It was only a matter of time before the Pittsburgh Symphony Pops' own "Music Man," Marvin Hamlisch, brought Meredith Willson's classic Broadway musical to Heinz Hall.

The similarities are readily apparent. Both Hamlisch and Harold Hill speak in a fast-paced patter that, especially for journalists, is sometimes hard to decipher. But that patter hides a passion that makes the two men immensely likable. And that passion gives way to a delectable sense of humor that enthralls just about everyone.

But then, they are from different worlds. "I can't think of anyone else who could have written this musical, because Meredith comes from that world," New York City resident Hamlisch comments on the musical set in Iowa, of which Willson was a native.

"Music Man" is just one of the many projects he is tending to these days, including the score for the Matt Damon movie, "The Informant!," now in theaters, and meetings with Jerry Lewis on a potential 2010 Broadway musical based on "The Nutty Professor."

Of course, he is looking forward to the entire Pops season, including a "wonderful" Beatles show, Bill Conti's Oscar music-cast and a Cirque-inspired Big Top production. Hamlisch himself will make a rare appearance for the family-friendly Holiday Pops, where the first act will be geared to the children and the second act will center on the spirituality and feeling of the season. He will also return for a "rockin' " Broadway tune-fest in February and pair with a "down-to-earth" B.E. Taylor for a patriotic concert in June.

Because of the popularity of the pops repertoire, "one of the best trumpet players," Chris Botti, and the "greatest pop composer," Burt Bacharach, will appear in special but separate performances.

But back to the "Music Man" at hand. Hamlisch calls this year's season the Pops' biggest opening in his 15 years as principal conductor. "The closest was our concert production of 'Show Boat,' " he acknowledges while waiting in one of his more familiar surroundings -- an airport. But this condensed staging of the "Music Man" boasts a stellar cast, including the original movie Marian the Librarian, Shirley Jones, her son, Patrick Cassidy, as Hill, and Broadway's Mary Poppins, Ashley Brown, as Marian.

Jones will take the first half with a selection of favorite songs. Then she will move into the role of Mrs. Paroo, Marian's mother, in the second half, and augment the presentation with memories of filming the movie with Robert Preston. Most certainly one of her most cherished stories will involve Cassidy. Jones learned that she was pregnant with him during her time on "Music Man" and it is said that Preston could feel Cassidy kick during the embrace on the footbridge.

With regard to Brown, Hamlisch feels that the young soprano "will go on to great things." She is currently on the national tour with "Poppins" in Dallas.

Brown is at the start of her career, although she did Belle in "Beauty and the Beast" on Broadway, performed "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" with Dick Van Dyke in Los Angeles for Julie Andrews, participated in a benefit at Lincoln Center with likes of Liza Minnelli and has her first album, flavored with jazz favorites such as "My Funny Valentine" and "Smile," coming out in January.

Strangely enough, she also has done Marian before, in a high school production of "Music Man." It was almost 10 years ago, where she was able to "just giggle, be 17 and play the role." Still, Brown loves the character of Marian, who "has so much passion, but finds it hard to let herself go." So much so that she is taking a week off from "Poppins" to fly in for the performances in Pittsburgh.

Soprano ingenue. Legit singer. Jazz. Brown hopes to do it all, perhaps having a long and fruitful career like ... Shirley Jones.

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