Review: Sandy Springs Comes to Life with THE SOUND OF MUSIC at City Springs Theatre

City Springs Theatre Company (CSTC) has returned for their fourth season in the Byers Theatre, opening with the classic THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Directed by Atlanta native and Tony Award-winner Shuler Hensley, this production kicked off the season with delightful fanfare.

In the Rodgers and Hammerstein story we all know and love, Maria Rainer is studying to become a nun when she is appointed to be a governess to a local family. She comes to love them and their widowed father. Captain von Trapp is soon offered a commission by the Nazi regime in the German Navy after he and Maria are married, and the von Trapps are forced to flee the country.

Personally, I have never been a huge fan of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Both my mother and my best friend claim it as their favorite production, and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I loved the show.

There are a few differences between the stage production and the movie. For example, "My Favorite Things" is originally sung in the convent, and "The Lonely Goatherd" is the song sung during the thunderstorm. Elsa Schrader (Kristine Reese) is more of a background character in the movie, acting as nothing more than a love interest and brief distraction, whereas the stage version has two songs for her.

Local theatre can sometimes have the stereotype of being less professional with less talent than Broadway, but that was not the case at all. This production was high energy with minimal mistakes, and you could feel the excitement both from the stage as well as from the audience.

This production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC opened with the nuns singing their hymns entirely a capella. It set the tone for the talent and caliber to expect on stage. For fans of this show, "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" is one of the most powerful songs in the soundtrack. It's the song of hope, and the one that leads the von Trapps out of Austria. Sumayya Ali as The Mother Abbess did not disappoint. What a voice! She played the character so warmly and genuinely that I wanted the Reverend Mother to take me under her wing, and she nailed her solos. Ali hit every note and made me wish I had her version of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" to wake me up in the mornings.

Led (as only an older sister can) by Liesl (Callie Regan Walker), the von Trapp children were charming and believable. They had such a genuine rapport that you felt that they were a real family in how they interacted with each other, both as main characters as well as in the background of other scenes. I found Liesl's blonde wig a bit distracting if only for its contrast to the more natural appearance of the other children. However, Walker's talent was certainly good enough to make up for this costume faux pas.

Maria (Ellie Fishman) was nothing but lovable. You could feel her warm heart and aloof nature in everything she did. This extended from her verbal to her nonverbal behaviors. She seemed to bond with each child in turn and was believable in her relationship with Captain von Trapp (Mike McGowan).

One thing about this production is the stark age difference between Maria and Captain von Trapp. It's nothing new, but it certainly wasn't anything I had considered before. How these two characters are portrayed seems to be an active decision from creative teams going into producing this show. McGowan's Salt and Pepper hair juxtaposed with Fishman's youthful exuberance made for a significant contrast, and felt like a statement from CSTC's creative team. Personally, I was a little uncomfortable with the age difference as it was portrayed. Historically, there is a 25 year age difference between Maria and Captain von Trapp, so I do respect that CSTC aimed for historical accuracy.

The set was simple and actively dynamic. With just a few furniture or structural pieces on stage and a scrim, you were transported from the convent to the von Trapp home to the infamous mountains with ease.

I could clearly see the amount of pride and dedication that went into this production by all involved. From the professionalism of the cast to the orchestra (conducted by Miles Plant), City Springs Theatre Company did a phenomenal job. No opening night is perfect, but this production was about as close as you can come.

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THE SOUND OF MUSIC runs at the Byers Theatre through September 19, 2021. For tickets and more information, check out https://www.cityspringstheatre.com/.

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