In small groups, research your assigned topic from the list below. Be prepared to hand in answers to the questions or a summary of your group's discussion about the questions. Be ready to present your findings to the class.
1. The time period. The Music Man was produced during the 1950s, but it takes place during the turn of the century (early 1900s). Research the terms "old time" and "old timey." What do they mean? Why do you think it is important to understand that The Music Man was written forty or fifty years after the time period it portrays?
2. Fashion. How did people dress during the turn of the century? What were the current fashion trends? Based on what you find, how could a student at VCHS create a somewhat authentic looking turn of the century ensemble for their costume?
3. The setting of The Music Man is River City, Iowa, a fictional place based on the author's hometown of Mason City, Iowa. Why do you think Meridith Wilson chose this setting? What does the midwest represent in American culture?
4. The plot - What is the story of The Music Man? Who are the main characters and what are they trying to get? Why is this story still relevent today?
5. The author - Who was Meredith Wilson? Why is he an important figure in American drama? What are his major accomplishments? He is most famous for The Music Man - what other work did he compose?
