By Alayna Een and Eliza Een
Against the backdrop of our own friendly mountains, the Sundance Summer Theater and UVU School of the Arts present their summer musical, The Sound of Music. This beloved 1959 musical by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse with music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hammerstein was inspired by the true story. Maria, a problematic prospective nun, is assigned by Mother Superior to serve as a governess for a family of seven children at the request of widower Captain von Trapp. When she arrives, she replaces Captain von Trapp’s strict regimens and instead teaches the children with love and music. The children quickly attach themselves to Maria and thrive under her watchful care. When Captain von Trapp returns home months later with hopeful fiancée Elsa Schrader, he is shocked by the change in his family. But upon seeing the children happy and hearing them sing he changes his tune. Soon Maria and Captain von Trapp are forced to confront their growing feelings for each other and the rising tensions of a forthcoming Nazi invasion.
Director Julie Heaton approaches this story with a love and respect that is evident in every scene: the actors bring out the relatable human emotions and the crisp production quality honors the source material. The Sound of Music never stood out to me as a movement-focused show before, but Jennifer Delac’s choreography (with Tanner Sumens) has completely changed my mind. “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” is a triumph, with Mariel Haven’s Liesl and Isaac Gates’s Rolf twirling seamlessly between ballet and folk dance, ballroom and banter as they live the emotions of a first love. But Delac’s choreography also brings new life and energy to “Do-Re-Mi” and “Lonely Goatherd” and beautiful drama to the Ländler number.
The natural beauty of the Sundance resort is the true star of the set, but Milinda Weeks’s scenic and prop design (with lighting by Peter D. Leonard) blend the elegant von Trapp home with the ever-present and emblematic mountain landscape in the beautiful backdrop and use simple full-length windows and furniture pieces to effectively create the different settings. The costume (La Beene) and hair and makeup (Kate Backman) design work together wonderfully to ground the show in the time period and create both colorful looks and crisp uniforms.
There are no problems with Lauren Pope’s Maria Rainer, and Pope brings an emotional sincerity to the role that makes her interactions with the children, Captain von Trapp, and Mother Abbess feel genuine and relatable. Her voice carries the same sincerity, sharing joy and grief and hope with each note. Dallyn Vail Bayles is the principled Captain Georg von Trapp, and I loved seeing Bayles soften toward Maria and the children throughout the first half while still holding his ground in politics. The pair performs well together, hitting the broad range of emotions in the show.
The von Trapp children are introduced with names and whistles, but I feel like I really got to know each of them during the early number “Do-Re-Mi” because of the brilliant and natural ways that each of them react in character to Pope’s music lesson. The stellar group performance sets a very high bar for the rest of the show, which the children rise to in each successive number—a thoroughly impressive feat. The playful sibling interactions between Friedrich (Sam Karlinsey) and Louisa (Mackenzie Turner) are an especially delightful addition to every scene. Karlinsey’s reaction to his father’s budding romance—and when it seems to be going awry—is so fun to watch, and I love the blunt honesty of Brigitta von Trapp (Charley Balser). The younger von Trapps have the charm and innocence of childhood paired with great acting performances. Marta (Lucy Balser) and Gretl (Lilly Anderson/Noelle Reynolds) are darling and keep up well with the demanding energy of the von Trapp children. I particularly enjoyed how Jack Harper (Kurt) shadows his father’s steps in the Ländler dance. While I’ve seen many remarkable performances of The Sound of Music before, Sundance’s cast of the von Trapp children takes the strudel.
Captain von Trapp’s friends Elsa Schraeder (Merci Hase) and Max Detweiller (Matt Dobson) have some of the most fun songs in the show (“How Can Love Survive” and “No Way to Stop It”), and they perform with a matter-of-fact levity that contrasts well with Captain von Trapp’s stoicism. Dobson’s zingy one-liners keep the audience laughing and Hase finds a great balance between self-confidence and jealousy for her character’s interactions with Georg and Maria.
The play opens and closes with the clear, hopeful tones of the sisters of the abbey, singing a cappella in iconic harmonies. While the nuns in the ensemble perform this singing role excellently, they also add personality and humor to their characters, especially sisters Berthe (Charity Johansen), Margaretta (Chloe Henry), and Sophia (Hannah Staudinger). Mother Abbess (Lauren Slagowski) lovingly counsels and guides Maria and connects in a way that feels real and personal, in addition to singing the iconic song “Climb Every Mountain.” The Nazi officers provide a dark contrast, from intense interactions with the von Trapps to shows of force at the end of the festival to heckling the audience in their search for the fleeing family.
This musical is a beautiful blend of hope and courage in the face of fear and bias, and this ever-relevant theme played out by talented performers in a picturesque place makes for an unmatched summer theater experience. There are only a few seats left for the remaining performances of this family-friendly show, so if you want your heart to be filled with The Sound of Music this summer, buy your tickets to Sundance Summer Theater’s production soon!
*The temperature drops once the sun sets. I recommend bringing a light jacket and wearing tennis shoes as the ground can be uneven if you park in the upper lot.
A review by Front Row Reviewers.
Sundance Mountain Resort and Utah Valley University present The Sound of Music by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse with music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hammerstein
Eccles Outdoor Theater, 8841 Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, Sundance, UT 84604
July 20–August 12, 2023 and 8:00 PM
Tickets: $26–$50 866-734-4428
Dinner (separate ticketed event): 6:00–8:00 PM
Sundance Resort Facebook Event Page
Sundance Resort Website
The Sound of Music Digital Program
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