'Sound of Music' opening Thursday

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

The world famous Von Trapp family singers visit Greencastle beginning Thursday as the Putnam County Playhouse opens its 45th season with the immensely popular musical, "The Sound of Music."

The production, with 47 cast members and more than 100 costumes, runs June 1-4 and June 7-10. All performances are at 8 p.m. at the playhouse on Round Barn Road, except for the June 4 matinee, which starts at 3 p.m.

"Sound of Music" is sponsored by Duke Energy.

Written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, "Sound of Music," contains probably the most famous music ever written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. It will be performed by PCP for the first time in 24 years. The 50th anniversary of the movie by the same name starring Julie Andrews, happened last fall.

Tickets are on sale through June 10 from 5-7 p.m. every day but Sunday, June 4, when tickets will be on sale from 1-3 p.m. They may be purchased for $8 each.

"Sound of Music" debuted on Broadway in 1958, starring Mary Martin as Maria. The next year it won several Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Actress for Martin. It ran for more than 1,500 performances. (It was at the time the longest running musical ever.) It won the Oscar for best picture with Andrews and an entirely new cast in Hollywood.

The playhouse production, directed by Ernie Ford, stars Amy Hayes as Maria. Hayes was last seen at the playhouse in the title role of Gypsy Rose Lee in "Gypsy" in 2003.

"We were lucky in the number of people who tried out for this show," Ford said. "More than 100 people showed up for auditions, and we think we have just about the best of group of talent ever assembled on the PCP stage," he said.

"In addition to a lot of familiar faces, we have 14 actors who are making their debuts on our stage," Ford said. "We have students from every high school in county and a couple from Cascade, too."

Featured players include Andrew Hayes, Amy's real-life husband, as Capt. Georg Von Trapp; Deb Lambert as the Mother Abbess; Caroline Good as Baroness Elsa Schraeder; Dan Stockton as impresario Max Detweiler; Chris Krag as Rolfe Gruber; Pamalee Smith as Sister Berthe, the mistress of novices; Sherry Hedge as Sister Margaretta, the mistress of postulants; and Sharon Pilcher as Sister Sophia.

The von Trapp children are Meghan McClaine as Liesl, Pete Edberg as Friedrich, Kullan Edberg as Louisa, Kenny Buchanan as Kurt, Olivia Humphreys as Brigitta, Jessica Smyth as Marta and Hanna Brattain as Gretyl.

Other featured players include Michael McClaine as Franz, the butler; Maggie Lewis as Frau Schmidt, the housekeeper, and Bill Wieland as Herr Zeller.

The nuns are Lyssa Baker, Jessica Canfield, Kenda Cash, Sarah Dory, Ashley Holmes, Cecilie Humphries, Maggie Lewis, Kylie McNeil, Mary Ann Michael, Phoebe Pritchett and Jessica Watts. The Nazi guards are Christopher Humphries, Joseph Powers, Justin Renner, Nathan Rogers and Adam Tran.

Others in the cast include Katie Hedge and Clay Spencer as Magdeleine and Friz, the butler's children; Ben Dulaski as Admiral von Schreiber; Bart Spencer as Baron Elberfeld and Seth Newman, Lauren Good and Madeline Hayes as contest winners.

Kathryn Dory is the musical director, and she plays the synthesizer and clarinet. She is joined by musicians Marilyn Brudsall on piano, Bob Hedge on bass guitar and Bill Cole on percussion.

Members of the behind the scenes crew are Rodney Price, assistant director; Linda Ford, assistant to the director; Bryan Schroeder, technical director; Jan Ford, costume supervisor; Jan Ford, Pat Armitage, Sarah Armitage and Deborah Armitage, Landes Costumes by Rachael and members of the cast, costumes; and Jack Randall Earles, makeup.

Others backstage are Tyler Robinson, assistant stage manager, Sarah McClaine, creator of the mountain, Matt McClaine, sound design and operation, and Melissa Green, lighting operator. Ernie Ford and Schroeder designed the lighting and set.

The set construction was done by Tim Watson, Jessica Watson, Chris Krag, Adam Tran, Sarah Dory, Meghan McClaine, Michael McClaine, Andrew Hayes, Madeline Hayes, Nathan Rogers, Jim Green and Alix Green.

The painters were Sarah McClaine, Carrie Howe, Melissa Green, Pamalee Smith, Caroline Good, Lauren Good, Tim Watson, Jessica Watson, Meghan McClaine, Nathan Rogers, Jim Green and Alix Green.

Technical advisers were Linda Gjesvold and Larry Sutton.

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