When we were visiting Stratford, Ontario earlier this month, we had a slew of plays and musicals to choose from. For, as you know, Stratford is a theatre town, and why visit without seeing the shows? As we discovered, Stratford is also an art town, a foodie town, and a deeply cultural town. But I digress. The shows. 

Members of the company in The Sound of Music. Photography by David Hou.

We were lucky enough to see Taming of the Shrew (more on that to come) and The Sound of Music. I think we've all seen The Sound of Music many times - movie, that ill-fated live tv special, and, of course, onstage. I will be honest - I wasn't super excited to see The Sound of Music, but wondered how the incredible Stratford Festival would present it.  

Let me tell you: 

This production of The Sound of Music is the best I've ever seen - BAR NONE. Move over, Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer - Stephanie Rothenberg and Ben Carlson make this show come alive in a whole new way. Rothenberg, with recent experience on Broadway, and Carlson, a mainstay leading man in the Festival (and, it seems, everywhere else), make this classic new, personal, and very moving.

Ben Carlson (centre) as Captain von Trapp with members of the company in The Sound of Music. Photography by David Hou

Rothenberg is a joyful, happy Maria; Carlson is the most human Captain von Trapp I've seen. Together, they bring a palpable sense of joy and humanity to The Sound of Music. It is stunning, how they remake these familiar characters. The rest of the cast chime in with excellent performances, especially Liesl (the fine dancer Alexandra Herzog) and Gretl (Zoë Brown, who has probably been told how cute she is her entire life). I am loathe to put the words personal growth into a musical context, but every character in this musical grows and finds their path. It's remarkable, how the actors do it - especially actors with smaller parts in this production. Very impressive.

Zoë Brown (left) as Gretl von Trapp and Stephanie Rothenberg as Maria Rainer in The Sound of Music. Photography by David Hou.

From left: Ben Carlson as Captain von Trapp, Alexandra Herzog as Liesl von Trapp and Gabriel Antonacci as Rolf Gruber in The Sound of Music. Photography by David Hou.

The acting is fine, and the music soars. Rothenberg is a vivacious singer that matches Carlson's beautiful voice in strong, compelling harmony. The Mother Abbess, Anita Krause, shepherds her own nuns into beautiful song - and playfully interacts with Maria; their duet also harmonizes beautifully. The children all sing well - they are real actors, with singing and dancing chops, to boot. Best of all, there's a real orchestra (to go with these real and talented actors) which provides a flawless background that has as much to do with the overall magic of the show as the singing.

Ben Carlson as Captain von Trapp and Stephanie Rothenberg as Maria Rainer in The Sound of Music. Photography by David Hou.

Members of the company in The Sound of Music. Photography by David Hou.

I'm not alone in being impressed:

"Comparisons to Mary Martin and Julie Andrews are inevitable and understandable, but the second Stephanie Rothenberg starts singing "The Sound of Music" by a tree in the mountains, with a voice that's clean and clear and pure, she stakes a strong line in the sand as her own Maria." 
 

Director and Choreographer Donna Feore, in her 21st season in Stratford, outdoes herself with this production. Her talent and vision can be seen throughout the musical, but shines at the end, when the von Trapp family makes its exodus through the mountains. There wasn't a dry eye in the place (and I'm sitting here with tears streaming down my face, remembering it). By far, it is the most powerful ending to a play I've ever seen. 

Members of the company in The Sound of Music. Photography by David Hou

Hurry!

The production closes November 1. Make time to head to Stratford this month to see this extraordinary production. If possible, take your class (educational resources located on the website, as well). They will thank you for it! 

Learn more: http://www.stratfordfestival.ca/WhatsOn/PlaysAndEvents/Production/The-Sound-of-Music

Statistics:
There were 40 actors, 172 costumes, and 92 performances of The Sound of Music (!).

Note:
The Diary of Anne Frank also ran this season at Stratford, and there was a special Anne Frank exhibit at the Stratford Perth Museum. While we didn't see the play, the exhibit was quite moving, and well worth visiting whilst you're in town. It gives a broad history of WWII, the Nazis, and the social interactions that led to the war. It's a powerful way to learn the history of this era - make sure to visit before you see either The Diary of Anne Frank or The Sound of Music.
 

All photos courtesy and copyright Stratford Festival, used with permission. 

Note: We were guests of Visit Stratford - thank you so very much!