Hugh Jackman is set to headline a Broadway revival of The Music Man, it was revealed on Wednesday after Jackman posted a photo to Instagram of a trombone and suitcase labeled “Professor Harold Hill”, the musical's protagonist. It also revealed the show's opening date: October 22, 2020. The show will be directed by Jerry Zaks, with choreography by Warren Carlyle.
Said Jackman in a statement: “The first musical I was ever part of was the phenomenal The Music Man. The year was 1983, and I was at Knox Grammar School in Sydney, Australia. I was one of the traveling salesmen, and I think I can actually (almost) remember that unforgettable opening number! That was probably the moment when the magic of theater was born in me. The idea of bringing The Music Man back to Broadway has been lurking in the back of my brain for a long time, maybe even for 35 years. When Scott Rudin called me with that very idea, I was floored. To finally be doing this is a huge thrill.”
Said producer Rudin: “There is just no way to accurately describe the level of excitement I feel about the opportunity to present Hugh in what I think is the best role ever written for an actor in all of Broadway musical theater. Although I have spent a lot of time and energy wishing there was a way to stop the passage of time, this is the one moment when I wish it would just move faster. I can't wait for us to begin working on this together in earnest.”
