Sarah Barr ’16: Members of the Episcopal Academy’s musical The Sound of Music do-re-mi- ed themselves into the hearts of the audience Friday night.
The musical, set in Austria in 1938, is a tried and true recipe for success at any theatrical level. It follows Maria Rainer (Emma Smith ‘15) and her journey from Nun, to Nanny, to the mother of the Von Trapp children and to the wife of Captain Georg Von Trapp (Will Patterson ‘16).
The show opens with the Nuns of the Nonnberg Abbey who, after opening the show with their devout rendition of “Morning Hymn/Alleluia,” discover that Maria is nowhere to be found. The show readily jumps to find Maria in the mountains, which are “alive with the sound of music.” After a period of deliberation between the nuns – Barbara Maritsis ’15, Amalie Hipp ’18, Kathryn Wilson ‘16, and Kailey Radcliffe ‘16 – in “Maria”, the exceptional duet “My Favorite Things” between the Mother Abbess (Radcliffe) and Maria (Smith), results in Maria being sent away to become the governess to the Von Trapp children to discover if the Abbey is the right home for her.
Photo Courtesy of Hilary Shepard Smith
In the Von Trapp household, “the first rule is discipline,” and Captain Von Trapp (Patterson) firmly insists upon this rule, refusing to have music in his household and even whistling to call his children and staff. After meeting the seven children – Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Brigitta, Marta, and Gretl, played by Kelly Flynn ‘17, Jack Royer ‘15, Helena Bryant ‘17, Nellie Konopka ‘16, Felicia Zhu ‘17, Lydia Nawrocki ‘23, Katie Locke ‘22, and Ryann Newcomb ‘27, respectively – Maria brings music and fun back into the household by teaching the children their first song, the playful and fun “Do-Re-Mi.”
Meanwhile, Captain Von Trapp (Patterson) attempts to continue his disciplined existence while juggling his potential marriage to Elsa Schraeder (Bethany Bryant ‘15), and the impending threat of Nazi invasion. Elsa (Bryant) hears the children singing and convinces the Captain to listen, finally bringing music back into the Von Trapp household. The children perform “So Long, Farewell” at the Von Trapp’s dinner party, the catalyst for Maria’s departure from the household and the mutual discovery between Maria and the Captain that they are in love, thanks to the Mother Abbess’ “Climb Every Mountain.”
Throughout the musical, comic relief was brought on through the character of Max Detweiler (Cruce Merchant ‘16). The friend of Captain Von Trapp, he notes that he “loves rich people” and his comedic timing is a welcoming addition to the show. The blossoming romance between Lisel (Flynn) and Rolf (Kory Shore ‘15) showcased in the duet “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” also adds to the shows overall success, as their relationship is broken due to Nazi invasion in the nation.
The show was anchored by a exemplary tech crew and set. The set consisted of panels with mountains painted on them, which could be easily moved to change the stages atmosphere, or removed from view to display the beautifully constructed Von Trapp household. All set changes were executed perfectly, with a tech crew that seamlessly moved props, and the lighting fit every scene well.
The Episcopal Academy’s The Sound of Music was a heartwarming tale of the importance of family and friends, inspiring the audience to “climb every mountain” too.