Look Back at Robert Preston and Barbara Cook in The Music Man | Playbill

Photos Look Back at Robert Preston and Barbara Cook in The Music Man As Norm Lewis and Jessie Mueller take on the roles of Professor Harold Hill and librarian Marion Paroo at the Kennedy Center, we take a look back at the beloved musical's 1957 Broadway premiere.
Robert Preston and Barbara Cook in The Music Man Friedman-Abeles/©NYPL for the Performing Arts

The Broadway Center Stage production of the Tony-winning musical The Music Man is currently running through February 11 at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The production stars Tony nominee Norm Lewis as the swindling, fast-talking con man Professor Harold Hill opposite Tony winner Jessie Mueller as librarian Marion Paroo.

NORM LEWIS IS THE MUSIC MAN AT THE KENNEDY CENTER

To celebrate the Kennedy Center staging, we're taking a look back at the original Broadway production.

Meredith Wilson's The Music Man opened on Broadway in December 1957 at the Majestic Theatre. The production starred Robert Preston and Barbara Cook, both of whom took home Tony awards for their performances.

In addition, the show earned the Tony Award for Best Musical, beating West Side Story in the process. The production closed in April 1961, having run for 1,375 performances, while a lengthy and highly successful national tour launched in 1957. Preston would go on to reprise his role in the 1962 film adaptation, earning a Golden Globe nomination for his performance.

Flip through photos from the original production below:

Photos: Look Back at Robert Preston and Barbara Cook in The Music Man

 
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