THE SOUND OF MUSIC to Welcome New 'Georg von Trapp' on Tour in Hershey

The lavish new production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC, directed by three-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien, announces Nicholas Rodriguez as Captain Georg von Trapp, beginning March 21 in Hershey, PA.

"Rarely, but once in a blue moon the planets align in such a way to make both a director happy and his audiences even more so" said O'Brien. "Nicholas Rodriguez assumes the crucial role of Captain von Trapp in our wonderful THE SOUND OF MUSIC, bringing me not only pride that one of my own friends has turned up in the perfect role, but with the assurance that our audiences are about to hear this great music sung as beautifully as can be imagined. Nicholas's voice is one of the major theatrical gifts I've known, and any production lucky enough to snag him will glow with melodic pride! We welcome him, and envy those about to experience this remarkable evening!"

Nicholas Rodriguez joins a cast that includes Charlotte Maltby as Maria Rainer in her national tour debut and Melody Betts as The Mother Abbess, with Merwin Foard as Max Detweiler, Teri Hansen as Elsa Schraeder, Austin Colby as Rolf and Paige Silvester as Liesl. The von Trapp children are played by Elliot Weaver (Friedrich), STEPHANIE DI FIORE (Louisa), James Bernard (Kurt), DAKOTA RILEY QUACKENBUSH (Brigitta), Taylor Coleman (Marta) and Anika Lore Hatch (Gretl).

Completing the cast is Christopher Carl, Donna Garner, Robert Mammana, Darren Matthias, Carey ReBecca Brown, Woody Buck, Cáitlín Burke, Maria Failla, Meghan Hales, Jillian Jameson, Mark Bradley Miller, Anna Mintzer, Julia Osborne, Zane Phillips, Rebecca Pitcher, Michael Spaziani and Emily Trumble.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC features music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, suggested by The Trapp Family Singers by Maria Augusta Trapp. This new production is directed by Jack O'Brien (Hairspray, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Coast of Utopia), choreographed by Danny Mefford (Fun Home, The Bridges of Madison County and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) and music supervision by Andy Einhorn (Bullets Over Broadway, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, Brief Encounter, The Light in the Piazza). The design team is comprised of Douglas W. Schmidt, set design (Tony Award® nominee: 42nd Street, Into the Woods); Jane Greenwood, costume design (2014 recipient of the Special Tony Award® for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre), Natasha Katz, lighting design (Six-time Tony Award® winner: Long Day's Journey Into Night, An American in Paris, Once, Aida, The Coast of Utopia, The Glass Menagerie) and Ken Travis, sound design (Aladdin, Newsies, Memphis). Casting by Telsey + Company/Rachel Hoffman, CSA.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC enjoyed extraordinary success as the first live television production of a musical in over 50 years when "The Sound of Music Live!" aired on NBC in December, 2013 and was seen by over 44 million people. 2015 marked the 50th anniversary of the film version, which continues to be the most successful movie musical in history. The spirited, romantic and beloved musical story of Maria and the von Trapp family will once again thrill audiences with its Tony, Grammy and Academy Award winning Best Score, including "My Favorite Things," "Do-Re-Mi," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," "Edelweiss" and the title song.

A complete list of tour cities can be found below, and online.

UPCOMING TOUR DATES:

Rochester, NY February 28-March 5, 2017

Waterbury, CT March 7-12, 2017

Hershey, PA March 21-26, 2017

Buffalo, NY March 28-April 2, 2017

Schenectady, NY April 4-9, 2017

Memphis, TN April 18-23, 2017

West Palm Beach, FL May 9-14, 2017

Toronto, ON June 6-11, 2017

Washington, DC June 13-July 16, 2017

Cleveland, OH July 18-23, 2017

For more information, visit www.TheSoundOfMusicOnTour.com, or follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheSoundOfMusic, Twitter: www.twitter.com/SoundOfMusic, and Instagram: www.instagram.com/SoundOfMusicOnTour.

Nicholas Rodriguez (Captain Georg von Trapp). Broadway: Tarzan. Off-Broadway: Toxic Avenger, Almost Heaven, Death for Five Voices, Collette Collage, Bajour. Carnegie Hall: Guys and Dolls. Tours: Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Hair. Regional: Carousel (Helen Hayes nomination), Destiny of Desire, Mother Courage and Her Children, Oklahoma!(Helen Hayes Award), My Fair Lady (Helen Hayes nomination) and The Light in the Piazza at Arena Stage; The Ten Commandments at the Kodak Theatre; Beauty and the Beast, Wizard of Oz, Tarzan, The Buddy Holly Story at The MUNY; Mothers and Sons, LES MISERABLES, Master Class, Love!Valour!Compassion! at ZACH Theatre, South Pacific and The King and I at Casa Mañana. Film: Sex in the City II (also soundtrack). Television: Madam Secretary, Nick Chavez on ABC's One Life to Live (GLAAD Award). His debut CD The First Time... is available at www.psclassics.com and via iTunes. www.thenickrod.com