Premiere Screening of Iowa PBS Meredith Willson Doc Saturday in North Iowa

A new, historical documentary on a north Iowa native and music legend will have its first public premiere showing this Saturday (02.11) in his hometown.

The Iowa PBS film, Meredith Willson: America’s Music Man, follows the career of the masterful musician, conductor, composer and Iowa’s champion on Broadway. The first world premiere screening of the documentary is scheduled for 1 pm Saturday, February 11th at Music Man Square in Mason City. It’s free and open to the public.

Following the showing, attendees can visit the Meredith Willson Museum, explore the 1912 replica streetscape featured in The Music Man, and enjoy a sundae from the iconic ice cream parlor. 

Iowa PBS Senior Producer Tyler Brinegar says, “Meredith Willson embraced his identity as an Iowan all the way through his career in show business. This documentary shows Iowans just how inventive this man was to take all of his talents and experiences and apply them to what became one of the most popular shows in Broadway history.” 

An Iowa City premiere for the film is scheduled for Sunday, February 12th at 1 p.m. at the Voxman Music Building in Iowa City. Following that screening, attendees can view historical artifacts featured in the film from the University of Iowa’s Special Collections and Archives. Light refreshments will also be served.

A link to more information and to register for these free events can be found here: iowapbs.org/events. 

Meredith Willson: America’s Music Man will air on statewide Iowa PBS Tuesday, February 28, at 6:30 pm.