Review: Sound of Music tour with Sally Ann Howes!

[phantomo88]

Posted: 12/22/07 at 7:35pm

Here is a review of the Sound of Music tour with Sally Ann Howes that toured to the Macauley Theatre in Lousiville, Ky in the late 70's:

'SOUND OF MUSIC' MEANS SCHMALTZ, AND MACAULEY PRODUCTION DELIVERS.

By Owen Hardy


"The Sounds of Music" opened last night at the Macauley Theatre in a production that was heavy on schmaltz and good fun if somewhat geriatric - excluding those adoravle little children - in appearance
Sally Ann Howes stars as Maria, and while she's not the fresh-faced, rosy-cheeked Julie Andrews were used to from the movie version, her manner on the stage is nevertheless fresh, bright and endearing. Cast as the precocious little novice at the convent, Miss Howes makes her presence felt on the stage the minute she enters, and that wide-eyed, innocent exuberance never leaves her.
Her voice was also clear and ringing last night, with no signs of age that eemed ro afflict others in the cast.
Earl Wrightson is Capt. Georg von Trapp, the discipline-minded but soft-hearted father of seven children who falls in love with Maria, the governess. Wrightson's most impressive quality is his deep, mellow baritone which is as warm as brandy on a cold night.
His acting, unfortunately, seems to come from the John Wayne school of masculine lead characters, which dictates little if any visible display of emotion. Fortunately, the role generally calls for a somewhat harsh, unmoved European military type and Wrightson's woodenness doesn't hurt too much.He does, however, look a bit aged for the part of the dashing captain.
Lois Hunt plays Elsa, von Trapp's wealthy girlfriend while James Harwood plays Max, the family's favorite sponge. Both did well in the supporting roles, although they're also getting up in years, and time as done nothing for their voices, especially Miss Hunt's . The song "No Way to Stop It" sung by these two and Wrightson - weak in delivery and shaky in intonation - sounded rather dismal.
Terry Saunders as the Mother Abbess was appropriately motherly and understanding. Her big number, of course, is "Climb Every Mountain." Her rendition was perhaps serviceable, but her shrill closing notes "... til you find your dream" might have shattered glass.
But then there's those adorable children, which is what "The Sound of Music" is really all about - and why it really can't fail. How can little children not be adorable? the seven in this production are indeed curt and cuddly, but they're also fine actors and singers to boot. Of special note is 17-year-old Christine Cookson, the pretty blonde (and she is fresh-faced and rosy-cheeked), who played the part of Liesl, the eldest child. Her soprano voice is full-bodied, on-target and pure. And she proves to be a graceful dancer as well as an accomplished singer in her scene withe her boyfriend Rolf, in the song "Sixteen going on Seventeen."
Sets in this "Sound of Music" have been described as "lavish" in promotional material, and while that might be a bit of an overstatement, they are more than one might expect for the average touring shows these days. The scene of the von Trapp ballroom, complete with winding staircase and banister leaves little to the imagination.
This is a "cameo" version of "The Sound of Music" with a small brass, woodwind and percussion orchestral support. One might have wished for a small string section to fill things out a bit.
Nevertheless, this is a "Sound of Music" that works, simply because it takes the schmaltz, runs with it and never looks back. After all, "The Sound of Music" means schmaltz, and this production delivers it.

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 12/22/07 at 7:45pm

Okay