“I hope that people will come in to hear the wonderful music of Rodgers and Hammerstein that they all know so well, and then, see something that they hadn’t realized was there in this story as they sit back, watch and listen,” said David Shough, the director of the show.
People often say that theater, a play, or a story is about the person who changes the most. In this case it’s the captain, he said, it’s really a story about helping the captain come back after the loss of his wife, reconnecting with his children, and that’s what Maria leads him to.
“This is a favorite show of mine, and not just because of the music that everyone knows so well, but also because of the story that it’s telling, primarily the story about the family, and how they grow and come together, and that is my focus in my approach to putting this show together. We’re really focusing on the characters,” Shough said.
The cast includes more than 34 community members, including a number of child actors as well as seasoned adult performers. Maria will be played by Olivia Pannek; Captain Von Trapp will be played by Brent Peebles and Linda Dew will fill the role of Mother Abbess. The Von Trapp children are Molly Stewart as Liesl; Luke Niehaus as Fredrich, Kaylee Beck as Louisa, Akio Wiese as Kurt, Ryleigh Doss as Brigitta, Lila Miller as Marta, Vivian Miller as Gretl and Evan Blust as Rolf. A complete list of cast members is available online at www.ghctplay.com.
“This is always a favorite. We have done the show before, but it’s been a while, and this was a good opportunity for us to bring it back. We thought Christmastime would be a good time to do it and it gets a lot of people involved. We have a lot of new people that are involved with this production and we’re really happy with that,” said Jane Winkler, one of the show’s producers.
The Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre has been performing community theater in Hamilton since 1958. The organization’s mission is to provide quality community theater and advance the appreciation and knowledge of the performing arts for the greater Hamilton area. Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre is celebrating 63 years of community theater this year.
“We have an amazing season planned. You can’t go wrong with ‘The Sound of Music.’ It’s always such a classic that draws people in, not only to perform, but also to see the show. People just love that show, whether it’s the movie or the play,’ said Barb Winkler, co-producer of the show, “We are very pleased with this season, and we’re proud to be putting it on. It’s very exciting, because it is quality theater that we put on.”
HOW TO GO
What: “The Sound of Music” presented by Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre
When: Dec. 2-5; Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Fri., Sat. and 2 p.m. on Sun.
Where: Parrish Auditorium, 1601 University Blvd., Miami University Hamilton campus
Cost: Tickets are $17 for adults and $16 for seniors 60 and older and students. Tickets are available for purchase online, in-person and by phone. Groups of 20 or more may purchase tickets for $15 each. “The Sound of Music” is sponsored by Barb and Jim Noonan.
More info: Visit www.ghctplay.com for more info, or to purchase tickets. All patrons must wear a mask while attending performances.
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