‘Music Man’

character because, “I think there is incredible power in playing a woman who is fighting against a world that is truly against her,” Silber said. She also appreciates “seeing that relaxed and expand in the presence of Harold Hill. It’s a really beautiful journey for a human being to go on.”

Another joy for Silber is singing many beautiful songs, which include, “Goodnight, My Someone,” “My White Knight,” and “Till There Was You.”

“It’s so joyful. It’s one of the most brilliant pieces of our canon,” director and choreographer Spelman said of “The Music Man.” “But at the same time, there’s a lot of strife and difficulty inside of it. It’s not without it’s darker points which is why I think the joy pops so beautifully.”

Spelman decided to choreograph the show in addition to directing it because, “It’s a show that feels like it moves all the way through. Choreography is story in this one.”

The director indicated that there are several factors that will make her production of this musical distinctive. For one thing, she cast Marian and Harold Hill older than they are generally portrayed in this show.

Even though it’s not stated in the show, Spelman and her cast decided that a typhoid epidemic hit the town a few years before the musical began. That explains the loss of some people in the town and why Harold Hill’s bringing music back to the town is so significant for the residents.

The biggest challenge for the director is working with a 34-person cast — the second largest cast ever at the Marriott. She indicated it’s an exciting challenge, though. “How do you have all of those people in the space and still get all of the story across that you need to get across?” Spellman posed. She credits the wonderful ensemble for making that process fun.

Silber concluded that Spelman’s take on this musical is “a very entertaining and a very joyful experience but also a very profound one.”