Inspired revival breathes new life into well-worn ‘Sound of Music.’
Incredible but true: “The Sound of Music” sparkles like a brand-new show in the inspired revival that’s paying Houston an all-too-brief visit. Catch it through Sunday at the Hobby Center.
The final work in the phenomenal 17-year collaboration between composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein, “The Sound of Music” has been an audience favorite since it premiered in 1959. One of the most beloved of all musicals, it’s also one of the most well-worn.
Director Jack O’Brien, a three-time Tony winner for his work on Broadway, hasn’t done anything radical with the material. In fact, he’s gone back to the original Broadway version, which works better on stage anyway — retaining just one of the movie’s changes, the added duet “Something Good.” The crucial factor is that he’s treated the whole thing as if it were a new work, sweeping away the residue of expectations and received information about how each song or scene should be rendered. The effect is comparable to seeing a newly restored painting, with layers of accumulation removed, so the original colors shine through again.
Casting has been absolutely central to O’Brien’s achievement. Kerstin An- derson, plucked from her sophomore year in college, proves a revelation as Maria, the high-spirited postulant who, assigned to serve as governess to the seven children of widower Captain von Trapp, falls in love first with the children, then with the captain himself. Anderson revitalizes the songs with her warm, soaring soprano and projects a natural ebullience, innocence, tomboyish spunk and, under duress, unexpected strength.
But then, the entire cast is perfect, with the other two leads beautifully realized in Ben Davis’ austere, wounded Captain von Trapp and Ashley Brown’s profoundly eloquent Mother Abbess.
Nothing is handled obviously, or as if the audience’s response to a song or scene is something expected. Everything comes across with a feeling of simplicity and spontaneity. Yet it’s amazing how the subtle change in approach enables the audience to see and hear the show with fresh eyes and ears.
O’Brien maintains a crisp pace, astutely varying the tone for the story’s different realms. In the scenes at the abbey, we feel the seriousness of the sisters’ commitment to their calling. This production makes it strikingly clear what a drastic change it is for Maria to trade the convent for the worldly environ- ment of the von Trapp home. There, too, O’Brien generates real tension as characters react in different ways to the growing threat that Austria will fall to the Third Reich.
This rendition squeezes every drop of meaning and feeling from every line, gesture and musical phrase. It reminds us just how good the show is — not just the irresistible Rodgers and Hammerstein songs, but Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse’s book, which has been underrated. Their script is skillfully crafted, concisely encompassing the busy narrative, with a good deal of humor and poignancy along the way.
Anderson’s radiant Maria, of course, is central to the production’s success. Beyond the quality of her singing, it’s the sincerity of her acting, her naturalness, her sense of being in the moment in each song and scene, that makes her Maria feel like a fresh discovery, not just a variation on some previous star’s triumph.
Davis’ gravitas as Captain von Trapp plays particularly well against Anderson’s exuberance, and I like his neatly understated yet earnest way with a song. He and Anderson develop a real chemistry.
Brown’s authoritative presence and glorious voice distinguish her wise and humane Mother Abbess. Her “Climb Every Mountain” is truly inspiring — and as the creators so shrewdly placed it as the Act 1 finale, O’Brien’s expert staging drives home its significance as a turning point in the plot.
Teri Hansen brings a nice bite and rueful worldliness to Frau Schraeder, who almost becomes von Trapp’s second wife. Merwin Foard scores with his witty delivery and deft timing as self-serving impresario Max. Their sprightly numbers, “How Can Love Survive?” and “No Way to Stop It,” add a dash of tart sophistication that helps balance the show’s view of life.
Paige Silvester is charming and sings well as “16 going on 17” Liesl. Dan Tracy’s tough edge as her suitor, Rolf, adds dramatic interest to their courtship and makes it believable when he turns Nazi.
The other six von Trapp youngsters are winning and natural as they warm to Maria and their newfound musical abilities.
Douglas W. Schmidt’s handsome and ingenious production design is another major asset — imposing and stately for the abbey, elegantly airy for the von Trapp mansion, with a striking churchyard set for the finale depicting the family’s flight from Nazi-held Austria.
For anyone who’s never experienced “The Sound of Music” live on stage, this production is a must. Even if you’re one of those convinced you need never see another production of the show — well, you should see this one. It’s unlikely you’ll ever encounter a more ideal realization.