'The Music Man' Once Had a Disabled Character. Then He Was Erased.
At the urging of producers, Meredith Willson cut a boy in a wheelchair from the early scripts for his 1957 musical. A look back shows what was lost.
Today is Wednesday, July 1, 2026 Broadway Baby Birthdays: Thomas Sadoski William Aaron Harpold Kipizane Skweyiya Alan Ruck Terrence Mann Craig Mason Michael Pressman Mike Burstyn Deborah Harry Karen Black Twyla Tharp Jean Marsh Jamie Farr Sydney Pollack Farley Granger Florence Stanley Constance Ford Sylvia Gassell Ralph Young Virginia Dale Olivia de Havilland Madge Evans Charles Laughton Don Beddoe Charles D. Brown Adele Rowland Susan Glaspell Tom McNaughton Robert Cole Solters / Sabinson / Roskin Inc. Michael Petro Victor Arnold Josh Canfield Laura Heisler Greg Keller Ritchie Coster Rob Bowman Robert Ari Daphne Dare Val May Robert E. McEnroe Alex Segal Willie Dixon Thomas A. Dorsey James M. Cain