Lovely “Music Man” at Marriott Theatre is All About Marian
“When you see Spelman’s name in the director’s slot at a Chicago theater these days, there’s good reason to buy a ticket. She’s become a potent auteur, a believer in simplicity, honesty and unstinting truth, reminding me of the kind of work director David Cromer did that then launched a Broadway career. This is no ordinary “Music Man”….that makes the show’s ending all the richer. In the end, Meredith Wilson’s masterpiece is saying that towns are strong when people love their children and delight in their tiniest accomplishments. You feel you are watching hearts melt at the end of this show, a testament to the power of love and arts education.Spelman understood what matters most.”
- Chris Jones, The Chicago Tribune
“Spelman’s directorial choices make some of the numbers positively delightful. They show the power of extraordinary stagecraft….this sparkling revival lets us believe in the storybook premise of a classic American musical.”
JT Newman, The Chicago Reader
“Brilliantly and creatively guided with sharp focus and incredible energy by talented Director/Choreographer Katie Spelman, she continually fills the Marriott stage with focused book scenes and astonishing musical numbers. The production radiates with intricate choreography, pulsating rhythms and subtle movement. The show dazzles as performed by a very large, truly multi-gifted cast of triple threats.”
-Colin Douglas, Chicago Theatre Review