D.E.E. Studio Productions Performing Arts Academy will present Rodgers and Hammerstein’s stellar musical, The Sound of Music, directed by Nancy Horak and Jeff Lucas. The play is based on the true story of the Trapp Family Singers. Catherine Birdsong and Tabitha Joy Carroll will star as Maria, a postulant nun who regularly misses morning prayers, preferring to sing alone in the hills. Mother Abbess (Nancy Gabor/Kris Feldman) decides that Maria is not ready to take her vows and sends her off to be governess for the children of widowed Captain Von Trapp (Jeff Lucas/Marco Bordales). His seven children (Liesl – Natasha Gaston/Brooke Sikkema/Jolie Vanier; Friedrich – Jance Enslin/Remington Fiore; Louisa – Hila Oz/Lauren Montes; Kurt – Brendan Pepe/Evan Hannemann; Brigitta – Dakota Booher/Brooke Benner; Marta – Ariana Zamani/Allison Rupp; Gretl – Taylor Helms/Mykayla Lynch) appear automated, in the Captain’s presence, claims the housekeeper Frau Schmidt (Louise Jorgensen/Sarah Rudd). Otherwise, they are holy terrors, since Maria is the latest in a long line of governesses. Maria ingratiates herself with the children, especially oldest daughter Liesl, who is infatuated with teenaged messenger boy Rolf (Sean Taron/Jance Enslin). Maria begins to fall in love with the Captain, and rushes back to the Abbey so as not to complicate his impending marriage to a glamorous baroness (Dianna Hietala/Clare Pepe), encourages by charmingly quirky Max Detweiler (Corey Huizar). But the children insist that Maria return, the Baroness steps out of the picture, and Maria and the Captain confirm their love in the song Something Good. They return home from their honeymoon shortly after the Nazis march into Austria. Swastikas have been hung on the Von Trapp ancestral villa, and Liesl’s boyfriend Rolf has been indoctrinated in the Third Reich. Nevertheless, with the help of the Abbey nuns, Sisters Berthe (Lydia Saxton/Veronica Mansour), Margaretta (Vivien Roberts/Ryan Hannemann) and Sophia (Clare Pepe/Sheena Zamani), the Von Trapps escape by-way of the peaceful Austrian mountainsides.
The musical co-director is Kris Feldman, the musical theatre specialist is Lydia Saxton, and amazing set artist is Heli Sterner.
Performances are: June 1 at 7 p.m., June 2 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and June 3 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. in Stevenson Ranch; June 8 at 7 p.m., June 9 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and June 10 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., at the Assistance League Playhouse in Hollywood. To contact Box Office, please call 661-254-4543 or 503-510-2051. You can purchase on line at: www.brownpapertickets.com.