Try to find a single person who has never seen The Sound of Music. It’s practically impossible. Adapted from the novel The Story of the Trapp Family Singers by Maria von Trapp, The Sound of Music first took Broadway by storm in 1959. Nearly 60 years later, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s composition is still blissfully alive and relevant. Premiering last month at Philadelphia’s Academy of Music at the Kimmel Center, the eight-show run had Philadelphians of all ages waxing nostalgic for days.
Since 1965, children (and adults alike) have been enchanted by the film starring one of most iconic stars ever to grace the silver screen – the lovely Julie Andrews herself. Famously playing Maria, Andrews belted the film’s classic numbers giving the family von Trapp a new perspective on life, love, and, of course, music.
Sadly, Andrews is no longer singing. In 1997, in an alleged medical malpractice incident, the songbird soprano was instantly silenced. After undergoing a routine surgery to remove non-cancerous nodules in her throat, she awakened, devastatingly, unable to sing. From a four-octave to a four-note range, the loss of Andrews’ voice was deeply mourned within the music community and around the world.
While her talent has been wholeheartedly missed, even Andrews herself couldn’t wish for her classic songs to remain silenced. But, once you’ve heard Andrews voice belting out “My Favorite Things” and “Do-Re-Mi,” anyone else would be second fiddle… well, almost anyone.
Kerstin Anderson, a Pace University junior (yes, you read that correctly. A junior! In college!) plays Julie Andrews…er…Maria. While she’s barely legal to consume an alcoholic beverage, Anderson stole the show with her captivating performance. Her vocal range cut through the audience, proving herself a worthy replacement for the beloved American icon. Even Andrews would be hard-pressed to find fault in Anderson’s portrayal of the free-spirited postulant.
It wouldn’t be a show without a talented crew of kiddies and, of course, Maria’s romantic counterpart, Captain Georg von Trapp. Played by the very talented (and very handsome) Ben Davis, Captain von Trapp sings ‘Edelweiss’ with such passion and sincerity that you barely even notice the bright red swastika-smattered backdrop behind him.
When the family isn’t singing for their life to escape the Nazis, more benign backdrops transport viewers to Austria with its mountainous landscapes and romantic architecture. While weaving a common design thread from scene to scene, large lace panels added a further layer of mystery and romance.
The live show has moved onto Pittsburgh, PA, but The Sound of Music will continue to run across the nation into 2017. For tickets and information on upcoming destinations, visit their official website.
