| In the movie (and thus presumably the original production), there is a moment in the fast and energetic crowd-dance break of "Shipoopi" where a male ensemble member (or Tommy?) yells over to Harold Hill: "Hey Professor – show us some new steps!" The original dance music then struck up a new honky-tonk piano ragtime tune as Harold joined the number and launched a new section, holding each girl partner close (ultimately Marian) and performing variations of the Castle Walk and Irene-and-Vernon-Castle-popularized ragtime steps; the rest of the townspeople picked up the steps, ever susceptible to the leadership of Hill. |
