Sound of Music to complete South RetroFest celebration
by Ashley Clark, entertainment editor
Closing RetroFest, South Campus presents the classic story based around the musical Von Trapp family, The Sound of Music, in the Carillon Theatre.
“This was something we wanted to do for a long time,” director Patty McCormick, South Campus assistant professor of drama, said.
The production is a mass collaboration of music majors, theatre majors, Music Theatre Workshop students and local talented children.
In honor of the 10th anniversary of the Joe B. Rushing Center for Performing Arts, former theater and music students were welcomed to perform at the Carillon Theatre.
The play won several Tony awards on Broadway and won an Academy Award for Best Film in 1965. At the time, it took over the distinction as the top-grossing film of all times, replacing Gone With the Wind, which had held that title since 1939.
Captain Georg Von Trapp was a distinguished war commander in Austria following World War II. When his wife, Agathe, died, his nine children were raised mainly by a parade of governesses, several of whom were run off by the pranks the children played.
Encouraged by their father, the Von Trapps were a musical family, and the children sang all the time.
It was the musical interest and kindness of a governess named Maria that eventually won the children over.
She brought an element of sophistication to their music as well as fun and creativity.
When the national Austrian bank folded, Captain Von Trapp lost his fortune. The Von Trapp children began to earn money by singing in public.
Hitler invaded Austria forcing the family to move to America and spend the next 18 years on the road on a musical tour.
When the Captain died on May 30, 1947, the children eventually broke away and stopped touring in 1956.
The stern Captain Von Trapp will be played by Scott Hardgrove. He is a guest performer currently enrolled at Texas Wesleyan.
Tonia Phillips and Rachel Elliot will alternate the heart-warming role of Maria, made famous by Julie Andrews in 1965.
The part of Max will be alternated between Bill Froman and Wes Balew.
Stephanie Kelly will play Elsa.
Kelly is a recent winner of the Irene Ryan Acting Award for her performance in the ACTF production of The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window.
The story about the award originally named the wrong student.
“I wanted to make that clear this time,” McCormick said.
Originally it was announced that Stephanie Roberts, a past student, won the award instead of Kelly.
Several children who have studied with Casa Manana, Kids Who Care and Theatre Arlington have made up some of McCormick’s favorite scenes.
Matthew Minor, Austen Adair, Jordan Ross, Colleen Music, Treeva Phillips, Ginger Haley, Kristen Diou, Kate Bristol, Cori Ross and Haillye Miller will alternate the rest of the Von Trapp children.
“We call the alternate teams ‘schnitzels’ and ‘noodles’ so that there is no confusion,” McCormick said.
The set is based on locations in Saltzburg which were inhabited or visited by the actual persons the story was written about.
“We are using minimal scenery,” McCormick said. “We are also changing the interior scenes in the Von Trapp home to exterior scenes as they did in a recent revival of this musical on Broadway a few years ago,” she added.
McCormick said these decisions allowed for the scenes to flow easily.
Costuming was done by Sandra Saenz.
“She had quite a time pulling all of those together and our ‘Super Moms’ have helped a great deal,” McCormick said.
The lights were designed by Ned Record. Sound is directed by Josh Kelsey, who also stage-manages the production. Technical direction and design was done by Thomas Tuttle.
The Sound of Music will run Nov. 29-Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. with 2 p.m. matinees Thursday, Nov. 30, and Saturday, Dec. 2.
Admission is $3 for Senior Citizens, children and outside students; $5 general and free to TCC students, faculty, and staff.
For more information and reservations, call 817-515-4642; 4526 .
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