Review: The Music Man

Fewer than 76 trombones march into the Art Court Theater when City Theatre presents the Meredith Willson classic The Music Man.

The large theater in the Performing Arts Center of Sacramento City College is a perfect venue for this cast of more than 30 characters, allowing for energetic choreography by Brent Bianchini. The horde of younger children are as disciplined as the adults.

Mike Sicilia leads the cast as Harold Hill, the con man out to sell kids’ bands while distracting the town librarian, Marian Paroo (Carley Neill Vann).

While Sicilia is suitably charismatic as the fast-talking Hill, the show is definitely worth seeing if only for Vann, who is magnificent.

Director Christine Nicholson has made some interesting casting choices and script revisions. For one thing, the role of Hill’s old buddy Marcellus Washburn is now played by Christi Van Eyken and known as Marcella. While she is fine, it’s not as believable as when the role is played by an older man.

But these changes aside, this is a fun production with familiar music that seems to always be an audience favorite.