Summer Sound of Music at the CFT

In a sense, The Sound of Music was the starting point for this year’s Chichester Festival Theatre summer line-up.

Gina Beck will be our Maria in the piece which offers music byRichardRodgersandlyricsby Oscar Hammerstein II and will be directed by Adam Penford in the main-house from July 10-September 3. Daniel Evans, whose final year this will be as artistic director in Chichester, said: “The musical has become the cornerstone in our season and not just because it brings in coachloads of people from near and far. Financially speaking it is the economic spine of the season because it will always enable ustocommissionnewworkelsewhere in the season on the back of it and to take some risks because of it. And I do think the musical has become more and more important with the years. But I think it is also important because it is acollectiveupliftingofthespirit, this great positive experience in the middle of the summer when peoplecometoChichesterwhen thecityisbloomingandtheycan sitintheparkandtheycanlisten tomusicintheparkandtheycan makearealdayoutattheshow.It isnotjustimportanttotheFestivalTheatre.Itisimportanttoour audiences and it is really important to the city too.”

Opening the summer season though in the main house will be Lia Williams and Joshua James in The Vortex, by Noël Coward, directedbyDanielRaggett,April 28-May 20. Priority booking for Friends of CFT opened Feb 25 (online & booking forms only); Feb 28 (phone/in person). Bookingforgroupsandschoolsopens: March2.Generalbookingopens: March 4 (online only); March 7 (phone/in person). cft.org.uk; 01243 781312; tickets from £10.