THE SOUND
OF MUSIC

A Few Of My Favorite Things
by RKB

Is there anyone out there reading this who hasn't seen the movie version of
"The Sound of Music?" From the first time I ever saw it on television, it
has been one of my favorite movie musicals. I loved everything about it,
from the rich Rodgers & Hammerstein music (their last collaberation) to
the wonderful Good vs Evil parable, based on the true story of
the von Trapp Family Singers.
(For a detailed account of the real von Trapp Family,
courtesy of the National Archives, click here.)

I'm very happy to say that the Jay County Civic Theatre version
of "The Sound of Music" was able to recreate, LIVE, the magic
of the film. I had a thoroughly enjoyable theatrical experience.

The story revolves around the character of Maria,
so I was a bit nervous when I heard
that a newcomer to JCCT had been cast in the role:
I wondered if Julie Crandall would be up to the challenge.
I should not have worried. Julie was pitch perfect in the part, both
literally and figuratively. At the beginning she is pleasantly naive
and unworldly; as the story unfolds, however, her moral fiber,
along with her strong faith in God, love, and music, comes shining through.
She was excellent. My favorite scene is when she tells the
Captain that she refuses to answer to a whistle.
It is from that scene that Julie really begins to steal our hearts.

Next in line for praise are, of course, The Children.
All seven actors were highly enjoyable; there were no scenes or
lines that sounded false anywhere in the show.
The group dynamic, too, was fun to
watch. The children seemed genuinely fond of each other,
and yet realistically family-like at the same time.

Sarah Garringer as the eldest child, Liesl, had the most
lines and the most stage time, and she handled herself like a
professional. Her scenes with her would-be
boyfriend, Rolf, played with charm by Chance Milligan,
were wonderful. Sarah was terrific as she went from
being a love-starved, lonely young girl to a more mature,
romantic yet realistic young lady, all in the span of
three hours.

Also deserving of special praise are Maggie Frye as Brigitta
and Morton Garringer as Kurt. Right from the moment she
walks on stage, Maggie commands our attention as
the observant yet fair Brigitta. She never lets us
forget that she's also adorable, though! Likewise, Morton shines
in his scene with Julie as Maria when her character is trying to
teach him how to dance. As Maria then dances with their
father The Captain, the children are quietly realistic.
I'm not surprised by their talent, however, because all three
of them--Maggie, Morton, and his real-life sister, Sarah---
already showed Jay County just how talented they are
in the previous JCCT presentation, "Oliver!"
The remaining children (Derek Bailey, Avery Loyd,
Sadie Brock, and Kailey Russell) were equally entertaining.
Unfortunately, none of them had specific scenes in which to
shine individually. This is the fault of the show, though, not
of the actors.

Rounding out the main cast was Don Enyart
as The Captain. What can I say about Don that I haven't
already said? He is one of my favorite actors, period.
The way his character gradually allows himself to
open up to his children, music, and love,
all over again, was painfully exquisite. My favorite
scene is when The Captain hears his children singing,
"The Sound of Music" for the first time. He tentatively,
then decidedly, joins in, eventually falling into the
loving arms of his children. This scene brought a tear
to my eye. Great job, Don!

The supporting cast was also very good. Linda Porter as Mother Abbess
provided the strong moral compass that Maria, and the show, needed.
She had hilarious and affectionate support herself from Lisa McShane
as Sister Margaretta and Jill Brock as Sister Berthe.
I think Jill and Julie received the loudest laugh of the show
when Sister Berthe runs into Maria singing in the abbey. When
Maria pleads, "I have permission!" Sister Berthe storms out.
It was hilarious.

My one critical comment about the show would be in regard to the
opening scene, set in the Abbey. Perhaps because I don't speak
Latin or have any interest whatsoever in church choirs, but in
my mind the beginning (the Postulants and the Sisters
singing "Hallelujah!" over and over again) could have been trimmed.

There were a few differences between the movie version and the
live version that I noticed and would like to comment on.
First of all, the song "My Favorite Things" is sung in the
movie by Maria when The Children are afraid of the thunderstorm.
In the show, however, it is sung by Maria and Mother Abbess,
and in the thunderstorm scene Maria sings, "The Lonely Goatherd"
instead. I'm not particular about what song Maria sings to The
Children, but I did find it incongruous for Mother Abbess to
sing such a light-hearted song.

Likewise, the characters of Elsa and Max are portrayed in the
movie version as representative of the non-musical life The Captain
is trying to move towards. In the show, however, they have two
songs! Jamie Fennig and Greg Ashley are wonderful as the snobbish
aristocrats, but I did find it somewhat odd that they sing.

And when Maria and The Captain finally confess their undying
love for each other, I expected to hear "Something Good."
However, that song was written expressly for the movie version
(as was "I Have Confidence"), replacing the song whose name I don't
even remember.

One other change I do remember vividly, however, is the
scene where Rolf finds the von Trapps hiding in the Abbey.
In the movie, The Captain confronts Rolf and actually humiliates him.
In the show, however, Liesl stands between Rolf and her father,
and Rolf is unable to turn on her. It's a stronger scene
when staged in this way, and much more dramatic.
I can't imagine why the movie producers changed it.

This segueways into my praise for the people behind the scenes.
Director Cain Bilbrey did a wonderful job,
ably supported by Assistant Director Shanna Camacho and
Production Supervisor Andre Whetstone. Manipulating
the large cast and numerous scene changes could not
have been easy, yet the production never seemed to
miss a beat. Kudos to everyone involved.
Cain directed See How They Run, which was
in 1996 (before I arrived on the scene), but hopefully
he won't take so long between directing gigs again!

This was the first show that Jay County Civic Theatre
presented at Bearcreek Farms. As a member of the audience
I did not notice any particular difference between this
venue and their usual playground (Arts Place). I don't
know if there were extenuating circumstances for this
particular show to be staged at Bearcreek Farms, but I hope that
if there were pluses to this arrangement, JCCT will
pursue them.

Thanks to all for a wonderful evening of live theatre!

The Sound of Music 2008

Main Cast