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As far as musicals go, The Sound of Music is a classic.
Its songs 鈥� which include 听鈥淓delweiss,鈥� 鈥淢y Favorite Things,鈥� 鈥淐limb Ev'ry Mountain,鈥� and 鈥淒o-Re-Mi,鈥� and were penned by legendary songwriting duo Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II 鈥� are widely known outside of the musical theatre world, largely because of the beloved 1965 film starring Dame Julie Andrews as Maria Rainier, the singing novitiate听who serves as governess to the Von Trapp children, and injects their hearts (and that of their father) with love and joy.
So with Broadway Across Canada鈥檚 touring production of The Sound of Music, which opened at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on Tuesday and runs until Sept. 17, we know going in that the songs and Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse鈥檚 story are timeless and strong. But does the touring production do the material justice?
Yes. Yes, it does.
The production鈥檚 success begins with the strength of its ensemble. There isn鈥檛 a weak actor-singer in the lot. The anchor is Jill-Christine Wiley as Maria, who would not be faulted for being influenced by Dame Andrews鈥� iconic screen performance. But from Wiley鈥檚 first notes of the titular song, it's clear that her Maria is very much her own 鈥� one that is a unique mix of light, charm, and authenticity.
Wiley was a standout in a cast of standouts. As The Mother Abbess, Lauren Kidwell infuses her majestic songs (including 鈥淐limb Ev鈥檙y Mountain鈥�) with gravitas and remarkable vocal agility. Mike McLean鈥檚 Captain Georg von Trapp is a multilayered, tortured soul with a dynamic voice. The Von Trapp children form a well-oiled ensemble of energetic triple-threats. And Melissa McKamie鈥檚 Elsa Schraeder is a highlight, lifting the largely antagonistic role of the romantic rival beyond the obvious clich茅s.
The Sound of Music is set in Austria in 1938, and the musical鈥檚 pervasive darkness 鈥� the rising threat of the Third Reich 鈥� has added poignancy in the aftermath of Charlottesville and the rise of the white supremacist movement in the United States.
It鈥檚 especially shocking and horrifying when giant Nazi banners are unfurled 鈥� but they provide a fitting (albeit jarring) backdrop for one of the most impactful and emotional moments of the musical, when Captain von Trapp sings 鈥淓delweiss,鈥� a tribute to his beloved Austria, which has just been annexed by the Third Reich.
In short: this production of The Sound of Music is one of our favourite things to roll into town this year. 听
Broadway Across Canada鈥檚 production of Rodgers & Hammerstein鈥檚 The Sound of Music runs at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre until Sept. 17. Tickets and schedule information at
