The Sound of Music
at St. Andrew's Episcopal School

Reviewed on February 23, 2019

Jack Child
Falls Church High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

There are few musicals in history more recognizable than Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1959 hit show The Sound of Music. At St. Andrew's Episcopal School, the tense political atmosphere of 1930's Austria in the midst of the Anschluss and the endearing love story of a warm, caring governess and a cold, discipline-obsessed naval captain came together to create a unique production of this dearly beloved tale. The Sound of Music, Rodgers and Hammerstein's last project together before Oscar Hammerstein's death in 1960, opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. It won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, and inspired a 1998 Broadway revival at the Martin Beck Theatre and a hit 1965 film starring Julie Andrews, which won five Oscars. Since then, The Sound of Music has become one of the most iconic musicals of all time, with songs such as "Do-Re-Mi," "My Favorite Things," and "Edelweiss" gaining incredible popularity worldwide.

Highlighting St. Andrew's production of The Sound of Music was Devin Lucas, who showcased remarkable vocal ability in the challenging lead role of Maria. Lucas kept the youthful and energetic air of the young governess about her throughout the show, and her vocal prowess shone through every time she sang. Especially notable instances of this were in the songs "The Sound of Music," "Do-Re-Mi," and "The Lonely Goatherd." Opposite from Lucas was Oliver Bush in the role of Captain Georg von Trapp. Bush's uptight physicality, combined with his consistent accent, nicely reflected the commanding and no-nonsense nature of his character. It was nice to see the chemistry between Lucas and Bush grow as the show progressed, especially into Act Two, when the characters' romance blossomed. Another outstanding performance was delivered by Parker Dymond as the Mother Abbess. Dymond was a delight to listen to with her impressive control over breath and pitch and her beautiful vibrato. Cameron Behram in the role of Max Detweiler possessed a solid grasp of comedic timing, making the most out of his humorous lines and adding a note of laughter to otherwise serious scenes. Leia Terrenzi, playing Baroness Elsa Schrader, brought depth to her character, putting clear intention behind every line and keeping a stage presence appropriate for the socialite she portrayed.

Technical aspects added to the atmosphere of the show as well. The auditorium was decorated with large, beautiful paintings of the Austrian countryside and the Alps, which were painted by art students at St. Andrew's. These paintings worked with the set to create an enjoyable setting for the show to take place in. The set was impressive in its ability to embody different locations. Through movements of large set pieces, the stage became an abbey, Maria's bedroom, the von Trapps' patio, and the interior of the von Trapp house. Another unique technical element was the use of projections on the curtain. A projector was used to play a segment of a news report from World War II and to display curtains for the concert scenes. The news report added a nice touch of context to the story not contained in the script.

St. Andrew's Episcopal School's production of The Sound of Music was full of memorable acting performances and charming technical choices. This legendary musical has succeeded to captivate audiences for generations in all its incarnations, and the St. Andrew's Players' performance was no exception.

Savannah Gravitt
Annandale High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Let's start at the very beginning, The Sound of Music is a musical based on Maria von Trapp's memoir of her own life. It's music and lyrics are by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, with the book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. Most people may know the 1965 movie starring Julie Andrews as Maria, but it was originally a Broadway musical in 1959. This story is of Maria Rainer, sent by the nuns at the abbey to be a governess to the seven von Trapp children. While dealing with their menacing father, Captain and the Nazis looming invasion of Austria. The beautiful, heartwarming story of Maria von Trapp, Captain Georg, and their children brought to life by St. Andrew's Episcopal School will make the audience leave with a smile on their faces. All with "Do-Re-Mi" playing on repeat in their heads.

The cast in this production lit up the stage with their energy and vocals. When Maria Rainer (Devin Lucas) entered behind the audience on the stairs, her powerful yet sweet vocals commanded the room. "The Sound of Music" didn't seem to just be in the hills, but within her performance throughout. Her stage presence helped elevate the rest of the ensemble, and her chemistry with Captain Georg von Trapp (Oliver Bush) was exciting to watch. Bush played the Captain superbly and his love for Maria, the children, and his home country were bright and clear underneath his stoic facade.

Mother Abbess (Parker Dymond) was full of life and poise. Her vocals for "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" moved the audience to tears. Her back and forth between a graceful nun and a funny yet supporting mother figure to Maria was clear and breathtaking. Max Detweiler (Cameron Behram) had hilarious comedic timing and good chemistry with all of his scene partners.

Of course, also worth mentioning are the von Trapp children. All of the kids worked so well together that it was hard to remember they were actually actors on a stage. Their relationships with each other and the adults were well-developed and adorable. Their songs with Maria, like "The Lonely Goatherd" and by themselves, like "So Long, Farewell" were high energy and warmed the hearts of every member in the audience.

The tech moved the story along with incredible attention to detail. The costumes, especially for Maria and the children were specific and portrayed the character's individuality perfectly. The pleasing lighting, especially the warm yellow lights, gave the audience a sense of hope and belief that these characters were indeed by the beautiful mountains. The set design was all-inclusive and detail-oriented and gave the actors wonderful scenery to work with.

The St. Andrew's Players' production of The Sound of Music was fun, moving, and definitely encouraged the audience to "follow every rainbow, till you find your dream."

Bella Fisken
Oakton High School
Submitted for publication to Patch.com

The hills were certainly alive with The Sound of Music at St. Andrew's Episcopal School this weekend. A dedicated and cohesive cast, intricate set, and vivacious characters — these were a few of the audience's favorite things.

The Sound of Music was released as a Broadway musical in 1959 with music and lyrics by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, based on Maria von Trapp's personal memoir. Immediately a favorite, it won five out of the nine Tony Awards it was nominated for. In 1965, it was adapted into a film, directed by Richard Wise, starring Julie Andrews, and scored five Academy Awards.

Devin Lucas lived up to Maria's iconic legacy. Her performance was entertaining and sophisticated. Oliver Bush as Captain von Trapp showed that music can crack even the stoniest hearts. While he held Maria and his children at an arm's length at the beginning of the musical, his portrayal became adorably warm and loving as the show progressed.

Leia Terrenzi plays Elsa, the Austrian polished society woman of many accomplishments. Terrenzi sings admirably and is totally convincing as a grand dame. An audience favorite was Michaela James-Thrower as Liesl and David Stevenson as Rolf in their scene of wooing and the song "I am Sixteen Going on Seventeen." Here were two young people who embodied old-style great musical performances. Their voices blended beautifully.

The phenomenal set brought the audience from an abbey to an elegant manor home, complete with a colorful backdrop of the Austrian countryside. The lighting was subtle but masterfully executed, with the brightness swelling as the voices of the actors did, drawing viewers even further into the scene.

The Sound of Music is a classic. The musical stresses the importance of family, faith, and learning to cope with uncertain futures. The cast and crew at St. Andrew's Episcopal School helped achieve these through music, song, and dance.

Chris Polio
Northwest High School
Submitted for publication to Maryland Theater Guide

Music can bring family together, and can represent the connection between people. St. Andrew's Episcopal school reimagined the story of The Sound Of Music through the vivid physicality of their actors and the close up connection with the audience.

The Sound of Music, book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, with the music by Richard Rodgers and the lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, follows the story of the free-spirited nun who takes the job of governess to the von Trapp family. This story is based on the true memoir of Maria von Trapp, living in Austria during the WWII. Maria loves the children, teaching them how to be individuals and to enjoy being a child. Maria falls in love with Captain Georg Von Trapp, a recent widow. The family faces many obstacles, including the fact that Captain Georg is ordered to join the commission of the German Navy,led by the Nazis.Together as a family, they escape Austria in search of freedom.

St. Andrew Episcopal School's production created many audience smiles through scenes where the actors' physicality was brought to life. Throughout the production, the development of each actor's character was depicted and adequately represented.

Maria Rainer, played by Devin Lucas, had already drawn in all the hearts of the audience when she began to sing. Her innocence and zest for adventure was xpressed through her facial expressions and the ring of her voice. Captain Georg von Trapp, played by Oliver Bush, was portrayed as stern and strict. Throughout the show, Captain Georg would draw the audience in with his change in emotion, as he discovered that his children needed love, and that it was he who would soon fall in love with Maria.

Mother Abbess, played by Parker Dymond, had a great voice, which really shined through "Climb Ev'ry Mountain", through her soft and waif-like voice. Max Detweiler, played by Cameron Behram, brought many laughs into the auditorium through his one liners and his overall reactions on stage. The audience fan-favorites were the von Trapp children. All seven could brighten the stage with their innocence and joy, at its best during the second act when each child's personality was clearly depicted.

The lighting set the mood of each scene, for example,the moment when Maria first first entered--she walked down through a glowing yellow light above her, as if she had been reflecting from the sun. One issue for the tech was lengthy set changes

St. Andrew Episcopal School's production of The Sound of Music was a fun experience, that would end with the audience smiling and wanting more.