The Sound of Music! (LAArtsOnline.com)

The Sound of MusicThe Sound of Music opens September 20 at the Ahmanson Theatre

The Sound of Music!

By Ken Werther
Photo Courtesy of Center Theatre Group

Now considered a classic and unarguably one of the world’s best loved musicals, The Sound of Music opened on Broadway in November, 1959 and ran well into 1963 for a total of 1443 performances. The last show written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, it starred Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel and won five Tony Awards including Best Musical (in a tie with Fiorello!) … and you certainly don’t need me to tell you that in 1965 it was made into a film which remains, to this day, the most successful movie musical in history. Little known fact that The Sound of Music was originally conceived as a play that would feature songs from the repertoire of the real-life Trapp Family Singers. But during the show’s development it became clear to the creators that the story would be better told with original music. Several of the songs in the show have become standards: “Edelweiss,” “My Favorite Things,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “Do-Re-Mi,” and of course, “The Sound of Music.”

A lavish new production directed by three-time Tony Award-winner Jack O’Brien will be launching a North American tour at the Ahmanson Theatre this month. For several generations of folks who only know The Sound of Music as a movie, this will be an exciting opportunity to see how it all began.

The Sound of Music is running at the Ahmanson Theatre September 20 – October 31st.