Hugh Jackman to star in ‘Music Man’ Broadway revival

Mar 14, 2019

By Ari Rees

Hugh Jackman is returning to the Broadway musical stage, and he’ll be coming with the flair of 76 trombones.

What happened: Hugh Jackman will take on the role of “Professor” Harold Hill in the 2020 Broadway revival of “The Music Man,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Jackman teased his part in the musical with a tweet Wednesday morning, and his role in the musical was later confirmed by producer Scott Rudin.

The Music Man. Broadway. October 22, 2020. ⁦@MusicManBway⁩ pic.twitter.com/th4NVkpk6h

— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) March 13, 2019

“The first musical I was ever part of was the phenomenal ‘The Music Man,'” Jackman said in a statement. “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.”
He added that when Rudin approached him with the idea of starring in a “Music Man” revival, he “was floored,” as the idea of bringing it back to Broadway had been in his head for 35 years, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

How to get tickets: Revival previews will begin Sept. 9, 2020, ahead of an Oct. 22, 2020, official opening. Group ticket sales will begin June 9 this year and single tickets will go on sale starting Sept. 15.

About the musical: “The Music Man” follows Hill, a charismatic con man who swoops into River City, Iowa, posing as a marching band organizer, and plans to leave the town with all of the cash he collects from uniforms and instruments. A librarian named Marian suspects what he’s up to and plans to expose him, but romance ensues.

“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,” Rudin said.

Jackman has recently led big musical hits in films, such as “The Greatest Showman” (2017) and “Les Miserables” (2012). He is currently preparing for a musical world tour called “The Man. The Music. The Show,” where he will be performing some of his most well-known musical hits.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jackman’s role in “The Music Man” will be the first time he has had a role in a Broadway musical in 16 years.