Music Man Jr

After a little research, I found that the appropriate topic for this director’s note would be an honorary tribute to the author and composer himself: Meredith Willson. Willson modeled the story of The Music Man after his own childhood in Mason City, Iowa and adult musical aspirations in John Suassa’s famous marching band. This musical scratches a niche itch of small town and musical comedy that makes the story so compelling. In an interview with the author, Willson said that he was able to base every character in the Music Man after not one, but a combination of 2-3 people he had personally interacted with.  This was the only musical that Willson wrote that gained substantial popularity — a personal masterpiece that touched many hearts, mine included. Who would have thought that a small town in Iowa would be immortalized in a Broadway musical?? Most likely not the people who were interacting with Meredith Willson in his youth. But through his work, the students involved in this production have benefited from stepping into a small community in 1912 America and learned things that they never would have in another context. Even if that is simply old time exclamations such as teenage Zaneeta’s catch phrase: “Ye Gads!”

It may seem small, but the significance of Willson writing from a personal place in this work of art is a sincere encouragement to me. In our walks with Christ, and with art, it can be hard to see the significance of our individual perspectives.  I hope you all walk away with re-ignited confidence that your individual journey is remarkable, even in ways that may have gone forgotten or unnoticed. We have been given control over our actions; let us never neglect that gift as we use it to impact others each day of our lives. As Professor Harold Hill would say:

“You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don’t know about you, but I’d like to make today worth remembering.”