Servant Stage Presents The Classic Musical THE SOUND OF MUSIC

From its soaring ballads and fun, uptempo tunes, to its heartwarming and uplifting story about family, love, and faith in the face of uncertain times, The Sound of Music has proven itself to be perpetually relevant and one of the "favorite things" for people of all ages.

This iconic musical, based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, follows an ebullient postulant who serves as governess to the seven children of the imperious Captain von Trapp, bringing music and joy to the household. But as the forces of Nazism take hold of Austria, Maria and the entire von Trapp family must make a moral decision. The final collaboration between the legendary duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein took the 1960 Tony Awards by storm. However, it rose to international popularity through the Academy-Award winning film adaptation starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer that debuted in 1965. With classic songs like "Do-Re-Mi," "Climb Ev'ry Mountain," and "My Favorite Things," just to name a few, The Sound of Music has left an indelible mark not just on the Broadway canon, but on western culture as a whole.

For Servant Stage, with a mission to make outstanding, entertaining, family-friendly shows accessible to the community, The Sound of Music "checks a lot of boxes" and as such has long been near the top of the list of shows they've wanted to produce. "When we've conducted audience surveys over the years, this show has always been the most requested show," says Servant Stage Executive Director Johnathan Bauer, who also serves as artistic director for the production. "We were thrilled when the licensing rights became available and we realized we would have our chance!" And the community's response has followed suit, as pre-show ticket reservations have shattered previous records for the company, already prompting additional performances to be added.

With a 16-piece orchestra and a cast of nearly 60 performers, including 20 young local performers sharing the roles of the von Trapp children and a 25-member women's ensemble giving voice to the nuns of Nonnberg Abbey, the show boasts the size and scope that Servant Stage has come to be known for. The Sound of Music follows the successes of last year's large-scale musicals Ragtime and Newsies. "It's been such a joy to see many of our cast who have known and loved this show for years take the stage alongside some of our young performers experiencing it for the very first time," says Bauer. "The result has been an honoring of the historicity of the show and the story itself, but also a fresh experience of it, which really speaks to its timelessness."

The Sound of Music will be presented at the Good Shepherd Chapel on the campus of Lancaster Bible College (901 Eden Rd, Lancaster) June 2-18, with performances Thursdays and Fridays at 7pm, Saturdays & Sundays at 2pm & 7pm (no 7pm show on June 4). All performances are offered as Pay-What-You-Will, as part of Servant Stage's mission to make great performances accessible to everyone in the community. To reserve tickets, find out more info, or see what else is coming up at Servant Stage, please visit www.ServantStage.org or call 717-455-0255.

Servant Stage is a non-profit theater serving Lancaster County since 2011 and bringing exceptional entertainment to over 50,000 audience members each year. Other upcoming shows include I'll Fly Away, a tribute to folk, bluegrass, and gospel music touring across Lancaster County from July 12 to August 13 and the Broadway musical Big Fish performing at Warwick High School in Lititz, September 8-24.

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