( ENSPIRE Music ) Mark Linn Baker Replaces Jefferson Mays as Mayor Shinn
ENSPIRE Contributor: Gabel Strickland
Renowned film, television, and theater star Mark Linn-Baker will play Mayor Shinn in the beloved Broadway musical “The Music Man.” He will take over for Jefferson Mays, who retires from the role in October. Linn-Baker will have chance to breathe new life into the character and close out the show with a bang before the musical closes in January.
Mark Linn-Baker’s latest role has been in Marvel’s latest Disney+ series “She-Hulk,” but in the past, he’s been in a myriad of successful movies and shows. Perhaps most notable among them are ABC’s comedy “Perfect Strangers” and Richard Benjamin’s film “My Favorite Year.” But Linn-Baker is no stranger to musical theater. His seemingly endless Broadway credits include: “On The Twentieth Century,” “You Can’t Take It With You,” “Relatively Speaking,” “Losing Louie,” “Hysterium in Forum” (Drama League Honor, FANY Award), Neil Simon’s “Laughter On The 23rd Floor,” and so many more.
Wintergarden Theatre
“The Music Man” first opened on Broadway on December 19, 1957. The story and score were first written by Meredith Willson. Since then, the show has had three revivals, with Mark Linn-Baker earning a part in this third revival. It’s a colorful, energetic musical comedy that centers around conman Harold Hill and his scheme to turn a small town in Iowa into a marching band before making off with the profits. The show has won many Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical in 1958.
“The entire The Music Man company is excited to welcome our new mayor Mark to the Winter Garden,” said Kate Horton, producer for the show. “I know he will be a delightful and altogether worthy successor to Jefferson, who has been such a brilliant and cherished part of our company.”
Baker will have ample opportunity to thrive in the show alongside so many other talented cast members. “The Music Man” stars Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster. Shuler Hensley and Marie Mullen, both Tony Award-winning performers, round out the show’s cast as well. Baker will succeed Jefferson Mays as Mayor Shinn, whose performance was often praised in its own right.
If you want to see Baker on stage, be sure to grab tickets to The Music Man before the production closes with its last performance on January 1st, 2023. Tickets are available on telecharge.com. For more information about the show’s cast, crew, reviews, and schedule, you can visit their website at musicmanonbroadway.com.
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