This is a show, with dozens of characters of all ages, a thousand things going on and lots of fun ideas like the “Rock Island” number, in which straw-hatted traveling salesmen inside a railway car whip around a high-speed patter song to the jolting rhythm of the train. Willson, a true music man, showers the audience with melody and rhythm, from Marian’s romantic “Goodnight, My Someone” to “Trouble,” in which Hill spellbinds the entire town into thinking him a savior. And, of course, there’s “Seventy Six Trombones,” the ultimate paean to the brass-band heartbeat of the American heartland. Leading the engaging cast in his Broadway debut, Bierko is big, sexy and charismatic, and if he seems to be channeling the voice patterns from Robert Preston’s immortal performance, that just adds to the fun. A great stage commander, Stroman boxes the compass with movement, energy and sheer good feeling that Broadway sure can use.
The Music ManNeil Simon Theater New York Open
