “teach” any music lessons.
Prim librarian and piano teacher Marian Paroo (Elizabeth D’aiuto) sees through Harold’s charade, but soon ‘changes her tune’ as Harold helps her younger brother, Winthrop (Dylan Patterson) overcome his lisp and social awkwardness.
D’aiuto has a stunning voice, exceling at the Marian numbers that include "Good Night, My Someone," "My White Knight," "Will I Ever Tell You" and the most memorable ballad from the entire show, "Till There Was You."
D’aiuto also displays a comedic side to Marian who soon falls in love with Harold who also soon finds himself with a foot caught in the door.
(Photo: Elliott Andrews as “Harold Hill” with the 2026 National Touring CAST of Meredith Willson's "THE MUSIC MAN" now playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. until May 17, 2026. Photo Courtesy Tour website)
Hill is aided by his likeable compatriot swindler, Marcellus (Paul Urriola).
Urriola is funny and has a great voice, but do not expect this Marcellus to dance up a storm during the musical number "Shipoopi" as he is kept toward the back for most of it.
Moving in that position of the show’s best featured dancer is young Tommy Djilas (Charles Antenen) who dances up a storm with a terrific dance ensemble.
Tommy also dances with young Zaneeta Shinn (normally played by Madison Sheward but was played by Kalista Curbelo at the May 15th performance) daughter of Mayor Shinn (Patrick Blashill) who is neither a fan of Tommy nor of Hill.
Both Antenen and Curbelo are incredible dancers while Blashill as gruff Mayor Shinn is in his comedic element as the always-beleaguered and quite flustered mayor.
Meanwhile, the Mayor’s wife, Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn (Emmanuelle Zeesman), does succumb to Hill’s charm and accepts the leadership role of a newly-formed “Ladies of River City” society.
Like Blashill, Zeesman is equally in her comedic element and also appears quite adept at the physical comedy involved with the character of Eulalie.
(Photo: Elizabeth D’aiuto as “Marian Paroo” and Elliott Andrews as “Harold Hill” in a scene from Meredith Willson's "THE MUSIC MAN" now playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. until May 17, 2026. Photo Courtesy Tour website)
The River City school board members, aka the musical's "Barbershop Quartet," was well represented thanks to the beautifully blended voices of Jacey Squires (Craig First) Oliver Hix (Matthew Wautier-Rodriguez) Olin Britt (Joshua Pierre Moore) and Ewart Dunop (Brian Doolittle González).
The Barbershop numbers "It's You," "Ice Cream/Sincere," "Lida Rose" and the always amusing "Pick-a-Little, Talk-a-Little/Goodnight Ladies" sung with the Ladies of River City society are simply superb.
The energetic dance ensemble excels during some of the show’s best loved numbers which include "The Wells Fargo Wagon," "Ya Got" Trouble," "Seventy-Six Trombones" and "Marian the Librarian."
Addie Jaymes appears as Winthrop's taunting-yet-would-be admirer, “Amaryllis.”
While the technical use of screens works for most of the show, there are occasional scenes where it seems the use detracts from moments happening on stage, such as the pivotal scene between Marian and Hill on the footbridge.
The above is a minor complaint given the high level of incredible technical elements and performances in this touring production at the Hanover Theatre.
Conveying a nice family dynamic with Marian, Savannah Stevenson is funny and believable as Marion's loveable, irascible mother, “Mrs. Paroo” - while Dylan Patterson as Marian's troubled younger brother “Winthrop” is simply adorable.
One of the most engaging musicals ever written, everyone should plan on seeing this fine touring production of "THE MUSIC MAN" in Worcester before it marches off after the next Wells Fargo Wagon.
(Photo: The 2026 National Touring CAST of Meredith Willson's "THE MUSIC MAN" now playing at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester, MA. until May 17, 2026. Photo Courtesy Tour website)
The iconic musical "THE MUSIC MAN" continues at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester until May 17th, 2026 and will delight audiences of all ages.
Kicking off the 2026-2027 season for the Hanover Theatre Broadway Series will be another blockbuster, the beloved Monty Python musical by Eric Idle and John Du Prez "SPAMALOT" beginning October 4th, 2026.
For More Information call the Hanover Theatre in Worcester at # 877-571-SHOW (7469) or email info@thehanovertheatre.org.
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Approximately two hours, 30 minutes with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
There’s trouble in River City when a fast-talking salesman gets his heart stolen by the town librarian.
Meredith Willson’s six-time, Tony® Award winning musical comedy "THE MUSIC MAN" follows fast-talking traveling salesman, 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 – this, despite the fact that he doesn’t know a trombone from a treble clef.
His plans to skip town with the cash are foiled when he falls for Marian, the librarian, who transforms him into a respectable citizen by curtain’s fall.
Featuring songs such as “Seventy-Six Trombones,” “Trouble,” “‘Til There Was You,” “Pickalittle” and “Gary, Indiana,” "THE MUSIC MAN" is a family-friendly story to be shared with every generation.
For More Information: 877-571-SHOW (7469) info@thehanovertheatre.org
BUY TICKETS
ABOUT HANOVER THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Worcester Center for Performing Arts is a registered not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, which owns and operates HANOVER THEATRE AND CONSERVATORY FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
HANOVER THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
2 Southbridge Street
Worcester, MA. 01608
# 877-571-SHOW (7469)
