‘Music Man’ a tad flat

It’s hard to resist the story of the flimflam man who blows into little River City, Iowa, in 1912 and, despite his fraudulent intentions, manages to sell the town a few things it really needs: art, romance, confidence and the satisfaction of group effort.

To the good fortune of Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities, “The Music Man’s” charm shines through even in an unremarkable production. Director-choreographer Jamie Rocco’s unapologetically old-fashioned staging suits the material just fine, but as of Saturday’s opening, at least, this presentation lacked heart.

Meredith Willson’s 1957 musical, as you will recall, focuses on Harold Hill, a traveling salesman with a talent for getting towns excited about forming a boys’ band. He sells instruments and promises to provide instruction, then skips town before anyone realizes he doesn’t know the first thing about music. Trying to quiet an alarm bell, he makes romantic overtures toward librarian and piano teacher Marian Paroo. But she is wise to him.

Here we have the show’s central challenge: frosty central characters who don’t thaw until story’s end. Only sporadically do Michael G. Hawkins and Karen Culliver achieve the delicate balance of being at once ingratiating and chilly.

Both are further undone by their voices.

Hawkins -- who looks like the original Harold (Robert Preston) crossed with Albert Finney -- capably handles the signature patter of a number like “Trouble” but misses pitches whenever he shifts to melody. Culliver, on the other hand, hits all the right notes, but the power resonating behind her fluttery soprano causes her to sound steely rather than sweet -- until, finally, she softens into the romance of the score’s loveliest song, “Till There Was You.”

Stronger performances are delivered by supporting players, most notably Adam Wylie as the reformed town troublemaker. An actor who has grown up in front of L.A. -- as Zach on TV’s “Picket Fences,” Chip in the local presentation of “Beauty and the Beast” and Jack in the revival of “Into the Woods” -- Wylie has sprouted long legs that he knows how to use. He is developing into a fine song-and-dance man.

Laughs are served up by Scott Harlan, who channels Jackie Gleason as he capers through the dances assigned to Harold’s partner in crime.

The production also benefits from character-accenting period costumes by Sharell Martin and an 18-piece orchestra under Steven Smith’s direction.

Still, it would be nice if this “Music Man” contained more of the sort of rousing moments that occur during “Seventy-Six Trombones,” when River City’s young people form ranks, miming the playing of instruments, and the rest of the townspeople fall in step with them and Harold Hill kicks off a grand parade.

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‘The Music Man’

Where: Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd.

When: Tuesdays-Fridays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays, 2 and 8 p.m.; Sundays,

2 and 7 p.m.

Ends: Dec. 21

Price: $35-$50

Contact: (310) 372-4477

Running Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Michael G. Hawkins...Harold Hill

Karen Culliver...Marian Paroo

Scott Harlan...Marcellus Washburn

Adam Wylie...Tommy Djilas

Presented by Civic Light Opera of South Bay Cities. Book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson. Director-choreographer Jamie Rocco. Musical director-conductor Steven Smith. Costumes Sharell Martin. Lights Pamila Gray. Production stage manager Steven R. Donner.