'Sound of Music' opens Friday
Junior theater stages classic musical at Northern Light
History, drama, suspense and music all are part of "The Sound of Music," a Northern Light Junior Theatre performance opening Friday.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, Nov. 15, 16, 22 and 23, and at 2 p.m. on Saturdays, Nov. 16 and 23. A sing-along performance will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17.
"The Sound of Music" is the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical based on the true story of the Von Trapp family during the Nazi regime. The play actually preceded the famous movie, and opened on Nov. 16, 1959 - almost exactly 43 years before the junior theater's Nov. 15 opening. The play has some substantial differences from the popular movie of the same name, said J. Althea, the play's director.
"In the movie, some of the play songs were ditched, and some new ones were written," Althea said.
While all of the performers have seen the movie, Althea said she won't watch it until maybe a few days before the play opens.
"I call it the 'M' word in our rehearsals," she said.
In addition to performing the play, cast members have attended weekly presentations on Hitler's rise to power in the 1930s.
"The talks are not so much about what he did - they learn about that in schools - but about how he rose to power in the first place," Althea said. Guest speakers gave the presentations, and many cast members then gave reports in their schools, church youth groups or scouting troops on what they'd learned.
"We're encouraging everyone to stand up for what they believe in, whatever that is," Althea said. "We should never forget that this is a true story."
Tickets for the performances cost $5 for all ages, and are available at the door only. The play will be staged at the Northern Light United Church, 400 W. 11th St., downtown.