‘Music Man’ Knows How to Charm

There was trouble--and not only in River City--when “The Music Man” opened at the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s Segerstrom Hall on Tuesday.

Well, not that much trouble.

This first national tour of the 2000 Broadway revival of the Meredith Willson musical is at the center of a labor dispute over its use of nonunion actors and musicians.

So, clusters of peaceful but determined members of American Federation of Musicians Local 7 picketed outside the parking lot on opening night, distributing leaflets in protest. One sign read “Non-Union Means Amateur.”

Protesting union versus nonunion wages and benefits, or lack thereof, is more to the point; “amateur” is unfair. This production, bathed in a soft glow of nostalgia, may not electrify, but it’s a handsome charmer, from the overture, performed by some orchestra members in red band uniforms in a train compartment on stage, to the surprise curtain-call finale involving many trombones (and an anvil).

In Willson’s Corn Belt classic, flimflam man Professor Harold Hill awakens a strait-laced, turn-of-the-20th century Iowa town to romance and heady new life as he bamboozles residents with his bogus scheme for a marching band.

Although there are no breakout performances in the serviceable cast, it pulls its weight and steps lively, seamlessly directed by Ray Roderick (the staging is based on Susan Stroman’s Broadway direction and choreography).

As Professor Hill, Gerritt VanderMeer lacks the roguish muscularity that Robert Preston brought to the role, and his vocals are a bit pallid, but he complements his tall, romantic-lead presence with the lithe movements of a dancer, and sparks fly when he gets Carolann M. Sanita’s Marian in a clinch.

Sanita’s graceful Marian doesn’t resonate with much depth either, until she sings, sending her full, liquid soprano soaring, especially in the musical’s loveliest ballad, “Till There Was You.”

Overmiking muffled some dialogue and lyrics, particularly in the first act, and Pam Feicht as Mrs. Paroo projects her hearty Irish lilt a mite too enthusiastically for comfort. But small comic moments are well-realized and the big numbers are bouncy fun, particularly the physically demanding, comic “Rock Island” talk song, “Seventy Six Trombones” and “Marian the Librarian.”

The barbershop quartet--Kent Alan Bollman, Dan Debenport, Evan Harrington and Joacquin Stevens--is deservedly a crowd favorite, and so are the two solidly professional child actors, Joseph Fanelli as lisping Winthrop Paroo and Angela Deangelo as feisty Amaryllis.

Meanwhile, Hill’s ripe-for-plucking, Norman Rockwell-ish River City blooms into being with tree-lined streets, town square, gymnasium, library, park and Marian the Librarian’s candy box Victorian house and parlor, courtesy of scenic designer J. Branson’s sumptuous set pieces, scrims and backdrops. Tom Reiter’s period costumes are gorgeous, and so is the notable artistry of lighting designer Charlie Morrison. Moonlight has rarely looked so lovely on stage.

“The Music Man,” Orange County Performing Arts Center, Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, today, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. (Saturday, 2 p.m., will be sign-language interpreted.) $20-$55. (714) 556-2787, (213) 365-3500. Running time: 2 hours, 45 minutes.

Gerritt VanderMeer...Harold Hill

Carolann M. Sanita...Marian Paroo

Morgan Williams...Marcellus Washburn

Albert Parker...Mayor Shinn

Corey Elias...Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn

Pam Feicht...Mrs. Paroo

Ron Smith...Charlie Cowell

Connor Kilian Weigand...Tommy Djilas

Megan Selensky...Zaneeta Shinn

Joseph Fanelli...Winthrop Paroo

Megan Bowen...Ethel Toffelmier

Eileen Boyd...Maud Dunlop

Lynn Mastio...Alma Hix

Angela Deangelo...Amaryllis

Evan Harrington...Ewart Dunlop

Joacquin Stevens...Jacey Squires

Dan Debenport...Oliver Hix

Kent Alan Bollman...Olin Britt

Alicia Zeile...Gracie Shinn

Nancy Owens...Mrs. Squires

A.P. Kopec...Constable Locke

Music and lyrics by Meredith Willson; book by Willson and Franklin Lacey. Directed by Ray Roderick, based on Susan Stroman’s direction; choreography by Stroman. Scenic design by J. Branson. Costumes by Tom Reiter. Lighting by Charlie Morrison. Musical director Andrew Graham. Orchestrations by Terry Hanson. Sound by Lucas J. Corrubia Jr.