Is The Music Man based on a true story?

Background. Meredith Willson was inspired by his boyhood in Mason City, Iowa, to write and compose his first musical, The Music Man. The character Marian Paroo was inspired by Marian Seeley of Provo, Utah, who met Willson during World War II, when Seeley was a medical records librarian.

How long did it take Meredith Wilson to write The Music Man?

eight years
Willson’s most famous work, The Music Man, premiered on Broadway in 1957, and was adapted twice for film (in 1962 and 2003). He called it “an Iowan’s attempt to pay tribute to his home state”. It took Willson eight years and 30 revisions to complete the musical, for which he wrote more than 40 songs.

What band played in The Music Man movie?

The Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills were the 1950 International Champion Medalist Quartet of the S.P.E.B.S.Q.S.A. , the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America. They were Al Shea (lead), Vern Reed (tenor), Wayne Ward (baritone) and Bill Spangenberg (bass).

Where did Meredith Willson write the Music Man?

It is frequently produced by both professional and amateur theater companies. Meredith Willson was inspired by his boyhood in Mason City, Iowa, to write and compose his first musical, The Music Man. Willson began developing this theme in his 1948 memoir, And There I Stood With My Piccolo.

When did Meredith Willson have her own radio show?

In 1942, Willson had his own program on NBC. Meredith Willson’s Music was a summer replacement for Fibber McGee and Molly. Sparkle Time, which ran on CBS in 1946–47, was Willson’s first full-season radio program.

What did Meredith Willson do at the Hollywood Bowl?

In 1950, Willson served as Musical Director for The California Story, the Golden State’s centennial production at the Hollywood Bowl. Through working on this production, Willson met writer Franklin Lacey, who proved instrumental in developing the story line for a musical Willson had been working on, soon to be known as The Music Man.

When did Meredith Willson make the California story?

The California Story spectacular was followed by two more state centennial collaborations with stage director Vladimir Rosing: The Oregon Story in 1959 and The Kansas Story in 1961. Willson’s most famous work, The Music Man, premiered on Broadway in 1957, and was adapted twice for film (in 1962 and 2003 ).