Broadway's Tony-nominated revival of Meredith Willson's The Music Man gave a special benefit performance supporting the Entertainment Community Fund August 28 at the Winter Garden Theatre.
Broadway came out to support, with stage legends Bernadette Peters, Joel Grey, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Gavin Creel, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Betsy Wolfe, Ann Harada, and more. See footage from the historic evening—the first Fund benefit performance since the organization's name change—including Hugh Jackman's post-show speech and Peters and Grey's pre-show thoughts above.
Starring Tony winners (and 2022 Tony nominees) Jackman and Sutton Foster, The Music Man opened at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre February 10. Jackman and Foster are joined by fellow Tony winners Shuler Hensley as Marcellus Washburn, Jefferson Mays as Mayor Shinn, Jayne Houdyshell as Mrs. Shinn, and Marie Mullen as Mrs. Paroo.
The cast also includes Remy Auberjonois as Charlie Cowell, Gino Cosculluela as Tommy Djilas, Emma Crow as Zaneeta Shinn, Benjamin Pajak as Winthrop, Kayla Teruel as Amaryllis, Garrett Long as Ethel Toffelmier, Linda Mugleston as Alma Hix, Jessica Sheridan as Maud Dunlop, Rema Webb as Mrs. Squires, Tony nominee Phillip Boykin as Olin Britt, Eddie Korbich as Jacey Squires, Daniel Torres as Ewart Dunlop, Nicholas Ward as Oliver Hix, and Max Clayton as the standby for Harold Hill.
Rounding out the ensemble are Nick Alvino, Jordan Beall, Ronnie S. Bowman Jr., Maria Briggs, Audrey Cardwell, JT Church, Kammie Crum, Aydin Eyikan, Carlee Flanagan, Ethen Green-Younger, Emily Hoder, Curtis Holland, Eloise Kropp, Ethan Lafazan, Kayla LaVine, Andrew Minard, Sean Montgomery, Tanner Quirk, Lance Roberts, Daniel Patrick Russell, Ann Sanders, Sherisse Springer, Mitchell Tobin, Kathy Voytko, Branch Woodman, and Ryan Worsing.
The Music Man, which features a book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, tells the story of what happens when con artist Harold Hill arrives in River City and falls in love with the straight-laced librarian, Marian. It first opened on Broadway December 19, 1957, at the Majestic Theatre. A 2000 revival played the Neil Simon Theatre.
Jerry Zaks directs the new production of the musical, which also features choreography by Warren Carlyle, sets and costumes by Santo Loquasto, sound design by Scott Lehrer, lighting by Brian MacDevitt, vocal and dance arrangements by David Chase, orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick, and music direction by Patrick Vaccariello.