StageArchive

The Music Man

Musical

By Meredith Willson(Music, Lyrics, and Book),Franklin Lacey(Book)

Based on the early memories of Meredith Wilson growing up in Mason City, Iowa, the traveling salesman, and playing the flute in John Philip Sousa's band.

Setting: River City, Iowa - 1912

Brief Description

The Music Man follows charismatic con man Harold Hill as he arrives in River City, Iowa, posing as a boys' band leader. He tricks the townsfolk into buying expensive instruments and uniforms, fully intending to skip town with their money before teaching them a single note. However, his schemes unravel when he falls deeply in love with Marian Paroo, the skeptical local librarian and piano teacher. Her trust and affection ultimately transform him, forcing Harold to risk his freedom to face the music and stay by her side.

Year Written1957

Original LanguageEnglish

Type of WorkMusical

GenreRom-com

Translations and Adaptations (0)

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Scene Breakdown (18)

Spoiler Warning! Click the scene to expand for Summary and Characters.

Act	Scene	Setting	Actions
I	1	Railway Coach - morning, July 4, 1912	Complete
I	2	River City, Iowa - the center of Town, immeidately following	Complete
I	3	A street outside Marian's house.	Complete
I	4	Marian's house, interior	Complete
I	5	Madison Gymnasium - 30 min later.	Complete
I	6	Exterior of Madison Library, immediately following	Complete
I	7	Interior of Madison Library	Complete
I	8	A street - the following Saturday, noon.	Complete
I	9	The front porch of the mayor's house.	Complete
I	10	Paroo's porch - that evening	Complete
1	11	Center of town - noon, the following Saturday	Complete
II	1	Madison Gymnasium - evening, the following Tuesday	Complete
II	2	The hotel porch - the following evening.	Complete
II	3	The Paroo's porch - immediately following	Complete
II	4	The footbridge - 15 minutes later	Complete
II	5	A street - immediately following.	Complete
II	6	Madison Park - a few minutes later	Complete
II	7	River City High School Assembly Room - immediately following	Complete

Characters (39)

Character Name	Gender	Age	Lines	Scenes	Actions
Harold Hill	Male	25-40	180	Act I, Scene 1Act I, Scene 2Act I, Scene 3Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 6	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Harold Hillout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Marian Paroo	Female	early 20s	132	Act I, Scene 2Act I, Scene 3Act I, Scene 4Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 6	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Marian Parooout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Mayor Shinn	Male	40s	52	Act I, Scene 2Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 9Act 1, Scene 11Act II, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Mayor Shinnout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Mrs. Paroo	Female	early 40s	39	Act I, Scene 4Act I, Scene 10Act II, Scene 3Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Mrs. Parooout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Marcellus Washburn	Male	25-40	42	Act I, Scene 2Act I, Scene 6Act II, Scene 1Act II, Scene 4Act II, Scene 5	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Marcellus Washburnout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Charlie Cowell	Male	adult	37	Act I, Scene 1Act II, Scene 3Act II, Scene 5Act II, Scene 6Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Charlie Cowellout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Winthrop Paroo	Male	9	32	Act I, Scene 4Act I, Scene 10Act 1, Scene 11Act II, Scene 3Act II, Scene 6	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Winthrop Parooout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Eulalie Shinn	Female	50	25	Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 6Act 1, Scene 11Act II, Scene 1Act II, Scene 4	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Eulalie Shinnout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Tommy Djilas	Male	teen	21	Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 7Act I, Scene 8Act 1, Scene 11Act II, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Tommy Djilasout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Amaryllis	Female	8	16	Act I, Scene 4Act I, Scene 5Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Amaryllisout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Zanetta Shinn	Female	teen	11	Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 7Act 1, Scene 11Act II, Scene 1Act II, Scene 4	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Zanetta Shinnout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Ewart Dunlop	Male	30s+	10	Act I, Scene 2Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 6Act 1, Scene 11Act II, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Ewart Dunlopout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Oliver Hix	Male	30s+	8	Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 6Act 1, Scene 11Act II, Scene 1Act II, Scene 2	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Oliver Hixout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Olin Britt	Male	30s+	8	Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 6Act 1, Scene 11Act II, Scene 1Act II, Scene 2	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Olin Brittout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Jacey Squires	Male	about 36	7	Act I, Scene 2Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 6Act 1, Scene 11Act II, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Jacey Squiresout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Alma Hix	Female	30s+	9	Act I, Scene 2Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 6Act II, Scene 1Act II, Scene 4	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Alma Hixout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Maud Dunlop	Female	30s	8	Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 6Act II, Scene 1Act II, Scene 4Act II, Scene 6	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Maud Dunlopout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Ethel Toffelmier	Female	35	7	Act I, Scene 2Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 6Act II, Scene 1Act II, Scene 4	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Ethel Toffelmierout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Constable Locke	Male	30s+	7	Act I, Scene 5Act II, Scene 6Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Constable Lockeout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Gracie Shinn	Female	10-15	3	Act I, Scene 5Act 1, Scene 11Act II, Scene 4Act II, Scene 6Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Gracie Shinnout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Mrs. Squires	Female	30s	1	Act I, Scene 5Act I, Scene 6Act II, Scene 1Act II, Scene 4Act II, Scene 6	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Mrs. Squiresout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Conductor	Male	40s+	5	Act I, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Conductorout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Salesman #1	Male	adult	15	Act I, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Salesman #1out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Salesman #2	Male	adult	2	Act I, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Salesman #2out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Salesman #3	Male	adult	10	Act I, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Salesman #3out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Salesman #4	Male	adult	8	Act I, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Salesman #4out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Salesman #5	Male	adult	14	Act I, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Salesman #5out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Newspaper #1	Male	adult	5	Act I, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Newspaper #1out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Newspaper #2	Male	adult	1	Act I, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Newspaper #2out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Newspaper #3	Male	adult	1	Act I, Scene 1	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Newspaper #3out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Farmer	Male	50s	—	Act I, Scene 2	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Farmerout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Farmer's Wife	Female	50s	—	Act I, Scene 2	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Farmer's Wifeout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Boy	Male	under 15	2	Act I, Scene 2Act II, Scene 1Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Boyout of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Man #1	Male	adult	6	Act I, Scene 2Act I, Scene 5Act II, Scene 6Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Man #1out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Man #2	Male	adult	4	Act I, Scene 5Act II, Scene 6Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Man #2out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Man #3	Male	adult	1	Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Man #3out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Woman #1	Female	adult	1	Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Woman #1out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Woman #2	Female	adult	1	Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Woman #2out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!
Woman #3	Female	adult	1	Act II, Scene 7	Complete 🎭 Nice try, director! You can't write Woman #3out of the script while they're still bound to an active show roster. Clear them from the productions first!

Edits

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