**** Highly Recommended Why revive The Sound of Music for a national tour? Simply put – it’s one of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic musicals, it’s family friendly, the love story is timeless and it’s the 65th anniversary of The Sound of Music on stage. This production is enchanting. 4 BIG Spotlights
You know the story, I’m sure – a postulant who doesn’t quite fit in at the Abbey is sent to be a governess for the seven Von Trapp children, wins over the kids by teaching them to sing, and marries their cold father, with the Nazis grimly in the background. The story is so uplifting it has become a cliché. This production eliminates the schmaltz!
On the other hand, the glorious Rodgers and Hammerstein score includes iconic songs like My Favorite Things, Maria, Do-Re-Mi, Sixteen Going on Seventeen, The Lonely Goatherd, So Long, Farewell and of course, title song The Sound of Music.
The story opens in the Abbey, as the Mother Abbess (Christiane Noll), Sister Berthe (Jade Litaker), Mistress of Novices, Sister Margaretta (Tess Primack), Mistress of Postulants, and Sister Sophia (Meredith Lustig), meet to talk about the postulants, they are sidetracked into the problem called Maria. Nollas is a awesome Mother Abbess and her rendition of Climb Ev’ry Mountain brought down the house!
Christiane Noll (Mother Abbess) and Cayleigh Capaldi (Maria Rainer) in The Sound of Music. Photo by Jeremy Daniel
Cayleigh Capaldi plays Maria with just the right amount of joy and youthful spontaneity. You get the feeling that this Maria can (and will) make mistakes. She’s not thrilled about going to the Von Trapp home, but she’ll make the best of it because that’s who she is.
Although Captain Von Trapp is often played as larger than life, Kevin Earley plays him as more detached than arrogant. It seems to be easier for him to blow his whistle to summon his servants and his children - or to make lists of what his children are not to do – than to get himself to care very much about anything. Once he does start to care again, he shows touching vulnerability as he sings with his children – and especially when he sings Edelweiss to the festival crowd.
I think it’s the darling children who make any production of The Sound of Music special. Ariana Ferch plays 16-year-old Liesl, the eldest daughter, full of spirit and first love. Eli Vander Griend plays 15-year-old Friedrich. Liesl and Friedrich are young enough to play with their siblings, yet old enough to understand the tense situation around them. Louisa (Ava Davis), Kurt (Benjamin Stasiek), Birgitta (Haddie Mac), Marta (Ruby Caramore) and Gretl (Luciana Vandette).
Kevin Earley (Captain Georg von Trapp) and Cayleigh Capaldi (Maria Rainer) with thevon Trapp Children (l to r) Ariana Ferch (Liesl), Eli Vander Griend (Friedrich), Ava Davis (Louisa), Benjamin Stasiek (Kurt), Haddie Mac (Brigitta), Ruby Caramore (Marta), Luciana Van Dette (Gretl) inThe Sound of Music. Photo by Jeremy Daniel
Liesl has a crush on Rolf (Ian Coursey), the telegraph boy. When they meet in the garden one evening, their slightly defiant declaration of their adulthood, Sixteen Going on Seventeen, is accompanied by a luminous pas de deux.
The pragmatic fashionista, Elsa Schraeder (played to perfection by Kate Loprest) is wealthy and CEO of her company (she inherited both pots of money and the company from her elderly first husband). She’s contemplating marrying the handsome wealthy Captain Von Trapp, although his children are an inconvenience. Boarding school will solve that problem but his politics are a real problem.
You can immediately tell that the charismatic master of the tongue-in-cheek comment, Max Detweiler (Nicholas Rodriguez) is another pragmatist. He’s got a job to do – find acts for the Festival – and he won’t be deterred. When he learns the von Trapp children can sing, he’s determined to take them to the Festival, whether their parents approve or not.
Ian Coursey (Rolf Gruber) and Ariana Ferch (Liesl von Trapp) in The Sound of Music. Photo by Jeremy Daniel
There are lots of Chicago connections in this cast. Just a couple of months ago, Ian Coursey played Cooper Roy in Marriott’s original musical, Always Something There. Kevin Earley started his Chicago acting career at age 11, playing Rolf. Cayleigh Capaldi, Kate Loprest and Christiane Noll either grew up in Chicago, or had early success in Chicago theater.
Also appearing: John Adkinson (Franz, the Butler); Jennifer Malenke (Frau Schmidt, the Housekeeper); Sydney K Borchers, (Ursula); Daniel Robert Sullivan (Herr Zeller), Mark Bradley Miller (Baron Elberfeld); Admiral von Schreiber (Core Greenan).
Neighbors, Nuns, Novices, Postulants and Contestants: John Adkison, Blaire Eilene Baker, Sydney K. Borchers, Dylan Bradford, Alli Echelmeyer, Corey Greenan, Zach Herman, Charlotte Jenkins, Jade Litaker, Meredith Lustig, Jennifer Malenke, Mark Bradley Miller, Tess Primack & Daniel Robert Sullivan. Swings: Steven Grant Douglas & Ruthie Sangster
Cayleigh Capaldi (Maria Rainer) in The Sound of Music. Photo by Jeremy Daniel
The Sound of Music Orchestra: Music: Jonathan Marro (Director/Conductor); Anne Van Steenwinkel (Associate Conductor/Keyboards); Griffin Strout (Keyboards); Kyyle Knepper (Trumpet); Sarah Fazendin (Violin/Concertmaster). Chicago Musicians: James Gailloreto (Flute/Piccolo/Bb Clarinet); Ricardo Castaneda (Oboe/English Horn); Peter Brusen (Bassoon); Peter Jirousek (French Horn 1); Carey Deadman (Trumpet 2); Norman Palm (Trombone); Jeff Handley (Percussion); Scott Rosenthal (Bass); Lisa Fako (Violin 2); Jocelyn Davis-Beck (Cello).
The Sound of Music premiered on Broadway in 1959, winning five Tony Awards including Best Musical. The 1965 movie, starring Julie Andrews, won five Academy Awards including Best Picture. The soundtrack album ranks as Billboards #2 Album of All Time. The 2025 tour, produced by Concord Theatricals and NETworks Presentations, is directed by Jack O’Brien.
The Sound of Music runs through November 2nd at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph, Chicago. Running time is 2 hours, 30 minutes, with an intermission. Performances: Tuesday through Friday at 7:00 pm; Saturdays at 2:00 and 7:30; Sundays at 1:00. Tickets range from $40-$140. FYI (312) 977-1710 or www.broadwayinchicago.com