If there is “trouble in River City” in Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man,” it certainly didn’t spill over into Youngstown State University’s production of the show, which opened Friday night at the Ford Theater.
The Department of Visual & Dramatic Arts collaborated with the Dana School of Music to present Willson’s iconic musical, “The Music Man-Concert Version.” If you are not familiar with “concert version” musicals they are generally done with little to no scenery, no choreography, no special costumes or props, minimal dialogue and the cast is sometimes on stage for the entire show. It is somewhat similar to listening to a cast album for a musical except you see it on stage.
But have no worries, even though it sounds very bare bones and boring, the YSU production is anything but boring. A dazzling cast of 20 students repeatedly hit the bullseye on each and every musical number. With the orchestra on stage consisting of 13 pieces they even get woven into the action at certain points.
