This last summer, I attended a small theater’s production of the 1957 musical, “The Music Man.” From the acting, the singing, and the creative use of a minimalist set, the performance was excellent. Decades have passed since I last watched the musical and I could not help but draw comparisons to our current election fever dream.

Here’s the basic story:

In 1912 a group of travelling salesmen are on a train discussing a known con man who is ruining legitimate businesses and are worried they he will decide to move on their territories. Turns out the con man, “Professor” Harold Hill, is on the train and decides that’s just what he is going to do.

Once in a small Midwestern town, he meets a former con man gone straight who tells him the town is ripe for the picking and offers to help. They decide to scam the town by convincing them that the young people should start a band. They’ll sell them the over-priced uniforms and instruments and teach them how to play them. However, they plan to take the money and run as soon as the goods arrive.

However, they need to convince the town that they need a band and to deceive the most skeptical person in town: Marian the librarian. To achieve the first objective they point to the new pool table in town and how this is going to corrupt the youth. As far as the librarian is concerned, Harold aggressively woos her, even trying to kiss her, resulting in her trying to slap him. Along the way he peppers his story with lies about his credentials.

In true Broadway fashion everything works out just peachy. The uniforms and instruments arrive, just before he is to skip town, Harold and Marian decide they are in love, but he is arrested. The newly formed band arrives in uniform and performs horribly. Yet all agree that the town has unified with the anticipation of having a youth band, Marian’s son has stopped stuttering, and that while “Professor” Hill had intended to swindle the whole town, he had a positive influence and was an okay guy and was now a member of the community.

How could I not draw parallels? First, convince the electorate that there are threats to their way of life that only the con man can correct. Second, convince good people that he deserves their affection and respect even though he is a horrible person. Maybe grab them by the —-, because he is a star, and can get away with it. Sadly, it’s worked for him.

Right now, we are still in the third act, and don’t know if the Well’s Fargo Wagon is going to deliver the goods or not. Does he bring the town together? Or just the community of folks who don’t see through the con? Will he skip town, leaving the investors to hold the bag, like he has done so many times before? Pretty sure whatever happens, that his band, wearing pressed uniforms and playing shinny instruments, will still not be able to carry a tune.