‘The Sound of Music’

The Somerset Valley Playhouse stages this summer’s best version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

By: Stuart Duncan
   Who would have thought the area needed four separate productions of The Sound of Music this summer? The Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II musical is nice, filled with lovely tunes, and has a large cast, which usually means good audiences. One or two at a time is quite enough.
   But, by golly, we have had four, and the last, at Somerset Valley Playhouse, is the best of the lot. Director Linda Neri admits to being charmed by the movie and has wanted to bring it to the stage for years. She brought with her not only a fine retelling of the familiar story, but fresh characters, more real than usual, and lots of other twists and turns that will delight.
   When the show opened in New York, it changed some of Broadway’s ancient customs. Theater celebrities were used to marching down the aisles just as the overture was ending, thereby attracting the most attention. But The Sound of Music had no overture. Instead, a chorale group of nuns sang chapel-like songs and then went into a sprightly tune asking the question: "How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?"
   Moreover, the producers decreed that no one would be seated during the first two scenes in the Abbey. At first, celebrities were reduced to fuming in the outside lobby, but the word quickly went around and the curtain was prompt.
   No such problems at SVP. The houses have been sellouts; the patrons are usually on time anyway. Just as well, Ms. Neri has not cut a note, nor a smidgen of dialogue. The evening runs two hours and 40 minutes, unlike all the extant honed-down, speedo versions.
   She began by casting superbly. She found two newcomers for the leads: Nancy Jean McBride has played a variety of roles for other companies, ranging from Anne Frank to A Little Night Music. Here, she makes Maria her own, eschewing all the customary vocal tricks in favor of simple dignity. She appears to blossom as her love for the captain becomes evident. Kurt Jelinek plays the Captain as a true Austrian, the accent convincing, the bearing military, but the inner man easily seen and warm. In truth, he is a tenor but manages the baritone notes without apparent difficulty.
   Lynn Springer, who just a short while ago was holding seances as Madame Arcati in Playhouse 22’s Blithe Spirit, shows off her extraordinary soprano voice as the Mother Abbess. Her "Climb Every Mountain" brought well-deserved cheers from opening-weekend audiences.
   Linda Konopka and Walter Baricelli are nicely teamed as the Captain’s mainstays of the household staff. Alison Quairoli is an exceptionally fine Elsa Schraeder, the other woman of the piece. Rather than play the role as "the wicked witch of the west," as is often customary, Ms. Quairoli finds a lovely characterization that shows the woman out of place, out of her time, but inwardly a sweet person. It works beautifully. Amazingly, Ms. Schraeder is on stage for the first time in her life.
   Of course, the children always steal the evening. These seven: Carolyn Murphy, Matthew Muccigrossi, Elisa Baricelli, Adam Alsamadisi, Jaclyn Reilly, Rebecca Iannucci and Laura Sarles, are among the best. The "Do, Re, Mi" scene will lift your spirits; the title song will fill your heart.
   Incidentally, The Sound of Music was the last of the Rodgers/Hammerstein collaborations. Oscar Hammerstein died during the run of the show. At that performance, those who saw it tell us Mary Martin sang "Climb Every Mountain" at the final curtain with tears in her eyes.
   Make reservations early for this one; expect a sellout.
The Sound of Music continues at Somerset Valley Playhouse, Amwell Road, Hillsborough, through Sept. 30. Performances: Fri.-Sat. 8 p.m.; Sun. 3 p.m. For information, call (908) 369-7469.