Happy New Year!

The Sound of Music

The Sound of Music is my favorite Broadway show ever, and has been for eight years. I love the message, music, characters, setting and story. This show also brings back memories, and inspired me to be in plays. I love theatre, and this is exactly what a perfect show should be!

The Sound of Music is an amazing musical set in Austria during World War 2. The movie version of this musical stars my favorite actress, Julia Roberts, as Maria. Maria is a positive, adventurous nun who leaves the convent for a while to nanny for a strict family. Captain von Trappe is a retired navy general who insists on treating the house like a ship. He calls his children with a whistle, makes them march, and is always on a strict schedule and harsh rules. At first, the children try to make Maria leave because they want to spend time with their father instead, but soon come to love her. Maria and Captain von Trappe fall in love and get married. But the Nazis want the family to join them, and they are forced to flee the country. Luckily, they get away together, with the help of Maria’s convent sisters.

 The Broadway Premier was in 1959 and there was a Revival in 1998. The movie version premiered in 1965 and received 5 Academy Awards. Maria was played by Mary Martin in the original Broadway cast and Rebecca Luker. Captain von Trappe was played by Theodore Bikel and Michael Siberry in the revival. There have been two London Revivals and numerous other productions.

The show was actually based on a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It was called The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. Although the story was changed a little to produce a show, I think it’s so cool that the story is based on a real family.

Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote the wonderful music for the whole show. This would be one of the last shows they wrote for because Hammerstein died of cancer nine months after the Broadway premiere.

I love this play for so many reasons. I love the music, and the happy mood it carries. The movie version has been my favorite movie since I was six. Everything about it reminds me of being little; wishing I was in Austria singing in the gorgeous mountains and eating schnitzel with noodles. Or as I got older, pretending I was Leisel, wearing a fancy pink dress and dancing in a romantic gazebo with Ralph. I also wanted to sing and be onstage since I saw the musical. All the kids looked like they were having so much fun!

Last year, I was able to play Louisa in Jana Dearden’s production of this show. Louisa is the daring prankster of the Admiral’s family. It was so fun to sing, dance, make amazing friendships, and be onstage performing my favorite show. My younger sister, and my dad were in it with me. It was a dream come true. Now the show also reminds me of my friends and the magic of performing.

If you asked me where I would go if I could go anywhere in the world, it would be Austria. That is because of The Sound of Music. The fairytale-green mountains, delicate wild flowers, azure water, and quaint towns are my ideal storybook setting.  It looks adventurous, romantic, fun, gorgeous and just amazing!

The costumes are so fun in this show. You have a wedding dress, wimples, Lederhosens, nightgowns and even play-clothes made out of curtains! I had 5 different costume changes in the show, which I thought was so fun! My favorite was the one I wore in the Wedding Scene. It was white, mint, blush, and pale yellow with a crown of flowers in my hair. I also loved the ‘curtain costume’ because it reminded me of the movie.

If I was forced to pick my favorite song it would be ‘Climb Every Mountain’. When I was in the show we walked down the aisles of the auditorium out the doors as if we were climbing the mountains out of Austria and away from the Nazis. It was an emotional scene for me. The song touches my soul and sounds the same and different every time I hear it. It reminds me of my childhood, playing Louisa, life’s trials and the power of music. I love it.

My second favorite is ‘So Long Farewell’ I love the fun and sweet and familiar element of it. I got to sing and dance ballet during the song, so I especially enjoyed performing it. Edelweiss is also a beautiful song about loving your country, home, and family and being proud of it. It’s also about leaving something you love and going forward with hope and faith.

The Sound of Music is in my opinion the best musical in the world. It makes me happy. I hope you also love it, or go and listen to the music, because I promise it will make you feel good.

So long farewell, Auf Wiedersehen adieu!