I saw the Broadway Revival of "The Music Man" recently in New York City.
It was a wonderful production, proving again that it's amazing what you
can do when you're handy with money.

From where I sat, it looked like they used a real player piano in
"Seventy Six Trombones."  At one point the piano roll flaps,
interrupting a speech by River City's mayor.  While I cannot identify
the spool box and tracker bar mechanism, it was clearly genuine.

The piano and bench were on a dolly with 6-inch or so wheels, probably
with ball bearings, and two people rolled it around handily; I suspect
the innards had been removed.  At one point, three people sat upon it
and were rolled around the stage.  At the end of the number, Harold
Hill stood atop it.  It was not actually played, however; the piano
music came from the orchestra pit.

Too bad they didn't have a special Tony Award for best use of a player
piano in a musical.

Regards

Mike Ryan
Milwaukee WI

 [ Maybe the New York production rented the special piano which
 [ Dave Kerr built for Festival Theatre in Stratford, Ontario
 [ (000120 MMD).  -- Robbie