Eric McCormack and Kristin Chenoweth will lead the big parade on Aug. 4 in a concert version of Meredith Willson's Tony-winning musical, The Music Man, at the Hollywood Bowl.
McCormack and Chenoweth will play, respectively, the roles of Prof. Harold Hill and Marion Paroo, which were created on Broadway by Tony winners Robert Preston and Barbara Cook. Jason Graae, who starred on Broadway in A Grand Night for Singing, Falsettos, Stardust and Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?, will portray Marcellus Washburn. The 7:30 PM concert will also feature the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra — under the direction of John Mauceri — playing such classic Willson tunes as "Till There Was You," "Ya Got Trouble," "Goodnight, My Someone" and "Seventy-Six Trombones."
*
The remainder of the cast comprises Brooks Almy (Mrs. Paroo), Ruth Williamson (Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn), Lyle Kanouse (Charlie Cowell), Gibby Brand (Oliver Hix), Stephanie Mieko Cohen (Amaryllis), Michael Devries (Jacey Squires), Kevin Earley (Ewart Dunlop), Marsha Kramer (Alma Hix), Bob Lauder, Jr. (Olin Britt), Hopy Levy (Maud Dunlop), Carol Swarbrick (Mrs. Squires), Diane Vincent (Ethel Toffelmier), Ben Platt (Winthrop Paroo) with Lenny Wolpe as Mayor Shinn.
Eric McCormack made his Broadway debut as Prof. Harold Hill, the role he will reprise for the Bowl concert. Born and raised in Toronto, McCormack spent eight years in theatres across Canada, performing in productions of The Passion of Dracula, Biloxi Blues, Burn This and Loot. In his five seasons with the Stratford Shakespearean Festival of Canada, he played leading roles in Three Sisters, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Murder in the Cathedral and Measure for Measure. He is best known, however, for his Emmy-winning performance as Will in NBC's hit comedy "Will & Grace." Chenoweth made her New York theatre debut opposite Bill Irwin in a production of Molière's Scapin and followed that with a lead role in Kander and Ebb's Steel Pier, which earned the actress a Theatre World Award. Roles in A New Brain and the City Center Encores! Strike Up the Band and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever ensued, and in 1998 she portrayed Sally in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, nabbing Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for her performance. Chenoweth starred in her own, short-lived TV series "Kristin" and will appear opposite Matthew Broderick in an upcoming TV adaptation of The Music Man. Chenoweth heads to London this month to take part in this summer's Divas at the Donmar series.
The Hollywood Bowl is located at 2301 Highland Avenue in Hollywood, CA. Tickets for Meredith Willson's The Music Man are available by calling (323) 850-2000.
—By Andrew Gans
